Week-1 Cherokee County Football Previews

Posted on August 18, 2022 by admin

We have finally arrived at the beginning of the high school football season in Cherokee County. This week all six county teams will be in action. First up, the Woodstock Wolverines will travel to face the Osborne Cardinals as both teams look to take the next step in their rebuilding process. Meanwhile, the Etowah Eagles will make a short trip over to East Cobb to take on the Lassiter Trojans. Etowah has put up some impressive numbers in scrimmages, but will that translate to regular season success? The Sequoyah Chiefs host the Lambert Longhorns at Skip Pope Stadium.

Down in Woodstock, River Ridge will host Hillgrove. The Knights will be replacing a lot of starters at the skill positions. Will those new pieces pick up where last year’s stars left off? The Creekview Grizzlies make the short trip over to Milton to face the Cambridge Bears. Last year, the Bears bested the Grizzlies in a defensive slugfest. Can Creekview get redemption over their “Ursa” rivals? Finally the Cherokee Warriors host the Cartersville Purple Hurricanes. The Canes are a perennial power regardless of classification. The Warriors are also in the midst of reloading after losing a lot of experience to graduation. Will these young players be able to step up in big early season test?

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

The Skinny

The Woodstock Wolverines begin their second season under coach Troy Hoff. One of his top players, Adonis Garcia has really made a name for himself. A two way star for the Wolverines, he committed to Appalachian State in the offseason. The Wolverines also return senior quarterback Dan Comeau. They’ll be looking for some consistency at running back and we have seen some glimpses of that in their off season scrimmages. Tyler Douthit and Chase Blalock will anchor the offensive line for the Wolverines. Carson Gray is the team’s leading returning tackler at linebacker. 

Osborne hasn’t stricken fear in their opponents on the football field in quite some time. Their last wining season came some 28 years ago. However, we have a hunch that this Osborne team might be turning over a new leaf under third year coach Luqman Salam. The Cardinals have a quarterback with a live arm (Eddie “Deuce” Burr)  and he’s got a talented receiver in Joshua Horton that will be playing on Saturdays after he graduates. 

Both teams should be able to move the football, but who will be able to sustain drives. In years past, we would have bet the house against the Cardinals, but like we said before, this could be a year where they surprise a few teams. Don’t be surprised to see a lot of points put up by two teams that averaged under 10 points per game last season. We believe Woodstock has just enough to get past Osborne. Wolverines by 4.

The Skinny

The Etowah Eagles will also be breaking in a new starting quarterback as the Jack Strickland era begins at Eagle Mountain. Strickland has put up some impressive numbers in the spring and fall scrimmages. We expect for Joher Cacho to get most of the carries early on as the Eagles look to solidify a starter to go along side Strickland. Tate Nelms has been an anchor for this offensive line the past two seasons and we expect more of the same in 2022. Defensively for Etowah the secondary returns Frank Mosley IV, while Joshua Harding will return to anchor the linebackers. Etowah did lose their top four tacklers from a year ago, so it remains to be seen who else will step up on defense.

The Lassiter Trojans come off of a 4-6 campaign looking to qualify for a playoff birth this year for the first time since 2016. Coach Sean Thom has the Trojans heading in the right direction increasing wins over the last three seasons. This year, they will be looking for a breakthrough behind senior quarterback Bryson Harrison. Harrison threw for 1,200 yards and 8-TDs last season. The Trojans also return their two top running backs from a year ago, in Samuel Gadsden and Jaheim Murray. Needless to say, there is experience in the backfield. However, the Trojans did graduate their top two receivers from 2021.

Etowah has shown a different spark offensively in the scrimmages and if they can keep that going, we believe they kid have a breakout season. Lassiter does have a little more experience. This game will come down to which defense can make stops. This should be a high scoring game. We like the Trojans at home by 2.

The Skinny

The Sequoyah Chiefs are looking to make it back to the post season after a three year hiatus. This Chief’s team sport a few talented juniors that they will rely on offensively in Jackson Hancock and Tyler Bell. Both have the potential to make big plays within the Chiefs run heavy offense. We should see Brady Curl line up on both sides of the line of scrimmage, as he will be relied upon as a leader up front on both offense and defense. Jaxon Nesbitt looks be the heir apparent at quarterback for the Chiefs. Defensively, the secondary looks to be a strong suit for the Chiefs with Ridley Joseph and Bretton Darling joining the aforementioned Hancock in the defensive backfield. 

Lambert is coming off their first playoff appearance since 2016. (Losing int he first round to the eventual state champion, Collins Hill.) The Longhorns return starting quarterback James Tyre, who was the team’s leading passer and rusher last season. Lambert also returns two of their top three receivers from 2021 (Brandon Jones and TE Luke Logan). The Longhorns averaged 27.7 points per game in 2022 and allowed 19.3. 

Sequoyah will look to establish their dominance on the ground in this game. Defensively, they will need to slow down Lambert’s Tyre if they want to open up the season with a victory. We are big on returning starters at quarterback. We believe Lambert takes this one. Longhorns by a touchdown. 

