Daily Dive: Johnson-Gainesville and West Hall meet in the Battle of Oakwood

Johnson-Gainesville enters its annual rivalry matchup with West Hall looking to snap a 13-game losing streak overall and a five-game skid in the series.

The Battle of Oakwood is one of Hall County’s premier rivalries, but it has been dominated by the Spartans for the past decade, with West Hall winning 11 of the last 12 meetings. The series was at its height from 2000-2012, when the two teams split 13 matchups nearly evenly, with West Hall holding just a 7-6 edge. This year, however, could be different. West Hall is under first-year head coach Naji Lyon and is rebuilding after being ravaged by transfers.

Johnson is also under new leadership with first-year head coach Donovan Odom. The Knights are coming off a difficult stretch under former coach William Harrell, during which they went 4-45. Still, signs of progress have already shown. Last season, the Knights scored just seven total points in their first two games against Franklin County and East Hall. This season, they’ve put up 25 in the same stretch, a clear step forward. And with Chestatee’s Wing-T offense scoring 62 points against West Hall last week, 48 in the first half, Johnson’s ground-based attack, led by explosive playmaker Monty Young, could find opportunities.

West Hall, meanwhile, leans heavily on its star Nasser Aliou, who has been the Spartans’ do-it-all weapon. He has played defensive back, wide receiver, running back, and even taken snaps at quarterback. For West Hall to win, Aliou will need another big performance like the one he delivered against Northview.

Ultimately, this rivalry clash will likely come down to which star has the bigger night. If Monty Young breaks loose, Johnson has a real shot at ending its losing  streak. If Nasser Aliou takes over, West Hall could keep its dominance intact. Either way, the Battle of Oakwood has the makings of another classic, reminiscent of the tightly contested games of the 2000s.

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