By RICK HEAD
Publisher
Ware County heads into the first of two byes in a three-week span after surviving a intra-classification Top 10 battle with Benedictine.
Friday’s 14-10 victory elevated the unbeaten Gators (3-0) to No. 2 in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Class 5A Top 10 poll behind Cartersville. The Cadets fell from No. 1 to No. 7 in the Class 4A poll with its second loss of the year.
The 3-0 start is the 10th for Ware County this century and the third in four years under fourth-year head coach Jason Strickland. The Gators have reached 4-0 in six of those 10 years with the 2014 team ending the regular season 10-0.
“We are really banged up,” said Strickland of his squad. “Hopefully we can use this week to get some of those starters back when we start preparing for Bainbridge (ranked ninth in 4A).”
The Gators will get Monday off opting for film study. They will return to the grass Tuesday and Wednesday and have a light walk-thru Thursday.
“We want to take this week to get us better,” Strickland said. “We’ll be working on fundamentals and trying to correct some pre-snap mistakes that are hurting us. We’re not where we need to be to overcome first-and-long and second-and-long situations.”
The veteran head coach says the offense is still evolving and “still a work in progress” with the play of junior first-year starter Niko Smith, who has taken over for graduated Thomas Castellanos.
“Niko has done a great job of protecting the ball, especially Friday night in that rain,” said Strickland. “Before the game we (coaches) told the offensive players ball security was a must. The field was really saturated. We had two game plans going in and threw out the original because of the conditions.
“We all understood there was not going to be much in the passing game and Niko understood he wasn’t going to have the stats he normally does. He was upbeat on the sideline after every series.”
Strickland said his staff knew all off-season the defensive unit was going to be leaned on heavily while the offensive unit went through growing pains.
“That group has taken a huge leadership role this year,” he stated. “We (coaches) were excited about our potential. That group has played well and it starts with their preparation in the weight room and with film study. Now, we (coaches) have to make sure they understand they can’t live on press clippings and pats on the back in the community .. they must continue doing what got them here.”
The Gators had 23 defensive players see game action Friday night.
“That wasn’t action in a mop-up game,” said Strickland. “That was action in a close game and in crucial situations which helps in building depth. I think everybody in our defensive line group played. We want to keep the guys fresh so they can play fast.”
An area of concern the first two weeks was not a concern in the rain against Benedictine. William Bates kicked two PATs after the Gators struggled in the first two games to convert.
“We work on special teams every day,” said Strickland, “but our issues have been with snaps, holds and kicks. I think we made strides last week and it showed with two good kicks. Sometimes players just need to step back and clear their head.”
