Sequoyah will have a tough task tonight as it takes on streaking Douglas County in a matchup of Region 5AAAA playoff contenders at Skip Pope Stadium.

The Chiefs are looking to rebound against the Tigers after a tough 31-27 loss to Lithia Springs last Friday in Douglasville. Sequoyah had several opportunities to win the game but penalties hampered their efforts.

"We definitely had opportunities to get it done and we just didn't do it," said Sequoyah head coach Sid Maxwell. "We just need to get more fundamentally sound and limit the penalties."

The Chiefs will have their hands full with Douglas County, as the Tigers have ripped off five straight wins after starting the season 0-2. Last week, Douglas County dismantled previously undefeated Cherokee by a score of 48-21 in a game that was never close.

The Douglas County offense will be of particular concern for Maxwell and his Chiefs as the Tigers have put up several impressive performances in a row. During their current five-game winning streak, Douglas County is averaging a 23.2-point margin of victory.

Douglas County junior quarterback Anthony Caldwell has been solid all season but he distinguished himself as one of the top offensive threats in the region with his performance against Cherokee. Caldwell was 19-for-24 for 345 yards through the air and with three touchdown passes and one rushing touchdown.

"I really feel that the Cherokee game was (Caldwell's) coming out game," said Douglas County head coach John Oglesby. "It was a sign of his growth and maturity as a quarterback, so we are very excited."

If Sequoyah is going to be successful against Douglas County, they will have to limit the Tigers' big-play potential on offense while slowing down the game themselves with their brand of grinding, ball-control offense.

Sequoyah senior quarterback Nathan Grummer and senior running back Daniel Cadavid and sophomore running back Dalton Trevino will have to grind out yards against a tough Douglas County defense that is allowing only 9.4 points per game over their last five contests.

"We can't turn this game into a track meet," said Maxwell. "We have to play our game and turn it into a tractor pull instead."

The Chiefs currently sit in a three-way tie for fourth in Region 5AAAA with Lithia Springs and Pebblebrook with three games to play. If Sequoyah is to continue on to postseason play, Maxwell says, it must focus on the game at hand and not get too far ahead of itself.

"We really just have to take it one game and a time," said Maxwell. "We have to try and execute and continue to work hard to get where we need to be."

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