V3 High School Football Preview 2016

NWGA'S PREMIER FEATURE MAGAZINE / JULY 2015

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THE LINES ROME / FLOYD HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2016

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contents

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Between the Lines 2016 High School Preview

ON DRAGONS WINGS After a season where an 8-2 record didn’t earn the Pepperell Dragons a spot in the state playoffs, the returning players vowed they wouldn’t lose a game the next year. These fire-breathing boys from Lindale kept that promise in route to a 15-0 record and the 1990 Class AA State Championship. 26 years later, we look back at a team who owned their destiny and made a run that will never be forgotten.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW It may not feel like fall outside just yet, but our High School Football teams will usher in the change of seasons soon enough. The sweltering summer practices, hard work in the weight room and endless studying of playbooks will be applied on Friday nights, and the staff at V3 Publications and Davis Communications Group - along with a few of our friends - do our best to deliver all the information you need for 14 area teams.

Armuchee Indians Rome Wolves Model Blue Devils Darlington Tigers Unity Lions Pepperell Dragons Coosa Eagles GSD Tigers Trion Bulldogs Sonoraville Phoenix Adairsville Tigers Gordon Central Warriors Calhoun Yellow Jackets Chattooga Indians

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MAG ART & DESIGN Ellie Borromeo

EDITORIAL MANAGER Oliver Robbins

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Tannika Wester

WRITERS Oliver Robbins, Matt Davis, Ian Griffin, Elise Tallent, Jim Alred, Tripp Durden

publisher’s note It’s during the dog days of summer that our area high schools begin grinding out two-a-days in preparation for the upcoming season. To survive the gauntlet that awaits, they must first toughen each other up in practice in order to condition themselves for their opponents. Last season no longer matters; it’s a clean slate for everyone and while all teams have expectations, one thing is for certain … anything can and will happen on Friday nights.

Last year, V3 Magazine and Davis Communications Group (95.7 The Ridge and 1410 WLAQ) partnered to bring you our first edition of our Between the Lines High School Football Preview, and this year we are proud to present our second annual edition of the same publication. The response last year was so overwhelming that we have doubled the number of teams covered, from seven to 14, to give our readers a comprehensive look at what lies ahead for the teams they support.

Matt Davis of DCG and I will contribute our thoughts on several of the teams, but we are extremely excited to have Jim Alred’s expertise in this year’s edition. Jim is an award-winning journalist that has covered high school sports for over two decades, including a two-year stint as the sports editor of the Rome News-Tribune. He left journalism for a position with Rome’s Harbin Clinic, so we appreciate them lending his talents. Jim’s tireless coverage of high school football during his time on the beat gives him a great perspective that he lends to us in the form of the preview intro and must-see games section of the book.

From there, your guide to the upcoming season is laid out for you to enjoy before and during the season with schedules, fun facts, and insight from the head coaches of all 14 teams covered.

Also included within these pages is a retrospective look back at Pepperell High School’s 1990 undefeated state championship team. Tripp Durden sat down with former players and coaches to hear their stories about that season and what it meant to bring home a championship for the Lindale faithful.

So enjoy the pictures, previews and features within. May they evoke the senses of a Friday night at stadiums across the region. We hope when you flip through the pages you can almost smell the fresh-cut grass, popcorn and charcoal smoke wafting through the air. Football season is almost upon us … we hope you enjoy the appetizer.

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EXECUTIVE PHOTOGRAPHERS Cameron Flaisch Derek Bell

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Caleb Timmerman Ellie Borromeo

AD SALES & CLIENT RELATIONS Chris Forino, Matt Davis, Elizabeth Davis, Randy Davis

AD DESIGN & MARKETING CONCEPTS Laura Allshouse Ellie Borromeo

PUBLISHERS V3 Publications, LLC and Davis Communications Group

CONTACT V3 Magazine 1 West 4th Avenue Suite 310 Rome, Ga. 30161 Office Phone 706.235.0748 v3publications@gmail.com Davis Communications Group 2 Mt. Alto Road, Rome, Ga. 30165 706.378.8040 706.232.7767

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enter the dragon

ns

enter the dragons TEXT Tripp Durden

PHOTOGRAPHY Courtesy of Pepperell High School

PERFECTION is hard to accomplish, but for the members of the 1990 Pepperell Dragon Class-AA State Championship team, the 15-0 record they posted achieved just that. This bunch of dragons showed how talent, teamwork and determination can create champions and in the process carved out a their place in GHSA high school football lore.

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here is something about fall that is extremely nostalgic. When the summer heat begins to fade and the leaves begin to change, we often find ourselves reminiscing about times long gone. Maybe it is because we are nearing the end of another long year and feel ourselves looking back before moving forward. Regardless of the reason, it is inescapable. Fall is an extremely emotional time built on tradition, holidays and family. It holds a part of us that other seasons do not.

This is especially true in the South. Because when the leaves change, that can only mean one thing – football is back. We tell stories about teams gone by, remember the prior season and how things would have been different if players had been healthy, and decide if the coach called the right play in that one important game. It is not just a thing we do or an event we watch; it is a part of us. It is a way of life. We live for SEC football on Saturdays, NFL Sunday afternoons and

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Monday Night Football. Yet, as much as we love the upper echelons of the sport, there is a form of football that speaks to us on an even deeper level. When it comes to sports in the South, football may be king. However when it is time to watch the game played with the purest intentions, high school football reigns supreme.

We adore high school football. It is perhaps the most nostalgia-ridden subject one could possibly think of. If you were to visit any town in the United States and ask the people living there about their high school football team, they will most likely rattle off memories of the past and expectations of the future. Stats and stories about grid iron glory found on the way to the legendary title of state champions are found in every community. The South has its fair share of high school football powerhouses, but sprinkled in between these titans you will find small towns whose residents are still talking about a team from 50 years ago that went all the way. They can’t help it. They are victims to the unavoidable effects of fall and their love of the sport that comes with it.

