By Tim Altork

In 2007 Alpharetta started the season 2-0. They lost their last eight games.

In 2008 Alpharetta started the season 3-0. They lost their last seven games.

In 2009 Alpharetta started the season 2-0. They haven’t won since. This season’s losing streak was extended to five games on Friday night thanks to a 56-28 drubbing by the unbeaten Roswell Hornets.

Alpharetta’s first-year head coach Jason Dukes sees the pattern. And he doesn’t like it.

“The last couple of years we’ve gotten some early wins, and then we’ve gotten on a losing streak. That’s got to stop,” Dukes said. “That’s got to stop this week. I’m just going to put it out on the line that it’s extremely important for us to get that changed.

“That becomes a part of who you are and a part of your culture if you don’t get that changed, and that’s extremely important for me and my staff and our team going into this week.”

There were some highlights for Alpharetta. They rolled up 443 yards of offense and 28 points on a Roswell defense that had allowed just 22 points in the last three games combined.

Quarterback Justin Burns had another productive night with 360 yards and three touchdowns on 33-of-50 passing. The Raiders finally found some consistency in the running game with James Mincey (seven carries, 40 yards) and Kwame Larbi (13 carries, 46 yards).

“It seems like we’re kind of starting to put it together a little bit with our quarterbacks and receivers and getting a little bit of continuity running the ball,” Dukes said. “We did find some sparks here and there on the offensive side of the ball.”

But Burns also threw three interceptions and the Alpharetta defense never found an answer for the balanced Roswell attack. Roswell piled up 290 yards on the ground, which set up an efficient passing attack that produced five of the team’s eight touchdowns.

“The running game was just awesome. The running game sets everything up,” said Roswell head coach Leo Barker. “When you run the ball like that, now they’ve got to pick their poison. It they gang up to stop the run and put eight in the box, our wide receivers can get after them a little bit.”

That’s exactly what happened as Brian Hickman threw first quarter touchdown passes to Keegan Hughes and Nick Henderson after Roswell rode the back of Duvall Smith for most of the length of the field.

Hickman completed 8-of-10 passes for 128 yards and three scores, while back up J.P. Douglas went 4-for-4 for 74 yards and two more touchdowns.

Smith finished with 157 yards on just 17 carries even though he deferred to Martez Sumler and Demetrious Hightower for most of the second and fourth quarters.

The Hornets never really put the game away until a late touchdown run by Hightower, but they were always about two steps ahead of a nagging Alpharetta team. The Hornets held leads of 14-0, 21-7, 35-14, and 42-21only to see the Raiders find the end zone and keep things interesting.

Alpharetta will try to break their string of late season losses when they host Pope this week.

Meanwhile Roswell will seek revenge against arch-rival Milton after last season’s miraculous 20-19 Milton victory.

Barker was tactful when asked if that game’s outcome would serve as motivation for this year’s team.

“I think there’s going to be motivation on both sides,” Barker said. “We’re going to be motivated and their going to be motivated.”