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Volume 4
August 2024
WGW Sports: Fall Football Preview
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Red Devils READY TO ATTACK
date Opponent
vs. Fellowship Christian at Macon County at Bremen at Westside vs. Heard County
OPEN at Booker T. Washington vs. Manchester* at Mount Zion* OPEN vs. Greenville* vs. Trion*
*Indicates Region 7-A Division II contest
The Bowdon Red Devils are coming into the 2024 season with a 13-game winning streak and two straight state championships. Coach Rich Fendley and the Red Devils may be back-toback state champions, but they are still hungry. Fendley and the team want to make the most of their 2024 schedule in A D2 Region 7, a region shared with Greenville, Mount Zion, Trion and Manchester this season.
The Red Devils are up for the challenge this year with their non-region schedule that holds more than one heavy hitter. “We have 14 seniors coming back, so our leadership has been really good from a player standpoint. It has to be really good, because when you win the way we’ve won the past two years, your schedule gets harder and harder each year," says Fendley. "We’re about to kick the season off with six teams that were in the playoffs last year, four of which were quarter finalists or better, and one of those
teams was region runner up.”
Bowdon takes on Fellowship Christian, Macon County, Bremen, Westside, Heard County and Booker T. Washington for their non-region play. Bowdon ran into some trouble in the first two games of the season in 2023 against Manchester and Central, but Fendley and the experienced Red Devils started preparing in January for a strong start to help carry them through the rest of the season.
This summer has been productive for Fendley and the Red Devils as they have a large group of returners who are influencing the team to work hard. “Believe it or not, our off-season this offseason was better than our off-season last year," Fendley says. "When we won it in 2022, we came back in January, and it was almost like our kids arrived and felt like they didn’t have to work hard. It took a long time to get them motivated to work. This off-season has been very different.
Photos by Andrew Agresta
to up the game for the Red Devils this season. Besides his natural abilities, Prothro’s character stands out most to Fendley. “He is one of our best players, but he is also one of our best practice players, weight room kids and best overall kids outside of football," he says. "It has been unreal to watch him grow as a leader on the football team. He’s grown in his leadership, but he’s also grown about 25 pounds since last year.”
Last year, senior linebacker Dylan McGrinn led the state in Bowdon’s classification with 151 tackles. This year, Fendley expects McGrinn to stand out during his senior season. Senior running backs Luke Windom and Nate Bhony plan to show out after missing their junior season due to injuries. On the younger side of an experienced roster, sophomore Conner Daniel plays on both sides of the ball for the Red Devils and is expected to make a good impression this season.
Bowdon has been the focus of much attention in West Georgia for its success on the football field. With two straight state championship wins, complacency could get in the way of the Red Devils winning a third state championship this year. Fendley and the rest of the Bowdon coaching staff know the threat of complacency but instilled in their players just how important the off season is to winning championships. “There are two things that make our kids different from other players," Fendley says. "One is our weight room and strength program. Coach Morgan and Coach Yarbrough do a great
Bowdon Red Devils Roster
No. 1 Kaiden Prothro
No. 2 Nate Bhony
No. 3 Mason Daniel
No. 4 Jonah Wilson
No. 5 Berkley Perkins
No. 6 Dylan McGrinn
No. 7 Luke Windom
No. 8 Kelien Prothro
No. 9 Charles Maxell
No. 10 Josh Chandler
No. 11 Madden Jones
No. 12 Conner Daniel No. 13 JaMichael Jones
No. 15 Sawyer Smith
No. 16 Jack South
No. 17 Zander Langley
No. 18 Lucki Bailey
No. 19 Zamir Chandler
No. 21 Joshawia Davis
No. 22 Jaxson Jones
No. 24 Paul Wilson
No. 25 Sam Hart No. 26 Isaac Windom
No. 27 Marcus Harper No. 28 Brantley Bell
No. 29 Jasiah Freeman No. 32 Brandon Jones
No. 33 Elijah Chambers No. 35 Camarui Calloway No. 36 Marquez Chambers No. 40 Gavin Parmer No. 41 Tanner Britt No. 42 Jack South No. 43 Parker Beam No. 44 Owen Clark No. 48 Brayden Galbreath No. 50 Jason Anariba No. 51 Lane Nolen No. 52 Malykie Vickers No. 55 Jackson Edwards No. 56 Austin Stephens No. 57 Davion Houston No. 58 Stewart Powell No. 61 Luis Gonzalez No. 62 Coby Wiggins No. 63 Phisher Perkins No. 64 Brody Moon No. 66 Joel Roque No. 69 Braylon Smith No. 71 Mason Richie No. 73 Jayle’en Simons No. 74 J.D. Cooley No. 75 Blayton Marroquinn No. 77 John Harden
job from January to May. That’s where you build your football team, that’s where you build your camaraderie, the trust between the players and make tough kids. The second thing is how much our coaches and players love each other. I tell our players all the time, 'You can’t win a championship without loving your teammates and being willing to do for your teammates what a lot of other program’s teammates are not willing to do for their players.' The weightroom and love: those are our two secret ingredients.” WGW
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Blue Devils Realign In New Region
date Opponent
08/16 08/23 08/30 09/06 09/13 09/20 09/27 10/04 10/11 10/18 10/25
11/01
OPEN vs. Jordan vs. Bowdon vs. McNair at Rabun County vs. Model* at Temple* at Pepperell* OPEN at Heard County* vs. Haralson County* vs. Darlington*
*Indicates Region 6-A Division I contest
Entering his ninth year as head coach at Bremen High School, Coach Davis "Rooster" Russell starts this new season by embracing a stark change in the team's region classification. Bremen Football is no stranger to playing schools and programs of bigger stature than themselves. Russell spent four of his years coaching the Blue Devils in AA, another four in AAA, and now, Bremen moves into class A. Class A Division 1 and 2 is home to the smallest 26% (approximately) of football-playing high schools in the state of Georgia (GHSA By-Law 4.23.a.1). In
this classification, Bremen faces schools more similar to their population than in the past. The Blue Devils eagerly await their first season in their new region,
AAA to A due to the adjusted outof-district multiplier. The previous out-of-district multiplier stated that each out-ofdistrict student would count as three students, no matter when they enrolled in the school system when calculating the Reclassification Student Count. With the change for the 2024-2026 cycle, GHSA adjusted the rules to state that if a student enrolls into a feeder school of a member high school between kindergarten to fifth grade and remains continuously enrolled, they are not subject to the Out-Of-Zone Multiplier (GHSA By-Law 4.23.b).
The Blue Devils' new region, A D1 Region 6, includes game-day battles with Heard County, Haralson County, Temple, Pepperell, Model and Darlington. “We’re excited," Russell says. "There are going to be a lot of natural rivalries. Everything will be right on Highway 27.” Russell looks forward to the fairer pairings this classification brings to the Blue Devils come playoffs as well. "The biggest thing is when you get to the playoffs, you are playing schools of similar size. In the past, we’ve gone up against juggernauts in the playoffs with twice our student body size, so we’re really happy that when we get into that postseason – if we’re fortunate enough to –that we’ll get to play people our size.”
Coming into this region, Bremen brings a powerhouse advantage from the experience acquired from years of playing in higher classifications against schools with much larger student populations. Last season, Bremen finished with a region record of 6-1 in AAA Region 6. This
season, the West Georgia area is crawling with competition, and the Blue Devils stand ready to bring the heat every week this fall.
Bremen graduated multiple players who were dynamic on the field last season, namely AJ Sanders, who held the honor of region player of the year on defense; Parr Folsom, who won region iron man for the 2023 season; and linebacker Jonah Hatchett, now entering his first football season at Berry College this fall. Even with the loss of these players, Bremen sports 16 returning starters on the roster.
