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November 4, 2009

Golden Eagles prep for Boaz — again — in playoffs opener

By Ashley Hargrove The News Courier Wed Nov 04, 2009, 06:16 PM CST

There shouldn't be any surprises when Athens High's football team arrives in Marshall County Friday night.

The Golden Eagles find themselves in the same position as a year ago. As the third seed in Class 5A, Region 8, they are on the road for the first round of the playoffs. Their host — once again — Region 5's second seed, Boaz.

"Once the playoff picture started coming together, we saw there was a chance that we could play them, again," senior Andrew Gilliam said.

Last year, the Pirates handed the Golden Eagles a 34-13 loss, ending hopes of a deep playoff run. Several cast members are the same, including Pirates star running back Drew Phillips.

Phillips was one of the state’s leading rushers a year ago, surpassing the 2,000-yard mark. He's put up similar numbers again as a senior. With a talented back like Phillips, Boaz depends heavily on its running game, which is complemented by a stingy defense.

"Teams have tried to slow him down, but he (Phillips) has been able to be successful," Athens head coach Allen Creasy said. "Their defense doesn't give up many points and plays with a lot of intensity."

There may not be many surprises on the Boaz side, but Athens has one weapon that it did not have a year ago, quarterback Stephen Rivers. Rivers, who transferred from Austin, has helped Athens create a more balanced offensive attack. He has thrown for 1,853 yards so far this season, averaging 185.3 yards per game. Athens is averaging 31 points a game, while the Golden Eagle defense is holding opposing offenses to just 14.9 points this season.

With the post season set to begin, Gilliam feels he and his team are ready for the challenge.

"There hasn't been much talking going on this week," Gilliam said. "Everyone has been really focused. We've just been taking it one practice at a time and trying to accomplish everything we can."

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

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