Bainbridge High School Head Football Coach Ed Pilcher is impressed with the play of the Hardaway High School Golden Hawks of Columbus, his team’s Region 1-AAAA opponent Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Centennial Field.

“Hardaway does some good things on both sides of the ball,” Pilcher said Monday. “We will have to play well.”

Leading the way on the ground through four games for the Golden Hawks are senior running back Austin Scott who has carried the ball 29 times, picked up 229 yards and scored one touchdown while averaging 5.9 yards a carry.

Junior running back James Triplett, who has also averaged 5.9 yards a carry and scored one touchdown, has 37 carries for 217 yards.

Triplett, who also plays safety on the Golden Hawks defensive unit, has 14 tackles, 21 solo and 7 assisted, 4 tackles for loss and 2 sacks.

Defensively coach Pilcher is impressed with the play of senior linebacker Walter Jackson, whom he calls a very good defensive player.

A quick look at the Golden Hawks defensive statistics verifies Coach Pilcher’s concern.

Through four games he leads the team in tackles with 41, 28 solo and 13 assisted. He has six tackles for loss, one sack and one interception.

Pilcher says the Golden Hawks, who operate from a spread offense, do a good job of passing the football in addition to running it.

Sophomore quarterback Joseph Gibson leads the passing attack. He has completed 26 of 44 passes for 239 yards and one touchdown.

Gibson has thrown just one interception and had an excellent 59.1 completion percentage. His leading receiver has been senior Austin Scott who has caught 12 balls for 123 yards and one touchdown. He has averaged 10.3 yards a reception.