KICKOFf 2014 Men among boys
A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT OF THE MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL n SUNDAY, AUGUST 17, 2014
KICKOFf 2014 kickin’ it: new school
IAN SHANNON
MARIETTA
RODRIGO BLANKENSHIP SPRAYBERRY
A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT OF THE MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL n SUNDAY, AUGUST 17, 2014
KICKOFf 2014 dynamite dozen
A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT OF THE MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL n SUNDAY, AUGUST 17, 2014
Sunday, August 17, 2014
KICKOFF 2014
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2014 MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL/CHEROKEE TRIBUNE ANNUAL FOOTBALL PREVIEW ISSUE TEAM PREVIEWS FEATURES
ALLATOONA BUCS...........12
NCC EAGLES...................56
CAMPBELL SPARTANS.....14
OSBORNE CARDINALS.....60
CHEROKEE WARRIORS.....20
P’BROOK FALCONS..........62
CREEKVIEW GRIZZLIES....22
POPE GREYHOUNDS........64
ETOWAH EAGLES.............24
RIVER RIDGE KNIGHTS....68
HARRISON HOYAS...........26
SEQUOYAH CHIEFS.........72
HILLGROVE HAWKS.........30
SOUTH COBB EAGLES......74
KELL LONGHORNS...........32
SPRAYBERRY JACKETS.....76
KMHS MUSTANGS...........34
WALKER WOLVERINES......78
LASSITER TROJANS..........36
WALTON RAIDERS............84
MARIETTA BLUE DEVILS.....38
WHEELER WILDCATS..........86
MCEACHERN INDIANS.....42
MOUNT PARAN EAGLES.....46
NORTH COBB WARRIORS....54
COBB LINEMEN...........10 CHEROKEE EYEING TITLE.....18 COBB KICKERS...........40 DYNAMITE DOZEN..............49 SUPER SIX...................66
COMPOSITE SCHEDULE.......8 WHITEFIELD WOLFPACK...88 COBB/CHEROKEE ON TV..29 WOODSTOCK WOLVERINES..92 STORYLINES OF 2014.......59 REGION PREVIEWS............80 2014 MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL/CHEROKEE TRIBUNE ANNUAL FOOTBALL PREVIEW SECTION CREDITS EDITORS: JOHN BEDNAROWSKI, ELI BOORSTEIN, EMILY HOROS DESIGNERS: JOHN BEDNAROWSKI, ELI BOORSTEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: JOHN BEDNAROWSKI, ADAM CARRINGTON, ZAC DIODATI, MICHAEL FOSTER, EMILY HOROS, CARLTON D. WHITE PHOTOGRAPHERS: EMILY HOROS, KELLY J. HUFF, C.B. SCHMELTER, SAMANTHA M. SHAL, JEFF STANTON GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: BETH POIRIER, JENNIFER HALL COVER/DYNAMITE DOZEN/SUPER SIX PHOTOS: KELLY J. HUFF, JEFF STANTON, C.B. SCHMELTER MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL/CHEROKEE TRIBUNE STAFF: JOHN BEDNAROWSKI, SPORTS EDITOR; ELI BOORSTEIN, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR; ADAM CARRINGTON, WRITER; EMILY HOROS, CHEROKEE TRIBUNE SPORTS EDITOR; CARLTON D. WHITE, WRITER
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Sunday, August 17, 2014
2014 COBB/CHEROKEE MASTER SCHEDULE August 22 East Paulding at Allatoona South Atlanta at Campbell Cherokee at Chattahoochee Creekview vs. N. Paulding (5:30 p.m. at McEachern) Pope at Harrison Lassiter at Hillgrove Etowah at Marietta North Cobb at Northside Warner Robins Osborne at Dutchtown Woodstock at River Ridge South Cobb at Creekside Sprayberry at South Paulding Wesleyan at Walker South Gwinnett at Walton Wheeler at Duluth August 23 Kell vs. Carrollton (8:45 a.m. at McEachern) Mount Paran vs ELCA (10 a.m. at Columbus) North Gwinnett at McEachern (8:45 p.m.) August 29 Allatoona at Villa Rica Stone Mountain at Campbell North Forsyth at Cherokee Harrison at Wheeler Hillgrove at Shiloh Kell at Lassiter Sprayberry at Kennesaw Mountain Walton at Marietta Mount Paran Christian at Whitefield Academy North Cobb at North Gwinnett Cross Keys at North Cobb Christian Lakeside-DeKalb at Osborne Pebblebrook at Miller Grove (5:15 p.m.) South Cobb at Pope Sequoyah at Etowah Johns Creek at Woodstock September 5 North Paulding at Allatoona Cherokee at Etowah Riverwood at Creekview East Coweta at Harrison North Gwinnett at Hillgrove Kennesaw Mountain at Mountain View Walton at Lassiter Marietta at Newnan McEachern at Buford North Clayton at Mount Paran Christian Cartersville at North Cobb Jeff Davis at North Cobb Christian Osborne at Pebblebrook River Ridge at North Atlanta Blessed Trinity at Sequoyah Walker at King’s Ridge Wheeler at Woodstock Providence at Whitefield Academy
September 12 Allatoona at Lithia Springs Lakeside-Dekalb at Campbell Wheeler at Cherokee Blessed Trinity at Creekview Harrison at Osborne Hillgrove at Lovejoy Kell at Sequoyah Douglas County at Kennesaw Mountain Woodstock at Lassiter Marietta at South Cobb Peachtree Ridge at McEachern Monroe Area at North Cobb Kipp Atlanta at North Cobb Christian Alcovy at Pebblebrook Pope at Etowah North Springs at River Ridge Sprayberry at Woodland Walker at Pinecrest Roswell at Walton Whitefield Academy at Mount Zion-Carroll September 19 Forsyth Central at Kell McEachern at Lovejoy Mount Paran Christian at King’s Ridge North Cobb Christian at Banks County Rome at Creekview Sequoyah at River Ridge North Springs at Sprayberry Walker at Whitefield Academy
Hephzibah at North Cobb Christian South Cobb at Pebblebrook Pope at Walton River Ridge at Rome Sprayberry at Riverwood Mount Zion-Carroll at Walker Wheeler at Roswell Whitefield Academy at Pinecrest October 10 New Manchester at Allatoona Pebblebrook at Campbell Cherokee at Milton Woodland at Creekview Harrison at Kennesaw Mountain Hillgrove at North Paulding Etowah at Lassiter McEachern at North Cobb Walker at Mount Paran Christian Glascock County at North Cobb Christian Osborne at Johnson-Gainsville Roswell at Pope Cass at Sequoyah Douglas County at South Cobb Cambridge at Sprayberry Walton at Woodstock Whitefield Academy at King’s Ridge
September 26 South Paulding at Allatoona Campbell at East Coweta Cherokee at Pope Creekview at Cass Harrison at North Cobb Hillgrove at Marietta Cambridge at Kell Kennesaw Mountain at North Paulding Lassiter at Milton Pinecrest at Mount Paran Christian Pebblebrook at Westlake Woodland at River Ridge Dalton at Sequoyah South Cobb at Newnan Sprayberry at North Atlanta St. Francis at Walker Walton at Wheeler Etowah at Woodstock
October 17 Allatoona at Hiram Newnan at Campbell Lassiter at Cherokee Sequoyah at Creekview Kennesaw Mountain at Hillgrove Kell at Riverwood North Cobb at Marietta North Paulding at McEachern Mount Paran Christian at Christian Heritage New Hampstead at North Cobb Christian East Coweta at Pebblebrook Pope at Wheeler River Ridge at Dalton Langston Hughes at South Cobb Forsyth Central at Sprayberry Milton at Walton Fellowship Christian at Whitefield Academy Woodstock at Roswell
October 3 Allatoona at Alexander Campbell at Langston Hughes Woodstock at Cherokee Creekview at Dalton North Paulding at Harrison North Cobb at Hillgrove Kell at North Springs Kennesaw Mountain at Osborne Marietta at McEachern Milton at Etowah
October 24 Paulding County at Allatoona Campbell at South Cobb Cherokee at Roswell Hillgrove at Harrison North Atlanta at Kell McEachern at Kennesaw Mountain Lassiter at Pope Marietta at North Paulding Trion at Mount Paran Christian
North Cobb Christian at Crawford County Cross Keys at Osborne Pebblebrook at Newnan River Ridge at Cass Sequoyah at Rome Christian Heritage at Walker Etowah at Wheeler St. Francis at Whitefield Academy Milton at Woodstock October 31 Campbell at Douglas County Walton at Cherokee Creekview at River Ridge Harrison at McEachern Sprayberry at Kell Kennesaw Mountain at Marietta Wheeler at Lassiter Mount Paran Christian at Mount Zion-Carroll North Paulding at North Cobb Upson Lee at Osborne Langston Hughes at Pebblebrook Pope at Milton Roswell at Etowah Woodland at Sequoyah South Cobb at Westlake Walker at Trion Whitefield Academy at Mount Pisgah November 1 North Cobb Christian at Mount Vernon (1 p.m.) November 7 Chapel Hill at Allatoona Westlake at Campbell Marietta at Harrison McEachern at Hillgrove North Cobb vs Kennesaw Mountain (KSU) Lassiter at Roswell North Cobb Christian at Stewart County Forest Park/Morrow at Osborne Douglas County at Pebblebrook Woodstock at Pope East Coweta at South Cobb Etowah at Walton Milton at Wheeler Creekview play-in-game Kell play-in-game Mount Paran Christian play-in-game River Ridge play-in-game Sequoyah play-in-game Sprayberry play-in-game Walker play-in-game Whitefield Academy play-in-game All Games at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted
Sunday, August 17, 2014
KICKOFF 2014
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Staff/Kelly J. Huff
Below: Special thanks to all the youth football players that came out to help Pope’s Max Kemper, Sprayberry’s Bailey Sharp and McEachern’s Chuma Edoga with the cover photo shoot for “Kickoff 2014.” Those young players included, front row from left, Cash Gilland (10), Hamilton Black, Brittain Holle, Brady Brister, Nathaniel McMurry and Bryce Woods. Back row: Noah Herrero, Jalen Woods, Alec Huff and Jake Austin. And in the middle, cheerleader Chloe Herrero.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Sunday, August 17, 2014
KICKOFF 2014
Page 11 From left, Pope’s Max Kemper, Sprayberry’s Bailey Sharp and McEachern’s Chuma Edoga are part of the deep offensive linemen class of 2015 in Cobb County. All three expect to be playing Division I football next season and they have proven to truly be men among boys while playing in the trenches. n Staff/Kelly J. Huff
COBB LINEMEN ARE MEN AMONG BOYS By Carlton D. White cwhite@mdjonline.com The shift from smash-mouth, run-heavy offenses to high-octane, pass-heavy spread offenses over the years hasn’t dimmed the need for quality offensive linemen. Whether the play involves a three-, fiveor seven-step drop for the quarterback or a handoff to a reliable running back, offensive linemen are the key to making any offense go because of the pass protection or runblocking schemes involved help determine the success of not only the play, but the entire team. “The offensive line is the soul of the team, not just the offensive unit,” Marietta coach Scott Burton said. “More than any other group, they have to have cohesion and an unspoken togetherness than any other group. “They’re not singular individuals. They are a group that works in harmony like five fingers in a fist.” Recently, Cobb County has produced some strong college prospects. Walton’s Brandon Kublanow is starting his sophomore season at Georgia, Pope’s
Thomas O’Reilly is a redshirt junior at Georgia Tech, McEachern’s Jajuan Dulaney is a redshirt freshman at Maryland, Kennesaw Mountain’s Jay Finch just completed his college career at Georgia Tech, and Lassiter’s Camden Wentz did the same at North Carolina State. This year’s group of players, which includes McEachern teammates Chuma Edoga (USC) and Chandler Jones (Louisville), along with Sprayberry’s Bailey Sharp (Auburn), Allatoona’s Conor Brumfield (Kent State), Pope’s Max Kemper (being recruited by Vanderbit, Old Dominion, Air Force and others), a two-time first-team all-state honoree, and Harrison’s Byron Glass (being recruited by Auburn, Duke, Miami, Georgia State) may be part of the deepest class of offensive linemen to hail from the county in several years. “It’s cool to have so many good offensive linemen coming out of the county,” said Kemper, a 6-foot-4, 290pound right guard who has played on the offensive line since sixth grade. “To see how we’ve all grown and gotten recruited
has been fun. We know about each other, and it’s good to know the county is being known for its big men too.” Kemper, whose father is Pope coach Matt Kemper, was almost forced into being an offensive lineman at an early age because he had the ideal trait for the position. “I’ve always been a big kid,” the younger Kemper said. “I’ve always wanted to play offensive line. It’s not glamourous, but it’s fun. You have to be big and quick and strong and be able to get at least 10 yards downfield fast. You have to have good technique, too.” One of the benefits of being an offensive linemen is being able to eat. “We have to eat a bunch,” Kemper said. “We don’t complain about that. That’s not a problem. And we sleep. too. Being a big guy, our weight will fluctuate, but it’s easy to maintain because we work so hard.” The elder Kemper has had a number of quality linemen graduate from Pope, including O’Reilly and Grant Ramsey (Vanderbilt). See MEN, Page 17
COBB LINEMEN DIVISION I SIGNEES
2015* CONOR BRUMFIELD, ALLATOONA (KENT STATE) CHUMA EDOGA, MCEACHERN (USC) CHANDLER JONES, MCEACHERN (LOUISVILLE) MAX KEMPER, POPE (UNDECIDED) BAILEY SHARP, SPRAYBERRY (AUBURN) BYRON GLASS, HARRISON (UNDECIDED) 2014 CAMERON KOWALEWSKI, HILLGROVE (EAST. KY.) 2013 JAJUAN DULANEY, MCEACHERN (MARYLAND) BRANDON KUBLANOW, WALTON (GEORGIA) COLIN MITCHELL, WALKER (MERCER) STEPHEN WASHINGTON, CAMPBELL (SAV. ST.) 2012 KOFI AMICA, MCEACHERN (SOUTH FLORIDA) HARRISON DAVIS, WALTON (THE CITADEL) JABRIN LINGE, SPRAYBERRY (TENN. TECH) 2011 XAVIER HEMINGWAY, MCEACHERN (UCONN) JUSTIN MINICK, WALKER (SAMFORD) 2010 PERRY BEASLEY, MARIETTA (SAMFORD) ROBERT BRYANT, SPRAYBERRY (AUSTIN PEAY) REESE BULMASH, SPRAYBERRY (AUSTIN PEAY) MATTHEW GILBERT, WALTON (GEORGIA SOUTHERN) TARIK MILNER, MCEACHERN (JACKSONVILLE ST.) GRANT RAMSAY, POPE (VANDERBILT) * PLAYERS COMMITTED/BEING RECRUITED
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ALLATOONA BUCCANEERS
Location: 3300 Dallas-Acworth Hwy, Acworth Phone: (770) 975-6503 Home Field: Cobb Energy/Buccaneer Stadium Online: bucs-football.com
2014 SCHEDULE
VS E. PAULDING AUG. 22
AT VS VILLA RICA N. PAULDING AUG. 29 SEPT. 5 2014 ROSTER
NO. NAME CL. POS. 1 KAMERON PENA 12 DB 2 RALEIGH WEBB 11 P 3 RUSSELL HALIMON 11 RB 4 KAMERON BOWEN 12 REC 5 CHRIS RONEY 12 P 6 JOSH BETTISTEA 12 RB 7 ZACH NICHOLS 12 REC 8 BRYANT DALLAS 12 RB 9 TATE TATUM 10 QB 10 WILL KEMP 12 LB 11 C. SOLOMON 12 DB 12 ALLEN JOHNSON 11 DL 13 BRANDON RAINEY 11 QB 14 CHASE ALEXANDER 12 LB 15 CONOR LARSON 12 QB 16 JUANYEA TARVER 11 DB 17 MICHAEL PYNES 11 REC 18 KALEN WILKERSON 11 DB 19 JACOB PERRY 10 P 20 SHANE LONG 10 RB 21 CHANDLER WATSON 12 REC 22 JOHN NJUGUNA 12 DB 23 BRIAN TAYLOR 11 DB 24 AUSTIN GOWIN 12 K 25 COLE WAGONER 12 P 26 ALEX MACHAN 11 RB 27 MALIK BREEDEN 10 DB 28 CALEB GIBBS 11 RB 29 AIDAN MCDEVITT 10 REC 29 KEETON BOWEN 10 RB 30 RIGGINS LESMEZ 12 RB 30 T. CAVANAUGH 10 DB 31 CODY HOBBS 10 RB 32 JAKE TACKETT 11 RB 33 FAIZON HARRIS 11 DB
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NO. NAME CL. POS. 34 SEAN COLMAN 10 DB 34 ADAM RANGEL 10 DB 35 KWASI ANINAKWA 10 DB 36 KYLE GLENN 11 P 37 HARRISON KEMP 10 DB 38 WALKER DUNLAP 12 TE 39 DANIEL TESLER 11 DB 40 NICK WELLS 10 RB 40 MALCOM SPENCER 10 RB 41 KEEGAN HIGGENS 10 P 42 MICHAEL ROBINSON 10 TE 43 DANIEL WEAVER 12 LB 44 JALEAN PARRISH 12 LB 45 LIAM WATSON 11 RB 46 DAWSON ARNOLD 10 LB 47 DARION WADE 11 DB 48 JERAMIAH BELL 10 RB 49 CARSON SORRELLS 10 P 50 CONOR BRUMFIELD 12 OL 51 GAVIN TWIGG 11 P 52 SAM LEWIS 11 LB 53 BROOKS BURNS 11 OL 54 DEVIN MILLER 11 OL 55 CONOR HOVEN 10 OL 56 M. HAMMOND 12 DL 57 EVAN SPINKS 10 OL 58 B. ZEHNDER 11 LB 59 DAT TROUNG 11 DL 60 CAMDEN RHODES 12 DL 61 CHRIS JEFFERS 11 OL 62 AUSTIN GIBBS 11 OL 63 TREVOR PATRICK 12 OL 64 BRETT DUNCAN 12 DL 65 JOSEPH HUGHES 11 OL 66 CARTER FRANCIS 10 OL
AT LITHIA SPRINGS SEPT. 12
NO. NAME CL. POS. 67 AUSTIN MILES 12 DL 68 BRYCE HARBUCK 10 OL 69 DAVID JOHNSON 10 OL 70 CARTER CHAPMAN 11 DL 71 DAVID DANIEL 11 DL 72 DAINE JOHNSON 11 DL 73 PATRICK MAFFE 11 OL 74 YOSHI NICHOLSON 12 OL 75 HUNTER LOHORN 11 OL 76 PATRICK PRAHL 11 OL 76 AARON PERKINS 11 K 77 BROOKS WALPER 10 OL 78 JOSH KING 11 OL 79 ALEX LAWRENCE 11 OL 80 COLIN RILEY 11 REC 81 JACOB CRONAUER 12 TE 82 PARKER COCKRELL 10 REC 83 BRADY EELES 11 REC 84 TURNER COCKRELL 11 TE 85 DERRAND GARRETT 11 REC 86 GRANT HUGHES 10 REC 87 ANDREW CASCONE 11 TE 88 A. ALVAREZ 12 K 88 AUSTIN COOPER 10 K 89 TREAMON PERKINS 11 REC 90 ALEX SOFET 12 DL 91 MASON RUSSELL 12 DL 92 CASEY SMITH 11 DL 93 LANCE UZEE 12 DL 94 JUSTIN KING 11 DL 95 GABE HILLYER 11 DL 96 DARNELL JANEAU 12 DL 97 ALTONIO JOHNSON 12 DL 98 MATT SOTO 11 DL 99 DARRYL GEDER 12 DL
VS S. PAULDING SEPT. 26
Despite being an inexperienced group, Allatoona opened the 2013 season with seven wins in its first eight games. Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, they lost their last three games, including a playoff loss in the first round to Kell. The 7-4 mark was disappointing considering Allatoona had gone to the state quarterfinals each of the previous two seasons. But what the year proved to be was a learning opportunity for new players, and it has helped set a confident tone for 2014. That confidence lies within the team’s staple running game. Senior Josh Bettistea, who led the county with 1,938 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns last season, and junior Russell Halimon, who added 798 yards and 12 touchdowns, both return to the Buccaneer backfield. “We’ve got two really good running backs,” Varner said. “But, obviously if you’re going to run the ball you need offensive
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50-0 39-0 45-14 49-0 45-48 35-28 37-10 44-7 46-62 19-31 17-31
AT HIRAM OCT. 17 OCT. 10 2014 OUTLOOK VS
NEW MANCHESTER
line play as well, and thankfully we’ve got phenomenal guys there, too.” Kent State commit Conor Brumfield, and Joseph Nicholson return at the tackles along with center Trevor Patrick. “All three are very good high school linemen. They get lost in the recruiting battle sometimes because of their size, but they’re great players,” Varner said. Austin Gibbs and Alex Lawrence are leading candidates to earn the guard positions. Quarterback Conor Larson returns for his senior season. Larson threw for 1,169 yards and 10 touchdowns last year. Allatoona doesn’t throw often, but when it does, Walker Dunlap and Turner Cockrell could be important targets as tight ends. Senior receiver Zach Nichols will take a lead role following the graduation of D.J. Ezell. Defensively, everything starts with replacing the production of departed linebacker
5-YEAR RECORD: 42-16
2013 RESULTS: 7-4 WOODLAND PAULDING CO. ROME LITHIA SPRINGS SOUTH PAULDING NEW MANCHESTER VILLA RICA HIRAM NORTH PAULDING EAST PAULDING KELL
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Woodstock 678.445.7730
AT ALEXANDER OCT. 3
W W W W L W W W L L L
VS VS PAULDING CO. CHAPEL HILL OCT. 24 NOV. 7 Justin Wade. Middle linebackers Chase Alexander and Will Kemp will lead the way behind a strong defensive line. Varner said junior Allen Johnson is expected to be a playmaker at defensive end, along with Brett Duncan at nose guard. Cole Wagner, who can play linebacker or defensive back, is also a playmaker in Allatoona’s backend. Senior Kameron Pena is expected to anchor a secondary that will be ripe with position battles. Wagner and Pena are seniors who’ve missed significant playing time in the past, but have high expectations. “It’s a very interesting group,” Varner said. “They both missed their sophomore years with injuries, so last year was really their first year at the varsity level.”
2013 LEADERS Rushing Josh Bettistea 1,938 YDS, 27 TD Passing Conner Larson 1,169 YDs, 10 TD Receiving D.J. Ezell 572 YDS, 8 TD Tackles Justin Wade 115 Sacks Will Kemp 4 Interceptions Scott Roembke 4
— By Michael Foster MDJ Sports Correspondent
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: GARY VARNER YEAR AT SCHOOL: 7 RECORD: 45-19 CAREER: 45-19 VARSITY COACHING STAFF TROY PETERSON — DC DAVID CITRON — WR BARRY COX — QB BRET HUMBINGER — DL MIKE DENNISON — LB CRAIG GASKINS — RB ANDY WILCOX — DL JEREMY ANDERSON — WR KEVIN PENA — DB ERIK FRIDBORG — K
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AIN’T BROKE DON’T FIX IT ALLATOONA’S POWER-I OFFENSE IS WORKING JUST FINE By Michael Foster MDJ Sports Correspondent Nestled remotely on Cobb County’s northwestern-most edge, Allatoona High School is still somewhat of a hidden treasure in a county full of rich football tradition and history. The Buccaneers football program is entering just its seventh year, but while the facilities may still have polish and smell like fresh paint, the football team has branded itself with an old-school identity. The team’s home uniforms have mimicked the University of Georgia’s timeless get-up, but, more than style, it’s coach Gary Varner’s preferred I-formation offense that has allowed the Staff/Kelly J. Huff Buccaneers to set sail. “I brought the system in when I took the job,” Allatoona will once again feature the Power-I offense against its opponents, anchored by, from left, senior fullback Bryant Dallas, junior tailback Russell Halimon, seniors quarterback Conner Larson and senior center Trevor Patrick. Between Halimon and Class AAAAA all-state See WORKING, Page 16 tailback Josh Bettistea, the Buccaneers ran for more than 2,700 yards last year, on their way to their fourth straight playoff appearance.
keeping you at the
top of your
game Acworth Austell Brookstone
Canton Douglasville East Cobb
Marietta Paulding Woodstock
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CAMPBELL SPARTANS
Location: 5265 Ward Street, Smyrna Phone: (678) 842-6850 Home Field: Richard McDaniel Stadium Online: campbellhighfootball.com
2014 SCHEDULE
VS SOUTH ATLANTA AUG. 22
VS VS STONE MTN. LAKESIDE AUG. 29 SEPT. 12 2014 ROSTER
NO. NAME 1 CAMERON ST. CYR 2 DEMOND COOPER 3 MONTY DANIEL 4 CHAUNCEY WERAH 5 JEVIUS ALMON 6 IRVAN DERAVINE 7 RANDY MCCLURE 8 GERARDO ESCOBEDO 9 KAHJ HUITT 10 JAWAN NOBLES 11 TREMAIN WATSON 12 GREGORY CARTER 13 JASON BERNARD 14 SHAQ WORSHAM 15 AARIONTE SMITH 16 EMMANUEL MONYEI 17 MAKAI KING 18 CHARLES MAY 19 TYRONE BARBERY 20 HASSAN GRAHAM 21 DARIUS HALL 22 KOBE PALMER 22 BRYAN RHODEN 23 GREG CALHOUN 24 JAHSEARRI RAGLAND 25 KEITH GATEWOOD 26 MONTREAL WILSON 27 BJ JOHNSON 28 MAURICE GIBSON 29 GEORGE MARSHALL 30 GUSTAVO DANIEL 32 MYLES JAMES 34 DERRIAN BROWN 36 SALENTO SUMRALL
CL. 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 11 11 12 12 12 12 12 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 10 10 12 11 11 10 10 12
POS. ATH ATH DL WR LB LB QB K RB QB DB DB DB WR DL WR WR WR WR RB DB LB ATH LB WR DB RB RB DB DB LB LB LB LB
AT EAST COWETA SEPT. 26
NO. NAME 38 CORTAVION HINTON 40 RAY DECOSEY 40 DJ OWENS 41 DEMETRI SPEARMAN 43 AHMAD LEWIS 43 KE’ANTE MORGAN 45 IZEYAH NAVAREZ 47 AVION SMITH 49 THOMAS CATER 50 CARLTON MOORE 52 BRODRICK WILLIAMS 54 DAVID SHARPE 56 MONTAYO HOOD 56 KEEGAN PERKINS 58 DARIONTE SMITH 60 PRESTON FUSSELL 63 MAKAI MCKINNEY 65 AMONTE HAMPTON 69 DEANDRE SEIDE 74 JORDAN BALLARD 74 RYAN PYREN 76 TARIQ GUSTAVE 78 KYRE HASSELL 80 MICHAEL LYONS 81 CHRISTIAN HARVEY 83 ALEX BURCH 85 CLARENCE SHARP 87 JELANI RADCLIFFE 89 JESSE FLETCHER 91 JYSHON GILLIARD 90 CHRISTIAN PUGH 92 DANIEL NOEL 96 KERION MCGHEE-BRADLEY
CL. 12 9 10 12 10 12 10 10 11 12 12 10 10 10 12 12 10 12 10 10 12 12 10 11 10 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 10
POS. DB ATH DB RB DB RB LB DB LB DL OL WR OL DL OL OL OL OL LB OL OL OL OL QB QB WR WR WR WR WR DL DL DB
AT VS LAN. HUGHES PEBBLEBROOK OCT. 3 OCT. 10 Campbell’s football program is starting fresh in more ways than one. Not only will the Spartans be led by a new coach in former Hillgrove assistant Ryan Brady, but they’ll also begin play in a new region. Campbell, Pebblebrook and South Cobb have been split from their Region 4AAAAAA brethren and will join South Atlanta-metro programs likes Douglas County, East Coweta, Langston Hughes, Newnan and Westlake in a new Region 3AAAAAA. “I would put our old region up there with the best in the state,” Brady said. “On any given night, if you slipped up, Pebblebrook or Campbell or South Cobb could beat you. With those teams moving, the competition level is there, but we feel good about the new region
36-6 37-19 26-28 20-23 28-63 35-49 35-26 24-44 49-35 0-38
and think if we start off on a good foot that we can be successful in it.” More importantly, Brady will have to find a way to make up for the 1,735 rushing yards, 23 rushing touchdowns, 85 tackles and three interceptions that belonged to Mike Rogers, who will play at Central Florida this fall. “Rogers was a guy that stood out on film time and time again,” Brady said. “Aside from running back, he probably could have played any position on the defense except defensive line.” Junior Kahj Huitt will lead the challenge, along with Cameron St. Cyr, and others. Junior quarterbacks Randy McClure and Jawan Nobles will compete to replace Ricky James at quarterback. Preston Fussell will anchor an offensive line that needs to establish depth, but Brady said he expects his starters to
5-YEAR RECORD: 11-39
2013 RESULTS: 4-6 MORROW OSBORNE HARRISON SOUTH COBB HILLGROVE MCEACHERN PEBBLEBROOK MARIETTA KENNESAW MTN. NORTH COBB
AT VS SOUTH COBB NEWNAN OCT. 24 OCT. 17 2014 OUTLOOK
W W L L L L W L W L
AT DOUGLAS CO. OCT. 31
VS WESTLAKE NOV. 7
be ready to compete. Defensively, senior defensive end Monty Daniel is a name to look out for. “We’re going to lean on Daniel,” Brady said. “He has some smaller school offers, but we anticipate him to receive interest from BCS schools before the season is over. He’s got a high motor.” Newcomer Kobe Palmer will add depth at linebacker, along with senior Jevius Almon. Junior defensive back Darius Hall is another player who Brady expects to gain attention from recruiters this season, along with Chauncey Werah, who will line up on both sides of the ball.
2013 LEADERS Rushing Mike Rogers 1,735 YDS, 23 TD Passing Ricky James 1,685 YDS, 12 TD Receiving Marlon Horne 1,017 YDS, 9 TD Tackles Gaiyon Reavish 133 Sacks Monty Daniel 5 Interceptions Mike Rogers 3
— By Michael Foster MDJ Sports Correspondent
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: RYAN BRADY YEAR AT SCHOOL: 1 RECORD: 0-0 CAREER: 0-0 VARSITY COACHING STAFF DANIEL PINCKNEY — OC/QB ALAN WILLIAMS — DC/DB MARIO ALLEN — RB JAMAL WILSON —WR ISAIAH WILLIAMS — OL KEVIN WILLIAMS — OL BYRON CURTIS —LB RICO REESE — DL JUSTIN KRAEMER — LB/ST
Sunday, August 17, 2014
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Page 15 Staff/Jeff Stanton
Campbell’s Chauncey Werah, left, and his brother, former Spartans receiver Chance Jackson, have been working out in the offseason to get in playing shape for their respective football seasons. Jackson graduated with a 3.5 GPA and will play for Stetson this season, while Werah maintains a 3.0. Jackson has set an example for his younger brother to follow when it comes to his academics.
LEAD BY EXAMPLE
BROTHERS HELP BRIDGE PAST TO PRESENT FOR NEW COACH AT CAMPBELL By Michael Foster MDJ Sports Correspondent When Ryan Brady took over as Campbell’s football coach in April, he knew his first task was to give the program a new culture. What Brady didn’t know is that an unlikely mentor would help him along the way. Chance Jackson, who’s entering his freshman season on a football scholarship at Stetson, has been Brady’s best ambassador over the summer. Jackson is everything Brady wants in a student-athlete. He was a letterman defensive back and won the 2013 defensive leadership award for Campbell last season, during former coach Harris Rainbow’s final year. Considering some of the challenges around the Campbell program recently — Brady is the sixth different coach over the last 10 years — it wouldn’t have been a surprise if Jackson took off to his new home in DeLand, Fla., as quickly as possible. Instead, Jackson stuck close to his alma mater through the summer,
using his leadership to tie Brady and the new staff with the players left in the program. Jackson continued to work out and condition at the school with his brother, Chauncey Werah, who is expected to emerge as this year’s leading man, according to Jackson and Brady. Since the coaching transition began, the two brothers have been the glue, pitching Brady’s vision and instilling an attitude that transcends yards and tackles, but also preaches living in the moment and being grateful for opportunity. “Grades are first. Discipline is first. That’s why I’m where I am right now,” said Jackson, who had a 3.5 grade point average. “School isn’t hard. You just need to go to class and do what you’ve got to do to better your situation.” Werah took notice of some disciplinary changes as well. “Starting from day one, it was simple things. New rules like not wearing cleats in the fieldhouse,” Werah said. “We had a couple See BRIDGE, Page 16
Campbell High School
Page 16
Working Continued from Page 13
said Varner, who came from Roswell and has gone 45-19 as the program’s only head coach. “It’s just kind of what we do and we stick to it.” A decade ago, the I-formation was commonplace. High school football has evolved since then to favor the trend to spread offenses, while other schools have committed to forms of the option. The Buccaneers’ pro-style attack is now more of an anomaly, but that’s not to say it hasn’t worked. “Obviously, the game has evolved a lot with spread, no-huddle, definitely taking over more than anything,” Varner said. “But, being an offensive coordinator in the I-formation and being an offensive line coach when I first started, I just feel comfortable with the line, the tailback play and the style, and we’ve had really good tailbacks.” The first was Miles Jones, who is now in the backfield at Jacksonville State.
KICKOFF 2014 Jones set the Allatoona standard with back-to-back seasons in 2010-11 that produced 1,939 and 2,142 yards respectively. T.J. Herron followed suit in 2012 with a 1,322 yard season, and got a little help from his friend. That friend was Josh Bettistea, who ran for 1,190 yards as a sophomore. Last year, Bettistea ran for 1,938 yards and 27 touchdowns, but he, too, had help as Russell Halimon emerged as a threat with 748 yards rushing. Now, both return for the 2014 season. Some might think younger players would want to follow the continuing trend away from the I-formation, but both tailbacks, the quarterback and center are all in favor of Varner’s system. “When you’re pass-blocking, you really just can’t smack someone,” senior center Trevor Patrick said. “Other teams try to go around you, but we come straight downhill.” “They’re not used to that because we seriously run it down their throats every single play,” Halimon said. “They know it’s coming, but they can’t stop it. It’s crazy sometimes. We want to come right
at you.” Patrick, tackle Joseph Nicholson and Kent State commitment Conor Brumfield will once again anchor the offense in the trenches, while quarterback Conner Larson, who threw for 1,169 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, is back to direct the offense. “Our quarterback has to be smart and understand the defense and what plays are called,” Varner said. The system makes Larson a gamemanager in the role that Alabama’s AJ McCarron carried out for the Crimson Tide the last three years. “I may have some shotgun dreams,” Larson joked. “We get drilled on the footwork a lot and have to know how to properly do drop backs, which you don’t do as much of in other systems, so there’s a lot of preparation.” However, the commitment to the ground game has opened things up when Larson wants to go downfield. “When we do throw it’s always high-percentage because things open up, so usually we’ve got guys open.”
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Bridge Continued from Page 15
of guys walk in there with cleats and, next thing we knew, we were doing up-downs in 90 degrees. Little things like that are going to have us mentally prepared to be a better team.” Brady said both brothers have been vital to the program’s reconstruction. “Chance’s experiences here, he kind of saw the changes we were making in the program and how the kids were buying in and he was excited about that and felt like he wished he had one more year to be a part of what’s happening here at Campbell,” Brady said. “As far as Chauncey goes, he was a kid I remember coaching against at Hillgrove. He stands out, not because he’s a rah-rah guy but because he leads by example and doing things the right way. But I think Chance kind of set the tone for how hard these guys worked this summer. It was nice that it was a peer expressing things to the team.” “You never know how quickly football goes by,” Jackson said. “These guys need to take in every moment.”
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Men Continued from Page 11 He’s noticed how good offensive line depth from the county has come in cycles. “It’s odd how it’s been that way,” Matt Kemper said. “Over the last couple of years, it’s been the skill guys like running backs and quarterbacks and defensive backs. This year, it’s been linemen. Really good college linemen are a precious commodity because you have to be big to get those big-time offers. That’s genetics and that can’t be coached.” Sharp, like Kemper, is one of those big linemen. At 6-5, 285 pounds, the Auburn commitment also understands that the job of an offensive linemen isn’t one for the braggadocios. “You have to be a guy who can bite your tongue and know you’ve done a good job when the team scores or gets a long run or a great catch,” he said. “You’ve done your job when the team is successful. “I look at film to see how we block to make things happen. It’s a job for the unsung hero and we have to accept that.” Bailey noted that good offensive linemen take care of the smallest details. He says they have to be nitpicky. They have to watch their steps, be knowledgeable about where their hands are and how their weight is distributed. Being tough goes a long way, too. “Every play you have to go as hard as you can
KICKOFF 2014 for every snap of the ball because against defensive linemen, if they feel like you’re slowing down, then they crank up on you even harder,” he said. “Linemen have to have a brawler mentality. You have to be someone who isn’t scared to get in someone’s face.” Cobb County linemen have been successful because of all of those things. Plus, the coaches in the area preach the important things that help linemen compete to the best of their abilities and get college coaches to look at them. “It takes hard work and having pride for the team and for what you do,” said Allatoona coach Gary Varner. The Buccaneers still utilize a run-heavy offense and good offensive line play is key to his team’s success. “Ego has no place on the offensive line,” Varner said. “The best ones are low key, hard-working guys that just enjoy football. Being a big, strong guy with long arms can help you get to the next level, but in high school, you can win with hard work.” Not everyone is suited to play along the offensive line. There’s understanding technique, plays, how to use leverage and understanding a defense that goes into being a quality linemen. They also have to take the abuse. “That’s huge,” Varner said. “Plus, guys have to train for the toughness and pressure of being on the line. They get hit on every play and knock helmets all the time. They get kicked a lot and run over. You have to like that, and understand that you give up a lot of yourself for the team to be successful.”
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CHEROKEE COUNTY STILL REACHING FOR THE PRIZE STILL LOOKING FOR AN ELUSIVE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, COUNTY PROGRAMS STILL HAVE GOAL FIRMLY IN MIND By Emily Horos ehoros@cherokeetribune.com
Staff/Kelly J. Huff
The six programs in Cherokee County — Cherokee, Creekview, Etowah, River Ridge, Sequoyah and Woodstock — have yet to win the elusive Georgia High School Association football state championship in any classification. Despite the lack of history, the coaches around the county all have the postseason on their minds, with the knowledge that once they are in the playoffs, anything can happen.
