V3 High School Football Preview 2021 by V3 Magazine

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

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OWNER & CEO Ian Griffin

MANAGING PARTNER Chris Forino

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

2 0 2 0 W AS A YE AR L IKE N O O T H E R ; one we will always remember and one we are glad to have in the rearview mirror. At this time last year, the high school football season in the state of Georgia was still at risk of not taking place. Other states had already postponed to the spring and the debate was raging in the states that were still undecided. The majority of the country, including Georgia put protocols in place, to create an opportunity to play while keeping safety at the forefront. It wasn’t perfect. Many games were postponed or cancelled. Playoff standings and region championship were given outcomes that weren’t decided on the field. Coaches and parents did everything they could week after week to give the kids the best opportunity to get on the field Friday nights, but nothing was guaranteed.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Elizabeth Childers

WRITERS DeMarcus Daniel, Ian Griffin

PHOTOGRAPHER Andy Calvert

PUBLISHER V3 Publications, LLC

CONTACT 417 Broad Street Rome Ga, 30161 Office Phone 706.235.0748 hello@v3collective.com

In the end though, seasons were completed and champions were crowned. It wasn’t perfect, but, in my opinion, football on all levels going forward with their seasons was just what we needed after the summer we all endured last year. Working games on the radio is something I’ve done my entire adult life and the first game we called last year happened to be the first time I saw people come together as a community in over a four-month period. As they sat safely distanced from one another cheering on their team, I couldn’t stop smiling. The sport I love above all others was delivering a different kind of satisfaction for me that night and that feeling carried on throughout the season. That will stay with me forever and the quality of football in our coverage area last year was top notch. Out of the 18 teams covered in this preview they combined for a total of 14 playoff wins that included a state championship for the Unity Christian Lions. The majority of these programs are reloading for the 2021 season and looking to achieve even more post season success. So there are plenty of reasons for fans to be excited, but the fact that we are weeks away from the start of a season that is not in question puts a little extra juice in this preseason. Regardless of the outcome on the field, it should be an amazing season and one we appreciate all the more after the shaky circumstances of 2020. It was exciting for us to have all the teams on our studio for pictures again and their enthusiasm is always contagious. We hope you enjoy reading our previews and wish your team/teams the best of luck. It’s going to be a heck of a season.

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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

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NWGA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

FLOYD

BARTOW

GORDON

CHATTOOGA

POLK

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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

ARMUCHEE INDIANS

COOSA EAGLES

DARLINGTON TIGERS

MODEL BLUE DEVILS

PEPPERELL DRAGONS

ROME WOLVES

UNITY LIONS

ADAIRSVILLE TIGERS

CARTERSVILLE HURRICANES

CASS COLONELS

WOODLAND WILDCATS

CALHOUN YELLOW JACKETS

GORDON CENTRAL WARRIORS

SONORAVILLE PHOENIX

CHATTOOGA INDIANS

TRION BULLDOGS

CEDARTOWN BULLDOGS

ROCKMART YELLOW JACKETS

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ARMUCHEE Indians

L-R: #1 CHANDLER DESANTO #16 KAMERON PARKER #30 ALEX WRIGHT

TE XT: D E M A RC US D A N IE L

2020 RECORD:

2-6, overall (0-4, REGION 6-A PUBLIC)

HEAD COACH:

JEREMY GREEN (4-24), 3 seasons

ALL TIME RECORD: 601 games - 207 - 383 - 11 (35%)

TOTAL SEASONS: 62

FIRST SEASON: 1951

ALL STATE PLAYERS: 35 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2 (LAST: 1994)

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2 020 RE VIE W The Indians were geared up for a new beginning in 2020, as GHSA reclassification moved them to 6-A public, where they were on a more level playing field. They ended up only playing 8 games due to pandemic issues. To reach that number, they had to pick up a few games at the spur of the moment. To make matters worse, of the 8 games played, only 5 of them were played with a full roster. “I’m proud of the core group of kids for being able to keep their heads through all of that,” Coach Jeremy Green says, “and they got better as the year went on. For that, I am proud.”

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

2021 P RE VIE W “Leadershipwise, this is the best group of seniors I’ve had,” says Green. “They started with me as freshman, so we’re all very tight.” He adds, “This is also the best family atmosphere we’ve had since I’ve been here.” OFFE N SE From a position of skill, Armuchee is strong this year. At quarterback, the position will be manned again by junior Chandler Santo. The running back position will be a by-committee thing with all the talent at the skill positions, with senior Malik Drinic and junior Alex Wright getting the bulk of the carries. Seniors JJ House and Kameron

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Parker will be the team’s top receivers. At the offensive line of scrimmage, Green says his young linemen must grow up fast. “It’s an interesting dichotomy,” he says. “We have all these skilled upperclassmen and then these babyfaced underclassmen as offensive (and defensive) linemen. D EF ENSE The defense will be led by senior defensive back Will Daniel and sophomores defensive back Jacob Seagraves and linebacker Ryland Steen, amongst a stable of other talented players.

S CH E D U L E

8.20

10.01

L ASTING T H OUGH T S “We’re going to have fun; that’s what the pandemic year taught me,” says Green. “To me, football is fun regardless, so I’ve always focused on the work side of it, the tough side of the game. Then, when we were forced to wonder if we’d even get to play our games, I was reminded that being around each other is part of the game. Getting to see each other is a privilege of the game. Getting on the field is a privilege of the game.” Green continues: “So, from here on out, we’re going to still have our core values and our goals, but we’re going to have fun and enjoy being around each other also. That is always going to be a part of it. We learned during the pandemic that some things that we thought we had to do, we were really getting to do. We’re getting to do this. This team has done my heart good.”

At Kings Academy

Mt. Zion, Carroll

8.27

10.08

Towns County

At B.E.S.T Academy

9.24

11.05

2 0 2 1 GA M ES T O WAT C H 9.3 VS COOSA County Rivalry. Armuchee came up short last meeting 20-41. THE REGION SCHEDULE It’ll be huge for Armuchee to win a region game, and an awesome season to clinch a playoff verse.

Weaver AL

At Bowdon

9.03 At Coosa

9.17 Southeast Whitfield

10.22 Trion

10.29 Gordon Lee

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COOSA Eagles

L-R: #51 OMARION MOORE-T/NG #7 DALTON DENTON-WR/MLB #70 DEOLIS MILLSAP-T/DT

TEXT: D EMAR C US DAN IE L

2020 RECORD:

4-4, overall (1-3, REGION 7-AA)

HEAD COACH:

Joey Mathis (4-4, 1 year at Coosa, 30-27 career)

ALL TIME RECORD: 688 games - 341 - 331 - 16 (51%)

TOTAL SEASONS: 66

FIRST SEASON: 1955

ALL STATE PLAYERS: 42 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS: 5 (1975 LAST)

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2 (1969 LAST)

2020 RE VIE W Coach Joey Mathis came to Coosa with the idea of creating a great culture both on and off the field. Despite many obstacles, he never wavered from his plan. Mathis didn’t meet his players until July 8th of last year, and he had to go on a house-to-house tour to meet them, as well as to sell himself and his football philosophy. Coosa finished the season 4-4, the first nonlosing season since 2017. 2021 P RE VIE W Coach Mathis will tell you this offseason is a lot better than his first one was. “We’ve had a productive summer with not having to deal with the pandemic or any related interruptions,” Mathis says. “We’re getting an opportunity to get a full offseason in with weight training and putting our terminology in. And the players are getting to mature and grow as a team.” O FFE N SE Coosa’s offense will again be a run first attack, with a running back by committee approach.

