By Kevin Eckleberry

kevin.eckleberry@lagrangenews.com

LAGRANGE – It was a milestone win for a program looking for respect following a difficult season.

In 2015, Tanner Glisson’s first year as head coach, the Troup Tigers went 1-9, and only a victory in the season finale kept them from going winless.

The Tigers turned things around a year ago, and they headed into a game against the Sandy Creek Patriots with a 4-1 record.

Were the Tigers ready to go on the road and beat one of the state’s powerhouses?

Yes indeed.

Troup beat Sandy Creek 28-20, and it went on to finish the regular season with an 8-2 record while placing second in Region 5-AAAA.

Troup has continued the momentum this season, and it will take a 5-0 record into Friday’s rematch with Sandy Creek.

Also on Friday, LaGrange will look for its first win of the season when it visits Cedartown, while Lafayette Christian School will be at home against Central Christian.

Callaway, which improved to 5-0 with last week’s win over Harris County, is off this week before opening its Region 5-AA schedule next week against Temple.

Troup opened its region schedule with a dominant 48-12 win over Chapel Hill last week, while Sandy Creek (3-1) was off.

These are good times for the Troup program.

During a rebuilding 2015 season, Troup was 0-9 when it went on the road and beat Whitewater in the last game.

Since losing to Hardaway in the 2016 season opener, Troup has won 13 of its past 14 regular-season games, with the only loss coming to the powerful Cartersville Purple Hurricanes last year.

This year’s team has been rolling.

The Tigers are averaging more than 40 points per game, and they steam-rolled a Chapel Hill team that had won three of its first four games.

Sandy Creek won its first three games before losing to Starr’s Mill 21-6 on Sept. 15.

LaGrange was hoping for a breakthrough win last week against Central-Carroll, but it didn’t happen.

LaGrange hung in there early, trailing 7-0 at the half, but Central-Carroll took control in the second half on the way to a 32-6 win.

Cedartown (4-1) won its first four games before losing to Cartersville 41-7 last week in the region opener for both teams.

Callaway will take a break this week before embarking on its region schedule against Temple.

Callaway, which will be trying to win a third consecutive region championship, has won 24 straight regular-season games.

THIS WEEK’S GAMES

FRIDAY

Sandy Creek at Troup, 7:30 p.m.

LaGrange at Cedartown, 7:30 p.m.

Central Christian at Lafayette Christian, 7:30 p.m.