CHATSWORTH, Ga. — Asked to predict what sort of game fans will witness Friday night, North Murray football coach Preston Poag chuckled, knowing where the question was leading him concerning the Mountaineers' home matchup with Northwest Whitfield.
"It will be a good one," Poag answered, "and I expect it will have a lot of fireworks."
Logic, history and early statistics would seem to back Poag up. The GHSA Class AA Mountaineers (2-1), who won a 31-30 thriller against Northwest last year, have scored 54 and 56 points in consecutive wins this season, while the Class AAAA Bruins (3-0) have scored 46, 35 and 30 points. Each team is in the top 10 of its classification in scoring.
Two of the area's top quarterbacks, both with dual-threat capability, will light the offensive fireworks.
North Murray senior Seth Griffin enters the game with 853 passing yards, a team-leading 289 rushing yards and 15 total touchdowns. Northwest's Owen Brooker, a four-year starter, has a Chattanooga area-leading 892 passing yards and eight touchdowns while adding right at 100 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Poag and Northwest coach Josh Robinson were effusive in their praise of the opposition.
"He's just a heady kid. He gets rid of the ball real quick, so it's hard to get to him," Poag said of Brooker. "He can hurt you running, too, and he doesn't get rattled. It's the third year in a row we've played them, and even at a young age he was tough.
"What he's improved the most on is he can throw the long ball much better, and he's got go-to guys who can go get it."
Said Robinson of Griffin: "He's very good. He throws the curl route as well as anybody I've coached against. He sees the windows, and he's very good with his legs at extending plays. You can have the receivers covered, and he can make big plays with his feet.
"He offers a lot of issues for us and everybody they play."
Staff file photo / Northwest Whitfield senior quarterback Owen Brooker leads Chattanooga-area prep passers with 892 yards and eight touchdowns through three games.There are numerous talented receivers on each side.
The Mountaineers have a returning Best of Preps pick in Jadyn Rice, but so far junior Judson Petty has emerged as Griffin's top target with 24 catches for 312 yards and three touchdowns. Skyler Williams, a 6-foot-3 sophomore, has 240 yards on 10 catches, with Rice hauling in 11 for 175 yards.
"We have a lot of options on the outside — and most people think we just throw it around all the time — but we feel we can run the ball if that's what defenses are giving us," Poag said. "Last week Ridgeland put eight people in coverage, so we only threw it 20 times. If we have an edge Friday, it's in the run game."
The Bruins use the run as a change of pace, preferring to use their up-tempo pace to catch defenses off guard and either hit them with quick passes or the deep ball.
"A lot of people forget these players are teenagers, so our pace is designed to create some confusion and make those kids make quick decisions," Robinson said. "We can hit defenses with quick passes before they get set or, if there is confusion, we can hit a deep one. Really, just like with North Murray, it's a conundrum for any defense."
Junior Hudson Gray is Northwest's top receiver (22 catches, 261 yards, two touchdowns), with speedy Isaiah Foster, who returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown against Ringgold last week, right behind with 18 grabs and two scores. Austin Cooley and Braxton Floyd have combined for 25 catches and 350 yards.
Both coaches said the winner will be the one that can make a few defensive stops. Then again, with wet weather expected, anything can happen.
"We expect a lot of points, but every time it seems we get one of these games it ends up 17-14," Poag said with a laugh. "Either way, fans are going to get their money's worth."
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.