The Skinny

River Ridge will be looking to prove that the last two seasons weren’t just a flash in the pan as the Knights open up at home against Hillgrove. River Ridge will be replacing a lot of key pieces at the skill positions on offense. Ethen Spector looks to have gotten the nod at quarterback while Daniel Fitchner will take over at running back. The offensive line welcomes back John Faletra, Reed Albers and Joseph Hornbuckle. Of course we can’t talk River Ridge offense without mentioning Jackson Head. We feel like we’ve been mentioning this young man’s name for years. He enters his senior season as one of the top tight-ends in the State. Head led the Knights with 47 receptions for 695 yards and 10-TDs last year. Defensively, the Knights will leann on Brendan Dye and Brandon Burdette at linebacker and M.J. Ayers and Andrew Hand in the secondary. 

The Hillgrove Hawks are looking to improve on their win total from 2021 as Justin DeShon is in his second season as the head ball coach. The Hawks were competitive in games early in 2021, but could not get much traction in region play. Hillgrove will break in a new quarterback as Toryn Wilkins looks to be the leader in the clubhouse for the Hawks. Hillgrove will also be looking for a new leading running back. Jonathan Owusu could be a name that emerges at receiver for the Hawks. Hillgrove may look to the defense early in the season to help hold opponents at bay will the young quarterback get’s settled into the offense.. The Hawks leading tackler Zion Rutledge returns for his senior season along with three of their other top tacklers from a season ago.

Both teams are in a rebuilding phase of sorts. River Ridge will need to find consistency through the air. That will certainly be helped if they can establish the run. That might be easier said than done against the Hillgrove defense. Nevertheless, we like the Ridge by 3. 

The Skinny

The Creekview Grizzlies have been one of the most consistent teams on the football field since the school opened. The Grizzlies did make an early exit in the playoffs last season, but return several juniors who were starters as sophomores last year. They will be breaking in a new quarterback in Austin Guest, but Guest was able to take meaningful snaps last season. He will be joined in the backfield by newcomer Nigel Agyemang at running back. He will have big shoes to fill with the departure of Tyler Stevens (USAF). The Grizzlies strength will be along both lines of scrimmage. On the offensive line, senior center Anthony Caraballo will join juniors Cam Mears, Pierson Sears and Andrew Rosinksi to form what might be the counties best offensive line. Meanwhile, Becket Singleton, Trey Thomas, Griffin Jane and Isaac Hubert will make things difficult for opposing offenses this season. This is a defense that really gets after opposing quarterbacks. 

For the Cambridge Bears, they proved last season that they are not a team to be overlooked. Their defense was equally as impressive a year ago, as they shut out the Grizzlies to get their first win in the series. The Bears defense returns leaders Elliot Kuykendall along the defensive lines and Brooks Morley at linebacker.  These two helped lead the Bears defense that allowed just over 18 points per game last season. Meanwhile, the offense returns three top weapons including the two top running backs Jack Marlow and Christian Isabor, while Will Taylor is poised to have another great season. The senior led the Bears in receiving last year with 45 receptions for 914 yards. Preston Clemmer will take over as the starter at quarterback and he looks to have plenty of proven weapons around him to help lead the Bears to another playoff appearance. 

We can be sure that Creekview won’t be looking past Cambridge this season. Can the Grizzlies defense stymie Isabor and Marlow and also put pressure on Clemmer? Meanwhile, can the young Grizzly skill players grow up quickly against an experienced Cambridge team. Make it two in a row for Cambridge. We like the Bears by 6.

The Skinny

The Cherokee Warriors will start the 2022 campaign with a tough test as the Cartersville Purple Hurricanes come calling. After advancing to the post season for the fifth time in six years, the Warriors will be replacing most of their players at the skill position on offense. Sophomore quarterback Tanner Savasir takes over for the now departed A.J. Swann (Vanderbilt). He will have a youthful group of receivers including Jayce Jones, Pops Jameson, Weston Bergman and Gracen Sexton. Peyton Butler is the lone senior in the receiving unit. Defensively, Javon Hobson will anchor the front four along with Kyan Simmons at linebacker and Ryane Martin Jr in the secondary. Last season, the Warriors averaged 23.3 points per game and allowed 24.7

The Cartersville Purple Hurricanes enter the 2022 season looking to maintain their position as one of the top teams in Class 5A. The Canes will be breaking in a new a quarterback, but do return running back Malachi Jeffries, who rushed for 607 yards and 12-TDs in 2021. The Canes also return their top receiver, Collin Fletcher. Johnathan Cline and Malachi Tolliver will anchor the offensive line this season and will be the key for this offenses’s success in 2022. Defensively Myles Forristall is the team’s leading returning tackler. He’ll be joined by two-way player Jaden Akins, as they will look to make things very uncomfortable for Cherokee’s first year starter.

Expect to see Cartersville mix things up defensively to try to confuse Cherokee’s young starting quarterback. Cherokee must be able to establish some balance on offense to help him out. Meanwhile, expect Cartersville to try and establish dominance at the line of scrimmage on offense. We think Cartersville edge on the line of scrimmage is the difference. Canes by 12. 

