The Johns Creek Gladiators haven't had a winning streak in a long time. They'll try to start one Friday night.

Fresh off their first victory in 27 games, the Gladiators travel to Centennial High School in Roswell on Friday, Aug. 28, for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff against a Knights squad that also won its opener.

First-year head coach Jason Tester's program broke through on Friday, Aug. 21, grinding out a win over Northview behind 274 rushing yards on 39 carries and three touchdowns on the ground, according to the Johns Creek Athletics recap. The final score was not available from official records, but the dominance on the stat sheet was clear.

Jake Blackwelder carried 21 times for 100 yards and a touchdown. Michael Hanley needed just eight carries to hit 100 yards and score. Dayo Nanye-John added 65 yards and a touchdown on seven attempts.

The defense matched the effort. Owen Crawford recorded six tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. Brit Landry led with seven tackles and two assists. Elijah Antoine posted six tackles, one assist and a forced fumble. Carson Cox added four tackles, a quarterback pressure and a fumble recovery.

That performance ended a 27-game winless stretch. In 2025, the Gladiators absorbed blowout losses including a 56-0 defeat to Cambridge and a 60-0 loss to Roswell, fielding a roster heavy on sophomores and freshmen.

Now those young players are a year older, and the program has its first win under Tester.

What Centennial brings

The Knights opened their season with a 23-21 win over Dunwoody in the GHSA Corky Kell Classic on Thursday, Aug. 20. Both teams enter Friday at 1-0.

Johns Creek hosted Centennial in August 2025, though no result from that game could be confirmed.

Up next

After Friday's road trip, the Gladiators return home to JCHS Stadium on Friday, Sept. 4, at 7:30 p.m. to face the Mountain View Bears. A matchup against rival Chattahoochee follows on Friday, Sept. 11, also at home.