KICKOFF '23 by Times Journal Media

KICKOFF ’23 Is it east Cobb’s year? Walton, Kell set to bring home a state championship A publication of the Marietta Daily Journal and Cherokee Tribune Marietta milestone Blue Devils to become first Cobb program with 600 wins Inside: * Dynamite Dozen * Super Six * Team previews * Features * Schedules * Predictions

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Kickoff ’23

Marietta Daily Journal/Cherokee Tribune Annual Football Preview Issue

Editor/Designer: John Bednarowski

Staff: John Bednarowski, MDJ Sports Editor; Griffin Callaghan, Cherokee Tribune Sports Editor; John James, Intern; Banji Bamedele, Intern; Gunter Schroeder, Intern; Jordan Howard, Intern; Nigel Whittington, Intern; Amara Newsom, Intern; Caleb Drakes, Intern; Adam Carrington, Correspondent; Anthony Stalcup, Photographer; Graphic Designers: Jennifer Hall, Bent Poirier

KICKOFF 2023 3

Master Schedule 4 Team-by-Team Schedule 6 High Schools Region 2AAAAAAA Preivew 28 Campbell Spartans 30 Pebblebrook Falcons 34 Region 3AAAAAAA Preview 41 Harrison Hoyas 42 Hillgrove Hawks 46 Marietta Blue Devils 50 McEachern Indians 54 Region 5AAAAAAA 57 Cherokee Warriors 58 Kennesaw Mountain Mustangs 62 North Cobb Warriors 66 Osborne Cardinals 70 Walton Raiders 74 Wheeler Wildcats 78 Region 4AAAAAA Preview 84 South Cobb Eagles 86 Region 6AAAAAA Preview 93 Allatoona Buccaneers 94 Creekview Grizzlies 97 Etowah Eagles 100 River Ridge Knights 104 Sequoyah Chiefs 107 Woodstock Wolverines 110 Region 7AAAAAA Preview 121 Lassiter Trojans 122 Pope Greyhounds 126 Sprayberry Yellow Jackets 130 Region 6AAAAA Preview 134 Kell Longhorns 135 Region 6AA Preview 138 Mount Paran Christian Eagles 139 North Cobb Christian Eagles 142 Walker Wolverines 146 Region 6A Preview 149 Whitefield Academy Wolfpack 150 College Kennesaw State 154 AAC Preview 158 Reinhardt Eagles 159

Marietta Daily Journal/Cherokee Tribune Kickoff ’23 Credits MDJ Dynamite Dozen 10 Cherokee Super Six 114 East Cobb’s Time? 24 Marietta at 600 38 Sequoyah’s Approach 90

2023 Cobb/Cherokee Master Schedule

8/16

Parkview at Kell

8/18

North Paulding at Allatoona

Campbell at Sprayberry

Cherokee at Cartersville

Cambridge at Creekview

Lassiter at Etowah

Harrison at South Paulding

River Ridge at Hillgrove

Kennesaw Mountain vs Creekside

Midtown at Mount Paran

Westlake at North Cobb

Christian Heritage at NCC

Osborne at Woodstock

South Gwinnett at Pebblebrook

Sequoyah at Lambert

Chamblee at South Cobb

Cross Keys at Walker

Centennial at Wheeler

Macon Co. at Whitefield Academy

8/19

Marietta vs Norcross

McEachern vs Brookwood

Walton vs Grayson

8/25

Kell at Allatoona

Etowah at Cherokee

Hillgrove at Creekview

Harrison at South Forsyth

Kennesaw Mountain at Campbell

Wheeler at Lassiter

West Forsyth at Marietta

McEachern at Langston Hughes

Mount Pisgah at Mount Paran

North Cobb Christian at Ridgeland

Chattahoochee at Osborne

Pebblebrook at South Cobb

Pope at River Ridge

Sequoyah at Rabun Gap

Sprayberry at Paulding County

Riverside Military at Walker

Brookwood at Walton

Whitefield Academy at Strong Rock

Woodstock at Hiram

9/1

Allatoona at Cartersville

Campbell at Meadowcreek

Cherokee at Woodstock

Creekview at Calhoun

Etowah at Forsyth Central

Paulding County at Harrison

Hillgrove at East Coweta

Kell at Pope

N. Paulding at Kennesaw Mountain

Marietta at Roswell

Douglas County at McEachern

Mount Paran at Mount Vernon

Buford at North Cobb

North Cobb Christian at Wesleyan

Hapeville at Pebblebrook

River Ridge at Sprayberry

Cedartown at Sequoyah

South Cobb at Wheeler

Walker at Harvester Christian

South Cobb at Wheeler

Providence Chr. at Whitefield Acad.

Cherokee at Woodstock

9/7

Campbell at Miller Grove

Osborne at Lakeside

9/8

Allatoona at Hillgrove

Cherokee at Sequoyah

Creekview at North Forsyth

Centennial at Etowah

Denmark at Harrison

Sprayberry at Kell

Woodstock at Lassiter

North Cobb at Marietta

Boyd Buchanan at NCC

Pebblebrook at Rome

Walton at Pope

North Atlanta at River Ridge

South Cobb at Chapel Hill

Walker at B.E.S.T Academy

Whitefield Academy at Wesleyan

9/9

McEachern at Newton

9/14

Woodstock at River Ridge

9/15

Creekview at Allatoona

Hillgrove at Campbell

West Forsyth at Cherokee

Etowah at Sequoyah

Kennesaw Mountain at Harrison

Lassiter at Dalton

Marietta at Walton

McEachern at Tucker

Mount Paran at KIPP Atlanta

North Cobb at Northside

North Cobb Christian at Therrell

Clarkston at Osborne

Pebblebrook at Denmark

Pope at North Paulding

Wheeler at North Atlanta

9/22

Rome at Allatoona

Wheeler at Campbell

Harrison at Pebblebrook

Carrollton at Hillgrove

Centennial at Kell

South Cobb at Kennesaw Mountain

Marietta at Buford

Valdosta at McEachern

North Cobb at Milton

Washington at North Cobb Christian

Osborne at Woodland

Pope at Alpharetta

Blessed Trinity at Sprayberry

Walker at Skipstone Academy

Rabun Co. at Whitefield Academy

9/29

Creekview at Etowah

Johns Creek at Lassiter

B.E.S.T Academy at Mount Paran

Sequoyah at River Ridge

Riverwood at South Cobb

Alpharetta at Sprayberry

King’s Academy at Walker

North Paulding at Walton

Brookstone at Whitefield Academy

Woodstock at Rome

10/6

Allatoona at Woodstock

Wheeler at Cherokee

River Ridge at Creekview

Harrison at McEachern

Marietta at Hillgrove

Northview at Kell

Osborne at Kennesaw Mountain

Lassiter at Roswell

Mount Paran at South Atlanta

Walton at North Cobb

KIPP Atlanta at NCC

Pebblebrook at Westlake

Blessed Trinity at Pope

Rome at Sequoyah

Sprayberry at Johns Creek

Notre Dame Academy at Walker

Wheeler at Cherokee

Whitefield Academy at Elbert Co.

10/13

Campbell at East Coweta

Cherokee at Osborne

Sequoyah at Creekview

Woodstock at Etowah

North Paulding at Harrison

Kell at Cambridge

Kennesaw Mountain at Walton

Lassiter at Alpharetta

McEachern at Marietta

Mount Paran at Social Circle

North Cobb at Wheeler

So. Atlanta at North Cobb Christian

Cherokee at Osborne

Pebblebrook at Carrollton

Pope at Roswell

Marist at South Cobb

10/20

Etowah at Allatoona

Campbell at Pebblebrook

Creekview at Woodstock

Harrison at Hillgrove

Greater Atlanta Christian at Kell

Kennesaw Mtn. at North Cobb

Pope at Lassiter

McEachern at North Paulding

NCC at Mount Paran

Wheeler at Osborne

Campbell at Pebblebrook

Pope at Lassiter

River Ridge at Rome

Dunwoody at South Cobb

Roswell at Sprayberry

Walker at Cherokee Christian

Walton at Cherokee

Whitefield Academy at St. Francis

10/26

Kell at North Springs

10/27

Allatoona at Sequoyah

Carrollton at Campbell

Cherokee at North Cobb

Rome at Creekview

River Ridge at Etowah

Marietta at Harrison

Hillgrove at North Paulding

Wheeler at Kennesaw Mountain

Sprayberry at Lassiter

Therrell at Mount Paran

B.E.S.T Academy at NCC

Osborne at Walton

Johns Creek at Pope

South Cobb at North Atlanta

Osborne at Walton

Mt Vernon at Whitefield Academy

Lanier Christian at Walker

11/2

Mount Paran at Washington

11/3

Allatoona at River Ridge

Westlake at Campbell

Kennesaw Mountain at Cherokee

Etowah at Rome

Hillgrove at McEachern

Kell at Chattahoochee

Lassiter at Blessed Trinity

North Paulding at Marietta

North Cobb at Osborne

East Coweta at Pebblebrook

Sprayberry at Pope

Sequoyah at Woodstock

South Cobb at St. Pius X

Walton at Wheeler

Whitefield Academy at Mt Pisgah

Walker at Pinecrest Academy

4 KICKOFF 2023

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2023 Cobb/Cherokee Team Schedules

6 KICKOFF 2023

Allatoona 8/18 North Paulding 8/25 Kell 9/1 at Cartersville 9/8 at Hillgrove 9/15 Creekview 9/22 Rome 10/6 at Woodstock 10/20 Etowah 10/27 at Sequoyah 11/3 at River Ridge Campbell 8/18 at Sprayberry 8/25 Kennesaw Mountain 9/1 at Meadowcreek 9/7 at Miller Grove 9/15 Hillgrove 9/22 Wheeler 10/13 at East Coweta 10/20 at Pebblebrook 10/27 Carrollton 11/3 Westlake Cherokee 8/18 at Cartersville 8/25 Etowah 9/1 at Woodstock 9/8 at Sequoyah 9/15 West Forsyth 10/6 Wheeler 10/13 at Osborne 10/20 Walton 10/27 at North Cobb 11/3 Kennesaw Mountain Creekview 8/18 Cambridge 8/25 Hillgrove 9/1 at Calhoun 9/8 at North Forsyth 9/15 at Allatoona 9/29 at Etowah 10/6 River Ridge 10/13 Sequoyah 10/20 at Woodstock 10/27 Rome Etowah 8/18 Lassiter 8/25 at Cherokee 9/1 at Forsyth Central 9/8 Centennial 9/15 at Sequoyah 9/29 Creekview 10/13 Woodstock 10/20 at Allatoona 10/27 River Ridge 11/3 at Rome Harrison 8/18 at South Paulding 8/25 at South Forsyth 9/1 Paulding County 9/8 Denmark 9/15 Kennesaw Mountain 9/22 at Pebblebrook 10/6 at McEachern 10/13 North Paulding 10/20 at Hillgrove 10/27 Marietta Hillgrove 8/18 River Ridge 8/25 at Creekview 9/1 at East Coweta 9/8 Allatoona 9/15 at Campbell 9/22 Carrollton 10/6 Marietta 10/20 Harrison 10/27 at North Paulding 11/3 at McEachern

8/16 Parkview 8/25 at Allatoona 9/1 at Pope 9/8 Sprayberry 9/22 Centennial 10/6 Northview 10/13 at Cambridge 10/20 GAC 10/26 at North Springs 11/3 at Chattahoochee Kennesaw Mountain 8/18 vs Creekside 8/25 at Campbell 9/1 North Paulding 9/15 at Harrison 9/22 South Cobb 10/6 Osborne 10/13 at Walton 10/20 at North Cobb 10/27 Wheeler 11/3 at Cherokee

8/18 at Etowah 8/25 Wheeler 9/8 Woodstock 9/15 at Dalton 9/29 Johns Creek 10/6 at Roswell 10/13 at Alpharetta 10/20 Pope 10/27 Sprayberry 11/3 at Blessed Trinity Marietta 8/19 vs Norcross 8/25 West Forsyth 9/1 at Roswell 9/8 North Cobb 9/15 at Walton 9/22 at Buford 10/6 at Hillgrove 10/13 McEachren 10/27 at Harrison 11/3 North Paulding McEachern 8/19 vs Brookwood 8/25 at Langston Hughes 9/1 Douglas County 9/9 at Newton 9/15 at Tucker 9/22 Valdosta 10/6 Harrison 10/13 at Marietta 10/20 at North Paulding 11/3 Hillgrove Mount Paran Christian 8/18 Midtown 8/25 Mount Pisgah 9/1 at Mount Vernon 9/15 at KIPP Atlanta 9/29 B.E.S.T Academy 10/6 at South Atlanta 10/13 at Social Circle 10/20 NCC 10/27 Therrell 11/2 at Washington North Cobb 8/18 Westlake 9/1 Buford 9/8 at Marietta 9/15 at Northside 9/22 at Milton 10/6 Walton 10/13 at Wheeler 10/20 Kennesaw Mountain 10/27 Cherokee 11/3 at Osborne North Cobb Christian 8/18 Christian Heritage 8/25 at Ridgeland 9/1 at Wesleyan 9/8 Boyd Buchanan 9/15 at Therrell 9/22 Washington 10/6 KIPP Atlanta 10/13 South Atlanta 10/20 at Mount Paran 10/27 B.E.S.T Academy Osborne 8/18 at Woodstock 8/25 Chattahoochee 9/7 at Lakeside 9/15 Clarkston 9/22 at Woodland 10/6 at Kennesaw Mountain 10/13 Cherokee 10/20 Wheeler 10/27 at Walton 11/3 North Cobb Pebblebrook 8/18 South Gwinnett 8/25 at South Cobb 9/1 Hapeville 9/8 at Rome 9/15 at Denmark 9/22 Harrison 10/6 at Westlake 10/13 at Carrollton 10/20 Campbell 11/3 East Coweta Pope 8/25 at River Ridge 9/1 Kell 9/8 Walton 9/15 at North Paulding 9/22 at Alpharetta 10/6 Blessed Trinity 10/13 at Roswell 10/20 at Lassiter 10/27 Johns Creek 11/3 Sprayberry River Ridge 8/18 at Hillgrove 8/25 Pope 9/1 at Sprayberry 9/8 North Atlanta 9/14 Woodstock 9/29 Sequoyah 10/6 at Creekview 10/20 at Rome 10/27 at Etowah 11/3 Allatoona Sequoyah 8/18 at Lambert 8/25 at Rabun Gap 9/1 Cedartown 9/8 Cherokee 9/15 Etowah 9/29 at River Ridge 10/6 Rome 10/13 at Creekview 10/27 Allatoona 11/3 at Woodstock South Cobb 8/18 Chamblee 8/25 Pebblebrook 9/1 at Wheeler 9/8 at Chapel Hill 9/22 at Kennesaw Mtn. 9/29 Riverwood 10/13 Marist 10/20 Dunwoody 10/27 at North Atlanta 11/3 at St. Pius X Sprayberry 8/18 Campbell 8/25 at Paulding County 9/1 River Ridge 9/8 at Kell 9/22 Blessed Trinity 9/29 Alpharetta 10/6 at Johns Creek 10/20 Roswell 10/27 at Lassiter 11/3 at Pope Walker 8/18 Cross Keys 8/25 Riverside Military 9/1 at Harvester Christian 9/8 at B.E.S.T Academy 9/22 at Skipstone 9/29 King’s Academy 10/6 Notre Dame Academy 10/20 at Cherokee Christian 10/27 Lanier Christian 11/03 at Pinecrest Academy Walton 8/19 vs Grayson 8/25 Brookwood 9/8 at Pope 9/15 Marietta 9/29 North Paulding 10/6 at North Cobb 10/13 Kennesaw Mountain 10/20 at Cherokee 10/27 Osborne 11/3 at Wheeler Wheeler 8/18 Centennial 8/25 at Lassiter 9/1 South Cobb 9/15 at North Atlanta 9/22 at Campbell 10/6 at Cherokee 10/13 North Cobb 10/20 at Osborne 10/27 at Kennesaw Mtn. 11/3 Walton Whitefield Academy 8/18 Macon County 8/25 at Strong Rock 9/1 Providence Christian 9/8 at Wesleyan 9/22 Rabun County 9/29 Brookstone 10/6 at Elbert County 10/20 at St. Francis 10/27 Mount Vernon 11/3 at Mount Pisgah Woodstock 8/18 Osborne 8/25 at Hiram 9/1 Cherokee 9/8 at Lassiter 9/14 at River Ridge 9/29 at Rome 10/6 Allatoona 10/13 at Etowah 10/20 Creekview 11/3 Sequoyah

Kell

Lassiter

both

8 KICKOFF 2023

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2023 MDJ DYNAMITE DOZEN

By John Bednarowski sportseditor@mdjonline.com

If there was a question as to whether the talent in Cobb County was taking a step back, it can be answered with a resounding no.

For the sixth year in the last seven, the 13 players who make up the Marietta Daily Journal Dynamite Dozen have all reached at least three-star status. Four players this year are four stars and each player on this year’s list has the potential to gain another star before National Signing Day.

To better understand exactly how good this year’s crop of players are, pay attention to the national and state rankings. They can be found on each players page right under their height and weight. There are three rankings taken from the 247Sports.com Composite Rankings. The first number is the player’s overall national ranking, the middle number is their national ranking at their position, and the final number is their overall rank in the state of Georgia. For example, Walton offensive

lineman Daniel Calhoun is the 96th ranked player in the nation, ranked sixth at his position and he is the No. 14 player in the state.

For the second straight year we have an interactive feature with the Dynamite Dozen which can be accessed with your smart phone. Each player’s page has a QR code, and when the phone’s lens app is hovered over the code, it will direct that person to a video highlight package and story about the chosen prospect.

The annual MDJ Dynamite Dozen is a subjective list of the top 13 players in Cobb County. However, that does not mean those are the only players who were considered for the list.

As has been the fact for more than the last decade, the Dynamite Dozen list begins each fall with more than 50 players who we begin considering. The number begins to get whittled down as the spring goes on, and it becomes a difficult selection to narrow it down to the final list.

Here is this year’s Dynamite Dozen class. Welcome to football season.

DANIEL CALHOUN WALTON

OL 6-6, 360 4-Star

96 nat, 6, 14 GA

Committed to Georgia

Learn more about Daniel

BRYCE CLAVON KELL

QB 5-11, 182

3-Star

1,339 nat, 72, 142 GA

Offers from Appalachian State, Austin Peay, Campbell, Dartmouth, Eastern Kentucky, Indiana, James Madison, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Troy, UNLV, Western Kentucky, Western Michigan

Learn more about Bryce

DAVID EZIOMUME NORTH COBB RB 6-1, 205 4-Star 336 nat, 30, 42 GA Committed to Clemson Learn more about David

WENDELL GREGORY WALTON LB 6-2, 217 4-Star 160 nat, 15, 24 GA Committed to South Carolina Learn more about Wendell

Learn more about Jeremy

JEREMY HECKLINSKI WALTON

QB 6-0, 180

3-Star 782 nat, 46, 91 GA

Committed to Wake Forest

DANIEL JAMES

MCEACHERN

DB 5-11, 177

3-Star

592 nat, 53, 69 GA

Committed to Cincinnati

Learn more about Daniel

BRADY KLUSE HARRISON

WR 6-3, 195 3-Star

1,556 nat, 186, 152 GA

Committed to Memphis

Learn more about Brady

ELIJAH LEE NORTH

COBB

DB 6-0, 165 3-Star

1,107 nat, 100 CB, 124 GA Committed to Coastal Carolina

Learn more about Elijah

Learn more about Justin

JUSTIN LOGAN KELL

LB 6-3, 215 3-Star

448 nat, 40 LB, 52 GA

Offers from Alabama A&M, Appalachian State, Arkansas, Boston College, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Colorado, Duke, Eastern Kentucky, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Liberty, Louisville, Maryland, Memphis, Mississippi, Missouri, NC State, Pittsburgh, Toledo, Tulane, UCF, USF, Vanderbilt, West Virginia

DWIGHT PHILLIPS JR. PEBBLEBROOK

ATH 5-11, 170

4-Star

93 nat, 8, 13 GA

Committed to Georgia

Learn more about Dwight

MARQAVIOUS SABOOR KELL

DB 5-11, 175 3-Star

615 nat, 61, 72 GA

Committed to Cincinnati

Learn more about Marqavious

HUNTER

WALTON TE 6-1 220 3-Star 1,602 nat, 80, 155 GA Committed to Miami (OH) Learn more about Hunter

TEAL

ASHTON WOODS WALTON

LB 6-3, 220 3-Star

534 nat, 51, 62 GA

Committed to North Carolina

Learn more about Ashton

Is it finally east Cobb’s time?

Walton and Kell are set up for deep playoff runs which potentially could bring the first state championship to their part of the county

After near misses, Raiders, Longhorns ready for title runs

By John Bednarowski sportseditor@mdjonline.com

Four years ago, the talk of high school football around Cobb County centered on a handful of teams – Allatoona, Harrison, Marietta and McEachern.

They were loaded with top-end talent. Their rosters were deep, and they proved it on the field.

Marietta won the Class AAAAAAA state championship, but McEachern defeated the Blue Devils in the regular season and were the Region 3AAAAAAA champions. In Class AAAAAA, Allatoona and Harrison faced off for the state title, with the Hoyas claiming victory in an all-Cobb matchup.

Heading into the 2023 season,

the power within the county seems to have shifted from west Cobb to east Cobb. Walton and Kell are the ones loaded with talent. They have the deep rosters, and both are expected to make deep playoff runs.

It begs a long-wondered question. Is this the year an east Cobb team finally brings home a state championship?

Knowledgeable football fans in the area can say it’s long past due at this point. Over the last 15 years, Walton, Kell and Lassiter have all had their chances, but this year could be the best opportunity the right side of the county has had yet.

Walton coach Daniel Brunner and Kell coach Bobby May

KICKOFF 2023 25

Special - Anthony Stalcup Above: Walton celebrates after upsetting Buford in the second round of the state playoffs last year. This year they are hoping to celebrate the first state championship in program history. Previous page: Kell’s Justin Logan and Marqavious Saboor, along with Walton’s Ashton Woods and Jeremy Hecklinski hope to break through and bring east Cobb the championships they deserve.

File

Former Georgia quarterback Hutson Mason led arguably the best Lassiter team to a 12-1 record, but the Trojans got a bad playoff draw and may have been kept from playing for a state title in 2009. See East, Page 26

EAST

From Page 25

agree on what it would mean for not only their communities, but the east half of the county, too.

“It would be huge,” they each said.

Walton has been at the top of its game the last couple of years. Two years ago, quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski had his breakout during the playoffs and led the Raiders to an unlikely run to the state semifinals.

Last year, Hecklinski led Walton into Buford in the second round of the playoffs. The Wolves were ranked as high as No. 3 in some of the national polls, but Hecklinski threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns to pace the Raiders’ 42-35 upset.

Now as a senior, Hecklinski leads a team with the likes of tight end Hunter Teal, offensive lineman Daniel Calhoun and linebackers Wendell Gregory and Ashton Woods — all Division I commitments — into a season with only one goal in mind — win that state championship.

“We’ve won nine playoff games in our first six years here,” said

Brunner, referring to his time as Walton’s head coach. “We won 14 over our first 41. We feel like we’ve pushed it to the next level, and it would mean the world to this group.”

May has rebuilt Kell to the point that the program is nearly where it was from 2010-16, when it made two semifinal appearances, two quarterfinals and won all four of its region titles.

This year’s squad can rival, or maybe equal, Walton’s talent.

The defense is loaded with Division I talent, including defensive backs Maqavious Saboor (Cincinnati), Cedric Franklin (Virginia) and Kemari Nix (Arkansas State), along with threestar recruit Justin Logan at linebacker.

On the other side of the line of scrimmage, three-star dualthreat quarterback Bryce Clavon is an elusive talent who can throw as well as run. A baseball player by trade, he has quickly made a name for himself on the football field. Last year, Clavon threw for 2,668 yards with 24 touchdowns, while he ran for another 785 yards and another 15 scores in his first season as Kell’s starter.

The experience Kell gained last year, advancing to the second round of the state playoffs, will benefit it as it heads into 2023.

Walton and Kell are in position to do what no east Cobb team has done before, though nearly every program has been close. Since 1973, 10 east Cobb teams have advanced to at least the state semifinals, while two — Wheeler in 1973 and Walton in 2011 — took the next step and played for a title.

Wheeler, coached by Cobb County legend Corky Kell, had four good chances to win a title from 1973-77, which included a quarterfinal appearance (‘77) and two semifinal appearances (‘74, ‘76), but the best shot came in 1973.

Playing in the Class AAA championship game at Hallford Stadium in DeKalb County, the No. 5 Wildcats faced off against No. 1 Thomasville. The Bulldogs entered the game having allowed only 20 points the entire season, which included shutting out nine of its 12 opponents. Wheeler provided Thomasville with its biggest challenge of the year, but the Bulldogs

still held off Wheeler 40-35 to cap an undefeated season and hand the Wildcats their only loss of the year.

It would be almost 40 years before another east Cobb team got a chance to play for the state title. Heading into the 2011 Class AAAAA semifinals, east Cobb was guaranteed a team would play for the championship — either Walton or Lassiter.

Walton had rolled through the season undefeated. For the year, the offense put up 526 points, while the defense allowed only 173. That included a 34-10 victory over Lassiter at the end of September.

Lassiter ended the regular season 7-3, but it caught fire in the playoffs behind a stingy defense and quarterback Eddie Printz. The Trojans defeated Alpharetta 17-16 in the first round, McEachern 20-17 in the second and M.L. King 24-14 in the quarterfinals — all on the road.

The semifinal, a rematch of what then-Walton coach Rocky Hidalgo called the East Cobb Super Bowl, proved to be a classic.

Walton led by 14 heading into

See East, Page 27

26 KICKOFF 2023

File

Former Walton coach Rocky Hidalgo celebrates with his team after it defeated Lassiter 30-24 to win a Class AAAAA state semifinal game in 2011. The Raiders would face Grayson the following week in the state championship game at the Georgia Dome.

EAST

the final quarter, but Lassiter rallied and had driven to the Raiders’ 9-yard line with a minute to play. A final fourth-down pass was incomplete and Walton held on for a 30-24 victory to advance to the championship game.

“It was a game that was up and down and back and forth,” said Walton baseball coach Shane Amos, who was a longtime assistant on the football team and in charge of the linebackers for the 2011 squad. “Leading up to it, neither wanted to be the east Cobb team who would be sitting at home watching the other. The entire community was excited (after the win). They were excited about getting to see them play in a championship game and at the Georgia Dome.”

Walton, however, ran into Grayson, which had an AllAmerican defensive lineman and future NFL first-round draft pick in Robert Nkemdiche. If it wasn’t bad enough on defense, where Nkemdiche dominated the line and could not be moved off his spot, he doubled as Grayson’s fullback, rushing for 81 yards and a touchdown.

“We just ran into a buzzsaw,” Amos said.

Lassiter’s best team may have been its 2009 squad, led by former Georgia quarterback Hutson Mason.

The Parade All-American was finishing up a season in which he threw for 4,560 yards and 54 touchdowns. The Trojans were 12-0 and Mason had just thrown for 530 yards and eight touchdown passes in a second-round game against South Gwinnett as they headed into the Class AAAAA state quarterfinals against Colquitt County.

Colquitt County was in its second season under coach Rush Propst, who employed then-Lassiter coach Chip Lindsey as his offensive coordinator at Hoover High School in Alabama just two years previous.

The Packers were the only team that figured out how to slow down Mason and the Trojans in a 46-17 victory.

“The reason we had success is because we were running

a scheme that was new on the scene,” Mason said about Lindsey’s spread offense. “Not many people had seen it, so it was a little bit of bad luck playing Colquitt. They saw it every day in practice. But overall, I think we just ran into a team that was better than us.”

Bad luck and some uncharacteristic plays at the wrong times may have kept Kell from one or more state championships.

Like Walton, the Longhorns ran into a buzzsaw when they reached the 2013 Class AAAAA semifinals against Creekside. Kell turned the ball over five times, but it was a testament to the way Creekside was playing at the time, more than it was just unforced errors. The Seminoles won 55-10 and went on to win the state championship the following week.

“They were the best team in

the state of Georgia regardless of classification,” former Kell coach Derek Cook said.

Three years later, Kell was back in the semifinals, but it fell 28-16 on the road at Buford. A victory would have set up a state finals rematch with Rome, which Kell had already beaten earlier in the season.

While the 2013 and 2016 teams reached the semifinals, the Longhorns’ best team may have been the 2012 squad that went 9-1 in the regular season and made the second round of the playoffs.

Kell had a defense that included future Georgia defensive backs Brendan Langley and Quincy Mauger, Kennesaw State signee Taylor Henkle and other standouts such as Jay Moxey and Julian Burris.

In the second-round game against Gainesville, Kell gave Red Elephants quarterback Deshaun Watson fits — for a half. Behind 265 passing yards

and five touchdowns in the first half by Matthew McGuigan, the Longhorns led the Red Elephants 35-21 at the half.

However, Gainesville’s defensive adjustments in the second half stymied the Kell offense, while Watson was turned loose in the running game. The Clemson-bound standout and future NFL first round draft pick, ran for four of his five touchdowns in the second half as the Red Elephants posted a 61-42 victory.

Gainesville was not challenged in any of the three g ames that followed, on its way to the title.

“In the first half, we put in a nickel defense, and they couldn’t really throw on us,” Cook said about Gainesville. “In the second half, they put (Watson) in the power read, and he ran all over us.

“That was the state championship game that year.”

Pope and Sprayberry have not had quite as much success as their other east Cobb brethren. The Greyhounds have yet to get past the second round, and the Yellow Jackets have not made it to a quarterfinal since 1982, but that does not mean they haven’t played good football.

Sprayberry coach Brett Vavra said in 2019 he felt like he had a team that could contend. Unfortunately, his squad was in Region 6AAAAAA.

“We got to the playoffs,” Vavra said, “but we were the No. 3 seed because we were in the same region as Allatoona and Harrison.”

Vavra understands east Cobb’s challenge maybe better than most. As a Sprayberry alum, he played for the Yellow Jackets.

“(In 1999), we won six games in a row to make the state playoffs, and then we ran into Parkview and Jeff Francoeur,” Vavra said, referring to the future Atlanta Braves outfielder, who was also a star receiver and cornerback for the Panthers.

Vavra, too, knows what it would mean for east Cobb to finally break through.

“I think it would validate to the rest of the state the quality of coaching and the players we have in this area,” he said.

KICKOFF 2023 27

From Page 26 File

Former Kell coach Derek Cook had the Longhorns in position to win a state title several times during his tenure. Coach Bobby May will now try to finish what Cook started.

Campbell, Pebblebrook set for another tough test

By John James MDJ Sports Writer

The coaching terrain of Region 2AAAAAAA will look a little different in 2023, as Pebblebrook and Campbell will both be entering the season with a first-year head coach at the helm.

As the pair of coaches embark upon their inaugural season in Cobb County, they’ll look to gain ground on the likes of Westlake, East Coweta and Carrollton — which could be a tall task, considering that the latter fell to Mill Creek in the 2022 Class AAAAAAA state championship. Despite Carrollton’s success last year, Campbell coach Jeff Phillips didn’t shy away from the prospect of facing a talented region opponent.

“You play Carrollton just like you play anyone else,” he said. “They’re a good measuring stick as far as a championship-caliber team, but at the end of the day, they didn’t win a championship. They made it, but they didn’t win it.”

Phillips has more pressing concerns than a Week 9 matchup against Carrollton. He’s taking over a team that went 1-9 in 2022 and failed to claim a single region victory.

He spoke at length about the need to create a culture and play together as a team, rather than operating as individuals. In addition, Phillips and his staff have been trying to instill the importance of technique in their players.

“At the end of the day, four verts is four verts and power is power,” Phillips said. “The schemes are schemes. It’s really going to be

Dwight Phillips Jr. will try to lead Pebblebrook to a Region 2AAAAAAA title before he heads off to play for the Georgia Bulldogs.

about our kids being more fundamentally sound.”

Campbell’s first region game of the season will come against East Coweta. Last year, the Indians ended the year with a 6-5 record, falling in the opening round of the playoffs.

East Coweta lost Christian Langford, last year’s starting quarterback. The junior is off to Buford, just one of a number of departures over the offseason. The Indians are retaining Josh Anderson, however. Anderson led the team in tackles during the 2022 campaign, and could bring continuity to the defense.

Pebblebrook was another region team that fell in the first round of the 2022 state playoffs. The Falcons finished with a 4-7 record, winning only one of their final five games of the season.

Even with their lackluster record last year, the Falcons have made the playoffs in three straight seasons. First-year coach Michael Woolridge said that the talent in the region helped improve each team over the course of the season.

“When you are playing the Westlakes, Carrolltons and East Cowetas, when you get into the playoffs you’re used to the strength of those teams and playing good football week in and week out,” Woolridge said.

The Falcons will rely on senior running back Dwight Phillips Jr. — a four-star athlete who committed to the University of Georgia in January — as they look to gain ground on their region rivals.

Westlake is the final of those region opponents. In coach Rico Zackery’s first year at the helm, he led the Lions to a 9-4 record,

losing in the third round of the state playoffs. Westlake also fell to eventual champion Mill Creek in the postseason.

Quarterback Paxton Land will be returning to the team for his senior year, and he could combine with 6-foot-4 receiver Travis Smith to prove an imposing tandem in the passing game. The junior wideout received an offer from the University of Georgia in June — with a breakout performance in 2023, he could see even more national attention come his way.

It could be a tough road for Westlake to repeat last season’s success, though. The influx of new coaching talent provides the region an aspect of uncertainty, and the established talent of Carrollton,

PREDICTION

1. CARROLLTON

2. WESTLAKE

3. PEBBLEBROOK

4. EAST COWETA

5. CAMPBELL

Pebblebrook and East Coweta is nothing to scoff at.

Woolridge said the strength of the region would only benefit its teams when the postseason arrived.

“This is the kind of football that you want to play being in a tough region, this is a region that prepares you for the playoffs,” Woolridge said.

Banji Bamidele contributed to this report

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28 KICKOFF 2023

REGION 2AAAAAAA

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2023 Schedule

CAMPBELL SPARTANS

Phillips ready to get Spartans back on track

By John James MDJ Sports Writer

Campbell is a team in flux.

First-year head coach Jeff Phillips is taking over a team that he estimated would be fielding at least 15 first-year starters. At the same time, Phillips is also working on building a culture in his new squad. He said he wants to emphasize a “team-first” mentality to a group that had played “individualized” football in prior seasons.

“We want to be competitive,” Phillips said. “We want to have divergent thinking. (To) make sure we’re constantly thinking outside the box and then we want to make sure we’re staying consistent with changes and updates — never staying the same.”

Competitiveness would be an improvement for a Campbell team that finished 1-9 in 2022, and 3-6 in the season prior. Phillips said

that the turnaround would start with a culture shift, but another crucial factor would be the team’s senior quarterback, Luke Marble.

Marble led Campbell in rushing and passing yards last season, though Phillips said he wants to cut back on Marble’s rushing workload this season. Despite that, Phillips spoke highly of the signal-caller.

“He’s the reason we feel good about this year,” Phillips said. “He has the ability to make all the throws, make all the reads, he can run, he can do all the special things. He’s a championship-caliber guy.”

Phillips will be relying on sophomores Jordan Bailey and Ashton Gochett to help with the rushing production next season. Neither of the running backs saw the field much in 2022 — Phillips said Campbell employed a senior-laden policy last season — but he emphasized their ability

2023 Roster

to get involved in the passing game, as well.

They’ll be running behind a relatively young offensive line. ZaMario Woodgett will lead the way. The 6-foot-5 junior is one of the veterans in a group that includes only one senior, though Phillips said that the group was beginning to find a rhythm, even with the lack of experienced leadership.

“They’re really coming along and gelling,” Phillips said. “The best thing we like about the offensive line is that they constantly talk like friends and family … With an o-line like that, that’s the key. They’re buying into the ‘family, forget-about-me, I-love-you’ mentality of doing things.”

The defense will have a slight edge on the offense as far as experience is concerned. Phillips said defensive lineman Jalen Shelton would lead the charge

See Spartans, Page 31

30 KICKOFF 2023

8/18

at Sprayberry8/25 Kennesaw Mtn.

9/1

Meadowcreek9/7

Grove 9/15 Hillgrove 9/22

10/13

East

10/27

at Miller

Wheeler

Coweta

Carrollton11/3 Westlake

No. Name Pos. Cl. 1 Maddox West DB/WR 10 2 Malachi Sheperd DB/WR 12 3 Luke Marble QB 12 4 Rachis Bassinga RB 11 5 Lamontay Aken DB/WR 12 6 Jordan Bailey WR/DB 11 7 Boston Marshall DB/WR 12 8 Norman Thornton WR 12 9 Darian Bolton WR 12 10 Elijah Leonard LB/DL 11 11 Nathaniel Davis QB 10 12 Nehemih Sherman DB/WR 12 13 Marolmn May WR/RB 10 14 Peyton Butler DB 11 15 Nick Buggs WR 10 17 Aiden McConnell QB 11 18 Darrin Henderson WR 10 19 Jaylen Newsom DB 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 20 Jackob Fowler RB 12 22 Zahimr McNeil LB 11 23 Ethan Jefferson DB/WR 11 24 Leonid Dyer RB 12 25 Thomas Love DB/WR 26 Ashton Gochett RB/LB 10 27 Kosh Fort DB/QB 10 28 Henry Pullen RB 10 29 Kadin Strozier DB 11 30 Brayden Matthews LB 10 31 Jermiah Ferguson DB/WR 10 32 Yuri Bridges DB/WR 10 33 Aiden Jenkins-Burns LB/RB 11 35 Jonathan Wiley LB/TE 11 37 Gavin Hodges DB 10 38 Jaquan Mays DB 10 40 Tavon Bunn LB 12 41 Adrian Smith Jr LB/OL 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 42 Danile Ogboru DB 11 43 Jemar Mitchell LB 10 44 Patrick Curry LB 10 45 Caleb Donaldson LB 10 47 Joseph Smith LB 11 48 Ja-Juan Thomas DB 10 49 Leandrew Bennett Jr LB/DB 10 51 Zy’Shaun Jones OL 11 54 Emmanuel Summerour DL 12 55 Celeb Wray OL/DL 10 56 Naquan Wynn DL 12 57 Emmanuel Ceron OL/DL 10 58 Tyree Stocker DL 10 60 Donovan Loveless OL 12 61 Tyler Cooper RB 10 62 Teon Allen OL/DL 10 63 Brykell Northington OL 11 70 Noah Greene OL 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 71 Zamario Woodgate OL 11 72 Omar Jackson OL 12 73 Evan Turner OL 11 74 Micah Boyd OL 12 75 Bin Sulaiman OL 10 77 Sean Beirne OL 10 83 Zahaad Williams TE/DL 10 84 Essudan Ashraf DB 10 86 Ryan Moran LB/TE 12 87 Kamron Neal DL/TE 11 88 Jeremiah Gentry DL/TE 10 89 Ben Manseka DL/TE 10 90 Tyler Cooper RB 10 96 Jackson Carter DL 98 Maynor Mendoza K 10 99 Jalen Shelton DL/RB 12

10/20 at Pebblebrook

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CAMPBELL SPARTANS

925 Powder Springs Street SE, Smyrna, GA 30080 • Richard McDaniel Stadium

www.campbellfootball.com

Twitter: @GoCampbellFBGA Instagram: @campbellfootballinsta

............L

East Coweta .........................7-44............L

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

DB Chris Lewis-Harris (2004-07) ..... UT-Chattanooga, Cincinnati Bengals

DL Jake Richardson (1978-81) ...........................................................Georgia

ATH Mike Rogers (2010-13) ................................................................Towson

WR Brian Sutherland (2004-07) ..............................................Chattanooga

DB Tay Glover-Wright (2006-09) ..............Utah State, Indianapolis Colts

SPARTANS

From Page 30

for the team. Shelton, a threeyear starter on the line, had the fourth-most tackles on the team last year.

Only one returning player had more tackles than Shelton last year: Lamontay Aiken, who will pair with fellow safety Malachi Shepherd to captain the secondary.

Neither upperclassman has been a full-time starter, though Aiken moved into a starting role late in the 2022 season.

Phillips specified that the linebacker corps was the least-tenured group on the defense. Jonathan “Jon-Jon” Wiley is poised to receive a large role among the group.

Phillips praised the junior’s physicality, in addition to his willingness to get involved in pass

coverage.

Phillips said that Campbell was trying to remain flexible in the gameplanning element. He emphasized the team’s desire to implement divergent thinking, changing schemes and strategies on the fly in order to maximize the talent of Campbell’s players.

Despite only joining the team in February, Phillips has high expectations for the team. He

said he was trying to create a ‘one game’ mentality, though he also had his sights set on a number of larger objectives for the season; namely, winning a region championship, hosting a playoff game and advancing in the state playoffs.

“We’re chasing greatness,” Phillips said. “We’re not chasing to win three games. We’re chasing greatness. We’re chasing championships.”

KICKOFF 2023 31

Coach: Jeff Phillips • 1st Season • Record: 0-0 • Career: 58-48 FIVE YEAR RECORD 7-42 2022: 1-9 2021: 3-6 2020: 2-8 2019: 0-10 2018: 1-9 Jeff Phillips ........................HC Brad Watkins ...................OC Tiger Greene ...............Co-DC Joseph Gardner ..............WR Lyndon Winchester .........DB Joseph Hodge ............Co-DC Thomas Williams ..............LB Chris Holcomb ..................OL DaShawn Allen ................DB Tom Abel ...........................OL

RUSHING Luke Marble ...........107 car. . 670 yds......9 TD PASSING Luke Marble ...........91/174 ....1230 yds. ...10TD ...5INT RECEIVING Tywon Wray ...........29 rec. ..408 yds. ....3 TD TACKLES Grant Fielder ..........58 Lamontay Aiken....38 Bucchi Eleukeme 38 SACKS Grant Fielder ..........14

VARSITY COACHING STAFF ALL TIME RECORD 114-235 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 1984 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association Sprayberry.............................0-21............L Kennesaw Mountain..........14-45............L Meadowcreek .....................17-29............L Miller Grove .......................34-30..........W Hillgrove ...............................7-29............L Wheeler ...............................17-28

2022 LEADERS

2022 RESULTS

Pebblebrook .........................0-41............L Carrollton .............................7-52............L

Westlake .............................14-56............L

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Campbell’s Luke Marble has earned the nickname ‘Luke the Magician,’ for his ability to keep plays alive. Marble hopes to keep plays alive long enough to help lead the Spartans to the playoffs this season.

Marble proving he’s Campbell’s magic man

By John James MDJ Sports Writer

Luke Marble’s got a nickname around the halls of Campbell High School — ‘Luke the magician.’

He earned the moniker through a combination of his work ethic, his toughness and a desire to succeed that earned him a position as Campbell’s starting quarterback. In the locker room, on the basketball court, on the football field or even seated in a classroom, it follows him everywhere.

“They don’t call him Luke Marble, they call him ‘Luke the magician,’” said Jeff Phillips, who is entering his first season as Campbell’s football coach. “He just seems to have some type of magic about him where he can keep plays alive.”

Marble led Campbell in passing yards and rushing yards last season, including a performance where he gained more than 350 combined yards to go along with three touchdowns in the Spartans’ lone win on the year.

This year, the senior has higher aspirations.

“It would be amazing to go to the playoffs,” Marble said. “Getting some solid wins in the beginning

of the year, and then taking that region win. And if we do take a tough loss — because that will happen at some point — banding together (as a team), because we’re all in it together.”

Marble emphasized his desire to build camaraderie amongst the team, helping each other develop both athletically and academically. In their few months working together, Phillips has seen the senior interact with teammates, and praised the senior’s work ethic. He called Marble a leader by example, saying that he frequently worked with younger players and sought out feedback for his own performance.

Marble hasn’t always been in this position. The 6-foot-3, 195pound signal-caller said that his lighter frame has been an obstacle in the past, especially when playing against larger and stronger opponents. He also dealt with nerves in prior years, but as he settled into his role last season, he became more comfortable on the field.

“That’s where I started loving the game,” Marble said. “Being able to show out on Friday night and playing comfortably and having fun and doing everything that most athletes dream of in front of

all the fans in the crowd.”

Marble said Phillips — a former high school quarterback himself — has made strides with Marble’s progressions and his ability to navigate and maneuver the pocket.

Phillips isn’t the only coach in the senior’s ear, though. He’s been on the Campbell varsity basketball team for two seasons, something he said has added to his talent as a football player.

Marble said the spacing required on a basketball court has changed his perspective on the football field, allowing him to exploit holes and openings in the opposing defense. James Gwyn, Campbell’s basketball coach, said Marble has also become a better athlete as a result of his time on the team.

Gwyn said the senior’s lateral movement and footwork has improved, helping him gain a different type of athleticism that some football players aren’t quite as polished in. Gwyn described Marble as “sneaky fast,” saying that other teams often underestimate his athleticism.

“He’s a leader,” Gwyn said. “And he’s not just a leader verbally — he leads by example. He’s willing to do the dirty work and get on the floor for loose balls. If there’s ‘lunch pail’ things to be done, he’s

willing to do that. There’s nothing he shies away from … and the way he plays gets the respect of his teammates.”

As Marble heads into the season, he’s got one more responsibility to keep track of. Marble, who sports a 4.4 GPA as a member of the International Baccalaureate program, visited a number of college football camps over the offseason, weighing his options at the next level.

According to Gwyn, academics will weigh heavily into the quarterback’s final decision.

“I’m considering everything right now,” Marble said. “Whichever one I feel is the best fit for me with what they offer academically as well as athletically, then I’ll take that on.”

Regardless of where he winds up, both coaches expressed belief in Marble’s ability to succeed, no matter what path he pursues.

“I told him, ‘I care more about you than just playing for me,’” Phillips said. “‘I know you’ve got a future. I want to help you achieve that goal, and get there.’ He can play. He can definitely play on Saturdays and he can definitely play at the highest level. He’s just gonna need that chance.”

32 KICKOFF 2023

Special - Anthony Stalcup

KICKOFF 2023 33

Schedule

PEBBLEBROOK FALCONS

Falcons ready to fly in Region 2AAAAAAA

By Banji Bamidele MDJ Sports Writer

Pebblebrook is primed and ready to make a serious run in the state playoffs. The team returns an experienced roster with talent littered across various positions.

The Falcons are in a competitive region that features state runner-up Carrollton and perennial playoff contenders East Coweta and Westlake.

In order to have a successful year, Pebblebrook will have to stay healthy and maximize the play of their key pieces, including running back Dwight Phillips Jr.

The four-star prospect and Georgia commit is one of the fastest players in the country and runs a 4.28 40-yard dash and a 10.24 100-meters. Last season, Phillips had 58 carries for 797 yards and nine touchdowns. He also caught 21 passes for 320

yards and three scores.

“We always start with him because he is our stud running back and he is back healthy now,” coach Michael Woolridge said.

The offseason saw a complete redesign of the program especially with a vacancy at the head coach position.

Woolridge, the former South Atlanta coach, has a winning record in six of the seven seasons as head coach. He said he can bring a winning mentality to a Pebblebrook team looking for a new direction.

In two seasons with the Hornets, Woolridge had a 22-3 record and reached the state quarterfinals in both seasons.

“I want these players to believe in themselves because we have great kids and scholar athletes,” Woolridge said. “I think the disconnect is the belief that they can really do great things and take that next step and be a consistent

2023 Roster

playoff team.”

The Falcons lost six games last season, with games against Rome, Denmark and East Coweta being decided by three points or fewer. Woolridge said he wants the focus to be on flipping the script and winning the close games.

At South Atlanta, Woolridge operated with a run-centric offense, but with the Falcons he said he plans on everyone producing and getting involved.

“Offensively we are going to try to spread the ball out and get it into our playmakers hands and let them make plays in space,” he said.

The Falcons return experienced varsity receivers Randy Parker, Preston Wooten and Walter Willis. Under center will be junior MySonne Pickens, who spent time at quarterback and running back last season.

See Falcons, Page 35

34 KICKOFF 2023

8/18 South Gwinnett8/25 at South Cobb

2023

9/1 Hapeville 9/8 at Rome 9/15 at Denmark9/22 Harrison 10/6 at Westlake 10/20 Campbell11/3 East Coweta

No. Name Pos. Cl. 2 Keyawn Spencer WR/DB 11 3 Luis Aquino RB 12 4 Jerrick Nyantak DB 12 5 Walter Willis WR 12 6 Kobe Scott LB 11 7 Randy Parker WR/TE 11 8 MySonne Pickens QB 11 9 Dwight Phillips RB/WR 12 10 Chukwunedu Okeke DL 12 11 Malik Leggett WR 11 12 ShuMond Johnson DL 12 13 Jalen Brassell WR/DB 11 14 Marcus Robinson RB/WR 12 15 Preston Wooten WR 10 16 Cheikh Ly DB 12 No. Name Pos. Cl. 17 Emanuel Stafford LB/DL 10 18 Chase Pinckney DL 11 19 Abdur-Rahman Woodard WR 11 20 Martavious Adams DB 11 21 Deon Ledbetter DB 11 22 Elijiah Phillips DB 11 23 Tylan Smith LB 12 24 Damarien Ward RB 10 25 Sir Mitchell LB 11 26 Garrison Trammell RB/LB 12 27 Rashard Griffin LB 12 29 Cameron Yeary DB 11 32 Kalen Wyche DB 11 36 Devin Murray DB 11 37 Taylor Davis LB 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 40 Carlos Gilmere RB/DB 12 43 Joseph Rivera LB 10 44 Nazir Allen LB 11 45 General Samuela LB/DL 10 49 Gabriel Haudey LB 11 50 Jair Hutchins DL 10 52 Camryn Scott OL 12 53 Tyler Miller LB 11 54 Anthony Cater OL 10 55 Trenton Chapman DL 11 56 Tyler Miller LB 11 57 Deashaun Manning OL 12 58 Traiden Robinson LB 10 60 Qais Johnson DL 11 65 Justin Tunstall OL/DL 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 66 Dominique Laswon OL/DL 11 69 Antonio Abrams LB 12 71 Raphael Mbucho DL 10 73 Demetrius Thornton OL 11 74 Tyrone Pitts OL 10 75 KingTriton Samuela OL 12 79 Ricky Boyd OL 10 80 Tyler Roberson TE 11 81 Darryl Rivers TE 10 82 William Martinez WR 11 83 Jorden Curtis WR 11 89 Jason Wallace TE 12 94 Chance Calloway DL 12

10/13 at Carrollton

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PEBBLEBROOK FALCONS

991 Old Alabama Road, Mableton, GA 30126 • Falcon Stadium

https://pebblebrookathletics.com/teams/2911798/boys/football/varsity

Twitter: @BrookSquadFb

2022 RESULTS

South Gwinnett .................18-26............L

South Cobb ........................38-15..........W

Hapeville Charter ..............42-28..........W

Rome ...................................28-30............L

Denmark ...............................14-17............L

Harrison ...............................31-14..........W

Westlake ...............................5-27............L

Carrollton ...........................12-42............L

Campbell ...............................41-0..........W

East Coweta .........................14-17............L

State Playoffs

Colquitt County .................16-56............L

VARSITY

Instagram: @pebblebrookfootball

2022 LEADERS

Facebook: @PebblebrookFalconsFootball

Michael Woolridge ...........HC

Michael Robinson .....OC/OL

Richard Brimm ...................RB

Obaury Conner.................WR

Marcus Patterson .............QB

Glyn Maynor...................Asst.

