THOMASVILLE — Bainbridge will face the ultimate challenge tonight — try to score against a defense that knows the veer offense better than anyone in Region 1-AAAA.

That’s the chore facing the Bearcats when Thomas County Central visits Centennial Field for the regular season finale.

Tonight marks the second meeting between Central and former coach Ed Pilcher. Bainbridge was held to seven points a year ago. The Bearcats might have a more difficult time this year, considering how stingy the Yellow Jackets have been. Central is allowing just eight points per game and allowed just 18 to Westside-Macon’s high-octane attack.

“They play well, they run to the ball well, but we knew that,” Pilcher said. “They were pretty good last year. I was talking with coach (Dwight) Jones from Jones County. I said, ‘I don’t know if we can move the ball against them. I really don’t.’ We’re so small. Our offensive line is so small.

“When you see us on the field, we’re small. We’re really small. We’ve got some backups that have got a little size. They’ve been playing a little bit. When we put our regular starters in there, we don’t have a 200-pounder on the offensive line, not a one. That’s the problem we’ve been facing, just trying to get movement. We just haven’t been able to do that on a consistent basis.”

Adding to Bainbridge’s offensive woes this year are injuries, n particular, to junior quarterback Rohan Gaines. He’s been slowed by a hand injury that’s limited Bainbridge’s effectiveness throwing the ball. Pilcher refuses to use that as an excuse, however.

“We’ve played well at times, and not so well at times. Our whole season has just been inconsistent,” Pilcher added. “It’s like I told our kids, ‘I’d love to see us play a whole game, play well on offense and play well on defense.’ We have played well on offense and terrible on defense, and vice versa. We have not played four quarters where we have been sound on offense and sound on defense.”

Central’s quarterback is coming off one of the gutsiest performances of the season. After turning the ball over twice in the opening minutes, Eric Dodson led the Yellow Jackets to a 27-18 region-clinching win against Westside-Macon. He passed for 96 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding a touchdown run.

“He’s played really well. He’s a big reason they’re doing so well offensively because he’s doing a good job running the offense,” said Pilcher, who saw Dodson grow up as a ballboy for the Yellow Jackets. “He’s a threat to run or throw. That makes that offense go when you’ve got that kind of athlete there that can do that and make reads like he’s been doing.”

It’s a must-win game for the Bearcats, who are tied with Hardaway and Harris County for third in region play. A win by Bainbridge puts the Bearcats in the playoffs as a No. 3 seed. A loss and the Bearcats will need help to avoid playoff elimination.

“It’s going to be a monumental task for us to compete with them,” Pilcher said. “We’re banged up now.

“We’ve just got to make it happen. That’s why you’ve got backups. They’ve got to step up and make plays. That’s what we’ve got to do.”

Central is looking to continue its momentum from last week’s huge win against the defending region champs. Central has won eight in a row and hopes to make it nine straight heading into the playoffs next week.

“It’s going to be tough because we’re playing against somebody that knows us like the back of their hand,” Shaver said. “Coach Pilcher has been over here and worked with the guys all those years. He knows how I like to call plays.

“He knows how coach (Cliff) Heard likes to call defense. It’s a situation where we kind of know each other. It’s almost like an intra-squad type deal. Who’s going to be able to go out and execute the best? Who, maybe, is going to come up with a wrinkle that the other one didn’t recognize quite as well? It’s definitely a challenge.”