Rome is no exception to this widespread love for reminiscing about football teams from the past. This should come as no surprise because there have been plenty of teams who are deserving of stories and legends. At one time, the Rome area was a part of a region that dominated Georgia’s high school football field. West Rome, Darlington, Cartersville, Rockmart and Carrollton were all powerhouses at one time and were very rarely bad by any stretch of the imagination. Between the years of 1979 and 1991, seven out of 12 state titles were won by a team located in North Georgia. Four of those state championships were won by West Rome High School before the merger with East Rome High. So, it was not much of a surprise when a team from the Rome area brought the title back to North Georgia in 1990. Which school did so, however, was a bit surprising.

rural storm

The state champion Pepperell team from 1990 was not expected to take the Georgia high school football world by storm that year. Pepperell was a small rural school that was relatively good the previous season, but was still far from being a contender. They recorded eight wins and two losses before the state championship run, a record that by today’s standards would most likely earn you a top-three seed in the postseason.

" I felt that we had a great group of kids who were very focused on the task at hand and on the mission of winning.

That good feeling turned out to be true."

-Lynn Hunnicutt

In the early 1990s, however, it would not even earn you a postseason spot. The Dragons missed the postseason by losing the final game of the 1989 season to Rockmart by less than a touchdown. By all accounts, it should have been a devastating loss.

According to Lynn Hunnicutt, then-head coach and local legend, it was anything but devastating to the team. He could tell from the way his players acted in the locker room after losing that the following season would be

one to remember. “That night in the dressing room, I saw some kids such as Ken Irvin get up and talk to their teammates,” the former coach recalls. “What they said gave me a really good feeling throughout the offseason. I felt that we had a great group of kids who were very focused on the task at hand and on the mission of winning. That good feeling turned out to be true.”

Coach Hunnicutt seems to believe that the Dragons’ rise to glory had a lot to do with the caliber of kids he was coaching.

“They were always very attentive and they really focused on whatever we were doing,” he says. “Whether it was chalk talk or a drill, it didn’t matter. They allowed themselves to be coached and that made all the difference.”

The Pepperell players were determined to be successful in a way that is hard to find among teenagers. They possessed intangible qualities that pushed them over the top during the 1990 season.

One of these players was Ken Irvin, who would probably be considered the best player on the team by almost everyone who was around that season. What separated Irvin from the pack, however, was that he did not see himself in that manner.

and returned six kickoffs/punts for touchdowns as well. When you begin to consider the fact that Irvin did all of this while also playing defense, it becomes easy to see why he ended up playing in both college and the NFL. Irvin filled all sorts of roles for the Dragons. He was the leader both in word and action according to Hunnicutt and Mansell.

“He lifted the other guys up,” says Hunnicutt.

“If a guy missed a block or a tackle, Ken didn’t yell at them. He encouraged them.”

“Ken was the most humble guy I ever remember being around,” recalls former teammate and friend Rusty Mansell. “The guy never thought too highly of himself and would downplay his talent if ever asked about it.”

The truth is that it’s hard to downplay a talent as large as Irvin’s. He played both ways that year – as quarterback on offense and cornerback on defense. “If Ken had played in the modern game, he would have been a big time recruit at the next level,” Mansell says. “Everybody would have been talking about the guy.”

And he isn’t far off in his assessment of his friend’s ability. During his senior year, Irvin recorded 1,500 all- purpose yards. He caught seven touchdowns, rushed for eight

Mansell says Ken was the glue that held the team together, both on and off the field.

He was the one speaking up after the loss to Rockmart the year before, and he was the one showing up in amazing ways on the field during the 1990 season.

If you were to talk to Irvin, though, he always acknowledged those around him. “I was surrounded by great coaches and awesome teammates,” Irvin says of the team’s success.

He shrugged his own accomplishments off as if they were meaningless next to those of the team, and he did so genuinely and humbly. By all accounts, Irvin was the epitome of an All-American quarterback, not just in his play but in his character as well.

Irvin is the obvious heavy hitter, but the running back that year was no slouch. In the ’90s, Wing T was all-the-rage and the Dragons’ running back was a premiere Wing-T runner.

Frankie Fletcher was a work horse, according to his teammates. He was small for a back, only 5 feet 10 inches, 195 pounds. He made up for his size with heart.

“Frankie was a hard worker,” says Mansell of the tailback. “He ran hard on the field and worked just as hard off of it.”

It seems that Ken and Frankie were a match made in heaven on the field and even went on to play college ball at the University of Memphis together after high school. The two helped the Dragons run over, around BETWEEN THE LINES 2016 15

champions and through their opponents in 1990 season, and Fletcher would go on to be named AA Player of the Year.

No matter who you talk to about that year’s team, they all seem to point out the exceptional talent and character of the boys who wore the uniform.

Mansell talks about his teammates’ desire to succeed in all walks of life and points out that many of them have been successful in business and life outside of football.

Coach Hunnicutt claims that he has never seen a group of kids more determined to achieve the goals they had set for themselves.

Irvin shoulders the weight of being the star and points back to his teammates as the real heroes.

When you look at the roster from that year, it is not hard to be convinced that what these men have to say about their fellow Dragons is the truth. Eight players would go on to play college ball, which speaks in an incredible way to the talent, commitment and discipline of the boys who would bring the championship home to Lindale that fall.

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The 1990 season was just about as perfect as a football season can get. The Dragons outscored their opponents 429 to 158. Their defense was absolutely outstanding the entire year. They held opponents scoreless in three out of 15 games and held them below 10 in seven of 15. That means their opponents only scored more than 10 points a little over half the time.

Coach Hunnicutt says on defense it was all about speed and athleticism. “Every guy except for one on that side of the ball ran a 4.8 forty or better,” he recalls.

The Dragons D loved to hit hard and play fast. They were so good that a local radio station even wrote a song about them called “Dragon Ball.” “The song was all about smash mouth football, which is exactly what we played,” says Hunnicutt.

It’s hard to win while playing against a defense who inspires people to write music.

It is even harder when that defense is paired with an offense filled with weapons. When looking over the results of that season’s games, many of them are blowouts with only five

of 15 games being decided by less than two scores. The regular season and early rounds of the playoffs were a breeze for the Dragons.

But Coach Hunnicutt and his players will never forget the semifinal versus Early County, the favorite to win the title that year.

While Pepperell would send eight players on to the college level, Early County would send more than 10. Their running back was already committed to Auburn, and the Dragons had been hearing about him the entire season.

The game started out extremely rough for Pepperell, and they went into halftime trailing for only the second time all season.

After the half, the game was deadlocked until the final two minutes of regulation. The Dragons scored a touchdown on a Ken Irvin run with only a minute and some change left on the clock, and once again had to depend on their all-star defense.

