Last Friday night, under the lights after a packed week of events, Athens Academy delivered a statement win in front of the largest crowd of the season, routing Banks County High School in the Homecoming football game 49-0. The victory capped off a phenomenal week of pep rallies, banner painting, and costumes, giving the Spartan fans plenty to cheer about.
Going into the game, Senior Captain Buck Talley noted, “[Banks County] runs a true triple option veer which is a good challenge for our defense. However, it looks similar to Commerce last year, as Banks’ coaching staff has some of the same coaching from that old Commerce team. Nevertheless, the team has been working hard this week and is ready to play Friday!”
The game opened with an outstanding opening touchdown from Senior Ben Bush, which was ultimately called back on a holding penalty. Energy from the crowd (and the freshman getting excited on the sideline) carried onto the field though, as the Spartans found momentum early.
“It was so exciting to see all the seniors have a great homecoming. Going into halftime up 42-0 made it one of the most entertaining Athens Academy games ever,” Senior Julia Smart said.
The offense, led by Junior Keyon Standifer’s stellar performance off his recent commitment to Georgia Tech, consistently moved the chains, while the defense shut down Banks’ triple-option offense.
To cap off what was already a great game, Homecoming King and offensive lineman Senior Elijah Echols scored in a Kadyn Proctor-esque touchdown. The win not only boosted the Spartans’ record to 5-1 but also served as a highlight of the fall season.
Homecoming games are about community, tradition, and pride. On Friday night, Athens Academy showed all three. With momentum from this victory, the Spartans look ahead to next week at Providence Christian, with another tough opponent on the way.
