By WADE SNOW, Gazebo Sports Writer
EAGLE PRIDE: We have a chance to impress as the visitors. The Eagles will be having a tailgate at FPD at 5:30 p.m. before the game. Pizza and refreshments will be provided for students. All students need to be there and be loud to start the night off right and show all of Macon how well our fan base travels.
ALWAYS CLOSE: The overall record of the series has Stratford leading 20-19-1. The Eagles will surely want to keep the series lead.
EVEN CLOSER: It is a two-mile drive from Stratford to FPD by way of Peake, Tucker and Foster roads. But in a straight shot (through woods, hills and across the interstate), the distance from the Stratford goalpost to the FPD goal post is right at .75 of a mile.
LIVE WITH IT: This is one of the most anticipated games in all of Macon. Win or lose, each team and fan base will have to live with the result of the most crucial game of each’s season.
REVENGE: Each team’s cheerleaders painted murals on the windows of the Zebulon Road Chick fil A. The Eagles was a very well-painted window in support of Stratford, while The Other School’s had an Eagle in a pot boiling, claiming to be ready for “Eagle Stew.” Simply disrespectful.
WHITE OUT: After the legendary white out at FPD two years ago in which the Stratford student section was at its best, the Eagles hope to continue the pep this year.
PLAYING ”DE FENCE”: After the huge win in 2014, an epic celebration occurred in which the FPD visitor side fence was broken. Although we cannot condone property destruction, the Eagle fans will certainly look to bring the same level of intensity this year.
HOUSE DIVIDED: The Stratford-FPD rivalry is about more than just history and being located close to each other. There are several families that are divided going into the game, with children at both Stratford and the FPD. Coach Mark Farriba graduated from Stratford but spent 17 years as a coach at FPD.
TAILGATING: For the second year in a row, Channel 13 WMAZ will be live and covering the tailgate and pregame. Eagles fans will need to show up and be loud at 5:30 p.m.
#HASHTAGGING: The Stratford student section page has gotten involved in the festivities of the week, poking fun at the size of the FPD offensive line with the hashtag #ThingsThatWeighLessThanFPDsOline. Some examples are a fully grown male polar bear and a class of 30 kindergarteners.