Calvin West ......................DC

Wiltrume Black .................LB

Kelly Dawsey ...................DB

Gary Samuel ...............DB/ST

Latravius Morgan .............DL

Tabugbo Anyansi ..............DL

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

ATH CJ Adams (2020-23), ....................................................South Carolina

OL Andy Cheatham, ....................Clemson, Birmingham Stallions (USFL)

DB Thomas Flowers (2000-03), ........................................................Georgia

LB Tre Pinkney (2015-18), ...................................................Coastal Carolina

RB Brent Thomas (1998-2001), .........................................................Georgia

RUSHING

Dwight Phillips.......58 car....797 yds. .....9 TD

PASSING

Qamar Grant ..........106/151 ..1,500 yds...11 TD 5 INT

RECEIVING

T.J. Holmes .............43 rec. ..595 yds. ....6 TD

FIVE YEAR RECORD

26-28-1

2022: 4-7

2021: 9-2-1

2020: 6-5

2019: 3-7 2018: 4-7

Coach: Michael Woolridge • 1st Season • Record: 0-0 • Career: 51-26

FALCONS

From Page 34

“MySonne is a big, physical quarterback learning a new system and is getting better every day,” he said. “We are playing to his strengths and helping in

areas that he may not be as well versed in.”

Woolridge believes that his secondary, offensive and defensive fronts are the positions of strength.

Leading the secondary are juniors Keyawn Spencer and Jalen Brassell. The defensive

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

front will be spearheaded by Chukwunedu Okeke and ShuMond Johnson, both gaining Division I interest from schools like Georgia Southern, Maryland and Syracuse.

Woolridge wants the squad to focus on themselves and let the outside noise stay where it

is, outside.

“Our focus is us and not on who did what last year, or who went to the state playoffs,” he said. “I know if we play Pebblebrook football we can compete with anybody because we have the players and the athletes to do so.”

KICKOFF 2023 35

STATE

COACHING STAFF ALL TIME RECORD 260-335-9 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (3) 2006, 2000, 1980

CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

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36 KICKOFF 2023

Special - Anthony Stalcup Keyawn Spencer, MySonne Pickens, Anthony Cater, Jalen Brassell and Tylan Smith

are taking coach Michael Woolridge’s message of a new Pebblebrook to heart with the idea of challenging for the Region 2AAAAAAA championship.

Players creating a new Pebblebrook

By Banji Bamidele MDJ Sports Writer

“The new ’Brook.”

The three-word phrase is the new motto and philosophy that Pebblebrook is using as a culture-definer and fuel for a fresh regime within the Falcons’ nest.

Coach Michael Woolridge is only a few months into his tenure and is already having a resounding impact on his players.

“This year I feel like we have a head coach that has more passion for the game,” quarterback MySonne Pickens said. “It carries onto the field and to the players, we like him.”

When looking around the campus, it would be hard not to notice the construction and excavators at work building a new gym, theater and classrooms.

Along with the area, the coaching staff changed with Woolridge bringing staff from

South Atlanta that are focusing on building their players in the best way possible.

“Having to adapt to a brand new coaching staff has helped us develop as a team and bond more,” defensive back Tylan Smith said.

Smith is one of the senior leaders on the squad. He is a man of few words, but still garners the respect of his teammates.

“I usually lean towards my actions to lead the team, but I am looking to vocalize more and be a loud voice for our guys,” Smith said.

The Falcons made the playoffs for the third straight season last year, but fell in the first round against perennial powerhouse Colquitt County. The team has a fire lit, itching for a chance to right last season wrongs.

“This year we are trying to make a statement and be more

disciplined,” offensive tackle Anthony Cater said. “Coach has been helping us with fixing the little things.”

With inconsistency on the offensive side last season, Pickens is focusing on improving his overall game. He will be protected upfront by Cater and have weapons in wideouts Keyawn Spencer and Jalen Brassell.

“I lead by example and my speed makes me different, especially when I get into space,” Spencer said.

The duo also competed in track, with Spencer claiming the second-fastest on the team behind only Dwight Phillips Jr. The wide receivers double as defensive backs. They have several goals heading into the season.

“I want to have zero dropped passes, five interceptions, 15-plus tackles and first-team selections,” Brassell said.

Last year’s region losses to Westlake and state runner-up Carrollton left sour tastes in the mouths of every player on the squad.

The Falcons only region win came against Campbell, but now they’re looking to secure their first region title since 2006.

“We have to win the region,” Smith said. “I am looking forward to an undefeated season, because I have faith in this team and believe we can make it far.”

Carrollton returns as this season’s favorites to win the region, but the Falcons have their eyes set on being the victors during the Oct. 13 matchup.

“We want to upset Carrollton because everyone has that game as a loss for us already,” Spencer said. “These are the best games and we love playing good competition.”

KICKOFF 2023 37

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600!

Marietta to become first Cobb school to reach milestone victory

Above: Marietta coach French Johnson enjoys a ride across Grant Field at Georgia Tech after the Blue Devils defeated Columbus 14-7 in the 1967 Class AAA state championship game. It was Marietta’s first state championship. Previous page: Coach Richard Morgan holds up the Class AAAAAAA state championship trophy after the Blue Devils defeated Lowndes in the 2019 title game.

Blue Devils to become 23rd team in Georgia to reach 600 wins

By Gunter Schroeder MDJ Sports Writer

With a storied history that includes 15 region titles and two state championships, the Marietta Blue Devils could reach another unprecedented milestone in 2023 by notching the 600th win in program history.

With 599 wins, Marietta is set to become the 23rd team in Georgia high school football history to reach the 600-win mark according to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association, and the first program to do so in Cobb County. The Blue Devils have 165 more wins all-time than any other county program, alongside McEachern, North Cobb, Walton, South Cobb and Wheeler as the only Cobb programs to

reach 300 all-time wins.

Marietta coach Richard Morgan expressed his gratitude to have the opportunity to be the coach who leads the program to the historic 600th victory.

“I think it’s a very storied program, having been around for 100 years. It’s a great milestone and great for a proud community,” Morgan, who has been at Marietta since 2016, said. “I’m more than honored to deliver that 600th win. A lot of programs never reach this, so we look forward to it and many more to come.”

Over the program’s 121-year history, Marietta has produced legendary teams like the 1967 state championship team under French Johnson, the 1970s and ‘80s squads under Ray Broadaway,

See Wins, Page 40

KICKOFF 2023 39

MDJ Archives

COBB COUNTY FOOTBALL PROGRAM ALL-TIME WINS School W -L-T Win Pct. State Region Years Marietta 599-444-29 .572 2 15 1902-2023 McEachern 434-263-10 .621 0 19 1960-2023 North Cobb 368-312-10 .541 0 7 1958-2023 Walton 335-193-1 .634 0 8 1976-2023 South Cobb 326-387-13 .458 0 3 1952-2023 Wheeler 325-289-8 .529 0 10 1965-2023 Sprayberry 268-408-8 .398 0 3 1956-2023 Pebblebrook 260-335-9 .438 0 3 1965-2023 Harrison 221-130-0 .63 1 6 1992-2023 Lassiter 207-221-2 .484 0 3 1982-2023 Campbell (Old) 202-169-13 .543 0 1 1952-1988 Osborne 165-485-4 .255 0 0 1957-2023 Pope 161-202-0 .444 0 3 1988-2023 Kell 160-72-0 .690 0 4 2003-2023 Allatoona 129-49-1 .723 1 4 2008-2023 Hillgrove 118-67-0 .638 0 4 2006-2023 Campbell (New) 114-235-0 .327 0 0 1989-2023 Whitefield Academy 106-119-0 .471 0 2 2002-2023 Mount Paran Chr. 105-61-0 .633 1 2 2008-2023 Lemon Street 94-42-9 .679 1 0 1947-1966 Kennesaw Mountain 86-138-0 .384 0 1 2000-2023 Walker 74-139-0 .347 0 1 2001-2023 Wills 67-174-2 .265 0 0 1965-1988 North Cobb Christian 61-95-0 .391 0 0 2007-2023 Marietta Christian 42-15-2 .729 0 0 1974-1983 Acworth 32-54-4 .378 0 1 1944-1957 Shiloh Hills Christian 32-21-0 .604 0 0 1983-1991 Powder Springs A&M 28-53-9 .361 0 0 1914-1932 Dominion Christian 26-51-0 .338 0 0 2009-2021 Marietta Industrial 7-3-1 .682 0 0 1934-1938 Smyrna 0-2 .000 0 0 1928-1933 Information from the Georgia High School Football Historians Association

WINS

From Page 39

the 1990s and 2000s teams under Dexter Wood and James “Friday” Richards and, more recently, the 2019 state championship team led by Morgan.

Several Marietta players have recently gone on to have success in college and in the NFL.

Brothers Azeez and BJ Ojulari of the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals, respectively, both started their football careers as standouts with the Blue Devils, along with the record-breaking duo of quarterback Harrison Bailey and tight end Arik Gilbert who led Marietta to the 2019 Class AAAAAAA state title.

However, one thing Morgan highlighted as key to their impact on the program as well as every other member of his teams at Marietta was their attitude off the field and in the community.

“Bringing home the state title (in 2019) was a huge accomplishment, but our players coming through have been even better kids, ambassadors and role models,” Morgan said. “They’ve led by example and given back, and that’s what tells the tale of this program. They’re great allaround, and now every kid coming through understands it’s part of our DNA to be a leader and role model.”

That DNA has been a key part of the continued identity of Marietta football, one that emphasizes continuing the storied tradition of the program by being great on and off the field.

Paul Hall was a former player at Marietta from 1986-89 who returned to spend 14 years as an assistant coach before becoming athletic director from 2009-18. Hall noted that, in many ways, that DNA of tradition at Marietta has meant the football program has largely stayed the same because of its impact on their values and role in the community.

“Everything has been based on tradition and everybody builds on that,” Hall said. “Marietta has always had good teams and the expectation of coming in and working hard to achieve certain goals. When I played, Fridays at Northcutt Stadium were a big deal, and I really enjoyed my years there.”

With a football history that dates all the way back to 1902, it’s no surprise that the Marietta

community has rallied around the team in such a big way throughout the years. Players and coaches alike noted the immense pride and support the community continues to show has been key to the team’s success on and off the field.

The team has inspired countless young players to join the team and be part of the Marietta tradition, including LaBrone Mitchell, who grew up in the area and eventually played quarterback for Marietta from 1994-97. He returned in 2003 to serve as an assistant to Richards and has remained on the sideline ever since.

“Marietta was the place I grew up as a kid,” Mitchell said. “I used to walk to the game to see some of the great players, watching (Eric) Zeier playing growing up, and would see coach Wood and coach Friday on the sidelines. I was a big fan of Marietta football. It was a dream to play for Marietta, and I was able to do so.”

Another former player who is currently a member of Marietta’s coaching staff is former star running back Derrick Tinsley, who recalled watching games as a young kid and grew up wanting to leave his own legacy on the program.

“When I was young, I could hear the band playing from where I stayed on Friday nights,” Tinsley said. “Playing at Marietta, it was definitely my duty to honor the ones that played before me. Although I did have dreams of playing pro ball, playing football at Marietta was the ultimate dream, so it meant everything to play.”

In addition to supporting young children like Mitchell or Tinsley in Marietta, the community has consistently rallied to support its coaches as well, building programs like the Touchdown Club that aided the team and its success. One of those former head coaches, Dexter Wood, who led the Blue Devils to 72 victories in his stint as head coach from 198794, highlighted the Marietta community as integral to his team’s continued success.

“The general community has off-the-charts spirit and pride in athletics,” Wood said. “There was a family feel of pride in the school system, but another facet was the group of parents and community leaders that went to work for us. It’s remarkable they supported us so well, but Marietta is a

See Wins, Page 53

MARIETTA COACHING RECORDS

40 KICKOFF 2023

File

James “Friday” Richards, left, was a decorated player, assistant coach and longtime head coach at Marietta.

Name W -L-T Win Pct. Years Richard Morgan 37-48 .435 2016-current Scott Burton 31-34 .477 2010-2015 Friday Richards 108-57 .655 1995-2009 Dexter Wood 72-23 .744 1987-1994 Ray Broadaway 89-56-5 .593 1973-1986 French Johnson 124-50-7 .685 1956-1972 Bill McCampbell 5-14 .263 1954-1955 Red Pressley 48-31-4 .602 1946-1953 Henry Kemp 6-13 .315 1944-1945 Andy Anderson 1-8 111 1943-1943 Jody G. Hollins 45-62-6 .398 1929-1942 Mutt Stephens 12-10--1 .521 1926-1928 Charlie Royston 6-11 .352 1924-1925 Jake Northcutt 12-12-1 .500 1920-1923 McNeel 1-3-1 .250 1919-1919 A.F. Guthrie 0-2-1 .000 1917-1917 Owens 1-1 .500 1916-1916 Herbert Clay 0-1 .000 1902-1902

Information from the Georgia High School Football Historians Association

Cobb teams hope to tame open Region 3AAAAAAA

By Nigel Whittington MDJ Sports Writer

There’s hardly a dull moment in Region 3AAAAAAA.

With four of the five teams making it to the postseason and last year’s region champion North Paulding unable to fully sweep the region, the race for the region title is wide open.

Three of the four region games the Wolfpack played were all decided by one score, including their lone region loss to Harrison by a score of 24-21. With the team’s leading passer, receiver and rusher all graduating, the group will look different as it prepares for the gauntlet of Cobb teams looking to make deep postseason runs.

Marietta, who also had a 3-1 record in region play, finished in second place. After battling it out for the starting spot last year with Daniel Gray, who has now graduated, quarterback Chase McCravy is entering the 2023 season as the established starter for the Blue Devils. McCravy threw for 1,448 yards and eight touchdowns last year while also adding three rushing touchdowns for Marietta.

While the region title is important, it’s just a step towards the goal coach Richard Morgan is trying to achieve once again – a

state title.

“Our only sights are (the) second week of December, Mercedes Benz, playing for a championship,” Morgan said.

The Blue Devils advanced to the second round of the playoffs after a dominant 35-0 win over Covington before falling to the eventual state runner-up Carrollton.

While Harrison finished third in the region with an even 2-2 record, the team advanced just as far as Marietta did with a 21-17 victory against Brookwood before falling to Colquitt County in the second round.

Many of the team’s wins were thanks in part to Memphis commit Brady Kluse. The 6-foot-3 receiver was the receiving game for the Hoyas, leading the team in catches (66), yards (1033) and touchdowns (13). Kluse had the 25th most receiving yards in the state and is a key factor in Harrison’s aspirations for a second state title.

Hillgrove came in fourth in the region, with its lone region win against rival McEachern arriving in exciting fashion. The Hawks won by a single point after scoring on the last play of the game to not only send their team to the playoffs, but to deny their crosstown rivals the fourth and final playoff spot.

2. MARIETTA

3. HARRISON

4. MCEACHERN

5. HILLGROVE

Hillgrove’s strong defense is what helped them win games, and that defense will be led by first team all-region playmaker Braylon Hansbrough. The 6-foot, 200pound linebacker returns after finishing 2022 with 97 tackles along with his 6 1/2 sacks.

This region is so wide open that one play can decide if postseason dreams become a reality or not, and this was the case for McEachern. The Indians were one score away from a 3-1 record, with their only double digit loss coming against Marietta (34-16).

In football, defense wins championships and the Indians have the perfect playmaker to lead the defense in corner Daniel James. The Cincinnati commit recorded 25 tackles, including 21 solo tackles, and is an important piece for a McEachern defense full of rising juniors and seniors.

Last season had multiple onescore games, proving the region is truly up for grabs. With such a small margin for error, mistakes

could be the difference between a trip to the postseason or an early trip to the offseason.

KICKOFF 2023 41

REGION 3AAAAAAA

PREDICTION

1. NORTH PAULDING

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Chase McCravy will try to lead Marietta to the top of what appears to be a wide open Region 3AAAAAAA race in 2023. BAY

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HARRISON HOYAS

2023

Schedule

8/18 at South Paulding8/25 at South Forsyth

Hoyas offense ready to take it to next level

By Jordan Howard MDJ Sports Writer

Quarterback Braylan Ford and wide receiver Brady Kluse are ready to take Harrison to the next level.

9/1 Paulding County9/8 Denmark

Ford and Kluse have become one of the best connections in the state after playing together since seventh grade. Kluse accounted for almost half of Ford’s 2,186 passing yards and 13 of his 21 touchdowns in 2022.

Coach Josh Cassidy said he expects junior Oliver Perez to step in at the linebacker position, trying to fill the shoes of the departing Trice. To replace Trice’s production, Perez will be paired with senior Collin O’Hara, who tallied 71 tackles last season.

In the secondary, Cassidy said senior Maki Andrade is expected to be bumped to a full-time role after sparse gametime last year.

in 2021 and a second round exit in 2022. As he enters his third season at the helm, Cassidy has high hopes for his star-studded offense.

The Hoyas have rattled off three straight four-win seasons since their state champion 15-0 mark in 2019.

9/15 Kennesaw Mtn.9/22 at Pebblebrook

Kluse, a University of Memphis commit, led Cobb County in receiving yards last year (938) and Ford finished second in passing yards. This duo is prepared to take their talents to another level in their senior season.

10/6 at McEachern

10/13 North Paulding

10/20 at Hillgrove10/27 Marietta

On the defensive side of the ball, the Hoyas are looking for replacements at the linebacker and safety position after losing leading tackler Holden Trice and interception leader Tyler Wells.

As for protecting the high-powered offense, Cassidy said the offensive line is made up of four returning starters – Corey Burklow, Landon Davis, Cameron Carland and Nathan Wymer. This is a rare occurrence in high school football, and a huge sign of optimism for Ford and the offense. Moving into the left tackle position is First Team All-Region defensive lineman, Jaden Gnagy.

Cassidy led his team to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons, with a first round exit

2023 Roster

The Hoyas 4-8 record last season is somewhat deceiving, as the Hoyas lost three games by four or less points. Cassidy said the theme for his team this year is to “Find a way” as the Hoyas try to flip the outcome of the close losses last year.

“We want to be on the winning side of competitive,” Cassidy said. “Last year, we felt like we were on the losing side of competitive because four of the games we lost were by a score or less.”

Harrison is still searching for its first winning season since its bump to Class AAAAAAA

See Hoyas, Page 43

42 KICKOFF 2023

No. Name Pos. Cl. 0 Quinton Charles WR/DB 12 1 Amari Watson RB/DB 12 2 Kailan Ford WR/DB 11 3 Sam Porter RB/DB 12 4 Jackson Connors RB/DB 11 6 Austin Perry RB/DB 11 7 Brady Kluse WR/DB 12 8 Ethan Sweat TE/LB 12 9 Ethan Harris TE/LB 11 10 Jacob Keasler WR/DB 12 11 Ty Hartzog RB/DB 11 12 Xavier Hill QB 11 13 Maki Andrade WR/DB 12 14 Donovan Martin RB/DB 15 Shiloh Thomas RB/DB 11 16 Braylan Ford QB 12 17 Matthew Traster QB 10 19 Kasen Aikionbare WR/DB 11 20 Ethan Munive WR/DB 11 21 Blake O’Hara WR/DB 10 22 Aaron Mackarvich RB/DB 12 23 William Reed WR/DB 11 24 Jack Evans WR/DB 12 No. Name Pos. Cl. 25 Max Helms WR/DB 11 26 Grady Capes WR/DB 12 27 Jowell Combay WR/DB 10 28 Christian Smith TE/DL 11 30 TC Washington 31 Tate Harkness TE/LB 11 32 Collin O’Hara RB/LB 12 33 Anderson Itnyre TE/LB 10 34 RJ Cowser RB/DB 10 35 Andy Szczepkowski TE/LB 12 36 Mitchell Lilly III 37 Lawson Scholl 38 Eric Geralds 40 Oliver Perez RB/LB 11 41 Joshua Velazquez 42 Damiyon Mack 43 Andrew Boetig WR/LB 11 44 Liam Gray RB/LB 12 47 David Rudd 48 Bennett Wright RB/LB 11 49 Tyler Donaldson 50 Oscar Cruz-Cortez OL/DL 12 51 Nicholas Sevilla OL/DL 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 52 Cilve Anatole OL/DL 11 53 Joshua Fisher OL/DL 10 54 Terrence McCrae OL/DL 11 55 Jaden Ehima OL/DL 12 56 Landon Davis OL/DL 12 57 Carson Canup OL/DL 11 58 Rafa Benitez OL/DL 10 59 Jaden Gnagy OL/DL 12 60 Nathan Wymer OL/DL 12 61 Harrison Thomton OL/DL 11 63 Cole Tessereau OL/DL 10 64 Bryce Galsgow OL/DL 11 65 Taevon Mburu OL/DL 12 66 Robert Mackarvich OL/DL 10 67 Oscar McAdoo 68 Will Grantham OL/DL 11 69 Luke Bleazard 70 Thomas Wall OL/DL 12 71 Sam Steinhausar OL/DL 12 72 Sebastian Osorio OL/DL 11 73 Elijah Figueiredo 74 Corey Burklow OL/DL 12 75 Cameron Carland OL/DL 12 No. Name Pos. Cl. 76 Zachary Gilley OL/DL 12 77 Danny Garcia OL/DL 10 78 Hayden Bramlett OL/DL 11 79 Nicholas Wall 80 Katriel Trivino-Melendez 81 Graham Auldrigde WR/DB 10 83 Koden Sullivan 84 Aaron Aguilar WR/DB 10 85 Reece Bentley 86 Jason Monica TE/LB 12 87 Brady Hambrick TE/DL 12 88 Kendall Walker TE/DL 12 89 Muhammah Bobb 90 Rudolph Gleason K 12 91 Eli Leonard K 92 Harris Sparrow K 93 Ian Castro 94 Jordan Zimmerman K 12 95 Owen Page 97 Simon Zeidan K 11 98 Eli Gleason LS 11 99 Collin Bellomy TE/DL 11

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4500 Due West Road, Kennesaw, GA 30152 • Bruce Cobleigh Stadium

https://www.harrisonhoyafootball.com/

Twitter: @hhhoyafootball

2022 RESULTS

.............................21-25............L

Kennesaw Mountain.........23-45............L

Pebblebrook .......................14-31............L

McEachern ............................7-10............L

North Paulding ..................24-21..........W

Hillgrove ...............................37-8..........W

Marietta .................................7-31............L

State playoffs

Brookwood...........................21-17..........W

Colquitt County .................27-49............L

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

WR Darvin Adams (2004-07) .....Auburn, Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL)

LB Jon Abbate (1999-2002),......................Wake Forest, Houston Texans

QB Daniel Cobb (1993-96), .................................................................Auburn

QB Justin Fields (2014-17), ...............................Ohio State, Chicago Bears

DB Paul Oliver (1998-2001), ........................Georgia, San Diego Chargers

HOYAS

From Page 42

following its 2019 Class AAAAAA state championship run. However, this has not stopped Cassidy from intentionally scheduling a tough non-region schedule each year.

Only one of the Hoyas six nonregion opponents missed the playoffs last year – Kennesaw Mountain, who finished 7-3 in 2022.

Cassidy said he holds his team

Instagram: @harrisonhoyafootball

2022 LEADERS

Facebook: @HarrisonHoyaFootball

FIVE YEAR

to the standard of competing against the best teams in the state every year.

“It’s what we expect here,” Cassidy said. “I don’t know that there’s much that we have to do to kind of keep them dialed in. It’s just a part of our program.”

Cassidy said although his team was one of the 32 teams in the playoffs last year, the Hoyas did not reach the outcome they had desired. But he believes if he and his staff focus on whole-person development,

the rest will fall in place.

“We’re going to try to develop our kids cognitively, socially, spiritually, emotionally and physically, that’s our number one goal, first and foremost,” Cassidy said. “We feel like if we take care of those things, the scoreboard will take care of itself.”

Schematically speaking, Cassidy doesn’t expect any drastic change, referring to his team as a toolbox each year.

“We’ve got a lot of things to

You had me at HOT

choose from each year, we may pull out a different tool based on the player,” Cassidy said. “But no, offensively, defensively and on special teams, we’re staying pretty true to who we are.”

Defensively, the Hoyas have some holes to fill, but they will continue to try and control the game with the middle of their defense. The offense will stay consistent in its shotgun look, due to the dual-threat abilities of Ford and the talent out wide.

KICKOFF 2023 43

Coach: Josh Cassidy • 3rd Season • Record: 8-15 • Career: 8-15

HARRISON HOYAS

RECORD 36-24 2022: 4-8 2021: 4-7 2020: 4-6 2019: 15-0 2018: 9-3 Josh Cassidy .....................HC Fran

DC Nick

................LB Emmett Hill Sr. ..................OL

Langford

Brandon Mitchell ..............DB Bobby Thompson

OC BJ

Travis

Jeff

Mahan ...............LB/

Williamson

Braeden

.............DL

....QB-

Lock ...............................OL

Farmer .....................RB

Meese.........................WR

Turner ...........................OL

RUSHING Grayson West ........64 car. ...241 yds. ......1 TD PASSING Braylan Ford...........180/283 ..2186 yds. .....21 TD ...8 INT RECEIVING Brady Kluse ............56 rec ...938 yds......13 TD TACKLES Holden Trice...........145 SACKS Jaden Gnagy 7 INTERCEPTIONS Tyler Wells............... 4

COACHING STAFF ALL TIME RECORD 221-130 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (6) 2019, 2017, 2005, 2002, 2001, 2000 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 2019 Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

South

Denmark

VARSITY

South Paulding .................20-28............L

Forsyth ....................21-24............L Paulding County ...............28-14..........W

WATER

Harrison’s Braylan Ford is a leader on the field and a builder of his brand off of it. He is hoping the combination of the two will help him succeed with a career in football.

Ford knows how to play game on and off field

By Jordan Howard MDJ Sports Writer

Harrison quarterback Braylan Ford has established himself as the Hoyas’ starter after finishing second in Cobb County in passing yards and touchdowns during his junior campaign.

Heading into the 2022 season, the Hoyas were unsure who would take the reins at the quarterback position, not making the final decision until right before the start of the season.

Ford’s 2,186 passing yards and 21 touchdowns put an end to that discussion.

With this success came recognition, and the dual-threat quarterback is taking full advantage of the opportunity. Through his social media that highlights his junior season and his abilities, Ford has attracted many college coaches in the past year.

“You have to build a brand, you have to build an image that people can see you in,” Ford said. “Show that you’re confident in your ability, because coaches

know that you’re confident to say this, you know, he must mean something.”

Along with highlighting his game, Ford also boasts his 3.9 GPA on Twitter and Instagram. The signal-caller said he knows what his position entails, and performing in the classroom is essential to his success on the field.

“Everything is about small details, every little detail matters. You know, sometimes it’s the small foxes that get you so you have to be good at everything down to a tee,” Ford said, referring to the Song of Solomon story in the Bible. “Having a handle on everything in the classroom, you know, that gives me time for film after homework.”

At the center of the offense, Ford has an expectation to be a leader for the rest of his team, and coach Josh Cassidy said his quarterback plays this role perfectly.

“He’s a silent warrior,” Cassidy said. “When you deal with a bunch of high schoolers, at times you can be concerned about this kid or that kid. He’s not one of those

kids that you’re concerned about. He’s a coach on the field. He’s a coach in the weight room. He’s a coach in the film room.”

Cassidy said in his first season as a starter, the quarterback carried himself as a seasoned veteran, acting as a players coach and handling matters with class.

Ford agreed, adamant about proving himself as a leader.

“I want to lead by example, first to show the guys that I can do it,” Ford said. “And then I add that vocal aspect, speaking out when something needs to be said.”

Although Ford isn’t the most vocal leader, he certainly does not lack confidence, claiming on his Twitter, “My goal is to play for an NFL team and one day own one, too.”

He carries this mindset onto the field every Friday night, using this confidence to lead his team.

“I have to be confident in myself because the players, they feed off of that, the offense feeds off of that,” Ford said. “I can’t show any moments of weakness, because everything runs through me. So

I have to show the guys that I’m comfortable in what I can do… That makes them comfortable with themselves too because they’re like ‘We got a guy that we know is going to lead us no matter what.’”

The Hoyas are on pace to have an explosive offense this season, following a 2022 campaign where Ford and star wide receiver Brady Kluse connected for 1,033 yards and 13 touchdowns. Ford said the duo has been throwing together since seventh grade, building chemistry for over five years.

Ford has another familiar face out wide this season – his younger brother Kailan Ford. The rising junior is expected to play alongside Kluse this season, and the quarterback was excited about the opportunity to throw to his brother.

With one of the most competitive schedules in the state, Ford said he is excited to put his talents on display in his senior season, and he expects his offense to take another step-up from last season.

44 KICKOFF 2023

Special - Anthony Stalcup

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Hawks’ defense poised for big season

By Nigel Whittington MDJ Sports Writer

The Hillgrove football team is built by the strength of their defense.

With an established quarterback going into the season and a playoff appearance under their belt, the Hawks’ offense is looking to make as large of an impact as the defense has for so many years.

The Hawks went 3-8 on the season and 1-3 in Region 3AAAAAAA with their lone region victory against rival McEachern allowing them to advance to the playoffs.

“At the end of the year we started playing our best football. We got into the first round and have carried that momentum into this summer,” coach Justin DeShon said.

The defense is filled with returning playmakers stepping into new

leadership roles.

“We’ve got a first team allregion playmaker in Braylon Hansbrough,” DeShon said. “He’s excellent with all his movement stunts and he understands our coverages. He’ll be our main communicator, he’s the middle of our defense, and he’s a really good player.”

The 6-foot, 200-pound linebacker finished the 2022 season with 97 tackles along with his six and a half sacks.

“The guys in front of him on the defensive line are really, really good too,” DeShon said.

Juniors Nicholas Mathious and Gavin Askew are both returning. Mathious is a 6-foot, 265-pound defensive tackle who recorded 40 tackles and one and a half sacks. Askew is a 6-foot-3, 228pound defensive end who had 14 tackles while only appearing in seven games.

Brandon Jett is expected to

be all over the Hawks’ defensive backfield. The senior plays linebacker and strong safety and recorded 31 tackles and half a sack last season.

While the defense contains multiple all-region players, the offense is young, but they have earned the trust and respect of DeShon throughout last season.

“What we like is our guys,” DeShon said. “I know that’s a simple answer, but we’ve been through the battle with these kids at a young age and we’re excited to see them play football now as juniors and seniors.”

The young offensive core is led by Toryn Wilkins. The 6-foot, 165-pound quarterback threw for 1,675 yards and 12 touchdowns as a sophomore.

“Just having a quarterback now for the first time in three years, that is not a sophomore, leading our (Class) AAAAAAA program,

See Hawks, Page 47

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HILLGROVE HAWKS

4165 Luther Ward Rd, Powder Springs, GA 30127 • Cobb EMC/Hillgrove

https://www.hillgrovefootball.org/

Twitter: @HgroveFootball

2022 RESULTS

River Ridge ..........................14-27............L

Creekview .............................10-6..........W

East Coweta .......................21-55............L

Allatoona ...............................9-31............L

Campbell ..............................29-7..........W

Carrollton ...........................28-56............L

Marietta ...............................10-14............L

Harrison ...............................15-37............L

North Paulding ..................10-26............L

McEachern ..........................16-15..........W

State Playoffs

Grayson ................................3-30............L

Justin DeShon ...................... HC

Pete DeWeese .......................OC

Andy Szatkowski ..................DC

Joe Gerda ................................DL

Keon Humphries ............WR/ST

Robert Foster ........................WR

Ronney Daniels .....................RB

Rodney Castlin ......................QB

Travis Mihalik ...................OL/TE

Luke Hayes.............................OL

Ben Ford..................................DB

Taylor Ivey ................................LB

Branson Hall............................LB

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

LB Bradley Chubb (2010-13), ...........................N.C. State, Miami Dolphins

RB Kenyan Drake (2008-11), ..........................Alabama, Baltimore Ravens

TE Evan Engram (2009-12), ......................Ole Miss, Jacksonville Jaguars

DL Myles Murphy (2016-19), ........................Clemson, Cincinnati Bengals

TE Chigoziem Okonkwo (2014-17), ..............Maryland, Tennessee Titans

RUSHING

Instagram: @hillgroveathletics

2022 LEADERS

Stadium

3-8 2021: 2-8 2020: 4-5 2019: 7-4 2018: 12-1

Coach: Justin DeShon • 3rd Season • Record: 5-16 • Career: 35-58-1

From Page 46

that is a huge deal,” DeShon said. “We have a quarterback that we trust. He sees the field and understands defensive coverage.”

On offense, the team only lost two seniors with the Hawks retaining their leading receiver and leading rusher.

Receiver Jonathan Owusu had 33 catches, 405 receiving yards and three touchdowns while running back Kadden Breazeale carried the ball 91 times for 274 yards

and two touchdowns.

While the offense is young, DeShon says last season’s experience is what he hopes will propel the Hawks to the playoffs in 2023.

“It’s youth,” DeShon said. “But it’s youth that has a year’s experience under their belt

playing Grayson, playing Marietta and playing Harrison.” DeShon said. “These are kids that have been through the fire, all these kids who are starting for us as juniors, started as sophomores and that’s something we’re excited about.”

KICKOFF 2023 47

FIVE YEAR RECORD 28-26 2022:

Toryn Wilkins 128/244

Zion

Braylon Hansbrough

Knox Henderson

INTERCEPTIONS Brody Bond 2 Payton Gonzalez ................... 2

Kadden Breazeale ............91 car. .......274 yds. ...2 TD PASSING

1,675 yds. .....12 TD RECEIVING Jonathan Owusu ...33 rec.....405 yds. .....3 TD TACKLES

Rutledge ........122 SACKS

.......6.5

...............5.5

VARSITY COACHING STAFF ALL TIME RECORD 118-67 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (4) 2018, 2017, 2014, 2011 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

HAWKS

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Special - Anthony Stalcup

Now, he’s

Braylon Hansbrough has turned his biggest doubters into his biggest supporters.

ready

lead the Hillgrove defense into the 2023 season with a return to the playoffs in sight.

Hansborough makes people believe

By Nigel Whittington MDJ Sports Writer

Initially, Braylon Hansbrough’s father was his biggest doubter. As the Hillgrove linebacker played in his first varsity game as a freshman his father, Mario Hansbrough, was nowhere to be found.

“I remember dropping him off at school that morning,” Mario said. “I told him that I wasn’t going to sit in the cold and rain just to watch him sit on the sidelines and for him to call me after the game and I’d pick him up.”

Braylon didn’t spend a lot of time on the sideline that night.

“He told me he played from the second quarter all the way until the end of the game,” Mario said. “I told him at that point in time that I would never miss another one of his football games, no matter what.”

Three seasons later Mario

has been with his son at every football game, every football camp and every football recruiting visit.

“My dad is probably my biggest role model,” Braylon said. “He takes me to trainers, he spends his money on me, getting me to different camps and getting me exposure. In a span of about five years I’ve had six trainers and I’m still with some of them right now.”

With last year’s leading tackler in the county, linebacker Zion Rutledge, graduating last season, Braylon is now tasked with being the leader of the Hawks’ defense. He is focusing on this new role off the field as well as on the field.

“I’ve known some of these people since they were freshmen all the way until now,” Braylon said. “The second I see that change I always ask ‘what’s happening’ and it’s kind of like a mutual

relationship.”

Braylon focuses on a humble leadership role when addressing his teammates.

“Some of them have this little thing where they’re like, ‘Oh you’re Mr. (Division I) now,’ and trying to set me apart,” Braylon said. “But I always try to bring myself back down to them where they know I’m not trying to be over them.”

The 6-foot, 200-pound linebacker has offers from Reinhardt, Sewanee, and Shorter. He finished the 2022 season with 97 tackles, 15 tackles for loss along with six and a half sacks.

Even after being named first team all-region last year, Braylon is still working to improve his game.

“Footwork is probably one of the biggest (areas of improvement),” Braylon said. “Footwork and reading the field. There’s so much going on on the field

that you have to learn to slow it down in your head and in your eyes.”

Braylon and his father said they understand everything he brings to the team on the field.

“My dad says this and honestly I think he’s right,” Braylon said. “The greatest thing I bring to the field is my determination, my lack of injuries and when a play is called I know where everyone on defense is supposed to be at or I know an idea of everyone’s responsibility.”

As Braylon prepares for a larger role on defense this season, he understands his father will be in his corner supporting him before, during and after every game.

“It comes with him helping me, watching film and noticing the little details,” Braylon said. “My dad has a bigger impact on me and on my game than he thinks.”

KICKOFF 2023 49

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Blue Devils ready to make another run

By Nigel Whittington MDJ Sports Writer

Marietta’s goal has never changed – win a state championship.

“You coach to try and win the whole thing,” coach Richard Morgan said. “If you don’t, you’re shortchanging the players.”

For Morgan and his players, winning a title is a goal but it’s only a part of what it means to be a Blue Devil.

“It’s not a program that you just play football at,” Morgan said. “You’re a part of the community and football is a part of you if you’re going to play here.”

Cobb County has five state football titles in its history and two of them are owned by the Blue Devils.

The team has made the playoffs in the past six seasons and won a title in 2019. Morgan, armed with more than 20 returning seniors,

is hoping to lead the Blue Devils to a state title in 2023.

“Last year it was younger guys thrusted into new roles and now they understand those roles better,” Morgan said. “I’m hoping that, along with the leadership from the senior class, puts us over the hump.”

Quarterback Chase McCravy is returning to play his first full season as the established starter. McCravy and Daniel Gray spent the 2022-23 season splitting playing time but with Gray graduated, McCravy is set to be the team’s signal caller this season.

McCravy threw for 1,448 yards and eight touchdowns last year while also adding three rushing touchdowns for the Blue Devils.

With all four of last season’s leading receivers graduating, it’s up to some familiar faces to step up into these new roles.

Two weapons returning are Luke Morgan and Brandon

Rosado. Morgan had 10 receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown while Rosado caught 23 passes for 207 yards. Both receivers should see an increase in their numbers with their new roles in the offense.

Bobby Butler plays both offense and defense but missed the entire 2022-23 season with an ACL tear. Morgan is confident that he will be another playmaker on the field.

“I saw how much work he put into his rehab last year and now he’s back full speed so I’m excited to see him,” Morgan said

The team’s backfield won’t have any changes as both Russell Bey and Jaylen Frazier are returning for their senior season. Bey carried the ball 72 times for 313 yards and two touchdowns while Frazier carried the ball 64 times for 394 yards and four touchdowns.

“All these guys that were starting for the first time last year or

See Blue Devils, Page 51

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MARIETTA BLUE DEVILS

1171 Whitlock Ave NW, Marietta, GA 30064 • Northcutt Stadium

Twitter: @MHSFBFAMILY

2022 RESULTS

Grayson ...............................12-32............L

West Forsyth .......................24-17..........W

Roswell................................20-24............L

North Cobb ........................21-35............L

Walton ..................................17-30............L

Buford ....................................0-14............L

Hillgrove ..............................14-10..........W

McEachern ..........................34-16..........W

Harrison .................................31-7..........W

North Paulding ...................14-21............L

State Playoffs

Newton .................................35-0..........W

Carrollton ............................14-47............L

https://mariettafootball.com/

Instagram: @mariettafb

VARSITY COACHING STAFF

Richard Morgan......HC/OC/QB

Troy Duke ..........................WR

Labrone Mitchell ..............WR

Derrick Tinsley ..................RB

Robert Holman ..................OL

Joe Brunet ..........................OL

Jason Allen .................DC/LB

Terrance Duke ...................DL

Adrian Wright.....................LB

Michael Brown..................DB

Tom Guckian .....................K/P

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

QB Harrison Bailey (2016-19),.........................................................Louisville

TE Arik Gilbert (2016-19), .................................................................Nebraska

LB Azeez Ojulari (2014-17), ...............................Georgia, New York Giants

LB BJ Ojulari (2016-19), ............................................LSU, Arizona Cardinals

RB James “Friday” Richards (1968-71), ..................Florida, New York Jets

K Rex Robinson (1974-77), ........................Georgia, New England Patriots

K Scott Sisson (1985-88), ................Georgia Tech, New England Patriots

RB Derrick Tinsley (1997-2000), ..................................................Tennessee

RB Travis Zachery (1993-96), ...........................................................Clemson

QB Eric Zeier (1989-90) ...................................Georgia, Cleveland Browns

RUSHING

Facebook: @MariettaFootball

2022 LEADERS

Russell Bey .............72 car. ...313 yds. ......2 TD

PASSING

Chase McCravy ....128/231 1448 yds. ...8 TD 11 INT

RECEIVING

Nacari Ashley ........23 rec. ..430 yds. ...2 TD

Christian Mathis ....30 rec. ..395 yds......4 TD

TACKLES

Kelvin Shaw ............73

Malachi Sanders...69

Nacari Ashley ........68

SACKS

Anthony Kruah 4

Nacari Ashley ........ 4

INTERCEPTIONS

Joseph Mosley...... 4

Coach: Richard Morgan • 8th Season • Record: 37-48 • Career: 201-68

BLUE DEVILS

From Page 50

maybe missed their season last year, are all back now and that’s an opportunity to get the ball in their hands in space,” Morgan said. On the defensive side of the ball

multiple underclassmen are stepping in including Anthony Kruah who is returning but at a different position.

“Kruah was our all-region defensive end, he’s playing linebacker so we’re excited to free him up,” Morgan said.

Kruah had 50 total tackles as

FIVE YEAR

RECORD

34-28

2022: 5-7

2021: 7-5

2020: 3-8

2019: 14-2

2018: 5-6

ALL TIME RECORD 599-444-29

REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (15) 2005, 2004, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1983, 1967, 1966, 1959, 1957, 1949, 1948 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (2) 2019, 1967

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

a sophomore defensive end.

Joseph Mosley led the team in interceptions as a junior. The defensive back had four interceptions along with 40 tackles.

“We’ve got a lot of kids that love football and we’re trying to free them up and put them in positions to let their talent shine,”

Morgan said.

Even with new faces the Blue Devils still have the same goal and are aiming to keep that same winning tradition.

“Our only sights are (the) second week of December, Mercedes Benz, playing for a championship,” Morgan said.

KICKOFF 2023 51

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Morgan is getting, taking no favors

By Nigel Whittington MDJ Sports Writer

The term “coach’s son” often carries a negative weight to it. Many believe every starting snap is given, not earned and that favoritism takes the place of skill for the son of the head coach. Luke Morgan wants to flip that narrative on its head.

“I just want to prove people wrong and let them know that I deserve to be on this field,” Luke said.

The 5-foot-9, 170-pound wide receiver plays for his father, Richard Morgan, at Marietta.

“Everyone’s dealing with the same toughness that he brings, I get it at home too,” Luke said. “But I wouldn’t change it, it makes me tougher.”

That same toughness is what Richard makes the standard for

WINS

From Page 40

family, so it’s no wonder the football program has accomplished what it has.”

Nearly three decades on from Wood’s tenure, Morgan echoed the same sentiment about the community’s present-day attitude towards his team and coaching staff.

“They were open arms immediately, and very accepting and inviting,” Morgan said. “Nobody in this community has not been

his players, regardless of the last name on the jersey.

“Being a coach, I’m very demanding and have high standards for my players so when I had my own children, they understood that,” Richard said. “Nothing was different for them.”

This is the same case for Luke who earned his way onto the field as a three-year starter. He caught 10 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown last year for the Blue Devils.

Being a starter for the Blue Devils is something Richard says is only earned and never given.

“On the football field, with my team they’re all my sons, and they all know that,” Richard said.

“I love my sons but the team comes first and if you are the best at your position, it is your position.”

Luke was a part of an offense that consisted of multiple senior

supportive, and everyone wanted to help in any way. It’s a great place to be.”

As the program approaches win No. 600, there’s a consensus feeling among past and present coaches and players alike of pride and satisfaction in the program’s continued success.

Hall said it is a testament to the collective hard work and dedication put into the program each and every day.

“I think it means the world (to reach 600 wins),” Hall said.

“Everyone has put in their time and effort to sustain excellence.

receivers, with each totalling more than 250 receiving yards. Now that the seniors have graduated, an increase in productivity and responsibility rests on Luke’s shoulders.

“It’s the whole senior class’ team,” Luke said. “It falls on us and that’s pressure but I think it’s a good thing because we have a good senior class.”

Luke is adapting to his new role as a leader for the underclassmen on the team.

“I’m working on my craft more and trying to be more vocal,” Luke said. “I’m trying to let the players know the culture of what we’re trying to build here.”

While working on achieving the goals he has for himself as a leader, Luke said he had high hopes for his performance on the field this season, outside of the standard of bringing home a state title for the Blue Devils.

To see us reach that mark is unbelievable.”

Mitchell remarked about how special it is to him to be part of a program that provided him the same opportunities as the players he now coaches.

“The best part is seeing the kids develop and grow. It’s a blessing to be with a winning program and coach with great coaches, men and kids,” Mitchell said. “It’s a community I grew up in, and it’s been very enjoyable to see kids grow up and be successful while keeping the tradition going.”

“I want to try and break that touchdown record that we have here,” Luke said. “I think it’s 19 (touchdowns), I’m trying to go for 20 (touchdowns) and 1,000 yards.”

These personal goals and the goal of a state championship are what Richard expects of his players and is the standard he expects them to hold him to.

“Why would you want it any other way?” Richard said. “If you’re a player, why would you not want your coach to demand the best of you and hold you accountable to the highest level?”

For Luke, Richard and the entire team, the highest level is a championship and that is what they’re trying to achieve this year and every year.

“We’re going for a championship,” Luke said. “That’s what we have to do, not just us seniors, but all of us.”

Tinsley said that although he does not keep track of those numbers very often, he is honored to be a part of the coaching staff that looks to reach the milestone.

“I’m totally honored to be on the staff to win the 600th game,” Tinsley said. “Playing for coach Friday, and now to coach with Richard Morgan, is a wonderful feeling. It’s hard to explain, but just thinking about it, it’s truly amazing that (win No. 600) is right in front of us.”

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Reid to return Indians to previous heights

By Banji Bamidele MDJ Sports Writer

Honesty. Accountability. Relentless effort.

These are the core values new McEachern coach Kareem Reid said he hopes to instill in his players.

“Honesty breeds trust and is the foundation of a relationship,” Reid said. “Accountability involves making no excuses and getting the job done and relentless effort to be where we are supposed to be off the field and emptying the tank giving maximum effort on the field.”

An atypical 4-6 season resulted in offseason changes for the football program. Coach Franklin Stephens departed the program for the position at his alma mater, Burke County.

The Indians found their replacement in Reid, a Florida Gators

assistant defensive-line coach. A defensive-minded coach by trade, Reid said that he will use the concepts and knowledge he gained in the college sphere and implement his team with a nextlevel mindset.

The Indians have strengths in their defense, spearheaded by senior cornerback Daniel James, a Cincinnati commit. The physical corner makes it nearly impossible for receivers to get off the line of scrimmage and into their desired route.

The defense also returns Andrew Ruffin, last season’s leader in tackles (79) and sacks (6).

On the offense, quarterback Jaydon Kinney returns after an up-and-down junior campaign. Kinney threw for 1,155 yards, nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Leading receiver Robert Echols returns coming off a

Roster

year where he had 47 catches for 587 yards and four scores.

“He (Kinney) has done a good job of grabbing the bull by the horns and accepting the coaching,” Reid said. “Offensively we will be spread, throw the ball around a little bit and with tempo. When we have the opportunities we are going to hand it off and run it because we have a really good running back room that has multiple kids that can tote it.”

The running back room will be led by seniors Seth Parker, Kayden Johnson and rounded out by sophomore Jayreon Campbell. Reid said the offensive line is the position of strength and that this current group is the best that he has ever inherited in his time as a head coach. The line includes 5-foot-10, 233-pound Zayden Charity, 6-foot-1, 285pound KeyDrell Thomas and

See Indians, Page 55

54 KICKOFF 2023

8/19 vs Brookwood8/25 at Hughes 2023

9/1 Douglas County9/9 at Newton 9/15 vs Tucker 9/22 Valdosta 10/6 Harrison 10/20 at North Paulding 11/3 Hillgrove 2023

10/13 at Marietta No. Name Pos. Cl. 0 Bryce Givens DL 12 1 Jaydon Kinney QB 12 2 Daniel James DB 12 3 Terry Wilson WR 12 3 Dy’lon Womack DB 11 4 Robert Echols WR/DB 12 7 Cam Traylor WR 11 7 Kannen White LB 12 8 Seth Parker ATH 12 8 Andrew Ruffin LB 12 9 Reece Agerbeek DL 12 9 Kayden Peterson WR 12 10 Tristan Arey DB 12 10 Jayreon Campbell RB 10 12 Austin Brown DB 11 12 Kayden Johnson RB 12 13 Hezekiah Alao DB 12 13 Reginald Grogan WR 12 14 Shemar Hall DB 12 14 Zavion Harris WR 10 15 Justin Barber LB 11 15 Calvin Pittman QB 10 16 Immanuel Crum WR 12 16 David Otobo DL 11 18 Tyrone Benton QB 10 19 Coledye Wamock ATH 12 No. Name Pos. Cl. 20 Kaden Stroud QB 11 20 Tyce Williams DL 11 21 Jacobi Fox WR 12 21 RJ Harris DB 11 22 Myles Character DB 11 22 Malachi Reyes RB 10 23 Elisha James DB 11 24 Demarcus Cleaves RB 11 24 Jaiden James DB 10 25 Jesse Jallah WR 12 25 Brad Menhorn LB 11 26 Devin Felton LB 11 26 Deyi White RB 12 27 Marion Clark WR 11 27 Jachai Hackney DB 10 28 Kiyante Ingram DB 10 28 Michael Shelby WR 10 29 Alexander Smith DB 11 30 Chukwuma Opene LB 11 30 MJ Smith WR 11 31 Zion Anderson RB 10 32 Dominic Marshall DB 10 33 Collins Irozuru LB 12 34 Travis Moore DL 10 35 Kornelius Pettway RB 11 36 Sean Draggin DB 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 37 Desmond Hammond DB 12 38 Darrius Harris DB 10 39 Robert Nesmith DB 10 40 Robert Hudson DB 10 41 Javion Williams DB 10 42 Armon King DB 10 43 Damian Burts LB 10 45 Sharod Gatson LB 12 46 Sekai Pegues DL 10 47 Ethan Carlton DB 10 50 Brayden Irby LB 10 51 Trejuan Walker DL 10 52 Martavius Candies DL 10 53 Justin Sinon K/P 10 55 Paul Bowling OL 11 57 Khaleed Carter LB 10 60 Jason Doss OL 10 61 Antoine Bryant OL 10 62 Landon Clements DL 11 62 Qui’Marion Ross OL 10 63 Jaden Miller OL 11 64 Tyler Ameen K/P 11 65 Shackiar Wisdom OL 10 66 Daryon Thompson DL 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 69 Darius Biggins OL 11 70 Gael Aguina-Ortiz DL 10 71 Kaleb Forrest OL 11 72 Lovar Cusic OL 10 73 Zayden Charity OL 12 75 KeyDrell Thomas OL 12 76 Leon Wesley OL 12 77 Lucas Marquez OL 10 78 Parker McClendon OL 12 79 Jeremiah Boykin OL 11 80 Owen Irozuru WR 10 81 Keyshon Douglas WR 11 83 Jakai Greshman WR 11 84 Jonathan Rodriguez K/P 11 87 Zamar Williams WR 12 88 Ivan Kynes TE 12 89 Chris Kennedy WR 12 90 Cimeyon Jordon DL 11 91 Jeremiyah Wright LB 10 92 Dabriel Yap LB 10 93 Arinze Opene DL 10 94 Jaelyd Labon LB 10 96 Albert Butler DL 11 97 Victor Rodriguez K/P 10 Anthony Jordan LB 10 revor Williams DL 10

MCEACHERN INDIANS

Schedule

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https://mceachernsports.com/football

Twitter: @McEachernFtball Instagram: @mceachernftball

2022 RESULTS VARSITY

North Gwinnett ..................20-32............L

Hughes ................................21-47............L

Douglas County .................35-31..........W

Newton ................................31-21..........W

Tucker .................................51-20..........W

Valdosta ...............................14-24............L

Harrison .................................10-7..........W

Marietta ...............................16-34............L

North Paulding .....................7-14............L

Hillgrove ..............................15-16............L

Kareem Reid ...........................HC

Derek Segaloff........................OC

Aaron Sheppard.....................DC

Jabari Wilder.............................OL

Chip Russel ..............................QB

Hans Batichon ........................WR

TJ Rhaming .............................WR

Calvin Middleton ..............ST/RB

Lou George ..............................DB

Chris Cody ................................DB

Phillip Hoskins...........................LB

Carlton Hadley Jr. ....................LB

Michael Martin .....................DFO

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

OL Kofi Amichia (2008-11), ..................South Florida, Green Bay Packers

OL Tremayne Anchrum (2015-18), ...............Clemson, Los Angeles Rams

RB Rajaan Bennett (2006-2009), ................................................Vanderbilt

DL Jamil Burroughs (2013-16),.........................................................Alabama

OL Chuma Edoga (2011-14), ......................................USC, Dallas Cowboys

DL Ted Laurent (2003-06), .....................Mississippi, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

OL Adam Meadows (1988-91),........................Georgia, Indianapolis Colts

DL Julian Rochester (2012-15), ..........................................................Georgia

QB A.J. Suggs (1995-98), .........................................................Georgia Tech

2022 LEADERS

RUSHING

Jaylon Brown .........193 car. . 1083 yds. ...8 TD

PASSING

Jaydon Kinney ......87/179 ...1155 yds. ....9TD ..10INT

RECEIVING

RJ Echols .................47 rec....587 yds. .....4 TD

TACKLES

Andrew Ruffin .......79

Matthew Draper ...75

SACKS Andrew Ruffin ....... 6 Matthew Draper ... 4

INTERCEPTIONS Christian Lynn ........ 1

Coach: Kareem Reid • 1st Season • Record: 0-0 • Career: 45-17

From Page 54

6-foot-2, 305-pound lineman

Parker McClendon.

