SPONSOR INDEX
TABLE OF
CONTENTS FEATURES Letter from the Executive Director Georgia Dome Information GPB Coverage Interview with the Executive Director GACA Hall of Fame Fall Champions Sportsmanship Award Past State Champions
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TEAM INFORMATION Road to the Georgia Dome Class A Team Information Class AA Team Information Class AAA Team Information Class AAAA Team Information Class AAAAA Team Information Class A Bracket Class AA Bracket Class AAA Bracket Class AAAA Bracket Class AAAAA Bracket
8-16 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 36
2009 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS FRIDAY 4:30 P.M. CLASS AA: BUFORD VS. CALHOUN 8 P.M. CLASS AAAA: SANDY CREEK VS. CLARKE CENTRAL SATURDAY 1 P.M. CLASS A: SAVANNAH CHRISTIAN VS. WILCOX COUNTY 4:30 P.M. CLASS AAA: GAINESVILLE VS. PEACH COUNTY 8 P.M. CLASS AAAAA: NORTHSIDE, WARNER ROBINS VS. CAMDEN COUNTY All games will be televised live on Georgia Public Broadcasting, streamed live on GPB.org and on radio on the 680 The Fan family of stations. The games will be available on demand at GHSA.tv (Web) and rebroadcast next week on GPB Knowledge (TV) on Atlanta Comcast channel 246 or statewide on over-the-air service at .3 digital channel.
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Verizon Wireless 2 GEMC 4 GaCollege 411 6 Gatorade 9 Wilson 11 Marines 13 Jostens 15 Hibbett Sports 17 Musco Lighting 18 Equip It 20 Army 22 Choice Hotels 24 26 Sports Medicine South Mizuno 28 CSC Sports Coating 30 32 Electro Mech Photographic Arts 34 GPB 42 TeamIP 44 GHSA.tv 46 Regions Bank 47 State Farm Back cover PUBLISHED BY SCORE ATLANTA Publisher I.J. Rosenberg Managing Editor Alex Ewalt Art Director DJ Galbiati Editor Scott Janovitz GHSA Media Relations Steve Figueroa GHSA Marketing Alan Sharp Photos courtesy of Photographic Arts (www.schoolpix.biz), Clarke Central High School, Jamey Moore, and Dianne Owens. Order DVD copies of all televised games at GHSA.tv.
Greetings GHSA Football Fans: Welcome to the GHSA football championships. The players, coaches, cheerleaders and band members from these competing schools have put in many hours of work to prepare them for this event. It is my hope that you will appreciate the performances that you will see in the magnificent setting of the Georgia Dome this weekend. The Georgia High School Association thanks you for your support of high school football throughout the season. Spectators are a very important part of high school athletics in general, and this is especially true for the school for which you are cheering. We do want to remind you that good sportsmanship is an essential element of high school athletics, and today is no exception. Be positive in your support of all the participants. Behind the scenes of this magnificent event is a group of hard-working volunteers who will donate many hours of work this weekend to make this experience better for our participants. The GHSA office staff has been working for many weeks on the details that make this event so special. A great deal of planning and preparation has gone into this event by the fine staff of the Georgia Dome, and they are prepared to assist you. The quality of GHSA events such as this one is made possible through the help of corporate partners whose ads are displayed in this program and around the field. The GHSA thanks these fine organizations, and we encourage you to support them whenever possible. People throughout the state of Georgia (and in parts of surrounding states) who can not make it to Atlanta this weekend will be able to share in the experience through the television production provided by Georgia Public Broadcasting. The GHSA thanks GPB for their fine work. You may also enjoy these games in the future by availing yourselves of the “on-demand� options found on www.ghsa.tv. Now sit back and enjoy high school football at its finest!
Cordially yours,
Dr. Ralph E. Swearngin Jr. Executive Director
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GENERAL INFORMATION
The Georgia Dome, the largest cable-supported domed stadium in the world, opened in 1992. Located in downtown Atlanta, the Dome is the home venue for the Atlanta Falcons, host to Super Bowl XXVIII and XXXIV, host of the gymnastics and basketball events for the 1996 Olympic Games and host to both a Men’s and Women’s NCAA Final Four. Annually, the Dome hosts the Bank of America Atlanta Football classic, the SEC Football Championship and the Chick-fil-A Bowl. The Dome is equipped to handle large non-sporting events which include everything from major trade shows to concerts by such entertainers as the Rolling Stones and Backstreet Boys to religious events by such ministers as Billy Graham and T.D. Jakes.
BASIC FEATURES
A total of 8,300 tons of reinforced steel was used to construct the Dome. That is more than the weight of iron and steel used in the Eiffel Tower. A 437-mile sidewalk, from Atlanta to Cincinnati, could be built from the 110,000 cubic yards of concrete used at the Dome. The building covers 8.9 acres and contains 1.6 million square feet on all seven levels. The 290-foot high roof is composed of 130 Teflon-coated fiberglass panels - covering 8.6 acres. The roof's supporting cable totals 11.1 miles and the Dome is as tall as a 27-story building.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The Georgia Dome hosts Monster Jam, Supercross, Professional Bull Riders, the SEC Football Championship, Chick-fil-A Bowl, the Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic and college basketball. For a complete schedule of events at the Georgia Dome, please visit www.gadome.com.
FOOD SERVICE
Levy Restaurants manages all catering, concessions, and restaurant services. Levy has been recognized internationally for the superb cuisine and service that it provides the Georgia World Congress Center. Levy handles all food and beverage affairs, from small receptions to the world’s largest banquets.
GEORGIA DOME TOURS
Take a tour of the Georgia Dome, the site of the SEC Football Championship, two Super Bowls, the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, the 2002 and 2007 Men’s and 2003 Women’s NCAA Final Fours, Monster Jam, the Chick-fil-A Bowl, the Bank of America Atlanta Football
Classic and Supercross. Georgia Dome Tours are offered Tuesday through Saturday. Individual tours begin at Gate E located between Gate B and Gate C. Group tours and corporate packages are available. Individual tours take place Tuesdays through Saturdays except on days with events in the Dome, in which case the tour schedule may be affected. For details, call 404-223-TOUR. Tour hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (every hour on the hour).
SEATING CAPACITY
There are 8 Super Suites, 164 executive suites, the Penthouse Suite and 4,600 club seats. The Dome's permanent seating capacity is 71,250. The Dome has three times the code-required number of restrooms - all are accessible to guests with disabilities. A pair of C-5 military transport planes could fit on the Georgia Dome's floor, which contains 102,000 square feet of space.
DOME SERVICE CENTERS
Need help finding your seat, a water fountain, a kosher dog or the pretzel stand? Stop by one of the eight Dome Service Centers (DSCs) located throughout the Georgia Dome. The Guest Relations Coordinators are there to help, and they want to make sure you have a great time! They also have information on:
Tag-a-kid Program
Provides children a bracelet displaying their name, parent’s names, phone number and seat location to aid in their safe return if they should become separated from their party.
Lost and Found
Items may be turned in or retrieved at all Dome Service Centers.
Wheelchairs and Assisted-Listening Devices
There is no charge for these items. A signed credit card form serves as a deposit, which is refunded when the item is returned. Individuals needing wheelchair assistance to their seats will find Guest Relations staff located at each of the eight gates at the Georgia Dome.
Smoking Wristbands
For the comfort and health of all fans, the Georgia Dome is a smoke-free environment. Smoking is permitted outside of all entry gates. If you wish to smoke, pick up a wristband at a Dome Service Center and proceed to the designated smoking areas outside the facility. You must present your wristband and your ticket to re-enter the Georgia Dome.
7
ROAD TO THE DOME
CLASS AAAAA LAST SEASON, RB/DB DARRELL WILLIAMS AND THE WILDCATS OUTLASTED PEACHTREE RIDGE 21-14 IN AN EXCITING CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, FINISHING THE SEASON UNDEFEATED. PHOTO COURTESY OF PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS.
POWERS TO CLASH IN PLAYOFFS FOR SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR CAMDEN COUNTY WILDCATS – 2 STATE TITLES (2003, 2008)
Last year, the Camden County Wildcats faced Northside in the second round of the playoffs and Camden edged the Eagles in a thrilling 28-20 victory on its way to a second state title. This year, the Wildcats got off to a slow start, losing to Grayson in the Kell classic and falling to Alabama state champion Hoover by a last-second field goal. Since that loss, the Wildcats have won 11 consecutive games, including a big 10-7 win over Lowndes in the second round of the playoffs and a shutout win over North Gwinnett, 35-0, in the third round. Last week, the Wildcats were able to come away with a 19-10 win over Colquitt County and they did it with the running of Aundre Johnson, who rushed for 247 yards. Johnson, along with Ean Days, will carry the running load for the Wildcats and Joel Ruiz will be the man under center managing the Wing-T offense.
NORTHSIDE, WARNER ROBINS EAGLES – 2 STATE TITLES (2006, 2007)
After losing to Camden in the second round of the playoffs last year, Northside has been on a tear this season, losing only one game to bitter rival Warner Robins, 21-20. The Eagles’ biggest win of the year came against Lowndes in the regular season, as they won 10-7. In the playoffs they defeated Chapel Hill, Union Grove, Peachtree Ridge (in triple overtime) and Newnan to get to the Georgia Dome for the finals. For the Eagles, quarterback Briar Van Brunt has been the team leader, as he ran for 141 yards and a touchdown in addition to throwing a touchdown pass against Newnan last week. Running back Shaquille O’Neal has been just as dominant throughout the playoffs, as he has rushed for over 1,000 yards this year. Also, watch out for South Carolina commit Brison Williams, who is considered one of the best cornerbacks in the state. The three leaders for Northside will do everything they can to stop Camden from winning its second consecutive state title and avenge their loss against the Wildcats last year. By Score Atlanta’s Brian Jones (bjones@scoreatl.com)
8
ROAD TO THE DOME
CLASS AAAA CLARKE CENTRAL DEFEATED REGION OPPONENT ROCKDALE COUNTY 28-0 LAST WEEK AFTER LOSING TO THE BULLDOGS IN OVERTIME IN THE REGULAR SEASON. THE GLADIATORS ARE GOING FOR THEIR FIRST TITLE SINCE 1985. PHOTO COURTESY OF CLARKE CENTRAL H.S.