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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

Senior DJ Driver and Sophomore Harrison East will definitely be two of the ball carriers in that committee. Athletes Josh Dixon, a junior, and senior Dalton Denton will be helping the Eagles all over the field on offense, every game taking advantage of their skillsets. Up front, Coosa is solidifying the trenches on both sides of the ball with senior offensive tackle and defensive nose guard Omarion Moore, senior offensive and defensive tackle Deolis Millsap, and senior offensive tackle Tyler Hart. D E FE N SIVE Denton and Driver will also have big roles on the defensive side of the ball along with Millsap and Moore in 2021. The other defensive positions will be filled by players who put in the work and show they want to earn a place on the field. LA STIN G THOUG HTS Coach Mathis has his eyes on today and the future. The 2021 team is going to be young, as he only had 27 players when he arrived at

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the school. “The good thing about playing young players is that they get valuable gametime experience,” Mathis says. “The bad thing is getting your brains beat in sometimes. It’s not necessarily the win that counts, it’s being in the game. Every Friday you want to be in the ballgame. You may not always win, but you want to be in the game.” Mathis is building up the middle school football program. He brought in new coaches and developed a system to get the middle school football participation numbers up. So far, they have gone from 18 kids last year to 66 in this year’s spring training. Mathis insists: “You have to invest in that foundation with hopes it works its way up to you.” Mathis has the support of the Coosa Community as well as the school’s administration. Even the fans are involved with Mathis’12th man culture. Back to 2021: there are expectations and goals for this team, especially the senior class. From his seniors, Mathis expects leadership and mental toughness on a daily basis. “We want them to come in and lead,” he says, “and when we say lead, it doesn’t mean be perfect, it means to be accountable and show up every day ready to work and give a good effort.” From his senior class leadership, it can be shown that the Eagles want to be physical and be known as fundamentally sound. “You never want to beat yourself,” Mathis says. “More games are lost instead of won. You don’t wanna be the team that did it to yourself.”

S CH E D U L E

2 0 2 1 GA M ES T O WAT C H 8 . 2 7 @ T R I O N A rematch of Coach Joey Mathis’ debut at Coosa that turned out to be a four overtime classic that Coosa won 51-45. 10. 1 @ MODEL Rivalry game. Model has won the last two meetings. 11. 5 @ P E P P EREL L Rivalry Game. The Dragons have won the last five meetings.

8.27

10.08

At Trion

Chattooga

9.03

10.15

Armuchee

Gordon Central

9.10

10.22

Pickens

At Dade County

9.24

10.29

At Cherokee, Al

Fannin County

10.01

11.05

At Model

At Pepperell

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DARLINGTON Tigers

L-R: #48 CHRIS MCCLUNEY #8 WILL BAGBY-WR #12 PATRICK SHELLEY-QB/S

TEXT: D EMAR C US DAN IE L

2020 RECORD:

7-5, overall (2-2, REGION 7-A)

HEAD COACH:

Tommy Atha 157-63, 5 region championships

ALL TIME RECORD:

1,000 games - 601 - 363 - 36 (62%)

TOTAL SEASONS: 110

FIRST SEASON: 1910

ALL STATE PLAYERS: 79 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS: 10 (2015 LAST)

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1 (1998 LAST)

2020 RE VIE W Everyone dealt with the pandemic and all that came with it in 2020. For some, it made for a not-so-pleasant, uncomfortable season. Coach Tommy Atha will tell you that he saw it all in a different light. “I was pleased with the season overall,” he says. “You never want to lose that last one, but we played in 12 games and advanced to the second round of the playoffs. Considering the COVID protocols and all of the unknowns, I consider it a blessing that we got to play 12 games.” 2021 P RE VIE W Darlington’s all-time roster high is 53 players, as a school that size never has tremendously large numbers. If the Tigers’ season started today, they would have a 48-man roster. “That’s very encouraging,” says Atha. “The roster is evenly spread amongst the classes, and we have a good senior class.” OFFE N SE Leading the Darlington offense in 2021 is a

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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

dynamic playmaker, senior Patrick Shelly. He’s a versatile quarterback, quick and agile with the ball in his hands. Atha gives quality time to another quarterback, too, senior Jack Payne. “We’ll be big up front, and we feel good about that,” says Atha. “The team will average around 270 pounds across the front, which is huge for us. Now, we have some small guys, and we have some really big guys.” Atha smiles. “That’s how we get that average.” Darlington will be young on the line. The team only has one senior on the starting offensive line, 6’2” 290-pound Christian McCluney, alongside three juniors and one sophomore. Junior DJ Johnson, a former lineman, is now the starting tight end and has surprisingly great hands. At wide receiver, Darlington has senior Will Bagby, and the squad picked up a late addition in junior Hyland Thomas, who has the potential to have a huge impact on this offense.

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The running back position will be manned by committee, a young group at that. A few of the ball carriers will be junior Bowden Owens and sophomores Tommy Bethel and D’marion Floyd. D EF ENSE On the defense, Darlington will still be young, but the guys will have had some on-field experience. On the line there’s junior Gatlin Hancock, a highenergy kid who’s always on go. The Tigers also utilize McCluney, a superb run stuffer. The linebacker position will be a by committee assignment manned by a multitude of players. In the defensive backfield, there will be Floyd as a lockdown cornerback, and others will fill in the open positions as preseason work continues. L ASTING T H OUGH T S Yes, Darlington is young. “We’ll have some experienced players and some inexperienced,” says Atha, “and the inexperienced are going to have to catch up pretty quick.” As for the team, the head coach sees them gelling in a great way. “This group is close-knit,” he says. “The team concept resonates with all of them. They play for each other. They will play with a chip on their shoulder. On top of that, we had some regular season losses that didn’t sit well with them, and they want to rectify that. Everyone is geared up for it.” 2 0 2 1 GA M ES OF S IG NIF I CA N CE 9. 10 @ HEAR D C OUNT Y This is a big game for Darlington. They fell to the Braves 30-35 last season. 10.15 VS CHRISTIAN HERITAGE Region Game. Darlington can potentially clinch a playoff berth with a win. The Tigers lost 24-31 last year at their place. 1 0 . 2 2 @ N O R T H C O B B C H R I S T I A N Region Game. Darlington can potentially win the region with a win. The Tigers lost 10-28 last year at home.

S CH E D U L E

8.27

10.01

Lakeview Academy

At Bremen

9.03

10.08

At St. Francis

At Mt. Paran Christian

9.10

10.15

Heard County

Christian Heritage

9.17

10.22

Heritage, Catoosa

At North Cobb Christian

9.24 At King's Ridge

10.29 Walker

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Wishing all the area teams the best of luck this season, with a special salute to the Darlington Tigers.

Grace Ann Lundy, Class of 2022

Paris Mountain Photography

Richard J. Lundy Attorney at Law

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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

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MODEL Blue Devils

L-R: #17 ANTHONE WILLIAMS-OLB/FB #16 DILLON SILVER-QB #13 JOEY SAMPLES-FB/LB

2020 RECORD:

7-5 overall (4-2, REGION 7-AA)

HEAD COACH:

Jeff Hunnicutt (12-11 in 2 seasons at Model)

ALL TIME RECORD: 773 games - 355-400-18 (47%)

TOTAL SEASONS: 79

FIRST SEASON: 1931

ALL STATE PLAYERS: 37 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS: 3 (1979 LAST)

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: 3 (1979 LAST)

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T E XT: D E M A RC US D A N IE L As the Model Blue Devils enter year 3 of the Jeff Hunnicutt Era, a few of the coach’s -isms have rang thru; his team will work hard, and they will not spend more time looking in the rearview than looking through the front windshield. However, the Blue Devils’ 2020 season is worth a peek back.

Coach Hunnicutt says, “especially considering the game was played in a closed (to the public) environment.” He adds, “Parents couldn’t see their sons play, and that was a first for some. We came out of that game with a win, though, so everyone was okay. That win is something to build on.”

2020 RE VIE W The Blue Devils made the playoffs for the second consecutive season in 2020 and won their first-round game in a very unfamiliar atmosphere. “Winning a playoff game was huge for the school and the community,”

2021 P RE VIE W “We have a lot of shoes to fill in 2021,” says Hunnicutt, speaking of the task of replacing 18 seniors from last year’s team. “We lost the majority of our offensive, but due to quarantines a lot of players got some in-

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

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game experience, and we hope that is beneficial to their development.” O F F ENSE Replacing last year’s starting quarterback Sam Silver will not be an easy task. His leadership, both verbally and by example, was unmatched. Junior Dillon Silver has the responsibility of filling those shoes. D EF ENSE Just like on offense, the defense has work to do personnel-wise, and Coach Hunnicutt and his staff are pushing the players to earn their positions. It’s going to be tough to move the ball on the Blue Devils. Every strategy begins with controlling the line of scrimmage and getting everyone to pursue the ball every play. Players like junior linebacker Joey Samples and senior linebacker Anthone Williams will be making plays all year long for the Blue Devils. L ASTING T H OUGH T S “Here at Model, we are preparing men for life,” Hunnicutt says like a proud papa. “That means taking pride in how things are done on and off the field and continuing to improve the players’ attitudes, character, and self-discipline. We will continue to strive to make it to the next rung of the ladder. Day after day.” 2 0 2 1 GA M ES OF S IG NIF I CA N CE 9. 10 @ HARAL S ON C OUN T Y Haralson County went to Model and ran off a big win (49-7) in 2020. 10.15 VS FANNIN COUNTY In 2020, different circumstances could have created a different result. 10.22 @ PEPPERELL Model has lost 5 consecutive games to the Dragons.

