Friday Night Lights: Sept. 28, 2012 -Back on the Hunt for a Win

The Walnut Grove Warriors hope to chalk up a win for the homecoming crowd tonight. OJ Soto's 1-3 team is off to a frustrating start this season. Last week they lost to Stephens County on the road, 20-61. Tonight's opponent, Lumpkin County High, took a purple-hued beating last week, losing to Monroe Area 13-54 to go 0-4 for the season. Next week, the Warriors have a bye week before facing Chestatee on October 12.

The Loganville Red Devils host the Cedar Shoals Jaguars tonight. The 1-3 Devils' have had problems on the road this year, losing all three away games by lopsided scores, including last week's 47-14 defeat in Flowery Branch.  The 2-2 Jaguars have had evenly mixed results at home and on the road but are licking their wounds following last week's 0-21 shutout at the hands of the Heritage Patriots.

Loganville Christian Academy begins a two-week bye tonight with a 5-0 record this season. Last week they defeated Creekside Academy 35-14 in McDonough. They will return to action at home on October 12 against Dominion Christian Academy. Loganville has a bye next week before facing the Apalachee Wildcats at home on October 12. Cedar Shoals will host the stampeding Gainseville Red Elephants next week.

Lanier High is bracing for a direct hit as The Monroe Area Purple Hurricanes blow into Sugar Hill tonight. The Canes' overwhelming offensive attack and impressive defense have earned them a #10 rank in the GHSA AAAA division, according to the AJC's Press Poll. They head into tonight's game undefeated after their first 4 games, against the 1-3 Lanier team that won it's first game last week by a touchdown against Madison County. Next week, Monroe has a bye. They host the Stephens County Indians the following week.

Good News all around at George Walton Academy from this past week. The Bulldogs blanked Warren County on the road by a score of 37-0. They also were ranked #8 in GHSA Region 8-A, according to the AJC's press poll. But the best news comes from Scottish Rite Hospital, where Middle School Player Jon Ross Snell continues to show dramatic recovery after collapsing at practice last Monday.

Tonight the Bulldogs fight to stay in the top 10 against Region A-8 rivals Commerce Tigers. Commerce squeaked out an 18-17 win last week to remain undefeated for the season. Next week, the Bulldogs head to Hebron Christian Academy.

The Apalachee Wildcats welcome the Clarke Central Gladiators tonight.  Both teams have a 1-2 record going in tonight. The Wildcats took a bye last week to regroup follwing a 20-62 stomping courtesy of the Gainseville Red Elephants. The Gladiators defeated the slumping Loganville Red Devils 40-6 at home to collect their first season win. Tonight is their first road game of the season.

Apalachee faces Flowery Branch next week while Central heads back home to face Salem.

The Oconee County Warriors beat a warpath east to Madison tonight to face the Morgan County Bulldogs. The 1-2 Warriors took a bye last week, sharpening their spears to seek redemption following a 62-14 thrashing by the Monroe Area Purple Hurricanes the week before.  3-1 Morgan County is also coming off their bye week, having put down Putnam County the prior week by a score of 39-16. Next week, Oconee comes home to face Elbert County.

The North Oconee Titans head the opposite direction tonight to meet the Jackson County Panthers on their turf in Jefferson. The Titans have fared well at home this season, winning all three games in front of the home crown while losing their sole away game. Last week they crushed Athens Christian Academy 44-0, The Panthers are also 3-1, having mauled their cross-town rivals East Jackson in similar fashion last week by a score of 47-7. Next week, The Titans face Morgan County's Bulldogs.

The Athens Christian Academy Eagles are riding a wing and a prayer tonight at home tonight as the undefeated Prince Avenue Christian Academy Wolverines head across town to face them. The Eagles are 1-3 following last week's Titan loss, the Wolverines collected win #4 by routing Glascock County 48-7. Next week, the Eagles face the Commerce Tigers while PACA hosts Athens Academy's Spartans.

Speaking of the Spartans, Athens Academy heads to Gainesville tonight to face the Lakeview Academy Lions. The Spartans speared their third straight win last week by a field goal in a tight 10-7 game against Our Lady Of Mercy.  Lakeview is 2-1 this season following last week's 20-30 loss to Pinecrest.

Bethlehem Christian Academy's Knights face Emmanuel Academy tonight. Both teams collected their first win last week and are 1-3 heading into tonight's game. BCA faces Hancock Academy next week. 

Winder-Barrow's Bulldoggs will spend their bye week regrouping after a winless start to the season. The Bulldoggs drew within two points in last week's game against Salem, but still landed in the loss column with a final score of 20-22. That makes the Doggs season record a frustrating 0-4. Next week they will face the Heritage Patriots at home.