Tough Road Ahead
EBA looks for first win against Pinewood
By Diana Royal Staff Writer

After a week off, the Spartans are looking to turn their 0- 3 record around as they compete against Pinewood Christian Academy (PCA) at home this Friday night.

But from here, Edmund Burke will need to continuously step up their game as their schedule only gets tougher.

PCA 3-1, a AAA playoff contender in 2006, handed EBA their first loss last season, a 33- 0 shutout where the Patriots gained nearly four times the Spartan yardage.

While head coach Jeremy Blackstock says there's nothing particularly tricky about the Patriots' game strategy, they do "like to line it up and come right at you."

Blackstock says he fully expects the Spartans to come out and play. "That is what they demand of themselves," he said, adding that the guys practiced well during their open week and they know they have a challenge ahead of them. "Sometimes open weeks are great, and sometimes they fall at the wrong time. It gave us a chance to get healthy and work on some things a bit more in depth … we were able to be more physical than we are in a normal week. For the most part, we still practiced hard and worked on things that will make us better."

After the Pinewood game, EBA's schedule won't get any easier as they face AA State runner up Valwood School the following week. "Really all of our games are tough," Blackstock said. "We probably have one of the toughest schedules in the GISA [Georgia Independent School Association]." He added that region opponent Bulloch Academy is playing very well right now, and Windsor Academy of Macon has yet to lose a game this season. AA State Champs Trinity Christian Academy will test the Spartans in their final match-up of regular season ball.

"Over the next four games, we have a chance to show what type of character we have as a team," he said. "Our kids will rise up to the challenge. They have not backed down all year, and they are working to shock some people."