Kickoff 2025

KICKOFF ‘25

COBB, CHEROKEE LOADED WITH COLLEGE TALENT •DYNAMITE DOZEN, SUPER SIX LOADED WITH FBS COMMITMENTS

BUCCANEER BOUNTY

•ALLATOONA CELEBRATES 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF WINNING COBB COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT’S FIRST STATE FOOTBALL TITLE

TETER READY TO SET NEW STANDARD

•LONGTIME COACH TO BECOME WINNINGEST IN SEQUOYAH HISTORY

INSIDE •DYNAMITE DOZEN •SUPER SIX •TEAM PREVIEWS •FEATURES •SCHEDULES •PREDICTIONS

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Kickoff ’25

Marietta Daily Journal/Cherokee Tribune Annual Football Preview Issue High School Region 3AAAAAA 28 Campbell Spartans 29 Harrison Hoyas 32 Hillgrove Hawks 36 McEachern Indians 39 Osborne Cardinals 42 Pebblebrook Falcons 45 South Cobb Eagles 48 51 Region 5AAAAAA Cherokee Warriors 52 Etowah Eagles 57 Marietta Blue Devils 66 North Cobb Warriors 69 Walton Raiders 73 77 Wheeler Wildcats Region 5AAAAA 84 Kennesaw Mountain Mustangs 85 Region 6AAAAA 98 Creekview Grizzlies 99 Lassiter Trojans 104 Pope Greyhounds 107 River Ridge Knights 110 Sequoyah Chiefs 113 Sprayberry Yellow Jackets 116 Woodstock Wolverines 120 Region 6AAAA 124 Kell Longhorns 125 Region 7AAAA 128 Allatoona Buccaneers 129 Region 7AA 132 North Cobb Christian Eagles 133 Region 5A Division I 136 Mount Bethel Christian Eagles 137 143 Mount Paran Christian Eagles Walker Wolverines 147 Whitefield Academy Wolfpack 150

Features

MDJ Dynamite Dozen 9

Cherokee Super Six 91

Allatoona’s Finest Moment 23

College Conference USA 154 Kennesaw State Owls 155 Appalachian Athletic Conference 159 Reinhardt Eagles 160 Front Cover Photo Illustration: Anthony Stalcup Teter’s Milestone 89

Marietta Daily Journal/Cherokee Tribune Kickoff ’25 Section Credits Editors: John Bednarowski, Griffin Callaghan Designer: John Bednarowski Graphic Designers: Jennifer Hall, Beth Poirier Correspondents: Adam Carrington, Sports Writer; Anthony Stalcup, Photographer Sports Interns: Devyn Hlavek, Bryce Holder, Paul Holm, Kai Millette, Faith Stokes, Jack Martin, Owen McDaniel, Trey Perry, Grant Turnage, Lance Warren

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2025 COBB/CHEROKEE MASTER SCHEDULE

8/13 South Paulding at Kell

8/15 Adairsville at Allatoona Asheville Christian at Mount Bethel Campbell at Chapel Hill Cherokee at River Ridge Creekview at Calhoun Denmark at Sequoyah Harrison at Kennesaw Mountain Mountain View at Hillgrove Lassiter at Midtown Lake Oconee Acad. at Mount Paran Marietta at Gainesville Archer at North Cobb NCC at Providence Christian Banneker at Osborne Locust Grove at Pebblebrook Pope at Cambridge Savannah Chr. at Whitefield Acad.

Sprayberry at Alexander South Forsyth at South Cobb Walker at Kendrick Wheeler at North Forsyth Woodstock at Etowah 8/16 McEachern vs Walton 8/22 Allatoona at South Paulding Alpharetta at Kell Creekview at North Forsyth Darlington at North Cobb Christian Wheeler at Harrison Lassiter at Alexander Marietta at West Forsyth Mount Bethel at Creekside Christian Mount Pisgah at Mount Paran Pope at Dunwoody River Ridge at Denmark North Cobb at McEachern Osborne at Chapel Hill Etowah at Sprayberry South Cobb at Banneker South Forsyth at Campbell Sequoyah at Cherokee Utopian Academy at Walker Walton at Lambert Whitefield Academy at Mount Vernon Woodland at Woodstock 8/29 Campbell at Etowah Cambridge at Creekview Cherokee at Pope Copper Basin at Mount Bethel North Paulding at Harrison Hillgrove at McIntosh Kennesaw Mountain at Sprayberry

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Kell at Sequoyah Northview at Lassiter McEachern at Marietta North Atlanta at Wheeler North Cobb at East Coweta NCC at Coahulla Creek North Springs at Woodstock Pebblebrook at Lithia Springs River Ridge at Allatoona Roswell at Walton Savannah Christian at Mount Paran South Cobb at Drew Walker at Dominion Christian

9/4 Allatoona at Holy Innocents Mount Bethel at IMG Academy State 9/5 Cass at North Cobb Creekview at Lassiter Lambert at Cherokee Etowah at Chapel Hill Hillgrove at Marietta John’s Creek at Kennesaw Mountain Osborne at Fellowship Christian Meadowcreek at Pebblebrook Kell at Wheeler Kings Ridge at Walker Pope at Sprayberry River Ridge at Woodstock Sequoyah at Riverwood Sonoraville at North Cobb Christian Walton at Norcross Whitefield Academy at Social Circle 9/12 Campbell at McEachern Cedartown at Allatoona Cedar Grove at Mount Paran Darlington at Whitefield Academy Greenville at Mount Bethel Christian Harrison at Pebblebrook Osborne at Hillgrove New Manchester at Kennesaw Mtn. North Paulding at Cherokee Kell at Lowndes Riverwood at Creekview River Ridge at Pope Woodstock at Lassiter Marietta at Wheeler North Cobb at North Paulding North Cobb Christian at Ringgold Sprayberry at Sequoyah South Cobb at Paulding County Walker at Heritage 9/19 Allatoona at Dalton Creekview at Woodstock Columbia at Kell

Harrison at Campbell Paulding County at McEachern Pebblebrook at Hillgrove Kennesaw Mtn. at Lithia Springs Lassiter at Pope Etowah at Marietta Walton at North Cobb South Cobb at Osborne Sequoyah at River Ridge St. Anne Pacelli at Whitefield Acad.

Sprayberry at Riverwood Mount Paran at Washington-Wilkes

Wheeler at Etowah

10/3 Campbell at South Cobb Eagle’s View at Mount Bethel Etowah at North Paulding McEachern at Harrison Hillgrove at Paulding County Kell at Blessed Trinity Alexander at Kennesaw Mountain Lassiter at Sequoyah Marietta at Walton Mount Paran Christian at Walker NCC at Murray County Osborne at Pebblebrook River Ridge at Riverwood Sprayberry at Creekview Wheeler at Cherokee Woodland at Allatoona Woodstock at Pope

10/24 Allatoona at Cass Cambridge at Kell Creekview at River Ridge Harrison at Hillgrove Villa Rica at Kennesaw Mountain Lassiter at Sprayberry Landmark Christian at Mount Paran Lakeview-FO at North Cobb Christian Marietta at Cherokee Osborne at Campbell Pope at Sequoyah Paulding County at Pebblebrook South Cobb at McEachern Walton at North Paulding Whitefield Academy at Walker Woodstock at Riverwood

10/16 Mount Paran at BEST Academy

10/17 Campbell at Paulding County Dominion Christian at Mount Bethel Hiram at Allatoona Osborne at Harrison McEachern at Hillgrove Kell at Centennial Kennesaw Mtn. at East Paulding Landmark at Whitefield Academy 9/20 Palm Beach Christian at Mount Bethel NCC at North Murray North Paulding at Wheeler Cherokee at North Cobb 9/25 Pebblebrook at South Cobb Walker at BEST Academy Walton at Etowah 9/26 10/23 Cherokee at Etowah Whitefield Academy at Mount Paran Etowah at North Cobb

10/10 Allatoona at Cartersville BEST Academy at Whitefield Acad.

Cherokee at Walton Harrison at South Cobb Hillgrove at Campbell Kennesaw Mtn. at South Paulding Lanier Christian at Mount Bethel Riverwood at Lassiter North Cobb at Marietta Paulding County at Osborne Pebblebrook at McEachern Pope at Creekview Rockmart at North Cobb Christian Sequoyah at Woodstock Sprayberry at River Ridge Walker at Landmark Christian Westminster at Kell

10/30 Paulding County at Harrison 10/31 Hillgrove at South Cobb Kennesaw Mountain at Rome River Ridge at Lassiter Riverwood at Pope North Paulding at Marietta North Cobb at Wheeler McEachern at Osborne Pebblebrook at Campbell Sprayberry at Woodstock Sequoyah at Creekview Union County at North Cobb Christian Mount Paran Christian vs TBD Walker vs TBD Whitefield Academy vs TBD

Allatoona 8/15 Adairsville 8/22 At South Paulding 8/29 River Ridge 9/4 At Holy Innocents 9/12 Cedartown 9/19 At Dalton 10/3 Woodland 10/10 At Cartersville 10/17 Hiram 10/24 At Cass Campbell 8/15 At Chapel Hill 8/22 South Forsyth 8/29 At Etowah 9/12 At McEachern 9/19 Harrison 10/3 At South Cobb 10/10 Hillgrove 10/17 At Paulding County 10/24 Osborne 10/31 Pebblebrook Cherokee 8/15 At River Ridge 8/22 Sequoyah 8/29 At Pope 9/5 Lambert 9/12 North Paulding 9/26 At Etowah 10/3 Wheeler 10/10 At Walton 10/17 At North Cobb 10/24 Marietta Creekview 8/15 At Calhoun 8/22 at North Forsyth 8/29 Cambridge 9/5 At Lassiter 9/12 Riverwood 9/19 At Woodstock 10/3 Sprayberry 10/10 Pope 10/24 At River Ridge 10/31 Sequoyah Etowah 8/15 Woodstock 8/22 At Sprayberry 8/29 Campbell 9/5 At Chapel Hill 9/19 At Marietta 9/26 Cherokee 10/3 At North Paulding 10/10 Wheeler 10/17 Walton 10/23 At North Cobb

2025 TEAM-BY-TEAM SCHEDULE 10/10 At South Cobb 10/17 Osborne 10/24 At Hillgrove 10/30 Paulding County

Hillgrove 8/15 Mountain View 8/29 At McIntosh 9/5 At Marietta 9/12 Osborne 9/19 Pebblebrook 10/3 At Paulding County 10/10 At Campbell 10/17 McEachern 10/24 Harrison 10/31 At South Cobb Kell 8/13 South Paulding 8/22 Alpharetta 8/29 At Sequoyah 9/5 At Wheeler 9/12 At Lowndes 9/19 Columbia 10/3 At Blessed Trinity 10/10 Westminster 10/17 At Centennial 10/24 Cambridge Kennesaw Mountain 8/15 Harrison 8/29 At Sprayberry 9/5 John’s Creek 9/12 New Manchester 9/19 At Lithia Springs 10/3 Alexander 10/10 At South Paulding 10/17 At East Paulding 10/24 Villa Rica 10/31 At Rome Lassiter 8/15 At Midtown 8/22 At Alexander 8/29 Northview 9/5 Creekview 9/12 Woodstock 9/19 At Pope 10/3 At Sequoyah 10/10 Riverwood 10/24 At Sprayberry 10/31 River Ridge

Marietta 8/15 At Gainesville 8/22 At West Forsyth 8/29 McEachern 9/5 Hillgrove 9/12 At Wheeler 9/19 Etowah 10/3 At Walton Harrison 8/15 At Kennesaw Mountain 10/10 North Cobb 10/24 At Cherokee 8/22 Wheeler 10/31 North Paulding 8/29 North Paulding 9/12 At Pebblebrook McEachern 9/19 At Campbell 8/16 Vs Walton 10/3 McEachern

8/22 North Cobb 8/29 At Marietta 9/12 Campbell 9/19 Paulding County 10/3 At Harrison 10/10 Pebblebrook 10/17 At Hillgrove 10/24 South Cobb 10/31 At Osborne

Mount Bethel Christian 8/15 Ashville Christian Acad.

8/22 at Creekside Christian 8/29 Copper Basin 9/4 at IMG Academy State 9/12 Greenville 9/20 Palm Beach Christian 10/3 Eagle’s View 10/10 Lanier Christian Acad.

10/17 Dominion Christian 11/1 Mentoring Christian Mount Paran Christian 8/15 Lake Oconee Academy 8/22 Mt. Pisgah Christian 8/29 Savannah Christian 9/12 Cedar Grove 9/19 At Washington-Wilkes 9/26 Whitefield Academy 10/3 At Walker 10/16 At BEST Academy 10/24 Landmark Christian 10/31 Region Crossover North Cobb 8/15 Archer 8/22 At McEachern 8/29 At East Coweta 9/5 Cass 9/12 At North Paulding 9/19 Walton 10/10 At Marietta 10/17 Cherokee 10/23 Etowah 10/31 At Wheeler North Cobb Christian 8/15 At Providence Chr. 8/22 Darlington 8/29 At Coahulla Creek 9/5 Sonoraville 9/12 At Ringgold 10/3 At Murray County 10/10 Rockmart 10/17 At North Murray 10/24 Lakeview-FO 10/31 Union County Osborne 8/15 Banneker 8/22 At Chapel Hill 9/5 At Fellowship Christian 9/12 At Hillgrove 9/19 South Cobb 10/3 At Pebblebrook 10/10 Paulding County 10/17 At Harrison

10/24 At Campbell 10/31 McEachern

Pebblebrook 8/15 Locust Grove 8/29 At Lithia Springs 9/5 Meadowcreek 9/12 Harrison 9/19 At Hillgrove 10/3 Osborne 10/10 At McEachern 10/17 At South Cobb 10/24 Paulding County 10/31 At Campbell Pope 8/15 At Cambridge 8/22 At Dunwoody 8/29 Cherokee 9/5 At Sprayberry 9/12 River Ridge 9/19 Lassiter 10/3 Woodstock 10/10 At Creekview 10/24 At Sequoyah 10/31 Riverwood River Ridge 8/15 Cherokee 8/22 At Denmark 8/29 At Allatoona 9/5 At Woodstock 9/12 At Pope 9/19 Sequoyah 10/3 At Riverwood 10/10 Sprayberry 10/24 Creekview 10/31 At Lassiter Sequoyah 8/15 Denmark 8/22 At Cherokee 8/29 Kell 9/5 At Riverwood 9/12 Sprayberry 9/19 At River Ridge 10/3 Lassiter 10/10 At Woodstock 10/24 Pope 10/31 At Creekview South Cobb 8/15 South Forsyth 8/22 At Banneker 8/29 At Drew 9/12 At Paulding County 9/19 At Osborne 10/3 Campbell 10/10 Harrison 10/17 Pebblebrook 10/24 At McEachern 10/31 Hillgrove Sprayberry 8/15 At Alexander 8/22 Etowah 8/29 Kennesaw Mountain

9/5 Pope 9/12 At Sequoyah 9/19 At Riverwood 10/3 At Creekview 10/10 At River Ridge 10/24 Lassiter 10/31 At Woodstock Walker 8/15 At Kendrick 8/22 Utopian Academy 8/29 At Dominion Christian 9/5 Kings Ridge Christian 9/12 At The Heritage School 9/25 At BEST Academy 10/3 Mount Paran 10/10 At Landmark 10/24 Whitefield Academy 10/31 Region Crossover Walton 8/16 Vs McEachern 8/22 At Lambert 8/29 Roswell 9/5 At Norcross 9/12 Wheeler 9/19 At North Cobb 10/3 Marietta 10/10 Cherokee 10/17 At Etowah 10/24 At North Paulding Wheeler 8/15 At North Forsyth 8/22 At Harrison 8/29 North Atlanta 9/5 Kell 9/12 At Walton 9/19 Marietta 10/3 At Cherokee 10/10 At Etowah 10/17 North Paulding 10/31 North Cobb Whitefield Academy 8/15 Savannah Christian 8/22 At Mount Vernon 9/5 At Social Circle 9/12 Darlington 9/19 St. Anne Pacelli 9/26 At Mount Paran 10/10 BEST Academy 10/17 Landmark 10/24 At Walker 10/31 Region Crossover Woodstock 8/15 At Etowah 8/22 Woodland 8/29 North Springs 9/5 River Ridge 9/12 At Lassiter 9/19 Creekview 10/3 At Pope 10/10 Sequoyah 10/24 At Riverwood 10/31 Sprayberry KICKOFF 2025

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INDEX OF ADVERTISERS SE ERS K I C K O F F

A-Team Services.............................................................................................27 A.G. Rhodes.................................................................................................. 127 Alpha & Omega Automotive..........................................................................121 Atlanta Communities .....................................................................................75 Blackwell’s Jewelers................................................................................74, 78 Brumby Chair Co. ..................................................................................40, 135 Buffalo’s Cafe....................................................... 56, 59, 99, 110, 113, 120, 160 Cauthorn, Owen & Sanders........................................................................... 63 Chattahoochee Technical College................................................................ 68 Chow King................................................................................................. 8, 28 City of Smyrna................................................................................................ 31 Cobb EMC.....................................................................................................163 Copeland’s of New Orleans..........................................................................153 Corner K9 Clips............................................................................................. 54 Dance Stop Studios........................................................................................73 Darby Funeral Home..................................................................................... 52 Dayco Services..............................................................................................131 Dermatology & Surgery Specialists of North Atlanta.....................................76 Dixie Speedway............................................................................................123 Dr. Bruce Hester, DMD................................................................33, 70, 84, 129 Fleming Carpet................................................................................................ 5 Georgia Farm Bureau...................................................................................103 Honeysuckle Biscuits & Bakery..................................................71, 87, 133, 145 JM Heller Attorney.......................................................................................... 61 Johnny Walker Realty.................................................................................... 62 2400 Cobb Parkway SE Smyrna 30080 Close to Cumberland Mall, Truist Park, and right off of I-75 470-308-3333 www.chowkingcobb.com

Come sample our Japanese sushi, Hibachi, and a variety of salads. With 250 items, we have a great selection of both Chinese & American food.