GLADIATORS, PATRIOTS SEEK GLORY AT THE DOME CLARKE CENTRAL GLADIATORS – 3 STATE TITLES (1977, 1979, 1985)
The Clarke Central Gladiators came out of nowhere this year to shock everyone. The No. 2 team out of Region 8 pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the playoffs when it beat star-studded Southwest DeKalb in the second round. The Gladiators then went on to shut out Rockdale County last week en route to the state title game. Dimitri Holmes is a major talent that is a threat to score on a deep pass or a kick return, as he did last week when he took the ball 92 yards to the house. Holmes has 65 receptions on the season, a school record, and Quenshaun Watson leads a solid running attack. More people are starting to recognize the talent of quarterback Martay Mattox, as the junior has been efficient with the ball all year and can make plays on the run as well. The defense is also a fine unit with plenty of experience. DeVante Derricote is a tackling machine at linebacker, while Derrick Smalls is a force in the secondary.
SANDY CREEK FIGHTING PATRIOTS – NO STATE TITLES
Chip Walker’s team was among the favorites last year, but was upset in the second round of the playoffs by Rome. The Patriots returned determined to make the result different this year, and have rattled off 13 straight wins after an opening-day loss, including an upset of their own over then-No. 1 Griffin last week. The offense begins and ends with Raijon Neal. Sure, there is talent in other places, but the Fighting Patriots’ 1,500-yard rusher is the key. Jarrett Davis and Devon Hughes form a solid duo in the passing game. There were questions at quarterback after the team lost Rio Johnson to graduation last year. But Ronnie Bell has answered the call and has been a revelation under center this season. Safety Isaiah Johnson is one of the best in the state. He picked off two passes in the win over Griffin, and returned one 95 yards for a score. Linebacker Michael Spaulding is also one to watch, while defensive end and Louisville commit Lacy Coleman will want to set up shop in the Clarke Central backfield. Keep an eye on Jamal Ware as well, who leads the team in tackles for loss and came up with a huge safety last week. By Score Atlanta’s Josh Bagriansky (jbagriansky@scoreatl.com)
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ROAD TO THE DOME
CLASS AAA GAINESVILLE CAME BACK IN THRILLING FASHION TO DEFEAT FLOWERY BRANCH IN THE SEMIFINALS THANKS TO THIS LATE BLOCKED PUNT. THE RED ELEPHANTS WILL BE GOING FOR THEIR FIRST STATE TITLE. PHOTO COURTESY OF JAMEY MOORE.
PEACH GOING FOR THIRD TITLE OF DECADE AGAINST GAINESVILLE GAINESVILLE RED ELEPHANTS – NO STATE TITLES
The Gainesville Red Elephants entered the playoffs ranked as the No. 1 team in Class AAA and in the first few rounds certainly justified that ranking. In the semifinals, the Red Elephants trailed early to Flowery Branch but, thanks to QB Blake Sims, Gainesville rallied back to win late, 29-21. Sims returned a kick 96 yards for a TD and threw the 10-yard game-winning pass, one of three Gainesville fourth-quarter touchdowns. Sims for the game was 6-of-17 for 167 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions, but led all rushers with 123 yards. Sims, a future member of the Alabama Crimson Tide, will have a major weapon to throw to in Notre Dame-bound receiver Tai-ler Jones. Tyson Smith was the running back that caught the game-winner last week and scored earlier in the game to help Gainesville come back. Coach Bruce Miller can also lean on Teryan Rucker to tote the rock, as he ran for 99 yards against the Falcons. Gainesville has not been to a state championship game since 1982. It has allowed just 47 points this postseason.
PEACH COUNTY TROJANS – 2 STATE TITLES (2005, 2006)
The Trojans of Peach County won back-to-back state championships in 2005 and 2006 and now seek their third in five years. Senior QB Patrick Taylor is back after missing most of last season, and Taylor has made up for lost time. In the semifinals, the QB went 7-of-10 for 137 yards and one TD, but the score came on a 65-yard strike to Lamar Zanders. The Trojans’ running game was led last week by Travis Richmond’s 62 yards, which included a 12-yard game-winning TD with nine minutes to go against Eastside. Richmond was also a major factor on special teams, as he blocked a field goal attempt. The defense has a special player in Octavius Hall, who recovered a blocked punt for a score in the semifinals. The offense, though, starts with Taylor, who has been impressive all season. Against Baldwin earlier in the year, he went 17-of-28 for 155 yards. Peach County averaged 29 points a game this year on its way to yet another Region 1-AAA title. Head coach Chad Campbell’s squad allows just eight points per game, but will be hard-pressed to slow Gainesville, which averages 44 points an outing. By Score Atlanta’s Fletcher Proctor (fproctor@scoreatl.com)
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ROAD TO THE DOME
CLASS AA BUFORD’S TITLE LAST YEAR WAS THE PROGRAM’S SECOND IN A ROW AND SIXTH ALL-TIME. THE WOLVES DEFEATED CALHOUN 45-21 LAST DECEMBER, BUT THE YELLOW JACKETS WILL BE LOOKING FOR REVENGE THIS TIME AROUND. PHOTO COURTESY OF PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS.
TITLE GAME REMATCH WILL DETERMINE CHAMPION CALHOUN YELLOW JACKETS – 1 STATE TITLE (1952)
After a 49-41 win over Lovett, Calhoun sets its sights on another AA state championship game and another chance to beat Buford, as this year’s matchup will be a rematch of the 2008 championship game. Though it was a 45-21 decision last year that earned Buford the title, Calhoun has the benefit of entering this game with key seniors and a coaching staff poised for redemption. The Yellow Jackets are averaging better than 40 points a game in the postseason and one of the most obvious reasons is the connection between senior quarterback Nash Nance and senior receiver Da’Rick Rogers. Against Lovett, Rogers posted 212 yards on 10 catches with three touchdowns. The special teams play has also been excellent in recent victories. Blocked punts and outstanding kick returns have put the Jackets in positions to score. It seems very clear that Calhoun has a strong sense of the moment going into the finals. With last year’s defeat still in recent memory, this group seems to understand the tremendous opportunity it has to win the title.
BUFORD WOLVES – 6 STATE TITLES (1978, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008)
The story out of Buford all season has been its ability to reload at positions after graduating such a talented senior class. So far, the transition has been successful, as the Wolves are in position to win their third straight AA title. Similar to its opponent, Buford has not experienced difficulties finding the end zone as of late, most notably scoring 38 points in last week’s 38-28 victory over Fitzgerald. The 28 points surrendered to the Purple Hurricanes matched the highest total given up all year by the Wolves. However, the effort was more than reasonable considering Fitzgerald tallied a staggering 64 points in round two against Swainsboro. Another positive note from last week’s game was the resilience that the team showed in holding off a Fitzgerald fourth-quarter comeback. In a tied game with 7:22 left, the Wolves shut down the Canes on offense and scored 10 unanswered points to win the contest. Another interesting note: Buford’s only loss on the season came in a seven-point defeat to Lovett, the team Calhoun beat in the semifinals. By Score Atlanta’s Rajesh Gupta (rgupta@scoreatl.com)
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ROAD TO THE DOME
CLASS A THE WILCOX COUNTY PATRIOTS HAVE BEEN ROAD WARRIORS THIS POSTSEASON, DEFEATING FAVORITES WESLEYAN AND CLINCH COUNTY IN CONSECUTIVE WEEKS TO REACH THE TITLE GAME AT THE GEORGIA DOME. PHOTO COURTESY OF DIANNE OWENS.
RED RAIDERS, PATRIOTS LOOKING FOR FIRST GHSA TITLES SAVANNAH CHRISTIAN RED RAIDERS – NO STATE TITLES
Much like the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins, the Savannah Christian Red Raiders (14-0) had to win a playoff game on the road last week. Due to the loss of a coin toss, SCPS had to travel to Rome and play Darlington for a trip to the Georgia Dome. It defeated the home team 24-10, however, by controlling the clock with two onside kicks in the second and third quarters, limiting Darlington to only five offensive plays in that timeframe. Touchdown runs of 61 and 30 yards by sophomore T.J. Franklin broke the game open and sent the Raiders to the Class A championship game. Franklin added another touchdown and had 182 yards rushing. SCPS has been led all year long by running back Chris Barnwell, but the senior was sidelined with an ankle injury early against Darlington, which may prevent him from playing in the championship game today. The performance of Franklin last week should give the team confidence in its running game, though. The Raiders will be playing for their first state championship since 1984, when they were members of the GISA.
WILCOX COUNTY PATRIOTS – NO STATE TITLES
Wilcox County will play for its first state championship today. By upsetting perennial power Clinch County, 20-14, last week, the Patriots have a chance to make school history. Leading at halftime, 12-7, last week, the team looked like it had the game in hand, but an early third-quarter interception turned the tide and set up a fourth-quarter comeback. Similar to the win the week before against Wesleyan, the Patriots had to rely on their quarterback, Nick Marshall, to come through in the clutch. He did, and completed an 80-yard touchdown pass to Lonnie Outlaw to give Wilcox the lead, 20-14. When a game-saving tackle was made at the 5-yard line as time expired, the Patriots had their second straight upset win and a trip to the Georgia Dome. WCHS is the Cinderella of Class A this year. The Patriots were underdogs against Greenville, Wesleyan, and Clinch County in previous playoff games. Winning on the road versus Wesleyan and Clinch County were monumental accomplishments; a win in the Dome would complete a historic playoff run. By Score Atlanta’s Joe Deighton (jdeighton@scoreatl.com)
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WILCOX COUNTY PATRIOTS (12-2)
SAVANNAH CHRISTIAN RED RAIDERS (14-0)
(ROCHELLE, GA.) • ROYAL BLUE & WHITE • REGION 2-A
(SAVANNAH, GA.) • RED & WHITE • REGION 3A-A
NO. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 16 17 20 21 22 24 25 26 28 31 32 34 35 36 38 40 41 42 44 45 51 52 53 54 55 56 58 60 61
NAME Tay Porter Quez Mahoganey Nate Moorhouse Jamaal Holmes Timothy Turner Brandon Lawson Jonathan Howard Bryant Fuller Jatarius Jackson Makail Grace Lonnie Outlaw Matt Iglesias Nick Marshall Marcus Griffin Andrew Benjamin Shaquille West Jeffrey Wessel Stanley Ferguson Tyrrell Miller Rod Lawson Rohan Townsend Demarcus Denmark Andy Scott Chris Coley Harris McBurse Patrick McGuinty Bryce Cohen Larry Lindsey Jamarr Miller Johnny Brown Tyler Ledford Antonio James Antowan Miller Rakeen Lawson Michael Dennard Gregory Jackson Shaquille Jackson Justin Harden Stephen Sheard Chad Paramore Tommy Fuller Kevin Jackson Chase Williford
GR. POS. 11 WR/DB 10 WR/DB 12 WR/LB 9 RB/DE 10 RB/DB 10 RB/LB 9 WR/DB 10 WR/DB 11 RB/DB 9 QB/DB 12 WR/DB 11 WR/DB 11 QB/DB 12 TE/DE 9 TE/LB 9 WR/DE 11 WR/DB 12 WR/DB 12 TE/DE 12 RB/LB 9 RB/LB 10 WR/D 12 RB/DB 12 RB/LB 9 WR/DB 10 K 11 RB/LB 9 WR/DM 10 TE/DB 12 RB/DL 10 WR/DB 12 RB/LB 10 WR/DB 10 RB/DL 9 OL/DL 11 OL/DL 10 OL/DL 12 OL/DE 9 OL/DL 12 OL/DL 12 OL/DL OL/DL 11 9 OL/DL
THE A SKINNY The Red Raiders of Savannah Christian have a slew of GISA state titles, the last of which came in 1985. But the Savannah private school has yet to conquer its classification as a GHSA member school, although Donald Chumley’s team will likely be the favorite as it enters the championship game with an undefeated record. Dropping down from Class AA in the latest realignment, the Red Raiders have continued their success, knocking Emanuel County Institute from its perch atop Region 3 this season and earning a No. 1 seed for the playoffs. Wilcox County has turned into one of the state’s top Class A programs over the last few years under head coach Mark Ledford, making the playoffs each of the last four years and reaching at least the second round each time, including a finals loss to Emanuel County Institute in 2007 in a game that was played at Crisp County’s stadium. Savannah Christian represents the only private school to make the finals this season.
