Gatewood dropped a hard-fought 23–14 decision at home to Briarwood Friday night in a region game that head coach Jeff Ratliff called “a hard-nosed battle between two playoff teams.”
The loss ended a three-game winning streak for the Gators, who fell to 3-5 overall and 2-1 in the region. Regardless, Ratliff said in a post-game message to team parents and supporters that he remained proud of his team’s effort and determination.
“I told the guys after the game to keep their heads up,” Ratliff said. “They had nothing to be ashamed of tonight. We played hard and came up short. Now we must find a way to put this one behind us and move forward.”
The Gators had their chances against the Buccaneers, but key penalties and missed opportunities proved costly.
“Offensively, we were able to move the ball and finished a few drives with touchdowns,” Ratliff said. “On the other drives, penalties put us behind the chains, and we missed on a few shot plays. You must make the most of your opportunities when playing good football teams. We did not, and that was the difference.”
Defensively, Gatewood showed its trademark physicality but remained unable to control Briarwood’s passing game.
“When a team is committed to running the ball right at you, you have to get them off schedule,” Ratliff said. “We did that a few times, but then we gave up some big pass plays. Those plays proved to be costly.”
With the Briarwood loss behind them, the Gators have turned their attention to a critical in-region road matchup this Friday night against Edmund Burke Academy in Waynesboro.
“Edmund Burke is no stranger to Gatewood,” Ratliff said. “Over the past few years, they’ve had our number. It’s time to get that turned around.”
In addition to a valuable region win, Gatewood will look to break a three-game losing streak to the Spartans, including a crushing defeat in the 2023 state championship. The Gators’ offense will be challenged, though, as Edmund Burke’s defense has allowed only 7.9 points per game this season.
Ratliff emphasized that preparation and execution will be the keys to his team tasting success again.
“It will be no easy task to travel to Waynesboro and come out on top,” he acknowledged. “We must be resilient, determined, and focused. It will take everyone doing their job. It will take all of us.”