Lunch Mon.-Fri ...................$11.99 Dinner Mon.-Thurs. .............$16.99 Friday .......................$17.49 All Day Sat. & Sun. .$17.49 Open Dining Room Featuring 17 bars, 250 items, jumbo shrimp, catfish, sushi bar, hibachi bar, salad bar, dessert bar, hot bbq grill & open kitchen.

Mon- Thurs., & Sun. close at 9 pm Fri & Sat. close at 9:30 pm Celebrate your special events with us.

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2 0 2 5

Jonquil Sporting Goods................................................................................. 30 Krause Family Ford.....................................................55, 58, 100, 111, 115, 122 Marietta Gone with the Wind Museum.........................................................149 Marietta Hearing........................................................................................... 66 Marietta Wrecker.......................................................................................... 144 Masterplan Retirement.................................................................................. 65 Mini Maid.............................................................................................. 104, 125 Mount Paran Christian School...................................................................... 143 Mt. Bethel Christian Academy.................................................................. 3, 137 North Georgia State Fair............................................................................... 35 Northside Cherokee........................................................................................ 2 Parc at Piedmont........................................................................................... 80 Piedmont Church........................................................... 64, 69, 77, 85, 116, 126 Premier Pool.................................................................................................. 56 Presbyterian Village.....................................................................................152 Shottenkirk Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram.....................................................102 Superior Plumbing................. 29, 32, 36, 39, 42, 48, 51, 57, 72, 79, 82-83, 86, 101, 107, 112, 117, 130, 139 TBG Benefits.................................................................................................146 The Ivy Lane......................................................................................... 106, 109 The Walker School........................................................................................ 147 Tutton Group................................................................................................158 Winnwood Retirement................................................................................... 68 WOW Motorcycles........................................................................................164

MDJ DYNAMITE DOZEN Cobb’s golden age of talent continues

When we try to narrow the impressive list of Dynamite Dozen candidates down to the final baker’s dozen of 13, it seems to get harder and harder to determine the final cuts.

This year was no exception.

However, in the end, we feel like this year’s class can be stacked up against any of those in the Bednarowski past, including the start-studded Class of 2019, which included Myles Murphy (Cincinnati), B.J. Ojulari (Arizona), Javon Baker (New England) — all eventual NFL Draft picks.

That class featured two five-star recruits in Murphy, the former Hillgrove star defensive lineman who went to Clemson, and Arik Gilbert, the tight end from Marietta, who originally went to LSU, and who will get a final shot to fulfill his college and potential NFL dreams by playing for Savannah State this fall.

This year’s Dynamite Dozen class features our first five-star recruit since Murphy and Gilbert in Sprayberry defensive back Jorden Edmonds, who is committed to Alabama.

In addition to our five-star, the class includs nine four-stars and three threestars for an average player rating of 3.9 stars. It is the highest rated class other than 2019, and there are players like Kell linebacker Brayden Rouse and running back Moonie Gibson who could work their way into a potential fifth star before the year is over.

Again this year we have QR codes again on not only the Dynamite Dozen class, but also the Cherokee Super Six players. By hovering your smart phone over the code, it will offer a link to a video of each player on YouTube. There you will hear the dulcet tones of longtime Atlanta TV and radio veteran Sam Crenshaw who came to help us out this year.

See DOZEN, Page 76

For highlights and more information on Zakir

Zakir Abdul-Salaam McEachern

6-foot-3, 240-pounds Defensive Line Senior 4-Star National Rating: N/A State: 42 Position: 27 10

KICKOFF 2025

College Offers:

Georgia Tech, Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Charlotte, UConn, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Indiana, Kentucky, Marshall, Memphis, Miami (Ohio), South Carolina, South Florida, Temple, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Toledo, Troy, Tulane, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Western Kentucky

For highlights and more information on Brandon

Brandon Anderson North Cobb

6-foot-3, 320-pounds Offensive Line Senior 4-Star National Rating: 357 State: 29 Position: 44

Committed To:

Missouri KICKOFF 2025

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For highlights and more information on MJ

MJ Burnett Walton

6-foot-2, 185-pounds Defensive Back Junior 3-Star National Rating: N/A State: N/A Position: N/A 12

KICKOFF 2025

College Offers:

Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Buffalo, Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Indiana, Miami (Ohio), Mississippi State, NC State, South Carolina, Toledo, USC, Virginia Tech, Western Michigan

For highlights and more information on Jowell

Jowell Combay Kell

6-foot-2, 195-pounds Defensive Back Senior 4-Star National Rating: 570 State: 44 Position: 65

Committed To:

Tennessee KICKOFF 2025

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For highlights and more information on Jorden

Jorden Edmonds Sprayberry

6-foot-3, 175-pounds Defensive Back Senior 5-Star National Rating: 14 State: 1 Position: 2 14

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Committed To:

Alabama

For highlights and more information on Moonie

Moonie Gipson Kell

5-foot-10, 205-pounds Running Back Junior 4-Star National Rating: 129 State: 15 Position: 9

College Offers:

Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia State, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, BYU, Cincinnati, Florida, Florida State, Indiana, Kansas, Liberty, Louisville, Memphis, Miami, Michigan, Missouri, NC State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Oregon State, Pitt, Purdue, SMU, TCU, Tennessee, KICKOFF 2025 15 Texas A&M, UCF, Vanderbilt, West Virginia, Wisconsin

For highlights and more information on Teddy

Teddy Jarrard North Cobb

6-foot-3, 210-pounds Quarterback Junior 4-Star National Rating: 171 State: 24 Position: 12

* Was scheduled to commit after press time 16

KICKOFF 2025

College Offers:

Georgia, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Arkansas, Auburn, Boston College, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Duke, Florida State, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Miami (FL), Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Missouri, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, South Florida, Syracuse, UNLV, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Wisconsin

For highlights and more information on Kealan

Kealan Jones Sprayberry

6-foot-1, 195-pounds Defensive Back Senior 4-Star National Rating: 477 State: 41 Position: 58

Committed To:

Georgia KICKOFF 2025

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For highlights and more information on Noah

Noah LaVallee Walton

6-foot-2, 220-pounds Linebacker Senior 3-Star National Rating: 1,190 State: 119 Position: 111 18

KICKOFF 2025

Committed To:

Florida State

For highlights and more information on Brayden

Brayden Rouse Kell

6-foot-3, 215-pounds Linebacker Senior 4-Star National Rating: 70 State: 9 Position: 4

Committed To:

Tennessee KICKOFF 2025

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For highlights and more information on Xavier

Xavier Rucker Allatoona

5-foot-11, 190-pounds Running Back Senior 3-Star National Rating: 645 State: 60 Position: 29 20

KICKOFF 2025

Committed To:

Georgia Tech

For highlights and more information on Nalin

Nalin Scott McEachern

6-foot-3, 205-pounds Wide Receiver Senior 4-Star National Rating: 375 State: 46 Position: 56

Committed To:

Nebraska KICKOFF 2025

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For highlights and more information on Jalen

Jalen Williams Kell

6-foot, 170-pounds Defensive Back Senior 3-Star National Rating: 1,061 State: 119 Position: 92 22

KICKOFF 2025

Committed To:

Arizona State

BUCCANEER BOUNTY

Allatoona set to celebrate 10-year anniversary of Cobb County School District’s first football title

By John Bednarowski sportseditor@mdjonline.com

Prior to the beginning of the 2015 Class AAAAA state semifinals, Allatoona quarterback Brandon Rainey made a bold but prophetic statement.

“I will not be the second best quarterback on this field tonight,” he either yelled or said.

Ask Buccaneers’ defensive coordinator Xarvia Smith, and he said Rainey screamed it at the top of his lungs from the middle of the field.

Ask Rainey, and he admits he said

it, but maybe not quite as loud as Smith remembers.

The reason was Rainey knew he had his work cut out for him. He was about to match wits with future Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm, who had led Houston County to an 11-1 record heading into the game.

Behind Fromm, the Bears had been held to fewer than 34 points only once that year.

“I said it,” Rainey said. “I was the leader and I wanted to show confidence that regardless of who we played, we were going to win the game.”

Whether he truly meant it or not, Rainey certainly played like it. He scored seven rushing touchdowns as Allatoona downed Houston County 59-47, and it took the next step toward winning its first football state championship two weeks later. The victory was the first football title for the Cobb County School District, and it completed a comeback story a year in the making.

squad or the one from 2015, and his answer may surprise some Buccaneers fans. He said 2014.

Allatoona started that season 13-0. Offensively it averaged 39 points per game and allowed 17.

Russell Halimon, who was supposed to be the backup heading into the year, took advantage of an opportunity when starter Josh Bettistea was suspended the first three games. Halimon ran for 2,274 Which team was better? yards and 24 touchdowns.

When Bettistea returned, he Ask former head coach Gary Var- played well, running for 813 yards ner which team was better, the 2014 See BOUNTY, Page 24 KICKOFF 2025

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BOUNTY From Page 23 and 13 touchdowns of his own.

Along the way, the Bucs downed their opponents by an average of 22 points per game, a pattern which continued in the playoffs. Allatoona beat Carver 35-7, Coffee 45-14 and Gainesville 24-17.

Everything changed on the first play on offense in the semifinals against Northside-Warner Robins.

Halimon got the ball, and as he was being tackled, his leg was stretched in an awkward position. Somebody fell on it and he broke his fibula.

The offense never really got going, and Smith said he made some calls that put his defense in a bad spot.

Northside won 30-21 and went on to win the title the next week. It didn’t take long for the leadership of the 2015 squad to take over to make sure things like that didn’t happen again.

Tough start Things were in place heading into the 2015 season. Much of the defense was back, and it was determined not to let anyone score, let alone figure out how to beat it.

Halimon, who committed to the University of Arizona, was back and ready to be the workhorse again, and the offensive line was ready to lead the way.

All the team had to do was take care of business, but it got a stinging wake-up call as soon as the regular season started.

“East Paulding completely whipped us,” said Varner, now the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at North Cobb Christian. “We got physically beat, which just didn’t happen. Everything went wrong.”

One of the few new cogs in the lineup took the blame. Rainey, who finally had taken over as the starter, did not play well in the 17-10 loss, but he also learned a valuable lesson.

“The biggest takeaway from that game is we knew it was our team,” he said. “And I knew we lost this game because of me.”

If there was any kind of hangover from the season opener, Allatoona didn’t show it. The Bucs beat Villa Rica 35-7 the next week. They followed that with a 57-29 win over backyard rival North Paulding and then a 49-0 shutout over Lithia Springs

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and the team was off and running.

Halimon would go on to have another big season, going for 1,543 yards and 13 touchdowns, but the key was getting to know what Rainey could do well.

“It took a little time to figure out how to function with his skill set,” Varner said.

The senior went on to throw for 1,366 yards and 15 touchdowns, and Varner said he could see Rainey’s confidence grow with each game.

“He was a tough competitor and a leader,” Varner said. “No matter what the situation, the kids were going to follow him.”

The team closed the regular season on a nine-game winning streak outscoring opponents by an average of 41.1-13.4 along the way. It collected its second straight region championship and were guaranteed to play at least the first two playoff games at home as long as they won.

Everything was set up for success, until deja vu struck.

Next man up On the second play of the playoff opener against Winder-Barrow, Halimon tore his ACL and threw a wrench into the Bucs playoff plans.

However, with Halimon out, the offense turned to backups Brandon Archibald and Charles Anderson. Both would play key roles throughout the postseason and Archibald answered against Winder-Barrow. He ran for 184 yards to lead the offense, and when he needed a breather, Anderson added another 92 yards.

Allatoona led 38-3 at the half, and went on to a 52-3 win.

Halimon’s injury was foreshadowing what would happen the rest of the way in the playoffs. In each round, the Bucs offense would lose another starter, including future Vanderbilt tight end Turner Cockrell. Receiver Michael Pynes sprained an ankle and missed time as well as lineman Brooks Walper.

The injuries forced some inexperienced players to step up in big spots, and former athletic director Benji Morrell said it was this situation where Varner showed why he was such a good head coach.

“He had to watch those kids getting hurt,” said Morrell, now the principal at Pickett’s Mill Elementary.

“He and his staff did a great job of See BOUNTY, Page 25

Staff - file

Top: Allatoona quarterback Brandon Rainey leaps into the end zone for one of his seven rushing touchdowns against Houston County in the 2015 Class AAAAA state quarterfinals. Above: Casey Smith makes the tackle on Houston County’s Christopher Brinson.

BOUNTY From Page 24 mentally getting the reserves to play.

He was talking to guys who may not have been ready to play and convincing them they could go out there and do it.”

A bonus Heading into the second round of the playoffs against Starr’s Mill, and then again in the state semifinals against Northgate, Allatoona would have to face teams which ran the Wing-T offense.

Under normal circumstances, teams do not face the old-time runbased offense. And if they don’t, it often doesn’t go very well.

Defenses have to play a very disciplined game, and one mistake on any play could lead to an opponent breaking a long run for a touchdown.

However, Allatoona had a secret weapon in its defensive coordinator, who was still wanting to make up for a poor performance in last year’s final four.

“I worked for (former McEachern coach) Jimmy Dorsey and (former Walton, Wheeler and Camden County coach) Jeff Herron,” said Smith, currently a defensive line coach at East Paulding. “I worked for the best Wing-T coaches in the state of Georgia.”

In each game, Smith had the members of the Bucs defense ready to play. In fact, the defense played the Wing-T so well it had the opponents so flustered they weren’t sure exactly what to do next.

“Our players were at the line presnap and they were calling out the plays,” Smith said. “The offense finally yelled to the sideline, ‘They are calling out our plays, can we try something else?’”

Allatoona downed Starr’s Mill 30-14 and Northgate 28-7.

The ultimate challenge came in the matchup against Houston County.

The Bears are going to get theirs Staff - file

Top: Allatoona’s Tate Tatum brings down Northgate running back Kamari Ray for a loss in the 2015 Class AAAAA state semifinals.

Middle: The Bucs Brady Eeles breaks away from a defender after catching a pass. Bottom: Coach Gary Varner addresses the team after it defeated Northgate 28-7 to advance to the state championship game against Glynn Academy in the Georgia Dome.

While Glynn County coach Rocky Hidalgo may disagree, the state championship was decided in the state quarterfinals at Buccaneer Stadium.

While Allatoona did have to overcome injuries during the title run, one thing it didn’t have to do was play on

the road. All four games leading up to the state title game were played at home, and it proved to be a huge benefit against Houston County.

“We caught a break with the coin flip,” Morrell said. “I would not have wanted to have to play down there.

Those guys looked like the Dallas Cowboys getting off the bus.”

The Cowboys helped to bring pro football into the modern age with computerized scouting and intricate film study. Houston County tried to use those concepts to prepare for Allatoona, too. Only Varner found a way to use all their preparation against them.

“All year long we worked on the trap-option and we never used it,” Rainey said. “Every practice we would run it and I was getting frustrated asking why do we keep wasting our time if we aren’t going to use it?”

The element of surprise worked perfectly. In fact, it almost worked too well.

“When you play Houston, you know they are going to score,” Varner said. “So we have to find a way to shorten the game and make our defense better. To do that, you have to go against tendencies.

“The mindset from the beginning is they are scoring 30, so we have to do things to make sure we hang on to the ball. So, early in the game, we’re looking at second-and-5 and we called Rainey’s first bootleg. I figured it would work well enough to get the first down and it pops for 50-plus.”

Rainey consistently broke free for big gains and finished the game with 115 yards on 20 carries, in addition to 9-of-17 through the air for 170 yards.

“Give all the credit to Gary,” said Rainey, now a strategic accounts manager for Prime Power Services. “It was his strategic mind. He knew we would need the trap-option at some point and it was fun to see things work out.”

Rainey scored on a 2-yard run late in the third quarter to put the Bucs up 31-27. His fifth touchdown allowed them to build an 11-point lead, and shortly thereafter Danny Tesler blocked a punt, which was picked up and run in for a touchdown. It was the only Bucs touchdown not scored by Rainey, and it gave them what they thought was a comfortable 45-27 lead with 8 minutes to play.

Houston County’s MO over the See BOUNTY, Page 26 KICKOFF 2025

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Staff - file

Glynn Academy, and former Walton coach, Rocky Hidalgo, left, congratulates Bucs coach Gary Varner after Allatoona won the 2015 Class AAAAA state championship 10-6 in the Georgia Dome.

BOUNTY

similar message in the moments after his touchdown.

“Scoring was the only way we From Page 25 could lose the game at that point,” course of the season was being able Varner said. “If he goes down, we to score quickly, and that’s exactly can run out the clock.” what it did against the usually stingy Completing the job Allatoona defense.

