WGW Friday Night Lights 2023 Football Preview

Blue Devils set to flip

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Volume 3

August 2023

WGW Sports: Fall Football Preview

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This publication is dedicated in loving memory of Tristan Alexander Brooks May 15, 1993 – September 17, 2015

Red Devils Aim To Retain Peach State Reign

Back to business in Bowdon as defending state champs

Following an offseason of celebration and revelry upon delivering the third state championship in program history and first in three decades, it’s back to business for the Bowdon High School football program this fall.

Red Devil head coach Rich Fendley engineered a run for the ages in 2022 behind a 14-1 campaign and Class A Division II state crown, and the message moving forward is to sustain that standard of success.

So the 2023 Red Devils understand the expectations and are well aware that nothing will be handed to them as the reigning state champs.

And that’s just how they like it.

“The culture’s been established at Bowdon. This will be Year 6 with our staff there. Other than Year 1, we’ve been a top-five football team four years in a row,” Fendley said. “So our expectations are high and our players know what those expectations are and know what those practices are like.

“We had a really good summer, and our players are confident in our coaching staff and our football team. At the same time, they do know that it is not last year’s team. Our preseason ranking is based on last year, and we know that we’ve got to earn our keep.”

While there is a Red Devil reload with a tremendous amount of returning talent, there are also some holes to fill – namely on the line of scrimmage and under center.

Bowdon was hit hard by graduation in the trenches on both sides of the ball, while they will also have to replace four-year starter and threetime all-state quarterback Robert McNeal, who is now at East Tennessee State University. The offense must also replace all-state tailback TJ Harvison, now with Pittsburgh, as well as all-state linemen Mason Bailey and Asher Christopher.

Of course, that’s something every program deals with year-in and year-out, and Fendley has two options to take the reins of the Red Devil offense this fall in transfers Kyler McGrinn and Devan Powell.

McGrinn joined the Bowdon program at the start of the summer following three years at Cleburne County in Alabama, while Powell proved to be a last-minute addition upon transferring from nearby Central High.

With each proven play-maker possessing the skill set to line up at other positions, Fendley anticipates both contributing, in some form or fashion, and was going to let the QB battle play out during the preseason.

“We don’t try to make any statements about what’s going to happen. We’re going to let our two quarterbacks decide all that on the field,” Fendley said. “Obviously, we’ve got one player who’s been here all summer. So he’s kind of ahead of the game in that. I can’t say enough good things about him. We’re pumped that we have another capable quarterback. He’s been doing some good things at practice, too. We have two guys who can lead us down the field, and we’re pumped about that. But right now it’s (Kyler’s) job to lose to somebody. So we’re going to let all that be decided on the field.”

For his part, McGrinn noted how it’s been an ideal transition upon stepping across state lines for his senior season.

“I’ve been here a little over two months, and I feel like I’ve already established a great relationship with these guys,” McGrinn said. “As soon as I came here, they were very welcoming. They’ve got a lot of trust in me, and I’ve got a lot of trust in them. I’m ready to go to war with them on Friday nights.”

One of the guys who will be critical to the success of the Bowdon offense, regardless of who’s lining up at quarterback, is junior center Jackson Edwards, one of the few returning linemen with experience this fall.

“We’re all young. I started working with them all the way back in January. We have three sophomores starting on the O-line, and I’m a junior. We’re just young right now,” Edwards said. “But our expectations are to keep on being dominant on the ground and in the air this year.”

Some of the other key weapons returning on offense include multi-position senior standout Jordan Beasley, 6-foot-6 Division I recruit Kaiden Prothro as a sophomore wideout, senior Chris Wyatt at another receiver slot, junior tailback Luke Windom and junior fullback Dylan Akins.

Wyatt, who missed all of the 2022 campaign due to an ACL injury, is arguably the hungriest guy to suit up in Black and Red this fall, and he’s ready to leave it all on the field for one last goaround.

“I really grinded to get back on the field. I was going at it for a smooth seventh months straight.

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I was going every day working to get back on the field,” Wyatt said. “I’m hungry. I really am. I haven’t touched the field in 365 days. I’ve been waiting to get back out here.”

Defensively, Beasley, Wyatt and Edwards will serve as cornerstones to that unit, as well, joined by the Vilsaint brothers on the D-line – Zatavien and Zatorien – a senior and sophomore, respectively.

Fendley is also looking for quality production from sophomore defensive back Berkley Perkins, who came on strong at the end of his freshman campaign in 2022, along with junior linebackers Mason Daniel and Dylan McGrinn.

For the second consecutive season, the Red Devils roll right into the campaign with three highlyanticipated non-region battles against Manchester, Central and rival Bremen, hitting the road the first two weeks before welcoming the

State Farm Bloomington, IL

Bowdon

Red Devils Roster

No. 1 Kaiden Prothro

No. 2 Kyler McGrinn

No. 3 Mason Daniel

No. 4 Chris Wyatt

No. 5 Berkley Perkins

No. 6 Dylan McGrinn

No. 7 Devan Powell

No. 7 Luke Windom

No. 8 Jordan Beasley

No. 9 Dylan Akins

No. 10 Flow Anduaku

No. 12 Conner Daniel

No. 13 JaMichael Jones

No. 14 Keilan Prothro

No. 15 Patrick Bright

No. 16 Jack South

No. 17 Zander Langley

No. 18 Tanner Britt

No. 19 Derrick Phillips

No. 33 Xavier Lee

No. 34 Sawyer Smith

No. 35 Presley Kidd

No. 43 Austin Crumbley

No. 44 Jaxon Ledbetter

No. 50 Zatavien Vilsaint

No. 51 Lane Nolen

No. 52 Jason Anariba

No. 54 Zatorien Vilsaint

No. 55 Jackson Edwards

No. 56 Austin Stephens

No. 57 Davion Houston

No. 58 Stewart Powell

No. 59 Brayden Swafford

No. 61 Malykie Vickers

No. 62 Coby Wiggins

No. 63 Phisher Perkins

No. 65 Hunter Kendrick

No. 66 J.J. McEwen

“The biggest thing is you want to come out of those 11 weeks healthy,” Fendley said. “Those two open weeks benefitted us last year. We had some injuries at the end of the year and we had two weeks to get healed up for the region championship game. Any way you spin it, Game 10 will be for a region championship.”

For the second straight year, the Red Devils are in a three-team region with Christian Heritage and

Blue Devils Set To Flip The Script

Bremen returns bevy of upperclassmen for region run

The Bremen High School football team is set to flip the script this fall.

Following a season that culminated in a pair of narrow, heartbreaking setbacks in region play landing the Blue Devils a No. 4 seed for the Class AAA state playoffs, eighth-year Bremen head coach Davis Russell expects his veteran ballclub to change the narrative in 2023 and turn those close losses into victories and contend for the league crown in 6-AAA.

“We’ve got all these guys back, and I feel like if we’re not four or seven points better this year, we haven’t done a very good job,” Russell said. “I feel like this year is the year we close that gap and have a chance to win that first region title since Bremen was in single-A.”

Bremen returns a bevy of upperclassmen starters this fall, a group that is determined to turn the page and prove that experience and resiliency pays off in the long run.

“This team is really close. We’re all a family, and we know that we will win games that we need to this year,” noted senior lineman Evan Brown. “We’ve prepared very well this offseason, and we’re a lot more disciplined than we were last year.”

Brown, who is moving from tight end to the O-line this season, headlines a unit that features three other returning starters in junior tackle Andrew Muldoon,

senior guard Watson Hembree and junior center Shepherd Hodge, the latter of whom had already won his coach over before taking an official snap in 2023.

“He’s my favorite player just because of his haircut. He has a bald head and plays center, just like me,” Russell cracked.

The Blue Devils return junior Trent McPherson and senior Parr Folsom in the backfield, while junior Thomas Mann takes over at tight end and senior Jonah Hatchett serves as the Swiss Army knife for the Bremen attack.

“He kind of does everything. He plays in the backfield, plays fullback, plays tight end. Does everything. Fill the water coolers. He’s our go-to guy. We’re glad to have him back,” Russell said. “He makes us multiple.”

The receiving corps includes seniors Ayden Haney and Owen Millians, sophomore Justin Faulkner and junior Aiden Price, who started all 11 games at quarterback for Bremen in 2022.

The coaching staff opted to make the change and shift Price – who will also start in the secondary on defense – to the perimeter and put the offense in the hands of junior signal-caller Carson Kimball.

The Blue Devil play-makers anticipate more of a high-powered attack this fall with so many skill players, along with the core of the O-line, all

returning.

“Our offense is going to open up a little bit more than last year. We’ve got Carson Kimball starting at quarterback, and I think he’s going to do us well,” Haney said. “We’re going to be a lot more versatile and a lot more explosive this year.”

The cupboard is also full on the defensive side of the ball, although the Blue Devil ‘D’ will have to replace Barrett Greenhaw, a top contributor from the 2022 squad.

Bremen is deep in the secondary with Haney and fellow senior Zyler Crane at the corners and juniors Dylan Huey and Price at safety, while seniors Brody Barrow and Hatchett will also see plenty of time in the defensive backfield.

McPherson and Folsom return at inside linebacker, joined by seniors AJ Sanders and Cam O’Neal, an all-region performer last year. Brown and junior Landon Olivares are expected to serve as stalwarts on the ends.

“We’ve got a pretty good nucleus coming back on defense. So we’ve got a good bunch coming back on both sides that we’re excited about,” Russell said.

Another key performer who can flip the field on special teams is senior kicker/punter Wyatt MathisKline.

“He did a lot of good for us last year, especially punting the football,” Russell said.

Following preseason scrimmages against Rockmart and Mount Zion, the Blue Devils officially opened the 2023 campaign with a trio of rivalry bouts against Heard County, Haralson County and Bowdon, respectively, the first three weeks of the season.