62 63 64 65 66 67 68 70 71 74 75 78 80 82 83 84 85 86
Rob Land Juan Carillo Allen Phillips Dylan Gaines Kent Braden Adam Reid Marquis Brown Tyler McWhorter Alvin Williams Deion Adams Tremaine Childs Dustin Owens Michael Denmark Tevin Lawson Alphonso Carter Milton Jackson Tre' Hollis Vidhal Emory
OPPONENT Seminole County Perry Wilkinson County Bryan County Twiggs County Telfair County Dooly County Hawkinsville Turner County Irwin County Treutlen Greenville Wesleyan Clinch County
11 9 12 11 9 10 9 12 10 12 9 10 11 12 10 10 11 11
OL/DL OL/DL OL/DE OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL WR/DB WR/DE TE/DE WR/DE WR/DB TE/DE
SCORE Won 33-20 Won 34-13 Lost 21-25 Won 27-6 Lost 12-48 Won 35-6 Won 28-6 Won 26-10 Won 41-0 Won 33-12 Won 23-20 Won 39-19 Won 20-15 Won 20-14
Head Coach: Mark Ledford Assistant Coaches: Josh Owens • Tim Harris Clint Bloodworth • Nathan Gibbs • Jeremy Nutt
NO. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 25 26 27 29 31 32 33 34 35 36 38 39 40 41
NAME Nardo Govan Grant Stevens Cody Pennington Russell Wilson Timothy McCarthy Andrew Moore Mac Miller Kenny Katzman Johnathon Chamblee Jake Clemens Timothy Whelan Jordan Smith Harrison Curry Taylor Ivey Bryan Moros Austin Dubberly Will Austin T. J. Franklin Lamir Cohens Jake Carrillo Austin Amick Chris Barnwell Kyle Swinson Jalen Myrick Ryan Bacon Scott Brannen Tanner Burch Chris Geralds Grayson Williams Michael McCumber Ryan Price Josh Burnett Hunter Hebert Hal Davis
GR. POS. 10 DB 9 LB 11 WR 10 DB 12 K 11 LB 10 P 11 DB 10 QB 9 QB 9 DB 9 DB 11 QB 11 WR 12 DB 11 RB 10 RB 10 RB 10 DB 9 DB 9 DB 12 FB 12 DL 9 WR 12 DB 9 FB 11 LB 9 WR 9 LB 9 RB 11 DB 10 DB 9 RB 10 LB
42 44 46 47 48 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 58 59 60 62 63 64 66 72 73 74 76 77 80 81 84 85 87 88
Eric Wickham Will Clark Connor West Byron Saxon Chris Johnston Charlie Ferrell Michael Connelly Caleb Womble Mason Crecy Will Bright Daniel Feldman Charles Morton J. T. Royal Matt Moore Ben McMahon Michael Burke John Hosey Josh Gay Connor Williams Cooper Lemonds Keaon Moon Louis Kral Josh Garland Deangelo Brown Erik Davis Conrad Martin Phillip Abshire John Burke Wesley Smith Chris Kehrer
OPPONENT Montgomery County Emanuel County Institute Wheeler County Jenkins Claxton Bryan County Savannah Country Day Calvary Day Portal Jenkins County Irwin County Miller County Lincoln County Darlington
11 12 10 9 10 12 11 11 11 10 9 11 12 10 12 9 11 10 10 11 12 10 10 10 10 9 10 12 11 12
LB DB DB LB FB OL DL OL OL DL LB DL OL OL OL DL DL OL OL DL OL OL DL DL DL WR DL DL DL WR
SCORE Won 34-0 Won 34-0 Won 46-19 Won 34-14 Won 27-0 Won 40-7 Won 55-14 Won 20-10 Won 21-7 Won 35-12 Won 14-10 Won 28-13 Won 7-0 Won 24-10
Head Coach: Donald Chumley Assistant Coaches: Ashley Barnwell • Hunter Chadwick • Carl Carter Kempie Womble • Barry Moore • Jamie Fetterman • Kenny Williams Kevin Jackson • Robbie White • Brian Gray • Galen Houston
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A MATCHUP
WILCOX COUNTY VS. SAVANNAH CHRISTIAN
NO. 1 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 32 33 34 35 37 39 40 41 43 44 46 47 49 51 53 54 55 56 58 59 60 61 62
BUFORD WOLVES (13-1)
CALHOUN YELLOW JACKETS (14-0)
(BUFORD, GA.) • GREEN, GOLD & WHITE • REGION 6-AA
(CALHOUN, GA.) • BLACK & GOLD • REGION 7B-AA
NAME Eric Barr Sherman Page Seon Jones Tyshawn Holley A.J. Cunningham CJ Moore Alexander Ross Joshua Simpson Trey Jerkins Paris Head Sam Clay Jaylen Sherman David Petroni Jamal English Cameron Gazaway Beau Lindsey Michael Lane Malik Green Andrew Swope Jessel Curry Alex Poole Gregory Bradley Tyrell Sadler Darrian Smith Ben Sweatt Ryan Dillard Rick Legrant Shawn Reynolds Andre Johnson Nathan Staub Ronald King Dillon Lee Ryan Mack Christian Acero Tanner West Kurt Freitag Corey Ciepiela Jerome Davis D J Estrella Blake Adams Baxter Argo Tyler Burge Chad Jones Nolan Alexander Brody Abel Kolton Houston Mitchell Dewalt Brandon Cheatham Wright Gazaway Christian Durden Justin Bratton
GR. 11 12 11 12 12 10 11 11 11 10 10 9 9 11 10 12 10 11 12 12 12 11 12 10 11 10 10 9 10 10 10 10 10 11 11 10 10 12 11 10 10 10 10 12 10 12 12 10 12 10 10
POS. RB/DB WR/DB RB/DB WR/DB FB/DE RB/DB QB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB QB QB/DB K WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB FB/LB FB/LB FB/LB WR/DB RB/DB RB/DB RB/DB FB/LB RB/DB FB/LB QB FB/LB FB/LB RB/DB WR/LB WR/DB WR/DB TE/DE TE/DE FB/DE TE/DE FB/LB TE/LB K OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL
THE AA SKINNY Where to start? The rematch of the 2008 championship game should provide more than enough interest across the state, pitting two of Georgia’s most consistent programs against each other. Last year in the title tilt, Calhoun hung with defending champion Buford for about two and a half quarters before the Wolves’ depth, size and athleticism wore the Yellow Jackets down. In the end, Buford hoisted the AA championship trophy for the second consecutive year with the 45-21 win. Like many years, Buford lost gobs of talent to the next level, and the Wolves’ streak of total dominance took a hit when it was knocked off in the regular season by Region 6 rival Lovett, ending a 32-game overall winning streak and 50-game regular-season winning streak. Calhoun has been on top of Region 7 for some time now, taking nine straight region titles against their Northwest Georgia league opponents, but haven’t won a title since 1952 to show for their consistency. The Jackets will be looking to change that this weekend.
