By JIM LANGHAM

Sportswriter

HOLGATE – Coming into this year’s football season, Wayne Trace head coach Bill Speller was loving the abundance of talent he was blessed with on this year’s squad. Now, halfway through the season, Speller has reason to continue to smile as his Raiders currently are tied with Tinora for Green Meadows Conference lead.

“I just wish that we would have some challenges to help us prepare for some of the big games coming up,” Speller said recently. “I hope that we are prepared mentally when the big challenges come.”

So far, that tough mental preparation hasn’t come; last Friday night, the Paulding County power continued its high scoring ways with a 61-21 pasting of Holgate.