State titles aren’t given away. They are earned. In more than 150 combined seasons of playing football across various classifications, no team from Cherokee County has won a state title, but that hasn’t stopped players from competing for a chance to hold that cup. “It’s something that we talked about all the way back when I was at Etowah,” Cherokee coach Josh Shaw said. “There have only been five region championships ever won out of this county. Personally, we don’t talk much about winning a state championship. We are just concerned about getting our program back into the playoffs.” Creekview coach Terry Crowder led Chattahoochee to a state championship in 2010. He was also a part of the staff when Camden County won its first state title in 2003. Neither program had previously won a state title. Crowder doesn’t think there is anything that stops a team from Cherokee County from winning a state title. In fact, he plans to do it. “What I am going to tell everybody is that we can do this at Creekview,” Crowder said. “It’s not easy. Will we do it this year, I don’t know. But once you’ve been there, done that, then you believe you can do it again. Once you’ve done it, you see it’s not impossible.” Crowder said he begins each season with his goal as being a state champion. He encourages his players that winning at title isn’t “out of the relm of possibilities” at Creekview or another Cherokee County school. “My first thought is a state championship and that is why I coach,” Crowder said. “Getting to the playoffs is nice, but I live for the playoffs.” The Warriors haven’t been to the playoffs under Shaw — or at all since 2007. A year ago, they came within
one win of the playoffs and, from there Shaw believes, anything could have happened. “After you get into the playoffs and are one of those 32 teams, then anything can happen,” Shaw said. “It’s all about how the ball bounces.” Etowah coach Dave Svehla isn’t thinking about a state title before the season starts and he doesn’t imagine any of his players are either. Svehla has coached as an assistant in the state semifinals and quarterfinals, and he said it takes more than a good team to win a state title. It takes a lot of luck. “What you realized when you get to those places there is a lot of luck involved,” Svehla said. “You have to be healthy and there are some things that just have to go in your favor besides just being a good football team. I think at the beginning of the season you are worried about a lot of other things.” Shaw agrees. “Those of us in AAAAAA know we are going to face a Norcross or a Mill Creek in the playoffs,” Shaw said. “Norcross had 63 seniors last year, but most of us here don’t have 63 varsity players, let alone 63 seniors. I think you always understand in our county that we are fighting an uphill battle.” Svehla said it has been tough enough for Cherokee County programs to win region titles, let alone state ones. He is right, although the Eagles have won more region championships than any other county team. Etowah won three (2006, 2008, 2010), all under former coach Bill Stewart. Cherokee, which has nearly 60 seasons of football under its belt, won its only region title in 2002. Sequoyah won a region title in 2003. Creekview has come close, winning a subregion title twice. Sequoyah’s James Teter has been a varsity head coach in the county longer than any other current coach. During his five seasons with See PRIZE, Page 28
Sunday, August 17, 2014
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Sunday, August 17, 2014
CHEROKEE WARRIORS
Location: 930 Marietta Hwy, Canton Phone: (770) 479-4112 Home Field: Tommy Baker Field Online: cherokeewarriorsfootball.com
2014 SCHEDULE
AT CHATTAHOOCHEE
AUG. 22
NO. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 10 11 12 14 15 16 16 17 18 19 20 20 22 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 38 39 41
VS AT N. FORSYTH ETOWAH AUG. 29 SEPT. 5 2014 ROSTER
NAME DONTE BAKER NICK BRUNO GRIFFIN MOON SPENCER ASHLEY BRYSON PERRY JACK CARROLL VANCE TAYLOR BRITTAIN BROWN THOMAS BROWN ANDREW HARRIS JARETT ASHLEY DWAYNE TILLER RONNIE CHASTAIN PRESTON WILLIAMS TAYLOR SEY DEMARCUS BOLDEN JUSTIN WEATHERS BRENDAN KENNEY NOLAN DONLEY JACOB TUCKER GARY DUBIEL JAKE KLEBAR COLTON ROZANSKE SETH BRISTOL BROCK THOMPSON BRANDON JOHNSON WESLEY LEE ERIC PATTERSON ZACH MILHOLLAND MONTRELL WASHINGTON ASHER DAVIS RYAN CHANCE OBIE BRANNON TANNER MOCK ADAM MAYO MICHAEL BEAN JUAN CRUZ TYLER GIBBS JOHN BENZ MAT BRUBAKER JAMORI FOX
CL. 12 12 12 12 11 10 11 11 11 12 10 11 12 12 12 12 10 10 10 11 12 10 12 10 10 12 10 11 10 10 12 10 11 10 11 12 11 10 10 11 12
POS. WR RB/DB DB QB DB QB/LB RB/DB RB/DB DB WR/DB DL RB/LB WR WR P RB/DB WR DB QB WR/DB K RB WR/K DL WR/LB DB DL DB DB WR DB DB K DB LB LB DB LB/RB K LB DL
NO. 42 43 44 45 47 49 50 50 51 52 53 54 55 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 68 69 70 71 74 75 76 77 80 81 82 83 84 85 89 90 99
VS WHEELER SEPT. 12
NAME KAMARI WALKER MACEN BAILEY TYLER ROZANSKE CONNER STEVENS DAKOTA DAVIS BOWEN MCGOWAN JORDAN TOWNSEND JACOB SIMS CHRISTOPHER MANCUSO NATHAN DENT STEVEN MORRISON JOSH CROWLEY TRAVIS HEAD ANDREW HODGINS STEPHEN BEASLEY PETE MILLEN WILL GILL CHANDLER LANIER DJ MORGAN CHARLES PERRY JACOB HARVEY BEN FLUKE JOSH OBRYANT JAKE OBRYANT GARRETT SMITH BRETT MORGAN JAKE ALVEY JOHNATHON BROWER WYATT FISHER ADAM REYNOLDS TREVOR SMITH ZACH MORRIS CAMERON GRAHAM ISAAC GONZALEZ MICHAEL SCHOFIELD JAKE WITHEROW CHRISTOPHER HENSLEY DAWSON HEPLER DIMITRY LEWIS KEVIN HITCHCOCK JEROME BAILEY NASSIR TURNER
CL. 10 12 10 11 12 10 12 10 11 12 11 11 12 10 12 11 12 10 11 10 12 11 12 12 12 10 10 10 11 11 11 10 10 10 11 10 10 10 10 12 12 10
POS. LB LB DB/RB RB LB DB DL/OL DL DL DL DL OL OL/DL OL/DL DL DL DL OL/DL OL OL/DL OL/DL OL OL OL OL DL OL/DL DL OL DL DL OL/DL OL/DL DB WR DL DB DB WR WR DL DL
AT POPE SEPT. 26
VS WOODSTOCK OCT. 3
Two years removed from a 1-9 campaign, Cherokee coach Josh Shaw said a lot of expectations have been placed on his team — and rightfully so. Quarterback Spencer Ashley returns for his third season running the Warriors’ offense. Ashley took a lot of hits as a sophomore, but matured quickly. In 2013, with the team coming together around him, he passed for more than 2,200 yards — second among Class AAAAAA quarterbacks in the regular season. Ashley lost his primary receiving target in Blace Brown, who is now at Troy University, which gives the other returning wideouts big shoes to fill. Stepping in will be the committee of seniors Andrew Harris and Colton Rozanske, along with sophomore Montrell Washington. “Our thought process is just to get the ball to our athletes,” Shaw said. “We are going to
53-34 34-14 27-34 41-42 14-38 35-27 28-21 34-29 7-42 20-30
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try to do that as much as we can.” Brittain Brown, who made headlines last year as a sophomore, is expected to continue to do so this season. The two-way player has started a collection of Division I offers, which he can be expected to grow over the next 18 months leading up to his signing day in 2016. Brown led the Warriors in touchdowns last season with 10 as a running back, while also playing safety and returning kicks. “He is going to get the ball more times than he knows what to do with it,” Shaw said. Vance Taylor (Jr.) and Demarcus Bolden (Sr.) will also see significant time. Three-year starter Travis Head (Sr.) is the only returning member of the offensive line, while senior twins Josh and Jake O’Bryant will be forces on defense. Senior Jordan Townsend will move from defensive line to
5-YEAR RECORD: 14-36
2013 RESULTS: 5-5 CREEKVIEW SEQUOYAH NORTH FORSYTH LASSITER WALTON WOODSTOCK ETOWAH ROSWELL MILTON WHEELER
W W L L L W W W L L
AT ROSWELL OCT. 24
VS AT LASSITER MILTON OCT. 17 OCT. 10 2014 OUTLOOK
VS WALTON OCT. 31
center. Other key players include Garrett Smith (Sr.), Jamori Fox (Sr.), Jacob Harvey (Sr.), Michael Bean (Sr.), Asher Davis, (Sr.), Griffin Moon (Sr.), Dwayne Tiller (Jr.) and kickers Gary Dubiel (Sr.) and Obie Brannon (Jr.). The Warriors return six starters on offense and six on defense, including many of the skill players. Cherokee spent time this summer at a pair of National Select 7-on-7 passing tournaments as well as attending a Fellowship of Christian Athletes team camp. Shaw said the experience helped develop chemistry. “It gave us a ton of reps throwing the ball,” he said. “It gave us an opportunity to compete. We are ready to hit the ground running.” — By Emily Horos ehoros@cherokeetribune.com
2013 LEADERS RUSHING BLAKE JOHNSTON 705 YDS, 8 TD PASSING SPENCER ASHLEY 2,276 YDS, 16 TD RECEIVING BLACE BROWN 1,137 YDS, 7 TD ANDREW HARRIS 526 YDS, 7 TD TACKLES MICHAEL BEAN 124 BRANDON HROUDA 117 SACKS AUBREY SHARP 5 INTERCEPTIONS BRITTAIN BROWN 1
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: JOSH SHAW YEAR AT SCHOOL: 3 RECORD: 6-14 CAREER: 6-14 VARSITY COACHING STAFF STEPHEN JACKSON — OC/QB ADAM JOHNSON — RB MATT ELY — DC JEFF ZMISTOWSKI —DL ROB WILLIAMS — OL JASON MCDANIEL — DB GREG LABELLE
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Sunday, August 17, 2014
Page 21
HIS TIME TO SHINE SPENCER ASHLEY READY TO LEAD CHEROKEE BACK TO PROMINENCE
By Emily Horos ehoros@cherokeetribune.com Over the past two seasons, Cherokee quarterback Spencer Ashley has grown up quite a bit. Ashley, a senior, earned the role of starting quarterback prior to his sophomore season. That year was a constant struggle as the Warriors finished just 1-9. “He took a pounding as a 10th-grader,” Cherokee coach Josh Shaw said, who was then in his first year with the Warriors. “Just because we weren’t a very good football team, he got sacked something astronomical like 30 times and was running for his life on a lot of those plays.” The junior campaign was less of a struggle as Ashley and the team finished the transition from being an option team to a spread offense. The Warriors fought to a 5-5 record and were on the cusp of reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2007 when Wheeler rallied for a victory in the final game of the regular season. The Warriors were left out of the playoffs, but had earned the bragging rights in Cherokee County with wins over Creekview, Sequoyah, Woodstock and then-undefeated Etowah.
Ashley, who had proven to be a capable quarterback during his sophomore season that resulted in him being named the Cherokee County Gridiron Club Quarterback of the Year, saw his team mature around him. Players like Michael Bean and Blace Brown began to stand out. In fact, Ashley, who entered the season as the team’s top returner on offense, soon found himself being overshadowed. On his own team, Ashley’s accomplishments were hidden by Brown, who was grabbing passes and headlines after moving from playing in the defensive secondary to wide receiver for his senior year. Brown went on to be named a CoPlayer of the Year by the Gridiron Club and was named Class AAAAAA all-state. In the county, other quarterbacks such as Woodstock’s Justin Agner, who was named the Offensive Player of the Year by the Gridiron Club, and Creekview’s Kyle Wilkie, who shared Quarterback of the Year honors with Ashley, began to draw attention. But instead of hanging his head, Ashley became determined to work harder. After passing for nearly 2,300 yards as a See SHINE, Page 28
Staff/Jeff Stanton
Cherokee quarterback Spencer Ashley led Class AAAAAA in passing during the regular season and made the Warriors a team to be reckoned with in 2013. Now, he hopes to lead Cherokee back to the playoffs for the first time since 2007.
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Sunday, August 17, 2014
CREEKVIEW GRIZZLIES
Location: 1550 Owens Store Road, Canton Phone: (770) 720-7600 Home Field: Grizzly Den Online: gogrizzly.net
2014 SCHEDULE
(AT MCEACHERN)
N. PAULDING AUG. 22
VS VS RIVERWOOD BL. TRINITY SEPT. 5 SEPT. 12 2014 ROSTER
NO. NAME CL. POS. 1 TERRY WILLIAMS 11 WR/DB 2 BRIAN DAVIS 10 WR/DB 3 WALTER GROGAN 12 WR/DL 4 DAWSON EWERS 12 WR/DB 5 NOLAN KNOX 10 RB/DB 5 NOAH BLACKWELL 9 WR/DB 11 RB/LB 6 DYLAN CARL 7 CHRIS REDDICK 12 WR/DB 8 PARKER GAILEY 11 WR/DB 9 ADDISON PRATER 11 WR/LB 11 QB 10 KYLE WILKIE 10 CONNER RICE 9 WR/DB 10 WR/DB 11 TREVOR KOLB 10 QB/DB 12 BRETT MELLO 12 WYATT HEPBURN 9 RB/DB 13 GARRETT LUSK 12 WR/DB 14 CHANDLER GANTT 9 QB/DB 9 WR/DB 15 B. PATTERSON 10 WR/DB 15 T. CARRERE 10 WR/DB 16 JOHN HOMSEY 10 WR/DB 17 CARTER GEHL 18 CHANDLER WOLD 12 WR/DB 19 JIMMY SCHOPPY 10 WR/DB 11 WR/DB 20 JAKE AXON 20 TANNER MCCRARY 9 QB/DB 11 WR/LB 21 JOHN REED 22 ZACH JOHNSTON 9 WR/DB 9 WR/DB 23 KYLE MALLETT 23 SAWYER SCOTT 12 WR/DB
NO. NAME CL. POS. 24 CALEB POTTER 12 WR/LB 25 CAMERON CURRIE 10 RB/DL 25 MITCH MICHAUD 9 WR/DB 26 SHANE RODMAN 9 RB/DB 27 KEVIN JONES 11 RB/DB 28 CHASE BROOKS 12 RB/LB 10 WR/DB 29 CURTIS OSLIN 9 WR/DB 30 CAM HOGAN 9 QB/LB 30 JAMES WALL 31 LEVI GIBBS 9 RB/LB 32 WILL MICHAUD 10 WR/LB 33 HENRY DIRRIN 9 RB/DB 35 M. YARBROUGH 9 RB/LB 37 ALEX ROMAN 10 WR/DB 9 WR/LB 38 J. WAYLAND 9 RB/LB 39 JEFF BARRA 41 CARTER RICE 9 WR/DB 10 OL/LB 42 DANIELWISE 44 TAYLOR SHAW 10 WR/LB 12 RB/DB 45 BJ SMITH 9 WR/DB 46 LANE COLLIER 47 PARKER WEBB 10 WR/DB 48 TREY PEPPERS 12 TE/LB 50 JACOB STEPHENS 11 OL/DL 51 NOAH MIKAN 12 OL/DL 52 ZACH CHESTER 12 OL/DL 53 RODDY OVETSKY 12 OL/DL 54 MASON RAMSEY 12 OL/DL 55 DAVID SWEET 11 OL/DL
VS ROME SEPT. 19
NO. NAME CL. POS. 56 REID BOWMAN 11 OL/DL 58 JACOB WEBB 10 OL/DL 59 ZACH BOYNTON 12 OL/DL 60 TJ SEITZ 9 OL/DL 61 BRYCE NEAL 12 OL/DL 62 N. SINGLETON 10 OL/DL 12 OL/DL 64 DYLAN BIDDY 66 MARK GOODWIN 10 OL/DL 66 JACK CUPP 9 OL/DL 67 CADE RUSHING 10 OL/DL 68 J. JOHNSON 12 OL/DL 69 DAVID SMITH 12 OL/DL 70 THOMAS LATIMER 9 OL/DL 72 COLE KILLEN 10 OL/DL 73 JOSH POTTER 10 OL/DL 75 MIKE MCGRAW 9 OL/DL 75 RYAN BOWMAN 12 OL/LB 76 BRENNEN DUPREE 11 OL/DL 77 JOSH HORWITZ 10 OL/DL 78 CONNER MCCANN 10 OL/DL 79 R. HILDEBRANDT 9 OL/DL 81 S. MCMAINS 9 WR/DB 9 WR/DB 83 WILL TUTEN 9 WR/DB 84 KYLE MELLO 88 DANIEL PARKER 9 WR/DB 9 OL/DL 90 HUNTER BELL 91 JUSTIN LEATH 9 OL/DL 97 AUSTIN JOHNSON 9 K 99 JARED WISE 9 OL/DL
AT CASS SEPT. 26
VS VS SEQUOYAH WOODLAND OCT. 17 OCT. 10 2014 OUTLOOK
AT DALTON OCT. 3
Few football coaches are able to walk away from their first year with a new program with an 8-3 record, but Creekview’s Terry Crowder did just that. Losses to Cherokee and Kell provided the bookends for a narrow 20-19 win over River Ridge before the Grizzlies put together a sevengame winning streak that ended with a one-point loss against East Paulding in the opening round of the Class AAAAA playoffs. Crowder and his players have set the goal of not only returning to the state playoffs, but seeing just how far they can go. Junior quarterback Kyle Wilkie will take snaps for the second season following an outstanding sophomore campaign, which saw him lead the county in passing with 2,309 yards and 23 touchdowns. Other key players include senior tight end Trey Peppers, linebacker Chase Brooks and defensive backs Dawson Ewers and
5-YEAR RECORD: 34-19
2013 RESULTS: 8-3 CHEROKEE RIVER RIDGE KELL OSBORNE SEQUOYAH NORTHVIEW CAMBRIDGE FORSYTH CENTRAL NORTH SPRINGS SPRAYBERRY EAST PAULDING
34-53 20-19 7-34 54-13 17-14 35-28 27-24 21-17 52-7 35-13 33-34
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Chandler Wold. All told, Creekview returns three of its four receivers and three of four members of the offensive line. The Grizzlies weren’t untouched by graduation, but return 17 starters from 2013. The biggest loss of the group is two-way starter Connor Dulmage, who is now at Charlotte, but the team also lost linemen Michael Shaw and Cody Watkins as well as defensive back Nick Fahrnbauer, running back Isaiah Rodgers and linebacker Joseph Sorrentino. Creekview is still looking for a kicker to replace Ben McClellan, another graduation loss. “Offensively, I think we might be a little bit better than we were last year,” Crowder said. “Defensively, we will be the same as we were last year, but I think that is where we need to improve the most. We were OK offensively. We were OK defensively. I think to get to where we want to be,
L W L W W W W W W W L
AT RIVER RIDGE OCT. 31
PLAY-IN TBA NOV. 7
we need to be great on the defensive side. If you are great on the defensive side, then that covers up a lot of things.” Another challenge Creekview will face is its schedule. While the team will have a chance to warm up with scrimmages against Lambert and Cherokee, it won’t be an easy road. The Grizzlies will face North Paulding in the opening game of the Corky Kelly Classic at McEachern before non-region games against Riverwood and Blessed Trinity. The Region 7AAAAA schedule will include Rome, Cass, Dalton and Sequoyah. “We have our hands full there early,” Crowder said. “Our schedule is way tougher than it was last year.” — By Emily Horos ehoros@cherokeetribune.com
2013 LEADERS RUSHING ISAIAH RODGERS 955 YDS, 8 TD PASSING KYLE WILKIE 2,309 YDS, 23 TD RECEIVING CONNOR DULMAGE 697 YDS, 12 TD CHANDLER WOLD 571 YDS, 4 TD TACKLES LOGAN RIDLINGS 98 98 CONNOR DULMAGE SACKS JOSEPH SORRENTINO 4 INTERCEPTIONS CONNOR DULMAGE 8
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: TERRY CROWDER YEAR AT SCHOOL: 2 RECORD: 8-3 CAREER: 68-43 VARSITY COACHING STAFF MATT HOLLIS RYAN CORBETT SETH DEERING FREDDIE FOSTER TIM SMYRL CHRIS JEFFREYS JUSTIN WHEELER CHIP WLUDYGA SHAWN MCCLELLAN
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MAKING GRADES CREEKVIEW’S CHASE BROOKS HAS HIS EYE ON THE IVY LEAGUE By Emily Horos ehoros@cherokeetribune.com
Staff/Emily Horos
Creekview’s Chase Brooks tackles his studies as hard as he does opposing ball-carriers. The Grizzlies linebacker currently holds a 4.0 grade-point average and has his sights set on playing football in the Ivy League.
When Creekview linebacker Chase Brooks dreams of playing football in college it’s not SEC or ACC. It’s Ivy League. Brooks, a senior, has a 4.0 grade-point average, but he is gearing up for his most challenging year yet as he is enrolled in five Advanced Placement classes. He is currently ranked in the top 15 of his graduating class. So when he isn’t on the field making hits, he’ll be hitting the books, and he doesn’t seem to mind. “I take my academics pretty seriously,” Brooks said. “Both of my parents are teachers, so they kind of instilled their work ethic in me.” Creekview coach Terry Crowder said that work ethic can be seen on the field as well. “He is one of those guys that everyone feels lucky to have,”
Crowder said. “He is just able to manage everything. For him to manage five AP classes and the things we put him through is just amazing. I wish I could have been more like him when I was in school.” When it comes to college, Brooks would like to play football, but his education and the cost of attending school are equally important. He will be paying for college himself and is considering medical school after that. “I’ve been looking at Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia academically,” Brooks said. “My sister (Savannah) goes to Georgia Tech right now, and I like the campus and everything. Getting money from the HOPE Scholarship would really help, but I’d have to give up football. Since I’m paying for college myself, I want to keep the cost down as low as I can.” See GRADES, Page 28
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Sunday, August 17, 2014
ETOWAH EAGLES
Location: 6565 Putnam Ford Road, Woodstock Phone: (770) 926-4411 Home Field: Eagle Stadium Online: etowaheaglesfootball.com
2014 SCHEDULE
AT MARIETTA AUG. 22
VS VS SEQUOYAH CHEROKEE AUG. 29 SEPT. 5 2014 ROSTER
NO. NAME 1 NOAH DYE 3 TREY MOORE 4 CORY BURDETT 5 RAISHOD DEVEZIN 6 CHARLES LANE 7 STUART HEAD 8 ALSTON DUNCAN 9 TREVOR HEAD 10 CASEY SNOW 11 DAKOTA JACKSON 12 PATRICK FERRIS 15 MOHAMMED SALAME 18 ROBBIE KNOX 18 ADAM MADHLOM 19 BRANDON HOPPER 21 TYRAE DEVEZIN 21 KINGSLEY EDIAE-HOLLY 22 MARSHALL STURDIVANT 24 STANLEE LOGUE 26 TRAVIS COOPER 27 AUSTIN STARK 28 ZACH BEALE 31 GREG MCCULLOCH 32 BRONSON RECHSTEINER 32 CRAIG WINEMAN 33 CALEB BARDEN-STREET 34 LAMON DAWSON 34 BRAXTON MCCALLUM 40 VINCENT RILEY 41 ANTHONY BAUDO 42 RANDALL MARTINEZ 43 COLLIN MITCHELL 44 JOE VICZENSKY
POS. WR RB/DB WR/DB RB DB QB/DB WR WR WR DB QB TE/DB QB DB WR RB/DB RB RB/DB RB/DB WR DB DB DB WR/LB DB RB RB RB RB DL LB LB LB
NO. NAME 45 ALAN MICHAEL HARRIS 46 JON MAXWELL 46 JON PHARIS 47 TYKEE ATKINS 48 BRANDON REIBLY 50 BEN VICZENSKY 51 RYAN KAIO 52 DANIEL GARCIA 53 BRYCE MCCALLUM 54 NICK SEARCY 55 SCOTT MORGAN 56 BLAINE MILLER 58 MATT MORGAN 64 BRAD MORGAN 65 NIC JOHNSON 67 CHRIS MCCULLOCH 69 JOEL HAPPEL 70 CARLOS GARCIA 71 CHARLES DAVIS 72 COLTON HUNTER 76 TREVIS GRIFFIN 76 SAM TRAUTWEIN 77 ALEX SMITH 78 GEORGE MCCULLOCH 79 FORREST KELLY 81 CHRIS RINKER 82 PATRICK OLIVER 83 ELIJAH HOLMAN 85 CODY MCCRAE-BERDUE 93 ERIK BIRCHWELL JAGGAR LAIRD CHRIS HALL
VS POPE SEPT. 12 POS. RB LB WR DL DL OL/DL OL/DL DL DL OL OL/DL DL OL OL OL OL OL DL OL OL DL OL OL DL OL WR/DB TE TE TE K
AT WOODSTOCK SEPT. 26
which left Svehla to believe his team would not be considered a front-runner for the region title this season. Robbie Knox is stepping in at quarterback to replace John Oliver, who graduated and is now at Air Force. Knox became the starter midway through his sophomore year, but missed his entire junior season after having surgery. Now back on the field, he hopes to pick up where he left off. Other returners including senior running backs Raishod Devezin (631 yards, 5 TD) and Stanlee Logue, junior Bronson Rechsteiner and senior Nick Searcy on the offensive line, junior linebacker Caleb Barden-Street, and senior defensive back Cory Burdett, but underclassmen will also be key. Tyrae Devezin fills the description of both a returner and underclassmen. The younger brother of
Etowah coach Dave Svehla didn’t realize his team had a target on its back until he sat down with the other coaches in the county. Despite having a pair of linemen that are bound for Georgia Tech in Brad and Scott Morgan, Svehla just didn’t see it that way. “Honestly, we have given that no thought,” Svehla said. “Do I have expectations for our program? Of course I do, but I would question whether or not our team will be in the top of the region. We have to prove some things before I think our team has earned that kind of respect.” The Eagles were at one time in the hunt for the 2013 Region 5AAAAAA title, but with a 7-3 record, fell to fourth in the region standings and narrowly advanced to the state playoffs. The team then graduated more than a dozen players, including its starting quarterback,
5-YEAR RECORD: 28-26
2013 RESULTS: 7-4 LAMBERT CENTENNIAL POPE WHEELER ROSWELL MILTON CHEROKEE WOODSTOCK WALTON LASSITER NORCROSS
27-10 44-17 41-7 31-14 38-26 24-15 21-28 35-28 5-28 20-37 0-28
VS ROSWELL OCT. 31
AT AT WHEELER LASSITER OCT. 24 OCT. 10 2014 OUTLOOK
VS MILTON OCT. 3
W W W W W W L W L L L
AT WALTON NOV. 7
Raidshod Devezin, Tyrae was called up to play as a freshmen after the team was hit by a pair of injuries. He rose to the occasion and will retain his spot at corner. Svehla expects a few other sophomores to find their way into the Friday night lineup. The Eagles will also benefit from four returners on the offensive line. Still, the schedule won’t do the team any favors. “We do not always match up favorably with our opponents, but our kids work hard,” Svehla said. “They have winning attitudes and I’ll take that anytime. “If we play well, we will have a good season. If we don’t play well, we can get beat by anyone on our schedule.”
2013 LEADERS RUSHING RAISHOD DEVEZIN 631 YDS, 8 TD PASSING JOHN OLIVER 449 YDS, 6 TD RECEIVING JOE ELLIS 130 YDS, 0 TD TACKLES CALEB STREET 89 75 KEITH GORDON SACKS CHANDLER STEELE 8 JAMES ARNOLD 5 INTERCEPTIONS CORY BURDETTE 3
— By Emily Horos ehoros@cherokeetribune.com
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: DAVE SVEHLA YEAR AT SCHOOL: 3 RECORD: 11-10 CAREER: 11-10 VARSITY COACHING STAFF BRETT VAVRA — DC CHARLIE HIGDON — DL RODNEY HUNTER — RB BRIAN PIERSON — DB ROBERT HOLMAN — OL CHRIS PACK — OL STEVE SAPERE — LB
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KICKOFF 2014
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Page 25
Staff/Emily Horos
Etowah’s Robbie Knox missed the 2013 season with a shoulder injury, but the starting quarterback returns to the Eagles this fall to help them try to win in Region 5AAAAAA.
WORLD OF HARD KNOX ETOWAH’S QUARTERBACK MISSED 2013 WITH AN INJURY, BUT NOW HE’S BACK TO LEAD THE EAGLES AGAIN By Emily Horos ehoros@cherokeetribune.com Robbie Knox has a long history with football. Quarterbacking division and league championship teams since he was 10 years old, Knox led Etowah’s 2011 freshman team to an undefeated season. A year later as a sophomore, Knox was settling into the role as the junior varsity quarterback. Reeves Johnson, a senior, and John Oliver, a junior, battled for the starting varsity position with Johnson eventually winning out. However, that didn’t last long. Johnson was hit with a season-ending injury during
a September 2012 game and Knox stepped for a taste of varsity football as Oliver had moved to wide receiver. After serving as the mid-game replacement, Knox took on the backup role as Oliver stepped in as the starter. However, another quarterback injury — this time a broken collarbone suffered by Oliver — would move Knox back to the front once again. The sophomore started the next five games while Etowah went 1-4 to finish the season at 4-6. Expectations were that Knox and Oliver would fight for the starting job in 2013, but that didn’t happen. “He came to me in January and said he had a torn labrum,” Etowah coach Dave
Svehla said. “As a kid who is a baseball player first, I knew that meant he was going to wait until after baseball season to have the surgery, which meant he would miss football season.” The surgery would keep Knox on the sidelines through his junior football season. He returned to play third base for the Eagles in the spring, and despite the risk of a future football injury, the 6-foot-1, 185pound Knox kept his promise to Svehla by returning to the football team for his senior year. “It’s my senior year and you only get to play once,” Knox said. Knox said it has been tough coming back from an injury.
!
“You learn a lot on the sidelines when you aren’t playing,” Knox said. “You learn how the guys on the sidelines not playing feel, but you also know how playing feels.” While injured, Knox stayed active with the team. He attended games and practices in order to learn all he could about the plays he would call and formations he would face. Now Knox is back on the field and determined to make the most of his second chance as the Eagles’ starting quarterback. “I might try to play football in college,” he said. “I don’t know about baseball right now. So I’m seeing where it goes.”
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KICKOFF 2014
Page 26
Sunday, August 17, 2014
HARRISON HOYAS
Location: 4500 Due West Road, Kennesaw Phone: (678) 594-8104 Home Field: Bruce Cobleigh Stadium Online: harrisonhoyafootball.com
2014 SCHEDULE
VS POPE AUG. 22
AT VS WHEELER EAST COWETA AUG. 29 SEPT. 5 2014 ROSTER
NO. NAME CL. POS. 1 ORLANDO HESTER 12 RB/DB 2 ALEX PORTWOOD 12 RB/DB 3 WINSTON BOYKIN 12 RB/DB 4 C. YOUNCE 10 WR/FS 6 CHRIS MAXIMUM 10 RB/LB 7 SETH COWAN 12 WR/FS 8 ADONIS SMITH 11 WR/DB 9 RODNEY CYRIAQUE 12 WR/DB 10 HARRISON FROST 10 QB/FS 11 AIDAN LOUCKS 11 WR/DB 12 ISAAC MILLER 10 QB/QB 13 ROSS NEELY 12 TE/LB 14 BEN BROCK 11 QB/FS 15 JUWAN OWENS 10 WR/DB 16 WALKER SASSER 10 WR/DB 17 CORBIN JOSEPH 12 WR/DB 18 CAM. CONNALLY 10 WR/DB 19 LORENZO NUNEZ 12 QB/FS 20 KYLE EUSTACE 12 TE/LB 21 JON HUTSON 12 K 22 DEXTER DAVIS 11 WR/DB 23 N. HANDLEY 10 RB/DB 24 CARSON DENT 10 RB/DB 25 BRYCE BROWN 11 RB/DB 26 JON KEASLER 12 WR/DB 27 DEVIN SMITH 10 WR/DB 28 DARIUS CLARK 10 RB/DB 29 AARON GAN 10 RB/DB 30 G. DELASHMIT 11 RB/FS 31 BEN BARFIELD 10 RB/DB 32 HAYDEN MESSINA 12 RB/LB
NO. NAME 33 MARK SKRADIS 34 ALLEN FORD 35 WIL SAGASTUME 36 KADERIS JOHNSON 38 CHRIS KALAFUT 40 JONATHAN SMITH 41 TREVOR KELLER 42 JARED RYAN 43 ETHAN RENSHAW 44 JON GRIMES 45 GREYSON ISZLER 46 CJ TURNER 47 BRADLEY MELL 48 G. GUERTIN 49 N. FANCHER 50 JARVIS CARTER 51 N. BRIMER 52 STEVEN NIXON 53 CARLSON LYLES 54 MICHAEL SMOAK 55 ROBERT FISHER 56 ARIC LOGAN 57 CJ KRAUSE 58 DANNY CONNORS 59 CHARLIE BARTON 60 SEAN BEDENK 61 JOSH O’NEILL 62 BYRON GLASS 63 C. HENDERSON 64 JULIAN COLE 66 D. WORKMAN
CL. POS. 12 RB/LB 12 TE/LB 12 RB/LB 10 FB/LB 10 RB/DB 10 FB/DE 10 TE/LB 11 RB/DB 11 WR/DB 12 RB/LB 11 FB/LB 10 FB/LB 12 TE/LB 12 K 11 WR/DB 12 OL/DL 12 OL/DL 12 OL/DL 11 OL/DL 12 OL/LB 10 OL/DL 11 OL/DL 11 OL/DL 11 OL/DL 11 OL/LB 10 OL/DL 10 OL/DL 12 OL/DL 10 OL/DL 12 OL/DL 12 OL/DL
AT OSBORNE SEPT. 12
CL. POS. NO. NAME 67 CONNOR GLANCY 10 OL/LB 69 GUY VINKOB 10 OL/DL 70 HOUSTON HUNT 11 OL/DL 71 JACE GARCIA 12 OL/DL 72 EVAN HUYNH 12 OL/DL 73 RAY PATTERSON 12 OL/DL 74 SEAN JENKINS 10 OL/DL 75 MASON TOMPKINS 10 OL/DL 77 TREY IORILLO 10 OL/DL 78 B. LANGFORD 11 OL/DL 79 ERIC ALLEN 10 OL/DL 80 M. GOODMAN 11 WR/DB 81 ANDREW KENNY 11 WR/DB 82 Z. CUNNINGHAM 11 WR/DB 83 N. FRANCHER 10 WR/DB 84 MITCH GRIMES 10 TE/LB 85 SAMMY KEIFER 10 WR/DB 86 CHRIS FINAZZO 10 WR/DB 87 JORDAN MONTOUR 11 WR/DB 88 LIAM MCGUIRE 12 WR/DB 89 BILLY SWANSON 10 TE/DL 90 MICHAEL BRIMER 10 WR/DB 91 AUSTIN EUBANKS 10 TE/DL 92 OWEN DUROE 10 WR/DB 93 JENNINGS CURD 10 OL/DL 94 EVAN WARD 10 OL/LB 95 RYAN BOLER 11 TE/DL 96 JAKE FRYE 12 DL 97 DAVID HUBERTY 10 RB/DB 99 SETH SIMMER 11 TE/DL
AT NORTH COBB SEPT. 26
VS N. PAULDING OCT. 3
Harrison coach Matt Dickmann is a big believer in continuity. And for the first time in recent years, the Hoyas will have the same voice leading them for a second straight season. “Those kids had three different systems in three years,” Dickmann said of his inaugural campaign in 2013. “So that was really tough on them. But you know what? The thing I loved about those guys is that they came to work every day, and they were starving for success.” Looking to 2014, the Harrison coach hopes that stability will translate to more success between the sidelines. “The biggest difference between this year and last year is that they know what we’re doing now, and we can spend more time polishing stuff and working on the details,” he said. “We’ll have more accountability, and they
23-13 7-36 28-26 24-9 14-46 38-7 42-17 24-40 13-42 27-31
know now what kind of sacrifices we have to make in order to be more successful.” Offensively, future South Carolina Gamecock quarterback Lorenzo Nunez will highlight the Hoyas attack. “Of course, it’s going to be Lorenzo,” Dickmann said of his team’s key to offensive success. “He’s going to run and he’s going to throw. The biggest thing with him is, he just needs to do what he can do and not try to do too much. Not only can he throw the ball, but he had almost 800 yards rushing last year. But to take the pressure off of him, we have three running backs, Winston Boykin runs a 4.5 (40-yard dash), Hayden Messina is a very physical runner, and Orlando Hester is very strong at fullback.” Dickmann also said he believes that Nunez’s commitment to South Carolina will help him focus his attention on his final season at Harrison.
5-YEAR RECORD: 22-29
2013 RESULTS: 5-5 WOODSTOCK ALPHARETTA CAMPBELL PEBBLEBROOK NORTH COBB KENNESAW MTN SOUTH COBB HILLGROVE MCEACHERN MARIETTA
VS HILLGROVE OCT. 24 OCT. 10 2014 OUTLOOK AT
KENNESAW MTN.
W L W W L W W L L L
AT MCEACHERN OCT. 31
VS MARIETTA NOV. 7
“That’s what I like about Lorenzo,” Dickmann said. “He’s a very humble young man, he knows it’s not all about him. It’s about the team. That’s a hard attribute to get out of kids these days. A lot of them want it to be about themselves. But if we do things right as a team, the individual stuff will come.” Defensively, Dickmann expects a leading example from his linebackers. “We run a 3-4 defense and all of our linebackers are seniors” Dickmann. said “Ross Neely is back and he was our leading tackler last year. Jonathan Grimes will play next to him in the middle. On the outside, we have Mark Skradis and Michael Smoak. Those four have a lot of experience and that’s what the heart and soul of our defense is going to be.”
2013 LEADERS RUSHING LORENZO NUNEZ 786 YDS, 7 TD TAYVON BENJAMIN 454 YDS, 1 TD PASSING LORENZO NUNEZ 1,148 YDS, 5 TD RECEIVING DREVON JONES 597 YDS, 3 TD TACKLES ROSS NEELY 65 SACKS JALEN PENN 5 INTERCEPTIONS SETH COWAN 3
— By Zac Diodati MDJ Sports Correspondent
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: MATT DICKMANN YEAR AT SCHOOL: 2 RECORD: 5-5 CAREER: 59-38 VARSITY COACHING STAFF JOSHUA CASSIDY — AHC MITCH HENGHOLD — DC BOBBY THOMPSON — QB TERRY ANDERSON — LB JAKE STORY — AC
KICKOFF 2014
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Page 27 Staff/Jeff Stanton
Harrison linebackers, from left, Michael Smoak, Jonathan Grimes, Ross Neely and Mark Skradis will lead the Hoyas defensive effort this season.
LEARN TO FINISH HARRISON LINEBACKERS MAKE FOURTH QUARTER TOP PRIORITY IN ’14 By Zac Diodati MDJ Sports Correspondent Harrison will run a 3-4 defense this year, and that scheme will demand a lot from its linebacking corps. Fortunately for the school in northwest Cobb County, Harrison will be led by four senior linebackers who have earned praise from second-year coach Matt Dickmann as the “heart and soul of our defense”. If the Hoyas earn their school’s first postseason berth since 2010, linebackers Mike Smoak, Mark Skradis, Ross Neely
and Jon Grimes will certainly play a central role. Neely and Grimes will be starting for the second straight year, but Smoak and Skradis have seen plenty of the field as well. All four defensive leaders remember the way that the 2013 season ended. The Hoyas compiled a 5-2 record through the first seven games, but finished the season 5-5 after losses to Hillgrove, McEachern, and Marietta. “We had a hard time finishing the job,” Smoak said. “This time, we need to carry our efforts from the first and second
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quarters through the second half. We need to finish.” Skradis agreed with Smoak’s assessment. “The big word is effort,” Skradis said. “Being able to finish. Last year, we didn’t put enough effort into finishing. We could have made the playoffs, but we have to come up clutch at the end of games.” Harrison will have opportunities to prove itself in 2014 with a tough schedule. Ask the linebackers which games stand out and they all have different perspectives, proving that there won’t be any cakewalk games this fall.
“The McEachern and Marietta games will be huge because of what happened last year,” Grimes said. “We just plan to go into each game with the right mindset, prepared to put on the field what we’ve practiced all summer.” Neely is pointing to the new team in Region 4AAAAAA. “The North Paulding game is going to be big,” Neely said. “We’ve never played them before. We don’t know what they have, and in the first four games we’ll be playing new teams that we haven’t seen.” See FINISH, Page 28
Page 28
Shine Continued from Page 21
junior, he is within reach of the Cherokee career passing mark of 5,900 yards. Earning that record is one of his goals according to Shaw. “It’s been neat to watch the process of him growing into the role and being
Grades Continued from Page 23
Brooks, who has played football since he was 9-years old, is also a member of the Creekview baseball team. He has played one sport or the other almost continuously for half of his life, so giving them up would create a void. “Honestly, I think sports is what gives me the discipline to stay focused on school,” Brooks said. “There is no strain in my schedule. I get home and I start my homework immediately. I like to work
KICKOFF 2014 where he is today,” Shaw said. Not only has the team added better players around him, but the coaches have found ways to better protect him. “His main focus is how good the team is,” Shaw said. “He is a prideful kid. He knows there are some other great quarterbacks in our county. I don’t think he feels like he is left out, but he feels motivated to work harder to be the best.”
hard. I enjoy learning.” As success is measured in wins and losses on the football field and each victory brings an emotional high, Brooks said he gets a similar feeling when he makes good grades. “It’s not the same, but you get a gratifying feeling,” Brooks said. “In fact, I feel like it’s more important. School is more important than wins and losses on a football field.” Brooks said he has received some attention from football programs, such as Duke, Davidson and Lehigh. He received his first offer, from Dartmouth, in May.
Finish Continued from Page 27
Harrison will start the season against Pope, Wheeler, East Coweta and
Sunday, August 17, 2014 Osborne. Tough schedule or not, these four seniors are ready to embrace the leadership role through the end of their high school careers. “Being put in a
Prize Continued from Page 18
the Chiefs, they have reached the state playoffs twice, but never made it out of the first round. The last time a Sequoyah team did that was under Sid Maxwell in 2008 (second round) and 2004 (quarterfinals). Woodstock was the last Cherokee County team to reach the second round when it did so in Mike O’Brien’s final year, 2009. O’Brien, also took the Wolverines to the state playoffs in 2005 and 2008, and Brent Budde, who was an assistant on those teams, saw the
leadership position by our coach is an honor” Grimes said. “We take it to heart, we do our best to lead by example, we lead by bettering ourselves and getting through all obstacles.”
team reach the first round in his first season in 2010. Creekview has a history of reaching the state playoffs, but hasn’t been able to do much after that. The Grizzlies reached the postseason in 2008, their first year of eligibility. They returned in 2009, 2012 and 2013, but have never advanced to the second round. River Ridge qualified for the state playoffs just once in 2012 during its first year of eligibility. But that doesn’t stop anyone from dreaming. “We coach because we want to win,” Knights coach Robert Braucht said. “There are more important things than that, but it’s part of it.”
Sunday, August 17, 2014
KICKOFF 2014
Page 29
COBB, CHEROKEE ON TV SEVEN TIMES IN 2014 From staff reports Seven games featuring Cobb and Cherokee county teams will be scattered throughout the schedule during the 2014 high school football season. Creekview will kick things off in the first game of the Corky Kell Classic at Walter Cantrell Stadium. All seven games of the newly expanded two-day Classic will be broadcast on SportSouth, Fox’s regional sports cable network, with radio coverage on 92.9 The Game. Creekview will take on North Paulding on Friday Aug. 22. The actual game time starts at 5:30 p.m., but the broadcast begins 30 minutes later. Kell will begin the next day’s broadcasts with a 9 a.m. kickoff against a Carrollton team led by former longtime Walton coach Ed Dudley, and McEachern will host North Gwinnett in final Classic game, at 8:45 p.m.
