Pinecrest Academy

Jacob Smith Forsyth County News Pinecrest Academy seniors Nick Bohn, left, and Ryan Bartling each played a key part in the Paladins’ GAPPS 8-man state championship in 2020.

With enrollment up, Pinecrest Academy ready to tackle 11-man

By David Roberts

droberts@forsythnews.com

Breckin Barbee spent much of last offseason expecting to be a wide receiver.

Thrust into the quarterback position in the middle of summer, all Barbee did was account for more than 1,400 total yards, score 26 touchdowns and help Pinecrest Academy to the GAPPS Division II 8-man state championship.

This year, with a full season as the Paladins’ signal-caller under his belt and the team jumping back up to 11-man football, Barbee is focused on perfecting all of the characteristics that made Pinecrest’s offense so dynamic last season.

“This year coming in, I really focused on being a quarterback because last year I really didn’t know what position I was going into,” Barbee said. “I thought I was going to be a wide receiver, but then switched to quarterback midway through the summer. This year it’s really been focusing on the plays and connections with the wide receivers and all of that. Really just timing and getting perfect at what we do.”

For Pinecrest head coach Shawn Coury, having a returning starter at quarterback makes all the difference in the world.

“It’s huge. We’re so far ahead of where we would be if we started over,” Coury said. “Breckin’s really smart and makes good reads down the field. He’s a very electric runner, so he gives us that option and capability in the backfield. He’s so comfortable with what we’re doing, in terms of making the runs reads at the line of scrimmage, the option reads at the line of scrimmage, then also making those pass reads down the field. It puts us way ahead. He’s a good leader on the team, and he does a good job of rallying the guys and getting them to do that. So, his leadership capabilities are equally important to us as his skill on the field.”

Barbee and the Paladins won’t have the electricity of Bryce Balthaser at their disposal, but Coury said he expects Colin Brown to provide a similar brand of versatility.

Brown played receiver last year and also impressed at safety, where he had three interceptions.

“With his speed and his athletic ability, he’s going to be able to basically pick up right where Bryce left off,” Coury said. “Colin brings a lot of great skill to the game and a lot of great skill to our backfield. He’s very versatile too, in the sense that he can run

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Aug. 27 – Lake Oconee Academy at Pinecrest Academy Sept. 3 – BYE *Sept. 10 – Pinecrest Academy at Cherokee Christian Sept. 17 – Lafayette Christian at Pinecrest Academy Sept. 23 – BYE Oct. 1 – Rock Springs Academy at Pinecrest Academy Oct. 8 – Pinecrest Academy at Harvester Christian Oct. 16 – Pinecrest Academy at Notre Dame Academy Oct. 22 – North Georgia Falcons at Pinecrest Academy *Oct. 29 – Pinecrest Academy at The King’s Academy *Nov. 5 – Calvary Christian at Pinecrest Academy

* GAPPS Region 1-2A game 2020 results

9-1 Overall, 2-0 GAPPS Division II

Harvester Christian 40, Pinecrest 32 *Pinecrest 60, Hearts Academy 6 Pinecrest 46, Johnson Ferry Christian 8 Pinecrest 26, Peachtree Academy 15 Pinecrest 32, Southern Christian 7 *Pinecrest 42, Lanier Christian 0 Pinecrest 60, Dominion Christian 20 Pinecrest 52, Horizon Christian 48 **Pinecrest 66, Hearts Academy 6 **Pinecrest 44, Lanier Christian 18

*GAPPS Region 1-2A game **Playoff game

trophy case

First varsity season: 2004 Playoff appearances: 9 (2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020) Region titles: 1 (1997) State titles: 1 (2020) *GISA from 2004-09; GAPPS from 2020-21

the coach Shawn Coury

At Pinecrest: 9-1, second season Overall: 13-17, fourth season