With 18 seconds to go, Early County was on the one-yard line looking for the go ahead score. It was here that maybe the most memorable play of the entire season would take place. After hiking the ball, the QB for Early County attempted to hand the ball off to their star running back. Dragons’ defensive lineman, Eric Dowdy, leaped over the offensive line and swiped the ball out of the quarterback’s hand, causing a fumble.

The Dragons recovered the ball, ran out the clock, and went on to win 21-20 and earn a chance to play for the state championship.

“That Early County game really felt like the state championship game,” says Irvin. “We were so confident in ourselves after beating Early County that we ended up just running over Brown High in the championship game.”

The Dragons would go on to beat Brown 42-8 the following week to become state champions.

Mansell remembers the players and fans celebrating on the field for close to an hour after the championship game. “It was such an emotional release for us. It felt other worldly, spiritual even,” he says about the post-game celebration.

The team certainly had a lot to celebrate.

The 1990 team was not only the first Pepperell football team to win a state championship; it is the only one to do so to date.

To this day, the 1990 Pepperell Dragon football team is one of the best teams to ever come out of the Rome area. Whether you base it on overall record, combined talent, or the character of the coaches and players, it is undeniable they were a very special group.

It’s hard to find someone in Floyd County who doesn’t know the names Ken Irvin, Frank-

ie Fletcher or Lynn Hunnicutt. This is not just because we southerners are obsessed with football, nor is it simply because we are slaves to our deeply held traditions and pastimes. It comes down to what the team represented as a whole. Because while each of those men is a legend in his own right and was successful well beyond the 1990 season, they were all just a small part of what happened that year.

“That team really brought the commu-

nity together,” says Mansell. “It was simply good, old-fashioned, small town high school football. We were more than just a team. It felt like we meant something greater to each other and to those that surrounded the team that year.”

While winning is awesome and state championships are great, it is here that we find the true reason why southerners love the game of football. Teams like the 1990 Dragons

give us something to believe in. They seem to belong to us in a way that elevates what happens on the field to something much greater than “just a game.”

It seems that it didn’t just feel like the guys on the field won a state championship that year. The community won a championship.

Football has a hold on us because it’s not just something we do in life; it reflects life.

There are ups and downs. There are twists and turns. There are good seasons and bad seasons, but regardless of how last season went, there is always hope. Just like in life.

This is the reason that when fall rolls around, we begin to talk about teams like the 1990 Pepperell Dragons. It’s the reason why Hollywood has made so many movies about football. It’s the reason we continue rooting for teams who have let us down time and time again. Because who cares if we didn’t win it all last year?

Maybe, just maybe, this is our year. V VV Jim Alred is an award-winning sportswriter and multimedia journalist. You can reach him via e-mail at jimalred@gmail.com.

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Armuchee Indians Rome Wolves Model Blue Devils Darlington Tigers Unity Lions

High School

Pepperell Dragons Coosa Eagles GSD Tigers

Trion Bulldogs

P

R

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Sonoraville Phoenix

V Adairsville I ETigersW

TEXT INTRO Jim Alred

Gordon Central Warriors Calhoun Yellow Jackets

PHOTOGRAPHY Cameron Flaisch

T

he 2016 high school football season offers a fresh start and a slew of storylines for local teams.

Region 7-AA welcomes Pepperell, Gordon Central and Rockmart back into the fold, while Darlington says goodbye as the Tigers return to Class A. Model takes aim at a fifth-straight winning season and a fifth-straight trip to the playoffs after posting back-to-back to nine-win seasons for the first time since the 1950s.

But the going won’t be easy, as the Blue Devils have to replace several key players from last year’s squad.

Chattooga returns a litany of offensive firepower from the 2015 squad which reached the Class AA playoffs, helping boost Indians’ fans’ hopes that this year’s team can deliver the school’s first football playoff victory.

Second-year Pepperell coach Rick Hurst helped resurrect the swagger in Lindale in 2015, and the Dragons should be ready to take aim at making a run into the playoffs as they return to the friendly confines of Class AA.

Chattooga Indians Coosa fell on tough times in 2015 after grabbing a playoff victory in 2014. Plan on coach Todd Wheeler’s charges to be ready to earn more than the lone victory from last season this year.

Armuchee enters year three under coach Muhammad Abdellatif, and the Indians should see more wins and play a role in the region 7-AA playoff picture.

Gordon Central will be much tougher than the record over the last three years indicates, and the Warriors will be primed and ready to show some improvement now that they are back in Class AA. The Rome Wolves shot back to prominence with new head coach John Reid in 2015, grabbing the school’s first playoff victory since 2008. The Wolves’ roster looks locked and loaded heading into what promises to be a brutal region 7-AAAAA season.

Coach Tommy Atha and Darlington return to region 6-A this year. The Tigers remain playoff stalwarts, having missed the postseason only once since 1996. Perhaps two years in Class AA can pay dividends against the Class A competition this fall.

Between the Lines 2016 High School Preview 18

BETWEEN THE LINES 2016

New season, same old story for Calhoun.

The Jackets have won 15-straight region titles and haven’t dropped a region contest since 2001. The question Calhoun must answer is whether this squad is good enough to get back to the Georgia Dome.

Three-straight playoff appearances and back-to-back winning seasons have Phoenix fans primed for the 2016 season, and this batch of Sonoraville players hope to bring the school its first playoff victory.

Adairsville has been a playoff fixture for the past five years, and the Tigers hope to build off back-to-back, 10-win seasons to see if they can advance past the Class AAA quarterfinals this season.

Trion head man Justin Brown enters his fifth season, and the Bulldogs would love to build off of last season’s state quarterfinal run and 8-4 record.

After reaching the playoffs in the GICAA in 2015, Unity Christian enters unchartered territory as the Lions drop from 11-man football to eight-man football. Coach Mark Ackerman won’t have any problems adjusting as the Lions look to chase a winning record.

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Between the Lines 2016 High School Preview

SCHEDULE

Rome Wolves COACH JOHN REID and the Wolves are gearing up for a promising season following an impressive state playoff run in 2015. The Wolves finished 8-4 overall with a 4-2 region record, which led to them to finish the season in the second round of the playoffs – a complete turnaround from the 2014 season in which Rome finished 3-6.

Coach Reid spent the 2015 season settling into his new duties as the head coach for a team once known for its success in football.

With the transition year under his belt, Reid is confident in the team’s ability to continue to achieve success despite losing 12 seniors, including the Wolves’ star receiver and Samford commit Jai Creamer.

