Ronnie Millen

(Editor’s note: We were filled with so much anticipation over Grady High‘s regional clash with Cedar Grove tonight that we asked a sportswriter from the national-award-winning Southerner newspaper, Mason Gepp, to give us a sneak preview of the game. Here’s Gepp’s take on the game, and the keys to victory.) 

UPDATE: Grady won the game 17-6! Check out the AJC story here. Check out 11Alive’s preview here.

For the Region 5B-AAA champion Grady Grey Knights, this season’s in-playoff game is a rematch of last year’s dual against the Cedar Grove Saints. This second playoff matchup is shaping up to be an offensively driven test for both teams as they play at Grady Stadium tonight at 8 pm.

Last season the Knights were able to topple the Saints in a 27-20 victory. This year, both teams have enjoyed impressive seasons with winning records and strong play on both offense and defense. The Knights, however, seem to enjoy an advantage in this matchup based on their electrifying offensive play this season. The Knights have outscored their opponents 379-83 – averaging 42.1 points per game. The leadership of collegiate prospects Damian Swann (wide receiver-defensive back) and Marcus Caffey (running back) has catapulted this year’s team to scoring more than 50 points in four of the team’s nine games – leaving the Knights with an 8-1 record. (There’s even talk of Caffey and Swann joining up as a package deal to play for the University of Georgia, according to the AJC.)