End Zone Game of the Week Preview: Northeast vs. ACE
Northeast defeated ACE 47-21 last season.
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) –The Week Five End Zone Game of the Week features an All-Macon battle between the up-and-coming ACE Gryphons and the long-time storied program, the Northeast Raiders.
The Ace Gryphons are 4-0 to start year two under head coach Keith Hatcher.
“This time last year, we didn’t really know our kids. We were brand new. They didn’t know us. They didn’t know the expectations. So just the experience of working with this group of kids and then working with us as coaches over the past year. And now, we see that we’re a much better football team than we were this time a year ago,” said Hatcher.
After falling in their first game of the season, the Northeast Raiders have won two significant matchups, defeating Fitzgerald, who was the top-ranked team in GHSA 2A at the time, and Carver from Columbus, a top-10 3A team.
“Got to be disciplined and focused. As soon as they think they know everything, we’ve got to punch the air out of them real quick and get them back down to where they know that we haven’t done anything yet,” said Raiders’ head coach Jeremy Wiggins.
ACE’s football program has only been around since 2018, and Coach Hatcher’s primary goal was to establish the Gryphons as a noteworthy program in Middle Georgia, a goal he has already achieved in Year Two.
“Well, we’re excited about what’s going on in Macon, competing with the other schools in Macon, and now, we’re a relevant football program, and we’re able to go out and compete and win on Friday nights. It’s exciting for our community to be a part of that,” said Hatcher.
Regardless of the Gryphons’ rise, the Raiders remain the team to beat in Macon.
“Northeast is a great football team. Coach Wiggins has done a great job of building that program. They’ve been the dominant program in this region and in this league. So, it’s going to be a great challenge for us, one we’re looking forward to. It’d be a great measuring stick for our program. But, they’re a physical football team. They’re well-coached, and we know we’re going to have to play our best,” said Hatcher.
The Raiders defeated the Gryphons 47-21 last season, so ACE will be out for revenge and will look to defeat Northeast for the first time in program history.
Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15, at Thompson Stadium.