Carson Kimball, senior quarterback for the Blue Devils, is a fixture and true leader on the team. “Carson is the best human being on the planet," says Russell. "He’s a great kid. He’s the hardest worker. He’s the first one to show up. He takes accountability if he’s not great, and when he
No. 0 Justin Faulkner
No. 1 Aiden Price
No. 2 Dylan Huey
No. 3 Brock Newland
No. 4 Bo Dudley
No. 5 Jaishaun Jones
No. 6 Alonzo Edmerson
No. 7 Carson Kimball
No. 8 Thacker Dudley
No. 9 Jett Patterson
No. 10 Ryder Hanes
No. 11 Cade Hanes
No. 12 Chase Palmer
No. 13 Carter Allen
No. 14 Jack Pruitt
No. 15 Rhett Pearson
No. 17 Eli Brock
No. 18 Landon Hannah
No. 19 Brannon Dunn
No. 20 Jamal Stevenson
No. 21 Adam Chapman No. 22 Trent McPherson
No. 23 Aiden Forister
No. 24 Atticus Phipps No. 25 Cole Pruitt
No. 26 Zay Buffington No. 27 Carter Pollard No. 28 Thomas Mann
No. 30 Xander Rojo
No. 31 Canton Brown No. 32 Riley Gailbraith No. 33 Xavier Edmerson No. 34 Elijah Ellison
No. 35 Landon Oliveros No. 36 Jailen Jones No. 38 Mitchell Perren No. 39 Kashton Henderson No. 40 Mason Lewis No. 41 Landon Blankinship No. 42 Tucker Karr No. 43 Gavin Dale No. 44 Elijah Strong No. 45 Landon McCain No. 46 Jason McDonald No. 47 Bo Brown No. 48 Conlan Braun No. 49 Ryder Mitchell No. 50 Brady Coggins No. 51 Hunter Chambers No. 52 Andrew Muldoon No. 53 Grant Waldo No. 54 Justin Eleton No. 55 Ridge Winkles No. 56 Brady Degenova No. 57 Andrew Sleek No. 58 Zander Head No. 59 Shepherd Hodge No. 60 Joshua Freeman No. 61 Zeke Haney No. 63 Aiden Reed No. 65 Nathaniel Veneables No. 66 Zane Butler No. 67 Luke Clayton No. 68 Zaden Worthy No. 69 Aiden Singleton No. 71 Beau Horton No. 72 Caleb Elliot No. 73 Clayton Bennett No. 76 Jack Bearden No. 77 Bryson Jenkins No. 78 Kholton Henderson No. 79 Ethan Stembridge No. 80 Kush Patel No. 82 Canaan McDowell No. 83 Khyrei Campbell No. 84 Landon Woody No. 85 Ethan Wynn No. 86 Luke Waldo No. 87 Kaiden Dobbs
Bremen Blue Devils Roster
does something good, he’s the first person to give credit to anybody else other than himself. He’s kind of the ultimate teammate, and we’re proud to have him leading our team.”
The team expects Trent McPherson to stand out this season as a three-year starting running back for the Devils. Despite his shorter stature, Russell labels him as a true offensive threat who should receive more collegiate offers as the season progresses.
Two of Bremen’s wide receivers should make a splash this year. Justin Faulkner, the heavily recruited player who tallied 500 yards last year, and Aidan Price, a three-year starter. Sophomore kicker Carter Allen shows promise in his role as well, proving himself useful on special teams. Russell and the Blue Devils prepare for battle to the end for a region championship, and they feel they have what it takes.
Russell focuses on the hard work of a special group of seniors who gained valuable field experience over the past three years. “I have the best group of players and young men in the world to coach," he says. "Any success they get is so deserved. For those guys to go out and be champions as seniors would be really special and extremely well deserved.”
The Blue Devils have home field advantage for over half their games this season, hosting Jordan, Bowdon and McNair before their first trip up the road to Rabun County – all for non-region play.
Russell and the boys in blue understand the value of a community that rallies around its high school sports teams. “Our community support and involvement is just phenomenal," he says. "There’s nothing like a Friday night here. It’s hard to not play your guts out when you have that kind of support.”
Russell makes sure his players know to appreciate their home field environment and not take the small town Friday night lights for granted. “I tell our kids, if you walk up those stairs and you don’t get chills when you walk into that stadium, something’s wrong with you. It is awesome to see a packed place where people are there to watch you, and you’re the show in town that night.”
Trojans vying for state championship
Carrollton High School is crawling with college prospects. Junior cornerback Dorian Barney committed to The University of Alabama.
Senior Shamar Arnoux committed to play at the University of Southern California as a cornerback. Junior running back Kimauri Farmer remains uncommitted with several offers going into this fall and stands ready to make a big difference on the field for the Trojans this season.
Peyton Zachary, junior wide receiver who transferred from Kell High School in January, enters his junior year as a gifted wide receiver with several collegiate offers and 2023 all-region first team honors. “Peyton Zachary is a name that will be one that everyone needs to know. He is
a dynamic player, and he’s done a good job since he’s been with us,”says fourth-year head coach Coach Joey King.
Junior center Zykie Helton committed to the University of Alabama in July 2023 but later decommitted, with offers from the University of Georgia, Florida State University, University of Colorado Boulder, Auburn University and more.
Senior offensive lineman Cole Norred committed to Army West Point. The target of much of the focus on Trojan football, Julian Lewis committed to The University of Southern California. In the headlines for some time, he continues to show promise as a five-star-rated quarterback. This off-season, Lewis reclassified
to the class of 2025 to jump-start his college career. Last season, King looked forward to watching Lewis' growth during his sophomore season. This year, with Lewis’s high school career being set on the fast track and now headed into his senior season, he progresses quickly as a player and leader. “He’s done a really good job since January. Reclassing up to actually be a senior now has definitely lit a fire under him, and he’s definitely made some progress,” King says. It's old hat now for college coaches to visit the Trojans, as the school is a current hot spot for high-profile recruiters. King is no stranger to navigating the college recruitment process with his players, as he was the coach of another high-profile player during his
time at Cartersville High School. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence played under King and eventually went on to play at Clemson University. Lawrence currently plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Carrollton fell short in the quarterfinals last season, but that loss does not necessarily fuel them more than any other loss would. Well known as a successful program, the Trojans keep pushing toward a state championship, which they've focused on since 1998. Each year since, the team has held the same goals. “The opportunity that lies ahead of us fires us up. Our goal every year is to win two championships. The first one being a region championship and the second being a state championship,” says King. Last year, the Trojans brought the region trophy
Photo: Brian Carmicheal
Carrollton Trojans Roster
No. 0 Zion Cooley
No. 1 Kiyun Cofer
No. 2 Jay Hagan
No. 3 Zelus Hicks
No. 4 Ryan Mosley
No. 5 Kam McClure
No. 6 Peyton Zachary
No. 7 Antonio Cromartie
No. 8 Landon Wolf
No. 9 CJ Gamble
No. 10 Julian Lewis
No. 11 Caleb Hudson
No. 12 Kai Callen
No. 13 AJ McNeil
No. 14 Dylan Bishop
No. 15 Shamar Arnoux
No. 16 Ty Sabo
No. 18 Dorian Barney
No. 19 Tyler Boyd
No. 21 Kimauri Farmer
No. 22 Messiah Satterwhite
No. 23 Cameron Wood
No. 24 Zhaiylon Harris
No. 25 Hayden Downes
No. 26 Jermichael Simmons
No. 29 Carson Heath
No. 30 Javian Holland
No. 31 Matthew Butler
No. 33 Shem McMillan
No. 34 Kadan Spratling
No. 35 Judge Butler
No. 36 Keaires Miller
No. 37 Keontay Kidd
No. 39 Julian Satterwhite
No. 40 Jahmir Harris
No. 41 JD Jones No. 43 Dajuan Coleman No. 45 Montrell Cousin
No. 46 Kendrick Thurman
No. 47 Tavarius Ackey
No. 48 Zaylen Cruver No. 49 Judah White No. 53 Beau Ball No. 54 Kweli Fielder No. 55 Chastan Sheffield No. 56 Anthony Villanueva No. 58 Mateo Wells No. 60 Blake Thomason No. 61 Jaiden Collins No. 62 Andreas McCullough No. 63 Tony Akra No. 65 RJ Sizemore No. 66 Tyrell Thomas No. 67 Elliot Parham No. 68 Douglas Caballero No. 69 Jeremiah Glover No. 70 Cole Norred No. 71 Mason Scoville No. 74 Ezra Jordan No. 77 Marc Mitchell No. 79 Cam Henderson
No. 80 Chase Fortner
No. 81 Micai Cammon
No. 82 Jake Davis No. 83 Coleone Cosby No. 84 Julian Vargas No. 86 Carlos Hernandez No. 87 Kolton Messer
No. 89 Jarod Williams No. 91 Louis Marti No. 93 Christian Kelley No. 94 Jabari Elder No. 95 DA Logan No. 97 Jacob Ricks No. 98 Oscar Aguilar
home, but couldn't make it happen for the state title. This year, the Trojans and their fans have a different outcome in their sights.
