Gwinnett Daily Post

Hebron's #10 Connor Holloway

ST. FRANCIS KNIGHTS (6-A)

Coach: Brennan Booth

Record: 0-4

Last week: Lost to Whitefield Academy 46-7

HEBRON LIONS (8-A)

Coach: Sal Battaglia

Record: 1-1

Last week: Beat Cross Keys 60-0

Confidence was the buzzword around practice this week at Hebron, and there’s plenty for the Lions to be confident about after last week’s 60-point win over Cross Keys.

And with a St. Francis team that has struggled to an 0-4 start, there is a very real opportunity for the Lions to climb over the .500 mark with a win Friday.

While head coach Sal Battaglia is pleased with his team’s confidence, he and his staff are trying to guard against overconfidence, and will try to keep his team’s goals focused on a more limited level.

“Last year, we didn’t win our first game (on the field) until Week (6 on Sept. 30),” said Battaglila, whose team was awarded a forfeit win over Athens Christian in Week 3, but didn’t get its first on-field win until three weeks later. “(Last week’s win) sets the season at different a tone, but we haven’t talked about getting over .500. We have talked about executing and keeping on our pace and building towards putting two wins in a row together.”

It may not be easy for the Hebron offense to keep pace with last week’s 60-point outburst, led by four TD passes from freshman QB Connor Holliday, two each to Tyler Mathews and Seth Kuntz.

However, the added confidence the Lions have, combined with a Knights’ defense that has allowed an average of 44.5 points per game so far this season, could set the stage for another big offensive night.

Last meeting: First meeting

Directions to Hebron Christian Academy: Highway 316, go north on Ga. Highway 8 approximately one mile and turn left at the traffic light onto Dacula Road (after passing Dacula High School on the left). Stadium is about a mile ahead on the right.