ALEX BRADFORD MAKES A TOUCHDOWN RECEPTION The Devils enter the playoffs against Jefferson this weekend. What can you say about these kinds of games? Homecoming? In the end the home team has its parties and parades; its kings and queens; its dances and revelries. The moms and dads smile and take pictures. Seniors walk with their honeys under the lights. Young girls play dress up with dad with hopes of being a queen. Young football players imagine the joy of a slow dance with their girl whispering in their ears what a great game they played. Cheerleaders coyly give young players their garters for luck.

TONY WELLS SACKS THE BULLDOG QUARTERBACK The Devil Defense had little trouble holding GMC last Friday. But in some places bitter loss is their homecoming fortune.

For 34 years now the Home Town Devils have never had to feel that bitter sting.

GMC had the terrible misfortune of being number 34 last Friday night. In the ugliest game of the year the Devils hung 41 points on the scuffling Bulldogs. The Devils nearly piled up over 500 yards of total offense against GMC.

Quarterback Brandon Barden led the rushing attack with 113 yards and completed 4 out of 8 passing attempts for 52 yards. Darrell Norman also added 71 yards on the ground.

QUARTERBACK BRANDON BARDEN GETS LOOSE FOR A 70-YARD TOUCHDOWN RUN As long as they keep winning, the Devils will be at home for at least the first two playoff games. The Devils scored on their first possession on a 53-yard sally reverse from junior Darrell Norman with 10:05 remaining in the first quarter. Fill-in placekicker junior Rontae Norman tacked on the PAT for a 7-0 lead.

Sloppy play in the remainder of the first quarter kept the Devils off the board.

Early in the second period a sack of GMC on fourth-and-11 by Tony Wells gave the Devils the football at their own 30-yard-line. One midline option later Brandon Barden sprinted 70 yards for the Devils’ second touchdown of the game. Clutch reliever Norman tacked on PAT number two with 6:56 left in the second. The Devils held a frustrating 14-0 lead

Getting the ball back quickly on a GMC punt, Lincoln County went to work. Tyler Beale got the Devils within range on three carries down to the Bulldog 25-yard line. On third and one Barden hit junior wide receiver Alex Bradford over the shoulder on a go route down the left sideline for another Red Devil touchdown. New Mr. Reliable Rontae Norman kicked the extra point for a 21-0 Lincoln County lead with 1:46 to go in the half.

Once more making GMC hand the ball back very quickly the Devils had designs on getting a quick score before the break, but an interception squelched the plan and the Devils went in at the half up only 21-0.

More focused in the second half the Devils scored touchdowns on every possession.

On possession one the Devils capped a 60-yard drive with a blast from the past. Barden carried out a true triple-option left, riding a fake to the fullback, pulling the ball out and getting to the perimeter with backside motion man Butch Norman trailing. Barden cut upfield, brought the outside defender to himself, and pitched the ball to a following Norman who strolled into the endzone with 6:26 left in the third. Rontae then kicked PAT number four to give the Devils a 28-0 lead – two points shy of a mercy rule margin.

Following a three-and-out from GMC, Devil junior punt returner Rontae Norman followed his blocks perfectly up the field to score an exciting 70-yard touchdown return. Then Norman kicked his fifth PAT in a row to give the Devils a large 35-0 lead with 4:41 left in the third period.

The GHSA’s mercy rule caught GMC in mid-drive after Norman’s TD return as the third period ran out. The Bulldogs were eventually forced to punt back to the Devils under a running clock.

With junior quarterback Austin Goldman now leading the offense, the Devils finished out the scoring on an incredible 19-yard, never-sayquit tailback dive by junior running back Franklin Jones. With time around the 3:52 mark and counting Mr. Automatic II missed what would have been his sixth point after in a row. The Devils now led 41-0.

With time running out on the clock the Bulldogs managed one last burst of pride as a toss sweep scamper went 65 yards for a GMC touchdown as the clock had expired.

Losing the shut-out hardly mattered now. The Devils had won 416, kept everyone healthy and used up its last opportunity to play with distractions.

This week the Devils begin round one of the Georgia High School Association Class A State Playoffs by hosting the 8-A No. 4 seed Jefferson Dragons.

The Dragons will run a multiple wing-I on offense that encompasses aspects of both wing-T and I sets. The Dragons love to pull linemen which is more of a wing-T characteristic of their offense, with much of a Thomson High School feel – fullback traps and g’s, plus counters and sweeps.

On offense the Dragons’ weapon is their 6’5", 245lb. tight end No. 12 Chris Davis, who has already verbally committed to UGA. His strong point is considered a bit of a nasty streak that runs in him. He is a scrappy competitor and looks for people to hit. Davis is also a force at defensive end.

They are also keen on No. 59 offensive tackle Seth Love (6’3", 275) the Class A State Wrestling RunnerUp.

Also a point of concern is No. 34 fullback Tyler Hill (6’2", 230) a nasty downhill runner.

On defense the Dragons will run a multiple 5-3 set.

The Dragons head coach is Bill Navas who several years ago took Hephzibah high school from the bottom of 3-AAAA to respectability and into the playoffs. Navas was head coach of Hephzibah in 2001 when his Rebels defeated Our Boys 10-0 in the first overtime game ever played at Buddy Bufford Field.

Game time is 7:30 p.m.