Even with reclassification, the Trojans are still in the highest classification in AAAAAA Region 2 with Chapel Hill, Douglas County, East Coweta and Westlake.
The Trojans' region saw very few changes, with a notable exception of adding Douglas County High School, a team with a very talented roster and a 2023 region championship.
Coming from the highest classification in the state off of an 11-3 season, King and the Trojans focus more on the family aspect of their game, something King felt was lacking last year. This off-season has been about “stacking days” for the Trojans. “Show up and stack days," he says. "We’ve had a really good summer and off-season. We know that success doesn’t just happen. My message to the guys is
always, ‘Make today your best day,’ and hopefully we look up at the end of the year and we’re in the position that we want to be in.”
Carrollton High School football fans buzz with excitement for this upcoming season, and not just because of the star studded roster of Trojans. Just like every year, Carrollton High School fans can expect to see the Trojans play their own brand of football. “Still our hard-nosed, physical brand of football," King says. "Our guys are excited about being Trojans and everything that stands for. We talk all the time about fighting like a Trojan, and that is a staple in the history of this football program. These guys are going to fight regardless of the situation.”
WGW
Photo: Brian Carmicheal
BROWN BUILDING LIONS BRICK-BY-BRICK
Opponent vs. Spalding vs. Oxford at Hiram at Villa Rica OPEN at Mundy's Mill* vs. Jonesboro* Starr's Mill* OPEN vs. Harris County* vs. Griffin* at Northside*
*Indicates Region 3-AAAA contest
Coach Umbrah Brown enters his second year as head coach of his alma mater after a show-out first season of coaching last year. Brown and the Central High School Lions are geared up for the 2024 season after an almost perfect full season last year with a 12-1 record. The Lions face a new region this year after winning the 2023 region title. Central moves from AAAA Region 7 to AAAA Region 3 with no familiar faces from the previous region. “We’re looking forward to the challenge," says Brown. "We know there are a lot of good football teams in that region, and a lot of teams that have had success and are very athletic. That’s why we scheduled our non-region games so tough, because we want to get ready for that.”
Central faces Spalding, Oxford, Hiram and
Villa Rica for their non-region games this season. “[This region] is going to be a gauntlet," Brown explains. "That’s just the nature of all regions and classifications now in Georgia with them condensing classifications down. Most regions are pretty tough. That’s the nature of the beast now.” AAAA Region 3 is now home to three 2023 region champions in Central, Harris County and Starr’s Mill, who ultimately put the Lions out of the tournament in the quarterfinals last year. The Lions come in with nine offensive and five defensive starters from last season, a real advantage paired with the new pieces still being placed on this 2024 Central roster. JR Harris, the sophomore starting quarterback who made waves last season, takes more of a leadership role on the field and in the locker room. Division I
Central Lions Roster
No. 0
No. 1
No.
recruit Harris is a gifted quarterback with a great arm and good vision, completing 70% of his passes last season, but his biggest asset lies in his ability to play off the cuff and move his feet when plays break down. Brown looks to Harris to see how he develops both on the field and in the locker room. “We know what he can do on the field," Brown says. "Last year, as a freshman, he stepped in and exceeded everyone’s expectations for a ninth grader. The kid wants to win and he is a winner. There is no one on that field that wants to win more than JR. The biggest thing this year is taking that next step into his leadership. Now he’s got a whole lot of influence in the locker room, and what he does with that influence is going to be very vital to our success as a team. He has earned that influence now.”
Jonaz Walton, the junior four-star-rated running back, remains uncommitted but has a back pocket full of offers from multiple high-caliber teams
Cole Burns No. 99 Mauli Brown
including the University of Alabama, University of Georgia, University of Tennessee and Florida State University. Walton remains a fixture on the Lions squad. “He’s pretty much the face of the team, and we know that we’re going to go as he goes, in most cases,” says Brown. Walton rushed for a combined total of 3,328 yards in his freshman and sophomore season. Other players slated to push the team into the positive on both sides are seniors Marshun Horton, Zyleigh Person, Zaylend Person, Josh Johnson, J.G. Burns and junior Avery Tanner. Defensively, senior Nate Horsely leads the charge at linebacker as a four-year starter. Horsely is a productive player with a high football IQ who led the Lions in tackles last year. Senior Khaven Cochran decided to suit up for the Lions on the football field after a fantastic junior basketball season where he earned region player of the year. Cochran is a natural athlete and college basketball prospect who Brown feels will be beneficial this year playing receiver and defensive back. Sophomore Twins Tyler and Tyson Rochester – both outside linebackers – plan to make waves in their first varsity season.
Coach Brown wants to build the Central Lions into excellent football players, but underneath that obvious intention, he looks to build his players into
exceptional young men. Brown implements several workshops and programs for his players’ personal development. The Lions have a mentor group that puts Central football alumni in a mentoring role for current football players, allowing alumni to be more involved in the program and giving the current players another positive male role model in their lives. Brown and his coaching staff also hold character education sessions for the Lions.
“It’s not football. It’s really just about life and your character," Brown explains. "It’s how to be a man and how to do things the right way.” These character education sessions then gave way to the new winter program Brown named “The Man Series," which is run by the entire coaching staff, each getting their own topic to teach the boys. These topics range from how to change a tire, how to tie a tie, how to treat a lady and how to deal with mental health.
Brown uses the mantra "Brick-by-Brick" in his coaching of the Lions. “For us, it’s a mantra," he says. "It’s a process-oriented, goal-driven team that’s not really worried about the end result, but more about that process-over-results approach. We try not to worry about the entire house. Just
try to lay one perfect brick at a time. That’s in the classroom, in the weight room, in the community, in relationships we have with people and in the way we carry ourselves.”
WGW
Crutchfield takes reins of Rebels
Opponent vs. Mount Pisgah Christian at Pike County vs. Greene County OPEN OPEN vs. Darlington* at Heard County* vs. Model* at Temple* vs Pepperell* at Bremen*
*Indicates Region 6-A Division I contest
Haralson County High School welcomed new head coach Randy Crutchfield to lead the Rebels on the football field this season. Crutchfield, a Paulding County native with roots in Hiram, comes from his most recent position as defensive coordinator at Wayne County High School in Jesup, Ga. After spending two years at Wayne County, Crutchfield accepted his first head coaching position for Haralson County High School. As he steps into the premier leadership role, Crutchfield focuses on adjusting to the team and steadily building the Rebels up day by day. “I’m still trying to get this vision across, and to get it to look exactly the way you have it in your mind, that’s probably the hardest thing," he explains. "It’s not always there yet, but you can’t expect it to be there, because you’ve only been here for a few months.”
Crutchfield replaces former head coach Scott Peavey who led the Rebels to a record of 40-23 over
seven seasons at Haralson County High School. Peavey now holds the head coaching position at Etowah High School in Attalla, Ala.
Crutchfield transitioned into Rebel territory with high expectations and a clear message for the Rebels. “I’ve been very intentional to go over what our core values are," he says. "Number one is joy. I tell the kids every day, ‘Today is the best day of your life.’ I like to make sure that we’re bringing that joy to practice, even on the hot days. I also focus on effort. I’ve been telling them to be the best person they can be. Whatever their skillset, whatever their potential, it’s about achieving and becoming the best person they can be, not a comparison of anyone else or any other team.” The Rebels’ internal focus couldn’t come at a better time than now as they transition into a new region with fierce competition and familiar opponents.
