Friday Night Lights have never been bigger for the Dubs. On Friday October 25 in Henderson Stadium the North Atlanta Warriors and the West Forsyth Wolverines – two teams battling for first place in 6A region 4, were going head to head in a game that turned out to be more a street brawl than a gridiron event.

The stands were packed for the event and the band was playing. The game featured the Warriors with a 7 and 1 record against the 6 and 2 Wolverines. “We knew going in that the winner of this game was going to be the region champ,” said Warrior head coach Jamie Aull. “So we told the boys, who wants it more? It was up to them.”

The Warriors shot themselves in the foot to start the game with a huge fumble on the inch yard line which would have been the first touchdown. This was followed up by a handful of long, dominant drives by the Wolverines but the Warriors hung in to make it 7 – 14 at halftime “A couple guys had their heads down in the locker room but I knew as a leader, it was up to me to get our boys in the right state of mind,” said senior quarterback Ian Reynolds. “This game was far from over.”

The Wolverines continued their domination into the second half as their suffocating defense and dominating run game controlled the flow of the game. With the score sitting at 7-21, it looked like the Dubs needed a miracle to come back. The Warriors responded to this adversity with a clean drive resulting in a touchdown, but were answered by a Wolverine field goal. “If we really wanted a region championship to our name then every last play of this game would have to go our way,“ said senior defensive end Chase Linton. 

With two minutes left in the game, the warriors sat with a 10 point deficit and a 14-24 score. Then, after a quick score from wide receiver Cam Lanier, the Dubs recovered a crucial onside kick. Then, on the very next play, Tight End Josh McCullough made a highlight reel play, making a shoestring catch and putting two defenders in the dirt on the way to the endzone. The win – inarguably the greatest regular season win in North Atlanta history – meant the Warriors clinched its first-ever region crown. “That was a game that no one will ever forget,” said McCullough. “What a game and what a group of guys who never will quit.”

The throw. The fingertips. The catch. The stumble. The balance. The juke. The score. Everything seemed like it was out of a movie as the Dubs took home North Atlanta’s first ever region championship. The band was electric and the fans were booming as Josh McCullough snuck his way into the endzone to put North Atlanta ahead. This game was a once in a lifetime experience that will forever be remembered as it is stored away in the history books.