“We have to win 10 games to be better than last year, and I want the seniors to have a more successful year than the previous seniors,” Reid says.

Reid explains that the team’s goals are broken down into small successes. “Win as many downs as we can; win as many series as we can; win as many quarters, halves, and games,” he said. “With that being said, we want to be dominant on every down, and that would also imply that we want to make the playoffs. I think a state championship is the ultimate goal, but we know that it is a process to do that. You have to start taking care of the little things early on.”

With leadership from a heavily recruited 2017 senior class, including Zach Kadum, Jaylen Griffin, Malik Davis, Blake Bradfield,

and Jakolby Griffin, the Wolves are on the prowl for a championship run. Sixty division one schools have visited Rome over the course of spring practices with several of the Wolves receiving numerous offers, including Griffin, who has racked up over 20.

Griffin breaks down his role as a Rome senior. “As a senior, our goals are to make sure the team is straight, that everybody is on one page, and to win,” he said. “Everybody needs to come out and watch us play.”

With an enthusiastic edge, Coach Reid announces the return of the Wolf Walk for fans before home games in the 2016 season. “When you get dropped off and start walking across that bridge, it means something,” he said.

The Wolf Walk began in 2015 as a way to create hype before the game. The team walks over the pedestrian bridge by The Forum and into Barron Stadium through a crowd of cheerleaders, students, fans and the Rome High Sound of the Seven Hills marching band.

“We try to make it fun on Friday night; we really do,” explains Reid. “We want the fans to understand that our goal is to make it exciting, and you'll see the kids give everything they've got for the town. We make them aware that they're playing for their community on Friday night and that we’re the biggest show in town.”

Following a home scrimmage game against Pebblebrook on Aug. 12, Rome’s season in the new 7-AAAAA region begins Aug. 26 on the road against Harrison High School.

AUG 26

@ HARRISON

SEP 02

DREW

SEP 09

@ KELL

SEP 23

PAULDING COUNTY

SEP 30

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OCT 14

@ CASS

OCT 21

VILLA RICA

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NOV 04

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REGION: 7-AAAAA 2015 RECORD: 9-4 HEAD COACH: JOHN REID

BETWEEN THE LINES 2016 21

Between the Lines 2016 High School Preview

SCHEDULE

Calhoun Yellow Jackets THERE'S NO DOUBT the expectations are very high for the Calhoun Yellow Jackets as they prepare to embark on the 2016 season.

How could they not be? We’re talking about the football program that has won 15 consecutive region titles, two state championships in the last five seasons, and at least 10 games every single season since 2001.

Hal Lamb, who is entering his 18th season as head coach at Calhoun, feels confident his team will continue their success in 2016.

“You have to believe in the process,” he says.

“Our process is built around our younger kids getting better and better every year. We’re going to be inexperienced. I wouldn’t say young, as we’ll have plenty of sophomores and seniors on the field, but a lot of them didn’t start last year. However, I feel good about our group this year.”

Calhoun will be breaking in a new quarterback this year, as well as filling in spots at 22

BETWEEN THE LINES 2016

other key positions. With that said, it could take a few weeks for everything to take shape and fall into place with a relatively new squad of players. However, by the time Calhoun reaches the region portion of the schedule, you can be assured that they’ll be firing on all cylinders and will be the team to beat yet again in their region.

One of the clear advantages to having a winning program over a long period of time is that kids are lining up to be a part of it all.

Depth is rarely an issue for Calhoun in recent times, and Coach Lamb feels good about their number of game ready players this year. “Our numbers are up,” he says. “We’re up to 120, which is unheard of in some places.”

The Calhoun Yellow Jacket football program truly is a marvel in the world of high school athletics, and from the looks of things, it will continue to be for the foreseeable future.

AUG 19

DOUGLASS, ATLANTA

AUG 26

@ DALTON

SEP 02

CARTERSVILLE

SEP 16

COAHULLA CREEK

SEP 23

@ NORTH MURRAY

SEP 30

@ HARALSON COUNTY

OCT 07

ADAIRSVILLE

OCT 21

@ SONORAVILLE

OCT 28

BREMEN

NOV 04

REGION 6-3A PLAY-IN

REGION: 6-AAA 2015 RECORD: 14-1 HEAD COACH: HAL LAMB

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Between the Lines 2016 High School Preview

SCHEDULE

Coosa Eagles LAST SEASON, it looked like everything was lining up for the Coosa Eagles to be one of the front runners of 7-AA. They had experience on both sides of the ball, a good amount of speed and a solid plan devised by an experienced coaching staff. Plus, they had a nice dollop of confidence from being a playoff team the previous two seasons. Then, the injury bug hit them with a vengeance right out of the gate.

This would prove to be unrelenting the rest of the season, and despite solid effort from young players stepping up, the Eagles struggled to get into the win column going 1-9.

Coosa will have a roster full of young players in 2016 after graduating many of last year’s starters. However, the silver lining from the injury struggles they dealt with in 2015 is that the younger players on the team received

AUG 26

@ COAHULLA CREEK

SEP 02

@ NORTH MURRAY

SEP 09

MT. ZION, CARROLL

SEP 16

CHATTOOGA

SEP 23

@ PEPPERELL

SEP 30

ARMUCHEE

OCT 14

@ DADE COUNTY

OCT 21

ROCKMART

OCT 28

@ MODEL

NOV 04

@ GORDON CENTRAL

REGION: 7-AA 2015 RECORD: 1-9 HEAD COACH: TODD WHEELER

valuable playing time. This fact gives head coach Todd Wheeler some optimism going into the season. “Our kids did a great job pushing though and working hard during adversity last year,” he says. “I think coming on the tail end of that our young players ended up growing and learning a lot. We’re looking forward to turning the page and moving forward with lessons learned and experienced gained.”

Maturation of a team is a process, and Coosa could be a team that needs another season under its belt before beginning to see the results they are working toward. However, if the Eagles have better luck this year in terms of keeping guys injury free, don’t be surprised to see them be a thorn in the side of even the most experienced teams in region 7-AA.

