Friday Night Lights: Armuchee v. Chattooga

I covered the Armuchee Indians game for an unprecedented third week in a row. I don’t think I’ve ever covered any particular team three weeks in a row. Funny how schedules work out. I don’t really mind, because the Armuchee coaches and team are always very nice and helpful and overall Not Assholes, and the fans are great too. Fans are what really makes the experience. Some teams (not naming no names), kids make out in the bushes and parents stand around in their loafers talking on their fancy phones, enjoying the smell of their own farts and worrying everyone will think they’ll look stupid if they cheer. Other teams the group of painted kids wearing nipple tassels and spray painted traffic cones on their heads spot you from halfway across the field and go totally apeshit until you take their picture, and it continues throughout the night. And the apeshit doesn’t stop if their team is losing. They are in attendance every single game without fail, they have front row seats – even if they rarely stay in them – and they ARE fans.

Since it was homecoming, they left the traffic cones at home this week. Painted tuxedo vests and bowties all, you know, it says I want to be formal, but I’m here to party.

This week Indians were playing… the Indians. Both Armuchee and Chattooga were undefeated this season. For extra sad and sentimental, both schools also lost a student this week. Armuchee senior Cesalie Henson was killed outside the school in a car wreck. Chattooga student Nicky Osley (freshman, I think – he was 14) was killed when he was swept away by flood waters. Story is Osley and a friend saw a Jeep being overcome by a flash flood in the road and thought someone was trapped inside. They dove in the water to go help before anyone could stop them. His friend was rescued. They found Osley in a flooded cornfield the next day. Those sorts of situations are never easy, but I think they are particularly tough on small schools (such as these), because when there are only 500 or so of you, pretty much everybody knows everybody. Sad stuff.

Game went pretty well. I totally borked everything up last week. Nice to feel like I got my swing back. The starting at 7 pm because of homecoming was nice too. Light, hooah! And to the ref at the Model game later that night who argued with me about what time the Armuchee game that I was at and he wasn’t at started….NYAH NYAH told you so.  Pthft.

So anyway, have I mentioned football is the greatest sport on the planet and I love football?

Usually I don’t make it to the concession stand. It’s too crowded, I’m broke and overall usually don’t have time. Also, they have fried Oreos. If I look at a fried Oreo I will gain about 10 pounds. But, however… when Mama is helping the band booster club by working the stand and offers to buy me a cold beverage… yeah. I might be all grown up with my big girl pants on, but she just won’t have her baby girl dying of dehydration. And I don’t make enough money to turn down ethically-ok free stuff.

The score was tied 14-14 when I left just before the half. Chattooga ended up winning the game 36-20. For the story and an embedded gallery with more photos AND a video filmed by the one and only Jim Alred…

PrepCentral: Chattooga gains big win, revenge by Jeremy Stewart

Now I gotta go to work. Don’t panic Tim, I’ll get Model-Adairsville photos up when I get home.

and for more high school football on the blog…

• Aug. 29 – Unity Christian v. FCA
• Sept. 5- Adairsville v. West Forsyth
• Sept. 11 – Armuchee v. Dade County
• Sept. 11 – Model v. Trion