Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School

Head Coach: Todd Winter

Head Coach Record: 82-43

2022 Record: 9-4

2022 Region Record: 4-1

2023 Region: 6-AAAA

Stadium Name: Hoskyn Stadium

2023 Schedule:

8/18 @ Pace Academy

8/25 vs. Riverwood

9/01 @ Seckinger

9/08 vs. Lake Highland Prep

9/15 vs. Douglass-Atlanta

9/29 vs. Westminster

10/06 @ Miller Grove

10/13 vs. Southwest Dekalb

10/26 @ Stephenson

11/03 @ Hapeville

Holy Innocents’ had their fourth consecutive winning season and went 9-4 last season. Led by head coach Todd Winter, he has consistently shown the ability to guide and inspire young men and be an excellent coach for the Bears. This resulted in him winning region six coach of the year. The Bears won six consecutive games last season and outscored their opponents by 19 points during the streak before falling in the quarterfinals to Troup County. Offensively, the Golden Bears were exemplary, averaging 27 points per game led by William Wright who made all-region last season. Wright will not return after graduating in May. Wide receiver Zack Jackson will return after an all-region selection last season leading the Bears in receiving. Jackson is a dynamic player with the ball in his hands and was a main reason behind the Bears potent offensive attack last season. Holy Innocents’ boasts an exceptional talent in Jacobi Murray, who won Player of the Year. Murray’s sheer force and dominance on the defensive line make him a formidable presence on the field. A position to watch this season is the offensive line for the Holy Innocents’ Bears. It is pertinent to acknowledge that the team will face the challenge of replacing four all-region linemen. This will undoubtedly test their ability to adapt and maintain their winning momentum. However, with the exceptional talent and resilience displayed by the Bears in the past, there is no doubt that they will rise to the occasion.

Marist School

Head Coach: Alan Chadwick

Head Coach Record: 419-78

2022 Record: 10-3

2022 Region Record: 5-0

2023 Region: 4-6A

Stadium Name: Hughes-Spalding Stadium

2023 Schedule:

8/18 @ Gainesville

8/25 vs. Pike Rd, AL

9/01 vs. Savannah Christian

9/08 vs. Woodward Academy

9/15 @ Blessed Trinity

9/29 @ Dunwoody

10/13 @ South Cobb

10/19 @ North Atlanta

10/27 vs. St. Pius X 11/03 vs. Riverwood

Legendary Marist head coach Alan Chadwick returns for his 39th season for the War Eagles. Coach Chadwick has led the War Eagles to six consecutive 10-win seasons and has never had a losing season in his coaching career. The past three seasons, Marist has remained undefeated in region play, winning three region championships during that time. Coach Chadwick has also won three state championships and 21 region championships in his illustrious coaching career. The War Eagles fell short in the quarterfinals against Rome in a low-scoring and highly contested game. Before the loss, Marist had been on an eight-game winning streak and averaging 36.3 points per game on offense. One of the memorable moments from last season came when Marist won a triple overtime thriller 3027 against St. Pius X that determined the region champion. Marist will return highly rated athlete Luke Harpring who is a three-star player and has committed to play at Georgia Tech. Harpring recorded 70 tackles and 14 sacks as a junior while playing defensive end, linebacker, and receiver for the Eagles. All-Region running back Joseph Pizzo will also return. He led the team in rushing last season. Another player to watch will be Casey Comerford who was named to the all-region defensive team for his exemplary play in the secondary. Marist boasts a lot of talent this upcoming season and will look to win their fourth consecutive region title. The War Eagles will also have championship aspirations and look to hoist another state title. Marist last won in 2020.

Head Coach: Wayne Dabbs

Head Coach Record: 47-42

2022 Record: 4-7

2022 Region Record: 0-3

2023 Region: Region 6-A Division I

Stadium Name: Glenn Campus Football Field

2023 Schedule:

8/18 vs. Wesleyan

8/25 @ George Walton

9/01 vs. Mt. Paran Christian

9/15 @ Tattnall Square Academy

9/22 @ Athens Academy

9/29 vs. Elbert County

10/06 @ Mt. Zion, Carrol

10/20 vs. Mt. Pisgah Christian 10/27 @ Whitefield Academy

11/03 @ St. Francis

Mount Vernon will kick off the program’s 18th GHSA football season with a streak of seven-straight playoff berths. The Mustangs’ former region in 2020-21 housed Hebron Christian, Providence Christian, Holy Innocents’ and Wesleyan and the reclassification saw all four opponents jump to higher classifications. As a result, Mount Vernon entered a brand new four-team region last season with Mt. Pisgah, Whitefield Academy and St. Francis and was able to earn a playoff berth, despite being swept in region play. Whitefield Academy and St. Francis were top 10 teams and the Mustangs ultimately fell to state champion Prince Avenue Christian 4714 in the first round. Mount Vernon’s 4-7 record last season suggests that the Mustangs took a step back last season, but the team was still able to chalk up massive wins over Mt. Paran (49-45), Tattnall Square (35-34), Mt. Zion-Carroll (27-14) and Harvester Christian (376). Offensively, Mount Paran returns quarterback Sam Nazarian after he racked up 2,233 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and six rushing scores to fuel an offensive that produced 25.3 ppg. Nazarian was named Second-Team All-Region after his junior campaign. Defensively, the Mustangs will look to tighten up the points allowed after seeing the production go from 17 points allowed per game in 2022 to 36.2 last season. Class of 2024 wide receiver Jonathan Gallinaro is also returning after hauling in a team-high 45 receptions for 804 yards and 10 touchdowns and earning First-Team All-Region honors. Noah Arnold, Nathan Webb and Chase Perry are also returning playmakers that were named Second-Team All-Region.