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Previews Week-1 (Part II)

Posted on August 17, 2022 by admin

We have finally made it to Week-1 of the Georgia High School Football Season. This is Part II of our weekly previews, Eight Greats Around the State which we look at eight intriguing matchups across the state of Georgia.

We pick up where we left off in Part I and stay in South Georgia as the Appling County Pirates host the Ware County Gators. The Gators will be replacing a lot of offensive production this season. Can Appling “catch Ware early”, before they get it all figured out? Our next preview takes us to Metro Atlanta where the Alpharetta Raiders host the Jefferson Dragons. The Raiders return several key players including quarterback Ben Guthrie. Will Jefferson’s two-way star, Sammy Brown have a big night on Friday?

Down in Middle Georgia, the Warner Robins Demons will host Lee County. Can the Warner Robins defense slow down a youthful and explosive Lee County offense. Finally, on Saturday in “The Benz”, Walton will face off against Mill Creek. Can the Walton passing attack have success against a secondary patrolled by Caleb Downs, one of the top safeties in the country?

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

The Skinny

The Appling County Pirates are coming off of their first 12 win season in ten years. If the Pirates are going to repeat the success they had last season, they’ll need to replace their top three backs that they lost to graduation. Expect for Jaylen Johnson and Jamarion Williams to help fill that void. Camden Hickox is the team’s top returning receiver. Dayson Griffis could also become a weapon in the passing game. Defensively, Dawson Griffis is the teams leading returning tackler while Darion Smith will look to duplicate an impressive sophomore, recording 11 sacks in 2021.

The Ware County Gators have a huge hole to fill at quarterback and running back with the graduation of Thomas Castellanos and Cartevious Norton. The jury may still be at at quarterback with Niko Smith and Luke Hooks in the mix. Whoever gets the nod will have two pretty good backs in Charles Johnson and Dae’Jeaun Dennis in the backfield at running back. Ware County returns top linebackers Trey Hargrove, Jemario Barkley among others. It’s a defense that allowed 21.9 points per game last season.

Playing the game in Baxley should help the Pirates a good bit. We believe Ware’s ability to run the football more effectively than Appling should be the difference. Gators by 8. 

The Skinny

This game is an intriguing matchup, and while some might wonder why we picked this matchup, we believe that Alpharetta might be flying under the radar. The Raiders move down in classification this year and return a solid core of players including quarterback Ben Guthrie who threw for 1,675 yards and 14-TDs in 2021. The Raiders also return their top rusher from a year ago Jake Gil. He will run behind Parker Peterson (Memphis Tiger Commit) and Elias Cloy (Georgia Tech Commit). These two will anchor the Alpharetta offensive line and we expect big things with their leadership. The defense will return last season’s sack leader, Aven Kelley.

The Jefferson Dragons begin a new era as Coach Travis Noland moves over from North Oconee. Noland has led his previous teams to three region championships each. All eyes will be on Sammy Brown, one of the top linebackers in the state. But we’d expect Brown to get touches in the backfield as well on offense. The Dragons are doing a bit of rebuilding as last year’s starting QB Malaki Starks has graduated. Expect for Max Aldridge to take over for the Dragons under center. Meanwhile, the Jefferson offense will need to find a go to receiver to help keep teams off balance. 

We have full faith the Coach Noland will keep Jefferson competing at a high level, however, this Alpharetta team has a little more experience, and they are playing at home. We like the Raiders by a touchdown.

The Skinny

The Warner Robins Demons and Lee County Trojans have been two of the most consistent teams below the “gnat line” in recent history. The Demons are coming off of their 2nd straight Class AAAAA state title and have been in the finals each of the last five yeas. They return their leading rusher from a year ago, Malcolm Brown, who rushed for 1,332 yards and 17-TDs. They will have to break in a new quarterback this season and that is a big question mark for the Demons. Warner Robins will also need to find someone to step up at receiver as their top two pass catchers from a year ago have graduated. We do expect for the Warner Robins defense to be stout again this year. They’ll be led by Victor Burley and Chayce Smith. Expect these two to set the table for the Demons this season.

Lee County has reloaded…again. Last season, then freshman running back Ousmane Kromah had a breakout season, rushing for over 1,700 yard and 22-TDs. Joining Kromah in the backfield is 2nd year starter at quarterback Chris Martin who will have one of his top receivers back in Jevell Ferguson. We talked about the impressive Warner Robins defense line, but Lee County touts some usnung, but impressive defensive linemen including Jaydon Cory, Leroy Jackson and Nehamiah McCloud. The secondary will be anchored by Temeriz Williams, Devin Collier and Jkhai Johnson. 

Warner Robins will certainly have the luxury of paying at home. We expect plenty of fireworks from both teams, but do like the experience at quarterback to be the difference in this game. Lee County by six. 