Georgia Public Broadcasting picks up the coverage the following week with McEachern’s trip to Buford on Aug. 29, and it will show a total of four Cobb games throughout the season. Buford, last year’s Class AAA state champion with a spotless 15-0 record, is coached by former Marietta High School standout Jess Simpson. It will be only the third time Simpson has coached against a Cobb County team, following two meetings with Walker in 2006 and ’07. McEachern, which went 11-3 last year and made the Class AAAAAA state semifinals, will also be featured in an Oct. 10 game at North Cobb. The all-Cobb matchup will feature some of the state’s top college-bound talents in the Indians’ Ty Griffin (Oregon), Chuma Edoga (Southern Cal) and Chandler Jones (Louisville), and the Warriors’ Tyler Queen (Auburn). Two weeks before the McEachernNorth Cobb game, GPB will feature Hillgrove in its Sept. 26 trip to Marietta.
The two Region 4AAAAAA rivals are both looking for return trips to the state playoffs, with the Hawks going 11-2 in 2013, and the Blue Devils 8-3. Walton will host Milton for an Oct. 17 broadcast. The Raiders, beginning a new era with first-year coach Mo Dixon, went 6-5 last year and will be looking to avenge a loss to their Region 5AAAAAA rival. “We have a great lineup of games this year featuring several defending state championship teams, great rivalry games, and teams loaded with Division I talent that everyone will enjoy watching play,” GPB sports director Mark Harmon said in a release. The GPB broadcasting crew will be led by Matt Stewart on play-by-play. Stewart was a longtime on-air figure for Comcast Sports Southeast before the regional sports cable network ceased operations earlier this summer. Larry Smith, the sports director at CBS46, will rotate with former Atlanta Falcons star Chuck Smith on color commentary.
TELEVISION SCHEDULE XXAug.
22 — CREEKVIEW VS. N. PAULDING 6 P.M. FSN XXAug. 23 — KELL VS. CARROLLTON 9 A.M. FSN XXAug. 23 — N. GWINNETT AT MCEACHERN 8:45 P.M. FSN XXAug. 29 — MCEACHERN AT BUFORD 7:30 P.M. GPB XXSept. 26 — HILLGROVE AT MARIETTA 7:30 P.M. GPB XXOct. 10 — MCEACHERN AT NORTH COBB 7:30 P.M. GPB XXOct. 17 — MILTON AT WALTON 7:30 P.M. GPB
KICKOFF 2014
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Sunday, August 17, 2014
HILLGROVE HAWKS
Location: 4165 Luther Ward Road, Powder Springs Phone: (678) 331-3961 Home Field: Cobb Energy/Hillgrove Stadium Online: hillgrovefootball.
2014 SCHEDULE
VS LASSITER AUG. 22
AT VS SHILOH N. GWINNETT AUG. 29 SEPT. 5 2014 ROSTER
NO. NAME CL. POS. 1 JALEN PHELPS 11 DB 2 MATT WILSON 11 QB 3 ERIC JACKSON 12 DB 4 MALIK CHEVRY 12 DB 5 SAM GRIFFITH 11 DB 6 E. MONTGOMERY 12 RB 7 AUSTIN WOODS 11 DB 8 BINGO LONG 11 WR 9 PHINEHAS HALL 12 LB 10 R. HALLMAN 12 WR 11 SONNY HARRIS 12 RB 12 JOHN DEVINE 11 WR 13 IKE UWADIE 11 DB 14 BRYSON PARKS 10 QB 15 TREY BLOUNT 10 WR 16 RYAN CONNIFF 12 LB 17 MARCUS BOWENS 12 WR 18 Z. DORWEILLER 11 QB 19 J. BRIDGES 11 WR 20 COLBY SMITH 11 DB 21 KENNY OWENS 11 DB 22 SAM MOON 11 DB 23 TAVION WALKER 10 WR 24 BJ BOBBY 12 DB 25 RYAN BURNS 11 LB 26 DEANDRE BEAL 11 WR 27 MARCUS BANKS 12 DB 28 ETHAN TULL 11 WR 29 JAMAL SUTTON 12 DB 30 CAMERON TEW 11 LB 31 RYAN MOORE 12 DL 32 PHIL DAVIS 12 LB 33 S. SHAHEED 11 DB 34 CHASE BARDEN 10 DB
NO. NAME CL. POS. 35 JOSH PRICE 12 DE 36 DAYTON GROVES 10 S 37 REED HALL 12 K/P 38 KELIECHI KAGHA 10 LB 39 MONTRYLL WILLIS 12 LB 40 ROSS HALEY 12 LB 41 VINNY ROSAMILIA 12 WR 42 CAM WATSON 10 LB 43 JARED PRYOR 10 LB 44 S. METCALF 11 DL 45 SHAWN PLUMMER 12 DL 46 ROYCE DAY 10 LB 47 M. MARSHALL 10 LB 48 HECTOR SANCHEZ 11 LB 49 J. WITHERO 10 DL 50 JAYLAN BROWN 10 DL 51 ROSS MATHIS 12 OL 52 MAX MURPHY 11 DL 53 JON WAGLEY 12 OL 54 EMMANUEL LEE 12 OL 55 GRANT ELKINS 11 DL 56 KERRY STEEN 12 OL 57 TRENT PAUL 11 OL 58 ROBERT BROZ 11 DL 59 KEVIN HEARD 12 OL 60 CASEY RAGSDALE 11 LB 61 HAYES BARBER 11 OL 62 T. ALBOUHAIF 11 DE 63 JOHN LOEHR 12 OL 64 KELLAND PRIEST 12 OL 65 ALEX TAPP 10 OL 66 JACOB WARREN 10 DL 67 JAMES SWEET 10 DL 68 KYLE JONES 11 OL
AT LOVEJOY SEPT. 12
NO. NAME CL. POS. 69 SIMIRAT MANDAIR 10 DL 70 DAWSON ALLEN 10 OL 71 JOHN BUTGERIT 11 OL 72 JUSTIN RODNEY 11 DL 73 CHASE PATTON 10 OL 74 ZACK LEWIS 10 75 CHRISTIAN ABNEY 10 OL 76 SKYLER SCOTT 10 DL 77 C. BLACKWELL 11 OL 78 BLAKE HAMIL 10 OL 79 B. OBANION 10 DL 80 JOSEPH WILLIAMS 12 WR 81 MARK KNOWLES 10 WR 82 ZACK TILLMAN 10 WR 83 HUGH NELSON 10 WR 84 TREY WILSON 10 WR 85 CAMERON ENNIS 10 WR 86 ROBERT PAYTON 10 WR 87 BRYAN MARTINEZ 10 WR 88 BRANDON BOYO 10 WR 89 XAVIER COLLINS 10 WR 90 ANTHONY DAVIS 10 DB 91 WARREN ROHLING 10 DL 92 DERELL ABRAM 10 DL 93 ROBERT JARRELL 11 QB 94 JESUS SANCHEZ 11 LB 95 JORDAN ROBB 11 DB 96 JOSEPH BARKER 11 DB 97 MARCUS LONEY 11 LB 98 JAVON HICKSON 12 RB 99 OMAR DABDOUB 12 DL 97 AARON LEWIS 11 DB 0 NIKKO CLARK 11 LB
AT MARIETTA SEPT. 26
Hillgrove has made the state playoffs four consecutive years and five times in the last six. The Hawks did just enough in 2012 to qualify before finishing the year with a 6-5 overall record. They bounced back nicely last season, reaching the quarterfinals of the state playoffs and just missing out on an undefeated regular season, en route to an 11-2 mark. Hillgrove will likely go through some growing pains again this year following the graduation of starting quarterback Elijah Ironside, running back Richardre Bagley and wide receivers Omar Black, Justin Denton and Emanuel Beal. The Hawks, however, typically don’t rebuild. Instead, they reload. “We have some guys that have seen time at certain positions and then we have some guys where this will be kind of new to them,”
2013 RESULTS: 11-2 WESTLAKE WALTON MARIETTA CAMPBELL PEBBLEBROOK NORTH COBB KENNESAW MTN HARRISON SOUTH COBB MCEACHERN ALCOVY CAMDEN CO. NORTH GWINNETT
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26-6 47-35 21-13 63-28 35-21 17-27 47-18 40-24 54-19 31-17 41-13 34-21 31-35
W W W W W L W W W W W W L
VS AT N. PAULDING KENNESAW MTN. OCT. 17 OCT. 10 2014 OUTLOOK Hillgrove coach Phil Ironside said. Rising junior Matt Wilson and rising sophomore Bryson Parks will challenge for the starting quarterback role, while returners Sonny Harris (390 yards, 5 TD) and Eric Montgomery should lock up the running back position. “Matt and Bryson had some good success on the junior varsity and freshman teams,” Ironside said. “They’re smart, talented guys who have a good grasp of the offense. “Sonny and Eric are two guys who have experience. Their experience will help the new guys we bring into the rotation. I fell like we’re deep at running back.” Richard Hallman and Marcus Bowens are seniors who are expected to step up at wide receiver. “Those guys played last year,” Ironside said. “I like what they can give us in terms of
5-YEAR RECORD: 45-14
AT HARRISON OCT. 24
VS MCEACHERN NOV. 7
leadership too.” Hillgrove will have some question marks along the defensive line with Jaylan Reid playing collegiately at Furman. “We’ve had some pretty good defensive linemen in here since 2009,” Ironside said. “After losing Jaylan and some of the guys around him, we’re still searching for the guys who can help us solidify those spots.” The Hawks are deep at linebacker with five or six guys, which includes Phil Davis, rotating in. Malik Chevry and Austin Woods should see time in the secondary.
2013 LEADERS RUSHING RICHADRE BAGLEY 1,514 YDS, 14 TD PASSING ELIJAH IRONSIDE 2,515 YDS, 41 TD RECEIVING JUSTIN DENTON 812 YDS, 16 TD OMAR BLACK 497 YDS, 12 TD TACKLES ERIC JACKSON 121 PHIL DAVIS 110 BRADLEY CHUBB 101 SACKS BRADLEY CHUBB 8 JAYLAN REID 6 INTERCEPTIONS DEVIN KNIGHT 4
— By Carlton D. White cwhite@mdjonline.com
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: PHIL IRONSIDE YEAR AT SCHOOL: 9 RECORD: 61-23 CAREER: 126-63 VARSITY COACHING STAFF TARVE RIGGINS — RB KEN NIX — DC JEFF WISHON — OL JOE GERDA — DL JUSTIN SANDERSON — LB LUQMAN SALAM — WR KEON HUMPHRIES — LB
Sunday, August 17, 2014
KICKOFF 2014
Page 31 Staff/Kelly J. Huff
Hillgrove seniors, defensive back Eric Jackson, wide receiver Richard Hallman, tailback Eric Montgomery and linebacker Philip Davis plan on having a ceiling tile with their name on it in the school weight room after the 2014 season, by earning scholarships to football play in college.
RISING TO THE CEILING HILLGROVE PLAYERS LEAVE LEGACY FOR OTHERS TO LOOK UP TO
By Carlton D. White cwhite@mdjonline.com The writing isn’t on the wall at Hillgrove. It’s on the ceiling. That’s where the Hawks showcase what they’ve been able to do in a very short amount of time, which is establish themselves as a launching pad for players eager to earn college football scholarships. Since opening its doors in 2006, Hillgrove has consistently given its players opportunities to play college football and with each of the 45 players who have moved on the next level, his name is etched into the ceiling tiles of the weight room with his graduating class and the school for which he’s chosen to play.
“Once one kid went, then two, and I was really excited about the one,” said coach Phil Ironside, who is entering his ninth year at the helm. “We had 13 sign last year. From NAIA to the different levels of the NCAA, the families of this community are committed to football and the school’s graduation rate is excellent. We don’t lose kids to academics. They do what they need to do in the classroom and on the field to be better football players and that combination has helped us send kids off to college.” This year’s group of potential scholarship athletes already includes four players in seniors Eric Jackson, Eric Montgomery, Richard Hallman and Philip Davis.
“These four kids are very driven,” Ironside said. “When they were freshmen and sophomores, they looked at those guys who were going off to play college football and they were determined to get there too. It’s been neat to see them grow into starter roles and get those scholarships.” Jackson, a 5-foot-8, 175-pound defensive back, is entering his third year as a starter. He currently has offers from Mercer and Alcorn State. “Coming here, I thought they had a great program in place with great coaches and players,” Jackson said. “They know how to put players on the map to get college coaches to look at you. “My goal going through the program
was to get a scholarship offer and I’ll have my chance. It will be great to know that my name will be up (on the ceiling).” Montgomery, a 6-foot, 190-pound running back who is entering his first year as a starter, has an offer from Georgia Southern. “Football is a serious deal at Hillgrove,” he said. “When you play in middle school, it’s fun, but in high school, it’s serious. It makes you really want to commit to the game when you walk into the weight room and see the names. “I’ve always talked about seeing my name up there and make me and my family proud. It shows how hard I worked while I See RISING, Page 44
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Sunday, August 17, 2014
KELL LONGHORNS
Location: 4770 Lee Waters Road, Marietta Phone: (678) 494-7844 Home Field: Cobb Energy/Corky Kell Stadium Online: kellfootball.com
2014 SCHEDULE
(AT MCEACHERN)
CARROLLTON AUG. 23
NO. 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 24 25 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 38 39 41 42 43
AT AT LASSITER SEQUOYAH AUG. 29 SEPT. 12 2014 ROSTER
NAME CL. PATRICK FLESHER DERRICK WHITE 12 COREY ROBINSON 12 LYNEL DAVIS 12 EMMANUEL DENNIS 12 BRYSON ARMSTRONG 11 EVAN CARNES 11 MICHAEL MCCAIN 11 CAMERON ROSENDAHL 12 GRADY MILLER 12 TAE MCCLURE 12 JOHN LAMPLEY 10 KEITH BEST 10 D’VONTE DENNIS 11 DEARTE PERNELL 12 CHRISTIAN BLOUNT 10 QUIENTIN SANDERS 11 DOMINIQUE LEWIS 12 DIVANTE LANGLEY 12 ANTONIO FERGUSON 12 ITABARI MASON 12 ELLIS LIDDELL 11 ANDREW BRAUN 11 JOSH BLANCATO 10 JULIEN CHANG 11 DARREN MIMS 12 SHAMAAR BENNETT 10 JEREMY ROSENDAHL 10 TYLER WEATHERS 10 AHMED ABU-ABED 10 ETHAN SPIGHT 10 IVAN WALLS 11 SOLON PAGE III 10 JACOB WARE 10 MAURICIO CASTRO 12 TREVOR MASSUNG 10 SAM ASHWAY 10
POS. WR/DB DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/LB TE/DE RB/LB QB WR WR/DB QB WR/DB WR/DB DB QB WR/DB WR/DB RB/LB RB/DB RB/LB RB/LB WR/DB WR/DB K WR/DB WR/DB WR/LB RB/LB WR/DB RB/LB RB/DB WR/LB WR/DB DL K WR/DE
NO. 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 68 72 76 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90
VS FORSYTH CENT. SEPT. 19
NAME LOGAN JOHNSON SHAWN ROACH DAVON BLANCHARD DEQUARIUS MANUEL JOSIAH FUTRAL JARED HILL NOAH PATTON BEN LAYNE MASON KABCHEF ELIJAH OWENS NICHOLAS WOGHIREN NICHOLAS JOHNSON NASIM GREENE ISMAIL DABDOUB MATTHEW PAJARES NATHAN WOOLF JACKSON GROPP GABE WALLER RYAN NESBITT ZACH HENDRICK TAYLOR MCCULLOUGH ELIJAH TATE JAMES DEMATTO JOE SANTROCK TEVIN STYLES ALEX CRANFORD BRANDON JONES AMEN-RA JONES GARRETT MONTAGUE NATHANIEL ELLIOTT CHANDLER BROWN KENDALL BAILEY CAMERON SEPULVEDA BRYAN GRANT CAMERON MARSHALL MARQUEZ RANDALL CONNOR MENDELSON
CL. 11 10 10 11 9 10 12 12 12 11 11 11 12 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 11 10 11 12 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
POS. WR/DB WR/DB WR/LB RB/LB WR/DB RB/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 WR/DE WR/DB WR/DB TE/DE WR/DB TE/DL QB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB K
VS CAMBRIDGE SEPT. 26
AT NORTH SPRINGS OCT. 3
When a football program reaches new heights, expectations inevitably rise. For the Kell, anything but a region championship and a run in the playoffs comes with a sense of disappointment. But after winning the Region 7AAAAA title for the third time in four seasons, the Longhorns progressed to the state semifinals for the first time in program history in 2013. Now in 2014, Kell is looking to new, but experienced faces, to carry on its winning tradition. “Obviously last year was a great experience,” Cook said. “I wish that some of our guys that will be starting this year would have experienced it from the field instead of from the sideline. Some of them did, but what I hope that our seniors this year have gathered from seniors in the past is what it takes to succeed. What behaviors and work ethic it takes to win, and what is required. The way that high school athletes mature both physically and mentally is a very rapid pace as compared to older athletes. You
2013 RESULTS: 13-1 CHATTAHOOCHEE WOODSTOCK LASSITER CREEKVIEW NORTH SPRINGS RIVERWOOD OSBORNE SPRAYBERRY POPE CAMBRIDGE ALLATOONA MAYS WARNER ROBINS CREEKSIDE
26-16 41-21 35-20 32-7 35-0 30-14 35-15 55-7 52-26 49-6 31-17 26-15 52-28 10-55
W W W W W W W W W W W W W L
VS AT N. ATLANTA RIVERWOOD OCT. 24 OCT. 17 2014 OUTLOOK have a very new team every season.” Kell built a reputation for success on the defensive side of the ball, and one of the biggest challenges in 2014 will be replacing star defensive back Taylor Henkle, who is now at Kennesaw State, becoming part of the inaugural group of Owls that will begin play in 2015. “Bryson Armstrong is a returning junior. He has a ton of Taylor Henkle qualities,” Cook said. “He’s not a big talker, he will lead through action. Our kids know what he will bring to the table, and they respect him, and so do our coaches. He will play through injuries just like Taylor did, and it’s great to have him for sure. We’ve had a great string of defensive backs here, from Brian Randolph (Tennessee), to Quincy Mauger (Georgia), to Taylor, I could go on and on. We’ve had a lot more than you’d typically expect at one high school.” Armstrong will also line up to catch passes
5-YEAR RECORD: 51-12
VS TBA SPRAYBERRY PLAY-IN GAME OCT. 31 NOV. 7 on the offensive side of the ball, complimenting the attack that will be led by Cameron Rosendahl at quarterback. Rosendahl took over the offense late last season and threw for 695 yards and 10 touchdowns while leading Kell to multiple games scoring more than 50 points. Longhorns opponents will have their hands full with a stable of running backs as well. “We’ve always done running back by committee here because we play a lot of kids both ways,” Cook said. “Derrick Mesadieu, Ivan Walls, and Michael McCain are three guys that play on defense but will run the ball for us as well, but Itabari Mason (373 yards, 5 TD) will hopefully stay healthy and get the majority of the carries for us at runnning back.”
2013 LEADERS RUSHING JAY MOXEY 1,280 YDS, 14 TD DARIAN HARRIS 611 YDS, 7 TD PASSING MATT MCGUIGAN 1,178 YDS, 8 TD RECEIVING JULIAN BURRIS 755 YDS, 6 TD TACKLES KEITH HAMPTON 161 BRYSON ARMSTRONG 123 SACKS AUSTIN MEAUT 11.5 ETHAN ELLIOT 11.5 INTERCEPTIONS TAYLOR HENKLE 4
— By Zac Diodati MDJ Sports Correspondent
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: DEREK COOK YEAR AT SCHOOL: 7 RECORD: 58-15 CAREER: 67-27 VARSITY COACHING STAFF JOE TOUSIGNAUT — DC JONATHAN GORDON — OC RICHARD NORMAN — AHC KIRK CROSS — ST/OL JAMES THIGPEN — DL KEVIN HORNE — LB KEVIN ROACH — RB/QB TODD UTT — OL SEBASTIAN MOORE — DL TONY DAYKIN — DB JONATHAN MCKINNEY — DB
Sunday, August 17, 2014
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Page 33 Staff/Kelly J. Huff
Kell’s Cameron Rosendahl helped lead the Longhorns to the Class AAAAA state semifinals in 2013. Now, he’s back to help them take the final step toward a state championship.
BACK FOR MORE
CONFIDENT CAMERON ROSENDAHL BACK TO LEAD KELL AGAIN By Zac Diodati MDJ Sports Correspondent Cameron Rosendahl earned the starting quarterback job for Kell late last season, and this year the signal-calling responsibilities are securely on his shoulders. Rosendahl passed for 695 yards and 10 touchdowns down the stretch, igniting the Longhorns’ offense on their way to a 10-0 regular season, a region championship, and a trip to the Class AAAAA state semifinals. If the name “Confident Cameron” doesn’t catch on around Kell’s campus, it won’t be the senior’s fault. Rosendahl has grown up around Kell football and is sure of his ability to lead the Longhorns to success.
“I knew that I would get playing time last year,” Rosendahl said. “But I also expected that I would eventually be starting.” It was that kind of attitude that endeared him to coach Derek Cook. “Every player needs a certain level of confidence, and some of them need overconfidence,” Cook said. “Some of them have to recover quickly whenever they make mistakes, ignore adversity, and concentrate on what’s happening in the moment. We’ve always been very impressed with Cameron’s ability. He’s been in the system since he was 9 years old, and he has all those intangibles that are very difficult to coach if a player doesn’t already
have them.” Rosendahl began the 2013 season splitting time with Matt McGuigan. An ankle injury to McGuigan against Sprayberry in Week 8 turned the offense over to Rosendahl and he never gave it back. With him under center, Rosendahl led the Longhorns to five straight wins while averaging 42 points a game. “When my time came last year, I wasn’t really going to spend time being nervous about it,” Rosendahl said. “I just went out there and played. The most challenging part was coming in and playing in the playoffs. It’s a different level of play in the postseason.” LookIng at particular segments of the
2014 schedule, there are certainly things that stand out to Kell’s offensive leader. “The biggest game is always Lassiter,” Rosendahl said. “They’re right down the street, we always want to beat them. Carrollton is also a big one to start the season. we need that one. We need to win every game though. There aren’t any personal goals other than playing well enough for us to win. As long as we win, I don’t care what else happens.” Anyone from northeast Cobb County understands the Kell-Lassiter rivalry, but at a program like the one Rosendahl is leading, goals are lofty and success is See CONFIDENT, Page 44
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Sunday, August 17, 2014
KENNESAW MOUNTAIN MUSTANGS
Location: 1898 Kennesaw Due West Road, Kennesaw Phone: (770) 594-819 Home Field: Cobb Energy/Mustang Stadium Online: kmhsfootball.com
2014 SCHEDULE
VS SPRAYBERRY AUG. 29 NO. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 12 15 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 44
AT VS MTN. VIEW DOUGLAS CO. SEPT. 5 SEPT. 12 2014 ROSTER
NAME CL. WARREN ESTES 10 DONAVAN WHITE 12 JACK FROISTAD 10 EZEKIEL NEWHOUSE 12 DEVIN WASHINGTON 10 WESLEY VALCOURT 10 PATRICK PICKETT 12 MASON RICH 11 COLE SCOTT 10 ZACH SEABAUGH 10 TYRONE BLIGEN 12 CHIS WINK 11 KHALEED CASE 12 JOSH RAWLINS 12 KYLE WOOTEN 11 NIGEL HAYES 12 JACK OZMER 10 BRENT VANDERMEYDEN 12 BRYCEN COLON 11 DEVIN STEED 11 JORDAN SAUNDERS 12 PARKER LEE 12 CLAYTON ETHRIDGE 12 TYLER PECK 11 GARLAND WOODRUFF 12 JAKE MANHARTH 10 TANNER JONES 12 JASON JOHNSON 12 JONATHAN WESTMORELAND 10 RYAN PETERSON 12 ERIC HOLLINS 12 DANTOINE HARDEN 12 ZACH WERNER 11 KELLS WEATHERBY 11 JUSTIN SCOTT 10 ANDREW LAWRENCE 10 LOGAN CRAIG 11 OSCAR CRUZ 10
POS. RB/DB WR/DB QB WR/DB RB/DB WR/DB DL RB/DB RB/LB RB/DB WR K WR/DB WR QB QB WR/DB TE RB/DB RB/DB WR/DB WR/DB DB DB RB/LB WR/DB RB/DB RB WR/DB RB/LB RB RB TE/LB WR/DB LB WR/DB RB/LB RB/LB
NO. 46 47 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 58 59 61 63 64 65 66 67 69 70 71 73 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90
AT N. PAULDING SEPT. 26
NAME GREGORY MARTINEZ ISAAC CARTER CHRIS REYNOLDS JOSE VILLAGOMEZ RUSS HIETT CARSON LAKE NICK BICKFORD AJ JOHNSON DYLAN USRY TOBY ONWUMBIKO JAMESON BUTLER JALEN SORRELLS CHANDLER JACKSON NIC NEWMARK DAVID WHITE CHANDLER CORSE DANIEL TURNER AARON AGNANT DONALD MARKE ZACK EDGAR JORDAN CID ZACK EUDALY KYLE SMITH CHANDLER THORNTON KOBE GADSON NOAH BROWN PRESTON LEE BRIAN PIEJAK DAVID OYOLA JUSTIN THOMAS BRANDON FITZGERALD TOM VANDER WAAL GEORGE MASON JOHN ROMANO DANGELO POTESTA DAVID SETZLER AARON STROTHER
CL. 10 12 11 10 11 11 12 10 11 12 11 10 11 12 12 12 11 12 12 11 10 11 12 10 11 10 10 12 10 12 10 10 10 12 10 10 10
POS. RB/DB DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL LB OL/DL OL/DL K OL OL/DL OL OL OL OL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL WR/DB TE/DL TE/DL WR WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB TE RB/DB TE/DL K
AT OSBORNE OCT. 3
As Kennesaw Mountain enters its 15th year, the Mustangs may be fielding their most experienced team yet. Historically, the Mustangs haven’t accumulated grand achievements in football, and in recent years have been more of a challenge. After a 0-10 campaign in 2011, the Mustangs improved to 4-6 in 2012, but slid back to a 2-8 record in 2013. Coach Andy Scott will be looking to a group of seniors who are familiar with those past frustrations, and he hopes they’ll gather valuable lessons from those disappointments in order to make 2014 a successful year. “In 2012, we won some games we should have lost, but then last year we lost some games we should have won” Scott said. “In the grand scheme of building a program, you have to learn how to win and how to compete. Our kids had opportunities to win at the end of games and we just hadn’t gotten to the point where we knew how
SPRAYBERRY SOUTH COBB NORTH COBB MCEACHERN HARRISON MARIETTA HILLGROVE CAMPBELL PEBBLEBROOK NORTH SPRINGS
at the
top of your
game Canton Douglasville East Cobb
Marietta Paulding Woodstock
48-27 28-34 13-55 7-41 7-38 31-49 18-47 35-49 21-34 28-21
AT MARIETTA OCT. 31
VS AT MCEACHERN HILLGROVE OCT. 24 OCT. 17 2014 OUTLOOK to win. They know what’s in front of us. We have 25 seniors and 30 juniors who have been through the grind, and I think this will be a special year.” For a class that has won just six games in the past three seasons, qualifying for the state playoffs seems like a lofty goal, considering it will likely take at least that many wins to get there. But Scott is keeping his team focused on the idea of participating in an eleventh game. “The goal of any program across the state is to make the playoffs,” Scott said. “Kennesaw Mountain will be 15 years old this season, and our school has never made the playoffs. It’s something this senior class has really hawked on, and it will be a tremendous goal.” On the offensive side of the ball, the Mustangs hope that maturity and experience will translate to more consistent play, which was a problem in 2013. “Last year we scored points but we were very inconsistent in the red zone,” Scott said. “Nigel
5-YEAR RECORD: 9-41
2013 RESULTS: 2-8
keeping you
Acworth Austell Brookstone
VS HARRISON OCT. 10
W L L L L L L L L W
Hayes is our senior QB, and he’s a three-year starter. Jordan Sanders is kind of an all-purpose player, he’ll line up at wide receiver and also running back. Brian Piajak is a 3-year starter at tight end, and Donald Marke and David White are seniors who are three-year starters on the offensive line.” On defense, there is yet again plenty of experience in the front seven but question marks in the secondary. “We only have two starters returning in the secondary” Scott said. “Khaleed Case and Brycen Colon will lead those defensive backs. The leadership part of the defense will be the linebacking corps, we’ve got two seniors there in Ryan Peterson and Garland Woodruff. We’re a little young on the defensive line, we have three sophomores that will play along with some juniors.”
2013 LEADERS RUSHING JAMARI CARTER 883 YDS, 7 TD PASSING NIGEL HAYES 909 YDS, 7 TD RECEIVING J. SAUNDERS 354 YDS, 3 TD TACKLES RYAN PETERSON 91 SACKS GARLAND WOODRUFF 2.5 RYAN PETERSON 2.5 INTERCEPTIONS MACEO INMAN 2 LUCAS CARMEAN 2
Win
VS NORTH COBB NOV. 7
— By Zac Diodati MDJ Sports Correspondent
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: ANDY SCOTT YEAR AT SCHOOL: 3 RECORD: 6-14 CAREER: 33-43 VARSITY COACHING STAFF JEFF BETTIS — DL MIKE PFIESTER — OC/OL CHRIS WALKER — QB MIKE CANDELA — DC/LB JAMEY STILTZ — ST/DB BRENT FULLWOOD — RB WADE STEWART — DB CODY NEAL — WR
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Sunday, August 17, 2014
Page 35
KEEPING FAITH KENNESAW MOUNTAIN PLAYERS HAVE DEALT WITH MORE DOWNS THAN UPS BUT KEEP DIGGING FOR MORE By Zac Diodati MDJ Sports Correspondent Kennesaw Mountain coach Andy Scott is teaching a new mantra “Tough times don’t last, but tough people do,” he said. The tough times he is talking about is the 6-24 record that this year’s senior class has had to endure during their careers with the Mustangs. The tough people are Kennesaw Mountain’s 25 seniors that have kept their commitment to the program, and nine of them are three-year starters. Despite the adversity and the frustration that is behind them, the class of 2015 is ready to make their mark on Region 4AAAAAA this fall. “We had a tough season last year and a bad record the past three years,” said all-purpose player Jordan Sanders. “But this year, we know what it’s like to be
doubted, and that’s OK. This team right here is the strongest I’ve ever been with, I’m really excited.” “It’s been great being with coach Scott,” running back Tanner Jones said. “We’re now being respected as a team. He’s done a great job of making us more disciplined. We’ve gotten stronger and faster. Hopefully this year, we’ll have a great season.” Most high school football teams don’t have the wealth of experience that the Mustangs have, and as many athletes know, the path to a championship can sometimes be a long and winding road. Offensive lineman David White, who has started since his freshman year, points out that this group of seniors is highly experienced partially because of the misfortunes in the school’s past. “I had a great opportunity coming here,” White said. “I could See FAITH, Page 44
Staff/Jeff Stanton
Kennesaw Mountain football players have stuck together through adversity in their four years with the Mustangs’ program. Despite the challenge of having to change coaches, suffer though a winless season and having only six wins to date in their careers, nine players have hung together to start every game the last three seasons, with the hopes of bringing the Mustangs their first trip to the playoffs. Those nine include, clockwise from bottom, Donald Marke (70), Garland Woodruff, Brian Piejak, David White, Ryan Peterson, Tanner Jones, Khaleed Case and Jordan Saunders.
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Sunday, August 17, 2014
LASSITER TROJANS
Location: 2601 Shallowford Road, Marietta Phone: (678) 494-7863 Home Field: Frank Fillmann Stadium Online: lassiterfootball.net
2014 SCHEDULE
AT HILLGROVE AUG. 22 NO. NAME CL. POS. 1 BRENT PENTER 11 IR 2 TAZ HOLT 10 DB 3 DERRIK ALLEN 9 DB 4 TYRIQ HARDIMON 10 DB 5 RUSSELL AARONS 12 QB 6 MARTIN LISS 12 DB 6 SPENCER HORTON 10 IR 7 ZACK HALL 10 QB 8 MICAH GRIGSBY 12 WR 8 JOEY CLYBURN 11 DB 9 TYLER KAY 11 WR 10 IZAIAH GONZALEZ 11 DB 11 SAM KELLER 12 DB 11 BRIAN WILLIAMS 10 IR 12 BOBBY ROOKER 10 QB 14 ANTONIO GALLANTE 12 DB 15 TYLER BRANCH 12 IR 16 MITCHELL WASSON 11 K 17 DAVIS HEITZMAN 11 WR 18 COOPER CROSS 11 QB 19 MATTHEW NORTON 12 IR 20 MASON WATERS 10 RB 21 MICHAEL CURRAN 11 DB 22 KYLE SYVARTH 10 DB 23 CHRIS ZATH 12 DB 24 TANNER PLEMMONS 12 LB 25 BEN MOSTELLAR 11 DB 26 ORIS LAWHORN 12 RB 27 TYSON PRINCE 10 DB 28 GRANT DANIELS 12 RB 28 KHALIL WORMLEY 11 DB 29 MARCUS MCKINLEY 11 DB
VS VS KELL WALTON AUG. 29 SEPT. 5 2014 ROSTER CL. POS. NO. NAME 30 MATT MCALLISTER 12 IR 11 DB 31 ALEC ADAMS 32 DAWSON BROWN 9 DB 33 OZI ORJIOKE 11 RB 34 ZACHARY MILLS 10 WR 35 MAX HESS 10 IR 36 BRETT HORTON 12 LB 10 DB 37 EVAN COOPER 38 ZACH KIRSCHNER 10 LB 39 JOE PICCIONE 11 CB 40 DYLAN BASS 12 K 41 THOMAS DONALSON 10 DL 42 KHARI JOHNSON 10 DB 43 MATT SLONE 10 LB 44 D. LONG-DANIELS 12 LB 45 SHEA O’HANLON 11 IR 46 ZANE HODGES 10 LB 11 LB 47 CAM TIBBETTS 48 KORY GILDEA 12 LB 49 COLE BAILEY 11 LB 50 MARTIN IBENYENWA 10 LB 10 DL 51 ISIAH LONG 52 M. ABDULLAH 10 OL 53 PHILIP MURRAY 12 OL 54 GREGG WENTZ 12 OL 55 DANIEL MAHONY 10 DE 56 CHRIS BAHR 10 LB 57 JOSE ARREOLA 10 LB 58 MATT MERRIMAN 11 OL 59 LUKE SMITHWICK 12 DL 62 NOAH SANCHEZ 10 OL 63 MITCHELL MEYERS 10 OL
VS WOODSTOCK SEPT. 12
CL. POS. NO. NAME 65 JACK GILDEA 10 OL 66 MICHAEL RINCON 10 DL 10 OL 67 EVAN BURNS 68 MICHAEL DAVIS 12 OL 69 LIAM CAMPBELL 10 DL 72 DILLON MCDANIEL 10 OL 74 CONNOR WOLFE 11 OL 75 HAMPTON SANFORD 11 OL 11 DL 76 HAYES RYAN 78 ZACH ZINER 10 DL 79 ISAAC WEAVER 11 OL 80 ZARAN SMITH 12 WR 80 MATT BEAVERSON 10 WR 81 TYLER MONTOUR 12 IR 81 ZACH HUIE 10 WR 82 EVAN JOSEPH 10 WR 83 ANTHONY PADOVANO 10 IR 84 LORENZO STEPHENS 11 WR 11 IR 85 COLE TAYLOR 86 B.J. IBENYENWA 11 WR 87 PEARSON VANHORN 12 IR 87 ZACH WILSON 10 P 10 WR 88 CLARK KENT 89 CHRIS BRIDGERS 10 IR 90 CONNOR SHIELDS 12 LB 92 JAKE CHAMBERS 12 DL 94 JARED ALLSTON 10 DL 95 MAX GOLDBERG 11 DL 96 JOHNNY PEAVY 10 DL 97 PATRICK CARTER 11 DL 98 COLIN COOPER 11 DL 99 MICHAEL BALLARD 12 LB
AT MILTON SEPT. 26
VS ETOWAH OCT. 10
Lassiter coaches claim the team is young and inexperienced, but after a couple of games, many will know if the Trojans are truly rebuilding or just reloading. The team graduated 34 seniors from last year’s Region 5AAAAAA championship squad and many of them were starters at key positions, which may lead to a sophomoreheavy lineup this year. These sophomores compiled a 6-1 record on the freshman team last season, winning by an average of three touchdowns. Even with the high turnover rate the Trojans appear to have this year, they will still have familiar faces. One is senior quarterback Russell Aarons, who split time between quarterback and receiver a year ago. Penciled in to be Lassiter’s full-time starting signal caller, he’ll be working
28-42 41-23 20-35 42-41 43-44 28-21 31-3 35-28 17-10 37-20 20-59
with senior Oris Lawhorn and sophomore Mason Waters, both of whom received significant time at running back. Junior Ozi Orjioke will also factor into the mix. Senior Pearson Vanhorn saw time at receiver last season and junior Cole and Tyler Montour will move inside to the slot receiver position. Lassiter will have two experienced seniors on the offensive line. Phillip Murray played center and guard. Gregg Wentz could also helm the center position. Three juniors, Hampton Sanford, Isaac Weaver and Matt Merriman are others who will contend for a starting position. The Trojan defense is expecting to be even less experienced. “I think the offense is further ahead than the defense,” Lassiter coach Jep Irwin said. “We have experienced skill guys and offensive line is further
5-YEAR RECORD: 44-16
2013 RESULTS: 7-4 MCEACHERN SPRAYBERRY KELL CHEROKEE WOODSTOCK WALTON MILTON WHEELER ROSWELL ETOWAH PEACHTREE RIDGE
L W L W L W W W W W L
VS WHEELER OCT. 31
AT AT POPE CHEROKEE OCT. 24 OCT. 17 2014 OUTLOOK
AT ROSWELL NOV. 7
ahead than I thought they would be. The defense is getting better. There’s just a lot youth and inexperience we have to overcome.” The defensive line lost all three starters up front. Senior defensive end Jake Chambers does have experience and will likely be a starter. Junior Hayes Ryan is shifting to the defensive line from the offensive line. Lassiter also lost all three starting linebackers from last year. Senior Kory Gildea is the most experienced of the returners and will likely be working alongside senior Brett Horton, and sophomores Chris Bahr and Matt Slone. Senior cornerback Antonio Gallante and senior junior Alex Adams return to lead a young secondary.
2013 LEADERS RUSHING MASON WATERS 377 YDS, 1 TD PASSING WILL ANDERSON 2,665 YDS, 24 TD RECEIVING QUINCY PERDUE 778 YDS, 12 TD DUBY NWAUBI 726 YDS, 4 TD TACKLES ZACH SPIES 93 BENEDICT LOUIS 75 SACKS COREY JOHN 11.5 INTERCEPTIONS CLAY ROELLE 1 ALEC ADAMS 1
— By Adam Carrington acarrington@mdjonline.com
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: JEP IRWIN YEAR AT SCHOOL: 5 RECORD: 32-15 CAREER: 56-35 VARSITY COACHING STAFF JOSH HERRING – OC JIM ROWELL – DC CEDRIC DICKERSON – CB SHAUN GAINES – RB/SP BRETT O’BUCK – OL JUSTIN KEMPER – OL TOMMY CARROLL – WR JOE DURHAM – LB MICHAEL FRAKER – DL
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Sunday, August 17, 2014
Page 37
LAST LINE OF DEFENSE
NEW FACES FINDING PLAYING TIME IN LASSITER SECONDARY By Adam Carrington acarrington@mdjonline.com
Staff/Kelly J. Huff
Lassiter’s defensive backfield has consistently been a strength of the defense. It has showcased the talents of such players like Arkansas’ Chris Murphy and North Carolina State’s Niles Clark. This year it will feature a wide array of players including, front row from left, Taz Holt and Sam Keller. Second row: Dawson Brown, Antonio Gallante, Michael Curran and Kyle Syvarth. Back Row: Martin Liss,Tyriq Hardimon, Derrik Allen, Khari Johnson and Alec
keeping you at the
top of your
game Acworth Austell Brookstone
Canton Douglasville East Cobb
Marietta Paulding Woodstock
It’s no secret Lassiter is going to be young this season. But one of the more intriguing stories behind the Trojans is how quickly an entirely new secondary develops. And it’s the secondary players who are under the most scrutiny because they’re the last line of defense. The secondary has been a strength of Lassiter’s every season since coach Jep Irwin took over the program in 2010. The Trojans have always played a nickel defense — three safeties and two cornerbacks — and has been effective in stopping the pass ever since the majority of the teams they face adapted the spread format. “I much rather be young on the defensive line because we only play three guys,” Irwin said.