Bremen played host to the Braves on Aug. 18 and hits the road to face the Rebels and Red Devils leading up to an open date before the start of Region 6-AAA action.

“It’s kind of crazy. Everybody has one rival and we have three, apparently. So we’re supposed to get up three times in a row for rivals,” Russell said. “Heard, Haralson and

Bowdon are fun games for us. I swear when you get into region play, the atmosphere feels like a JV game after those three. Not the competition, but the atmosphere because of getting to play in those first three.”

Crane noted how the non-region slate has the potential to set the tone for the season, as well as serving as a tremendous way to get the local fan base fired up for high school football in the west Georgia region.

“It’s a huge thing. We’re all really big rivals and our whole communities come out. The stands are packed,” Crane said. “It’s always a good ballgame to be at. It’s a heck of a way to start your season.”

The official postseason push begins Sept. 15 when Bremen welcomes Gordon Lee to Redding Field, marking the first of seven 6-AAA slugfests.

Adairsville is the reigning region champion, while Ringgold finished as the No. 2 seed, followed by Coahulla Creek and Bremen.

The Blue Devils suffered a 14-7 setback to Adairsville and fell in a 14-10 tussle to Coahulla Creek, games that turned the tide in the region standings when all was said and done last year.

The returning players still have a bad taste in their mouth from how things unfolded, and they’re ready to do something about it this fall.

“I believe that with the structure of our offense this year and so many returning guys that know what they’re doing and know how to do it well, we’re going to be a force to be reckoned with in our region,” Hatchett said. “We’re hungry because of how last year turned out.”

And for a group of seniors who have been playing together since they were little scamps at the rec ball

level, they’re excited to have one last go-around representing Blue Devil football.

“It’s sad that it’s the last run, but we’re going to make the most of the opportunity we get,” Haney said. “We’ve been playing together for years and we’re brothers now at this point. Just one big family. So that makes you want to go give it your all and not let your teammate down.”

On the heels of back-to-back 5-6 finishes, Bremen is going all-in this fall to construct a Blue Devil bounce-back campaign.

“The main thing we’ve preached all summer is consistency,” Hatchett said. “Good teams lull here and lull there, but great teams don’t lull at all. That’s what we’re trying to do is get so good at what we do, we don’t ever have to take a step back. I think that’s what will set us apart this year.”

WGW

Bremen Blue Devils Roster

No. 0 Justin Faulkner

No. 1 Aiden Price

No. 2 Dylan Huey

No. 3 Wyatt Mathis-Kline

No. 4 Brody Barrow

No. 5 Jaishaun Jones

No. 6 Parr Folsom

No. 7 Carson Kimball

No. 8 Bo Dudley

No. 9 Cam O’Neal

No. 10 Ryder Hanes

No. 11 Owen Millians

No. 12 A.J. Sanders

No. 13 Carter Allen

No. 14 Ayden Haney

No. 16 Elijah Ellison

No. 17 Eli Brock

No. 18 Chase Palmer

No. 19 Brannon Dunn

No. 20 Jamal Stevenson

No. 21 Adam Chapman

No. 22 Trent McPherson

No. 23 Landon Hannah

No. 24 Zyler Crane

No. 25 Cole Pruitt

No. 26 Brayden Overbey

No. 28 Thomas Mann

No. 29 Aiden Forister

No. 30 Brock Newland

No. 31 Dee Patterson

No. 32 Cade Hanes

No. 33 Jonah Hatchett

No. 34 Canton Thompson

No. 35 Landon Olivares

No. 36 Thacker Dudley

No. 37 Atticus Phipps

No. 38 Mitchell Perren

No. 39 Xander Rojo

No. 40 Kane Williams

No. 41 Fischer Boyles

No. 42 Tucker Karr

No. 43 Gavin Dale

No. 44 Elijah Strong

No. 45 R.J. Shuller

No. 46 Ryan Sudo

No. 47 Bo Brown

No. 48 Conlan Braun

No. 50 Evan Brown

No. 51 Blake Wiggins

No. 52 Andrew Muldoon

No. 53 Trent Haney

No. 54 Justin Eleton

No. 55 Ridge Winkles

No. 58 Watson Hembree

No. 59 Shepherd Hodge

No. 61 Zeke Haney

No. 65 Nathaniel Veneables

No. 66 Elijah Heflin

No. 67 Kason Christian

No. 68 Zaden Worthy

No. 69 Aiden Singleton

No. 70 Landon Boyd

No. 71 Ben Causey

No. 72 Caleb Elliott

No. 73 Alonzo Edmerson

No. 76 Jack Bearden

No. 77 Bryson Jenkins

No. 78 Kohlton Henderson

No. 79 Ethan Stembridge

No. 80 Owen Payne

No. 81 Blake Taylor

No. 82 Canaan McDowell

No. 83 Khyrei Campbell

No. 84 Landon Woody

No. 85 Samuel Skinner

No. 86 Russell Tollefson

Trojans Embracing The Expectations

Aug. 18

Aug. 25

Sept. 1

Sept. 8

Sept. 15

Sept. 22

Sept. 29

Oct. 6

Oct. 13

Oct. 20

Oct. 27

Nov. 3

date Opponent vs. Langston Hughes vs. South Paulding at Rome vs. Villa Rica vs. Jenkins at Hillgrove OPEN at East Coweta* vs. Pebblebrook* vs. Westlake* at Campbell* OPEN

*Indicates Region 2-AAAAAAA contest

The storylines are plentiful in and around Grisham Stadium these days. Fresh off a run to the state championship game with a slew of Division I recruits returning, the Carrollton High School football team has plans to contend for the Class AAAAAAA crown once again this fall.

But first things first, it was a matter of getting all the pieces to that potential title puzzle under one roof and into routine for the 2023 season, which is now here for third-year Trojan head coach Joey King.

“Spring recruiting was 100 miles an hour and then the summer program, so this is the time of the year it gets exciting,” King said. “As you go throughout the weeks of the summer, it becomes a grind and lull at times. But as soon as you start that official practice, that’s when the excitement gets in the air a little bit. The band was practicing the other day while we were out there practicing, so just getting to hear them and the drumline pick back up, we know that it’s here.”

Carrollton reached the state championship game last season despite fielding a relatively young team, a learning experience that will hopefully reap rewards as it settles in for the long haul of another fall campaign.

Carrollton not allowing outside noise to be a factor this fall

“I think it’s just fueled the fire a little bit, especially from a leadership standpoint,” King said. “I feel really good about our core group of guys that we have and the direction that we’re headed. We’re still young in some spots, but we do have some seniors. So I think we have the ingredients and the balance to have a really successful team.”

Of course, the national spotlight has shined brightest on sophomore sensation Julian “Ju Ju” Lewis, who received the ranking as the No. 1 prospect – among all high school classes – in the nation by ESPN.

After narrowing his collegiate suitors down to eight Division I powerhouses over the summer, Lewis announced his commitment to the University of Southern California on Tuesday, Aug. 22.

The Carrollton signal-caller had a season unlike anything ever seen in the state of Georgia by a freshman last fall, more than living up to the hype of his arrival to the high school level.

Lewis completed 283-of-432 pass attempts for 4,118 yards and 48 touchdowns with 12 interceptions, including a record-shattering 531yard passing performance in the state championship setback to Mill Creek.

“I’m definitely excited about him and the stuff that

he brings to the table. I guess the area that I’m most excited about is how he’s grown as a young man and taken a leadership role,” King said. “Last year, as a freshman, it’s kind of hard to step in and lead. But we saw him grow in that capacity as the year progressed and he’s done a great job this offseason and really rallies the troops behind him. If he continues to lead, he’s going to be a special one.”

Lewis has remained poised under pressure, on and off the field, and continues to make his No. 1 priority his high school football career and camaraderie with his Trojan teammates and coaches.

“I’ve been talked about and dealt with the exposure stuff for a while. I’m not really too worried about it now. It’s football season time,” Lewis said. “Everybody saw what we did last year, so the expectations are there. But it’s not really any different than what we did last year.”

The cupboard is full once again with play-makers aplenty in the Trojan attack, including senior tight end/receiver Caleb Odom – who committed to the University of Alabama over the summer – along with Ryan Mosley, Christian Ward and A.J. McNeil on the perimeter and Jordan White at tight end.

The Trojans were also excited for the return of senior tailback Bryce Hicks – a preseason all-state

selection and pillar of the program on and off the field – but he suffered a serious leg injury in the opening minutes of the season opener against Langston Hughes on Aug. 18 and is likely out for the remainder of the year.

It’s proven to be a tough pill to swallow, and the Trojans will look to overcome the loss of their senior leader and channel his spirit onto the field every week from here on out.

On the O-line, Carrollton brings back starters Godgift Dudley and R.J. Sizemore, along with sophomore nose tackle and Alabama commit Zykie Helton. Cole Norred, Chastan Sheffield and Mateo Wells are also expected to serve as integral components to the Trojan front.

“The offensive line could be, potentially, better than it was last year. We’ve just got to make sure we focus on doing what we’re supposed to do to play the way we’re supposed to play,” King said.

Odom, a dynamic play-maker in the passing attack and ideal target behind his 6-foot-6-inch frame, is looking for the offense to produce even more firepower this fall.

“Last year’s offense was really good, but I feel that we’re already there or even better. We’ve got some young receivers with Ryan (Mosley) and Christian

(Ward) coming up, so I try to set an example for those guys,” Odom said.

The run game will likely feature multiple backs to help make up for the loss of Hicks, as sophomore Kimauri Farmer showed his potential with several impressive carries in the season opener.

On the defensive side of the ball, Christian Kelley and Jacob Ricks return on the line, while Helton, Zion Cooley, D.A. Logan, Jabari Elder and Jacob Levy – who became a national champion on the mat in the heavyweight division over the summer – are also primed to serve as powerful forces in the Trojan trenches.