63 64 65 66 67 68 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 80 82 85 87 88 99
Devin Lancaster Reid Ferguson Hunter Hollis Derek Smith Robert Contreras Josh Cardiello Devonte Mack Lucas Thompson Alex Cable Shawn Artz Vadal Alexander Hayden Mosley Dequan Clark Duvon Milsap Ethan Rosenbalm Keith Chambers T J Shipes Danny Bart Joseph Lynn Josh Heddinger Willie Harrison
OPPONENT Grovetown North Hall Lovett Decatur Avondale Cross Keys Thomson Blessed Trinity Westminster Greater Atlanta Christian Pepperell Jefferson Cook Fitzgerald
11 10 11 10 10 9 10 10 11 12 10 10 10 12 10 12 10 10 10 11 11
OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL WR/DB WR/DB TE/DE WR/DB TE/DE OL/DL
SCORE Won 51-0 Won 35-7 Lost 21-28 Won 28-0 Won 41-0 Won 65-0 Won 41-7 Won 21-0 Won 21-0 Won 45-14 Won 24-0 Won 30-22 Won 26-0 Won 38-28
Head Coach: Jess Simpson Assistant Coaches: Neal Auer • Dick May • Christian Hunnicutt David Snell • Bryan Rogers • Drew Anthony • Bryant Appling Chris Demaline • Gary McCroskey • Justin Johnson • Hoyt Gazaway
NO. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 48 49 50 51 52 53
NAME Ben Lamb Landon Curtis J.T. Palmer Trent Frix Dustin Christian Hunter Knight Nash Nance Alex Kirby Garrison Pasley Kedron Aker Casey Edwards Garrett Saylors Clay Johnson Blane Beaver Taylor Meadows Josh White Heath Everett Avery Jones Josh Schubert DaRick Rogers Carter Harrison Brett Walraven Josh Barnes Malcolm Long Adam Rutledge Darius Washington Cameron Budzius Logan Knight Jacob Young Dustin Chapman Cody Ralston Aric Bunch Kelby Holbrook Ashton Roach Donnell Anthony Austin Warren David Collins Carter Edwards David Roberts Trabarris Johnson Tony Hernandez Jacob Wise Jackson Brumlow Tyler West Chandler Quinn Zane Rhodes Tyler Cooper Jacob Fowler Reed Allen Thomas Haynes
POS. GR. 10 QB/WR 11 QB/LB 11 WR/DB RB/OLB 10 11 RB/DB 10 RB/LB 12 QB/DB 10 RB/LB 11 WR/DB 12 RB/DB 12 WR/DB 10 WR/OLB 10 WR/DB 12 P 12 WR/DB 12 TE/LB WR/OLB 10 10 WR/DB 10 WR/DB 12 WR/DB 12 RB/LB 12 WR/DB 9 QB/DB WR/OLB 11 10 WR/OLB 10 RB/LB 12 TE/OLB 9 RB/DB RB/OLB 11 9 QB/LB 12 WR/OLB 12 WR/DB 12 RB/OLB 9 WR/DB 9 RB/DB 11 WR/OLB 12 RB/DB RB/OLB 9 10 WR/OLB 10 RB/DB 10 RB/LB 9 WR/DB 9 TE/LB 9 TE/LB 9 RB/LB 9 K/P 11 OL/DL OL/LB 12 OL/DL 10 OL/LB 10
54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 76 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99
Ben Baker Tyler King Chase Bradley Colton Greeson Will Carpenter Jacob King Luke Green Gabe Freeman Matt Warren Gus Roberts Garrett Holland Tucker Smith T.J. Jones Austin Richardson Ian Carmichael Thad Burton Marcus Sides Cody Silvers Dylan Reeves Seth Moreland Josh Fowler Oscar Valladares Slader Pierce Ruben Sanchez Jacob Fairbanks Chase Rierson Matthew Haggard Hector Flores Timmy Jones Chance Beaver Ryan Marshall Aaron Derham Swayze Johnson Kyle Harrison Justin Harrison Alex Haynes Seth Parr Caden Parker Michael McCanless Chaz Horton Greyson Arnold Mason Bennett Jonah Gallman Adam Griffith
OPPONENT Dalton Ridgeland Cartersville Coosa Gordon Central Chattooga Sonoraville Dade County Adairsville Armuchee Avondale North Oconee Jefferson County Lovett
9 10 12 12 9 11 9 10 12 11 12 12 10 12 11 9 10 12 9 9 12 11 12 10 9 10 10 11 11 11 10 10 11 11 9 11 9 11 9 9 9 9 9 10
OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL WR/DB WR/OLB WR/OLB K WR/OLB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/OLB WR/DB WR/DB OL/DL WR/DB OL/DL WR/DB OL/LB WR/DB WR/DB K K/P
SCORE Won 31-28 Won 35-7 Won 38-10 Won 47-16 Won 56-14 Won 27-12 Won 43-14 Won 41-7 Won 34-0 Won 49-10 Won 42-14 Won 39-14 Won 49-35 Won 49-41
Head Coach: Hal Lamb Assistant Coaches: Michael Davis • Ricky Ross • Dain Clark Ed Williams • Clay Stephenson • Keith Hall • Chase Arnold Tom Hoblitzell • Josh Hardy • Paul Molla
21
AA MATCHUP
BUFORD VS. CALHOUN
PEACH COUNTY TROJANS (14-0)
GAINESVILLE RED ELEPHANTS (14-0)
(FORT VALLEY, GA.) • BLACK & GOLD • REGION 1-AAA
(GAINESVILLE, GA.) • RED & WHITE • REGION 7B-AAA
NO. 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 53 54 55 56 57 58 59
NAME Colby Hicks Courtney Mathis Travis Richmond Demonte Lewis LeBrandon Johnson Isaiah Miller Patrick Taylor Kentel Kendrick Demarcus Robinson Darion Howard Lamar Zanders Terrell Williams Deante Banks Debarriaus Miller CJ Coleman Chris Broadus Chris Holt Darion Allen Cassuas Hall Sebastian Zanders Octavius Hall Ryan Bowman Temarius Goodman Donovan Howard Luke Crowell Kelcey Lewis Reggie Manson Jontavious Davis Lamb Andrews Amos Lawrence Danney Griggs Emanuel Pitts Austin Davis Deionte Williams Damien Jackson Reid Hudson Rustin Evatt JaDarvis Fields Rickey Wray David Howard Bryan McQuay Dakavion Washington Braxston Postell Luis Lopez Alex Dickey Alton Zanders Tyler Buchanan Chris Jackson Lucius Campbell D'Anthony Lamar Renard Williams Randolph Williams Kaleb Allred Quantell Ned Dylan Leach
GR. 12 12 11 11 12 11 12 10 9 10 12 10 10 10 9 12 11 11 10 12 11 10 10 9 12 12 12 11 10 12 12 9 9 9 12 9 12 11 10 12 10 9 11 11 9 9 9 9 9 9 11 11 12 11 9
POS. WR TE/DE TB TB DB/TB WR QB QB QB/WR DB/TB WR WR DB WR QB DB DB DB DB RB LB LB LB RB/TE LB/TB LB DB DB RB DB DB DB LB TB DB DB K LB DE/FB LB LB RB LB K DB RB C LB LB OL OL/DE DL/OL C OL OL
THE AAA SKINNY The Gainesville Red Elephants will be going for their first state title. For Peach County, the Georgia Dome – and championship game appearances – are nothing new, at least in this decade. The Trojans took home back-to-back state titles in ’05 and ’06 on the strength of great quarterbacking performances from Antonio Henton for the first title and Bryan Ellis in the second championship season. Gainesville has had a rich football tradition throughout the years, but had failed to get out of the first round of the playoffs from 1987 until 2002, when current head coach Bruce Miller took over. Since then, the Red Elephants have won 10 or more games five times and made a semifinals appearance in 2002. Peach County had a sensational four-year run under current head coach Rance Gillespie (who left to become the offensive coordinator at Georgia Southern), winning 50 games from 2003-06. This will be a matchup of two supremely athletic teams that are stuffed with playmakers.
61 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 74 75 77 78 80 81 82 83 85 86 87 89 91 92 93 94 95
Tyler Tanner Quintrell Jones Brandon Wiggins Tyler Nobles Derek Jackson Tervarus Ages Joe Rucker Frank Parks Telly Neal Jesus Sanchez Tevin Davis Telvin Zanders Mathew Winters Jacolbi Fields Malcolm Colvin Caleb White Brandon Johnson William Howard Tahji Towns Gerald Harris Dextric Harris Alfonzia Brown Mathew Martinez Alfredo Cervantes Jitendra Askew Larry Hammonds Adajio Wright
OPPONENT Macon County Rutland Baldwin Perry Monroe Cairo Westover Worth County Dougherty Crisp County Spalding Washington County St. Pius X Eastside
9 10 10 12 11 12 9 12 10 11 9 12 9 12 9 9 9 12 9 9 12 10 9 9 9 9 11
LB OL OL DL/OL DL OL/DL OL OL OL OL OL OL/DL OL/DL OL TE WR WR WR WR WR WR WR DL K DL DE DE
SCORE Won 1-0 Won 31-13 Won 17-7 Won 40-0 Won 31-6 Won 24-13 Won 42-6 Won 36-13 Won 41-13 Won 35-7 Won 45-7 Won 29-6 Won 21-14 Won 21-14
Head Coach: Chad Campbell Assistant Coaches: Ty Cooper • Nathan Clark • Ricky Wray Sherwin Lyons • John Smith • Jeffrey Bailey Bernard Young • Craig Johnson • Eric Solomon
NO. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 41 42 43 44
NAME Malachi Jones Blake Sims Keyontra Harrison Tyson Smith Michael Lorentz Darius Tanner Justin Owens Joseph Haley Tai-Ler Jones Stephen Mason Todrrick Stringer Desmund Hamilton Daunte Carr Dallas Defoor Chicano Perez Lahius Leverette Kendrick Millsap Ryan Griffith Tevin Yarbrough Fred Payne Markece Roberstone Caston Davis Devon Pierce Justine Cantrell Alex Muckle Alec Zais Dickens Wilson Eli Nwefo Rashad Lawrence Kenya Jackson Maurice Tanner Christian Summerour C. J. Floyd Thomas Sprague T. K. Mize Brand Hernandez Reid Almand Donavan Moss Corda Mance Guy McGlotha Teryan Rucker Joseph Funk Graham Simmons
GR. 10 12 9 12 11 12 12 10 12 10 10 11 12 10 12 9 11 10 12 9 11 12 11 9 9 9 10 10 11 12 9 12 10 12 9 9 11 9 10 9 12 10 12
POS. WR QB QB RB WR WR DB DB WR QB LB WR DB DB K DB DB WR DB DB RB LB RB LB RB DB LB DB LB DB RB WR LB LB DB DB K WR DB WR RB LB LB
45 46 47 48 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 58 60 61 62 63 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 81 82 84 85 88 89 90 93
A.J. Johnson Kijana Young Alberto Sanabria Anderson Arias Antoine Thomas Tim Rucker Zach Marsh Zeke Henderson Kevin Hall Jacob McConnell Taylor Stowe Conner Calvert Bobby Upshaw John Averils Sloan Strickland Jacob Couch Daniel Vann Chase England Damian Grayson Michael Waters Thomas Niles Greg Stenzel Oliver Villacorta Ryan Snelling Jake Law Cole Smith David McConnell Carlos Figueredo Rafael Upchurch Patrick McKibben Keodric Sadler Chris West Jesus Garcia Montel Smith Jamie Pinkston Luis Rios Lucky Walton Calev Mosely Theron Brown
OPPONENT Chestatee Franklin County White County North Hall West Hall West Forsyth East Hall Gilmer Johnson, Gainesville Flowery Branch Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe Dunwoody Cairo Flowery Branch
11 9 12 10 11 11 11 10 11 10 12 9 9 9 12 12 10 9 9 12 11 12 10 11 11 11 12 10 10 10 11 12 11 11 11 11 9 10 12
LB WR LB LB LB DL OL OL DL OL LB OL DL DL OL OL DL OL OL OL DL OL OL OL OL DL OL OL DL OL OL WR LB WR DL K WR LB DL
SCORE Won 34-0 Won 41-0 Won 42-20 Won 55-12 Won 56-13 Won 34-0 Won 63-0 Won 36-7 Won 63-0 Won 49-17 Won 42-0 Won 41-10 Won 32-19 Won 29-21
Head Coach: Bruce Miller Assistant Coaches: Mike Pruitt • Chris Carpenter Dave McConnell • John Thompson • Derrick Green • Paul Gilbert
23
AAA MATCHUP
PEACH COUNTY VS. GAINESVILLE
SANDY CREEK FIGHTING PATRIOTS (13-1) CLARKE CENTRAL GLADIATORS (12-2) (TYRONE, GA.) • RED, WHITE & BLUE • REGION 5A-AAAA NO. 1 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 48 50
NAME Devon Hughes Sean Rowe Alonzo Harmon Mike Spaulding Cameron Bush Zack Smith Patrick Alexander Lucky Charleston Levon Alls Bruce Dukes BJ Trimble Alex Chisum Evan Moore Tommy Harvey Ronnie Bell Joe Walker Derrick Alexander Cedric Byrd Lennie Foster Nosakhere Griggs Bradley Holmes Rajion Neal Lance Pugh Zack Lopez Mike Hilton Xavier Chisum Matt Overstreet Cody Green Jamal Ware Akeme Ubom Bo Heard Lance Dossie Isaiah Adams Isaiah Johnson Derrick Richardson Colby Cruver Austin Bennett Jonah Gibby Clinard Stokes Jerome Gaither Chaz Johnston Antonio White Lacy Coleman Alex Whitlock
GR. 12 12 11 12 11 12 12 12 11 11 11 11 10 11 11 10 11 12 11 11 11 12 12 12 10 11 11 12 11 10 11 12 10 12 11 10 12 10 12 10 11 10 12 10
POS. WR DB DB LB DB WR WR RB DB DB WR WR QB WR QB QB RB DB WR DB DB RB DE K DB DB LB LB DE DB RB DB DB DB RB DB RB DE LB LB DB DL DE DL
(ATHENS, GA.) • RED & GOLD • REGION 8-AAAA
THE AAAA SKINNY It was an all-DeKalb County affair last December in the Georgia Dome in the AAAA classification, as Marist and Tucker did battle with the state title on the line. This year’s matchup will bring two very different programs onto the same turf on Friday. Clarke Central has played football for nearly 40 years and has three state titles to its name, although none since 1985 when it won a title under legendary head coach Billy Henderson. Sandy Creek has reached its first state final, and the semifinals appearance was also a first for the school; the Fighting Patriots began playing football in 1992. As in AAAAA, these two squads will be playing on the final weekend while other squads that may have been penciled in for the championship game will be staying home. Clarke Central represents Region 8 (the Gladiators finished No. 2 in their league and were unranked when the postseason started), while Sandy Creek was the Region 5 champion.