“They’ve played a whole lot of football and they want to be

nasty and physical up front,” he said “We need to improve on the defensive line because we don’t have a lot of depth, so we need to develop the younger guys.”

McEachern finished with a 1-3 record in Region 3AAAAAAA last

FIVE

2022: 4-6

2021: 7-5

2020: 4-6

2019: 12-1 2018: 8-4

1990, 1989, 1987, 1986 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

season. The Indians would have made the playoffs with a victory against rival Hillgrove in the final game of the season, but they lost 16-15 on the final play of the game.

Reid said his goal is to go from worst to first and get the

Indians back on track.

“Every year our goal is to win the region and make it into the playoffs,” he said. “Our goal is to reestablish the brand that McEachern is, and to be the most disciplined team that plays the hardest.”

KICKOFF 2023 55

McEACHERN INDIANS

YEAR RECORD 35-22

COACHING STAFF

2021, 2019,

1999, 1998,

1991,

ALL TIME RECORD 434-263-10 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (19)

2016, 2015, 2012, 2010, 2009,

1997, 1996, 1995, 1993, 1992,

INDIANS

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Campbell ready to follow path of big-time backs

By Banji Bamidele MDJ Sports Writer

Legacy has a lasting impact on those that will come after you.

McEachern has produced high level collegiate running backs from the likes of Taj Griffin (Oregon), Jordan Simmons (Michigan State) and Paris Brown (Pittsburgh).

The idea of legacy and following in the path of the past backs weighs heavy in the mind of sophomore Jayreon “J.J.” Campbell as he is prepared to leave his own legacy as the next great McEachern running back.

“I want everyone in the McEachern area and Powder Springs community to know that I came here to work and I take part of the great running backs game and make it part of mine,” Campbell said. He credits new coach Kareem Reid for helping his development and for helping him get the

exposure to college programs.

The 5-foot-11 sophomore has already amassed college offers from Georgia Tech, Michigan, Ole Miss, Louisville and Austin Peay.

“The new coaching staff has us doing certain drills like outside zone work which we consistently rep,” he said. “Once we get into the game it will help us because it will already be instilled in us.”

Campbell said team chemistry is at an all time high and some of his closest confidants are the ones that help him be the most successful on the field.

“Every time I get a good run or good yards I always say that I could not have done it without my offensive line,” he said. “Our relationship off the field matters as much as the one on the field and I make sure that we are good at all times.”

As a running back, reaction time is important. Once the ball

is snapped, you make a split second decision on where you will take your first step and which hole you will charge into.

Once he is out of the huddle, he looks at his reads and analyzes the linebackers and defensive lineman’s positioning to see which alley he will take. Campbell takes a deep breath and makes a quick prayer to God before each play.

“I have to make sure my alignment is good so the quarterback and I have good exchanges which we rep in practice,” he said.

Campbell said it does not take a lot to motivate him because he witnesses the day-to-day impact he has on younger and older teammates who watch him and follow his lead on and off the field.

Campbell is listed at 190-pounds and has twitch-like quickness for a player of his size. He models his game after former Georgia Tech and Alabama back Jahmyr Gibbs.

“(Gibbs has a) quick twitch and he is very fast,” he said. “I am not that fast yet but I will get there.”

Last season, Campbell had 54 carries for 236 yards and one touchdown. He was sharing the rushing load with senior Jaylon Brown, but now will take the majority of snaps and has his sights on a record year.

“I want 1,500 rushing yards, which is a personal goal,” he said. “Team goal is to make it to the state championship or at least deep into the playoffs.”

Campbell said that the two games he has his eyes on are the opener against Langston Hughes and the closing game against Hillgrove.

“To make a statement, we need to beat Langston Hughes,” he said. “Hillgrove was a different type of loss when you lose to a certain team that you were not supposed to lose to.”

56 KICKOFF 2023

Stalcup

Special - Anthony

Jayreon Campbell is poised to take on the role of McEachern’s next big-time running back.

Walton, North Cobb to tangle for top spot again

By Nigel Whittington MDJ Sports Writer

For the past three seasons, North Cobb had a step up on Walton and the rest of Region 5 AAAAAAA.

Even after last year’s region realignment, the Warriors posed the same threat despite new opponents. While the Raiders have always seemed to be one step behind, this season seems to be a turning point in the rivalry.

Jeremy Hecklinski, a Wake Forest commit, returns as the signalcaller for the Raiders and he did an outstanding job leading the team to the state quarterfinals, throwing for 3,520 yards and 37 touchdowns. Hecklinski propelled the Raiders to second place in the region, with their only loss coming against North Cobb.

Raiders coach Daniel Brunner said he has respect for the Warriors’ program, but also knew what this rivalry meant for his players.

“They hold the belt right now and it’s our job to go knock ‘em off.” Brunner said. “For our kids to achieve that goal of winning the region, it’s going to go through North Cobb. I won’t lie to you, that game is important to the boys, it’s important to our coaching staff.”

On the other side of the rivalry stands North Cobb, who made it to the top of the region and the third round of the playoffs with a new face at quarterback last season. While Malachi Singleton was the Warriors’ starter at the beginning of the season, Nick Grimstead took over for the current Arkansas Razorback, and using last year’s experience, will attempt to duplicate the region success.

Grimstead will have some continuity with running back David Eziomume, who is arguably the best athlete on the team. The 6-foot-1, 205 pound Clemson commit carried the ball 48 times and produced 490 yards and six touchdowns on the ground with 26 receptions for 252 yards and three receiving touchdowns.

Warriors’ coach Shane Queen said this rivalry does nothing but make his team better.

“You wanna be compared to the best team in your region.” Queen said. “They bring out the best in us and I hope we do the

PREDICTION

1. WALTON

2. NORTH COBB

3. KENNESAW MTN.

4. WHEELER

5. CHEROKEE

6. OSBORNE

same. Our boys know the region championship goes through Walton so you don’t have to motivate your team when your team is trying to be the best and beat the best.”

The rivalry runs deep, with top players from both teams saying this year’s game between the Raiders and Warriors is one they have circled on their calendars. The game opens up region play for both teams on Oct. 6, and will more than likely determine the winner of the region.

Wheeler finished third in the region and was one of the three teams to finish 2-3. This was done on the back of the county’s leading rusher, Josiah Allen, who rushed for over 1,700 yards and 16 touchdowns. The Wildcats’ success in the region depends on the junior, who averaged 159.2 yards a game.

Cherokee was fourth in the region and was the final team to make a playoff appearance. The Warriors are also looking to make a bigger splash in the playoffs as they enter the second year of the region.

Kennesaw Mountain also finished 2-3 in the region, but 7-3 overall. Unfortunately for the Mustangs, they were the odd team left out of the playoffs. They will have to restock the roster this season after losing quarterback Cayman Prangley, wide receiver Caden Lee (Mississippi), offensive lineman Connor Lew (Auburn) and defensive back Jaylen Moson (Furman).

Osborne turned a 1-9 season in 2021 into a 5-5 season a year ago. While the Cardinals failed to win a region game, with continued improvements on both sides of the ball in Year 3 of the Luqman Salam era, a third or fourth spot in the region and its first playoff appearance since 1994 could be on the horizon.

Midway Covenant Christian School

KICKOFF 2023 57

REGION 5AAAAAAA

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Special - Greg Spell Jeremy Hecklinski and Walton will try to dethrone North Cobb as the Region 5AAAAAAA champions.

Warriors set to extend record playoff run

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

Cherokee’s young guns are up.

The Warriors’ junior class is beaming with potential, between quarterback Tanner Savasir, who threw for 1,606 yards last season, his receiving corps and a dynamic running back duo.

Cherokee extended its playoff streak to a school-record five consecutive seasons. Now, with a full season of starting experience in Class AAAAAAA and plenty of time to learn second-year offensive coordinator Kevin Burnette’s system, the Warriors are striving for another playoff return.

“We are just bigger, stronger and faster from being in the weight room,” coach Josh Shaw said. “When we started sophomores, we were going up against teams that bench twice as much as we are. Now they’ve gotten the opportunity to get stronger

and physically make it through a (Class AAAAAAA) season in our region.”

Cherokee’s run game projects to take a step forward in 2023 with a combination of juniors Jared Jones and Christian Irwin.

Jones’ role will dramatically increase after he tallied just 16 yards on five carries last season. Irwin, on the other hand, battled injuries in 2022 but still finished with 168 yards and one touchdown on 40 carries as the Warriors’ second-leading rusher.

Keeping that duo healthy throughout the season tops Shaw’s to-do list, with them poised to complement an explosive passing offense.

“We’ve got thunder and lightning,” Shaw said. “Jared is our lightning. He’s got extremely good hands coming out of the backfield, and we are excited about him. Then we’ve got Christian. He’s our tackle-to-tackle pounder.

He’ll be our counter-power and inside-zone guy. They bring two completely different skill sets.”

Cherokee returns all three of its top receivers from last year in senior Pops Jameson (400 yards, four touchdowns), junior Jayce Jones (325 yards, three touchdowns) and junior Gracen Sexton (253 yards, two touchdowns).

Savasir said he’s made substantial strides in his accuracy and reads leading into 2023. The dual-threat quarterback is a different player than former standout AJ Swann, but Savasir said he learned plenty from the nowVanderbilt quarterback.

With his 1,606 yards, Savasir threw a county-best 14 touchdowns to nine interceptions while leading an offense that averaged 18.1 points per game. Shaw expects the Cherokee offense to be much more dangerous

See Warriors, Page 59

58 KICKOFF 2023 What other gym flexes your community spirit? You Belong Here. Cherokee Outdoor YMCA in Woodstock G. Cecil Pruett YMCA in Canton 770.345.9622 Canton 1625 Ballground Hwy. (Across From Walmart) Woodstock 12035 Hwy. 92 (92 @ Trickum) BASH NIGHT Monday & Wednesday All you can eat wings Good Luck This Season! CHEROKEE WARRIORS 8/18 at Cartersville8/25 Etowah 2023 Schedule 9/1 at Woodstock9/8 at Sequoyah 9/15 West Forsyth10/6 Wheeler 10/13 at Osborne 10/27 at North Cobb11/3 Kennesaw Mtn. 2023 Roster No. Name Pos. Cl. 0 Jared Jones RB 11 1 Jayce Jones WR/DB 11 2 Tanner Savasir QB 11 3 Weston Bergman DB 12 4 Pops Jameson WR 12 5 Gracen Sexton WR/DB 11 6 Cayden Hilliard DB 12 6 Israel Conway WR 11 7 Ethan Vecsey TE 12 8 Tre Walton DB 12 8 Asa West QB 10 9 Charles Dahlen LB 11 9 Pharell Dutailly WR 12 10 Braiden Satterfield DB 11 11 Wyatt Lucas DB 12 11 Jack Ruban WR 10 12 Hunter Blackerby TE 12 13 Quinton Brown-Westbrook WR 12 14 Giancarlo Ortiz K/DB 11 16 Wyatt Tash TE 11 17 Jordan Brown-Westbrook DB 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 18 Everett Watkins LB 11 19 Brooks Adams DB 10 20 Andy Debaker LB 12 20 Jayson Moore RB 10 21 Elijah Foote DB 10 22 Brayden Nuckolls LB 11 23 Keynon Hunter DL 12 24 Christian Irwin RB 11 24 Devon Weathers DB 10 25 Gino Quintero RB 10 26 Chris Allen WR 10 27 Malakiah Echols WR 11 28 Alex Perales LB 11 29 Gaylon Sanders WR 10 30 Javon Hobson DL 12 30 Selvin Bernabe DB 11 31 Griffin Goodrow DB 10 32 Chase Horton WR 10 33 Jeremiah Saddyk RB 11 34 Jordan Echols WR 10 36 Major Knight TE 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 37 Patrick Berutich LB 11 39 Jordan Lingerfelt WR 10 40 Chase Montgomery LB 12 41 Jayce Carson LB 11 42 Kolton Martin LB 10 43 William Dragoone LB 10 44 Caleb Roderick DB 10 45 Luke Fazzio DL 10 49 Andrew Trowers RB 10 51 William Slanina DL 12 52 Kayson Simmons LB 10 54 Patrick Crowley OL 12 56 Logan Jacobs LB 10 58 Cooper Byerly OL 12 59 Anthony Bogdady OL 10 60 Max Solomon OL 12 64 Dillon Balser OL 12 65 Owen Jiles OL 10 66 Carson Patten OL 11 68 Noland Painter OL 11 69 Courtney Minott Jr OL 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 70 Gabe Payne DL 12 71 Axel Atkins DL 11 72 Alan Ortega OL 12 74 Spencer Kelly OL 11 75 JD Burn OL/DL 12 76 Andrew Banks DL 10 77 Jyles Carson OL 10 78 Hayden Burch DL 10 80 King Belin WR 10 81 Gavin Stewart LB 10 82 Hunter Gould WR 10 83 Chris Nathenson WR 10 84 Zachery Fullen WR 10 85 Ian Klebar WR 10 86 Brandon Edmondson WR 10 87 Spencer Radnoti DL/LS 12 88 Eli Woody DL 10 97 Reed Chandley K/P 12 99 Malcolm Coney DL 11

10/20 Walton

Cartersville ...........................0-35............L

CHEROKEE WARRIORS

930 Marietta Hwy, Canton, GA 30114 •

Tommy Baker Field

https://chswarriors.org/teams/3131564/boys/football/varsity

Twitter: @WarriorsCHS Facebook: @CherokeeWarriorTDClub

2022 RESULTS VARSITY COACHING

Etowah .................................30-31............L

Woodstock ...........................34-6..........W

Sequoyah ...........................14-30............L

West Forsyth ........................7-34............L

Wheeler ..............................21-35............L

Osborne ..............................29-25..........W

Walton ....................................3-41............L

North Cobb .........................17-47............L

Kennesaw Mountain.........30-14..........W

State Playoffs

Milton ..................................14-28............L

Josh Shaw .........................HC

Jason McDaniel .............AHC

David Blaylock ................DFO

Kevin Burnette Jr ......OC/QB

Brett O’Buck ......................OL

Justin Berutich ..................TE

Niagel Curtis ......................RB

Jeremy Law .......................WR

Andrew Harris ..................WR

Davis Harvey..............DC/DB

Mitch Smith ........................DL

Jeff Joiner ..........................LB

Bobby Evans ......................LB

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

RB Brittain Brown (2012-15) ...............................UCLA, Las Vegas Raiders

WR Jayson Foster (1999-2002).........Georgia Southern, Miami Dolphins

QB A.J. Swann (2018-21) ...............................................................Vanderbilt

WR Montrell Washington (2013-16) .................Samford, Denver Broncos

2022 LEADERS

RUSHING

Zi Johnson ..............86 car....375 yds. .....1 TD

PASSING

Tanner Savasir....165/272 ...1606 yds. ....14TD ..9 INT

RECEIVING

Pops Jameson ......32 rec. ..400 yds. ....4 TD

Jayce Jones ...........32 rec. ..325 yds......3 TD

TACKLES

Daniel Young ..................89

Chase Montgomery 87

Javon Hobson................58

SACKS

Kyan Simmons ......11 Javon Hobson....... 7

FIVE YEAR RECORD

29-27

2022: 3-8

2021: 5-6

2020: 8-3

2019: 8-4

2018: 5-6

Coach: Josh Shaw • 12th Season • Record: 53-66 • Career: 53-66

From Page 58

going forward.

“Their chemistry has been evident this summer,” Shaw said. “Their ball security is probably the No. 1 thing that’s improved. In order for our offense to be

efficient, we need to catch the balls and secure it. We’ve refined the details.”

The Warriors’ Aug. 18 seasonopener against Cartersville will be an important test. It’s the sixth year in a row the teams will meet, with Cherokee’s lone win in the series coming in a low-scoring 14-12 affair in 2020.

After that matchup, the Warriors will face off with Etowah and Woodstock before diving into their challenging Region 5AAAAAAA schedule. Cherokee came through in a do-or-die game against Kennesaw Mountain to sneak into the 2022 playoffs, and with team chemistry a strength, the only way to go is up.

“One of the biggest things this year is how connected this team is and how they play for each other,” Shaw said. “We break it down on family, and I know a lot of people do that, but this group is truly a family. They love each other, and that goes a long way.”

KICKOFF 2023 59

INTERCEPTIONS Jayce

Jones 3

STAFF

STATE

ALL TIME RECORD 275-411-7 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 2002

CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

WARRIORS

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60 KICKOFF 2023

Special - Anthony Stalcup J.D. Burn, Javon Hobson and Keynon Hunter make up a big part of the Cherokee defensive line, which will be one of the team anchors heading into the 2023 season.

Veteran D-line to pace Warriors in ’23

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

Cherokee coach Josh Shaw said it best when he called his veteran defensive line group the “cornerstone” of his defense.

Composed of six seniors in J.D. Burn, Keynon Hunter, Javon Hobson, Spencer Radnoti, Gabe Payne and Will Slanina, the Warriors’ defensive line is loaded ahead of the 2023 season.

Already with a school-record five consecutive state playoff appearances after sneaking into last year’s bracket, Cherokee’s senior D-linemen are determined to make it six.

“We have all the motivation in the world right now,” Burn said. “All of us want to get back, even the ones that are not seniors. They know that we could have done better last year, and now we want to improve on it.”

Burn (6-foot-2, 220-pounds), Hobson (6-2, 265-pounds) and Hunter (6-3, 240-pounds) make

up Cherokee’s starting group, with the other three rotating. Hobson led the unit with 58 tackles in 2022, including seven tackles for loss, seven sacks and two forced fumbles.

Hunter and Burn each registered 42 tackles last year, with Hunter picking up three sacks and Burn amassing 15 quarterback hurries.

“We can have the biggest impact on the field,” Hunter said. “We are coming out with all the energy. There is an amazing group of D-linemen on this team. It’s the physicality. Going up against someone twice your size sometimes and beating them on the line.”

This season, Burn will be pulling double duty, playing his usual defensive line role while also starting at right guard along the offensive front. Endurance will determine Burn’s effectiveness late in games, but it’s something he spent the offseason preparing for.

“It’s just the fundamentals,”

Burn said. “Knowing that when the fourth quarter comes around, I’m still 100%, and we are still 100%. This team gets conditioned more than most teams. We can last longer than most teams.”

Hunter possesses the biggest frame of the Warriors’ starting trio, as he eats up space and often warrants a double team. He secured his third sack of the 2022 season in Cherokee’s first-round playoff matchup with Milton and finished that game with five tackles and another tackle for loss.

An All-Cherokee County wrestler as a sophomore and junior, Hobson showcased skills that make him effective in the trenches. He said the wrestling experience has improved his footwork.

Hobson was third in the county in sacks last season, behind only teammate Kyan Simmons (11) and River Ridge’s Ethan Anderson (nine). He was another critical performer in keeping Cherokee’s playoff game within striking distance. Hobson tallied 10 tackles,

two tackles for loss and one forced fumble.

“It makes me sad to know that next year we’ll have to replace them,” Shaw said. “We’re even able to dabble on offense with those guys because they have been such constant starters for us. The three of them have been unblockable at some of our camps.”

All six of Cherokee’s defensive linemen have played together and built chemistry for years, and Hunter said their goal is to be the greatest team to ever compete for the program.

The group exudes confidence, and they’re ready to show it on the field.

“We can definitely be the best in the county, if not the state,” Hobson said. “We have the talent to go far enough, and we showed that last year. It’s like a brotherhood. I’ve been playing with these guys since I moved over here. It’s a great bond to have. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

KICKOFF 2023 61 Canton 1625 Ballground Hwy. (Across From Walmart) Woodstock 12035 Hwy. 92 (92 @ Trickum) BASH NIGHT Monday & Wednesday All you can eat wings Good Luck This Season!

Mindset key to Mustangs’ season in 2023

By John James MDJ Sports Writer

Kennesaw Mountain coach

Caleb Carmean had a message for his team over the offseason.

After finishing his fifth season at the helm — a 7-3 campaign that ended without a postseason appearance — Carmean wanted to change the culture around the team. To do that, he said he needs to change the mindset of his players.

Entering an offseason in which Kennesaw Mountain lost more than 20 seniors, Carmean said he needed to connect with the underclassmen who were receiving larger roles as a result of those departures. He focused on those relationships to help convey his message.

“For us, it’s about attacking every day,” Carmean said. “I want our guys to come out with a mentality in which they want

to strive to be 1-0 every single day. And I think if you do a good job of attacking each day, that success will come on the field on Friday nights.”

One player receiving a larger role this year will be senior quarterback Tyson Harmon, who started the last two games of 2022. Harmon threw for 540 yards and seven touchdowns in his starts last season. This will be his first full season as the starting signal-caller.

Harmon’s primary receivers will be sophomores Nalin Scott and Kobe Lewis. Scott caught 18 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns. He already has a number of offers from Division I universities including Georgia, Georgia Tech and South Carolina, thanks in part to an imposing 6-foot-3 frame that allows him to outmaneuver smaller defensive backs. Lewis is arriving from Mount Paran Christian, where he

caught 20 passes for 207 yards during his freshman season.

Much like the receivers, Carmean said the offensive line will also be young. The Mustangs are losing offensive linemen Connor Lew, who is at Auburn, and Ben Smith, who had started together for the previous three seasons. In their absence, Carmean will need to appoint a pair of fresh faces.

“We’ve definitely got some pieces to replace,” Carmean said. “But the group we have coming back is really solid as far as doing a great job of playing together. They’re really strong and very athletic.”

That inexperience will be mirrored on the defensive line, which Carmean said would be occupied by several sophomores and juniors in 2023. The coach described his defense as extremely aggressive, saying the

See Mustangs, Page 63

62 KICKOFF 2023 PIEDMONT CHURCH SUPPORTS KENNESAW MOUNTAIN FOOTBALL GO MUSTANGS! piedmontchurch.tv 570 Piedmont Road • Marietta • 770-422-2566 KENNESAW MOUNTAIN MUSTANGS 8/18 at Creekside8/25 at Campbell 2023 Schedule 9/1 North Paulding9/15 at Harrison 9/22 South Cobb10/6 Osborne 10/13 at Walton 10/27 Wheeler11/3 at Cherokee

10/20 at North Cobb No. Name Pos. Cl. 2 Nalin Scott WR/LB 10 3 Michael Bell WR/DB 12 4 Tysen Price QB/DB 12 5 Hayden McDougal TE/LB 12 6 Nyle Winston RB/DB 11 7 Tyson Harmon QB 12 8 Ray Carthen WR/DB 12 9 Kobe Lewis WR/DB 10 10 Jeremiah Tatum WR/DB 11 11 Caden Brooks WR/DB 12 12 Carson Lew QB 9 13 Chase Walker WR/DB 12 14 Noah Voltaire QB 10 15 Jayden Deloach TE/LB 10 16 Chase Jones RB/LB 12 17 Chris Miller QB 9 18 Peyton Simpson QB 10 19 Liam Grannis LS 11 20 Drew Fiedler RB/LB 12 21 Ryan Ford RB/LB 12 No. Name Pos. Cl. 22 Nate Blake LS 12 23 Jalen Dowell WR/DB 11 24 Aiden Hatchett WR/DB 11 25 Melvin Emioma RB/LB 12 26 Austin Henderson WR/DB 12 27 Giovanni Barronette RB/LB 11 28 Tyler Worley DL 10 29 Chris Truell-Hudson WR/DB 11 30 Anthony Shaw TE/LB 10 31 Ashtun Arnold RB/LB 10 32 Adrian Madelon WR/DB 11 33 Sanjay Duprea RB/LB 11 34 Jamori Mcmichael RB/LB 9 36 Julian Byrd WR/DB 10 37 Xavier Boyd WR/DB 10 38 Prince Nixon RB/DB 11 39 James Mondesire WR/DB 10 40 Julian Drake TE/LB 11 41 Ty Roldan K 12 42 Anja Remolina K 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 43 Brandon Gac WR/LB 11 44 Sam Richardson WR/LB 10 45 Joey Barrett TE/LB 9 47 Alex Burke WR/DB 10 48 Mason Williams TE/LB 12 49 Adnon Abdulrauf RB/LB 11 50 Jacob Smith OL/DL 11 51 Elijah Burke OL/DL 11 52 Herman Gatewood OL/DL 12 53 Noah Simpson OL/DL 12 54 Jabari Tilson OL/LB 10 55 Andrew Smith OL/DL 11 56 Reily Johnson OL/LB 11 57 Bryce Erskine OL/DL 12 58 Myles Kirk OL/DL 12 59 Emilio Acevado OL/DL 11 60 Samuel Perez OL/DL 10 61 Damaris Whipple OL/DL 10 62 Melvin Brown OL/DL 11 63 Alan Mondesire OL/DL 12 No. Name Pos. Cl. 64 Bryce Roberson OL/DL 11 65 Bryson Adamson OL/DL 10 66 Quentin Thomas OL/DL 11 68 Adrian Kimble OL/DL 11 69 Chase Holbrook OL/DL 12 72 Brandon Jones OL/DL 12 73 Justin Ruiz OL/DL 9 74 Dylan Morehead OL/DL 12 75 Hanley Baltzell OL/DL 10 77 Christian Morgan OL/DL 11 80 Christian Winston TE/DL 11 81 Jeremiah Jackson-Giliham WR/DB 12 83 Xavier Kyle WR/DB 11 85 Ethan Nasurutia WR/DB 11 86 Cooper Anderson WR/DB 11 87 Devyn Gossett WR/DB 11 88 Walt Higgins WR/DB 10 89 Jeremiah Wright WR/DB 12 90 Daylin Clarke RB/DL 11 99 Damari Brinson TE/DL 11

2023 Roster

31898 Kennesaw Due West Rd NW, Kennesaw, GA 30152 • Cobb EMC/Mustang Stadium

Twitter: @KMHS_FootballGa

Cass .....................................26-25..........W

https://www.kmhsfootball.com/

Instagram: @kennesaw_mtn_football Facebook: @KMHS Mustang Football

2022 RESULTS VARSITY COACHING STAFF

Campbell .............................45-14..........W

North Paulding ..................37-36..........W

Harrison ..............................45-23..........W

South Cobb ..........................60-6..........W

Osborne ................................49-0..........W

Walton ..................................14-42............L

North Cobb ........................19-22............L

Wheeler ..............................38-35..........W

Cherokee ............................14-30............L

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

RB Keyon Brooks (2015-18),..................................................Louisiana Tech

OL Jeremy Ciulla (2004-07),...........................................................Michigan

OL Jay Finch (2005-08), ...........................................................Georgia Tech

OL Connor Lew (2019-22), ..................................................................Auburn

TE Ryland Goede (2015-18) ...............................Georgia, Mississippi State

MUSTANGS

From Page 62

team had speed on all three levels of the defense.

That aggression will have to be kept in check by safety Michael Bell and inside linebacker Hayden

McDougal, both three-year starters at their respective positions. Carmean singled them out as leaders on the defense, emphasizing their importance heading into next season.

“When you have the strength of returning an inside linebacker that started that many games, as

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

well as a safety who started that many games, those two guys kind of make sure everyone gets on the same page and is ready to play,” Carmean said.

It remains to be seen whether Carmean’s mindset of “attacking the day” will translate into victory on the football field, though the

coach said he was pleased by his players’ willingness to adopt the mentality during the offseason. If the team continues to buy in — and a few key underclassmen step up to fill in the void left by senior departures — then the Mustangs could find themselves back in the playoffs.

KICKOFF 2023 63 DEDICATED TO IMPROVING YOUR HOME COMFORT EVERYDAY Proudly serving the Greater Metro Atlanta Area for over 40 Years! BESTOF COBB P MG 2019WINNER 770-268-3055 www.DaycoSystems.com 5 YEARS WINNING     2023WINNER BESTOF COBB PRESENTED BY COBBLIFEMAGAZINE Over 50 years of Care and Compassion 2980 Lewis Street • Kennesaw, GA 30144 770-422-1554 www.bhesterdmd.com Over 50 years of Care and Compassion ALLATOONA! GOOD LUCK 2980 Lewis Street • Kennesaw, GA 30144 770-422-1554 • www.bhesterdmd.com Good Luck Kennesaw Mountain High School! Bruce A. Hester D.M.D and Chelsea M. Smith D.M.D KENNESAW MOUNTAIN MUSTANGS Coach: Caleb Carmean • 6th Season • Record: 25-27 • Career: 25-27 FIVE YEAR RECORD 25-27 2022: 7-3 2021: 10-2 2020: 4-6 2019: 0-10 2018: 4-6 Caleb Carmean ........................HC Muhammed Abdellatif ...........DC Chris Walker ......................OC/TE Dennis Stanley..........................RB Jonathan Henslee ....................LB Josh O’Kelley.............................OL Jared Parker .............................WR 2022 LEADERS RUSHING T.J. Jenkins .............81 car. ....522 yds. ....5 TD Cayman Prangley 80 car....410 yds.......8 TD PASSING Cayman Prangley ..118/195 ...1757 yds. ....19 TD ..7 INT RECEIVING Cayden Lee ............62 rec. ..901 yds.......10 TD TACKLES Hayden McDougal ...64 Ethan Voltaire ........51 Kyle McKinney.......45 SACKS David Attaochu .....3.5 Ethan Voltaire 3 Christian Winston .2 Jacob Smith

Jaylen

...........

INTERCEPTIONS Michael Bell ............ 5

Moson 4

ALL

CHAMPIONSHIPS

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

TIME RECORD 86-138 REGION

(1) 2021

(0)

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Special - Anthony Stalcup Kennesaw Mountain receiver Nalin Scott is entering

his sophomore season, but his versatility has already caught the eyes of a number of Power

5 teams, including Georgia, LSU and others.

Scott becoming Mustangs’ go-to guy

By John James MDJ Sports Writer

Kennesaw Mountain coach

Caleb Carmean first stumbled upon Nalin Scott when the athlete was in the seventh grade. The 5-foot-11 running back stood apart from the rest of his middle school team, slashing through the defense and evading would-be tacklers. Immediately, Carmean knew there was something special about him.

“It was middle school football,” Carmean said. “(The game plan was) just, ‘Get the ball to Nalin.’”

Now, a few years later, Scott is a sophomore at Kennesaw Mountain. A growth spurt — putting him at 6-foot-3 — prompted a change to receiver, and Scott hasn’t looked back.

As a freshman, the Acworth native caught 18 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns. He played behind a duo of senior receivers — Jailen Taylor and Cayden Lee — giving him the opportunity to observe and learn

from the upperclassmen.

“Last year as a freshman, he had a lot of opportunities that a lot of freshmen don’t get, because he had two great receivers in front of him,” Carmean said. “So he was a sponge. He soaked it up, and then when his time came, he took advantage of it.”

Scott worked on improving his route-running and technique during his first year of high school football, citing game speed and size as two things he needed to adjust to in his freshman campaign.

“Learning my route running and all my abilities, just getting the hang of everything because it was my first season playing wide receiver,” Scott said. “Once I got everything — all the routes and signals and all — it was alright.”

Scott started playing football at 5-years-old, cycling through a number of positions on each side of the ball before picking up receiver at the start of his freshman season. Scott’s frame is one of his biggest assets, allowing him to outmuscle smaller defenders even when he

can’t use his 38-inch vertical to leap over them for the reception.

That’s one reason he’s meshed so well with senior quarterback Tyson Harmon. Harmon threw for 600 yards last season, and is poised to compete for a starting role with the Mustangs this year.

“(Nalin is) very electric,” Harmon said. “Like, if we’re down, he’s the type of guy that can make a big play and affect the whole outcome of the game, change the motivation, change the whole mindset. He’s a great guy.”

Scott’s athleticism also brings an element of unpredictability to the offense, Carmean said. Scott’s size and speed creates mismatches across the defense, and Carmean plans to factor that versatility into next season’s gameplan.

“As a team, he allows us to be very multiple and move him around,” Carmean said. “(We can) play him in the backfield, play him attached, play out wide, play in the slot. You can play him everywhere and he creates matchup problems.”

That versatility hasn’t gone

unnoticed at the college level, either. Scott has received more than a dozen offers, including from Georgia, Tennessee and LSU. At the college camps he’s attended, Scott said that he’s been playing at both wide receiver and tight end.

“It’s amazing,” Scott said of the attention from colleges. “I just (have to) stay humble and stick to what I know and not quit.”

Carmean said that Scott was gaining information and collecting details from all the different schools that are currently showing interest in him. Scott said he hasn’t put together a list of priorities regarding a potential college decision yet.

The sophomore emphasized his desire to take things slow, continuing to focus on his craft and develop as a player with each and every successive snap.

“The future’s bright if he continues to work like he has and continues to improve and get better,” Carmean said. “I think great things will come for him.”

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Warriors look for fourth straight region title

By Gunter Schroeder MDJ Sports Writer

North Cobb’s season last fall could be likened to a roller coaster ride with all the ups and downs the Warriors faced during their 2022 campaign.

When star quarterback Malachi Singleton went down with a season-ending foot injury in just their second game, the outlook seemed bleak for the rest of the season. In stepped sophomore Nick Grimstead, who righted the ship and led North Cobb to a third straight region title in Class AAAAAAA.

Totaling 1,829 total yards from scrimmage and 18 touchdowns in 10 games, Grimstead filled the quarterback role well, leading North Cobb to an 8-2 record as the starter. Despite Grimstead’s excellent play, North Cobb’s season ended in the second round for the third straight year at the

hands of the eventual Class AAAAAAA state champion Mill Creek. Despite the loss and the roster turnover, North Cobb coach Shane Queen is confident his team can take another step in 2023.

“We ran into a buzzsaw in Mill Creek and we did lose some great seniors, but at the same time, our program has done a great job of developing young players,” Queen said. “We have lots of contributors returning, and I’m excited about the youth of our team.”

The team will be led on offense by Grimstead, who returns to captain the team at quarterback, along with standout running back David Eziomume, who totaled 742 yards and nine touchdowns last year as a dual threat receiving back. The wide receiver room will be led by Elijah Lee, who looks set for a breakout season at both wide receiver and defensive back in 2023. Defensively,

the Warriors are a well-rounded unit from front to back, with key contributors returning at linebacker in Grayson Hodges and defensive back in Cayden Trotter and Phillip Gladney. Queen said the amount of talent coming back for North Cobb this season is a big positive.

“Nick’s gonna have a great year after the experience he gained last year. We’re really excited about Eziomume and Grimstead,” Queen said. “Defensively, we’re gonna be strong. We’ve got a strong defensive line and deep secondary with guys like Hodges, Gladney and Trotter that are gonna be big this season.”

As the team transitions focus to the 2023 season, the main focus for players and coaches alike has been on the details that have, in part, cost North Cobb a chance to make a deep playoff run in years past. Queen said

See Warriors, Page 67

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3400 Old 41 Hwy NW, Kennesaw GA 30144 • Emory Sewell Stadium

Twitter: @NCWarriorsFB

2022 RESULTS

Westlake ...............................21-17..........W

Buford ..................................14-21............L

Marietta ..............................35-21..........W

Northside .............................17-20............L

Milton .....................................21-7..........W

Walton ...................................33-6..........W

Wheeler ...............................45-14..........W

Kennesaw Mountain.........22-19..........W

Cherokee .............................47-17..........W

Osborne ................................35-0..........W

State Playoffs

Denmark .............................42-10..........W

Mill Creek .............................7-43............L

https://northcobbfootball.com/

Instagram: @northcobbfootball

VARSITY COACHING

Facebook: @North Cobb football

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

DL Christian Albright (2013-17), .... Ball State, Saskatchewan Roughriders (CFL)

OL Mike Fredenburg (1987-90), ...............................East Tennessee State

LB Eric Norwood (2002-05), ...............South Carolina, Carolina Panthers

DL Derrick Lott (2007-10) ....................Chattanooga, Philadelphia Eagles

QB Malachi Singleton (2019-22), ...................................................Arkansas

TE Darren Waller (2007-10), .....................Georgia Tech, New York Giants

LB Chandler Wooten (2013-16),.......................Auburn, Carolina Panthers

WARRIORS

From Page 66

the environment of the program has been a big positive so far this offseason.

“I love the culture of this group and program,” Queen said. “Our big motto has been to win the moment. Every rep is valuable, and all of them work tremendously

..147

Ben Trelles ..............140

Kam Owens............125

SACKS

Andrew Trelles 5

Grayson Hodges 5

Kam Owens............ 3

INTERCEPTIONS

Jordan Lonas 3

Caleb Jenkins

hard in the weight room and classroom and do many of the little things right. You don’t know when the deciding factor of the game is, and we feel we left games there and made mistakes ourselves.”

North Cobb will be attempting to win a fourth consecutive region championship in Class AAAAAAA. It won’t be easy in a region containing a loaded Walton squad likely to be favorites and programs at

ALL TIME RECORD 368-312-3

REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (7) 2022, 2021, 2020, 2013, 2007, 1979, 1959

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

Kennesaw Mountain, Cherokee, Wheeler and Osborne looking to take the next step this season. With a tough non-region schedule which includes perennial Class AAAAAAA contenders such as Buford, Milton and Westlake, Queen said he expects every game to be a battle. However, he has faith his squad is ready for the challenge.

“When you open against Westlake, Buford, Milton, and Marietta,

you don’t have to motivate your kids a lot,” Queen said. “We have to work every time we walk on this campus and prepare all offseason for these teams. It’s not hard to get players’ attention with a schedule like that. We want to be mentioned with the Bufords, the Carrolltons, the Mill Creeks. To do that, our kids are working hard and they’ll be prepared when the time comes.”

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RUSHING David Mbadinga ..125 car. 761 yds. ......10 TD PASSING Nick Grimstead .....93/149...1,482 yds. ..12 TD ..2 TD Malachi Singleton 22/44 ....192 yds.......1 TD...2 INT RECEIVING Xavier Jackson .....25 rec. ..368 yds......1 TD David Eziomume ..26 rec. ..252 yds. ....3 TD TACKLES Grayson Hodges

LEADERS

Elijah Lee ..................................

STAFF

68 KICKOFF 2023 FAST SERVICE! 770.422.PLUM

Special - Anthony Stalcup Nick Grimstead stepped into the starting role last year and helped lead North Cobb to the second round of the playoffs. Now, he hopes that experience will help him lead the team on a deeper playoff run in 2023.

Grimstead ready to take next step

By Gunter Schroeder MDJ Sports Writer

When North Cobb quarterback Nick Grimstead stepped onto the field for the first time in an important showdown against Marietta last September, it was a situation almost no one would have seen coming.

Heading into the 2022 season full of promise, North Cobb looked strong at quarterback, as current Arkansas quarterback Malachi Singleton looked set to take the reins of the offense with Grimstead on the sidelines. But that all changed against Buford on Sept. 2. When Singleton went down with what turned out to be a broken foot in just the second game of the season, it was Grimstead who stepped into the role of starting quarterback.

Coach Shane Queen saw in Grimstead a player that was prepared for the spotlight of Georgia high school football.

“I was proud of him for embracing the ‘next man up’ mentality

we talk about,” Queen said. “He was ready when his time came, and it had a lot to do with coach Clark, our offensive coordinator, having those guys ready at all times. He came in and we didn’t miss a beat on offense.”

The preparation paid off, as Grimstead led North Cobb to a 35-21 victory over Marietta in his first varsity start and never looked back.

In 10 games, Grimstead showcased an ability to throw and run the football efficiently. He completed nearly 70% of his passes for 1,334 yards, 11 touchdown passes and just one interception while adding 290 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. His ability to pass and run at a high level was a big reason why North Cobb went a perfect 5-0 in region play to capture a third consecutive region title in Class AAAAAAA in 2022.

“I would agree my dual-threat ability is my biggest strength,” Grimstead said. “My arm strength is really what sets me apart as a

passer. I can run pretty well, but I’d say I break away when I need to break away.”

Grimstead finished with an 8-2 record as a starter, the best game of which was a dominant performance against region rivals Walton on October 7. Aided by a shutdown performance from the defense, Grimstead completed 6-of-8 passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns while running for 53 yards and another score, as North Cobb cruised to a 33-6 victory.

“I’d say the best performance I had was definitely against Walton,” Grimstead said. “It was an important region game and the whole team prepared and played really well.”

Grimstead continued his breakout season into the Class AAAAAAA playoffs with a 42-10 first-round playoff win against Denmark. Despite North Cobb’s season ending with a second-round defeat to the eventual state champion Mill Creek, Queen believes the experience Grimstead gained

will be vital this upcoming season.

“Having (10) games that he played last year, the games start really slowing down for you,” Queen said. “He came in on offense, we didn’t miss a beat, and we ended up winning eight ball games. You have to do a lot of preparation and he was ready at all times.”

Grimstead said he felt that his confidence had vastly improved throughout the season with his first year as a starter now under his belt.

“I think first and foremost, being the starter gives you experience and that is what really helps your confidence level go up,” Grimstead said. “You see things on the field that you wouldn’t see previously.”

As North Cobb turns the page to 2023, the Warriors look to be a strong contender in Class AAAAAAA once again with Grimstead leading the offense. While Grimstead is now familiar in playing in a starting role, the leadership

See Grimstead, Page 153

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Cardinals will try to build on 2022 success

By Banji Bamidele MDJ Sports Writer

Osborne’s football program saw a major breakthrough last season.

The team reached five wins for the first time since 1994. With a taste of victory, Cardinals coach Luqman Salam is establishing new goals and setting higher expectations.

Entering his third season, Salam has continued to build upon the foundation he built two seasons prior and is looking for ways to keep the program thriving.

“We just want to take the next step and our focus is at a microlevel where we want to be better tomorrow than we are today,” Salam said. “We think if we put that together it could resolve some problems for us.”

The program improved in every aspect, averaging 29 points per game, which was three times

more than the previous year’s total. The defense also improved, only giving up 22.1 points a game.

As the Cardinals notched win after win, the attendance numbers at Cardinal Field rose, seeing crowds of students and the community showed the shift in culture surrounding the program.

“I have seen a change in our kids’ level of commitment and desire of wanting to be good and believing in themselves,” Salam said.

Osborne won five straight games in dominant fashion but faced trouble once they entered region play. The Cardinals failed to win a game in Region 5AAAAAAA and missed out on the playoffs.

“Winning a region game and getting into the playoffs is important to us and are two things that we hope we can accomplish,” Salam said. “We have to take care of the ball and to be solid in crucial moments during special

teams.”

The team will depend on senior quarterback Edward Burr to lead the offense once again after coming off his best year under center. Burr threw for 1,603 yards, 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Salam said that Burr will be well protected with experienced lineman Derrick Mack serving as the leader up front for the offensive line.

The quarterback will be without the majority of his offensive production of Khalif Walters, who had 103 carries for 774 yards and 12 scores last season. Licori Humphrey and Emilio Cervantes will be in the backfield making up the production this upcoming season.

Burr’s favorite target, Joshua Horton, graduated, but receivers Tyree Cook, Kevon Mathis and Anthony McCoy return on the outside this fall.

See Cardinals, Page 71

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Woodstock ...........................46-7..........W

Chattahoochee...................42-13..........W

Lakeside ...............................55-0..........W

Clarkston ..............................70-8..........W

Woodland ............................38-14..........W

Kennesaw Mountain...........0-49............L

Cherokee ............................25-29............L

Wheeler ...............................14-21............L

Walton ...................................0-45............L

North Cobb ..........................0-35............L

2451 Favor Rd SW, Marietta, GA 30060 • Cardinal Field

https://www.cobbk12.org/osborne/page/19916/football

Twitter: @osborne_fb Instagram: @osborne_fb

STAFF

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

LB Tumbo Abanikanda (2001-04), ... Southern Miss, Edmonton Eskimos (CFL)

OL Randy Duckworth (1964-67), .............................................Georgia Tech

WR Nyakki Height (2008-11), ..................................................Georgia State

CARDINALS

From Page 30

The defense returns leading tacklers Ian Williams (65) and DJ

Washington (51). Lineman Dayton Wilson returns after leading the team with 6.5 sacks a year ago.

Three-year starter Aiden Williams returns at middle linebacker and is the anchor of the defense.

Salam said that experience is a major factor why he thinks his squad will be successful, especially with the Cardinals returning 20 seniors for the upcoming season.

“Having maturity and experience are going to be key,” he said. “Being in the third year of a system we are trying to latch onto what we do well and see where that takes us.”

KICKOFF 2023 71 Marietta 770-427-5717 Woodstock 770-926-9112 keeping you game at the top of your Canton 770-345-5717 East Cobb 770-579-8558 Hiram 678-453-5717 - @pinnacleortho - @pinnacleorthos - @pinnacleortho OSBORNE CARDINALS Coach: Luqman Salam • 3rd Season • Record: 6-13 • Career: 6-13 FIVE YEAR RECORD 7-42 2022: 5-5 2021: 1-8 2020: 1-9 2019: 0-10 2018: 0-10 Luqman Salam ..................HC Markus Bailey ...................DB Cornelius Baker................WR Brad Bond ..........................OL Robert Fisher .....................LB Phil Ironside ......................OC Reuben Lowery ...............DB Troy Pruett..........................OL Trent Pruett ........................DL Justin Scott ........................TE Spencer Thomes ...............LB Nate Walker .......................RB Ahmad Salam ...................OL 2022 LEADERS RUSHING Khalif Walters .........103 car. 774 yds. .....12 TD PASSING Edward Burr..................121/219 .....1603 yds........18 TD ..16 INT RECEIVING Joshua Horton ......28 rec. ..547 yds. .....10 TD TACKLES Ian Williams.............65 DJ Washington......57 SACKS Dayton Wilson .........6.5 Davonte Thomas ...4.5 INTERCEPTIONS Ian Williams............. 4 2022 RESULTS VARSITY COACHING

TIME RECORD

REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) Historical

Association

ALL

165-485-4

Info from Georgia High School Football Historians

Edward Burr led Osborne to its first non-losing season since 1994 last season. Now, he wants to be the one who takes the Cardinals to the playoffs.

Burr ready to lead Cardinals to new heights

Banji Bamidele Sports Writer

Quarterback Edward Burr is ready to show the Osborne faithlast season’s 5-5 finish was an aberration, but a sign of good things to come.

Burr led a Cardinals’ offense flew high in various parts of season. Burr completed 55% his passes, throwing for 1,603 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Last season he got off to a hot start, throwing for more than 1,000 yards and 16 touchdowns through first four games, highlighted a four touchdown pass performance in the 55-0 romp of Lakeside.

“One of my best attributes is my accuracy and my ability to make something happen when all odds against me,” Burr said.

He credits offensive coordinator and quarterback guru Phillip Ironside, for helping him fundamentally and opening his eyes to reading the defense and overall improvements.

“The first thing I noticed and stood out to me about Edward was that he was very accurate,” Ironside said. “He does not have a tremendously strong arm but his accuracy makes up for it.”

Coach Luqman Salam has the utmost confidence in his signal caller and sees Burr having a big year.

“Coming back as a three-year starter, his leadership and role on the team is tremendous and we rely on him outperforming last season for us to be successful,” Salam said.

The Cardinals began the season 5-0 but sputtered through a winless

region schedule. Burr struggled against the likes of North Cobb, Walton and Kennesaw Mountain making mistakes and throwing 16 interceptions.

“The things that we have tried to work on is decision making and trying to take care of the football,” Ironside said. “We’ve had growth and maturity throughout the spring and summer and have seen improvements that will show this fall.”

For the upcoming season, Burr said he has the Cherokee, Wheeler and Kennesaw Mountain games circled as the ones he is the most excited about. Last season’s matchups against Wheeler and Cherokee came down to the final possession.

“I am approaching this year with a big chip on my shoulder because we were supposed to win some

of those close games that we and it stopped us from making the playoffs,” he said.

Last season’s five wins were most since 1994, and the offense was putting up impressive num bers, including 3,136 yards of offense. Burr said he is starting see the culture and perspective on the football program change around the school.

“The energy has completely changed and flipped from vious years,” he said. “We have a lot more people coming to games and believing in us.”

As for expectations for season, Burr has big hopes a winning season and a play off push.

“I hope for a big year for myself and for many of the other seniors coming up,” he said.

Raiders primed for potential state title run

By Nigel Whittington MDJ Sports Writer

Walton’s senior class has won a lot of football games. Now, they’ve got one more chance to win the biggest game of them all — the AAAAAAA state championship.

Raiders quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski is coming off his first full season as the starter. He threw for 3,520 yards and 37 touchdowns. The 6-foot senior committed to Wake Forest last December.

“Jeremy is probably the best quarterback in the state, in my eyes,” coach Daniel Brunner said. “He knows how much he brings to the table. He’s the money man.”

