TEAMS: Atlanta (3-3, 0-1) at Pleasant Grove (6-0, 1-0)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m., Hawk Stadium
LAST WEEK: The Hawks edged Gilmer at Jeff Traylor Stadium, 41-38, while the Rabbits fell to Pittsburg, 43-19.
LAST YEAR: Atlanta defeated Pleasant Grove at Rabbit Stadium, 14-7.
GAME FACTS: Tonight's game is Homecoming for the Hawks. Pleasant Grove was previously ranked 12th in the AP Texas Class 4A football poll but jumped to No. 10 with its big win over the Buckeyes a week ago. PG averages 45 points per game and are giving up just 16.3 points, and Atlanta is scoring 28.8 points per contest and gives up 30.7 points. The Hawks run the Wing-T offense and average 311.8 rushing yards per game, while the Rabbs average 225.7 yards. Atlanta gains 137.0 yards through the air, while the Hawks average 110.0 yards of passing per game. Pleasant Grove will be awarded the Dave Campbell's Texas Football/U.S. Amry Values School of the Week for Class 4A minutes before kickoff.
COACHES' COMMENTS: Atlanta's Matt McClure-"We are preparing for a physical battle. Pleasant Grove is good in all three phases-offense, defense, and special teams. They are one of the best teams in the state of Texas in Class 4A. We have to stop the run, tackle well, and win the turnover battle. We also will need to put together some drives and take care of the ball. We are going to utilize the clock on our side. On defense, they have run the ball more than they have thrown it, so we are going to try to stop the run.
"Running backs Jawan King and Dra Nelson have done a good job, quarterback Andrew Samples has done a good job, and Kade Wood has been a pleasant surprise and a really good receiver for us. On defense, We are going to have to get hands on down linemen, attack their pullers, and do a good job at linebacker reading the keys."
Pleasant Grove's Josh Gibson-"We are preparing the same way we have every week-we prepare on their schemes and on offense we focus on ourselves. We work on our technique and usually when we do that, we grow. Defensively, the coaches break down Atlanta's offensive schemes. We break down Atlanta's scheme, prepare for the schemes they run.
"There were a lot of penalties called in our game against Gilmer. It's frustrating and there are a few things we need to clean up. We play aggressive football and haven't had those penalties called this year. It wasn't so much discipline issues as it was pass interference. We aren't going to change our approach on that, just try to keep our penalties to a minimum.
"I don't think Homecoming will be a distraction for us. We try to be proactive and talk about this things we need to focus on. We tell the guys to have fun at the pep rallies, which are done during the week. I think we'll be fine Friday."
RADIO: KTRG 94.1 FM, 7:15 p.m.; KPYN 900 AM, 7:30 p.m.
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TONIGHT'S LINEUPS
(Numbers in parentheses)
ATLANTA OFFENSE: QB-Andrew Samples (4), RB-Jawan King (22), WR-Kade Wood (3), WR-Cade Rosser (12), WR-Joshua Edwards (15), FB-Shun Hunter (43), C-Dustin Williams (55), G-Jack Henderson (53), G-Jake Thompson (60), T-Jared Cowgill (61), T-Josh Wiley (62).
ATLANTA DEFENSE: CB-Desmond Webster (9), CB-Nick Washington (6), S-Xavier Coleman (16), S-Luke Anthony (13), ILB-Connor Samples (7), ILB-Chris Oliver (41), OLB-Demontrae Collins (33), OLB-Joshua Lawson (17), DL-Shun Hunter (43), DL-Zee Barfoot (32), DL-Reginal Blaylock (14).
PLEASANT GROVE OFFENSE: FB-Bruce Garrett (2), TE-Xavier Benson (3), WR-Carson Cox (4) , QB-Ben Harmon (10), FB-TJ Cole (15), WB-Josh Roberts (22), OG-Brock Bingham (55), OG-Hunter Druhan (59), C-Zach Wrinkle (74), OT-Nick Gavriel (77), OT-Drake Fowler (79), PK-Dillon Williams (9).
PLEASANT GROVE DEFENSE: CB-Cameron Wells (1), OLB-Xavier Benson (3), ILB-Caleb Porchia (5), FS-Ryan Pickelman (7), SS-Caleb Hemphill (8), CB-Tyler Kelley (13), FS-Chauncey Martin (21), OLB-Jacob Barbour (42), DE-Dillon Toler (50), NG-Drake Fowler (79), DT-Austin Toler (90), P-Jared Glover (18).