51 55 58 60 64 68 70 74 76 77 80 82 83 86 88 90 93 95
Jonathon Caughman Ricardo Fuentes Charlie Zemko Kenen Threatt Brandon Jordan Jake Nolin Adam Massey Will Adams Chris Whitlock Rene Johnson Darius Tenney Michael Powell Tony Merriweather Jamal Gilliam Jarrett Davis Stefan Austin Domonique Francis Gavin Rocker
OPPONENT East Coweta Shaw Alexander Osborne Whitewater McIntosh Fayette County Starr’s Mill Northgate Banneker Loganville Tucker Thomas County Central Griffin
12 12 12 11 11 10 11 10 10 12 11 9 10 10 12 10 12 11
DL OL OL DL OL OL OL OL DL OL WR DB WR WR WR DL DL DE
SCORE Lost 27-28 Won 48-7 Won 41-0 Won 34-7 Won 43-6 Won 48-9 Won 31-7 Won 31-13 Won 37-3 Won 21-9 Won 37-19 Won 17-14 Won 31-17 Won 22-15
Head Coach: Chip Walker Assistant Coaches: Jamie Glover • Scott Smith • Chad Wallace Eddy Householder • Brett Garvin • David Cooper • Mike Stalons Howard Flannigan • Rashad Muhyee • Kris Justice • Jeremy Sweeney
NO. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 32 33 35 36 42 43 44 45 48 49
NAME Dontae Watkins Ty Simmons Derrick Smalls Chad Hackney Carlton Heard Dimitri Holmes Martay Mattox Torrey Gartrell Tony Glenn Terrell Bradshaw Ryan Faust Kadeem Combs Noah Welch Herb Evans Andre Robinson Dawun Billups Adam Erickson David Lilly Matthew Kloepfer Shaquille Moody Braxton Hudson Zuri Jewell Devante Appleby Quenshaun Watson Amir Williams Luke Bennett Marquez Williams Devonte Yearby Kenji Reid Jalani Payne Jeremy Hughes Denzel Maxey Prince Hudson Charles Straughter Rush Maxwell Troy Yearby Devante Derricotte Javion Hemphill
GR. POS. 12 WR 11 DB 12 DB 12 DE 11 QB 12 WR 11 QB 10 TE 12 DB 11 WR 12 DE 10 DB 10 P/K 11 DB 10 WR 10 DB 12 P/K 11 WR 10 P/K 10 DB 12 DB 12 RB 10 RB 10 RB 9 QB QB 9 10 FB 11 TE/DE 9 DB 9 RB 11 LB 9 LB 11 OLB 10 LB 11 OLB 10 OLB 12 LB 9 OLB
50 51 52 54 55 56 57 58 61 62 64 66 68 70 71 72 73 75 76 77 79 80 81 82 84 85 87 89 90 93 95 96 99
Trey Thomas 11 Tariq Byrd 10 Alex Harris 10 Tucker Crumpton 9 Daylen Pope 10 James Martin 11 Terrence J. Bradshaw 12 Jamie Jackson 11 Kelly Allen 10 JR Blackmon 12 Durmario Price 9 Jarron Hutchins 12 Deandre Harper 10 Deshaun Edwards 9 Alan Posey 11 Malcolm McIntosh 10 Tevorreius Bess 10 Jeremy Johnson 12 Maurice Chester 11 Santiago Arias 11 Demond Stovall 9 Loran Posey 9 Shamel Moody 11 Rashad McDonald 10 Cevon Freeman 10 Tracey Arnold 9 Jonah Crews 10 Inigo DeArias 11 Devon Morrison 11 Daronte Ellis 11 Jordan Pierce 11 Kendrick Duke 11 Tevin Wilhite 12
OPPONENT SCORE Loganville Won 20-15 Won 21-7 Monroe Area Habersham Central Won 23-7 Apalachee Lost 7-21 Heritage, Conyers Won 14-10 Rockdale County Lost 23-26, (OT) Salem Won 23-20 Won 14-7 Cedar Shoals Winder-Barrow Won 56-12 Madison County Won 31-15 Mays Won 31-28 Southwest DeKalb Won 19-17 North Clayton Won 52-13 Rockdale County Won 28-0
Head Coach: Leroy Ryals Assistant Coaches: Ahren Self • Forrest Paulson Mike Williams • P.J. Greybeck • Damien Gary • Aaron Cavin Nick Allen • Chris Hulse • Ryan Johnson Andy Thomas • Phillip Walker
25
OL DL OL OL DE OL DL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL WR WR WR TE WR TE P/K DL DL LB DL DL
AAAA MATCHUP
SANDY CREEK VS. CLARKE CENTRAL
NORTHSIDE, WARNER ROBINS EAGLES (13-1) CAMDEN COUNTY WILDCATS (12-2) (WARNER ROBINS, GA.) • BLUE & WHITE • REGION 1-AAAAA NO. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 36 37 38 39 40 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63
NAME Renis Perry Dan Masteller Travis Boyd Shaquille O’Neill Brandon Brown Chris Vickers Phillip Jones Quin Greene Perry Weaver Brison Williams Briar Van Brunt Zeddrick Scott Andre Smith D.J. White Darnell Slaton Jack Montgomery Chavez Ellison Marte Polk Tevin Lester Deilouse Jackson Bob Durham Joe Sturn Josh Sturn Stephon Cross Rashad Wright Dontavious Anderson Miguel Williams Tavoris Germany Aaron Lewis Devinci Sanders Earl Billingsley Devante Solomon Brock Livatt Alec Garcia D’Angelo Ridley Dylan Ingram Devante Brown Dillon Mixon Quinton Haynes Donovan Hughes Donte Bryant Tae Gooden La’Norris Jones Tevin Perkins Derrick Goodman Byron Livatt Quinton Driskell Ladarius Richardson Taz Thomas Corey Lockett CJ Haslem Chris Crawford Kemien Brown Brandon Waters Drew Foley Herbert Wade Ian Cunningham Gus Del Rio Jake Marshall Brandon Beringer Jamal Smith Brian Layfield Tim Walker Colby Knighton
GR. 12 11 12 11 12 11 12 12 11 12 11 10 12 11 11 10 11 10 12 11 11 11 11 10 12 12 10 11 10 10 11 12 10 11 10 10 11 10 10 10 9 10 10 10 11 10 11 10 10 10 10 10 10 11 10 10 12 12 12 11 10 11 10 9
POS. RB QB REC RB DB REC LB REC REC DB QB QB REC LB LB QB REC RB LB LB DB DB DB TE DB DB RB DL RB DB DL DL LB TE RB DB LB K REC RB RB DB DB RB TE TE DB RB DB DB LB LB LB DL OL LB DL OL DL OL OL OL LB OL
(KINGSLAND, GA.) • COLUMBIA BLUE & WHITE • REGION 3-AAAAA
THE AAAAA SKINNY Camden County and Northside are two of the winningest programs in the state over the last decade, and bring four state titles to the table between them. For Camden County, the Wildcats are back in the state finals and ready to defend their title after losing a bunch of talented players to the collegiate ranks. Northside relies on hard-hitting defense and a consistent, solid offense to win games. The Eagles won their two state titles in Class AAAA, taking back-to-back crowns in ’06 and ’07, their last coming on the road at Ware County. The setting of the Georgia Dome is nothing new for Camden County; the Wildcats will be starting and ending their season in the downtown Atlanta venue for the second year in a row, opening up both times in the prestigious Corky Kell Kickoff Classic. Outlasting other AAAAA favorites such as Grayson, Lowndes, Stephenson, Newnan and North Gwinnett, neither team earned a No. 1 ranking during the regular season (Northside rose to No. 2 before falling to archrival Warner Robins). 64 65 66 67 69 70 71 72 73 74 76 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 97 98 99
Deonte Smith Sam Cherney Donnie Werden Anthony Wynn Tommell Dean Branden Stephens Nate Korytko Kevin Fischer Chip Pogue Tharren Printup DJ Williams Trent Johnson Devon Pike A’Donis Hampton Aaron Jones Quin Lester Dess Culpepper Cartrell Brooks Akeem Taylor JT Bryant Christian Holt Curtis Askew Edward Pons Jackie Johnson Jequandus Albritton Brentt Blackmon Josh Chester Anfirnee Chatfield Austin Roberts Greg Clark Troy Williams
OPPONENT Perry Carver, Columbus Valdosta Houston County Lowndes Coffee Grovetown Tift County Warner Robins Colquitt County Chapel Hill Union Grove Peachtree Ridge Newnan
11 12 12 11 10 12 12 11 12 12 10 12 12 10 11 12 11 10 10 10 11 10 11 10 11 10 10 9 9 12 11
OL OL OL DL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL DL K REC REC REC TE REC REC REC K REC DL DL DL DL DL DL DL DL DL
SCORE Won 42-10 Won 21-12 Won 16-13 Won 42-7 Won 10-7 Won 35-3 Won 46-7 Won 27-13 Lost 20-21 Won 20-17 Won 35-14 Won 21-10 Won 20-17 Won 29-24
Head Coach: Conrad Nix Assistant Coaches: Kevin Kinsler • Mark Stewart • Kevin Smith Randy Carr • Mark Estes • Ryan Crawford • Kris Jarrell Reginald Thorpe • Greg Street • Von Lassiter • Ken Price
NO. 1 1 2 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 7 8 9 9 10 11 12 12 13 14 15 16 17 17 18 20 20 21 21 22 23 24 24 25 25 26 27 27 28 29 29 30 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 50 50 51