“There’s no shortage of ability (in the secondary). It’s just experience right now.” Standout players have come through Lassiter’s secondary and succeeded. Chris Murphy, who is now playing at Arkansas, is among them. So is North Carolina State’s Niles Clark, Georgia State’s Robert Dowling and Garrett Shank, a walk-on at South Carolina. However, this season, Lassiter does not have a fulltime starting player in the backfield returning. “This is a major question mark for our team,” Irwin said. “They have to make calls back there. With the way things are going today, teams are playing the spread so they are going to be tested. The secondary is almost half of our defense. We have five See LINE, Page 45
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Sunday, August 17, 2014
MARIETTA BLUE DEVILS
Location: 1171 Whitlock Ave. SW, Marietta Phone: (770) 428-2631 Home Field: Northcutt Stadium Online: bluedevil-football.com
2014 SCHEDULE
VS ETOWAH AUG. 22
VS AT WALTON NEWNAN AUG. 29 SEPT. 5 2014 ROSTER
NO. NAME CL. 1 RICK ASSINZO 12 2 BRENTON MARTIN 12 3 DANIEL CHARLES 10 5 RAYMOND LESTER 12 6 MARLON GOBER 12 11 7 KORBIN MILLER 9 MARTEL SANDERS 10 10 DEVON HENDERSON 11 11 KENDRICK KNIGHT 10 12 MALIK MARSHALL 12 13 KEITH COOPER 12 14 BLAIZE SEARCY 11 16 ALEX LEWIS 12 17 ROBERTO FAILEY 10 10 18 DEWAYNE SMITH 10 19 KHARON CAMERON 12 20 KIRVONTE’ BENSON 21 TREVOR JAMES 11 22 TY. EDWARDS-HAMBRIGHT 10 11 23 BRENDON LOOPER 24 TAUREAN BOWE 11 25 CHRISTIAN CLARK 11 26 AYMAR WHITSETT 11 27 CHRIS GRIFFIN 11 28 D.J. HALL 9 29 TERRELL MYERS 11 30 ROBERT HARRIS 11 31 BRADON MARTIN 11 32 NAKIA BERNIARD 12 33 MICHAEL SPENCER 11
POS. DL QB DB DB TE LB LB DB DL WR WR QB TE QB DB/WR DB/WR RB DB RB LB RB DB/RB DB DB WR DB DB LB RB RB/DL
NO. NAME 34 MICHAEL ZAPETA 35 CHAD LIPPOLD 38 IAN SHANNON 40 PHILIP COLBURN 41 LUKE MOZLEY 42 KYIREE SEWARD 45 CAMERON GREEN 49 TREVOR KRIER 50 ANDRES MCCLESH 51 ADAM WILLIAMS 53 CHARLIE WINSOR 54 CHUKS MADUBUIKE 55 JERON HOLSEY 56 WILL BAILEY 57 CHAS FALLAW 58 MATTHIAS WINSOR 59 ADAM HOEY 62 TIM SULLIVAN 66 JACOB WOODWORTH 71 SALOUM NJIE 74 NOMA SANDO 76 JEROME BOATENG 78 BRIAN MARSHALL 79 JORDAN BROWN 80 JORDAN DUKES 81 JALEEN PAYTON 82 CORY ROSE 83 JALAR ALLEN 86 SABIAN WILLIAMS 88 AZEEZ OJULARI
AT SOUTH COBB SEPT. 12 CL. 11 12 12 12 10 11 10 11 12 11 9 12 12 12 11 11 11 12 11 12 12 12 11 10 11 12 11 10 10 9
POS. DB LB K/P DL K/P RB/LB DB LB OL OL/DL LB DL OL/DL OL OL OL OL OL OL DL DL OL OL/DL OL WR WR WR DL WR DL
AT MCEACHERN OCT. 3
AT VS NORTH COBB N. PAULDING OCT. 24 OCT. 17 2014 OUTLOOK
Marietta has shown continuous growth under coach Scott Burton. After going 2-8 in his first season, Burton has guided the Blue Devils to three consecutive non-losing seasons and three straight trips to the state playoffs. A fourth postseason spot could be on the horizon for Marietta, which returns senior starters Brenton Martin at quarterback and KirVonte’ Benson at running back. Martin completed 103 of 174 passes for 1,401 yards and 16 touchdowns last season, while Benson had 208 carries for 1,430 yards and 13 scores. “We feel like KirVonte’ is as good as anybody in the state,” Burton said. “He only started playing football his sophomore year, and he’s had a lot of experience since then. We’re expecting him to explode this season.”
Martin is another player who should have a good year for the Blue Devils. He has a grasp of the offense and Burton said he has continued to impress. “Brenton has embraced his role as a veteran,” Burton said. “He has a solid grasp of what’s needed, and he’s stepped up his game.” There are question marks at wide receiver for Marietta, which lost Jordan Mathis and Marcus Bennett to graduation. Mathis caught 42 passes for 662 yards and eight touchdowns, while Bennett had 30 receptions for 402 yards and five scores. Junior Jordan Dukes and sophomore Dewayne Smith have shown promise as potential replacements. Marlon Gober, who was also expected to contribute, tore his ACL in the offseason and has yet to be cleared to return to practice. “We’re hoping to have (Marlon) back by
VS HILLGROVE SEPT. 26
5-YEAR RECORD: 30-26
2013 RESULTS: 8-3 NEWNAN POPE HILLGROVE MCEACHERN PEBBLEBROOK KENNESAW MTN. CAMPBELL SOUTH COBB NORTH COBB HARRISON LOVEJOY
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52-21 63-13 13-21 30-43 38-6 49-31 44-24 58-46 24-21 31-27 23-27
W W L L W W W W W W L
VS
KENNESAW MTN.
OCT. 31
AT HARRISON NOV. 7
the start of the season,” Burton said. Once he’s back, however, Gober will then need time to get back into football shape. The offensive line continues to be a workin-progress for Marietta. “We need to have more depth there, and we have to stay healthy,” Burton said. The defense will be young with several sophomores and juniors holding pivotal roles. Seniors Rick Assinzo and Jeron Holsey should factor along the defensive line. Senior Raymond Lester is a top returner in the secondary. Highly-ranked kicker and punter Ian Shannon returns for his senior season.
2013 LEADERS RUSHING KIRVONTE’ BENSON 1,430 YDS, 13 TD PASSING BRENTON MARTIN 1,401 YDS, 16 TD RECEIVING JORDAN MATHIS 662 YDS, 8 TD TACKLES TYRELL TOMLIN 109 ONTERRIO LAY 97 SACKS CHRIS FLOOD 1 KORBIN MILLER 1 INTERCEPTIONS KADEEM WALLINGTON 4 TYRELL TOMLIN 4
— By Carlton D. White cwhite@mdjonline.com
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: SCOTT BURTON YEAR AT SCHOOL: 5 RECORD: 24-21 CAREER: 96-47 VARSITY COACHING STAFF JASON MEADE — DC CHARLIE CRITTENDEN — OC/OL NICK HOUSTOULAKIS — DB/ST LABRONE MITCHELL — WR DAVID YARBROUGH — RB BRANDON SCARBROUGH — DL GERREN GRIFFIN — LB KEVIN HORNE — DB/ST TOM GUCKIAN — K/P BRIAN KANE — OL
Sunday, August 17, 2014
KICKOFF 2014
Page 39 Staff/Kelly J. Huff
Marietta offensive coordinator Charlie Crittenden is a volunteer with the “Blue Skies” program, which grants children with terminal illnesses a week away from the fight at summer camp. Crittenden is rubbing off on his players, who are also getting involved in the volunteering spirit.
MARIETTA HELPING HAND DEVILS’ CHARLIE CRITTENDEN AIDS FAMILIES DEALING WITH CHALLENGE OF PEDIATRIC CANCER
By Carlton D. White cwhite@mdjonline.com Extended family members can be a pain to be around. In Charlie Crittenden’s case, however, his extended family is a blessing, not only to him, but to thousands of other families. Melinda Mayton, a Marietta High School graduate and the cousin to Crittenden’s fiancée, Meredith Cox, is the president and CEO of Blue Skies Ministries, which, according to its website, “offers week-long family retreats to bring the hope of Christ to families living through the challenges of pediatric cancer.” Cox often spoke to Crittenden, Marietta’s offensive line coach and
offensive coordinator, about Blue Skies, until he finally attended a retreat on his own. “Dating her, she always talked about it and how their family was involved,” Crittenden said. “I went for a few days last summer and got to see bits and pieces of it because I was coming back for football. “This time, I told (Marietta coach Scott) Burton that I wanted to stay the full week.” Blue Skies Ministries holds eight week long retreats in Port St. Joe, Fla. from March through October. Volunteer families host guest families at the resort, preparing meals, activities and doing other household chores. “Every week is designed to give the guest family the perfect vacation, so they
don’t feel burdened about their child with cancer,” said Crittenden, who took on an organizer/coaching role for Blue Skies during his retreat. “My responsibilities was to make sure everything ran smoothly and everything got done.” Hillgrove tennis coach Scott Hill was one of Crittenden’s volunteers along with Marietta outside linebacker Chad Lippold. “Chad was like my son for the week,” Crittenden said. “He was awesome with the work and great with the kids. The way he went out of his way to take care of the kids was awesome.” Lippold enjoyed the experience with the guest families as well. “It was different from what I thought it
would be,” he said. “I didn’t know I’d get to spend so much time with the kids.” Lippold didn’t mind helping out because his grandmother had been diagnosed with cancer years ago. “She had breast cancer,” he said. “She’s in remission now, but I felt blessed to give back to those kids and to those families. “I really enjoyed that I made friends, not just with the kids, but with the other volunteers. I got along with everyone and it was a fun experience the whole way through. It was a wonderful experience and I most definitely want to get involved next year.” Crittenden made it a family affair by inviting his mom, dad and sister along with See HELPING, Page 45
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KICKOFF 2014
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Page 41 Marietta’s Ian Shannon, left, and Sprayberry’s Rodrigo Blankenship are arguably the two best high school kickers in the country for the class of 2015. Both players have taken advantage of the increased specialization and training available for kickers these days, and it will likely earn each of them a full scholarship to play football in college. n Staff/Jeff Stanton
COBB KICKERS ARE COUNTRY’S BEST By John Bednarowski sportseditor@mdjonline.com Cobb County has the market cornered on elite kickers. Marietta’s Ian Shannon and Sprayberry’s Rodrigo Blankenship have put themselves above nearly every other kicker in the Class of 2015 according to Prokicker.com co-founder and Ray Guy Kicking Academy director Rick Sang. “You have the two best kickers in the country in your hometown,” Sang said. Prokicker.com is a national organization, affiliated with new Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Ray Guy, that ranks kickers and punters by high school class, and based on the current rankings, Blankenship is the No. 1 ranked kicker in combos, which measures kickoff hang time and distance, punting hang time and distance and field goal accuracy.
He is also the No. 2- ranked place kicker and has the third strongest leg of any kicker in the class of 2015. Last year, Blankenship made seven of his 11 field goal opportunities and all 22 of his extra points. He also averaged 42.4 yards per punt. Sang said Shannon, who made 16 of 18 field goals including a 49-yarder as time expired to beat North Cobb, 42 of 45 extra points and averaged 40.7 yards per punt, is considered to have the strongest leg in the nation. He is also ranked third in combos and is the No. 2 ranked punter in the country. Sang said both are likely to be Division I signees. Both Shannon and Blankenship have taken advantage of the kicking camps and rating services. Shannon, who was the Class AAAAAA first team all-state kicker in 2013, recently attended a camp at the University of Virginia
that netted him one of his many scholarship offers. He is also being recruited by Georgia Tech, Florida State and Auburn. Blankenship, who was the Class AAAAA first-team all-state punter, has also used the camp scene to better his chance at earning a college scholarship. He currently has offers from UAB and Army, but he is getting serious looks from Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi State and Alabama. Marietta High School graduated two other kickers that have gone on to win national championships in college. Rex Robinson helped Georgia win its national title in 1980, while Scott Sisson helped Georgia Tech win a title 10 years later. Both former Blue Devils said that the creation of the kicking academies, yearround work and specialization of See KICKERS, Page 94
IAN SHANNON
RODRIGO BLANKENSHIP
PROKICKER.COM RANKINGS NO. 1 SPECIALISTS — NATIONAL NO. 1 POST POWERFUL LEG — NATIONAL NO. 2 — PUNTERS - NATIONAL NO. 3 — COMBOS - NATIONAL 2013 SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICAN PUNTER 2013 HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICAN KICKER
PROKICKER.COM RANKINGS NO. 1 — COMBOS - NATIONAL NO. 2 — KICKERS - NATIONAL NO. 3 — MOST POWERFUL LEG - NATIONAL NO. 4 — SPECIALISTS - NATIONAL 2013 FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN KICKER
OTHER HONORS/HIGHLIGHTS 2013 CEDRIC OGLESBY AWARD — KICKER OF THE YEAR IN GEORGIA
OTHER HONORS/HIGHLIGHTS RECENTLY EARNED A SPOT IN THE 2015 U.S. ARMY ALL-AMERICA BOWL
CLASS AAAAAA FIRST TEAM ALL-STATE KICKER
CLASS AAAAA FIRST TEAM ALL-STATE PUNTER
SET MARIETTA RECORD FOR: FIELD GOALS IN A SEASON 16 CONSECUTIVE FIELD GOALS 12
NAMED TO WEST TEAM FOR AT&T GEORGIA BOWL
2013 STATS 16 OF 18 FIELD GOALS 42 OF 45 EXTRA POINTS 40.7 YARDS PER PUNT 13 PUNTS DOWNED INSIDE THE 20 22 PUNT RETURN YARDS ALLOWED
2013 STATS 7 OF 11 FIELD GOALS 22 OF 22 EXTRA POINTS 42.4 YARDS PER PUNT
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Sunday, August 17, 2014
MCEACHERN INDIANS
Location: 2400 New Macland Road, Powder Springs Phone: (770) 222-3710 Home Field: Walter Cantrell Stadium Online: mceachernhigh.org/football.html
2014 SCHEDULE
VS N. GWINNETT AUG. 23 NO. NAME 1 SAM JACKSON 2 TYLER SMITH 3 JEREMIAH SHAW 4 CAM MAGEE 7 TAJ GRIFFIN 8 BRYAN OKEH 9 N. DAMASSIMO 10 BAILEY HOCKMAN 12 COREY BATTS 12 CEDRIC LEE 13 D. HAMILTON 14 D. MORGAN 15 BRANDON SMITH 16 C. DOMINGUEZ 18 A. HEYWARD 19 DAVONNE BOYCE 20 DORIAN MCNEAL 21 TJ RAHMING 21 NICK JONES 22 C. MILLS 23 TYLER WOODLY 24 M. NWAGBARA 25 MALIK JORDAN 26 SAQUAN DANIELS 27 KIHIEM ELLERBE 28 FITZ WATTLEY 29 CHRIS BRITTON 29 M. LIBRONE 30 J. MCCLOUD 31 NATE LESTER 31 CJ MILLER 32 KEVIN SHERMAN 33 QUAY HOLMES 34 M. JOHNSON 35 E.J. SCOTT 36 C. MARSHALL 36 CORY MILLS
AT VS BUFORD P’TREE RIDGE SEPT. 5 SEPT. 12 2014 ROSTER CL. POS. 11 RB 10 WR 12 WR 12 LB 12 RB 11 DB 12 LB 10 QB 11 QB 12 QB 12 WR 12 LB 10 WR 11 PK 12 DB 12 TE 11 RB 12 WR 12 QB 10 LB 12 DB 11 RB 11 DB 12 RB 11 DB 12 LB 10 DB 11 LB 10 DB 10 RB 10 DB 10 DB 10 RB 12 FB 10 WR 10 DB 10 WR
NO. NAME 37 JOSH OHANU 38 BRIAN SMITH 39 JAVAN REID 40 JEFFERY YOUNG 40 NICK KEMP 41 QUENTIN HAYES 41 M. HAZLEY 42 Z. HOLLOWAY 43 BRYCE SIMS 45 DAVONTE SWAN 46 BRYAN EVANS 47 AARON YOUNG 48 M. CARTER 48 A. MCCLETCHIE 49 M. WHETSTONE 50 NICK YOUNG 51 K. ROBINSON 52 TAVON JOHNSON 53 C. MBELEDOGU 54 ALLEN COOPER 55 K. GALLARDO 56 ERIC GRAHAM 56 ISREAL MOORE 57 GREG AUSTIN 58 JORDAN HALL 59 ELIJAH CROSS 60 K. HIXON 61 AJAYI OLUFEMI 62 H. JOHNSON 63 TONY VERA 64 J. KOUAME 65 ALEX SESAY 66 JAYLYN JACKSON 67 REMY DECOUX 68 CORY TRENT 69 M. FAIRBANKS 70 K. AKERS
CL. POS. 12 DE 11 LB 12 DB 10 RB 12 DB 10 DE 10 DB 10 LB 11 DB 12 DB 11 DB 11 DB 10 DB 11 DB 10 LB 11 LB 10 OL 12 DT 10 OL 11 LB 10 DE 11 LS 10 OL 12 OL 12 OL 11 OL 12 OL 11 LB 11 DE 12 DT 12 OL 10 LB 10 OL 12 LS 10 DT 9 DE 11 OL
AT LOVEJOY SEPT. 19
NO. NAME 71 DARIUS THOMAS 72 CHANDLER JONES 73 DEVON WOLF 74 ANDY CONE 75 KEVIN RUIZ 76 T. ANCHRUM 77 CHUMA EDOGA 78 THOMAS FAULK 79 JEZER RODAS 80 MALIK MCCLARY 80 C. ROBERSON 81 C.J. WINDHAM 82 D. MCDUFFIE 82 CHAVIS MERRITT 83 BRIAN SUGGS 83 TYREK LODGE 84 NATE JONES 85 G. WATTLEY 87 SAM JONES 87 MICHAEL HINES 88 C. HERNANDEZ 89 M. HERRINGTON 90 J. MCCLOUD 91 X. REDDICK 91 MARCO ORTIZ 92 D. THOMPSON 93 J. DURU 94 J. BRYANT 95 ANDREW TARVER 96 CARLTON BATES 97 DEJOUR BATES 97 M. SAMUELS 98 WILLIE DEAN 99 J. ROCHESTER 99 N. ALLEN KEVAYON SMITH ZACHARY JOYCE
CL. POS. 11 OL 12 OL 11 OL 12 OL 11 OL 11 OL 12 OL 11 DT 12 OL 10 LB 11 TE 11 WR 10 LB 12 WR 11 WR 10 RB 10 LB 11 TE 10 WR 11 WR 12 DE 12 WR 10 DE 10 TE 12 DE 10 DB 12 WR 10 DE 11 DT 10 DB 10 RB 10 LB 10 DT 11 DT 11 LB 11 DB 10 LB
VS MARIETTA OCT. 3
McEachern may have the most talent since Kyle Hockman took over the program six years ago. And this Indians squad is coming off a trip to the semifinals in the Class AAAAAA state playoffs. At least 10 players have committed to, or are being recruited by, a Football Bowl Subdivision school. “I think we will be balanced in all phases,” McEachern coach Kyle Hockman said. “We have good size and good speed in those positions. Obviously, we will give the ball to our main guys. Defensively, we will be better than we’ve been up front. I’m really excited about our talent up front.” It’s a good thing the Indians have that much talent. They will need it with the schedule that is in front of them. A non-region schedule that consists of North Gwinnett, Buford, Peachtree Ridge and Lovejoy lead into the Region 4AAAAAA schedule. With Hillgrove, North Cobb, Marietta and North Paulding all coming off playoff appearances last season, it means
2013 RESULTS: 11-3 BROOKWOOD 31-10 LASSITER 42-28 53-7 PEBBLEBROOK MARIETTA 43-30 KENNESAW MTN. 41-7 49-35 CAMPBELL SOUTH COBB 40-0 26-28 NORTH COBB HARRISON 42-13 HILLGROVE 17-31 NEWTON 36-21 LANGSTON HUGHES 22-21 COLLINS HILL 35-32 NORTH GWINNETT 21-27
keeping you at the
top of your
game Acworth Austell Brookstone
Canton Douglasville East Cobb
AT NORTH COBB OCT. 10
Marietta Paulding Woodstock
W W W W W W W L W L W W W L
AT VS N. PAULDING KENNESAW MTN. OCT. 24 OCT. 17 2014 OUTLOOK McEachern will face eight playoff teams from a year ago during the regular season. Quarterback Bailey Hockman, who threw for 1,096 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2013, was just named to the CBS MaxPreps Preseason Sophomore All-American Team, and he already has postseason experience as a freshman when he led the team to three victories as a starter. Oregon commitment Taj Griffin, who ran for 996 yards and eight touchdowns, is also returning to lead the McEachern backfield. There’s also T.J. Rahming, who had 927 yards, 11 touchdowns and recently committed to Duke, returning to be McEachern’s go-to target at receiver. Senior receiver Jeremiah Shaw will be an additional target for the Indians along with junior C.J Windham and sophomore Tyler Smith. McEachern will also benefit from USC commitment Chuma Edoga and Louisville-bound Chandler Jones. Junior Tremayne Anchrum has solidified himself as
5-YEAR RECORD: 49-11
VS HARRISON OCT. 31
AT HILLGROVE NOV. 7
a starting left tackle after getting playing time last season. Senior Greg Austin is tabbed as the starting center. While McEachern’s offense is flooded with top-tier talent, its defense has a few holes to fill. This may be one of McEachern’s stronger defensive fronts with junior Julian Rochester coming back. He led the team in tackles last season with 114 and had 10 sacks. Senior Fitz Wattley will line up at the other defensive end after playing linebacker a year ago. Senior Nick DaMassimo, who is getting college attention from Division I schools, will lead the linebacker corps. In the secondary, senior Tyler Woodly is returning to his post at cornerback. Senior Andrew Heyward will also play cornerback with senior Dylan Hamilton and junior Bryan Okeh lining up at the safety positions.
2013 LEADERS RUSHING TY CLEMONS 1,157 YDS, 16 TD TAJ GRIFFIN 996 YDS, 8 TD PASSING TY CLEMONS 1,182 YDS, 13 TD RECEIVING T.J. RAHMING 927 YDS, 11 TD TACKLES JULIAN ROCHESTER 114 GLEN FRAZIER 112 SACKS HENRY FAMUREWA 16 MACKENZIE BILLINGSLEA 14 JULIEN ROCHESTER 10 INTERCEPTIONS RAHMOI PARSONS 6
— By Adam Carrington acarrington@mdjonline.com
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: KYLE HOCKMAN YEAR AT SCHOOL: 7 RECORD: 54-16 CAREER: 94-40 VARSITY COACHING STAFF VAN SPENCE – OC BRYAN MINISH – DC JON OSNOWITZ – RB BRENT HAYGOOD – OL MATT ROARK – WR RICH FOSTER – TE KARLTON SHILLING – OL PHIL HOSKINS – DB STEVE ADLEY – OLB ASSAMEE ASAD – LB RICH ROBINSON – DL
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Page 43
Staff/Kelly J. Huff
McEachern’s Division I prospects — running back Taj Griffin, defensive lineman Julian Rochester, offensive lineman Chuma Edoga, receiver T.J Rahming and offesnvie lineman Chandler Jones — are just the start of the large pool of talented players the Indians have in 2014.
TIME IS NOW
MCEACHERN HAS THE TALENT TO END COBB’S 47-YEAR TITLE DROUGHT By Adam Carrington acarrington@mdjonline.com McEachern wants to be the team to end Cobb County’s streak of 47 seasons without a state championship in football, and it has the talent to do so. The Indians currently have four players who have committed to Football Bowl Subdivision schools and another who could choose any school he likes. Coach Kyle Hockman said there are at least five more players who could potentially land at a Football Championship Subdivision program. Running back Taj Griffin has committed to Oregon. Wide receiver T.J. Rahming has plans
for Duke. Offensive linemen Chuma Edoga is supposed to head west to play for USC. Fellow offensive lineman Chandler Jones committed to Louisville and junior defensive tackle Julian Rochester will have plenty of choices, having received offers from Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Florida State, LSU and Ohio State, among others. And cornerback Tyler Wooley has received an offer from Georgia State. “Obviously, talent is a good thing,” Hockman said. “You want to have as much talent as possible, but there has to be that sense of team. When they start thinking too much about themselves, they forget about the importance of the team. But I don’t see
that a whole lot with these guys.” But McEachern knows good and well it will take more than talent and a group of future FBS players to win a championship. Grayson was tabbed to defend its 2011 Class AAAAA championship with half its defense committed to a FBS school, including superstar Robert Nkemdiche who went on to Ole Miss. But North Gwinnett ended up spoiling Grayson’s playoff run in the second round. After a couple of mediocre seasons in 2007 and 2008, when McEachern didn’t go to the playoffs — its talent pool took a hit when Hillgrove opened 4 miles away in 2006 — the Indians returned to their winning ways. And while their talent has helped the
Indians win three region titles since 2009, they did not advance past the second round of the state playoffs until last season, when they made it to the semifinals as the Region 4AAAAAA’s No. 3 seed. McEachern has produced remarkable talent during that stretch, which included running back Rajaan Bennett, who was killed in 2010, two weeks after signing with Vanderbilt. Other contributors were Darius English, who went on to South Carolina after graduating in 2012. Defensive end JaJuan Dulaney and running back Ty Griffin both had stellar careers before graduating in See NOW, Page 45
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Rising Continued from Page 31 was here.” Hallman, a 6-4, 180-pound wide receiver has been a full-time member of the varsity team since his sophomore season. He has offers from Georgia State, Limestone and Middle Tennessee State. “It would be a blessing to have my name on the ceiling,” he said. “I’ve seen what some of my teammates have achieved so having that scholarship and getting my name up there is a blessing.” Davis, a 6-2, 205-pound linebacker is entering his second year starting at the position. He has offers from Mercer, Virginia
Confident Continued from Page 33 defined on a state level. “We’ve got a few things that we’re going to fix, and the first
Military Institute, Charleston Southern and West Georgia. “We want to continue the legacy,” Davis said. “Keep the tradition going of sending guys to college. We’re not just an academic school, we’re a school that excels in sports. It’s cool to know that the younger will see our names up there and know about the legacy and want to step up.” Ironside is excited his former and current players are earning opportunities to continue their careers at the next level. “It’s good,” he said. “It’s a great reward. We’ve even sent coaches to other places to become head coaches and that’s what you want. You want to talk about a legacy and these coaches and players are buying into that.” few games are going to be tough because we’re a young team” said Rosendahl. “It’s exciting that we’ve made it to the final four, but the next step is making it all the way. We need a state championship we don’t have one yet and we’re hungry for one.”
Faith Continued from Page 35 play when I was young because of the team’s performance. If I had gone to a different school, I might not have started. We have experience on this team, we know how the program works. I never expected to instantly go to the playoffs. It’s going to be a process, but the results are finally showing.” While the veterans of the Kennesaw Mountain squad are hungry for the glory and accolades that would come with earning their school’s first playoff berth, they know there are lasting effects at play as they head into their last season on campus. The seniors are aware of what their effort will mean to the rest of the school and the football community. “It doesn’t matter what age or what grade we are,” Jones said. “We need to push each other.
Sunday, August 17, 2014 I want to push the guys who are second string to beat me. We want to prepare them for when they’re starters one day. You have to push the guys who are next to you and the guys who are behind you.” And some of those behind them may be from their own family. “I have a little brother coming up through the program” White said. “It would be awesome to be known as one of those classes who started a reputation of success. I want to be part of a class that got to the playoffs. I want my brother coming into a program where they know they are meant to win. It’s time to start winning.” Tough times and tough people may be phrases that are repeated during Kennesaw Mountain’s practices in 2014. Regardless, this class has more than just winning upcoming games on their mind. They want to lay the bricks in the foundation of a new winning tradition, so that future Mustangs will hear phrases like legacy and success.
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Line Continued from Page 37 players all the time and that’s easier to play against the spread offenses we face.” Senior Antonio Gallante is the most experienced of the bunch but has struggled with injuries and didn’t start every game. While he doesn’t have excessive speed or size, he’s one of the smarter players on the field who is well versed in technique and where to be at all times. Lassiter’s most experienced safety coming back is junior Alec Adams who will be playing free safety for the Trojans. Although he’s only a junior, he has been on varsity since he was a freshman. Like Gallante, Adams is one of the smarter players in the secondary and one of the better communicators. But senior strong safety Sam Keller goes down as one of the bigger and more physical players in the defensive backfield. Having played mostly on special teams
last season, Keller’s performance on defense was limited. As a projected starter this season, Irwin said his primary duty is holding the point of attack. A potential sleeper in the secondary could be freshman corner Derek Allen, who has always lived in Lassiter’s district, but attended middle scholl at Westminster. Allen just turned 14-years old and is already over 6-feet tall. Irwin said he may grow into a safety as his high school career progresses. There’s also a long list of others who will be vying for a starting job. There’s sophomore Taz Holt, who is smaller but athletic. Junior Ben Bostellar as a similar build as Keller and also played on special teams last year. Sophomores Kyle Syzarth, Ty Hardiman and Khari Johnson also add depth to Lassiter’s secondary. “We’re a nickel team all the time. It fits us anyway,” Irwin said. “We have more safety types than we do linebacker types. It gives us more depth back there than it does in the front by doing it this way.”
Helping Continued from Page 39 Meredith’s family. Donations from supporters and volunteers help cover the $50,000 cost to host 12 families at each retreat, according to the Blue Skies website.
Now Continued from Page 43 2013 and moving on to Maryland and Georgia Tech respectively. Henry Famurewa, another defensive end who was a senior on last year’s state semifinal team, is now at Louisville. We have the talent to do it. We just have to come together and work hard,” said Taj Griffin, who rushed for 1,194 yards and nine touchdowns last year. “It’s the little things (that could go wrong) like not playing together as a team and not listening to coach. It’s those little things we
Page 45 The brief time Crittenden spent in Florida last year compelled him to be more involved this season. His hope is that more people, organizations and teams will volunteer and support Blue Skies. “I was with (the Marietta football team) for four weeks in June, but I knew I needed to be
in Florida,” Crittenden said. “It was nice to have (Lippold) with me and to have people from the team sponsor me. “I’d love to see our team continue to support Blue Skies in any way we can. It’s a great ministry, and I hope to get more people from the community involved.”
keep working on so we’re going to expect great things.” McEachern has always been a storied program. The Indians had a streak of 23 straight winning seasons under former coach and now athletic director Jimmy Dorsey. The closest the Indians came to winning a state title came in 1998, when they advanced to the state title game. This could be the year the Indians could return to the final. They certainly have the schedule that would prepare them. They open against North Gwinnett at home in the Corky Kell Classic on Aug. 23. Then they’re on the road against Class AAA finalist Buford,
home against Peachtree Ridge and back on the road against 2012 AAAAA state finalist Lovejoy before hosting Marietta on Oct. 3 to begin region play. “It’s definitely one of the most challenging schedules we have ever faced,” Griffin said. “It’s going to be a great challenge and we’re excited about it.” And Hockman mentioned another critical factor that could factor into McEachern’s success. “It will be more about the other guys and role players,” he said. “We have to have solid, basic high school football players who will play their hearts out. They’re the glue. They will make us or break us.”
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MOUNT PARAN CHRISTIAN
Location: 1275 Stanley Road, Kennesaw Phone: (770) 578-0182 Home Field: Mount Paran Stadium Online: mtparanschool.com/athsport.
2014 SCHEDULE
(IN COLUMBUS) ELCA AUG. 23 NO. NAME 1 MIKEY ADAMS 2 DORIAN WALKER 3 ALLEN CATER 4 TREY TINNON 5 TAYLOR TRAMMELL 6 EMONI WILLIAMS 7 JAKE ALLEN 8 RYAN MORAN 9 JARED KNOX 10 KELLUM ROWAN 11 JACK ROWAN 12 GRAHAM MASSEY 14 ANDY CRAIN 15 REED MASSEY 16 DRAKE HARRIS 17 MATTHEW NORTON 18 EMMETT TALIAFERRO 19 MIKEY GUELFO 20 JACKSON MCLARTY 21 JACK LEE 22 NOLAN SULLIVAN 23 JAKE MEZEI 24 JACKSON REESE 25 GARRETT HARRIS 26 NATE RAEDER 27 COLLIN COX 28 KOBI PALOMAKI 29 DAVIS STEVENS
AT VS WHITEFIELD N. CLAYTON AUG. 29 SEPT. 5 2014 ROSTER CL. 12 12 11 11 11 12 12 12 10 9 12 12 10 12 9 11 10 10 10 11 12 12 9 11 9 10 12 9
POS. FB/DB RB/DB TE/DL RB/DB RB/DB WR/DB QB/DB RB/DB QB/DB QB/LB WR/LB WR/DB WR/DB RB/DB RB/DB QB/LB RB/LB RB/LB K/DB RB/DB TE/LB K/DB RB/LB RB/LB RB/DB WR/DB RB/DB WR/DB
NO. NAME 30 BO STALLINGS 31 ANDREW ADDISON 32 BO LIGON 33 AARON COOPER 34 NICK SBRAVATI 35 JOHN ALLEN KNOX 37 AIDEN AHOLA 38 JOHN GINTER 40 HOLT SHANNON 42 KYLE GRAY 43 ETHAN PUGH 44 JACK CRONE 45 DRYDEN LEWIS 50 HUDSON DROEGE 52 PATRICK LEE 53 NIC RUBINACCI 54 PHILLIP ADDISON 55 MATT RAMSEY 56 GUNTER LAPRAD 57 ZACH STRONG 61 BEN HOWARD 62 BEN LOCKE 63 BART PEREZ 64 SILAS HICKS 65 JOSH BENNETT 70 JOSEPH RAINEY 72 WELLS SETTLEMYER 75 CARTER SMITH
AT KING’S RIDGE SEPT. 19 CL. 9 9 9 12 12 11 10 9 10 9 11 12 10 10 12 10 12 10 11 12 9 9 9 11 10 11 11 10
POS. RB/DB QB/DB WR/DB TE/LB RB/LB TE/LB WR/DB WR/DB RB/DB TE/LB RB/LB TE/DL RB/LB OL/LB OL/DL OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL
VS PINECREST SEPT. 26
VS WALKER OCT. 10
Mount Paran Christian has had several breakthrough seasons. The first came in 2009 when the Eagles won eight games in their second season. The program followed that up with back-to-back state playoff appearances in 2010 and 2011. Following a dropoff in 2012, Mount Paran returned to boast its best campaign in history, totaling a school record nine wins and winning a state playoff game for the first time. The Eagles’ encore season could be just as special. “We lost four seniors from last year’s team,” coach Mitch Jordan said. “As long as we can stay healthy, we have a good chance at another strong season.” Jake Allen returns for his final season at quarterback. He started a few games as a sophomore before taking over the reins full-time last year, finishing the season 71-of-106 for 1,276 yards and 12 touchdowns with only three
interceptions. “Jake’s started about 16 to 17 games for us so far,” Jordan said. “We’re looking for a big season from him.” Also returning are senior running backs Dorian Walker and Taylor Trammell along with senior wide receiver Emoni Williams, a first-team Class A all-state performer. Walker rushed 157 times for 911 yards and 17 touchdowns, while Trammell gained 608 yards and four scores on 93 carries. Williams had 38 catches for 825 yards and eight touchdowns. “Emoni was a first-team all-state player last year, so teams will try to take him out of our offense,” Jordan said. Mount Paran’s offensive line remains nearly intact. Four of the unit’s five starters return, including 6-foot-9, 280-pound senior center Zach Strong. “Zach was 240 pounds last year,” Jordan said. “He’s worked really hard. He’s enjoyed
5-YEAR RECORD: 33-21
2013 RESULTS: 9-3 OUR LADY OF MERCY 36-7 BROOKSTONE 26-21 7-14 LANDMARK TRION 31-12 KING’S RIDGE 45-3 28-17 WHITEFIELD FELLOWSHIP 52-21 MOUNT PISGAH 24-28 WALKER 52-7 TRION 24-14 OUR LADY OF MERCY 31-24 AQUINAS 32-35
VS AT TRION CHR. HERITAGE OCT. 24 OCT. 17 2014 OUTLOOK
W W L W W W W L W W W L
AT
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OCT. 31
NOV. 7
MOUNT ZION-CAR PLAY-IN GAME
eating this summer.” The Eagles’ defensive backs will be the strength of the team defensively. As many as six different players have the skills necessary to start at cornerback and safety. Senior Patrick Lee (65 tackles) will anchor the defensive line and senior Nick Sbravati (113 tackles), another first-team all-state performer, will lead the linebackers. “Both of those guys could play at the next level,” Jordan said. Overall, Mount Paran should be excited about its immediate future. “We have high expectations on the year, but the kids aren’t resting on last year’s success,” Jordan said. “We’re excited, but it all comes down to staying healthy.”
2013 LEADERS Rushing Taylor Trammell 608 YDS, 4 TD Emoni Williams 521 YDS, 5 TD Passing Jake Allen 1,276 YDS, 12 TD Receiving Emoni Williams 825 YDS, 8 TD Tackles Nick Sbravati 113 Reed Massey 74 Sacks Nick Sbravati 5 Allen Cater 5 Interceptions Graham Massey 3 Emoni Williams 2
— By Carlton D. White cwhite@mdjonline.com
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: MITCH JORDAN YEAR AT SCHOOL: 7 RECORD: 35-28 CAREER: 35-28 VARSITY COACHING STAFF TAB GRIFFIN — OC TRAVIS MOZINGO — DC KENNY PALMER — OL JACK LAPRAD — OL JOHN LEWIS — DL DAVID LOWERY — LB/ST GREG PHILLIPS — QB/DB CONNIE ARNOLD – DB TYLER JONES — K JOEL HAZARD — WR LOGAN BEER — WR/LB
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SECONDARY HAS EAGLES FLYING HIGH MOUNT PARAN CHRISTIAN’S DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD COULD LEAD IT TO ANOTHER DEEP PLAYOFF RUN By Carlton D. White cwhite@mdjonline.com Mount Paran Christian had its best season in school history last year. The Eagles won a school-record nine games, won a state playoff game for the first time and challenged for the Region 6A championship. Last year’s special season could be even better, given that Mount Paran graduated only four seniors and returns the majority of its starters and reserves for the 2014 campaign. Among those returning is a group of six defensive backs that coach Mitch Jordan describes as “the strength of the team.” “All of these guys could start,” Jordan said. “That secondary is a Staff/Kelly J. Huff special group. They’re talented, Mount Paran Christian’s defensive backfield has plenty of experience returning from last year’s 9-3 state play- they’re athletic and they’re smart.” The unit includes seniors Emoni off season. Pictured, from left, cornerback Emoni Williams and safety Taylor Trammell. Back row, from left, are Williams, Dorian Walker, Reed safety Graham Massey, free safety Reed Massey, cornerback Dorian Walker and safety Jack Lee.
keeping you at the
top of your
game Acworth Austell Brookstone
Canton Douglasville East Cobb
Marietta Paulding Woodstock
Massey and Graham Massey along with juniors Taylor Trammell and Jack Lee. “Having those games under their belts from last year will be huge,” Jordan said. “We’ll be able to mix up coverages and strengthen our defense against the run and bring more man coverage. “Several of them play baseball together, and our four senior starters all play basketball. They’re a tight group with great chemistry and they’ll compete.” The Masseys and Williams hadn’t played football since the eighth grade. They played basketball and baseball, but came out for football as juniors last year. Williams earned Class A all-state first-team honors as a wide receiver. “They walked their way into the starting lineup,” Jordan said. “They See FLYING, Page 48
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Flying Continued from Page 47 had to catch up on their football IQ, but they made up for that with their athleticism.” Walker, a three-sport athlete at Mount Paran, also plays running back and has numerous football scholarship offers, while Reed Massey has committed to play baseball at Wofford. Graham Massey missed the baseball season because of offseason shoulder surgery, but, according to Jordan, “he might be the best athlete on the team with his raw speed and ability to change direction. He has a knack for making plays and he’s one of the most gifted kids I’ve ever had.” Jordan considers Lee and Trammell starters as well. “Jack is a blue-collar guy who works hard in the weight room,” he said. “Taylor will be a big-time prospect in football and baseball. He also has baseball offers and he’ll have his choice in football, too, I think.” Walker, Williams and Trammell
were all voted to the team’s 10-member leadership council by their teammates. “That shows their commitment to the team and what the other guys think of them on and off the field,” Jordan said. Reed Massey likes the idea that the guys in the secondary will play a key role in Mount Paran’s success this year. “We’re close,” he said. “The most athletic guys on the team are in the secondary and that helps. We all have speed. We can break on the ball and make plays. That’s a big thing. We can catch receivers and knock balls away to help out our defense.” The depth and talent in the secondary helps the Eagles overall. “If a guy goes down, anybody can step up,” Reed Massey said. “We’re all competitive and we all want to be out there making each other as good as we can be.” Jordan is excited to have the group together again for another season. “It’s a luxury to have six guys that can play back there and start,” he said. “That’s unique for a school our size.”
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MDJ DYNAMITE DOZEN
Over the last few years, the Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference and other Football Bowl Subdivision schools have raided Cobb County for the top echelon of players.
The same can be said for the players that have appeared in the Marietta Daily Journal Dynamite Dozen. In 2012, 10 members of the Dynamite Dozen earned scholarships from either the SEC
(8) or the ACC (2). Last year nine players advanced to FBS schools. In 2014, the trend is continuing. Of the 13 members of this year’s class, seven have already committed and three are SEC bound, two ACC and two are
heading west to the Pac 12. Six players are still undecided, but all have potential to be playing in front of 80,000 fans next fall. — By John Bednarowski sportseditor@mdjonline.com Tyler Queen, North Cobb Pos: QB HT: 6-3 WT: 230 40: 4.9 Queen was the Class AAAAAA first-team all-state quarterback in 2012 as a sophomore. After another solid year last season, the Auburn commitment is closing in on the Cobb County record for career passing yardage.
