Pinehurst —
Regardless of the outcome of Friday night’s football game pitting Fullington Academy and First Presbyterian Christian in Hinesville, a “first” is in store for the winner.
If the visiting Trojans come out on top in what will be the season finale for both schools, they will have their first Region 2-A win in five tries. If the host Highlanders prevail, they will have their first 2012 win, period.
“They may not have won a game yet, but they’re very athletic and are blessed with a lot of talent and speed,” Fullington coach Jerry Breeden said of the foe his school has never before faced on the gridiron.
“They’ve got three guys — No. 11, No. 7 and No. 5 — they alternate between quarterback and wide receiver and they can all run and catch the football.
“For us to have a chance of avoiding a winless region record, we’ve got to contain that trio. It’s going to be imperative that we keep them inside and get pursuit to them as we’re not going to be able to outrun them. They’ve also got a real good fullback, No. 34.”
No. 11 is quite the leaper, Breeden said, and in trying to take advantage of that ability when he’s at a receiving position, the Highlanders like to throw the ball high and let him go up and get it. No. 7 is the primary receiver on fly and up-and-out patterns and No. 5 is the target on quick, stop routes.
When flushed from the pocket while playing the quarterback position, none of the three hesitate to take off running outside. No. 34 is primarily called upon to do the power running between the tackles.
While that quartet hasn’t yet been able to get FPCA into the victory column primarily because of the blocking they’ve lacked and the team’s defensive struggles, they have helped it average scoring 22.4 points.
Defense is where the Highlanders have hurt most, surrendering a whopping 386 points or an average of 42.9 per game while basing out of a 4-3 front. All of their foes scored at least four touchdowns. One — Memorial Day — hung 10 on them in a 68-18 rout.
Other FPCA conquerors have been Bethesda (40-7), St. Andrews (35-28), Curtis Baptist (26-19), David Emanuel (46-29), Frederica (38-15), Robert Toombs (48-46), Crisp (50-14) and Randolph Southern (35-15).
Those high defensive yields no doubt sound good to the Trojans who to this point have scored at a 16.8 clip while allowing an average of 24.1.
“If we can get to and contain whoever lines up for them at quarterback, we should be fine defensively,” Breeden said in reflecting upon thedefensive key for his team .
“Offensively, it’s going to be vital that we control the football and put it in the end zone when we have the chance to do so as I have the feeling we’re going to have to score quite a bit.
“Here again, their defensive leaders are their top three on offense as No. 11 is the free safety and No. 7 and No. 5 swap between the linebacker and cornerback slots. Wherever an opponent starts hurting them, they try to get those guys to the point they’re being attacked.”
NOTES: A win by Fullington would give it a 4-6 record that hasn’t been surpassed since the 2009 squad went 8-4 and reached the second round of the state playoffs. ... The 153-mile trip to Hinesville represents the longest of the season for the Trojans. ... With the exception of Dane Bailey and Ty Tyndal who both have missed several games since getting hurt earlier in the season, Fullington’s injury situation is good.
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Related Photos
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Fullington Academy’s Braden Shealy hands the ball off to Gavin Reed (20) as teammate Mark McCleskey (6) watches during a previous road game. The Trojans will pack their travel bags again tomorrow when they visit Hinesville to battle First Presbyterian Christian’s Highlanders for the first time ever on the gridiron. Photo courtesy Bonnie Hauesler
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