NAME Malcolm Maxwell Jesse Lemke Darius Sullivan Casey Hodges Adam Drury Joel Ruiz Shaqwand Hamilton Michael Hamilton JJ Green Albert Mendez Alex Purvis Sean Brown Steven Murphy Damien Butler Jalen Simmons Shaquan Brock CJ Deboer Brice Ramsey Josh Walker Robert Brown Aundre Johnson Ryan Gregoire Seth Breeding Devin Fizer Aaron Fisher Nate Haymon Shaquille Lewis Glenn Mack Terrence Robinson Kevonn McKenzie Justin Woodard DJ Williams-Reed Travis Mikell Michael Showers John Grigsby Vishawn Williams Alan Samson Brian Hetrick Tyler DeKleine Carrington Wright Jonathon Jacobs Kenny Hutchinson Eric Sauerbei Hakeim Hutchinson Ean Days DJ McNiel Darrin Diaz Tyler Livingston Alex Carter Kevin Steele Willie Thacker Zack Marx Matt Jackson Clinton Hamilton Tyre Holzendorf Allen Hopkins Aundrayvious Walker Hayden Boudreaux Ryan Lapoint Teondre Williams Issac Newell Kenneth Swallows Fred Jones Brendan Vega Travon Clar Chase Bahr
GR. 10 10 12 10 11 11 10 11 9 11 12 10 12 10 11 11 12 9 10 10 12 12 11 12 11 12 10 12 10 10 11 11 10 11 10 11 11 10 10 11 11 11 10 10 12 11 12 12 11 12 12 12 12 11 12 10 11 11 11 11 11 12 11 10 10 11
POS. RB/DB SE/DB RB/DB RB/DB QB/D8 QB/DB RB/DB SE/DB RB/DB RB/LB SE/DB RB/DB QB/DB SE/DB QB/DB RB/DB TE/DE QB/DB RB/DB RB/DB RB/LB QB/DB QB/LB RB/LB QB/DB RB/DB RB/LB RB/LB RB/LB RB/DB RB/DB RB/DB RB/LB RB/DB RB/LB SE/DB TE/LB TE/DB RB/LB RB/DB SE/DB RB/DB SE/DB RB/DB RB/DB RB/DB RB/LB QB/DB RB/LB SE/LB RB/LB SE/DB TE/DE TE/LB RB/LB RB/DB RB/LB RB/LB RB/LB SE/DB SE/DB SE/DB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL
52 53 53 55 56 56 57 57 58 58 59 59 60 60 61 61 62 62 63 64 65 65 66 66 67 67 68 68 69 70 71 72 72 73 74 75 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 82 83 83 85 85 86 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98
Jacob Nicholson Justin Bradford Tyler Williams Tyler Dowling Jeremiah Booth Ryan Caez Jeremiah Patterson Kenny McGuire Josh Plummer Jared Elderkin Johnny Keller Vincent Hollerman Casey Altiser Nick Altiser Donald Glover James Gelsey Michael Spragio Corey Ingles Matt Williams Devlyn Cousin Jacob Squires Cody Crosby Alejandro Vila Donovan Victor Timothy Martensen Kaleb Wilburn Justin Lee Terrence Ervin Josh Elderkin Tyler Peeples Elijah Vonbehren Joseph Shusko Justin Stallones Robert Gabriel Ethan Vonbehren Daniel Shusko Brendan Taylor Thomas Martin Luke Mercier Brad Arbo Adam Ashcraft Greg Adams Zach Griffis Dalton Drury Cole McCahan Jarrett Kitchen Michael Waldr Deja Dotson Clayton Latos Deontre McRea Stephen Vanzant Bryce Sweeney Devonte Williams Alex Williams Derrick Saulsberry Dakota Dir Jordan Scott Kasey Farmer Jordan Rieling Kajavis Hill Cameron Bennett Matt Ehasz Keith Pecko
OPPONENT Grayson First Coast, FL Hoover, AL Windsor Forest Beach Groves Johnson, Savannah Jenkins Savannah Bradwell Institute Newton Lowndes North Gwinnett Colquitt County
11 12 10 10 12 10 12 10 10 10 12 10 12 10 11 10 12 10 11 10 11 10 12 12 10 10 11 10 12 11 11 12 10 12 11 12 10 12 12 11 11 11 12 11 10 11 10 11 11 11 10 11 12 11 12 11 11 10 10 11 10 11 10
OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL TE/DE TE/LB SE/DB TE/DL SE/DB TE/DE SE/DB TE/DE SE/DB SE/DB TE/DE SE/DB SE/DB TE/DE SE/DB SE/DB SE/DB K/P RB/LB K/P K/P TE/DE
SCORE Lost 10-14 Won 30-24 Lost 27-30 Won 39-6 Won 56-0 Won 76-0 Won 51-0 Won 50-0 Won 41-0 Won 56-9 Won 43-19 Won 10-7 Won 35-0 Won 19-10
Head Coach: Jeff Herron Assistant Coaches: Jon Lindsey • Welton Coffey • Greg Slattery Derek Chastain • Dusty Gunn • Donald Green • Byron Slack Tony Branch • Bill Brown • Steve Siegmund Jason Tone • Stacey Stewart • Jason Jones
27
AAAAA MATCHUP
NORTHSIDE, WARNER ROBINS VS. CAMDEN COUNTY
29
A BRACKET
31
AA BRACKET
33
AAA BRACKET
35
AAAA BRACKET
AAAAA BRACKET
36
BRINGING GEORGIA’S VIEWERS THE VERY BEST GPB’s Jon Nelson hosts Prep Sports + and will once again be handling sideline reporting duties for the broadcasts of the state football finals. For the second year in a row, all five championship games will be played at the Georgia Dome.
ive teams celebrated state football titles last season and, for the first time ever, those celebrations all F occurred on the floor of the Georgia Dome. High school
football fans living around the state of Georgia got to share in the celebration at their homes, as Georgia Public Broadcasting was there to broadcast the GHSA state championship games in all five classifications live from the Georgia Dome. Back in 1992, the GHSA and GPB decided to form a television partnership and, by 1997, GPB was airing state semifinals and some of the championship games. Last season, the GHSA elected to move the state semifinal location from the Dome to home sites while moving the actual title games from the school campuses to the Georgia Dome, normally the home of the Atlanta Falcons and the SEC Championship Game. Despite the move in venue, residents of Georgia were still able to catch all of the action on GPB. According to Tom Vardase of GPB, the move of the championship games to the Dome was a good one. “I believe [the games] were a success.”
The finals brought a few new twists when compared to the coverage of the semis in prior years. Fore example, new graphics were developed by GPB and implemented for the games. “You want the look to be as nice as it can get, but you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.” Vardase said. For some inspiration and new ideas, the GPB Executive Producer watches how Raycom produces its weekly games, and tries to use similar ideas. “We do our best to be that way (as professional as NFL and NCAA broadcasts).” This season the state title games will look a little different than last year. Some of the graphics were tweaked for last year and have been even more so for this year’s title tilts. The broadcast will feature new internal graphics as well as new segments for offensive and defensive players of the game. The latter segment also finds GPB working with the Atlanta Falcons to present the awards. Vardase credits two gentlemen who have been with him since Day One 13 years ago for the new looks. Doug Furce produces and directs while Tony Robinson serves as Technical Producer. New talent is also one difference folks might notice compared to last year. Former Atlanta Falcon and ten-year NFL veteran Harper Lebel will work as a color commentator for one of the championship games, while Stu Klitenic will call play-by-play for Class A’s title game. Lebel has been working some high
WARMING A NEW HOME …
school games in the Gainesville area while Klitenic has been involved in Atlanta sports for some time, even co-hosting the Atlanta Braves pregame radio show. Vardase was also proud to announce that Jeff Van Note is coming back to do color analysis for the Class AAAA and AAAAA games. Van Note is a former Falcon who was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. He has appeared as a color commentator on Falcons broadcasts as well as University of Kentucky and Georgia Tech football broadcasts. Jon Nelson (pictured above), the host of Prep Sports +, will keep fans updated from the sideline during the broadcasts. In the weeks that follow the games, GPB will unveil two new innovations that will help keep the broadcasts “new and refreshing,” according to Vardase. Prep Sports + will air two recap shows, one on Thursday, Dec. 17 at 7:30 p.m. and the other Sunday, Dec. 20 at 11 a.m. The second show will be the programs 400th original show, something that Vardase is quite proud of. That same week, the GPB Knowledge Channel (Comcast channel 246 in Metro Atlanta) will rebroadcast all of the games, one each night, starting on Dec. 14 with Class A at 8 p.m. This will be a first for GPB, as the Knowledge Channel affords the network a two- or three-hour window to re-air the games, something that GPTV might not normally have.