Max Kemper, Pope Pos: OL HT: 6-4 WT: 290 40: 5.0 Kemper is a two-time first-team all-state performer in Class AAAAA. He currently has offers from Air Force, Old Dominion and others.
Julian Rochester, McEachern Pos: DL HT: 6-5 WT: 285 40: 5.0 Rochester broke on the scene last season helping McEachern advance to the Class AAAAAA state semifinals. As a sophomore he had 114 tackles and 10 sacks. He already has offers from Auburn, Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Florida, Texas A&M, Louisville, Miami and North Carolina State.
Rodrigo Blankenship, Sprayberry Pos: K/P HT: 6-1 WT: 190 40: 4.6 Blankenship is the highest ranked kicker in the country by Prokicker.com and many other organizations for the Class of 2015. He is being recruited by Georgia, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Alabama and others.
MARIETTA DAILY JOURN
Chuma Edoga, McEachern Pos: OL HT: 6-4 WT: 284 40: 4.8 Edoga is the No. 4 prospect in the country by USA Today, No. 27 by Lindy’s and No. 45 by Athlon. After receiving more than 40 scholarship offers, Edoga chose to play at USC next fall.
Emoni Williams, Mount Paran Christian Pos: WR/DB HT: 5-8 WT: 160 40: 4.5 Williams was a first-team state selection who had 38 rec. for 825 yards and 8 TD, and rushed 66 times for 521 yards and 5 TD. He is being recruited by Furman, Lehigh, Samford and James Madison.
RNAL DYNAMITE DOZEN
Taj Griffin, McEachern Pos: RB HT: 5-10 WT: 175 40: 4.35 Griffin has split carries the last two seasons with mobile quarterbacks. This year, he is likely the feature back, and the Oregon commitment could reach 1,500 to 2,000 yards if he remains healthy.
Ian Shannon, Marietta Pos: K/P HT: 6-4 WT: 205 A first-team all-state selection, Shannon converted 16-of-18 field goals and 42-of-45 extra points last season. He has scholarship offers from Virginia, Army, App. State, Georgia State and SE Louisiana.
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MDJ DYNAMITE DOZEN
Josh Bettistea, Allatoona Pos: RB HT: 5-11 WT: 180 40: 4.45 Bettistea ran for 1,938 yards and 27 touchdowns during his Class AAAAA first-team all-state performance a year ago. He currently has college scholarship offers from Troy, Western Kentucky, Georgia State and Kennesaw State among others, but he is also being recruited by Georgia, Tennessee and Ohio.
Chandler Jones, McEachern Pos: OL HT: 6-4 WT: 305 40: 5.4 Jones teams with Chuma Edoga to make one of the best offensive lines in the state. Jones had numerous Division I scholarship offers before deciding on Lousiville of the ACC.
Bailey Sharp, Sprayberry Pos: OL HT: 6-5 WT: 285 40: 5.4 Sharp anchors the left side of the Yellow Jackets offensive line, but when he gets to college he’s suited to play either left or right tackle. Sharp is committed to Auburn and he chose the Tigers over Georgia, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Tech, South Carolina, Duke, California, Michigan State and others.
T.J. Rahming, McEachern Pos: WR HT: 5-9 WT: 164 40: 4.31 Rahming recently committed to Duke over Cal, Kansas State, Indiana, Purdue and others. The speedy receiver still holds bragging rights over Taj Griffin as the fastest member of the Indians.
Lorenzo Nunez, Harrison Pos: QB HT: 6-3 WT: 198 40: 4.47 Nunez is ranked as the 15th best player in Georgia by Rivals and the top dual-threat quarterback. Nunez committed to South Carolina over Clemson, Ohio State, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Miami and others.
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NORTH COBB WARRIORS
Location: 3400 Highway 293 North, Kennesaw Phone: (770) 975-6685 Home Field: Emory Sewell Stadium Online: northcobbfootball.com
2014 SCHEDULE
AT NORTHSIDE-WR AUG. 22
AT VS N. GWINNETT CARTERSVILLE AUG. 29 SEPT. 5 2014 ROSTER
NO. NAME CL. POS. 1 AVIAN PROFFITT 12 DB 2 DEVIN GRANVILLE 12 WR 3 TIJHAE BRAWNER 12 RB 4 XAVIER PATTON 12 WR 5 BRYCE PERRYMAN 12 RB 6 DEVAUGHN HARRIS 12 DB 7 JAYLIN CHATMON 12 WR 8 TYMEEK FOLK 12 WR 9 BRANDON BENNETT 12 LB 10 JAI BISHOP GRAY 12 LB 11 BILLY NICHOLS 11 WR 12 JORDAN MCCRAY 12 WR 13 DEON DODD 12 WR 13 MASON JEANS 10 DB 14 T. ST. ROMAIN 11 DB 15 TYLER QUEEN 12 QB 16 S. ALLEYNE 12 WR 16 WILL LOVETT 10 QB 17 CHANDLER WOOTEN 10 OLB 17 MICHAEL SMITH 10 QB 18 DREW TEJCHMAN 10 DB 19 MALACHI DIGGS 9 QB 20 R. DECASTRO 12 DE 21 CJ COLE 10 RB 22 LLOYD JONES 12 WR 23 GILBERT BLOW 12 DB 24 DJ RENDER 11 WR 24 JUSTIN LAWRENCE 11 WR 25 TIM MARTIN 11 OLB 26 C. PATTERSON 12 WR 27 MYLES DUMAS 10 WR 28 C. WEBBER 9 RB 29 LARRY BRYANT 11 WR
NO. NAME CL. POS. 30 QUANNIE GREEN 10 WR 31 ELIJAH HAIRSTON 10 RB 31 ISAIAH HAMMOND 10 WR 32 JAI ERWIN 10 RB 33 WILL HORTON 10 K 33 D. WIGGINS 11 WR 34 DEVONTE WILLIAMS 11 OLB 35 S. CARTLEDGE 11 DL 36 DEANDRE COTTLE 11 RB 37 STEPHEN JACOBS 10 RB 38 BRANDON BECK 11 LB 39 REGGIE KIMANI 10 LB 40 KEANO AITKENS 11 DL 41 LANGSTON PARKER 10 LB 42 TIM JACOBS 12 LB 43 KEVIN JOHNSON 10 DB 44 S. ANDREWS 11 LB 45 CALE REID 11 LB 45 JADEN TROUT 10 LB 46 JONATHON JONES 10 WR 47 ANTHONY HESTER 10 DB 48 M. MCCLENDON 11 RB 49 JAMAL KUKU 10 DB 50 JASON EGBUFOAMA 12 DL 51 C. ALBRIGHT 10 OL 52 ELIJAH COURTLAND 12 DL 53 ALEX SANCHEZ 12 LB 54 ZACH WINSTEAD 12 OL 55 JORDAN SMITH 11 OL 56 NICK MARTIN 12 OL 57 JUSTICE LAW 11 LB 58 SEAN SOMERS 11 DS 59 STEPHEN OVERLAY 12 OL
VS MONROE AREA SEPT. 12
NO. NAME CL. POS. 60 MILES OWENS 11 DL 63 C. STALLWORTH 12 DL 64 JOSH HOWELL 10 LB 65 NATHAN JONES 10 OL 66 RASEEM REEDY 10 OL 67 M. ROBINSON 10 OL 11 OL 68 AJ HAIRSTON 69 MICHAEL REYES 11 OL 70 CADAREIN CARTER 10 OL 72 C. MORGAN 11 OL 74 AJ DIAZ 10 OL 75 CODY ANDERSON 11 OL 76 NICK PRICE 9 OL 77 CONNOR GATES 9 OL 78 PERRY SLAUGHTER 10 OL 79 ZACH DUDLEY 11 OL 80 B. CHERESTAL 12 WR 81 M. PETTIGREW 11 WR 82 JAIDEN HARRIGAN 11 WR 83 ZIYEAR OYESOFOBI 10 DB 84 ALLON JOHNSON 10 WR 85 ANDREW LUBBERS 11 WR 86 SHAUN TREVINO 10 OLB 87 HUNTER PARRISH 10 WR 88 CAMERON COOK 11 WR 89 JACQUESE GOINS 11 WR 90 THOMAS SMITH 12 DL 91 BRANT FARMER 10 DL 92 AUSTIN BARFIELD 12 DL 93 TIM EMERSON 10 LB 94 AMARU HOLLOWAY 11 DL 97 DAVID ROBLES 10 DL
VS HARRISON SEPT. 26
AT HILLGROVE OCT. 3
With Tyler Queen returning for his senior season at quarterback, North Cobb is primed for another successful season. Queen, the 2012 Class AAAAAA allstate first-team quarterback and Auburn commitment, accounted for 1,973 passing yards, 427 yards rushing and 30 touchdowns last season. His father and coach, Shane Queen, knows experience is even more pertinent than his numbers. “He’s started 36 games,” Queen said. “He’s got a ton of experience and hopefully, the other players can develop a real trust in the offense when he’s in there.” With considerable talent graduated, there’s no hesitation from the coach to put younger players in the gauntlet. Freshman Chandler Webber is the leading man to
48-7 13-28 55-13 46-14 42-13 27-17 28-26 28-3 21-24 38-0 60-18 6-52
replace J’Vonte Herrod (Middle Tennessee) and his nearly 1,200 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns in the backfield, but there is an open competition for the position with Tijhae Brawner also receiving some carries. Sixteen starters have moved on, but the offensive line returns intact with Stephen Overlay, Nick Martin, Jordan Smith and Christian Albright. Devin Granville, Deon Dodd and Jordan McCray, a transfer from Walton, will be Tyler Queen’s main targets in the passing game. Another transfer, Bryce Perryman from Sprayberry, could play either in the backfield or be flanked wide. Sophomore linebacker Chandler Wooten and defensive end Scotty Cartledge are expected to lead a defense that will once again have to
5-YEAR RECORD: 34-23
2013 RESULTS: 9-3 STARR’S MILL WALTON KENNESAW MTN. HARRISON SOUTH COBB HILLGROVE MCEACHERN PEBBLEBROOK MARIETTA CAMPBELL LUELLA COLQUITT COUNTY
AT VS MARIETTA MCEACHERN OCT. 17 OCT. 10 2014 OUTLOOK
W L W W W W W W L W W L
VS AT N. PAULDING KENNESAW MTN. OCT. 31 NOV. 7 replace a lot of talent, including the secondary play of a pair of Division I cornerbacks in Cameron Albright (North Carolina) and Latrell Gibbs (Appalachian State). “Wooten and Cartledge are two guys who are going to be big-time on defense,” Shane Queen said. Defensive back Toriann St. Romain is considered a staple in the secondary, but Queen said that the other positions in the defensive backfield are still “up for grabs,” and as many as 16 players are competing for playing time at those positions. “There’s a lot of guys competing back there,” Queen said.
2013 LEADERS RUSHING J’VONTE HERROD 1,170 YDS, 14 TD PASSING TYLER QUEEN 1,973 YDS, 21 TD RECEIVING TORRENCE MCGEE 384 YDS, 5 TD LATRELL GIBBS 356 YDS, 1 TD DEVIN GRANVILLE 292 YDS, 4 TD TACKLES CHAD MCCLANAHAN 68 MYLES PRICE 66 SACKS JALIL KUKU 5 INTERCEPTIONS LATRELL GIBBS 6
— By Michael Foster MDJ Sports Correspondent
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: SHANE QUEEN YEAR AT SCHOOL: 9 RECORD: 54-35 CAREER: 91-62 VARSITY COACHING STAFF TOM CLARK — OC/QB CHAD MCGEHEE — DC/DB DONTE SAWYER — WR STEVE GATES — OL T.K. DODD — WR/ST CHRIS VAN METTER — DL JOHN ALMY — LB MATT TENER — LB MITCH QUEEN — K
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Staff/Kelly J. Huff
North Cobb’s seniors want to carry on the rise of the Warriors program in Region 4AAAAAA and keep the team to the top. Key players who will lead the team this season are wide receiver Devin Granville, defensive back Devaughn Harris, wide receiver Deon Dodd, quarterback Tyler Queen and linebacker Chandler Wooten.
STAYING ON TOP NORTH COBB JUST FINISHED THE BEST TWO YEARS IN PROGRAM HISTORY, AND THE WARRIORS WANT TO KEEP IT GOING By Michael Foster MDJ Sports Correspondent North Cobb coach Shane Queen would like to forget 52-6. That was the score Colquitt County dealt North Cobb in the cold, fog and rain in the second round of last year’s Class AAAAAA state playoffs, bringing a bittersweet ending to another banner year for the Warriors. “We don’t want to dwell on that,” Queen said of the last time the Warriors hit the football field. There’s no motivational posters or newspaper clips of the loss hanging in lockers — just polished lids and fresh jerseys. With 16 starters gone from last year’s
team, Queen sees no point in reminding his players of past seasons. He’s also confident that the program won’t miss a step with all of that talent, such as Cameron Albright, Latrell Gibbs and J’Vonte Herrod, moving on to college. After all, Queen believes the program is building a reputation of being one that doesn’t take years off to rebuild. “In 2012, we went to the final four in the state playoffs and then lost 18 starters, but we came back the next year and won the region.” Queen said. “So, we have expectations. “We’ve had the best two-year run in our school history since 1959. We’ve won 20 games in two seasons. For me, that’s much
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more important than just one ball game.” The proof of Queen’s philosophy isn’t hard to find when you enter the locker room, either. Linebacker Chandler Wooten may be quiet because he’s just a sophomore, but he’s also held at high esteem by his coaches, quarterback, and even an FBS football program. “I’ve got one offer,” said Wooten, who finished third on the team with 63 tackles as a freshman. That offer is from Penn State, also known as “Linebacker U.” “That’s not a bad name for your first offer,” said quarterback Tyler Queen, who’s committed to play at Auburn. Queen is at the nucleus of an offense with
an ever-revolving cast and crew. Entering his final year as the starting quarterback, he’s played with enough different names to understand how to plug and fill. “We’ve really focused on reloading,” said Tyler Queen, who can break Eddie Printz’s Cobb County career passing record with 2,752 yards this season. The former Lassiter standout and current Missouri back up threw for 8,743 yards with the Trojans. “This is my final year, so I’ve got to put everything on the line,” Queen said. The story of 2013 is similar to the story of this coming year, and instead of players looking back on a tough loss, they’ve See TOP, Page 58
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NORTH COBB CHRISTIAN EAGLES
Location: 4500 Lakeview Drive, Kennesaw Phone: (770) 975-0252 Home Field: Jacob Dennis Field Online: ncchristian.org/athletics/boys_sports/football
2014 SCHEDULE
VS CROSS KEYS AUG. 29
VS VS JEFF DAVIS KIPP ATLANTA SEPT. 5 SEPT. 12 2014 ROSTER
NO. NAME CL. 1 SHIHEEM ROBINSON 11 11 2 JALEN DAMPIER 3 JAMES BITTNER 10 4 WILL MARQUESS 9 5 DAVID BRITTINGHAM 11 11 6 MYLES BRODY 7 SANTINO CORPORA 10 8 NICK MILLS 12 9 SAM MILLER 10 LEE CUNNINGHAM 10 9 12 MAC HUGHES 14 CHRISTIAN CHATMAN 11 12 15 CONNER GILLESPIE 17 LUKE PEARSON 9 19 CORY ZHANG 12 9 20 BAILEY ARMSTRONG 11 22 CHANDLER MOULLER 24 HUNTER TITUS 10 25 MARK WATSON 10 9 26 KENDALL BYRD 9 28 CJ AYERS 9 35 KP PIERRE 36 STEVE SMITH 9 10 40 REILY MARTIN
POS. WR/DB QB/DB QB/LB RB/DB RB/LB RB/DB QB/LB WR/DB TE/LB WR/DB QB/DB WR/DB TE/LB K WR/DB WR/DB RB/LB RB/LB RB/LB WR/DB WR/DB RB/LB WR/DB TE/DL
AT BANKS COUNTY SEPT. 19
NO. NAME 41 ISIAH WALKER 51 ZACH BROWN 52 JR NELSON 54 SAM DEEN 55 CAMERON PARKE 58 BRYANT BELL 59 WILL MCKENIZE 60 RESSE PARKE 66 TREVOR WOODSTOCK 68 NATHAN WOODWARD 70 CONNER KAILEY 72 CLARK MYERS 73 ALEX ARNOLD 76 AUSTIN CLARK 78 STEFAN MOORE 80 KALIL ABBOTT 84 SHAWN HOURIGAN 87 THOMAS YOUNG 88 JOSHUE ORTIZ BRYESTON BAUMGARDNER ROBERT MATHIS IV LEXIE AGBOKA DEVIN SANDERS
CL. 12 12 9 12 9 11 10 10 11 9 12 12 9 9 10 9 11 12 10 9 9 9 12
POS. WR/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DE OL/LB OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL WR/DB WR/DB TE/WR WR/DB TE/LB WR/DB K WR/LB
VS HEPHZIBAH OCT. 3
AT AT AT VS VS GLASCOCK CO. NEW HAMPSTEAD CRAWFORD CO. MOUNT VERNON STEWART CO. NOV. 1 OCT. 24 NOV. 7 OCT. 17 OCT. 10 2014 OUTLOOK
North Cobb Christian struggled under first-year coach Scott Ryle last season. The combination of a small roster and a large number of injuries led to the Eagles 1-9 record. But Ryle may be seeing things change in the near future. A roster that struggled to keep 25 players in 2013, starts 2014 with 40, and it’s no surprise that Ryle and his players are twice as confident as they were a year ago. “As long as we stay healthy, every position is going to be improved,” Ryle said. “A lot of guys had to play both ways a lot last year, so as we’ve added depth, competition and health are going to help us a lot.” Jalen Dampier, a sophomore newcomer who transferred from Hillgrove, could play
5-YEAR RECORD: 7-42
2013 RESULTS: 1-9 DUVAL CHARTER 7-42 WALKER 7-42 MOUNT ZION-CAR 7-42 CROSS KEYS 29-47 BACONTON CHARTER 19-27 41-21 PROVIDENCE TOWNS CO. 10-48 LAKEVIEW ACADEMY 7-42 ST. FRANCIS 14-53 CLARKSTON 7-40
any skill position, but he is currently the leader for the starting quarterback job. “In spring ball, he played a lot of snaps back there. He’s a heck of an athlete and we are just trying to find ways for him to touch the ball. He could easily line up at receiver as well,” Ryle said. In the running game, the Eagles hope for the health of tailback David Brittingham, who tore his ACL in Week 7 last season. Brittingham, who ran for 784 yards and five touchdowns before his injury, will run behind a front that Ryle really likes. “The biggest thing I’m excited for is our offensive line coming together,” Ryle said. Trevor Woodstock and Clark Mayes are seen as key cogs in the trenches, along with Sam Deen, who will also play on the
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defensive side of the ball. Ryle said Conner Kailey will be tough to handle at the nose guard position, while Chandler Mouller returns as the leader of the defense at inside linebacker. “He’s the stud,” Ryle said. “I’m excited for him. He calls the defense back there, and he’ll also play fullback for us.” The biggest change Ryle noticed between last year and this year wasn’t just the amount of players, but the commitment in the weight room. “They’ve bought in,” Ryle said. “That changes the culture.”
2013 LEADERS Rushing David Brittingham 784 YDS, 5 TD Passing Zach Bollinger 803 YDS, 6 TD Receiving John Towne 354 YDS, 2 TD Tackles James Lusk 55 Chandler Moeller 55 Sacks Bryant Bell 1 Interceptions Zach Bollinger 1
— By Michael Foster MDJ Sports Correspondent
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: SCOTT RYLE YEAR AT SCHOOL: 2 RECORD: 1-9 CAREER: 1-9 VARSITY COACHING STAFF BILL PARKER — DC MIKE MORRIS — OL/DB HUNTER POPLIN — WR/DL NICK STEINICHEN — RB/DB CHRIS JACKSON — OL/LB WESLEY SMITH — WR/DB
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North Cobb Christian’s Sam Deen can play nearly every position on a football team. But when he was asked by his coach this season to play offensive guard, he told his coach he would do whatever was best for the team. Deen’s unselfish behavior and commitment to the program should boost the Eagles in 2014.
TAKING ONE FOR THE TEAM NORTH COBB CHRISTIAN’S SAM DEEN GIVES UP CHANCE AT A SKILL POSITION TO HELP HIS SQUAD IN THE TRENCHES
By Michael Foster MDJ Sports Correspondent When North Cobb Christian coach Scott Ryle took over the program last year, numbers weren’t in his favor. With by far the smallest roster in the county, he had to find unique ways to motivate his football team. But it wasn’t the quantity of players that concerned Ryle. Instead, he kept his eye on quality. A year later, the roster size has doubled, and he attributes quality of leadership in his rising seniors as one of many reasons the program is building at a rapid pace. When asked about two-way lineman Sam Deen, Ryle couldn’t help but count his fingers. “You wish you had 20 of him,” Ryle said. “He’s a monster in the weight room and he’s got a funny way about him. He’s an entertainer.” Deen, set to play both ways in the
trenches again this year, has the skill set to play running back or tight end. Instead, he’s sacrificed rushing yards and receptions to help anchor the offensive and defensive lines. “My position is my role,” Deen said. “As a leader, you have to put your whole heart into the program.” Deen has preached more than just selflessness. He’s also been one of the key motivators in helping his teammates understand that the fruition of North Cobb Christian football is more than a numbers game. For a team coming off a 1-9 season, that attitude is paramount. “We aren’t going to worry about the losses from last year. We are focused on putting our feet forward and making sure we strive to do things positively every day. We’ve got to put our whole heart into it.” Leading by example with long hours in the weight room, intense practices and some See TEAM, Page 58
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Top Continued from Page 55 assured themselves with the recent history proving that the Warriors will find a way to bounce back. That mentality has helped North Cobb emerge as a region power with a pair of teams from Powder Springs. “Our track record is a testament to how well we’ve been able to compete in a tough region,” Queen said. “Last
Team Continued from Page 57 jokes to keep things light have helped the rest of the team realize that there’s more to the football team than the amount of players standing on the sideline. “With some of the younger kids, no matter what, we just want to try to show them that work makes you happy. Work makes you a leader, and as leaders the seniors have a responsibility to get everyone to buy into the same thing.
KICKOFF 2014 year, McEachern was one game from winning it all, as we were the year before. Hillgrove is right there. I really think this region can compete with anyone in the state.” With that type of competition, Shane Queen says the team doesn’t have a choice but to keep pushing forward. “Our kids have worked extremely hard,” he said. “Their grades are the best they’ve ever been and they’ve been great in the community. They stay focused to doing things right, and when you do that it will reflect on the football field.”
I try to keep everything upbeat and pleasant. There’s no negativity in this environment anymore, but there’s also more intensity,” Deen said. Though, the increased depth has obvious perks. Most players on last year’s squad were asked to play both ways a considerable amount, undoubtedly contributing to the win-loss record. With more than 40 now registered and practicing, Deen will be allowed some rest — something his coach thinks he’s rightfully earned. “Because of our depth, every position is going to be better,” Ryle said.
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WHAT TO WATCH FOR IN 2014
TOP STORYLINES FOR COBB AND CHEROKEE OFFER FANS PLENTY TO ANTICIPATE By John Bednarowski sportseditor@mdjonline.com Every season has its must-see games and storylines. The 2014 season is no different, with the exception of the fact that a Cobb or Cherokee county high school football fan may not have the ability to follow them all. Staff/Jeff Stanton From McEachern’s difficult schedule, to River Ridge moving up to play on equal footing with the rest of Cherokee County, to the quest of finding out who the best athletes are, it guarantees this season will be a memorable one. 1. IF NOT NOW, WHEN?: If Cobb County is ever going to win its second Georgia High School Association state championship, this is the year, and McEachern is the team. The Indians are stacked with enough talent to man two varsity programs. Running back Taj Griffin (Oregon), offensive linemen Chuma Edoga (USC) and Chandler Jones (Louisville), wide receiver T.J. Rahming (Duke) and junior Julian Rochester (16 DI offers) are the nucleus of a team that can score points in bunches and eat opposing quarterbacks for lunch. But they will need all that talent with the schedule in front of them this season. Eight playoff teams are on the schedule including an opening game against North Gwinnett, Week 3 at Buford, Week 4 at Lovejoy, and then a region schedule with North Cobb, Marietta and North Paulding before closing at Hillgrove. If the Indians aren’t too beaten up heading into the playoffs, they will be primed to bring home the county’s first title since 1967. 2. THE SEASON’S OPENING WEEK: High school football fans in the area should try to find a way to bottle the opening week’s action and hope the playoffs can be as compelling. Of the 18 matchups in the first week, nine of them are worthy of being Staff/Samantha M. Shal second-round playoff matchups or later — East Top: The Battle Down in Powder Town. McEachern will travel to Hillgrove in the final game Paulding at Allatoona, Creekview vs. North of the regular season, and it may have region title and playoff implications attached to Paulding, Lassiter at Hillgrove, Etowah at it. That is, if both teams can get through difficult schedules healthy. Above: River Ridge Marietta, Mount Paran Christian at Eagle’s Landing Christian, North Cobb at Northsidequarterback Marcus Spears will help lead the Knights into Class AAAAA this season.
Warner Robins, Kell vs. Carrollton and North Gwinnett at McEachern. 3. WILL THE NORTH COBB DEFENSE RISE TO THE OCCASION?: The Warriors face eight teams during the regular season that averaged 35 points or more per game, including North Gwinnett (37) Cartersville (44), Monroe Area (50) and North Paulding (41), and that’s in addition to the usual gauntlet of McEachern, Marietta and Hillgrove. 4. RIVER RIDGE MOVES UP: The Knights finally get to play the rest of Cherokee County on more equal footing. Somewhat dismissed as the little brother of the five other schools in the area, River Ridge has the chance to make its presence in Class AAAAA known with authority as it opens the season against Woodstock and then will face Creekview and Sequoyah in region play for the first time. 5. KELL VS. CARROLLTON: Normally, the opening game of Saturday’s portion of the Corky Kell Classic is one where fans clear the cobwebs out of their heads from the Friday night before. This year, it’s must-see as former Walton coach Ed Dudley brings a team back to Cobb County for the first time since leaving the area following the 2008 season. After five years at Ware County, Dudley is the new man in charge at Carrollton and the game matches last year’s Class AAAA finalist against Derek Cook’s Longhorns who advanced to the Class AAAAA semifinals. 6. KENNESAW MOUNTAIN AT NORTH PAULDING: Scott Jones was the first coach at Kennesaw Mountain, and the Mustangs play their games on Scott Jones Field inside Cobb Energy/Mustang Stadium. When Kennesaw Mountain travels to North Paulding on Sept. 26, it will find Jones waiting for it as the head coach of the Wolfpack. It will be the first time Jones has faced off with his old program since leaving after the 2009 season. 7. CAN CHEROKEE CONTINUE ITS RISE?: After five straight losing seasons, the Warriors made it back to .500 last year and just missed sneaking into the playoffs See WATCH, Page 71
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OSBORNE CARDINALS
Location: 2451 Favor Road, Marietta Phone: (770) 437-5900 Home Field: Cardinal Field Online: osbornefootball.com
2014 SCHEDULE
AT DUTCHTOWN AUG. 22 NO. 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 16 18 23 25 26 27 28 35 44 50 51 56 55 57 59 61 62 70
VS AT LAKESIDE PEBBLEBROOK AUG. 29 SEPT. 5 2014 ROSTER
NAME KESHAY COWVINS ANTHONY STASIK JAMARI MILES AYO ASHI TRA’ WYNN NIGEL WILLIAMS JUSTIN EWEN OMARI NEAL JORDAN RAYE CALVIN ESTRIDGE TIANTE KNIGHT KYLE DAVIS LARRY WHITE NAUDICA FLAGG DANTE COVINGTON DESHAWN JENKINS KAMAAJ KING STEVEN WYNN GABRIEL MOLINA ROD WILLIAMS JOEL LUCERO BLAKE NANJE MIKE TOWERY CARY LEWIS JOSE VASQUEZ RANDY OYEOKU KOARLITO SMALL DEMETRIS SPEARMAN RASHAUN TAFT DANNI ANDRADE
POS. QB/WR/DB SS RB/LB QB/DB RB/DB DB DB QB CB/WR RB/WR/DB DB RB/LB/DB RB/DB RB/LB/OL TE/WR/DL RB/LB OL/LB OL/DL OL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL OL/LB OL/DL WR/QB/DB OL/DL RB/LB/DL RB/TE/LB OL/DL
VS HARRISON SEPT. 12
VS
AT JOHNSON OCT. 10
KENNESAW MTN.
OCT. 3
VS CROSS KEYS OCT. 24
VS UPSON LEE OCT. 31
AT TBA NOV. 7
2014 OUTLOOK Osborne has to make the best of its situation. The Cardinals haven’t had a winning season since 1994. In the 20 years since, they have had eight head coaches. At the end of last season, the number of players on the roster dropped into the upper 20s. And to top it off, when the Georgia High School Association did its bi-annual reclassification, Osborne was moved from Class AAAAA up to Class AAAAAA and placed in Region 4 with McEachern, Hillgrove, North Cobb and Marietta. Coach Xarvia Smith stepped down after three straight 2-8 campaigns, saying he was not the right one for the job. So now, it will be up to first-year coach Byron McCall, a Smith assistant, to get the program running again. With all the challenges in front of the program, McCall and the Cardinals will play a non-region schedule the next two years, with the hope the program can regain a solid base and become competitive.
5-YEAR RECORD: 10-40
2013 RESULTS: 2-8 CHAPEL HILL MCNAIR CAMPBELL CAMBRIDGE CREEKVIEW POPE KELL RIVERWOOD SPRAYBERRY FORSYTH CENTRAL
25-14 7-28 19-37 5-0 13-54 20-49 15-35 14-34 28-34 3-38
The Cardinals will have a new quarterback and a new offense. Ayo Asai is expected to be the new starting quarterback, replacing 1,000yard rusher and passer Craig Robinson, who moved out of state after last season. Asai will quarterback the new wishbone offense and will be expected to run and throw the football. McCall said his new signal-caller has the speed required to run the revamped offense. It will be the third offensive scheme in as many years after the Cardinals tried the Wing-T and the spread. “We will pass the ball and we will run the ball (in the wishbone),” McCall said. “And hopefully, we will have a power running game. The learning curve is real small in the wishbone. When you are lining up in a different formation, it doesn’t change the person that you are blocking.” Junior Jamari Miles is returning at fullback after rushing for 132 yards and two touchdowns last season.
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Seniors Tra’ Wynn (197 yards, 4 TD) and Anthony Stasik are also expected to get reps in the backfield. There is still competition remaining for the rest of the offensive positions but, junior Blake Nanje seems to have secured a spot on both the offensive and defensive lines. “We are going to try to teach them a package that they can understand,” McCall said. “We want to give them something that they know how to block. We want something that is simple for us to understand, but is hard for our opponents to figure out. If we can do that, we feel we can be successful in different opportunities.” Osborne will run a multiple defense and will likely line up in a 3-3-5 formation. With player numbers being in the low thirties at the moment, many will have to play both ways.
2013 LEADERS RUSHING CRAIG ROBINSON 1,063 YDS TRAY WYNN 197 YDS, 4 TD PASSING CRAIG ROBINSON 1,352 YDS, 13 TD RECEIVING BRIAN AMMONS 416 YDS, 1 TD BRIAN GRANISON 298 YDS, 1 TD
— By Adam Carrington acarrington@mdjonline.com
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: BYRON MCCALL YEAR AT SCHOOL: 1 RECORD: 0-0 CAREER: 2-8 VARSITY COACHING STAFF MICHAEL HEWITT – DL MICHAEL GIBSON – DC CHRIS BRYCE – QB/RB MALCOLM COLE – RB LEWIS LAWHORN – WR
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Staff/C.B. Schmelter
Osborne’s new coach, Byron McCall, will try to reestablish the Cardinals football program and bring it back to competitiveness. For the next two seasons, Osborne will play a non-region schedule and will take a special kind of player — like from left, Calvin Estridge, Tra’ Wynn, Nigel Williams and Justin Ewen — to help McCall in his task.
BUILDING A NEW BASE BYRON MCCALL CHARGED WITH BRINGING OSBORNE BACK TO BEING A COMPETITIVE PROGRAM
By Adam Carrington acarrington@mdjonline.com Osborne is at the point where it has to start over. The football program has taken a plunge since its last playoff appearance and winning season in 1994. The Cardinals have gone through seven coaches since Bryan Powell left after the 1996 season and are coming off of three straight two-win seasons under Xarvia Smith, who resigned in early January, conceding that he wasn’t the right person to turn the football program around. Byron McCall, who was Osborne’s
linebackers coach for all three seasons under Smith, was promoted to head coach in late January and is determined to change the culture of the program. However, McCall and the Cardinals are in a unique position. Their overall numbers dipped from 60 during the preseason last year to just 28 in Osborne’s final game of the season. Osborne had just 26 players participate in spring practice but the numbers have since risen to 33. “There are a lot of things going on,” McCall said when asked about Osborne’s current state. “We are in transition. I can’t put my finger on one thing, but that’s not
keeping you at the
top of your
game Acworth Austell Brookstone
Canton Douglasville East Cobb
Marietta Paulding Woodstock
something we’re going to worry about. We have to build a winning tradition. If we build a winning tradition here, people will come.” To make matters worse, Osborne is moving into Class AAAAAA from AAAAA because its enrollment numbers exceeded 1,800 students. And if that’s not enough, the Cardinals were placed in Region 4AAAAAA with football powerhouses North Cobb, McEachern and Hillgrove, whose rosters are three-times as large as Osborne’s. In hopes of improving its numbers and building a new foundation, Osborne elected to play a non-region schedule.
The Cardinals will still run into familiar Cobb rivals when they go to Pebblebrook on Sept. 5 and host Kennesaw Mountain and Harrison on Sept. 12 and Sept. 19. However, their remaining opponents Dutchtown, Lakeside-DeKalb, Cross Keys and Upson Lee will be new. “We have ballgames that we have to play,” McCall said. “We’re on one sideline. The other team is on the other sideline. They don’t have stamps on their helmets of what region they’re in. That’s our opponent. That’s the opposition we’re going up against. It doesn’t matter. We have tough See BASE, Page 70
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PEBBLEBROOK FALCONS
Location: 991 Old Alabama Road, Mableton Phone: (770) 819-2521 Home Field: Falcon Stadium Online: cobbk12.org/pebblebrook/athletics.aspx
2014 SCHEDULE
AT MILLER GROVE AUG. 29 NO. NAME 1 HAKEEM BAILEY 2 KENDALL QUARLES 3 JAKOBE BURKE 4 DARRYL DENNIS 5 SHAMAR ANDERSON 7 JARROD ROLLAND 8 JAVON HASKELL 9 JAVION LAWSON 10 MALIK MATTHEWS 11 TRAVION HALL 12 TYREEK KING-EL 13 EDDIE CASTENADA 15 CHRISTAIN SWANN 16 JAVION WILSON 17 JAI NUNN-LIDDELL 18 YUSSUFU OSLUSOGA 19 DARRYL JEFFERSON 20 DANIEL BROWN 21 ISAIAH RUNNELS 22 EDGAR CORTES 24 ROBERT WHEELER 25 CHARLES PEEPLES 28 JUSHUA DAVIS
VS VS OSBORNE ALCOVY SEPT. 5 SEPT. 12 2014 ROSTER CL. 12 12 11 12 12 11 12 12 10 11 11 12 10 11 11 11 10 12 12 12 11 10 11
POS. DB/WR DB/WR QB FB/LB RB WR QB RB/SS WR/DB WR/DB RB DB K QB/DB WR WR WR WR DB LB K RB/LB WR/DB WR
AT WESTLAKE SEPT. 26
NO. NAME 29 DOMINIC NEARER 30 CREAVION TRAYLOR 32 JUAN WEARY 33 XAVIER BENNETT 38 VICTOR EDWARDS 39 JASON KNOTEN 40 GEORDON GUTHRIE 42 QUANTAVIOUS ARNOLD 43 XAVIER WOODARD 44 DWAYNE HOLMES 51 MARCUS MONSANTO 52 JEFFERY PARKS 53 MAURICE DAVIS 55 ADONIS ALLEN 56 JESUS IZAQUIRE 57 KEITH BROWN 58 ANTHONY RIGGINS 59 BABARCHI CHANDLER 65 BRANDON FELTON 75 BRIAN WOODWARD 76 JOSE DIAZ-TORRES 77 AHMAD QUEIDER 81 BRIAN MILLER
CL. 11 11 11 10 11 11 11 12 12 12 11 10 12 11 11 12 11 10 11 12 12 12 12
POS. DB LB CB WR LB DB LB TE/LB LB TE/LB OL/DL OL/DL DE/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DE OL/DL C OL OL OL DE
VS SOUTH COBB OCT. 3
AT CAMPBELL OCT. 10
As Pebblebrook makes the transition into a new Region 3AAAAAA alongside Campbell and South Cobb, the Falcons are relying on their defense to make plays and to make stops. It is the side of the ball where they have most of their returning players. Meanwhile, the offense may need a few games to get established. “Our defense is going to have to hold us tight until our offense steps up,” Pebblebrook coach Tommy Macon said. “When they do, we (as a defense) have to continue to keep our pace and not have letdowns. A couple of times last year, we watched our offense have a couple of good games and the defense kind of relaxed a little bit.” Consistency on both sides of the ball could also lead to more wins. The Falcons are going to be facing a new slate of opponents in East Coweta, Douglas County, Newnan, Westlake
17-10 17-13 7-53 9-24 6-38 21-35 26-35 3-28 34-21 14-31
and Langston Hughes. They no longer have to contend with the powerhouses of 4AAAAAA such as McEachern, North Cobb, Marietta and Hillgrove. But early in the season, the Falcons are asking a lot from their defense, especially their linemen and secondary. Pebblebrook returns three of four starters in the secondary-led by cornerback Hakeem Bailey, who had three interceptions last season. Javion Lawson will line up at the other cornerback after playing safety last year. Kendall Quarles and Nick Smith are the projected starting safeties. Up front, Brian Miller is returning at defensive end after posting 53 tackles and 4.5 sacks. Marcus Monsanto and Jesus Issaguire are returning to man the defensive tackle positions. Maurice Davis has been solid at defensive end. Pebblebrook’s linebacker corps is less experienced, but Brian Perry will have an
5-YEAR RECORD: 34-23
2013 RESULTS: 3-7 SW DEKALB MOUNTAIN VIEW MCEACHERN HARRISON MARIETTA HILLGROVE CAMPBELL NORTH COBB KENNESAW MTN. SOUTH COBB
AT VS NEWNAN EAST COWETA OCT. 24 OCT. 17 2014 OUTLOOK
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VS AT LAN. HUGHES DOUGLAS CO. OCT. 31 NOV. 7 expanded role this year after serving as a spot starter a year ago. The quarterback position is still a question mark after the graduation of Dezmon Huntley. The Falcons could rotate as many as three at the position, including JaKobe Burke, Christian Swann and Javon Haskell. “We have one that runs well, we have one that sprints well and we have one that does a better job dropping back and throwing,” Macon said. “All three guys are opportunity to play early.” Quarles and Bailey will also play major roles in catching the ball, and junior Tyreek King-el will bring speed in the backfield with a sub 4.5 in the 40-yard dash.
2013 LEADERS RUSHING DEZ HUNTLEY 861 YDS, 8 TD PASSING DEZ HUNTLEY 939 YDS, 9 TD RECEIVING JUSTIN SIMMS 487 YDS, 4 TD TACKLES WHITIE HALL 80 JARVIS RUFF 76 SACKS BRIAN MILLER 4.5 MARK MONSANTO 4 INTERCEPTIONS HAKEEM BAILEY 3 KENDALL QUARLES 3
— By Adam Carrington acarrington@mdjonline.com
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: TOMMY MACON YEAR AT SCHOOL: 3 RECORD: 3-17 CAREER: 68-155-2 VARSITY COACHING STAFF WILLIAM RICHARDSON – OC CHARLES SWAN – RB DL JAMES WILLIAMS – DL OL ROBERT JENKINS – OL LB PAUL CHANCE – LB
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Pebblebrook’s Jose Diaz-Torres didn’t play football until he arrived on campus his freshman year. Now a senior, the big offensive lineman wants to mentor younger players, and have a successful season.
BIG MAN ON THE BLOCK AT 6-FOOT-5, 350 POUNDS, JOSE DIAZ-TORRES HOPES TO MAKE HIS SENIOR YEAR AT PEBBLEBROOK MEMORABLE
By Adam Carrington acarrington@mdjonline.com Pebblebrook senior offensive guard Jose Diaz-Torres never watched football on television growing up. He loved video games as a kid, but never once did he play the Madden NFL series. Coaches encouraged him to come out for football when he was in middle school because of his size — he’s now listed at 6-foot-5, 350 pounds — and he didn’t think anything of it. When Diaz-Torres transferred to Pebblebrook from Osborne after the fall
semester of his freshman year, he took a weight-training class that was full of upperclassman football players. One of his early discoveries when he started taking the course was that he couldn’t bench 145 pounds. “They threw me on the bench and I was trying to bench 145,” Diaz-Torres said. “And I was like, ‘Oh, they figured my size and thought I was strong like them.’” Many upperclassmen tend to chuckle or tease when watching a big kid struggle on the bench press. The Pebblebrook upperclassmen football players did just the opposite.
