The Washington-Wilkes Tigers are currently 4-2 for the season having lost only to AAA Thomson and AA Blessed Trinity. They have not been shut out and the average game score is 25-15. Tiger running backs have compiled a total of 1,733 yards rushing for an average of 289 yards per game.

This Friday night, W-W will host arch rival Lincoln County in a critical region game. The Red Devils are currently ranked No. 3 in Georgia Class A and have lost only to South Carolina powerhouse Abbeville (0- 21). Lincoln's average game score is 20-10. Red Devil running backs have rushed for a total of 963 yards averaging just over 160 yards per game. However, superstar A.G. Middlebrooks was responsible for over 400 of those yards and he is out for the season with a broken leg.

But when considering the possible outcome of this classic rivalry nothing is certain. Statistics and records stand for nothing and anything can happen in the 88-year-old series. With a squeaky 14-6 win over the Tigers in 2008, Lincoln County took the edge in the series 32-33-6 and this Friday, the Tigers will be looking to even things up again.

The best news is that after a week off, the Washington-Wilkes team is as healthy as it has been all season. The open date provided some much needed rest and in the meantime, three Tigers got the go ahead to return to action. Robert McGill, Brandon Dill, and Whit Winfrey were all cleared to play and will be suited up for the game. "We're about as healthy as we've been all year so hopefully that's a good sign," said Tiger Head Coach Lee Hutto.

At the same time, Hutto knows the tradition that is Lincoln County and he knows where the Red Devils' strengths are.

"They are Lincoln County so they are very, very, very good defensively," Hutto said. "What stands out is their front seven - their defensive line and their two linebackers. They don't give up a lot of points and they don't give up a lot of yards. They are just very sound defensively."

To counteract that defense, Hutto says his offense has got to be patient. "We've got to do what we do and run the football and throw it when we want to throw it," he said. He continued to stress patience, saying that sometimes, in a big ball game, it's all right to punt. "We have to be patient. It is going to be difficult to score points on them just because they are so good defensively."

Hutto, aware that the Tiger defense is quite strong in its own right, predicts a low-scoring, defensive ball game. "It's going to be one of those games where a turnover is going to be the difference or it might be some kind of special teams play. I don't think either team is going to move up and down the field scoring a bunch of points."

Even with Middlebrooks gone, Lincoln County still has some important weapons on offense including two outstanding quarterbacks, Garrett Mohr and Franklin Sherman, who "is very athletic and can hurt you running the football," Hutto reported. "They've got some receivers that can catch and they have some backs (10, 1, 15, 24) that are good football players and they can definitely get a big play on you."

Those potentially dangerous backs are Desmond Kilpatrick (1), Tavious McGahee (10), DeVonte Wright (15), and Ercell Daniel (24).

"We have to keep everything in front of us and we have to tackle very well," Hutto said. "Their backs are strong and physical and they break a lot of tackles and make big plays. So we've got to do a good job of keeping things in front - and if they catch the football, just make the tackle."

Preparations have been intense for the Tigers who, by the time kickoff rolls around, will have had two weeks to prepare for the Red Devils. Even on Monday, when school was out and it was pouring down rain, the Tigers were at work on the practice field at 8 a.m. "whooping and hollering" with spirits and expectations high.

"We spent four days last week working on Lincoln County and we're going to spend four days this week working on Lincoln County so I think by Friday, our kids will be ready to play," Hutto commented. "I think they will be excited about the opportunity and ready to get after them.

"We've got our work cut out for us," the coach continued. "We are going to have to play an almost perfect ball game to have a chance to win and our kids understand that. We can't have mistakes and turnovers and penalties because if you do that against somebody like Lincoln County, they're going to take advantage of you.

"What we preach is, 'Make them snap it again.' If we can make them have to snap the football again after every play, we've got a chance to keep them out of the end zone."

Looking just a little beyond the Lincoln County game, the Tigers know that their hopes for and position in post-season play depends also on the outcome of the October 23 game against Wilkinson County. And like Lincoln County, Wilkinson has been a top ten team all season, currently standing at No. 8. And though not ranked, the Tigers figure to be contenders for the region crown, right in there with Lincoln and Wilkinson.

Hutto said he thinks all three teams are faily equal, each with a good chance to win the region. "We have a tough region and these next two weeks are going to be very crucial to us in terms of getting into the playoffs and where we'll be in the playoffs," he said.

"If you want to have a chance to win the region, of course, you've got to beat Lincoln County," he continued. "They're the top dog in our region. They have one of the most well-known programs in the state. They are a very well-coached and disciplined football team."

The game is set for this Friday night, October 16, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in Tiger Stadium.

"We're excited about the fact that the ball game is going to be here at home for us," Hutto said. "I'm sure we will have a packed house. I'm sure our fans will come out and support our kids."