“We’ve got a lot of guys back and even of the guys who are projected to play, I don’t think we’ve even got a senior who’s really projected to play on the defensive line,” King said.

On the back end, senior Keshun Johnson serves as one of the leaders in the secondary, joined by multiyear starter Kelvin Hill, along with the talents of Jadyn Thompson, Kameron McClure, Montreze Smith and Devontae Hagan, among others, taking on key roles.

The Trojans understand they’ll be going up against a host of elite offenses upon competing in the highest classification in the state, but the silver lining is they get to line up against a pretty talented opposition

The Carroll County Animal Shelter Needs YOUR Help!

The number of animals being brought to the shelter far exceeds the number being adopted. The community can help in the following ways:

• Choose to adopt your next pet.

• Realize a pet is a long-term commitment. There are costs associated with ownership – please be sure you are prepared for both.

• Please consider fostering an animal. This gets the animal out of the shelter and will give you a chance to see if the pet is a good fit for your family.

• Support the shelter financially. On average, 3,500 animals are brought to the shelter each year. For each dog, the vetting and chipping costs are around $55, if they are ill, injured or pregnant, the costs are more. That's a minimum cost of $192,500 per year, and animal intake is rising.

• Have your pet spayed or neutered. This is not an immediate fix, but it does slow down future unwanted, unhomed dogs and cats.

The animal shelter is offering low cost spay and neutering days in the upcoming months – visit the website at www.carrollcountyga.com/149/Animal-Shelter or Facebook for more info.

There are two local entities helping the shelter through fundraising efforts: Full Circle Rescue and Fur Babies Cat Cafe. Their fundraising goal is to support mobile spay/neuter options throughout Carroll County. Email furbabiescatcafe@gmail.com to learn how you can help.

every day in practice leading up to Friday night.

“We’re confident going into the season, but our focus is just on the task at hand. We want to go 1-0 every week,” Johnson said. “There’s always room for improvement. We want to get better in any spot we can, no matter what it is. But we’re just focused on what’s in front of us each week.”

Carrollton opened the season on Aug. 18. Four of its first five games are at Grisham Stadium –including the nationally-televised (ESPN2) thriller against defending Class AAAAAA state champion Langston Hughes that resulted in a 39-34 setback in the Aug. 18 opener – one of the most compelling games and finishes across the entire Peach State for Week 1.

After hosting South Paulding in Week 2, the Trojans hit the road for a rumble in Rome against the former region rival to kick off the month of September.

Villa Rica and Jenkins mark back-to-back home games before the non-region finale at Hillgrove.

Carrollton has an open date on Sept. 29 to gear up for the Region 2 grind, a four-game slate versus Westlake, East Coweta, Campbell and

Pebblebrook.

Westlake finished as the region runner-up last season and reached the state quarterfinals – also having its campaign come to a close against Mill Creek.

But there is much football to be played between now and then, and the No. 1 objective for the Trojans is to take each week and opponent as they come and prepare to peak when it matters most.

“I feel like we’ve grown a lot, especially some of the younger guys developing their bodies and their game. I feel like the offense is getting more in-tune,” White said. “We’ve got guys stepping up for guys who graduated, so I’m excited to see what they can do and see what we all can do.”

And after getting a taste of what the title tilt and atmosphere is all about last season, the Trojans are hungry for another opportunity to bring home the program’s first gridiron state championship since 1998.

“Nobody likes to lose. And, of course, we lost on the biggest stage possible in high school,” Lewis said. “So that definitely fuels a little fire in everybody. Watching all the seniors and looking at all the seniors from last year in our eyes, that’s something we don’t want to redo.”

Carrollton Trojans Roster

No. 1 Kiyun Cofer

No. 2 Devontae Hagan

No. 3 Bryce Hicks

No. 5 Jadyn Thompson

No. 6 Montreze Smith

No. 7 Caleb Odom

No. 8 Kelvin Hill

No. 9 Keshun Johnson

No. 10 Julian Lewis

No. 11 Christian Ward

No. 13 A.J. McNeil

No. 15 Quentis Adams

No. 17 Jacob Levy

No. 18 Dylan Bishop

No. 19 Ryan Mosley

No. 20 Kameron McDaniel

No. 21 Kimauri Farmer

No. 23 Kameron McClure

No. 24 Zion Cooley

No. 25 Jace Black

No. 27 Andrew Albertus

No. 28 Landon Wolf

No. 29 Connor Stephens

No. 32 Brodie Bradburn

No. 35 Antonio Cromartie

No. 36 Kameron Thornton

No. 37 Keontay Kidd

No. 39 Kadan Spratling

No. 40 Shem McMillan

No. 47 C.J. Gamble

No. 48 Zaylen Cruver

No. 50 Jordan Reece

No. 51 Jabari Elder

No. 52 Zykie Helton

No. 53 Enrique DiazColorado

No. 55 Chastan Sheffield

No. 56 Tarrell Miles

No. 57 Royvin Lopez

No. 58 Mateo Wells

No. 62 Andreas McCullough

No. 65 R.J. Sizemore

No. 66 Byron Lee

No. 68 Jabari Jones

No. 72 Carter Cates

No. 78 Godgift Dudley

No. 80 Matthew Butler

No. 81 Matt Patchin

No. 82 Jake Davis

No. 85 Louis Marti

No. 87 Jordan White

No. 88 Jermichael Simmons

No. 89 Glen-Reece Ellison

No. 91 D.A. Logan

No. 93 Christian Kelley

No. 97 Jacob Ricks

No. 99 Marcus Cirius

Carlos Hernandez

Julian Vargas

Happy homecoming for Central head coach Umbrah Brown

The homecoming festivities started a little earlier than usual for Umbrah Brown this fall.

The former Central High School football star returned to his roots during the offseason as the new head coach of the program, and he’s been feeling nothing but love in Lion Valley ever since.

“It’s so different from what it was when I was in school – and for the better,” Brown said. “Our facilities, the support, the community, the kids. It’s been incredible. It took a little getting used to, being on this side of it. But it’s great. A lot of support and a lot of love.”

The first-year Lion head coach is back on his home turf after leading Paulding County to its second state playoff berth in the past 15 years behind a 6-5 finish for the Class AAAAAA program last season.

Brown takes over a Central program with tremendous talent on both sides of the ball, and he believes it’s simply a matter of the Lion coaching staff putting all the pieces in the right place for the 2023 puzzle.

“As coaches, we spend so much time with these guys. We spend more time with these guys than we do with our own kids,” Brown said. “So it doesn’t take long for you to become attached

and you love them. Then you want to see them do better than anybody. You try to give them as many things as they need to be successful and teach them along the way.”

The Lions, who reached the second round of the Class AAAA state playoffs last season, return plenty of offensive firepower in the form of sophomore sensation Jonaz Walton – who has offers from a slew of Division I suitors, including Georgia and Alabama – and dynamic play-maker Cam Bolton out of the backfield.

The offense will also feature the skill set of Ty Brewer, Aiden Relthford, Marshun Horton, Zyleigh Person and Manny Palmer on the perimeter.

Junior center Eli Summerville literally has the Lion offense in his fingertips on every snap, and he’s fired up about what the season has in store for both the O-line and entire ballclub.

“I’m feeling the most confident I’ve felt in the last three years playing high school football,” Summerville said. “They want it more than any group I’ve ever played with.”

One of the major preseason moves proved to be the naming of freshman quarterback JR Harris as QB1, something Brown and the coaching staff were confident about upon giving the reins to

the Adidas All-American and Division I recruit.

“The main thing is when you’ve got a young guy that comes in that’s competing at the quarterback position, the No. 1 thing he has to do is win these guys over,” Brown said, pointing to three of Central’s team leaders during a preseason interview. “So how do you do that? Going into the summer, 80 percent of it is practice. We had a chance to go to Georgia and some padded camps this summer and compete. The kid looked sharp. He put the ball where he was supposed to put it. The kid works his tail off. He’s in the front or up toward the front in sprints after practice. He works his tail off in the weight room. He’s a leader and he’s a good kid. But all that, you can flush it if he doesn’t win these guys over. So he’s done that and these guys trust him.”

Defensively, Brown and defensive coordinator Nathan Horsley have two elements they expect to see every Friday night – play fast and play physical.

Brewer and Relthford will play pivotal parts into that process with Brewer leading the linebacking corps, accompanied by Nate Horsley and Jerry Chandler, while Relthford is barking at the bit as one of the defensive ‘Dogs’ in the Central scheme, joined by Decarlos Williams.

“We use those guys in a lot of different ways. They’re the only guys on the field that have to be able to cover, they’ve got to be able to play zone, play half, play

man, pressure and fit the run. That’s why we call them ‘Dogs,’” Brown said. For his part, Relthford noted how there’s nothing better than being part of the nonstop action his position presents.

“We’re moving and we’re moving fast. Everything's coming together,” Relthford said. “It’s all about playing fast. There’s never a moment in

football where anything should be slow at all. I feel like if we play fast and make as few mistakes as possible, we’ll do what needs to be done.”

Kampris Bailey will anchor the defensive line, while Malaki Massey and Jonah Wilson are hopeful of wreaking havoc on the ends.

In the secondary, the Lions are rolling with the committee of Horton, Person and Palmer, along with Jayelen White and Andrew Sheffield, among others.

Central kicks off the campaign with a three-game homestand against Redan, Bowdon and Hampton before back-to-back road tussles against McIntosh and Northgate leading up to an open date prior to the start of region play.

Brown noted how his ballclub will have to “protect the den” on the front end of the schedule while becoming road warriors in the second half with five of the final seven games of the regular season on the road, including three in region action.

Central finished as the No. 2 seed out of Region 7 last season and reached the second round of the Class AAAA state playoffs, finishing behind state runner-up Cedartown in league play. The Bulldogs are the threetime defending Region 7 champs and have reached the state quarterfinals or better in each of the past three seasons under head coach Jamie Abrams.

