Teams around the area will wrap up the season and some will continue on in the state playoffs tonight.
Friday Game Night checked in with coaches around northeast Georgia to find out how what it will take to get a win Friday night.
Below are comments from the area’s coaches about either the keys to a win or about the game, in general. Friday Game Night will have coverage of the games in the area Friday night. You can track these games on the FGN twitter page at www.twitter.com/fridaygamenight or on the live scoreboard at www.accesswdun.com/fridaygamenight.
Buford's Bryant Appling on Clarke Central for the Region 8-5A championship:
"Playing a team like Clarke Central, we need to win the physical battle and cut down on mistakes. They are too good to give them any help."
Chestatee’s Shaun Conley talks keys against West Hall:
“We need to eliminate turnovers and play with great energy and effort."
Commerce’s Michael Brown on the Region 8-A game against George Walton Academy:
"We've gotta make every drive count on offense and play disciplined defense against George Walton's Wing-T."
Dawson County’s Sid Maxwell talks about keys against North Hall:
"Just being who we are. Take care of the football, spread the ball around, being an attacking offense and a steady defense with good special teams."
East Hall’s Michael Perry on Lumpkin County:
“Just let it loose and have fun. It’s the last football game some of these boys will ever play. I want them to cherish every bit of it.”
Flowery Branch’s Ben Hall says the Falcons will have to play defense on offense in a critical game against Denmark:
"We're going to line up and try to keep the ball and not ask young players to do too much. We've got to possess the football and avoid turnovers and untimely penalties that are extra costly when you play that style of ball. You get behind the chains with a holding penalty and it's hard to overcome so we have to play a clean game and we have to be the more physical team."
Gainesville’s Heath Webb says line of scrimmage play will be key against No. 5-ranked Lanier:
“Whichever group wins that battle probably wins the game. I just described three large human beings that play on our offensive line; Lanier has the same thing on their defensive line and is probably the largest we’ve faced all year, so it is definitely going to be one of those trenches kinds of ball games. All you can do is try and hold them down because if you try to double-team one guy you're going to free up another so we’re just going to have to execute what we do and rely on our guys playing as a unit.”
Habersham’s Benji Harrison says stopping the run is key against Apalachee:
“Stopping the run on defense is important. And just basically getting over the disappointment of being knocked out of the playoffs last week. We have to go play this game with great effort and want to.”
Jackson County’s Rich McWhorter on playing East Jackson:
“We need to have some consistency on offense and not to have any three and outs. On defense, we need to try to contain No. 8 (Nino Brown).
Johnson’s Stan Luttrell on playing Loganville for a playoff berth:
“We have to take care of the ball on offense and limit explosive plays on defense.”
Lakeview Academy coach Matthew Gruhn on playing Prince Avenue Christian:
“We have to have multiple eight to 10 play drives to keep their offense on the sideline and win the turnover margin. It’s important for us to avoid giving them a short field through special teams and not turn the ball over.”
Lumpkin County’s Caleb Sorrells on East Hall:
“We to play with more energy and effort, establish the run game and minimize big plays.”
North Hall’s Dave Bishop says they have to play the best game of the year against Dawson County:
"We've got to play the best game we've played all year -- all three phases. They are really good at all three phases. To be able to beat them you've got to be able to not give up the big plays. They are a big-play football team."
Rabun County’s Jaybo Shaw says the defensive line play against Union will be huge:
“The offenses are both good but we really like where our defense is right now,” Shaw said. “We have really been able to get takeaways this year and I’m hoping we can get a few more.”
Riverside coach Nick Garrett on playing Providence:
“We need to stop Providence from running and use our athletes in space to score.”
Towns County coach Jason Roquemore on host Athens Christian:
“Towns County has got to quit beating Towns County.”
Union County’s Brian Allison on playing Rabun for the Region 8-2A title:
“Two great quarterbacks and two really good offenses,” Allison said. “Gunner is a tremendous player. We have to find a way to contain him; keep him in the pocket. But we also have to slow down their running backs."
West Hall’s Krofton Montgomery on playing Chestatee:
“We need to play hard for 48 minutes, keep their offense in front of us and win the turnover battle.”
White County’s Tim Cokely on playing defending state champ, Blessed Trinity:
“They are the defending state champs so we will have to do everything well. That is to limit their big plays and get some of our own.”