Not only did they motivate Diaz-Torres to be stronger in the weight room, they encouraged him to be a teammate. That was when Diaz-Torres chose to be a football player. With the encouragement of his football mentors, Diaz-Torres is now benching 250 pounds comfortably. He’s also squatting 360 pounds — that number would be higher had it not been for a knee injury sustained during his first spring practice — and he is currently power cleaning 215. “They tried to help me to get stronger and stuff like that,” Diaz-Torres said. “The
upcoming seniors that year inspired me to play. I wanted to be strong like them and wanted to help myself. “They showed me how to work out and I gradually started getting stronger and I like that. I saw my progress and I wanted more of this so I went out for football in the spring.” Knowing his size would be an advantage, his older teammates talked him into it. Diaz-Torres said the conditioning portion was grueling because he wasn’t in shape, and sprints were not his favorite drill. See BLOCK, Page 70
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POPE GREYHOUNDS
Location: 3001 Hembree Road, Marietta Phone: (770) 578-7900 Home Field: Pope Multi-Sport Complex Online: popefootball.com
2014 SCHEDULE
AT HARRISON AUG. 22
VS AT SOUTH COBB ETOWAH AUG 29 SEPT. 12 2014 ROSTER
NO. NAME 1 BRADEN ZARBNISKY 2 CARSON DAY 4 PATRICK BURKE 5 BRYAN TERRY 6 TAYLOR WOLF 8 EVAN HENRY 10 CARL TOWNSEND 11 JACK BURROWS 12 JOSHUA LOWE 14 BEN BOLT 15 DYLAN ZEGERS 16 BRYCE BARNHILL 17 KENNETH HAYES 18 JOSH WELLS 20 JORDAN HOBBS 21 LOGAN COOPERMAN 22 MARQUISE ROSADO 23 ADAM CORBY 25 KEEGAN PHIPPS 28 MICKEY BUECHNER 30 HUNTER POOLE 32 MICHAEL LOCEY 34 KYLER KLINE 36 CHIPPER SMITH 39 JORDAN CONLEY 40 TAYLOR WADDILOVE 42 TRAVIS PARKER 45 MIKE KEMPER 46 KYLE WOYCE
CL. 12 12 11 11 12 11 11 11 11 10 10 10 12 12 10 12 11 10 12 11 11 11 11 10 10 12 12 12 12
POS. DB/RB DB/WR DB/WR DB/WR DB/RB DB/WR DB/WR LB/WR DB/RB DB/RB LB/RB DB/WR DB/WR LB/RB DB/RB DB/WR DB/WR DB/WR DB/WR DB/WR LB/OL DL/RB LB/RB LB/RB LB/OL DB/WR LB/RB LB/RB LB/OL
NO. NAME 48 HUNTER HOLMES 49 LUIS VELA 50 AUSTIN NIELSEN 52 ALEX HENRY 54 ANDRE PALENCIA 55 STORY CUMMINGS 56 KELLER BOWLING 57 COLIN EDMONDS 58 AIDAN KEELAGHAN 59 DUBOSE BEAN 60 JOHN CIMINO 61 JARRETT GRANT 62 JOEY FREEMAN 66 JAMES ROBERTS 67 ERIC ASHER 68 ZACH HODGE 70 BEN COTTINGHAM 72 JACOB BRUNSON 73 ROBERT EATON 75 MATTHEW JONES 76 LOCHLAN PIERCE 77 JOSAPHAT GAUBERT 78 MATTHEW PITTARELLI 79 MAX KEMPER 85 LIAM MCCURRY 86 LUCAS O’REILLY 90 BRENDON JOHNSON 93 ANDREW SMITH 98 HUNTER CUTCLIFFE
VS CHEROKEE SEPT. 26 CL. 11 12 11 12 12 10 12 12 10 11 11 11 12 11 11 12 12 10 11 12 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 12
POS. LB/WR DL/RB 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 DL/OL DB/WR LB/OL P/K DL/OL P/K
AT WALTON OCT. 3
VS ROSWELL OCT. 10
After Pope enjoyed four straight winning seasons under coach Matt Kemper, adversity struck in 2013. The Greyhounds lost their starting quarterback, their top two running backs and their top defensive player from the 2012 playoff team just weeks before the 2013 campaign began. As a result, many young and inexperienced players were asked to grow up quicker than expected and the team finished with a disappointing 3-7 season. Good news for Pope, it will be a senior-laden team with most of its starters having at least a year of experience. But this season, Pope is facing a different kind of adversity — a bump into Class AAAAAA, the state’s highest classification. The Greyhounds will rekindle region rivalries with Lassiter, Walton and Wheeler, Fulton County’s Roswell and Milton, along with Cherokee, Etowah and Woodstock from Cherokee County. Pope has improved. The questions are how
MARIETTA WHEELER ETOWAH NORTHVIEW CAMBRIDGE OSBORNE SPRAYBERRY RIVERWOOD KELL SEQUOYAH
13-63 20-59 7-41 28-24 32-41 49-20 21-17 19-35 26-52 21-53
much? And how will the team fare against bigger schools with more depth? The core of Pope’s team is its offensive line. Seniors Max Kemper, Ben Cottingham and Matthew Pittarelli bring both size and experience to the line, with Kemper, a serious Division I prospect. Senior Taylor Wolf is a more polished quarterback after a full season in 2013. Senior Carson Day, who was a state qualifier in the 100-meter dash last spring will have split duties at running back and receiver and junior Bryan Terry will have an expanded role in the backfield. Pope’s offense had no issue scoring points last year. Its biggest concern was its defense giving up an average of 40.5 points. “We talked a little about those things in the spring,” Matt Kemper said. “We switched our mentality a little bit. This will suit our personnel better because we got those lineman-type guys.”
5-YEAR RECORD: 33-21
2013 RESULTS: 3-7 L L L W L W W L L L
AT MILTON OCT. 31
VS AT LASSITER WHEELER OCT. 24 OCT. 17 2014 OUTLOOK
VS WOODSTOCK NOV. 7
The Greyhounds are switching from a 3-4 front to a 4-3 during the offseason to take advantage of its depth of experienced defensive linemen. Matt Kemper said there are as many as 10 linemen who could start including seniors Luis Vela, Andre Palencia, Lucas O’Reilly and Matt Jones. Senior Mike Kemper, who played tight end on offense, will likely be a contributor at linebacker. Pope will also be experienced in the secondary with senior Braden Zarbnisky, Logan Cooperman and Keegan Phipps all getting significant time last year. The Greyhounds are still sorting out who will start in the middle but are seeing promising things from senior Kyle Woyce, who came on strong in the second half of the season after battling injuries.
2013 LEADERS RUSHING TAYLOR WOLF 685 YDS, 10 TD LOGAN CARR 367 YDS, 6 TD PASSING TAYLOR WOLF 1,825 YDS, 12 TD RECEIVING MASON SHIFFLETT 532 YDS, 2 TD CARSON DAY 375 YDS, 2 TD
— By Adam Carrington acarrington@mdjonline.com
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: MATT KEMPER YEAR AT SCHOOL: 7 RECORD: 37-27 CAREER: 64-37 VARSITY COACHING STAFF
GERALD CLIMMONS – CB HEATH GREEN – RB BILL HOBBS – WR MATT FOX – ST/QB JERAD JOHNSON – WR NICK ANDERSON – DL CHRIS PREWETT – DB JOSH MARTIN – OL DARYL ZARBINSKY – DC/LB KYLE ROBERTS – OL
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Staff/Kelly J. Huff
Senior leadership will be key for Pope to succeed as it makes the jump to Class AAAAAA. Those that need to step up to make it happen include, from left, linebacker Mike Kemper, receiver Carson Day, lineman Matthew Pittarelli, quarterback Taylor Wolf and lineman Matthew Jones.
LEADERS OF THE PACK SENIORS KEY TO GREYHOUNDS’ SUCCESS AS THEY MAKE JUMP TO CLASS AAAAAA By Adam Carrington acarrington@mdjonline.com
The news of Pope moving up to the state’s highest classification didn’t come easy to the football team. The timing of the mid-November announcement couldn’t have been much worse. The Greyhounds were in transition after taking a massive hit to graduation from its 2012 playoff team and had just finished a 3-7 season in Class AAAAA with a younger and less experienced roster. They had prospered in their first three years playing in the lower classification, making the playoffs all three seasons and
winning a region championship in 2011. The school needed 1,800 or fewer students to stay put in Class AAAAA. Its numbers swelled to 1,828, which makes Pope the third-smallest school in Class AAAAAA behind Lee County (1,802) and Langston Hughes (1,808). “In the beginning, (the team) didn’t necessarily know how to respond,” Pope coach Matt Kemper said. “They looked to the adults. They looked to the coach. We were taken aback, originally. We were hoping to stay as a Class AAAAA school. But as (the season) is getting closer, and after putting in the work this summer, they want to go out and represent the school and their families.”
keeping you at the
top of your
game Acworth Austell Brookstone
Canton Douglasville East Cobb
Marietta Paulding Woodstock
Pope will rekindle its rivalry with east Cobb counterparts Walton, Lassiter and Wheeler for the first time since the 2009-10 school year. They will also be bumping heads with Roswell and Milton of north Fulton County as well as Cherokee, Etowah and Woodstock from Cherokee County, who have been region rivals in the past. While Pope is expected to be improved this season, when the Greyhounds first heard they were changing classifications, they weren’t sure about how well they will matchup against their new region rivals, most of whom have bigger rosters. “At first, we were kind of like in shock,” senior offensive lineman Max Kemper said. “We
were like, ‘This season is going to be pretty tough.’” There are 27 seniors listed on Pope’s 58man preseason roster, with most expecting to start. Matt Kemper said it will be up to those seniors to help the Greyhounds make the transition into their new digs. “Certainly, they understand too that they are going to have challenges,” Matt Kemper said. “They have to play at a higher level. They want to go out there and they want to win. My job is putting them in the best position to do that.” Now, Pope is using the higher classification as motivation. See LEADERS, Page 70
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Sunday, August 17, 2014
CHEROKEE SUPER SIX
Staff/Jeff Stanton
Cherokee County has developed many quality football players in the past, and if the Cherokee Super Six for 2014 is any indication, that trend will continue into the future. This year’s Cherokee Super Six consists of, front row from left, Woodstock quarterback Justin Agner, Cherokee linebacker Michael Bean and Sequoyah wide receiver Derrion Rakestraw. Back row, from left, Cherokee quarterback Spencer Ashely and running back Brittian Brown. Not pictured, Creekview’s Kyle Wilkie.
Being a part of the Super Six has never seemed to equate into college scholarship offers, especially offers from Division I programs. But this season might be a sign that things are changing.
This year’s Super Six – Woodstock’s Justin Agner, Sequoyahs’ Derrion Rakestraw, Creekview’s Kyle Wilkie and Cherokee’s Spencer Ashley, Michael Bean and Brittain Brown — are just the start of the local athletes
drawing attention from college programs. In the graduating class of 2015 alone, Cherokee County has the opportunity to double the number of its players on Division I rosters by sending another half-dozen to the
next level. That says a lot considering half of the Super Six, Rakestraw, Wilkie and Brown, are only entering their junior seasons. — By Emily Horos ehoros@cherokeetribune.com
Sunday, August 17, 2014
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CHEROKEE SUPER SIX
Michael Bean, Cherokee Pos: LB HT: 6-2 WT: 225 40: 4.70 Bean is making his second appearance in the Super Six. As a junior, Bean led the county in tackles with 124. He is currently on pace to set the Cherokee High School record for career tackles.
Kyle Wilkie, Creekview Pos: QB HT: 6-0 WT: 185 Wilkie led the county in passing yards last year and could set some new program marks as a junior this season. Derrion Rakestraw Sequoyah Pos: WR HT: 6-2 WT: 170 40: 4.7 Rakestraw qualified for the Class AAAAA track meet in the sprints and his speed also shows on the football field. The junior knows how to use height to his advantage. He is yet to be presented with any scholarship offers, but nearly a dozen Division I programs have shown interest.
Spencer Ashley, Cherokee Pos: QB HT: 6-1 WT: 200 40: 4.8 As a junior, Ashley finished second in Class AAAAAA in passing yards. Now preparing for his senior year, Ashley is just 2,300 yards shy of the career passing record at Cherokee.
Justin Agner, Woodstock Pos: QB HT: 6-0 WT: 200 40: 4.54 Agner has offers from Air Force, Navy and Illinois State, while programs ranging from Duke and N.C. State to Illinois and Wake Forest have shown interest.
Brittain Brown, Cherokee Position: RB/DB HT: 6-1 WT: 190 40: 4.53 Brown received his first offer from Central Florida in May and added others from Nebraska, Clemson, Minnesota, Ole Miss and Georgia Tech.
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Sunday, August 17, 2014
RIVER RIDGE KNIGHTS
Location: 400 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock Phone: (770) 591-8450 Home Field: River Ridge Stadium Online: riverridgeknightsfootball.com
2014 SCHEDULE
VS WOODSTOCK AUG. 22
AT VS N. ATLANTA N. SPRINGS SEPT. 5 SEPT. 12 2014 ROSTER
NO. NAME CL. 2 DEANDRE SALMON 3 JONATHON PEART 4 TANNER HICKS 11 5 MICHAEL LEWIS 11 7 MARCUS SPEARS 10 8 JACOB SAYLOR 9 JARROD FLETCHER 10 JACQUES BETHEA 11 COLE KRONAUGE 11 12 JUSTIN ECONOMOU 14 WESLEY TERRY 10 15 ZAIRE CALDWELL 17 KYE SMALL-HANNON 18 JORDAN AUSTIN 19 SHAD PEEL 20 PIERCE LIVESAY 10 21 TEODOR SIMEONOV 11 22 JOSHUA PORTER 23 LIAM MCGUINNESS 11 24 PARRIS COLLINS 10 25 MILL ESTEP 11 27 GABRIEL LOPEZ 10 28 JACK COLLINS 10 29 JAKE GILBERT 10 35 STEPHEN OMOROGBE 36 TREMAIN CARR 10 37 TANNER HECKER 10 38 CAMERON LEWIS 42 ALEX ALFORD 10 44 UCAL WILLIAMS 10
POS. RB RB QB
LB WR
DB RB RB LB WR OL WR WR RB LB TE LB
VS SEQUOYAH SEPT. 19
NO. NAME CL. 45 ETHAN TAYLOR 10 11 50 CAMERON JOHNSON 52 TYLER CROUCH 53 JAMES OVERHOLSER 11 54 TANNER AMASON 55 ANDREW DUNN 56 ELDIN ATIC 57 ETHAN SIGLEY 58 KEVIN FOX 59 REED ALLEN 60 JACK NEUBERT 10 61 JOE MONTELEONE 62 DYLAN JARVIS 9 63 TYLER GOWAN 10 64 CAMERON RIVAS 65 MICHAEL BISHOP 67 CALEB DUCTANT 71 KRIS BRIGHT 72 CODY ODELL 73 ALHAGIE MBATCH 74 JAY GILL 10 75 ADINA OKEKE 76 JAROD SMITH 77 JACK CORDER 10 79 JAMES CUNHA 9 81 RYAN CHEVIS 82 CONNOR BILLINGSLEY 89 ADRIAN BERMUDEZ 97 JACOB SAMUELS 11
POS. LB LB OL
DL DL DL
VS WOODLAND SEPT 26.
River Ridge’s 2-8 record in 2013 was disappointing to say the least. Moving up to Class AAAAA certainly won’t do the Knights any favors, but that is just the beginning of what could be a long season for River Ridge. Coach Robert Braucht said the team returns a few players, not many are returning to the position they played just a year ago. Quarterback Marcus Spears started the final three games of the season for River Ridge and will be the only member of the offense to reprise his role. The defense isn’t much better with just two returning starters. But that doesn’t mean Braucht is without a plan. “We moved a lot of kids around,” Braucht said. “When you look at us on paper, we are going to look the same. When you
OL OL DL
DL
SEQUOYAH CREEKVIEW RIDGELAND LAFAYETTE NW WHITFIELD CEDARTOWN CASS GILMER PICKENS HERITAGE
7-56 19-20 14-42 28-0 14-54 25-41 12-34 13-37 21-42 44-21
come out and watch our games, I think you are going to see something different. We have totally revamped our offense and our defense in the offseason to meet our personnel.” Players expected to make an impact on offense include running back Tanner Hicks and Mill Estep, who moves from defense to wide receiver. Defensively, the linebackers will lead with Cameron Johnson, Parris Collins, and Cole Kronauge who moves over from the offensive side of the ball. The River Ridge coaching staff used spring practice and a couple of weeks of team camp to put a new system in place. Because the terminology is the same, Braucht said it was easier for the players to make the transition, but he didn’t want to give any hints about the changes. “I’m not going to talk a lot about what we are doing, with us changing so much,”
5-YEAR RECORD: 17-23
2013 RESULTS: 2-8 OL
AT AT CASS DALTON OCT. 24 OCT. 17 2014 OUTLOOK
AT ROME OCT. 3
L L L W L L L L L W
VS CREEKVIEW OCT. 31
TBA PLAY-IN GAME NOV. 7
Braucht said. “You are going to have to come out to a game and see us perform.” Because River Ridge has only been around six years, many of the founding members of the football team were three or four-year starters. They have now all graduated. The current seniors worked their way onto varsity as sophomores or juniors, which may ease the growing pains in the future. “This is our third senior class and we’ve got an excitement in the air dating back all the way to our offseason,” Braucht said. “These (seniors) this year really jumped into that leadership role. This young men have just totally taken charge. We are very excited not just about this year, but about years to come.”
2013 LEADERS RUSHING E.J. ELLIS 474 YDS, 7 TD PASSING STEVEN SPEARS 593 YDS, 3 TD RECEIVING TYLER KENNEDY 165 YDS, 2 TD TACKLES JACOB SAMUELS 49 SACKS DEVONTAE MCINTOSH 4.5 INTERCEPTIONS WESLEY TERRY 3 2 E.J. ELLIS
— By Emily Horos ehoros@cherokeetribune.com
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: ROBERT BRAUCHT YEAR AT SCHOOL: 6 RECORD: 17-23 CAREER: 59-40 VARSITY COACHING STAFF TYLER WYNN — OC/QB BLAKE DAVIS — WR ROBERT INGRAM — OL/ST KEITH MANUS — DC/LB BRANDON HAYWOOD — DB BEN FARIST — OLB BARRY LAKES — DL
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Sunday, August 17, 2014
Page 69 Staff/Emily Horos
River Ridge’s Tanner Hicks was lost for most of last season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament before the season’s fourth game. Now, he is back to help the Knights make the jump in to Class AAAAA.
COMING ALL THE WAY BACK
RIVER RIDGE’S TANNER HICKS RETURNS FROM KNEE INJURY By Emily Horos ehoros@cherokeetribune.com Tanner Hicks loves everything about football. The two-way starter for River Ridge enjoys delivering a hard hit while playing safety or picking up a first down as a running back. That is why last season was so difficult for Hicks, who watched from the sidelines for most of his junior year after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while preparing for the fourth game of the season. “I was just making a tackle in practice
and someone’s helmet came across, and hit right on the side of my knee,” Hicks said thinking back on the moment. “I finished practice, but about three hours later I couldn’t move it.” Hicks went for an MRI the next day and the tear was discovered. He underwent surgery on Oct. 7. River Ridge coach Robert Braucht said Hicks has given everything his has to the team. Two days after surgery Hicks began rehabilitating the injury, and he hasn’t stopped putting in time in the weight room. In the spring, Hicks ran track — the 400
meters, 200 meters, 400 relay and 1,600 relay — in order to increase his speed for football. Now preparing for his senior season, Hicks said he is stronger than ever. “I’m back, especially in the weight room,” Hicks said. “My max outs are ridiculous compared to what they were before that. It’s pretty unique to come back and be stronger like that.” Still, being kept off the field for two months wasn’t easy on Hicks, whose younger brother, Davis, is now on the freshman team at River Ridge. He said it wasn’t easy to stand on the
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sidelines while the team struggled to a 2-8 finish. “I wished so bad that I could be back on the field,” Hicks said. Hicks earned a spot on the Knights’ roster as a freshman when the school was welcoming students for just the third year. When he takes the field now, he said the possibility of another injury doesn’t cross his mind. “I’m not hesitant about playing,” Hicks said. “I don’t even think about getting hurt again at all. When I first came back I thought maybe I would be, but I never was.”
at the
top of your
Acworth Austell Brookstone
Canton Douglasville East Cobb
Marietta Paulding Woodstock
Page 70
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Base
Block
Continued from Page 61
Continued from Page 63
teams on our schedule.” Osborne also has a preseason scrimmage against South Cobb. McCall said the most challenging part of creating a final region schedule is calling around to different teams who are in a similar predicament to see if they have an opening slot. He has had rejections due to not playing a region slate, but at least coaches would often give referrals. “We’re not discouraged that people were saying no,” McCall said, “or that it was difficult to find someone to fill that slot. We feel good with what we have. We have a good schedule to evaluate what we’re doing.” Although Osborne’s official team roster has not been finalized, its senior class is the lowest in numbers. The sophomore and junior classes are much higher. With the overall number at 33 players, McCall’s expected it to rise by 20 when school started and the freshmen came out. But 20 additions does pose one drawback. The Osborne coaching staff may have to reteach the wishbone offense and multiple defense because the newest additions, which is almost half the team, are having to learn it from scratch. That said, Osborne has had a busy offseason. The Cardinals hosted a 7-on-7 tournament and played others at Kennesaw Mountain and Riverwood. They also attended Fellowship of Christian Athletes camp at West Georgia. “I want to see us have some success,” McCall said. “I want to see us be able to move the football, score some touchdowns and have some fun. And to mold the minds of these young men.”
The offensive line ended up being the best fit for Diaz-Torres and his size was indeed an advantage. At first, he said he used his size as a wall to stop opposing rushers instead of blocking them. But as he learned the position, he began to move guys around. His first two seasons were on the JV squad largely because of his knee injury. It buckled on him as he was learning the position and it took more
Leaders Continued from Page 65 On several occasions, following morning workouts in the summer heat, many of the seniors would get together and spend the rest of the day on the Chattahoochee River. At night, they would either go to a movie together or a few would get together at someone’s house to play Xbox.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
than a year for it to heal completely. With his knee now at 100 percent, Diaz Torres is entering his senior year as a first-time varsity starter and is eager to inspire the younger players the way he was inspired. “I’m happy that I get to be that senior for the upcoming freshmen and sophomores.” Diaz-Torres said. “Being that senior, I can inspire them and help them lead the same path I was. At the same time, there is a little pressure because I’m not used to the win mentality. But I feel like I can do it.” Another challenge for Diaz-
Torres is proving to himself he could be a full-time varsity player after playing sparingly a year ago. His increased strength and long arms should make him an asset in the middle when opening gaps for the running backs. “He’s still got a lot of work to do on his feet and being mobile,” Pebblebrook coach Tommy Macon said. “I want him to be able to block and run in a 5-yard radius. If he can utilize his arms and his weight, he can be a good player. If he can block somebody and get his hands on them, he’s going to be effective.”
“When you have close friends, everyone has your back,” said senior quarterback Taylor Wolf, a secondyear starter. “You can focus on your own job knowing they will help you by doing their jobs.” Having a senior-laden offensive line to protect Wolf is a major plus. It’s led by Max Kemper, Matthew Pittarelli and Matthew Jones with Lucas O’Reilly getting some potential playing time. And there’s senior Carson Day
who will both carry and catch the football on offense. Pope is also senior-heavy in the secondary behind Braden Zarbnisky, Taylor Waddilove, Logan Cooperman and Keegan Phipps. Seniors Max Kemper and Kyle Woyce will man the linebacker crew. “We’ve talked a lot (at dinner) about us moving into Class AAAAAA,” Mike Kemper said. “We now have confidence, and it’s helped us accept the challenge.”
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Watch Continued from Page 59 in Region 5AAAAAA. Along the way, Cherokee beat Creekview, Sequoyah, Etowah and Woodstock. If quarterback Spencer Ashley can have another banner year, and the defense continues to improve, the Warriors may continue to be the kings of Cherokee County and find themselves back in the postseason for the first time since 2007. 8. WHO IS COBB’S BEST RUNNING BACK?: Knowing that McEachern’s Taj Griffin is considered a five-star recruit, and he is already committed to Oregon, people might say the question moot. However, there are three running backs returning who outrushed the speedy Griffin in 2013. Allatoona’s Josh Bettistea earned Class AAAAA first-team honors after running for 1,938 yards and 27 touchdowns for the Buccaneers. Marietta’s KirVonte’ Benson (1,430) and Walton’s K.K. Brooks (1,263) also bettered Griffin’s total of 1,164. Other backs who may have breakout seasons in 2014 could be Hillgrove’s Sonny Harris, Kell’s Itabari Mason and Mount Paran Christian’s Dorian Walker. 9. CAMPBELL, PEBBLEBROOK, SOUTH COBB: With the GHSA’s realignment, the Spartans, Falcons and Eagles have been separated from the rest of their Cobb County brethren and shipped to Region 3AAAAAA to join other south-Atlanta metro schools. While Langston Hughes and Newnan are no pushovers,
KICKOFF 2014 it will be interesting to see if the south Cobb squads have more success away from Region 4AAAAAA and the likes of Hillgrove, Marietta, McEachern and North Cobb. 10. CAN’T-MISS GAMES OF 2014: Aug. 22 – East Paulding at Allatoona. This game will likely go a long way toward determining the winner of Region 5AAAAA, and it happens in Week 1. Sept. 5 – McEachern at Buford. High school fans always want to know exactly what Buford may do against the highest level of competition. Well, here’s the answer. Sept. 5 – North Gwinnett at Hillgrove. It’s a rematch of last year’s state quarterfinal game where the Bulldogs rallied for two late fourth-quarter touchdowns to win 35-31. Revenge will be in the air in Powder Springs. Oct. 10 – McEachern at North Cobb. This game truly decided the Region 4AAAAAA championship with a Warriors’ 28-26 classic victory. North Cobb won the region, but the Indians went all the way to the state semifinals. Oct. 17 – Sequoyah at Creekview: Last year’s 17-14 victory by the Grizzlies was good enough to claim a subregion championship and a No. 1 seed for the play-in game. Expect the same, if not better, this time around. Oct. 17 – North Cobb at Marietta: Ian Shannon connected on a 49-yard field goal as time expired to give Marietta the 24-21walk-off victory. Another game like that could really shake up the Region 4AAAAAA standings in 2014. Nov. 7 – McEachern at Hillgrove. The Battle Down in Powder Town. If this list seems a little Region 4AAAAAA-heavy, it’s because it deserves it, and there is no better way to end the season than with a potential region title matchup against backyard rivals.
SEPT. 19 & 20 • 8PM
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SEQUOYAH CHIEFS
Location: 4485 Hickory Road, Canton Phone: (770) 345-1474 Home Field: Skip Pope Stadium Online: sequoyahfootball.com
2014 SCHEDULE
AT ETOWAH AUG. 29 NO. 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 37 38 39 40 42 43 44
NAME EVAN SCHAMBERGER DERRION RAKESTRAW NILE WILLIAMS CHANDLER CLARK DALE MOSS ETHAN RIGGLE JAKE JENSEN JAKE KEY BILLY LUMMUS AUSTIN TRACY CODY COLLINS ADAM PATTERSON WESLEY POTTER BLAKE JONES ETHAN BRUCE CONNOR LEAICH ZACH HENLEY COBY CANTRELL LUKE ROGERS HAKEEM HARTFORD BLAKE MILLER AUSTIN RICHARDSON STEPHEN ANDERSON LUKE JENSEN DARIUS SMITH GRAYSON VANDYKE KYLE STANFIELD XAVIER RANSBY PEYTON MITCHELL ZACH STARK CAMERON GALES BROOKS MORRIS COLE PITTMAN EDDIE MOHAR WESTIN POJE CHANDLER BRAGG TREY MITCHELL TIM PITTMAN VANYA GREEN PATRICK BALLANCE JUSTIN LINGERFELT
VS VS BL. TRINITY KELL SEPT. 5 SEPT. 12 2014 ROSTER CL. 11 11 11 10 11 11 12 12 12 11 9 12 9 9 11 10 10 10 10 9 12 11 12 9 10 11 11 10 11 10 9 9 10 10 10 12 11 10 11 9 9
POS. RB/LB WR/DB WR/DB WR/LB RB/DB WR/DB RB/DB TE/TE WR/DB QB/DB QB/DB WR/DB QB/DB WR/DB RB/DB WR/LB QB/DB RB/DB WR/LB RB/DB RB/DB TE/LB RB/DB RB/DB RB/DB WR/LB WR/DB RB/LB RB/DB RB/DB RB/DL WR/DB RB/LB RB/LB WR/LB WR/DB RB/DL RB/LB RBLB WR/LB RB/LB
NO. 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 67 68 69 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 83 84 86 87 88 89
NAME HAMPTON MORRIS JOEL HASSANALI TYLER KOPROWSKI MAC WELLS JARVIS GOOLSBY AUSTIN WILLIAMS NICK DOWNIE BRYAN SANCHEZ COLEMAN PECHT HUNTER MAILHES NICK CHENEY DANIEL BENNETT PAYTON MORGAN WILL MARTIN JORDAN RIDDLE BAILY ECCLES KONNER HENKLE QUINT GADDIS JACKSON RIDDLE AUSTIN MOORE TOBIAS BETHEA NICK WILLMAN JOEL FEDE PRESTON YOUNG DANTE MOORE CAMERON LOCKE DAVID PIERRE BRANDEN JOHNSON DREW LEWIS JUSTIN BROOKSHIRE BODDY HEWITT NOAH SHERBURN JIMMY PIERRITTE ASHTON GRIFFITH MASON TUCKER JAKE THOMASON DYMITRIO MANDZYUK CHANDLER MORGAN ZACH WILLIAMS DUNCAN SINCLAIR
AT RIVER RIDGE SEPT. 19 CL. 10 11 10 10 10 12 12 11 11 10 10 10 11 10 12 10 9 10 10 10 10 10 11 10 10 10 11 12 9 12 10 9 10 11 12 11 10 11 10 10
POS. WR/DB RB/LB TE/LB TE/LB TE/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB OL/LB OL/DE OL/DL OL/DL TE/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 WR/DB WR/DL TE/DL TE/LB TE/DL WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB
VS DALTON SEPT. 26
AT AT ROME CREEKVIEW OCT. 24 OCT. 17 2014 OUTLOOK
VS CASS OCT. 10
If Sequoyah puts together another 8-3 record this season, coach James Teter won’t have much to complain about. Graduation was hard on the Chiefs — taking away 25 players and leaving just seven starters from 2013 behind. Many of those graduates were three-year starters. “For us, it’s like starting over,” Teter said. A year ago, the Chiefs got away from their roots in a Wing-T offense and began spreading the ball around. However, Teter has decided that wasn’t the right fit for him or his players. “We looked at a lot of the formations that Auburn was doing and mixed things around a little bit, but sitting back and thinking about things, we went back to what we are doing,” Teter said. “I’ve been doing the Wing-T for
5-YEAR RECORD: 29-23
2013 RESULTS: 8-3 RIVER RIDGE CHEROKEE RIVERWOOD SPRAYBERRY CREEKVIEW NORTH SPRINGS FORSYTH CENTRAL NORTHVIEW CAMBRIDGE POPE SOUTH PAULDING
56-7 14-34 32-28 35-7 14-17 36-27 35-14 31-21 36-11 53-21 21-48
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almost 20 years, so I can’t do anything else.” Back in a traditional Wing-T, the Chiefs will have a new offensive line in 2014 as well as a new quarterback following the graduation of three-year starter Lex Lauletta. Three players — junior Austin Tracy, Zack Henley and Cody Collins — will be fighting for the starting quarterback role. With just 15 seniors on the roster, Sequoyah will likely go through some growing pains. Not only that, but there are still a few holes in the roster, especially when it comes to kicking duties. That isn’t to say the Chiefs have been stripped. Among the returners are senior linemen Branden Johnson and Jordan Riddle, running backs Blake Miller and Adam Patterson, safety and wide receiver Billy
W L W W L W W W W W L
VS WOODLAND OCT. 31
TBA PLAY-IN GAME NOV. 7
Lummus, and wide receiver and defensive back Derrion Rakestraw. “Those are pretty much the kids that have been leading us all summer,” Teter said. Throughout the summer, the Chiefs participated in various 7-on-7 passing tournaments and team camps. Teter said he was able to learn a lot about his players when 80 of them attended a team camp at Reinhardt. “We had anywhere from ninth grade all the way to seniors,” Teter said. “The first day, we had our tails handed to us pretty good. The second day, we kind of grew up and the third day, we did real well. I think our kids learned a lot about themselves, too.” — By Emily Horos ehoros@cherokeetribune.com
2013 LEADERS RUSHING JAKE GARNER 1,251 YDS, 9 TD LEX LAULETTA 928 YDS, 11 TD PASSING LEX LAULETTA 920 YDS, 11 TD RECEIVING D. RAKESTRAW 343 YDS, 4 TD TACKLES PETER ROHAN 124 CHRIS RIDDLE 102 SACKS GILBERTO TERRIENTE 3 INTERCEPTIONS BILLY LUMMUS 3
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: JAMES TETER YEAR AT SCHOOL: 6 RECORD: 29-23 CAREER: 70-56 VARSITY COACHING STAFF
JEFF BEINKE -— OL ERIC BURKHALTER — OL LUKE COLEMAN — DC GREG KEY — LB JEREMY LAW — CB/WR MATT MUNDY — DL JAMIE NELSON — QB JEFF NELSON — DB TRAVIS SHEFFIELD — DL CURT WILLIAMS — WR TOM SHEEHAN — RB
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Staff/Kelly J. Huff
Jackson Riddle, left, and Jordan Riddle try to bring down their brother Nate Riddle. Jackson and Jordan play for Sequoyah, while Nate coaches for country rival Woodstock, which makes for intersting conversations.
RIVALS IN THE HOUSE
RIDDLE FAMILY KNOWS SOMETHING ABOUT FOOTBALL IN CHEROKEE COUNTY By Emily Horos ehoros@cherokeetribune.com Football isn’t just big in the Riddle family — it’s linemen-sized. Sequoyah’s Jordan and Jackson Riddle are just two of the four lineman that the family has produced. Before them came Nate and Calvin, who were both standouts in the early years of Creekview High School. While Calvin went into the military following high school, Nate has stayed with the game and is now an assistant coach at Woodstock working with the Wolverines’ offensive line. That is why as close as the three brothers
might be, they weren’t on speaking terms for one week leading up to the start of the season. That is because Sequoyah and Woodstock faced one another in a preseason scrimmage. Nate said the silence didn’t last long, but it would have if the game had counted for more than family bragging rights. “There are family bragging rights, but not so much in the game because it (was) a scrimmage game,” Nate said. “In the family, it’s the biggest game of the year for us.” Nate said he enjoys coaching a team that is not Sequoyah. “I come home and mess with them,” Nate said. “If we had a workout and they didn’t, I tell them we are getting better and
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they aren’t. Just little things like that.” The brothers all talk football, but not specifics. Nate, who played for four years at Tusculum, took Jordan to camps and workouts over the summer. He plans to do the same for Jackson prior to his senior year. “I do it just because I know a lot of coaches in the area,” Nate said. Nate said he wasn’t particularly close with Jordan and Jackson when he was in high school because of the age difference between them. Nate is five years older than Jordan and seven years older than Jackson. Now it’s a bit different though as they live next door to one another and often hang out. Another reason the brothers weren’t
close could be that Jordan didn’t begin playing football until his junior season. He said he lacked dedication when he was younger and it wasn’t until he watched Nate play in college that he found his passion for playing. “I was the ball boy for Creekview for seven straight years,” Jordan, now a right guard for Sequoyah, said. “I didn’t miss one game for seven straight years.” Now Jordan and Jackson are getting to bond as members of the same team for the second year. They go up against each other in practice on occasion, but Jordan said he still has the bragging rights. “I’m also two years older than him,” See RIVALS, Page 90
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SOUTH COBB EAGLES
Location: 1920 Clay Road, Austell Phone: (770) 819-2611 Home Field: Clay Stadium Online: leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=sch
2014 SCHEDULE
AT CREEKSIDE AUG. 22 NO. NAME CL. POS. 1 M. LAPEYROLERIE 11 WR 2 TY FITZPATRICK 11 RB 11 WR 3 D. JORDAN 4 TROY HILL 10 QB 5 BRANDON BARNES 12 DB 6 MICHAEL HALL 12 DB 12 WR 7 T. ANDERSON 8 CHRIS STEWART 12 DB 9 JAQUELL PONDER 10 DB 10 KYLIL CARTER 12 QB 11 KHALEEL SHAW 12 WR 12 M. PIERRE 10 WR 13 JUSTIN ROBERTSON 12 DB 14 MICHAEL HALL 12 DB 15 KHALIL JOSEPH 10 WR 16 J. DEGOURNEY 10 DB 11 DB 17 TERRY DAVIS 18 JOSHUA INGRAM 10 QB 12 WR 19 JOSEPH LAW 20 RENO HARRIS 10 DB 10 WR 21 TYLER GREEN 22 BRANDON WIDE 12 LB 23 JAVARIS HARRELL 11 DB 24 SAM LINDSAY JR. 12 LB 25 ANTONIO DAVIS 12 DB 26 TORIQ HARRIS 10 LB 10 WR 27 SIDNEY ARD 28 CINCERE MASON 10 RB 29 JORNELL BRUNS 11 DB
AT VS POPE MARIETTA AUG. 29 SEPT. 12 2014 ROSTER CL. POS. NO. NAME 30 DONOVAN KIZNER 11 RB 31 CURTIS JACKSON 12 RB 32 F. HENRIQUES 10 RB 33 JEREMY KEARSE 11 LB 34 JON PRATHER 12 RB 35 REON PERSAUD 11 WR 36 WARRICK RACHEL 10 LB 37 ISHON MILLER 10 WR 38 CECIL JOSEPH 10 RB 39 JAHAAD JENKINS 10 LB 40 CANY EDE-IFEOBU 12 DB 41 CHUKS EDE-IFEOBU 10 DL 42 D. WILLIAMS 10 DB 43 JASON EMENALO 12 RB 44 GERRICK DELAY 12 DL 45 DEVIN CHAPPELL 11 LB 46 CORRICK RAINEY 10 LB 47 ADRION MYLES 11 LB 48 JAY JOHNSON 12 FB 50 CHRIS ARRINGTON 12 OL 51 LORENZO FLOWERS 11 OL 52 JULIO SANTANA 11 OL 53 AMHAD JOHNSON 11 LB 55 B. SLAUGHTER 11 DL 56 ZACK HIBBERT 11 OL 12 OL 57 C. MARSHALL 58 LOFTY WRIGHT 10 DL 59 AMIR EDWARDS 11 DL 61 CHRIS HALL 12 OL
AT NEWNAN SEPT. 26
NO. NAME CL. POS. 11 OL 62 JAIRO ROQUE 65 LOUIS DEAN 10 OL 68 JUAN BARRAGAN 11 OL 70 ZAVIAN MCDANIAL 12 OL 12 OL 72 HENRY WHITE 73 TYLER KENDALL 12 OL 11 OL 76 M. PETERSON 77 CHEVIN KENNEDY 10 OL 10 DL 78 JALEN HENRY 80 DARIUS CALDWELL 11 DL 81 HEBERSON MOISE 12 WR 88 SAM CHERY 12 DL 10 DL 90 ANTON HEARD 91 CARLOS SALDONA 12 K 93 ELIJAH PONDER 12 DL KEITH CABELL 10 DARIAN DENNIS 10 JOKHARI GORHAM 10 THADDEUS SANDS 10 JOHN HAYES 10 DARIUS HOLMES 11 EDDIE JONES 10 ANDRE KING JR. 10 JEFFERY PARKS 10 JEDIDIAH ROBERTS 11 JUSTIN JACKSON 10 JOSH WILLIAMS 10
AT VS PEBBLEBROOK DOUGLAS CO. OCT. 3 OCT. 10
VS VS CAMPBELL LAN. HUGHES OCT. 24 OCT. 17 2014 OUTLOOK
Sherrod Rainge finally has a team to call his own. South Cobb’s offensive coordinator under Ed Koester and offensive line coach under Michael Youngblood, Rainge was promoted to the head coaching position in May following a tumultuous few months that saw Youngblood resign and his replacement, former McEachern assistant and Chapel Hill coach Geoff Pastrick, lose the job after only a month. “I went through a series of emotions when I got the job,” Rainge said. “I was shocked. I was scared. But, I settled down. The key is to be level-headed, take things one day at a time and use the assistant coaches to help me. Now, I just feel controlled enthusiasm.” Rainge’s first head-coaching position
couldn’t have come with a better program. He’s been with the Eagles for several years and was a part of the program when it went 8-4 in 2011 and won its first state playoff game in school history. A year later, South Cobb finished 7-3 and just missed out on a playoff spot. Rainge wants to lead the Eagles back to the playoffs, and he’ll use the no-huddle spread offense that worked for the team in 2011 and 2012 to make that happen. He doesn’t expect change to happen overnight, however. “The only expectations I have right now is for the team to be competitive every day,” Rainge said. “I want my guys to play hard.” South Cobb returns seven starters on offense, including second-year quarterback Kylil Carter, running back Tyreik Fitzpatrick,
5-YEAR RECORD: 27-23
2013 RESULTS: 3-7 WESTLAKE DOUGLAS CO. KENNESAW MTN CAMPBELL NORTH COBB MCEACHERN HARRISON MARIETTA HILLGROVE PEBBLEBROOK
10-18 6-31 34-28 23-20 13-42 0-40 17-42 46-58 19-54 31-14
L L W W L L L L L W
AT WESTLAKE OCT. 31
VS EAST COWETA NOV. 7
wide receiver Michael Lapeyrolerie and linemen Henry White and Tyler Kendall. Defensive end Elijah Ponder is expected to lead on the other side of the ball. Jeremy Kearse and cornerback Reno Harris are good, young talents who have shown improvement during the offseason. South Cobb, along with county rivals Campbell and Pebblebrook, enters into the new Region 3AAAAAA with Newnan, Westlake, Douglas County, East Coweta and Langston Hughes. “There are some powerhouse teams in this region,” Rainge said. “They’ll be wellprepared and well-coached.”
