Westminster Looks for Strong Finish

remains in the running for a state playoffs spot after a 32-0 5-AA-B win over South Atlanta last week.

With three regular 5-AA-B games left, the Wildcats, with a 1-1 region record and 2-4 overall, can still go into the region play-in game the final week of the season Nov. 4 with a shot at making state.

Westminster plays another APS region foe, Therrell, at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Grady Stadium, then hosts Jackson and Buckhead rival Lovett. The Wildcats figure to be favored against Therrell and Jackson, while being underdogs against subregion leader Lovett, 5-1 on the year.

Assistant coach Joe Sturniolo said in an e-mail that Westminster will have to finish in the top three in subregion B to make the state playoffs pool in the final play-in game. Headed into the weekend's games, Lovett and Blessed Trinity, which meet this weekend, are both 2-0, while Westminster and South Atlanta are 1-1.

"If we win out, we will be in the top three, but don’t know our position yet, it will depend on the Lovett-Blessed Trinity game, as well as if either of those teams lose another game," Sturniolo said.

"We could still make the play in game by losing one more game, but we would be depending on other losses by key teams in order to make the play in game. In other words, our fate would not be in our own hands if we don’t win out."

In the win over South Atlanta, Nigel Walker led the Wildcats in rushing with 67 yards and a touchdown. The two Westminster quarterbacks combined for three touchdown passes, with Jake Forte throwing for 62 yards and two TD strikes and Danny Catan completing two of three passes for two scores, totaling 17 yards. Grey Notermann was the top receiver, with two catches for 41 yards, including a 12 yard touchdown.