Hecklinski and his weapons contributed to the team’s success last season and those weapons have returned as well.

Wyatt Sonderman and Cameran Loyd are the two senior receivers returning. Sonderman

had 42 catches, 744 yards and 11 touchdowns, while Loyd had 50 receptions, 851 yards and nine touchdowns.

The Raiders’ leading receiver, Hunter Teal is a 6-foot-2, 220pound tight end who caught 50 passes for 970 yards and four touchdowns. Teal committed to Miami of Ohio in April.

“We’ve got a lot of returning receptions out of that group,” assistant coach Bill Letton said.

The backfield for the Raiders isn’t losing its one-two punch of MaKari Bodiford and Austin Williams. Bodiford, a Memphis commit, had the bigger share of the load, carrying the ball 253 times, producing 20 touchdowns and 1,582 yards, but he was aided by Williams, who carried the ball 63 times for 387 yards and two touchdowns.

Hecklinski will have some added protection in Daniel Calhoun, who transferred from

Centennial.

“We’ve got a big time prospect at tackle,” Letton said. “He’s just about on everybody’s radar. He makes us better.”

Calhoun is the biggest college recruit on the team at 6-foot-6, 355-pounds. The No. 6 offensive tackle in the country, according to 247sports.com, committed to Georgia in July over programs like Alabama, Auburn, Ohio State, Texas and Tennessee.

Offense isn’t the only place where the Raiders have experienced playmakers returning.

“Defensively of course, we’ve got a couple of really highlyregarded players in Ashton Woods and Wendell Gregory,” Letton said.

Woods had 106 tackles paired with his five sacks while Gregory finished his junior year with 25 tackles and four sacks. With Woods commiting to North

See Raiders, Page 75

74 KICKOFF 2023 Register for Fall Classes ( ages 3 years to adult ) Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Hip-Hop 4400 Roswell Rd., Marietta, Georgia 770-578-0048 www.dancestopstudios.com Celebrating our 50th Season WALTON RAIDERS 8/19 vs. Grayson8/25 Brookwood 2023 Schedule 9/8 at Pope 9/15 Marietta 9/29 North Paulding 10/6 at North Cobb 10/13 Kennesaw Mtn. 10/27 Osborne11/3 at Wheeler 2023 Roster 10/20 at Cherokee No. Name Pos. Cl. 1 Wendell Gregory LB/DL 12 2 Austin Williams RB 12 3 Makari Bodiford RB/LB 12 4 Cameran Loyd WR 12 5 Tyson McCrary DB 12 6 Kaeden Gilstrap QB 11 7 Ashton Woods LB 12 8 Jordan “Bam” Bride DB/WR 12 9 Hunter Teal TE/LB 12 10 Wyatt Sonderman WR 12 11 Mason Crawford WR 12 12 Jeremy Hecklinski QB 12 13 Drake Luckie LB/TE 11 14 Palmer McRaney QB 10 15 Tanner O’Brien P/K 12 16 Josh Segal QB 11 17 Jake Thorner LB 11 18 Nasier Pressley DB 12 19 Pranav Chandrashekar DB/TE 12 20 Christian Ferrell RB/DB 11 21 Tino Appice-Davis WR 12 22 Oliver Skeean LB 11 23 Lota Ugokwe DL 12 24 Ben Simons DB 12 25 Tyson Poole DB 12 No. Name Pos. Cl. 26 Ethan Stannard DB 11 27 Carson Baker DB 10 28 Japhet Veasy DB 10 29 Jake Rheaume RB/LB 10 30 Noriega Thompson RB/DB 10 31 Sam Strickland DB 10 32 Jude Cascone TE/DL 10 33 Todd Haley LB/TE 10 34 Noah LaVallee LB 10 35 Coleman Lantrip LB 10 36 Hudson Beard DB 11 37 Jack Kilm WR/DB 10 38 Hall Pruet LB 10 39 Kieran Smith DB 11 40 Garrett Bailey WR 10 41 Sam Basulto DB 12 42 Mathayo Odhiambo DB 10 43 Max McRaney WR 10 44 Hayden Williams DL 12 46 Buie Crawford LB 11 47 Hogan Hans DB/WR 11 48 Mac Crosby WR 11 49 Derrick Williams RB/LB 10 50 Hayden Halpaus DL 11 51 Chralie Hubbard OL 12 No. Name Pos. Cl. 52 Sam Trainor OL 12 53 Cooper Bowles OL 10 54 Gryffin Johnson OL 10 55 Patrick Burris OL/DL 11 56 James Harvey LB 12 57 Andrew Aston LS 12 58 Brody Ford OL 12 59 Justin Krueger DL/OL 12 60 Sam Nicholson OL 10 61 Hudson Pruet OL 12 62 Joaquin Koger OL 10 63 Gabe Blalock OL 11 64 Nicholas Thorner DL/OL 10 65 William Lehman DL/OL 10 66 John Dunning OL 11 67 Lucky Eilola-Bastek DL/OL 10 68 Sam Moradi OL 10 69 Grayson Young DL 10 70 Nick Bicek DL/OL 10 71 Filippo Zei DL/OL 10 72 Eddie Defanti OL 12 73 Ryan Siegle OL 11 74 Matthew Ladner DL/OL 10 75 Sam Besselink OL 10 76 Ben Costello DL/OL 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 77 Daniel Calhoun DL/OL 12 78 Nolan Fahrner DL/OL 10 79 David Rueda DL/OL 10 80 Andrew Keiser WR 11 81 Liam Miller WR 11 82 Brady Franson WR/DB 11 83 Caleb Carlson WR 11 84 Ethan Baker WR 10 85 Khalfani Hefner WR 11 86 Tate Adams WR 10 87 Coleman Fleury WR 10 88 Josh Chapman TE/DL 10 89 Gavin Renegar WR 11 90 Dallas Bethune DL 12 91 Bryant Gunnels K/P 10 92 Sebastian Banai K/P 11 93 William White K/P 10 94 Alex Rupp K 12 95 Om Patel WR 10 96 Abdul Ead WR 10 97 Daniel Stricklin K 10 98 Jaylen Hawkins 10

1590 Bill Murdock Rd, Marietta, GA 30062 • Raider Valley

http://www.raidersfb.org/

Twitter: @WaltonRecruiting Instagram: @waltonraidersfootball

2022 RESULTS VARSITY

Mill Creek ............................41-44............L

Brookwood.........................34-20..........W

Pope ......................................49-0..........W

Marietta ...............................30-17..........W

North Paulding ..................51-49..........W

North Cobb ..........................6-33............L

Kennesaw Mountain..........42-14..........W

Cherokee ...............................41-3..........W

Osborne ................................45-0..........W

Wheeler ..............................49-10..........W

State Playoffs

South Forsyth ....................35-21..........W

Buford .................................42-35..........W

Carrolton ............................27-52............L

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

WR Dominick Blaylock (2015-18), ...........................................Georgia Tech

DB Chuck Carswell (1983-96), ...........................Georgia, Miami Dolphins

RB Justin Forte (2000-03), ............................................................Richmond

OL Brandon Kublanow (2009-12), ..................Georgia, Baltimore Ravens

DL Chase Thomas (2004-07), ....................Stanford, New Orleans Saints

RAIDERS

From Page 74

Carolina in June and Gregory committing to South Carolina in January, the senior linebacker duo could be a difficult task for the offenses across the region.

“The whole key with those guys that have been good players coming up is that they’ve been good players,” Letton said. “Now you’ve

2022

TD Ayden Jackson .....34 Rec. . 811 yds. .......10 TD

got to be a good player and you’ve got to be a leader.”

After a deep playoff run in each of the last two years, the Raiders are committed to fixing the small mistakes that got them beat last season.

“A game can change in a heartbeat and we had a couple (games) change,” Letton said.

One such example is when the Raiders 2022-23 season came to an end in the Class AAAAAAA

quarterfinal against the eventual runner-up Carrollton. Two mistakes for the Raiders within 70 seconds caused a tied game to turn quickly.

“Two possessions, back to back, and in a span of two minutes the game just totally flipped” Letton said. “It’s just managing things like that.”

Mistakes like these are what Brunner, Letton and the Raiders are looking to eliminate this season

School Football Historians Association

as they hope to hoist the championship trophy for the first time in program history. Even with playmakers returning on both sides of the ball, coming out on top of one of the toughest regions in the state is something the entire team knows won’t be easy.

“In Georgia (Class) AAAAAAA it’s going to be highly competitive regardless of the name on the jersey, every single week,” Letton said.

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LEADERS RUSHING MaKari Bodiford....253 car. 1,582 yds. 20 TD PASSING Jeremy Hecklinski ...194/305 ..3,520 yds. ...37 TD 12 INT RECEIVING Hunter Teal .............50 rec. ..970 yds......4 TD Cameran Loyd.......50 rec. ..851 yds.......9

Quin

6 Ashton Woods ...... 5 INTERCEPTIONS Ayden Jackson 2 Matthew Traynor .. 2 Wendell Gregory 2 Braylen Stokes ...... 2

TACKLES Ashton Woods ......128 Matthew Traynor ..120 SACKS

Bannon..........

STAFF ALL TIME RECORD 335-193-1 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (8) 2017,

1986 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) Historical Info from Georgia High

COACHING

2011, 2008, 2007, 2004, 2003, 1999,

76 KICKOFF 2023 Have a Great Season! The South’s Largest Selection Exclusive Distributor of Crypton Performance Fabrics 770-427-3123 www.FabricsAndFringe.com OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 2440 Canton Road, Marietta 30066 2023WINNER BESTOF COBB PRSENTE Y C B IFEMAGAZN Blackwell’s Jewelers Creators of Fine Jewelry We utilize modern design techniques combined with Old World Craftsmanship to create uncompromising jewelry. Come see us for some sparkling ideas! BESTOF COBB PRESENTED BY COBB L FE MAGAZINE WINNER 2019 2023 Wishing the Teams a Great Season! Special - Anthony Stalcup MaKari Bodiford paces the Walton running game, which makes the Raiders’ passing game all the more dangerous. Bodiford, a Memphis com-

is ready to help lead the team on another deep playoff run, which could end up in a state championship.

mit,

Bodiford helps Raiders’ offense run

By Nigel Whittington MDJ Sports Writer

When thinking of an offense that threw for more than 3,500 yards and 37 touchdowns, many would think the running game would be overlooked.

For Walton, this was not the case.

MaKari Bodiford joined the Raiders his junior year after transferring from McEachern and essentially became the Raiders’ running game.

“I’m a good little addition to the team,” Bodiford said.

Bodiford was a good addition indeed, as the 6-foot, 205-pound senior carried the ball 253 times for 1,582 yards and 20 touchdowns during his junior season. He also had 14 catches for 102 yards and two touchdowns.

Bodiford had seven games with more than 100 yards rushing

and never had less than 65 yards on the ground all season with his best performance coming against Kennesaw Mountain. In the 42-14 victory, Bodiford had 265 yards on 24 carries along with four rushing touchdowns.

“I can catch the ball (and) run the ball,” Bodiford said. “I feel like I bring a lot to the table.”

The three-star running back committed to Memphis in June. He chose the Tigers over programs like Cincinnati, Coastal Carolina and South Florida.

Bodiford will join former Raiders’ running back Sutton Smith in Memphis. Smith is a sophomore running back for the Tigers. Bodiford said that Smith played a big part in his decision, as both players shared time together at McEachern before Smith transferred to Walton in 2020.

“I felt like it would be a smooth

transition,” Bodiford said. “With him there I feel like he could walk me through the in’s and out’s.”

Even after the junior season he had, Bodiford is steadily trying to improve many aspects of his game.

“There’s always room for improvement,” Bodiford said. “I’m working on improving my pass catching and getting better at setting up blocks.”

Walton coach Daniel Brunner had high praise for the running back’s work ethic.

“He’s a football junkie,” Brunner said. “He eats, sleeps and dreams football.”

In the fall, Bodiford began wrestling to help stay in shape for football and is using the skills he learned on the wrestling mat to make him a better player on the football field.

“Wrestling is a competitive sport,” Bodiford said. “It helps

alot with my stamina and goes hand-in-hand with football, I feel.”

While improving on the field, Bodiford is also working to help those around him improve. He talked about how his new leadership role will impact the team’s success.

“I feel like I’m going to add and bring more leadership because I feel like that plays a big role in our team.” Bodiford said. “Serving everybody, making sure everyone is doing the right things at the right times and just protecting the team is what I’m trying to do.”

The Raiders made it to the quarterfinals of the Class AAAAAAA state playoffs last year and Bodiford is hoping to help his team hoist their first state championship trophy.

“We’re going to be there,” Bodiford said.

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Wildcats want to build on 2022 playoff run

By Adam Carrington MDJ Sports Correspondent

Only five starters graduated from Wheeler’s playoff squad from a year ago, which was a sophomore-laden team.

Now, as those sophomores become juniors, a return to the postseason — along with a deeper run once they get there — is the Wildcats’ primary goal heading into the 2023 campaign.

“Anytime you go to the playoffs, you want to make sure that we are able to repeat in that aspect,” Wheeler coach Bryan Love said. “Not only do we want to get back into the playoffs, we want to be able to make a deep run in the playoffs. But first, we have to take care of region play.”

A significant advantage for

Wheeler, which finished with a 5-6 overall record last year, is having all its firepower returning on offense.

Leading the way is junior running back Josiah Allen, from whom much is expected after finishing with 1,731 yards and 16 touchdowns a year ago.

Allen isn’t the only rusher opposing teams should be concerned about. Quarterback Marcus Romain is back, along with Allen’s reliable backup tailback Kentrell Brown.

Romain, who threw for 904 yards and six touchdowns, ran track in the spring to enhance his speed. As a second-year starter, maturity should bode well in his favor.

“He has spent time in the weight room and has spent a lot of time studying film and learning coverage and learning

where to go with the football,” Love said. “He is a dual threat to run it and throw it.”

Romain is familiar with his targets this season — senior Jahsai Cole and juniors

Tre’Vaughn Calhoun (12 rec., 256 yds., 2 TD), Javon Broussard (12 rec., 145 yds., 2 TD), and Javon Tucker. There is also fellow junior tight end Kobe McInnis.

The offensive line lost three starters from a year ago but has two talented returning players in junior Joao Noleto and sophomore Rodney Hester who have potential to step up.

“We were able to expand the offense a little more,” Love said. “When we went into (last year), we may have been limited in things that we can do.”

On defense, Wheeler has

See Wildcats, Page 79

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375 Holt Road, Marietta, GA 30068 • Corky Kell stadium

https://wheelerwildcatathletics.com/teams/3131486/boys/football/varsity/

Twitter: @WHSFootball Instagram: @wheelerwildcatsfootball

Centennial ...........................14-21............L

Lassiter ................................10-16............L

South Cobb ..........................28-3..........W

North Atlanta .....................20-13..........W

Campbell .............................28-17..........W

Cherokee ............................35-21..........W

North Cobb .........................14-45............L

Osborne ...............................21-14..........W

Kennesaw Mountain.........35-38............L

Walton .................................10-49............L

State Playoffs

Lambert................................14-45............L

COACHING STAFF

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

DB Byron Capers (1989-92), ...............Florida State, Philadelphia Eagles

DL Randy Edwards (1976-79),........................Alabama, Seattle Seahawks

RB Ed Guthrie (1972-75), ....................................................................Georgia

OL Robert Shaw (1972-75), ...........................Tennessee, Dallas Cowboys

WILDCATS

From Page 78

everyone returning in a

secondary highlighted by senior Justin Wilson, who finished last season with 39 tackles and an interception.

Defensive ends Shamar Yarber

ALL TIME RECORD 325-289-8

REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (10) 2006, 1997, 1993, 1989, 1988, 1987, 1977, 1976, 1974, 1973

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

and McInnis, both juniors, are counted on to anchor a young defensive line. Both combined for five sacks and 37 tackles last season.

Seniors Gregory Blanks and Chris Geter are expected to man the linebacker positions.

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ST Taylor Diamond .................RB Darryl Smith .......................LB Arth Holiday ......................WR Chance Jackson

Xavier Womack ................WR Lee Culp .............................OL Eric Curry ..........................DB Zane Smith .........................DL

LEADERS RUSHING Josiah Allen ............208 car. 1751 yds. ....16 TD PASSING Marcus Romain .....58/138...904 yds. ....6TD ....6INT RECEIVING Tre’Vaughn Calhoun ..........12 rec. ..256 yds. ....2 TD TACKLES Julian Stevenson ..72 SACKS Renardo Lewis ...... 8 INTERCEPTIONS Jesse Santos .......................... 3 Tre’Vaughn Calhoun ............ 2 2022 RESULTS VARSITY

.........................

...............DB

2022

Allen is creative on and off the field for Wildcats

By Adam Carrington MDJ Sports Correspondent

Wheeler running back Josiah Allen is skilled at making his own cuts, weaving in and out of tackles as he races across the field. Further proving that he’s cut from a different cloth, Allen is also skilled at making his own clothes.

Allen, a junior who led Cobb County with 1,751 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns, grew up with a love for art. He loved to draw and paint – most notably cartoon and movie characters.

As he entered high school, he incorporated drawing to designing his clothes, similar to the way he transitioned from playing defensive end to running back during his sixth grade season.

“Yes, I do sew,” Allen said. “I design hoodies and shirts. I was seeing different types of clothing,

I see other people making clothes and it looked like a good idea. I sewed my first piece last year and I enjoyed it.”

What Allen is known for at the moment is the way he designed himself last season into becoming arguably Cobb County’s top running back last year

Allen describes himself as a balanced back who finds the open hole. He can also barrel his way through opposing defenses to fight for extra yards, in addition to running routes as a receiver if needed.

Spending one-on-one time after workouts with coach Bryan Love helped elevate his game.

“We’re always trying to work on his footwork after practice and working on his balance when he makes a cut,” Love said. “A lot of times, ball carriers make cuts and they’re off balance. So when they get hit, they can’t really explode

out of the cut, so we really want to work hard on that.”

It didn’t take long last season for Allen to make a name for himself. He ran for 202 yards and scored three touchdowns in Wheeler’s first win of the year over South Cobb.

He was even more impressive in the Region 5AAAAAAA opener against Cherokee. He amassed 334 yards on 22 carries en route to a critical 35-21 victory.

He continued to be consistent down the stretch in helping Wheeler finished the regular season with a 5-5 record, good enough for a playoff berth.

“One of the things I felt that helped me succeed was putting in the extra work after practice with my coach in working on my cuts and reading the holes,” Allen said. “With the help of my teammates and my (offensive line) I was able to make

those cuts.”

Nowadays, when he is not thinking of football, much of his time is spent thinking about his wardrobe.

Unlike football, Allen coached himself when he started making own clothes. He learned from watching videos on YouTube.

Allen started with hand sewing until he had enough money to purchase a sewing machine. His specialties are making hoodies and jeans.

“(With jeans), I make sure I double stitch it so they don’t fall apart,” Allen said, “and make sure they are very tight so the stitching won’t fall off when its washing or drying.”

On the field, Allen is determined to ensure that his game won’t take a fall. He said he is concentrating on his top end speed in order to finish runs and not get caught from behind.

80 KICKOFF 2023

Special - Anthony Stalcup Cobb County’s leading rusher in 2022, Wheeler’s Josiah Allen has a flair on the field and in the designing room.

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South Cobb gets another shot at Region 4AAAAAA

By Banji Bamidele MDJ Sports Writer

Last season, South Cobb competed in a region as the lone representative of Cobb County for the first time in program history.

The Eagles found it tough without their county brethren and struggled through a winless region campaign, but coach Thomas Hanson said that he has a positive outlook on this season’s region play after getting accustomed to a region that brought something new and fresh.

“We are playing against some teams that are going to run the spread, which everyone runs,” Hanson said. “But we are also playing against teams that run the Wing-T or they run the option.”

Besides the change in opposing scheme and play style, one of the hardest challenges last season was the excruciating travel across Interstate 285.

“I’ll be honest with you, the travel sucks,” he said. “For example Marist is only 15 miles from here, but on a Friday afternoon it could take an hour and a half or even more than that.”

North Atlanta (12.7 miles) and Riverwood (11.1 miles) on any normal day take 20 minutes but with traffic on the interstate, Hanson has to leave an hour or two earlier just to make it to the stadiums on time.

However, Hanson said that he believes his team is better suited to respond to adversity, whether it is travel issues or miscues during the game.

Marist, St.Pius X Catholic, North Atlanta and Riverwood all qualified for the playoffs in 2022, with Marist going the furthest reaching the quarterfinals.

Marist (10-3) swept through the region with the War Eagles’ offense soaring under the Wing-T playbook, averaging 33.3 points

per game.

Marist will have to navigate the year without three-star tight end Luke Harping, a Georgia Tech signee, and first team all region lineman Kevin McDonald.

St. Pius X Catholic (6-6) finished second, with its only loss in the region coming against Marist. The Golden Lions will be without Class AAAAAA Defensive Player of The Year Jack Tchienchou, but return a strong defense that allowed only 16.2 points per game.

“With those types of programs, whenever you can play a game against teams (Marist, St.Pius X Catholic) that are perennial state playoff contenders, it is only going to make you better,” Hanson said.

North Atlanta (8-4) made the playoffs for the second time in the past four seasons. The Warriors excelled offensively, scoring 30 points in six of their 10 regular season matchups.

PREDICTION

Riverwood (2-9) made the playoffs with region victories over South Cobb and Dunwoody. The Raiders are led by 6-foot-5 senior quarterback Jackson Davis, who threw for 1,664 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions last season.

Dunwoody’s (5-5) only victory in the region came against South Cobb. The Wildcats lost a majority of their offense, with All-County quarterback Porter LeDoyen, wideout Jack Pankey, running back Jordan Wade and tight end Mason Weeks all graduated.

84 KICKOFF 2023

REGION 4AAAAAA File

Javon Richardson will try to lead South Cobb to the Class AAAAAA state playoffs out of Region 4AAAAAA. 1. MARIST 2. ST. PIUS X 3. NORTH ATLANTA 4. RIVERWOOD 5. SOUTH COBB 6. DUNWOODY

Eagles searching for winning formula

By Banji Bamidele MDJ Sports Writer

All aboard the Energy Bus.

The South Cobb football program is looking to fully embrace the ideals from Jon Gordon’s, “The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy.”

The book stresses the importance of cutting out negative energy and replacing it with a positive outlook that fuels your personal and professional journey.

Each summer the Eagles participate in a character development program that promotes unity and brings players and coaches together through different mediums.

“The buy-in has been really good,” coach Thomas Hanson said. “We have also added videos from retired Navy SEAL Jocko Willink which stresses your response is much more important than the

outcome or the event.”

Two seasons ago the Eagles won four games and showed signs of progress towards being competitive in the county. After going winless this past season the goal this year is to get back on track and find the formula that results in victories.

One of the key pieces to that formula is junior quarterback Cameron Brown. In the matchup against Marist, Hanson made the decision to change quarterbacks. He moved Javon Richardson to receiver and put Brown under center for the remainder of the year.

Through six games Richardson had thrown for 267 yards, with three touchdowns and three interceptions. He also rushed for 456 yards and two scores.

Brown finished the season throwing for 692 yards and three touchdowns. He also had two rushing scores.

Brown showed enough to maintain his position as the starter and was well helped by Richardson, who has taken on the role of lining up in numerous positions on the offense.

“Lining up Javon on different parts of the field is what we believe will help us from a matchup standpoint,” Hanson said. “Cameron is going to be in a great position to feed him the ball as he continues to progress in our offense.”

Brown will be protected by an experienced offensive line that returns a trio of seniors including center Christian Kamau, left tackle Jeremy Fahie and right tackle Marcus Laurent. Along with Richardson, the Eagles return playmakers Kenneth Robertson and running back Jalen Waller. Hanson plans on putting his best players on the field, which results in several players playing

See Eagles, Page 87

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EAGLES 8/18 Chamblee8/25 Pebblebrook 2023 Schedule 9/1 at Wheeler9/8 at Chapel Hill 9/22 at Kennesaw Mtn. 9/29 Riverwood 10/13 Marist 10/27 at North Atlanta11/3 at St. Pius X 2023 Roster 10/20 Dunwoody No. Name Pos. Cl. 2 Javon Richardson WR 12 3 Tyler Jackson LB 12 4 Ethan Gray WR 12 5 Ryan McDaniels LB 12 6 Jalen Waller RB 12 7 Edward Ablorh LB/TE 12 8 Brock Adams QB/WR 10 9 Chase Harrison DL 12 10 Moetre Cunningham LB/QB 12 12 Marlon Paige DB/WR 12 13 Cameron Brown QB 11 14 Jeremy Robinson WR 11 15 Maverick Toomer DB 11 16 Jadyn Daigre WR/DB 10 17 Rashad Gardner LB 11 18 Kenneth Robertson WR 12 No. Name Pos. Cl. 19 Michael Cortes RB/DB 11 21 Adrian Floyd DB/WR 11 22 Khilan Reed DB 11 23 Micah Harley LB 12 24 Trevontae Cuthbert RB 11 25 Daniel Aniagor LB 11 26 Justin Smith DL 12 27 Armani Williams DB 10 28 Ivan Williams LB/RB 10 29 Kenjuan Alexander DB 10 30 Ty’lil Terrell RB/DB 10 31 Jordan Jones DB 10 32 Angel Hernandez DB 10 33 Jermaine Hill RB 9 34 Zaire Douglas DB 10 36 Ian Lartey DB 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 37 Carlson Ngome LB 10 38 Jaison Caldwell LB 11 39 Judah Aroniyo RB 11 40 Christian Miller DL 10 43 Tashad Heard LB 10 44 Jacorey Jones LB 11 46 Wisdom Iheanacho RB 10 47 Paul Brown DL 10 51 Aidyn McConnell DL 10 52 Teyon McDonald OL 11 54 Marcus Laurent OL/DL 12 55 Bryce Quick OL 11 56 Matthew Ekwueme OL 10 57 Josiah Brooks OL 11 58 Jeremy Fahie OL/LB 12 59 Jacob Padilla OL 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 60 Christian Kamau OL/DL 12 65 Jason Johnson OL 10 70 Josiah Thomas OL 11 71 Awwal Babatunde OL 10 72 Kaiser Russel DL 10 75 Ashton Long OL 10 76 Jerome Hill OL 10 77 Devin Munford OL/DL 11 80 Antonio Saldana K/P 11 81 Demond Blanchard WR/DB 11 83 LyJae Blue WR 10 87 Edwin Lopez WR 10 95 Fredrick Okonkwo DL 11 96 Michael Iheanacho DL 12 97 Tyler Jackson DL 10 98 Simauri Harris DL 11

COBB

Carver ...................................6-22............L

1920 Clay Rd SW, Austell, GA 30106 • Clay Stadium

https://southcobbathletics.org/teams/3131562/boys/football/varsity

Twitter: @SouthCobb_FB Instagram: @southcobbfootball

2022 RESULTS VARSITY COACHING

Pebblebrook ......................15-38............L

Wheeler ................................3-28............L

Chapel Hill ...........................13-21............L

Kennesaw Mountain...........6-60............L

Riverwood ..........................20-48............L

Marist ....................................7-43............L

Dunwoody ..........................24-38............L

North Atlanta ........................7-51............L

St. Pius X ..............................7-29............L

STAFF

Thomas Hanson ..............HC

Josh O’Kelley .............AHC/OC

Ahmad DeRamus .........QB/OC

Trey Scott ..........................WR

Jerry Perry ..........................RB

Eugene Dorsey ..................DL

Dustin Taylor ......................LB

Cedric Smith .....................DB

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

QB Kylil Carter (2011-15), ...............................................North Carolina A&T

OL Mike Cole (1956-59), .....................................................................Georgia

WR Kenny McKinley (2001-04), .............South Carolina, Denver Broncos

DL Justin Jones (2010-13), ..................................NC State, Chicago Bears

DB Jerry Jacobs (2012-15),.....................................Arkansas, Detroit Lions

EAGLES

From Page 86

both sides of the ball.

“Marcus (Laurent) might be the starting offensive tackle, but he is going to get 15-20 plays on the defensive front because we are going to need him, and they just have to know that,” he said.

Hanson has keyed in on grueling conditioning by incorporating

RUSHING

2022 LEADERS

Javon Richardson .... 112 car....509 yds. ..2 TD

PASSING

Cameron Brown ...59/131....690 yds. ....3 TD

Javon Richardson ..47/90 ....373 yds. .....3 TD

RECEIVING

Javon Richardson 27 rec. ..407 yds.

TACKLES

Edward Ablorth .....53

Marlon Paige..........43

SACKS

Edward Ablorth 2

INTERCEPTIONS

Marlon Paige.......... 2

game-type situation drills called EaDo’s. The offense runs plays at full speed for a designated period of time, all while communicating plays and assignments.

“The drills put pressure on not only the players, but the coaches as well,” he said. “From a coaches standpoint it is so nice to see it because everyone is talking back and forth like a real game situation.”

The coaches are also stressing the importance of how the players

8-42

2022: 0-10

2021: 4-6

2020: 1-9

2019: 1-9

2018: 2-8

ALL TIME RECORD 326-387-13

REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (3) 2005, 1971, 1969

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

respond to adversity. Instead of letting a negative play derail the entire game, the response should be, “Good, move on.”

Hanson said the linebacker core of Edward Ablorh, Moetre Cunningham and Tyler Jackson are all set to have big seasons and are the strength of the defense because of their continued progression in the weight room and in drills.

“There will be other guys that we just don’t know yet, and we have

some guys who just do their job and I can’t express that enough,” he said. “The problem is when we try to do someone else’s job we have breakdowns.”

The Eagles have a mix of experienced upperclassmen and freshmen, who when paired together, can feed off each other and be the right mixture to make a good team.

“We are in a position where we will surprise some people and we are going to compete,” he said.

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SOUTH COBB EAGLES

Coach: Thomas Hanson • 3rd Season • Record: 4-16 • Career: 4-16

FIVE YEAR RECORD

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

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Special - Anthony Stalcup

powerful

on the South

line,

the

of helping

Marcus Laurent, Christian Kamau and Jeremy Fahie make up

trio

Cobb offensive

with

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Eagles return to the postseason in 2023.

Eagles powered by offensive line trio

By Banji Bamidele MDJ Sports Writer

For a car to move and fire on all cylinders it needs a powerful engine.

In some ways, the same can be said for an offense. To advance down the field it needs a stout and dominant offensive line.

Last season, South Cobb struggled on all three phases of the ball, and it resulted in a 0-10 season. One of the positions that remained consistent throughout the year was the offensive line.

The Eagles return the majority of their offensive linemen. Leading the way are the senior trio of Christian Kamau, Jeremy Fahie and Marcus Laurent, all of whom want to leave last year’s turbulent season in the past.

“We are trying to turn things around by building better habits from work ethic all the way

to the weight room,” Fahie said. “Coach has helped us by bringing us together with team bonding.”

As upperclassmen the linemen are leaders on the team, and said it comes with an enormous amount of responsibility which includes leading the younger guys and setting the example, not only on the field but in the classroom.

“We have to change somehow for people to want to come to South Cobb because nobody wants to come somewhere that just went 0-10,” Laurent said. “Everytime we come to practice we stay positive and try to work together to become a complete unit across the board.”

The linemen credited coach Thomas Hanson for putting them through tough summer workouts and conditioning that they’ve said helped them become better athletically and better disciplined.

“I want us to be a dominant force since as the O-line we pretty much run the offense,” Kamau said. “As a vocal leader I am looking forward to putting more energy on the field and leading by example because it goes a long way on and off the field.”

In years past, the mindset and perception surrounding the program was not exactly positive and was further amplified in games where a few mistakes would spiral and snowball into blow out losses and losing seasons.

A turnover or blown coverage would leave the team in disarray but this offseason they have embraced a new motto. “If something goes bad, good, move on to the next thing.”

With Cameron Brown becoming the starting quarterback during the latter stages of the season, the lineman have been putting in extra work on the

field and studying the playbook. Looking forward to the season schedule, the games the linemen are looking forward to most are against Wheeler and long-time rival Pebblebrook.

“Our goal is to always beat Pebblebrook every year because it has been a rivalry ever since I got here,” Laurent said.

As the driving force of the offense, all the linemen agreed that when lining up against a defensive front, they enjoy taking that first step and engaging with the opposing defenders.

“There is nothing better than pulling, running down the line and laying out a linebacker in the open field and getting a pancake,” Fahie said.

The team is reinvigorated starting with this trio who have their aspirations set high.

“We haven’t made the playoffs in 12 years so this is our last chance to do that,” Laurent said.

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Chiefs take upper hand with uncommon approach

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

In the era of spread offenses, Sequoyah stands out.

The Chiefs and 15-year coach James Teter employ the Wing-T offense, a rarity in modern football.

It took Sequoyah back to the Class AAAAAA playoffs last season for the first time since 2018, and in 2023, with the team’s focal points returning, Teter expects his unique offense to continue giving opposing defenses fits.

“We run an offense they don’t see every week,” Teter said. “It’s the multitude of formations we use. That’s the biggest thing you’ve got to get used to because, in the spread world, you’re going to be

more limited, formationally. You do the wing, and it adds a gap. It creates issues.”

Sequoyah’s Wing-T offense was created with deception in mind, through misdirection and short passes to keep defenses off balance.

The Chiefs’ offensive system can be traced back to the 1950s and University of Delaware coach Dave Nelson, who spent 15 years with the program and compiled an 84-42-2 overall record.

Former Auburn and current UCF coach Gus Malzahn still employs certain aspects of the old Delaware Wing-T offense. At Auburn, he used Wing-T formations and prioritized power football but added a wrinkle where his quarterback

would start in the shotgun instead of under center.

Malzahn used pulling linemen to overpower smaller linebackers and defensive backs, creating gaps for his running backs and dual-threat quarterback. It worked, and in 2013, with Malzahn calling plays, the Tigers went 12-2, scored 39.5 points per game and made the BCS championship game.

Sequoyah’s offense wasn’t the highest-scoring in 2022, when it finished 4-2 in the loaded Region 6AAAAAA with an average of 16.3 points per night, but it controlled games with a methodical rushing attack, quick passes and big-play threats.

It starts at the line of scrimmage, where the Chiefs expect one of

their stronger units to reside in 2023. All-county stalwart Tayo Ogundele is gone, but Sequoyah returns seniors Brady Curl and Dmitri Morris in vital roles for the Wing-T offense.

“We really just need to have our blocks,” Curl, another all-county honoree, said. “If we don’t, it’s not going to work. Everyone has to do their job. In the spring game, we did a great job of that, and it shocked some people. People thought Meadowcreek would walk all over us. We showed them this new offense, and they were like, woah.”

What makes Sequoyah so dangerous is the wealth of playmakers it has behind its stout offensive line.

See Approach, Page 91

90 KICKOFF 2023

Special - Anthony Stalcup Sequoyah’s Wing-T offense isn’t one opponents see much of anymore, and the players use that to their advantage. Jackson Hancock (2) and Tyler Bell (19) follow offensive linemen Dmitiri Morris (72) and Brady Curl (50) to the end zone every Friday night.

APPROACH

From Page 90

Missouri commit Jackson Hancock leads the bunch. The 6-foot1, 185-pound senior running back and safety was third on Cherokee County’s rushing list with 591 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He picked up another 315 yards and two touchdowns on 18 receptions (17.5 yards per catch).

In the backfield, Hancock is joined by senior Tyler Bell (323 yards, three touchdowns in 2022), junior Ean Marria (184 yards, three touchdowns) and sophomore Will Rajecki (14 yards, one touchdown), among others. With so many options, it’s a recipe for success in the Wing-T system.

“It’s easy to just put a dude on the running back and guard him the whole game,” Hancock said. “A big part of our offense is having so many actors. You don’t know who is really getting the ball with the misconceptions and fakes. It frees people up.”

In the majority of formations within the Wing-T offense, Sequoyah will have two players in the backfield, a wingback closer to the line of scrimmage and a tight end. The ball can end up anywhere, with the quarterback adding another dimension with a potential scramble.

“It’s hard for defenses to concentrate and understand,” Hancock said. “When we get late into the game, they start to get lazy, but we are mentally tough. They can’t keep up.”

Between Hancock and Bell, defenses can’t afford to take one play off.

“We can be dangerous because we’ve got some guys who can really run the ball,” Bell said. “Our line can push, and we get behind them. Our receivers really work. We can be dangerous and put some work on defenses.”

For sophomore quarterback Kolby Martin, 2022 was trial by fire as he was thrust into the starting role due to injuries.

Sequoyah was already replacing former quarterback Matthew Traynor, who had transferred to Walton. After going into 2022 with Jaxon Nesbitt and Hunter Scoggins as potential replacements, Martin split time with Alex Conti in Game 3 against Cedartown. By the fourth game, an intra-county

matchup against Cherokee, it was Martin’s job.

There’s substantial pressure on the quarterback to make checks and audibles at the line of scrimmage in a Wing-T offense, something Martin said is a strength of his game and why he fits the Chiefs’ system so well.

Having players like Hancock, Curl and other veterans around him doesn’t hurt either.

“A lot falls on me, with play calling and just knowing where everyone is,” Martin said. “But, I rely on a lot of these dudes. The whole offense relies on each other, the other skill guys, the receivers. If someone messes up, the whole play messes up. We have to count on everybody.”

Teter has served as coach at Sequoyah since 2009, when he took the reins from another longtime coach, Sid Maxwell, who spent 15 years with the program. Teter is

just the third head coach since the team was founded in 1990.

Since Teter took over, the Chiefs have always run a Wing-T offense outside of a two-year stint when they converted.

“There was a period here, years ago, where we went to the spread,” Teter said. “But after those years, we felt like it didn’t fit our kids. We went back to the Wing-T because it helps us stay in games and puts pressure on other people. They have to coach against something they haven’t coached against all year.”

Like last season, Sequoyah will be tested early with Lambert and Rabun Gap in Weeks 1 and 2, respectively. The Chiefs fell to 0-3 with losses to both those teams, plus Cedartown in Week 3. However, they bounced back to beat Cherokee, Etowah and River Ridge,

improving to 3-3.

Teter’s offense erupted for 56 points to beat Woodstock in the regular-season finale. It ran for 379 yards and scored seven rushing touchdowns, with 439 yards of total offense.

Sequoyah took its playoff matchup with South Paulding into the fourth quarter, thanks to its ball-control offense, but fell 28-13. In 2023, the Chiefs look to start better, go further and compete for the second region championship in school history.

“It’s hard to get people to play us because of what we run, but we set things up this way to handle the gauntlet of the region,” Teter said. “They learned that as long as they keep working every week, no matter what happens those first three weeks, they’ve still got a chance.”

KICKOFF 2023 91

Special - Anthony Stalcup Quarterback Kolby Martin, then a freshman, got his chance to play last year after the starting quarterback was injured. Martin led Sequoyah to the playoffs. Now as a sophomore, he hopes to take the team to bigger heights this season.

Jackson Hancock and Sequoyah will try to get past Allatoona this season and set their sights on knocking off defending region champion Rome.

Sequoyah looks to take next step toward region title

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

With seven teams vying for four spots, every Friday night matters in Region 6AAAAAA.

The six Cherokee County teams were equally distributed between two regions, but with the realignment before the 2022 season, Creekview, Etowah, River Ridge, Sequoyah and Woodstock all reside in the same division, joining traditional state powers Allatoona and Rome.

Rome was last year’s champion, sweeping all six county opponents and bulldozing its way to the Class AAAAAA state semifinals, where it was upended by eventual champion Langston Hughes.

The Wolves averaged 38 points per game last season, with a season-high 70 points against Woodstock. Standout quarterback Reece Fountain returns for his senior campaign, with Rome looking for backto-back region titles.

Allatoona, at 4-2 in region play, earned the 2-seed, beating out Sequoyah because of a tiebreaker, and River Ridge claimed the region’s fourth and final postseason spot.

“It’s probably the most competitive region top to bottom in the state,” Knights coach Mike Collins said. “You’ve got to bring your A-game every night. That’s good and bad. Anybody can beat anybody on any given night.”

The Buccaneers, riding a 13-year playoff streak, have only missed the postseason twice in the program’s existence. However,

there’s substantial turnover within the program before the 2023 season, including new head coach Brad Smith taking over for longtime coach Gary Varner.

Smith is switching Allatoona’s defensive scheme to a 4-2-5 and must replace 10 of 11 starters on that side of the ball.

On offense, the Buccaneers are down 1,627 yards and 12 touchdowns worth of production from former running back Jayden Ponder, who signed with Reinhardt on Feb. 1, but Smith said that position remains one of the deepest on the 2023 roster.

Sequoyah, at third, was Cherokee County’s top placer, and it expects to contend for another playoff berth this year. The Chiefs’ only two region losses last season came to Rome and Allatoona, and with the Buccaneers undergoing change, Sequoyah hopes to jump them in the standings.

“It will be competitive,” Chiefs coach James Teter said. “Everybody is probably picking Rome and Allatoona again, and the rest of us are fighting for third and fourth in most people’s minds. We’re going to approach it like we have just as good of a chance as everybody else, and we’ll see how the chips fall.”

River Ridge snuck into the playoffs at 3-3 in region play, taking a tiebreaker over county rival Creekview. The Knights return Cherokee County’s leading tackler in senior Brandon Burdette (104 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, two sacks) and leading passer in junior Ethan Spector (1,688 yards, 11 touchdowns) in an offense that hit the 40-point mark three times last season.

For Etowah, the 2023 season is

about continuing its upward trajectory. The Eagles won five games last year but only beat one region opponent. With a much-improved offense, Etowah is looking for its first playoff trip since 2019.

“Hopefully, we can work our way up in the region standings and get into the playoffs,” Etowah coach Matt Kemper said. “It would be great if we could get to the level to host a playoff game, but that’s still another step. Just getting into the top four in the region, we would be feeling pretty good about things.”

Creekview has made the postseason in nine of its 17 years of existence, and with junior quarterback Austin Guest (1,514 yards, six touchdowns) returning alongside a veteran offensive line, the Grizzlies expect to compete for their 10th playoff appearance.

Woodstock’s rebuild with firstyear coach Dan Devine kicks off in a challenging atmosphere, but

PREDICTION

1. ROME

2. SEQUOYAH

3. ALLATOONA

4. ETOWAH

5. CREEKVIEW

6. RIVER RIDGE

7. WOODSTOCK

he’s excited to test his squad. The Wolverines, after going winless over the last two seasons, hope to make strides toward being competitive on both sides of the ball in 2023.

“It’s a tough region,” Devine said. “It’s great because Cherokee County is so competitive with one another. It’s just fun. When you add Rome and Allatoona to it, which are two traditional powerhouses, you get a really tough region. But that’s how you want it.”

KICKOFF 2023 93

REGION 6AAAAAA

770.312.8982 Canton, GA

Special Leah Watson

Smith, Bucs looking to continue playoff run

By John James MDJ Sports Writer

In Brad Smith’s first season as Allatoona’s head coach, he’s already brought a number of changes to the locker room.

The incoming coach brought in a new coordinator on offense, defense and special teams. He’s switching up the offense’s scheme — Smith said he is instituting a zone-spread system — and changing the defense from a 3-3-5 to a 4-2-5. In addition, he said they’d be replacing 10 of 11 starters along the defense, adding an influx of youth to the unit.

With all that in mind, Smith said his priorities for the season were more than simply winning football games. He said that he wants to instill a culture of growth and focusing on personal improvement with each successive week.

“Our goals are to go out every weekend, be a competitive team

and not beat ourselves,” Smith said. “Create high level standards for our team and what we want it to look like, and then each week, we’re trying to meet those goals and standards. If we do those things, we’re going to win quite a few games.”

Allatoona’s senior quarterback Saddiq Teel will be one part of the process. Smith described the dual-threat quarterback as one with a skillset which fit especially well in the team’s new offensive scheme. Smith said Teel earned the starting job with more than just his legs.

“He’s impressed me so much with his ability to throw the football,” Smith said. “We’re looking forward to big things from him in the run game and the pass game.”

The running backs will also play a central role in Smith’s new offense. He described the running back group as one of the deepest on the roster, with multiple

upperclassmen and underclassmen all vying for playing time. Smith said that no matter the player, there was one connecting factor between each back on the roster.

“Our running backs are going to be very physical,” Smith said. “We’re going to be a physical running team. We run some zone principles, but we’re going to try to get north and south — stretch them out and pierce them through the middle.”

The defense’s projection is less clear for 2023, though. Smith said he is excited about the youth on the roster — and specifically the fact that some of them would be returning with starting experience in 2024.

One of the underclassmen being relied on is defensive lineman Jeremiah “J.J.” Coleman. Smith singled out Coleman as one of the playmakers on the

See Bucs, Page 95

94 KICKOFF 2023 Marietta 770-427-5717 Woodstock 770-926-9112 keeping you game at the top of your Canton 770-345-5717 East Cobb 770-579-8558 Hiram 678-453-5717 - @pinnacleortho - @pinnacleorthos - @pinnacleortho Over 50 years of Care and Compassion 2980 Lewis Street • Kennesaw, GA 30144 770-422-1554 www.bhesterdmd.com Over 50 years of Care and Compassion ALLATOONA! GOOD LUCK 2980 Lewis Street • Kennesaw, GA 30144 770-422-1554 • www.bhesterdmd.com Good Luck Allatoona High School! Bruce A. Hester D.M.D and Chelsea M. Smith D.M.D ALLATOONA BUCCANEERS 8/18 No. Paulding 8/25 Kell 2023 Schedule 9/1 at Cartersville9/8 at Hillgrove 9/15 Creekview 9/22 Rome 10/6 at Woodstock10/20 Etowah 10/27 at Sequoyah11/3 at River Ridge 2023 Roster No. Name Pos. Cl. 1 Saadiq Teel QB 12 2 Lucas Espino RB/LB 12 3 Deion Dobson WR/DB 12 4 Myles Daniel WR/RB/DB 12 5 Bryce Stack WR/DB 12 6 Aidan Guilbeau TE/DL 12 7 Rhett Howard RB/LB 12 8 Martin Pardieu RB 12 9 Xavier Rucker RB/DB 10 10 Camden Phillips WR 12 11 Owen Turner WR/DB 12 12 Cruz Paul QB/DB 11 13 Joshua Pardieu WR/DB 11 14 Keegan Vandagriff WR/DB 11 15 Myles Davis WR/LB 10 17 Aidan Navarro WR/DB 10 18 Nathan Boswell WR 12 19 Gavin Hunter DB 12 20 John Arnold WR/DB 10 21 Ethan Corpus RB/LB 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 22 Jacob Simmons TE/DB 11 23 Justin Lawyer WR/DB 12 24 Addison Blackwell RB/LB 12 25 Cameron Boeger RB/LB 11 26 Max Makar WR/DB 11 27 Tyler Turner DB 11 28 Javaun Mussenden WR/DB 10 29 Deacon Smith WR 11 30 Caleb Jackson-Smith RB 12 31 Noah Atkins LB 10 32 Aaron Smith WR/DB 11 33 Brayden Garner WR 11 34 Ethan Fernandez DB 10 36 Micah Morgan DB 10 37 Bryan Fernandez RB 10 39 Chase McAuliffe QB 10 40 Colton Greaves LB 10 41 Jonathan Sandberg DB 10 42 Andrew Ingle TE/DL 10 43 Ben Harrison WR/DB 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 44 Nygel Strong DB 10 45 Ryan Samspon 10 47 Bryan Flores LB 10 48 Malcom Nunes LB 10 49 Jaelyn Robinson DB 10 50 Anthony Puccio OL/DL 11 51 Zach Stephens OL/RB 11 52 Brandon Williams DL 11 53 Trent Farmer OL 11 54 Gabe Morgan DL 10 55 Jackson Kelley OL/DL 10 56 Paul Burkly OL/DL 12 57 Chandler Ownby OL/DL 11 58 Landon Koel OL 11 59 Clayton Cutts LB 10 60 Daniel Plata K 11 61Jack Brown OL/RB/DL 10 62 Owen Blackwell OL 10 63 Zach Warner OL 12 69 Justin Lukulu OL/DL 12 No. Name Pos. Cl. 70 Caleb Hite OL 12 77 Alex Greger OL 12 83 Brian Ohia DB 10 85 Noah White DB 10 86 Jacob Wan QB/K 10 87 Gray Kelley K 12 88 Collin Fields TE/DL 11 89 Eric Downie WR 10 90 Jerimiah Coleman DL 10 91 Brett Dennison DL 10 92 Eli Gravitt TE/DL 11 93 Brooks Chandler WR 10 94 Zach Harmon DL 11 95 Andrew Stringham 10 96 Jonah Grant WR 10 97 Ryan Mappes DL 12 98 Logan Sphuler TE 10

ALLATOONA

3300 Dallas-Acworth Hwy NW, Acworth, GA 30101 • Cobb EMC/Buccaneer Stadium

https://allatoonabucs.com/football/

Twitter: @ahsbucsfootball

...................13-35............L

Kell ..........................................9-21............L

Cartersville ........................20-28............L

Hillgrove ................................31-9..........W

Creekview ..........................22-24............L

Rome ...................................19-42............L

Woodstock ............................41-7..........W

Etowah .................................21-16..........W

Sequoyah ..............................10-0..........W

River Ridge ............................31-0..........W

State playoffs

Douglas County ..................24-0..........W

Roswell................................30-49............L

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

TE Bennett Christian (2017-20) ....................................................Ohio State

DL Royce Francis (2013-17) .......................................................Wake Forest

K Jude Kelley (2016-19)...................................Georgia Tech, Chattanooga

QB Brandon Rainey (2012-15) ....................................................The Citadel

WR Raleigh Webb (2012-15) ..............The Citadel, New England Patriots

BUCS

From Page 94

defensive line, emphasizing the sophomore’s potential.

“I think the sky’s the limit for what he could be,” Smith said. “He’s going to be a heck of a football player, but he is just a rising sophomore. He’s going

Instagram: @ahsbucsfootball Facebook: @AHS BUCS Football

to have to take some time to learn.”

Even with the talent on the defensive line, Smith specified that his defense ran through the second level, with senior linebacker Lukas Espino. With so many young players in the rotation, Espino could play a valuable part in keeping the team on the same page in the heat

of the game.

“Lukas Espino is our alpha,” Smith said. “He’s our (middle) linebacker, which is the perfect position for him. He’s the leader of our team — offense, defense and special teams. It all runs through Lukas, and he’s the picture of positivity. When things are down, he keeps everybody up.”

Espino won’t be able to keep Allatoona afloat on his own, though. The Buccaneers will need some of their changes — from inserting new players into the defense, to switching up the offense’s scheme — to pay off. If that happens, then the Buccaneers could find themselves back in the playoffs for a 14thstraight season.

