Gatewood (3-6, 2-2) made the trek to Waynesboro last Friday and headed home after suffering a 20-0 shutout by Edmund Burke Academy (6-3, 3-1).
It marked the fourth straight win for the Spartans over the Gators.
“I know you have heard the expression, ‘Mama said there would be days like this.’ Well, Friday night felt like that,” Gatewood head coach Jeff Ratliff wrote in his weekly email to team supporters following the loss.
“We never seemed to get in rhythm offensively because of turnovers and miscues,” Ratliff continued. “On defense, we missed too many tackles and committed untimely penalties that extended every one of their scoring drives.”
The Gators also sustained two unfortunate injuries to key linemen during the game, Ratliff confirmed.
“We played hard, and we kept fighting, but we must be better in all phases of the game if we expect to find success moving forward,” he said.
Gatewood now turns its attention to its final regular-season contest this year, facing a tough Brentwood team (8-1, 4-0) this Friday night at home in Eatonton. The War Eagles are coming off a 46-16 win over Augusta Prep last week and have averaged more than 43 points per game this season.
“It doesn’t matter who you play; you’ve got to be fundamentally sound, and you’ve got to prepare to win. And that’s what we’re going to do this week,” Ratliff said Monday night. “It’s going to take an incredible effort to beat Brentwood. They’re good; they’re in our division; they’re the defending state champs. And I would tell you that anyone who wants to win the state title has got to beat these guys.”
The Gatewood coach said his team will need “a great week of practice,” and stressed that extreme preparation by all involved will be required for success.
Ratliff also mentioned both teams will be playing for a special trophy Friday night, as Gatewood and Brentwood traditionally compete each year for “The Whoopin’ Stick,” a handmade, one-piece, wooden trophy featuring a football carved into its top.
The special award is the result of two old football fans — one from Eatonton, the other from Sandersville, home of the War Eagles — deciding the intense annual rivalry game deserved a trophy of its own.
“It’s a good little added wrinkle, some added spice to the rivalry, so it’ll be an emotional game,” Ratliff said. “I mean, neither school really likes the other, so it’s always fun to play in those games. Makes it extra fun to win — but we’ve got our work cut out for us.”
Additionally, the final regular-season home game is traditionally Senior Night for Gatewood, with all seniors and their parents to be recognized in a brief ceremony about 20 minutes before the scheduled 7:30 p.m. game start at Sammons Field.