Evans Knights aim to upset No. 2 Jaguars
He's traveled to see the Stephenson High School football team in action, and last week he studied the Jaguars on film.
Evans High School will travel, with wideout Steven Rogers, to Stephenson on Friday to take on the No. 2 ranked Jaguars. The Jaguars are 7-0 and poised to take over the No. 1 spot.
Photo by Mike Howell
So when Evans High School football coach Lee Chomskis offers an assessment of the Stone Mountain squad, the reply is short and sweet.
"They're as good as advertised," Chomskis said.
The Knights had an open date last week, and they couldn't afford to waste any time, because the next game on the 2002 schedule is the ultimate test - Evans travels to Stephenson for a 7:30 p.m. matchup this Friday night.
The Jaguars currently are ranked No. 2 in Class AAAAAA, and are one of the few teams capable of knocking Parkview High School from its perch atop the Georgia High School Association poll.
Stephenson features several Division I college prospects, including running back Kregg Lumpkin. The senior is one of the top backs in the nation, and already has committed to play for University of Georgia.
Evans enters the Region 7-AAAAA game with a 2-5 record, and talk of an upset seems absurd.
Still, the Knights view the trip to Stone Mountain as an opportunity, not an agonizing journey to an impending execution.
"Any time you play one of the best teams in the state, it's going to be a great game," Evans defensive back Tanis Maynor said. "I love being the underdog. We'll study the game film and go out there and play the best game we can play."
In this case, Evans' best might not be good enough to best Stephenson, which also was idle last week.
In their last outing on Oct. 18, the Jaguars improved to 7-0 with a 59-14 win over Tri-Cities, and Tri-Cities beat Evans 49-7 earlier this season. Stephenson has scored 28 points or more in all of its games.
Those numbers don't faze Chomskis, though. There is no hesitation when asked what he would view as a success in Stone Mountain.
"To get a win. We'll have to play hard and play error free to have a chance, but we're playing to win."
A miracle from Evans notwithstanding, winning doesn't necessarily mean posting more points than the Jaguars.
"It's a great opportunity for our kids and our program," Chomskis said. "How many people get to play the No. 2 team in the state?"