Last season, the Rebels finished with a 2-8
Photos by Andrew Agresta
Haralson County Rebels Roster
No. 0 Lucas Warren
No. 1 Khemp Boyd
No. 2 Andy Honea
No. 3 Colton Hutson
No. 4 Junior Hutson
No. 5 Luke Edwards
No. 6 Cohen Synowiec
No. 7 Tucker Wade
No. 8 Branson Williams
No. 9 Hunter Ballew
No. 10 Jax Brown
No. 11 Paxton Ray
No. 12 Dawson Aldridge
No. 13 Joel McCoy
No. 14 Luke Armstrong
No. 15 Garrett Kress
No. 16 Hunter Patrick
No. 17 Keegan Wein
No. 18 Caleb Hughes
No. 19 Judson Estes
No. 20 Bodie Ostroski
No. 21 Joshua Hanson
No. 22 Tyler Montgomery
No. 23 Bentley Felker
No. 24 Eli Rider
No. 25 Hayden Gallimore
No. 28 Jaxon Cohran
No. 30 Myles Keller
No. 31 Jace Calhoun
No. 33 Gavin Robinson No. 40 Emilio Patino
No. 44 Carsyn Simpson
No. 49 Sebastian Perez
No. 50 Mario Orozco
No. 52 Jayse Turner
No. 53 Cole Holcombe
No. 54 Joseph Jeffery
No. 55 Landin Singletary
No. 57 Curtis Clayton
No. 58 Cohen Walker
No. 59 Matthew Craig
No. 60 Riley Pennington
No. 61 Jake Gray
No. 62 Seth Thompson
No. 63 Walker Ward
No. 65 Eli Bentley No. 66 Kade Whaley
No. 67 Landon Padgett
No. 68 Weston Baker No. 75 Blaze Fisher No. 77 Jacob Kilgore No. 78 Jonathan Chain
season record and a 2-4 region record in AA Region 7, identical to the 2022-2023 region record. A fresh start in a new region could be the reset the Rebels are craving. This season, Haralson County's reclassification dropped them into A D1 Region 6, a competitive region including Darlington, Bremen, Temple, Heard County, Pepperell and Model. Crutchfield welcomes the challenge of the new region but is focusing on working out any kinks the Rebels may have instead of preparing based on who the team is set to face each Friday night. “The region is very competitive from top to bottom," he says. "The margin of error will be very slim. I think it’ll be like playoff football every Friday because of the competitive nature of the region. For us, it’s really a nameless and faceless opponent. My goal for us is to be the best team we can be. If we are the best we can be and don’t beat ourselves, we’ll have a chance to be successful.”
Crutchfield centers on perfecting the Rebels’ game to reduce mistakes that could prove detrimental in a close game. “Being able to be the best version of us means not having penalties that are going to set us back, or not putting the ball on the ground," he explains. "I think in this region that’s what it’s inevitably going to come down to. It’s not always going to be the best team that wins, but it will be the team that makes the least amount of mistakes that wins.” With so much change this season, the
Rebels seek to benefit from focusing internally to control their standard of play week in and week out. Senior outside linebacker and running back Eli Rider brings energy and enthusiasm to the team by being a leader on and off the field. Paxton Ray, the 11th grader sporting the number 11 jersey, starts
at quarterback. Crutchfield describes Ray as being an ultimate, positive attitude player who stays cool, calm and collected in stressful situations, while leading the team into a positive mindset.
Khemp Boyd, the young sophomore wide receiver, rocks a deadly skill set to anchor the Rebel offense. On the older end of the Rebel receivers, Tucker Wade enters his senior season with great promise from his growth in the program, bringing the coach's vision to life.
The offensive line for the Rebels stays almost identical to last season. Junior offensive lineman Jacob Kilgore shines as a leader on the field starting at left tackle. Juniors Jayse Turner and Walker Ward, both named all-region players last year, earned the mantle of leading the charge on the offensive line, prepping to take it up a notch from last season.
Crutchfield recognizes the importance of a playerled team and shares that mindset with his athletes.
“I’m a facilitator. This is not my team, it’s their team," he says. "It’s going to be what they want it to be. It’s so important for it to be that way because these seniors graduate, but I get to stay and coach another year. [The seniors] are never going to get this time back.”
Crutchfield prepares his attack this season from game one of the schedule. The Rebels hope to be battle tested after their three non-region games in August against Mount Pisgah Christian, Pike and Green Counties. Haralson County then hosts
Darlington at home to kick off region play where, Friday after Friday, the Rebels prepare to fight like there is no tomorrow. WGW
2025 SPRING SPORTS SHOWCASE
Each team feature will include a season preview article, schedule, roster, action photos and more!
Heard HONORS
LOST BRAVES
08/16 08/23 08/30 09/06 09/13 09/20 09/27 10/04 10/11 10/18 10/25 11/01
The Heard County Football team is no stranger to grief. Over the past three years, they've lost four members of the Heard County Football family: Hunter Huey in August 2022, Austin McEntyre in November 2022, Antwon Carter in July 2023 and Ashton Bonner last month. Coach Shane Lasseter leads the bereaved team while being deeply affected by the losses himself. With four losses in two years, there is no manual on how to navigate the grief of the team, coaches and
date Opponent vs. Clarkston vs. South Atlanta at Murphy OPEN at Bowdon OPEN vs. Haralson County* vs. Temple* at Darlington* vs. Bremen* at Model* at Pepperell* *Indicates Region 6-A Division I contest
the community as a whole. “Ultimately, the players are the most important. There’s definitely not a book for this. It’s one day at a time and doing what you feel is best at the time," says Lasseter. "There were times last year that we didn’t practice at all, and then there were times that we would have all the kids here but we didn’t do a whole lot. Last year, being together was more important in trying to get them through [the grief], and playing a game was second in line of importance. We do things to honor them. We have some things painted on the
field, and their lockers are still the same as they were the day they left here. Everyone is really respectful of all of that stuff.”
Although Lasseter’s main priority is the wellbeing of his players as they navigate through the grieving process, the loss of his current and former players takes a tremendous toll on him as well. “It’s something that you have to deal with as a coach, and it’s been extremely tough. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t. At the end of the day, it’s not about me. It’s about being there for the kids,” he says.
As much as Lasseter cares about football, he feels that molding his players into good citizens is of the utmost importance. Earlier this summer, he organized a youth football camp that was free of charge for all children in the Heard County community. “Sometimes ‘free’ costs money to someone, but there’s someone who is willing to step up and do that for us, to make it free," he explains. "We feel that’s important because there are 10 or 20 kids who wouldn’t have had that opportunity if it was $40 or $50 dollars per kid. Your time doesn’t cost anything to get out there and play with those kids.”
Lasseter also organized his team to serve the Heard County Marching Braves a meal during the marching band’s summer band camp. “We are a big family here, and they participate and go everywhere with us. I feel like they are constantly serving us by
being there, and same with the cheerleaders – they were there that night – and we were trying to teach the kids servitude," he says. "It was a time where we could hang out with them for a little while and do something for them because they’re always doing something for us. We say all the time about our football program that if a kid only learns football when they leave here, then I’ve failed as a coach.”
The Braves enjoy new upgrades to their facilities with the addition of an open air covered facility and the renovation of the weight room. “It’s amazing. It’s one of the best facilities I’ve ever seen at a high school," says Lasseter. "Our weight room went from 11 racks to 21 racks, and everything is top-of-the-line in there. Our open air facility is 70 yards long. It's been awesome as far as days where the heat index would have to make you pull your pads off. Now we’re able to go in there and get a full padded practice.” Lasseter and the rest of the coaching staff have been taking full advantage of the newly renovated spaces. Due to the increase in the number of racks in the weight room, the middle school football team and the high school team work out in the same space at the same time. The open air facility hosts many other Heard County activities such as marching band
camp, baseball camp and a softball kids’ camp.