2013 LEADERS RUSHING MALIK CARTER 920 YDS, 6 TD PASSING MALIK CARTER 875 YDS, 6 TD RECEIVING DORQUINCY JORDAN 192 YDS, 2 TD JOHN BROWN 182 YDS, 1 TD TACKLES KYNNETH BAKER 44 ALLEN HAWTHORNE 40 SACKS JUSTIN JONES 2 INTERCEPTIONS JERRY JACOBS 6
— By Carlton D. White cwhite@mdjonline.com
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: SHERROD RAINGE YEAR AT SCHOOL: 1 RECORD: 0-0 CAREER: 0-0 VARSITY COACHING STAFF
ROBERT JARVIS — DEF. BRAD TROUT — DEF. SEAN SCHINELLA – DEF. CALVIN WEST – DEF. EDMUND COLEY – OFF. CLIFFORD GWYN – OFF.
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South Cobb junior Elijah Ponder has a passion for football and motorized viehicles. The Eagles’ defensive end may have a chance to play on Saturdays in the future, and if he does, he’ll likely take his ATV, or another one like it, with him to college.
KEEPING MOTORS RUNNING
SOUTH COBB’S ELIJAH PONDER FINDS PLENTY OF TIME FOR FOOTBALL AND HIS TOYS By Carlton D. White cwhite@mdjonline.com As Elijah Ponder has grown, so has his collection of toys. He started out with electric cars and trucks when he was younger. The toys morphed into go-karts and minimotorcycles that he would ride on the street and on the back roads through his neighborhood. Eventually, the toys turned into the all-terrain vehicle Ponder owns and keeps stored in his grandparents’ garage.
Motorized vehicles were Ponder’s passion long before he started playing football. “I never played sports before my freshman year,” said Ponder, a rising junior on the South Cobb football team. “I was into riding.” Inspired by former Eagles standout Justin Jones, an incoming freshman defensive tackle at North Carolina State, Ponder didn’t play football until his first year of high school, when Jones was a rising junior. An offensive lineman on the freshman
keeping you at the
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Marietta Paulding Woodstock
team his first year at South Cobb, the coaching staff moved Ponder to defensive end as a sophomore where he started on the varsity team after the second game of the season. With a dominating junior campaign on the horizon following his 45 tackles, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a seven-sack effort last year, Ponder is expected to receive attention from college scouts by the end of the season, giving the 6-foot-4, 240-pound defensive end another passion to take interest in besides riding. “I have schools sending me letters for camps right now,” Ponder said. “Hopefully,
the mail will be a lot different next year.” In the meantime, Ponder will have his ATV. His grandfather, Hubert, purchased it during the summer as Ponder entered his freshman year at South Cobb. Whether it was because Ponder had outgrown his other motorized toys or because it was a gift for entering high school or because it was an early Christmas present, the ATV was another piece in the evolution of Ponder’s life. “I got him boyish stuff to grow up with,” Hubert Ponder said. “I wanted to teach him See MOTORS, Page 94
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SPRAYBERRY YELLOW JACKETS
Location: 2525 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta Phone: (770) 578-3200 Home Field: Jim Frazier Stadium Online: sprayberryfootball.com
2014 SCHEDULE
AT S. PAULDING AUG. 22
AT WOODLAND AUG. 29 SEPT. 12 2014 ROSTER AT
KENNESAW MTN
NO. NAME 1 JON PALMER 2 KADEEM BRATHWAITE 3 JONTAE WILLIAMS 4 TREY SERMON 5 JARIUS JACKSON 6 NYGEL GREEN 7 DRESHUN MILLER 8 LONDON ROBERSON 9 ANDREW PEREIRA 10 RAKEEM MYRICKS 11 JABARI ZUNIGA 12 ADITYA SHARMA 13 ASHTON BEST 14 CAMERON LLOYD 15 TY’KHEEM RICHARDSON 16 ANDREW BOATENG 17 BRYAN WILLIAMS 18 CHARKEEN MCFADDEN 20 DECEDRE WARD 22 COREY ATKINS 24 SHAWN KEMP 25 TAHJ HILL 26 JACE DOVER 27 DRE TRAYLOR 28 RODRIGO BLANKENSHIP 29 SHAUN LINEAR 31 JEREMIAH JOHNSON 32 KAI WEAVER 33 ASHTON BAILEY 34 JOSH BAILEY 36 DJ WORTHY 38 GRANT THOMAS 43 XAVIER GUIDO 44 JASON SIMMONS
CL. 12 12 12 10 10 11 11 10 11 12 12 10 11 11 12 12 11 11 12 11 12 10 10 11 12 12 11 12 12 11 10 10 12 12
POS. WR LB WR RB QB RB/WR WR QB QB RB/LB DL/TE WR LB WR WR LB DB LB DB DB WR DL DB DB K/P OL DB LB LB LB LB/RB TE/LB DB DL
AT RIVERWOOD OCT. 3
VS VS CAMBRIDGE FORSYTH CEN. OCT. 17 OCT. 10 2014 OUTLOOK
It is time for Sprayberry to return to the state playoffs. After missing the postseason the last two years, and three of the last four, Yellow Jackets coach Billy Shackelford said it is one of the main goals of the 2014 season. “I would be very disappointed if we didn’t,” he said. “We’ve worked since Day 1 not only for the playoffs, but for a region championship. We’ve set our standards.” Shackelford has a number of reasons for his optimism. Senior Bailey Sharp (6-foot-5, 295 pounds) will anchor a young and inexperienced offensive line. It is the one area that leaves an unknown in Sprayberry’s plan. However, it has potential, because in addition to Sharp, an Auburn commitment, the line will feature three other seniors
in Chase Popham, Troy Hatch and Tyson Routliffe. If the line comes together, Shackelford is confident about 2014. Junior Andrew Pereira takes over at quarterback and gives the Yellow Jackets a legitimate passing threat. Rakeem Myricks and Trey Sermon will force Shackelford to use more two-back sets because he said both players need to be on the field. And Sprayberry has a group of fast, physical receivers who can make people miss in space — seniors Jon Palmer, Shawn Kemp, Jontae Williams and juniors Nygel Green and Dreshun Miller. “They are all experienced,” Shackelford said. “These are guys we can get the ball to. Our skill guys are probably deeper than they’ve ever been.” Jabari Zuniga, a player with Division
VS VS NORTH SPRINGS NORTH ATLANTA SEPT. 19 SEPT. 26
NO. NAME 45 BRANDON FELIX 46 ANTHONY BIBBINS 47 JACOB BURGESS 48 TAMERON KING 49 ARON COLLIER 50 KEVIN RICHARDSON 51 BRANDON WOODS 52 FUAD MARTINS 54 FOSTER DUBROC 55 LOGAN SHARP 56 TYRIQ REYES 59 ZEKE HALL 60 MIHAIL IGNATOV 62 NICK POPHAM 63 TYSON ROUTLIFFE 64 AUMRO WARRAYAT 66 TROY HATCH 67 BAILEY SHARP 68 MICHAEL KRAJ 72 JUSTIN HOGAN 73 HUMZA RIAZ 74 CHRIS USERY 75 VINCENT BUCKLEY 76 ALEX BLAIR 77 HAYDEN LANGSTON 78 CHASE POPHAM 79 KYLE HICKS 81 MARCUS RICHARDSON 82 ROBERT PURCHASE 84 ABAY HOLMES 86 ROBERT CLARKE 87 REDGHY JEAN 88 JEREMY HALL 89 JAMES NORTON
CL. 10 11 10 10 10 10 12 10 9 9 11 10 10 9 12 10 12 12 12 11 10 12 10 10 12 12 9 12 10 10 10 11 10 10
POS. LB DB DB LB DL DE LB DL OLB OL DL OL OL OL OL/DL OL OL OL OL DL OL DL OL OL DE OL OL DB WR WR WR DE K/P DB
5-YEAR RECORD: 21-31
2013 RESULTS: 2-8 WHEELER KENNESAW MTN LASSITER FORSYTH CENTRAL SEQUOYAH RIVERWOOD POPE KELL OSBORNE CREEKVIEW
14-44 27-48 23-41 45-28 7-35 17-42 17-21 7-55 34-28 13-35
L L L W L L L L W L
AT KELL OCT. 31
TBA REGION PLAY-IN NOV. 7
I potential, leads an aggressive defensive line. It will be backed by an athletic group of linebackers anchored by seniors Brandon Woods and Kadeem Brathwaite. Seniors DeCedre’ Ward and Xavier Guido, along with juniors Bryan Williams, Dre Traylor and Ziare Wolfrey will secure the defensive backfield. Rodrigo Blankenship was the firstteam all-state punter in Class AAAAA last season, and he returns to handle both the kicking and punting duties. Blankenship enters the season ranked as the No. 1 punter/kicker in the country according to Prokicker.com, Oneononekicking.com and many others.
2013 LEADERS RUSHING SHANE YOUNG 752 YDS, 5 TD RAKEEM MYRICKS 413 YDS, 7 TD PASSING SHANE YOUNG 583 YDS, 5 TD ANDREW PIERRA 505 YDS, 3 TD RECEIVING JONATHAN PALMER 231 YDS, 1 TD TACKLES DERRICK JOHNSON 71 JORDAN EARLY 58 SACKS JOSH BAILEY 3
— By John Bednarowski sportseditor@mdjonline.com
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: BILLY SHACKELFORD YEAR AT SCHOOL: 8 RECORD: 36-39 CAREER: 36-39 VARSITY COACHING STAFF
BILLY BLIZZARD — DC EMERY WILLIAMS — LB HAL GRESHAM — DL JULIAN HICKS — LB ANTWAN TOOMER — WR CHRIS DAVIS — OL JOSH FOSTER — K CHESTER RANSOM — WR
Sunday, August 17, 2014
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Page 77 Staff/Kelly J. Huff
Sprayberry’s Jabari Zuniga didn’t play organized football seriously until his sophomore season in high school, but heading into his senior year, the Yellow Jackets’ defensive end has impressed enough college scouts to receive 16 scholarship offers.
MAKING RIGHT CHOICE SPRAYBERRY’S JABARI ZUNIGA DECIDED ON FOOTBALL OVER BASKETBALL AND IT MAY LEAD HIM ALL THE WAY TO COLLEGE
By John Bednarowski sportseditor@mdjonline.com It takes a special athlete to go from barely playing any organized football to 16 college scholarship offers in two years. Sprayberry’s Jabari Zuniga is proving to be that special. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound Zuniga is one of the mainstays on the Yellow Jackets’ defensive line heading into the 2014 season, but another sport almost got in the way. “I played basketball,” said Zuniga who didn’t begin his high school career until his sophomore season. “I was a power forward
and center.” He also remembered the other time he tried playing football a few years earlier in the seventh grade. “I played three games and quit,” Zuniga said. “I just thought football wasn’t for me.” That was until a pair of coaches — Antwan Toomer and Hal Gresham — asked him to play and they would not take no for an answer. They felt the lanky sophomore could be a good edge rusher and Zuniga said he finally relented, if nothing else just to get them to quit badgering him. It turns out the coaches were right. “Pound for pound, he may be the
strongest guy on our team,” Sprayberry coach Billy Shackelford said. “He has brute strength and athleticism. It’s hard to compare him to any particular player because he’s 255 pounds, but he plays like he’s 185.” Shackelford went further because what he was saying wasn’t that Zuniga can be manhandled at the line of scrimmage. Far from it. He said it was because he was so light on his feet and had superior balance that allowed him to make plays. Of course, with only two years of organized football behind him, Shackelford said for as many brilliant plays Zuniga
makes, there are some where he looks like he is still learning the game. “He’s going to make mistakes,” Shackelford said. “But the balance, acceleration, meanness, that’s what gets the big guys excited at the next level.” Currently, Zuniga has offers from Iowa State, Kent State, Georgia Southern, Western Kentucky and Georgia State among others. But he has sights on something bigger — the Southeastern Conference. “I’d love to play for Georgia,” he said. “I went on a visit there and just fell in love with the place.” See CHOICE, Page 94
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WALKER WOLVERINES
Location: 700 Cobb Parkway North, Marietta Phone: (770) 427-2689 Home Field: Robertson Field Online: thewalkerschool.org/athletics
2014 SCHEDULE
VS WESLEYAN AUG. 22
AT
AT PINECREST SEPT. 5 SEPT. 12 2014 ROSTER
KING’S RIDGE
NO. NAME 1 CONNOR SUDDERTH 2 GRAHAM KNOX 3 GLENN STROTHER 4 BEAU SLAY 5 READ BACA 7 J.T. WOOD 8 JOE REICH 9 DAVID BABB 10 COLE BALDWIN 11 ALEX TIDWELL 12 MITCHELL CARMACK 13 JOSEPH VOSE 14 PAUL GRAZZINI 16 JAMES PITTINGER 17 LUKE HATHAWAY 18 BRIGHAM STROTHER 21 JAKE REINI 22 MATT WHEELER 23 ALEX REICHENBACH 24 JAY HAJOST 25 AUSTIN GASS 27 SAHEJ GILL 28 CONNOR COOLBROTH 29 THOMAS RATH 30 WILL COLE 31 BEN LAUFER 34 CHARLIE MAXWELL 35 WILLIAM SCHUBERT 36 LAWSON ASHBY 37 PRICE WILLOCH
CL. 12 11 12 9 11 12 12 11 11 12 11 9 10 12 11 10 12 12 12 9 9 10 10 9 9 9 11 12 10 10
POS. WR/DL WR/DB WR/DB WR/LB WR/DB RB/DB WR/DB QB/S WR/DL WR/DB WR/LB QB/S WR/S QB/S K QB/DB RB/LB WR/DB WR/DB RB/LB WR/DB WR/S RB/LB RB/LB WR/DB TE/LB TE/DB RB/LB RB/LB WR/DB
AT WHITEFIELD SEPT. 19
NO. NAME 40 CARL GRINDSTAFF 42 CHANDLER CANNON 44 MICHAEL KNAUTZ 45 TYLER WESTBROOK 50 JAMES GRINDSTAFF 51 SAMMY SMITH 54 JACKSON MANNES 55 KESON PAUL 58 EVAN BROWN 61 CLARK MILLER 62 MATT CONDON 64 HUNTER NOURZAD 65 BRAYTON BODEN 67 KEL TIMBROOK 69 LORENZO HERNANDEZ 70 JAMES SNAVELY 73 NICK HURST 75 BEN SNAVELY 76 MAX ROWAN 77 AVERY EIKOST 79 NICHOLAS WRIGHT 80 WILLIAM BLAKELY 81 JT REICHENBACH 83 TRISTAN BARTON 84 JASON THOMAS 85 CLINT DAVENPORT 86 TYLER BILODEAU 87 JASON BROCK 88 ALEC BAKER 89 THOMAS LONG
CL. 9 10 12 10 11 12 10 10 9 11 9 9 9 11 10 9 10 11 11 11 12 10 10 10 9 9 9 9 10 9
POS. TE/DL TE/DL RB/S TE/S OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL RB/DL OL/DL OL/DL TE/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL WR/DB WR/DL WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB OL/DL WR/DB WR/LB WR/DB
VS ST. FRANCIS SEPT. 26
VS MOUNT ZION-CAR.
OCT. 3
Matt Casper is about to write a new chapter at Walker. The first-year head coach has a sense of excitement in the new opportunity, but he is also pleased with the progress his players have made during the summer. “We started a new strength and conditioning program and our numbers have been outstanding,” Casper said. “Our seniors have really set the tone with the leadership they have provided both in the attendance and standards in conditioning and in the weight room. Looking back, these freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will have a lot to look up to over the next few years.” For the Wolverines, playing under Casper won’t be just about winning football games, but developing a culture of dedication and hard work ethic. Walker faces a tough schedule in 2014
TEMPLE N. COBB CHRISTIAN TRION MOUNT ZION MOUNT PISGAH FELLOWSHIP KING’S RIDGE WHITEFIELD MOUNT PARAN
21-0 42-7 7-42 7-3 0-47 25-20 27-41 6-28 7-52
that opens with Wesleyan on Aug. 22, but also includes trips to county rivals Whitefield Academy and Mount Paran Christian. Like most schools in their classification, Walker will rely on several players to contribute on both sides of the ball. “Right now in the backfield we have J.T. Wood and Jake Reini who have done a great job in practice, and they look to be playmakers for us,” Casper said. “Outside (at wide receiver) we have Matt Wheeler and Glenn Strother, who are good targets for our quarterbacks, and at quarterback we have a good battle going on between James Pittinger, David Babb, Brigham Strother, and Joseph Vose. I’m excited to see how that’s going to turn out.” Reini, Glenn Strother, and Wheeler will also be featured on the defensive side of the ball. They’ll be joined by fellow defensive leaders Avery Eikost and Joe Reich. Casper also stressed
5-YEAR RECORD: 24-27
2013 RESULTS: 4-5 W W L W L W L L L
AT TRION OCT. 31
VS AT MOUNT PARAN CHR. HERITAGE OCT. 24 OCT. 10 2014 OUTLOOK
TBA REGION PLAY-IN NOV. 7
the importance of the turnover margin, and he’ll expect an improvement on that statistic from what the Wolverines earned in 2013. “We have got to keep the turnovers down,” says Casper. “Last year they were a minus-19, and that is unacceptable. So we’re really focusing on the quarterbacks being good decision makers, and the skill players protecting the football.” Overall, the first year coach wants to see marked improvement by the end of the year. “I want to see a more competitive football team,” Casper said. “How are they going to respond when we’re down 7-0? How are they going to respond when we’re up 7-0? I want to see these kids push through adversity and I think that will really define the success of the season.”
2013 LEADERS RUSHING GAINES LAHUE 474 YDS, 7 TD PASSING CAM BLOEBAUM 650 YDS, 5 TD RECEIVING KEVIN BRAY 438 YDS, 4 TD TACKLES BRADLEY MOORE 59 JUSTIN DELBROOK 52 SACKS BRADLEY MOORE 2.5
— By Zac Diodati MDJ Sports Correspondent
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: MATT CASPER YEAR AT SCHOOL: 1 RECORD: 0-0 CAREER: 0-0 VARSITY COACHING STAFF
LAMAR HOWARD — DC IRA DAWSON — OL/DL JAMES BROCK — TE RIHEEN JOHNSON — RB/LB JAY LONG — QB TONY GASPARRO — WR/LB
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Page 79
Staff/Kelly J. Huff
Walker has 17 seniors on the 2014 team and, from left, runing back J.T. Wood, and defensive backs Michael Knautz and Alex Reichenbach, along with their peers, want to help coach Matt Casper put down a foundation of success.
SETTING A NEW STAGE WALKER SENIOR CLASS IS PLANNING ON LEAVING A WINNING FOUNDATION THAT CAN BE BUILT UPON
By Zac Diodati MDJ Sports Correspondent With a new coach leading Walker’s football program in 2014, the team’s senior players are arguably the people most familiar with the program. Coach Matt Casper is looking to those seniors to provide leadership and legacy for the rest of the squad’s younger players as they embark on their last season of their high school careers. “We’re building a good program here” linebacker and running back Jake Reini said. “Sometimes it can be hard to fit in
with a new coach because they can do things differently, but we picked up where we left off last year and we’re working well together.” Being seniors, this class at Walker has their eyes on a playoff berth in Class A, hoping to go out with a bang. The Wolverines last appeared in the playoffs in 2012. “We definitely want to make it to the playoffs and get into a region championship (game), first of all,” center Sammy Smith said. “Coach talks a lot about setting an example. We’ve gotten into the weight room over the summer and gotten our
numbers up, and we want to keep setting a good example.” Being part of a private school community in Cobb County, rivalries can come naturally. The Wolverines schedule will be highlighted by trips to Whitefield Academy and Mount Paran Christian. “Mount Paran is always our biggest rival” wide receiver Matt Wheeler said. “They’re a really well coached football team. They’re strong and fast. We beat them a couple of years ago, then they beat us. We’ve got a good rivalry going. I want our class to be remembered for going to the playoffs though. That was a really fun
experience sophomore year and I want it again.” This group of seniors has gone through plenty of changes at the school. Casper is the third coach they are playing for. As freshmen, they played for Ben Williamson and went 3-7. The following year, they experienced the best season in program history as the Wolverines went 11-1, won their first region title and their first playoff game. Unfortunately, last year they slipped back to 4-5. Now, this group of seniors wants to make sure Walker gets back on the winning side of the ledger with the program See STAGE, Page 94
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MPC LOOKS FOR REGION TITLE REPEAT
By Adam Carrington
acarrington@mdjonline.com
Mount Paran Christian is a contender at dethroning Mount Pisgah Christian for the Region 6A title, but it will be a tall order with the Patriots returning the majority of the team. And with the teams going into different subregions this year, they could likely play for the region title. Mount Paran and Walker are leaving the north Fulton sector and are in subregion A with Christian Heritage, Mount ZionCarroll and Trion. That makes Whitefield Academy the lone Cobb County school in an allnorth Fulton County subregion with Mount Pisgah, St. Francis, Fellowship Christian, King’s Ridge and Pinecrest Academy. Mount Paran and Mount Pisgah each went deep in the Class A state playoffs last season. Mount Pisgah quarterback Aaron Winchester, who is Georgia State-bound, is back for his senior season, but Mount Paran is returning some of its weaponry as well and the Eagles are confident they can make some noise. “I think we have a chance every night,” Mount Paran coach Mitch Jordan said. “In the depth of this region, we can’t have an off night. You’ve got to be healthy and got to be on every week. There are so many good coaches out there and so many good programs.” Mount Paran certainly has the leg up in its half of the region with all the experience coming back. Walker is attempting to bounce back from a five-win season under first-year coach Matt Casper. Trion had a .500 season last year and Mount ZionCarroll won four games. Christian Heritage is the only other returning playoff team in the subregion, finishing the year with an 8-3 mark. Mount Paran’s Jake Allen is returning at quarterback. Running backs Dorian Walker, Taylor Trammell and receiver Emoni Williams are also back for the Eagles. Mount Paran’s offensive line is mostly intact, as well as its secondary. Whitefield Academy, which is seeking
REGION 6A
BEST PLAYER: AARON WINCHESTER QUARTERBACK MOUNT PISGAH 6-1, 180 COMMITTED TO GEORGIA STATE PREDICTIONS SUBREGION A 1. MOUNT PARAN CHRISTIAN 2. CHRISTIAN HERITAGE 3. WALKER 4. TRION 5. MOUNT ZION-CARROLL SUBREGION B 1. MOUNT PISGAH 2. ST. FRANCIS 3. WHITEFIELD ACADEMY 4. FELLOWSHIP CHRISTIAN 5. KING’S RIDGE 6. PINCREST ACADEMY its first playoff berth since 2009, may have a more difficult time. Not only will the Wolfpack have to play Mount Pisgah, but St. Francis could be potentially dangerous. The Wolfpack, who finished 4-6 last season, will have a new quarterback in Sky Dupree, but most of last year’s starters on both sides of the ball will be back. But the scheduling certainly didn’t work in Whitefield’s favor. The Wolfpack will host Mount Paran in their season opener and will end their regular season on the road against Mount Pisgah. For the third straight year, the Class A private-school playoff bracket will be determined by a power rating system that determines the top 16 teams in the state based on performance. “If we can survive early and late, that should put us in good position in the infamous power rankings,” Whitefield coach Jimmy Fields said.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
BUCS WANT TO RECLAIM TOP SPOT IN 5AAAAA By John Bednarowski sportseditor@mdjonline.com
Allatoona is the best team in Region 5AAAAA. East Paulding is the best team in Region 5AAAAA. South Paulding is the best team in Region 5AAAAA. Ask the coaches in the region, and these are the answers that are given. What it seems to mean is Region 5AAAAA is going to be a wide-open race that likely six teams will be in the mix for the four playoff spots. As the season prepares to kickoff, the coaches in the region seem content with the idea that Allatoona, East Paulding and South Paulding will claim three of those four playoff spots. Allatoona will use its ground game, behind Class AAAAA all-state performer Josh Bettista (1,938 yards, 27 TD) and Russell Halimon, to try to grind out victories. East Paulding, the defending region champion, may not have the big-mane recruit it has had in the past, but the coaches consider the Raiders to be the best team top from to bottom. South Paulding is still settling on a quarterback to replace Kennesaw State signee Chandler Burks, but the defense is solid and the Spartans may have the most exciting receiver in the region in L.J. Pope, who caught 13 touchdown passes as a sophomore in 2013. The question is, which team will join them? The consensus is it will come from the group of New Manchester, Alexander or Villa Rica. “New Manchester may have the most talent of any of us,” South Paulding coach Ed Koester said. The Jaguars enter their third season of varsity play, and Koester said it’s the third or fourth season when a program usually makes that big leap into contention. It was a blueprint Allatoona followed when the Buccaneers reached their third year of existence. They have had four straight playoff seasons since. Allatoona coach Gary Varner said Alexander is the wild card of the group. New to the region this year, the Cougars
REGION 5AAAAA
BEST PLAYER: JOSH BETTISTEA RUNNING BACK ALLATOONA 5-11, 180 RECRUITED BY GEORGIA, OHIO, TENNESSEE PREDICTIONS 1. ALLATOONA 2. EAST PAULDING 3. SOUTH PAULDING 4. NEW MANCHESTER 5. ALEXANDER 6. VILLA RICA 7. HIRAM 8. PAULDING COUNTY 9. CHAPEL HILL 10. LITHIA SPRINGS went 8-5 in Region 5AAAA last year and are led by all-state running back Mikell Lands-Davis, who ran for 2,374 yards and 28 touchdowns. Three times last year, Davis rushed for at least 300 yards in a game. Varner also was high on Villa Rica, which returns most of its starters from a year ago. The Wildcats went 5-5 during a season in which they beat the teams they were obviously better than, and lost to the teams they were not. The region is likely not to be that clear-cut in 2014. “From top to bottom I think we are a lot tougher,” Varner said. “There are a lot of teams that can make a run to the playoffs. I don’t see anyone going 10-0.” The odd thing about the region this season — at least for Allatoona, East Paulding and South Paulding — is the playoff positioning could be completed by the end of September. The Buccaneers, Raiders and Spartans all play each other in the first five weeks of the season. A twogame sweep by any one of the three could be the determining factor for the region title.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
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Sunday, August 17, 2014
LONGHORNS HUGHES STILL GET NEW CAST OF TEAM TO BEAT CHALLENGERS IN 3AAAAAA By Emily Horos ehoros@cherokeetribune.com
Like the others in the state, Region 7AAAAA got a makeover, which has completely changed the landscape from what it was just a year ago. Gone are Osborne and Pope. Meanwhile, Cass, Dalton, North Atlanta, Rome, Woodland-Bartow and River Ridge have been added to the mix — ballooning the region to 14 teams. It is now the largest football-playing region in the state. Split into a pair of seven-team subregions, it becomes more manageable and provides six region opponents for each football team. After a region crossover games is added at the end of the season to determine the playoff teams, that leaves three non-region games plugged in early in the schedule. In 2013, Creekview and Kell were the teams to beat and that will likely continue into the upcoming season, although both teams graduated key players. The real question is how the newcomers will fall into the mix. Cass, Dalton, and River Ridge all moved up from the same region in Class AAAA. Dalton lost its first two games last season, then didn’t drop another until the first round of the state playoffs. River Ridge finished 2-8, while Cass fell somewhere in the middle. North Atlanta made a lateral shift from Region 6AAAAA, where it was winless a year ago, while Rome and Woodland made lateral moves from Region 5AAAAA, where both finished near the middle of the pack. River Ridge coach Robert Braucht said change always brings unknowns. “We have played three of the other teams (in Cherokee County) and two of them are in our region now,” Braucht said. “We have seen a lot of film on Dalton over the years. We haven’t faced them, but we know they are a great ball
REGION 7AAAAA
BEST PLAYER: BAILEY SHARP OFFENSIVE LINE SPRAYBERRY 6-5, 285 COMMITTED TO AUBURN PREDICTIONS SUBREGION A 1. CREEKVIEW 2. DALTON 3. SEQUOYAH 4. ROME 5. WOODLAND-BARTOW 6. CASS 7. RIVER RIDGE SUBREGION B 1. KELL 2. RIVERWOOD 3. SPRAYBERRY 4. CAMBRIDGE 5. NORTH SPRINGS 6. FORSYTH CENTRAL 7. NORTH ATLANTA
club. Our expectation in our region is that we don’t care who we play. We are going to go run our offense and our defense.” The first three games will be a warmup for the next six contests. Those will be the truly important ones as only the top teams in each subregion will have a shot at qualifying for the state playoffs. On one half of the region, Creekview, Sequoyah, Dalton and Rome are expected to battle for the top positions. In the other subregion, look for Kell, Riverwood and Sprayberry to rise to the top.
By Carlton D. White
cwhite@mdjonline.com
Region 3AAAAAA programs will have some company over the next two years. Six schools — Langston Hughes, East Coweta, Newnan, Westlake, Douglas County and Tri-Cities — occupied the region the last few seasons. Life was good, and a school with a 2-3 region record was nearly guaranteed a state playoff berth. That’s changed with the latest two-year GHSA Realignment plan. Tri-Cities left for Class AAAAA, while former Region 4AAAAAA rivals Campbell, Pebblebrook and South Cobb were inserted, increasing the region membership by two more schools. “I feel like the Cobb County schools bring more diversity as far as playing styles go and an added competitiveness on the field,” Langston Hughes coach Willie Colon said. “They come from a good, competitive region that has proven itself in the playoffs, and what they had to bring to that region should make our region that much stronger.” There’s no denying who the coaches thought was the strongest team in the region. Two-time defending champion Langston Hughes returns five starters on offense and seven on defense. The Panthers run a multiple spread offense and use a 4-3 defensive front. They return senior quarterback Kinan Humphrey, a two-year starter, and last year’s region player of the year, defensive end D’Andre Walker, who totaled 108 tackles and 21 sacks. Newnan uses a multiple I-formation offense and a 3-4 defensive scheme. No player on the Cougars’ roster played in every game last season, so Newnan returns nine players on offense and seven on defense who had significant playing time. Steve Pardue, who coached LaGrange for 17 seasons and won state titles in 2001, ’03 and ’04, returns to the sidelines after a fouryear absence as the coach at East Coweta. Pardue is set to operate the Indians out of a multiple wing spread offense, highlighted by wide receiver E.J. Ransom. Three offensive linemen return, and the Indians’ strength on defense will be along the line of scrimmage and anchored by Jamal Thomas. Campbell also has a new coach in former
REGION 3AAAAAA
BEST PLAYER: D’ANDRE WALKER DEFENIVE END LAN. HUGHES 6-4, 210 26 DIVISION I OFFERS PREDICTIONS 1. LANGSTON HUGHES 2. NEWNAN 3. EAST COWETA 4. WESTLAKE 5. DOUGLAS COUNTY 6. CAMPBELL 7. SOUTH COBB 8. PEBBLEBROOK
Hillgrove assistant Ryan Brady. He’ll use a multiple spread offense and 3-4 defensive scheme. The Spartans return five starters on offense, led by wide receiver Chauncey Werah and Cameron St. Cyr. Kahj Huitt gets the nod at running back. The quarterback position is undecided, with Randy McClure and Juan Knowles battling for the position. Monty Daniel has a lot of experience on defense along with lineman Carlton Moore. Sherrod Rainge takes over South Cobb, looking to bring back the spread offense that made the Eagles so successful a few years ago. Tyreik Fitzpatrick is set to take over at running back with four-year starting kicker Carlos Saldona expected to contribute on special teams. Pebblebrook coach Tommy Macon will run a spread offense with some I-formation. He expects several of his players to go both ways after the team lost 33 seniors last year. Javion Lawson will play running back and defensive back. Hakeem Bailey and Kendall Quarles should see time at wide receiver and defensive back.
KICKOFF 2014
Sunday, August 17, 2014
INDIANS LEAD WAY IN STOUT 4AAAAAA
By Carlton D. White
cwhite@mdjonline.com
If there’s one thing Region 4AAAAAA has proven over the last couple of years is you don’t have to be the region champion in order to make a deep postseason run. In the old Region 4AAAAA, Hillgrove placed third in 2010, but made a strong run to the state quarterfinals that year. In 2011, Hillgrove, McEachern and South Cobb, the top three teams in the region, each won a playoff game before bowing out. The 2012 campaign was the first for Region 4AAAAAA. That season saw region runner-up North Cobb reach the semifinals and No. 4 seed Marietta advance to the round of 16. Last year, region runner-up Hillgrove made the quarterfinals and No. 3 seed McEachern moved on to the semifinals. “To get to the playoffs is tough in our region, but once you’re in the playoffs, we’ve proven that we have teams that can go deep,” McEachern coach Kyle Hockman said. “It’s not necessary to be region champion to go far in the postseason.” Following the GHSA’s region realignment, membership in the region has dropped from nine to eight schools with Harrison, Hillgrove, Kennesaw Mountain, Marietta, McEachern and North Cobb staying put while North Paulding and Osborne join. However, Osborne is slated to play a non-region schedule, leaving seven teams to battle for four postseason spots. “I was talking with (Hillgrove coach Phil) Ironside and (North Cobb coach Shane) Queen about how hard it was to find average non-region games with the new alignment,” Hockman said. “We ended up having to take some really good teams because they were all that was left.” It shouldn’t be hard for McEachern to do well with the Indians returning offensive lineman and USC commitment Chuma Edoga as well as Oregon commitment and running back Taj Griffin. Starting quarterback Bailey Hockman also returns. Last year’s region champion, North Cobb, brings back Auburn commit and starting quarterback Tyler Queen, who has
REGION 4AAAAAA
BEST PLAYER: CHUMA EDOGA OFFENSIVE LINE MCEACHERN 6-4, 285 COMMITTED TO USC PREDICTIONS 1. MCEACHERN 2. MARIETTA 3. HILLGROVE 4. NORTH COBB 5. NORTH PAULDING 6. HARRISON 7. KENNESAW MOUNTAIN
led the Warriors’ offense for three-and-ahalf seasons. Hillgrove, last year’s region runnerup, will likely platoon two quarterbacks, as it did in 2012. New quarterbacks Matt Wilson and Bryson Parks will challenge for the role, however they will have help from running back Eric Montgomery and wide receiver Richard Hallman. Marietta returns starting quarterback Brenton Martin and running back KirVonte’ Benson, while South Carolina commitment Lorenzo Nunez returns at quarterback for Harrison. Kennesaw Mountain’s Nigel Hayes also returns at quarterback. North Paulding joins Region 4AAAAAA after claiming the Region 5AAAAA title last year. The Wolfpack made consecutive postseason appearances in 2012 and 2013, reaching the quarterfinals a season ago, and have combined to go 19-6 in two seasons under former Kennesaw Mountain and South Cobb coach Scott Jones. North Paulding enters its new region having lost its top quarterback, running back and wide receiver in Chase Noonan, Corn Collins and Kayden Bishop, respectively.
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WIDE OPEN REGION BATTLE IN 5AAAAAA
By Adam Carrington
acarrington@mdjonline.com
Region 5AAAAAA appears to be wide-open in 2014. There’s not a team that appears dominant. Walton and Lassiter, which have been consistently at the top of the region in years past, are in transition with the Raiders adjusting to a new coach and the Trojans grooming a batch of young players. And while there may not be a frontrunner, teams that have finished back in the standings in the past are showing a new strength. “There are three to four that can win it with a region this balanced,” Lassiter coach Jep Irwin said. Lassiter has been the team to beat the last two seasons with region championships to show for it. But the Trojans took a hit by graduating 34 seniors who made that possible. Walton, which hasn’t missed the state playoffs since 2009, is having to revamp on defense under firstyear coach Maurice Dixon. Although the Raiders are returning many offensive starters, they still have to replace a quarterback and three wide receivers. Milton and Etowah have challenged for playoff spots the last few years. While both teams are known for their physicality on the line of scrimmage, they may be lacking in skill players this season. Cherokee, which went 5-5 last year and just missed a shot at a playoff spot, has the most experienced quarterback in the region. Spencer Ashley, who is listed at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, threw for 2,276 yards and 16 touchdowns. With several key components coming back, Ashley included, Cherokee could be a top four team. Roswell and Woodstock are also returning their respective quarterbacks. Woodstock is in its second year of running a spread offense and Roswell is still in the process of bouncing back from a
REGION 5AAAAAA
BEST PLAYER: TRE’ LAMAR LINEBACKER ROSWELL 6-3, 230 15 DIVISION I OFFERS PREDICTIONS 1. WALTON 2. MILTON 3. CHEROKEE 4. LASSITER 5. ROSWELL 6. WOODSTOCK 7. ETOWAH 8. WHEELER 9. POPE
winless 2011 campaign. Wheeler returns starting quarterback Ryles Kirkland for a full season in 2014. Having Kirkland and Georgia Tech commit Harland Howell at receiver may give the Wildcats a boost. Pope is the lone newcomer to the region after spending the last four seasons in a lower classification. The Greyhounds struggled last season after taking a major hit from graduation and having key returning players elect not to return. But with a team of mostly seniors, the Greyhounds may surprise some teams. They also made changes to the defense after giving up more than 40 points per game last season. “This schedule is going to be a meat grinder for us,” Pope coach Matt Kemper said. “We have to show up every week, play our brand of football, hang around, sneak up on folks and steal some in the end.”
