Coaches tend to downplay rival games but when it comes to the Winder-Barrow High School/Apalachee contest, the coaches involved know there really is no need to try.
The two local schools will continue their rivalry Friday night on the basketball court. Varsity games are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
“It really doesn’t matter what I say,” AHS boys coach Kevin Morris said. “It’s a big game for the players on our team. Regardless of whether we are in the same region or subregion, the players treat it as a big game.”
This season finds the two Barrow County schools both competing in Region 8-AAAA. In basketball both are in the same subregion.
“There is nothing I can say to downplay it,” Morris said. “What I have to try and make our players understand is that win or lose, it doesn’t make our season.”
Going into this week’s action, the Wildcats had posted wins in four of their last five games including a victory against Habersham Central in the subregion opener Saturday.
Eli Connell, Morris’ counterpart at WBHS, agreed with the AHS coach concerning how his players will approach Friday’s contest.
“There is no use in us trying to downplay it,” Connell said. “We don’t have to do very much to get the kids ready for it. If you can’t get ready for this one you haven’t been paying attention.”
The Bulldogg coach said the teams have not been in the same region for a while.
“Even being in the same region, I don’t know if the game could mean much more to the kids,” Connell said. “It hard to get much more important than it already is. It will be big for everyone.”
AHS Lady Wildcats coach Michael Parks said his players have been looking forward to the rival game for some time.
“They know exactly when it’s coming up and have known,” Parks said. “Even Saturday at Habersham Cenral they were already looking forward to it. It is useless to tell them to treat it like any other game. I know they want to do well against Winder. They know the players from there and know who scores how many points in their games.”
While Parks said being in the same subregion as WBHS should be an added incentive for his team, even when the teams are in different regions, the game is still big.
“We will have to be at our best against them,” the Lady Wildcats coach said. “You want to be at your best all four quarters.”
WBHS Lady Bulldoggs coach Brenda Hill said playing a crosstown rival is always exciting for the players.
“We have to come ready to play or we will lose,” Hill said. “Both teams will be ready to play their best.”
