By Kevin Eckleberry

Sports Editor

When LaGrange football coach Steve Pardue has been out and about in recent weeks, he’s rarely been asked about the upcoming game.

The games that people want to talk about are the ones at the end of the regular season when the Grangers play Carver and Troup in back-to-back weeks.

Those games will arrive in due course, though.

Pardue’s focus each week has been on the task at hand, and this week the task is finding a way to beat the Columbus Blue Devils Friday night at Callaway Stadium.

When that game is in the books, then the Grangers can turn their full attention to next week’s game with Carver that will determine the top spot in Region 2-AAA.

“If I go to the grocery store when I leave here, they’re asking about Carver and Troup,” Pardue said after practice Wednesday evening. “Right now we’re worried about Columbus.”

The Carver and Troup talk, Pardue said, “started probably three or four weeks ago. To make that a big game, you have to do well this week.”

It has been a difficult season for Columbus, which is under the direction of coach Phil Marino.

The Blue Devils are 1-6, but they did break through for a 31-12 win over Kendrick last week to improve to 1-3 in Region 2-AAA.

The Devils, Pardue said, are “playing better ball. They’re playing hard. (Marino) is trying to do a good job over there.”

It will, nonetheless, be a tall task for Marino’s team.

The Grangers’ lone loss was a 26-15 setback to unbeaten Newnan in the season opener.

Newnan is now 7-0, and it has only given up 13 points in its past six games.

LaGrange has won six straight games since, including three in a row in region play.

Last week, LaGrange handled Northside 43-20 after its open week.

“I thought the open week was good, and I thought we came back last week and were real efficient offensively, and defensively I thought we played really well early,” Pardue said.

The Grangers got a big game from senior running back Ocie Salter, who scored three touchdowns, including two on catches from Jamius Gunsby.

John Wagner and Isaiah Wright also had scoring catches, and Xavier Heard returned an interception for a touchdown.

Gunsby threw three touchdown passes, and backup quarterback Braxton Smith tossed a scoring pass as well.

Northside scored a couple of late touchdowns to make the final score more respectable.

“Our (offensive) execution has really improved,” Pardue said. “We’re getting better and better. But everybody is.”

The Grangers are also looking better on the injury front.

Salter was slowed earlier by an ankle injury, but he’s at full strength now and has become a dynamic play-maker.

Gunsby is still slowed a bit by an ankle injury, but he’s making strides, Pardue said.

“We’re getting J better,” Pardue said. “Some days he’s getting well, and other days he’ll tweak it. It seems like he recovers quicker, so he’s getting better.”

Linebacker Chauncey Smith continues to lead the LaGrange defense with 78 total tackles, including 56 solo stops.

Smith is also tops on the team with an eye-opening 18 tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

Fellow linebacker Malcolm Dowell is having a big season as well with 59 tackles, and he leads the team with five sacks.

Defensive lineman Javonte Daniel has 50 tackles, and linebacker Chase Duncan has 48 tackles, and he leads the team with three recovered fumbles.

Defensive back Josh Manning leads the secondary with five interceptions, including a pair of touchdowns, while Heard has a couple of picks.

Manning, Heard, Smith and Rhyian Patterson have each scored defensive touchdowns.