The Skinny


The Walton Raiders will look to make another deep run in the playoffs in 2022. Jeremy Hecklinski is a name we’ve mentioned a lot when talking about Walton. He’s received plenty of snaps with the first team the previous two season. Now the job of quarterback falls squarely on his shoulder. Hecklinski threw for 1,471 yards and 13-TDs in 2021. The Raiders return two of their top three running backs in Braylen Stokes and Austin Williams. They also added Makari Bodiford who has plenty of experience in the backfield coming over from McEachern. Walton will be looking for receivers to step up as their top five receivers from a year ago have graduated. Defensively, Ashton Woods, the team’s top tackler returns along with fellow linebacker Ryan Anderson. Woods also led the team in interceptions last season. 

Meanwhile, the Mill Creek Hawks are looking to make a deep run in the playoffs behind the top recruit in the state, safety Caleb Downs. But Downs isn’t the only star on this Hawks team. Linebackers Jamal Anderson, Kevin Mitchell, Khai Green and Josh Anglin all return. Meanwhile on offense, senior quarterback Hayden Clark will look to improve on his impressive junior numbers as he threw for 2,065 yards and 19-TDs in 2021. Brendan Jenkins and Mikhail Woods return as the two top receivers for the Hawks. It will be interesting who Mill Creek turns to at running back. Jamal Anderson could see action in the backfield.

We expect both of these teams to be alive in the playoffs come late November. We like Walton to keep it close, but their inexperience at receiver might hurt them in the end. Mill Creek by 5.  

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Previews Week-1 (Part I)

Posted on August 17, 2022 by admin

We have finally made it to Week-1 of the Georgia High School Football Season. This is part one of our weekly previews, Eight Greats Around the State which we look at eight intriguing matchups across the state of Georgia.

Our first stop takes us to Westlake High School, where the Lions will host the North Cobb Warriors. This game features several highly ranked and recruited players in the state. The quarterback battle is key as Westlake’s R.J. Johnson looks to out-duel North Cobb’s Malachi Singleton. Meanwhile down in Southeast Georgia, the Swainsboro Tigers host the Metter Tigers. Metter has not lost a regular season game in over two years. Swainsboro was the last team to beat them in the regular season. Can Swainsboro do it again and stop their streak?

Going a little deeper into South Georgia, the defending Class AA Champion, Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes will host the Irwin County Indians. Fitzgerald lost a lot to graduation, while Irwin County returns several key pieces from a team that played for a state title in Class A Public last season. Finally we take a look at the Battle of Polk County. Will it be Rockmart or Cedartown earning county bragging rights? That will all hinge on whether or not the Rockmart defense can slow down the explosive Cedartown running attack.

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

The Skinny

The Westlake Lions will begin a new era under coach Rico Zackery who last served as head coach at Villa Rica in 2018. Zackery inherits a Westlake team that averaged 38.6 points per game and a bevy of talented players. Quarterback R.J. Johnson returns for his senior season after passing for 2,673 yards and 25-TDs with just 4 picks. Jai’Den Thomas, the teams leading rusher is also back after rushing for over 1,100 yards and 10-TDs in 2021. There is a void to fill at receiver as the Lions will look to replace their top three pass catchers from a year ago. Defensively, Avieon Terrell and Christian Peterson will look to make the secondary a no fly zone for opposing offenses.

North Cobb looks to make a deep run in the playoffs as they return the top dual threat quarterback in the State, Malachi Singleton. Last season, Singleton threw for 2,168 yards and rushed for 872 yards and accounted for a total of 43 TDs. Joining Singleton in the backfield will be a combination of Benjamin Hall and David Mbadinga. Hall was second on the team in rushing in 2021 while Mbadinga moves over from Kell. Like Westlake, North Cobb will be looking to fill the void at receiver due to graduation. Look for David Eziomume and Darius Dye to help fill that role. The Warriors will have an experienced offensive line anchored by Robert Grigsby, Marselle Felton and Blake Ellsworth.

This game should be a shootout. We wonder how long it will take for the Lions to get comfortable with coach Zackery’s system. He’s a proven coach at the high school and college level, so experience for him is not a factor. North Cobb has the edge on the offensive line. We like for the Warriors to go on the road and edge the Lions by 4.

The Skinny

After one down season, coach Scott Roberts had the Swainsboro Tigers rolling again last season as the Tigers claimed a region title and made a run to the semifinals. Swainsboro returns dual threat quarterback Ty Adams, who quite frankly runs it more than he throws it. Adams passed for 451 yards and 4-TDs last season but rushed for a team high 1,778 yards and 23-TDs. The Tigers also return their other leading rushers Quindarius Brown and Demello Jones who combined for 1,383 yards. Defensively, Swainsboro returns their top tacklers from last season with Jonorian Foots (109 total tackles) and Jerrod Steward (148 total tackles).

The Metter Tigers also return a host of talent in the backfield including Kaliq Jordan, Reco Coney and Antwan Coney. Senior quarterback Trey Hall is also a talented runner that should give the Swainsboro defense fits. With all the talk about the offense, we are probably slighting Metter’s defense which allowed just 13.7 points per game and shut out four of their opponents last season. Look for Antwan Coney and Kaliq Jordan to star on that side of the ball as well. They will be joined by linemen C.J. Donaldson, Jayceon Lanier and linebacker Ethan Oglesby as they look to continue their dominance of the past two seasons.