Be Tr O
R W M Ch La Ro W Et W Po
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Sunday, August 17, 2014
WALTON RAIDERS
Location: 1590 Bill Murdock Road, Marietta Phone: (770) 578-3226 Home Field: Raider Valley Online: raidersfb.org
2014 SCHEDULE
VS S. GWINNETT AUG. 22 NO. 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42
NAME BRE’YON THOMAS JOSH WHITE NICK WASHINGTON BRYCE WASHINGTON TAQUAR STEWART GARRETT ELDRED BAYLEY WOLFF COLE WATTS KK BROOKS FUZZY FURR BOBBY LEDONNE CAMERON SPRAGUE ADDISON SHOUP SIERRA WILLIAMS SAM LETTON BENTON POORE JACK HOSKYN RYAN ROEGGE CHRISTIAN SULLIVAN JOEY GOODMAN TAJI STEWART JAYLAN BURTON CHRIS JENSEN RAINE WILCOXIN BILAL HEFNER JAELIN BUMPER JASON ROOKS CLIFTON SHEPHERD MILLAR MORGAN IMANI PARKER KROSS DRAYTON ZAC HOBSON JOHN LEE ZAC STARNS HARRISON FANT CHASE FORLINI MATT SMITH JACKSON KOHLER HAYDEN CONEY
AT LASSITER AUG. 29 SEPT. 5 2014 ROSTER AT
MARIETTA
CL. 12 11 11 11 12 11 12 10 11 11 10 10 10 11 11 12 11 11 11 11 11 10 12 10 11 10 10 11 11 12 10 11 11 12 10 10 10 10 11
POS. RB/LB QB WR/DB WR/DB RB/DB RB/DB WR/DB WR/DB RB QB QB QB QB WR/DB TE/WR QB WR/DB DB DB/WR LB WR/DB RB K WR/DB WR/DB WR RB/DL LB FB/LB RB/LB LB WR/DB DB RB/LB WR/DB LB FB/LB LB/FB FB/LB
NO. 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 63 64 68 70 71 72 73 74 75 78 79 80 81 83 84 85 87 88 90 92 93 94 95 96 98
NAME NICK ORRELL-JONES RUSSELL BROWN BRANDON LIN KAMIAN BROOKS ALEX JETT BRAD CHRISTENSON CHRIS BRANCH CALEB CARSWELL BENNETT WILSON NOAH WINSTON ALEX ROEGGE CLARK PRICE BLAKE LANDON JAKE MARINO CHRIS PIPER ERIC SMITH DAVID DAVIS COLEMAN LOFTIN BARRETT HESS WILL NORMAN GALEN RICHARDSON MATT MILHOLLIN JACK HENRY FORREST EVANS PATRICK FARLEY BRIAN HOFFMAN DAVIS PIDGEON BRANDON MCBRYDE CHASE BARKER ALEX FERNANDEZ DILLON HEPP SHAKIL FARUQUE ALEX LEE JOEL TRIMBLE ANDY TORRES PATRICK GUTHRIE JONATHAN PIERRE MATT FITZPATRICK JOHN RANDALL
VS
ROSWELL
SEPT. 12 CL. 11 11 12 10 10 10 10 11 11 10 11 11 10 10 10 12 12 10 11 10 10 10 12 11 11 10 12 11 10 10 10 11 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
POS. TE/DL FB/LB RB/DL FB/LB DB LB/DL DB DL OL/DL OL/DL OL OL/LB OL/DL LB LS OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL OL/DL DL OL/DL OL OL OL/DL TE/DL TE/DL WR/DB WR WR DL/TE TE/DL TE/DL WR/DB WR DB DB K K
AT WHEELER SEPT. 26
VS AT MILTON WOODSTOCK OCT. 24 OCT. 10 2014 OUTLOOK
VS POPE OCT. 3
Times are changing at Walton. For only the second time since 1995, the Raiders will have a new voice leading them from the sideline. Maurice Dixon took over for Rocky Hidalgo, who moved on to Glynn Academy, Dixon brings his knowledge from other high-powered programs North Gwinnett and Byrnes (S.C.) with him, and that means a slight change from traditional line-up, smash-mouth football Walton fans have grown accustomed to. “We’re going to run it and throw it,” Dixon said. “I don’t want one guy carrying the load.” That has been the case the last decade. From Justin Forte to Tyren Jones, there always seems to be a back in the backfield that has carried the ball 25 or 30 times a game. Last year, that guy was K.K. Brooks, a sophomore who churned out 1,268 yards and 16 touchdowns on 258 carries. Dixon wants to take some of the pressure off
5-YEAR RECORD: 40-18
2013 RESULTS: 6-5 PEACHTREE RIDGE HILLGROVE NORTH COBB WOODSTOCK CHEROKEE LASSITER WHEELER MILTON ETOWAH ROSWELL COLLINS HILL
17-23 35-47 28-13 47-40 38-14 21-28 35-28 21-28 28-5 33-14 7-41
the rising junior. “As a defensive guy, if they have one guy carrying the load, and they can beat you,” he said, “shame on you.” Dixon expects to use multiple looks, and he said being a more balanced offense will help in games where the Raiders may find themselves trailing in the second half. “(The team you are) shows when you are down,” he said. This does not mean Walton will ignore the run. Brooks will get help from Bre’yon Thomas and Millar Morgan, and they will operate behind a solid offensive line, led by senior Jack Henry and junior Forrest Evans. One of the biggest questions being answered this fall was who is going to play quarterback. The answer appears to be junior Josh White (6-foot-5, 225 pounds) who has taken 90 percent of the reps, but unlike Parker McLeod or Price
L L W W W L W L W W L
AT CHEROKEE OCT. 31
VS ETOWAH NOV. 7
Wilson, he will start the year without having taken a varsity snap. White will look for junior Sam Letton (6-3, 225), a transfer from Lexington (Ky.) Catholic, who already has Division I offers from Kentucky and Western Kentucky. Letton becomes an even bigger target after the Raiders lost Chad Clay and Jordan McCray after they transferred to Peachtree Ridge and North Cobb respectively. Defensively, the Raiders should be solid. Senior Davis Pigeon will anchor the defensive line and Imani Parker and Thomas are expected to have a solid impact at linebacker. Despite losing D.J. Smith to graduation, the secondary may the strength of the defense behind safety Taquar Stewart, Bryce Washington and Ryan Roegge.
2013 LEADERS RUSHING K.K. BROOKS 1,263 YDS, 16 TD PASSING PRICE WILSON 1,928 YDS, 16 TD RECEIVING CHAD CLAY 487 YDS, 5 TD MAURICE GIBSON 439 YDS, 3 TD TACKLES RIDGE GIBSON 103 DREYON WILLIAMS 91 SACKS DREYON WILLIAMS 3.5 INTERCEPTIONS TAQUAR STEWART 3
— By John Bednarowski sportseditor@mdjonline.com
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: MAURICE DIXON YEAR AT SCHOOL: 1 RECORD: 0-0 CAREER: 72-56 VARSITY COACHING STAFF
BILL LETTON — AHC/OC CHRIS STEWART — DC SHANE AMOS — LB JOE GOYDISH — WR CHRIS WARNAT — WR JOHN EVANS — OL JEFF IMPERIAL — DL MIKE DAVIDSON — QB/TE BILL BELLUS — RB ROB NICHOLS — DB PATRICK KAY — LB
Sunday, August 17, 2014
KICKOFF 2014
Page 85 Staff/Kelly J. Huff
K.K. Brooks may be the next great running back in Walton’s program, but he is going to be asked to do more than his predecessors. This year, Brooks will be asked to be a receiver and block more, in addition to his duties at the No. 1 ball-carrier.
NEXT BACK IN LINE WALTON’S K.K. BROOKS READY TO BE A GREAT BACK
By John Bednarowski sportseditor@mdjonline.com The Walton Raiders have always been known as a tough, downhill-running football program. It seems tailbacks in Walton’s system have always been able to expect 25 carries a game, and if the defense can’t slow down the run, it may turn into 30. That’s why Raider runners have posted some of the most prolific running seasons in Cobb County history. In 2004, Justin Forte set the county’s single-season rushing record with 2,395
yards. He was followed in the backfield by J.J. Jackson (1,841 in 2007), Michael Boydston (1,859 in 2008) and, most recently, Tyren Jones (2,375 in 2011). Current Walton tailback K.K. Brooks remembers Jones. Brooks was a freshman in 2012 when he was promoted from the freshman team to the JV so he could be on the sidelines on Friday nights to watch the current Alabama running back play and learn some of the nuances of the position. Now, it’s Brooks who is trying to carry the load. He broke onto the scene last year, when he ran for 1,263 yards and 16 touchdowns, but for Brooks, personal
success doesn’t mean anything if the wins don’t follow. “Winning,” he said. “That’s really all it is. I just want to go to state and get a ring.” Brooks will once again be a main focal point in the Raiders’ offense, but there will be differences this season. Under new coach Maurice Dixon, it is unlikely that Brooks will match the 258 carries he had in 2013, but that might make him a better and more dangerous runner over the course of the season. “We’ve been pretty good and lining up and knocking people off the ball,” said Dixon, who will bring multiple
offensive looks to the game plan this year. “But we don’t want just one guy to carry the ball” What Dixon and Brooks are hoping for is addition by subtraction. With fewer direct carries, the offense may lead to opportunities for Brooks to get the ball more in space on screens and short passes. It’s a change that Brooks is looking forward to. “I’ve always had good hands,” Brooks said. Also with the multiple looks, the 5-foot-10, 195-pound Brooks will have See LINE, Page 94
KICKOFF 2014
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Sunday, August 17, 2014
WHEELER WILDCATS
Location: 375 Holt Road, Marietta Phone: (770) 578-3266 Home Field: Corky Kell Stadium Online: wheelerfootball.com
2014 SCHEDULE
AT DULUTH AUG. 22 NO. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 16 17 19 26 31
VS
AT WOODSTOCK AUG. 29 SEPT. 5 2014 ROSTER
HARRISON
NAME JACOBI GREEN TABIOUS PADGETT REGGIE JAMES BENIAH FRANKLIN ELIJAH BROWN COREY STOVALL JR RYLES KIRKLAND MARCUS PRATT DAZ BREWER HARLAND HOWELL GABE MAGERKURTH BRYCE MURRAY DEVON JENKINS XEVIER MORTON JAMES LEE
CL. 12 12 12 11 12 12 11 12 12 12 10 12 11 11 12
POS. ATH DB/WR WR DB/WR DB ATH. QB LB DB WR QB ATH WR LB DB
NO. 33 42 47 51 54 55 71 72 75 76 77 78 80 82 84
AT
CHEROKEE
SEPT. 12
NAME REGGIE JAMES MAIK RYAN DAVID BRASHEAR SAAGE LEE CHRIS HALL JAMES COLEY DARRYL PRICE JULIUS TOLLIVER BEAU FIELDS VAL MARTIN DAVON HARRIS JAQUAN HODGES DJ BREEDLOVE JEDON PRATT GIOVANNI CHESTNUT
CL. 12 10 11 11 11 11 12 12 11 11 12 11 11 10 11
POS. WR DL LB OL DL OL DL OL OL OL OL OL WR DL WR
VS WALTON SEPT. 26
AT ROSWELL OCT. 3
Wheeler faced adversity early last season. After qualifying for the state playoffs in 2012, the Wildcats had high expectations heading into the 2013 campaign. The squad won its first two games, but the midseason dismissal of quarterback Elijah Staley derailed Wheeler’s plans. Fortunately, backup quarterback Ryles Kirkland showed that he could handle the load, earning on-the-job training while keeping the Wildcats competitive. After losing four of its final five games by a touchdown or less last year, the team is optimistic heading into the 2014 season. “I’m excited about our progress,” coach Mike Collins said. “The offseason workouts have helped and they’ll continue to be a benefit for us moving forward. “Our offensive line is better, so we’re
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pleased with that, and the wide receiver corps showed what it could do. We’re optimistic, although knowing that there’s always more things to improve upon.” Rising juniors Chris Hall, Saage Lee, Felipe Silva and Val Martin, all of whom played significant minutes last year, will anchor the offensive line. “These guys were in the trenches a lot last year, so offensive line is definitely one of the areas we’re happy about,” Collins said. “They’re comfortable with doing things, and they should only get better with the extra work in practice and in games.” Kirkland completed 72 of 124 passes for 847 yards and seven touchdowns. His main target, third-year varsity receiver Harland Howell, a Georgia Tech commitment, returns after catching 24 passes for 443 yards and
5-YEAR RECORD: 14-37
2013 RESULTS: 3-7 SPRAYBERRY 44-14 POPE 59-20 LANGSTON HUGHES 28-37 ETOWAH 14-31 MILTON 9-38 19-21 ROSWELL WALTON 28-35 LASSITER 28-35 WOODSTOCK 49-53 CHEROKEE 30-20
VS VS ETOWAH POPE OCT. 24 OCT. 17 2014 OUTLOOK
W W L L L L L L L W
AT LASSITER OCT. 31
VS MILTON NOV. 7
seven touchdowns. Jacobi Green, a fourth-year starter, should flourish at receiver (58 catches, 581 yards) and running back. “We’re going to lean on Harland and Jacobi for leadership,” Collins said. “Their experience over the past couple of years will be a great asset to the younger guys.” The defensive line is “undersized a little” which is a concern for Collins. However, the linebacker unit is strong with returning starter David Brashear. Defensive backs Elijah Brown and Daz Brewer will also contribute. “These guys want to get to the football, and they’re excited to play defense,” Collins said.
2013 LEADERS RUSHING DEVONTAE JACKSON 795 YDS, 5 TD PASSING ELIJAH STALEY 1,070 YDS, 10 TD RYLES KIRKLAND 847 YDS, 7 TD RECEIVING JACOBI GREEN 581 YDS, 1 TD HARLAND HOWELL 443 YDS, 7 TD TACKLES QUINCYE PRICE 100 ALLEN ARTIS 88 SACKS MALEEK CATCHINGS 5 INTERCEPTIONS NATE MCCRARY 4 DAZ BREWER 4
— By Carlton D. White cwhite@mdjonline.com
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: MIKE COLLINS YEAR AT SCHOOL: 5 RECORD: 14-27 CAREER: 46-50 VARSITY COACHING STAFF
DAVIS HARVEY — DC/LB MICHAEL SAWYER — DL BRANDON CHESTER — RB ROY CLAYTON — OC MATT ANDERSON — OL JERRY MAHAN — OL BRAXTON FOSTER — OL MAURICE DUNCAN — DB GARY ROACH — DB MICHAEL COLLINS SR. — WR FITZ JOHNSON — WR TYLER JONES — WR
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Page 87 Staff/Kelly J. Huff
Wheeler’s Harland Howell wants to help create specil effects in movies for a career, but first he’s going to catch passes for the Wildcats and for Georgia Tech.
SPECIAL EFFECTS ON THE FIELD
WHEELER’S HARLAND HOWELL LOVES GRAPHIC DESIGN AND CATCHING FOOTBALLS By Carlton D. White cwhite@mdjonline.com There’s a chance, anywhere from five to 10 years from now, the next high-budget special effects movie you see in theatres will have a Cobb County tie to it. That’s because Wheeler’s Harland Howell is planning on playing a part in putting the action sequences together. Howell, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound wide receiver for the Wildcats, first fell in love with graphic design and special effects when he was 5 years old. “I find technology amazing,” Howell said. The ‘Matrix’ movies and the first
‘Spider-Man’ movie were really what got me into it. I was into comic books when I was younger, and the first time I saw a superhero-type movie, I just fell in love with the graphic design and special effects that went into it. “I was amazed at how they brought the comic book to life and did the things they were able to do on the screen. I liked how they were able to use something that wasn’t real and make it into something that looked real — like an illusion. They brought imagination to life and I’ve been hooked ever since.” Howell’s opponents probably wish he was an apparition.
A four-year varsity player entering his third season as a starter, Howell had 24 catches for 443 yards and seven touchdowns for Wheeler last season, which finished with a 3-7 record. Two of Howell’s three touchdowns in a 53-49 loss to Woodstock were from 62 and 35 yards. He also had a 55-yard touchdown in the Wildcats’ 44-14 season-opening victory against Sprayberry. Howell’s 4.45-second time in the 40yard dash endeared him to the coaches at Georgia Tech, which offered him a scholarship, and the speedster is expected to sign with the Yellow Jackets in February after verbally committing in July.
Georgia Tech is the perfect fit for Howell both athletically and academically. The institute’s emphasis on science, technology, engineering and match fits with his desire to learn about graphic design and special effects. Plus, the Yellow Jackets’ offensive schemes should give Howell ample opportunities to excel like it did for current NFL players, Demaryius Thomas and Stephen Hill. Howell’s interest in technology doesn’t come as a surprise to his father, Harland. The elder Howell repairs computers. “He also inspired me to get into See SPECIAL, Page 90
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WHITEFIELD ACADEMY WOLFPACK
Location: 1 Whitefield Drive, Mableton Phone: (678) 305-3000 Home Field: Whitefield Stadium Online: whitefieldacademy.com
2014 SCHEDULE
VS MOUNT PARAN AUG. 29 NO. NAME 1 JORDAN EDGE 2 NILE BALL 3 SKY DUPREE 4 CAMERON JENKINS 5 COBY GREGORY 6 DAVID BALLEW 7 JAY DESHONG 8 MATT OLSON 9 WILL SCHULTZ 11 CARSON BROWN 14 J.T. MORRIS 15 JACK CHARLES 17 THOMAS JOINER 18 K.J. CAINON 20 WILL FULKS 21 RYAN WESLEY 22 BRADLEY DAVIDSON 24 AUSTIN SUMTER 25 JACOB BURKETT 27 JORDAN SAIBU
VS
PROVIDENCE
SEPT. 5
AT MOUNT ZION-CAR.
SEPT. 12 2014 ROSTER
CL. 11 12 12 11 10 12 12 12 11 10 11 9 9 9 10 12 12 9 9 10
POS. RB/LB RB/LB QB/LB WB/LB WR/DB WR/DB WR/LB WR/DE WR/DB QB/DB RB/DB QB/LB RB/LB RB/DB RB/DB RB/LB TE/LB RB/LB WR/DB WR/DB
31 33 34 35 40 44 50 51 52 53 55 56 57 58 59 60 64 66 72 77 80
ADONIS COLE CHIP GOLDSMITH SETH JACKSON AJANI KERR JOHN MATHERNE WILL BROGAN CONNOR CAFFREY AUSTIN PRUETT COLTON JAMES JAKE LEWIS MICHAEL HEBERT CARTER DIXON TERRELL CARTER COLEMAN MILLER DAINON CREAGH ZACK LUNDY EVAN GOSSETT BRETT FRANQUI CHRISTIAN KNOX TY MCLEMORE JAKE GILBERT
VS
WALKER
SEPT. 19 11 9 12 11 9 11 11 9 10 9 12 10 11 9 10 9 9 12 9 11 11
WR/DB WR/DB WR/DL RB/DB RB/LB TE/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 TE/DL
AT PINECREST OCT. 3
AT KING’S RIDGE OCT. 10
Whitefield Academy has hovered around the .500 mark for the past three seasons and is eager to get back into the state playoffs for the first time since 2009. After finishing with a 4-6 mark last season, the Wolfpack are returning the majority of their team and are hungry to make it through both their region and the Class A private school power ratings system. In 2012, Whitefield missed the playoffs by one-hundredth of a point, despite having a 6-4 record, coming in at 17th, the top 16 teams make the playoffs. “Our strength is having a good group of returning guys,” Whitefield coach Jimmy Fields said. “We feel like going into the season that we have experience at both skill positions and along the line of scrimmage. We have guys with experience. That is our strength.” Whitefield’s offensive line is experienced, with senior Michael Hebert and senior Brett
23-38 26-24 14-27 18-0 33-38 17-28 7-39 28-6 44-41 7-37
Franqui leading the group. Other linemen expected to contribute are juniors Terrell Carter, Ty McLemore and Connor Caffrey. The Wolpack’s line will need to protect their first-year starting quarterback, senior Sky Dupree. Dupree will step in under center after playing fullback last season and slot receiver in 2012. As a backup quarterback last year for Everett Pollard, Dupree filled in temporarily at the beginning of the season when Pollard suffered a concussion. Dupree finished the season with 317 yards rushing and 191 yards passing. While the team has confidence in Dupree’s abilities as quarterback, Pollard will be missed this season after throwing for 1,247 yards and 11 touchdowns. Dupree isn’t overly flashy at scrambling or throwing. Game managing and knowledge of Whitefield’s zone option offense are his primary strengths. The Wolfpack will have plenty of
5-YEAR RECORD: 22-29
2013 RESULTS: 4-6 PACE ACADEMY RIVERSIDE MIL. ST. FRANCIS GORDON LEE FELLOWSHIP MOUNT PARAN MOUNT PISGAH WALKER KING’S RIDGE DARLINGTON
VS VS ST. FRANCIS FELLOWSHIP OCT. 24 OCT. 17 2014 OUTLOOK
L W L W L L L W W L
AT TBA MOUNT PISGAH PLAY-IN GAME OCT. 31 NOV. 7 skill players returning on offense behind senior receiver Matt Olson, junior running back Jordan Edge and senior Nile Ball. “We want to establish the run and be able to spread it out and go vertical down the field,” Fields said. “But I think our option is geared toward the running back, but you have to have the ability to throw the football.” Dupree may serve as the quarterback of the defense as well. As a linebacker, he was the team’s leading tackler with 108 stops. Senior Bradley Davidson and junior Cameron Jenkins will also join him at linebacker. Senior Ryan Wesley, junior Ajani Kerr, sophomore Carson Brown, who started eight games as a freshman last year, are returning in the secondary.
2013 LEADERS RUSHING EVERETT POLLARD 567 YDS, 9 TD SKY DUPREE 317 YDS, 2 TD PASSING EVERETT POLLARD 1,247 YDS, 11 TD RECEIVING MATT OLSON 357 YDS, 6 TD TACKLES SKY DUPREE 108 SACKS JAYLEN HUDSON 3 T.J. CARTER 3 INTERCEPTIONS ALEX MANNING 2 LAWRENCE WATERS 2 AJANI KERR 2
— By Adam Carrington acarrington@mdjonline.com
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: JIMMY FIELDS YEAR AT SCHOOL: 8 RECORD: 39-36 CAREER: 68-86 VARSITY COACHING STAFF JOHN HUNTER – DC TROY PRUETT – OC JAMES “FRIDAY” RICHARDS – DL LESLIE SIMPSON – WR BRAD HAWKINS – LB STEPHEN WRIGHT – RB
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Page 89 Staff/Jeff Stanton
Whitefield Academy’s Sky Dupree has been a jack-of-all-trades the last couple of years. He’s seen time at quarterback, running back, receiver, defensive back and a few other positions. Dupree will be asked to do a lot, if not more, for the program again in 2014.
LEADER FOR EVERY POSITION WHITEFIELD’S SKY DUPREE SHOWS HOW TO DO IT ALL
By Adam Carrington acarrington@mdjonline.com If Sky Dupree had a choice of defensive position, it would be inside linebacker. He says he loves hitting people. But his offensive preference is slot receiver because he’s intrigued by what can happen after the catch. “One of the best feelings of the world is when I get hit so hard that I don’t get up,” the Whitefield Academy senior said, “but as soon as I get up, I say, ‘Hey I’ll be back.’” Dupree would have been content only playing those positions, but his career hasn’t
exactly worked out that way. Coaches he played for while growing up in Plano, Texas have asked Dupree to play virtually every position on the depth chart, even the offensive line. Going into his final high school season with the Wolfpack, Whitefield coach Jimmy Fields is asking a lot from Dupree. He’s on tap to replace Everett Pollard as the starting quarterback. “Coach Fields has tried me out at every position, honestly, besides offensive line, thank goodness,” Dupree said. Dupree may not enjoy playing on the offensive line – his smaller frame may have
something to do with it — but he laughs about his seventh-grade season when he was asked to go up front. “My coach said, ‘Sky, get up there and show them how’s it’s done,’” Dupree said. “He just throws me in.” At practice that day, he said he “pancaked” a defensive end, “trainwrecked” a linebacker and “planted a safety into the ground.” His coaches liked what they saw because he was a starting lineman for four games. Despite the immediate success, Dupree was never comfortable with the position. “When I came home (one day), and I
wanted to ball my eyes out because I never played offensive tackle before and that’s not who I am,” Dupree said, “God and also my dad told me, ‘OK, this is how you’re going to do it right now.’” That’s when his days of being a utility player began. During his eighth-grade year Dupree played defensive end, describing the experience as “one of the best football seasons I’ve ever played.” Over the years, he’s played defensive end, quarterback, receiver, linebacker and fullback. When he came to Whitefield Academy See LEADER, Page 90
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Jordan said. “He’ll come along.” Jackson, better known as “Doodle,” hopes to follow in the footsteps of all three of his older brothers. He earned his nickname at a young age because he used to draw on everything. Now, it’s a moniker coaches bark at practice. “My brothers made a reputation for me to live up to,” Jackson, a sophomore right tackle, said. “It’s pushing me more.” The three brothers have also been active in wrestling and track and field. Jordan and Jackson, who traveled each weekend to watch Nate play in college, hope to earn scholarships as well. Nate thinks it’s a possibility for them both. “(Jordan) is getting a bunch of looks right now,” Nate said. “He has everything it takes to play.” Nate, Jordan and Jackson are the sons of Jack and Emily Riddle. They also have a younger sister, Mary-Francis.
computers,” the younger Howell said. Howell could have used his father’s computer repair touch when he was 13. That’s the age when he broke his father’s computer and tried to fix it on his own. “I was downloading games and software left and right,” the younger Howell said. “I downloaded so much that I broke my dad’s
Leader Continued from Page 89 his freshman year, the Wolfpack ran a spread option offense, and he served as fullback. It’s been over the last two seasons that Whitefield shifted to the option. This season, they are running a zone spread where Dupree may get to throw the ball more. That should suit Dupree’s skills because his primary strength as a quarterback is acting as a game manager. “I’m very, very excited, and a little bit nervous,” Dupree said. “I think it’s very
Sunday, August 17, 2014
computer. I tried to fix it before he found out.” When he’s not on the football field, Howell is often found in front of a computer. “I go on the Internet at home,” he said. “There’s software you can download that helps you build animated things, and I’ve done stuff like that. I even found an online program where I created a virtual telescope.” Howell’s completed several online courses to help him earn credits towards graduation. Through this process, he has three classes
remaining at Wheeler and is on track to graduate in December. The elder Howell is excited for his son’s future academic and athletic plans. “I got my interest in computers from my father who was a really big ‘Star Trek’ fan,” he said. “He didn’t get a chance to work with technology like I have, but seeing (his son) Harland take to it is like having a mini-me around. “I’m even more excited he chose a school like Tech that I’m familiar with and we can watch him play every week.”
hard for me to try to transition. Right now, I’m in the process of getting acclimated to what coach (Troy) Pruett, our offensive coordinator, wants us to do, and wants me to do, specifically. I really, really do enjoy quarterback, though.” When Pollard suffered a concussion in Whitefield’s second game of the season against Riverside Military, Dupree took over the position on the spot. He ended up leading the Wolfpack to a 26-24 win, which was a positive sign for the 2014 season. On Dupree’s first play from scrimmage, he was blindsided by a safety and recovered his own fumble. The next play, Dupree ran for an
80-yard touchdown. “All I remember thinking was that we’re going to win this game,” Dupree said. Whether the wins come this year or not, Fields knows one thing. He’s got a leader at almost every position, and that leader is the same person in every case. “With Sky we’re getting a guy that has had success in football,” Fields said. “He’s our quarterback on defense. On offense, he played every position. There is no doubt he has the experience to get the job done at the quarterback position. It’s a different challenge for him, but he’s one of the fiercest competitors I have had the opportunity to coach.”
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WOODSTOCK WOLVERINES
Location: 2012 Towne Lake Hills Drive, Woodstock Phone: (770) 592-3500 Home Field: Wolverine Den Online: eteamz.com/woodstockwolverines.com
2014 SCHEDULE
AT RIVER RIDGE AUG. 22
VS WHEELER AUG. 29 SEPT. 5 2014 ROSTER VS
JOHNS CREEK
NO. NAME CL. POS. 1 JACOB SCHOEB 12 LB 12 DB 2 ERIC MONROE 3 JUSTIN AGNER 12 QB 4 SPENCER REED 12 LB 5 G. ATKINSON 12 WR 11 TE 6 JAKE HOOPER 7 J. MCMICKENS 11 DB 8 D. HUTCHESON 11 QB 12 LB 9 ZACH NANI 10 JOSH LOUD 12 WR 11 DEANTE ROBINSON 12 RB 12 DANNY ARENAS 11 DB 13 GREGG VERNET 11 DB 12 DB 14 SAGE JORDAN 15 LIAM BYRNE 10 QB 16 JELANI REGAN 12 DB 17 B. HITCHCOCK 11 DB 18 BRANDON MUMY 10 QB 19 BOBBY BLACK 10 DB 20 DONOVAN BRAND 12 RB 21 AUSTIN BENNETT 10 DB 22 LOGAN COX 10 LB 23 REAGAN AMOS 12 WR 24 COLE MCBAY 10 TE 25 J.J. BOEREAU 10 LB 26 GARRETT BASS 9 QB 27 SHARRONE GATES 12 DB 28 JOEY PURPURA 12 LB 29 TUCKER WOOD 9 DB 30 COLE TAYLOR 9 DB 31 JACK KEAPPLER 12 LB
NO. NAME CL. POS. 32 B. ONUSCHAK 9 RB 9 WR 33 LOUIS HALL 34 CORY RODRIGUEZ 10 DB 10 LB 35 CORY LONG 36 LANDON DIXON 9 DB 37 CALEB ELLISON 9 DB 38 IZAIAH MOSS 9 RB 39 ELIAS MCCALL 11 DL 40 PETER ZACHOS 10 DB 41 AUSTIN COX 11 DB 42 ERIC VERSEY 12 LB 43 MICHAEL COLINA 9 DE 44 ESTEBAN BIANCHI 11 LB 11 LB 45 BEN CARROLL 46 HUNTER JENSEN 11 LB 47 RYAN ROUSHER 9 DB 48 THOMAS SNIPES 9 LB 9 RB 49 IZZAC MOSS 50 MATT ROTENSTEIN 10 OL 51 QUINTE SCOTT 12 DL 52 SEAN BEAVERS 9 OL 53 KYLE TURNER 10 OL 12 OL 54 L. DEMETRIOU 55 DANIEL BENETEZ 12 OL 56 ANTHONY VOSILLA 11 OL 57 HUNTER REYES 11 LB 58 ALEX NANI 10 OL 59 J. CASTLEBERRY 10 DL 60 MATT HANNAN 11 OL 62 HUNTER ONGERI 9 OL 63 CHAZ DUNN 12 OL
AT LASSITER SEPT. 12
CL. POS. NO. NAME 64 TREVOR CASEY 9 OL 65 MARCUS PRESTON 9 OL 66 DEVIN GILMARTIN 11 OL 10 OL 67 NASH REED 68 CAM WEBSTER 9 OL 69 A. MANTEROLA 10 OL 12 OL 70 A. WOODYARD 71 CHRIS PARSLEY 9 OL 72 DANIEL BRODER 9 OL 73 TRIPP STEPHENS 12 OL 74 MATT PLATKO 12 OL 75 WYATT BRADFORD 9 OL 76 TRENT PASCAL 10 DL 77 TREVOR CASEY 9 OL 78 DEVON BALSER 10 OL 79 NOAH MANZELLA 12 OL 80 AUSTIN FULLER 9 WR 12 WR 81 MILES DICKEY 82 NICK CUTHBERT 10 WR 83 JUSTIN TAYLOR 10 WR 9 WR 84 NOAH FRITH 85 ETHAN HARRISON 9 TE 86 ALDEN KRAPF 9 DE 87 E. CHAMBERLIN 10 WR 88 CALEB JAQUA 12 WR 9 K 89 EVAN COWERT 90 L. BANKSTON 9 DL 9 LB 98 H. MARKUM 99 WESTON KILGORE 9 LB
VS ETOWAH SEPT. 26
AT CHEROKEE OCT. 3
Woodstock is entering its second season using a spread offense and coach Brent Budde expects the results to be different than they were the first time around. “Another year in the system goes a long way,” Budde said. Quarterback Justin Agner handled the pressure well in 2013, but at times the offense just wasn’t moving smoothly. Following a good spring practice and some work over the summer at 7-on-7 tournament and it’s looking more like the well-oiled machine that it will need to be in order for the Wolverines to stay competitive in Region 5AAAAAA. “It’s repetitions,” Budde said. “When we first went to the spread last year and were throwing the ball around on air 80 percent of them were hitting the ground. Now on air, we catch all of them or at least 95 percent of them. The big thing is the quarterback in the system. He has to make
34-6 13-23 21-41 40-47 44-43 27-35 19-22 28-35 53-49 28-35
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all of the decisions.” Agner, now a senior, shared time with Alex Motsinger, who has since graduated, last season and battled through a couple of minor injuries. Agner, who threw for 1,926 yards and 12 touchdowns, will have to look to a mixture of new and familiar faces. The Wolverines are replacing two of their five offensive linemen, but return three of the four wide receivers from last season, including seniors Garret Atkinson and the speedy Reagan Amos. Daniel Benetez will return to his position on the offensive line, while senior Jacob Schoeb will contribute as a linebacker and running back. Also returning is senior running back/defensive back Sharrone Gates. One area the Wolverines know they must improve is on defense. The team scored an average of 30 points per game, but allowed
5-YEAR RECORD: 27-26
2013 RESULTS: 3-7 JOHN’S CREEK HARRISON KELL WALTON LASSITER CHEROKEE ROSWELL ETOWAH WHEELER MILTON
W L L L W L L L W L
VS MILTON OCT. 24
AT VS ROSWELL WALTON OCT. 17 OCT. 10 2014 OUTLOOK
AT POPE NOV. 7
opponents to score 34 points on average. Budde knows that isn’t a winning combination. “It’s about making the plays and doing your job,” Budde said. “Giving up 98 explosive plays — which coach (Oz) Price considers a run over 10 yards or a pass over 15 — giving up 98 of them is not making people earn their way down the field.” Budde said he has also brought in former players such as former Georgia standout Tripp Chandler, a 2004 Woodstock graduate, to talk about what it means to be a “blue shirt” or a member of the defense. “I think some of that passion has been missed by our defense and we are looking for that to come back,” Budde said. — By Emily Horos ehoros@cherokeetribune.com
2013 LEADERS RUSHING DEANTE ROBINSON 609 YDS, 11 TD DONOVAN BRAND 595 YDS. 3 TD PASSING JUSTIN AGNER 1,926 YDS, 12 TD RECEIVING REAGAN AMOS 759 YDS, 5 TD TACKLES ETHAN WHEELER 103 JACOB SCHOEB 76 SACKS WILL STUMPF 5 INTERCEPTIONS CHRIS MOWERY 6
COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: BRENT BUDDE YEAR AT SCHOOL: 5 RECORD: 17-24 CAREER: 17-24 VARSITY COACHING STAFF BRIAN DAMERON — DB CORY NIX — ST/DL OZ PRICE — DC SAM YOUNG — DL, LB CHUCK BUDDE — OL JOSH SMERKER — OC/QB JONATHAN THOMAS — RB SCOTT STANCEL —WR
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KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY WOODSTOCK GETS DAILY DOUBLE DOSE OF BUDDE BALL
By Emily Horos ehoros@cherokeetribune.com When Brent Budde took a job as an assistant coach at Woodstock under his father, Chuck, in 1998, he never would have imagined that, one day, their roles would be reversed. However, that is exactly what happened 15 years later when Brent, now the head coach at Woodstock, talked to his father about lending a hand as he tried to get the program back on solid ground. When the Woodstock coaching staff took a trip to the University of Arizona in the spring of 2013 to study the spread offense under Rich Rodriguez, Brent took his father along. “He was always an option guy and I’ve had to get him to learn
the spread,” Brent said. “I think he likes the spread now. We both do.” A strong offensive line coach, Chuck took over that role last season. This year, he coaches the offensive line on running plays while first-year coach Nate Riddle coaches the line for passing plays. Brent said he values his father’s opinions just like he does those of his other assistants, but that doesn’t always mean that he listens. “He puts his opinions in just like all of our other coaches and we have got to decide if we are going to go with it or not go with it,” Brent said. Chuck was a head coach in Georgia for a decade. He spent seven years at Paulding County, during which time Brent played for him. In 1998, Chuck began See FAMILY, Page 94
Staff/C.B. Schmelter
Woodstock offensive line coach Chuck Budde, left, used to have his son, Brent working for him as an assistant. Last year, the roles were reversed as Brent, the Wolverines’ head coach, asked his father to come out of retirement and give him a helping hand. Now, they are both preaching Budde ball and helping Woodstock rebuild its foundation as one of the premier programs in Cherokee County.
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Kickers Continued from Page 41 the sport have led to the currentday athletes, especially kickers, reach levels of success that neither could see coming. I had a good career at Georgia,” said Robinson, who offers his own brand of private instruction through his small group camps and clinics called Total Kicker. “I made 67 percent of my field goals. These days, that would put me on the bench. Kickers are expected to be at 80 to 85 percent.” Sisson also has his own organization called Fieldgoalkicker.com. He said, when he was in high school, he may have attended one or two kicking camps over the course of the year, but it was nothing compared to what is out there for these athletes today. “Kids have more access to fundamentals today,” Sisson said. “We had nothing. I had several years of kicking wasted because I was kicking by trial and error. Now, (these kickers) start earlier, they have better practice routines and they know what they are doing.” Blankenship has known what he’s been doing since he as in the sixth grade. That’s when he began kicking seriously, and it wasn’t long until he began consistently making 30-yard field goals. From that point on, he began working with instructors like Robinson and the Ray Guy Kicking Academy. Blankenship said he usually attends seven to nine kicking camps over the course of the summer, but since he is going into his senior season, he upped it to 12 this time around. “You can get a couple of offers just off game tape,” said Blankenship, who will likely be a full-time place-kicker at the next level. “But if you really want to attention of big schools you have
Choice Continued from Page 77 Zuniga, who had 43 tackles last season, said his favorite player to watch is Denver Broncos linebacker/defensive end Demarcus Ware. Ware is one of those freakish athletes who can rush the passer yet drop back into pass coverage and stay with a tight
to show up at their camps.” In addition to the camps, Blankenship said he follows a practice regimen in the offseason of kicking twice a week in addition to playing for the Yellow Jackets’ soccer team. During fall practice he kicks three times a week and then ups that to four sessions during game weeks. In the end, he hopes all this preparation not only helps him with the college recruiters, but as an admirer of kickers Adam Vinatieri and Sebastian Janikowski, a long kicking career in the NFL. Shannon didn’t start kicking a football until his sophomore year in high school. After growing up in an Irish family that preferred soccer to football, his first attempts at kicking the pigskin were less than successful. “They were God-awful,” he said. The first kick of his high school career was blocked by former Georgia player and current Auburn transfer Tray Matthews and returned for a touchdown. In that game against Newnan, he missed three field goals and Marietta lost the game by nine. But things have gotten better since, and he had an opportunity to prove it to the same opponent. “The next time we played them, I had three field goals and dropped a punt out at the 1-yard line,” Shannon said. Shannon hasn’t done the camps as much as Blankenship, but he agrees that it does make it easier to get your name out there in front of the college recruiters. And he would also like to try his hand, or foot as it may be, in the professional ranks. “I’ve committed the last two years of my life to this game,” he said. “Everyone wants to shoot for the stars and get to the NFL, but I want to start with getting a good education in college.”
end when necessary. The former Dallas Cowboy and nine-year NFL veteran has 117 sacks in his career, and Zuniga said he was “the perfect athlete.” While he won’t compare him to any other player, Shackelford’s said with some more experience, Zuniga has a chance to be an elite player, not only in high school but in college. “He’s going to have a stellar season,” Shackelford said.
Stage Continued from Page 79 pointed toward long-term success. “Obviously it’s a big responsibility,” defensive back Glenn Strother said. “We have a new coach, and so we don’t
Line Continued from Page 85 an opportunity to do his share of blocking. It’s another aspect of the game he is looking forward to, as it will help make him a complete back, but also allow him a little payback toward his potential tacklers. “I like hitting people,” he said.
Family Continued from Page 93 coaching at Woodstock, but retired from education after just three seasons. Chuck then spent the next 10 years working as a football consultant for McKendree University in Illinois. It wasn’t until Woodstock lost its offensive line coach prior to the 2013 season that Brent decided to invite his father to come on board
Motors Continued from Page 75 the principal of a vehicle. Teach him the rules.” Hubert Ponder, an Iraq veteran who served 15 years in the United States military, worked in a garage for three years after graduating high school. His late daughter and Elijah’s mother, Teameka, became paralyzed from the neck down in a car accident when Elijah was 4. Elijah’s father hasn’t been a part of his life. “She didn’t want to be on life support,” Elijah Ponder said. “I’ve been with my grandparents ever since. It’s been great to have them in my life. Otherwise, I’d be
Sunday, August 17, 2014 know each other that well, so we (the seniors), have to step in a little bit more. But we’re all getting along great. This is our third head coach in our high school careers so this is nothing new. We’re trying to set and example for the younger players to look up to, and coach Casper has done a great job with that as well.”
Many of Walker’s seniors will be playing in excess of 40 minutes per game lining up on both sides of the ball, so the opportunities to make an impact will be plentiful. Several upperclassmen, including Reini and Strother, have younger brothers on the Wolverine roster, and the task of setting the bar high starts now.
With the new wrinkles in the offense, it will also become less predictable for defenses when Brooks does what he does best — run the football. It may also lead to more big runs over the course of the season, because all he needs is a crease to reach the secondary. “He sets up his blocks better than anyone I’ve ever seen at this level,” Dixon said. Ultimately, Brooks would like to follow Forte (Richmond),
Jackson (Chattanooga) and Jones as Walton backs that have had an opportunity to play in college. He said he models his game after former University of Tennessee and current Houston Texans star Arian Foster. “He plays really smooth,” Brooks said. He runs smooth and he blocks, too.” All things that may lead Brooks to take his place with the best backs ever to play at Walton.
as more than a consultant. “He had a need for a little help on the O-line,” Chuck said. “He helped me when he was young, so I gave up my retirement, and I’m having a great time.” Brent said it’s been good coaching with his father again. “We are both competitors and we both want the same thing for Woodstock to be successful and win football games,” Brent said. Chuck said Woodstock is a great place to coach and he is happy his son has the
opportunity. “It was good for me when I was here and it’s been good for Brent,” Chuck said. “There are a lot of good people here to work with. The booster club here and the administration cares about the sports and activities.” At the end of last season, Chuck told his son that he wouldn’t be back this year. “Four days later, I called him back up and said I was back in,” Chuck said. “I don’t know if that will happen again.”
in foster care.” Growing up in the company of his grandfather, Elijah’s interest in motorized vehicles took shape. He doesn’t compete on the ATV. Instead, he rides it in the neighborhood and on back streets in the same why he’s ridden the go-karts and mini-motorcycles. “I learned to drive this other stuff before I even drove a car,” said Ponder, who has his learner’s permit. “All the go-karts and stuff, I ride by myself. I’ve learned how to signal and obey the road rules just like you would in a car. It’s made it easier to drive a car.” Ponder said he rides the ATV roughly three times a week. He’s gone as fast as 55 miles per hour and does donuts. He hasn’t tried to do wheelies. He and his
grandfather fix it together when there’s a problem. “I ride it in my free time,” Ponder said. “It’s a hobby. I’m the only person on the block that has one, but I ride with my cousins when they bring their little motorcycles.” Ponder says that if he could take his ATV with him to college he would. He doesn’t expect it to happen because he believes he’ll be too busy and wouldn’t have the time. One thing he is certain of is that he’ll pass the fun down to his children like his grandfather did him. “I’ll keep riding it as I get older,” Ponder said. “I feel like my granddad did this for me, so I’ll have my kids do it, too. I’ll start them off with something small like he did me.”
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