The Lions are focused on closing the gap between themselves and the Bulldogs this fall, but Brown noted that everyone else in the region represents a legitimate threat every Friday night, as well, if you don’t take care of business on your end.

“We respect (Cedartown) and we know they’re going to be physical. Coach Abrams does a good job. We know they’ll be physical. That’s going to be a buckle-your-chinstrap type of game,” Brown said.

Central Lions Roster

No. 1 Manny Palmer

No. 2 Cam Bolton

No. 3 JR Harris

No. 4 Zyleigh Person

No. 5 Jonaz Walton

No. 6 Luke Worley

No. 7 Andrew Sheffield

No. 8 Aiden Relthford

No. 9 Josh Johnson

No. 10 Jonah Wilson

No. 11 Marshun Horton

No. 12 Griffin Bass

No. 13 Caiden Kitchens

No. 14 Rhett Nelson

No. 15 Decarlos Williams

No. 16 Wil Morris

No. 17 Jerry Chandler

No. 18 Jarell Long

No. 19 Jake Ivester

No. 20 Kampris Bailey

No. 21 Ty Brewer

No. 22 Zaylend Person

No. 23 Coby Bailey

No. 24 Antravian Thomas

No. 25 Zaiden Robinson

No. 26 Avery Tanner

No. 27 Atticus Rooks

No. 28 Nate Horsley

No. 29 Maddox Lanier

No. 30 Karious Evans

No. 31 Jayelen White

No. 32 Nazeel Mitchell

No. 33 Aaron Randall

No. 35 Daelin Smith

No. 37 Owen Gordon

No. 38 Paul Wilson

No. 39 Joseph Spooner

No. 40 Makhi Anderson

No. 41 Kenneth Cambell

No. 42 Jose Ortega

No. 43 Cade Morehead

No. 44 Jesse Shope

No. 45 Keelan Harris

No. 46 Jayden Brooks

No. 47 Tyler Rochester

No. 48 Jordan Chandler

No. 49 Caden Shope

No. 50 Ben Hobbs

No. 51 Jacob Gonzalez

No. 52 Tay Crowder

No. 53 Landon Lohr

No. 54 Cole Williams

No. 55 Eli Summerville

No. 56 Max Brewer

No. 57 Johnathan Watts

No. 58 JG Burns

No. 59 Jaden Jones

No. 60 Cameron Noland

No. 63 Spencer Barr

No. 65 Isiah Wiggley

No. 66 Logan Paschal

No. 67 Ben Smith

No. 68 Aaron Correna

No. 71 Damon Finley

No. 74 Andres Garcia

No. 77 Kameron Morehead

No. 78 Logan McNeil

No. 80 Jarod Williams

No. 81 Landon Camp

No. 82 Case Payton

No. 83 Jaiden Delaney

No. 84 Braidyn Hutcheson

No. 85 Chandler Morris

No. 86 Melvin Johnson

No. 87 Tyson Rochester

No. 88 Hayden Gammon

No. 89 Prince Hill

No. 90 De-Karioun Gray

No. 92 Brayden Spence

No. 93 Tucker Simmons

No. 94 Makail Turman

No. 98 Cole Burns

No. 99 Malaki Massey

“So you’ve got Cedartown and then Sonoraville, losing in double-overtime last year to those guys, we know they’ll be pretty good. They’ve got a returning quarterback. There’s a lot of teams in this region that if you overlook them, they’ll hurt you.”

And now as the Lions begin the fall hunt of the 2023 season, the seniors are carrying confidence and competitiveness upon entering an electric new era of Central football.

“For us, I feel like the next step is to get on a roll. We’ve got the guys, we’ve got the coaches, we’ve got the mindset. We’re ready to go,” Brewer said. “We’re just ready to kick this thing off.” WGW

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Rebels Poised For Postseason Push

Haralson hungry for bounce-back campaign this fall

Following a season where it was on the outside looking in of the Class AA state playoff picture, the Haralson County High School football team is poised for a postseason pilgrimage in 2023.

The Rebels return some heavy hitters on defense while the offense welcomes in a few new faces in key places, a combination that gives seventh-year HCHS head coach Scott Peavey high hopes toward what’s on tap in Tallapoosa this fall.

“We have a fantastic group of kids who work tremendously hard. If the amount of work we put in equals success, then we’re going to be fine,” Peavey said. “We’ve been everywhere we can be all summer long, lifting and running, and at all the camps we can get to. I’m excited about this group.”

The Rebels finished 3-7 overall last season and in fifth place in Region 7-AA, marking a tough campaign following the program’s historic, 10-win season in 2021.

But with a deep core returning – especially on the defensive side of the ball – Haralson County is confident about its chances as a new season unfolds.

“We’ve put so much work in over the summer. I can’t feel anything but proud for these guys. It’s hard to do what we do. Not any kid can just go out there in the heat and continue to work hard and do the best you can at all times,” noted senior defensive end Jakob Starling. “It’s easy to quit, but these guys have seen it out and fought hard. It makes me ready for the season.”

Starling represents one of the veteran leaders of the Rebel defense, joined by three-year starter Ethan Bell as the other end, while Zack Sanders is a returning starter at inside linebacker and Holden Davis returns at free safety. Peavey is also looking for big contributions from corners Tucker Wade and Bodie Ostroski.

“Some people are learning how to play new positions and learning how to play hard. We’re busting it to bring them up to speed all summer. As linebackers and guys up front, we’re just going to play with hard speed, play fast, be physical and play downhill,” Davis said.

Offensively, senior signal-caller Haldyn Williams is back under center, and he’s fired up for the

opportunity to engineer the Rebel attack once again this fall.

“Coming in last year, it was all about the seniors trying to lead us younger guys and this year we’re taking full responsibility and showing the younger guys what Haralson County football is all about and how we play the game,” Williams said.

Haralson County is also looking for tremendous efforts in the backfield from Bowen Estes, Khemp Boyd and Hunter Hulsey, while offensive tackle Jayse Turner anchors the line of scrimmage.

“We’re a lot younger on the offensive side, but over the summer we put a lot of work in and worked those young guys really hard, and we’ve come a long way,” Estes said.

“We’ve got a lot of grit and fire inside of us from having a down year last year and we’re ready to come back strong.”

Haralson County, which hosted Villa Rica in its preseason scrimmage, officially opened the season on Aug. 18 at Rabun County before hosting rival

Bremen in the home opener the following Friday evening at Taylor Memorial Stadium.

The Rebels have an open date on Sept. 1 before closing out the non-region slate against Mary Persons and Upson-Lee.

Haralson County Rebels Roster

No. 2 Champ Cash

No. 3 Holden Davis

No. 4 Luke Armstrong

No. 5 Junior Hutson

No. 6 Bodie Ostroski

No. 7 Tucker Wade

No. 8 Haldyn Williams

No. 9 Khemp Boyd

No. 10 Bowen Estes

No. 11 Paxton Ray

No. 14 Colton Hutson

No. 15 Zeke Salmon

No. 16 Cohen Synowiec

No. 17 Logan Hicks

No. 18 Hunter Hulsey

No. 19 Judd Estes

No. 20 Lucas Warren

No. 21 Dylan Frazier

No. 22 Tyler Montgomery

No. 23 Andrew Buchanan

No. 24 Eli Rider

No. 25 Hunter Ballew

No. 26 Avery McAdams

No. 27 Branson Williams

No. 28 Keegan Wein

No. 30 Ethan Bell

No. 31 Bryson Boswell

No. 32 Caleb Hughes

No. 33 Zack Sanders

No. 34 David Whitton

No. 35 Bryden Boswell

No. 40 Franky Patino

No. 41 Caden Lyons

No. 43 Carson Simpson

No. 44 Jaxon Cohran

No. 45 Dane Kimball

No. 49 Sebastian Perez

No. 50 David Bruce

No. 51 Luke Johnson

No. 53 Landin Singletary

No. 54 Joseph Jeffery

No. 55 Luke Edwards

No. 56 Luke Kilgore

No. 58 Jakob Starling

No. 59 Matthew Craig

No. 60 Riley Pennington

No. 61 Ethan Easterwood

No. 62 Seth Thompson

No. 63 Walker Ward

No. 64 Will Hardeman

No. 65 Jakob Kilgore

No. 66 Cade Whaley

No. 67 Cole Holcombe

No. 68 Weston Baker

No. 69 Dylan Cirel

No. 70 Curtis Clayton

No. 71 Shane Chandler

No. 74 Gavin Edwards

No. 75 Wesley Downs

No. 76 Eli Bentley

No. 77 Jayse Turner

No. 78 Jonathon Chain

No. 80 Gavin Robinson

No. 81 Juan Martinez

No. 82 Nathan Allen

No. 83 Dalton Gray

No. 84 Cameron Cruz

No. 85 Garrett Kress

No. 86 Carson Carroll

No. 88 Joshua Hanson

“If we truly want to be where we want to go, you’ve got to play some teams and you’ve got to see what good football programs look like. We scheduled four really good football programs,” Peavey said. “It’s four good challenges for us, and we’ll definitely be battle-tested once we get into region play.”

The playoff drive kicks off Sept. 22 when North Murray comes to town, starting a six-game gauntlet for one of the coveted Class AA state playoff berths.

Rockmart won the region last year and reached the state quarterfinals, while Fannin County finished as the No. 2 seed, followed by Model and North Murray, respectively.

For the Rebel seniors, contending for the 7-AA crown and making a playoff run is the goal as the season gets underway. Of course, they plan on making plenty of memories along the way during their last gridiron grind together.

“It’s crazy because you never think it’s going to hit you until it does. And then when it does, it hits you

hard,” Starling said. “So it’s going to be a lot to take in, but it’s going to be a lot of fun, too.”