The Metter Tigers have not lost a regular season game since October 4, 2019. Their opponent that night…the Swainsboro Tigers. Both teams should put up a lot of points this season and we believe the scoreboard operator will be busy. We believe Adams and Swainsboro will be just elusive enough to outfox Metter. Swainsboro by 2.

The Skinny

The Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes won their first state title since 1948, as they defeated then region rival Thomasville for the crown. The Purple Hurricanes are a run oriented team, but do return their starting quarterback, Sultan Cooper. Joining Cooper in the backfield will be running backs Sylon Davis and Diondre Paschal. Notably missing from this years team are E.J. Lightsey, DeNorris Goodwin and Jakorrian Paulk as graduation has taken its toll on the Fitzgerald roster. Even with these losses, we expect Fitzgerald to be competitive and compete for a region crown.

The Irwin County Indians have been one of the most consistent teams in Georgia over the past 10 years, reaching the finals in seven of those seasons. The Indians return senior quarterback Cody Soliday who threw for 1,742 yards and 26-TDs last season. He will be rejoined in the backfield by fellow senior running back Demarkus Lundy (1,668 yards 21-TDs in 2021) and one of the best sophomore running backs in the state, Shane Marshall (764 yards, 7-TDs in 2021). Irwin returns all but one of their top six receivers from a year ago.

This game was close last season and we expect another great contest down in Fitzgerald this week. We give the edge this year to Irwin County, as they seem to be the more experienced team in this matchup. Indians over the Canes by 4.

The Skinny

After a one year hiatus, the battle of Polk County will resume as Rockmart hosts Cedartown The Rockmart Yellow Jackets reeled off nine consecutive victories last season before being upset in the first round of the state tournament. The good news for the Yellow Jackets is that they return just about all of their skill position players from last year’s offense that averaged 37 points per game. Quarterback J.D. Davis will be joined in the backfield by leading rushesr JoJo Haynes, Cam Ferguson and Brent Washington who is a load at 220 lbs. This is a Rockmart team that might average 45 plus points once region play comes around.

The Cedartown Bulldogs are looking to make another deep run as they also return several key pieces for the 2022 season. The Bulldogs are a run first team as well, and they return two of their top three backs form a year ago in Harlem Diamond (1,075 yards, 20-TDs) and Patrick Gardner (843 yards, 9- TDs). The Bulldogs also return their quarterback, Reece Tanner who threw for 824 yards and 9-TDs. Cedartown will need to find replacements at receiver as their top four were lost to graduation. On defense, linebacker Eli Barrow returns with his team high 127 tackles from a year ago. However, they will need to find replacements fast for their their top tacklers as graduation has taken its toll on that side of the ball as well.

Pay no attention to the classifications in this match up. We believe this will be one of the best games in the state, regardless of classification. Expect a physical contest between both schools, but we are going to go with Harlem Diamond and Cedartown to win a close game on the road. Bulldogs by 4.

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2022 GHSA TFR Preseason Football Rankings

Posted on August 14, 2022 by admin

We are less than a week away from the start of the regular season. Today, we release our GHSA Top-10 Football Poll in each classification. Polls are fun and can provide for spirited and healthy conversations and debates. We welcome any and all poll feedback.

Posted in 2022 TFR Polls | Leave a comment

Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Class-A Private Championship Preview

Posted on December 8, 2021 by admin

The Skinny

The Prince Avenue Christian Wolverines are the defending Class-A Private State Champions and are in the finals for the second straight year and the third time in school history. Since dropping their Week-1 opener, the Wolverines have not lost and were not seriously tested until last week’s semifinal game. In their three playoff games, the Wolverines area averaging 43.6 points per game while the defense is allowing 16.6. Overall this season, they are averaging 46.1 points per game while allowing 11.3. Their road to the finals includes a win by forfeit over a No. 4 seed, a victory over a No. 3 seed and two road wins against No. 1 seeds. One would have suspected a drop-off in pass production with the graduation of Brock Vandegriff, however, super sophomore Aaron Philo has picked up right where Vandagriff left off. The Wolverines are averaging 323.3 yards per game through the air and 84.5 yards per game rushing. Philo has thrown for 4,204 yards and 44-TDs, completing 72.5% of his passes. Bailey Stockton and Ethan Dewitt have both gone over 1,000 yards receiving as Stockton has 72 receptions for 1,133 yards and 15-TDs. Dewitt has 64 receptions for 1,063 yards and 8-TDs. Meanwhile Ethan Christian is not for behind with 41 receptions for 949 yards and 14-TDs. Freshman running back Mac Bradley has rushed for 649 yards and 11-TDs. A win this Friday would give the Wolverines their second football championship. 