Fromm, who threw for 351 yards While the offense was a walkin the game, engineered three touchdown drives in just more than 5 ing M*A*S*H unit when the team minutes. It cut the Bucs lead to arrived at the Georgia Dome for the 52-47 with 3:19 to play, but it also state championship game against set Rainey up for his best and worst Glynn Academy, the defense was still healthy, with one exception. play of the night.

An injury forced backup line“They never seemed to catch backer Kalen Wilkerson into a starton to what we were trying to do,” ing role, and he would be one of the Rainey said of Houston’s defense.

The Bears were out of timeouts players who would have to key on with just over a minute to play. quarterback DeeJay Dallas.

Dallas would go on to play at the Needing one more first down to University of Miami and is now in seal the game, Varner called one the NFL with the Arizona Cardifinal trap-option. Rainey broke free for a 33-yard touchdown, and nals, but he was an athlete forced while he was celebrating, he said into the role of playing quarterback.

Dallas also had a habit of tipping Tesler came up to him and slapped what he was going to do. Whenhim back to reality.

“He grabbed me and said, ‘What ever Glynn Academy was forced are you doing? Just take a knee.’” into a big situation, the quarterWhile Rainey doesn’t remem- back was not going to give up the ber his coach saying anything to ball. He was going to try to make See BOUNTY, Page 102 him, Varner said he passed on a

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REGION 3AAAAAA

Hoyas, Indians, Hawks make for good race

By Devyn Hlavek MDJ Sports Writer

Harrison is looking to defend its Region 3AAAAAA title, but it will not prove to be an easy task.

Cobb County is home to seven of eight teams in Region 3AAAAAA, allowing for more upsets and games that matter more.

Campbell coach Jeff Phillips said having a region made up of all Cobb County teams, besides Paulding County, pushes the players to compete harder.

“The kids know each other, so it creates that rivalry. When kids can play teams that they’re familiar with because they grow up around the area,” Phillips said. “It makes the kids play a little bit tougher because it’s a little different playing teams that the kids really don’t know.”

Harrison went 7-0 in the region last season, defeating all of its region opponents by 10 or more points.

The program will be returning players on both sides of the ball, including running back TC Washington who averaged 51.9 rushing yards per game. Quarterback Xavier Hill graduated, but the team picked up Nathaniel Davis from its region rival Campbell. The 5-foot-11, 160 pounder threw for 142 yards and one touchdown last season.

McEachern claimed third place in the region despite having a roster made up of many first year starters. However, that will not prove to be a problem this season. The program will have 17 out of 22 starters returning for the 2025 season.

Among these starters is Indiana

PREDICTED FINISH 1. Hillgrove 2. McEachern 3. Harrison 4. Pebblebrook 5. Campbell 6. Paulding Co. 7. Osborne 8. South Cobb commit Jayreon Campbell. Last season, he rushed for 930 yards and 18 touchdowns. The Indians are looking to win their second region title in three seasons after finishing 5-2 in the region last season.

Hillgrove won six region games last season after only winning seven games combined in the three prior seasons. The Hawks finished the season 11-2, earning them second place in the region. This was their first season with a winning region record since 2018. The program is going to rely on its strong defense to continue this success, along with its improved offense.

Campbell is looking to make a big jump this season. The program has struggled in the past, but it has made huge strides under Phillips.

The team found its new starting quarterback, Davin Lemere, who will be a key part of its success.

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Hillgrove and McEachern could determine the winner of Region 3AAAAAA. 555 yards and four touchdown passes last season. After losing pieces of its offense and defense, it will rely on the returning seniors to step up.

Pebblebrook finished 6-5 last season and made a return to the playoffs after missing them for the first time since 2019 the season prior.

The program will be under new leadership with veteran coach Rodney Hackney. The team will have a fresh defense this season after losing key tacklers and pash rushers. However, the offense will be led by starting quarterback Jayden Adams. Last season he threw for 987 yards along with seven touchdown passes.

Osborne finished seventh in the region in its first season under coach Derek Cook. The Cardinals struggled, finishing 1-9 with their sole win being against South Cobb. The team will have D’Herelle Herrin, who

led the team in receiving yards per game, and Alex Soto-Williams, who led the team in rushing yards per game, returning for their senior seasons.

South Cobb has gone winless the past three seasons. The Eagles will be led by second-year coach Marcus Wsahington, who will try to help the team pick up its first win since 2021. The program gained McEachern transfer quarterback Freedom Jones. He will be key to helping the Eagles offense and defense succeed this season.

Paulding County is the only non-Cobb County team in Region 3AAAAAA. The Patriots picked up two non-region wins last season and finished sixth in the region.

Justin Pressley will return as the coach and he will face a difficult task as their quarterback, top receiver and top defensive lineman all graduated.

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CAMPBELL SPARTANS 2025 Schedule

8/15 at Chapel Hill

8/22 South Forsyth

8/29 at Etowah

9/12 at McEachern

9/19 Harrison

10/3 at South Cobb

10/10 Hillgrove

10/17 at Paulding County

10/24 Osborne

10/31 Pebblebrook

Campbell focusing on small details this season

By Devyn Hlavek

Campbell is looking to make a return to the playoffs and begin its push for a region title.

Last season the program posted six wins, its most since 2007.

This will be the Spartans third year under coach Jeff Phillips and they are hungry for postseason play after missing the playoffs by one game last season.

They are two seasons removed from a playoff appearance which was the program’s first since 2017.

The Spartans finished fifth in Region 3AAAAAA with a 3-4 record. Last season was their

first season in the region and Phillips said he is expecting to finish near the top this season.

“We’re expecting to finish in the top four and we want to get to a top two finish, so that we can get a playoff game at home,” Phillips said. “We’re expecting great competition.”

Phillips said the key to success this season is focusing on the small details and avoiding injuries on both sides of the ball.

“We have to stay healthy.

That’s a big part of everything.

Other than the cliché things of working hard and practicing, those are key for us, but we need to really focus on the little things that the great teams do,” Phillips said. “It’s so much more than

No. Name 0 T.o’thaniel Williams Iv 1 Maddox West 2 Marlon May 3 Nick Buggs 4 Ashton Gochett 5 Davin Lemire 6 Mario Graydon 6 Jeremiah Ferguson 7 Julious Duffy Jr 8 Kosh Fort 9 Branden Moore 11 Jeremiah Gentry 12 Jackson Winters 15 Corey Mwati 20 Cortez Stephens 21 Caleb Donaldson

No. Name 23 Christian Hunt 24 Ajavius Joyner 25 Kyle Dunbar 28 Trent Porter 29 Jazz Miller 30 Ben Manseka 31 Ja-juan Thomas 33 Jemaine Samuels 34 Jaiden Samaroo 35 Ashraf Es-sudan 37 Salman Lodin 39 Hank Lobe 40 Malachi Foster 43 Quentin Lee 44 Elliott Williams 45 Dwann Scott

MDJ Sports Writer

running plays. It’s all the details into how you warm up, sleep, eat, recover and practice.”

The program is expected to return four starters on offense and seven on defense.

Davin Lemire is projected to take over as the starting quarterback after having his first varsity start last season. The 6-foot,165-pound sophomore threw for 555 yards and completed 4 touchdown passes. He also rushed for 160 yards and had one touchdown.

After losing Owen Summers, who led the team in receiving yards per game, and Henry Pullen, who led the team in rushing yards per game, Phillips is expecting the three year starters

to step up.

Wide receiver Nick Buggs will be one of Campbell’s third-year starters returning. Buggs had 241 yards receiving and two touchdowns along with 187 rushing yards and two scores.

Phillips said the team has added new dynamics to its offense for the upcoming season.

“We have had a lot of changes that have happened to try to get better. We didn’t make drastic changes, but small changes,” hesaid. We’ve added some more coaches to our staff to give us better quality of things. We are focusing a lot more on explosive power and speed throughout

See SPARTANS, Page 30

2025 Roster Pos. LB DB WR WR RB/MLB QB WR DB/WR DB DB/QB MLB/RB OLB/RB QB/WR TE/DE SS/DB RB

Cl. 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 9 11 11 12

Pos. WR/DB DB RB OLB/RB RB/MLB OLB/DE DB RB/OLB MLB/K DB DB DB RB/OLB WR/DB DB DB/WR

Cl. 10 12 12 11 12 12 12 11 10 12 12 11 11 12 11 10

No. Name 48 Jaeden Pownall 48 Hill Harper 49 Ryland Bullard 52 Tyree Stocker 54 Messiah Menelas 56 Khamari Thomas 58 Denim Welch 59 Emmanuel Ceron 60 Bkari Bostick 62 Tajon Boone 63 Ellis Hartley 65 Kamryn Johnson 66 Donovan Williams 67 Shamar Reynolds 69 Mario Dabney 70 Noah Greene

Pos. OLB WR K DT OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL DL OL

Cl. 11 10 10 12 12 12 11 12 11 11 10 11 11 12 12

No. Name Pos. OL/DL 72 Teon Allen 72 Tyler Cooper RB OL 75 Bin Sulaiman 77 Jahmari Simpkins OL 80 Edtrik Baker DB/WR 81 Elias Cabrera DB/WR DB 82 Daniel Mushimba 85 Rayon Kelly WR/DB 87 Savion Simmons-Anderson DB 88 Kevin Justice DE 90 Parker Bounds OLB/RB OLB 91 Amare Mack LB 97 Jacob Ongtingco

Cl. 12 12 12 12 10 11 10 10 10 9 10 12 10

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C A M P B E L L S PA R TA N S 925 Powder Springs Street SE, Smyrna, GA 30080 • Richard McDaniel Stadium www.campbellfootball.com X: @GoCampbellFBGA

2024 RESULTS Chapel Hill ............................27-0 .......... W South Forsyth ...................... 48-7 .......... W Etowah .................................. 33-7 .......... W McEachern ...........................0-32 ............L Harrison .............................. 18-34 ............L South Cobb ..........................43-0 .......... W Hillgrove ...............................0-35 ............L Paulding County................ 36-14 .......... W Osborne ................................20-6 .......... W Pebblebrook ....................... 13-14 ............L

Instagram: @campbellfootballinsta

VARSITY COACHING STAFF Jeff Phillips ........................ HC Shawn Allen ..............ST/OLB Nick Bach .......................... DB Chris Holcomb ...................OL Jarret Gardner ..................WR Jaaran Nesbitt .................. QB Thomas Williams ............... LB Brian Smith.....................Asst.

Drinon Mays ...................... CB Daniel Hazard .................... LB Lamar Sims.........................DL Tab Bullard ........................... K Trent Pruett ........................RB Lyndon Winchester .......Asst.

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI DB Chris Lewis-Harris (2004-07) .....UT-Chattanooga, Cincinnati Bengals DL Jake Richardson (1978-81)........................................................... Georgia ATH Mike Rogers (2010-13) ................................................................Towson WR Brian Sutherland (2004-07) .............................................. Chattanooga DB Tay Glover-Wright (2006-09) .............. Utah State, Indianapolis Colts

Facebook: @CampbellSpartansFootball

2024 LEADERS

FIVE YEAR

RUSHING Henry Pullen ..........83 car....485 yds ..... 8 TD Braydon Hayden ..82 car....356 yds ..... 4 TD Emilio Cervantes ..47 car ....328 yds ..... 5 TD

RECORD 15-35

PASSING Davin Lemire ..........34/69 ....554 yds ..... 4 TD ..2 INT RECEIVING Nick Buggs .............20 rec ...241 yds ...... 2 TD Henry Pullen ..........11 rec......188 yds ...... 2 TD TACKLES Jonathan Wiley ......................91 Brayden Matthews ...............76 SACKS Jonathan Wiley ......................3 Aiden Jenkins-Burns............3 INTERCEPTIONS Maddox West..........................3

ALL TIME RECORD 123-247 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 1984

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Coach: Jeff Phillips • 3rd Season • Record: 9-12 • Career: 75-74

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SPARTANS From Page 29

the season to become faster in what we’re doing.”

Campbell’s defense will be key for its success. The Spartans have been working on improving their line size, power and speed. Kosh Fort will be one of the defensive players returning for his

senior season. The 5-10, 160pound safety had 34 total tackles and one fumble recovery last season. Phillips is also expecting Maddox West to step up as a defensive leader.

“We have a good crop of kids who have really been staying there,” Phillips said. “We really need those guys to step up and be huge players for us and great leaders.”

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KICKOFF 2025

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Campbell looks to return to the playoffs for the second time in three years.

Buggs, West hope to shape culture

By Devyn Hlavek MDJ Sports Writer

Seniors Maddox West and Nick Buggs have stayed loyal to Campbell for their entire football careers.

They have been with the program since middle school, staying through all of the ups and downs as it rebuilds and sets higher standards.

“When I took over we named those guys starters to try to get them to the level they are today,” Coach Jeff Phillips said. “This year is a big year for them being seniors and my expectation of them is to really step into their own and become dominant leaders.”

West, who lines up at safety and cornerback, and Buggs, a wide receiver and slotback, play on opposite sides of the ball, but are committed to working together to improve their game.

“Even on days we don’t have practice, we come in and get some work done together,” Buggs said.

See CULTURE, Page 55

Special - Anthony Stalcup

Nick Buggs, left, and Maddox West hope to leave a legacy behind with the Campbell program.

KICKOFF 2025

31

HARRISON HOYAS 2025 Schedule

8/15 at Kennesaw Mtn.

8/22 Wheeler

8/29 North Paulding

9/12 at Pebblebrook

9/19 at Campbell

10/3 McEachern

10/10 at South Cobb

10/17 Osborne

10/24 at Hillgrove

10/30 Paulding County

Harrison looks to remain on top of Region 3AAAAAA

By Trey Perry

Harrison aims to build on its success from the previous season.

The Hoyas have high expectations going into the new year, following a 9-2 campaign under first year coach Luqman Salam including a 7-0 record in Region 3AAAAAA. Harrison’s postseason, however, came to an early end in a 46-42 loss to Archer in the opening round of the state playoffs.

With the graduation of quarterback Xavier Hill who threw for 2,216

yards and 20 touchdowns last season, Nathaniel Davis, a senior transfer from Campbell High School, is expected to take over the offense.

Davis saw limited time at Campbell last season, throwing for 142 yards and one touchdown in his four appearances.

A number of important players are expected to return on both sides of the ball. Beyond the stats, their experience and guidance will be important as the team looks to build on last year’s success.

One of the Hoyas’ leaders, senior running back TC Washington, returns after averaging 5.7 yards

No. Name 0 David Rudd 1 Donovan Martin 2 LJ Smith 3 TC Washington 4 Graham Aldridge 6 RJ Cowser 7 Evan Tillman 8 Eric Geralds 9 Adam Price 10 Olrick Johnson 10 Collin William 11 DJ Huggins 12 Aiden Watson 14 Nate Davis 15 David Dieudonne 16 Levi Towne 17 Matthew Traster 18 Parker Perkins 19 Cameron Spicer 20 Abu Conate 21 Baldwin Cruz 22 Jacob Williamson 23 Dylan Williams 24 Charlie Whritenour

No. Name Pos. 25 Jermaine Hill RB/LB 26 Justyn Martinez- Reynolds LB 27 Malcolm Davis, Jr DB 28 Harrison Snow WR 29 William Hajjar DB 30 Neil Ratliff CB 31 Adrian Fulford DB 32 Owen Itnyre TE 33 Anderson Itnyre TE 34 Corbin Trice DB 35 Torrey Howard LB 36 Mitchell Lilly III DL 37 Lawson Scholl LB 38 Luke Stigler DB 39 Muhammad Bobb S 40 Noah Nix LB 41 Tyler Cato S 42 Noah Calkins LB 43 Samuel Brown LB 44 Reece Bentley LB 45 Chris Bolls DL 46 Colton Cantrell DB/RB 47 Griffin Kirby LB 48 Jackson Martin LB

MDJ Sports Writer

per rush without fumbling once.

He finished with 101 carries for 571 yards. Knowing his production is important, he also emphasized his leadership.

“I have to hold myself accountable because I am one of the leaders,” Washington said. “People are looking at me, so there’s a lot of pressure, but it helps me grow quickly.”

Returners include wide receiver Donovan Martin and running back Corbin Trice, who are also expected to be contributors on offense. Martin had 27 catches for 624 yards, averaging 23.1 yards per catch, while Trice rushed 11 times for 161 yards,

averaging 14.6 yards per carry.

Linebackers David Rudd and Reece Bentley return and are expected to lead the front seven, and defensive back Eric Geralds has secondary experience. Rudd recorded 29 total tackles with three sacks over 11 games, Bentley contributed 44 tackles in seven games and Geralds added 15 tackles in eight games.

With returning experience, the coaching staff has worked to build a stronger and more connected team.

