With the season coming to a close, the Warriors’ football team has the potential to finish with their best record since 2010. A winning percentage of .500 and above is not usually associated with the historically win-challenged North Atlanta football program. However, if the Warriors, currently 4-5, can leave Chattahoochee High School victorious following this upcoming Friday’s competition, then they will clinch this feat.

The most recent accomplishment in the team’s stirring 2018 turnaround was a resounding 47 to 32 victory over Dunwoody on October 20 at Grady Stadium for the Warriors’ fourth win of the season. The scoring took place early and often for the Dubs. By halftime, the team was up by a score of 26 to 7. Among the touchdowns in the scoring bananza were three passing touchdowns from junior quarterback Wiley Hartley, two of which to senior receiver Justin Sanders, two 45-yard touchdown runs by junior running back T.K. Mack, and a kickoff returned for a touchdown by Sanders. With all that is on the line, junior receiver Tyree Hyde and the Warriors knew that had to come to play. “After what we went through last year, we are all focused on closing out this season strong and playing for each other,” Hyde said.

The following week, North Atlanta suffered a tough loss in a shootout at Centennial High School. The game was tightly contested, with the Warriors winning 42 to 35 in the third quarter. However, the Warriors lost 42 to 70 following 35 straight points by Centennial to finish the game. While the Warriors could not secure their fifth win, they will have one more chance on the road this week against Chattahoochee. “It hurts to not finish the job this week, but all we can do is refocus ourselves and get it done this week,” Hartley said.

While the Warriors are not in a position to make the playoffs, the concluding game of the season for North Atlanta is still sure to be an emotional and hard-fought effort from the Dubs. With the program’s first .500 record in eight years at stakes, the Warriors are expected to be as locked in as ever. Will they make school history? That will be answered Friday.