The Trinity Christian Lions are in the finals for the second straight season. If you include their tenure in GISA, this is the third time in school history that Trinity has made the finals. (This is only their fourth season playing in the GHSA.) Their thirteen wins this season are a program record. The Lions have defeated one No. 3 seed and two No. 1 seeds en route to the title game. In their three playoff games, they are averaging 50.6 points per game and allowing 22. Over the course of the entire season, they are averaging 52.8 points per game and allowing 11.3. The Lions had their biggest scare of the season last week against ELCA, when they had to go to double overtime to advance. Prior to last week, the closest margin of victory for Trinity was a 31 point regular season win over ELCA. Trinity Christian’s offense is averaging 301.2 yards per game through the air and 146.6 yards on the ground. Senior quarterback David Dallas has thrown for 3,641 yards and 45-TDs while completing 76.9% of his passes. His top three receivers have been his brother, Joshua Dallas (60 receptions, 1,142 yards, 15-TDs), Aaron Gates (45 receptions, 735 yards, 9-TDs) and Bryce Wilcox (44 receptions, 680 yards, 11-TDs). Dominic Cosper leads the Lions ground attack with 1,243 yards and 27-TDs. Cosper has also caught 27 passes for 521 yards and 5-TDs. Linebacker Shawn Braxton leads the defense with 7-sacks, while linebacker Christian Hanson and lineman Cameron Matthews lead the team in total tackles. A win on Thursday would be the first football state title for Trinity Christian. 

This is a rematch of the 2020 state championship game that Prince Avenue won. Both teams have really dominated their competition during the regular season and up until last week. We anticipate that both teams aerial assaults will be on full display Thursday afternoon. We expect a high scoring back and forth ballgame. We were extremely impressed with Trinity Christian in last year’s final and we believe their experience at the quarterback position will be the difference this week. Lions by 7.

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Class-A Public Championship Preview

Posted on December 8, 2021 by admin

The Skinny

The Brooks County Trojans have advanced to the state finals for the third straight season and for the fifth time overall. The Trojans enter this week winners of their last ten games. The road to the finals included victories over one No. 3 seed, then going on the road to defeat one No. 2 seed and two No. 1 seeds. During their playoff run, Brooks County is averaging 52.5 points per game while allowing 19.5. For the full season, the Trojans are averaging 47.8 points per game while the defense is allowing 18.3. The Trojans average 173.5 yards per game through the air and 240.9 yards per game on the ground. Quarterback Jamal Sanders has thrown for 2,224 yards and 27-TDs while Omari Arnold leads the team in rushing with 2,224 yards and 37-TDs. Meanwhile, Tremaine Demps (28 receptions, 616 yards, 12-TDs) and Willie Brown (48 receptions, 1,122yards, 11-TDs) lead the Trojans receiving corps. Linebacker Christian Edgerton and safety Amar Thomas lead the team in total tackles, while defensive lineman Trayveon Jackson leads the defense in tackles for loss and sacks. Junior defensive back Saveon Cason has intercepted seven passes this season. A win on Thursday would give the Trojans their second state title in school history. 

The Irwin County Indians are the two time defending state champions in Class A-Public. They are in the finals for the fifth straight year and for the eleventh time in school history. The Indians enter the championship game winners of their last 10 games. In their four playoff victories, they are scoring 39.7 points per game while allowing 19 points per game. Overall this season, they are averaging 39.4 points per game while allowing 15.3. On their road to the title game, Irwin County has defeated one No. 4 seed, one No. 2 seed and two No. 1 seeds. All of their playoff games have been at home this season. Irwin County is averaging 120.6 yards per game through the air and 260.5 yards per game on the ground.  Damarcus Lundy (1,562 yards, 19-TDs) and Shane Marshall (705 yards, 6-TDs) lead the Indians ground game while junior quarterback Cody Soliday has thrown for 1,676 yards and 26-TDs. Ten different receivers have caught passes this season for Irwin County, but Malachi Hadden, Eli Roberts, Bo Payne and Mason Snyder have been the primary targets. A win this Thursday would give the Indians their fourth state title in school history. 

This is the team’s second meeting this season and the second consecutive year these region foes have met in the state title game. Irwin County has won the last three games in the series. In their first meeting this season, the Indians held the Trojans to just 96 rushing yards. The only other time Brooks County was held to under 100 yards, they lost that game as well, (to Thomasville). So whether or not Brooks County has solved the Irwin defense will go a long way to determine if they can win the title. Meanwhile, Irwin County rushed for 285 yards in their September 24th game against Brooks County. Have the Trojans made the necessary adjustments? Last year, we picked Brooks County to win the rematch. You’d think we’d have learned our lesson picking against Irwin County, but we believe Brooks will “bring the hammer” and have more success running the ball this week and like the Trojans by 3.