The Braves boast quite the assortment of gametested players coming into this season. Antonio Heath finished his sophomore season last year with over 100 tackles, the team’s Most Valuable Player Award and the honor of being named the 4-A Iron Man of the Year. This season, Heath is a junior who serves as a strong leader and a player with great potential. Lasseter’s son Max is also a skilled player for the Braves, and sophomore Ethan Tisdale returns at quarterback. His freshman year, Tisdale made an impact as the starting quarterback halfway through the season.
Dereon Pearson is a senior and a college prospect. Lasseter says Pearson is a likable kid with a great work ethic. Senior linemen Riley Chapman and Jack Goss, dubbed “program guys” by Lasseter due to their length of time invested in Heard County Football, stepped into leadership positions for the Braves, modeling proper work ethic, watching out for younger players and calling team meetings. Max Lasseter is a junior playing on both sides of the ball and thrives under his father’s coaching. With his own son on the team, Coach Lasseter has an extra special connection to this group of guys, having watched them grow up alongside Max. “It’s not just another team. These are kids that I have really seen play almost every game of their entire lives just from going to [Max’s] games from the time they were 5 years old," he says. "They are a talented group,
Heard County Braves Roster
No. 1 Dereon Pearson
No. 2 Seth Douglas
No. 4 Antonio Heath
No. 5 Andrew Tinker
No. 6 AJ Beadles
No. 7 Pope Phillips
No. 8 Bradford Hadley No. 9 Ethan Tisdale
No. 10 Tripp Curbow
No. 11 Brody Buc Cofield
No. 12 Ben Schory
No. 13 Zay Moreland
No. 14 Darience Coleman
No. 15 Teddy Hall
No. 16 Adrea Hudson
No. 17 Amari Heath
No. 18 Gunner Copeland
No. 19 Wesley Windom
No. 20 Roy Gonzales
No. 21 Michael Lofton
No. 22 Max Lasseter
No. 24 Jayden Moreland
No. 25 Braeden McKenzie
No. 26 Jordan Henderson
No. 27 Jack Langley
No. 28 Josiah Bonner No. 29 Toddre Emory No. 30 Daniel Harris No. 31 Mack Googe No. 32 Bryceon Vaughn No. 33 Justin Hanson No. 34 Gus Epps No. 35 Taj Taggert No. 36 Carson Battles No. 37 Branson Petty No. 38 Kaiden Pfeifer No. 40 Ethan Inkman No. 41 Hunter Huey No. 42 Brayden Dutton No. 43 Amir Morris No. 44 Payden Boogher No. 45 Jakari Andrews No. 46 Zerick Green Jr. No. 47 Toney Bailey No. 48 Layne Toney No. 49 Henry Huber No. 50 David Hannah No. 52 Kaden Wood No. 53 Zeke Barnes No. 54 Noah Davis
No
One
Walks Alone
Suicide Prevention Awareness Event
Hosted by: Pathways Center & AnotherWay Foundation
Saturday, September 7 9am-12pm LINC Trail (CJ Smith Park: 92 Farmer St. Newnan)
and they’re starting to be at that older age where it’s about to be their time. A lot of people think we’re going to be really good next year, but I’m very hopeful that we’re ahead of schedule.”
No. 55 Jaxon White No. 56 Logan Parmer No. 57 AJ Brangan No. 58 Kaleb Satcher No. 59 Drew Betts No. 60 Joshua Janney No. 61 Charles Mixon No. 62 Jack Goss No. 64 DJ Cook No. 65 Luke Meacham No. 68 Payton Rakestraw No. 69 Dagan Dover No. 72 Xzavior Bridgette No. 73 Lane Muller No. 75 Owen Camp No. 76 Lucas McCormick No. 77 Riley Chapman
No. 78 Bryson Cooper No. 79 Luke Muller
No. 81 Riley Harcrow
No. 82 Andrew Longshore V No. 83 Andrew Waters
No. 85 Austin McEntyre No. 87 Joshua Moore No. 88 Brandon Clark
The energized Braves stand ready for battle in a brand new region: A D1 Region 6. Heard County has only one regionfamiliar face from last season in Temple High School. Other teams in this new region include Bremen, Haralson County, Darlington, Pepperell and Model. Having played all of these teams with the exception of Model High School, the Braves look forward to playing competitive teams that have similar programs as their own. With the competition heating up, Lasseter knows Heard County has something to prove. “That’s been our theme and motto all year. It’s no longer about our past successes, it’s about what we’re doing right now,” he says. WGW
Holy Ground GALLOPS INTO NINE MAN REGION PLAY
Holy Ground Baptist Academy’s Stallions sit poised for a great season in nine man football. Coach Bart Gillespie, previously an assistant coach for the Stallions, became head coach last year.
With many people in the community not knowing about nine man football and that a school in the West Georgia area plays it, Gillespie shares that Stallions football is still football. “As far as our brand of football, I would like everyone to know that it’s no different," he says. "We have two less linemen on the field, but we still strap up the same kind of helmets, same shoulder pads, we’re hitting just like anyone else. They’re playing their hearts out and it’s no different than 11 man other than we have two less people on the field – but it’s still football.”
With 14 men on the roster and nine men on the field at any given time, being in shape is a necessity for the Stallions. “We’re a small school, we have 14 on the roster and we’re playing nine man football, so it’s iron man football. Most everyone plays, there’s not a game where someone doesn’t get on the field. Everyone is a part of it, so the kids feel like they’re more a part of the team, because they’re not sitting on the sideline waiting to get in. Everybody gets their chance and everyone works hard, because we have to play iron man football.”
The Stallions have moved from eight man football to nine man football, increasing the size of the playing field to normal regulation size. In eight man football, the field is a full 100 yards in length and only 40 yards wide. Now the Stallions will play on a full-sized field in the nine man game. Gillespie says the bigger field is going to force the Stallions to be in top shape. “One thing
about being on a bigger field, our guys are going to have to be fast on defense.”
Coming off of a great season last year, Gillespie is confident this year’s group will be just as successful. “From the team that we’ve got, I expect we’re going to be right there again this year," he says. "We’ve got a good returning group from last year and we’ve got a lot of new guys that have come in, but they’ve jumped into our summer workout program and they’ve meshed well with the team.”
This year, one of the best leaders on the team is Wyatt Farmer, returning for his senior year after a successful 2023 season.
The Stallions have been playing football for years, but Gillespie says there isn’t much media coverage for the team. He hopes to see that change in the near future.
“The program has actually been here for a number of years," he explains. "We started out playing 11 man football in around 2009. We actually have three state championships in eight man football. We’ve been around for a while. A lot of people don’t know about us. I wish they knew more about us. I wish we could get some coverage as far as our games so people will know more.”
Last year, Holy Ground finished its season with an overall record of 7-2. This year, the Stallions are in the region of GAPPS A Region 1 (Nine Man) along with CrossPointe Christian Academy, Hearts Academy and Praise Academy. Holy Ground is set to host the only competitor that bested them during the 2023 regular season as LaFayette Christian Academy out of LaGrange, Ga., comes down to Roopville on September 20th. WGW
Holy Ground Roster
10/25
date Opponent vs. Chattahoochee County at Ranburne at Bethlehem Christian at Chattooga at Baconton Charter vs. Pike County at Greenville* at Trion* vs. Bowdon* OPEN vs. Manchester*
*Indicates Region 7-A Division II contest
Gordon leading the charge for young eagles
Although Coach Brad Gordon is a veteran head coach entering his eighth year at Mount Zion High School, he leads a young Eagles team this season. “We’re very optimistic. We are really young; we only have five seniors. We’ve got a bunch of young kids that are wanting to prove that they’re ready to play. That has kept our intensity up in the off season,” says Gordon. With the youth this season brings, Gordon's excitement stems from seeing some players come in who remind him of rumblings of past playoff runs. “Our young skill players have been a nice surprise," he says. "We’ve got some of the best skill kids we’ve had since we made some runs in the playoffs. We’re excited to see them step it up, but we’ve got a lot of depth, and you know depth means a lot, especially in August when you’re playing in that heat. We have five Friday nights in August, so we’re really excited about the depth we have in the skill positions.”
