Coming off a rare Saturday game in which the GMC Bulldogs shutout Mount Paran 27-0, the team travels to Montgomery Co. for its sixth test of the season.

The Eagles are coming off its first win in several years defeating Metter 20-9 last Friday. While the record doesn’t show it, Montgomery has a pretty good team according to GMC head coach Jon Cawley.

“They play hard every down. We’re just going to line up and get after it. We’ve got a pretty good little squad too. We didn’t play very well last week and we still won handily.”

The Eagles offense tends to run the ball frequently and has success doing it a few yards at a time while maintaining possession for as long as possible. Given that many plays the Bulldogs are hoping that the Eagles will make some mistakes in which GMC can capitalize on. Either way, Cawley is counting on another big day from the defense who is coming off its first shutout more than three years.

“The defense is going to have to win it for us,” Cawley said.

“It’s homecoming for Montgomery, so they've got a lot of distractions which is to our advantage.”

On offense, the Bulldogs will be starting back up quarterback Will Parker after starter Mech Melder hurt his elbow in practice. Melder is questionable for the game.

“Will throws a pretty good ball. Plus we hadn’t planned on throwing it a whole lot anyway. We’ll be fine,” said Cawley.

First time starter Parker and the rest of the offense will be facing a Eagles defense that runs a 3-4 scheme with 4 safeties.

“They keep everything in front of them and they’re not going to give up a big play. We’re going to have a lot of 15-20 yard plays. They’ll let us march down the field, but they don’t give up big plays,” Cawley said.

The team has received some solid play from several lesser known players this year in Nick Harper and Jamarus Walls and will need them again Friday.

Harper started the year at receiver and has moved in to play tailback the past few games with some success. Fullback Walls has “quietly been a horse” for the team in both carries and blocking and will play a key role in Friday’s offensive attack.

The 3-2 Bulldogs and 1-4 Eagles will kickoff Friday in Montgomery at 7:30 p.m.