ONCE THE DUST SETTLES …
Football isn’t the only sports programming found on GPB, however. In addition to Prep Sports +, basketball fans can tune in this March for the state basketball championships. Georgia Public Broadcasting has done more than 140 basketball games and will be back this year with 11 contests. This March 12 and 13, GPB will air all of the girls and boys state title games as well as the wheelchair championship, presented by the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs. Though there are always hurdles, Vardase knows the rewards are always there as well, and people really enjoy GPB and its broadcasts of the high school championships. Vardase recalls a single fan’s thank you when he and his crew traveled to Thomasville in 1997. As Vardase remembers, the fan told him, “You guys did one heck of a job.” And, after 13 seasons and over 140 games, all the fun will likely continue for some time. By Score Atlanta’s Fletcher Proctor (fproctor@scoreatl.com)
THERE’S MORE …
37
A MINUTE WITH THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Last week, Score Atlanta’s Scott Janovitz had the opportunity to speak with GHSA Executive Director Ralph Swearngin, touching on everything from transfer rules to on-demand internet video of GHSA sporting events. Here is the transcript of that conversation:
Scott Janovitz: Talk about the current realignment and when the GHSA can determine the success of the process … Ralph Swearngin: The reclassification process was probably the most difficult one that we’ve had in the 17 years that I’ve been with the Georgia High School Association. I can’t remember an easy one, but this one was probably the most challenging. It was the most challenging because of the radical changes and the rapid increase in the number of schools, and school districts that are redesigning their attendance zones so they can balance out the schools and get away from overcrowding. There are state laws now that talk about transfers and when people can leave crowded schools to go to uncrowded schools. There is an appeals session that will be held in two weeks, and then the full executive committee can either approve it as is, or they can make modifications to it. And, I hope it doesn’t happen, but they can say, “you know what, go back to the drawing board and redo this.” So all that will be done January 12. For this realignment process, what were some of the challenges the GHSA faced with limiting travel times? The biggest problem we had is that in AAAAA and AAAA we have, for the last several reclassification cycles, had fewer and fewer schools from Macon south. And what really surprised us this year is that this was starting to make inroads into AAA as well. So what we’re finding is that in AAAAA, AAAA and AAA, you don’t have the usual four regions in the north and four regions in the south. What you’re now finding is five or six regions in the north. And when that happens for the central or south Georgia school, it spreads out so we’ve got a AAAA region right now that stretches from Brunswick to Athens, and one that goes from Bainbridge to Columbus and over to Warner Robins. We’re going to try between now and the 12th to find some solutions to getting that down.
According to the new reclassification, there are a number of schools that will play up. What’s your philosophy on allowing schools to choose their classifications in this way? This has been a part of the Georgia High School Association from the very beginning. I can’t tell you what the reason was originally. I think what’s happening now is that some school districts are saying, “if we put all our schools in the school district and play in the same classification, then we’re going to have less travel.” And that’s what happened in AAAAA. So, with a large number of schools in the Savannah area, their travel goes to Hinesville and to Camden County, and that’s much more manageable. If they were playing in AA and AAA and AAAA, then their travel would be a whole lot more. The plan is to switch to a four-year realignment cycle, but I’ve heard rumblings that you’re still looking at the two-year cycle … The reclassification committee has a proposal with the full committee at the January meeting to stay with the two-year
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cycle. The reason for that is that a couple of years back, when we went to the four-year cycle, is that it had some stability, allowed some people to build natural rivalries, and some other states around us had done that. But none of us at that particular time envisioned anywhere from 12 to 18 new schools opening up over a four-year period, and we just did not feel comfortable that we could sit down now and project what was going to be happening four years down the road. And basically, it’s more like four and a half to five years down the road. And what we found is we’d have to spend so much time readjusting for the changes of the mid-term in the four-year cycle, it would be just like reclassifying every two years anyway. The committee is going to vote on that, but I think, practically speaking, it probably makes sense.
Talk a little about the importance of Title IX and specifically how Georgia’s been so forward-thinking and successful in this regard. Title IX is of course a federal law, and has been around now for over 30 years. What I think changed a lot of things was in 2000 when the state legislature came up with the Equity Sports Act, which was basically to take a look at the best parts of the federal Title IX and make it a state situation. At that particular time, the feeling was the Office of Civil Rights was not getting down to looking at the problems at the high schools because they were so involved with looking at collegiate issues, and if people wanted remedies they had to go through the federal court system. What the 2000 law in Georgia did was to keep it all in the state. There is a process where the schools have responsibilities to monitor issues, to file reports, to demonstrate that they are meeting Title IX and equity regulations in terms of financing, coaching and facilities. So this whole process is an exception rather than the rule when a gender equity problem arises. GHSA.tv has sort of revolutionized the manner in which the average high school fan gets their sports. Talk about the significance of this change and where do you see it going in the future? I think it’s been a long uphill struggle, because there are still some states that do not allow much in the way of rebroadcasting or live broadcasting of their events. The theory is that if you let people stay at home and watch it, even on a tape delay at a later time, on demand, they won’t pay the money and come to the game. We’ve just not found that to be true. It’s probably true on certain nights when it’s cold and rainy and you’d just rather stay home. But by and large, our fan base will go where the game is. So the GHSA feels very secure in saying that people not only want to see events one time, they’d like to see them again. They can use it for gifts, they can archive it at home and show it again. There are a lot of positives to it. And I think we feel very good about being kind of out front with a few other states to try and do such a thing.
With things like GHSA.tv, are you concerned that high school athletics will take on a more big-business feel, like college and professional sports? Yes, I am. I think that’s one of the things that we’ve got to deal with is, how can we stay true to the philosophies of high school athletics and enhance those philosophies by providing access to corporate partners and media exposure? I have
real concerns about collegiate recruiting issues, identifying blue chip athletes and that sort of thing. We want to make sure that we don’t ever lose track that the bulk of people that high school athletics are for are just the average students who enjoy the benefit that comes from athletic participation. We all are really happy when we have certain ones that achieve at the collegiate or even the professional or Olympic level, but those are not the main people that we ought to be geared for. We ought to be geared for all students, from the world-class athlete down to what we used to call the 20-20 kid; that’s the kid that plays the last 20 seconds of the game when his team is either 20 up or 20 down, but who is benefiting from that experience. So we’re trying to walk that fine line to make sure that high school sports don’t get bigger than the whole educational process.
Talk about the state finals and the fact that you now have central locations for just about all of the sports. Do you see any drawbacks to that? I guess the only challenges are securing the places and having our office spend a lot of time and effort being administrators for those types of things. In terms of the actual competition, it really makes sense. And as I tend to tell people, we’re victims of our own success in football, basketball, and baseball now, and all the other sports. We’re getting so many people who want to come to our playoff events, and most schools have not historically had and cannot afford now to develop the facilities that make it feasible to host these big events. And we have schools in, say, football who want to spend money on artificial turf, which is OK, or three-story-high scoreboards, which is OK too, but they don’t want to put more seats in so they can have an adequate place to hold these events in the playoffs. We’re just working in that area to make sure that we can have good venues for these events. Last year was a success with all the football finals being played in the Georgia Dome for the first time. What can fans expect for the ‘09 version of “Championship Weekend?” I think there’s a good blend this year. Taking a look at the playoff field and for the semifinals, there’s a good blend of people that have never played at the Dome and people who are old hands at it. It always seems that when we get a couple of new schools in the Dome, there’s a new energy involved. I think everybody appreciates playing in the Dome, but I think the first time for your fan base and your players and your coaches is a phenomenal experience.
The State House passed a law last year which allows for certain ways in which students can transfer for academic purposes. The law very specifically stated that it did not carry with it athletic eligibility and that was a difficult thing. The legislature made it clear and we made it clear, but there were still a number of families who didn’t get the word and were disappointed because they thought they could change schools and the student would be eligible. School choice issues will continue to pose significant problems for eligibility. We found this in a number of other states, where the legislature has come in with school-choice laws and the state had to completely revamp its eligibility rules to allow transfers. So we are working through that and trying to keep it as balanced as we can.
Running a business or organization as large as the GHSA is as much about looking toward the future as it is about maintaining day-to-day operations. Tell us what’s on the horizon at the GHSA and what the future there will look like. You’re absolutely right, and that may be one of the biggest challenges we have. Sometimes oiling the machine and keeping it running gets in the way of trying to plan for the future. I think that we have a very good executive committee which is looking down the road for academic issues, and we’re looking down the road for the different sport issues. I think our staff is better educated, we travel to national meetings with the National Federation of High School Associations, and we interact with our counterparts from all the other states plus the District of Columbia. So we are becoming aware of what the trends are that are out there, legal trends and sports trends. And what we try to do in this office is see if we can keep moving forward and where we need to go. If it’s working and doesn’t need change, we don’t want to change it. But if things need to be changed, we need to be proactive. Janovitz can be reached at sjanovitz@scoreatl.com.
There were a number of football teams, for instance, that were forced to forfeit games. How do you counsel the schools on keeping their athletes eligible? This year, the GHSA developed three online clinics for eligibility. One had to do with academic eligibility policies, one for transfer eligibility policies, and one was for the procedures for filing and keeping up with those kinds of things. So we try to make sure that all our schools are well aware of the eligibility guidelines. And that’s sort of a problem. Sometimes some of the people that handle the grades don’t know anything or don’t care anything about athletics. And of course transfer eligibility situations are becoming so complicated that it really takes a lot of work to really watch it. And then basically you’re at the mercy of the integrity of the people involved. We have cases where sometimes these people do not give all the trust to the schools and the schools rely on those people, and then they get into trouble. We hate it that people have to pay the penalty for not following those rules, but those rules are in place in order to keep a competitive balance for all of our 400-plus schools. There is a bill under consideration that states kids can transfer within their school district to any school of their choosing without penalizing eligibility. Talk about that …
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THE GACA HALL OF FAME
T
he Georgia Athletic Coaches Association was established in 1938 for the advancement of athletics in Georgia and is dedicated to high school coaches in the State of Georgia. The association established the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame in the year 2000, with the purpose of honoring and preserving high school coaches’ accomplishments and to educate and inspire future generations. The Northwest Georgia Trade and Convention Center in Dalton, has been recognized by the Georgia House of Representatives, the Mayor and Council of the City of Dalton and the Whitfield County Board of Commissioners as the official and permanent site for the Georgia Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame. The Georgia High School Association has also endorsed the GACA Hall of Fame as the official Georgia High School Coaches Hall of Fame. Annually, there is a Georgia Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame reception, awards banquet and golf tournament. During the Hall of Fame banquet, inductees and their families are honored. For more GACA information please contact Terry Rogers at 770-578-6366 or trogers@gacacoach.com, or visit www.gacacoach.com.