Washington credits Salam for See HOYAS, Page 33

2025 Roster

32

Pos. LB WR/DB DB RB S RB DB DB DL LB RB WR QB QB LB QB WR WR WR/DB RB WR CB RB WR

KICKOFF 2025

Cl. 12 12 11 12 12 12 11 12 11 11 12 11 10 12 11 11 12 10 11 10 12 11 11 11

Cl. 11 12 10 10 10 11 10 12 12 10 10 12 12 10 12 10 11 10 10 12 11 11 11 11

No. Name 49 Angelo Andreozzi 50 Jonathan Grubb 51 Caeden Schmidt 52 Xavier Gray 53 Joseph Fisher 54 Cooper Oldknow 55 Sam Stephens 56 Adlan Herrin 57 Will Newton 58 Brandon Slay 59 Ghaith Attiiya 60 Carson Egner 61 Samuel Oloh 62 Matthew Sherman 63 Alden Brown 64 Brady Cooper 65 Ivan Timber 66 Robert Mackarvich 67 Iain Tighe 70 Kymani George 71 Jack Rowe 72 Luke Bleazard 74 John Rutledge 75 Cole Petersen

Pos. WR LB LB DL OL OL OL OL LB DL LB OL OL OL OL DL DL OL OL OL DL OL OL OL

Cl. 10 10 11 10 12 11 12 10 12 10 12 11 10 11 10 10 10 12 10 11 11 12 12 11

No. Name 76 Dalton Petty 77 Danny Garcia 78 Culver Wadkins 79 Nicholas Wall 80 Coleman Fuson 81 Kaiden Brown 82 Carson Kraushaar 83 Trayshawn Whitthorne 84 Ryan Traster 85 Matthew Syken 86 Payton Baker 87 Bailey Maycumber 88 Brenton Groves 89 Cymi Jenkins 90 Julian Amico 91 Garrett Bentley 92 Emmanuel Ogunwuyi 93 Elijah Abrams 94 Asher Kelly 95 Thomas Rowan 96 Corwin Smith 97 Ian Castro 98 Rafa Benitez 99 Oscar McAdoo

Pos. OL OL DL OL DB WR WR WR WR TE WR WR K WR DL DL DL WR K DL DL K DL OL/DL

Cl. 11 12 10 12 10 11 10 11 10 10 12 11 11 10 11 11 11 10 10 11 12 12 12 12

H A R R I S O N H OYA S 4500 Due West Road, Kennesaw, GA 30152 • Bruce Cobleigh Stadium www.harrisonhoyafootball.com X: @hhshoyafootball

2024 RESULTS Kennesaw Mountain......... 35-21 .......... W Wheeler ..............................35-34 .......... W North Paulding ................. 23-26 ............L Pebblebrook ....................... 31-19 .......... W Campbell ............................ 34-18 .......... W McEachern ......................... 28-12 .......... W South Cobb ..........................52-0 .......... W Osborne ................................47-0 .......... W Hillgrove ............................. 24-14 .......... W Paulding County.................38-17 .......... W State Playoffs Archer ................................ 42-46 ............L

Instagram: @harrisonhoyafootball

Facebook: @HarrisonHoyaAthletics

2024 LEADERS VARSITY COACHING STAFF RUSHING Luqman Salam ..................HC Trent Thompson ...............OC Braeden Langford .............OL CJ Turner ............................LB Deonta Coker ....................LB Emmett Hill.........................RB Grant Suttle ........................OL Jeff Meese.........................WR Joe Gerda ...........................DL Kent Lindsey ........................ K Nick Williamson .................LB Reuben Lowery ................ DB Spencer Thomas ...............LB Torrey Howard ...................OL

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI WR Darvin Adams (2004-07) .....Auburn, Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL) LB Jon Abbate (1999-2002), ......................Wake Forest, Houston Texans QB Daniel Cobb (1993-96), ................................................................ Auburn QB Justin Fields (2014-17), ................................Ohio State, New York Jets DB Paul Oliver (1998-2001), ........................Georgia, San Diego Chargers

FIVE YEAR

Xavier Hill ..............120 car......1030 yds ..............18 TD TC Washington ...101 car.......571 yds ..................8 TD PASSING Xavier Hill .......148/216 ......2216 yds ....20 TD....3INT RECEIVING Austin Perry ..........46 rec .......718 yds ..................8 TD Donovan Martin ..27 rec .......624 yds................. 7 TD TACKLES Jowell Combay ...93 Oliver Perez..........85 SACKS Christian Smith ....4 Oliver Perez..........4 INTERCEPTIONS Jowell Combay ...2

RECORD 28-28

2024: 9-2 2023: 7-4 2022: 4-8 2021: 4-7 2020: 4-7

ALL TIME RECORD 237-136 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (7) 2024, 2019, 2017, 2005, 2002, 2001, 2000

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 2019

Coach: Luqman Salam • 2nd Season • Record: 9-2 • Career: 22-19

HOYAS

brotherhood in this team.”

Now in his second season at Harrison, Salam has already made a From Page 32 significant impact. Over his four changing the program’s mindset. years of coaching, he has found “Before coach Salam got here, success at different Cobb County it wasn’t like this,” he said. “Now, schools. Before joining Harrison, we play for each other. There’s he was the head coach at Osborne,

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

where he won the 2023 Region 5AAAAAAA Coach of the Year after leading the Cardinals to their first state playoff berth in school history and their best season since 1994.

“I believe that the most important part of accountability is

consistency,” Salam said. “Players can rise to the challenge when expectations are clearly communicated. We’re aiming for a state championship, but more than anything, it’s about helping these young men grow and become better every day.”

Over 50 years of Care and Compassion

Good Luck Harrison High School!

Bruce A. Hester D.M.D, Chelsea M. Smith D.M.D, and Kara H. Johnson, D.M.D.

2980 Lewis Street • Kennesaw, GA 30144 • 770-422-1554 • www.bhesterdmd.com KICKOFF 2025

33

Special - Anthony Stalcup

Harrison’s TC Washington is ready to help lead his team, both vocally and by example this season.

Washington feels a leader’s responsibility

By Trey Perry MDJ Sports Writer

TC Washington heads into his final season at Harrison looking to build on a strong junior year.

Washington, who stands at 5-foot11, 210-pounds, brings strength, balance and vision to the backfield.

Harrison coach Luqman Salam said those traits helped Washington average 5.7 yards per carry last season and rush for 571 yards, scoring eight touchdowns without a turnover along the way.

Salam said Washington’s ball security and reliability made him a go-to player when the team needed it most, and Washington said he needs to take on an even bigger leadership role heading into his senior year.

“I have to hold myself

accountable,” he said. “Being one of the key players, a lot comes with it. There’s pressure, but it makes you grow faster than everyone else.”

Washington gives Salam credit for building a culture in which players are held to high standards, while also feeling a strong sense of brotherhood.

“Before coach Salam got here, it wasn’t like this,” Washington said.

“Now we play for each other. That brotherhood changed everything.”

The growth in team culture, according to Salam, is also what has made Washington effective and versatile.

“TC is a powerful runner. He brings a lot of experience, a lot of capability in various different ways.”

Salam said. “He contributes to our team in almost every facet of the game, has the ability to play some defense, and will play on special

2026 34

KICKOFF 2025

teams. He catches the ball out of the backfield, he’s a good blocker and obviously he’s a really good running back. So you know, his versatility, his leadership, his toughness are all very important factors to our success this year.

“This summer, Washington’s goals have gone beyond just the physical. He’s been locked in mentally, spending time each week learning defenses and studying film.”

Washington said his offseason has been productive as he works to improve parts of his game.

“My offseason has been great,” he said. “I’ve been training daily and putting in a lot of work for this upcoming season. I’ve been working on footwork and getting better at my cuts.”

Washington’s recruiting process is starting to ramp up. He said he’s

visited Georgia State and Tennessee, and both experiences left a strong impression. He mentioned the programs treated him with kindness and respect, which made the visits stand out. While he doesn’t yet hold offers from those schools, he does have one on the table from Warner University.

Looking ahead, Salam said he’s confident Washington has what it takes to succeed at the next level.

“I think wherever he goes, he’s gonna stick. He’s got the work ethic.

He has integrity. He has the character and he has the ability,” Salam said.

“When you have all those factors, wherever you go and whatever you do, you’re going to have the ability to have a certain level of success. So I think wherever he goes, wherever he lands, he’s gonna do a great job just because he has all the right stuff.”

BEST OF COBB

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HILLGROVE HAWKS 2025 Schedule

8/15 Mountain View

8/29 at McIntosh

9/5 at Marietta

9/12 Osborne

9/19 Pebblebrook

10/3 at Paulding Co.

10/10 at Campbell

10/17 McEachern

10/24 Harrison

10/31 at South Cobb

Experienced Hawks ready for another deep playoff ride

By Paul Holm

After an 11-2 season and a trip to the Class AAAAAA quarterfinals in 2024, Hillgrove head coach Justin DeShon isn’t looking for a reset, he’s looking for refinement.

The Hawks return a large senior class and a core group of experienced players on both sides of the ball. DeShon said the offseason focus has been on elevating the offense to match an already dependable defense.

“We’re not looking to overhaul

anything,” DeShon said. “We have a strong foundation. We just want to keep improving and find ways to be more balanced offensively.”

DeShon said Hillgrove’s defense helped the team throughout last season, finishing with 493 solo tackles and 42 sacks.

“Our defense was strong last fall,” DeShon said. “But we’re focusing on some offensive work this summer.”

The team is aiming to improve its passing game behind two quarterbacks, senior Donovan Mack, who threw for 407 yards and four touchdowns, and junior Jabari Green,

No. Name 0 Jaiden Moore 1 Donovan Mack 2 Chris Carbin 3 Tyler Galardo 4 Jayden Fisher 5 Brayden Hembree 6 Maliek Coaxum 7 Carter Rose 8 Jameson McCollough 9 Carter Genchi 10 Sidney Montgomery 11 Corbin Forbes 12 Mike Shelby 13 Jabari Green 14 Jayden Wright 15 Ryder Bass 16 Preston Wooten 17 Christian Wells 18 Dylen James 19 Rayfia Arrey 20 PJ Glenn 21 Carlson Ngome 22 Sam Udeh 23 Andre Marchman 24 LeKeith Pressley

No. Name 25 Silas Jones 26 Wyatt Ripley 27 Giovanni O’Rourke 28 Chase Meador 29 Jack Bazemore 30 Ian Wilcox 31 E.J. Parchment 32 Brynden Fields 33 William Storey 34 Justin Storey 35 Langston Cobb 36 Jeremiah Harris 37 Hayden Sperling 38 Ryan Thompson 39 Bradford Gayle 40 Isiah Dozier 41 Marcus Constant 42 Kort Wood 43 Pressley Gonzalez 44 Isaac Balch 45 Anthony Jackson 46 Kolby Keener 47 Alexander Cisneros 48 Caiden Gaddy 49 Landon Jones

MDJ Sports Writer

36

Pos. RB QB OLB DB WR WR DB DB LB K WR LB WR QB DB QB WR WR WR WR WR LB QB DB DB

KICKOFF 2025

Cl. 11 12 12 12 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 11 12 11 10 10 12 12 12 11 11

Pos. DB DB DB QB WR RB LB RB WR RB DB LB LB LB DB LB WR LB LB LB LB RB LB LB RB

Cl. 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 12 12 10 10 11 10 12 10 10 10 11 12 11 10 10 10 10 11

who added 471 yards and three touchdowns. While DeShon hasn’t named a starter, he said both were progressing well through the summer and will be key to the offense’s success this fall.

While the offense develops, Hillgrove’s defense remains a strength.

“I think our defense is pretty good this year, better than last,” senior defensive end Chris Carbin said.

“We really don’t want the other teams moving the ball.”

Carbin is one of five returning defensive starters from a unit that helped power the Hawks’ playoff

run last season. He finished 2024 with 29 tackles, while senior linebacker Jameson McCollough led the group with 58. Together, they anchor a front seven that DeShon expects to be a major factor again this fall.

Hillgrove’s playoff success came in a highly competitive Region 3AAAAAA, which features McEachern, North Paulding, Marietta and Harrison, all potential postseason contenders. The Hawks went 6-1 in region play, with their only loss coming in a close game against eventual See HAWKS, Page 37

2025 Roster No. Name 50 Jacob Fernandez 51 Roderick Johnson 52 Gabe Harkness 53 Aiden Montford 54 Anthony Cater Jr 55 Tyler Worley 56 Gilbert Smith 57 Chikosi Eziama 58 Bryson Showers 59 Jacob Bannister 60 Xavier Davis 61 Taylor Hakobyan 62 Isiah Marbury 63 David Rivero 64 Garland Frazier 65 Trey Tanner 66 Joeden Conteh 67 Uriah Searcy 68 Trey Talton 69 Sean Bush 71 Amare Joshua 72 Will Lair 73 Kamrin McCray 74 Pierce Wood 75 Damarion Manson

Pos. OL DL OL/DL DL OL DL OL/DL OL/DL OL OL OL LB OL/DL OL/DL DL QB OL OL DL OL OL OL/DL DB OL/DL OL

Cl. 10 11 12 11 12 12 12 10 10 12 11 10 12 12 11 11 10 10 10 12 10 11 10 12 12

No. Name 76 Jacori Williams 77 Max Mollohan 78 Jaeden Otero 79 Aidan Thomas 80 Cody Cowan 81 Josh Smith 82 Demetrious Heywood 83 Dylan Stewart 84 Jaiden Argueta 85 Brady Arters 86 Elijah Campbell 87 Grant Stang 88 JoJo Mauldin 89 Chase Ehlers 90 Josiah Alusma 91 Josh McLemore 92 Tyler Hollis 93 Lawson Lee 94 Lennox Hinks 95 Marcus Ware 96 Ryan Coleman 97 Kaleb Smith 98 Trey Knighten 99 Owen Graziano Caiden Stafford

Pos. OL OL DL OL WR/K WR LB TE WR TE WR TE WR TE DL DL WR LB DB WR DB DB LB LB TE

Cl. 10 12 11 11 11 12 12 10 12 10 10 11 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 11 10

H I L LG R OV E H AW K S 4165 Luther Ward Rd, Powder Springs, GA 30127 • Cobb EMC/Hillgrove Stadium www.hillgrovefootball/home X: @HgroveFootball

2024 RESULTS Mountain View ..................34-28 .......... W McIntosh ...............................38-0 .......... W Marietta............................... 24-21 .......... W Osborne ................................30-3 .......... W Pebblebrook ........................27-6 .......... W Paulding County..................42-3 .......... W Campbell ..............................35-0 .......... W McEachern ........................ 30-23 .......... W Harrison .............................. 14-24 ............L South Cobb ..........................53-0 .......... W State Playoffs South Gwinnett ................. 35-14 .......... W Peachtree Ridge................ 30-14 .......... W Carrollton..............................6-46 ............L

Instagram: @hillgrove_fb

2024 LEADERS VARSITY COACHING STAFF RUSHING Justin DeShon .................. HC Andy Szatkowski.............. DC Deon Lanier........................DL Branson Hall ...................... LB Trey Rowe........................OLB Ben Ford ............................ DB Eriles McCollough ............ DB Keon Humphries ..............WR Cam Adams........................RB Luke Hayes ........................OL LeBryan Sperling...............OL Travis Mihalik ..................... TE

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI LB Bradley Chubb (2010-13), .......................... N.C. State, Miami Dolphins RB Kenyan Drake (2008-11), ..........................Alabama, Baltimore Ravens TE Evan Engram (2009-12),...................... Ole Miss, Jacksonville Jaguars DL Myles Murphy (2016-19),.........................Clemson, Cincinnati Bengals TE Chigoziem Okonkwo (2014-17), .............. Maryland, Tennessee Titans DB Jaylen McCollough (2015-2018) ...................... Tennessee, L.A. Rams WR Jalen Royals (2017-2020)...................Utah State, Kansas City Chiefs

From Page 36

against eventual region champion Harrison. They reached the third round of the Class AAAAAA state playoffs before falling to Carrollton.

“There are no easy games in this region,” DeShon said. “Whether it’s Harrison or Marietta, which is

Cobb Life Magazine

RECEIVING Matthew Najjar ....... 23 rec....241 yds .....0 TD Raymond Boyd ...... 13 rec .....148 yds .....1 TD TACKLES Jameson McCollough ...108 Niko Marierose.................92 Nicholas Mathious ..........91

22-31

2024: 11-2 2023: 2-8 2022: 3-8 2021: 2-8 2020: 4-5

SACKS Nicholas Mathious ..........14.5

ALL TIME RECORD 131-77

INTERCEPTIONS Niko Marierose.................2 Daniel Okonkwo .............2

REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (4) 2018, 2017, 2014, 2011

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

made us successful, doing things the right way, staying sharp mentally and getting better every day.”

Hillgrove showed growth on both sides of the ball in its spring game against Central Gwinnett, and DeShon said it was a good early test for the 2025 group.

“Spring games are a good test of what we’ve been working on,” he said. “I think our offense has gotten

a lot better, and I’m excited to see what happens this fall.”

As the Hawks prepare for another season, DeShon said the message in the locker room remains the same.

“We’re not looking ahead,” he said.

“Our focus is on today, on improving, and on taking it one week at a time. If we stay locked in, the results will take care of themselves.”

MARIETTA

ATLANTA

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4691 S Atlanta Rd SE #150, Atlanta, GA 30339

CENTER 3900 S. Main Street, Acworth, GA 30101

4 Depot St NE, Marietta, GA 30060 h MARIETTA WINE MARKET 18 Powder Springs St SW, Marietta, GA 30064 h SHELL 556 Roswell St NE, Marietta, GA 30060

SMYRNA

Here are Few Convenient Locations

RECORD

PASSING Jabari Green .............41/67 471 yds.............3 TD ........1 INT Donovan Mack.........40/68..... 407 yds .....4 TD… .....1 INT

always a great rivalry, or someone like South Cobb, you’ve got to bring your best every week, and our guys understand that.”

That’s why, despite the success last fall, DeShon said the emphasis this offseason has been on the details.

