Apalachee High School football team plays 1st game since tragic shooting

CLARKE COUNTY, Ga. - Apalachee High School's football team took to the field on Saturday for the first time since the tragic shooting at the Barrow County school less than a month ago.

Two students and two teachers were killed in the shooting that shocked Georgia and the country on Sept. 4.

The suspected shooter, Colt Gray, faces four felony murder charges and is expected to face additional charges. His father, Colin Gray, has also been arrested and charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children. He allegedly purchased the AR-style gun used in the mass shooting for his son.

One of the victims was Richard Aspinwall, who also worked as the defensive coordinator for the Wildcats, making Saturday's game a lot more important for the team. 

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"Like our sheriff said, love will prevail," head football coach Mike Hancock said. "We've got a lot of love in the locker room - got a lot of hurt kids, but a lot of love."

Some of the Wildcats linked arms as they took the field on Saturday.

The team felt the support from their fans and even from their opponents, as everyone participated in a moment of silence to remember the lives lost.

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Apalachee's first drive in nearly a month ended with a touchdown, and they followed that up with a defensive stop in the red zone.

"It was … kind of hard to put into words sometimes," Apalachee High School Athletic Director Ralph Neely said. "It's nice to see them smile. It's nice to see them excited."

The score of the game was secondary. Hancock said having the team on the field back together felt like an incredible victory.

"Nobody knows what it's like being a teen going through that," Hancock said. "They did a good job playing, and I'm proud of them for that."

The coaches said the players were excited to get back out on the field. While they may have lost to Clarke Central High School, Neely said "those steps toward normalcy" were the most important thing.

As the community continues to heal, the football team will continue to play.

And they'll all do it Apalachee strong.