The Winder-Barrow High School football team probably feels like it’s going from the proverbial frying pan into the fire this week.
After facing a talented Monroe Area squad a week ago, the Bulldoggs welcome Gainesville this Friday for the Region 8-AAAAA opener for both teams. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at W. Clair Harris Stadium.
The Red Elephants are already a top 10 team in AAAAA despite having moved up from AAA. Gainesville reached the state semifinals in AAA a year ago.
Led by All-State quarterback selection Deshaun Watson, the Red Elephants defeated Buford last Friday and enter the game 1-1. (The team lost to West Forsyth in the opener.)
WBHS coach David Wagner said watching the tape of Gainesville against Buford was like watching a college game.
“Watson can really run and throw it.” Wagner said. “There was one time where he was standing flat-footed and threw it 60 yards. I took the tape back a couple of times just to see it again. It was actually hard to tell where the football landed because he threw it so far.”
The Red Elephants combine athletic ability and size, a combination which hurt the Bulldoggs in their game last week against Monroe Area.
Despite the formidable opponent, Wagner said he plans to continue working on what WBHS has done to this point.
“I don’t want us to get to the point where we are constantly changing what we do based on our opponent,” Wagner said. “We will also tweak a few things, but we will continue to work on what we have always been doing. We have had some success in doing some things, even though the score may not show it. We aren’t going to scrap everything we’ve worked so long on.”
Injuries are also a concern for the WBHS coach as several players were out last week against Monroe Area and remain questionable for this week. Wagner said Monday decisions on some players would not be made until later this week.
“We’ll have to use some players both ways,” the coach said. “You want to avoid that if possible. It takes such a toll on a player even competing on one side of the football.”
Despite moving up two classfications, Gainesville is still a top 10 team and was predicted by some to win Region 8-AAAAA. Wagner said he is not surprised that his team’s opponent this week is drawing so much respect.
“It really depends on the team,” the Bulldogg coach said. “Someone like Buford, for example, would be competitive against anyone. It’s the same way for Gainesville. When you are used to going deep in the playoffs every year, then you can compete at pretty much any classification. Looking at them on film, they don’t seem out of place to me being in Class AAAAA.”
WBHS defensive coordinator Stanley Allen is working to find a way to slow down Gainesville’s talented quarterback.
“Gainesville is very good,” Allen said. “They have athletes everywhere and really utilize them. They base out of the spread. Watson may be the best player in the state. We are going to go back to work and get after them. It is our region opener and we are glad to be home. Their offensive line is really big and well coached also.”
Watson accounted for more than 4,400 yards of offense last year and with 57 touchdowns. The quarterback was a threat both through the air and on the ground, passing for 3,251 yards and 41 touchdowns while adding 1,073 yards and 16 scores by the run. He has picked up in 2012 where he left off a season ago.
•The Game: Gainesville @ Winder-Barrow, Friday, 7:30 p.m., W. Clair Harris Stadium
•Coaches: WBHS: David Wagner; Gainesville: Bruce Miller
•Records: WBHS, 0-2 (0-0); Gainesville (1-1) 0-0
•Key Players: WBHS: QB Christian Hodge; K Colin Shannon; WB Chad Platt; WB Chandon Sullivan; RB/LB Al Schotter; FB Devin Nash; Gainesville: QB DeShaun Watson; RB Jay Gaudlock; WR Keyontra Harrison; WR Lahius Leverette; RB RayRay Harrison; OL Chase England
•Listen in: Chris Casey and George Croley will call the action on HEARtheGAME.com, available through the Internet or from any mobile device
•Items of Note: The Winder-Barrow High School football team was overwhelmed by a speedy Monroe Area team last Friday 58-14. The Bulldoggs trailed 51-0 at halftime. It won’t get any easier this Friday when the Gainesville Red Elephants visit W. Clair Harris Stadium. After advancing to the state semifinals in Class AAA a year ago, Gainesville has battled two tough non-region foes in West Forsyth (32-30 loss) and Buford (19-15.) Buford, prior to losing to Gainesville Friday, had not lost at home since the 2006 state championship against Charlton County. The Buford Wolves had not lost a regular season home game since 2000 when it lost to Commerce. Friday’s game will be the first of eight region games for both WBHS and Gainesville.