“Our focus has been on the small stuff,” he said. “It’s easy to look at last year’s success and think it was all perfect, but we’ve gone back to what

Where To Find

FIVE YEAR

Caleb Walters ........182 car .942 yds ............16 TD

Coach: Justin DeShon • 5th Season • Record: 18-26 • Career: 48-68-1

HAWKS

Facebook: @HillgroveHawksFootball

h SMYRNA CITY HALL

2800 King St SE, Smyrna, GA 30080

POWDER SPRINGS h CITY OF POWDER SPRINGS

1114 Richard D Sailors Pkwy, Powder Springs, 30127

KENNESAW h J. CHRISTOPHER’S

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MABLETON h Food Depot

5345 Floyd Rd SW, Mableton, GA

AUSTELL h Food Depot

1355 East West Connector, Austell, GA

KICKOFF 2025

37

Special - Paul Holm

Chris Carbin is focused on having another big high school season at Hillgrove before heading to play for Georgia Tech in 2026.

Carbin poised for big senior season

By Paul Holm MDJ Sports Writer

Chris Carbin brings leadership and big goals into senior season at Hillgrove.

At 6-foot-4 and 230-pounds, he stands tall as the anchor of the

Hawks’ defense.

The senior defensive end recorded 49 tackles, nine tackles for loss and six sacks last season, helping them reach the Class AAAAAA quarterfinals.

Hillgrove coach Justin Deshon said he is excited to see what Carbin

has in store for this season.

“Chris has grown into a strong leader,” DeShon said. “He shows up every day with the right mindset and brings others with him. He practices hard, prepares the right way, and that’s what we want people to believe in here.”

Carbin has spent the offseason training, studying film and refining his technique.

“I’m all in on football right now,” he said. “Every day is about getting closer to where I want to be.”

Carbin will lead Hillgrove’s See CARBIN, Page 55

, MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! VOTE ALL SEASON LONG TO HELP PICK THE LOCAL PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK!

38

KICKOFF 2025

MCEACHERN INDIANS 2025 Schedule

8/16 vs Walton

8/22 North Cobb

8/29 at Marietta

9/12 Campbell

9/19 Paulding County

10/3 at Harrison

10/10 Pebblebrook

10/17 at Hillgrove

10/24 South Cobb

10/31 at Osborne

Experienced Indians ready to take on state’s best

By Owen McDaniel

McEachern may have all of the pieces in place to make a big jump this season.

In coach Kareem Reid’s first two years with the Indians, he was still working on laying the foundations for the program — the expectations, the culture, the scheme.

Reid said now all of those have been established and the players are bought in. The team is ready

to put McEachern back in the conversation of the elite high school football programs in Georgia.

The Indians went 6-5 last season, but lost to Newton in the first round of the playoffs. Reid said inexperience was one of the main handicaps on the team’s success.

“We had a bunch of guys that were inexperienced and were in starting roles playing varsity football for the first time,” Reid said. “They made some young mistakes, which is fine, that happens. I thought we did a

No. Name 0 Jachai Hackney 1 Zaivon Harris 1 Darryl Rivers 2 Nalin Scott 3 Kiyante’ Ingram 4 Henry Pullen 4 Zakir Abdul-Salaam 6 Casey Barner 7 Michai Rowe 8 Brayden Matthews 9 Jacorey Shockley 10 Jayreon Campbell 10 Samuela General 11 Praylend Williams 11 Arinzechi Opene 12 Calvin Pittman Jr. 12 Nasir Banks 13 Zamar Williams 14 Ke’Shon Hall 15 Khaleed Carter 15 Travis Moore 16 Coby Pittman 16 Durius Harris 17 Jahlil Page 18 Ashton Gardner 19 Gavin Hammett 20 Kayden Battle 21 Ty Nolan

No. Name 21 Jaidan James 22 Blake Berger II 22 Chase Russell 23 Maurice Crockett 23 London Leath 24 Deylin Cannon 24 Gabe Watson 24 Nash Johnson 25 Jaiden Gurley 26 Zion Anderson 27 Jarvis Nance 28 Rashawn Hill 29 Kenneth Haywood 30 Fa’Im Geeston-Fleming 31 Ja’Shun Shears 32 Nathan Rayford 33 Jordan Williams 34 Kyrell Goldson 35 Jaxson Watkins 35 Trevon Lawhorn 35 Adrian Martinez 36 Kah’Vaeir Williams 37 Alijah Owens 38 Mekhi Askew 38 Janari Thompson 39 Jorden Williams 39 Zavion Ramsey 40 Kymani Fowlkes

MDJ Sports Writer

good job of coaching and getting the most we could out of that team.”

However, the team has 17 of last season’s 22 starters returning, and Reid said he believes this is the year the team is ready to make a run in the playoffs.

Among those returning starters is senior running back Jayreon Campbell. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound workhorse ran for 930 yards and 18 touchdowns on 168 carries last season. He has 31 scholarship offers from Division I schools, including

Alabama, Georgia, Michigan and Indiana, where he committed last month.

The Indians have another offensive weapon in four-star wideout Nalin Scott. The senior Nebraska commit hauled in 29 receptions for a team-high 541 yards last season — an average of 18.7 yards per catch.

The leader of the offense will be Calvin Pittman, who started six games in 2024 and completed 66.1% of his passes for 883 yards, See INDIANS, Page 40

2025 Roster Pos. DB WR DL WR DB RB DL ATH LB LB ATH RB DL ATH DL QB DB WR ATH FB/TE LB QB DB WR QB RB DB RB

Cl. 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 10 11 12 9 12 12 10 12 12 11 12 9 12 12 10 12 9 10 10 11 9

Pos. DB WR DB WR DB WR RB DB DL DB RB DL WR WR WR DB DB WR WR K DB DB DB WR DB RB DB WR

Cl. 12 11 9 11 9 9 9 11 11 12 10 11 11 11 10 11 12 11 10 12 12 12 11 10 11 11 11 10

No. Name 40 Robert Hudson IV 41 Jeremy Baker 42 James Rawls 43 Damian Burts 43 Emmanuel Konigbagbe 44 Lennox Walker 45 Isaiah Cockrell 45 Dekario Dryden 46 Reginald Graham 47 Jamauri Hammond 48 Aiden Fuqua 50 Brayden Irby 51 Edward Turner 52 Jourdin Pettaway 53 Justin Sinon 54 Jachai Mealing 54 Cesar Gamboa 55 Tasmania Samuela 56 Mason Owens 56 Caleb Wray 57 Kyle Williams 58 Joshua Otobo 59 Ameir Green 60 Jason Doss 61 Michael Kaigler 62 Caleb Davis 63 Josiah Goston 64 Jeffery Rowe

Pos. DB WR LB TE/FB LB LB RB DL LB LB DL LB DL OL K/P OL LB OL OL OL OL LB OL OL OL OL OL OL

Cl. 12 10 11 12 11 11 12 11 11 11 12 12 11 12 12 10 11 10 9 12 9 10 11 12 11 10 10 9

No. Name 65 Jason Johnson 66 Dariyon Thompson 67 Gregory Morley 68 Alonza Ward 69 Barry Durham 70 Gael Aguina-Ortiz 71 Aaron Gonzalez 72 Lovar Cusic 73 Shackair Wisdom 75 Kingston Jordan 76 Daniel Gordon 80 Ashton Suttle 81 Jalen Franklin 82 Jaylen Hill 84 Elijah Jackson 85 Lamel Earvin 87 Roman Hunt 88 Benjamin Gholston 89 Jaden Johnson 91 Yasine Jackson 92 Ja’Markus Shears 93 Terrance Young 94 Gabriel Okafor 95 DeAndre Hines 96 Jordan Simpson 97 Jadon Fisher 99 Courtney Elkins - Braylon Wright

Pos. OL DL OL OL OL OL OL/DL OL OL/DL OL OL WR WR WR FB/TE WR WR OL WR DL LB DL DL DL DL DL DL WR

Cl. 12 12 9 10 10 12 10 12 12 11 12 11 12 11 11 11 11 11 10 11 10 9 12 11 11 10 12 12

Poo-B-Gone KICKOFF 2025

39

McEACHERN INDIANS 2400 New Macland Rd, Powder Springs, GA 30127 • Walter Cantrell Stadium www.mceachernsports.com/football X: @McEachernFtball

2024 RESULTS North Gwinnett ...................17-39 ............L North Cobb ........................33-45 ............L Marietta...............................33-27 .......... W Campbell ..............................32-0 .......... W Paulding County.................. 67-7 .......... W Harrison .............................. 12-28 ............L Pebblebrook ........................36-0 .......... W Hillgrove ............................ 23-30 ............L South Cobb ..........................58-0 .......... W Osborne ................................42-6 .......... W State Playoffs Newton .............................. 29-30 ............L

Instagram: @mceachern_football

VARSITY COACHING STAFF Kareem Reid ............................HC Aaron Sheppard.....................DC Hans Batichon ....................... WR Chris Cody.............................Asst.

Luis George..............................DB Carlton Hadley.........................LB Philip Hoskins....................DB/LB William Wright ..........................OL Calvin Middleton .................Asst.

Jabari Wilder..................AHC/OL Jahad Riley...............................DB Julian Rochester..................Asst.

Matt Dry..................................Asst.

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI WR Javon Baker (2016-2019) .........................UCF, New England Patriots OL Tremayne Anchrum (2015-18),............... Clemson, Los Angeles Rams OL Chuma Edoga (2011-14), ..................................... USC, Dallas Cowboys DL Julian Rochester (2012-15), ......................................................... Georgia OL Kofi Amichia (2008-11), ..................South Florida, Green Bay Packers RB Rajaan Bennett (2006-2009), ................................................Vanderbilt DL Ted Laurent (2003-06), .....................Mississippi, Hamilton Tiger-Cats QB A.J. Suggs (1995-98),..........................................................Georgia Tech OL Adam Meadows (1988-91), ........................Georgia, Indianapolis Colts

2024 LEADERS RUSHING Jayreon Campbell ..................168 car.....930 yds....18TD PASSING Zhay’lyn Bell........ 72/126 ...1143 yds .7 TD........5 INT Calvin Pittman..... 74/112.....883 yds..6 TD .......0 INT RECEIVING Nalin Scott............ 29 rec....541 yds...2 TD Noah Brown ........ 29 rec....439 yds..2 TD Cam Traylor ......... 37 rec ....438 yds..3 TD TACKLES Brad Menhorn Jr .................91 Michai Rowe..........................68 SACKS Dorribion Fleetwood..........4 INTERCEPTIONS Jaidan James........................3

Coach: Kareem Reid • 3rd Season • Record: 13-10 • Career: 58-27

INDIANS From Page 39

six touchdowns and zero interceptions. He is also a threat with his legs, as he was the Indians’ second-highest rusher behind Campbell.

McEachern also bolstered the defense with a couple highly-touted transfers.

Senior defensive end Darryl Rivers joins the Indians after racking up 14 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks at Pebblebrook last season. Douglass transfer Casey Barner, who already has offers from Georgia, Ohio State, Penn State and Tennessee as a sophomore, is expected to slide in next to Kiyante Ingram at the safety position.

“We got transfers that came in that I think are going to be guys

KICKOFF 2025

FIVE YEAR

RECORD 28-28

2024: 6-5 2023: 7-5 2022: 4-6 2021: 7-5 2020: 4-7

ALL TIME RECORD 447-273-10 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (20) 2023, 2021, 2019, 2016, 2015, 2012, 2010, 2009, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1987, 1986

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

that basically plug and play to replace some of the guys that we lost through graduation,” Reid said.

“Some are even better players than what we had, so I’m really excited for them.”

The overall continuity of the roster has fostered a tight-knit bond between the players this year. The Indians have a 40-man senior class, and most of those guys have been playing together since

A Gift for a Lifetime 40

Facebook: @McEachernFootball

middle school.

“This year, these guys played together the full year last year and are playing a full year together as seniors, so the chemistry has been great,” Reid said. “They’re bought in, they do everything we ask them to do, they strain. So, now we just have to improve on the execution from last year and we’ll see the fruits of our labor come to fruition on Friday nights.”

Special - Anthony Stalcup

McEachern’s Darryl Rivers can play any of the positions on the defensive line and will be hard for opponents to handle this season.

Rivers offers rapid flow for Indians’ D

By Owen McDaniel MDJ Sports Writer

Darryl Rivers is not the prototypical high school defensive lineman.

At 6-foot-5, 270-pounds, he towers over his teammates — even his counterparts in the trenches.

He is also gifted enough to play everywhere on the defensive line.

Though listed as an edge rusher, he can line up as a 3-technique tackle or nose guard because of his size and athleticism.

“We’ll move him around,” McEachern coach Kareem Reid said. “We’re going to try to utilize all of his strengths and things he does well and put him in position to make plays. He just has to take his training to the game. We’ll tell

him how to do it at practice, and on Friday nights, it’s his job to execute.”

No matter where Rivers is lined up, he wreaks havoc on opposing backfields. He explodes off the line of scrimmage, blows offensive tackles off the ball and wrestles ballcarriers to the ground with ease.

Rivers recorded a team-high 14 tackles for loss, including 4 1/2 sacks, last season at Pebblebrook.

Now at McEachern, he believes he can be a useful addition to the team.

“I just want to help the team in any way I can,” Rivers said. “I feel like I bring more passion and aggressiveness.”

His breakout season last year earned him a three-star rating from 247Sports and had offers from 20 Division I schools, including

Georgia, Auburn, Mississippi State, Georgia Tech before choosing Tennessee in July. However, Reid said Rivers has only scratched the surface of his potential.

“He plays hard, he tries hard, he listens,” he said. “He’s actually very smart. So, it’s been fun coaching him because he’s a blank canvas, and so to take the tools that he already has from God, like his size and his length, and then teach him how to use it — it’s been real fun.”

Having NFL size as a high school senior doesn’t exempt you from all flaws, though. There are a few areas of Rivers’ approach that are unpolished, one of them being technique.

Rivers has a tendency to stand too tall when attacking, allowing blockers to get leverage and minimizing

his ability to use his strength to drive them back. This offseason, Reid and the McEachern staff have been teaching Rivers to stay low throughout his attack.

He has also focused heavily on his academics. That additional attention paid off, as he earned straight A’s during the spring semester.

Rivers’ transfer to McEachern could help bolster a run defense that was a major vulnerability for the Indians last season. In their five losses last season, the Indians’ opponents averaged 249.2 rushing yards.

Additionally, McEachern had just eight total sacks last year, and its leading pass rusher graduated.

Rivers will be a Day 1 starter for the Indians, and they will need him to have an immediate impact.

ASK LEAH

JOIN US WHILE WE CHAT WITH LEAH MCGRATH, RD, LDN CORPORATE DIETITIAN FROM INGLES MARKETS AVAILABLE ON: APPLE PODCAST GOOGLE PODCAST SPOTIFY MDJONLINE.COM/PODCAST KICKOFF 2025

41

OSBORNE CARDINALS 2025 Schedule

8/15 Banneker

8/22 at Chapel Hill

9/5 at Fellowship

9/12 at Hillgrove

9/19 South Cobb

10/3 at Pebblebrook

10/10 Paulding County

10/17 at Harrison

10/24 at Campbell

10/31 McEachern

Cardinals look for healthy, bounce-back season

By Adam Carrington MDJ Sports Correspondent

Recruit the halls, remain injury free and build as much depth as possible.

Those will be the keys to help Osborne rebound in 2025.

The Cardinals won just one game in 2024, one year after achieving its first winning season in nearly 30 years and making the state playoffs.

The Cardinals would rather not re-experience the agony that was the last two decades, even if their 1-9 overall record a year ago does appear misleading.

They suffered one-point losses to Banneker and Pebblebrook and took Paulding

County to double overtime before falling.

“We feel like we could have been 4-6,” Osborne coach Derek Cook said. “I think we were just inexperienced in some positions where we needed some leadership in those moments and didn’t finish games like we needed to. All that being said, our guys feel they are better than a 1-9 team.”

Heading into the new season with only 60 players, most will have to play on both sides of the ball due to a lack of depth, which means one injury can be twice as costly.

“We have to keep a lot of guys healthy. There is a balance that we’re going to have to find that is very challenging,” Cook said.

“I know we’re going to have bumps, bruises, sprains, concussions. It is what it is. We just have to minimize those as much as possible.”

Senior Leo Roussell is making the transition to being Osborne’s starting quarterback. He appeared in three games last season, throwing for 172 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior wide receivers D’Herelle Herrin and Jorden King will be two of his primary receivers as well as junior Javon May, who had a solid season on the junior varsity last season.

One definite positive is the team has experience at running back, which will help Roussell get adjusted.

Senior Alex Soto-Williams was the Cardinals’ leading rusher last year with 97 carries for 475 yards and two touchdowns.

Fellow senior Allen Sanders is also expected to contribute in the backfield along with junior move-in Antonio Oquendo.

Sophomore Joshua Ndukwe will also help out at fullback.

On the offensive line, senior Henry Benjamin, who started at left tackle last year, has undergone knee surgery during the offseason and his return to the team is uncertain.

Meanwhile, Justin Zamora is moving from center to take his place. Senior right guard Rojean Gordon also returns.

