Series record: First meeting
Last week: Gadsden City 27, Hewitt-Trussville 21;
Muscle Shoals 38, Bob Jones 6
By Gene Stanley/Messenger Sports Correspondent
Two of the more quick and athletic teams in the state will clash tonight (Nov. 9) in what could be-come a head-knocking, knockdown, drag-out.
And even though the record doesn’t show it, the Madison squad had a stellar season, suffering only one loss (to Hazel Green) in Class 6A, Region 8.
“They’re a very good football team,” Gadsden City coach Joe Billingsley said. “They won that region for a reason and that’s a tough region.”
Speed will be a key factor in every phase, as both teams are ablaze with it.
“They’re the biggest school in the state, so they have a lot of kids to choose from,” Billingsley said. “They will have 100-110 kids on the sideline.”
While the Patriots line up mainly in the spread offense, Billingsley said that a big passing attack may not be what you see.
“They’ll take what you give them,” he said. “If you’re stacking the box, they have a good passing game. If you’re dropping back in coverage, they have a good run game.”
Sound familiar?
Billingsley knows his team has struggled at times this year, and he knows the reasons why.
“If we will correct the fundamental mistakes – stop making so many penalties and stop turning the ball over – and play like we have when we’ve been highly successful, there’s no reason we can’t win. It sounds silly, but we’ve got to block and tackle.”
Adding to the interest is the fact that the numbers are quite similar.
Gadsden City has scored 291 points through 10 games, while Bob Jones has tallied 288. The Titans have given up a few more points – 246 – than the Patriots’ 203.
“Their defense is every bit as athletic as the offense,” Billingsley said. “They read the keys well and they will flat out get after you.”
Last week against Hewitt-Trussville, Jaiye Miller rushed five times for 69 yards, while C.J. Moore added 56 yards on 19 carries. Moore also was 7-of-13 in passing for 82 yards.