Two dominant backs in Braden Gilliland and A'Ron Lee are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Appalachian Eagles will venture away from home to face off against the Ragland Purple Devils at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Appalachian will come into the game with an undefeated record on the line.
Appalachian will bounce into Friday's contest after beating Spring Garden, who they had gone 0-4 against in their four prior meetings. The Eagles walked away with a 20-8 win over the Panthers on Friday.
Colton Caldwell
| 10/03/25 vs Spring Garden | 101 |
| 09/26/25 @ Section | 82 |
| 09/12/25 vs Gaylesville | 64 |
| 09/19/25 @ Ider | 51 |
| 09/27/24 vs Section | 43 |
Colton Caldwell looked great while leading his team to the win, rushing for 101 yards and two scores. Those 101 rushing yards gave him a new career-high.
Meanwhile, after only 12 points in their last matchup, Ragland made sure to put some points up on the board against Valley Head on Friday. The Purple Devils simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat the Tigers 58-21. The Purple Devils not only won on Friday, but they posted their biggest win since October 25, 2024 (when they won 47-6).
Appalachian better keep an eye on Kobe Embry. He was instrumental in Ragland's win, picking up 62 receiving yards and one touchdown, while also punching in a pair of TDs on the ground.
Ragland was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 342 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
Ragland didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Embry and Cody Horsley.
Ragland's victory was their first in the region, bumping their region record up to 1-2 and their overall record up to 2-4. As for Appalachian, their record now sits at 7-0.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Appalachian has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 234.9 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Ragland struggles in that department as they've been averaging 176.5 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Appalachian took their win against Ragland in their previous meeting back in October of 2024 by a conclusive 35-14 score. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Lee, who rushed for 169 yards and a pair of scores while picking up 9.4 yards per carry. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will the Eagles still be able to contain Lee? There's only one way to find out.
