Spencer, Washington County meet in battle of teams that overcame slow starts

Four games into the season neither Spencer nor Washington County appeared to be playoff worthy.

Spencer started the season 1-3, while Washington County started 0-4. Since then, Spencer has won six straight, while Washington County has won five of six.

Those two teams will meet Friday night at 7:30 p.m. in Sandersville in the first round of the Class AAA state playoffs.

After falling to 1-3, Spencer beat lowly Southwest-Macon and then faced then-ranked No. 6 Jackson, which would go on to win the Region 2 title. The Greenwave won easily 34-14.

"Against Jackson, we came out and played lights out in every facet of the game from special to offense and defense," Spencer coach Pierre Coffey said. "I think it woke our kids up. I think that was the turning point of the season. I think we figured out we could play with some of the best in the state.

"It is amazing how a team comes together. So many play integral parts. Kids worked extremely hard. I have always thought they had the potential to go on and do something great. But to be honest, I didn't know it would be this good."

The similarities between the two teams end with the slow starts and fast finishes.

Spencer is making its first state playoff appearance since 1993.

The Greenwave has clinched its first winning season since 1977.

Washington County is a perennial playoff team. The Golden Hawks have been to the playoffs seven straight years, including back-to-back state championship game appearances in 2013 and '14. Both of those ended in losses.

"You have to prepare your kids for the atmosphere," Coffey said.

"Washington County has been in state championship last two years. They play big time football there. You have to try and prepare your kids for that atmosphere.

"You are going to have a big stadium with a large crowd.

" It will be that X-factor because if you can't get plays in, that hurts you. Or if your quarterback is not comfortable communicating with the other players on the field because of the noise, that stuff hurts you."

Note: Spencer has not won more than seven games in a season since 1967, when the Greenwave went 10-1 and won a state championship in the Georgia Interscholastic Association.

Kevin Price, Follow Kevin on Twitter @lesports

This story was originally published November 10, 2015 at 10:19 PM with the headline "Spencer, Washington County meet in battle of teams that overcame slow starts ."