Junior Mekhi Hubbard will See CARDINALS, Page 43

2025 Roster No. Name 0 Seth Holder 1 Javon May 2 Allen Sanders 3 KC Davis 4 Jordan King 5 Leonard Roussell 6 Pelumi Taiwo 7 Emmanuel Nickerson 8 Kamarii Newsom 9 Yasir Smith 10 D’Herelle Herrin 11 Jamez Logan 12 Cedric Gorman 13 Antonio Oquendo

Pos. LB/FB WR/DB RB/LB RB/LB WR/DB QB WR/DB QB WR/DB TE/DE WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB RB/LB

Cl. 12 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 10 11 11

No. Name 14 Jevon Marion 15 Micah Waters 16 Anthony Brock 17 Michael Warman 18 Jakobie Reaves 19 Rha’shon Johnson 20 Khalani Truell 21 Jaelyn Hughes 22 Khalen Truell 23 Alex Soto-Williams 24 RexZavier Robinson 25 Jeremie Remy 26 Da’Kwan Akbar 27 Travion Jackson

Pos. WR/DB WR/DB QB/WR WR/LB QB WR/DB RB/DB WR/DB WR/DB LB/RB LB/WR WR/DB LB/RB RB/DE

Cl. 11 10 9 12 12 10 9 10 9 12 10 11 10 11

No. Name 28 Jeremy Franklin 29 Anthony Craft 30 Sahkar Jones 31 Jibril Henderson 32 Tyheed Street 33 Tayveon Parker-Smith 40 Joshua Ndukwe 45 Kordell Knight 50 Jhonny Rodriguez-Yoc 52 Rojean Gordon 53 Henry Benjamin 54 Alden Shears 55 Aamir Muhammad 56 Michael Zuleta

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Pos. DB/WR DB/WR DB/WR WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB LB/FB DE/TE OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL LB OL/DL

Cl. 12 9 9 10 9 10 10 12 10 12 12 11 11 11

No. Name 58 Mehki Hubbard 61 Terrence White 62 Christain Doh 63 Kenneth Soto-Williams 64 Aiden Hargett 65 Andy Serrano 67 Jayden Nichols 68 Phellippe Soto 69 Aderola Ojera 70 Justin Zamora 71 Jared Mathes 78 Aiden Jack 80 John Norris 81 James Clayton

Pos. OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL OL/DL OL/DL WR/DB WR/DB

Cl. 12 11 12 10 9 10 11 12 10 12 12 11 11 9

OSBORNE CARDINALS 2451 Favor Rd SW, Marietta, GA 30060 • Cardinal Field https://www.cobbk12.org/osborne/football X: @osborne_fb

2024 RESULTS Banneker ............................ 21-22 ............L Chapel Hill ............................0-28 ............L Fellowship Christian ......... 13-38 ............L Hillgrove ...............................3-30 ............L South Cobb ...........................13-0 .......... W Pebblebrook ...................... 19-20 ............L Paulding County................ 17-25 ............L Harrison ................................0-47 ............L Campbell ..............................6-20 ............L

Instagram: @osborne_football

Facebook: @OsborneFootball

2024 LEADERS VARSITY RUSHING COACHING STAFF Derek Cook .........HC/OC/QB Josh O’Kelley ....Asst. HC/OL Joe Tousignaut ........... DC/LB Tyson Foster .....................WR Phil Sandifer.......................RB Bobby Fisher......................DL Kevin Clark ........................ CB Johnathan Thomas ............. S

McEachern ...........................6-42 ............L

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI LB Tumbo Abanikanda (2001-04), ...Southern Miss, Edmonton Eskimos (CFL) OL Randy Duckworth (1964-67), .............................................Georgia Tech WR Nyakki Height (2008-11), ..................................................Georgia State

FIVE YEAR

Alex Soto-Williams ....99 car ..475 yds ....3 TD PASSING Joshua Tattershall........51/118 ....538 yds.....1 TD...7 INT RECEIVING D’Herelle Herrin.........20 rec…236 yds ...2 TD TACKLES Alejandro Ruiz-Etheridge .......84 SACKS Dylan Bois ....................7 INTERCEPTIONS Jordan Lavant.............1 D’herelle Herrin..........1

RECORD 15-36

2024: 1-9 2023: 7-4 2022: 5-5 2021: 1-9 2020: 1-9

ALL TIME RECORD 173-498-4 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Coach: Derek Cook • 2nd Season • Record: 1-9 • Career: 99-44

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

the offensive line) and Hubbard are also counted on Herrin, King, May and senior CARDINALS (on we’ll just see how it works itself to help man the defensive line. Khamari Newsome will help

out,” Cook said. “There are other guys behind them that likely end up at right tackle. are pushing them for reps.”

“We have rotated some guys Zamora, Gordon and

From Page 42

CL COBB

LIFE

Osborne’s running backs — guide the secondary.

Soto, Sanders and Oquendo — “I don’t feel like we’re that will also see time at linebacker young,” Cook said. “We’re just along with senior Seth Holder. inexperienced.”

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Special - Anthony Stalcup

Jorden King, D’Herelle Herrin and Javon May all have enough speed to make things tough on opposing defenses.

Cards have three to fly through defenses

By Adam Carrington MDJ Sports Correspondent

Osborne is going into the 2025 season with a trio of players who have the potential to keep both opposing wide receivers and defensive backs on high alert.

Seniors D’Herelle Herrin and Jorden King and junior Javon May have spent the summer getting acclimated to working together, knowing the

team’s success this fall will likely hinge on how well they perform on both sides of the ball.

“If you got three receivers that are threats, you can’t put your best DB on that guy because you still have two other guys who can cause some problems for you,” Osborne coach Derek Cook said. “For us, that’s a big deal. Hopefully, we can keep all three of those guys healthy.”

Ensuring that all three players

stay at full strength will also be key.

Herrin and King have had their share of nagging injuries the last few months.

Herrin, who had 20 catches for 236 yards and two touchdowns last season, broke his collar bone last spring and re-aggravated it this summer. But, he is expecting to be ready when the season gets under way. King got sidetracked by a minor shoulder injury following a stellar

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first-half performance in Osborne’s spring game against Northgate, and is also expected to be healthy as the season kicks off.

Injuries aside, Cook said he has been impressed when the three have been on the field together during 7-on-7s.

“It’s one of those deals when you have all three of them catching the ball, you’re like, ‘Oh wow, this could See CARDS, Page 76

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PEBBLEBROOK FALCONS 2025 Schedule

8/15 Locust Grove

8/29 at Lithia Springs

9/5 Meadowcreek

9/12 Harrison

9/19 at Hillgrove

10/3 Osborne

10/10 at McEachern

10/17 at South Cobb

10/24 Paulding County

10/31 at Campbell

Hackney begins Pebblebrook tenure full of confidence

By Owen McDaniel

The 2025 season will be all about building upon the foundation that has been laid out for Pebblebrook.

New coach Rodney Hackney has been tasked with taking over a Falcons team that went 6-5 and made the playoffs last season and helping it soar to new heights.

He said he believes the school’s administration has set him up for success with how it has invested in the football program over the last few years.

“I’m really excited about what Dr. Giles has done here so far, the foundation at Pebblebrook,” Hackney said. “The stuff that we are reaping is the stuff that

they have been constructing for three or four years, so we’re able to see the benefits of going through that.”

Hackney will have his work cut out for him, as the Falcons lost many players through graduation and transfers. However, assistant head coach Calvin Hood said he sees the young roster as an opportunity.

“My confidence level is at a 10,” Hood said. “Understanding the process of where we’re at, I like the fact that we have so many young players that are going to get the opportunity to play this year to build.”

One of Pebblebrook’s key returnees is Jayden Adams, the starting quarterback and clear-cut leader of the team.

No. Name 3 Meech Griffin 4 Tyree Carter 7 Jayden Adams 10 Randy (RJ) Graham 11 Jace Colman 12 Chase Eddleton 13 Cordell Hunter 14 Zachriocs White 15 Femi Ebemidayo 16 Antonio Martin 17 Morgan Kendve 18 Ivan Williams 19 Micheal Graves

No. Name 20 Desmond Barnes 21 Cody Pickney 22 Xalen Paul 23 Ashton Simon 24 Jalen Bonsu 26 Keylen Clay 27 Jaiden Neal 28 Sinsaire Walker 29 Cullin Allen 32 Karlous Hadjazz 36 Dee Lockhart 37 Jordan Neal 40 Julius Allen

MDJ Sports Writer

The 6-foot-2, 160-pound senior played in nine games last season, throwing for 987 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions.

Having two seniors running Hackney’s new offense could make a major difference for Pebblebrook this season, as they have experience learning a high school playbook and can help the younger players through the process.

The Falcons’ biggest offseason losses came on the defensive side of the ball.

They lost their top 11 tacklers and top four pass rushers. As one of the few experienced defensive players, the more responsibility will fall on senior linebacker General Samuela to lead the group.

Samuela recorded 28 tackles and two sacks last year in limited playing time.

All the turnover from last year’s roster has not affected the Falcons’ confidence. Quarterbacks RJ Graham and Adams have their sights set not only on improving from last season, but also making school history by bringing Pebblebrook its first state title.

“I want Pebblebrook to see a new light,” Gram said. “I want us to see a (state championship) in one of these years.”

“Right, a playoff run,” Adams said. “We don’t have that a lot here over the past couple years, but I’m really confident in this group and I feel like we can really make a big difference at Pebblebrook.”

2025 Roster Pos. WR WR/DB QB QB WR WR QB RB DE DL DE LB TE

Cl. 9 10 12 9 11 9 11 12 10 11 10 12 12

Pos. RB OLB DB RB CB LB TE CB DB LB FS OLB DB

Cl. 11 10 12 11 10 12 12 10 12 10 12 10 12

No. Name 43 Hampton Hodges 44 Alex Moore 45 Jair Hutchins 49 Juwan Gilbert 50 Lamont Robinson 52 Donovan Carter 53 Demaris Holiday 54 Kingston Roberts 55 Kelvyn Crawford 56 Mattix Bell 58 Jermaine Holder 60 Joesph Zambezi 65 Rome Hines

Pos. RB DL LB DL OL/ DL LT LT G RT DE OL/ DL FS WR/DB

Cl. 11 11 12 10 11 12 11 11 11 12 11 10 11

No. Name 66 Marcus Washington 69 Lucas Reed 71 Alexandar Bydrew 73 Eric Walker 74 Xavier Smith 75 Jaylen Knolten 79 Reggie Freeman 80 Malik Barnes 81 Caleb Thomas 82 Marlon Barden 83 Emmaunel Thrasher 89 Langston Cole 94 Dorcell Clark

Pos. DL OL/DL OL/DL OLB OL/DL OL /DL OL/DL WR WR/DB TE RB DL OL/ DL

Cl. 9 11 9 10 11 11 11 11 10 10 9 10 10

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P E B B L E B R O O K FA LC O N S 991 Old Alabama Road, Mableton, GA 30126 • Falcon Stadium https://pebblebrookathletics.com/boys/football/varsity X: @BrookSquadFB

2024 RESULTS Locust Grove......................39-27 ..........W Lithia Springs ...................... 13-14 ............L Meadow Creek ....................39-6 ..........W Harrison ............................... 19-31 ............L Hillgrove ...............................6-27 ............L Osborne. .............................20-19 ..........W McEachern ...........................0-38 ............L South Cobb ..........................49-0 ..........W Paulding County...................21-7 ..........W Campbell ............................. 14-13 ..........W State Playoffs Grayson .............................. 12-56 ............L

Instagram: @brookcityfootball

2024 LEADERS VARSITY COACHING STAFF RUSHING Rodney Hackney ..............HC Max Wiltz .....................DC/LB Kerrick Cooper .......... OC/RB Calvin West ............. AHC/DB Allen Johnson ....................DL Michael Virden ..................OL Kelvin Carlyle ....................WR

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI RB Dwight Smith Jr. (2021-2024) .....................................................Georgia ATH CJ Adams (2020-23), ....................................................South Carolina LB Tre Pinkney (2015-18), ...................................................Coastal Carolina DB Thomas Flowers (2000-03), .......................................................Georgia RB Brent Thomas (1998-2001),.........................................................Georgia OL Andy Cheatham, .................... Clemson, Birmingham Stallions (USFL)

LIFE

46

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FIVE YEAR

RECORD

Damarian Ward .....120 car..603 yds.....6 TD PASSING Jayden Adams ......79/147 ...987 yds .....7 TD ..6 INT RECEIVING Malik Leggett .........36 rec....563 yds.....5 TD TACKLES MJ Adams .......................79 Emanuel Stafford..........79 KJ Green..........................75 SACKS Corey Dewberry Jr ......6.5 INTERCEPTIONS KJ Green..........................6

27-27-1

2024: 6-5 2023: 2-8 2022: 4-7 2021: 9-2-1 2020: 6-5

ALL TIME RECORD 268-348-9 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (3) 2006, 2000, 1980

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Coach: Rodney Hackney • 1st Season • Record: 0-0 • Career: 122-103-1

CL COBB

Facebook: @PebblebrookFootball

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

Cobb Life is the largest lifestyle magazine in Cobb County, celebrating the unique and colorful style of living in Cobb.

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Adams has Pebblebrook looking up

By Owen McDaniel MDJ Sports Writer

Jayden Adams exudes a quiet, yet immutable confidence. Confidence in his preparation. Confidence in his ability. Confidence in the effort his teammates will give every Friday night.

One of Pebblebrook’s few returning starters, he has rapidly become a leader for both the offense, and the team as a whole. A role that he recognizes and has embraced this offseason.

His confidence is a major part of that role, as the way he carries himself often rubs off on the rest of the team.

“It’s a younger team, so they’re looking up to me,” Adams said.

“I set the standard around here.

How I walk around, everything I do, I know they’re looking up to me.”

A large portion of the Falcons’ experienced core either graduated or transferred after last season. Pebblebrook has just 13 seniors on the roster and very few have substantial game experience.

Adams said he tries to make himself available to the younger players and answers questions so they can “carry on the legacy” when he graduates.

That extends particularly to the quarterback room itself, where Adams has helped sophomore Cordell Hunter and freshman RJ Graham learn the ins and outs of the position.

“Since I came from eighth grade, I’m really new to high school,” Graham said. “If I don’t know a play,

Special - Anthony Stalcup

Lamont Robinson, left, will be one of the players charged with keeping quarterback Jaden Adams upright. he helps me out. If I don’t know where (a receiver) breaks out, he helps me out with stuff like that, what to do in the weight room.”

Adams’ assured leadership isn’t just an insubstantial facade — he has the on-field talent to support and reinforce it.

The 6-foot-2, 165-pound signalcaller played in nine games last season, throwing for 987 yards and seven touchdowns, while adding 308 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

“This is my 30th year (coaching) and Jayden has the potential to be my best quarterback yet,” coach

Rodney Hackney said. “He can run, he can throw, he has all the attributes to play at the next level, and talking to his parents when I got here, one of the things I promised them is I’m going to put him in the position to be successful.”

Though Adams has many of the intangible qualities of a quarterback, he is still learning different facets of the position as he goes. One of the main things he has been focusing on this offseason is processing his reads more quickly.

Hackney said that last season, Adams would get antsy in the pocket and either hold on to the ball for

COBB COUNTY

COBB COUNTY

2025 FACTBOOK PUBLISHED BY THE MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL

too long or scramble when he didn’t need to because he wasn’t going through his reads correctly.

However, his leadership shows up even in his shortcomings.

Though he is learning these things himself for the first time, he is still trying to pass them on to Hunter and Graham to set them up for success.

“Jayden is finding ways to help the younger guys because he knows what they’re struggling with,” Hackney said. “He’s struggling with different things, and he’s figuring out how he handles it, and he’s passing it onto those guys.”

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SOUTH COBB EAGLES 2025 Schedule

8/15 South Forsyth

8/22 at Banneker

8/29 at Drew

9/12 at Paulding County

9/19 at Osborne

10/3 Campbell

10/10 Harrison

10/17 Pebblebrook

10/24 at McEachern

10/31 Hillgrove

Eagles plan to end streak, surprise opponents

By Lance Warren

Marcus Washington said he believes South Cobb can surprise people in 2025.

“It’s not just one of those things where I’m just saying we can surprise people because I’m the coach of the team and have to say that,” Washington said. “We’ve been working real hard this summer and got a lot of guys doing some really good things for us, so I do think we have an opportunity to jump out and be a surprise to our community and our region as well.”

The Eagles have lost 31 straight games dating back to November 5,

2021 and haven’t made the Class AAAAAA playoffs since the 2011 season.

Entering his second year as South Cobb’s coach, Washington said he doesn’t try to let the losing ways put too much pressure on his team.

“I try to keep away from putting pressure on myself or the kids and I just focus on us getting better everyday,” he said. “As we get better each day the wins will take care of themselves, so I always just tell my guys to just win the day. If we come in and win Monday, win Tuesday, win Wednesday, win Thursday and just keep stacking those days and eventually we’ll see success.”

Washington said that the culture

No. Name Stephen Achempong Omarion Adams Quay’Airious Adams Kenjuan Alexander Asher Amar Pyerston Brigham Malik Brown Amir Bullard Kamarion Craig Micah Davis Theophilus Doe Nicholas Duncan Matthew Ekwueme Iaasac Gaines Braxton Harris Tashad Heard Angel Hernedez Jerome Hill Victor Jenkins Freedom Jones

No. Name Jordan Jones Joesph Kamau Alantae King Jaiden Knight Ian Lartey LyJae Lindsey Edwin Lopez Malik McNabb Jachi Mealing Anthony Mercado Christian Miller Jayziah Nelson Chibueze Ogbuagu Jacob Padilla Masin Plummer Victor Quintanilla Aaron Ramirez Abel Ramirez Kaiser Russell Ja’Rice Sanders

MDJ Sports Writer

of toughness and hard work he started trying to build last year is finally going in the right direction.

