Bulloch Academy is in a ‘must-win’ situation tonight when the Gators square off against long-time rival Trinity Christian School of Dublin.
    In order for the Gators (7-2 overall and 1-1 in GISA Region 2-AAA) to have a chance of hosting a first-round playoff game, Bulloch has to defeat the Crusaders.
    According to the BA head man Terence Hennessy, the Crusaders (1-7, 0-2) will try to ruining Homecoming 2015 by using power football.
    “They run a Wishbone offense,” he said. “Their fullback (Tyler Fennell) will run the football a lot. But they will also throw the football some. They throw a lot of crossing routes. Their quarterback (Whit Mason) is a dual threat. They are really much improved and have moved the ball on everyone they have played.”
    Frederica put up 41 points on the usually-stingy Gator defense last week and it will be up to linebackers Tyce Lovett and Brandon Merrill to get the banged-up squad back into shape.
    Lovett leads the head hunters with 97 total tackles; 61 individuals and 36 assists. The hard-hitting senior has also caused five fumbles. Merrill has 79 tackles (46, 33). Other leaders are defensive end Hunter Perry (38, 34), defensive back Childs (30, 16) and defensive tackle Trevor Mason (33, 12).
    Bulloch, still without the services of tailback Tyler Budgett, will try to get back on track with its signature option game.
    The Gators ran the ball 59 times last Friday night with all of its major skill players getting double-digit carries. Look for that to happen again this week as Hennessy plans to rely on his offensive line to move the ball down the field.
    Tailback Jarves Williams leads the offense with 623 yards and eight touchdowns on 71 carries. Fullback Tyce Lovett has the most carries (97) and has garnered 535 yards and seven TDs. Quarterback Lanier Olliff has rushed for 518 yards and eight scores on 74 carries.
    Olliff has surpassed 1,000 yards passing but had a three-interception night last week. Still, he has completed 48 passes for 12 TDs. His favorite targets are Hunter Perry (17-for-423, eight touchdowns) and Davis Childs (14-for-263, two scores).
    Trinity runs a 50 shade defense with man-to-man pass coverage and blitzing linebackers. Hennessy complimented the team’s defensive ends, who are “good at containing and not giving up a lot of big plays.”
    Bulloch holds an 18-12 advantage in the series and the Gators have dominated the squad for the past four years, according to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association website.
    But Hennessy knows that anything can happen on any given Friday night. He and his staff must keep the players focused on the objective at hand, despite the dual distractions of Homecoming and Fair weeks.