Greene County and Putnam County will renew their rivalry Friday at Al Reaves Field at 7.:30 p.m. in Eatonton.
Last season, the Tigers defeated the War Eagles 28-20 in Greensboro at Tiger Stadium.
Putnam spent the last two weeks scrimmaging West Laurens and Washington County. The War Eagles are coached by Joel Harvin, entering his third season, and he said he’s ready to see his players hit the field on Friday.
Even though Greene lost a talented senior class in the offseason, including Division I players like defensive tackle Kevin Wynn and defensive back/wide receiver Steve Miller, Harvin knows the Tigers will still be a threat.
“I know they had a good senior class last year that was top-heavy with very good players,” he said. “They also have a lot of experience in winning games with the guys they’ve got coming back. So, it will be a challenge for us.”
The Tigers return quarterback Landon Garretson, who commanded the offense with poise in last season’s matchup. He helped move the chains with his arm and pass for a touchdown while tailbacks Amari Durham and Travez Gibson, who are both not with the team anymore, combined for 164 yards and a score on the ground.
Greene’s offense will depend on Garretson, but also on skill players such as Gonnie Armstrong, Dontriel Gable, and Denim Harris to take the load off their quarterback.
Harvin hopes his defense, which struggled in the scrimmages, can make consistent stops and get off the field.
“In the first two (scrimmages) defensively, we struggled a little bit in all formations and fits,” Harvin said.
Veteran Putnam defenders such as Christian Farley, Bryson Brown, and others will be tasked with leading on the field.
Greene scrimmaged Northeast Macon, the Class A Division I runner-up last season, on Friday. The Tigers also struggled defensively, giving up several big-time plays that went for touchdowns. The Tigers are young, and losing Wynn and Miller, along with players such as linebackers Laryous Burt and RJ Monford, hurts.
Last year, Putnam ran for 280 yards and scored two touchdowns, with Rashod Daniel and Jamarion Robertson contributing most of the production.
Those two are no longer there, but the War Eagles still have a talented group of running backs.
According to new Greene head coach Darius Robinson, the defense will need to stop the run in order to be successful.
Robinson has challenged his defensive line, anchored by senior De’mond Copeland, to do just that.
“They do some things that a lot of people don’t do nowadays, which is run the single wing,” Robinson said. “Everybody’s wanting to be more of a spread team. And so it’s just a difference of preparation. But also, their physicality, we’re going to have to match that with how they play football. It’s going to be interesting to see.”
Robinson is excited for his first Greene-Putnam rivalry game. He believes rivalry games are beneficial for the community.
“When you have a team in close proximity like Putnam, you throw out everything else that folks may think, because that’s a crosstown rivalry, and it doesn’t matter how teams are playing,” he said. “There’s extra motivation and excitement from the community. I expect an electric atmosphere where our team can set the tone for Greene County football, with me leading and our consistent standard for play moving forward.”
Harvin agreed.
“It’s a rivalry game, so they’re going to be stepping up their game,” Harvin said. “And we know that they’ve got playmakers on both sides of the ball, and we expect a good game Friday. So, we’re excited about it.”
Putnam County leads the all-time series 28-27-1 over Greene County. It will be the season opener for both teams.