KICKOFF 2023 95

BUCCANEERS Coach: Brad Smith • 1st Season • Record: 0-0 • Career: 18-14 FIVE YEAR RECORD 42-18-1 2022: 6-6 2021: 6-4 2020: 11-1 2019: 11-3-1 2018: 8-4 Brad Smith ........................HC Edward Russ

Troy Petersen

Randy Reed

Mike Dennison

Jeremy Anderson

David Cintron....................WR Seth Cross

Bradley Dodd.....................OL Jacob Longacre

Dan Mullins

Brett Hubinger...................DL Zach Edwards

LEADERS RUSHING Jayden Ponder ....152 car. 1,091 yds. ...7 TD PASSING Tyler McGuire .......36/101....527 yds......3 TD..6 INT RECEIVING Aiden Vandegriff 12 rec. ..256 yds. ...0 TD TACKLES Bryce Stack ............59 Ezra Odinjor ...........58 Vinnie Canosa.......57 SACKS Ezra Odinjor ........... 8 INTERCEPTIONS Adrian Fitts.............. 2

RESULTS VARSITY COACHING STAFF ALL TIME RECORD 129-49-1 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (4) 2020, 2015, 2014, 2011 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 2015 Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association North Paulding

..............OC/QB

...................DC

..............AHC/DL

..................TE

............WR

..........................RB

.................OL

.......................DB

....................LB 2022

2022

Gray Kelley is following in his brother Jude’s footsteps as Allatoona’s place kicker, and soon he will follow him as a college prospect.

Kelley giving Buccaneers a leg up on competition

By John James MDJ Sports Writer

Gray Kelley sat in the bleachers, watching Allatoona face Harrison in the 2019 Class AAAAAA state championship.

His brother Jude had hit a gamewinning field goal a week prior to send Allatoona to the championship game, and with another victory, the Buccaneers would claim their second state title in program history.

Harrison had other things to say about that, grinding out a 20-7 victory in rainy conditions. Jude didn’t have a much better showing than the rest of his team. He had a pair of field goals blocked, and converted the only extra point attempt he took.

And yet — despite watching his brother fall in one of the biggest games of his career — Gray said that game inspired him to pursue high school football.

“The environment was just insane,” Gray said. “They lost that game, but it was just like, ‘I

really want to be a part of this, and doing it gives me the opportunity to do something special not only for me, and for the school, but for our community as well.’”

The brothers were raised with a soccer background, and both Jude and Gray agreed that it was a fairly competitive upbringing. The duo were each rated as fivestar prospects by Chris Sailer’s kicking academy.

Jude, the older of the two, tried to help Gray with his mechanics when the younger brother took up kicking. More than anything, though, Jude tried to stress the highs and lows that any kicker can experience on a weekly basis.

“I’ve tried to keep him as modest as possible,” Jude said. “Just prepare him going out — as many times as you’re the hero and everybody’s gonna want to praise your name, just as quickly as you miss that next kick, all of a sudden you’re the villain.”

Now, Gray is entering his senior year at Allatoona. He’s already

made quite the impression on Brad Smith, the team’s first-year coach. Smith said Gray’s personality immediately stood out.

“He’s just extremely energetic,” Smith said. “Most kickers aren’t introverts, but they’re quiet guys. That’s just not Gray’s personality. He’s very outspoken — he’s loud. He’s a leader on the team, and that’s an unusual character trait (for a kicker).”

Gray converted 12 of 14 extra points last season, and 4 of 7 field goal attempts. In his final year at Allatoona, Gray said he wants to return to the playoffs again, keeping the team’s 14-year streak alive. More than that, though, Gray has his eyes set on a number of school records set by his older brother — including the most career field goals in Allatoona history.

For his part, Jude knows that Gray is closing in on the records he set in high school.

“I’m more than happy with everything he’s done and who he’s become,” Jude said. “And there’s been a lot of talk about him trying

to break all of my school records and all that crap — but if anyone is gonna do it, I hope it’s him.”

Jude said he’s been giving Gray advice while the younger brother made the rounds through various kicking camps, trying to prove himself to collegiate scouts from across the country.

At those camps, he’s been working on distinguishing himself and building relationships with the coaches he meets. If all goes well, Gray hopes to follow in his brother’s footsteps one day, carving out a role playing football at the college level.

“I’ve gone up against some of the best kickers in the country, and we all push each other to be better and the best person we can,” Gray said. “Just kick your own ball and don’t worry about if you make it or miss it, because at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. What matters is building a good relationship with the coaches and kicking your ball in front of them. And if they like it, we’ll see where it goes.”

96 KICKOFF 2023

Special - Anthony Stalcup

2023 Schedule

CREEKVIEW GRIZZLIES

Grizzlies seek return to postseason play

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

Creekview heads into the 2023 season with its returning starter at quarterback, junior Austin Guest, and a veteran offensive line led by North Carolina commit Andrew Rosinski as it seeks a return to the postseason.

The Grizzlies have made the playoffs in three of the last five seasons, and now they’re out to prove that missing the playoffs in 2022 was a fluke.

“Here at Creekview, for a really long time, there has been a high standard,” Grizzlies coach Trevor Williams said. “(Reaching the playoffs) is one of the standards that’s been set since it opened, so that’s motivation. It’s being the best version of us and the best team we can be.”

After a slow start last season, the Grizzlies rebounded, but it still wasn’t enough to make

the playoffs in a loaded Region 6AAAAAA. They fell to 0-3 after losses to Cambridge, Hillgrove and Calhoun. They turned things around with a 35-7 win over North Forsyth in Week 4, igniting a 2-0 start to region play and a threegame win streak.

With Isaac Hubert gone, a workhorse on both sides of the ball, more pressure falls onto Guest this season to run what was already a quarterback-centric offense.

Guest displayed his versatility in 2022, with 1,514 yards and six touchdowns through the air and another 494 yards and four touchdowns with his legs. Still, Creekview must replace the 920 yards and 12 touchdowns Hubert gave the offense on the ground.

“Our offense is extremely quarterback-centered,” Williams said. “There is always a lot that falls on our quarterback position. When you lose a running back

2023 Roster

the caliber of Isaac (Hubert), even more falls on the quarterback’s shoulders.”

The Grizzlies’ rushing attack will be more of a committee approach in 2023, with up to five different running backs vying for time in Williams’ offense. Among those names is sophomore Mason Munn, who took 16 carries for 72 yards and a touchdown during his debut season in green.

Senior Nigel Agyemang (20 carries, 38 yards) and junior Tristan McWilliams (11 carries, 44 yards) also project to have roles in the backfield.

Creekview’s offense battled inconsistency last season, averaging just nine points per game over its first three. However, over those next three wins, the Grizzlies scored 32.7 points per game. They finished the year averaging 18.3 points a night.

Three of Creekview’s five

See Grizzlies, Page 98

KICKOFF 2023 97

8/18 Cambridge8/25 Hillgrove

9/1 at Calhoun9/8 at North Forsyth 9/15 at Allatoona 9/29 at Etowah 10/6 River Ridge 10/20 at Woodstock10/27 Rome

No. Name Pos. Cl. 1 Jonah Dirrim WR/LB 12 2 Evan Wayland WR/DB 11 3 Cal Schubert WR/DB 12 4 Lee Brock WR/DB 12 5 Josh Tuten RB/DB 12 6 Michael Roach TE/LB 12 7 Nigel Agyemang RB/LB 12 8 Reed Anderson RB/LB 12 9 Jackson Stanley WR/DB 11 10 Austin Guest QB 11 11 Nathan Agyemang WR/LB 10 12 Charlie Harrington TE/DE 10 13 Nick Vacarro TE/DE 11 14 Grayson Davis RB/LB 12 15 Frank Young QB 9 16 Bryson Guy WR/DB 12 17 Luke Crane WR/DB 11 18 Alex Penrod QB 10 19 Edgar-Duarte-Armas WR/DB 12 20 Austin Penrod WR/DB 10 21 Andrew Hammond WR/DB 11 22 Andrew Adams WR/DB 12 23 Mason Munn RB/LB 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 24 Jasper Gilliam WR/DB 10 25 James McClosket WR/DB 12 26 Tristan McWilliams RB/LB 11 27 Ryan Brooks RB/LB 11 28 Ty Gill WR/DB 11 29 Kole Thorson WR/DB 11 30 Tyler James RB/DB 12 32 Ezra Dirrim WR/DB 11 34 Aiden Drake RB/LB 12 35 Ben Prior WR/DB 11 36 Brant Freeman WR/LB 11 37 Kevin Meade TE/DL 11 38 Jack Gibson RB/LB 12 39 Lucas Hubert K/WR 12 40 Aydin Grice RB/DB 10 41 Gunner Cantrell LS/DL 11 42 Zach Wilkerson WR/DB 11 43 Weston Wilkie RB/LB 10 44 Aiden Caraballo RB/LB 11 45 Colt Davis K 10 46 Randall Garcia RB/LB 12 47 Kyle Weist WR/DB 11 48 Carter Cundy RB/DL 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 49 Connor Davis RB/DL 12 50 Andrew Jones OL/DL 10 51 Charlie Counts OL/DL 11 52 Peyton Robertson LB 10 53 Adrian Alanis OL/DL 10 54 Dillion Bowling OL/DL 12 55 Andrew Rosinski OL/DL 12 56 Grffin Jane OL/DL 12 57 Rylan Moffitt OL/DL 11 58 Beckett Singleton OL/DL 12 59 Jackson Locke OL/DL 10 61 Joahm Jaquez OL/DL 10 62 Dean Plants OL/DL 10 64 Henry Mosley OL/DL 11 65 Braxton Walker OL/DL 11 67 Pierson Sears OL/DL 12 68 Jason Nicks OL/DL 10 70 Brayden Granthem OL/DL 11 71 Journey Cowart OL/DL 10 72 Trent Gray OL/DL 12 74 Noah Rushing OL/DL 10 75 Isaac Lobo OL/DL 12 76 Drew Clevenger OL/DL 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 77 Cam Mears OL/DL 12 78 Fernando Zurita OL/DL 11 79 Jiraiya Powell OL/DL 10 80 Aiden Trujillo WR/DB 10 81 Rylee Connor RB/DL 10 82 Jaxon Stephens WR/DB 10 83 Braden Kimber WR/LB 10 85 Bilaal Maliki WR/DB 12 86 Michael Hanaford RB/LB 10 87 Nikolas Shakespeare WR/DB 10 88 Pearson Smith WR/DB 10 89 Jack Davis WR/LB 10 90 Trey Thomas OL/DL 12 91 Eben Mann TE/DL 10 93 William Blakey WR/LB 10 94 Thomas Gagnon WR/DB 10 95 Justin Graham WR/LB 10 96 Grandon- Garcia-Jarquin K/P 11 97 Eli Martin RB/DL 10 98 Edgar Martinez RB/DL 10 99 Kamball Padgett K/P 10 10/13

at Sequoyah

1550 Owens Store Rd, Canton, GA 30115 • Grizzly Den

Twitter: @FtballAtTheView

2022 RESULTS

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

OL Nick Pendley (2015-18) .......................................................Georgia Tech

OL John Williams (2016-19) ..............................................................Clemson

RB Cade Radam (2015-18)...................................................Kennesaw State

https://www.gogrizzly.net/

Instagram: @ftballattheview Facebook: @CreekviewGrizzlyFootball

GRIZZLIES

From Page 97

projected starters along the offensive line are returners, headlined by Rosinski (6-foot-6, 282 pounds). That consistency is vital for the Grizzlies as they strive for a third playoff appearance in the

last four years.

“It’s just the consistency overall, throughout the program,” Williams said. “It’s how you come in the weight room; it’s how you come to practice. It’s all those things that lead to what you see on Friday night. We are firm believers that what you see on game day is a reflection of

what goes on Monday through Thursday.”

The Grizzlies’ leading tackler, Cole Sackman, has graduated, but linebacker Reed Anderson heads into his senior year after posting 84 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and four sacks in 2022. Behind him, senior Lee Brock (58 tackles, 112 receiving yards) looks to have

another impact season.

“It’s a testament to our strength and conditioning program and how hard our kids work in the weight room during the offseason,” Williams said. “Some of those guys that were role players last year can step into bigger roles this year, and we expect a lot from our returners.”

98 KICKOFF 2023 Canton 1625 Ballground Hwy. (Across From Walmart) Woodstock 12035 Hwy. 92 (92 @ Trickum) BASH NIGHT Monday & Wednesday All you can eat wings Good Luck This Season! RIVE R FEST A rts & Cr a f t s Festiv a l at Etowah River Park 39th Annual Riverfest Arts and Crafts Festival Saturday, Sept. 23 10am - 6pm Sunday, Sept. 24 10am - 5pm Presented by: Learn more at www.serviceleague.net

GRIZZLIES Coach: Trevor Williams • 5th Season • Record: 25-16 • Career: 25-16 FIVE YEAR RECORD 37-17 2022: 4-6 2021: 8-3 2020: 7-3 2019: 6-4 2018: 12-1 Trevor Williams .......................HC Chip Martin ....................AHC/DC Avery White .............................OL Bo Page .................................AHC Michael Mathis ..................ST/RB Josh Pritchett...........................DB Taylor Hunt ...............................DL Peyton Parker ..........................OL Chas Pierce ..............................DL Jeff Imperial .............................OL Josh Hixon ............................DFO Ross Cravens ............................LB Paxton Nayman .................TE/RB 2022 LEADERS RUSHING Issac Hubert ...........177 car. ..920 yds. ....12 TD PASSING Austin Guest .......... 125/215 ..1514 yds. ....6TD ....5INT RECEIVING Cal Schubert ..........27 rec. ..376 yds. .....1 TD TACKLES Cole Sackman .......88 Reed Anderson ....84 SACKS Josh Tuten .............. 5 Reed Anderson .... 4 INTERCEPTIONS Zachary Wilkerson................ 3 Cole Sackman ........................ 2

CREEKVIEW

VARSITY COACHING STAFF ALL TIME RECORD 116-64 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 2018 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association Cambridge ...........................0-28............L Hillgrove ................................6-10............L

Forsyth.......................35-7

..........W

................................39-21..........W

Ridge ..........................17-20............L Sequoyah ................................3-7............L Woodstock ...........................38-0..........W Rome .....................................0-30............L

Calhoun ..............................21-26............L North

..........W Allatoona ............................24-22

Etowah

River

Grizzlies’ O-line trio ready to bully opponents

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

The offensive line is where it all starts. From the moment the ball is snapped, contact is immediate. At Creekview, that initial contact is where it beats its opponents.

North Carolina commit Andrew Rosinski leads a group of three returning senior starters along the Grizzlies’ offensive line, with Pierson Sears and Cam Mears by his side. It’s a physically imposing group, with Rosinski’s 6-foot-6, 282-pound frame at tackle leading the way.

“Violence,” Rosinski said about what makes his group so special. “It’s the mental side of it. They’re going to be scared of you, and they know they’re going to get hit.”

Between Rosinski, Sears (6-foot-2, 255-pounds) and Mears

(6-foot, 290-pounds), Creekview will be hard-pressed to find an opponent that can go pound-forpound on the line of scrimmage. Sears patrols the middle at center, while Rosinski contains the edge and Mears rotates between guard spots.

The Grizzlies’ trio was a vital part of Isaac Hubert’s breakout rushing season in 2022, where he ran for 920 yards and 12 touchdowns. Now, with a Hubert-sized void, they put in extra work this summer to pave the way for dualthreat junior quarterback Austin Guest and Creekview’s new host of ball carriers.

“We definitely made big improvements in the weight room and with our speed,” Sears said. “We’ve practiced a lot of outside zone and inside zone, and we are really hitting those. We are going to be a really solid running team this year.”

Creekview’s rushing offense was very efficient in the trio’s junior season, totaling 1,572 yards and 18 touchdowns on five yards per carry.

Coach Trevor Williams said the Grizzlies’ offensive line is one of their strongest units, and he’s seen plenty of improvement in the weight room, where Rosinski hit the 500-pound threshold on the squat rack.

“I’m extremely confident with these guys,” Rosinski said. “I believe in all four of the guys that I am lined up next to. I know they’ll go do their job and absolutely maul somebody.”

Taylor Lewan, Trent Williams and Jason Kelce were three names the trio came up with when thinking of who they studied the most. All three of those NFL stars are known for their toughness and grit, above all else.

“If you can’t get the run game

going and you can’t make yourself known, you will not be able to throw the ball,” Sears said. “You have to make them scared of you.”

Like many offensive linemen, the Creekview trio loves to tell stories centered around their love for food, like when Mears ate 33 lobster tails by himself or how they’ve all been kicked out of buffets.

The Grizzlies’ chemistry has never been stronger, both on and off the field, and in 2023, they expect that to translate into a state playoff-bound season.

“We have all gotten better overall, emotionally, morale and in the weight room,” Mears said. “I think our chemistry is extremely strong; I would even say it’s the strongest in the state. We’ve all grown up together. We’ve all played football since we’ve been walking. That chemistry is real.”

KICKOFF 2023 99

Special - Anthony Stalcup Cam Mears, Andrew Rosinski and Pierson Sears lead a Creekview offensive line that will bully opponents at the line of scrimmage.

Eagles’ formula ready to build on success

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

Coming off its best season of the Matt Kemper era, Etowah is ready to take the next step.

The Eagles have one of Cherokee County’s most dangerous offenses, spearheaded by returning junior quarterback Xavier Mahoney, who was approaching a 2,000 total yard season in 2022.

Etowah has eyes for the postseason this year with its new-look offense and all the momentum in the world after Kemper’s method paid off in Year 3.

“That’s part of the formula,” Kemper said. “If you’re a program that’s trying to build, those first two years are tough. We are able to put together our own schedule, find some non-region teams we can be more competitive with, like North Cobb, Milton and those guys. Now, we want to take that

next step.”

For Etowah to continue that rise, it starts with Mahoney, who took Cherokee County by storm last year. Before he even took the lead role last year, Kemper said his dynamic signal-caller was the fastest kid in the program.

Mahoney finished as the county’s leading rusher with 1,014 yards and 13 touchdowns and another 836 yards and seven touchdowns through the air. As the centerpiece of the Eagles’ offense, Mahoney will be the focus of opposing defenses every night.

“He’s not a secret anymore,” Kemper said. “People are going to do everything to stop him. We’ve got some talented kids around him, especially at those skill positions, with Reece (Wehr) at running back. Those guys have to force other teams to respect them.”

Wehr was an excellent complement to Mahoney in 2022,

adding 510 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.

On the perimeter, Etowah returns all four of its top receivers in Malone Pesqueira (275 yards, one touchdown), Ethan Weidner (274 yards, three touchdowns), Mason Mancini (219 yards) and Will Zazzara (184 yards, two touchdowns).

“They are a year older, and they’ve taken their lumps,” Kemper said. “They’ve been through some battles. Hopefully, that gives us the chance to take a step and win some of those closer games that we were not able to a year ago.”

Last season, Etowah’s defense surrendered 28 points per game, its highest average since 2019. The Eagles brought in a new defensive coordinator for 2023, Xarvia Smith, who last held the same position at Allatoona.

“We have a new defensive

See Eagles, Page 101

100 KICKOFF 2023 Canton 1625 Ballground Hwy. (Across From Walmart) Woodstock 12035 Hwy. 92 (92 @ Trickum) BASH NIGHT Monday & Wednesday All you can eat wings Good Luck This Season! RIVE R FEST A rts & Cr a f t s Festiv a l at Etowah River Park 39th Annual Riverfest Arts and Crafts Festival Saturday, Sept. 23 10am - 6pm Sunday, Sept. 24 10am - 5pm Presented by: Learn more at www.serviceleague.net ETOWAH EAGLES 8/18 Lassiter8/25 at Cherokee 2023 Schedule 9/1 at Forsyth Central9/8 Centennial 9/15 at Sequoyah9/29 Creekview 10/13 Woodstock 10/27 River Ridge11/3 vs Rome 2023 Roster No. Name Pos. Cl. 2 Malone Pesqueira WR 11 3 Vinny Pacini DB 12 4 Kristian Nelson LB 12 5 Jaiden Warfield DB 12 6 Brody Hendrix DB 11 7 Rashed Kurdi OL 12 8 Jack Strickland RB 12 9 Devin Wright RB 12 10 Xavier Mahoney RB 11 11 Dravin Cole DL 12 12 Eli Bermudez WR 12 13 Reece Wehr RB 12 14 DaVinci Allen DB 11 15 Gabriel Smith LB 12 16 Ashton Martin WR 11 17 Trevor Condon RB 10 18 Tyson Lewis WR 12 19 Mason Mancini WR 12 20 Ethan Weidner DB 11 21 Will Zazzara WR 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 22 Jaysen Pertz-Moye LB 11 23 Andrew Christofferson LB 11 24 Cain Moss DB 10 25 Phoenix Caesar WR 10 26 Jermaine Brown RB 11 27 Julian Hamlin LB 11 28 Eddie Jiminez WR 10 29 Daniel Sarabria WR 11 30 Brenan Sato RB 10 31 Brandon Stewart RB 11 32 Aiden Haines WR 10 33 Gabe Cuevas LB 12 34 Nate Truitt WR 10 35 Caleb Smith LB 10 36 Preston Most RB 10 37 Luke Stradley DB 11 38 Jordan Baldwin RB 11 39 Omari Hudson DL 10 40 Bradyn Hawkes WR 10 41 Victor Price WR 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 42 Quinn Bergner OL 11 43 Nyri Haywood RB 11 44 Caden Colon LB 11 45 Carter DeWitt DL 11 46 Oliver Creigh LB 10 47 Zach Pailthorpe LB 11 49 Ian Rojas K 10 50 Sam Lewis DL 10 51 Jackson Smith DL 11 52 Grant Griffith DL 11 54 Joshua Harding LB 12 55 Andrew McNair OL 11 57 Kaden Powell DL 11 58 Dylan Nichols OL 12 59 Julian Foster OL 10 60 Slade Ponder DL 11 61 Layton Westbrook OL 11 62 Ethan Rosen OL 10 64 Zack Starling OL 11 65 Jacob Cassell OL 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 66 Aromani Reid DL 12 67 Isaiah Medina OL 10 68 Rafael Maciel-Tapia OL 12 70 Cooper Kerr OL 10 71 Nick Sexson OL 12 72 Tajhaun Fabian DL 12 74 Aiden Nunez DL 11 75 Tate Nelms OL 12 76 Joshua Alleyne OL 10 77 Terrel Mensah OL 10 79 Jeremiah Smith DL 12 81 Cam Carson RB 10 82 Mason Lyles DB 10 83 John Garcia WR 11 84 Mekhi Williams LB 10 86 Cooper Hendrix OL 10 94 Hughes Mills WR 11 95 Liam Kinsella K 11

10/20 at Allatoona

6565 Putnam Ford Rd, Woodstock, GA 30189 • Eagle Stadium

Twitter: @etowahfootball

Lassiter ...............................25-14..........W

https://www.etowaheaglesfootball.com/

Instagram: @etowaheaglesfootball

2022 RESULTS VARSITY COACHING STAFF

Cherokee .............................31-30..........W

Forsyth Central...................35-14..........W

Centennial ..........................28-21..........W

Seqouyah ..............................7-18............L

Creekview ..........................21-39............L

Woodstock .........................42-21..........W

Allatoona .............................16-21............L

River Ridge .........................21-39............L

Rome .....................................3-63............L

Matt Kemper .....................HC

Jason Borcherding .......Asst.

Christopher Bryce .........Asst.

Eric Burton .....................Asst.

Jason Caesar .................Asst.

Russ Isham .....................Asst.

Ron Gardner...................Asst.

Matt Kemper ..................Asst.

Nick Luly .........................Asst.

Ben Martin ......................Asst.

Kevin Pena .....................Asst.

Xarvia Smith...................Asst.

Andrew Sugg .................Asst.

Casey Wingard ..............Asst.

Iandon Brooks ...............Asst.

Geoff Truan ....................Asst.

Taylor Majors .................Asst.

Vicki Kemper .................Asst.

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

Buster Skrine (2003-06) .........................UT-Chattanooga, New York Jets

Christian Harris (2007-10) .............................................................Tennessee

Stuart Head (2013-16) .......................................................................Stanford

RUSHING

Facebook: @Etowah

Eagles Football

2022 LEADERS

Xavier Mahoney ...148 car. . 1014 yds. ....13 TD

Reese Wehr............139 car. 510 yds.......7 TD

PASSING

Xavier Mahoney ...75/143 ...836 yds......7 TD...3 INT

RECEIVING

Malone Pesquira ..40 rec. ..275 yds......1 TD

Mason Mancini......18 rec. ...219 yds.......0 TD

Will Zazzara ............14 rec.....184 yds. ......2 TD

TACKLES

Joshua Harding .... 88

Jamerson Riva.......78

Benjamin Pierce ..68

Frank Mosley IV....60

SACKS

Drew Doran 4

INTERCEPTIONS

Jamir Maxime 2

Coach: Matt Kemper • 4th Season • Record: 7-23 • Career: 78-80

EAGLES

From Page 100

coordinator, and we are ecstatic that he is here,” Kemper said. “He coaches them hard, but he loves them. They know that, and they play hard for him.”

The last time Etowah made the state playoffs was in 2019, Dave

Svehla’s final year with the team. They haven’t finished over .500 since 2015, but with plenty of talent, and a coach who’s known for turning programs into winners, the Eagles are ready to make the jump.

Etowah started 4-0 last season, beating Lassiter, Cherokee, Forsyth Central and Centennial, but the streak ended

FIVE YEAR RECORD

2022: 5-5

2021: 1-9

2020: 1-9

2019: 5-6

2018: 4-7

REGION

against Sequoyah in Week 5. In those four wins, the Eagles’ offense averaged 29.8 points, with that average falling to 18.3 points per game the rest of the year.

Woodstock was the only region opponent Etowah beat, and with the playoffs a goal in 2023, it needs to manufacture more wins in the competitive Region

and a formidable offensive line, the Eagles expect to end the drought.

“Our kids feel confident about what we’re doing in training and on the field,” Kemper said. “The fact is that we’ve only won two region games in the last three years. That needs to change.”

KICKOFF 2023 101 ETOWAH

EAGLES

16-36

ALL TIME RECORD 205-268-1

CHAMPIONSHIPS

CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

High School

Association

(3) 2010, 2008, 2006 STATE

Historical Info from Georgia

Football Historians

6AAAAAA. With Mahoney, Wehr

Etowah tight end

Rashed Kurdi is driven by his Muslim faith and culture. He has found they mesh just fine with football, but with a few challenges.

Culture, faith driving Kurdi’s success

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

There’s more diversity in Cherokee County than some may realize, with Etowah senior tight end Rashed Kurdi front and center.

Kurdi is not only a native of Jordan, but he’s a practicing Muslim and possibly the only one on the Eagles’ football team. From fasting during Ramadan to speaking fluent Arabic, Kurdi is all in on his faith and his craft.

“It’s just where I’m from, something I’ve been taught as a person and as a football player,” Kurdi said. “Always remember who you are and where you’re from. My parents have always been great about pushing me with my religion and culture.”

Kurdi’s father was also born in Jordan, and he traced his lineage back to Kurdistan, which was broken up and divided between Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. Jordan, which has a population of over 11 million, borders Israel, Syria and Saudi Arabia. His mother was

also born in Jordan, though her family tree originates in Syria.

During elementary school, Kurdi moved back and forth between the United States and Jordan. He spent time in America as a baby and again in second grade before leaving for Jordan before his thirdgrade year. In fourth grade, Kurdi moved back to Georgia for good.

“My dad came down here looking for a better life,” Kurdi said. “He just wanted more shots for us. You can get your goals accomplished here a lot better than in Jordan and some Middle Eastern countries, just because there are so many opportunities and it’s such a big country. It just keeps on developing.”

Kurdi spent a summer back in his home country, but his immediate family is now based in Cherokee County. He remains fluent in Arabic, along with English, as Kurdi’s culture is essential to both his and his family’s identity.

As an already athletic kid, Kurdi’s football journey didn’t begin until 2020, when he was a

freshman. Most of Kurdi’s friends had already taken up football, and after a little bit of pressure, he decided to give it a shot.

He’s glad he did.

“I just fell in love with it,” Kurdi said. “We have really good coaches. Coach (Matt) Kemper is not only a great coach, but he is a good person, too. He is always there for you. With our teammates, too, we have such good bonds.”

As an important part of his culture and faith, Kurdi observes Ramadan, which took place from March 23 to April 21. Ramadan happens during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is observed by Muslims throughout the world as a time of fasting, prayer, reflection and community.

It’s the offseason for football, but it’s important for Kurdi to stay in shape, and Etowah strength and conditioning coach Andrew Sugg helped keep the Eagles’ senior hydrated and ready to go.

Ramadan is observed by numerous professional athletes, including NBA players Kyrie Irving and Mo Bamba, which Kurdi said is inspiring to see.

“Even in the classroom, being very tired, very thirsty and hungry, just being able to focus,” Kurdi said. “That plays a part on the field whenever we’re out there doing sprints. It’s hot outside, and you feel like you’re about to pass out, but you’ve still got a few more reps to do.”

After starting his football career on defense, between linebacker and safety, the 6-foot-2, 177pound Kurdi is transitioning to tight end for 2023, ready to contribute to Etowah’s high-powered offense.

“I just want to go out there and perform,” Kurdi said. “I want this team to make it to the playoffs. Everyone’s been working so hard and showing up every day. I think we are going to have a very good season, just as long as we believe in ourselves and believe in each other.”

102 KICKOFF 2023

Special - Anthony Stalcup

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RIVER RIDGE KNIGHTS

Offense ready to put up big numbers in ’23

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

River Ridge is prioritizing an explosive offense this year, and with the county’s leading passer, Ethan Spector, returning, the Knights could score with the best again.

In 2022, River Ridge crossed the 40-point mark in two of its first three games, and it reached that total again in Game 5. With Spector back to lead another highpowered offense, alongside three starting offensive linemen, continuity is on its side.

However, the Knights are forced to replace two of their most explosive players from last season in Daniel Fichtner and MJ Ayers.

“We have a lot returning on offense, but (Fichtner and Ayers) were responsible for a lot of explosive plays for us,” coach Mike Collins said. “If we can find a couple of guys who have that

‘it’ factor and can be that explosive play guy for us, then I feel like we can pick up right where we left off.”

Spector is one of River Ridge’s biggest returning weapons on the offensive side. He posted a county-best 1,688 yards with 11 touchdowns as a first-year starter, and after another full offseason getting first-team reps, the 5-foot11 signal-caller is ready to go.

“It always helps when you have three or four offensive linemen back, and your quarterback is back,” Collins said. “That’s a great place to start.”

Spector threw a touchdown in his debut game under center, and he followed with a three-touchdown showing against Pope as the Knights throttled the Greyhounds.

His breakout, though, came in a 44-42 shootout against Sprayberry, where he led River Ridge to victory with 401 yards and two

2023 Roster

touchdowns through the air. The Knights also bring back part-time quarterback and utility man Isaiah Coughlin, who finished 2022 with 392 rushing yards and another 130 through the air.

River Ridge’s backfield gets even stronger as last year’s leading rusher Camden Cox (505 yards, six touchdowns), is returning, with tight end Grant Hollier (300 yards, two touchdowns) poised to take a step forward after top target Jackson Head graduated.

On the defensive side, Cherokee County’s leading tackler, Brandon Burdette, returns to the field. He tallied 104 total tackles, beating out the County’s Defensive Player of the Year, Kyan Simmons.

Burdette was second in tackles for loss with 12 and added two sacks. This season, he hopes to improve his pass-rushing

See Knights, Page 105

104 KICKOFF 2023

8/18 at Hillgrove 8/25 Pope

9/1 at Sprayberry 9/8 North Atlanta 9/14 Woodstock9/29 Sequoyah 10/6 at Creekview 10/27 at Etowah 11/3 Allatoona

2023 Schedule

No. Name Pos. Cl. 0 Andrew Hand WR/DB 12 1 Isaiah Coughlin WR/DB 12 2 Trevon Gilder WR/RB 12 3 Brooks Moore WR 11 4 Camden Cox RB/LB 10 5 Christian Pansera DB/RB 11 6 Michael Fallon DL/H 12 7 Matthew Lipcsey DB 12 8 Colton Florence ATH 11 9 Joseph Moreno WR/DB 12 10 Grant Hollier WR 11 11 Thomas Thompsen WR 11 12 John Ferguson LB 12 13 David Kurz WR/TE 11 14 Hunter Lockerman QB/DB 9 15 Harrison Deriso LB/TE 10 16 Sam Vincent WR 10 17 Cam Johnson WR/DB 12 18 Ethan Spector QB 11 19 Wyatt McCarty WR/DB 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 20 Elijah Simmons LB 11 21 Brandon Burdette WR/DB 12 22 Mateo Jimenez WR 10 23 Cam Jackson DB/WR 12 24 Revis McClairen III DB 11 25 Jackson Cheponis DB 11 26 Will Hughes LB 12 27 Austin Karwoski WR/DB 10 29 Miles Lesley LB/RB 10 30 Nathan Hundley DB 11 31 Eli Bolden DB/WR 10 32 Matthew Burdette LB/RB 10 33 Cooper Cudworth WR 11 34 Rance Dampier DB 10 35 Jacob Bellville DB 11 37 Will Schmidt DB 11 38 Nathanael Griesbeck DB 11 39 Michael Olifiers RB 11 40 Zade Currin K/P 10 42 Davin Gayle DB 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 43 Antrevious Gilder DB 10 44 Mason Gotsch DL/OL 11 46 Brice Tomlinson LB 12 47 Michael Imperial LB 10 48 Will Barry 50 Jonathan Faletra OL/DL 12 51 Tristian Crocket OL/DL 11 52 Luke Morrison OL 11 53 Tyler Harrison OL/DL 10 54 Gabriel Belbeck OL/DL 10 55 Dayde Goforth OL/LB 10 56 Mason McLendon DL 10 57 Jasper Roach OL/DL 10 58 Mark Prewett OL/DL 10 59 Shepherd Brown OL/DL 10 60 Jacob Sluss OL/DL 10 61 Daniel Green OL/DL 12 62 Eleazar Altamirano OL/DL 12 63 Mason Malcom OL 10 64 Ty Dispennett DL/OL 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 65 Taylor Crocket DL/OL 11 66 Tomas Perez OL/DL 10 67 Chase Bramblett DL 10 68 Andres Nash OL/DL 10 70 Joan Soza OL/LB 10 72 Sam Turner OL/DL 10 73 Dylan Pedroza OL/DL 10 75 Raymond Rodriguez OL/DL 10 76 Ryan Raiford OL/DL 10 77 Christian McColgan OL/DL 12 78 Stephen Welch OL/DL 12 80 Grant Singletary WR/LB 10 82 Paxton Rocky WR 10 84 Harrison Redmond DB/WR 10 86 Aden McVicker P 12 87 Cayden Thompson WR 10 88 Nik Bryant WR 11 89 Arden Redmond 90 Jaxen Wages DL/TE 10 92 Gracen VanGilder K 11

10/20 vs Rome

400 Arnold Mill Rd, Woodstock, GA 30188 • River Ridge Stadium

Twitter: @RR_Knights

2022 RESULTS

http://www.riverridgefootball.com/

Instagram: @riverridgefootball

Facebook: @River Ridge Knights Football

..........W

Sequoyah ..............................7-13............L

Creekview ...........................20-17..........W

Rome .....................................7-55............L

Etowah ................................39-21..........W

Allatoona ...............................0-31............L

State Playoffs

Hughes .................................6-49............L

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

Amerhe Morrison (2017-20) .............................................SE Missouri

KNIGHTS

From Page 104

game and up his sack total to become the Knights’ most productive defensive player since Brian Bradley.

Last season, River Ridge turned to a more collective

approach as it looked to replace the production of former star running back Amehre Morrison. Now, that mindset remains, along with a renewed toughness and grit.

“We are looking for some real solid, disciplined and hardnosed football,” Collins said.

“We won’t know until we get there, but that’s what we’ve been

preaching. It’s a high level of discipline and physicality. We have to check those boxes to be successful.”

River Ridge kicks off its season with Hillgrove, Pope and Sprayberry, all teams it beat in 2022. All three of those teams had sub.500 records, leading to North Atlanta (8-4 in 2022) in Week 4,

which handed the Knights their first loss last season.

“Our main focus will be just to take it one game at a time,” Collins said. “You can’t get too down if you have a setback, and you can’t get on your high horse if you win one. You have to start all over again next week.”

KICKOFF 2023 105 Canton 1625 Ballground Hwy. (Across

Walmart) Woodstock 12035 Hwy. 92 (92 @ Trickum) BASH NIGHT Monday & Wednesday All you can eat wings Good Luck This Season! RIVE R FEST A rts & Cr a f t s Festiv a l at Etowah River Park 39th Annual Riverfest Arts and Crafts Festival Saturday, Sept. 23 10am - 6pm Sunday, Sept. 24 10am - 5pm Presented by: Learn more at www.serviceleague.net

• 5th Season • Record: 26-17 • Career: 95-96 FIVE YEAR RECORD 27-26 2022: 6-5 2021: 6-4 2020: 11-1 2019: 3-7 2018: 1-9 Michael Collins

Levi

Joe

Greg

Julian

Jacob Sullivan

Joe Mullinax

Kevin Roach

Gary Roach

Adrian Morris

Andy Schultz

Mike

Blake Davis

Cecil Phillips

LEADERS RUSHING Camden Cox ..........106 car. 505 yds. ....6 TD PASSING Ethan Spector ........146/243 ..1688 yds. ....11TD......11INT RECEIVING Jackson Head .......50 rec. ..615 yds.......5 TD TACKLES Brandon Burdette ..104 Matthew Lipscey ....90 SACKS Ehan Anderson 9 INTERCEPTIONS Andrew Hand ........ 2

From

RIVER RIDGE KNIGHTS Coach: Michael Collins

.................HC

Brown .................OC/QB

Tousignaut ...........DC/LB

Dirts ...........................OL

Todd .........................DL

...................DL

.......................OL

.......................RB

........................DB

....................DB

.....................WR

Collins Sr..................WR

........................RC

................ST/LB 2022

VARSITY COACHING STAFF ALL TIME RECORD 55-83 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 2020 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

Hilgrove ...............................27-14..........W Pope .....................................43-14..........W Sprayberry..........................45-42..........W North Atlanta ......................13-27............L Woodstock ...........................44-0

State

Matthew Lipcsey is a key member of both the football and baseball teams at River Ridge, and he has become a leader for both.

Lipcsey leading a pair of contending squads

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

Matthew Lipcsey isn’t just a twosport athlete; he’s a star in both.

River Ridge’s senior defensive back, was second on the Knights with 90 tackles last season, and after his career-best performance, he turned around and led the school’s baseball team to the Class AAAAAA final four.

“I know my role on both teams,” Lipcsey said. “I assume that role and (have) become a leader. I’ve surrounded myself with good people to elevate myself and excel in both sports.”

Lipcsey has played baseball since he was three years old, and six years later, in third grade, he tried his luck on the gridiron. He

always found himself playing football at recess on the playground, and now, it led him to become a pivotal part of his high school team. After finishing second on River Ridge in tackles last fall, Lipcsey turned around and hit .346 for the baseball team with 31 runs scored, 14 RBIs, 11 stolen bases, five doubles and three triples.

“It’s a unique thing at this school; we’ve had multi-sport athletes, but Matthew really excels in both,” River Ridge coach Mike Collins said. “He was a huge part of the baseball team’s run this year and is a three-year starter for us.”

The Knights’ baseball team went 23-12 overall and 11-7 in Region 6AAAAAA, sneaking into the playoffs as the region’s 4-seed. They upset Alexander in the first round

of the playoffs before downing Lassiter and Woodward Academy.

River Ridge football also made the big dance last season as another 4-seed. The Knights fell to Langston Hughes in the first round, but it marked the second time in the last three seasons they made the postseason bracket.

As a dual-sport athlete, Lipcsey said he takes things from one to improve his game in the other. Baseball is such a precision-oriented sport, both physically and mentally, and combine that with the agility and athleticism needed as a defensive back, and it creates a dangerous combination.

“From baseball, I’d say you can use the mental aspect of it to stay focused,” Lipcsey said. “From football, I get that speed

and agility and the strength you get from it. It helps in baseball and other sports, too.”

Lipcsey is headed into his senior year, and he understands his role as a leader on River Ridge’s defense in 2023. On the heels of his deep baseball playoff run this past spring, Lipcsey’s got a taste of success, and this year, he wants more.

“It was a cool experience to go that far in the playoffs,” Lipcsey said. “It’s good to gain experience from a deep playoff run like that. I can use that with some of the guys on the football team who may not have been around when we made it that far in the playoffs. I can help show them and lead them to do what it takes to get back to that spot.”

106 KICKOFF 2023

Special - Anthony Stalcup

Chiefs poised for return trip to postseason

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

Sequoyah is determined to get back into the playoffs, and with the majority of its top players returning, that goal is more than attainable.

The Chiefs have two-way standout Jackson Hancock gearing up for his senior year, along with stability at the quarterback position in sophomore Kolby Martin. Sequoyah broke a three-year playoff drought last season, and it has every intention of building a streak.

“It’s just the overall attitude of the kids,” coach James Teter said. “This is a great group here. I think the group last year set the tone for them to get back in the playoffs and get it going. This group has taken it from the offseason to now, and they are running with it.”

Sequoyah’s Wing-T offense is

already designed to give opponents fits, but with a stable of reliable running backs, including Hancock, senior Tyler Bell, sophomore Will Rajecki and more, the Chiefs have plenty of options.

Hancock was the Chiefs’ best player on both sides of the ball, and he spearheaded the rushing offense with 591 yards and seven touchdowns, which put him third on the Cherokee County list.

Bell was ninth on the county rushing list with 323 yards and three touchdowns, while Rajecki earned his spot in the backfield this summer.

Defensively, senior Bretton Darling returns after a breakout 2022 season. He finished fourth in the county with 91 tackles and was tied for the county lead in interceptions with three. Starting linebacker Taiwo Ogundele (83 tackles, four sacks) returns, and Hancock (49 tackles) is also expected to play a vital role in

2023 Roster

the secondary.

“There are some spots we have to fill with guys who graduated, but most of our key pieces are back,” Teter said. “It’s just a matter of plugging in those other kids and helping them understand what they are doing. The defense did well this summer, and hopefully, they are ready to go.”

After cycling through quarterbacks and battling injury last year, Martin emerged as Sequoyah’s go-to option as a freshman. He accounted for 407 yards through the air, and he picked up a rushing touchdown. Now, as a sophomore, Teter hopes his signal caller can take the next step.

“I just expect a lot of growth,” Teter said. “He’s a sophomore now, and he has been through the system. We have changed a few things, but for the most part, he’s handled that really well. We expect him to improve

See Chiefs, Page 108

KICKOFF 2023 107

8/18 at Lambert8/25 at Rabun Gap

9/1 Cedartown 9/8 Cherokee 9/15 Etowah9/29 at River Ridge 10/6 Rome 10/27 Allatoona 11/3 at Woodstock

SEQUOYAH CHIEFS

2023 Schedule

No. Name Pos. Cl. 2 Jackson Hancock RB/DB 12 3 Will Rajecki RB/LB 10 4 Kolby Martin QB 10 5 Ean Marria RB/DL 11 6 Dylan Mitchell WR/LB 12 7 Javon Salazar RB/LB 12 8 Bretton Darling WR/DB 12 9 Christopher Jordan TE/DL 12 10 Hunter Scoggins LB 11 11 Taiwo Ogundele LB 11 12 Jaxon Nesbitt QB 12 13 Anthony Wolfe TE/LB 11 14 Andrew Harmon QB/LB 10 15 Kenneth Simmons QB/DB 11 16 Luke McRae QB/DB 12 17 Anthony Santana LB 12 18 Hayden Kleine WR/DB 12 19 Tyler Bell RB/DB 12 20 Brooks Darling RB/DB 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 21 Drew Zablotny LB 12 22 Benji Smith RB/DB 10 23 Carter Haymond RB/LB 12 24 Graydon Zarter LB 12 25 Cam’ron Walker DB 12 26 Bryson Shaw LB 12 27 Michael White TE/DL 10 28 Maddox Waller TE/LB 10 29 Carson Bahry WR/DB 10 30 Caden Kell LB 12 31 Tanner Davis RB/DB 11 32 Holden Campbell RB/LB 10 33 Eli Jerguson RB/DB 12 34 Jayden Dupervil WR/DB 10 35 Michael Fountain TE/DL 10 36 Spencer Geist RB/DB 11 37 Parker Henley TE/DL 10 38 Ahmed Dauda RB/DB 12 39 TJ Hill WR/DB 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 40 Ken Johnson RB/DB 10 42 Sospeter Maqua TE/LB 10 43 Griffin Collier WR/DB 11 44 Clinton Martin RB/LB 10 45 Lucas Nieves WR/DB 10 46 Hector Gonzalez WR/K 11 47 Hayden Poole WR/DB 10 49 Matthew Ruiz WR/DB 10 50 Brady Curl OL/DL 12 51 Matthew Matz OL/DL 10 55 Carter Ligetti OL/DL 11 56 Drake Plowman OL/DL 10 58 Kehinde Ogundele OL/DL 11 59 Grant Plowman DL 11 61 Asher Martineau OL 12 62 Riley O’Neill OL/DL 10 64 Colton Bass OL/DL 10 67 Charlie Miller OL/DL 10 72 Dmitri Morris OL 12 No. Name Pos. Cl. 73 Noah Normile DL 10 75 William Rueve OL 12 76 Alex Brewer OL/DL 10 77 Tanner Phouangphet OL 10 78 Will Evans OL/DL 11 79 Carson Cagle OL/DL 11 81 Jack Ripley WR 10 82 Bradley Joseph WR/DB 10 83 Easton Richardson WR/DB 10 84 Sarah Pittman WR 12 85 Trent White WR/DB 10 86 Noah Ayers DB 11 88 Dominic Ulloa TE/DL 12 89 Ellis Hobba TE/DL 10 91 Caleb McClure K 11 98 Nathan Boronat OL/DL 12 99 Tyler Patterson DL 10

10/13 at Creekview

4485 Hickory Rd, Canton, GA 30115 • Skip Pope Stadium

https://www.sequoyahfootball.com/ Twitter: @SequoyahChiefs Instagram: @sequoyahchiefsfootball Facebook: @SequoyahChiefsFootball

Lambert................................14-41............L

2022 RESULTS VARSITY COACHING

Rabun Gap .........................28-35............L

Cedartown ...........................0-35............L

Cherokee ............................30-14..........W

Etowah ...................................18-7..........W

River Ridge ............................13-7..........W

Rome .....................................0-52............L

Creekview ...............................7-3..........W

Allatoona ...............................0-10............L

Woodstock .........................56-12..........W

State Playoffs

South Paulding ...................13-28............L

STAFF

James Teter.......................HC

Ben Jacqmein .............OC/OL

Greg Key .............................OL

Steve Collins .....................WR

Eric Burkhalter ...................RB

Wes Emery ...........................K

Brent Budde..............DC / LB

Lane Whitley ......................LB

Colin Dozier .......................DL

Kevin Bannister ................DB

Breon Isaac .......................DB

Joe Hulen ...........................SC

Billy Pichon ........................LB

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

ATH Patrick Hall (1998-2001) .......................................................Penn State

DB Austin Thomas (2001-04) .............................................................Indiana

OL Paul Cantrell (1998-2001) ..........................................Middle Tennessee

2022 LEADERS

RUSHING

Jackson Hancock ...114 car....591 yds.......7 TD

PASSING

Kolby Martin ...........31/72......407 yds. .....0 TD ...1 INT

Jaxon Nesbitt.........14/30 .....254 yds......1 TD...2 INT

RECEIVING

Jackson Hancock ..18 rec. ...315 yds. ......2 TD

TACKLES

Bretton Darling 91

Taiwo Ogundele ...83

SACKS

Taiwo Ogundele 4

Drew Zablotny ...... 3

INTERCEPTIONS

Bretton Darling...... 3

Coach: James Teter • 15th Season • Record: 77-73 • Career: 118-106

CHIEFS

From Page 107

on some things and continue to grow throughout the season.”

Sequoyah’s march back to the state playoff bracket starts with the health of players like Hancock,

BASH

Monday & Wednesday

All you can eat wings

FIVE YEAR RECORD

28-26

2022: 5-6

2021: 4-6

2020: 4-6

2019: 5-5

2018: 10-3

ALL TIME RECORD 191-163

REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 2003

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

Martin and the rest of its starters, especially once the Region 6AAAAAA gauntlet begins against four county foes, plus Allatoona and the reigning region champion Rome.

The Chiefs went 4-2 in region play last season, and now they’re looking for more.

“We want to get back in the playoffs, win this region and sweep the county,” all-county offensive lineman Brady Curl said. “We have to be mentally and physically tough to get that done. We can’t be lazy because that can cost us a game.”

The margin for error is

minuscule, but Teter knows his team’s potential.

“There are certain positions where we are thin, and if we lose the wrong person, that could affect us big-time,” Teter said. “But, the expectation for this team is that we are going to do whatever we can to get back in the playoffs.”

Canton 1625 Ballground Hwy. (Across From Walmart) Woodstock 12035 Hwy. 92 (92 @ Trickum)

108 KICKOFF 2023

NIGHT

Luck This Season!

R FEST A rts & Cr a f t s Festiv a l at Etowah

Park

Annual Riverfest Arts and Crafts

Sept. 23 10am - 6pm

Sept. 24 10am

5pm

Learn more at www.serviceleague.net

Good

RIVE

River

39th

Festival Saturday,

Sunday,

Presented by:

SEQUOYAH CHIEFS

Ean Marria has carved himself out a role on both sides of the ball for Sequoyah.

Versatile Marria finds success on both sides of ball

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@cheroikeetribune.com

Strength, size and toughness, three of football’s most important traits, are what Sequoyah junior Ean Marria brings to the table in 2023.

Marria is one of multiple twoway players for the Chiefs and is expected to have a significant impact. A defensive lineman by trade, the 5-foot-11, 200-pound Marria is transitioning from tight end to fullback on offense, a change that began toward the end of last season.

“It’s hard at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s great,” Marria said. “I got to see and do both last year with tight end and defensive end, but making the switch to fullback this year, it’s a little more difficult. You have to know more stuff. It also helps that I have people I can ask questions because Jackson Hancock and I are both doing it.”

Hancock and Marria will see

time together in Sequoyah’s backfield in the Wing-T offense, with the Missouri-bound Hancock (591 rushing yards, seven touchdowns in 2022) being the focal point.

Marria was the Chiefs’ fourthleading rusher in 2022, registering 28 carries for 184 yards and three touchdowns. On the defensive side, he picked up 21 tackles, six tackles for loss, one sack and one fumble recovery.

One of Marria’s best games as a sophomore came in the regularseason finale, a 56-12 win over Woodstock. Playing exclusively on offense that game, he took six carries for 92 yards, a 15.3 yards-per-carry average.

In Sequoyah’s first-round playoff game against South Paulding, Marria took 13 carries for 50 yards and two touchdowns.

“It’s just the hard running I do,” Marria said. “I’m hard to tackle. I am not trying to make a guy miss; I am just there to run the ball hard and straight and get three or four good yards. Being able to run the

ball makes it a little more fun.”

Marria, also a legitimate Division-I baseball prospect at Sequoyah, began playing football in middle school. The thirdbaseman, pitcher and outfielder said he’s open to either sport at the next level.

On the football field, though, Marria said his mental toughness sets him apart, which is necessary to play both offense and defense in 85-plus degree weather in August.

Chiefs’ coach James Teter loves the versatility he gets with Marria, countering the styles of his other running backs, Hancock and Tyler Bell (323 yards, three touchdowns in 2022).

“He adds a different view of things, offensively,” Teter said. “And defensively, he’s a force at defensive end. On offense, he’s a different version to Jackson (Hancock). Jackson is more speed and finesse, but Ean is more physical and a hard runner inside.”

