Raiders Ready to Rumble in First Ever State Championship
The Northeast Raiders (12-2) head to Mercedes Benz Stadium Tuesday afternoon to face the Toombs County Bulldogs (12-1) for the GHSA Class A Division One State Title
MACON, Georgia – (41NBC/WMGT) – There is just one team left standing in all of Middle Georgia as the state championships approach and it’s none other than the Northeast Raiders from the East side representing a Bibb County school in the state title game for the first time in 49 years. Raider Nation has the whole city on their back ready for the Class A Division One state title matchup with the Toombs County Bulldogs.
Behind Northeast High School Wednesday afternoon, the Raiders accepted the Georgia High School Football Daily award for the ‘Team of the Week’ after their massive win over Fitzgerald Friday. Northeast Head Coach Jeremy Wiggins already broke the single season win record with 10, and now has taken his 12-2 team the farthest any Raider has ever seen in the midst of a seven game winning streak.
“I’m very proud of them and the hard work they put in to get that accomplishment so, it’s a new experience for us” said Coach Wiggins Wednesday. “We are going to enjoy it and get ready for next Tuesday.”
After getting over the hump two weeks ago in the GHSA Quarterfinals, the boys from the East side handled business at the first Macon home semifinal game since 1975, as they beat the Purple Hurricanes 46-14, in a game that saw the Raiders go out to a 25-0 lead in the second half.
Northeast have now scored 504 points on the season while they allow just 206. In the playoffs, the Raiders have scored 46 or more points in three of the four games, which amasses to 161 points. The defense has allowed just 70 total points in that same time frame.
Raiders Senior Runningback Nick Woodford just keeps getting better, and had arguably the best game of his Raider tenure with 357 total yards and five total touchdowns, on just 27 touches. Nick now has 2,494 yards, 41 total touchdowns, and is close to breaking the county single season rushing record, second in Bibb history to only his own sophomore season, when he had 2,728 yards. The Raiders back also became just the second Bibb athlete to accumulate 6,000 career rushing yards with 6,173 in 31 games.
His QB, Raiders Junior Reginald ‘Bam’ Glover, has amassed 1,000 rushing and 1,000 passing yards on the season, with 16 touchdown passes and 13 on the ground. As humble as these stars are, they give all the credit to the boys on the offensive line doing the dirty work.
When those guys aren’t showing out under the lights, linebackers Santana Balkcom and Tailen Sampson are knocking out lights. The Senior Linebacker has averaged almost 10 tackles and 2.5 sacks a game. The Junior Linebacker has averaged eight tackles per game. Not to mention, Kortnei Williams has an incredible 10 interceptions on the year.
“I’m proud as a Senior to be telling the young guys right from wrong, what to do, what not to do. Basically just seeing a type of culture here and being able to be a part of that in a big way is really special” said Elijah Jordan.
“I’m so happy! I never been to the stadium, let alone inside the stadium at that. It just makes me so proud to have accomplished something that is my goal” said Balkcom.
“Once you get in that stadium, all eyes will be on you so, you want to let the people know what type of player you are, and have been over the last four years” said Coach Wiggins. “So, its a great experience for the seniors, but also our underclassmen.”
Raiders have beaten Toombs County before in the first round of the 2020 playoffs to earn a 1-0 record all time against the Bulldogs. That same season, Northeast lost the next game in the second round to Fitzgerald. Even with all these statistical numbers, what will it take to beat the Bulldogs loaded with future NCAA Division One talent?
“All its going to take? Its going to take that fourth quarter demon to come out. That fourth quarter is when the men come out” said Balkcom.
“They have some extraordinary athletes, but so do we, and I think we can make trouble with them. It’s going to be a good game. Four straight quarters of physical pain, all I got to say, nothing but physicality” said Jordan.
Coach Wiggins is happy he can be apart of something special in the community. “Let’s find something to bring the community together to be happy about so, its a good football team that will always be remembered. They will always be the first team to do this, and do that, and so, we just want to make sure they understand that, but at the same time enjoy it, have fun, and go to work.”
Kickoff is scheduled for Tuesday, December 17, at 1 p.m. at the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