Although much of the Eagles squad is young, one could never call some of them small. José Becerra, the 6’1” 230-pound freshman Eagle earned his position to start at right guard. Abram
Morrow, the 6’1” and 263-pound freshman grounds the offense as starting center. With two freshmen on the offensive line, mentally preparing for the season is important, as the transition from middle school to high school football brings a whole new set of challenges for young players. To combat this, Gordon led with foresight, starting practices a few years ago with the Mount Zion Middle School football team alongside his high school players to help bridge the 08/16 08/23
gap and learning curve kids experience transitioning from eighth to ninth grade. “We all do it together. While varsity is on offense, the middle school is on defense and our high school coaches are down there with them. When they transition into ninth grade, they already know the lingo and terminology, they are already familiar with everything. So now it’s just a matter of stepping up their physicality. You can play hard and play fast when you don’t have to think. Hopefully by us [doing this], now they can forget about the thinking and just play. We want you to play, not think,” he says.
Sophomore quarterback Knox Israel made his name known last season as a starting freshman. Gordon looks forward to watching Israel grow on the field in his abilities and his leadership. “Knox is one of our true leaders of the team even though he is a sophomore," Gordon explains. "What he does in the huddle as far as leadership means a lot. He’s got a year under his belt now, and even though he’s
Mount Zion Eagles Roster
No. 1 Carlos Randall
No. 2 Xavier Buckner
No. 3 Hayden Cornwell
No. 4 Damian Sanders
No. 5 Khazyia Ackey
No. 6 Jayden Jones
No. 7 Andrevon Moore
No. 8 Jayden Ackey
No. 9 Rashad Montgomery
No. 10 Corey Hutter
No. 11 Alan Esquivel Agustin
No. 12 Knox Israel
No. 13 Tyler Hurston
No. 14 Trent Harris
No. 15 Cameron Rolling
No. 16 Brody Hindsman
No. 17 Jaydin Cheeks
No. 18 Brody Gabriel
No. 19 Nolan Trueblood
No. 20 Caleb Houston
No. 21 Kevontay Cousin
No. 22 Tysson Madden
No. 23 Jordan Smith
No. 24 Hayden Young
No. 25 Dayson Rolling
No. 26 Caleb Sims No. 28 Ryan Bearden
No. 30 Jadden Springer No. 32 Brycen Denbow No. 36 Bentlee Black No. 38 Payton Drew No. 43 Joseth Bustillo No. 44 Gavin Daniel No. 45 Cayden Mueller No. 47 Jaylen Davidson No. 50 Kameron Reid No. 51 Jose Becerra No. 52 Lucas McCormick No. 53 Izayah Wiggley No. 55 Brandon Neal No. 56 Michael Nesby No. 57 Abram Morrow No. 58 Jeremy Patterson No. 59 Alex Avila No. 60 Avery Weldon No. 61 Bladen Sellars No. 62 Jaden Parrish No. 63 Chris Ellis No. 64 Omar Vargas Bonilla No. 72 Brady Denney
but Gordon welcomes and encourages his players to be involved on campus, especially in other sports teams. “We push our players to be multi-sport athletes," he says. "We want them competing. I don’t care what it is, if it’s wrestling, basketball, baseball, track or soccer –if you’re competing, you are getting better. I would say 75 percent of our players play another sport. That’s one thing we have to do, we have to share kids in small schools. We don’t want them sitting around, we want them out competing.”
Gordon and the rest of the Eagles coaching staff focus on the character building of the team throughout their time in the program, using football to bridge the gap between boyhood and manhood. “Anytime you’re coaching, if you’re just worried about wins and losses, you’re missing the boat," he explains. "It’s a whole lot more than just wins and losses. It’s about being a better person, and we do a lot of stuff to try to make them think about applying football to life. We met with our FCA (Fellowship of
The Eagles look to get a fast start with their first non-region game against Chattahoochee County at home followed by four games on the road. The Eagles’ last non-region match-up against Pike County is held at home in Donald Nixon Stadium. Gordon plans to start the season strong with the many fresh faces he has on the squad. “With us being so young, we have got to come out of the gate and get started early, we have to have good things happen early," he says. "When we’re five or six games in, we won’t be able to say they’re young anymore, and we’ll have to stop using that.”
The Eagles land in the A D2 Region 7 with Bowdon, Greenville, Manchester and Trion. Last season, Mount Zion had a strong start with three wins but, unfortunately, lost momentum and ended the season with a record of 3-8. This year, though, Gordon shares a straightforward message with the Eagles as the start of the season closes in. “Our slogan this year is simple: Win. We want to win every day at practice and win every rep. Whether it’s the weight room, on the field, or anything we do – we want to win and get better every day,” he says. WGW
Christian Athletes) guy this year, and our whole point is coaching boys to men.”
Tigers LOOKING TO MAKE HISTORY
date Opponent at McNair vs. Clarkston at Trion at South Atlanta OPEN at Pepperell* vs. Bremen* at Heard County* vs. Haralson County* OPEN vs. Darlington* at Model*
*Indicates Region 6-A Division I contest
The Temple Tigers stand ready to bounce back this season after a tumultuous 2023 that included some necessary growing pains. Last season, the Tigers suffered unfortunate injuries throughout 2023 that opened the door for inexperienced players to gain field time, meaning the 2024 Tigers have more experienced players coming into this season.
The Tigers ended the 2023 season with a record of 5-6, going 1-2 in region play. Coach Cory Nix enters his third year as head coach of the Tigers, and he has his work
cut out for him. With the growth from last year to this year and the new region placement for Temple, Nix feels poised to make waves in West Georgia. This summer, the Tigers attended countless camps and hit the weightroom hard in preparation for the upcoming season.
Temple prepares to enter into a new region, A D1 Region 6, along with many teams in the West Georgia area – Bremen, Haralson County, Heard County, Darlington, Model and Pepperell. Nix looks forward to the competitive nature of this region and the accessibility it brings fans during the season with less traveling in store for away games. “'Week in and week out, you have to bring your A-game.' That’s what we preach to the kids," he says. "With that comes the crowds. Due to the geographics of this region, whether you’re home or away, each side will be packed.” This type of hometown football offers an excellent way to drive the energy for the Tigers throughout the season.
With four non-region games – three of which are away games – at the start of the 2024 season in McNair, Clarkston, Trion and South Atlanta, Nix looks to balance powerful momentum with taking things one day at a time. “It’s definitely important to get off to a great start, and then, hopefully you keep
[your players] humble," he says. "If you look back at Temple’s history, they’ve had opportunities starting out 3-0 or 4-0 and then losing gas going into the region. For our kids, we’re trying to get them 1 percent better each day, and when Friday night comes, see what you’ve got. Then, learn from the mistakes you made on film, come back the next week, try not to make those same mistakes and move forward.”