S CH E D U L E

8.20

10.01

Sonoraville

Coosa

8.27

10.08

LaFayette

At Dade County

9.03

10.15

At Trion

Fannin County

9.10

10.22

At Haralson County

At Pepperell

9.24

11.05

At Chattooga

Gordon Central

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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

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PEPPERELL Dragons

L-R: #34 KOLBY DAVIS-RB/LB #64 LEM AZLIN-CENTER #11 DJ ROGERS-RB

TEXT: D E M ARC US DAN I E L 2 0 2 0 REVIE W The 2020 Season was full of promise for the Dragons as they had 17 senior starters and were ready to make some noise in the AA Classification. Then, boom! The pandemic caused a late start, shorter times in the weight room, and disruptive adjustments in how things were done. Then, double boom!

2020 RECORD:

5-5 overall (4-1, REGION 7-AA)

HEAD COACH:

Rick Hurst (45-23, 1 region championship in 6 seasons at Pepperell; 111-69 overall)

ALL TIME RECORD: 750 games - 408-328-14 (55%)

TOTAL SEASONS: 71

FIRST SEASON: 1937

ALL STATE PLAYERS: 82 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS: 4 (2016 LAST)

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1 (1990 LAST)

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They lost their starting quarterback, and everything got harder. Despite a rough start to the season, Pepperell finished second in their region and advanced to the playoffs, falling in the first round. “I’m glad we got that season in,” says Coach Rick Hurst. “I’m glad those seniors got to play.” OFFE N SE Pepperell will have a young team in 2021. “We have a lot of youth,” says Hurst. “In saying youth, I mean we have a lot of sophomores that will be playing in various positions. But we also have juniors and seniors that have never played in a meaningful situation on a Friday night. So, even though they are upperclassmen, they are young as far as experience goes.” Even though he was thrown into the fire unexpectedly, junior Matthew Waddell manned the quarterback position very well. Going through the offseason receiving the bulk of the reps allows Waddell to continue to grow and improve on his 2020 play. In the backfield, the Dragons have one of the best running backs in the state of Georgia, junior DJ Rogers. Rogers carried his team to

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

the tune of 157 rushing yards per game and 18 rushing touchdowns, even while every team knew he was getting the ball. Look for Rogers to do more of the same as the Dragons offensive tradition is smashmouth football and Rogers is just the back for that. Pepperell has depth at receiver as senior Jon Shields and junior Gage Owens have the upper hand to emerge as starters for the season. On the offensive line, the Dragons are working to establish an identity as they are not very big but are tough and will be ready for the regular season. Senior center Lem Azlin, a starter since his sophomore year, is expected to have a great season. D E FE N SE Senior middle linebacker Kolby Davis and Owens are the returning tackle leaders from last season and will be leaned upon to have big production this season. The Dragons gave up 23 points per game last season, so Coach Hurst knows his defense must reduce that number significantly for success this season. Shields can also be a playmaker in the defensive backfield this season.

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On the defensive line, senior nose guard Brennen Tillery, who routinely commands double teams nearly every snap, will be counted on to lead the defensive push up front. L ASTING T H OUGH T S “We’ve lost a lot of good players over the past four or five years,” Hurst says, “and it’s tough to replace those kinds of kids, but I like the direction we’re going.” He adds, “Every coach knows when you’re young, you’re going to take your lumps, but it will definitely pay off down the road a few years from now.” “Everyone is going to see a lot of players they may not have heard of before,” says Hurst, “and we are hoping these players can grow up and become really good.” He goes on to say, “We want to win, and our goal remain the same: we want to win Region 7-AA, no matter what. But I do have realistic expectations that we have some guys that are going to have to grow up in those first four games (all non-region), and that’s a tough four games I scheduled. I did that to prepare us for the region schedule and the playoffs.” The Dragons have made the AA playoffs for 6 consecutive years. They are poised to take even bigger steps than they have in the past, but this year there will be some growing pains associated with those steps. With health and work, they could be a factor come late November into December. 2 0 2 1 GA M ES OF S IG NIF I CA N CE 8 . 2 0 V S H A R A L S O N C O U N T Y Dragons look to avenge last seasons’ 10-28 opening loss to the Rebels. 10. 1 @ F ANNIN C OUN T Y This is a game that will help decide the region champion. The Rebels handed Pepperell their only region loss in 2020, 36-23. 10. 2 2 VS MODEL Rivalry Game. The Dragons have won five consecutive games in this series.

S CH E D U L E

8.20

10.01

Haralson County

At Fannin County

8.27

10.08

At Heard County

Gordon Central

9.03

10.22

At Bremen

Model

9.17

10.29

Temple

At Chattooga

9.24

11.05

At Dade County

Coosa

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ROME Wolves

L-R: #2 REECE FOUNTAIN- QB #19 BRYSON HILL- CB/RB #4 MARTEL HIGHT- WR/DB

TEXT: D EMAR C US DAN I E L 2 0 2 0 REVIE W In 2015, in his first season as head football coach at Rome High School, John Reid had a team of very talented underclassmen. That team went 7-3 during the regular season, was 3-3 after 6 games, reeled off at least five consecutive wins, and made it to the second round of the GHSA playoffs, going on to finish the season with an 8-4 overall record. Flash forward to the 2020 season, and all of that happened again, in the middle of a pandemic, without any sort of normal high school offseason. “I don’t know how many people recognize the fact of what we were able to accomplish”, Coach Reid says. “I thought our kids, being as young as they were, did great.

2020 RECORD:

8-4 overall (6-1, REGION 7-AAAAAA)

HEAD COACH:

John Reid (66-14, 3 region championships, 2 state championships in 5 seasons at Rome; 140-46 overall In Georgia)

ALL TIME RECORD: 342 games - 237-104-1 (69%)

TOTAL SEASONS: 29

FIRST SEASON: 1992

ALL STATE PLAYERS: 67 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS: 10 (2018 LAST)

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2 (2017 LAST)

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The coaching staff did a great job of finding flexibility and a never-quit attitude that put our team in the second round of the playoffs.” He adds, “I don’t think people thought that was possible, against all odds and with a young team that didn’t get to practice in the spring or summer.” 2021 P RE VIE W Coach Reid cracks a smile when thinking of the upcoming season. “I think we have some really good players at numerous positions, and now that we’ve had a regular style offseason, it will be good for the kids, it’s given them the chance to be more muscular, more physical, and to work on their speed.” Rome added new coaches to the staff this year; offensive coordinator Shane Sams, wide receivers coach DJ Hazelray, and defensive backs coach LaBrandon Hudson. “I’m excited about the new coaches,” Reid says. “We were able to add some coaches that a number of the top programs around the state tried to attract. They have put new energy and life into our program.” He goes on: “The kids are excited about the additions, and I think the returning coaches are excited to have some of that fire injected into the program.” O FFE N SE Last season, Rome ended up playing freshmen on offense early in the season, and that evolved into eventually starting a Fab-4 of freshmen for

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

7 or more games: quarterback Reece Fountain, running back Shaun Nelson, wide receiver DeKaylon Daniel, and tight end Martavious Collins. All four received valuable gameday experience and are expected to be big-time playmakers as sophomores. “I’m happy the quarterback position is pretty solid,” Reid says. “Reece has grown physically and mentally, and he has a stronger arm than people think.” At running back, Rome has Nelson and his multi-talents as a runner and pass catcher. And the Wolves add a senior ball carrier, Jamerius McDearmont, a dynamic athlete with the ball in his hands. The Wolves have depth at the wide receiver position, starting with an all-world athlete, junior Martel Hight. The rest of the corps includes juniors Patrick Cromer and Will Bray, and sophomores RJ Marshall, RJ Hodges, Corey Gardhigh, and Daniel, whom the coaches expect to have a huge impact this season. Collins started every game as a freshman at the tight end position and will again (with his size, speed, and strength) make his presence felt in the Wolves’ offense in 2021. The Wolves are working hard to establish a strong offensive line, which will be led by senior Demond McCombs. Reid says to not underestimate Rome at the offensive line of scrimmage this year. “We really have a bigger offensive line than people think,” he says, “and they’re coming along and will end up doing a good job.” D E FE N SE The Rome defense will be young, again, in 2021, as they won’t have many seniors at all. On the defensive line, the Wolves have a bunch of guys that can play. The line will be led by junior Stephiylan Green. Green is a force; opposing teams will notice him almost immediately. Seniors Jalen White and Nick Monroe, junior Tyson Brown, and sophomores Justin Terrell and Treyvon Adams will all bring the pressure to the opposing offensive lines this season. The Wolves’ linebacking corps is said to be the deepest group the school has had in years. Heading the charge will be sophomore Alto Moore, who had a good season last year and eventually became another freshman starting

