Gatewood used to playing for championships lately, and now try to defend one
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
Gatewood is about five decades old, and had won a GISA state title in 1990 and an old Southeastern Association of Independent Schools (SEAIS) in 1977.
And now, the Gators are going for two straight.
Gatewood takes on Briarwood at 5 p.m. Friday at Mercer’s Five Star Stadium for the GISA Class AA state title.
The Gators of Jeff Ratliff are 11-2 while Briarwood is 10-3.
The Buccaneers warmed up in the playoffs after finishing the regular season in a 1-3 rut. Two of the losses were to teams that finished higher in Region 4, champ Brentwood and second-place Edmund Burke.
In what most thought was more of the battle of the two top teams in the class, Gatewood topped Brentwood 35-20 in a semifinal.
And that’s a task for Ratliff.
“We knew that Brentwood was the top team in our league, division,” Ratliff said. “So this week has been a little bit of a challenge, to get up.
“But the whole spiel about ‘we’re playing for the state championship, we’ve got a chance to do something special …’ They’ve been pretty focused.”
The senior class will make sure of that, hoping to finish with a four-year record of 45-8, the best four-year run in program history.
Walt Jarrett leads the rushing attack with 1,361 yards and 22 touchdowns, while John Decker emerged to add 662 yards and 10 touchdowns from the key fullback spot.
The Gators are throwing about twice as much as usual, and Luke Haley is making it pay off. He is 50 of 81 for 992 yards and 11 touchdowns with only two interceptions, adding 660 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in Gatewood’s option game.
Weston Wallace is a two-way force up front, the Gator defense adding playmakers James Williamson (94 tackles) and Connor Olson (eight interceptions). Olson makes plays on both sides, his speed giving that passing game a serious threat.
“If (Williamson) was 6-0, 21-0, he could go wherever he wanted,” Ratliff said of the 5-9, 168-pound senior linebacker. “James is a tough nut.”
The teams have played 34 times, Briarwood leading 20-14 but Gatewood owning the most recent win, 38-14 in 2013.
“They do things fundamentally right,” Ratliff said. Teams that are fundamentally sound always have a chance. They do a good job with fundamentals. They block and tackle and do a good job doing what they do.” “We’re peaking,” Ratliff said. “Ain’t no doubt. We’re playing at a high level. We need to finish it off.”