The Daily Sentinel

Two teams hoping to jump start the second halves of their season meet tonight in Jacksonville.

Skyline hits the road for a non-region matchup against the Class 1A Jacksonville Christian Academy Thunder. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Skyline (0-4) and JCA did not exchange game films, therefore this week's opponent is a bit of mystery.

"We've called around, (but) we don't know a whole lot about them," Skyline coach Ray Swin-ford said. "We've looked at what they did last year. We think they'll use multiple (offensive) sets, so we've got to be prepared for a lot of different things."

Skyline and JCA played a shoot-out last season, with the Thunder winning 42-34.

Swinford is hoping the Vikings' offense can find that sort of output after struggling this season. The Vikings have been shut out in their last two games in losses to 1A eighth-ranked Cedar Bluff and Gaylesville.

"We've got to have better execution offensively and stop shooting ourselves in the foot," Swinford said. "I consider scoring position to be anytime you have the ball on (the opponent's) side of the 50-yard line. We've been moving into scoring position but not finishing drives."

Swinford was pleased with the Vikings' defensive effort last week, which held Gaylesville to 19-points before the Trojans scored two meaningless touchdowns in the final minutes.

"We've gotten better each week defensively, and I hope that continues (tonight). I felt good about the way we played against the run (against Gaylesville)."

JCA, a member of 1A Region 5, enters the game with a 1-3 record. The Thunder lost to the Alabama School for the Deaf 38-20 in Week 1 before dropping region games to 1A No. 10-ranked Appalachian 42-13 and Victory Christian 41-14. The Thunder got its first win last week thanks to a 51-6 drubbing of Jefferson Christian.

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