BETWEEN THE LINES 2021 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW

for Rome. Senior Jyrine Griffin, juniors Grant Bullard and Darius Smith, and a host of other sophomores and freshmen will keep the RHS linebacker corps fresh and active. The cornerback position is as solid as can be with senior Bryson Hill and Martel Hight in those positions. The safety position is currently up for grabs, as three or four players are fighting for playing time, starting with seniors Jakiah Webb and Joshua Barosay. L ASTING T H OUGH T S “This team has a lot of spirit, but it’s always hard to define a Rome football team,” says Reid. “There’re so many things that come with being a Rome Wolf that everyone knows about.” He adds, “These guys haven’t gotten that confident swagger yet, but they respond well to the coaches and enjoy the coaching. They are coming around and beginning to see what we want and are trying to get it done. They have a great work ethic and attitude.” This season, when this team hits the field, Wolves’ fans will get a lot of what they’ve seen in the past on special teams and defense. On offense, the Wolves’ plan is to be ahead of the game. They will always be in attack mode, utilizing what they have to put the opposing defense in panic mode all game.

2021 G A M E S O F SIG N IFIC A N C E The only things Rome’s Historic Barron Stadium will need in 2021 are a red-carpet runway and bright lights (well, maybe additional seating also) for all the prize fights that will be played there this year. Nearly every big game will be a home game for the Wolves. 9 . 1 0 V S C O L L I N S H I L L The Wolves entered the fourth quarter of last year’s (Collins Hill’s Homecoming) game versus the 7A runner-up tied 14-14. A couple of errors allowed the Eagles to put the game away in the fourth quarter as Rome fell 14-28. 9.24 VS CARROLLTON The Trojans have won the last two games versus the Wolves after Rome had won the previous three meetings. This game will have a huge impact on the region championship and has the extra intrigue of a matchup between two people who won’t be suiting up: Rome’s John Reid on one sideline and Carrollton’s Joey King on the other. 1 0.29 V S D O U G LA S C OUN TY This was a battle last year. It was a hard-hitting game, featuring impenetrable defenses that forced the offenses to play most of the game between the 20 yard lines. It was an old school football fan’s dream game that Rome pulled out 16-15 on a last-minute field goal. This year, this game will again have an impact on the region championship.

S CH E D U L E

8.20

10.01

At Rockmart

Dalton (BA)

9.03

10.08

Cherokee (BA)

At East Paulding

9.10

10.22

Collins Hill (BA)

At Alexander

9.17

10.29

At South Paulding

Douglas County (BA)

9.24

11.05

Carrollton (BA)

At Paulding County

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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

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UNITY Lions

2020 RECORD:

10-0 GAPPS (Georgia Association of Private and Parochial Schools) CLASS AA 8-man football

HEAD COACH:

#10 JOHN NANCE WR/QB

David Humphries

T E XT : D E M A R CU S D A N IE L 24

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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

BETWEEN THE LINES 2021 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW

2 0 2 0 REVIE W For Unity Christian, 2020 had the full range of emotions: the drive to avenge their 2019 championship game loss; the anxiety, fear, and frustration of dealing with the pandemic; the devastation of a family tragedy; and then the total elation and pride of achieving the goal, reaching the championship game with the opportunity to redeem themselves. In the end, it went like anything else in 2020, unexpectedly. While the Lions ended up winning a championship (an undefeated championship, at that), it wasn’t exactly how they wanted to do it.“It was shock and disbelief,” says Coach Nick Jones. “We were excited to be crowned the state champs, but the competitor in each of us wanted to play that game.” 2 0 2 1 P RE VIE W 2021 will bring some changes to the Lions. They have a new head football coach in David Humphries, who has coached at a few local schools in the past. Coach Jones will remain on at UCS as assistant head coach. “I think these kids have been very well trained, as they are all very fit,” says Jones. “A lot of them will be in new positions.” The Lions graduated 7 seniors that were mostly big-time players. In the tradition of next man up, the next set of seniors are on the way to battle it out for a chance to repeat as champions. Senior John Nance will be the quarterback in 2021, and he comes into his senior year looking to cap his career with another GAPPS championship. The Lions will be leaning heavily on his leadership and experience to reach that lofty goal. Senior outside linebacker Bailey Mohler looks to anchor the defense this year and Unity Christian hopes to repeat in 2021.

S CH E D U L E

8.27

10.1

Hearts Academy

Johnson Ferry Christian Academy

9.3 Horizon Christian Academy

10.8 Fideles Christian

9.17

10.29

Praise Academy

Lanier Christian Academy

9.24 Dominion Christian

11.5 Our Lady of Mercy

L ASTING T H OUGH T S With Humphries in the fold and excited about the challenges ahead, they hope to continue on the trail they followed last year. After dominating their region and eventually emerging as champions despite navigating through different types of tough situations, the Lions look to repeat as GAPPS I-AA Region 1 (8 Man) champions and as GAPPS Champions in 2021.

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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

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ADAIRSVILLE Tigers

L-R: #18 CHRIS ROPER-QB/SLOT/S #34 TOKYO GORDON-LB/WR #9 ELI AGNEW-RB/S

TEXT: D EMAR C US DAN IE L

2020 RECORD:

6-4, overall (5-2, REGION 6-AAA)

HEAD COACH:

Eric Bishop 52-36, 8 seasons as Adairsville Head Coach

ALL TIME RECORD:

685 games 371 - 303 - 11 (55%) TOTAL SEASONS: 66 FIRST SEASON: 1956

ALL STATE PLAYERS: 61 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS: 8 (2001 LAST)

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2020 RE VIE W In a season that Coach Eric Bishop describes as “stressful, and having to be taken day by day, hour by hour,” Adairsville was able to play their first nine games with no interruptions before the 10th and final regular season game (a region game that was cancelled). The Tigers had already locked up a playoff berth and home field advantage but ultimately fell in a tough game against a formidable opponent. Adairsville finished the 2020 season with a 6-4 record. 2021 P RE VIE W OFFE N SE The quarterback position is up in the air after the graduation of two-year starter Conner Crunkleton. As of today, junior Chris Roper and 6’2” 195 sophomore Jonathan Gough,

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

who’s had an outstanding offseason, may be sharing the position. “They are two different quarterbacks with two different sets of strengths,” Bishop says, “and it will make it tough on a defense to have to prepare for both of them.” Senior Eli Agnew will return as the starting running back for the Tiger’ zone triple option offense with senior slot Jordan Carson, and junior Charlie Ray, along with Roper, when he’s not playing quarterback. They all saw considerable playing time last year. Juniors Grayson Belcher and Evan Sanders are at wide receiver, and the coaches expect big things from both. The offensive line sees the return of senior Tifton Worthington, who lost most of the season to injury last year, and sophomore Bobby Campbell, who started 10 games as a freshman.

BETWEEN THE LINES 2021 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW

D EF ENSE In a very unfamiliar situation for Adairsville High School, Coach Bishop and his staff aren’t yet sure who’s playing defensive line. This traditionally strong position for the Tigers has only one returning starter for the 2021 season. “We have obviously been working on that since spring practice,” says Bishop. In the secondary, likely the strongest unit of Adairsville’s 4-2-5 defense, senior Jordan Carson as well as Roper and Agnew will be featured at the safety position. Another senior, Tokyo Gordon, returns for the defense after leading the Tigers in tackles and sacks last season. L ASTING T H OUGH T S “This year will continue to be what it always is for us,” says Bishop. “Defensively, we will be physical and get to 11 hats to the football. That will never change.” Bishop continues: “We’re going to run our offense and take what the defense gives us. You want to pack the box, ok, we’re willing to throw the ball. You want to underestimate the run game, we’re going to pound the ball. We are always prepared to run for 300 yards or pass for 400.” 2 0 2 1 GA M ES OF S IG NIF I CA N CE 8.2 7 VS CAS S County Rivalry Game. Adairsville fell to Cass 17-27 last season. 10. 1 VS R ING G OL D One of two region losses for Adairsville last season as the fell to the Tigers 17-23. 10. 2 2 @ R OC KMAR T The Yellow Jackets joined this region in 2020 and went undefeated, one of the wins being a 45-7 win over Adairsville. 10.29 @ NORTH MURRAY The Tigers emerged victorious last season 42-35.

