Despite Friday's loss,Wardlaw Still Looks Strong Last Friday night the Wardlaw Academy Patriots of Coach Hubert Morris launched the 2004 season riding a 28 game overall winning streak(which is the SCISA record), but Friday night was not to be a winning night for the highly inexperienced Patriots. This game marked the first time the Patriots tasted defeat at home since the 2000 season. Coach Morris has struggled in pre-saeason to get an entirely new backfield ready for action. The Patriots backfield took hits over the summer from physical and academic areas. Last year's surprise running star, Allan Hatcher, was involved in an automobeal accident that put him out of action for the season. Then after practice started it was revealed that due to misunderstanding on acidemic matters, returning quarterback Ben Rozelle would not be available for six weeks. "Taking over 3,000 yards of offense off the table really hurts us deep," said Morris. Most of our pre-season preparation has been aimed at getting the offense put together. I am hoping the defense with a little more experience will carry us until the new backfield comes around." Starting the season agianst the Bowman Bulldogs at quarterback is Ben Bartley. With only one week of practice Bartley completed 3 of 6 passes for 116 yards. Two of his completions were good for touchdowns from 28 yards by Clayton Bethune and 64 yards to Trevor Lyons. Lyons also at running back scored on a 15 yard run in the fourth quarter. That touchdown cut the Bowman lead to 28-20 with seven minutes left in the game. However, the Bulldogs Rhett Berry returned the kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown followed by the two point conversion of Bard Stevenson to give bowman a 36-20 lead with 6:41 left to play. On the next kickoff the Patriots give it right back to Bowman on a fumble. Two plays later Stevenson scored to make the final score read 42-20 in favor of Bowman. The Patriots will play host to the Andrew Jackson Confederates this Friday night at 7:30 p.m. FWA game 1 Vs. Bowman After Wardlaw's big win over Anderw Jackson 40-0, Wardlaw traveled to Jeff Davis in hopes to go 2-1. Sadly it didnt end up that way. Tho Jeff Davis was banged up from an overtime loss to Bowman the previous week they showed no weekness aginst the Patriots beating them 50-8. With the victory JDA improved to 2-1 and Wardlaw dropped to a sad 1-2. All Wardlaw could do now is to look ahead to the next week against SJC. Wardlaw will now travel back home to face St. Johns Christian at 7:30 p.m. FWA game 3 Vs. Jeff Davis Wardlaw Academy dropped to 1-3 on the football season with a 55-20 home loss agianst St. John's Christian Academy last Friday night. St. John's Christian put 40 first half points on the board. Benjamin Spivey started the scoring with a two-yard touchdownin the first quarter. Teammate Daniel Spivey added a 16 yard touchdown later in the quarter. Spivey would finish the game with four touchdowns, three 2-point conversions and a game high 286 yards rushing on 20 carries. In the second quarter, Spivey scored on a 49-yard run and 12-yard run before John McCall found Dan Donelson with a 27-yard touchdown pass. Wardlaw's Troy Thomas returned a fumble 38 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter to make the score 40-6 at the end of the half. It all goes down from there for the Patriots as the final score was 55-20. The Patriots take to the road this week for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff with Patrick Henry. FWA game 4 Vs. SJC Patrick Henry won a "Patriotic" battle last Friday night, defeating the Wardlaw Academy Patriots 30-28. Wardlaw has been the defending state champions two years in a row but is off to a disappointing 1-4 start in their first five games this year. They will take on the Wyman King Academy Knights next week. Wardlaw suffers fourth loss in a row. Wardlaw dropped to 1-5 last Friday night agianst the Knights of King Academy. The Knights layed the wood to the Patriots with a 48-28 victory. This Friday marks Homecoming for the Patriots when they face St. Paul's Academy. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. FWA game 5 Vs. PH and game 6 Vs. WKA