BETWEEN THE LINES 2016 25

Between the Lines 2016 High School Preview

SCHEDULE AUG 27 SEP 10 SEP 24 OCT 01 OCT 15 OCT 21

Georgia School for the Deaf Tigers TO SEE THE PICTURES on the office walls of GSFD head coach Erik Whitworth tells a story we simply don’t have the column inches to tell in this preview. The smiles of former players and students dating back to the mid70s line every inch of the walls. The Tigers compete in the Mason Dixon Schools for the Deaf Athletic Association, which is comprised of deaf schools across the Southeast. “We like to think of it as the SEC for deaf schools,” says Whitworth. “We play against The Carolinas (A combo of two North Carolina schools), South Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana and Florida, though those last two play 11-man football, so unless we have the numbers we usually don’t play them.” The numbers coach Whitworth refers to are based on enrollment that is highly unpredictable, and that is why the Tigers have played eightman football for the majority of Whitworth’s tenure, which started in 1998. “There are no tryouts at GSFD,” quips Whitworth. “If they 26

BETWEEN THE LINES 2016

are willing to play, physically able to play and mom and dad give them the OK, they’re on the team.” While registration was still a few weeks away at the time we went to press with this issue, Whitworth had a strong group coming back including his quarterback and key offensive linemen, leading the way. While the coach may have a few unknowns going into the season, he can guarantee he’ll have a group that gives it their all. “We’ve had some great teams here and the numbers have gone up and down over the years,” says Whitworth.

“Regardless of those numbers, my guys have always gone out and given it everything they have, and when you’re playing eight-man football with eight players,that requires a lot of effort. It’s an exciting brand of football that I encourage people to come out and see.

There’s usually no shortage of points on the scoreboard.”

OCT 29

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Between the Lines 2016 High School Preview

SCHEDULE

Pepperell Dragons AFTER A COUPLE of losing seasons and a rare missed trip to the playoffs for the Pepperell Dragons, times felt pretty grim in respect to the tradition of winning that the folks in Lindale had come to enjoy and expect from their beloved football program. Then, it was time for the Rick Hurst era to begin, and to say it started with a bang would be an understatement. In his first season at the helm, the Dragons posted an impressive seven-win season and earned a trip to the playoffs.

Coach Hurst is very quick to bring the topic of discipline into the conversation, which is one of the hallmarks of his program. He also pays special attention to detail in finding ways to help build confidence in all of his players.

“This game is a lot of confidence,” he says. “If you have confidence that you have a chance to play at a high level, and if you believe in yourself, a lot of times you can overcome the physical aspects of the game.”

When a new head coach takes over a program, a lot of changes typically take place

when it comes to philosophy, coaching staff and a litany of other things important to the success of a program. Now that those things have been in place for a while, Hurst is excited to continue the process of moving forward. “Everybody knows everybody now,” he says. “They understand the expectations we have of our players on a daily basis. Now that we’ve had almost two years to install the offense and defense, we can focus completely on fundamentals, nuances of each position, and trying to get better.”

One thing that could set the Dragons apart from most teams in the region is depth. They have some positions that they feel to be fairly deep in terms of guys that should be ready to play at the start of the season. When dealing with the inevitability of injury and other adversity that take place in the season, to have players that can step in and compete in those positions in a huge asset to any program. We’re expecting a triumphant return to 7-AA for the Pepperell Dragons this season.

AUG 26

RIDGELAND

SEP 02

@ PICKENS

SEP 09

@ CEDARTOWN

SEP 16

@ GORDON CENTRAL

SEP 23

COOSA

SEP 30

@ MODEL

OCT 14

ROCKMART

OCT 21

DADE COUNTY

OCT 28

@ ARMUCHEE

NOV 04

CHATTOOGA

REGION: 7-AA 2015 RECORD: 7-4 HEAD COACH: RICK HURST

BETWEEN THE LINES 2016 29

Between the Lines 2016 High School Preview

SCHEDULE

Adairsville Tigers AFTER A 12-2 campaign and a run to the quarterfinals of the GHSA playoffs in 2015, the Adairsville Tigers are looking to reload as opposed to rebuild in order to make it back to the postseason in 2016. While a ton of talent and experience is gone, quarterback Roger Redd returns for his senior season along with his starting left tackle and most dynamic receiver. The Tigers’ offense is a spread option primarily run out of the pistol formation and it’s designed to get the ball out in space quickly. Redd possesses a good blend of speed and power to be running threat defenses have to account for, but his throwing ability makes the Tigers offense extremely versatile, thus hard to defend.

“To have the success we’ve had over the past few seasons continue, we are going to need guys that don’t have what I call first-quarter experience, step up and learn quickly,” says head coach Eric Bishop. “We feel like the offensive and defensive systems we have in 30

BETWEEN THE LINES 2016

place are solid, so we just need some of these guys that got out and played when we had a big lead in the second half to step in and get the job done. Like every other team in the state, we will try to evolve our schemes within what we already do, but it won’t be anything drastic.” On defense replacing the entire linebacker and secondary units will be a challenge, but Bishop seems optimistic his young players can rise to the call. “In the last two seasons, we have four losses combined,” recalls Bishop. “Those four losses have come to the eventual state champion or state runner-up. I hope that has instilled a culture of winning in our program that these young players take pride in. We have a hard-working group that likes to go out and hit, so as long as we can get keep getting better one week at a time, I believe we can achieve the goals in front of us.”

AUG 19

@ RIDGELAND

AUG 26

CASS

SEP 02

@ MODEL

SEP 16

RINGGOLD

SEP 23

@ MURRAY COUNTY

OCT 07

@ CALHOUN

OCT 14

SONORAVILLE

OCT 21

@ BREMEN

OCT 28

HARALSON COUNTY

NOV 04

REGION 6-3A PLAY-IN

REGION: 6-AAA 2015 RECORD: 12-2 HEAD COACH: ERIC BISHOP

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Between the Lines 2016 High School Preview

SCHEDULE

Model Blue Devils THE MODEL BLUE DEVILS have experienced a really impressive run the last four seasons under the tutelage of Gordon Powers in what is his second stint as head coach at Model. They’ve posted winning records the last four seasons in a row and also made it to the playoffs each of those seasons. This is the first time in school history that the football team has accomplished the aforementioned feats. It has been a remarkable time for the fans and supporters of the Model football program.

When you talk to Coach Powers, it doesn’t take long to realize how much he’s enjoying what’s happening right now with the program.

“We play an entertaining brand of football,” he says. “We’re lucky to have some guys that can really make some exciting plays, and we’re having fun with it.” Powers isn’t alone in his enthusiasm as interest in the program, and attendance at their games continues to grow leaps and bounds.