“That’s what every senior hopes for in a high school football career is to go to the playoffs and make a run,” added Williams. “Looking at this senior class and the juniors we have, we definitely have the capability of doing that if we put all this together. There’s nothing better as a senior than making that happen and turning this program back around for our community.” WGW

Heard Playing With Heavy Hearts

Braves band together for emotional fall campaign

The Heard County High School football team heads into the 2023 campaign with heavy hearts this fall.

Following the tragic death of senior leader Antwon Carter in late July, the Braves have bonded as brothers do during such trying times in the weeks leading up to a new year –and now they’re ready to make No. 23 proud as the season officially swings into session.

“I think the biggest thing is, we’ve said, ‘What would he want to do?’ He would want to play, he would want you to play, he would want you to be excited. He would want you to go and have success,” third-year Heard County head coach Shane Lasseter said of the incredibly popular Division I recruit and starting linebacker. “He understood that the process of success is to go and put in some work. He would want us to play on Friday night, and he would want us to be out there practicing because that’s what it takes and that’s what we’re doing.”

That being said, there are still plenty of emotions for Heard County and its community –which endured a heartbreaking loss just a year ago at this time in the death of HC football player Hunter Huey in another tragic accident.

“It’s been tough. I guess if there is a positive of anything, it’s that we are in the season. So we’re all together. If this was to have been something that was not in the season, we’re all spread out and going in our own individual ways,” Lasseter said. “I think us being together has really helped all of us … It’s good to get them out there on the field and try to get their mind away from something for a little bit. But we miss him greatly, and it’s going to be a very difficult road ahead.”

The Braves returned to the gridiron with a pair of preseason scrimmages against Bowdon and Northside, Columbus, leading up to the Aug. 18 opener at rival Bremen.

Heard County has an open date following its donnybrook with the Blue Devils, setting up a slate of four home games in five weeks before

Lassetter is equally excited about his big guys in the trenches who gained valuable experience last season as first-year starters.

Among those returnees is Sammy Holliday – one of four seniors on the O-line, along with sophomore D.J. Cook – who aims to anchor an aggressive attack.

“I’ve been in Heard County literally ever since I could go to school. This is where I grew up and everyone around me is pretty much family,” Holliday said. “My teammates are more than just teammates. I love these guys and I’m stoked for

league play begins, a non-region regimen that features the likes of Callaway, South Atlanta, Rabun County, Clarkston and McIntosh.

“We like to play quality competition. We’re not scared of competitive environments. But at the same time, we know Callaway is going to be a really good team to measure off of. It allows you to see what level you must play at,” Lasseter said. “So we need to make sure we’re rising to that challenge and getting used to that speed. That should get us ready for the region.”

The Braves enter their second season competing in Region 4 out of Division I in Class A, aiming to upend defending champion Lamar County, while Crawford County and Temple are also back in the fray.

Heard County has several key skill players returning offensively, and

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our senior season.”

Holliday and the Heard County offensive front are paving the path for a new signal-caller this season, with junior Shaun Swofford and freshman Ethan Tisdale battling for the starting nod during the preseason.

With junior tailback Dereon Pearson serving as a versatile weapon out of the backfield, the Braves possess potent play-makers on the perimeter to complement in the form of senior receivers Qua Nelson, L.J. Green and Rashaud Burden – all under the direction of offensive coordinator Randall Curbow.

“We’re going to be multiple, but Heard County is always going to try to run the football because we’re going to have some big linemen and we do have a good tailback, which should give us a better chance to be a lot more vertical,” Lasseter said.

Nelson noted how it all comes down to execution and not allowing the opposing defense to dictate the drive.

“Everybody has to do their own job, but we’re together at the same time,” Nelson said. “We stand on toughness – toughness and working together.”

Defensively, the Braves bring back a stout front six, fueled by senior linebacker Caleb Sweet, who recorded more than 100 takedowns last season.

“It’s going to be good for us this year. I think we’ll be good against the run game with me and Antonio (Heath) at linebacker,” Sweet said. “We’re excited about this season and what we can do.”

Green and Burden also represent key components to the Heard County defense, and both agree that maintaining the tight-knit bond throughout the journey will define the 2023 season when all is said

Heard County Braves Roster

No. 1 L.J. Green

No. 2 Rashaud Burden

No. 4 Caleb Sweet

No. 5 Jack Banks

No. 6 Pope Phillips

No. 7 Dereon Pearson

No. 8 Bradford Hadley

No. 9 Ethan Tisdale

No. 10 Tripp Curbow

No. 11 Brody Buc Cofield

No. 12 Ben Schory

No. 13 River White

No. 14 Shaun Swofford

No. 15 Andrew Tinker

No. 16 Adrea Hudson

No. 17 Caden Barno

No. 18 Qua Nelson

No. 19 Wesley Windom

No. 20 Brandon Clark

No. 21 Amari Heath

No. 22 Max Lasseter

No. 23 Antwon Carter

No. 24 Jayden Moreland

No. 25 Carter Coleman

No. 26 Jordan Henderson

No. 27 Roy Gonzalas

No. 29 Braeden McKenzie

No. 30 Levi Miller

No. 31 Mack Googe

No. 32 Hayden Holliday

No. 33 Justin Hanson

No. 34 Gus Epps

and done.

No. 37 Brock Jones

No. 38 L.D. Cook

No. 39 Jack Langley

No. 40 Ethan Inkman

No. 41 Hunter Huey

No. 42 Antonio Heath

No. 43 John-Michael Cook

No. 44 Dagan Dover

No. 48 Brayden Dutton

No. 50 Kaden Wood

No. 52 Sammy Holliday

No. 54 Noah Davis

No. 55 David Hannah

No. 56 Logan Parmer

No. 57 Blake Oldham

No. 58 Payton Rakestraw

No. 59 Drew Betts

No. 62 Jack Goss

No. 63 Aydan Adcock

No. 64 D.J. Cook

No. 65 Luke Meacham

No. 66 Tommy Googe

No. 67 Miguel Tejas

No. 71 A.J. Brangan

No. 72 Brody Ogles

No. 73 Lane Muller

No. 76 Lucas McCormick

No. 77 Riley Chapman

No. 78 Bryson Cooper

No. 79 Luke Muller

No. 83 Andrew Waters

No. 85 Austin McEntyre

“I feel like this year is the biggest bond we’ve ever had as a team,” Burden said. “We’ve just got to start strong and progress from that heading into region and the playoffs.”

Of course, when it comes to Friday nights in Franklin, it’s all about family and community – and this year’s senior class has plenty to play for this fall.

“The community is so good. They come out every Friday to watch us play. It’s a big crowd every Friday, regardless of who we’re playing. I love that about the sport and about being a Brave,” Green said. “Just everybody around you loves you –the coaches, the fans, the teachers in the school.

“So we really want to have a strong start just to let everybody know that we’re here and we plan to go far with this. We’re a really good team, and we want to prove to everybody that we can win and we can do it.” WGW

Holy Ground Gears Up For Gridiron Grind

Stallions leaning on new leadership this fall

There’s a new face leading the Holy Ground Baptist Academy football team this fall, but he is no stranger to the Stallion program or HGBA community.

After serving as an assistant to former HG head coaches Jamie Perry and Reshard Boykin in recent years, Bart Gillespie has saddled the reins of Stallion football in 2023.

The first-year head coach is excited about the opportunity to continue building the program and, most importantly, ensuring his players become productive young men on and off the field.

“Our program is a ministry. Our main focus is that each one of them knows God before they leave here,” Gillespie said. “That they learn character and learn the things that they need to know that’s going to help them be successful in life. The wins will come, but that’s the most important thing to us.”

The Stallions will once again compete in the 8-man football division of the Georgia Association of Private and Parochial Schools (GAPPS), playing out of Region 1 at the Class A level.

“The competition is going to be tough, but we’ve got a great team, and I think we can do

some great things this year,” Gillespie said.

With only 11 players on the roster, conditioning and staying healthy will be paramount to the Stallions’ outlook for 2023.

But what it lacks in quantity, HG intends to make up for in quality – fueled by the trio of quarterback/defensive back Wyatt Farmer, running back/linebacker Samuel Wood and running back/defensive back Daniel Buchanan. Freshman lineman Parker Phillips is a newcomer to the program, but represents a Stallion who shined over the summer as a promising first-year performer.

“Those are the ones that are going to be leading the way,” Gillespie said of the Stallion skill players. “Those are the ones you’re going to hear about, as far as the yards and everything. Of course, Parker and the linemen, you’re not going to hear about the things they do. But without their blocking, these other athletes can’t do what they need to.”

Wyatt, who serves as the catalyst to the Stallion stampede, aims to build on his offensive production over the past few years and continue to put pressure on opposing defenses this fall.

“I think our offense did pretty good last year. It was more about out-scoring everybody,”

*Indicates GAPPS Region 1 contest

Wyatt said. “Our line is pretty new this year. They’re pretty much all freshmen, but they’re putting in the work in the weight room and on the field. I think they’re going to do a good job.”

Wood, in his second season with the Stallions, noted how the team has been conditioning extremely hard over the summer in preparation for the long haul this fall.

“We’ve got to put in a lot of work because we don’t have depth,” Wood said. “So we have to work really hard in the weight room and make sure we’re in shape so we can go out and compete every time we’re on the field and don’t quit. Even if we’re hurting or whatever, we’ve just got to get through it.”

Entering his first season playing football at Holy

Ground, Phillips is looking forward to bonding with his teammates and hopefully piling up some ‘W’s along the way.

“It’s pretty exciting. It’s a great opportunity being as young as I am,” Phillips said. “I’m not exactly sure how it’s going to go. It’s definitely going to be hard. We’ve got to put in the work.”

The Stallions kick off the 2023 campaign by playing three of their first four games at home in Roopville, including the season opener on Aug. 25 against Hearts Academy.

