The Bulloch Academy Gators had its second dominant undefeated regular season finishing with an record of (10-0,3-0) for the second season in a row. For the second year in a row, the Gators are Region Champions and are heading to their GIAA State semi-final playoff game for the second season in a row as well.
With that being said, the Gators will be taking on postseason foes, the Brookstone Cougars, for the second time in a row as well.
In last year’s state semi-final, a controversial forced fumble by Brookstone shifted the game’s momentum. After senior Gator running back Brennen Perossa’s long run, officials ruled he wasn’t down before losing the ball, giving Brookstone excellent field position. They capitalized with four first downs, setting up kicker Jimmy Hunter to make a field goal with 3:48 left, putting the Cougars ahead 24-15. The Gators fought back, benefiting from two penalties on Brookstone—an offsides and pass interference—to score a touchdown with 53.9 seconds left, pulling within 24-22. However, despite using their final timeout to stop the clock, Bulloch Academy couldn't get another possession, and Brookstone ran out the remaining 50 seconds to secure the win.
Grice Connect got a chance to talk to head coach Aaron Phillips in preparation of Friday night’s matchup. When asked about what they would do differently, if anything to defeat Brookstone this go round, Coach Phillips only had a few words.
“We’re not going to do anything differently,” Phillips said. “We just felt like last year we didn’t put our best foot forward.”
The Gators had not turned the ball over all year, and in the matchup against Brookstone, they had about three costly turnovers. The Cougars were able to convert on fourth downs and the Gators struggled to do so for the first time all year.
Offensively, the Gators are going to trust what they have been doing all season long, and with their “four-headed monster in the backfield” of defensive backs, they can continue to be strong and physical.
At practice, the Gators play off the notion: Defense Wins Championships. Coach Phillips mentioned that his defense doesn’t get talked about enough, but all season long they have been pitching shutouts and going through the region play only giving up 7 points in three games.
The defensive line for the Gators is senior-led by defensive ends, TJ Durden and JT Lee with the help of others like sophomore defensive tackle, Braylon Cone. The Gators live and die by their front seven, and according to coach Phillips, that group has done a really good job all season long, and is a force to be reckoned with in the box.
Brookstone may have had the luck of the Irish in that semi-final game last year, but this season Coach Phillips told his team that they needed to “create their own luck.”
When it comes to the postseason, the Gators are true to the game, not new to it. When you’re constantly one of the best teams with a consistent undefeated season, you expect to make it this far in the playoffs.
“We’ve worked all year on this,” Phillips stated. “This is what we went to camp for and worked out everyday of the summer for – for this moment right here.”
Last season Bulloch Academy made history by winning the first region championship in 14 years, and going to its first state semi-final game in 15 years.
The Gators are looking at this game as the next opponent on the schedule, and they do not foresee their schedule ending till they reach the mountain top and bring a state championship back to Bulloch Academy.