Sequoyah was among the best

teams in Cherokee County last season, beating all five county opponents in Cherokee, Etowah, River Ridge, Creekview and Woodstock. The Chiefs finished 4-2 in Region 6AAAAAA, with their only losses coming to region champion Rome and secondplace Allatoona.

Getting Sequoyah its second region championship was the first thing on Marria’s mind when he pondered his goals for 2023. With an increased role on both sides of the ball, the Chiefs’ bruiser will be vital to achieving those goals.

“I always just want to win our county and then our region next,” Marria said. “Last year, we won county, but we could have been better. I just want to help out as much as I can in all phases. It’s just a pride thing. It’s the feeling of winning a tough game. That’s a good feeling, and when they are region games, too, it brings something different, a little extra.”

KICKOFF 2023 109

Special - Anthony Stalcup

WOODSTOCK WOLVERINES

Process and core values spur Devine era

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

It’s a new era at Woodstock.

Former West Forsyth assistant Dan Devine has taken over the Wolverines with a focus on rebuilding the culture.

Devine joined the program with nearly 20 years of coaching experience, including an eight-year stint with Alpharetta, where he won two region championships. As a head coach in 2016, he led North Springs to its first state playoff appearance in 18 years.

Woodstock’s new lead man has already seen a better player turnout as he looks to steer the program back to contention.

“It’s sticking to our process and our core values,” Devine said. “We’re trying to show them what that means every day. It’s tough, but it’s good, and I think the kids have responded well. They welcomed it and have worked really

hard, so hopefully, it will pay off on the field.”

Woodstock last made the playoffs in 2017 under then-head coach Brent Budde, who now serves as Sequoyah’s defensive coordinator. The Wolverines finished winless in each of the last two seasons.

For Devine and Woodstock in 2023, it’s about progress while building strength and confidence that wins will follow.

“Besides wins and losses, it’s just competing every week against the opponent and keeping things close, where we can pull out a couple of wins here or there,” Devine said. “From the time we step onto the field, we always expect to win. That’s what we’re trying to teach these guys with changing the culture.”

Woodstock’s top defensive player, junior Drew Burmeister, returns and will play both sides of the ball. Burmeister registered

2023 Roster

96 tackles, good for third in Cherokee County, with three tackles for loss and one sack.

At quarterback, the Wolverines have senior Peyton Lynch ready to step in. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Lynch played in three games last season, finishing with 89 yards on 10-for-19 passing.

Woodstock, overall, averaged 85-90 players per day during summer workouts, which Devine said was encouraging for his Class AAAAAA program.

“They are working every day and learning how to grind,” Devine said. “Any time you’re trying to change a culture, it’s different and fun. They’ve responded really well to it, and I am proud of all the hard work.”

Woodstock opens its season against Osborne, which was in a similar position not too long ago. The Cardinals went 0-29 from 2017-19 but finished 5-5

See Wolverines, Page 111

110 KICKOFF 2023

8/18 Osborne 8/25 at Hiram

9/1 Cherokee 9/8 at Lassiter 9/14 at River Ridge 9/29 at Rome 10/6 Allatoona 10/20 Creekview11/3 Sequoyah

2023 Schedule

No. Name Pos. Cl. 3 Braedy Sommerville LB 12 4 Elijah Wadsworth WR/TE 12 5 Drew Burmeister LB 11 6 Chase Colina WR/TE 11 7 Elijah Cofer DB 11 8 Luke Renninger WR/TE 12 9 Tyler Barbera DB 10 10 Tobias Sallee DB 11 11 Isaiah Payton RB 11 12 Johntavious Richardson LB 12 13 Will Furstein WR 11 14 Sullivan Burke WR 12 15 Luke Similien WR/DB 10 16 Peyton Lynch QB 12 17 Graham Burmeister QB 9 18 Brant Arnold WR 11 19 Jackson Wallace DB 11 20 Trenton Sallee DB 10 21 Sharrod Elly RB 12 22 Sam McCallister DB 11 23 Justin Yearout WR 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 24 Tobias Sallee DB 12 25 Reece Giles DB 10 26 Delvin Hill WR/DB 10 27 Colin Assiamah-Ansong WR 10 28 Khalil Anderson RB 10 29 Yarell Culp WR 10 30 Darryl McClendon RB 10 31 Oluwatobiloba Aknabi DB 10 32 Evan Stacey RB 10 33 Gabe Meek LB 12 34 Davis Cranford LB 11 35 Gianni DeLegge DB 11 36 C’Ante Smith DB 11 37 Dawson Owen TE 12 38 Nicholas Shade LB 11 39 Brody Mullins DB 12 40 Zachary Lasenyik TE 11 41 Israel Silimon-Jones DL 12 42 Cooper Price LB 11 43 Adam Pinkston DB 10 44 David Wadsworth LB 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 45 Carson Parker DL 12 46 Brandon Benton LB 11 47 Aeneas Maniatis DB 10 48 Jacob Pistone LB 10 49 Jake Brantly LB 10 50 Tyler Howard LB 10 51 Quiency Constant OL 11 52 Robert Coats DL 10 53 Jamarcus Gentry DL 12 54 Nathan Washington OL/DL 11 55 Maddox Mann OL 10 56 Cameron Lavette OL 12 58 Tate Washington OL/DL 12 59 Brody Briggs OL 11 60 Timmy Shackelford DL 12 61 Jake Muehlberger OL 11 62 Gabe Johnson DL 11 63 Jacob DePaul OL 11 64 Carter Clay DL 10 65 Jaxson Griffin OL 10 66 Jerry Pham DL 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 67 Caden Beard OL 10 68 James Boye OL 10 70 Eli Myers OL 11 75 Jamir Richardson DL 10 77 Joe Cousin OL/DL 11 78 Bryan Osebor OL 11 80 Ryan Wright DB 10 81 Chase Collins WR 10 82 Kyle Sentell TE 10 83 Cavaughn Profit WR 10 84 Alex Paul WR 10 85 Anthony Colby WR 10 86 Nathan Kellner WR 10 87 Austin Wedemeier WR 10 88 Chase Tieman TE 10 89 Maurice Baggett WR 10 90 Caleb Baxley WR/DB 11 91 Ryder Romijin K/P 12 92 Raymond Aguilera LB 11

10/13 at Etowah

2010 Towne Lake Hills S Dr, Woodstock, GA 30189 • Wolverine Den

Twitter: @WoodstockFtball

2022 RESULTS

Osborne ................................7-46............L

Hiram.....................................9-49............L

Cherokee ..............................6-34............L

Lassiter ................................14-64............L

River Ridge ...........................0-44............L

Rome .....................................0-70............L

Allatoona ...............................7-41............L

Etowah ................................21-42............L

Creekview ............................0-38............L

Sequoyah ...........................12-56............L

https://www.woodstockfootball.net/

Instagram: @woodstockwolverinesnation

VARSITY COACHING

STAFF

Dan Devine .......................HC

Justin Pearce .............OC/QB

Andrew Price ..............DC/LB

Josh Weaver ................ST/DL

Jared Wallace ...................DB

Scott Stansel ......................TE

Jake Brock ..................OL/SC

Josh Smerker ....................WR

Bernard Walker .................RB

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

DL Latrell Bankston (2014-17) ...........................................................Houston

RB Corey Carmichael (2006-09) ...................................Middle Tennessee

RB Bruce Miller (2007-10) .................................UCF, San Francisco 49ers

WOLVERINES

From Page 110

last season for their best record since 1994.

RUSHING

Facebook: @Woodstock Wolverines Football

2022 LEADERS

Isaiah Payton..........53 car. ...187 yds. ......1 TD

PASSING

Dan Comeau .........83/172 ...832 yds......3 TD..8 INT

RECEIVING

Adonis Garcia ........42 rec. ..385 yds......1 TD

Drew Burmeister ..13 rec.....240..............1 TD

TACKLES

Drew Burmeister ..96

Carson Gray ..........68

Evan Mckeller ........67

SACKS

Carson Gray ........... 4

INTERCEPTIONS

Carson Gray ........... 1

Kristian Colina........ 1

Brody Mullins 1

The Wolverines will meet Lassiter and Cherokee before diving into a challenging Region 6AAAAAA schedule featuring four county opponents plus traditional powers Rome and Allatoona.

Devine knows rebuilds take time; however, his “grind-it-out” mentality can translate, and he hopes to be competitive from Game 1.

“Physical and fast,” Devine said.

YEAR

3-7

“Anyone who comes in here knows that they played Woodstock. That’s important to us. My identity, and my staff’s identity, is that we’re going to get after you and set the tone.”

KICKOFF 2023 111

Devine • 1st Season • Record: 0-0 • Career: 6-5

WOODSTOCK WOLVERINES Coach: Dan

FIVE

RECORD 9-41 2022: 0-10 2021: 0-10 2020: 3-7 2019: 3-7 2018:

ALL TIME

REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

RECORD 109-156

Defensive end

Drew Burmeister has become a role model in the Woodstock locker room, and he is helping the Wolverines with the rebuild of their program.

Burmeister accelerating Woodstock’s rebuild

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

It doesn’t get much better for a rebuilding team than having a player like Drew Burmeister on the roster.

Burmeister, a 6-foot-1, 215pound junior, was a force last season, and he expects to be even better in 2023 as Woodstock attempts to build from the ground up.

“We’ve got to prove people wrong, and we have to change for real this time,” Burmeister said. “We had a new coach that did not work out, but this is our second chance. We have to work, and we’ve got to get there.”

Burmeister led the Wolverines with 96 tackles, three tackles for loss and one sack last season,

while separating himself as Woodstock’s best defensive player. He also had a presence on offense, catching 13 passes for 240 yards and one touchdown.

For first-year head coach Dan Devine, Burmeister is vital to his culture-building efforts with the Wolverines.

“You wish you had 90 Drew Burmeisters, but unfortunately, you don’t,” Devine said. “He’s everything you want in a player. He’s a leader and our best returning player. He’ll be our quarterback on defense. We expect a huge year from him.”

Burmeister also competed in the 300-meter hurdles in the spring for Woodstock’s track and field team, showcasing great athleticism for a defensive end.

During his sophomore track

and field season, Burmeister took fourth place in his event at the Region 6AAAAAA championship meet. He recorded a time of 42.11 seconds. He also took fourth place at the Cherokee County championships with a 43.52-second run.

Burmeister will primarily play defense once the season begins, but later on, depending on how Woodstock’s offense manifests, he may regain his offensive role as well.

“I’m going to start learning the offense this season, but I’ll start on defense, mainly,” Burmeister said. “I’m working to master my role there. I love tackling, and I love reading the offense’s plays. It’s awesome when you get to stop those plays and get hyped up after a big tackle.”

The Wolverines are a young

team overall, and with leaders and team captains Tyler Douthit (Samford) and Adonis Garcia (Wofford) gone, Burmeister has to take a leadership role as one of the program’s most experienced players.

He already led Woodstock in tackles, though Burmeister expects more, both individually and for the team. The Wolverines may seem like an afterthought in the competitive Region 6AAAAAA, but Burmeister is helping them clear the hurdles to success in 2023.

“I’m hoping to increase my stats and just get better. I can’t mess up,” Burmeister said. “I have to try and be a better player for this team. It’s really good to be fast, and you’ve got to be well-rounded. I try and do as much as I can in other aspects, too.”

112 KICKOFF 2023

Special - Anthony Stalcup

State title football games return to Mercedes-Benz

By John Bednarowski sportseditor@mdjonline.com

The Georgia High School Association’s state championship football games are returning to Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The GHSA and the Atlanta Falcons agreed to a three-year contract to bring the games back to the stadium, and Falcons president and CEO Rich McKay said he hopes the agreement will continue long after the initial contract ends.

“We are pleased to have the championships back where we think it belongs,” McKay said during a joint news conference at the stadium after the season.

The current agreement will begin with the 2023 season and last through 2025. The championship games will be held the week after the Southeastern Conference championship, with next year’s games tentatively scheduled for Tuesday through Thursday, Dec. 12-14.

The high school games could shift depending on what happens with the Falcons’ schedule. McKay said the organization has to leave the weekend dates open until the NFL schedule is revealed.

This year, the championship games were spread over three days at the outdoor Center Parc Stadium. The three girls flag football title games were played Thursday, Dec. 8, along with the Class A Division I and II games. The Class AA, Class AAAA and Class AAAAAA games were played Friday, Dec. 9, and the Class AAA, Class AAAAA and Class AAAAAAA games Saturday were on the 10th.

GHSA executive director Robin Hines said he was excited about bringing the games back to the indoor Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“I’m extremely excited about that,” Hines said. “It’s also nice to have these things planned without weather being an issue.”

The reason the games moved from Mercedes-Benz Stadium four years ago was price. When

the move was made, it was reported that the cost for the GHSA to put the games on at Mercedes-Benz Stadium was nearly $500,000. The cost at Center Parc Stadium was reportedly $125,000.

However, over the last four seasons, attendance was down considerably compared to the games that were played in Mercedes-Benz Stadium and, before that, the Georgia Dome. At least twice during that time, a full day’s schedule of games was affected by weather, including in 2019, when Harrison and Allatoona played for the Class AAAAAA title in a constant rain and temperatures in the 40s.

For Cobb County coaches, the move back to Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a good one.

“I am excited that the GHSA found a way to make this work,” Hillgrove coach Justin DeShon said. “It shows a commitment to the game in our state and rewards the players and fans in each community with a beautiful atmosphere

that will allow everyone to focus on football.”

Kell coach Bobby May agreed.

“I’m excited that the GHSA and MBS were able to work out a deal that allows our great players in this state to showcase their talents at the best platform possible,” he said.

South Cobb coach Thomas Hanson liked the games at Center Parc Stadium, but he agreed that the move is good for the masses.

“I really like the smaller venue at Georgia State,” Hanson said, “but the weather obviously impacted the crowd size for these games over the past few seasons. These kids deserve to play in front of larger crowds, and playing at an NFL venue provides great memories for kids who may be playing in their last game.”

Walton coach Daniel Brunner also likes the move and hopes the new surroundings can help with an additional feature.

“It was the right thing to do for these student-athletes,” Brunner said.

KICKOFF 2023 113 1625 Ballground Hwy. (Across From Walmart) 12035 Hwy. 92 (92 @ Trickum) Ballground Hwy. (Across From Walmart) 12035 Hwy. 92 (92 @ Trickum) Canton 1625 Ballground Hwy. (Across

Walmart) Woodstock 12035 Hwy. 92 (92 @ Trickum)

Monday & Wednesday • All you can eat wings

From

BASH NIGHT

2023 CHEROKEE SUPER SIX

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

Cherokee County’s Super Six is an offensive-heavy group in 2023, featuring two quarterbacks, two offensive linemen and one running back, and only one linebacker.

Three county teams made the state playoffs last season in Cherokee, River Ridge and Sequoyah, with the Chiefs taking South Paulding to the brink in Round 1 of the playoffs.

Sequoyah’s Jackson Hancock and Creekview’s Andrew Rosinski are the most decorated prospects of the bunch, with Hancock heading to the SEC at Missouri, while Rosinski is committed to North Carolina in the ACC.

Hancock plays both sides of the ball, leading Sequoyah’s offense with 591 yards and seven touchdowns in 2022 while anchoring the secondary with 49 tackles. In 2021, Hancock had a county-best six interceptions.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound senior had 13 offers before committing to Missouri and will join former Cherokee quarterback AJ Swann (Vanderbilt) and former Woodstock defensive back David Daniel-Sisavanh (Georgia) as Cherokee alumni in the SEC.

Hancock had a signature game in a 30-14 win over Cherokee last year. He took a blocked field goal 73 yards for a touchdown and followed with a kick-return touchdown later in the game.

Rosinski is one of Creekview’s biggest prospects over the last

few years, and the 6-6, 285pound tackle has Division-I size and strength. He headlines an offensive line that’s expected to drive the Grizzlies’ offense in 2023.

Cherokee’s Tanner Savasir and Etowah’s Xavier Mahoney are the two quarterbacks in this year’s Super Six, with Savasir finishing last season second on the county’s passing list and Mahoney leading the rushing chart.

Savasir led the Warriors back to the playoffs for a schoolrecord fifth consecutive season, posting 1,606 yards and 14 touchdowns with a 60.7% competition rate.

Mahoney dominated the run game as a sophomore, picking up 1,014 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2022. He threw for 836 yards and seven touchdowns to just three interceptions, and Etowah coach Matt Kemper hopes to see him take a step forward and become more dangerous this year.

Tate Nelms, a senior offensive lineman, is a two-time member of the Super Six and paves the way for Mahoney’s offensive prowess. Nelms stands at 6-4 and 285 pounds, who Kemper said is another legitimate Division-I prospect.

River Ridge’s Brandon Burdette was Cherokee County’s leading tackler a year ago, flying around the field for 104 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and two sacks. He returns as the clear leader of the Knights’ defense as they look for a postseason berth for the third time in the last four years.

BRANDON BURDETTE

RIVER RIDGE LB 5-9, 190

Learn more about Brandon

JACKSON HANCOCK SEQUOYAH

ATH 6-0, 175 3-Star

1,285 nat, 139, 139 GA Committed to Missouri

Learn more about Jackson

Learn more about Xavier

XAVIER MAHONEY ETOWAH QB 5-9, 160

Learn more about Tate

TATE NELMS ETOWAH OL 6-4, 280

ANDREW ROSINSKI CREEKVIEW

OL 6-6, 284

3-Star

529 nat, 36, 60 GA

Committed to North Carolina

Learn more about Andrew

TANNER SAVASIR CHEROKEE

QB 6-0, 175

Learn more about Tanner

Dudley to lead Blessed Trinity through Region 7AAAAAA

By Adam Carrington MDJ Sports Correspondent

East Cobb schools are on their way back.

Sprayberry looks to make a move this season while Lassiter and Pope continue their rebuilds. But at this point, Roswell appears to be the likely favorite to repeat as Region 7AAAAAA champions.

The Hornets return many of its players from last season including offensive lineman Anthonie Knapp, who is committed to Notre Dame, Marshall wide receiver commit Dylan Williams and Virginia commit Chase Morrison at defensive end. However, there is a familiar face around the corner who is looking to throw a wrinkle into Roswell’s plans if not this year, in the years to come.

The Hornets, along with the Yellow Jackets, Trojans and Greyhounds, have had past

encounters with former longtime Walton coach Ed Dudley, who has now taken the reins at Blessed Trinity.

While Blessed Trinity may not be as experienced on paper as in years past, Dudley has the resume to get things turned around quickly. He led the Raiders to five region championships and two state semifinal appearances during his 14 year stint at Walton.

Since leaving Walton, he has had five-year stints apiece at Ware County and Winder-Barrow, plus two seasons at Carrollton. He took Ware County to the state finals in 2012.

Dudley brought a few of his Walton assistants with him to Blessed Trinity. Tripp Allen will serve as his offensive coordinator, Chuck Goddard is coordinating the defense, and Leo Barker is coaching linebackers.

PREDICTION

1. ROSWELL

2. ALPHARETTA

3. BLESSED TRINITY

4. SPRAYBERRY

5. JOHNS CREEK

6. LASSITER

7. POPE

“It’s going to be a crazy competitive region,” Dudley said. “We may be in for a tough fight. We have a young team, so we hope to get up to speed by the time region starts.”

While Roswell has experience on its side, Dudley will be inheriting a Titan squad that graduated key players after finishing third in the region.

Dudley will also have to contend with playoff teams Alpharetta and Sprayberry. Region runner-up Alpharetta lost its starting quarterback but has talented skill players

coming back. Sprayberry will have a first-year quarterback as well but is expecting to have a banner season from running back Jason Pitts.

“I expect everyone in the region to be better,” Sprayberry coach Brett Vavra said. “It’s going to be a challenge for us.”

Johns Creek, Lassiter and Pope are looking to bounce back from just one region win apiece last year.

The key for the Trojans is staying healthy after getting decimated by injuries last season. Pope and Johns Creek are getting acclimated to first-year coaches Sean O’Sullivan and Jim Rowell.

“There are so many things I’ve learned these last five years that are outside your control,” Lassiter coach Sean Thom said. “We’re taking a step back and focusing on us. At the end of the day, you got to win three region games.”

KICKOFF 2023 121

REGION 7AAAAAA

Special - Cecil Copeland Jason Pitts will be a large part of Sprayberry’s offense this season as they try to manuver through Roswell, Alpharetta, Blessed Trinity and their east Cobb rivals, to the top of Region 7AAAAAA.

Trojans’ goal is postseason or bust

By Adam Carrington MDJ Sports Writer

Lassiter’s prime objective this season is to play an 11th game. The Trojans are not going to allow the excuse of having only 10 returning starters — five on both sides of the ball — to derail them from qualifying for the postseason for the first time since 2017.

Lassiter appeared to have the talent a year ago to get over the hump. During the first half of its season, the team’s chances looked good, especially after beating Johns Creek 23-20 in the Region 7AAAAAA opener.

The season then unraveled over the last five games. Lassiter also lost 18 players to seasonending injuries throughout the year, coach Sean Thom said, which didn’t help its playoff chances.

Now Lassiter has to find a way to push forward with a less experienced squad.

“We had many guys that have seen Friday night action, but I think (five) guys – on each side of the ball – have seen significant playing time,” Thom said. “Overall it’s a good group. It is a group of hard-working kids. The kids want to be successful.”

Junior quarterback Levi Mundt has been tabbed the full-time starting quarterback this season after getting four starts during his freshman and sophomore seasons combined. He started the last two games against Sprayberry and Blessed Trinity last season and finished the year with 389 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

Mundt’s receivers are seniororiented and got playing time last year. Aaron Daniels, Rennen Kelly and Michael O’Brien

are all back for another year.

“They are showing good progress,” Thom said. “We’re happy with where they are at.”

Lassiter plans on rotating players at the running back position this year. Senior Will Davidson, who started at outside linebacker last year, will make the transition to running back. Junior Zach Dyar, also a linebacker, is expected to get reps.

Up front, senior center J.P. Vincent and senior offensive tackle Marcus Shank return to anchor a young unit after graduating four seniors from last season.

On defense, junior Bryce Parker returns at linebacker after playing all 10 games last season. He finished with 39 tackles, five tackles for loss and a sack.

Senior defensive end Griffin Mack, who led the Trojans with five sacks, will be key up front.

See Trojans, Page 123

122 KICKOFF 2023 Auto Glass The Way It Should Be! Nationally Certified Auto Glass Technicians of East Cobb 1075 Johnson Ferry Rd. Marietta, GA 30068 678-390-2447 (Located at Platinum Auto Spa) In Shop & Mobile Auto Glass www.wyndshyld.com     2023WINNER BESTOF COBB E O M Call or Text Us at 678-390-2447 Windshield Repair • Auto Glass Replacement • Windshield Coating ADAS Calibrations • Insurance Claims Specialist Have a Great Football Season! Have a Great Season! The South’s Largest Selection Exclusive Distributor of Crypton Performance Fabrics 770-427-3123 www.FabricsAndFringe.com OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 2440 Canton Road, Marietta 30066 2023WINNER BESTOF COBB PRSENTE Y C B FEMAGAZN LASSITER TROJANS 8/18 at Etowah8/25 Wheeler 2023 Schedule 9/8 Woodstock9/15 at Dalton 9/29 Johns Creek10/6 at Roswell 10/13 at Alpharetta 10/27 Sprayberry11/3 at Blessed Trinity 2023 Roster 10/20 Pope No. Name Pos. Cl. 1 Michael O’Brien WR/DB 12 2 Gavin Rose WR/LB 11 3 Shaw Mixon WR/DB 12 4 Joshua Frere QB 9 5 Johnny Michaels WR/DB 9 6 Archer Burke RB/DB 10 7 Collins Price WR/LB 9 8 Mitch Seaman QB 10 9 Emmett Elmore WR/DB 10 10 Tyler Morton RB/LB 9 11 Wyatt Mikesell WR/DB 11 12 Levi Mundt QB 11 14 Dalton Price WR/DB 9 15 Sabien Thigpen WR/DB 11 16 Sabine Manning TE/LB 11 17 Aaron Daniels WR/DB 12 18 Christian Cole WR/DB 9 19 Griffin Mack TE/DL 12 20 Rennen Kelly WR/DB 12 21 Kevin Taylor RB/DB 10 22 Harston Harrison WR/LB 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 23 Will Davidson RB/LB 12 24 Jax Brickley WR/DB 9 25 Ethan Schneeberger WR/DB 10 26 Chase Campbell RB/LB 9 27 Jake Johnson WR/DB 10 28 Michael Jones WR/DB 10 29 Zachary Prewett WR/DB 10 30 Damon Goins RB/LB 9 31 Jackson Muse WR/DB 10 32 Bryce Parker TE/LB 11 33 Nick Hoggard TE/DL 9 34 Jack Smith WR/DB 9 35 Caden Bloom RB/DB 9 36 Hayden Shartle RB/DB 9 37 Jayden Sylvain RB/LB 11 38 Nate Adams WR/DB 10 39 Joseph Grice RB/LB 11 40 Brayden Barnes WR/DB 9 41 Corey Epling WR/DB 9 42 Cole Stewart TE/LB 9 43 Brody Brantley TE/LB 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 44 Connor Clark TE/LB 10 45 Zachary Dyar RB/LB 11 46 Eli Dasher WR/DB 9 47 Dayton Davis WR/DB 11 48 Matthew Cox TE/LB 11 49 Elijah Freeland WR/DB 9 50 JP Vincent OL/DL 11 51 Noah Luchkowec OL/LB 11 52 Joey Del Pozzo OL/DL 10 53 Reid Ashmore TE/LB 10 54 Noah O’Neill OL/DL 11 55 Walker Boswell OL/DL 12 56 Tavaris Knuckles OL/LB 10 57 Nicklaus Brasco OL/DL 10 58 Espen Holm OL/DL 10 59 Jalil Isaac OL/DL 9 60 Keegan Sellers OL/DL 10 61 Colin Rex OL/DL 11 62 Michael Henson OL/DL 9 63 Cole Verhoef OL/DL 9 64 Alan Rodriquez OL/DL 9 No. Name Pos. Cl. 66 Luis Barrera OL/DL 11 67 Henry Affaine OL/DL 9 68 Aiden Clark OL/DL 10 69 Victor Esclusa OL/DL 10 71 Marcus Schenk OL/DL 11 72 Derek Stutz OL/DL 12 73 Anders Stephenson OL/DL 10 74 Jon Walker Brown OL/DL 9 75 Silas Armer OL/DL 12 76 Brock Tefft OL/DL 9 77 Connor Murray OL/LB 9 79 Aarav Abijith OL/DL 11 83 Brady McGee WR/DB 9 84 AJ Armer TE/DL 9 85 Thomas Anderson WR/DB 10 86 Tyler Levine WR/DB 10 87 James Baughan TE/DL 9 88 Will Haskin TE/LB 9 90 Justin Capilouto K/P 10 97 Mark Keith K/P 11 99 Chase Jones OL/DL 10

2601 Shallowford Rd, Marietta, GA 30066 • Lutzie Field at Frank Fillmann Stadium

https://www.lassiterfootball.net/ Twitter: @LassiterTrojans Instagram: @lassitertrojanfootball

Etowah ................................14-25............L

2022 RESULTS VARSITY COACHING STAFF

Wheeler ...............................16-10..........W

Woodstock ..........................64-14..........W

Dalton....................................3-35............L

Johns Creek .......................23-20..........W

Roswell..................................0-58............L

Alpharetta ...........................21-70............L

Pope ....................................23-26............L

Sprayberry..........................10-63............L

Blessed Trinity .....................0-49............L

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

OL Ross Brannon (1992-95), .....................................................Florida State

TE Philip Lutzenkirchen (2005-08),...............Auburn, Los Angeles Rams

QB Hutson Mason (2006-09), .........Georgia, Washington Commanders

LB Kevin Schimmelmann (1997-2000),......Stanford, Green Bay Packers

OL Camden Wentz (2005-08), ..................N.C. State, Minnesota Vikings

TROJANS

From Page 122

Junior Noah O’Neil returns to

the defensive line after posting 22 tackles and a sack.

Lassiter’s inexperience on defense will come in the secondary with young players

ALL TIME RECORD 207-221-2

REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (3) 2013, 2012, 2009

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

battling for spots.

Seniors O’Brien and Shaw Mixon are the most seasoned players coming back.

“It’s going to be one of

those things where we have to do a good job as coaches putting them in the right spots and giving them a chance to be successful,” Thom said.

KICKOFF 2023 123 Celebrating 50 Years! We would like to thank ALL of our dedicated “essential” employees and All of our Loyal Clients. Providing a secure and sanitized environment for over 50 years! 770-656-2726 • minimaid.com Leone Hinzman, innovator of the team cleaning concept 1973. Experience the Professional Difference Since 1973 LASSITER TROJANS Coach: Sean Thom • 5th Season • Record: 10-30 • Career: 10-30 FIVE YEAR RECORD 11-39 2022: 3-7 2021: 4-6 2020: 2-8 2019: 1-9 2018: 1-9 Sean Thom ........................HC Tom Sheehan ....................OC Joshua Poole ....................DC Josh Herring .....................QB Howie Decristofaro...........OL Kenneth Ling.....................WR Paris Brown .................ST/DB Tyler Donaldson ................LB Campbell Price ..................LB Mike Helmly ....................... ST 2022 LEADERS RUSHING Samuel Gadsden . 129 car. . 612 yds.......4 TD Bryson Harrison....100 car. . 605 yds. ....5 TD PASSING Bryson Harrison....69/154 ..787 yds ......4 TD..6 INT RECEIVING Rickardo Jackson.22 rec. ..272 yds......2 TD Shaw Mixon............11 rec......158 yds.......1 TD TACKLES Charle Alexander 43 Parker Hungerbuhler...........42 SACKS Griffin Mack 5 INTERCEPTIONS Jaheem Murray..... 1

124 KICKOFF 2023

Special - Anthony Stalcup Levi Mundt has gone from ball boy to starting quarterback for Lassiter. This season, he hopes to take the Trojans back to the state playoffs.

Mundt gets his shot to lead Trojans

By Adam Carrington MDJ Sports Correspondent

Four years ago, Levi Mundt worked as a ball boy for Lassiter football.

“He was a hard worker then,” Lassiter coach Sean Thom said. “That was the thing you saw. He took a great amount of pride in being the ball boy and being involved on Friday nights and seeing the excitement he would get when the team had success. He lives and breathes football.”

Mundt has been a quarterback since the sixth grade. Entering his junior season, his current position with the Trojans will require more responsibility.

After serving as backup quarterback to Bryson Harrison for the last two seasons, Mundt is expected to get his first taste at being the full-time

starter.

“He’s been heavily involved on Friday nights since he was in middle school,” Thom said. “He’s followed that natural progression of backup quarterback to starter (because of injury) and then (back to) backup. The way he’s handled it has been great. Right now, it’s the natural progression for him to get a shot.”

Mundt’s had four starts in the past two years with both of them coming in the last two games of the season. Even though Lassiter lost all four games he has started, all have come against playoff opponents.

His first career start came his freshman year against eventual region champion Allatoona. Although the Trojans didn’t get the result they wanted, Mundt’s numbers were respectable.

He threw for 128 yards and a

touchdown and ran for another. His only setback was completing only 4 of 14 attempts.

His completion percentage was better against Kell the following week — completing 7 of 11 pass attempts for 43 yards.

“I was nervous at first,” the 5-foot-10 Mundt said. “I wasn’t expecting how much faster it is than JV. People are just bigger. I trusted my coaches and my teammates that they’re not going to put us in the wrong spot. It helped us slow the game down and make it easier.”

Of the four starts, he said Lassiter’s regular season finale against Blessed Trinity was his best overall performance. He was 16 of 25 for 153 yards.

While his favorite player is NFL quarterback Russell Wilson, he patterns his game after former Georgia standout Matthew Stafford.

When Stafford led the Rams to the Super Bowl title two years ago, Mundt was paying close attention.

“I’m an accurate player,” Mundt said. “I like to give the ball to my teammates. I like being in the pocket, but when I have to, I like to run. I can throw it pretty far and put the ball into tight windows.”

Mundt said he has been more fluent with his progressions and reads than he was last season. He also developed a better understanding of reading defenses. If there is one area of his game he is working on, it is developing a quicker release.

His goal this season is to lead Lassiter to the state playoffs for the first time since 2017.

“We want to continue building the program,” Mundt said. “We want our 11th game this season. We want to be up there in the region.”

KICKOFF 2023 125

O’Sullivan returns to ‘Hounds with a plan

By Gunter Schroeder MDJ Sports Writer

For many coaches, a new head coaching position means a chance to leave a mark on a program. For Pope’s Sean O’Sullivan, it’s an opportunity to leave a mark on the program he was once a part of himself.

A former varsity letterman of the Greyhounds football team and a 2004 graduate, O’Sullivan, who was the defensive coordinator in 2017, returns for his second stint at his alma mater. This time around, he’ll have the opportunity to lead the program as head coach after holding the same job for three seasons at Centennial.

“I was definitely excited to get back home,” O’Sullivan said. “It’s a great community to be a part of, and it’s an opportunity to give back to the student athletes at Pope, just like my coaches did for

me when I was a student here. Any time you get a chance to go to your alma mater, it’s hard to pass up.”

This will be the third head coaching stop of O’Sullivan’s career, but it may be his toughest test yet as Pope finished just 1-9 in 2022. Coming into his first season, O’Sullivan is focused on getting the players to buy into the new brand of football he wants to play and embrace a competitive football environment.

“The biggest thing is we want to compete in anything we do,” O’Sullivan said. “I think it’s the entire program model. We want to have a sense of pride in anything we do, whether it be football on the field, in the community, in the building, or working with our middle school program.”

Pope’s roster under O’Sullivan will be getting younger in 2023, as the team will have a large group of underclassmen. To

begin developing the brand of football O’Sullivan wants to play, he’ll instead be relying on the upcoming senior class to help him kickstart the process.

“We’ve got a bunch of pieces in the senior class,” O’Sullivan said. “Guys like Andrew Nelms at kicker, Jaiden Grimes at defensive tackle, Adam Norwood at center, Oliver Kopach on both sides of the ball, there’s several kids that I think will have a big senior year. There’s lots of kids in that class we’re trying to develop and that can help our success on the field.”

O’Sullivan will be aiming to bring Pope back to a competitive level in Class AAAAAA right away. But in Region 7AAAAAA, every game looks to be a battle, with county rivals Lassiter and Sprayberry looking to be right back in the playoff hunt and region favorites such as Roswell,

See Hounds, Page 127

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10/20 at Lassiter No. Name Pos. Cl. 1 JT Way ATH 11 2 Logan Castro DB 12 3 Robert Johnson RB 12 4 John Stuetzer WR 11 5 Ian Davis LB 12 6 Andrew Nelms K 12 7 Tyler Smith WR 12 8 Keita Watanabe WR 10 9 Ethan Brinkman WR 12 11 Davis Griffin DB 12 12 Brock Standfest K 11 13 Hudson Marinko QB 9 15 Nick Chao LB/TE 11 16 Cole Witte QB 11 17 Alex Tushabe WR 12 19 Hudson DeLine QB 11 20 CJ Sandy DB 12 21 Oliver Kopach DB 12 22 Enzo Thompson RB 11 23 Nate Pennington DL 11 24 Nash Rickers TE 12 25 Cae Rueter DB 12 No. Name Pos. Cl. 26 Nigel Combs LB 11 27 Sawyer Grace DB 11 28 Reed Egan DB 11 29 Nathaniel Pierce WR 9 30 Caden Helgeson LB 10 31 Josiah Moss LB 9 32 Caden Helgeson DL 11 33 Jeremy Snavely LB 12 34 Ethan Alterman RB 10 36 JP Haring LB 10 37 Charlie Rollins LB 10 38 Michael Howell LB 10 39 Corban Lewis DB 11 40 Owen Whitten LB 10 41 Harry Watts RB 10 42 Denver Campbell LB 9 43 Bradley Carter DL 9 44 David Chen WR 9 45 Merritt Maltby LB 9 46 Cole Spankowski LB 10 47 Will Armstrong DB 10 48 Reid Joseph RB/LB 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 49 Sam Mokhtari LB 10 50 Charles Harrison OL/LS 11 51 Carson Baker OL 9 52 Jackson Heaton OL 10 54 Jaden Jerry-Milliman OL 11 55 Stone Fortson OL 11 56 Malcolm McGowan OL 12 57 Jackson Jordan OL 9 58 Jaiden Grimes DL 12 59 Nathaniel Irvine DL 12 60 Jason Holder OL 11 61 Ethan Vaskoardzic OL 9 62 Francis Romano OL 11 63 Sam Mitchell OL 11 64 Grady Kane OL 9 65 Francisco Rosa OL 10 66 Preston Cort OL 10 67 Dillon Klein OL 9 68 Max Fumerton OL 11 71 John Moore OL 9 72 Ellis Couch OL 9 73 David Phenes DL 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 74 James Burns OL 10 75 Hunter Foree OL 10 76 Cole Loveless OL 11 77 Adam Norwodd OL 12 78 Jospeh Casale OL 9 79 Gavin Bray OL 9 80 Jack Gorney WR 10 81 Simon German WR 9 82 Alex Hall TE 9 83 Nicholas Brown WR 9 84 Jack Hutchison WR 9 85 Fletcher King DB 10 86 R’laymone Wilkerson WR 9 87 Price Baskin WR 9 88 William Childs DL 9 89 Ford Whyte WR 9 90 Nask Ivie LB 10 91 Luke Neighbor DL 9 92 Mason Dogget DL 10 94 Brody Bryington LB 9 98 Mathew Lago K 10 99 Michael Watson DL 11

2023 Roster

3001 Hembree Rd NE, Marietta, GA 30062 • Pope Multi-Sport Complex

Twitter: @PopeFootball

River Ridge ..........................14-43............L

2022 RESULTS VARSITY COACHING

Kell .......................................14-56............L

Walton ...................................0-49............L

North Paulding ....................7-55............L

Alpharetta ............................7-48............L

Blessed Trinity .....................6-34............L

Roswell..................................3-56............L

Lassiter ...............................26-23..........W

Johns Creek ........................15-47............L

Sprayberry............................0-56............L

https://www.popefootball.com/

Instagram: @popefootball Facebook: @Pope Football

2022 LEADERS

Sean O’Sullivan ...............HC

Butch Climmons ................RB

Jerad Johnson ..................WR

Landon Bonner..................LB

Carl Pfaff .............................LB

Matt Fox ..............................DL Jerry Mahon ......................DC

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

QB Holland Frost (2008-11), .....................................................Georgia Tech

OL Max Kemper (2011-14), ...............................................................Air Force

OL Thomas O’Reilly (2007-10), ................................................Georgia Tech

WR Ryan Sawyer (1995-98), ..............................................................Virginia

QB T.J. Yates (2002-05), .........................North Carolina, Houston Texans

HOUNDS

From Page 126

Alpharetta and Blessed Trinity looking primed for deep playoff

RUSHING Kris Hayes ...............55 car....275 yds......1 TD

FIVE YEAR

runs in 2023. In addition, Pope will face arguably the best two teams in the county in Walton and Kell during their non-region slate. To be more competitive, O’Sullivan outlined the consistency with which

his team plays as key to potential success this season.

“The big thing is, we have to get better every week,” O’Sullivan said. “Our schedule is one of the tougher ones within the state of

Georgia. We have to be playing good football each week and really build consistency, but it’s about us getting better at Pope football, not necessarily who we’re playing.”

KICKOFF 2023 127

Coach: Sean O’Sullivan • 1st Season • Record: 0-0 • Career: 18-32

POPE GREYHOUNDS

RECORD 22-28

2021:

2019:

2018:

2022: 1-9

7-4 2020: 4-4

5-5

5-6

John

Trent

Nick

SACKS Vinny Cantando 1 Jaiden Grimes ........................ 1 INTERCEPTIONS Chandler McDade 2

Vinny Cantando....55. car...181 yds. .......1 TD PASSING Patrick Lowe...........64/128 ..882 yds. ....9 TD ...1 INT Cole Witte ...............67/110....689 yds. ....2 TD . 6 INT RECEIVING

Stuetzer ........42 rec. ..605 yds.. ...2 TD TACKLES

Godfrey ........60

Chao ...............37

STAFF ALL TIME RECORD 161-202 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (3) 2011, 2000, 1998 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

128 KICKOFF 2023 Marietta 770-427-5717 Woodstock 770-926-9112 keeping you game at the top of your Canton 770-345-5717 East Cobb 770-579-8558 Hiram 678-453-5717 - @pinnacleortho - @pinnacleorthos - @pinnacleortho

Special - Anthony Stalcup

was an all-star

John Steutzer was Pope’s leading receiver and center fielder. The junior has found the sports work together in making him a better all-around athlete.

Multiple sports make Stuetzer better

By Gunter Schroeder MDJ Sports Writer

Pope’s John Stuetzer has the ability to make a catch as a wide receiver look almost as effortless as catching a fly ball in the outfield.

As a dual-sport athlete, Stuetzer has carved out a role for the Greyhounds in both football and baseball with his raw athleticism and ability to adapt his skill sets to both sports. While football and baseball require mostly different skill sets, Stuetzer says there is a lot he learns from each sport he plays which improves his skills in the other.

“Both sports that I play make me better at the other,” Stuetzer said. “A lot of playing baseball is mental, so that mindset I’ve developed for baseball is extremely helpful to me each play when I’m on the football field. For football, because it’s more physical than mental, my physical skill set that I need for football really helps me on the baseball field.”

Stuetzer’s strong mental and physical skill sets complemented each other well in 2022, as he

enjoyed a breakout sophomore season as a wide receiver and as an outfielder. He led all Pope receivers with 42 receptions for 605 yards and two touchdowns, while also batting .423 in 111 atbats and leading Pope baseball with 29 stolen bases.

Stuetzer’s raw numbers in both sports jump off the page, but football coach Sean O’Sullivan has been most impressed with Stuetzer’s work ethic behind the scenes in balancing both sports so far this summer.

“Although he’s extremely busy with baseball, he does come and take part in everything on the field and in the weight room,” O’Sullivan said. “His understanding of how to manage a complete schedule with baseball and football, and making time for both at his age, is incredible.”

In 2023, O’Sullivan and his Pope coaching staff will be looking to steer the program back in the right direction after a disappointing 1-9 campaign in 2022. O’Sullivan will be looking for returning impact players like Stuetzer to help set the

tone for a new era of Pope football.

“We want to put out a physical brand of football that’s gonna compete, and obviously that’s what we’re trying to instill right now,” O’Sullivan said. “With a player like John, he’s highly competitive playing multiple sports, his leadership ability is great, and he brings that edge to the football field.”

Stuetzer established himself as Pope’s clear top receiver last season, and he looks poised to be a game-changing player for Pope in for 2023. Although fundamentals are a big part of the position, Stuetzer credited his athletic skill set for much of his success.

“As a receiver, my speed helps a lot because it allows me to get off the line quickly and beat the corners immediately,” Stuetzer said. “I can also jump really well, so if a jump ball is thrown to me, it gives me another advantage one-on-one.”

However, the transition to the top receiver on the field is far from the only change Stuetzer will be completing in 2023. By becoming an upperclassman in 2023, he expects

to carry a much larger leadership role for a Pope team undergoing a sizable youth movement.

“We’re going to have a pretty young team this year,” Stuetzer said. “Now that I’m not an underclassman anymore, I have much more of a role. I think now I have more of an ability to have a say in how to really lead the team and help the younger players.”

Coming into his junior year, Stuetzer appears to have his sights set on primarily focusing on baseball at the next level. However, he says the game of football still has a special place in his heart, and he’s excited to continue playing both sports in 2023.

“I’ve really started focusing on baseball and wanting to focus on trying to play college baseball, but I also love football because I’ve been playing it about as long as baseball, since I was about seven years old,” Stuetzer said. “Football was the first sport I played, and I’m looking forward to playing for the brotherhood and high school memories I’ll make with football at Pope.”

KICKOFF 2023 129

Jackets set to build on youthful experience

By Adam Carrington MDJ Sports Correspondent

Youth seems to be a trend with Sprayberry’s teams as of late.

The advantages of being young, coach Brett Vavra said, is that the future looks promising.

Roughly 75% of Sprayberry’s roster was underclassmen last season. Yet, it still managed to make the Class AAAAAA state playoffs.

The team’s 4-7 overall record was a bit misleading considering that the Yellow Jackets lost three non-region games by a combined eight points.

Sprayberry is older this season with a bevy of juniors on the roster but has only eight seniors to lead the way. The Yellow Jackets may lack

experience, but they appear to have both the talent and drive to make another postseason return.

“This team has a very strong competitive spirit,” Vavra said. “They don’t want to displease anyone. They want to please each other and please their coaches. I’m hoping that carries over to the field.”

Sprayberry’s offense this season will center around senior running back Jason Pitts Jr., who was named Second Team All-Region 7AAAAAA. He had limited touches last year with just 100 carries for 592 yards and five touchdowns. This year the team will be leaning on him.

“Jason Pitts Jr. is an absolute stud,” Vavra said. “He’s fast, physical and explosive. He’s got great balance, great

vision. He’s got great ball skills out of the backfield. I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t have over 1,000 yards of all-purpose yards.”

Sprayberry will rely on a pair of first-year quarterbacks in junior Austin Almy and sophomore Jaden Duckett. Almy appears to have the edge in experience but the position is still open for competition between the two, Vavra said.

Whoever wins the job will have an experienced corps of receivers to throw to this season.

Junior Mark Manfred returns as a deep threat for the Yellow Jackets after posting 316 yards and five touchdowns last season. Junior tight end Aiden Lynch is expected to contribute, and sophomore Darai Carter is touted to be

See Jackets, Page 131

130 KICKOFF 2023 Smoked For Hours. Served in Minutes. Too Much is Never Enough! Great for Tailgating or Feeding the Team! Dine In or Take-Out Located Across from Sprayberry High School 2550 Sandy Plains Road 30066 • 770-971-8283 • williejewells.com Wishing All Teamsthea Great Season!

8/18 Campbell 8/25

2023 Schedule 9/1

SPRAYBERRY YELLOW JACKETS

at Paulding County

River Ridge 9/8 at Kell 9/22 Blessed Trinity 9/29 Alpharetta 10/6 at Johns Creek 10/27 at Lassiter11/3 at Pope 2023 Roster

No. Name Pos. Cl. 1 Mark Manfred WR/DB 11 2 Roman Spink WR/DB 11 3 Aaron Ingram LB 11 4 Jayden Duckett QB/DB 10 5 Austin Almy QB 11 6 Jaden Russell WR/DB 12 7 Jason Pitts RB/LB 12 8 Kealan Jones WR/DB 10 9 Austin Hampson TE/LB 11 10 Darai Carter WR/DB 10 11 Kashe Hall TE/LB 11 12 Demetrius Brown RB/LB 12 17 Everett Currie RB/LB 11 18 Jordan Edmonds WR/DB 10 20 Dein George RB/LB 11 21 Jamarion Cooper RB/LB 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 22 Mason Rainey TE/LB 11 23 Isaac DaSilva TE/LB 10 24 Christian Bowden WR/DB 10 25 Jayden Gillis WR/LB 10 27 Kol Garcia WR/LB 11 28 Liam Dingle K/P 10 30 Cuaron Cook 10 31 Justin Nguyen LB 10 32 John Funchess 10 33 James Funchess 10 35 Aiden Williams WR/DB 11 36 Justin Bumper 10 39 Robert Madayag K/P 11 40 Krish Bhagat LB 11 42 Brock Trout TE/LB 10 43 Robert Young 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 44 Gabriel Clarke DL 10 45 Adoniz Vickerstaff RB/DL 10 48 Rayshawn Simpkins 11 49 Mark Colin 10 50 Ben Couey OL/DL 12 51 Einar Sundberg DL 11 52 Dante Holden DL 10 53 Thomas Genevish OL/LB 11 54 DJ Holford OL/DL 11 55 Brice Smith OL 12 56 Donovan Davis OL/DL 10 58 Judah Williams OL/DL 10 59 Gustavo Lima OL 10 60 Ahmari Wright OL 11 61 Jace Goggins OL 10 62 Cash Barowsky OL 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 63 Isaac Edakhaye OL/DL 12 64 Javarious Troutman OL/DL 10 65 Mathew Carmona OL 10 66 David Giwa OL 11 68 Kevin Wang OL/DL 10 71 Rashey Garrison OL/DL 11 74 Ashton Wright OL 10 75 Osa Obarogie DL 11 76 Zayden Thomas OL 11 81 Kaiden Hardin 10 83 Noah Botello WR 11 84 Ari Tabb TE 10 86 Jerry Gao WR/DB 11 88 Naitwan Thompson 10 89 Aiden Lynch TE 11 90 Taylen Swinney TE 10

10/19 Roswell

2525 Sandy Plains Rd, Marietta, GA

30066

• Jim Frazier Stadium

https://www.sprayberryfootball.org/ Twitter: @ShsYellowJacket Instagram: @sprayberryfootball Facebook: @Sprayberry High School Football

Campbell ...............................21-0..........W

2022 RESULTS VARSITY COACHING STAFF

Paulding County ...............20-21............L

River Ridge .........................42-45............L

Kell .......................................35-40............L

Blessed Trinity ....................14-27............L

Alpharetta ...........................17-27............L

Johns Creek ........................41-21..........W

Roswell..................................7-49............L

Lassiter ...............................63-10..........W

Pope ......................................56-0..........W

State Playoffs

Gainesville ...........................21-51............L

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

K Rodrigo Blankenship (2011-14), .........Georgia, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

RB Jerick McKinnon (2006-09), ..Georgia Southern, Kansas City Chiefs

RB Trey Sermon (2013-16), ......................Ohio State, Philadelphia Eagles

DB Brynden Trawick (2004-07),.............................Troy, Baltimore Ravens

DL Jabari Zuniga (2015-19), ...........................Florida, New Orleans Saints

JACKETS

From Page 130

a starter.

Senior offensive lineman Bryce

Smith will be back, but the rest of the offensive front will be sophomores and juniors competing for spots.

The secondary will be expected to be the strength of

Sprayberry’s defense. Manfred, who had two picks last year, and sophomore Jordan Edmonds are both over 6-foot and will line up at cornerback.

Junior Everett Currie is

returning at linebacker and senior Benjamin Couey is the lone returning player on an inexperienced defensive line that graduated sack leader Darius Gailliard.

KICKOFF 2023 131 PIEDMONT FOOTBALL piedmontchurch.tv 570 Piedmont Road • Marietta • 770-422-2566 GO LONGHORNS! The “ THRONE ” Ranger

Coach: Brett Vavra • 7th Season • Record: 24-38 • Career: 24-38 FIVE YEAR RECORD 22-30 2022: 4-7 2021: 3-6 2020: 6-5 2019: 6-5 2018: 3-7 Brett Vavra ........................HC Chris Stewart ...................DC Ben McLane ......................OC Jack Marinich...................ST/WR Brendan Langley ..............DB Brent Haygood ..................OL Robbie Jenkins ..................OL Chester Ransom ..............WR Bill Bellus ............................RB Mike Davidson ...................TE John Wernquist ................LB Brad Trout ..........................DL Jesus Ventura ...................LB 2022 LEADERS RUSHING Kemari Nix...............128 car. 1002 yds....21 TD PASSING Kemari Nix.................75/152 ...1483 yds. ....12TD ..10INT RECEIVING Mark Manfred .......19 rec. ...316 yds. ......5 TD Darius Gailliard ......17 rec.....274 yds. .....3 TD TACKLES Patrick Jones .........113 Isaiah McGarity .....108 SACKS Darius Gailliard ....................... 7 Demetrius Brown .................. 5 INTERCEPTIONS Mark Manfred ......................... 2 Roman Spink 2 Zaybrion Brown ..................... 2

SPRAYBERRY YELLOW JACKETS

ALL TIME RECORD 268-408-8 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (3) 2008, 1982, 1978 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) Historical

Georgia

Info from

High School Football Historians Association

has quickly made a name for himself as a potential shutdown cornerback. Entering his junior season he already has a number of college offers, with many more likely on the way.