The first region contest is slated for Sept. 15 against Kings Way Christian and Holy Ground closes out the league schedule with back-to-back games against Victory Baptist and Praise Academy in the final two weeks of the regular season.

Gillespie has proven to play a pivotal part of the proud history of Holy Ground football, and he’s looking forward to carrying the torch for the Stallion faithful.

“Hopefully, in future years, we’ll get some more players and we’ll have more than 11,” Gillespie said. “But those 11 will run through a brick wall, and I know that. I appreciate everything and all the hard work that they’re putting in. I just want the program to be successful. But most of all, for these young men to be successful.” WGW

Holy Ground Roster

No. 3 Wyatt Farmer

No. 5 Slade Parmer

No. 8 Samuel Wood

No. 9 Andrew Runels

No. 10 Daniel Buchanan

No. 20 Truett Warren

No. 35 Sawyer Parmer

No. 53 Turner Young

No. 61 Seth Patterson

No. 65 Parker Phillips

No. 81 Caden Hurston

Wealth This Season

date Opponent

Aug. 18

Aug. 25

Sept. 1

Sept. 8

Sept. 15

Sept. 22

Sept. 29

Oct. 6

Oct. 13

Oct. 20

Oct. 27

Nov. 3

OPEN at Greenville vs. Jordan at Heritage (Newnan) vs. Brookstone at Jasper County vs. Mount Pisgah vs. Mount Vernon

OPEN at Heard County at Christian Heritage* vs. Bowdon*

*Indicates Region 7-A Division II

MZ turning the page offensively under new attack

The Mount Zion High School football team is ready to unleash a new look this fall upon turning the page in the offensive playbook and setting the stage to spread the wealth.

The Eagles, who’ve earned their reputation as a hard-nosed, run-oriented offense through the years, want to maintain that high level of physicality, but seventh-year MZ head coach Brad Gordon is excited to see what’s in store with the shift in scheme.

One of the silver linings for the veteran Eagle coach is the fact that his ballclub had two scrimmages and an open date prior to officially kicking off the campaign on Aug. 25 at Greenville, providing a pair of dress rehearsals and time to tweak a few things, as needed.

“So our two scrimmages are going to be a chance to see some things and see what works and what doesn’t,” Gordon said. “That gives us a week off to re-evaluate and add to it if we need to. But we’re still running the Buck Sweep and doing some things. We’ve just added some nuances and a little bit of RPO action on the backside.”

The Eagles will showcase a new signal-caller in 2023, as freshman Israel Knox takes the reins with senior Stanley Cross, who started the past two seasons under center, bumps out to another play-making position at wide receiver.

Although he is young, Gordon noted how he and the MZ coaching staff have all the confidence in Knox to serve as the Eagle field general this fall.

“He’s looking better and better at our 7-on7s. He’s gotten better every time we step on the field,” Gordon said. “That’s all you can ask for out of a freshman. He’s not your typical freshman. We found that out the minute we got in the huddle with him.”

Two other key weapons and team leaders return on the offensive side in seniors Nathan Buchanan and Sherrod Montgomery with Buchanan moving from tight end to H-back, while the multi-dimensional Montgomery returns to the field following ACL surgery last season.

“We’re excited about getting him back. He seems like he’s got a little vengeance in his heart. He’s happy to be out there, and we’re happy to

have him back,” Gordon said. “He’s a key part.” Montgomery is more than fired up to be back in the fold as an integral piece to the new offensive puzzle upon wrapping his Eagle football career up

Mount Zion Eagles Roster

No. 1 Stanley Cross

No. 2 Kayvion Platt

No. 3 Damian Sanders

No. 4 Nathan Buchanan

No. 5 Aidan Jordan

No. 6 Carlos Randall

No. 7 Jerry Terrell

No. 8 Jayden Ackey

No. 9 Sherrod Montgomery

No. 10 Daniel Entrabartlo

No. 11 Kannon Crane

No. 12 Knox Israel

No. 13 Tyler Hurston

No. 14 Alan Esquivel Agustin

No. 15 Javorion Watkins

No. 17 Zandyr Novak

No. 18 Trent Harris

No. 19 Nolan Trueblood

No. 21 Khazyia Ackey

No. 23 Rashad Montgomery

No. 24 Caleb Houston

No. 25 Zack Bearden

No. 26 Jayden Gant

No. 28 Ryan Bearden

No. 30 Caleb Potts

No. 32 Hayden Cornwell

No. 34 Anthony Milton

No. 38 Dayson Rolling

No. 40 Lacey Beavers

No. 42 Brycen Denbow

No. 44 Tysson Madden

No. 50 Kayden Johnson

No. 51 Avery Lepard

No. 52 Walter Myers

No. 54 Skyler Walker

No. 55 Caden Jolly

No. 56 James Chastain

No. 58 Hunter Meadows

No. 59 Alex Avila

No. 60 Avery Weldon

No. 61 Bladen Sellars

No. 62 Jaden Parrish

No. 63 Joseph Flotz

No. 65 Jayden Carnes

No. 67 Brody Stewart

No. 72 Brady Denney

No. 75 Jayden Robinson

this fall. “Teams can’t really box that inside against us since we’re not in the Wing-T anymore. We’ve also got depth. We’ve got depth to where if one of us gets injured, we’ve got a guy behind us, and he’s the same level as us,” Montgomery said.

After undergoing a near complete overhaul on the offensive line last season, the Eagles bring back experience this fall, anchored by senior Skyler Walker, while James Chastain and Avery Lepard are two other key cogs to the cause.

As a senior stalwart in the trenches, Walker noted how he’s focused on making sure his unit is the most physical on the field, and teaching the younger players what to expect when the lights come on every Friday night.

“I’ve been through it since my sophomore year, and that’s what I’m trying to get these younger kids who are on the offensive line with me is to understand that it’s a whole different game on Friday night,” Walker said. “If you’re not prepared, it’s not going to end well for you.”

Defensively, the linebackers are expected to shoulder the load, with Buchanan on the forefront of that foray.

“I feel like our linebacker corps is the best we’ve had in several years,” Gordon said.

The MZ head coach said it’ll be a defensive line by committee, while the Eagle secondary features a good bit of versatility, adding how it’s simply a matter of mixing and matching to find the right combinations.

Following the open date to start the season, Mount Zion plays seven games in seven weeks – all non-region contests – leading up to its second open date of the fall on the week of Oct. 13.

The Eagles wrap up nonregion play in a local battle against Heard County at Staples Stadium, setting the stage for the final two weeks of the regular season and the only Region 7-A clashes of the campaign versus Christian Heritage and Bowdon.

Gordon emphasized that his squad can’t get complacent during the duration of the season, but rather continue to pick up momentum as the fall

unfolds so it’s pushing peak form come Games 9 and 10.

“We’ve got eight Friday nights to practice to get to where we want to be,” Gordon said. “We’ve got to keep in mind that each week is the most important week because it’s the next week.

“Everybody thinks it’s hard because the region is so far away. Well, if the region is far away, the Friday night lights come on every week.”

It’s a mentality Mount Zion has embraced, especially the seniors, all of whom understand that this is their last chance to take flight as Eagles.

“I’m so eager to get back out there. There’s been more than a couple of us who have been injured in the past year, and we can use that as an excuse for why we didn’t do as well last year. Or we can just pick it up and show everybody we are who we say we are,” Buchanan said.

“I’ve been with these dudes since we were in middle school, and some of them since elementary school. I’m ready for one last ride and to make it our best one.” WGW

Tigers Earning Their Stripes In Year 2

Aug. 18

Aug. 25

Sept. 1

Sept. 8

Sept. 15

Sept. 22

Sept. 29

Oct. 6

Oct. 13

Oct. 20

Oct. 27

Nov. 3

date Opponent vs. Pike County at Christian Heritage vs. Chattooga vs. Lumpkin County at Pepperell at Bowdon vs. Midtown OPEN vs. Lamar County* OPEN at Heard County* vs. Crawford County*

*Indicates Region 4-A Division I contest

All the pieces in place for Temple football this fall

What a difference a year makes. That’s the sentiment for the Temple High School football team as it embarks on a 2023 campaign that is not about familiarizing itself with a new coaching staff or system, rather moving fullsteam ahead as one cohesive ballclub.

“To have a full offseason with a full staff, that’s paid dividends for us,” noted second-year Tiger head coach Cory Nix. “That first year, going into it and waiting until coaches get there until June, it’s hard to do with two to three guys.

“We’re really, really excited about where we’re going in 2023 and Year 2. We have so much experience coming back.”

The Tigers return nearly their entire defense and have depth behind those starters, as the weight room proved to be a major focal point over the offseason.

Nix said the Temple defense took its lumps last season, citing the unit not being as physically strong as it needed to be. He is confident that won’t be the case this season.

“Obviously, when you’ve got kids who played last year as a whole unit and now they’re all coming back and you’re with them for a whole 12 months, it helps a lot,” Nix said.

Offensively, the Tigers will have at least one

noticeable difference this fall following the graduation of star quarterback Cam Vaughn, who is now suiting up at Jacksonville State University.

Junior Ashton Eskew and sophomore Jackson Gribben were battling for the starting spot under center during the preseason, and the Tigers are expecting a more collective attack this season with multiple weapons firing out of the arsenal.

“Instead of having one athlete, we have a football field full of athletes. I think we’ll be much harder to stop because of our versatility,” senior running back Jace Glenn said.

Nix expects Glenn to have a breakout campaign this fall out of the Tiger backfield, a talented unit that also features CJ Gray, Manny Watkins and McClann Metayer.

“If nobody knows who Jace Glenn is right now, they’re going to know who he is after these first couple games,” Nix said. “I could go on and on about the backfield. They’re deep. Offensively, I feel like we’re going to be doing what we need to execute our personnel and I think it’s going to show.”