North Springs High School

Head Coach: Robert Braucht

Head Coach Record: 20-35

2022 Record: 4-6

2022 Region Record: 1-5

2023 Region: Region

6-AAAAA

Stadium Name:

Thermopylae Stadium 2023 Schedule:

North Springs is coming off a solid 4-6 season and will have the program’s sixth head coach in the past decade with Robert Braucht. Last year, the Spartans got off to a 4-1 start before falling in their final five games to close out a 4-6 campaign. Jeff Phillips departed following the season and North Springs brought in former Jones County defensive coordinator Robert Braucht. Phillips came to North Springs after coaching in Tennessee, where he achieved a 61-38 record over nine seasons. Before Jones County, Braucht served as an assistant at Ware County. The Spartans will look to continue building momentum after a rough 1-9 finish in 2021 and a 2020 campaign that saw North Springs close out an 0-8 season with only 60 points scored. North Springs competes in a very talented Region 6 and will look to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2017 when first-year head coach Scotty Parker led a 6-5 record. North Springs has made the playoffs just two times since 1998, when the program capped an 8-5 season and quarterfinal run. North Springs has been competing since 1964 and won a state title in 1969 with a 12-0-1 season. This year’s team will feature senior wide receiver Leelyn Beachem and tight end Christopher Johnson. Defensively, John Wilson Murray is a 6-foot-2, 185-pound Class of 2023 prospect that has fulfilled the strong safety and outside linebacker role. Additionally, Zion Solomon is a physical 6-foot, 210-pound two-way playmaker at running back and linebacker.

Pace Academy North Atlanta High School

Head Coach: Jamie Aull

Head Coach Record: 38-44

2022 Record: 8-4

2022 Region Record: 3-2

2023 Region: Region 4-AAAAAA

Stadium Name: Eddie S. Henderson Stadium

2023 Schedule: 8/16 @ Johns Creek

8/26 vs. Drew Charter School vs. New Manchester

9/08 @ River Ridge

9/15 vs. Wheeler

9/29 @ St. Pius X 10/06 @ Riverwood 10/19 vs. Marist 10/27 vs. South Cobb vs. Dunwoody

North Atlanta achieved a school-record 8-4 record in 2022 and won the program’s first-ever playoff game in a 30-17 victory over Lovejoy. The season started off with a massive 31-27 win over Class 6A powerhouse North Forsyth in the Corky Kell Classic and the Warriors followed it up with a 50-6 win over Drew, a 35-0 win over New Manchester and a 27-13 victory over River Ridge to improve to 4-0. The Warriors stumbled in a 20-13 loss to Wheeler in the final non-region game and then dropped competitive games to St. Pius and Marist in region play to earn the No. 3 seed. After the historic playoff win over Lovejoy, North Atlanta fell 41-31 in a road loss to No. 1 seed Houston County. North Atlanta returns junior quarterback Ian Reynolds, who split time with Class of 2023 quarterback Tre Lennon. Reynolds finished the season with 24-of-37 passing for 244 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions. Xaden Benson returns for his senior year and is a key contributor in the secondary and passing game. Connor Hughes is back as the team’s leading tackler and also tallied a team-high three interceptions last season. Dalyn Caldwell and rising junior Chase Linton are also returning starters on the defensive side of the ball. Caldwell is a middle linebacker that also can take snaps at full back and Linton is a 6-foot-4, 210-pound defensive end that is gaining recruiting attention heading into his junior season.

Head Coach: Nick Bach

Head Coach Record: 28-16

2022 Record: 8-3

2022 Region Record: 5-2

2023 Region: Region 5-AAAA

Stadium Name: Walsh Field 2023 Schedule:

Pace Academy improved on its 6-5 season in 2021, but after a strong 8-2 regular season record were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the seventh-straight season. Before this streak of first round exits, Pace Academy advanced to the Class 2A state finals and capped a 13-2 record with a 42-21 win over Fitzgerald to clinch its first-ever state title. Breaking this postseason slump will be the primary goal for the Knights this season and they will have a great opportunity to do so. Pace Academy opened last season with three-straight rivaly victories that include a 20-17 win over Holy Innocents’, a 21-19 win over Westminster and a 31-0 shutout over GAC. A 30-20 loss to Lovett to open region play was followed up with four-straight wins before the Knights dropped a 4020 loss to region champion Stockbridge. The Knights closed out the year with a 42-7 win over Mt. Zion-Jonesboro and then dropped a heartbreaking 40-38 road playoff loss to Stephenson. Hevin BrownShuler was a force on the Knights’ defensive line and earned FirstTeam All-Classification honors. Additionally, wide receiver Terrence Kiel closed out a First-Team All-State junior season and will also be returning. Brown-Shuler, who is the No. 28 rated senior prospect in the state of Georgia heading into the season is a 6-foot-4, 290 pounds and committed to Clemson. Kiel is currently uncommitted with offers from Texas A&M, Boston College and Cincinnati among his considerations. Four-star linebacker Jordan Burns is a Tennesseecommit and the No. 45 rated senior prospect in the state.