Johns Creek (1-4, 0-1) hosts Gainesville (4-2, 2-0) on Friday, Oct. 9, at 7:30 p.m. in a Region 7-AAAAAA game that doubles as Homecoming Night at JCHS Stadium.

The Gladiators need a win.

After opening the season with a 24-17 victory over Northview on Aug. 21, first-year head coach Jason Tester's squad has dropped four straight. The skid ended with a 63-0 loss to Milton on Sept. 25 in the region opener, a game in which Michael Hanley led Johns Creek with six tackles and Dayo Nonye-John added five tackles and a pass breakup, according to the Johns Creek athletics department.

The Red Elephants, meanwhile, have won four in a row and sit atop the region standings alongside Milton (2-0, 4-1). Gainesville shut out Alpharetta 50-0 on Sept. 25 and routed Roswell 34-5 on Oct. 2, according to GPB Sports. MaxPreps ranks Gainesville No. 3 in Class AAAAAA and No. 4 in the Atlanta media market.

Gainesville's offense runs through senior quarterback Kharim Hughley, a four-star Clemson commit who averaged 189 total yards per game and accounted for nine touchdowns through five games entering the Oct. 2 Roswell matchup, according to a GPB Sports preview.

Senior running back Jordan Brown has carried the load on the ground with 236 yards and three touchdowns on 52 carries, filling in for injured Alabama commit Nigel Newkirk and three-star junior P.J. Lewis. Gainesville's offensive line features four power-conference prospects, anchored by three-star left tackle Tyler Ford, a 6-foot-6, 315-pound Miami commit.

On defense, sophomore linebackers Jason Johnson (35 total tackles, three tackles for loss) and Chance Davis (31 total tackles, six tackles for loss) lead the unit. Junior defensive end DeMarcus Simmons has four sacks.

Johns Creek will lean on junior quarterback Jake Blackwelder, now in his third year as the starter. In a 26-18 loss to Chattahoochee on Sept. 11, Blackwelder rushed 19 times for 85 yards and two touchdowns while completing 13 of 20 passes, according to the Johns Creek athletics department.

Linebacker John Michael Sengbusch recorded 11 tackles, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble in that game. Akachi Nwizubo added eight tackles and a forced fumble.

"Everything is about building … getting closer as a group, and these guys seeing the fruits of their labor," Tester told Appen Media at a Fulton County Schools media day in July, previewing his first season leading the program.

The Region 7-AAAAAA standings entering Oct. 9 show Milton and Gainesville tied at 2-0, followed by Roswell and Alpharetta at 1-1. Johns Creek sits at 0-1, with Riverwood at 0-1 and Lanier at 0-2.

A loss would drop the Gladiators to 0-2 in region play with four games remaining. After the Gainesville game, Johns Creek travels to Roswell on Oct. 16, visits Lanier on Oct. 23, hosts Alpharetta on Oct. 30 and closes at Riverwood on Nov. 6.