S CH E D U L E

8.20

10.08

At Chattooga

At Coahulla Creek

8.27

10.15

Cass

Sonoraville

9.10

10.22

At Murray County

At Rockmart

9.24

10.29

LaFayette

At North Murray

10.01

11.05

Ringgold

Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe

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CARTERSVILLE Hurricanes

L-R: #8 BRYNEN WILKINS-WR #12 JAKE PARKER-QB #58 SHADRE HURST-OT

T E XT: D E M A RC US D A N IE L

2020 RECORD:

12-2, overall (4-0, REGION 7-AAAAA)

HEAD COACH:

Conor Foster, 24-3 in 2 seasons as Cartersville Head Coach

ALL TIME RECORD:

1052 games 694 - 328 - 30 (67%)

TOTAL SEASONS: 108

FIRST SEASON: 1909

ALL STATE PLAYERS: 104 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS: 21 (2019 LAST)

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: 4 (2016 LAST)

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2020 RE VIE W Cartersville went up an A in GHSA classifications to 5A and maintained the same level of success, being a region force and advancing deep into the playoffs, to the Class 5A state title game. Unfortunately, they ran into an opponent that was a buzzsaw of determination and the ‘Canes finished as runners-up. 2021 P RE VIE W Cartersville doesn’t typically rebuild, they reload, and in 2021 that won’t change. OFFE N SE After the graduation of not one, but two senior quarterbacks who combined for 24 passing touchdowns and over 2,700 passing yards, in comes senior Jake Parker. The new

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

starter did play in 5 games last year but nothing significant. It’s now his show to run in his final high school season. The running back situation is similar, as the top three-yard gainers last year were seniors. Look for the bulk of the carries this season to come from senior Amari White, junior Malachi Jeffries, and sophomore Khristian Lando. At receiver, seniors Brynen Wilkins, Kyler Johnson, Jaqualyn Mayhall, and Jaylon Benham are expected to make catches and plays for the Hurricanes. Junior Collin Fletcher will also see the ball come his way this season. Seniors Shadre Hurst, Jacob Evans, Gordon Elzey, and junior Jonathan Cline will be instrumental at the offensive line of scrimmage for the Hurricanes.

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D EF ENSE Senior linebacker Tate Smith, the leading returning tackler from last season, is back to lead the Cartersville defense in the 2021 season. Senior defensive ends Ben Robinson and Nasir Grandberry will be expected to pressure and contain opposing quarterbacks. Junior Myles Forristall and Pearse Mullinax will join Tate at linebacker. The Hurricanes have a lot of skilled players vying for the starting spots in the defensive backfield this season.

S CH E D U L E

L ASTING T H OUGH T S At most schools, a state runner-up finish would be huge; for Cartersville, however, it’s not. Look for the ‘Canes to fight to seize the region and state championships this season.

8.20

10.01

Morrow

Cass

2 0 2 1 GA M ES OF S IG NIF I CA N CE 9. 17 VS C H EROKEE The Warriors ended Cartersville’s state-record 62 game winning streak in the regular season, and the Hurricanes will want to avenge that 12-14 loss with a victory on their home field. 10. 1 VS C AS S County Rivalry Game that’s normally not close, but an improving Cass could make for a better game. Cartersville won 58-0 last year. 10. 15 @ B L ES S E D T R INIT Y The Hurricanes had to cancel this game due to COVID-19 quarantines. That decision essentially gave the Titans the Region title. 10. 2 2 @ WOODL AN D County Rivalry Game that’s normally not close. Cartersville won 47-0 last year. 10. 2 9 VS C AL H OUN Region game and budding rivalry. The Hurricanes won 31-14 last year.

8.27

10.08

At West Forsyth

At Hiram

9.03

10.15

At Alexander

At Blessed Trinity

9.10

10.22

Creekside

At Woodland, Cartersville

9.17 Cherokee

10.29 Calhoun

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CASS Colonels

L-R: #1 ANDREW NGYUEN-DB #60 TYLER MARTIN-OL #15 IAN LOWE-LB

T E XT: D E M A RC US D A N IE L

2020 RECORD:

6-4, overall (1-4, REGION 7-AAAAA)

HEAD COACH:

Steve Gates (6-4), 1 year at Cass

ALL TIME RECORD: 678 games 222 - 451 - 5 (33%)

TOTAL SEASONS: 68

FIRST SEASON: 1953

ALL STATE PLAYERS: 11 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1 (1983 LAST)

2020 RE VIE W Prior to 2020, the Cass Colonels had accumulated 4 consecutive losing seasons. In comes Coach Steve Gates, but he came in at a time when his full vision couldn’t be implemented due to COVID putting a halt to the normal high school football offseason. Gates had to improvise how he met the players, how he would push his ideals, and how he would handle the offseason. The Colonels came out of the box fast and strong to a 5-0 start before entering region play and going 1-4 the rest of the season. Cass finished the schedule 6-4 and with their first winning record since 2015. 2021 P RE VIE W Besides a new coach, the Colonels also had a new quarterback and receiver in Devin

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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

Henderson and Sacovie White. As freshmen, they were both very instrumental in the success that Cass had in 2020 and will have in 2021 and beyond. OFFE N SE At quarterback, the sophomore Henderson returns to showcase more of his great decision making and dynamic play. Described as a leader on and off the field, and improving physically and mentally throughout the offseason, Henderson strives to guide Cass to higher success in region play and, in the journey, to achieve the school’s first playoff berth since 2006 this season. White is another explosive weapon for Cass. As a receiver he made play after play throughout the season regardless of the competition. With a full offseason to work,

BETWEEN THE LINES 2021 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW

look for more of the same. Other receivers looking to make plays this year are junior Jashaun Brown-Whatley and senior Tino Jones. Cass must replace a good crew of running backs. The offensive line is very young and not very big, other than senior Tyler Martin. Their job, however, is to keep Henderson upright, and the work is being put in to do just that. D EF ENSE The defense is young and skillful. White also plays defensive back and makes big plays on that side of the ball also. Cass has a few seniors to provide leadership in the front 7 this season: defensive ends Garrett Gonyea, Ahmeer Fowlkes, and Tyler Martin, nose guard Anthony Diase, and linebackers Ian Lowe and Kyle Meeker. Other seniors making an impact in the defensive backfield are Mark Perdue and Andrew Ngyuen. L ASTING T H OUGH T S In Gates’ second year, with a full offseason of training and practices, look for the emergence of Cass High to continue. 2 0 2 1 GA M ES OF S IG NIF I CA N CE TH E F IRS T F IV E GAME S O N T H E S CH E D U L E . Can Cass repeat last year’s performance and open the season 5-0 before the start of region play? THE SECOND FIVE GAMES OF THE SEASON. Cass begins the second half of the season with county rivals Cartersville and Woodland, followed by Hiram, Calhoun, and Blessed Trinity. Ideally, 6-4 on the season is the benchmark. 7-3 represents improvement and a playoff berth. 8-2 means Cass knocked off one of 5A’s top 12 teams and potentially clinched a home playoff game, which would be next level for Gates and the Colonels.

S CH E D U L E

8.20

10.01

At Dawson County

At Cartersville

8.27

10.08

At Adairsville

Woodland, Cartersville

9.03 Sequoyah

9.10 At Temple

9.17 Ridgeland

10.15 Hiram

10.22 At Calhoun

10.29 Blessed Trinity

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WOODLAND Wildcats

L-R: #74 BEAU JERNIGAN- OL #22 ASA JAMES- RB #72 JEREMIAH RHODES- DE

2020 RECORD:

4-4, overall (1-4, REGION 7-AAAAA)

HEAD COACH:

Tony Plott 13-45, 6 seasons as Woodland Head Coach

ALL TIME RECORD: 229 games 70 - 159 - 0 (31%)

TOTAL SEASONS: 23 FIRST SEASON: 1998

ALL STATE PLAYERS: 4

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T E XT: D E M A RC US D A N IE L 2020 RE VIE W In 2020, The Woodland Wildcats had a mountain of momentum that the pandemic made crash like an avalanche. “We had one of our better teams since I’ve been here,” says Coach Tony Plott. “We started off strong and then got hit with COVID and suffered a huge setback. We went a month between playing our third and fourth games. When we made it back to the field, we struggled to rebuild the momentum we had. We had a good ball team and a great senior class, but it didn’t go completely how we wished.”