Temple, which scrimmaged Mount Zion for its preseason tuneup, hits the ground running early and often in 2023, playing seven games in seven weeks out of the gates before an open date in Week 8.

Score big at

home – welcoming Pike County, Chattooga and Lumpkin County — while visiting Christian Heritage in Game 2.

Despite the heavy workload, the Tigers won’t have to be road warriors again this season.

“One thing that stands out is the amount of traveling we had to do last year, and now they’re coming to us,” Nix said. “We’ve only got one long trip and the other road games are closer for us this year.”

After closing out the non-region schedule against Pepperell, Bowdon and Midtown, respectively,

allowing them to recharge for the Region 4-A run.

Temple will look to climb the standings this fall in pursuit of defending league champion Lamar County and runner-up Heard County from a season ago, while Crawford County marks the fourth team among the quartet.

“It’s a matter of Temple taking care of Temple,” Nix said. “I have tons of respect for Heard, Lamar and Crawford County. But I feel like we could have done better in region play last year. I’m looking forward to seeing us fixing some of those weaknesses and being ready to battle those three teams.”

The Tigers

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believe they’ll be in the hunt for the region crown this fall, asserting that they’ve simply got to clean up some things on their side to close the gap.

“We just have to work on the small things and

Temple Tigers Roster

No. 1 JD Penson

No. 2 Will Dorsey

No. 3 CJ Gray

No. 5 Cayson McAnallen

No. 6 Keiuntae Horton

No. 7 Jackson Gribben

No. 8 EJ Whitmire

No. 9 Jace Glenn

No. 10 Jaydn McClaude

No. 11 McClann Metayer

No. 12 Tez Scott

No. 13 Ashton Eskew

No. 14 Josh Morrell

No. 15 Hudson Nix

No. 16 Manny Watkins

No. 17 Tim Mullins

No. 18 Preston Griffin

No. 19 Jaiden McDaniel

No. 20 Jojo Jones

No. 21 Jack Jordan

No. 22 Devin Tanner

No. 23 Chris Holland

No. 24 Ayden Conner

No. 25 Demetrius Carter

No. 26 TJ Armstrong

No. 27 Jamarion Hart

No. 28 Tylan Lewis

No. 29 Beckham Tull

No. 30 Dre Steele

No. 32 Darrius Rogers

No. 33 Markez Munoz

No. 34 Nehemiah Dorsey

No. 35 Brady Rogers

No. 36 Jordan Jones

No. 37 Daeshon Wigg

No. 38 Mika Kloeckner

No. 40 Keiundre Walker

No. 41 Adam Bickford

No. 42 Freddy Watkins

No. 43 Blaine Kaiser

No. 44 Skyler Freeman

No. 50 Patrick Tripp

No. 51 Andon Flotz

No. 52 Jacob Johnston

No. 53 Jacob Musgrove

No. 54 Keagan Tieman

No. 55 Scotty Taylor

No. 56 Austin Speer

No. 57 Mize Bailey

No. 58 Dominic Nicolosi

No. 59 Jaylon Hubbard

No. 60 Jay Dennis

No. 62 Noah Caldwell

No. 63 Omar Oscanza

No. 64 Dawson Drisskel

No. 65 Andrew Folsom

No. 66 Kadin Thomas

No. 68 Le’Jaden Sims

No. 70 Junior Pressley

No. 72 Michael Helfrich

No. 74 Ryan Self

No. 77 Sederio Ferguson

No. 78 Cole Jones

No. 80 Aiden Carroll

No. 81 Javian Dobbs

No. 84 Ayden Conner

No. 86 Grady Parks

stay disciplined,” junior running back/defensive back Manny Watkins said. “We’ve got to handle adversity the right way and stay positive.”

But before getting too focused on the region, it’s all about building up for that stretch run by getting better every Friday night from now until midOctober.

“Those games are going to get us ready for the playoff games. We’re a team that’s going to compete every single game that we play, and we plan to be up there competing by the time region gets here,” senior tight end/linebacker Freddy Watkins said.

And for the Tiger seniors, they fully understand that it’s now or never to soak up one last run at gridiron glory sporting the Black and Gold stripes.

“It came by so fast. It just feels like yesterday I was a freshman. So it’s a blessing that it’s here and we’re excited for the season,” Freddy Watkins said. WGW

Passing Of The Torch In Villa Rica

Austin Barron takes over Wildcat football this fall

The passing of the torch is complete in the City of Gold.

Following two years of serving as the defensive coordinator in Cat Country, Austin Barron was promoted to the top spot this past offseason, filling the shoes of someone he knows rather well – his father and high school coach, Tim Barron.

The younger Barron is a chip off the old block when it comes to being a hard-nosed student of the game, but he’s also honing in on his own innovations and identity as the first-year head coach of the Villa Rica High School football program this fall.

“I’ve enjoyed it. With the new role and increase in leadership, I think it’s just an increase in servitude,” said Barron, who was a standout at Heard County High School before suiting up at the University of West Georgia to wrap up his playing career.

“I think the best leaders within our world are the best servants and they put others in positions to be successful. I think we’ve got a very good staff. We were able to bring in some very good people. Our kids are meshing well with our new staff. They’re excited about the direction the program’s heading.”

Villa Rica, which finished as the region champion and state quarterfinalist during Barron’s first season as defensive coordinator in 2021, missed out on the postseason last fall behind a 4-6 campaign.

So now the challenge for the young head coach and his staff is to set the tone in 2023 for the future of Wildcat football.

Thus far, it’s been an encouraging start.

“I’ve been very proud of how they’ve progressed over the summer and how they’ve handled the challenges that we’ve presented them, how they’ve handled adversity and how they’ve grown together,” Barron said. “I think this team, and this senior leadership, it’s a very closeknit group. To see them build those bonds and those relationships that they’ll have forever, it’s been awesome to watch.”

The Wildcats are moving to a new offensive scheme in 2023, transitioning from the Wing-T to an RPO attack behind quarterbacks Zhay Bell and Will Wallace.

Bell got the starting nod in VR’s preseason scrimmage at Haralson County, but Barron noted how there’s not a solidified starting spot – for any position on the field – any week of the season.

There is plenty of skill returning on the

offensive side, led by running backs Jaiden Terry and Caiden Reid, while wideouts Devon Barnes and Carson Nalley, among others, also serve as vital weapons.

“They’re both very skilled backs that can do multiple things,” Barron said of his backfield talents. “They’re not just downhill runners. They’re guys that we feel like can get downhill when they need to because they’ve done a great job in the weight room preparing their bodies for that. But they’re also athletic and skilled enough that we can get them the ball out of the backfield and on the perimeter.”

Barnes, a top piece to the passing attack last season, returns for his senior campaign and is hopeful of getting several targets this fall in the new system.

“It’s definitely opened up a lot of stuff for our athletes to display what they can do. Being able to get the ball in space to guys who are good with the ball in their hands, it’s definitely a plus to this

season,” Barnes said. Nalley, who missed the majority of 2022 due to injury, is also abuzz about what the offense can stir up this season.

“I think the RPO is going to be very eye-opening. Teams are going to have to load the box for our running backs or they’re going to have to guard our guys on the outside. I think we have a lot of different things that we can lean on and we can be really good,” Nalley said.

Defensively, Villa Rica will lean on its big bodies up front, as Jace Radford and Sumo Hair represent major threats on the ends, while Delontez Daniel will muddy up the middle for new Villa Rica defensive coordinator Michael Hilbert.

“He’ll have to play both ways for us, but he does a very good job. He’s hard to miss. He sticks out to you on a Friday night in the pregame. You’ll have eyes on him pretty quick,” Barron said of Daniel.

“He’s very athletic and agile. So it’s awesome to see

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maximize our potential in every aspect of our game. We’re going to have to do that week-in and weekout or else we’ll get beat,” Barron said.

It sets up a situation for the Villa Rica seniors where they understand their place in the program and what 2023 means to Wildcat football.

“It means everything. I grew up here, played rec ball here. I’m Wildcat born and Wildcat bred,” Nalley said. “It’s very important for me to be the best every Friday night and represent VR.”

Terry echoed that sentiment, adding how the seniors plan to leave everything they have on the field this fall.

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him moving and the things that he can do.”

On the back end, Tyson Brown returns at inside linebacker, along with Jay Carter, while Terry serves as a lockdown corner that will allow the VR defense to scheme up several different looks with its personnel.

“I’m very confident about it. I feel like I’m a guy who can guard anybody. Any high-level player, I can do it,” Terry said. “I’ve got a lot of confidence in myself and my teammates.”

With one of its two open dates falling on the first week of the season, Villa Rica has to wait a little longer to kick off the fall campaign, so it’ll be chomping at the bit when Hebron Christian comes to town on Aug. 25.

The Cats hit the road for the next three weeks with the final non-region games against Northgate and Carrollton leading into the Region 5-AAAAA opener at Tri-Cities on Sept. 15.

Barron expects his non-region slate to prepare his ballclub for the league grind, as two teams from Region 5 reached the state quarterfinals last season – Creekside and Mays – both of which lost in overtime upon falling just short of the semifinals.

