The stage is almost set. The time is almost here. The Athens Bulldogs (9-0) and the Nelsonville-York Buckeyes (9-0) will compete against each other in a highly anticipated matchup between the first and second-place schools in the Tri-Valley Conference.
Respectively, both teams are 5-0 while facing other conference opponents. This Friday night, the Bulldogs already have the upper hand going into the contest with home-field advantage over the Buckeyes.
Athens and Nelsonville-York are similar to each other on paper. This season, both squads have scored a lot of points and have had sufficient defense to keep their rivals from producing touchdowns and field goals. The Bulldogs have tallied up 437 points compared to the Buckeyes’ 376 points. Both teams should expect a lower-scoring game than other games this year, and it may come down to the final drive.
Last year, fans of Athens were left devastated after having lost to Nelsonville-York 19-14 while at the Buckeyes’ football field. The Buckeyes were in control most of the game offensively until the fourth quarter, when Athens could’ve pulled away with a late-game comeback.
For those in favor of the Bulldogs, this game is even more heartbreaking because it ended on a controversial game-ending sequence. Nelsonville-York’s last touchdown of the game was the result of an overturned call that originally stated the Buckeyes didn’t successfully cross the goal line.
If the call wasn’t overturned, Athens would’ve taken the win and secured a perfect 10-0 regular season record. This year, the Bulldogs have the chance to do so and on their home turf. This has turned into more than just one game on the schedule for both squads hope to remain undefeated but also claim their spot as best in the conference.
For the past ten seasons, the Buckeyes have taken more victories than the Bulldogs have. Since 2015, Nelsonville-York has won seven out of ten matchups against Athens.
Standout players such as senior running back Anthony Sutton, senior quarterback Daniel Heightland, junior wide receiver Weston Wheatley and sophomore wide receiver Tyriq Cunningham will all have to perform at an elite level to win the game. Athens' offense has been explosive all season, but they will need it to play a strong four quarters and take advantage of the Buckeyes' mistakes.
Likewise, for the Buckeyes, players like senior running back Austin Gautier, junior quarterback Cameron Sullivan and senior defensive tackle Caeleb Layton will not back down against their opponent.
The game will be played on the R. Basil Rutter Field at Joe Burrow Stadium with kickoff at 7:00 p.m. Given the history between these teams, fans will be in for a treat with this one.