As for making a significant playoff run and possibly making history, Nix keeps his athletes reeled in and focused on each day. “I tell the kids all the time that we’re going to control the controllables," he explains. "We’re going to go week in and week out and control that opportunity. And if we do that, then hopefully we’ll
Temple Tigers Roster
No. 0 CJ Gray
No. 1 Trey Clark
No. 2 Darius Rogers
No. 3 Brian Bowman
No. 4 Chayton Hurley
No. 5 Cayson McAnallen
No. 6 Nehemiah Dorsey No. 7 Jackson Gribben
No. 8 Jaiden McDaniel
No. 9 Abraham Knight
No. 10 Brady Rogers
No. 11 Maclann Metayer
No. 12 Nick Hullaby
No. 13 Ashton Escrew
No. 14 Josh Morrell
No. 15 Hudson Nix
No. 16 Manny Watkins No. 17 Paul Augustine
No. 18 Preston Griffin
No. 19 TJ Armstrong
No. 20 JoJo Jones
No. 21 Jayden Caldwell
No. 22 Devin Tanner
No. 23 Markeece Munoz
No. 24 Dylan Bailey
No. 25 Demetris Carter
No. 26 Isiah Tinch
No. 27 Brody Dempsey
No. 28 Ayden Tucker
No. 29 Beckham Tull
No. 30 Mason Johnson
No. 31 Jordan Jones
No. 32 Logan Guilbeau
No. 33 Luke Rutledge
No. 34 Courey Rogers
No. 35 Noah Caldwell
No. 36 Kelvin Miller
No. 37 Da’shun Rogers
No. 38 Kaden Baker
No. 39 James Blackstock
No. 40 DJ Bookout
No. 41 Adam Bickford No. 42 D’Antwon Patterson No. 43 Benjamin Nolan No. 44 John Hart No. 45 Lukas Koller
No. 46 Gabriel Laney
No. 47 Isiah Smith
No. 48 Jae Young No. 49 Kyson Fuller
No. 50 Serderio Ferguson
No. 51 Junior Pressley No. 52 Brady Loew
No. 53 Jaylon Hubbard No. 54 Landon Lee
No. 55 Keagan Tiernan
No. 56 Cooper Xayabouth-Jones
No. 57 Liam Morlett No. 58 Dom Nicolosi No. 59 Mason Thompson
No. 60 Brayden Pace No. 61 Mathew Stroman No. 62 Jayden Cheyney
No. 64 Dawson Driskell
No. 65 Ben Rutledge No. 66 Chris Ferguson
No. 67 TJ Young No. 68 Le’Jaden Sims
No. 72 Braelin Bolton-Louis No. 74 Ryan Self
No. 75 Latavian Alexander
No. 76 Dakota Roberts
No. 77 Marco Lumpkin Chandler
No. 80 Blaine Kaiser
No. 81 Ryan Dameron
No. 82 Bobby McCreary
No. 83 Kaladrian Lowery
No. 84 Brody Patterson
No. 85 Dylan Sosebee
No. 86 Ryan Rutledge No. 87 Drew Wardlow
look up and see history in the playoffs.” Temple wants to showcase a record playoff run this year. The Tigers are due for a shining season, and Nix has the tools to make it happen.
Several of his players are set to make a big impact this season. Senior CJ Gray serves as an offensive powerhouse, having rushed over 1,000 yards last season. Gray is a college prospect who also won the state championship for the 4x100 in track with his teammates Maclann Metayer, Manny Watkins and JD Penson. Watkins, senior wide receiver and defensive back, is committed to play football at Coastal Carolina University. His first ever season running track, Watkins walked away with the state champion title in both the 100m and the 4x100 team for Temple.
Coach Nix’s son, Hudson, returns to the turf with a vengeance this year after he suffered the devastating injury of a femur break in the first game of the 2023 season. Nix, a 6-foot, 200-pound sophomore, shows promise at linebacker. He's been working hard in the offseason as a fixture for Temple baseball, and he's a workhorse in the weight room, proving himself to be an effective defenseman this season for the Tigers.
Nix focuses on the consistency and discipline of the whole team, but especially on the defensive side, which he feels needs the most improvement. He actively pushes the family aspect of the team as well – although often overlooked, this area of the Tigers' identity holds great importance to the team's overall success. WGW
Barron and the Wildcats believe
Opponent vs. Troup County at Northgate OPEN vs. Central at Alexander* vs. South Paulding* at Lithia Springs* vs. Rome* at New Manchester* OPEN vs. Kennesaw Mountain* at East Paulding*
*Indicates Region 5-AAAAA contest
Last season, Villa Rica finished with a record of 4-6 for the season and 3-4 for region play, which left them tied for fourth place in their region.
The Wildcats definitely showed out during some games last year, but moments of inconsistency have Coach Austin Barron implementing new strategies for success. “There were times that we were playing at a very high level that we were capable of, and then there were times that we played down to our competition," he says. "Going into year two, I hope to see more consistency in our football program. [At first,] you’re not really sure of who you are and what you can be, and we spent a lot of time this off season focusing on our identity as a whole.” He hopes to settle into his second year as head coach and lead his team to victory.
With reclassification, the Wildcats still call AAAAA
Region 5 home along with Lithia Springs, the only familiar face from last season’s same region. The region adds Alexander, East Paulding, Kennesaw Mountain, New Manchester, Rome and South Paulding. “When you look at our schedule as a whole, we’re going to have to line up and play good football every single week or else we’ll get beat. Every team we play has the capability to beat us, but I also feel very confident about the guys that we’re going to battle with.” Previously, Villa Rica was in a region with Atlanta-based teams that took them away from the hometown vs. hometown football that Barron and the Wildcats crave. This season, Villa Rica is primed for playing more local teams in Northgate, Central and Troup County for their non-region schedule.
Barron says the cornerstone of Wildcat success falls on powerful players who work hard on the field
No. 0 Cam Bolton
No. 1 Will Wallace
No. 2 Caiden Ried
No. 3 Kaleb Aker
No. 5 Kaleb Stephens-Neal
No. 6 Jace Radford
No. 7 Tyson Brown
No. 8 Luke Hale
No. 9 King Swint
No. 10 Judah Walker
No. 11 Omar Holland
No. 12 Landon Walker
No. 13 Malachi Dunson
No. 14 Dezmond Drummonds
No. 15 Matthew Eubanks
No. 16 Tim Lawson
No. 17 Myles George
No. 18 Hayden Bently
No. 19 Jamari Johnson
No. 20 Levi Walden
No. 21 Donte Carlisle
No. 22 Emmanuel Ajayi
No. 23 Racquan Flippen
No. 24 Tashawn Thorton
No. 25 Chris Copeland
No. 26 Malaki Williams
No. 27 Deangelo Patillo
No. 28 Shafer Hudson
No. 29 LJ Shedrick
No. 30 Andrew Jones No. 32 Rashawn Flippen
No. 33 KJ Jackson
No. 34 Mason Jones No. 35 Blaine Brown
and in the weight room. Myles George is a sophomore college prospect who received his first DI offer from Georgia State University earlier this year in April. Will Wallace enters his senior year for the Wildcats as quarterback of the football team, but this winter, he'll light up the courts as point guard for Villa Rica basketball. In the spring, he hits the diamond as shortstop for Wildcats baseball. As a true athlete
No. 36 Isiah Byrd No. 37 Landon Cooper No. 38 Xavier Tibadoe No. 39 Javionne McDuffey No. 41 Derwade Parker No. 42 Jaden Dennis No. 43 Myles White No. 44 Camari Humes No. 45 Lorenzo Lowe No. 50 Cordae Patterson No. 52 Tyson Whitlock No. 53 Jacob Musgrove No. 54 Phillip Locklear No. 55 Braddock Vohon No. 56 Austin Presley No. 57 Jamari Butterfield No. 59 Alexander Headlee No. 60 Mikey Whitlock No. 62 PJ Newsome No. 64 Gabrial Ponzack No. 66 Aiden Daunt No. 68 Jonathan Plumber No. 69 Jacob Wilson No. 71 Tristian Connerly No. 72 AJ Cosby No. 73 Cash Thorton No. 77 Jarious Shivers No. 80 Will Orr No. 81 Randy Hall No. 84 Aiden Kent No. 85 Terran Randazzo No. 88 Ivelino Herard No. 96 Derrick Olivia
and team leader, Wallace had a breakout season in 2023, and everything is lining up for this season to be a great cap to his Villa Rica football career. Kaleb Aker, wearing number three on the field, is a tried and true secondary player for the Wildcats who enters his senior year ready to make a name for himself.
Barron focuses on the mental and relationship aspect of the game just as much as the physical aspect. The Wildcats hold a team bonding beach trip each year that has a deep impact on the players’ brotherhood. The Wildcats also foster their closeness by holding weekly culture meetings with their position groups.
Barron encourages his players to believe in themselves and their teammates. “It starts with belief. Stepping on the field and expecting great things to happen.”
