It’s football season in Hickory Flat! Coach Teter and the Chiefs have begun another season and have started fast. They are now 5-1, and by finishing the season with four straight region games, the possibility of the playoffs is getting stronger and stronger.
To kick off the 2024 season, the team traveled to Forsyth County to take on the Denmark Danes in a rematch of the previous season’s preseason scrimmage. The game was very back and forth, and even included a two-and-a-half-hour rain delay that cleared the stands of most of the fans. In an oddly quiet second half, the Chiefs were able to pull off the win, as kicker Caleb McClure knocked in the game-winning kick with under a minute left in the game, pushing the lead to 38-35. This pushed the Chiefs to 1-0 in the young season.
Next up, cross-county rival Cherokee took a visit to Skip Pope Stadium for a battle with the Chiefs. Much like the first game, the teams traded scores and were neck and neck for all four quarters. The offense was able to punch in a late score, and the defense was able to make a stop on the final play of the game to solidify another win, 38-31.
In week three, the Chiefs traveled to Kell High School to face the Longhorns in a top 15 matchup in the state. The game was televised on WSB for the whole state to watch. This game was very different than the first two as it was a defensive battle. However, the end of the game was much of the same as it came down to the last couple of minutes. Tied at 21, the Chiefs handed the ball to senior B back Taiwo Ogundele, who had a long run to get the offense into field goal range. Senior kicker McClure came in clutch once again, sealing the win for the Chiefs, 24-21. This win moved them to 3-0.
Feeling good coming off the monumental win for the program, the team then went up against a struggling Riverwood Raiders team at home. On CYFA (Cherokee Youth Football Association) Night, the Chiefs’ offense set off fireworks as they put in their best performance of the season. They scored on the opening drive of the game, and never looked back. While the offense showed out, the defense held it down as they kept the Raiders to just one touchdown the entire game. The beatdown concluded with a whopping score of 50-7, putting another win in the victory column.
The Chiefs’ final game before Fall Break came on the road against a one-loss, highly motivated Sprayberry team. In a windy and rainy game, the offense was unable to find that groove that they were able to in other games during this season. The run game was stuffed, while quarterback Kolby Martin never had the time to deliver his typical accurate passes to his plethora of weapons. This put added pressure on the defense, which unfortunately could not stop the opposing offense. This led to the first defeat of the season with a score of 31-17.
The loss to Sprayberry served as a wake-up call to the Chiefs. They rebounded impressively against Lassiter, showcasing their potential and getting back on track with a win, 43-6. Running back Will Rajecki was rewarded with Offensive Player of the Week honors for his performance as he totaled 189 yards and 3 touchdowns in the game. The big lead allowed the Chiefs to sub in some of their backups, allowing many younger players to get some time on the field. This game moved the team to 5-1, going into the most crucial stretch of games of the season.
Though they’re only halfway through the season, many players have stuck out and stepped up to lead the Chiefs to victory. The biggest names include star quarterback Kolby Martin, leading rusher and receiver running back Will Rajecki, the play-making receiver Brooks Darling, and senior captain linebacker Taiwo Ogundele.
As the season has gone on, the Chiefs have had their ups and downs. They’ve had big wins against highly ranked opponents and rivals, but also a season-changing loss that put added pressure on for these next four games leading into the state playoffs. Will the Chiefs be able to win the most important games of their season? As it stands now, the final four opponents on the schedule for the Chiefs all have losses within the region, including losses to teams we have already beaten. In addition, the team has not lost a game to a county opponent in three years, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. I have no doubt that the team will win its final four regular season games, pushing their record to 9-1 on the season. This will give them one of the best overall records in school history, while also awarding them a home playoff game to begin the GHSA (Georgia High School Sports Association) Football Postseason.