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Class 2A Championship Preview

Posted on December 7, 2021 by admin

The Skinny

The Thomasville Bulldogs are in search of their sixth state title this Friday night. It will be their first trip to the finals since 1993 and their eighth finals appearance in school history. The Bulldogs have won nine straight games entering the finals with their only loss to Class 3-A Oconee County. In their four playoff games, the Bulldogs are averaging 41 points per game while the defense is allowing 13.2. Overall this season, Thomasville is averaging 32.1 points per game and allowing 14.3. They have defeated a No. 1, 2, 3, and 4 seed to advance to the finals. We mentioned this last week, but perhaps their biggest victory was the 25 point win in the quarterfinals over Rabun County. The Bulldogs are averaging 139.4 yards per game through the air and 200 yards per game on the ground. Quarterback Shannen White has thrown for 1,885 yards and 23-TDs while Malik Harper and Ricky Fulton have combined to rush for 2,129 yards and 28-TDs. Linebacker Ty Anderson leads the team in total tackles and solo tackles and is tied for the team lead in tackles for loss. Anderson also leads the team with 15 sacks on the season. The Bulldogs defense has been menacing,  having sacked opposing quarterbacks 57 times the season and intercepting 15 passes. 

The Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes are back in the state championship game for the second straight year and for the eighth time in school history. The Canes have won five straight games entering this week. Last week, we mentioned that Fitzgerald had not been as explosive this season as they have been in years past, but they are winning which is something that has been consistent with this program, as they have not missed the playoffs since the year 2000. In their four playoff wins, the Canes are averaging 22.7 points per game while allowing 8.2. In all fourteen games this season, they are averaging 24.3 points per game while allowing 11.7. The Canes have had an arduous task defeating one No. 3 seed and going on the road for three straight weeks to defeat No. 1 seeds. It’s no surprise that Fitzgerald will rely heavily on the run offensively with Jakorrian Paulk and DeNorris Goodwin getting most of the work. The Fitzgerald defense has been outstanding in the playoffs, improving on their scoring defense behind linebackers E.J. Lightsey and Jaden Stanley. The front four can really get after the quarterback and the secondary is opportunistic. A win this week would give the canes their second state title in school history. 

This will be the 31st meeting overall and second this season for these region rivals. Thomasville won the first matchup back on October 22nd. In the first meeting, Fitzgerald held Thomasville to  196 yards of total offense and just 80 yards on the ground. Expect them again to make it tough sledding for the Bulldogs running backs. We anticipate a low scoring defensive slugfest between these South Georgia powers, but like the Bulldogs to take home the title. Thomasville by 5. 

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Class 3A Championship Preview

Posted on December 7, 2021 by admin

The Skinny

Head Coach Darren Myles has guided the Carver Atlanta Panthers into the state finals for the first time since 1967 and only the second time in school history. Carver has won 9 consecutive games entering the championship game. The Panthers went down to Blackshear last week and held off Pierce County’s second half rally to advance this week. The Panthers are the No.2 seed from Region 5. During their playoff run, Carver has defeated a No. 3 seed, a No. 2 seed, and two No. 1 seeds. In their four playoff games, they are averaging 43.5 points per game while allowing 13.5 points per game. In all of their games, Carver is averaging 35.1 points per game while allowing 17.3. We went through the individual stats for the Panthers last week, but as a refresher, running backs Jarveous Brown and Quintavious Locket have both crossed the 1,000 yard mark rushing this season. Meanwhile, Bryce Brown is well over 1,600 yards passing. Defensively, Terrell Lightfoot and Aquantis Clemmons lead the team in sacks while Devonte Amasiani and Dialo Mosley lead the team in total tackles. A win this Saturday would give the Panthers their first football state title in school history. 

The Cedar Grove Saints are back in the playoffs for the fourth time in six years and for the fifth time in school history. After dropping their final regular season game, Cedar Grove has won four straight to get to the finals. In the playoffs, they are averaging 45.5 points per game and allowing 5.5 points per game. (The Saints seemed to refocus after the loss on 11/5.) Through all games, the they are averaging 42.7 points per game and allowing 11.6. Last week, it was sophomore quarterback Jamar Graham leading the way for the Saints. Graham has now thrown for 1,354 yards and 15-TDs. Janiran Bonner has been the top target for the Saints with 42 receptions for 668 yards and 7-TDs. But don’t forget about the other deep threats for the Saints, including Trevon Ferrell,, Bernard Mack, and Barry Jackson. Running Back Rashad Dubinion leads the team on the ground with over 1,600 yards rushing and 24-TDs. But perhaps the biggest story for Cedar Grove is their defense, who has been downright stingy this season and especially in the playoffs. They are led by lineman Christon Miller and Adonijah Green and linebackers Everett Roussaw, Carlton Madden and Quinterio Lawson. A win this Saturday would give the Saints their fourth state title in school history.

This game is a rematch between Region 5 foes. Cedar Grove won the first matchup 17-0 and the only Carver victory in this series came by way of a forfeit last season by the Saints. The Panthers are playing great football right now and we know they will not be intimidated by Cedar Grove. It will take a great performance by Carvers running backs to keep things from getting out of hand. We believe they will keep it close early, but like Cedar Grove to win by 10. 

