Gate City fullback Michael Calhoun churns upfield in a game against Union earlier this season
Lee High beating Gate City on the football field is something that hasjust not came easy.
The Generals have defeated the Blue Devils just one time in the last 15 years. That victory came in 2017 at Legion Field in Gate City, a 35-0 tail whipping of the Blue Devils.
Lee High (0-6, 0-2) is still looking for their first win of the season, while Gate City (2-5, 0-3) is battling for playoff seeding and looking for their first Mountain 7 victory of the year.
Both teams have played challenging schedules and have struggled on the defensive side of the ball. Lee High is letting opponents score nearly 48 points per game while only producing 13 points per game. Gate City is giving up 30 points per contest while averaging 22 points per game. The Blue Devils have one of the biggest wins in Southwest Virginia this season as they upended Richlands at Ernie Hicks Stadium in the first game of the season. Before their 55-0 victory over Marion last week, Gate City had only been in one contest in which they scored over 14 points.
The injury bug did bite the Devils during the early part of the season but they seem to be getting healthy. Carson Jenkins is a playmaker that missed time and is electric with the ball in his hands. They will rely heavily on fullback Michael Calhoun and Logan Tomlinson. D’Andre Mack is also a viable option with the ball in his hands as he is finally healthy after battling injury early in the season. Junior quarterback Luke Reed is as tough as they come and has become a vocal leader for Jeremy Houserights squad.
Nick Napier looks for running room against Union in a game earlier this season at Five Star Stadium in Ben Hur
First year head coach Alec Haston has put his team to the ultimate challenge with their schedule. They have fallen to Mountain 7 foes, Ridgeview and Union while also falling to Patrick Henry and J.I. Burton, who are two of the top teams in Region 1D. With four games remaining he is looking for his team to finish strong. The offense is led by Junior quarterback Tanner Laster. Laster has a big target in Justice Fannon. Jonathan Blanken, Nick Napier and Zane Eisenmenger are all hard runners in the backfield for the Generals. The Generals have a NCAA prospect on their offensive and defensive line with 6’3 295 pound Noah Sage. Sage teams up with Luke Estes and Jared Wynn to pave the way for their backfield.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Legion Field in Gate City.
