I hope everybody is ready for Friday night’s season-opening football ‘Cat Fight’ at Standifer Stadium in Blakely.

It will feature our Bainbridge High School Bearcats against the Early County High School Bobcats and kickoff will be at 8 p.m.

The Bobcats are coached by Trey Woolf, who was a member of BHS Head Coach Ed Pilcher’s staff when he coached at Early County, so there won’t be any secrets between the two.

Coach Woolf was the defensive backfield coach on Coach Pilcher’s 1990 Bobcats team.

Coach Pilcher likes the way his team has prepared for Friday night’s game.

Recently he talked to me about what a great work ethic they have.

“I really like the group of young men we have this year.“ he said. “They work hard in the weight room and on the practice field.”

Judging from the practices I have personally witnessed, I wholeheartedly agree with coach Pilcher’s assessment.

While the offensive and defensive units are young in a number of areas, they do have some key starters returning.

Those returnees include senior offensive tackle Jim Griffin, senior offensive guard Blair Nix, senior defensive tackle Qwatavius Middleton, senior cornerback and kick returner Shawn Samuels, senior safety and quarterback Rohan Gaines and senior place kicker and punter Keenan Adams.

Junior starting quarterback Steven Bench has done a good job of running the Bearcats split back veer offense.

Gaines, who started the past two seasons at quarterback and is one of the most versatile players on the team, will see some duty there and at wide receiver, in addition to cornerback this season.

Anchoring the defense are senior tackle Middleton and senior cornerback Shawn Samuels, who were both first-team All-Region selections by the Region coaches a year ago.

Samuels was a first team All-Region kickoff and punt returner in 2009.

Senior place kicker and punter Keenan Adams, who recently verbally committed to play football with the Colorado State University Rams, was first team All-Region and All-State a season ago.

There is an old saying in football and it goes something like this. If everything else is equal, the special teams will make the difference.

In Samuels and Adams, the Bearcats have two of the best special teams performers that you will find on any team, anywhere.

Let’s make the short trip to Blakely Friday night, fill the visiting stands at Standifer Stadium to capacity and cheer the Bearcats on to a big season opening victory.

See you at the game.