Warriors end year back on the road
The Gordon Central High School football team will close out the 2021 season Friday night the same way it started — on the road.
The Warriors wrap up the schedule with a trip to Rome to play Model, which had an open date last week, giving them two weeks to prepare for their season finale.
Both teams are now playing for pride and hopefully not just playing out the string as the playoffs picture is in clear focus in this district and neither Gordon Central or Model are in the shot.
Either Dade County, which Gordon Central lost to, 62-0, last Friday, or Fannin County will be the Region champion and they face off this week in Blue Ridge to settle the issue.
The Rebels began this week 5-0 and were the last unbeaten squad in the league with Dade County 4-1 and a game behind.
But a win Friday would make both teams 5-1 in the league and give DC the top seed going into the playoffs with Fannin the two seed. Should FC win its seventh straight game, it would be their second consecutive Region championship and obviously they would be the top seed in the league.
Chattooga is presently third in the league and off this week. The Indians had to cancel a game earlier this season against Sonoraville and will play just nine games this year before they open AA playoffs next week at Haralson County in Tallapoosa.
And Pepperell, which has won three straight games and is getting hot at just the right time, is in fourth place at 3-2 after beating those Chattooga Indians, 35-14, last Friday. They will go for their fourth consecutive Region victory this week against Coosa, which is 1-4 in the league.
Gordon Central, Model and Coosa are the three teams that will not get in, but all three of those are hoping to end things on a high note and a victory this week would do exactly that.
And that takes us back to this week when Gordon Central plays Model in a game that would give the winning team a much brighter outlook heading into the upcoming offseason.
For the Warriors seniors, they have a chance to go out in style and have some great memories for life if they can get a win against the Blue Devils, who are 1-4 in the league with just two wins overall.
Model had its woes offensively earlier this year, but the Blue Devils have found their way since league play began with 104 points of their 121 points coming in those five games.
They beat Coosa, 37-7, and scored 21 points against Chattooga and 22 against Pepperell in defeat. The Blue Devils also took Dade County to overtime before losing, 20-17 to the team that could wind up the co-Region champ everything is said and done Friday night.
For Gordon Central, the Warriors are just trying to put it all together this week and come away with a victory. They have had their moments this year, but are hoping Friday night they can stiffle a Model offense that scored just 17 points the first four weeks of the season.
The kickoff Friday night is Rome is set for 7:30 p.m.