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

2021 P RE VIE W The Wildcats will be younger than they’ve been in the past, but Coach Plott is proud to say that they have some good athletes and a lot of potential. He says, “The thing about potential will be to get it all to come together.” OFFE N SE Up front, the Woodland offensive line will be led by senior center Beau Jernigan, a three-year starter. The Wildcats expect good protection from junior tackle Hunter Deaton and senior Dawson Wheeler.

BETWEEN THE LINES 2021 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Lining up under center will be sophomore Breelace Williams, who Plott describes as a very talented player. There is a possibility of a battle for the position as another quarterback is making strides for playing time. In the backfield, the Wildcats still have senior Asa James, a three-year starter. In a 7-game stretch last seasons, James had 1,500 yards of total offense. D EF ENSE The defense begins with the front line, which features senior defensive end/linebacker hybrid Jeremiah Rhodes. There’s also sophomore Kwadrus Wilson, a strong and athletic kid. Another linebacker, senior Harlin Morris, has had a great offseason and is ready to shine. Plott describes the Woodland secondary as a strength of the defense, with players such as juniors Chase Carson, Jaeden Smith, and Christiaan Vera looking to shut down the opposing teams’ pass offense. L ASTING T H OUGH T S This season, Coach Plott will give strong focus and push for the Wildcats to be a family. “The closeness and togetherness is our identity,” he says. “We always want to be a tough and physical football team, but I think the family aspect is more important than the other stuff.” 2 0 2 1 GA M ES OF S IG NIF I CA N CE TH E REGI ON S C H E DUL E “It would be big to win a few games in the region,” Plott says, “especially with it being as tough as it is. Sweeter would be pulling a victory off versus Cass or Cartersville.”

S CH E D U L E

8.20

10.01

Gordon Central

Blessed Trinity

8.27

10.08

At Osborne

At Cass

9.03

10.15

Hebron Christian Academy

At Calhoun

9.10 North Springs

9.17

10.22 Cartersville

10.29 At Hiram

At Chamblee (ND)

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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

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CALHOUN Yellow Jackets

TEXT: D E M ARC US DAN I E L L-R: #5 COLE SPEER-WR #70 KENDRICK KIRBY-OL #9 QUIN SMITH-WR

2020 RECORD:

9-4, overall (3-2, REGION 7-AAAAA)

HEAD COACH:

Clay Stephenson, 19-6 in 2 years at Calhoun

ALL TIME RECORD: 880 games 513 - 368 - 27 (58%)

TOTAL SEASONS: 86

FIRST SEASON: 1925

ALL STATE PLAYERS: 112 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS: 23 (2018 LAST)

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: 4 (2017 LAST)

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2020 RE VIE W In one year’s time, the Calhoun Yellow Jackets jumped 2, not 1, but 2 GHSA classifications from AAA to AAAAA. They joined roughly the strongest region in the new classification and then had to deal with the same challenges as everyone else with the pandemic protocols and all that came with the pandemic. Persevering as they traditionally do, Calhoun advanced to the Elite Eight of the GHSA Playoffs after going in as the third seed from the region. It didn’t go like they wanted it to, but the Yellow Jackets proved that they can truly play anyone, anywhere.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

2021 P RE VIE W A couple of things have happened this offseason for the Yellow Jackets. First, head coach Clay Stephenson dubbed the time starting at the end of last season to the end of this year’s spring practice Separation Season. That was the time for the Calhoun Yellow Jackets as a team and as individuals to show separation from where they were some months ago to the present time. Also, they needed to show separation from the competition on the team’s depth chart. The most important thing to do was to separate themselves from their opponents. Based on the spring practices, Stephenson declared Separation Season a success.

BETWEEN THE LINES 2021 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW

The second thing that happened was not so positive. After nearly two decades at Calhoun, Michael Davis stepped down as offensive coordinator to pursue another opportunity. A new offensive coordinator stepped in, coached through the spring, then he also stepped away. Stephenson and his staff are now making adjustments to handle that responsibility going into the season. O F F ENSE Regardless of what happens outside the lines, players must play within them, and the Yellow Jackets have some guys who can get the job done.As quarterback, senior Christian Lewis will be the leader of a new offense in 2021. The faster Lewis learns the offensive the better it will be for the fate of the entire team. Ball carrying is the same regardless, and Calhoun has some good ones for that. Sophomore Caden Williams, a strong, fast, and dynamic young back will be vying for playing time with juniors Corbin Fuller, Kaleb Ray, and sophomore Trey Townsend. Catching passes will be seniors Quin Smith and the ultra-versatile Cole Speer, who is a big-time playmaker for the Yellow Jackets. Kendrick Kirby, a senior offensive guard will be a leader of an offensive line that has a great mixture of upper and lower classmen.

D E FE N S E Calhoun will have a fast and energetic defense, with athletic players like Kirby, Speer, and Smith, joined by fellow seniors. Defensive back Lex Walraven, linebacker Mason Green, and defensive linemen Jai Hogan, Derek Greene, and Jace Warren will give the defense a lot of experience in 2021. L A S T I N G T H O U GHTS Once Coach Stephenson and his staff get the responsibilities of the offense figured out and get things going, the region and Class AAAAA better beware; the Yellow Jackets are still who they are, a traditionally great program in the state of Georgia. 2021 G A M E S O F SIG N IFIC A N C E 8.20 VS DALTON Rivalry Game. Calhoun has won 9 of the last 10 matchups including a 41-14 victory last season. 9.3 VS CEDARTOWN The Yellow Jackets won the first game between the two schools since 1985 14-7 last season. 1 0.8 @ B L E S S ED TRIN ITY This region game is going to play a role in determining the region seedings. Calhoun fell 21-35 last season. 1 0 . 2 9 @ C A R T E R S V I L L E This region game is going to play a role in determining the region seedings. Calhoun fell 14-31 last season.

S CH E D U L E

8.20

10.01

Dalton

Hiram

8.27

10.08

McCallie (TN)

At Blessed Trinity

9.03

10.15

Cedartown

Woodland

9.10

10.22

At Ridgeland

Cass

9.17

10.29

At Woodstock

At Cartersville

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GORDON CENTRAL Warriors

L-R: #60 BROCK SHELLHOUSE OL/DL #13 PEYTON WILSON- QB/DB #71 ZAC PARDUE- OL/DL

TEXT: D EMAR C US DAN IE L

2020 RECORD:

3-7, overall (2-4, REGION 7-AA)

HEAD COACH:

T.J. Hamilton, 6-14 in 2 seasons as Head Coach)

BETWEEN THE LINE S

ALL TIME RECORD: 361 games - 131 - 228 - 2 (37%)

TOTAL SEASONS: 36

FIRST SEASON: 1985

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

ALL STATE PLAYERS: 20

BETWEEN THE LINES 2021 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW

T H E G O R D O N C E N T R A L W A R R I O R S are going into 2021 hoping to improve upon the 3-7 record they have finished with each of the last 3 seasons. With a somewhat good mix of experience and youth, it’s possible they can fight for a playoff position this season. This will be a young team, with quarterback Tyler Hedges being a sophomore. He and junior Peyton Wilson will battle it out in the offseason for the starting position. The running back position will be held by Sean Gray, a senior. Junior Omar Lara will tote the rock, as well as seniors Brison McGinnis and Ryan Shaw, in an attempt to raise the Warriors’ scoring average of 16 points to a higher number this season. The wide receiver and defensive back positions are up for grabs as there are a number of skilled position players who can fill the available spots on the depth chart. Senior linemen Brock Shellhouse, Paul Guerrero, Zac Pardue will be forces on both the offensive and defensive lines in 2021. Gordon Central strives to change the culture and transform this program into a winning program. It takes time to transition and in coach Hamilton’s third season, it may be time for the tide to turn.

S CH E D U L E

8.20

10.01

At Woodland,

Chattooga

Cartersville

8.27 At Northwest Whitfield

9.03 At Southeast Whitfield

10.08 At Pepperell

10.15 At Coosa

10.29 Dade County

9.17

11.05

At Gordon Lee

At Model

9.24 Fannin County

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SONORAVILLE Phoenix

L-R: #13: JEBB KNIGHT- OLB #65: JAXX KNIGHT- CENTER

TEXT: D EMAR C US DAN IE L

2020 RECORD:

5-5, overall (3-5, REGION 6-AAA)

HEAD COACH:

Denver Pate 18-23 in 4 seasons at Sonoraville.

