PICKENS — The Pickens Blue Flame will be looking to right the ship and put a second win in the books as they play host to West-Oak’s Warriors on Friday. Kick off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Pickens High School.

The Blue Flame are 1-3 on the season and 0-1 in region play with Friday’s game the second region game of the season. Pickens’ lone win came Sept. 4 with a 30-0 win over Liberty.

West-Oak is winless on the season, having dropped their record to 0-4, 0-2 on the year, but the Warriors see this as an opportunity of their own to undo some of the harm to their overall record and make a run within the region before playoff time begins.

With this game, though, records may be thrown out the window as both teams match up extremely well.

A stingy Blue Flame defense has held opponents to just 97 points on the year, an average of just over 24 points per game, but those points were allowed against AAAA Easley, Wren, and growing offensive power Pendleton. The problem for Pickens is not in the defense but the lack of scoring on the offensive side of the ball, which has scored just 75 points, or 18 points per game.

West-Oak’s numbers are similar but not quite as strong. The Warriors are suffering from an offensive slump, having put up only 38 points all season, or just over 9 points per game. Defensively West-Oak has been forced to stay on the field too long in each contest without the offense to maintain control of the ball and as a result is allowing 32 per game.

With these numbers it would be assumed Pickens would control the ball and the scoreboard, but in region play outcomes are difficult to predict at best.

While the Blue Flame are looking to build momentum within the region, West-Oak will be seeking small victories to lead to marks in the ‘W’ column when the game of over.

By D. C. Moody

dmoody@civitasmedia.com

Reach D. C. Moody at 864-855-0355.