AUG 26

@ SONORAVILLE

SEP 02

ADAIRSVILLE

SEP 09

@ NSWT WHITFIELD

SEP 16

DADE COUNTY

SEP 23

@ ARMUCHEE

SEP 30

PEPPERELL

OCT 14

@ CHATTOOGA

OCT 21

@ GORDON CENTRAL

OCT 28

COOSA

NOV 04

ROCKMART

REGION: 7-AA 2015 RECORD: 9-2 HEAD COACH: GORDON POWERS

Despite retaining a lot of the playmakers in terms of skill positions, Model will be working with essentially a new crop of players on the offensive and defensive lines. However, Coach Powers feels positive about how things are shaping up. “Right now, we have a lot of competition going on at those positions,” he says. “We’ll have some young players there, but also a couple of guys that have a lot of experience that we feel will help us.”

There was a time that Model wasn’t often mentioned in early season discussions about which teams would be the frontrunners of region 7-AA. Those days are now fading from view, and Model has established itself as one of the first teams to enter the conversation.

If everything comes together as expected, it should be another very successful season for fans of the Model Blue Devils to savor. .

BETWEEN THE LINES 2016 33

Between the Lines 2016 High School Preview

SCHEDULE

Gordon Central Warriors THIS SEASON marks the return of the Gordon Central Warriors to Class AA after four seasons playing in Class AAA. The last few seasons have been very disappointing for the Warriors, as they have only been able to muster two wins out of the last three seasons.

There’s no doubt that a rash of injuries that has seemingly plagued the team has contributed to the difficulties. However, head coach David Humphreys, who has been coaching football for over three decades, knows all too well that those are the types of things that a team has to learn to overcome to be successful. “We have really worked hard on making sure we are accountable to one another,” he says. “Right now, it seems like our society is one that likes to make a lot of excuses. I’m kind of an old school coach, and I don’t deal with those very well. I’m really proud of the team we have, as I think they do a good job of holding each other accountable.”

34

BETWEEN THE LINES 2016

As the Warriors finish up preparations for the 2016 season, there is a lot of optimism in the air surrounding the team. “We’ve been working really hard, and even though we still have a young team, we feel like we have a stronger team that has some experience,” says Humphreys. “We feel like we have more moving parts than we’ve had the last few years, and that’s always exciting.”

After spending just a little bit of time with Coach Humphreys, you really get a sense that this team is getting close to the threshold of taking the next step. Just like every other team in the State of Georgia, the Gordon Central Warriors have a clean slate to start the season. With hard work, determination and accountability, anything is possible. Keep an eye on the Warriors this season, folks. Good things may be just on the horizon.

AUG 19

@ MURRAY COUNTY

AUG 26

SOUTHEAST WHITFIELD

SEP 09

@ LAFAYETTE

SEP 16

PEPPERELL

SEP 23

@ CHATTOOGA

SEP 30

DADE COUNTY

OCT 14

@ ARMUCHEE

OCT 21

MODEL

OCT 28

@ ROCKMART

NOV 04

COOSA

REGION: 7-AA 2015 RECORD: 1-9 HEAD COACH: DAVID HUMPHREYS

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Between the Lines 2016 High School Preview

SCHEDULE

Armuchee Indians ONE OF THE THINGS that every football team has to learn to deal with is adversity. The Armuchee Indians have faced more than their fair share in the last several years. However, as players continue to keep pushing themselves in the weight room and in practice, and there’s no doubt that this team is improving.

During the process of interviewing local coaches from other teams in region 7-AA, every single one of them had positive things to say about the work ethic and discipline they’ve witnessed from the Armuchee Indians under head coach Muhammad Abdellatif.

There’s a definite sense that it is only a matter of time before that hard work begins to show on the scoreboard.

When talking to Abdellatif, third-year head coach of the Indians, you can sense the admiration he has for the determination and work ethic his players are displaying

AUG 19

LAFAYETTE

AUG 26

@ LAKEVIEW-FT. OGLETHORPE

SEP 09

TEMPLE

SEP 16

@ ROCKMART

SEP 23

MODEL

SEP 30

@ COOSA

OCT 14

GORDON CENTRAL

OCT 21

@ CHATTOOGA

OCT 28

PEPPERELL

NOV 04

@ DADE COUNTY

REGION: 7-AA 2015 RECORD: 2-8 HEAD COACH: MUHAMMAD ABDELLATIF

right now. “The kids are here every morning, every afternoon, whenever I ask them to be, and they are ready to work,” he says. “The expectations of our weight program and speed and conditioning are being met and, as a result, we’re able to push them more.”

Working through tough times can result in a team coming together and becoming stronger as a unit. “In preparation for the season, we’re seeing a team that has more chemistry, feels closer together, and we’re seeing some good things right now,” says Abdellatif.

With the start of a brand new season, every team is starting with a clean slate. If the Indians can start the season with a couple of confidence building early wins, it will be interesting to see what they can bring to the table in terms of competitive games in region 7-AA this year.

BETWEEN THE LINES 2016 37

Between the Lines 2016 High School Preview

SCHEDULE

Trion Bulldogs AFTER AN IMPRESSIVE 2015 campaign, the Trion Bulldogs will look to continue their success this season after graduating 15 players that were two- to three-year starters. With experience returning at all the skill positions, led by quarterback Jarret Gill, running back Jarrett Pierce, and wide receiver Evan Walker, the Bulldogs will be in good position to return to the playoffs behind that leadership. But in order for those veterans to succeed, the young guns must step in and gel quickly on both the offensive and defensive lines. “What we are hoping for is to not have an extended period of growing pains,” says head coach Justin Brown. “There is no doubt in my mind these young players are capable of competing at a high level; they just haven’t had the op38

BETWEEN THE LINES 2016

portunity to be Friday night football players yet, and no matter what you do in practice, you can’t simulate that experience.” Through spring football and early practices, Brown is encouraged by what he’s seen from his new crop of players. He expects to continue to build on a passing game that increased its production from 300 yards in 2014 to 1,300 in 2015, which in turn opened up the rushing attack by keeping defenses guessing. “I believe our top 11 guys can get the job done if they can stay healthy,” says Brown. “If we can limit our mistakes, penalties, stay ahead of the chains and just play smart football in general, I see no reason we can’t make another run at the playoffs in 2016.”

