Coaches for Eagles, Bulldogs prepare for showdown

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, October 3, 2007

SWEET WATER &8212; The Leroy Bears, who were ranked No. 1 in 2A, came into Nolan Atkins Stadium Friday night looking to stop the potent rushing attack of the Sweet Water Bulldogs. But it was the Bulldog&8217;s air attack that did the Bears in 35-14.

Senior quarterback Drew Luker finished the game 7-for-10 for 147 yards and two touchdowns. Anthony Landrum and Johnnie Lockett carried the rushing attack that gained 162 yards on 32 carries. And the Bulldogs&8217; stingy defense held the Bears to only 13 yards on 24 carries.

For the Eagles, the Georgiana Panthers came within six inches of winning the game against A.L. Johnson High School last week, but couldn&8217;t capitalize on the opportunity, falling 12-7.

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Down 12-7 with the game winding down, the Panthers hit Victor Marshall for a big pass to put them inside the 20.

A run from Andre Paige put the Panthers down to the one-foot line.

However, mistakes killed Georgiana from that point.

The Panthers went under center, but jumped offsides to push the ball back to the 6-yard line.

On the next play, Paige fumbled the snap to drop the Panthers back to the 16-yard line.

After two incomplete passes, A.L. Johnson had the game practically under wraps.

Move forward to this week.

Sweet Water is undefeated through five games and ranked No. 1 in 1A, as they have been since preseason. A.J. Johnson is 3-1 and unranked. But neither coach is looking at what has happened this season, they are focusing on what can happen.

Luker said he is expecting one of, if not the, fastest teams his group has faced this year. He said stopping that speed from opening up yardage on the ground for the Eagle offense is a part of his preparation for the game &8212; noting that more men in the box is one way his group will limit the run.

Times contributor Gary Curtis and Michael Rodgers of The Greenville Advocate contributed to this report.