132 KICKOFF 2023

Special - Anthony Stalcup Sprayberry’s Mark Manfred

Manfred making early mark with Jackets

By Adam Carrington MDJ Sports Correspondent

Receivers had a tough time beating cornerback Mark Manfred during his sophomore season at Sprayberry, which has impressed college recruiters.

As a junior, he must continue to play at a high caliber in order to help take Sprayberry to the next level.

“I’m just going to keep doing what I am doing and try to get better at what I do,” Manfred, who has played in the secondary since the first grade, said. “The offers were overwhelming at first. I’m just working and trying to show everybody who I say I am.”

The 6-foot-1 Manfred, known for his long arms and his offman coverage, finished with 11 pass deflections last season to

go with his two interceptions. That was good enough to help the Yellow Jackets secure a spot in the Class AAAAAA state playoffs.

During the offseason, he received his first offer from Pittsburgh. Other offers soon followed – North Carolina, Central Florida, Georgia Southern, Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina.

Manfred went on his first college visit to North Carolina this summer where he got a brief taste of life as a football player at the next level. He was introduced to coaches and players, toured the football facilities and competed against fellow Tar Heel prospects during camp.

Manfred left campus feeling confident, and now he has set lofty goals for his junior year.

For someone who claimed five straight championships as a youngster while playing for the Cobb Football League, he got used to being a winner.

“I need at least seven picks and hope to get my tackles up a lot more,” Manfred, who came away with 30 tackles last season and two tackles for loss, said. “I want to get between 50 and 60. I’ve learned to tackle better and what kind of tackles I need to make.”

He said he is continuing to work on what he does well as a corner, but the one area he wants to improve upon last season is his press technique, as he sometimes got in trouble for playing too close.

“(Manfred) can run,” Sprayberry coach Brett Vavra said. “He’s faster than he is twitchier, but he’s gotten more

stronger and he’s really dedicated himself to the weight room.”

“He’s got the length at corner that college coaches are looking for. He’s got the athleticism but probably the most important trait that sets him apart is his competitiveness, whether it’s football or on the basketball court, the weight room or sprints. He wants to compete and he wants to win. It’s hard to find a lot of kids who want to win at everything they do.”

Manfred will also line up at receiver, another position he has played for most of his life. He was the deep threat last year, finishing with 316 yards and five touchdowns. It included a 190-yard, two touchdown performance in the playoffs against Gainesville.

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Kell looks for Region 6AAAAA championship, and more

By Gunter Schroeder MDJ Sports Writer

Following a runner-up finish in their first season back in Class AAAAA in 2022, the Kell Longhorns have their sights set on seizing the top spot in Region 6AAAAA during their 2023 campaign.

Kell looks to be the favorite this upcoming season, but it looks likely to be a three-horse race at the top of the region, with defending region winners Cambridge and Greater Atlanta Christian posing the biggest threat to Kell winning their first region championship in nine seasons.

“We have a lot of returning players on offense and defense with experience,” Kell head coach Bobby May said. “Cambridge and GAC will both be tough games for us. GAC in

particular has a lot of players coming back as well.”

In May’s first season, the Longhorns enjoyed immediate success in their return to Class AAAAA, recording their first 10-win season since 2016 and their first playoff victory since 2019. Kell will return 16 starters from a year ago, with standout quarterback Bryce Clavon running the offense. On defense, Kell has a well-rounded unit led by returning players such as linebacker Justin Logan and defensive backs Marqavious Saboor and Cedric Franklin.

After making the leap from Class AAA to Class AAAAA, GAC secured their 11th straight playoff appearance under head coach Tim Hardy in 2022. The Spartans also return an abundance of talent, including the talented duo of quarterback Jack Stanton and wide receiver Xavier

PREDICTION

1. KELL

Daisy, and will likely be Kell’s main competition for the region crown in 2023.

After taking home the school’s first region title in their 11-year history last season, defending region winner Cambridge will also be a tough out at the top of Region 6AAAAA. But it won’t be an easy feat, as the Bears will suffer considerable roster turnover this upcoming season in their quest to win back-to-back region championships.

The battle for the fourth and

final playoff spot in the region will likely be a close race between the remaining four teams, with Centennial seemingly the early favorite after finishing in third place a year ago. However, the program will be doing so under a new coaching staff, with former Westover coach Adam Miller taking over the Knights’ head coaching responsibilities in 2023.

Two more schools in Region 6AAAAA joined Centennial in making a head coaching change during the offseason, as Chattahoochee will hand the keys to first-time head coach Danny Carlisle and North Springs to former River Ridge head coach Robert Braucht. Both schools will be seeking their first playoff berth since 2017, along with Northview, who will seek to snap a playoff drought dating back to 2019 under third-year head coach Scott Schwarzer.

134 KICKOFF 2023

REGION 6AAAAA

2. GAC

3. CAMBRIDGE

4. CENTENNIAL

CHATTAHOOCHEE

NORTH SPRINGS

NORTHVIEW File

Quarterback Bryce Clavon is back to try to lead Kell to the top of the Region 6AAAAA standings.

Doesn’t matter; Longhorns getting better

By Gunter Schroeder MDJ Sports Writer

Entering a new region with a new head coach, there weren’t high expectations surrounding the Kell Longhorns in 2022. But in their first year at the helm, head coach Bobby May and his staff defied expectations, leading the Longhorns to an extremely successful debut campaign.

The former Westlake head coach made an instant impact with a 10-win campaign, and expectations will certainly be elevated after what May and his staff were able to do in Year 1. Overall, however, May says his second year at Kell will be much easier than the first.

“We feel we’ve done a great job at taking the next step this year,” May said. “In Year 2, we are comfortable. Last year, we were just throwing things together a little bit with the coaching staff

and roster, but now we can focus on the little things instead of the big picture.”

Despite Kell winning its first playoff game in four seasons and finishing runner-up in Region 6AAAAA in 2022, the team looks to have the talent and coaching on both sides of the ball to make an even further run this year towards region and state championships.

Offensively, the Longhorns will likely run through quarterback Bryce Clavon and his dualthreat ability in 2023. A talented two-sport athlete in football and baseball, Clavon totaled 2,470 total yards to go along with 27 total touchdowns last season. Running back Elijah Washington and wide receiver Peyton Zachary also look poised for breakout campaigns in 2023. Defensively, the Longhorns are as deep as they come in Class AAAAA, with a talented front seven led

by standout linebacker Justin Logan and a top-tier secondary headlined by Marqavious Saboor, Cedric Franklin and Tyriq Green. May is excited about the talent and depth the Longhorns have, but has made sure to emphasize a working mindset during this offseason.

“It’s about DMGB for us, ‘doesn’t matter, get better,’” May said. It’s about us and what we do, not about what anyone else does.”

With a strong roster from top to bottom, Kell looks primed to make a run at its first region title since 2014, and possibly even a first state championship in the program’s 21-year history. But it looks to be a tough region, with both Greater Atlanta Christian and last year’s region winner in Cambridge. Both are expected to field strong teams that will challenge the Longhorns for the title.

See Horns, Page 136

KICKOFF 2023 135 Celebrating 50 Years! We would like to thank ALL of our dedicated “essential” employees and All of our Loyal Clients. Providing a secure and sanitized environment for over 50 years! 770-656-2726 • minimaid.com Leone Hinzman, innovator of the team cleaning concept 1973. Experience the Professional Difference Since 1973 KELL LONGHORNS 8/16 Parkview 8/25 at Allatoona 2023 Schedule 9/1 at Pope 9/8 Sprayberry 9/22 Centennial10/6 Northview 10/13 at Cambridge 10/26 at North Springs 11/3 at Chattahoochee 2023 Roster No. Name Pos. Cl. 0 Darlington Olalude DL 12 1 Bryce Clavon QB 12 1 Cedric Franklin DB 12 2 Justin Logan LB 12 3 Tyriq Green ATH 10 4 Peyton Zachary WR 10 5 Marqavious Saboor ATH 12 6 Derian Thomas WR 12 7 Kyle Vaka WR 12 8 Kemari Nix ATH 12 9 Elijah Washington ATH 12 10 Michael Domanik LB 10 11 Justin Mitchell ATH 12 13 Jaden George WR 11 14 Jonathan Baker QB 10 16 Landon Garretson QB 10 17 Landon Mayes WR 11 18 Brayden Rouse WR 10 19 Trenton Wanjogu ATH 11 20 James Ludgood 9 No. Name Pos. Cl. 21 Zayd Rogan DB 11 22 Simeon Royes DB 12 23 Ricardo Jackson ATH 12 24 Cooper Kanuch DB 10 25 Ben Wagner DB 12 27 Petyon Newcomb LB 12 28 Luke Paxton LB 12 29 Landon Duncan DB 10 30 Samad Edwards RB 12 31 RJ Moore TE 11 32 Nick Kraus DB 10 33 JaMarcus Green DB 12 34 Andrew Turner DB 10 35 Kamari Smith RB 10 36 Hayden Bretti DB 10 38 JJ Vaughn RB 9 39 Omar Studemaker WR 9 40 Isiah Edmonds DB 10 41 Preston McParland DL 12 42 Rashad Jones WR 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 44 Davis Squbbs DL 9 45 Jojo Hall DL 11 47 Quincy Gholston LB 12 48 Jaylyn Turner DL 10 49 Noah Gonzales LB 9 50 Darian Edmond DL 10 51 Bryce Robinson DL 10 52 Keenan Thompson OL 10 53 Brodey Bedwell OL 10 54 AJ Montana DL 9 55 KhaSani Courmarbatch OL 11 56 Rocky Ruredzo OL 11 56 Kayo De Morais LB 9 57 David Torres OL 11 58 Vaylin Collier OL/DL 12 59 Casey McDougal OL 10 60 Jared Miller OL 11 60 Darius Simms 9 62 Kayden Jacobo OL 10 64 Vincent Concolino OL/DL 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 65 Gabe Pimiento DL 10 66 Jerry Cade OL 10 69 Rocky Ruredzo OL 10 70 Harold Gyasi OL 11 72 David Ornelas OL 10 73 Jose Valles OL 9 77 Gavin Doherty OL 12 80 Fernando Tavares K 10 81 Colin Mitchell K 12 83 Malcolm Yancey WR 10 84 Donte Jackson WR 10 85 Jarrett Wilson P 12 86 Brock Burrus WR 9 87 Luke Pelzel WR 9 88 Emmanuel Ulifan WR 12 88 Martin Yancey WR 10 90 Kenneth Ambrose DL 10 92 AJ Germain DL 10 94 Stephon Bottoms DL 10 99 Tyshawn Natt DL 10

10/20 GAC

4770 Lee Waters Rd, Marietta, Ga 30066 • Cobb EMC/Corky Kell Stadium

https://www.kellfootball.com/ Twitter: @Kell_Football Instagram: @kell_football Facebook: @KellLonghornsFootball

Cherokee Bluff ..................38-23..........W

2022 RESULTS VARSITY COACHING STAFF

Allatoona ...............................21-9..........W

Pope ....................................56-14..........W

Sprayberry..........................40-35..........W

Centennial ............................26-9..........W

Northview ..............................47-7..........W

Cambridge .........................24-42............L

Greater Atlanta Christian...28-19..........W

North Springs ......................42-0..........W

Chattahoochee...................35-14..........W

State Playoffs

Lithia Springs .....................38-22..........W

Calhoun ................................7-34............L

Robert May ........................HC

Chaz Ferdinand .......AHC/DB

Chris Pack ..........................OL

Jonathan Dwyer ................RB

Dan Sanso .........................DC

Codi Vick .....................ST/DB

Nico Sawtelle .....................DL

Decorian Swain ................QB

Stephon Brown ..Co-OC/WR

Anthony Guerra.................LB

Travis Booker .................Asst.

Brian Golson ......................LB

Jasper Grimes ...................DL

Brendan Tyner ...................OL

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

LB Bryson Armstrong (2012-15), ........................................Kennesaw State

RB Jonathan Dwyer (2003-06), .........Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh Steelers

DB Taylor Henkle (2010-13),................................................Kennesaw State

WR Brendan Langley (2009-12), ...........................Lamar, Denver Broncos

DB Quincy Mauger (2009-12), ..............................Georgia, BC Lions (CFL)

DB Brian Randolph (2007-10), ..................Tennessee, Los Angeles Rams

HORNS

From Page 135

In addition, Kell will play a strong non-region schedule, headlined by a season-opening showdown in the Corky Kell Classic against

2022 LEADERS

RUSHING

Bryce Clavon .........71 car. ....625 yds. ....12 TD

PASSING

Bryce Clavon .........117/169 ..1845 yds ....15TD ...5INT

RECEIVING

Peyton Zachary.....34 rec. ..502 yds .....4 TD

Davion Hampton 26 rec. ..405 yds .....3 TD

TACKLES

Josh Barker ............80

Nelson Woghiren...60

SACKS

Joshua Barker .......15 INTERCEPTIONS

Elijah Washington ................. 1

Class AAAAAAA powerhouse Parkview.

“We’re in a region with six other teams, but we’re looking at Cambridge and GAC as our two toughest opponents in the region this year,” May said.

“GAC, in particular, has a lot

ALL TIME RECORD 160-72

REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (4) 2014, 2013, 2012, 2010

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

of their team coming back this season.”

Although Kell will likely be picked as a favorite in the region and possibly labeled as a state championship contender in Class AAAAA, May said the most important thing is his team keeps working hard

and blocking out the outside noise surrounding the program.

“We try not to talk about (expectations),” May said. “Summer is the time to focus on us. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter until we show up and play.”

136 KICKOFF 2023 PIEDMONT CHURCH SUPPORTS piedmontchurch.tv 570 Piedmont Road • Marietta • 770-422-2566 NORTH COBB HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GO WARRIORS! KELL LONGHORNS Coach: Bobby May • 2nd Season • Record: 10-2 • Career: 37-12 FIVE YEAR RECORD 40-17 2022: 10-2 2021:

2020:

2019:

2018:

6-5

6-4

9-3

Marqavious Saboor..............

Justin Mitchell

Cedric Franklin can play all five positions in the defensive backfield and is a key member of the Kell secondary.

Franklin is primary in Longhorns’ secondary

By Gunter Schroeder MDJ Sports Writer

After a breakout junior season, Kell cornerback Cedric Franklin is set to leave a stamp on the Longhorns’ program with a big senior campaign.

Franklin was a central contributor for a Longhorns team that went 10-2 and reached the second round of the Class AAAAA playoffs a year ago. Franklin, who had 39 tackles, seven pass deflections and two fumble recoveries, was part of a talented defensive back room that also returns key players in Marqavious Saboor, Kemari Smith and Tyriq Green. Standing at 6-foot-1, 185-pounds, Franklin has both the size and intangibles to match up with any pass-catcher he faces. Having played snaps all over the secondary for the Longhorns last season, Kell coach Bobby May highlighted Franklin’s versatility as a big advantage to his game

at defensive back.

“Cedric played a lot of snaps for us last season and was capable at multiple positions,” May said. “He can play all five defensive back positions and he’s a really smart player as well. I think his versatility in the secondary is something that’s really gonna help us.”

Although Franklin will be playing most of his snaps at cornerback this season, he still credits the technique and footwork he works on each practice as critical to his success on the field no matter what position he lines up at.

“Obviously, every receiver you line up in front of, you’re not always going to be faster or bigger than, but your technique is gonna beat them every time,” Franklin said. “As a DB, I’d say my footwork definitely helps me. At the end of the day, you can be long and fast, but if your footwork isn’t great, you’re gonna get beat off the line.”

As a senior, Franklin has grown into a leader on the back end for the defense this upcoming season. With the Kell team growing from 70 players last season to nearly 100 at the start of this summer, Franklin’s biggest desire as a leader is to help the next generation of Kell football players become better players and leaders.

“I’ll be able to give talks from experience,” Franklin said. “For example, maybe someone catches a deep ball on you, but you have to be able to come back on the next play. At the end of the day, it’s my job to make sure us as DBs stay together. Coach May always preaches being BIA, ‘Best in America,’ so my job is to hold us to that standard.”

After playing lots of meaningful snaps throughout last season, May has been impressed so far with the growth Franklin has displayed as a leader from his junior year to his senior year.

“One thing he has grown in is his maturity. I think a mix of experience and maturity is what’s really gonna help us,” May said. “The most important thing in leadership to me is to lead by example, and a lot of it is helping the young kids and holding them and yourself accountable. I think he’s done a good job at accountability and showing up and working these last couple months.”

Since the team started practices for the upcoming season, Franklin and the rest of Kell’s team has adopted an all-in mindset based on a mantra from May called DMGB, “Don’t Matter, Get Better”. Franklin says the work ethic displayed by both the coaches and players so far this offseason has also created a close bond in the locker room.

“Coach May is the type of coach where he’s always going to do his best on your behalf. If we know you’re gonna do your best,

See Franklin, Page 153

KICKOFF 2023 137

Special - Anthony Stalcup

NCC, MPC set to challenge South Atlanta for title

By Jordan Howard MDJ Sports Writer

After strong showings in their first season following a Class AA bump, North Cobb Christian and Mount Paran Christian are ready to contend for the region title with three-time defending champion South Atlanta.

North Cobb Christian coach Matt Jones said the biggest advantage entering Year 2 will be the familiarity in preparation. He said while teams will not stay exactly the same, his team has a firm idea of what to, and what not to, attack based on last season.

Jones’ team had a great debut in their new region, finishing 5-1 in region play, with their only loss by the hands of South Atlanta. He said his team feels more prepared in practices as well after familiarizing themselves with the new team’s tactics last season.

Mount Paran Christian coach Matt Ely said the logistical preparation is a huge advantage for him and his staff this season.

Last season his team was traveling to all-new stadiums and areas, adding additional preparation for his staff.

“Year 2, especially when you have such a drastic change… from an all private region, it won’t be easier with the gameplanning and Xs and Os but going to those new stadiums, going to those new places that we’ve never traveled to before, definitely makes the logistics easier,” Ely said.

Mount Paran Christian finished third in the region last year with a 4-2 record, and Ely said how his team starts the season will define their success in the latter half.

“I preach to our guys all the time about approaching (the season) from a day to day, rep by rep standpoint,” Ely said. “You have to take care of making sure you can get as good as you can get from your non-region schedule. And then in September and October, you have to win enough region games to where the region games and beyond

in November make a difference. We have to put ourselves in a position where the games we play in November matter.”

Four of the seven teams will earn a playoff spot in the region, and Jones believes the region will be even more competitive in the second year. Jones said both his team and South Atlanta lost a lot of seniors, and he expects Therrell and Washington to take a step up after returning most of their players.

Walker, who is technically a part of Region 6AA, will compete in a non-region schedule for the second straight year. The Wolverines have been hindered by a lack of depth, after finishing

last season with less than 20 players on their roster.

However, first year head coach T.J. Anderson is ready to put his stamp on the program, and he has already increased the roster to 34 players heading into the 2023 season.

Right now, Anderson said his team is focused on building the roster and getting in the weight room so that they can prepare for a return to region play in the future.

“I’ve competed at a very high level at every level of football, whether it was coaching or playing. And I definitely want to put Walker on the map, and put a product in the field that this community and the city of Marietta can be proud of,” Anderson said.

Other teams in the region include Atlanta Public Schools programs Therrell, Washington, BEST Academy and KIPP Atlanta. Washington won the tie-breaker against Therrell for the final playoff spot from the region. The four teams won a combined 10 games in 2022.

138 KICKOFF 2023

REGION 6AA

1. SOUTH ATLANTA 2. NO. COBB CHRISTIAN 3. MOUNT PARAN CHR. 4. THERRELL 5. WASHINGTON 6. KIPP ATLANTA 7. BEST ACADEMY File

PREDICTION

A rebuilt North Cobb Christian will try to move to the top of Region 6AA.

Eagles look for return to deep playoff runs

By Nigel Whittington MDJ Sports Writer

After a year with a new coach in a new region, Mount Paran Christian’s football team is ready for a deep playoff push – something that isn’t new considering its decade of playoff appearances.

The Eagles offense will be led by a new face in quarterback Andrew Overton. The rising junior will be taking over the role as the starting quarterback after last year’s starter Ryan Strickland transferred to Hiram.

“He’s just a kid who shows up, works hard, does everything you ask, and is really grasping that QB1 type role,” coach Matt Ely said.

With both of the Eagles leading receivers either transferring or graduating, Micah Mumford will be poised for a breakout season. As a junior, he had 13 receptions for 151 yards and a

touchdown. He contributed on the defensive side of the ball as well, having 23 total tackles and two interceptions.

“With our roster, being a (Class) AA school, the size we are as a private school, a lot of those same kids are going to be those same difference makers on defense,” Ely said.

Hank Stevens will be a key difference maker for the Eagles. The senior plays wide receiver and free safety. On offense he had 22 receptions for 184 yards but defense is where he shined, totaling 44 tackles and leading the team with four interceptions.

“Hank’s a phenomenal overall athlete all across the board.” Ely said. “Hank’s going to be our Swiss Army knife, and we’re going to try and use him to take away any team’s best player.”

Carson Harmon played a large role on defense last season. The rising senior led the team

in tackles (56) and sacks (four) and will look to be a team leader.

The 2022-23 season was the first season with Matt Ely as head coach and the first season moving from Region 7A Private to Region 6AA.

After spending six seasons as the team’s defensive coordinator, Ely made the transition to head coach last season and led his team to a 4-6 record and third place in the region.

“The first year was unique from the standpoint of, I had gone from years of being a defensive coordinator where my sole focus was the defense and taking that same approach but trying to expand it out to now the whole team.” Ely said.

While it was a transition in Year 1, Ely said he’s improved in focusing on other aspects than just the defense.

See Eagles, Page 140

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8/18 Midtown8/25 Mount Pisgah 2023 Schedule 9/1 at Mount Vernon9/15 at KIPP Atlanta 9/29 BEST Academy 10/6 at South Atlanta 10/13 at Social Circle 10/27 Therrell 11/2 at Washington 2023 Roster 10/20 N.C. Christian No. Name Pos. Cl. 1 Rhett Bonner WR/DB 10 2 George Childs K 12 3 Hank Stevens WR/DB 12 4 Davis Cauley WR/DB 10 5 VJ Ray WR/DB 11 6 Gavin Steele RB/DB 9 7 Jacob Brackman LB/K 12 8 Colby Shoch WR/LB 11 9 Kaleb Trowell WR/LB 9 10 Sam Westbrook WR/DB 11 11 Carson Wilbur WR/DB 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 13 Cameron O’Conner WR/DB 10 15 Nevan Oswald WR/DB 12 16 Andrew Overton QB 11 18 Wheeler Green RB/LB 11 19 Andrew Fitzpatrick K 9 21 Christopher Cochran RB/LB 9 22 KJ Benefield WR/DB 9 23 Christian Holmes RB/LB 9 28 Carson Harmon WR/LB 12 29 Easton George RB/LB 9 30 Reed Stallings RB/LB 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 33 Jack Hollis RB/LB 10 40 Jack Farrell RB/DL 12 44 Mason Raymer RB/DL 11 45 Micah Mumford WR/DB 12 46 Austin Smith K 10 50 Finn Crowley RB/DL 11 51 Nathan Misati OL/DL 9 52 Wyatt Smith OL/DL 12 53 Terrence Waithera OL/DL 11 54 Brandon Rosado OL/DL 11 55 Brent Perren OL/LB 12 No. Name Pos. Cl. 58 Webb Scarbrough OL/DL 9 60 JJ Hankins OL/DL 10 61 Michael Warren OL/DL 9 70 Carter Levstek OL/DL 9 75 Luke O’Kelley OL/DL 10 77 Taylor Stephens OL/DL 12 78 Zach Swanson OL/DL 12 80 CooperThompson WR/DL 9 88 Bennett Schwab TE/LB 10

PARAN CHRISTIAN EAGLES

MT. PARAN CHRISTIAN EAGLES

1275 Stanley Rd NW, Kennesaw, GA 30152 • Catherine Steele Sewell Stadium

https://mpcathletics.com/team/football/

Twitter: @MPCAthletics Instagram: @mpcfootball

2022 RESULTS

Mount Pisgah Christian .....7-42............L

Mount Vernon ....................45-49............L

KIPP Atlanta Collegiate ......41-0..........W

B.E.S.T. Academy ................38-8..........W

South Atlanta .......................7-44............L

Social Circle .......................14-28............L

North Cobb Christian .........0-36............L

Therrell.................................33-13..........W

Washington .........................14-12..........W

State Playoffs

Eagle’s Landing Christian ..22-52............L

VARSITY COACHING STAFF

Matt Ely ..............................HC

Connie Arnold ...............AHC

Daniel Hazard ...................DC

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

OL Brady Scott (2013-16), ..........................................................Florida State

DL Allen Cater (2012-15), .......................................................North Carolina

RB Taylor Trammell (2012-15), ................................Seattle Mariners (MLB)

QB Niko Vangarelli (2016-19), .........................................................Princeton

DB Dorian Walker (2011-14), ................................................Kennesaw State

EAGLES

From Page 139

“It was funny, we had a coaches meeting last week and for the first time in my 15 years of coaching,

TACKLES Carson Harmon ....56

Andrew Martin ......52 Jackson Stephens 52 SACKS Carson Harmon .... 4

INTERCEPTIONS

Hank Stevens 4

this is the first time I have felt totally plugged into our offense.” Ely said.

Ely said he’s impressed with his players and how each grade level has something to offer.

rec. ..207 yds......0 TD

2022: 4-6 2021: 6-5 2020: 1-7 2019: 7-5 2018: 7-4

“We’ve got great leadership out of our senior class.” Ely said. “Our junior class is solid, and our freshman and sophomore class is going to be a good bunch over these next few years. Our freshmen

and sophomores have a fivestar work ethic.”

Armed with many two-way playmakers, Ely is looking to lead the Eagles to an 11th-straight playoff appearance in Year 2 as the head coach.

140 KICKOFF 2023 mtparanschool.com/experience “BEST PRESCHOOL” “BEST 5YEARS! ‘20,‘21,‘22,’23 “BEST PRESCHOOL” “BEST RIGOROUS ACADEMICS/STEAM ✦ SMALL CLASSES ✦ 100% COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES ✦ AWARD-WINNING ARTS ✦ CHAMPIONSHIP ATHLETICS ✦ CHRIST AT THE CENTER “BEST PRESCHOOL” “BESTPERFORMINGARTS “BEST TEACHERS “BEST DANCE STUDIO” “BESTMUSICINSTRUCTION” 5YEARS! ‘20,‘21,‘22,’23 ‘20,‘21,‘22,’23 ‘20,‘21,‘22,’23 ‘22,’23 ‘22,’23 “BEST PRESCHOOL BEST ” “ ” STUDIO BESTMUSICINSTRUCTION

Coach: Matt Ely • 2nd Season • Record: 4-6 • Career: 4-6

25-27

FIVE YEAR RECORD

Tyron Kirkland ............Co-OC Jimmy Pullia ................Co-OC Chris Harmon ...................OL Blake Jones .......................OL Jon Lewis............................DL Gistand Minor ....................RB Ahmad Broadnax .............QB CJ Cody .............................DB Tyler Jones ......................... ST 2022 LEADERS RUSHING Nick Germain.........144 car. . 1301 yds. ....17 TD PASSING Ryan Strickland .....90/183 ..1041 yds. ....4 TD...7 INT RECEIVING Lincoln Broadnax . 18 rec. ...280 yds. ....2 TD Kobe Lewis .............20

TIME RECORD

REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (2) 2017, 2014 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 2014 Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

ALL

105-61

Wyatt Smith is the third brother from his family to play for Mount Paran Christian, and like his older siblings, he will play on both sides of the line of scrimmage during his senior season.

Smith continues on family tradition of Eagles

By Nigel Whittington MDJ Sports Writer

For Wyatt Smith, his older brothers are his greatest teachers – and his biggest rivals.

Wyatt’s oldest brother, Carter, was a part of the 2014 Mount Paran Christian football team that accomplished what no other Cobb County school had done in 47 years to that point: it brought home a state championship title.

Will Smith, the middle child of the three, played for the Eagles on both the offensive line and defensive line from 2017 to 2020.

The added pressure of continuing the legacy for the Smith family is something that Wyatt says he’s using as fuel going into the 2023 season.

“Having two older brothers who used to play here definitely puts a lot of pressure on me,” Smith said. “But I work harder to deal with that pressure.”

Eagles’ coach Matt Ely spoke about the changes mentally and physically he’s seen in the rising senior going into the upcoming season.

“Wyatt’s a kid that, at the end of last season, was 220-pounds

and something clicked and he said ‘I want to play college football,’” Ely said. “I put it bluntly and told him he was going to need to be around 275-pounds going into his senior year.”

Adding over 50 pounds of weight during the offseason is not an easy feat for anyone, but at 6-foot-3, it becomes a truly difficult task.

Yet over the course of a few months, a determined Wyatt kept returning bigger and stronger.

“Sure enough, I see him one time in January, he’s about 240 pounds, then he’s 250 pounds

the next time I see him,” Ely said. “Now he’s like 265-pounds so when he’s motivated he puts in the work.”

The added weight goes along with the added roles Smith will be undertaking this year. The senior will be playing offensive guard in addition to the defensive tackle position he played last season where he finished with 37 tackles including six tackles for loss. “I’ve played offensive line in the past.” Smith said. “I think it’ll be really fun because I get to pull, run and hit people. Hitting

See Smith, Page 153

KICKOFF 2023 141 404-645-6843 VOTED BEST ELECTRICIAN www.powerselectricalsolutions.com 1034 Concord Rd, Smyrna GA 30080 Poo-B-Gone

Special - Anthony Stalcup

Eagles set forth with big youth movement

By John James MDJ Sports Writer

North Cobb Christian is searching for an identity.

That might be a strange statement for a team that went 10-2 and lost in the second round of the state playoffs in 2022. But after losing more than a dozen seniors in the offseason, coach Matt Jones is trying to piece together the best possible combination of the Eagles’ roster heading into 2023.

Jones estimated that the team could start as many as 15 underclassmen next season, describing the players as young and talented, if a bit inexperienced.

“It’s exciting to coach a team like that — that is very young and eager to learn,” Jones said. “Practice every day is awesome because the kids are hungry and want to get better and want to win and want to learn. They

really want to build off last year’s success.”

Perhaps no position better illustrates that inexperience than quarterback. Jones said the starting position would fall to either Austin Tamborra or Teddy Jarrard, a pair of freshmen signal-callers.

Whoever lands the job will be protected by a similarly inexperienced offensive line — which Jones called “a continual work in progress,” over the offseason. Jones said the team could start up to five sophomores on the line, many of whom played on the junior varsity squad in 2022.

To make up for that inexperience, Jones said that he and his coaching staff stressed the fundamentals of football to his players.

“I’m very much about the fundamentals of playing the game and just trying to be great at the fundamentals and all that,” Jones said. “We spend a lot of

time teaching fundamentals on both sides of the ball — trying to teach our kids how to play the game of football.”

Whereas the offense will be laden with newcomers, the defense will be filled with familiar faces. Jones said the Eagles’ defense would be returning three starters on both the defensive line and in the secondary.

Jones described North Cobb Christian’s defense as the strength of the team, especially in light of the youthful nature of the offense.

The defense’s weakness could be found at its heart. Jones expressed uncertainty around the team’s linebacker rotation, something that could prove problematic if not addressed.

“For three linebacker spots, we’ve got six kids that are all pretty decent,” Jones said. “All six of them are good players,

See Eagles, Page 143

142 KICKOFF 2023 Over 50 years of Care and Compassion 2980 Lewis Street • Kennesaw, GA 30144 770-422-1554 • www.bhesterdmd.com Good Luck North Cobb Christian School! Bruce A. Hester D.M.D and Chelsea M. Smith D.M.D www.Honeysucklebiscuits.com Sun.-Thurs. 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM | Fri.-Sat. 7:30 AM - 7:00 PM 2825 S Main Street NW Suite 100A | Kennesaw, GA. 30144 | 770-627-4370 • BEST BAKERY • BEST BREAKFAST • BEST DOUGHNUTS • BEST DESSERTS VOTED     2023WINNER BESTOF COBB PRESEN E BB F MAGAZ NORTH COBB CHRISTIAN EAGLES 8/18 Chr. Heritage8/25 at Ridgeland 2023 Schedule 9/1 at Wesleyan9/8 Boyd Buchanan 9/15 at Therrell 9/22 Washington 10/6 KIPP Atlanta 10/20 at Mount Paran 10/27 BEST Academy 2023 Roster 10/13 South Atlanta No. Name Pos. Cl. 2 Alexander Nelson RB/LB 12 3 Brody Archie WR/DB 9 5 Will Mosely RB/DB 12 6 Jaden Rivera WR/DB 12 7 Coker Ormsby WR/DB 10 8 Turner Davis WR/DB 11 10 Will Hewitt WR/DB 12 11 DJ Huggins WR/DB 9 12 Teddy Jarrard QB 9 13 Dylan Rainey WR/DB 9 14 Kayson Fernandez QB/LB 9 15 Austin Tamborra QB/LB 9 17 Thmas Hale RB/LB 11 19 Collin Barfield WR/DB 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 20 Island Duffy WR/DB 11 21 Michai Rowe RB/LB 9 22 JD Aufderheide RB/LB 9 23 Carson Bruce WR/LB 9 24 Denim Stevens RB/DB 10 25 Spears Martin RB/LB 11 27 Hudson Freeman WR/DB 10 28 Cooper Bazarsky WR/DB 10 30 Jake Orton RB/DB 9 31 Brady Brister WR/LB 10 33 Trey Dewalt WR/DB 12 34 Christan Duffy RB/LB 11 35 JT Herr WR/DB 10 41 Raymond Dixon RB/DL 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 43 Jaden Batista WR/LB 10 44 Max Byrom RB/LB 10 45 Derrick Blackwell WR/DB 10 47 Sam Brink RB/LB 10 50 Beedjy Guerrier OL/DL 11 51 Andy Reed OL/DL 10 52 Lee Brown OL/DL 9 53 Noah Brashear OL/DL 11 54 Alex Byrom OL/DL 11 55 Mills Morris OL/DL 12 56 Connor Feltauht OL/DL 10 58 Jaden Lee OL/DL 12 59 Will Sever OL/DL 9 62 Kaiden King OL/DL 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 65 Mike Patterson OL/DL 10 68 Alex Miller OL/DL 10 70 Ryder Siniard OL/DL 10 74 Jackson Elbert OL/DL 10 76 Nick Jackson OL/DL 11 78 Jack Bitner OL/DL 9 81 Nico Prince WR/DB 9 83 Parker Luke QB/DB 9 85 Gram Bullock WR/DB 9 87 DJ Turnure WR/DB 12 88 Oakland Padgett WR/DB 9

4500 Eagle Dr, Kennesaw, GA 30144 • Jacob Dennis Field

https://www.ncchristian.org/athletics/team-schedules/team-details/~athletics-team-id/140

Twitter: @NCCEaglesFb Instagram: @nccfootball

2022 RESULTS

Christian Heritage..............21-14..........W

Ridgeland .............................20-7..........W

Wesleyan .............................19-15..........W

Copper Basin .......................50-6..........W

Therrell................................40-13..........W

Washington ..........................34-6..........W

KIPP Atlanta Collegiate .....34-0..........W

South Atlanta ....................12-30............L

Mount Paran Christian .......36-0..........W

B.E.S.T. Academy .................21-2..........W

State Playoffs

Columbia ...............................14-6..........W

Rockmart ............................10-63............L

COACHING STAFF

2022 LEADERS

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

LB Jacob Cruz (2019-22), .........................................................Georgia Tech

OL Gabe Fortson (2019-22), ....................................................Georgia Tech

EAGLES

From Page 142

we just don’t quite know who’s going to rise above the others at this point.”

Uncertainty is a defining theme

around North Cobb Christian heading into 2023. Jones said he emphasized the importance of a ‘ceiling’ to his players — the concept of doing one’s very best at every occasion, striving to fulfill their full potential.

Jones hadn’t seen a lot of

ALL TIME RECORD 61-95

REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 2018

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

these players in action, and he’d never seen them work together as a unit on Friday night. Because of that, Jones said he wasn’t quite sure what this team’s ceiling is.

“We want to reach the ceiling, but I really have no idea what

that ceiling is,” Jones said. “We obviously want to win every game we play. That’s the goal, right? I talk to the kids about being 1-0 every week — not worrying about the past week or the week after that, but focusing on the week you’re in.”

KICKOFF 2023 143 404-645-6843 VOTED BEST ELECTRICIAN www.powerselectricalsolutions.com 1034 Concord Rd, Smyrna GA 30080 NORTH COBB CHRISTIAN EAGLES Coach: Matt Jones • 3rd Season • Record: 13-10 • Career: 14-29 FIVE YEAR RECORD 39-19 2022: 10-2 2021: 3-8 2020: 8-3 2019: 8-4 2018: 10-2 Matt Jones................................HC PJ Hughes ................Asst Coach Gary Varner..............Asst Coach Bill Parker..................Asst Coach Raymond Priester ..Asst Coach Hunter Poole ...........Asst Coach Mack Baul.................Asst Coach Armani Martin .........Asst Coach Edgar Mercado ......Asst Coach Zack Shelton ...........Asst Coach Jack Knapp ..............Asst Coach

RUSHING Jadin Coates ..........87 car. ...714 yds. ......6 TD PASSING Matty Go ..................58/102 ..988 yds. ....12TD ...3INT RECEIVING Jacob Cruz .............24 rec. ..481 yds. ......6 TD Jadin Coates ..........20 rec. ..379 yds ......2 TD TACKLES Jacob Cruz .............90 Will Mosely..............64 Blake Konchak ...... 56 SACKS Sam Ayegunle.......6.5 Raymond Dixon .... 5 INTERCEPTIONS Sam Ayegunle....... 3 Jacob Cruz 2 Jaden Rivera .......... 2

VARSITY

By John James MDJ Sports Writer

North Cobb Christian lost more than a dozen seniors during the offseason, departing a team that went 10-2 and lost in the second round of the state playoffs.

The team will enter the 2023 season without last year’s leading tackler, last year’s leading pass rusher and a variety of other key pieces in the defense. With all of those losses compiled, it would be reasonable for the Eagles to undergo some form of regression.

Alex Nelson, Will Moseley and Jaden Rivera — a trio of rising seniors on the team — said the team hasn’t even considered the possibility of taking a step back.

“Winning,” Nelson said of the team’s mindset for the upcoming year. “Just straight winning games.”

Nelson, Rivera and Moseley have played together since the eighth grade. Rivera and Moseley share space in the secondary, while Nelson’s role as linebacker

keeps him a bit closer to the line of scrimmage.

Matt Jones arrived at North Cobb Christian three seasons ago, taking over as the football team’s head coach. In their time together, Jones has seen the trio develop not only as football players, but also as people.

“They’ve all grown through maturity,” Jones said. “Knowing where you fit and what your role is — understanding that it’s not about you. It’s about the team and being able to do whatever it takes for us to win.”

Both Rivera and Nelson identified Moseley as the leader of the defense. Moseley is coming off back-to-back seasons with at least 50 tackles. Nelson described Moseley as softspoken, though he noted that when the safety was flying to the football, that soft-spoken nature was nowhere to be found.

For his part, Moseley said that his role was one of reliability. By maintaining a consistent level of

performance, and a consistent demeanor alongside it, he helped keep the rest of the defense operating in rhythm.

“(Leadership is) knowing what everyone’s doing on defense, and making sure they know what they’re doing,” Mosely said. “Being the guy that everyone else can come to (for help).”

Jones said that Moseley led by example last season, speaking with his body language and his actions instead of his words. Nelson, on the other hand, was a bit more evocative, according to Jones. Rivera landed somewhere in the middle of that spectrum.

The cornerback said that his biggest development hasn’t been athleticism, or technique, or anything that could be measured on the field. Rivera said that his biggest strides have been growing closer to his teammates, and improving his performance as a result of those improved relationships.

“(I’ve improved at) just being

Will

Moseley, Alex Nelson

and

Jaden

Rivera have played together since middle school, and now they are the anchors of the North Cobb Christian defense.

Longtime trio poised to step up for Eagles’ defense

able to trust my teammates,” Rivera said. “I used to think it was just a ‘me’ thing, but I’ve got them right beside me, always making sure we’re doing the right thing and doing a good job.”

Those relationships will be put to the test during this season. All three players stressed their desire to win as much as possible during their final year with the team. Moseley voiced his goal of securing another region championship, and Rivera specified that he’d like to make it past the second round of the state playoffs this year.

For Nelson, though, success this season is less of a tangible objective.

“I want to make this the best year I can for me and my teammates,” Nelson said. “I want to win, of course, but I’ve been here all my life and I want to leave this place better than I found it. I want these younger guys to carry this program, carry the boat and keep moving forward.”

144 KICKOFF 2023

Special - Anthony Stalcup

Five Cobb teams set for Corky Kell-Dave Hunter Classic

By John Bednarowski sportseditor@mdjonline.com

After playing in the first game of the Georgia high school football schedule in 2022, Kell is going to have to wait a little longer to take the field in 2023 — about three more hours to be exact.

The Longhorns will play the second game of the season when they host Parkview on Wednesday, Aug. 16 in the 32nd annual Corky Kell-Dave Hunter Classic. Kell will be one of five Cobb County teams participating in the season-opening event.

Kell, which shares the same namesake with the event — the longtime Cobb County coach and athletic administrator — has played in every Classic since 2010, but this will be the first time it has been chosen as a host for a two-game slate. Before the Longhorns kick off at 7:30 p.m., North Atlanta and Johns Creek will face off at 4:30 p.m.

For the second straight season, Kennesaw Mountain will

Corky Kell-Dave Huter Classic Schedule

Wednesday, Aug. 16 at Kell

4:30 p.m. — North Atlanta vs. Johns Creek

7:30 p.m. — Kell vs. Parkview

Thursday, Aug. 17 at West Forsyth

4:30 p.m. — Archer vs. North Forsyth

7:30 p.m. — West Forsyth vs. Cherokee Bluff

Friday, Aug. 18 at Barron Stadium, Rome

2 p.m. — Fellowship Christian vs. Mount Pisgah Christian

5 p.m. — Kennesaw Mountain vs. Creekside

8 p.m. — Cass vs. Rome

Saturday, Aug. 19 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium

10 a.m. — Norcross vs. Marietta

1 p.m. — Brookwood vs. McEachern

4 p.m. — North Gwinnett vs. Mill Creek

7 p.m. — Walton vs. Grayson

it faces Brookwood at 1 p.m. The Indians and the Broncos are the founding programs of the Corky Kell Classic and have played in it every year since it began in 1992.

This will be the sixth time McEachern and Brookwood have met as part of the Classic, with the Indians having won all five previous meetings.

Walton, which advanced to the Class AAAAAAA state quarterfinals this past season, will play in the final game of the night when it faces fellow state quarterfinalist Grayson at 7 p.m.

play in the Classic’s three-game schedule at Barron Stadium in Rome. The Mustangs, who beat Cass 26-25 there last season, will face 2022 Class AAAAA state quarterfinalist Creekside at 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 18.

The three remaining Cobb teams — Marietta, McEachern and Walton — will be highlighted in the four-game schedule on

Saturday, Aug. 19 at MercedesBenz Stadium.

It will be a battle of Blue Devils when Marietta takes on Norcross in the morning game, which is set for a 10 a.m. kickoff. Both teams made the second round of the Class AAAAAAA playoffs this past season.

McEachern will play in the second game of the day when

It will only be the second meeting between the Raiders and Rams. The other was at the Georgia Dome, when they met for the 2010 Class AAAAA state championship game. Grayson won 24-0.

The other game at MercedesBenz on Saturday will be North Gwinnett and Mill Creek at 4 p.m.

The Corky Kell Classic will also include a pair of games at West Forsyth on Thursday, Aug. 17.

SCHEDULE + ROSTER | ncchristian.org/football

Night Lights are back!

Friday

2023 Schedule

WALKER WOLVERINES

Anderson ready to rebuild Wolverines

By Jordan Howard MDJ Sports Writer

Walker is entering its second season in non-region play but TJ Anderson hopes it’s the last. The Wolverines’ new coach is optimistic about a return to region play after seeing the roster increase by 10 entering this season.

Anderson said he convinced some players who had previously left the team to return this year. He even picked up some kids who were playing pick-up games around campus, proposing the idea to come try football.

He said the goal with his program is to establish a culture of brotherhood and to give his team a meaning.

His recruiting paid off and Walker will start the season with 34 players after ending last season with less than 20.

Anderson, the team’s fifth head

coach since 2020, served as the offensive coordinator for two years before accepting the head coaching job. But he is excited about the opportunity to put his own stamp on this program, and he was actively recruiting kids to join the football team during the offseason.

Anderson said his first task is to find the right mindset, believing that his roster has a lot of talent but is hindered by their depth.

“We need to get behind the mindset that we can’t, that we don’t measure up to schools. So that’s kind of the message,” Anderson said. “And hopefully, we can build upon that, as we get back to the Georgia High School Association.”

The culture that Anderson hopes to build is already taking form as he said his team is averaging 25 participants at their offseason workouts — the team had 24 players on their roster at the

2023 Roster

beginning of the 2022 season.

Anderson credits this increase to his senior class, a group of eight kids who kept the football program afloat.

“This senior group is going to be what kept football alive here at Walker,” Anderson said. “They stuck with it, with all the backlash that they hear from people in the community saying Walker football is no good and with people that leave and to go play elsewhere. They stayed here and stayed committed to the program.”

One of the seniors who will be leading the Wolverines offense this season is quarterback Aidan Charles. Anderson has been impressed with the work Charles has put in this offseason, and the quarterback also helped Anderson build his coaching staff.

“(Charles) has really grown in his growth and just knowledge of the game. He’s been working

See Wolverines, Page 147

On and off the field, we are One Walker. thewalkerschool.org | @twsathletics

8/18 Cross Keys8/25 Riverside Military

9/1 at Harvester Chr.9/8 at BEST Academy 9/22 at Skipstone 9/29 King’s Academy 10/6 Utopian Acad. 10/27 Lanier Christian 11/3 at Pinecrest Acad.

No. Name Pos. Cl. 2 Elijah Dennis RB/DB 9 3 Gavin Johnson WR/DB 4 Mike Milligan RB/DB 12 5 Cole McKee WR/DB 12 7 Jackson Ramon QB/DB 11 8 Jackson NeSmith WR/DB 9 9 Lucas Cardona RB/LB 12 10 Nick Evangelista QB/DB 10 11 Grant Addison WR/DB 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 14 Gavin Rosen WR/DB 9 17 Aidan Charles QB 12 21 Landyn Good WR/DB 9 22 Lyndon Davidson RB/DB 9 23 Aaron Foster RB/DB 9 24 Strummer Bailey WR/DB 9 25 Vicente Fortes WR/DB 9 27 Ty Evangelista RB/LB 10 28 Robbie King WR/DB 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 30 Davis Sharp WR/DB 32 Luca Goodrum WR/DB 12 33 Alex Tobano WR/DB 9 34 Mattias Simon RB/LB 9 35 KJ Johnson RB/LB 9 45 Max Perrin TE/DL 10 51 Quinn Keskonis OL/DL 12 52 Gabe Herlong OL/DL 12 54 Brandon Tarbeart OL/DL 12 No. Name Pos. Cl. 55 Dawson Davis OL/DL 56 Amir Edwards OL/DL 9 57 Max Zolfo OL/DL 9 58 Parker Van Etten OL/DL 10 77 Haskell Murray OL/DL 9 81 Owen Lambert TE/LB 9 88 Ronan Flaherty WR/DB 9 10/20

at Cherokee Chr.

2022 RESULTS

St. Mary’s Academy ..........28-12..........W

Lake Oconee Academy ...18-36............L

Strong Rock Christian ........6-43............L

South Atlanta ..........................0-1............L

King’s Ridge Christian ......18-48............L

Skipstone Academy .........12-39............L

King’s Academy ..................6-42............L

Cherokee Christian ............8-45............L

Lanier Christian .....................0-2............L

Pinecrest Academy ..........22-26............L

WALKER WOLVERINES

700 Cobb Pkwy N, Marietta, GA 30062 • Robertson Field

https://www.thewalkerschool.org/team-detail?Team=195260

Twitter: @TWS_Football Instagram: @footballtws

VARSITY COACHING

STAFF

T.J. Anderson ....................HC

Jalen Whitlow ............OC/QB

Derrick Clay ...............DC/ LB

Josh Lammert ......ST/ LB/ TE

Darryl Overton ............OL/DL

Tavarres Dennis .........RB/DB

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

RB Evan Kasian (2009-12), .......................................Birmingham Southern

OL Hunter Nourzad (2014-17), .....................................................Penn State

DL Nick Schulz (2003-06), ........................................................Wake Forest

DL Mike Ramsay (2009-12), ...................................................................Duke

2022 LEADERS

RUSHING

Grant Addison .........14 car. .....184 yds........3 TD

Steph Morrison .......19 car......112 yds.........2 TD

PASSING

Aiden Charles..........62/118 ....866 yds. .....7 TD ....7 INT

RECEIVING

Grant Addison .........27 rec. ...500 yds. .....5 TD

TACKLES

Lucas Cardona........109

Tae Washington......94

SACKS

Lucas Cardona........2.5

INTERCEPTIONS

Lucas Cardona........ 1

Coach: T.J. Anderson • 1st Season • Record: 0-0 • Career: 0-0

WOLVERINES

From Page 146

with a quarterback coach, who I ended up hiring as my offensive coordinator,” Anderson said.

This new offensive coordinator,

Jalen Whitlow, played quarterback at the University of Kentucky for three years before finishing his career with Eastern Illinois.

Anderson said Whitlow has been a great addition to his staff, and he embodies what it means to be a players coach.

Whitlow leads the team in nightly Zoom meetings as the Wolverines gear up to start the new season.

Along with Charles, seniors Gavin Johnson, Gabriel Herlong and Michael Milligan are expected to make a big impact on both sides of the ball.

FIVE YEAR RECORD

8-42

2022: 1-9

2021: 1-9

2020: 1-9

2019: 4-6

2018: 1-9

With the leadership of this senior group, Anderson believes his team can be competitive in their schedule.

He hopes to use this year as a building block to establishing a Walker football program that can compete in Region 6AA and beyond.

KICKOFF 2023 147

ALL TIME RECORD

REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 2012 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

74-139

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

Grant Addison is a standout athlete for Walker in football, baseball and basketball. He hopes to lead the Wolverines to a winning season in 2023.

Addison can, and will, do anything for Wolverines

By Jordan Howard MDJ Sports Writer

Grant Addison is only entering his sophomore year at Walker, yet he has already established himself as one of the best athletes on all three of his teams –football, basketball and baseball.