“We’re definitely starting to turn the corner with that,” he said. “We have some young guys coming into the fold this year and some seniors that graduated, so we’re doing a much better job of doing that culture shift I talked about last year and now the goal is to make it internal.

The guys hear it from the coaches to be tough and push and work through adversity, but now the goal is to get it where the players are driving that culture into each other and it’s not just us coaches preaching it.”

Washington said the offseason

has been productive.

“We’ve been working hard and just been here four days per week lifting, conditioning and just trying to get bigger, stronger, and faster for the upcoming season,” he said.

“A lot of the progress we’re going to make in the season starts now in terms of being tougher which I believe starts in the weight room and then during the season we’ll get the chance to show all the progress we’ve made.”

Rising junior and McEachern transfer Freedom Jones will be the Eagles quarterback. Washington said he has already been important to the team.

See EAGLES, Page 49

2025 Roster Pos. 12 12 11 12 10 11 11 12 10 12 11 11 12 11 10 12 10 10 12 12

Cl. DB LB RB CB/RB OL DB LB QB DL DB DB DB/WR LB OL/DL OL DB LB OL DL QB/DB

Pos. 12 10 11 12 12 11 12 12 12 12 11 10 10 12 11 11 12 10 10 10

Cl. DB DB DB WR DB WR WR WR OL OL DB DL LB OL LB OL DB OL DL DB

No. Name Kevin Terrell Ty’Lil Terrell Armani Williams Langston Williams Zahaad Williams Haeven Woodson Marlone Owens Jayden Gibson Javion Laws Sean Alexander Victor Battle Tony Carmona Keonte’ Carson Asiad Council Quay’ayden Early Demetrius Findlay Maurien Fox Able Fraire De’Mario Gammage Dylan Garcia

Pos. 10 12 10 11 12 12 12 12 10 11 10 10 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

Cl. WR WR DB DB DL OL/DL DL RB OL DB DB OL LB DB WR DB OL/DL LB DB DL

No. Name Tyshawn Groves Aidan Gully Kaden Joseph Haden LeBlanc Jamarcus McCray Joel Moore Trevaugn Murphy Jayden Ortiz-Hardin Majur Plummer Rashaud Rhabb-Dee’s Brycen Smith Ricari Teasley Roman Walker Edward Jackson Tristin Williams James Janeau Bryson Mitchell

Pos. 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

Cl. QB DL OL/DL OL LB/WR LB LB DB DL DL DB DB QB QB DB DB WR

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SOUTH COBB EAGLES 1920 Clay Rd SW, Austell, GA 30106 • Clay Stadium https://southcobbathletics.org/teams/3131562/boys/football/varsity X: South_Cobb_FB

2024 RESULTS South Forsyth .................... 14-40 ............L Banneker ............................ 10-34 ............L Drew ...................................... 7-47 ............L Paulding County................ 13-53 ............L Osborne .................................0-13 ............L Campbell ..............................0-43 ............L Harrison ................................0-52 ............L Pebblebrook ........................0-49 ............L McEachern ...........................0-58 ............L

VARSITY COACHING STAFF Marcus Washington ....HC/DL Cedric Smith ................ OC/OL Eugene Dorsey .................. DB Kylil Carter.......................... WR Jerry Perry.......................... WR Jimontay Witherow ............RB Tay Mullins ..........................QB LeMarkus Bailey ................. LB

Hillgrove ...............................0-53 ............L

2024 LEADERS

FIVE YEAR

RUSHING Rayshawn Simpkins.....127 car ......809 yds.....8 TD

RECORD

PASSING Lyjae Lindsay .........13/31 .......156 yds ...... 2 TD... 1 INT RECEIVING Nick Duncan.............21 rec......183 yds ........2 TD TACKLES Calson Ngome ......38

5-45

2024: 0-10 2023: 0-10 2022: 0-10 2021: 4-6 2020: 1-9

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI ALL TIME RECORD 326-407-13

QB Kylil Carter (2011-15),................................................North Carolina A&T OL Mike Cole (1956-59), .................................................................... Georgia WR Kenny McKinley (2001-04), ............ South Carolina, Denver Broncos DL Justin Jones (2010-13),............................. NC State, Arizona Cardinals DB Jerry Jacobs (2012-15),.....................................Arkansas, Detroit Lions

REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (3) 2005, 1971, 1969

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Coach: Marcus Washington Sr. • 2nd Season • Record: 0-10 • Career: 0-10

EAGLES From Page 48

“He’s a spark plug for us both on offense and defense,” he said. “He plays quarterback and free safety for us, so your quarterback on offense is obviously like the leader on offense, and then in our system, the free safety on defense is the quarterback of our defense. So, he’s always making sure everyone is lined up correctly and everything looks good on both sides of the ball. He’s a

special player.”

Washington said he’s preaching competence to his team.

“We just have to compete hard every time we take the field, regardless of who the opponent is,” he said.

“We just have to put ourselves in position to win football games by making the plays we have to make, and I always tell my guys that those plays don’t need to be spectacular. We just have to do everything within the confines of our playbook on both sides of the ball.”

The second-year coach said he

2026

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

thinks chemistry can be something the Eagles lean on this coming season.

“We have a team this year that I feel is very, very tightly knit,” he said.

“When you have guys that play extra hard for each other and are tightknit it’s hard to beat a team like that when they have that type of closeness. We’ve developed that type of bond this year, and I’m excited for how that shows during the season.”

Washington said he wants to put the losing ways in the past and wants to leave a lasting imprint on South

Cobb football going forward.

“I want this to be a marquee program, and a staple program in our region,” he said. “When people think about South Cobb football, I want them to think toughness, physicality and discipline. That’s my whole goal, and what I’m trying to set here. It’s going to take a whole lot of hard work, effort, a lot of people to lock in and really believe in what you’re doing and pulling in the right direction. I believe we’ll get there and this will be that marquee program.”

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Jones ready to make Eagles take flight

By Lance Warren MDJ Sports Writer

Freedom Jones said he wants to bring a new feel to South Cobb football.

“At (McEachern) everything was intense and we were all bonded tightly,” Jones said. “When I got here, the guys on this team were a little loose and not as tight, so I wanted to bring that bond here and I think now everyone is more together and things are going smoothly.”

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound junior, who is transfered during the offseason, will be the starting quarterback for an Eagles team that has lost 31 straight games dating back to the 2021 season, and hasn’t made the state playoffs since 2011.

Second-year coach Marcus Washington said Jones has already had an impact on the team.

Special - Paul Holm “The kid is an unbelievable competitor and a great leader,” he said. Freedom Jones takes over as the South Cobb quarterback with the goal of getting in the win column.

“When I look for a guy who needs the Eagles has been good so far. about is the new team and new to pick us up or give us a little kick He’s just been huge for us.”

“I think what I’m most excited See JONES, Page 66 Jones said his experience with to get going, he’s always that guy.

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REGION 5AAAAAA

North Cobb, Walton leaders for top spot

By Faith Stokes MDJ Sports Writer

Walton and North Cobb have been passing off the title as Region 5AAAAAA champion for the past three years, and the competition will likely continue.

“We’ve kind of got a little rivalry going on with those guys,” Walton coach Daniel Brunner said.

Last season, North Cobb won the region based on the 42-14 win over Walton. But Brunner said the season goals haven’t changed – win the opener, win the region and win the state championship.

The Raiders have been rotating sophomore quarterbacks Christion Peacock, who transferred from North Cobb, and Pierson Degala.

Brunner said they have both been excellent in the offseason and right now the plan is to play both of them.

Although the Raiders offense lost brothers Alex and Christian Ward in the offseason, standout tight end Jude Cascone and running back Noriega Thompson are returning for their senior season. Defensively, the Raiders should match up strongly against North Cobb in this year’s game. Florida State commit Noah LaValle is returning for his senior season at linebacker, alongside junior defensive back MJ Burnett.

Shane Queen is the longest-tenured head coach in Cobb County, going on his 20th season with North Cobb. Queen has led the Warriors to win six region championships and is looking to do it again.

Incoming North Cobb Christian

PREDICTED FINISH 1. North Cobb 2. Walton 3. North Paulding 4. Marietta 5. Cherokee 6. Wheeler 7. Etowah Special - File

transfer Teddy Jarrard, who has more than 30 college offers, will be filling the Warriors quarterback position. Queen said Jarrard is a generational player. Offensively, the Warriors are loaded with all of their leading receivers returning – Steele Ingram, Micah Billingsley and Sebastian Easley. Both of their star running backs are also returning, sophomore Zach Belyeu and senior Arquevious Echols.

Marietta will be led by new coach Cameron Duke, coming in from Edgewater, Florida, hoping to bring some energy to the Blue Devils after a 2-4 region record last season.

“He’s brought some life to that program, that’s for sure,” Brunner said.

Junior Jayden Whiteside is on pace to be the Blue Devils starting quarterback, mixing senior Carson Snipes in at times. The offensive line will be key, led by seniors Trey Hudgens-Tucker and Jordan Adams.

Defensively, Duke said their goal

North Cobb and Walton are the region favorites heading into the season. is to stop the run. Some of the leaders on defense include sophomore Merrick Ham on the line, senior Alec Huff at middle linebacker and senior Jamine Soloman in the secondary.

North Paulding finished third in region last year, but lost some of its strong receiving core. Senior quarterback Tyler Niehr and senior running back James Skelly are two of the Wolfpack’s returning offensive starters to look out for.

Wheeler finished with two region wins last season, tying for fourth with Marietta and Cherokee. Senior running back Greg Kendrick and junior quarterback Patrick McCollough will be key starters on offense.

Although the Wildcats are losing some notable players on the opposite side of the ball, strong defensive players DaKari Moore and Jemar Mitchell are returning for their senior year.

Coach Adam Holley is entering

his second season at Cherokee after a 2-4 region record and a 4-5 overall record. The Warriors have a lot of shoes to fill this year, making for a young team. Sophomore Sawyer Ray is stepping into the quarterback position, and will be throwing to a younger receiving core. Standout sophomore left tackle Nation Farmer will play a big role for the new offensive core.

Etowah finished last in the region in the 2023-2024 season, with the only win being against Wheeler.

Former Sprayberry coach Brett Vavra is taking over the Eagles this year as head coach, eager to make a post-season run after an 11-year drought. Vavra said junior Zeke Douglass returns as the starting quarterback for the third year. Junior Walker Hughes is another key starter returning, this time as receiver with some time at running back.

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CHEROKEE WARRIORS 2025 Schedule

8/15 at River Ridge

8/22 Sequoyah

8/29 at Pope

9/5 Lambert

9/12 North Paulding

9/26 at Etowah

10/3 Wheeler

10/10 at Walton

10/17 at North Cobb

10/24 Marietta

New faces at key positions try to lead Cherokee back

By Griffin Callaghan

Cherokee coach Adam Holley inherited a veteran football team when he took over in 2024, but now in Year 2, it’s quite the opposite.

The Warriors, after finishing 4-6 last year, have missed the playoffs twice between coach Josh Shaw’s final season and Holley’s inaugural campaign, coming down off the school-record five consecutive postseason appearances.

With new faces at key positions, Cherokee aims to reload as it gears

up for a 70th season.

“After graduating that big senior class last year, we had a lot of holes to fill,” Holley said. “We know we are a young team, and with that, we knew this season would be a little bit different. It will be demanding, and we need to get these young guys caught up and in a position where they could be successful this fall.”

The youth movement starts at quarterback, where sophomore Sawyer Ray steps into the spotlight.

The 5-foot-11 signal-caller replaces a productive senior in Tanner Savasir, who led Cherokee County in

No. Name 1 Gaylon Sanders 2 Asa West 3 Brandon Hamilton 4 Elijah Foote 4 Sawyer Ray 5 Brooks Adams 5 Dallas Hall 6 Zach Fullen 7 Kayson Simmons 8 King Belin 9 Maddox Waldroup 9 Owen Jiles 10 Zadyn Barron 11 Jack Ruban 11 Micah Spear 12 Chris Allen 12 Tripp Davis 13 Trent Turner 14 Hunter Gould 14 Andrew Ferris 15 Gavin Stone 16 Levi Brasfield 17 Maddox Pitts 18 Griffin Goodrow 19 Jayden Sanchez 20 Caleb Irwin

Pos. No. Name 21 AD Davis DB 22 Kolby Nelson RB/LB 22 Caleb Roderick LB LB 23 Will Dragoone 24 Chris Turner WR/DB 24 Tyler McIntyre K 25 Dez Murphy WR/DB 26 Gine Quintero DB RB 27 Tory Hearn 28 Jayson Moore LB 29 Brayden Zeiko 30 Jaxon Hearn WR/DB 31 Mikey Walker WR/DB RB/LB 32 Jayden Maricka 33 Jalion Trowers RB WR/LB 34 Caleb Milner 35 Alex Becker WR/DB 36 Brendyn Dufour WR/DB 37 Parker Smith LB LB 38 Justice Ramatowski LB 39 Jordan Lingerfelt 40 Jude Dotson TE/LB 41 Ryder Chandley TE/LB 42 Kolton Martin TE/LB WR/DB 43 Bohdan Akers 44 Charles Croft LB

gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

passing yards last year with 2,674.

Ray’s receivers will also be inexperienced as the Warriors replace all six of their top pass-catchers from 2024, including standout tight end Wyatt Tash, who caught 36 passes for 620 yards and four touchdowns as the county’s fourth-leading receiver. “(Ray) is going to be young, and that’s kind of the story of our team,” Holley said. “We will have a lot of sophomores playing that you normally don’t see in 6A football, but we feel like we have some really good young talent. We are going ahead and throwing him in the fire.”

Cherokee’s newest quarterback will be protected by fellow sophomore left tackle Nation Farmer, who garnered serious attention from colleges over the summer with offers from Georgia and Georgia Tech.

Farmer has the prototypical size for an offensive lineman at 6-6.

Holley expects Farmer, along with the 6-5, 300-pound senior right tackle Dorian Stewart, to lead a much-improved offensive front.

“Well, what’s kind of nice about it is, I think the strength, offensively, is up front on the offensive See WARRIORS, Page 53

2025 Roster Pos. WR WR/DB RB DB QB DB QB WR/DB LB WR/DB WR/DB TE/DL WR/LB WR/QB RB/DB DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB QB QB QB WR/DB LB WR/DL WR/LB

Cl. 12 12 12 12 10 12 9 12 12 12 10 12 10 12 9 12 10 9 12 10 10 9 11 12 10 10

Cl. 10 9 12 12 10 12 11 12 10 12 10 10 10 10 12 11 10 11 10 12 12 10 11 12 10 10

No. Name 45 Luke Fazio 46 Connor Akin 47 Eli Woody 48 Gibson Landers 49 Jaymes Coda 50 Cayden Jones 51 Nathan Ford 52 Hayden Burch 53 Noah Denney 54 Trenten Barnett 55 Major Knight 56 Logan Jacobs 57 Noah Jacobs 58 Trenton Maurer 59 Armando Ayala 60 Cayden Gaines 61 Mitchell Cady 62 Cody Minott 63 Carson Thompson 64 James Adams 65 Logan Williams 67 Evan Cain 68 Braedon Childs 69 Tate Harlow 70 Abran Duenez 71 Nation Farmer

Pos. LB DL DL WR/DB TE/LB OL/DL OL/DL DL OL/DL LB DL OL OL/DL OL/DL LB OL OL OL/DL OL OL/DL OL OL/DL OL OL DL OL/DL

Cl. 12 12 12 11 10 10 10 12 11 11 12 12 10 10 11 10 12 11 12 10 10 10 11 11 11 10

Pos. No. Name 72 Logan Busch OL OL 73 Dorian Stewart OL 74 Bryland Mannis 75 Anthony Scott OL DL 76 Andrew Banks 77 Antonio Francisco-Marcos OL OL 78 Landon Rehberg OL 79 Loncoln Ball K 80 Anthony Ferris WR/DB 81 Gavin Stewart WR/DB 82 Izaiah Gardner TE/LB 83 AJ Romeo WR/DB 84 Kaleb Winn LB 85 Ian Klebar WR/DB 86 Levi Edmondson TE/DL 87 Luke Nolan WR 88 Jacob Howell 89 Zion Bobb LB 90 Dalton Williams WR K 92 Brayden Barahona 95 Nolan Cason DB K 98 Justin Fletcher 99 Manuel Murillo WR

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Cl. 12 12 11 10 12 12 10 11 10 12 10 11 10 12 12 10 11 11 11 12 11 11 11

CHEROKEE WARRIORS 930 Marietta Hwy, Canton, GA 30114 • Tommy Baker Field https://www.cherokeewarriorsfootball.org X: @WarriorsCHS

2024 RESULTS River Ridge ............................21-7 .......... W Sequoyah .......................... 30-38 ............L Pope ................................... 65-42 .......... W Lambert............................... 41-49 ............L North Paulding ..................47-28 .......... W Etowah ............................... 42-25 .......... W Wheeler ..............................27-28 ............L Walton ................................. 21-28 ............L North Cobb ........................ 10-56 ............L Marietta.............................. 20-25 ............L

Facebook: @CherokeeWarriorTDClub

2024 LEADERS VARSITY COACHING STAFF RUSHING Adam Holley ..............HC/QB Kevin Burnette ........... OC/OL Grant Myers ............... DC/DB CJ Collins ...........................OL Cole Marsh ......................... TE Niagel Curtis ......................RB Jeremy Law .......................WR Rick Hurst ..........................WR Adam Wharton ..................DL Justin Berutick...................DL Bobby Evans ...................... LB Steve Sapere ..................... LB O’Bryan Shelley................. LB Jason McDaniel .................ST

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI RB Brittain Brown (2012-15) ...............................UCLA, Las Vegas Raiders WR Jayson Foster (1999-2002) ........ Georgia Southern, Miami Dolphins QB A.J. Swann (2018-21) ..................................... Vanderbilt, LSU, App. St. WR Montrell Washington (2013-16) ............ Samford, Kansas City Chiefs

From Page 52

line,” Holley said. “It was a big step, where we knew we had to make an improvement from last year. I feel really good about that.”

