Etowah Looks to Soar at Home in Must-Win Showdown vs. Walton

Scouting the Eagles

The Etowah Eagles return home for the final time this season needing a win to stay alive in the Region 5-7A playoff race. Last week, Etowah put up 275 yards of offense but couldn’t overcome Wheeler’s 437-yard night in a 35–21 loss.

Junior quarterback Zeke Douglass once again did it all for the Eagles, throwing for 172 yards and two touchdowns while leading the team in rushing with 82 yards on 14 carries. However, three interceptions proved costly and helped swing momentum. On the season, Douglass has thrown for 1,295 yards, rushed for 707, and accounted for 17 total touchdowns, but his nine interceptions remain a hurdle.

Walker Hughes continues to be Douglass’ top target with 24 receptions for 561 yards and two scores, while Brady Slaats has added 11 catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns.

On defense, Oliver Creigh leads the team with 62 total tackles, while Nate Truitt paces the group with 35 solo tackles. Drake Mason has been disruptive up front with 12 tackles for loss, and Cooper Hendrix anchors the pass rush with six sacks.

Scouting the Raiders

The Walton Raiders got back on track last week with a big win over Cherokee, reeling off 21 unanswered points in the second half to stay in playoff contention. The victory moved Walton into a tie for fourth place with Wheeler, and the Raiders hold the head-to-head advantage. They’re averaging 26.1 points per game while allowing 28.7.

Senior running back Noriega Thompson leads the way offensively with 702 rushing yards and five touchdowns, while quarterback Christon Peacock has thrown for 1,376 yards and 12 scores. His top targets are Jordan Peacock and Thompson, who’ve combined for 61 catches, 798 yards, and seven touchdowns.

Defensively, linebacker Noah Lavallee has been a force with 107 total tackles and 63 solo stops, while defensive back M.J. Burnette leads the secondary with four interceptions.

Keys to the Game

Etowah Eagles

• Protect the Football: Turnovers have haunted Etowah all season. Douglass and company must limit interceptions to stay in rhythm offensively.

• Win on Early Downs: Avoiding long-yardage situations will keep the playbook open and prevent Walton’s defense from keying on the pass.

• Contain the Run: The Eagles must maintain their gap discipline and tackling to keep Walton’s rushing attack from controlling the clock.

• Finish Drives: Red-zone execution will be crucial. Field goals may not be enough against a playoff-caliber opponent.

Walton Raiders

• Establish the Run Early: Controlling the tempo with the ground game can wear down Etowah’s front seven and open up play-action opportunities.

• Pressure Douglass: Forcing the dual-threat quarterback into mistakes is key—Walton’s front seven must collapse the pocket and contain his scrambling lanes.

• Limit Explosive Plays: Etowah thrives on chunk gains through Hughes and Slaats; keeping everything in front of the secondary will be vital.

• Capitalize on Takeaways: Turnovers ans special teams flipped last week’s game against Cherokee—doing the same here could be the difference again.

Pundit's Pick

Last week, the Walton Raiders relied more on the ground, expect more of that this week as Etowah has had some trouble slowing down the run. The Eagles will have to be more efficient throwing and limit their turnovers to have a chance to get a win and really muddy the playoff picture. Etowah fights hard behind Douglass’ playmaking ability, but Walton’s running game and defensive pressure prove too much down the stretch.

Prediction: Walton by 6