Gwinnett Daily Post

Mountain View's No. 51 Kendel Wright

Habersham Central Raiders (7-AAAAAA)

Coach: Stuart Cunningham

Record: 0-3, 0-1 region

Last week: Lost to Collins Hill 52-0

Mountain View Bears (7-AAAAAA)

Coach: Doug Giacone

Record: 1-2, 0-1 region

Last week: Lost to Mill Creek 49-0

On more than one occasion when talking about Habersham Central, Doug Giacone compared his Mountain View team to the Raiders.

They are both option-based offenses, both dealing with a plague of injuries, they are two of the smaller schools in Region 7-AAAAAA and are both looking to forget about last Friday. Combined, the two teams allowed 101 points in two shutout losses a week ago to open region play.

“It’s one of those things that wasn’t on the script that you had drawn up when you went out to play on Friday night,” the Bears’ head coach said. “We shot ourselves in the foot quite a bit execution-wise. You learn from it.”

The biggest lesson learned came from game experience. The Bears play plenty of sophomores and Giacone said he sees progress in the younger players. Sophomore right tackle Kendel Wright was forced into varsity action at the beginning of the year as the injuries hit and has learned to play Class AAAAAA offensive line under the bright lights.

“He has stepped in as a first year varsity player and has shown steady progress,” Giacone said.

But the Bears have had a good week of practice and Giacone said players don’t appear discouraged.

“Our kids are resilient any way you look at it,” he said.

Tonight’s game will also be a “neon-out” for the Mountain View students and the school is dedicating the game to Adam Smith, the Buford student who died last week.

Last meeting: First meeting

Directions to Mountain View High School: From Ga. Hwy. 316, go north on Ga. Hwy. 20 and bear right on Ga. Hwy. 124. Turn left on Sunny Hill Road and school is on the right.