With the start of SBAAC American Division play looming, Wilmington makes the trek to Cincinnati to face Aiken High School Friday night.
Kickoff is 30 minutes earlier than normal at 6:30 p.m.
Aiken, a member of the Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference, comes in to the game at 1-3. The Falcons opened with a 12-6 win over Shroder then lost to Purcell-Marian (26-6), Wyoming (44-6) and Fenwick (34-0).
“They are athletic with a good running back,” WHS head coach Ryan Evans said. “They’ve played a tough schedule so far. Coach (Harry) McCall is a good coach and he will have them ready to play. They are physical and will play hard.”
Evans said don’t be deceived by the subpar record for Aiken.
“Wyoming is a tough team and they played them tough early,” he said. “Fenwick is another tough opponent that they played tough early.”
Evans said his team must focus on what it does best Friday night, on the Aiken Falcons and nothing else.
“Our team has to do what we do and focus on us,” he said. “We can be our own worst enemy at times. Our focus is to play smart, fast, tough and disciplined.”
Wilmington is 3-1 this season. With Clinton-Massie and the rest of the SBAAC coming beginning in Week 6, Evans knows the Hurricane is in no position to look ahead.
“As long as I have been here we stress that we focus on what’s in front of us,” said Evans. “We are not ready as a program to look over anybody. Focus on the task at hand and beat that task.”
Wilmington and Aiken met for the first time on the varsity football field in Week 10 of 1985 with Aiken coming out on top 51-6 at Alumni Field. Wilmington won last year’s meeting 49-0.