During his freshman season, Addison led his team in rushing and receiving yards. With this kind of production, he plays almost every position on the field, depending on the need at the time. He has been lined up at linebacker, cornerback, safety, quarterback, wide receiver, running back, kicker and punter.

In order to handle the workload, Addison said he makes sure to not let the bad plays get to him as he knows he will be out on the field at other positions soon,

ready to make another play.

His individual goals are very simple for this season – score more touchdowns, gain more yards and have more tackles.

As for his team, Addison is confident the Wolverines will take a step up from last season.

“I want to break .500. Last year we weren’t able to, we fell short,” he said. “This year I’m hoping for a lot more success with all of the new people we have picked up.”

Addison said he appreciates the camaraderie that football provides. He said his favorite season is the fall with football. He focuses mainly on football and baseball, but he said he has no intention of dropping basketball.

“After this year I might consider (dropping basketball). My dad wants me to drop one, but I do

not have an interest (in doing that),” Addison said.

With all three sports, Addison said staying active in different sports throughout the year has helped his performance on Friday nights.

“The athletic impact that I get from both of the other sports helps me to perform better in every sport I play. In football specifically, it helps me with my cuts, my agility and my quickness,” Addison said.

Like many athletes, he has a pregame ritual, though he heads to enemy territory for it.

“I go to the other team’s end zone and I lay down and relax with headphones in for a minute,” Addison said.

He said he has never received any backlash, and he plans on continuing with it this season.

Coach T.J. Anderson, while impressed with his commitment to three different sports, said one of the most impressive aspects of Addison is his 3.9 GPA, claiming he is the epitome of a student-athlete.

He also praised Addison’s maturity at his age, saying that he is everything a coach wants out of a young player.

“He’s just really mature beyond his years. He does everything the right way. You know, you don’t have to get on to him too much,” Anderson said. “You can tell him something one time. He’s got it. You know, he’s smart. He’s really smart in that aspect.”

Addison said while he is too young to have started his college search, he has aspirations to play at the Division I level in any of the three sports.

148 KICKOFF 2023

Special - Anthony Stalcup

Whitefield Academy set for climb to top of Region 6A

By Jordan Howard MDJ Sports Writer

Whitefield Academy is once again looking to climb to the top of Region 6A – this time with new head coach Robert Walsh.

With a strong group of 14 seniors, Walsh said he has the group to climb the mountain and raise the region banner for the Wolfpack for the first time since 2008.

“The leadership that they’ve shown this offseason has been unbelievable,” Walsh said. “I think (the seniors) want to accept that challenge of winning the region championship and hanging 2023 in that gym behind that 2008.”

However, this feat will not go uncontested as Mount Pisgah and St. Francis proved to be more than respectable foes last year, finishing a combined 14-6. They finished first and second,

respectively, in the region, and each team advanced to at least the state quarterfinals.

Whitefield got out of the gates early, posting a 5-1 mark through Week 6. However, they finished the season losing three of their last four, only winning one region game in a 59-41 shootout against Mount Vernon.

Walsh has emphasized the importance of closing out the season well, noting that the games in the latter half of the season are far more important.

“I’m trying to get them to understand, listen, it’s not what we do at the beginning of the season, we’re going to be remembered for what we do in the region games,” Walsh said.

On this note, Walsh is implementing a four-person running back room made up of senior Bo Thompson, juniors Bryson Logan and Bryce Duck, and sophomore Mason Hollingsworth.

This group does not have a defined starter, as Walsh plans on splitting time in order to keep everyone fresh for the entirety of the season.

Although Whitefield lost some key seniors last year in 3-star recruits Caleb LaValle, Ayden Duncanson and Ian Geffrard, Walsh said he has a strong, committed group that is ready to take on the challenge.

“I bet probably 12 or 13 out of the 14 seniors have made 90% of the workouts, if not more,” Walsh said. “Most of the guys have made 100%. So their commitment to this team and to what they want to accomplish this

season has been amazing for me to see.”

In a four-team region, where each team is guaranteed a playoff spot, Walsh said the biggest opponent his team faces this season is themselves.

He is approaching this season with the motto, “Beat yourself everyday,” with the hopes that if his team focuses on their own work, the rest of the pieces will fall in place.

Both Whitefield and St. Francis are entering the season with new coaches, and Mount Pisgah graduated 18 seniors last season. The region is up for grabs, and Walsh believes his team will be tested in each of the last three games of the season.

“That region championship could be on the line every single Friday night against those opponents. So I’m looking forward to the challenge and wishing luck to those guys as well,” Walsh said.

KICKOFF 2023 149

REGION 6A PREDICTION

ST. FRANCIS

MOUNT PISGAH

WHITEFIELD

MOUNT VERNON File

Harrison Rowe and the Whitefield Academy defense will try to slow down St. Francis and Mount Pisgah enough to claim the Region 6A title.

WHITEFIELD ACADEMY WOLFPACK

2023 Schedule

Walsh retooling Wolfpack as runners

By Jordan Howard MDJ Sports Writer

New coach Robert Walsh is wasting no time establishing his brand of football at Whitefield Academy.

Walsh said in the past, the Wolfpack have run a pass-heavy offense. In his first year at the helm, Walsh plans on establishing the run early and often with a four-headed running back room made up of senior Bo Thompson, juniors Bryson Logan and Bryce Duck and sophomore Mason Hollingsworth.

Walsh said all four backs are more than capable of running the ball, and there won’t be one true starter. They will all split time to stay fresh, and he expects this group to carry his team.

After graduating quarterback Ayden Duncanson, the Wolfpack had a hole to fill under center. Walsh said senior Callum Neese

has stepped in during the offseason and has shown great improvement already.

Neese has not played quarterback since freshman year, but Walsh expects him to have a successful year commanding the offense.

Walsh said two more underclassmen are expected to play big roles for his team – Cole Rabalais and Parker Shim. Rabalais will be operating in the slot receiver position and Shim will play out wide. Both will also play in the secondary with their speed.

Walsh said a strong point for his offense this year will be the offensive line. Four of the five starters are seniors who have had playing time on the line in the past – Taylor Craig, Hines Harmon, Harrison Rowe and Tee Tidwell.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Wolfpack have a few holes to fill after graduating a

2023 Roster

trio of three-star recruits in Cobb County leading tackler Caleb LaValle, Duncanson in the secondary and Ian Geffrard on the defensive line.

Walsh said he expects his linebacker group to be the backbone of his defense. Centered around senior Wyman Shaheen, Walsh said he has five to six seniors that will be rotating through the three linebacker positions.

Scheme-wise, Walsh wants his defense to attack the ball and play as a team, leaning on the strength of his athletes.

“I’m not going to try to draw up X’s and O’s and try to out scheme people. I want our kids to play fast on Friday night,” he said. “I’m going to try to keep it simple and allow our kids to play at a fast pace and not think as much. They’re going to be a physical, run to the ball, teamoriented defense.”

See Wolfpack, Page 151

8/18 Macon County8/25 at Strong Rock

9/1 Providence Chr.9/8 at Wesleyan 9/22 Rabun County 9/29 Brookstone 10/6 at Elbert County 10/27 Mount Vernon11/3 at Mount Pisgah

10/20 at St. Francis No. Name Pos. Cl. 0 Diego Lopez K/WR/DB 12 1 Mason Hollingsworth RB/LB 10 2 Callum Neese QB/WR/DB 12 3 Bryson Logan WR/DB 11 4 Mac Wotton WR/DB 12 5 Ian Weihe WR/DB 12 6 Bryce Bowling WR/DB 12 7 Jack Schuster WR/DB 12 8 Bryce Duck RB/DB 11 9 Jack Anderson WR/DB 10 10 Landon Ryan QB/DB 9 11 Parker Shim WR/DB 10 12 Jackson Wallace WR/DB 10 13 John Durden WR/DB 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 14 Ian Kelly WR/DB 9 15 Wyman Shaheen WR/DB 12 16 Harrison Brantley QB/DB 10 17 Cole Rabalais WR/DB 10 19 Henry Tidwell RB/LB 9 20 Grayson Morris WR/DB 9 21 Cole Wotton WR/DB 10 22 Bo Thompson RB/LB 12 23 Liam O’Halloran K 9 24 Jake O’Connor RB/LB 9 25 Thomas Baxter WR/DB 10 26 Andrew Glover WR/LB 12 27 Camden Hayslip WR/DB 9 28 Will Boyer WR/DB 11 No. Name Pos. Cl. 29 Mychal Haynie WR/DB 9 31 Parker Bassing WR/LB 9 32 Ben Yarbrough RB/DB 10 35 Aaron Schuster RB/LB 12 38 Jamison White RB/DL 9 40 Mason Bordoni WR/DB 9 42 Harris Clark WR/DB 9 44 Tharpe Erler RB/DB 9 45 Brendon Hermanson TE/DL 9 47 Luke Linder TE/DL 9 50 Tip Tippins OL/DL 11 51 Tee Tidwell OL/DL/LB 12 52 David Tidwell OL/DL 10 53 William Dukes OL/DL 10 No. Name Pos. Cl. 55 Taylor Craig OL/DL/LB 12 57 Hines Harmon OL/DL 12 58 Harrison Rowe OL/DL 12 59 Case Martin OL/DL 9 60 Edgar Velez OL/DL 10 63 Samuel Suddath OL/DL 9 64 Alex Keck OL/DL 9 65 Christian Smith OL/DL 9 66 Truman Hudson OL/DL 11 68 Sam Blee OL/DL 10 70 Landon Hooper OL/DL 9 77 Joshua Ellis OL/DL 10 88 Sumner White WR/DB 11

1 Whitefield Dr SE, Mableton, GA 30126 • Whitefield Stadium

https://www.whitefieldacademy.com/athletics/teams/football/varsity

Twitter: @WhitefieldFBall

2022 RESULTS VARSITY

Macon County ...................35-30..........W

Strong Rock Christian ........35-0..........W

Providence Christian ..........35-7..........W

Wesleyan ..............................42-7..........W

Rabun County ....................14-28............L

Brookstone...........................24-7..........W

Elbert County .....................24-35............L

St. Francis ..............................0-14............L

Mount Vernon ....................59-41..........W

Mount Pisgah Christian ...24-37............L

State Playoffs

Social Circle ..........................7-10............L

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

TE Kennard Backman (2007-10), .......................UAB, Green Bay Packers

DL T.J. Carter (2016-19) ................................................Kentucky, L.A. Rams

DB Ayden Duncanson (2019-22), ........................................North Carolina

DL Ian Geffrard (2019-22), ..............................................................Arkansas

LB Caleb LaVallee (2019-22),................................................North Carolina

QB Trey Miller (2005-08), .......................................................................Navy

WOLFPACK

From Page 150

Walsh’s team is centered around 14 seniors who he said have taken on their leadership role effortlessly this offseason.

“I came in and did individual

meetings with each (senior), and every one of them said, ‘Coach, we want higher standards. We want more discipline. We want you to hold us accountable.’ And that’s something as a high school coach, you love to hear,” Walsh said.

Whitefield is a part of Region

Instagram: @whitefieldfootball

6A, made up of only four teams. With this size, every team in the region is guaranteed a playoff spot. Knowing this, Walsh said the biggest opponent his team will have this season is themselves.

“What I’m trying to get these kids to understand is beating yourself

every single day. Your biggest opponent is not going to be who we play on Friday night,” Walsh said. “It’s not going to be what scheme or somebody’s doing against us. It’s going to be us getting out of our own way overcoming and doing things that we think we can’t do.”

KICKOFF 2023 151 Carmichael Funeral Homes 2950 King Street Smyrna, GA 30080 770-435-4467 1130 Whitlock Ave. Marietta, GA 30064 770-424-4924 www.CarmichaelFuneralHomes.com GO WOLF PACK! family owned and operated for nearly 50 years WHITEFIELD ACADEMY WOLFPACK Coach: Robert Walsh • 1st Season • Record: 0-0 • Career: 0-0 FIVE YEAR RECORD 31-23 2022: 6-5 2021: 6-5 2020: 6-5 2019: 7-4 2018: 6-4 Robert Walsh..................HC/DC Justin Krueger .............DL/ST Kevin Bentley .....................LB Ray Orio ................Co-OC/OL William Bell ..........Co-OC/RB Everett Pollard .................QB Brad Hawkins ....................DL Ben Pollard.........................SC 2022 LEADERS RUSHING Ayden Duncanson ..67 car. ...752 yds......8 TD Merce Relaford .....76 car. ...605 yds .....3 TD PASSING Ayden Duncanson..74/139 ...1255 yds. ...15TD ...3INT RECEIVING Ian Weihe ................37 rec....525 yds. ....3 TD Conlon Walker ......25 rec. ..475 yds. .....5 TD TACKLES Caleb LeVallee ......177 Bo Thompson........97 SACKS Conlon Walker 7 Caleb LaVallee 6 Harrison Rowe 5 INTERCEPTIONS Caleb LaVallee ....................... 3 Ayden Duncanson................ 2 Jonathan Cassady ................ 2 Wyman Shaheen 2

COACHING STAFF ALL TIME RECORD 106-119 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (2) 2008, 2007 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Info from Georgia High School Football

Association

Historical

Historians

Shaheen has taken a leadership role on the Whitefield Academy defense and has changed positions, moving from the secondary to linebacker.

Shaheen takes over Wolfpack’s leadership role

By Jordan Howard MDJ Sports Writer

Sitting on the scorching artificial turf, Whitefield Academy linebacker Wyman Shaheen vividly recalled his first varsity tackle during his freshman year.

“I didn’t have a guy come near my gap so I just got to free release,” he said. “(The opponent) shook our long snapper and right as he shook him I was right there to wrap him up. It was just crazy and when I got up I saw the whole sideline and all the fans were going crazy. It was just memorable to see everyone yelling my name.”

Now entering his senior season, Shaheen has established himself as a veteran leader on the Wolfpack squad. His goal is to set an example for the underclassman – an example that lasts beyond his time at Whitefield.

“I want to be a vocal leader, but also I want to be a leader

that can show out and show you how to be a leader,” Shaheen said. “I want to be a mentor to the sophomore defenders or even to the juniors, who will become seniors to make sure they know how to be leaders next year.”

His coach, Robert Walsh, drew the same conclusion about his leadership, emphasizing his commitment this summer, even when it isn’t convenient.

“He leads not only with his abilities and his work, but he leads with his voice, too,” Walsh said.

“This is a kid that’s made 90% of our workouts, but he’s also probably playing 40 to 60 baseball games (this summer).”

Shaheen said his time with baseball has been crucial in developing his mental fortitude on the football field.

“One game, you can go 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, I suck,’ but just knowing in baseball you’re going to get so many more bats. It

helps me keep my cool with my emotions on the field with football,” Shaheen said. “(In football) I have 30 seconds until the next play to make up for it.”

Shaheen, who had 63 tackles and two interceptions last season, has played in the secondary for most of his football career, but during this offseason, his coach moved him to linebacker as he saw the potential with his physical style of play.

“He embraces the physicality of football which is awesome to see. And he’s not afraid of it,” Walsh said. “He’s got that mentality, that hard nosed mentality.”

Walsh said Shaheen has put on some good weight this summer, and expects him to lead the middle of the defense during his first year at the position.

On the offensive side of the ball, Shaheen has embraced his role as lead blocker in the fullback position. He is obsessed with the physical side of the

game, and he dives head first into any opportunity to show off his physicality.

Shaheen said his individual goal this season is to lead his team in tackles, but that he could not accomplish this feat without the support of his teammates.

Ironically, he said his pregame ritual involves sitting back and listening to John Legend – a mellow tune for a guy that attacks the ball without hesitation.

“There’s something about his music,” Shaheen said. “It gives me inner peace and instead of just stressing like, ‘Oh, I’m nervous,’ (his music) helps me breathe and just relax.”

Shaheen said another goal is to lead his team to their first region championship since 2008.

“I want to win a region championship,” he said. “That’s the first thing but that’s just the beginning. We want to make it deep into the playoffs.”

152 KICKOFF 2023

Special - Anthony Stalcup

Wyman

KSU making the jump to FBS level, Conference USA

By John Bednarowski sportseditor@mdjonline.com

Kennesaw State is officially moving to Conference USA.

Following its meeting with the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents, the Kennesaw State athletic department was charged with getting approval from the students and the community before the move could be made.

Kennesaw State completed the task, and the impending move was approved by the USG.

“We met with our constituent groups and they were unanimous with their support,” Kennesaw State athletic director Milton Overton told the MDJ.

The Owls will leave the ASUN Conference following the 2023-24 academic year and join Conference USA on July 1, 2024. Kennesaw State has been a member of the Cumberland-based ASUN since 2005, following its transition from the Division II level.

“Today is an important day as we formally welcome Kennesaw State University to Conference USA,” league commissioner Judy MacLeod said in a release. “The addition of this growing university

GRIMSTEAD

From Page 69

continues to build upon our strong foundation, and we are excited to partner with president (Kathy) Schwaig and KSU’s leadership team to transform our membership and strategically position the conference for long-term success.”

Overton said things were put in motion when there was significant movement by schools within the Group of Five conferences and their addition of Football Championship Subdivision schools. Kennesaw State administrators then began doing studies for if a potential move would became available.

“We were doing our due diligence at that time last fall,”

that comes with that is something he is continuing to develop.

Grimstead said the execution of being a leader is crucial as he transitions to the role of full-time starter this year

“The transition to being a leader on offense has been pretty smooth,” Grimstead said. “To me, quarterback is mostly about just stepping up, embracing it and being that guy in the huddle and on offense. You just have to go in and do it and lead your teammates.”

Grimstead’s skills in leadership and quarterbacking will certainly be put to the test early in 2023,

SMITH

From Page 141

people is kind of the highlight.”

All three of the Smith brothers played on both the offensive and defensive line, giving Wyatt a wealth of knowledge to pull from his siblings.

student experience at KSU. We look forward to an exciting future of competition and collaboration as a member of Conference USA.”

The study included a five-year plan, which Kennesaw State administrators presented to the Board of Regents earlier this week, showing the university had the ability to make the move.

The biggest change will come within the football program.

Overton said.

The Conference USA Board of Directors voted unanimously in September to invite Kennesaw State to join the conference.

“It is an exciting time for Kennesaw State, and this is an opportunity to continue the upward trajectory of the athletic programs and academic mission of KSU,” Schwaig said in a release. “This step was not one taken lightly, but with thoughtful review and analysis of the benefits to elevated competition for our student-athletes, the expanded opportunities for research and academic engagement, and the advancement of a unique and exciting

as the Warriors face a tough non-region schedule against fellow Class AAAAAAA powerhouses in Westlake, Buford and Milton.

To prepare, Grimstead has been focusing on the basics to help North Cobb chase their ultimate goals of taking home a region title and a state title.

“So far, I’ve been trying to get the little things right, since coach Queen says those little things have cost us in the past,” Grimstead said. “Hopefully by doing that, I can then build more consistency on offense with the group we have and make sure our plays and drives run more smoothly than last year. I think that’s the key to us having success and winning the region this year.”

“It’s a mixture of trying to be better than them and trying to learn from them.” Smith said. “My freshman year and when I was in eighth grade, my oldest brother was one of my coaches.”

Even with the experience from his siblings, Smith says he understands the difficulty of playing both sides of the ball and is working

FRANKLIN

From Page 137

Kennesaw State, which began playing football in 2015, has claimed three Big South Conference championships and made four FCS playoff appearances. It will begin the transition in this recruiting cycle, going from 63 full scholarships to 85.

That will make the Owls’ football team ineligible for the ASUN championship and a potential FCS playoff bid in 2024.

With an increase in scholarships for football, the athletic department will also have to add scholarships for women’s sports to remain Title IX-compliant. Overton said scholarships will be added to the existing programs and no new sports would be added.

Overton said the athletic budget

See KSU, Page 162

we’re gonna do our best for you,” Franklin said. “We come here every practice to keep ourselves to that Best in America standard with a DMGB mindset no matter the circumstances, and we want to play our butts off every rep.”

Following high school, Franklin is set to continue his football career in the ACC, having chosen to play his college football at the University of Virginia over 27 other offers that included Power 5 schools such as Missouri,

to improve every day.

“I’m trying to focus more on using my hands now.” Smith said. “I realized a lot of the time I was just trying to bull rush. I went to a camp at Berry and just saw how much of a big part your hands play as an offensive lineman.”

With the improvements he is making both on and off the field,

Boston College, Indiana and West Virginia. Despite his high school career coming to a close following the season, Franklin wants it to be known to the Cavaliers’ coaching staff that he plans to carry over the same approach from football at Kell to the next level.

“My coaches will be getting a player that will always give it my all and bring that DMGB mindset to get better every day no matter what,” Franklin said. “As a coach, we may not always see eye-to-eye, but at the end of the day, you’re always gonna get my all during every single rep.”

Wyatt is using the lessons he’s learned from his brothers to be the best of the three.

“It’s a lot of pressure to continue that legacy and do even better than them,” Smith said.

“But it also pushes me because one of my biggest goals is to surpass them.”

KICKOFF 2023 153

New coordinators, new looks for Owls

By John Bednarowski sportseditor@mdjonline.com

This season will be one of transition for Kennesaw State.

The Owls will not play an ASUN schedule because of its impending move up to the Football Bowl Subdivision and Conference USA next summer. With the team’s roster expanding from 63 to 85 players, it also isn’t eligible for the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. That being said, there is still plenty to play for in 2023.

“It has nothing to do with the next move,” coach Brian Bohannon said. “We have a lot to prove to ourselves. It’s about us.”

In some ways, the upcoming season is similar to the inaugural season in 2015. That year was about a lot of players playing their first season of college football, learning how to practice and figuring out how to play in

new systems. Coming off the first losing season (5-6) in program history, KSU changed coordinators, put in a new offense and saw a lot of roster turnover leading to a full reset.

“It’s not who we play, it’s how we play,” Bohannon said. “Our standard got away from us last year. That being said, this has been as good an offseason as we’ve had since 2017. There has been a lot of buy-in. We had more guys in the building this offseason than we have had in a long time.”

New offensive coordinator Chris Klenakis, a coaching veteran of more than 30 years, brings experience coaching the likes of Lamar Jackson at Louisville and Colin Kaepernick at Nevada.

He has installed a new spreadoption attack from the shotgun, which will give opponents a new look they haven’t seen from KSU in the past, which now includes utilizing a tight end.

“The guys in the tight end room are fun to watch,” Bohannon said. “Our whole offense is fun to watch, and it’s already taken huge steps.”

Back for one more season is starting quarterback Jonathan Murphy. The senior reclaimed the starting role last year when Xavier Shepherd got injured and started the back half of the season. Murphy finished the year completing 28 of 54 passes for 375 yards and a touchdown. He added another 386 yards and nine rushing touchdowns.

Murphy will be backed up by Davis Bryson, a sophomore who didn’t see any action last year, but who Bohannon said has all the tools to be special when his name is called.

The role of the running back is expected to change slightly in the new system, where the Owls will try to utilize an every-down

See Owls, Page 155

154 KICKOFF 2023 Over 50 years of Care and Compassion 2980 Lewis Street • Kennesaw, GA 30144 770-422-1554 www.bhesterdmd.com Over 50 years of Care and Compassion ALLATOONA! GOOD LUCK 2980 Lewis Street • Kennesaw, GA 30144 770-422-1554 • www.bhesterdmd.com Good Luck Kennesaw State University! Bruce A. Hester D.M.D and Chelsea M. Smith D.M.D Marietta 770-427-5717 Woodstock 770-926-9112 keeping you game at the top of your Canton 770-345-5717 East Cobb 770-579-8558 Hiram 678-453-5717 - @pinnacleortho - @pinnacleorthos - @pinnacleortho KENNESAW STATE OWLS 8/31 Tusculum 9/9 at Chattanooga 2023 Schedule 9/16 Furman 9/23 at Tenn. Tech 9/30 at Charleston So. 10/7 Tennessee State 10/28 Lincoln 11/11 Va.-Lynchburg 2023 Roster No. Name Pos. Cl. 0 Michael Benefield RB JR 1 Gabriel Benyard RB JR 2 Preston Daniels TE SR 3 Chance Gamble DB JR 4 Jonathan Murphy QB GS 5 Blake Bohannon WR JR 6 Deontre Morris DB JR 7 Garland Benyard LB JR 8 Tykeem Wallace WR JR 9 Davis Bryson QB SO 10 DeAngelo Hardy DB SR 11 Sidney Porter DB JR 12 Isaac Foster WR GS 14 Jalen Barnum LB SR 15 Jayven Williams DB SO 16 Tyler Nelson QB FR 17 Cole McCarty QB FR 18 Nick Sawyer DB SO 19 Braden Bohannon QB SO 20 Tyler Hallum DB JR 21 Markeith Montgomery DB GS 22 Elijah Kirby LB SR No. Name Pos. Cl. 23 Sulaiman Bah DB JR 23 Kemari McGowan WR SR 24 Yesiah Clemons RB SR 25 Que Bllingsley DB FR 26 Kenai Grier RB FR 26 Tyriek Johnson DB JR 27 Tarez Hamilton DB FR 27 Josh Williamson WR FR 28 David Cole WR FR 28 Jerico Washington Jr. DB FR 29 Joe Williams DB SO 30 Qua Ashley RB SO 31 Isaac Paul DB FR 32 DJ Scott RB FR 33 Rob Brown RB SO 34 Andre Craig WR FR 35 Markell Redding DB FR 36 Remington Adams RB SO 37 Alexander Diggs RB SO 38 Navelle Dean WR FR 38 Dylan Hand DB JR 39 Jordan Gaines DB FR No. Name Pos. Cl. 39 Eli Leiatua TE SO 40 Milon Jones DB SO 41 Amir Scarver LB FR 42 Danarius Johnson DB SO 43 Jerrod Woods LB JR 44 Baron Hopson LB JR 45 CJ Donaldson DL FR 46 Mikey Kriegbaum TE FR 47 Deldrick Franklin LB FR 47 Jacob Ray WR FR 48 Javian Boykin TE GS 48 Donelius Johnson LB SO 49 Juandarion Silas LB SO 50 Terrell Saxton OL GS 51 William Johnson OL SO 51 Jaden Richeson DL JR 52 Trey Hargrove LB FR 53 AJ Miller DL FR 54 Kaleb May OL FR 55 Seaburn Hines OL JR 56 Deamtric Barnes DL SR 57 Tyler Scott DL SR No. Name Pos. Cl. 58 Jahon Myers DL SR 59 Cameron Donald DL SR 60 Jaylan Jarrett DL FR 61 Darron Willis OL SR 62 Al Hogan OL GS 63 Ramontei Dardy DL FR 64 Trey Butts OL SO 65 JT Pennington OL SO 67 Matthew Gilliam OL JR 68 Trenton Jackson OL SR 70 James Dawson OL SR 71 Nate Wright OL SO 72 Ethan Newman OL FR 73 Corr ’yon Watson OL FR 74 Havik Pettigrew OL SO 75 Hall O’ Neal OL SR 76 Brian Habeck OL SR 77 Connor Cummins K JR 78 Ronnie Thomas LS SO 79 Dylan Hannon DL SO 79 Kevin Smith OL FR 80 Connor Finer WR JR No. Name Pos. Cl. 81 Bryce Hopson WR FR 82 Seth Adams TE JR 83 Jacob Ulrich P FR 84 Gatlin Hancock TE FR 85 Rowan Darnell TE SO 86 Carson Kent TE SO 88 TJ McElmurray WR FR 89 Acha Mbanwei K/P JR 90 Joshua Huiet P JR 90 Ugonna Nwoha DL SO 91 Joshua Agbenou DL SR 92 Carlos Allen DL SR 93 Jamar Rucks DL SO 94 Jordan Miles DL JR 95 Joel Parker DL GS 96 Charles Remy DL JR 97 Adam Watkins DL JR 98 RJ Taylor DL SO 99 Pooda Walker DL SO Gene Sledge RB SO

11/4 at Sam Houston

KENNESAW STATE OWLS

1000 Chastain Rd NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144 • Fifth Third Bank Stadium

Twitter: @KSUOwlsFootball

Samford ...............................17-27............L

2022 RESULTS VARSITY COACHING

Cincinnati ...........................10-63............L

Wofford ...............................24-22..........W

Jacksonville State .............28-35............L

North Alabama ..................40-34..........W

Central Arkansas ..............24-51............L

Tennessee Tech ................33-30..........W

Charleston Southern .......30-20..........W

UT Martin............................44-27..........W

Austin Peay .........................14-31............L

Eastern Kentucky ..............38-45............L

https://ksuowls.com/sports/football

Instagram: @ksuowlsfootball Facebook: @Kennesaw State Football

2022 LEADERS

FIVE

Brian Bohannon ...............HC

Chris Klenakis ...................OC

Nathan Burton ..................DC

Ossie Buchannon ......WR/ST

Stewart Cook .....................TE

Liam Klein ...........................DL

Darius Safford...................DB

Tim Glanton .......................RB

Chandler Burks ................QB

Greg Harris .........................LB Davern Williams ................DE

Lassiter ..................... GA

Hammer ........... GA

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

Travis Bell (2019-22) ................................................................Chicago Bears

Auzoyah Alufohai (2016-19) ................................................Houston Texans

Chander Burks (2014-18)

Bryson Armstrong (2017-20)

Justin Sumpter (2014-18)

Coach:

OWLS

From Page 154

back instead of one by committee. The question will be: who will emerge as the go-to guy?

Two of last year’s starting ball carriers have switched positions. Preston Daniels, who was the team’s second leading rusher with 423 yards and four touchdowns, was the primary between-thetackles rusher but has moved to tight end.

42-14

2022: 5-6

Benyard ...13 rec.....234 yds......2 TD

Bohannon...12 rec. ...213 yds. ......1 TD

TACKLES

Markeith Montgomery ........60

Garland Benyard 53

Deontre Morris .......................51

Chance Gamble ....................49

Jalen Barnum .........................48

SACKS Garland Benyard ...................3.5

Watkins ........................2.5

2021: 11-2

2020: 4-1

2019: 11-3

2018: 11-2

Isaac Foster, who was the team’s third-leading rusher with 420 yards and four touchdowns, is arguably the most dangerous open-field playmaker the Owls have. He has moved to full time slot receiver to take full advantage of his skills. Foster was the leading receiver in 2022 with 27 catches for 314 yards and two scores.

Even without Daniels and Foster, Bohannon said the running back room is deep with returners Michael Benefield, Yesiah

Clemons, Qua Ashley and Gabriel Benyard.

KSU’s defense, under new coordinator Nathan Burton, has positions it needs to fill.

The biggest challenge is identifying who will play up front with returning starter Joel Parker and top reserve Carlos Allen.

Bohannon said he was excited when defensive back Markeith Montgomery, the program’s all-time leader in interceptions, returned for his COVID-19 season. He will team with Chance Gamble, who

grew into his starting role a year ago and became one of the team’s most reliable defenders.

Garland Benyard and Juan Silas are back to anchor the linebackers, where other starters and rotational players need to be identified.

The specialists will be anchored by kicker Conor Cummins. The former Walton High School standout made 10 of 14 field goals, including a program record 50-yarder, and all 25 of his extra points.

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Brian Bohannon • 9th Season • Record: 68-24 • Overall: 68-24

YEAR RECORD

Hampton

Jake

TD Preston

TD Isaac

INT

Gabriel

Blake

RUSHING Xavier Shepherd ....205 car.. 589 yds. .....11

Daniels ....84 car. ...423 yds......4

Foster ............72 car. ...420 yds. ....4

PASSING Xavier Shepherd ..68/137 ...1,130 yds.....7 TD...7

RECEIVING Isaac Foster ............27 rec. ..314 yds. ......2 TD

Deontre Morris 5 Markeith Montgomery 5 Chance Gamble 3

Adam

INTERCEPTIONS

ALL TIME RECORD 68-24

STAFF

Isaac Foster is back for his seventh season as a member of the Kennesaw State Owls. The graduate student is back to help the team prepare to make the jump to Conference USA next season.

Foster helps set a standard at Kennesaw State

By John Bednarowski sportseditor@mdjonline.com

Kennesaw State coach Brian Bohannon didn’t offer Isaac Foster a scholarship until the day before National Signing Day in 2017.

The scholarship was pegged to go to someone else, who bowed out of the picture at the last moment. With that being the case, Bohannon turned to the then 5-foot-10, 150-pound running back from Summerville, and he’s glad he did.

Following a redshirt season, one in which Bohannon said he nearly decided to play Foster anyway, the diminutive back quickly became a fan favorite.

In just the third game of his career, Foster fielded the second-half kickoff against Alabama State and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. A few weeks later, he did it again against Gardner-Webb.

“My first kickoff return was my first collegiate touchdown,” Foster said. “Coming out of halftime I took it to the house. It’s still my top memory.”

It soon appeared as if he was on the way to setting every return and running back rushing mark the program had. He was named the Big South Special Teams Player of the Year,

and was forecasted to be the conference offensive player of the year the following season, but injuries slowed him down.

Two medical redshirts and a COVID season later, Foster is back for a seventh season in black and gold, and while things may not have gone exactly to plan, both he and Bohannon know everything is for a reason.

With the team preparing to move up to Conference USA next season, it can’t play for any kind of a conference championship or a playoff berth. For many players, this kind of a transition year would have signaled the end of their career, but Foster is exactly the type of player Bohannon needs to help guide the younger players toward the Football Bowl Subdivision.

“He’s still here,” Bohannon said. “Before the season, I talked with him and explained what was going on. He could have gone anywhere, but he said ‘I want to be here.’ It speaks volumes of who he is.”

Foster is a mature presence, and being in his mid 20s, he said he gets called ‘Grandpa’ nearly every day in the locker room. However, the extra miles haven’t kept him from leading the way.

“The older you get, you feel like you have to help the new

guys out,” he said. “You have to pull them up. I love helping the guys out, especially the ones in my position room.”

Bohannon said Foster is the “ultimate practice player,” a 100% effort guy who practices at full speed. He does extra reps, he’s a presence in the weight room, meetings and has a strong attention to detail.

“He represents what it is to be a Kennesaw State football player,” Bohannon said. “He has been through some tough stuff.”

He suffered a broken ankle in 2019 on a long kickoff return against Charleston Southern. Other injuries followed – knees, ankles and just generally being banged up. It has limited him to career numbers of 1,447 yards rushing, 565 yards receiving and 14 total touchdowns, but there is something new in store for 2023.

With a change in the offense under new coordinator Chris Klenakis to a more spread attack, Foster will be playing slot receiver full time. It will allow him to play in space and take advantage of his speed, quickness and good hands. It will also allow Foster a full season to put his skills on tape as he hopes to catch the eyes of the CFL, XFL and ultimately the NFL. And he said if he is able to play at the

next level, he knows it will be at his new position.

Foster said the reason he returned for a seventh season is because he loves football, but he took full advantage of his time on campus.

Foster graduated with a degree in business management in 2021. He got a second undergraduate degree last year in marketing, and he is about to finish a certificate program in physical education. If playing at the next level doesn’t work out, he may become coach Foster faster than he even imagined.

“It’s down the road,” he said. “But my goal is to play as long as I can.”

Foster said it’s interesting looking back and it’s hard to believe it is already 2023, yet he still feels like he has things to prove, especially to himself. He’s completely healthy entering the fall, and he wants to be the first Kennesaw State receiver to hit the 1,000-yard plateau, all while helping restore the standard. After last year’s 5-6 record, he wants to leave the program after an undefeated season.

“That’s what makes him special,” Bohannon said. “He’s appreciative of the opportunity, and the way he does things is the way we want to do it.”

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Special - Kyle Hess

Eagles search for another conference trophy

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

Reinhardt topped the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) standings last season, and it expects a similar outcome again in 2023.

Last season marked the first year of the AAC being a standalone conference, breaking away from the Mid-South Conference, containing its current six teams: Reinhardt, Bluefield, Point, Kentucky Christian, St. Andrews and Union.

The Eagles were 2022 conference champions at 5-0 (8-2 overall), ahead of top competitors Bluefield (4-1, 8-3 overall) and Point (3-2, 4-7 overall). They were seven-time MSC champions, including six straight titles from 2016-21.

The AAC also has a new addition this season as Pikeville joins the ranks. Pikeville has competed in the MSC since the 2000-01

season and was approved for membership last October.

Reinhardt was the lone AAC team to make the NAIA Football Championship Series, though it fell in a 23-22 heartbreaker to Lindsay Wilson in Round 1 of the playoff bracket.

Reinhardt has multiple key returners but must battle turnover at the quarterback position, along with a new offensive coordinator in Tyler Hennes.

The Eagles bring back bigplay threat Navarie Solomon, a senior who had 425 yards and six touchdowns last season. Solomon’s best year came in 202122 when he had 923 yards and 13 touchdowns on 19.2 yards per reception.

On defense, Reinhardt returns defensive leaders in senior defensive backs Kellen Neal (34 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one interception in 2022) and Keyovione Whitlock (47 tackles, three interceptions),

PREDICTION

Georgetown.”

Bluefield has been one of Reinhardt’s biggest challengers in conference play over the last few seasons with its high-octane offense. The Rams scored 50-plus points in three games last year but could only muster 21 points on the Eagles’ defense.

along with junior defensive lineman Jalen Cannon (40 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks).

The Eagles won every conference game by double digits, but it’s the non-conference schedule that coach James Miller is focused on.

“I think it’s going to be competitive,” Miller said. “Our outof-conference schedule is really tough. We got Faulkner, who’s always good, and then Southeastern comes up here, which is a really good football team from Florida. Then we’ve got Cumberlands and

St. Andrews and Union are looking to rebound following a rough 2022 season where they went 0-10 and 1-10 overall, respectively. Kentucky Christian showed promise with a 2-3 conference record but won just a single non-conference game.

Point heads into 2023 with momentum after winning four of its final six games last season. The Skyhawks begin their schedule with a challenging opponent in Bethel, but with second-year coach Trevor Zeiders’ system fully in place, they hope to move up in the standings.

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APPALACHIAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

1. REINHARDT 2. BLUEFIELD 3. POINT 4. KY CHRISTIAN 5. UNION 6. ST. ANDREWS Griffin Callaghan The Reinhardt defense helped lead the Eagles to the conference championship in 2022, and it is back to do it again in 2023.

REINHARDT EAGLES

Eagles expect to run new-look offense

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

There’s a lot new for Reinhardt football this year.

With new offensive coordinator Tyler Hennes, on the sidelines and new faces at the quarterback and running back positions, the Eagles head into the 2023 season with plenty of intrigue.

However, coach James Miller is confident in his team’s potential after a productive summer session.

“We’ve had anywhere from 35 to 60 guys here over the summer, which is the best turnout we’ve had in a long time,” Miller said. “Our kids that are on campus have been working really hard. I feel like they are in the best shape of their lives.”

It’s the second straight season Reinhardt faces turnover at the quarterback position, after Hunter Arters took the reins from

Billy Hall in 2022. This year, the Eagles have three options, with the starter not expected to be named until closer to Week 1.

Reinhardt’s quarterback battle is down to a trio of sophomores in Taylor Jackson, Stephen Craig and Ethan Rice.

Jackson, a transfer from Brevard, and Craig, a former Lovejoy High School standout, have a leg up in the starting race, according to Miller. Jackson is coming off a knee injury he suffered last fall. At Brevard in 2021-22, Jackson threw for 376 yards and six touchdowns in six appearances.

“(Jackson) knows the system really well, and he knows what we are doing,” Miller said. “He’s pretty good, vocally. We just have to clean some stuff up. Then, there’s (Stephen) Craig, who comes from Lovejoy. (He has a) very strong arm and very accurate. Ethan Rice brings a

2023 Roster

run element to the table. It’s a hard decision, but they have to buy into whatever we decide.”

Reinhardt’s newest OC, Hennes, joins the staff after two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Ottawa University in Kansas, where he also served as the quarterbacks coach. Hennes’ 2022 offense finished ranked 53rd in the NAIA in yards per game (328.5).

Despite the loss of top rusher Devyn Collins, one of Reinhardt’s most explosive offensive players returns in Tyress McKey. The 5-foot-9, 175-pound sophomore registered 401 rushing yards and four touchdowns, with another 200 yards of damage on returns.

Another expected difference maker for the Eagles in 2023 is sophomore running back Jerdavian Colbert, who saw limited playing time last season. He

See Eagles, Page 160

KICKOFF 2023 159

8/31 Faulkner9/9 Southeastern 2023 Schedule 9/16 at Cumberlands9/23 Georgetown 10/7 Pikeville 10/14 at St. Andrews 10/21 at Point 11/4 at KY Christian

No. Name Pos. Cl. 2 Markell Sutton DB SR. 3 Louis Morris WR SR. 4 Zaryon Stubbs DL SR. 5 Herve Aktolsoe DL FR. 6 David Friedberg WR JR. 7 Jalen Cannon DL JR. 8 Navarie Solomon WR SR. 10 Tyress McKey RB SO. 11 Javarsia Meadows WR SR. 12 Gage Stephens WR SO. 13 Keyovione Whitlock DB SR. 14 Jakari Clark WR SO. 15 Taylor Jackson QB SO. 16 Ethan Rice QB SO. 17 Stephen Craig QB SO. 18 Chris Harris DB SO. 19 Tyshun Jordan WR FR. 20 Keon McGhee DB FR. 21 Kellen Neal DB SR. 22 Kamari Pough DB FR. 23 Jeremiah Rowe DB JR. 24 Bryghton Peters DB SO. No. Name Pos. Cl. 25 Kendrick Hawkins LB JR. 26 David Wingfield DL SR. 27 DJ Brown DB FR. 28 Cameron Brooks DB SR. 29 Namari Jenkins DB FR. 29 Charles McGhee WR SO. 30 Harlem Diamond RB FR. 30 Jakorrian Paulk TE SO. 31 Christopher Barnes RB FR. 32 Marcus Richardson DB FR. 33 Peyton Williams RB FR. 34 Jayden Ponder RB FR. 35 Jerdavian Colbert RB SO. 38 Kenon Dicks DB SO. 40 Orlando Gandy Jr LB JR. 42 Mandrel Lewis DL SO. 44 Sirmarcus Burney RB SO. 46 Jared Whitmore RB SR. 48 Devon Sullens RB JR. 52 Brayden Nance LB SO. 56 Quintavious Kendrick DL SO. 58 Justin Pinkney OL SO. No. Name Pos. Cl. 59 Kaece Supples LB SO. 60 Charles Workman DL JR. 61 Darrien Doster DL SO. 62 Ben Hollars OL JR. 63 Dermon Richard OL SO. 64 Trey Harding OL SO. 65 Micah Moten OL JR. 70 Lorenzo Robinson OL SR. 71 Codey Bennett LS FR. 74 Zac Lyle OL SO. 76 Sam Stout OL JR. 77 Aaron Inman OL SO. 78 Cole Edge OL SO. 79 Marquez Washington OL JR. 81 Ryan Blank TE SO. 81 Cedric Cullars WR JR. 84 Colby Harrison P SO. 85 Clayton Holland TE JR. 86 Bryant Do WR JR. 87 Jake Wallace TE JR. 88 Kish Wright WR SO. 90 Nathaniel Sanford DL SO. No. Name Pos. Cl. 91 Vertez Shorter DL JR. 92 Reid Schratwieser K JR. 93 Malachi Moten DL JR. 95 Nick Hackett DL JR. 96 Calvin Issac DL JR. 99 Rashad Wonnum DL SR. Mari Armstrong LB Julius Beavers DL RJ Bellflower OL Brandon Boatwright DB Braxton Blakey LB Trashaun Burnett RB Tyler Cheatwood WR Eddren Chester WR Nyreon Cooper DB Austin Davis TE Jack Duncan LS Caleb Ezeudu OL JD Galligan DB Jordan Ghant RB Jacarian Grier LB Josh Hale DB No. Name Pos. Cl. Caleb Hamilton DL Cassius Hann DB Alex Hardy K Jaquan Hart DL Braylon Jones DB Kace Kinnamon QB Luke Layson WR Jamir Maxime DB Ian McGill RB Miller Meeks DL Bailey Mohler TE Dahmonei Mosely DB Tristan Mullins LB Trent New RB Jarvis Parks DB Jace Pressley DB Brandon Rangel DB Ilyas Rashid DB Josiah Smith QB Conney Tolley QB Darryl Turpin DL Gavin Van Dyck LB 10/28 Union

11/11 Bluefield

REINHARDT EAGLES

7300 Reinhardt Circle, Waleska, GA 30183 • Ken White Field https://reinhardteagles.com/sports/fball/index

Twitter: @ReinhardtFb

2022 RESULTS

Faulkner ..............................34-27..........W

Bethel .....................................8-16............L

Cumberland ..........................PPD

Point .....................................24-14..........W

St. Andrews ..........................35-9..........W

Kentucky Christian ............47-21..........W

Bluefield .............................45-21..........W

St. Andrews .........................43-14..........W

Point ....................................48-21..........W

Union .....................................40-0..........W

NAIA FCS Playoffs

Lindsey Wilson ..................22-23............L

VARSITY COACHING

Instagram: @reinhardtfootball

James Miller ......................HC

Tyler Hennes.....................OC

Greg Blue ..........................DC

Willie McCloud ..................RB

Forrest Jackson ...........ST/LB

Cliff Matthews ...................DL

Mike Peeples ....................DB

Larry Prather ............DL/DFO

Randy Owens ..............TE/OL

Weston Gillespie ...............SC

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

RUSHING

Facebook: @Reinhardt University Football

2022 LEADERS

Devyn Collins.........192 yds. 1017 yds. ....17 TDS

PASSING

Hunter Arters........... 122/209 . 1807 yds. ...18 TD . 7 INT

RECEIVING

Navarie Solomon 21 rec. ...425 yds......6 TD

TACKLES

Kenneth Lowery ....................66

Keyovione Whitlock .............47

SACKS

FIVE YEAR RECORD

44-12

2022: 8-2

2021: 9-3

2020: 9-1

2019: 9-3

2018: 9-3

Tre

Billy Hall (2018-21)

Lowery ....................8.5

Coach: James Miller • 7th Season • Record: 57-13

EAGLES

From Page 159

finished his freshman season with 200 yards and one touchdown.

“Colbert’s as good a ball carrier as we’ve had around here in a little while,” Miller said. “He can

make something out of nothing, and McKey is the same way. Both those guys can catch the ball out of the backfield, and they both can make guys miss in the open field. They are well-rounded running backs.”

Reinhardt also returns senior receiver Navarie Solomon (2,188 career yards, 28

touchdowns), who’s been a bigplay threat throughout his college career.

Week 1 against Faulkner is circled on Reinhardt’s schedule, and not only because it’s the first game of the season.

Reinhardt took last season’s meeting 34-27 in the season opener and won a close 14-6

battle two years ago. It’s an early test for the new-look lineup, but Miller is confident.

“I think we have what it takes from the facility, the administration and the kind of player we get here that I think we can win the whole thing,” Miller said. “That’s my goal, and that’s our goal as a team.”

160 KICKOFF 2023

Kenneth

Jon

Keyovione Whitlock 3 Tylan Oglesby 2

Perry .................................. 5 INTERCEPTIONS

ALL TIME RECORD 91-24

STAFF

Coney (2016-19)

Markell Sutton has waited for his moment, and now it’s here. The senior defensive back is expected to be a starter for the first time when Reinhardt takes the field this season.

Patient Sutton earns his chance in senior season

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

Markell Sutton has waited his turn leading up to the 2023 season, where he is expected to command a starting role and bring his physical style of defense to the Eagles’ secondary.

Sutton, a defensive back, has spent his entire college career at Reinhardt, something rather uncommon in the age of the transfer portal and NIL. Now, as a senior, his patience has paid off.

“I just have to capitalize on it and make sure I’m still on my ones and twos,” Sutton said. “I have to continue to keep working. I’m just trying to be a better version of myself.”

Sutton saw the field in seven games last season, picking up 10 tackles and one interception with an 18-yard return.

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Sutton started playing football at five

years old and went on to Columbia High School in Decatur, GA. He led Columbia to a secondplace finish in Region 5AAAAA and a state playoff appearance as a senior in 2019.

Sutton played receiver at Columbia but switched to defensive back once he got to Reinhardt. With three years in the Eagles’ system already, Sutton is ready to show how much better the patience has made him.

“Markell is a guy that’s put in his time,” Reinhardt coach James Miller said. “He’s probably the opposite of what you see in college football now. He hasn’t played much for two years. He played a lot of special teams, but he’s just kept getting better every single year. He puts so much into it and never misses a day. He’s just a phenomenal kid who works his tail off.”

Sutton was at every one of Reinhardt’s summer workouts ahead of his first season as a

full-time starter. He hit the weight room hard, which shows after he put on nearly 10 pounds of muscle since his freshman year.

“He has grown mentally and physically as a football player ever since he’s been here,” Miller said. “I am super proud of him. I told somebody the other day that if I needed somebody to watch my kids, I would have no problem saying Markell could come watch them. He’s a guy you can put trust into. He is going to put the team first.”

Sutton joins a Reinhardt secondary that allowed just 16.6 points per game last season and 288.9 yards per outing. The Eagles pitched a shutout against Union in 2022 and held Bethel’s high-powered offense to only 16 points.

The Reinhardt defense is well established, led by senior Kellen Neal (34 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one interception in 2022) and junior Jalen Cannon (40 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss

and 2.5 sacks), among others.

Sutton said the team’s chemistry and brotherhood will be the key to its success in 2023.

“We can be as good as we want to be,” Sutton said. “It’s up to us. (The coaches) are going to put us in the right situations, and then it’s up to us. At the end of the day, we are the ones playing. It’s our brotherhood and our teamwork. Everybody stays together here.”

Sutton said the best part of his game is how physically imposing he can be in the secondary, punishing ball carriers and forcing drops. As he steps into the spotlight, Miller is excited to see his senior showcase his improvement and his physicality.

“He is a Reinhardt guy, through and through,” Miller said. “He’s battled through the mental side of it, not having it go your way all the time. Instead of quitting and finding something else, he has continued to just battle.”

KICKOFF 2023 161

Special - Anthony Stalcup

KSU

From Page 153

to make the move to Conference USA will increase from $25 million to $31 million, which will focus on salaries, travel and equipment.

While not giving specific numbers, Overton said those funds would be made up by a significant increase in funds from media rights from the new conference affiliation.

One of the biggest challenges for Kennesaw State’s move will come with facilities.

A $25 million capital campaign is being launched to raise money for a 49,000-square-foot football operations building, which would be located adjacent to Fifth Third Bank Stadium. It is expected to include training facilities, a weight room and coaches offices. In addition, the funds would also go to complete improvements on the university’s current baseball facility, Stillwell Stadium.

The size of Fifth Third Bank Stadium will also need to be addressed.

The stadium currently has 8,300 physical seats and the capacity for 10,000 fans. Overton said 1,500 seats will be added in the north end zone next season. There will also be field-level club seats, and as attendance improves, more seats will be added to existing areas of the stadium to reach the 15,000-seat threshold FBS stadiums must meet by 2024.

Getting Fifth Third Bank Stadium to 15,000 seats is one challenge, but getting people to sit in the seats is another. To help that cause, Overton said the sales department has increased its staff by two, and the marketing department is putting an increased focus on making the stadium experience fan-friendly.

New initiatives will be put in place directed at increasing student attendance, including putting the student tailgate area within the footprint of the stadium, and group ticket sales.

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Special - Greg Spell Coach Brian Bohannon will lead Kennesaw State into Conference USA beginning with the 2024 season.