AUG 26

@ LAFAYETTE

SEP 02

DADE COUNTY

SEP 09

@ BREMEN

SEP 16

@ BOWDON

SEP 23

@ NORTH COBB CHRISTIAN

SEP 30

CHRISTIAN HERITAGE

OCT 14

DARLINGTON

OCT 21

@ MT. ZION, CARROLL

OCT 28

GORDON LEE

NOV 04

REGION 6-A PLAY-IN

REGION: 6-A 2015 RECORD: 8-4 HEAD COACH: JUSTIN BROWN

BETWEEN THE LINES 2016 39

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Between the Lines 2016 High School Preview

SCHEDULE

Darlington Tigers 2016 WILL PROVE to be another transition year for the Darlington Tigers as they seek success in their new region of 6-A. This team is no stranger to success in transition periods, as the Tigers managed to reign over their previous region of 7-AA by winning the championship for the two consecutive seasons that they were a part of the league.

Darlington finished the 2015 regular season undefeated with a record of 10-0 and advanced to the state playoffs, where their season ended as a result of a loss to the state champion, the Pace Academy Knights.

While the Tigers are losing 11 seniors in 2016, this year’s class of 17 seniors is ready to assume the reigns of the upperclassmen and lead their team to another championship season. Head coach Tommy Atha says that the success of the program is a result of the high expectations of the senior class year in and year out.

“Every year, when it comes banquet time, you start looking at all those seniors that are walking across the stage and you think to yourself, ‘What in the world are we going to do next year? How are we going to replace this?’” says Atha. “But we know the next year’s class is always going to rise to the occasion, and I think the seniors always expect to do that.”

Rising senior DB/RB Elijah McKoy believes that one of the most significant goals as a leader on the team is to get everybody to buy in and believe in the program. “We have a pretty large senior class, and I think that together, with that much leadership, we should be able to accomplish anything we set our mind to and get everyone else involved,” he says. “It's just our goal to lead.”

There will be an added spark to the field with the rekindling of old rivalries such as Bowden, Gordon Lee, and Trion within the new 6-A region, and the Tigers are ready. With senior leadership including McKoy, Mason Tant and three-year starter Burt Michael Tidwell, Darlington is preparing to make a name for itself this season in the A region.

“We love football. We get excited about football, and we've been very fortunate to be able to sustain success,” says Atha. “We think that the on-field success is by virtue of the success off of the field, and it goes back to our kids truly buying into what we do. The coaches and players speak with one voice, and we trust each other, and when that comes together, it’s powerful. We feel like this year is going to be no exception. We feel like we’ve got an opportunity to have success in a number of ways and we’re really looking forward to it.”

AUG 19

@ GASTON, GADSDEN, AL

SEP 02

@ RIDGELAND

SEP 09

HEARD COUNTY

SEP 16

@ GORDON LEE

SEP 23

BOWDON

SEP 30

@ MT. ZION, CARROLL

OCT 07

NORTH COBB CHRISTIAN

OCT 14

@ TRION

OCT 21

CHRISTIAN HERITAGE

NOV 04

@ REGION 6-A PLAY-IN

REGION: 6-A 2015 RECORD: 10-1 HEAD COACH: TOMMY ATHA

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Between the Lines 2016 High School Preview

SCHEDULE AUG 26

MODEL

SEP 02

@ CASS

SEP 09

DALTON

SEP 16

LAKEVIEW-FT.OGLETHORPE

SEP 23

@ RINGGOLD

SEP 30

@ BREMEN

OCT 07

HARALSON COUNTY

OCT 14

@ ADAIRSVILLE

OCT 21

CALHOUN

NOV 04

@ REGION 6-3A PLAY-IN

REGION: 6-AAA 2015 RECORD: 7-4 HEAD COACH: JIM KREMER

Sonoraville Phoenix IN THREE SHORT YEARS as the Phoenix head coach, Jim Kremer has established a winning tradition. Sonoraville made its third straight trip to the playoffs and tasted post-season victory for the first time in the programs existence after pummeling East Hall 49-28 in the first round. New leadership will have to step up if the Phoenix want to continue their post season streak after losing a group of seniors to graduation who really changed the culture of the program. Not all is lost, though. With 21 seniors and 17 juniors 42

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on the roster, there are a lot of players who have the experience and know-how to keep the program moving in the right direction.

Operating from the pistol on offense, the focus will be keeping a balanced attack to keep defenses on their heels. The schedule is book-ended with tough opponents, (Model, Cass and Dalton to start and Adairsville and Calhoun at the end) so the new upperclassmen mentioned earlier will need to acclimate and assert themselves quickly for the Phoenix to keep rising.

GREAT COMMUNITY -Becker’s Hospital Review

706.629.2895 www.gordonhospital.com BETWEEN THE LINES 2016 1035 Red Bud Rd, Calhoun, Ga 30701

43

Between the Lines 2016 High School Preview

SCHEDULE

Unity Christian Lions MARK ACKERMAN and the Unity Christian School Lions will be taking on the 2016 season with faith, excitement and eight men on the field. Following an injury-stricken 2015 season, the Lions are hopeful in their new approach to the game of eight-man football.

“We’re a smaller school, and we’re going to play eight-man football this year for a couple of reasons. We don’t have an incredible amount of guys to get out onto the field, and we probably should have been playing [eight man] the last couple of years,” Ackerman explains. “A lot of the schools we played in the first year that I was here were 11-man teams doing the same thing, which was playing all of their guys on both sides of the ball. They had injuries, and they were struggling. Rolling into my second year, four of the teams we played that were previously 11-man had y gone to eight-man football. It’s more competitive for us.”

The Lions are currently playing in the GICAA (Georgia Independent Christian Athletic Association) and have joined 30 other GICAA schools (out of 143) in the decision to play with three less men on the field. With the help of senior leadership from players such as lineman Kyle Jacobsen, offensive tackle Blake McConnell, wide receiver Logan Pritchett and junior quarterback Jansen Slaughter, the Lions are focusing on the transition of winning more games with less players.

“We all have to learn the game of eight man,” Slaughter says, “It's not a different game; it’s just three less people. We have to learn new 44

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plays and strategies, but we still want to win football games.”

In the midst of the transition to eight man, the Lions also had the task of filling specialty positions such as quarterback, starting running back and starting wide receiver due to losing several key seniors who started in those positions. Slaughter will assume the duties of starting quarterback to help lead the team to victory while adapting to the new eight-man strategies.

Although success is always the immediate goal, the players are not the only ones with a learning curve this season. “This is a big transition for me because I’ve never coached eight-man football,” says Coach Ackerman.

