On paper, the Bowdon High School football game at Walker doesn’t appear to have the makings of a close contest, but Red Devil coach Dwight Hochstetler is making sure his guys know the Wolverines are viewing this as their last stand when they hit the field at 7:30 p.m. on Friday in Marietta.

While Bowdon (7-1, 3-1 Region 6-A) will be looking to make sure it is in good position heading into next Friday’s home finale against Bremen, Walker (3-6, 1-4 Region 6-A) will be aiming to finish strong in its final game, as it is already eliminated from playoff contention.

“They’re out of the playoffs, but I think they might consider this their playoff game,” Hochstetler said. “So we’re expecting them to be very physical.”

The Wolverines have plenty of big players along the lines to help wage that physical effort.

“Their line of scrimmage is probably one of the best we’ve seen this year,” Hochstetler said. “So we’re expecting a battle.”

The coach was pleased with a rushing game that averaged more than six yards per carry in last week’s 27-9 non-region win against North Paulding. But even with that solid output, he knows his offense still has room for improvement.

“At times we do a great job blocking, but we’re not consistent,” Hochstetler said. “We need to be more consistent as far as blocking.”

Hochstetler also noted his team’s 2-of-8 passing clip, which he says must get better.

Perhaps his biggest concern, though, is his team’s tackling struggles, something Hochstetler hopes to address in practice this week.

“Defensively, we need to do a better job of gang tackling. At times last week we didn’t tackle well,” Hochstetler said. “We were more concerned about a kill hit and not really wrapping up.”

Junior defensive back Nathan Montgomery said better tackling is a must this week against the Wolverines.

“Coach has got us playing more physical, and he’s stressing this week that we’ve got to lock up and tackle,” Montgomery said. “So I’m pretty sure that we’re going to be doing a lot of hitting and stuff this week.”

Walker will likely lean heavily on its fullback and run between the tackles, something Montgomery said the Red Devils will be well-prepared to go against.

“We’re ready for whatever they have for us,” Montgomery said.

This week’s region game and the finale against Bremen are pivotal in Bowdon’s hopes of earning the No. 2 seed from Region 6-A and the first-round home playoff game that comes with it.

“These two games are going to really play a role in where we’re going to be seeded and if we’ve got a chance of playing at the house first round or we’ve got to go on the road,” Hochstetler said.

While it would be easy to look ahead to the rivalry showdown, Montgomery said the Red Devils can’t lose sight of this week.

“We’re thinking about Bremen, but we can’t let this game pass,” Montgomery said. “We’ve got to stay strong and get second in the region and play here first round of the playoffs.”

Hochstetler echoed that assessment.

“We’ve been real impressed with them on film. And hopefully, you know, our kids are going to take them seriously,” Hochstetler said. “If we don’t, we’re going to be in a lot of trouble.”

And he has a feeling the Wolverines will go a long way in helping Bowdon be more prepared for its final game of the regular season.

“They’re going to do a good job getting us ready for Bremen,” Hochstetler said.