Community comes together for first home football game since Apalachee HS mass shooting

BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — Apalachee High School’s first home football game since the deadly school shooting one month ago began with a moment of silence.

“It’s just a different kind of feeling,” said Taylor Willard.

She graduated here a decade ago and brought her children to the game to show support.

“It was very close to home, and when they say that I don’t think you understand until it happens,” said Willard.

The stand was filled on both sides of the field. The crowd cheered and bands played.

There were signs of healing throughout the night.

“Biggest thing is knowing how to deal with an electric atmosphere,” said Assistant Head Coach Matt Bradley.

He said he told the team during the morning workout to embrace that excitement and energy.

“The Rock” Dwayne Johnson was there to back them up. The team visited him last month while he filmed in Atlanta. He promised he would be there for their first home game, and he was on the sidelines.

What was tough, Coach Bradley said, was not having Coach Aspinwall on the sidelines with him.

“I miss him every day,” said Coach Bradley.

Coach Ricky Aspinwall was one of the teachers killed in the shooting rampage on Sept. 4.

“It is tough. I wish he were here,” said Bradley.

Not every student and family were ready to come out Friday.

“It’s hard for families and hard for some of the students to really feel secure about attending some of those events,” said Layla Renee Contreras.

Her sister is a junior at Apalachee High School and she has been working to get the district to update bag and security policies.

Still, the stands were packed. For the most part, fans said it felt like Friday night football again. Contreras said she knows change takes time and said she supports a step toward normalcy.

“It’s going to make a lot of kids and teachers and people happy,” said Contreras. “It’s a great thing to have the spotlight on our community as we’re starting to heal.”