“I’m excited about the competition. I want us to play the best football that we can play. I want to

“You don’t get that day back. I’m just trying to get better and get us better every day, and get another week to play,” Terry said. “It’s all about trying to earn that week.” WGW

Villa Rica Wildcats Roster

No. 0 Jay Carter

No. 1 Carson Nalley

No. 2 Caiden Reid

No. 3 Caleb Aker

No. 4 Sumo Hair

No. 5 Jaiden Terry

No. 6 Jace Radford

No. 7 Zhay Bell

No. 8 Xavier McColough

No. 9 Daimon Smith

No. 10 Will Wallace

No. 11 Adrian Wiley

No. 12 Devon Barnes

No. 13 Malachi Dunson

No. 14 Jeremiah Taylor

No. 15 Emmanuel Ajayi

No. 16 JD Dean

No. 17 Myles George

No. 18 Omar Holland

No. 19 Kason Ward

No. 20 AJ Taylor

No. 21 Caleb Stephens-Neal

No. 22 Jeremiah Fuller

No. 23 Wesley Wallace

No. 24 Chris Copeland

No. 25 Luke Rutledge

No. 26 Malachi Williams

No. 27 Judah Walker

No. 28 Dez Drummonds

No. 29 Matthew Eubanks

No. 30 Tim Lawson

No. 31 Hayden Bentley

No. 32 Tyson Brown

No. 34 Mason Jones

No. 35 King Swint

No. 36 Landon Miller

No. 37 Jamari Johnson

No. 38 Luke Hale

No. 39 Jay McDuffey

No. 40 Tyler Adcock

No. 41 Rashawn Flippen

No. 42 KJ Jackson

No. 43 Raquan Flippen

No. 44 Camari Humes

No. 45 Nolan Hagler

No. 46 Kole Ward

No. 48 Logan Gathers

No. 49 Tayshawn Thornton

No. 50 Savion Terry

No. 51 Riley Miller

No. 52 Donte Carlisle

No. 54 Myles White

No. 55 Jonathon Dinkins

No. 56 Austin Presley

No. 57 Jamari Butterfield

No. 58 Sawyer Daniel

No. 60 Delontez Daniel

No. 61 Jesse Northbird

No. 62 Landon Hack

No. 63 Phillip Locklear

No. 64 TJ Young

No. 65 Jonathon Plumber

No. 66 Aiden Daunt

No. 67 Micheal Whitlock

No. 68 Brent Vohun

No. 72 Noah Grace

No. 75 Guy Dobbs

No. 76 Jamari Simpkins

No. 77 Jarious Shivers

No. 79 Ben Rutledge

No. 80 Yasir Wright

No. 81 Xavier Buckner

No. 82 Bishop Bartfield

No. 83 Jadiah Smith

No. 84 Mike Stewart

No. 90 Levi Walden

No. 96 Derrick Oliva

No. 97 Javonne Cook

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Wolves On Prowl For Postseason Return

date Opponent vs. Limestone, 7 p.m. at Texas A&M-Kingsville, 8 p.m. at Mississippi College*, 8 p.m. at West Florida*, 7 p.m. OPEN vs. West Alabama*, 6 p.m. vs. Chowan*, 6 p.m. vs. North Greenville*, 6 p.m. (HC) at Shorter*, 7 p.m. vs. Delta State*, 6 p.m. at Valdosta State*, 7 p.m.

*Indicates Gulf South Conference contest

No. 22 West Georgia aims to contend for GSC crown this fall

Photos provided by UWG Athletics

The University of West Georgia football team enters the 2023 campaign with a national ranking and plenty of promise as the fall season kicks into session.

The Wolves return to the gridiron under the direction of veteran head coach David Dean, who delivered a UWG squad that featured all the hallmarks of an NCAA Playoff team a season ago.

Finishing 8-2 overall and on a five-game winning streak – highlighted by a dramatic victory at No. 6 Delta State – West Georgia suffered the selection snub for the playoffs, leaving a bad taste lingering into the offseason.

But now with a new season set for the unveiling, the Wolves are recharged and ready to rumble following the culmination of fall camp, turning all eyes to the Aug. 31 opener against Limestone at University Stadium.

“I can’t say enough about this team and the way they come out and work every day. It’s not like we have to pull teeth to get these guys to work,” Dean said. “They come out here and want to get better, and that’s the sign of a team that is hungry.”

Junior linebacker Xavier Robinson, an All-Gulf South Conference performer a season ago, believes his ballclub is primed for the grind of another actionpacked campaign with the potential to make a run at a league title and postseason push.

“We look a lot better than last year. Even though last year was a good season, I feel like this year is going to be a great season,” Robinson said. “We’ve got a lot of guys returning, along with some addons that will benefit us in the long run. I’m pretty confident with where we’re headed.”

The Wolves, ranked No. 22 in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Preseason Poll, return weapons in the backfield and on the

perimeter, along with leaders on the offensive line.

One of the major question marks entering the 2023 season is who would be facilitating all those moving parts following the departure of star signal-caller Harrison Frost.

UWG had a trio of talents competing through the offseason, with sophomore Ben Whitlock, South Alabama transfer Eli Gainey and redshirt freshman Cameran Brown all getting reps during spring practice and fall camp.

“That’s going to be the big key

is quarterback play. Harrison was a really good quarterback, so filling those shoes is going to be big,” Dean said. “We’ve got some weapons around them. They’ve just got to trust the game and trust the reads and make the plays.”

The offense is always in good hands with AllGSC center David Bodden controlling the line of scrimmage, and he is certain of one thing this fall – his brothers in the trenches aren’t going to back down from any challenge.

“We’re very physical. We had a good scrimmage and a solid couple weeks of practice. I’m excited to see what happens. I’m excited to get out there, and I think we all are,” Bodden said. “We’re ready to get rolling on the 31st, for sure.”

UWG brings back a slew of skill with a deep running back room and a trio of veteran playmakers on the perimeter in Zay Britt, Terrill Cole and LaPerion Perry.

The UWG defense is based around speed, and it’s got plenty of it this season.

“I’ve always felt like on defense, if you play the game with speed, good things can happen. So far, that’s what we’ve shown,” Dean said.

Along with Robinson, senior defensive back Deontae Overstreet serves as another returning

all-conference performer, while linebacker Micah Thurman and defensive linemen Eric Williams and Malcolm Mercer are also expected to ignite the attack.

“We’re doing great. We’re flying around to the ball. We haven’t had many busts and we have a lot of people talking and good communication on the defensive side,” Overstreet said. “I feel like we’re in a great spot to have a really strong season.”

UWG also has two key assets returning on special teams with place-kicker Brock Pellegrino and punter Reilly Mason marking two of the best at their positions in the GSC last season.

West Georgia opens the 2023 schedule with a Thursday night home game against Limestone

West Georgia Wolves Roster

No. 0 Deontae Overstreet

No. 1 Jaeven West

No. 1 Carson Yancy

No. 2 Terrill Cole

No. 3 Xavier Robinson

No. 5 LaPerion Perry

No. 6 Pate Hogan

No. 7 Marquise Bridges

No. 7 Jelen Lee

No. 8 Mason Huntley

No. 9 Ben Whitlock

No. 10 Zay Britt

No. 12 Festus Davies

No. 14 Cameran Brown

No. 14 Ben Fortson

No. 16 Jeremy Smith

No. 17 Mykel Tubbs

No. 22 Rajaez Mosley

No. 25 Camyen Feagins

No. 30 Ashaud Roberson

No. 31 Brock Pellegrino

No. 32 Ethan Todorovich

No. 33 JB Carlisle

No. 34 Tre Williams

No. 36 Yaqym Lowery

No. 37 Micah Thurman

No. 39 Brandon Booker

No. 41 Amos Dahn

No. 42 Jalynn Tarver

No. 43 Anthony Rochester

No. 44 Hayden Wells

on Aug. 31 before a grueling three-game road swing that entails traveling to Texas A&MKingsville, Mississippi College and West Florida – the longest three road trips of the season.

From there, the Wolves have an open date on Sept. 30 to regroup for six Gulf South showdowns in six weeks to determine the league champion.

“If we can make it through that and get to the off week healthy and not tired, we play the rest of our games in the state of Georgia. Our two remaining games on the road are in Rome and Valdosta,” Dean said. “So we’re excited. I love playing on Thursday nights, especially to open the season. We’ll have students here who will hopefully come out to the game and support these guys.” WGW

No. 45 Keondre Williams

No. 47 Marcus Gary

No. 55 Trey Lovelace

No. 56 Malcolm Mercer

No. 57 Jalen Moore

No. 58 John Quinn

No. 59 Tripp Miller

No. 60 Brandon Pippen

No. 62 Cade Fox

No. 64 David Bodden

No. 67 Austin Donaldson

No. 69 Derrick McFerrien

No. 70 Sam Regina

No. 73 James Wade

No. 76 Bailey Cannady

No. 78 Marvin James

No. 80 Steven Peterson

No. 84 Reilly Mason

No. 85 Zach Obi

No. 86 Jerry Mays

No. 88 Reed Reagin

No. 90 Demetrice Lofton

No. 93 Jalon Miller

No. 96 Raymone Devezin

No. 97 Eric Williams Jr.

Brandon Alexander

Kole Allen

Palmer Bachelder

Abu Bangura

Cade Barnett

Eli Barrow

Karleon Bell

Aiden Benton

Troy Beverly

William Bray

Cael Bright

Ghetti Brown

Jaylen Brown

Mason Bundy

Jay Carter

Jordan Clark

Jibrahn Claude

Zeke Cromwell

Tyler Davalos

Jake Davis

Tre Douglas

Cam Edwards

Jailen Edwards

PJ Farnum

Eli Gainey

Ravon Grant

Nolan Harris

Walt Hawthorne

Tyrundai Hayes

Cade Hilliard

Desmond Johnson

Ivan Johnson

Keith Johnson

Brevyn Jones

Christian Jones

Brody Jordan

Wesley Kennedy III

Gatlin Kimbro

Jacob King

Richie Lankford

T.J. Lockley

Brandon Mathis

E’Shawn Mayes

Jeremiah Mayner

Exavier McDowell

Michael Merriweather

Jeffrey Miller

Latrelle Murrell

KJ Phillips

Jaylen Priester

Aaron Proctor

Thomas Propst

Bryan Rice

Mikell Roberts

Rahyiem Rowe

Christian Royalston

Neico Sandifer

Cameron Saunders

Omar Sims

Kenyon’TA Skinner

Bradyn Sorrow

Jaden Stanley

Derrick Von Hubbard

Clay Walters

DJ Williams

Bryson Wilson

Kadarius Zackery