(VIDEO) Game of the Week: Branch set to begin tough slog against Gladiators

FLOWERY BRANCH — The Flowery Branch football team has been waiting for this one for what seems like all offseason.

The Falcons may be on their second contest of the campaign, but, after their fall scrimmage was derailed by weather and then emptying the bench in a 70-6 win over East Hall two weeks ago, the Branch is champing at the bit to take on Clarke Central on Friday at Falcon Stadium.

(NOTE: To watch a video feature of the tonight's Falcons-Gladiators contest, click "play" in the box above. And for a look at all of Friday's football games for area teams, click here.)

"It's a really big game," Falcons senior defensive end Ethan McKay said. "We didn’t have a scrimmage, so (East Hall) was our first time as a whole team together having a game experience. So actually I think it was a blessing in disguise because we had two weeks to solidify and fix our mistakes in the first week, and now we’re really focusing on Clarke Central this week."

To the outsider it would be easy to think the seventh-ranked Falcons (1-0) had little to correct after running out to a 57-6 first half advantage two weeks ago, but coach Ben Hall grinned when asked how hard it was to maintain focus through the bye.

"Our team understands who we have on the schedule," Hall said. "And our team realizes that we have some pretty stout teams down the road, so they were focused on that and just improving overall."

The Branch certainly knows that it must be better than two weeks ago when it takes on a stout Gladiators (2-0) team that features what Hall calls a stellar defense and two outstanding running backs.

"It’s one of the best defenses that I’ve coached against; they’re very stout in the box," Hall said of Clarke Central. "Their down lineman are big and fast and athletic and two of the best interior linebackers that we’ve seen in quite some time. And they’re athletic in the secondary. And on top of that they have two Division I caliber running backs, so it’s going to be a challenge."

Yet slowing the duo of Jonathan Sewell and O’Brien Barnett -- who have combined for 351 yards in two games -- is a test the Falcons relish.

"The challenge in the trenches is going to be the physicality and how hard we’re willing to play the game," senior defensive lineman and fullback Cody Inman said. "Our key is to do our job up front and keep contain. Other than that we’re just going to pound it, pound it, pound it."

The Falcons did not have to pound it much in their opener, so it will be interesting to see how that facet of the contest plays out against a Gladiators team that has tested itself in back-to-back wins over Winder-Barrow (22-19) and Oconee County (17-10). Branch quarterback Elijah Gainey and receiver Jalin Strawn did pick up where they left off in 2017, as Gainey completed all but two of 15 pass attempts for 190 yards -- four to Strawn for 92 yards.

"Our kids will play hard, and hopefully we can execute the gameplan and focus on their job from play-to-play and not necessarily the quality of the opponent but executing our job. And if we break it down that way and approach the game that way I think we’ll do fine," Hall said.

This was a contest that helped announce the Falcons' resurgence in 2017, and they feel it can once again announce big things in 2018.

"Last year it was one of the biggest games we had. It was a huge statement game last year so I think going in to this year it’s almost become a little bit of a rivalry," McKay said. "People want to see how good we are, but this is a big game. But with our schedule this game is going to be just as hard as every other game."