Longtime Gatewood football head coach Jeff Ratliff said he’s “excited” about his team’s upcoming season.
Last year, the Gators lost a heartbreaker in the Georgia Independent Athletic Association Class AA state final to Edmund Burke Academy. So, Ratliff and his players are hungry for the start of their action-packed 2024 slate.
Ratliff credited his new seniors for their hard work in the offseason. He said it’s now their time to step up and lead.
“We will go as far as our seniors lead us. I put a lot of trust in those guys and depend on them to lead and set the example,” Ratliff said. “I also depend on them to take care of business. Every year is different, but our seniors are an important part of our program. They’re the ones who have come up through and paid the price.”
Gatewood’s 2024 schedule features many familiar opponents, but some new and past foes will be coming up, too.
The Gators’ season opener will come Aug. 16 at Flint River Academy (FRA) in Woodbury, a team they haven’t faced in five years. The Wildcats went 12-0 last season and won the GIAA Class A state championship.
In week two, Ratliff’s squad will host a familiar foe in Trinity Christian. Gatewood shut out the Crusaders 35-0 last season and leads the all-time series 16-9-1. The Gators have won four straight contests against their Dublin-based rival, which went 2-9 last year.
Gatewood’s third matchup of its 2024 schedule will again be Aug. 30 at home in Eatonton against Loganville Christian Academy. The Gators didn’t play the Lions last year but lead the all-time series 3-0.
Gatewood will remain at home on Sept. 6 to face Southland Academy. The Raiders of Americus went 5-7 overall last season, including a 20-13 loss to the Gators last season. This year’s game promises to be another battle.
Ratliff stressed he doesn’t want his players to overlook the team’s first four opponents. He knows opening with a team as tough as Flint River Academy will only help better prepare his guys for the next 11 games.
“I do feel good going into the season, but I don’t want us to feel comfortable yet because we haven’t even played a snap,” Ratliff said. “I feel good with what we’re doing so far. I feel good about who we have returning. They’ll be better than last year, but now it’s a matter of finding those pieces we lost to graduation in May.”
Following the three-game home stretch, Gatewood will travel to Macon on Sept. 13 to face Mount de Sales. It promises to be a huge matchup for the Gators, who haven’t played the Cavaliers since 2009 and have never beaten them. The Cavs went 1-9 last year, but Ratliff said he’s sure Mount de Sales coach Gray Yates will have his team ready to play.
Following a Sept. 20 bye, Gatewood will return to the road on Sept. 27 to face rival Augusta Prep Day (APD). The Gators trounced the Cavs 62-6 last season, followed by a 54-12 win for Gatewood over APD in the GIAA Class AA playoffs. Gatewood’s contest against Augusta Prep also will mark the start of region play for the Gators as they seek to repeat as league champions.
After not playing at home for nearly a month, Gatewood will return to Eatonton on Oct. 4 to face Thomas Jefferson Academy. The Gators haven’t faced the Jaguars, who went 1-10 overall last season, since 2009; however, Thomas Jefferson won the GIAA Class A title just two years ago.
On Oct. 11, Gatewood will visit Warrenton to renew its historic rivalry with Briarwood Academy. Last season, the Gators defeated the Buccaneers 17-8 during the regular season and won 15-12 in the GIAA Class AA state playoffs. Briarwood leads the all-time series 21-19; however, since 2012, the Bucs have lost seven of the teams’ last eight meetings.
Gatewood will be on the other end of the spectrum on Oct. 18, facing another rival at home against Edmund Burke Academy (EBA). The Spartans defeated the Gators 20-14 during the 2024 regular season, followed by a 16-10 victory in the state title game. EBA leads the all-time series 11-8, but Gatewood has won four of the last seven, dating back to 2010.
Ratliff and his players have the Oct. 18 rematch against Edmund Burke Academy circled on their calendars, but don’t want to overlook their first ten opponents.
Ratliff said he just wants to take the season “one week at a time.”
“We don’t want to lose sight of the bigger picture, which is to win a state title,” he said. “We’re excited to play a tough region schedule, which has ramped up this year.”
Gatewood’s final regular season contest will be on Oct. 25 at rival Brentwood in Sandersville. The Eagles lead the all-time series 20-15, but the Gators won 42-14 last year.
Ratliff said he’s confident his team can return to the state championship game and win the program’s first title since 2020. He believes the Gators have an advantage in returning several starters from last year.
Still, he stressed the hard work begins in the weight room during the offseason and transitions to the field during the summer.
“We want to play the teams that will make us better. At the same time, we need to play teams in our division to have some type of headto- head comparison when playoff time rolls around,” Ratliff said.