BETWEEN THE LINE S

ALL TIME RECORD: 157 games - 65 - 92 - 0 (41%)

TOTAL SEASONS: 15

FIRST SEASON: 2006

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

ALL STATE PLAYERS: 6

BETWEEN THE LINES 2021 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW

O NE YEAR R EMOVE D F R O M M A K I N G A PL A Y O FF A PPE ARA N C E , and starting the 2020 season off 2-0, the Phoenix missed the postseason. The Phoenix won the games they were supposed to win, but they lost all of them they weren’t favored to win. For the next level of success that Sonoraville is seeking, that trend must change. The Phoenix has a good, talented mix of experience and youth on this 2021 roster. On offense Sonoraville has junior running back Zach Lyles and senior center Jaxx Knight to lead the offense. After graduating multi-year starter Brady Lackey, Coach Pate and his staff will have to find a starting quarterback from the candidates they have on the roster. On defense, senior linebacker Jebb Knight will lead a mostly experienced group to try to improve upon a defense that gave up 33 points on average per game last year. A not-so-friendly region schedule lines up the same way as it did in 2020, when the Phoenix lost 5 consecutive games. It’s going to take a surprise win to return to the playoffs in 2021.

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S CH E D U L E

8.20

10.08

At Model

Murray County

9.03

10.15

At Chattooga

At Adairsville

9.17

10.22

Rockmart

LaFayette

9.24

10.29

At North Murray

At Ringgold

10.01

11.05

Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe

At Coahulla Creek

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CHATTOOGA Indians

L-R: #8 DEVON HEROCH LB/FB #25 SHAUN LESTER-TB/FS

TEXT: D E M ARC US DAN I E L

2020 RECORD:

3-8 overall (2-4, REGION 7-AA)

HEAD COACH:

Shawn Peek (3-8 CHS, 1 season at Chattooga; 3-18 overall)

ALL TIME RECORD: 626 games - 299-314-13 (49%)

TOTAL SEASONS: 61

FIRST SEASON: 1961

ALL STATE PLAYERS: 29 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2 (1974 LAST)

BETWEEN THE LINE S

2020 RE VIE W New job, new location, new life experience, the pandemic. 2020 was a true test of perseverance and handling adversity for Coach Shawn Peek and the Chattooga High School Indians football team. Coach Peek took the job in January of 2020 and shortly after, nothing was normal. “We started and stopped, started and stopped, started and stopped,” says Peek. “We had a two-week period in the middle of the season where we were sent home. Then we finished our season playing our last four regular season games and a playoff game in 19 days, which was a disaster. We played on a Friday, then the following Tuesday, then Saturday again, followed by another week of Tuesday and Saturday. We shouldn’t have done it.”

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

“We wanted to play the games, as they were all region games,” Peek says. “We wanted to get them all in, but in hindsight, we should not have done that.” Peek explains, “We fought and struggled thru it, made a lot of mistakes and learned a bunch too. We finished the season strong despite the obstacles or the final score.” He adds, “We made it to the playoffs and played that game with 28 kids. It was one of the best games we played all season. 2020 was a tough year, but we finished well.” 2021 P RE VIE W Coach Peek is positive things will be different this year. “We will be experienced, as we are an older team,” he says. “We have some guys that have been around for years. We will

BETWEEN THE LINES 2021 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW

put a better product on the field this year, partly because of what we went through.” O F F ENSE Chattooga will feature senior Lashaun Lester, who has rushed for over 3,000 yards in his high school career at running back. Senior Jaylon Johnson will again be counted on to make big plays receiving and edge blocking. Other receivers include senior Rowan Burdick, an athlete that never comes off the field and junior Damien Smith. Different two-way players will fill the tight end position for the Indians. The offensive line is an experienced group that must get into season form. Continuing to create holes for Lester and keeping the quarterback upright sounds simpler than it really is. Peek says, “These experienced players are up for it.” At quarterback, there’s a two-headed monster in senior Brody Mobbs and sophomore Nic Hester. Both are athletes that played receiver and defensive back last season, so it will be interesting to see what they can do under the center. D EF ENSE In the middle of the Indians’ defense this year will be senior linebacker Devon Heroch, who led the team in tackles in 2020.

The defensive line will feature senior Zander Cook-Harris, who made over 90 tackles last season, which is a big number for a defensive lineman. Joining him up front will be senior Carter Lowenburg, who is described as a true leader. The defensive backfield will include Burdick, Johnson, Hester, and Mobbs. L A S T I N G T H O U GHTS “After such a trying season in 2020,” Peek says, “it’s awesome that most of the players get to come back and try to experience some type of normal season before they leave high school.” “What happened should help them be able to handle most things in football and in life,” Peek says. “We want to be a team that knows how to handle adversity in sports and life. We teach them about life, and about how life is hard, and how football is also.” Peek explains, “We want to teach them things that matter in the real world so they won’t curl up in the fetal position or hide in a hole when things get tough. We want to be resilient in the same way in life, school, and on the football field.”

S CH E D U L E

8.20

10.01

Adairsville

At Gordon Central

8.27

10.08

At Pickens

At Coosa

9.03

10.15

Sonoraville

Dade County

9.10

10.22

At Northwest Whitfield

At Fannin County

9.24

10.29

Model

Pepperell

2021 G A M E S O F SIG N IFIC A N C E Chattooga is looking forward to playing games with a full roster and a regular schedule, especially region games.

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TRION Bulldogs

L-R: #4 LOGAN ELLER-QB #33 BRANTLEY WILLBANKS-DL/LB #26 ROB BROWN- RB

2020 RECORD:

3-7, overall (1-4, REGION 6-A PUBLIC)

HEAD COACH:

Sean Patrick 3-7, 1 season at Trion

ALL TIME RECORD:

920 games 546 - 354 - 20 (60%) TOTAL SEASONS: 87 FIRST SEASON: 1933

ALL STATE PLAYERS: 69 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS: 12 (2003 LAST)

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2 (1974 LAST)

BETWEEN THE LINE S

T E XT: D E M A RC US D A N IE L 2020 RE VIE W In 2020, the pandemic football season was hard enough as it was, with all the precautions and extras that it took to have a season. For the Trion Bulldogs, however, injuries also reared their ugly head. For example, their starting quarterback suffered a broken leg in the first game of the season. “We finished last season with a disappointing record,” says Head Coach Sean Patrick, “but our kids, a young team that battled injuries and quarantines, fought hard. There were several games that we had an opportunity to

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

win and didn’t make enough plays in the end.” 2021 P RE VIE W In 2021, Coach Patrick and his Bulldogs will be an experienced football team. After only having four seniors last year, they return the bulk of their team. “We should be much improved,” says Patrick. “Our kids have had an amazing offseason, and we’re looking forward to an amazing 2021 season.” OFFE N SE Senior running back Rob Brown, who

BETWEEN THE LINES 2021 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW

amassed over 1,200 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2020 returns to lead the Bulldogs’ offense with the expectation of another big season. Another pair of seniors, tight end Cole Cavin and offensive tackle Kaleb Park, look to lead the charge upfront. Offensive lineman Ezra Adams and quarterback Logan Eller return from 2020 injuries with hopes of making huge impacts on the team. D EF ENSE On defense, defensive specialist Brantley Willbanks looks to return as a dominant force again in 2021. Willbanks and defensive end Ben Allen, as well as sophomores safety Toby Maddux and linebacker Lucas Stoker, look to be the leaders of a defense with plans to stop the opposing teams in their tracks. L ASTING T H OUGH T S In Coach Patrick’s second season at the helm, look for his team to be a hardnosed group, scratching and clawing their way into the playoffs. “Our kids work so hard and sacrifice so much for one another,” Patrick says. “Our team motto is: F.A.M.I.L.Y., which stands for Forget About Me I Love You. Our kids are the epitome of this phrase. They care more about team success than their own individual success. I’ve seen a lot of our kids put aside personal wants for the betterment of our team. We have an amazing group of kids.” 2 0 2 1 GA M ES OF S IG NIF I CA N CE 9. 2 4 VS BOWDON The Bulldogs have lost two consecutive games to Bowden. 11. 5 @ GO RDON L E E Trion lost two consecutive games to their archrivals, the Gordon Lee Trojans.