Every year the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association holds a Hall of Fame induction ceremony in the spring. The photos above are from last year’s ceremony and are courtesy of Steve Froehle of Carolina Sports, Inc. Wright Bazemore D.B. Carroll Al Carson Glenn Cassell Bill Chappell Wayman Creel Charlie Davidson R.L. “Shorty” Doyal Jerry Frasier Richard Gentry Forrest Gilbreath Lawrence Graves Charlie Grisham Keith Hage Billy Hall John Hawkins William “Billy” Henderson Jimmy Hightower
Football Basketball Basketball Basketball Football Football Football Football Track Football Baseball Track Football Wrestling Track Basketball Football Football
Graham Hixon Jr. Terry Holder Nick Hyder Jack Keen Dwight Keith Paul Koshewa Ray Lamb Harry Lloyd Dan Pitts Harold Lee Scott Dick Shrewsbury Johnny Stallings Eric Staples Bud Theodocion Hayden Wagers Samuel Williams Buck Buchanan W.B. Bearden
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Football Baseball Football Track Founder Track Football Baseball Football Basketball Basketball Wrestling Basketball Baseball Golf Golf Baseball Basketball
Charlie Horne Milt Miller Arthur Mott Harry Ward Herman Hudson Marcia Ward Bobby Gruhn Oliver Hunnicutt Ken Ross Jerry Sharp
Football Football Football Track Golf Volleyball Football Football Basketball Football
Cook Holliday Jim Hughes George Maloof Calvin Jones Larry Gaither Graham Woodell
Track Football Football Basketball Golf Basketball
CLASS OF 2009
GHSA STATE FALL CHAMPIONS
CHEERLEADING AAAAA – Mill Creek AAAA – Northgate AAA – Johns Creek AA – Calhoun A – Commerce CO-ED – Peachtree Ridge CROSS COUNTRY – BOYS AAAAA – Brookwood Kirubel Erassa, Grayson, 15:09.19 AAAA – Marist D’Andre Smalley, Westside, Augusta, 16:27.90 AAA – Flowery Branch Nathan Vassey, Woodward Academy, 15:35.95 AA – Westminster Leonel Ayala, Cross Keys, 16:22.44 A – Wesleyan Luke Baker, Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy, 15:51.67
Marist cross country swept the Class AAAA championships.
Pope defeated Walton for its first-ever volleyball state title.
CROSS COUNTRY – GIRLS AAAAA – North Gwinnett Nicky Akande, Collins Hill, 17:55.01 AAAA – Marist Anna Bowles, Lakeside, Evans, 18:28.59 AAA – St. Pius X Allie Buchalski, Johns Creek, 18:28.18 AA – Westminster Sahara Fletcher, Westminster, 19:02.86 A – Our Lady of Mercy Lindy Long, Landmark Christian, 19:02.74 SOFTBALL AAAAA – Collins Hill AAAA – Marist AAA – Columbus AA – Buford A – Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy
Anna Bowles won the Class AAAA individual girls cross country title and helped Lakside, Evans to a runner-up finish.
The Buford softball team won its third consecutive Class AA state championship.
Mill Creek won its second straight cheerleading title in Class AAAAA. The cheerleading finals took place at the Columbus Civic Center on Nov. 13-14.
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VOLLEYBALL AAAAA – Pope AAAA – Whitewater AAA – Woodward Academy AA/A – Wesleyan ONE-ACT PLAYS Class AAAAA – Norcross High School – “Lost in Yonkers” Class AAAA – Harlem High School – “Tuesdays with Morrie” Class AAA – Perry High School – “Wiley and the Hairy Man” Class AA – Pierce County High School – “Effects of Gamma Ray on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds” Class A – Brookstone School – “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”
GEMC COOPERATIVE SPIRIT
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
eorgia High School Association (GHSA) and Georgia Electric Membership Corporation G (GEMC) have named the 37 GHSA-member high schools to receive the 2009 GEMC Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Award, honoring exemplary sportsmanship demonstrated dur-
ing the 2008-09 school year. “We congratulate these high schools for their outstanding sportsmanship,” said Dr. Ralph Swearngin, GHSA Executive Director. “School-based athletics should be an extension of the classroom in providing lessons that last for the student’s lifetime. Sportsmanship is really nothing more than good citizenship expressed in athletic events, and that is an important life lesson.” Sponsored by GHSA and Georgia’s EMCs, the Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Awards program was introduced in 2006 to honor GHSA member schools that exhibit outstanding sportsmanship. The awards program is designed to promote sportsmanship by honoring those who do it well, reinforcing GHSA’s philosophy: “Student athletes, coaches, spectators, and all others associated with high school activities programs should adhere to the fundamental values of respect, fairness, honesty and responsibility.” The program honors student athletes along with fellow students, school staff, parents and game spectators, making the award not only a school but a community honor. The Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Awards are presented annually to GHSA member high schools in the 40 regions in all five classifications. Region GHSA secretaries select winners based on sportsmanship demonstrated during the year. Representatives from the EMCs have presented sportsmanship trophies to winning high schools within their service territories at presentations during fall athletic events. A voluntary organization composed of more than 400 public and private high schools, the Georgia High School Association strives to promote good sportsmanship and a cooperative spirit among its member schools. Georgia EMC is a statewide trade organization representing the state’s 42 EMCs, Oglethorpe Power Corporation and Georgia Transmission Corporation Through a statewide network, Georgia’s EMCs provide electricity and related services to four million people, nearly half of Georgia’s population, across 73 percent of the state’s land area. Georgia’s 42 electric membership cooperatives serve more customers than any other state network of EMCs in the nation.
CLASS AAAAA:
Region Region Region Region Region Region Region
1 3 4 5 6 7 8
CLASS AAAA:
Region Region Region Region Region Region Region Region
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Jones County High School Glynn Academy Westside High School, Augusta Alcovy High School Northgate High School Forsyth Central High School Allatoona High School Monroe Area High School
Region Region Region Region Region Region Region Region
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Cairo High School Northside High School, Columbus Washington County High School Eagle’s Landing High School St. Pius X High School Heritage High School, Catoosa West Forsyth High School Jackson County High School Oconee County High School
Region Region Region Region Region Region Region Region
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Early County High School Charlton County High School Screven County High School Northeast High School, Macon Manchester High School Decatur High School Rockmart High School Rabun County High School
CLASS AAA:
GHSA Sportsmanship Statement
“The GHSA and its member schools have made a commitment to promote good sportsmanship by student/athletes, coaches and spectators at all GHSA sanctioned events. Profanity, degrading remarks and intimidating actions directed at officials or competitors will not be tolerated, and are grounds for removal from the event site. Spectators are not allowed to enter the competition area during warm-ups or while the contest is being conducted. Thank you for your cooperation in the promotion of good sportsmanship at today’s event.”
Tift County High School Camden County High School Newnan High School Etowah High School Milton High School Duluth High School Dacula High School
CLASS AA:
CLASS A:
Washington County High School (pictured left) won the GEMC Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Award for Region 3-AAA, and St. Pius X High School (pictured right) won in Region 5-AAA.
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Region Region Region Region Region Region Region Region
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Ware County Magnet High School Schley County High School Metter High School Washington-Wilkes High School Our Lady of Mercy High School Mt. Zion High School, Carroll Providence Christian School Tallulah Falls High School
PREVIOUS YEARS’ WINNERS
YEAR
AAAAA
AAAA
AAA
AA
A
B
C
1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955
-
-
-
Fitzgerald Decatur Rockmart Valdosta Valdosta Valdosta Jesup Athens
West Point Adel West Point Cordele Loganville Model Model Morgan County
Fort Valley Quitman Quitman Forest Park Calhoun Hawkinsville Hawkinsville Monticello
1956
-
-
Richmond Acad.
Lanier Lanier Brown Decatur Richmond Acad. Murphy Grady Rossville TIE-Rossville/ LaGrange Valdosta
Morgan County
Monticello
1957 1958
-
-
Northside, Atl. LaGrange
Trion Morgan County
Waynesboro West Point
1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
-
-
Dublin Dublin Carrollton Americus Dublin Carrollton Americus Statesboro Thomson Thomson Coosa
Morgan County Washington-Wilkes Fort Valley Morgan County Washington-Wilkes Blakely Bradwell Institute Washington-Wilkes Washington-Wilkes Roswell Vidalia
Hawkinsville Lincolnton Coosa Lincolnton Lincolnton Davis Warren County Warren County Putnam County Warren County Sav. Co. Day
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978
-
Woodward Acad. Westminster Southwest DeKalb Southwest Atlanta Americus Americus Avondale Waycross East Rome
Roswell Carrollton Carrollton Mt. de Sales Carrollton Irwin County Turner County East Rome Buford
Lovett Bowdon Southeast Bulloch Southeast Bulloch Trion Lyons Lincoln County Lincoln County -
Mt. de Sales Mt. de Sales -
1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991
-
TIE-Griffin/ Valdosta Clarke Central Lowndes Warner Robins Valdosta Tift County Valdosta Clarke Central Valdosta Morrow Warner Robins Valdosta Valdosta LaGrange
Albany Valdosta Valdosta Valdosta Avondale Glynn Academy Valdosta Valdosta Marietta Valdosta TIE-Athens/ Valdosta Lakeside Valdosta Lakeside Thomasville Thomasville Central, Macon Warner Robins Clarke Central Westminster
Valdosta TIE-Avondale/ Thomasville Wayne County Waycross Waycross Rossville Cedartown Douglas County West Rome North Fulton Dalton St. Pius X North Springs
TIE-Carrollton/ Statesboro Statesboro Stephens County
Model Mary Persons Commerce West Rome West Rome West Rome West Rome Central, Carrollton Central, Carrollton R.E. Lee Mitchell-Baker Pepperell Cartersville
Johnson County Greenville Douglass, Montezuma Palmetto Palmetto Greenville Lincoln County Lincoln County Lincoln County Clinch County Lincoln County Lincoln County Clinch County
-
-
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Parkview Parkview Parkview Camden Co. Lowndes
Valdosta Dunwoody Colquitt Co. SW DeKalb Brookwood Parkview Valdosta Lowndes Shaw Statesboro Thomson Marist Warner Robins
Redan Woodward Acad. Waycross Bainbridge Mitchell-Baker Thomson Thomson Villa Rica Worth County Thomasville Marist Cairo TIE-Kendrick/ Lakeside, DeKalb Thomas Co. Cntrl. Thomas Co. Cntrl. Thomas Co. Cntrl. Josey Thomas Co. Cntrl. Thomas Co. Cntrl. Dougherty Oconee County Swainsboro LaGrange Screven County LaGrange LaGrange
Mitchell-Baker Greene-Taliaferro Washington County Elbert County Washington Co. Washington Co. Carrollton Cartersville Americus Americus Buford Buford Charlton County
-
-
2005 2006
Lowndes TIE-P’tree Ridge/ Roswell Lowndes Camden County
Statesboro Northside WR
Peach County Peach County
-
-
Northside WR Tucker
Carver, Columbus Cairo
Charlton County TIE-Charlton Co./ Dublin Buford Buford
Bowdon Lincoln County Brooks County Lincoln County Macon County Manchester Darlington Charlton County Commerce Buford Clinch County Hawkinsville TIE-Hawkinsville/ Clinch Co. Lincoln County Lincoln County Emanuel Co. Inst. Wesleyan
-
-
2007 2008
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