Preview: GHS set to fight way back through state, starting with Creekview <b>(VIDEO)</b>

GAINESVILLE -- If Gainesville football has proven anything this season it is this: these Red Elephants are warriors.<br /> <br /> They may not have run roughshod over the competition like in recent years, but they have bounced back from their only setbacks in impressive fashion and have shown a mixture of hunger and talent that could serve them well as the postseason gets underway on Friday at City Park.<br /> <br /> In fact, Gainesville is banking on that.<br /> <br /> "This team is full of a bunch of fighters. We may get knocked down, but we're going to get back up," Red Elephants senior receiver/defensive back Chris Williamson said. "That's why I like our chances in this year's state playoffs."<br /> <br /> <b>(NOTE: To watch a video preview of the game simply click "play" in the box to the right.)</b><br /> <br /> Gainesville (8-2) -- which missed out on a sixth region title in seven seasons by just four points -- is prepping for a battle against Creekview (6-4) in the first round of the Class AAAAA playoffs -- the kind of showdown these Red Elephants crave.<br /> <br /> "We're ready, but we've been watching film, and they're a talented team," Williamson said of the No. 3 seed from Region 7-AAAAA. "They look like they're going to give us a run for our money. But if we do everything we should, hopefully we can come out with a win."<br /> <br /> The Red Elephants have shown an ability to do a little bit of everything this season, playing consistently tough defense (allowing 14.7 points per game), continuing its high-powered offensive ways (scoring 35.8 ppg) and adding a special teams solidity that was not a guarantee at the start of the campaign.<br /> <br /> All three phases came together to devastating effect in the 2014 regular season finale -- a 49-7 win over rival Flowery Branch -- that sent Gainesville into the postseason with confidence and momentum.<br /> <br /> "We came out of the game injury-free and played exceptionally well for our last game of the regular season," Gainesville coach Bruce Miller said. "We did some things correctly, did some things over and over correctly. We had a lot of offense, we played great defense, our kicking game was very good... And you hope you can build on that as you head into the playoffs."<br /> <br /> The Red Elephants know that kind of play will be necessary throughout the playoffs -- including Friday, as they take on a Grizzlies squad that has put up points on nearly every team faced in 2014.<br /> <br /> Creekview's spread offense enters the showdown averaging 26.8 points per game -- 34 ppg through the Region 7-AAAAA season. At its spearhead is an explosive playmaker in quarterback Kyle Wilkie. The junior has racked up 2,071 yards passing and 16 touchdowns (as well as 12 interceptions), as well as 426 yards rushing and 9 TDs. Running back B.J. Smith has also been a handful, rushing for 813 yards and 10 scores.<br /> <br /> "We've got to stop their quarterback. He's one of those that can run or pass. He's a good athlete," Miller said of Wilkie. "He's also one of the top baseball players in the nation, and we've got to slow him down -- and then No. 45 (Smith), we've got to slow him down. And then on that other end we've got to put points on the scoreboard and play well. I think it will be a great first round game, definitely a challenge for us, and we'll see how things go."<br /> <br /> Scoring points hasn't been too much of an issue for the Red Elephants this season, and quarterback Mikey Gonzalez has developed into a standout in his one and only season as starter, passing for 2,454 yards and 29 TDs, compared with just 7 interceptions. Receivers Messiah Dorsey (51 receptions, 698 yards, 7 TDs), Rodney Lackey (46 receptions, 561 yards, 10 TDs) and Williamson (35 receptions, 669 yards, 8 TDs) have also continued a stellar tradition for the Red Elephants, while running back Michael Byrd has regained his rhythm after early season injuries (528 yards rushing, 4 TDs; 25 receptions, 229 yards, 2 TDs), including three straight 100-yard games.<br /> <br /> "We're reaching our peak at the right point right now," Gonzalez said.<br /> <br /> Gainesville's defense has stayed near its peak for much of the campaign. Since allowing 39 points in a shutout, season-opening loss at Grayson (the only real blemish on the Red Elephants' record -- which also includes a heartbreaking 26-23 loss at Lanier but mostly domination otherwise), the Red Elephants have allowed more than 13 points just twice and won one of those games. Gainesville has also shown a knack for creating turnovers, taking the ball away 25 times this season and is now at full strength after the return of standout linebacker Chris Byrd.<br /> <br /> Meanwhile, placekicker Chandler Staton has converted all nine field goals attempted this season and missed just one of 29 point after touchdown attempts.<br /> <br /> With stats like that it's no wonder Gainesville feels like it can make yet another deep postseason run (the Red Elephants have reached at least the semifinal round of the playoffs in three straight seasons and have won six straight first round postseason games).<br /> <br /> But it's nothing to do with cockiness -- call it a self-belief forged in some of those wars.<br /> <br /> "They don't want to stop here. I see some teams that sometimes get to this point and they're about ready to call it a season, but this group's not," Miller said. "There's no telling how far this group can go, just because they've got a lot of heart and play tremendously hard every play."<br /> <br /> The Red Elephants hope to show there are still a lot of plays left in 2014.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2014/11/281787