S CH E D U L E

8.27

10.01

Coosa

Southeast Whitfield

9.03

10.15

Model

At B.E.S.T Academy (EH)(D)

9.10 At Dade County

9.17 Cedar Bluff (Alabama)

9.24 Bowdon

10.22 At Armuchee

10.29 Mt. Zion, Carroll

11.05 At Gordon Lee

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CEDARTOWN Bulldogs

2020 RECORD:

8-3, overall (3-0, REGION 7-AAAA)

L-R: #7 DASHAWN WARE-OLB, RB, WR #27 CJ WASHINGTON-LB/RB #13 JORDAN JOHNSON-WR

HEAD COACH:

Jamie Abrams (8-3 CDT, 23-10-1 career), 1 season as Cedartown Head Coach

ALL TIME RECORD:

1024 games 610 - 379 - 35 (61%)

T E XT: D E M A RC US D A N IE L

TOTAL SEASONS: 112

FIRST SEASON: 1907

ALL STATE PLAYERS: 80 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS: 12 (2020 LAST)

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1 (1963 LAST)

BETWEEN THE LINE S

2020 RE VIE W In the Cedartown Bulldogs’ first season in a new region, they won the region championship. After playing a particularly difficult schedule, and having three games cancelled due to COVID, the Bulldogs finished the 2020 season with an 8-3 record and advanced to the AAAA quarterfinals.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

OFFE N SE Coach Jamie Abrams made it known in his first season that his offense will be based on running the ball, and the Bulldogs exhibited just that week after week with strong play from their Wing-T offense. Four different ball carriers had more than 50 carries and three of them had more than 500 yards on the ground. In all, the Bulldogs had over 2,800 yards rushing total for the season

BETWEEN THE LINES 2021 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW

with averages of 259 yards rushing per game and an outstanding 7.3 yards per carry as a team. Opponents can look forward to more of the same in 2021 with senior CJ Washington returning, in addition to junior running backs Harlem Diamond (2020 leading rusher) and Patrick Gardener. But don’t load the box, junior quarterback Reece Tanner can and will throw the ball when called upon.

S CH E D U L E

D EF ENSE On defense, the Bulldogs will build upon last year and the philosophy of relentless pursuit of the ball and forcing the opponents to conduct long drives in their attempts to score. Washington will be counted on to pressure the opposing running backs and quarterbacks as he led Cedartown’s defense in both sacks and tackles for loss last season. Other players applying pressure will be seniors defensive end Demarieo Sims and defensive back Donald Knight. L ASTING T H OUGH T S Abrams told us last year that his team would “play with relentless effort,” powered by a mission statement saying just that: “To have relentless effort on and off the field.” The goal this year is to build upon last year and advance further as the Bulldogs are likely to be one of the top teams in GHSA Class AAAA in 2021. 2 0 2 1 GA M ES OF S IG NIF I CA N CE 8.2 7 VS R OC KM ART Cedartown lost to their county rival 10-21 at their place last season, their 4th straight loss to the Yellow Jackets. 9. 3 @ CA L H OUN The Bulldogs look to avenge a 7-point loss at home to the Yellow Jackets last season.

8.20

10.01

At Denmark

At Pickens

8.27

10.08

Rockmart

Northwest Whitfield

9.03

10.15

At Calhoun

Ridgeland

9.10

10.29

New Manchester

At Central, Carroll

9.17

11.05

At Heard County

Heritage, Catoosa

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ROCKMART Yellow Jackets

L-R: #24 DAQUAN BANKS-LB #4 JAKARI CLARK-WR/DB #3 DEDRIC GIBSON-DB

TEXT: D E M ARC US DAN I E L 20 2 0 REVIE W The Rockmart Yellow Jackets moved up a classification in 2020 and had a fantastic season by most coaches’ standards. However, Coach Biff Parson’s second goal was not reached: to play in and win game 15. In a situation as strange as the 2020 pandemic season itself, the Yellow Jackets ended up playing a GHSA AAA powerhouse in the second round of the playoffs instead of a potential matchup in the state

2020 RECORD: 9-2 (7-0, REGION 7-AA)

HEAD COACH:

Biff Parson (52-10, 4 region championships and one state championship game appearance in 5 seasons at Rockmart; 62-30 overall)

ALL TIME RECORD:

871 games - 461 - 384 - 26 (54%) TOTAL SEASONS: 97 FIRST SEASON: 1923

ALL STATE PLAYERS: 61 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS: 12 (2020 LAST)

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1 (1950 LAST)

BETWEEN THE LINE S

championship game. The two schools battled to a triple overtime thriller that Rockmart came up on the short end of. 2021 P RE VIE W If you want to hear Coach Parson complain about how last year went, he’s not that type of coach. He’s going back to work on the two main goals he established at Rockmart High School: to win the region championship (RHS has won the last four region championships) and to play in and win game 15. “However we get there and whatever it takes is what we want to do,” Parson says. “We have lots of experience returning from last year. This team has 14 seniors, and we are possibly as deep as we’ve ever been across the board.” He adds, “Our juniors and sophomores are big classes, about 20 players in each class. And we have to develop the upcoming 9th grade class to see where they fit in the grand scheme of things.” OFFE N SE Rockmart has a quarterback competition for the starting job this season. Senior Mason Phillips and Sophomore JD Davis are battling it out to see who will be the triggerman in 2021. The Yellow Jackets return a stable of running backs this season. There is senior

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

Keyshaun McCollough, juniors Lanear McCrary and JoJo Haynes, and sophomore Brent Washington. All these players had more than 400 yards total offense each and they all scored touchdowns. Another back, junior Tyshawn Johnson was hurt in the first game of 2020 and missed the entire season. Parson is looking forward to seeing what Johnson brings to the team this year, along with other talented sophomores and freshmen with the potential to be effective in 2021. At receiver, the Yellow Jackets will have senior Jakari Clark, juniors Dennis Sims and Grant Lisk (TE), along with other talented players for depth at the position. Parson doesn’t really worry about his talent at the skill positions and is proud to say: “We’ve been blessed for my five years here with a lot of good skill position guys.” Up front, the Yellow Jackets are replacing two linemen from last year. Look for seniors Clayton Floyd and Tay Middlebrooks to step into these spots, with both having the experience of playing since they were freshmen. Parson says, “We feel good about the hogs up front.” D E FE N SE Defensively, Rockmart has a lot of starters and experience returning, only having to

BETWEEN THE LINES 2021 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW

replace one lineman, a linebacker, and a safety. In the trenches, Floyd and Middlebrooks will be counted on for leadership at both lines of scrimmage. At linebacker, Daquan Banks will be a four-year starter, leading a crew of himself, fellow seniors Terrian Webb, Lanear McCrary, and Brent Washington, as well as sophomore JJ Stocks, whom Parson describes as “so long and fast.” The defensive backfield is deep and talented. Rockmart has a stable of cornerbacks, featuring last year’s region 7-AAA interception leader, senior Deidric Gibson. He is accompanied by Tyshawn Johnson, Jakari Clark, JoJo Haynes, and Keyshaun McCollough.

“We’re trying to groom and direct them to make sure they do what we’ve always done,” Parson explains, “and work to make it better. We always adjust the culture to raise the bar, starting in the locker room. If they like each other and play for each other, it’s easy. If they’re coachable, it’s easy.” Rockmart has had one coaching change in the 5-year Biff Parson era, so the continuity of the coaching staff is really good. But the coaches don’t suit up and hit the field. “At the end of the day,” Parson says, “the players gotta show up on Friday nights. They have to do their due diligence Monday thru Thursday to prepare themselves and be ready for Friday nights, because at any point any of their numbers can and will be called.”

L ASTING T H OUGH T S “The performance of this team will come back to the leadership of this senior class and what kind of identity they will have,” says Parson. “Each senior class has a different leadership style and unique identity.” Parson continues: “We gotta see if this team is a mentally tough team, and physically tough. Can they prepare well? Will they workout in the weight room well? Will they bond together? Will we have to separate cliques? We must make sure the older guys don’t just stay together around each other.”

2021 G A M E S O F SIG N IFIC A N C E 8 . 2 0 V S R O M E A rematch of the 2020 Corky Kell Classic Game at Rome’s Barron Stadium. Rockmart came away on the short end with a 7-point loss (21-28). 8.27 @ CEDARTOWN The annual Battle for Polk County. Rockmart is 4-1 in this series with Parson at the helm with only one game decided by less than three touchdowns, last year’s 21-10 Yellow Jacket win. 1 0 . 1 V S N O R T H M U R R A Y This was a tough region game last year that Rockmart won 49-42 in Chatsworth.

S CH E D U L E

8.20

10.08

Rome

At Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe

8.27

10.15

At Cedartown

At Murray County

9.10

10.22

Coahulla Creek

Adairsville

9.17

10.29

At Sonoraville

At LaFayette

10.01

11.05

North Murray

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021

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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2021