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Class 4A Championship Preview

Posted on December 6, 2021 by admin

The Skinny

The Benedictine Cadets are in the finals for the first time since 2016 and for the third time in school history. season. Benedictine has won twelve consecutive games entering the finals. In the playoffs, they are averaging  44.5 points per game while the defense is allowing 15 points per game. In all games this season, the Cadets are averaging 48.4 points per game while the defense is allowing 20.2. The Cadets have defeated one No. 1 seed, one No. 2 seed and two No. 1 seeds to get to the finals this week. Benedictine continues with their balanced attack this season, passing for 226.5 yards per game and rushing for 228.9 yards per game, putting up an impressive 455.4 yards of total offense per game. Through the quarterfinals, quarterback Holden Geriner had passed for 2,765 yards and 29-TDs. He’s been pretty careful with the ball, only throwing 3-interceptions in 289 pass attempts. Za’Quan Bryan is the top receiver for Benedictine with 78 receptions for 1,152 yards and 11-TDs through the first thirteen games. Meanwhile Justin Thomas has been the workhorse on the ground for the Cadets with 1,245 yards and 23-TDs through the quarterfinals. Defensively, Holden Sapp and Bryce Baker have been tackling machine, as both are well over 100 total tackles each. Sapp and the aforementioned Thomas lead the secondary in interceptions. A win in the finals would give Benedictine their third state title in school history. 

The Carver Columbus Tigers are in the finals for the first time since 2007 when they won their only state title. They Tigers are on a thirteen game win streak since dropping their opener to Class 6-A Lee County by 3 points. In their four playoff victories, Carver is averaging 28 points per game while the defense is allowing 13.5. Taking into account the entire season, they are averaging 34.8 points per game while the defense is allowing 11.4. Carver has defeated one No. 4 seed, two No. 3 seeds and one No. 1 seed to advance to the finals this week. Offensively, they lean heavily on the run, but they can and will throw as they are averaging 167.5 yards per game through the air and 297.8 on the ground. (More total offense per game than their Benedictine.) Through the quarterfinals, quarterback Devin Riles has thrown for 1,830 yards and 14-TDs and rushed for 720 yards and 6-TDs while Jaiden Credle has rushed for 1,874 yards and 22-TDs. James Jackson, Micheal Meriweather, and Cameron Crowell are defensive statistical leaders in total tackles and sacks. A win for the Tigers would mark their second state title in school history.

We know that both teams have the ability to rack up several yards on both the ground and through the air and because both teams are multi-dimensional. That alone should make the chess match for these two defensive coordinators a little more interesting. Last week, we thought it would be Benedictine hoisting the trophy. We still fill that way, but we expect a game that comes down to the wire. If the Cadets can slow down Credle, we believe they will take home the title. Benedictine by 2.

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Class 5A Championship Preview

Posted on December 6, 2021 by admin

The Skinny

The Calhoun Yellow Jackets advanced to the state title game for the eleventh time in school history and for the first time since 2017. Calhoun lost their regular season finale back on October 29th, but there has been no hangover, as they’ve won four straight to get to the title game. In their four playoff wins, Calhoun has averaged 34.7 points per game while allowing 19.2. In all fourteen games this season, the Jackets are averaging 38.5 points per game while allowing 18.9. Calhoun has defeated two No. 3 seeds and two No. 1 seeds to get to the championship game. They had perhaps one of the more impressive wins in the playoffs, going down to Waycross and defeating Ware County in the second round. Calhoun is an explosive team as quarterback Christian Lewis has several weapons around him, headlined by Cole Speer, Quin Smith and tight end Emaree Wilson at receiver and super sophomore Caden Williams in the backfield. Defensively, “Swiss army knife” Gager Leonard is a thumper in the secondary while Christopher Lewis is another leader and defense.

 The Warner Robins Demons are in the finals for the fifth consecutive season and for the tenth time overall. The Demons have won seven consecutive games entering this week. In their four playoff games, they are averaging 44.2 points per game while the defense is allowing 18.2. Overall this season, Warner Robins is averaging 48 points per game while allowing 18.5. The Demons have defeated one No. 3 Seed, One No. 2 seed and two No. 1 seeds on route to a chance to defend their state title. JaFredrick Perry continued on his torrid playoff pace as he scored four more touchdowns in the victory last week. Coming into the semifinals, Perry had rushed for 1,148 yards and 18-TDs, while spelling another 1,000 yard rusher, Malcolm Brown. Quarterback Christon Lane has thrown for 2,289 yards and 29-TDs, completing 65% of his passes through the first thirteen games of the season. Through that same time frame, Deuce Petty and Daveon Walker have combined to catch 88 passes for 1,711 yards and 22-TDs. A Warner Robins win would give them their second consecutive state title and their sixth state title overall.

There are playmakers all over the field in this game. The Warner Robins defense will have their hands full defending Cole Speer and the Calhoun receivers. Expect Calhoun quarterback Christian Lewis to be harassed by Vic Burley and the Demons front four. On the other end, expect for Warner Robins to feed Calhoun a steady dose of Fred Perry. We wouldn’t be surprised to see a few big collisions between Perry and Calhoun’s Leonard at some point. We’d also expect a lot of points being scored, but like Warner Robins and their ground game to prevail. Demons by 9.

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

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