“So, I’m learning different strategies and different plays.”

While the transition may seem daunting, Ackerman has the utmost confidence in his players to succeed in the new playing style.

“The good thing about our offense is that it can adapt into the eight-man game, so I am excited about that,” he says. “I think they’ve adjusted well.”

At the end of the day, the Lions are ready for the new season to see what awaits them in the new game of eight man. “The feeling of getting out there and doing something that a lot of people don’t get to do is a great feeling to have every Friday night,” says Slaughter.

The Lions begin their season on the road against Colonial Hills Christian School on Sept. 23.

AUG 26 SEP 02 SEP 09 SEP 23 SEP 30 OCT 14 OCT 21 OCT 28

SHILOH HILLS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL @ NEW CREATION CHRISTIAN ACADEMY @ HEARTS ACADEMY COLONIAL HILLS CHRISTIAN @ PEACHTREE ACADEMY HARVESTER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY PRAISE ACADEMY CHEROKEE CHRISTIAN

REGION: GICAA I- AF 2015 RECORD: 3-7 HEAD COACH: MARK ACKERMAN

Taste&Toast Vote&Celebrate Eat&Drink 2016 Restaurant Awards & Northwest Georgia Culinary Event coming in November Voting launches late August

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BETWEEN THE LINES 2016 45

Between the Lines 2016 High School Preview

SCHEDULE

Chattooga Indians IF THERE IS one difference between this year and last year’s Chattooga Indians squads, it’s that the expectations are high going into the 2016 campaign. The Foster twins (Isaac and Isaiah) are no longer a secret, but that won’t make them any easier to stop for opposing defenses. After losing 11 seniors to graduation, you might think the Indians would take a step back, but this season the lineup boast 20 seniors, so leadership won’t be a problem. “This senior class started with me back in middle school, so I’ve been there coach for a long time,” says head coach Charles Hammon. “They know the system and they know what it takes to compete in this region, 46

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so we expect a lot of them and feel good about what they can do.” With the combination of the Foster twins and good size on both lines of scrimmage, the Indians aren’t going to overwhelm anyone with schematics, but three yards and a cloud of dust football works just fine for Hammon. “We had our chances last year to win the region, but fell short,” recalls Hammon. “If we execute the way we’re capable of executing, we can play with anyone in the region. So that means we have an opportunity to compete for a championship, and I sure would love to send these seniors out with one.”

AUG 25

@ CEDAR BLUFF, ALA

SEP 02

DAWSON COUNTY

SEP 09

RIDGELAND

SEP 16

@ COOSA

SEP 23

GORDON CENTRAL

SEP 30

@ ROCKMART

OCT 14

MODEL

OCT 21

ARMUCHEE

OCT 28

@ DADE COUNTY

NOV 04

@ PEPPERELL

REGION: 7-AA 2015 RECORD: 7-4 HEAD COACH: CHARLES HAMMON

KEY

by Jim Alred

GAMES Aching to see some phenomenal high school football games?

A quick perusal of local squad’s schedules gives a litany of topnotch games. Here’s a quick smattering of games football fans should check out this season.

BEST OF THE BEST SEPT. 2 CARTERSVILLE AT CALHOUN Calhoun always schedules tough non-region opponents, and Northwest Georgia football fans should get to the Reeve early on Sept. 2 when Cartersville’s Purple Hurricanes blow into Calhoun. Cartersville is the defending Class AAAA champion, while Calhoun is looking to get back to the Dome after falling just shy in Class AAA last year.

ELIMINATION FRIDAY? SEPT. 23 Model at Armuchee, Coosa at Pepperell, Bowdon at Darlington, Trion at North Cobb, Sonoraville at Ringgold Fans can hope teleporters become viable means of transportation because on Sept. 23 they will need one. Model visits Armuchee and Coosa visits Pepperell. Both games will help set the tone and identify front runners for the region 7-AA title race.In region 6-A, Darlington plays host to Bowdon, while Trion travels to North Cobb Christian in what will be big, early season tests for the Tigers and Bulldogs. And don’t forget Sonoraville visiting Ringgold. A Phoenix win over the Tigers would show everyone in Region 6-AAA that Sonoraville will once again be a playoff contender.

SPEAKING OF TIGERS

LITMUS TEST

OCT. 14 Darlington at Trion and OCT. 21 Christian Heritage at Darlington

SEPT. 16 Chattooga at Coosa

Darlington ends its regular season with a game on the road at Trion and at home against Christian Heritage. Trion and Heritage have been solid playoff teams the past few years. If the Tigers are aiming for another region crown and a solid seed in the state playoffs, they will need victories in both games.

FLOYD COUNTY GRUDGE MATCHES SEPT. 30 Armuchee at Coosa, Pepperell at Model Last year, Armuchee’s lone region win came against Coosa in the final game of the season. Three years ago, Model ended a 15-game losing streak by topping Pepperell. Add in the vital ingredient of all of the squads competing in region 7-AA this season, and these two games take on even bigger ramifications. Not to mention every squad wants to beat its county brethren.

TIGER TIME OCT. 7 and OCT. 14 Adairsville hits the road against Calhoun on Oct. 7 looking to hand the Jackets their first region loss since 2001. If the Tigers falter at the Reeve, they will need to regroup fast as the Phoenix will fly into Adairsville with thoughts of pulling a big region upset on their minds.

Chattooga reached the Class AA playoffs last season. Coosa reached the Class AA playoffs in 2014. Both teams want to make a return to the playoffs. The Indians should be favored entering the contest, and this game’s winner will have an inside track to one of region 7-AA’s four playoff spots.

ROME RISING SEPT. 9 and SEPT. 30

The Wolves looked like the Rome of old late last season as they reached the playoffs and pulled off a big first-round playoff win.

This season, they face two daunting region tasks against perennial powers Kell and Carrollton. Both games come on the road.

A win in either would give Rome a good shot at a home playoff game. A win in both would give the Wolves the inside track to the region crown. Lose them both, though, and Rome is probably faced with playing the playoffs on the road.

PLAYOFF CALIBER FOOTBALL NOV. 4 Chattooga at Pepperell Both Chattooga and Pepperell should be playoff contenders and also key teams in the race for the region 7-AA title. Whether the game has region title implications doesn’t matter, because it’s a sure bet to have an impact on both teams’ playoff chances.

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