The team believes they have a chance at a great season as they face Troup County in their first nonregion game of the season on August 16th at Sam McIntyre Stadium in Villa Rica, Ga. WGW
Villa Rica Wildcats Roster
Wolves working hard
amid D1 transition
date Opponent vs. Samford, 6 p.m. at Abilene Christian*, 8 p.m. at Eastern Kentucky*, 6 p.m. OPEN vs. North Alabama*, 2 p.m. vs. Austin Peay*, 2 p.m. at Central Arkansas*, 5 p.m. vs. Shorter, 2 p.m. (HC) vs. Southern Utah*, 2 p.m. vs. Lincoln University CA, 2 p.m. vs. Tarleton State*, 2 p.m. at Utah Tech*, 4 p.m. *Indicates United Athletic Conference contest
Photos provided
Immense changes hit the University of West Georgia's football team these past 12 months. The 2024 season brings a new head coach, a new classification and an all new conference to the Wolves. The Wolves welcomed new coach Joel Taylor to The University of West Georgia in December. Taylor comes with quite the resume, boasting around 20 years of experience coaching football, his most recent position being defensive coordinator for the Mercer University Bears for four seasons. Taylor led a very successful defense for Mercer, regarded as one of the top defensive coordinators in his division.
As soon as Taylor stepped foot on campus, he started instilling in his players the standard he expects from the team. “If you see a football player and you ask them what the standard is, they’ll say ‘Elite.’ Elite is the standard in everything we do,” he says. For Taylor, it’s not just the players that he expects eliteness from; it’s everyone involved in the program. “As
coaches, we have to be elite, the support staff has to be elite, and on campus as administrators, we all have to be elite.” That standard also includes Taylor’s desire to get his team involved in their on-campus community as well as their off-campus one. “Our culture is about connecting people," Taylor says. "The only way I know how to connect with people is to really invest in people. We’ve been off campus in the community doing community service. We want to serve our community, our student body and our teammates.”
The reclassification of the Wolves from Division II to Division I was a much anticipated one both in the community and on campus. Within the team itself, players feel excited and ready to prove they deserve this step to Division I.
Taylor shares his respect for the work ethic he witnessed in his first off season with the Wolves. “Anytime you’re making a transition like this, it’s natural to be excited about it," he explains. "The
kids are really excited – we had about 95 guys here for summer school, and our roster is going to be about 115 to 120 players. Ninety-five kids made a sacrifice to be here and they’ve been working really hard.”
This season, the Wolves have a quarterback battle between senior Quincy Casey and junior Davin Wydner. Both players are effective on the field and in the huddle, which should make for a tough decision for Taylor this year. The Wolves sport a talented pool of battle-tested running backs, especially Rajaez Mosley, a fixture on the team since 2019. After working to get healthy from a 2022 season ending injury, Mosley had a standout season last year and led the Wolves with 855 rushing yards on 123 carries. Chase Belcher is also part of that promising group of running backs. “I call him a Swiss Army knife," says Taylor. "He can do a lot of different things.” Belcher is a transfer from Northern Arizona University where he was a starter for the Lumberjacks.
The Wolves sit in the United Athletic Conference, a conference of nine teams: University of Central
West Georgia Wolves Roster
No. 1 Karmello English
No. 1 Jelen Lee
No. 2 Festus Davies
No. 2 Davin Wydner
No. 3 T.J. Lockley
No. 3 Julian Richardson
No. 4 Chase Belcher
No. 4 Dazalin Worsham
No. 5 Jibrahn Claude
No. 6 Nehemiah Magalei
No. 7 Cedric Seabrough
No. 7 Carson Yancy
No. 8 Quincy Casey
No. 8 Mason Huntley
No. 9 Will Norman
No. 10 Bryce Dickerson
No. 10 Anthony Rochester
No. 11 E’Shawn Mayes
No. 12 Malik Charles
No. 12 Jordan Jackson
No. 13 Dylan Gary
No. 13 Mar’Quavious Moss
No. 14 Cael Bright
No. 14 Jake Davis
No. 15 RJ Evans
No. 16 Cody Pagach
No. 17 Jalen Frazier
No. 17 Richie Lankford
No. 18 Ravon Grant
No. 18 Tony McCray
No. 19 John Cineas
No. 20 Jerry Mays
No. 21 Solomanie Bambara
No. 22 Rajaez Mosley
No. 23 Kyeaure Magloire
No. 24 Jordan Clark
No. 25 Bryan Rice
No. 26 Latrelle Murrell
No. 27 Bryce Hicks
No. 28 Joshua Pierre-Louis
No. 29 DeWayne Gissendanner
No. 30 Jakyre Horton
No. 31 Malachi Williams
No. 33 Preston Puni
No. 34 Jaleel Chambliss
No. 35 Jaden Stanley
No. 36 TreShawn Moore
No. 37 Micah Thurman
No. 38 Ja’Quan Bentley
No. 38 Ronald Olibrisse
No. 39 Mason Maddox
No. 40 Malachi Kemp
No. 41 Walt Hawthorne
No. 42 Tobias Black
No. 43 Kwasi Casey No. 45 Cameron Moore
No. 46 Jay Carter
No. 46 Colby Dixon
No. 48 Jamie Speight
No. 49 Reed Reagin
No. 50 Cedric Richardson
No. 51 Brody Ogles
No. 52 Cade Barnett
No. 53 Jeffrey Miller
No. 54 Misiolo Maluia
No. 55 Alofaletauia Maluia
No. 56 David Stanphill
No. 57 Jalen Moore
Arkansas, Tarleton State University, Southern Utah University, Austin Peay State University, Abilene Christian University, University of North Alabama, Utah Tech University, Eastern Kentucky University and now the University of West Georgia. Being the new face in the conference, the Wolves ranked lowest in the UAC preseason coaches’ poll. Of course, Taylor and the Wolves are hungry to win and prove themselves to this division, but the bigger picture is the pursuit of constant growth.
“Success to me is growth," Taylor says. "As long as we’re growing every single day, that means we’re getting better and we’re being consistent. The championships will follow after that.” The Wolves boast a trio of players at tight end who are chomping at the bit to reach the season’s start.
No. 58 Jack Hunt
No. 64 David Bodden
No. 66 Chance Gagnon
No. 67 Trey Ertzberger
No. 68 Jayden Benjamin
Cedric Seabrough, Bryce Dickerson and E’Shawn Mayes have all proven themselves deadly on the offensive front. Offensive lineman Sam Regina holds down the offensive line as a junior, setting up for a productive season. On the defensive, juniors Festus Davies and Mason Huntley anchor the line and stand ready to work hard this season. Taylor expects junior Reilly Mason to be the best punter in the league this year, as he has proven himself handling all punting since his freshman year with the Wolves.
No. 70 Sam Regina
No. 71 Bryson Wilson
No. 72 Troy Beverly No. 73 Malachi Mitchell
No. 74 Griffin Barnard
No. 77 Brevyn Jones
No. 78 Lennon Liburd
No. 79 Jacob King
No. 80 Mykel Tubbs
No. 81 Jamarcus Prince
No. 82 DK Daniel
No. 83 Owen Dupree
No. 84 Reilly Mason
No. 85 Jaylen Scott
No. 86 Jordan Dees
No. 88 Devion Newson
No. 90 DeAndre Jones
No. 94 Tyler Davalos
No. 95 Warren-Stevens Tayou
No. 96 Robert Johnson
No. 98 Kourtney Kelly
No. 99 Andrew Dixon
Marcus Grant
Darien Harden
Myti Johnson
Michael Merriweather
Hank Stevens
Taylor tells the West Georgia community to be ready to watch the Wolves play hard this season. “We are going to have a hard working team that is going to be more disciplined, more physical, and outcompete our opponent at every single play. It’s going to be a team that you can get behind and I think it’s going to be an exciting team. We’re going to score a lot of points and we’re going to play tough nosed defense.”
The Wolves are set to host Samford University at University Stadium in Carrollton for their first game of the 2024 season on August 31st. WGW
