atewood Gators
atewood Gators
Gatewood Gators
Brentwood out of Sandersville.
The Gators and War
Eagles are set to square off in
the regular season finale Nov.
20 in what could be a weighty
contest depending on how the
season shakes out. The Gatewood
head coach isn’t thinking
about that particular contest
yet though.
“We’ve got a lot of work to
do between now and then,”
said Ratliff. “Bert [Brown,
Brentwood head coach] does
a great job with his kids and
he’ll have them ready to play.
The Brentwood-Gatewood rivalry
has always been a good
one. Hopefully, a region championship
and No. 1 seed for
the playoffs will be on the line.
That’s what a November game
is supposed to be.”
Even with so few starters
returning, the Gators are expected
to be in the hunt for
the state championship once
again. The seniors who have
been with the program all four
years haven’t lost more than
two games in a varsity season
and are 34-5 overall. Earning
a third state championship
ring would be a nice little cap
on their careers, but Ratliff is
pressing the importance of one
championship — not three —
upon his team.
“I don’t want the team to look
at it as trying to three-peat. If
after we’re done we’re fortunate
enough to win it all, we’ll
put it on the rings and all that.
But what we’re trying to do is
get the 2020 football team to
win a championship. It is our
goal every single season. Winning
three would be great, but
the 2020 team is the 2020
team. These guys were all a
part of last year’s team, so they
know what it takes. We have to
roll up our sleeves and get after
it every single day.”
The Gators kick off the regular
season Sept. 11 at Edmund
Burke Academy in Waynesboro.
Region play begins Nov.
6 against Monsignor Donovan
in Eatonton.
Football Preview 2020 63