Despite all the inexperience on the Warriors’ roster, seniors Brandon Hamilton and Jalion Trowers

RECORD 22-31

PASSING Tanner Savasir...........185/291 .2674 yds.....21 TD. 10 INT RECEIVING Wyatt Tash ...............36 rec ..620 yds.....4 TD Israel Conway.........36 rec ..588 yds.....5 TD Malakiah Echols.....30 rec ..424 yds .....8 TD TACKLES Jayce Carson..........67 Brayden Nuckolls..66 Charley Dahlen ......63 SACKS Carson Patten.........2 INTERCEPTIONS Jayce Jones ............6

Coach: Adam Holley • 2nd Season • Record: 4-6 • Career: 4-6

WARRIORS

FIVE YEAR

Tanner Savasir............61 car.....543 yds ...5 TD Brandon Hamilton.....48 car....363 yds ...3 TD Christian Irwin .............81 car.....356 yds ...9 TD

hold down the running back room.

Hamilton was Cherokee’s secondleading rusher with 48 carries, 363 yards and 3 touchdowns, trailing only Savasir’s 543 yards and six scores.

Trowers steps into a two-way role, playing both running back and linebacker. The lanky powerrunner also showed glimpses of his breakaway speed with a 50-yard

2024: 4-6 2023: 2-8 2022: 3-8 2021: 5-6 2020: 8-3

ALL TIME RECORD 281-425-7 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 2002

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

touchdown run in the Warriors’ record-setting win over Pope in 2024.

Defensively, Kayson Simmons is the top returning tackler (41), while corner Elijah Foote will return to his starting role. Holley also expects senior safety Jack Ruban to step into a featured role.

As the Holley-Cherokee partnership heads into Year 2, they hope

on-field improvement is the result.

“They understand the expectations, and they understand the standard,” Holley said. “It’s the way we attack each day, the way we lift in the weight room, how we want to work and just take on everything.

It’s more prevalent with this group.

I’m excited to see how that plays out, and I think our culture is getting stronger and stronger each day.”

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Special - Anthony Stalcup

Jack Ruban, Brandon Hamilton, Brooks Adams and Elijah Foote are four seniors who hope to lead Cherokee back to the playoffs.

Standout seniors lead underdog Warriors

By Griffin Callaghan

gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

Cherokee’s roster has changed quite a bit since 2024, losing the majority of its high-end contributors on both sides of the ball.

However, the Warriors have talent ready to fill those gaps. Cherokee is a young team overall, sprinkled with battle-tested veterans, including running back Brandon Hamilton and defensive back Elijah

Foote, both of whom are seniors.

Two more seniors, defensive back Brooks Adams and receiver Jack Ruban, prepare to step into the spotlight after building up their games. The sentiment was the same between all four guys, though – they are underdogs.

“Obviously, we’re a young team and we’re underdogs, but we have heart, a lot of heart, and we fight as a team,” Foote said.

With that underdog mentality,

Cherokee’s veterans know their heart can make the difference in one of the more competitive regions in Class AAAAAA. “We have a ton of heart,” Adams said. “I think that will be a big strength for us this year. Playing with a lot of heart is going to push us through, you know, if we’re close in a game and it’s the fourth quarter, and it’s coming down to that last drive.”

The Warriors hope that translates,

especially on an offense where they replaced the quarterback, two running backs and their top six receivers.

That’s where Ruban, a lanky 6-foot-2, 180-pound receiver, comes in. He got a taste last season among a sea of veteran pass catchers, including Wyatt Tash (620 yards, four TDs) and Israel Conway (588 yards, five TDs). Ruban caught six passes for 65 yards and See SENIORS, Page 55

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706-308-4887

CARBIN From Page 38 defense one more time before continuing his career at Georgia Tech.

Playing in college has been a longtime focus.

“I’m ready to play, ready to get things done. I have been preparing for this for a while,” Carbin said.

The commitment brought him one step closer to fulfilling a lifelong dream.

“Since I was a kid, I’ve dreamed of playing in the NFL,” he said. “I mean, it’s every player’s dream.”

Carbin said he tries to remain humble and grounded in the support system that helped him reach this point.

“I’m thankful for everything I’ve been given, my coaches, my family, this program,” he said.

“There’s a lot of people who helped me get here.”

Though he wasn’t born in Powder Springs, Carbin said he considers Hillgrove home.

“This school is really nice,” he said. “I wasn’t born here, but I love it. The culture, the people, it’s different. I’m glad I get to play at a place like this.”

With his final high school season approaching, Carbin said he

SENIORS From Page 54 “I’m extremely ready,” Ruban said. “All the hard work this summer, with a little bit of playing time last year and a little bit of experience. I feel confident in myself.”

In the running back room, the bulk of the carries went to power-runner Christian Irwin last season, though Hamilton still finished second on the rushing chart with 363 yards and three touchdowns, behind only quarterback Tanner Savasir (543 yards, five TDs).

As sophomore Sawyer Ray takes over the quarterback position and Ruban becomes the featured receiver, Hamilton expects the run game to complement the passing game.

“The quarterback has done a

believes this Hillgrove team is capable of more than last year’s playoff run.

“It feels a little different this year,” he said. “I think we’ve got the region, and the state. We were close last year, but we’re better now.”

Hillgrove finished second in Region 3AAAAAA last season, but won two games before losing to Carrollton High School in the third round of the state playoffs. It was the team’s first quarterfinal appearance since 2018.

“Carrollton is good, but if we play them again, we will win,” Carbin said.

As a senior and returning starter, he said he’s embracing his role as a tone-setter for the defense.

“I like going after the quarterback and making plays,” he said.

“It really feels good.”

Off the field, Carbin said his routine is simple.

“I mostly play football and sleep,” he said. “That’s pretty much it. My focus is really just on football and the next level now.”

Carbin said he’s adopting DeShon’s week-by-week mindset, especially in a region filled with playoff-caliber programs. really good job, and our receivers are doing their thing,” Hamilton said. “The running back group is definitely going to be big on this team, so I think we’re going to be pretty good on offense.”

Defensively, Foote and Adams look to hold down a secondary that lost its 2024 interception leader, Jayce Jones (six). Adams did contribute 37 tackles, four passes defended and one fumble recovery last year, though his role should grow significantly.

Cherokee’s schedule begins with two county rivals in River Ridge and Sequoyah, both likely playoff teams in Class AAAAA, so the Warriors have a chance to prove themselves early in 2025.

“Everybody is saying we are underdogs, so we just have to show them we are coming with a lot,” Hamilton said. “They have to be ready.”

CULTURE From Page 31 “Iron sharpens iron, making each other better everyday.”

West and Buggs are also dedicated to creating a lasting culture at Campbell and leaving their impact on the younger players.

“We need to show the younger players that the culture here is what needs to be done,” Buggs said. “We’re young, but we’ve been taught from our coaches, and we want to pass this on to the upcoming freshmen and sophomores.”

Last season Buggs ran for 187 yards and a touchdown. He also had 241 receiving yards and two touchdowns. The 5-foot-8, 171-pounder is looking to step up as a vocal leader during his senior season.

“I want to become more vocal.

In the football aspect, we already have that leadership, just showing it and displaying it on the field,” Buggs said. “We need to step up more, especially to all the younger guys, since we have been in the program since middle school.”

West had 28 total tackles last

season, defended two passes and had one fumble recovery. The 6-foot, 174-pounder is set to continue his football career at UNC Charlotte.

“I really liked how they upheld the standard, the gold standard is what they call it, “ West said.

“I liked the new coaches, how they came in and how they handle business.”

West and Buggs are not only dedicated to the football program, but also to the Campbell community.

“We just like to help out in the community and give back because they help us and support us in everything we do,” West said.

Phillips said he is looking for all of his players to be devoted to Campbell, the way West and Buggs have been throughout their football careers.

“They have that passion for Campbell that we long to have in senior leaders,“ Phillips said. “Just a passion to be here at Campbell High School.”

Even in their free time, the duo stays focused on football. They enjoy doing hydrotherapy sessions with their teammates and getting in extra practice.

GO WARRIORS! Good Luck This Season!

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ETOWAH EAGLES 2025 Schedule

8/15 Woodstock

8/22 at Sprayberry

8/29 Campbell

9/5 at Chapel Hill

9/19 at Marietta

9/26 Cherokee

10/3 at North Paulding

10/10 Wheeler

10/17 Walton

10/23 at North Cobb

New coach, new attitude, new era of Etowah football

By Griffin Callaghan

There’s a new era on Eagle Mountain.

Brett Vavra makes his return to Etowah in 2025, following an eight-year run as Sprayberry’s head coach. His time in Cobb County culminated in a Region 6AAAAA championship and state quarterfinals berth last season, along with five playoff appearances.

In 2025, Vavra inherits a program starving for postseason football, with its last appearance coming in 2019 under Dave Svehla. The Eagles are now 11 years removed from their miraculous run to the semifinals,

and the program was historically successful prior to this latest drought with 13 playoff seasons in 14 years.

For now, the No. 1 priority is progress.

“The kids are definitely buying into what we are trying to teach them, coach them and just the way that we do things,” Vavra said.

“Overall, the work ethic has been pretty good. The kids are definitely willing to do what’s asked of them, I think that’s been really good.”

Junior quarterback Zeke Douglass returns to help ease the transition of a new coach and multitude of new faces after Etowah graduated 30-plus seniors from the 2024 roster.

Douglass will be the Day 1 starter

No. Name 1 Walker Hughes 2 Phoenix Caesar 3 Nate Truitt 4 Brady Slaats 5 Eddie Jimenez 6 Nick Pacini 7 Drake Mason 8 Cain Moss 9 Donovyn Pollard 10 Dom Favela 11 Zeke Douglass 12 Ben Gebhart 13 Kingston Caesar 14 Oliver Creigh 15 Robert Williams 18 Jared Rodriguez 19 Dylan Johnson 20 Carson Duckworth 21 Michael Goines 22 Reggie Bruell 23 Mason Lyles

No. Name Pos. 24 Eli Helms RB/OLB 25 Lance Rosser DB WR 27 Gavin Letendre 28 Bryson Graves LB 29 Max Sessions LB 30 Carter Oldroyd OLB 31 Isaiah Picon WR /DB 32 Malikye James WR 33 Ryan Abell RB 34 Carsen Hankins RB 35 Cullen Patterson DL 36 Aran Burns OLB 37 Benjamin Agyarko 38 Alex McCoy DB 39 Clayton Byars FS 40 Makai Pedersen LB 41 Ethan Turner LB 42 Noah Leyva DB 43 Ali Fakih LB 44 Ethan Rosen DL 45 Jimmy Hernandez LB

gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

Pos. WR /OLB DB WR /DB TE WR WR QB/LB DB LB QB QB DB WR RB RB/OLB WR/ DB DB WR RB OLB DB

The

Cl. 11 12 12 11 12 11 12 12 11 12 11 11 10 12 11 11 11 11 11 11 12

Cl. 12 11 12 10 11 11 10 10 10 11 10 10 10 12 10 11 10 10 10 12 12

following two straight years of being thrust into action after former quarterback Xavier Mahoney suffered consecutive season-ending knee injuries. He threw for 835 yards and 7 touchdowns last year, with another 235 yards and 1 score on the ground, leading the Eagles in both categories.

“He’s not a surprise at all,” Vavra said. “We played against him last year, which is cool. He was young and he has really progressed. He’s matured physically and athletically, and he’s learning. He’s someone we feel like we can build a team around for two more years and he’s going to be a really good player.”

Walker Hughes, another key

2025 Roster

No. Name Pos. 46 Jarrett Decker RB 47 Carter Shelley WR/OLB 48 Keaan Oldroyd QB 49 Ian Rojas K/P 50 Felix Castillo OL/DL 51 Max Castillo OL/DL 52 Jackson Warren OL/DL 53 Vincent Price OL/DL 54 Hunter Woelfel OL 55 Easton Densmore OL 56 Isaac Aluko DL 57 Judah Howery OL/DL 58 Gio Garcia OL/DL 59 Augustine Sanchez 65 Cooper Wilson OL/DL 69 Blake Gray OL/DL 70 Cooper Kerr OL 71 Jose Valles OL 72 Bubba Core OL 73 Preston Schug OL 74 Josh Alleyne OL/DL

Cl. 10 11 11 12 10 10 11 10 11 11 11 10 10 10 11 10 12 11 11 11 12

returner, has officially switched his position to receiver, hoping to fill the void left by departed seniors Malone Pesqueira and Will Zazzara. Hughes will also play running back, where he rushed for 220 yards and two touchdowns in 2024, along with seeing some time at defensive back.

“He’s a guy that we have to get the football to, however way that may be,” Vavra said.

Outside of Hughes, it will be running back by committee, featuring Michale Goines, Oliver Creigh, Gevin Letendre and Drake Mason, a big-bodied quarterback and linebacker who Vavra looks to move See EAGLES, Page 58 No. Name 75 Tyson Thompson 77 Jonas Jesus 78 Thomas Pulsifer 79 Wyatt Kidd 81 Alan Ortiz-Martinez 82 Jace Vasquez 83 Ace Buczek 84 Nate Coleman 85 Ryan Massada 86 Wesley Thompson 87 Tyrone Massada 88 Frank Shuster 90 Cooper Hendrix 91 Rafe Saldivar 92 Dalton Quick 95 John Demarco 97 Chandler White 98 Tristan Yelken 99 Julian Foster

Pos. OL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL LB WR WR DL WR/DB WR/DB TE K/P DL DL LB DL OL/DL K/P DL

Cl. 11 10 11 11 11 10 10 10 10 10 12 11 12 10 10 10 12 11 12

“THRONE” Ranger KICKOFF 2025

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ETOWAH EAGLES 6565 Putnam Ford Rd, Woodstock, GA 30189 • Eagle Stadium www.etowaheaglesfootball.com X: @etowahfootball

2024 RESULTS Woodstock ........................... 7-24 ............L Sprayberry........................... 17-31 ............L Campbell .............................. 7-33 ............L Chapel Hill ......................... 24-22 .......... W Marietta.................................0-34 ............L Cherokee ........................... 25-42 ............L North Paulding ...................17-34 ............L Wheeler ............................... 16-13 .......... W Walton ................................... 7-42 ............L North Cobb ..........................0-43 ............L

Instagram: @etowaheaglesfootball

Facebook: @Etowah Eagles Football

2024 LEADERS VARSITY COACHING STAFF RUSHING Brett Vavra ........................HC Ben McLane ...............OC/QB Davis Harvey..................... DC Jack Marinich..............ST/WR Andrew Sugg .....................DL Casey Wingard ..................DL Ben Martin ..........................OL Ulrick John .........................OL Russ Isham ...................TE/FB Taylor Majors .....................RB Chris Bryce .........................LB John Wernquist .................LB Corbin Jackson ................ DB Justin Weathers................ DB

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI Buster Skrine (2003-06) .........................UT-Chattanooga, New York Jets

FIVE YEAR

PASSING Zeke Douglass......95/157...835 yds ..... 7 TD .. 7 INT RECEIVING Malone Pesqueira............36 rec........321 yds ...2 TD TACKLES Caden Colon...........................100 Jaysen Pertz-Moye...............92 SACKS Andrew Christofferson........5 INTERCEPTIONS Brody Hand ............2 Cain Moss ...............2 Ethan Weidner.......2

2024: 2-8 2023: 4-6 2022: 5-5 2021: 1-9 2020: 1-9

REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (3) 2010, 2008, 2006

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Stuart Head (2013-16)........................................................................Stanford

Coach: Brett Vavra • 1st Season • Record: 0-0 • Career: 41-45 came over from other sports, including basketball. Mason and Letendre are two of those newcomers, with From Page 57 Mason moving in from Louisiana into the backfield. and Letendre playing his first high Etowah also received a small school football season as a senior. influx of new talent as well, whether Overall, Vavra is excited about guys moved in from out-of-state or Douglass, Hughes and the Eagles’

13-37

ALL TIME RECORD 211-282-1

Christian Harris (2007-10) ............................................................ Tennessee

EAGLES

RECORD

Zeke Douglass......34 car....235 yds..... 1 TD Walker Hughes .....46 car....220 yds..... 2 TD

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

sizable junior class, many of whom saw the field as sophomores. Vavra implemented more time in the film room and early-morning lifts to help build strength.

“It’s just improving as a team and getting these kids tougher mentally and physically,” Vavra said.

“Honestly I’d love to win more games, from an optics standpoint, and I do think that’s important to a degree, but I want our kids to focus on the day-to-day process and getting better, becoming better people, tougher, stronger in knowing the game and building relationships.”

GO EAGLES! Good Luck This Season!

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Special - Anthony Stalcup

After taking over as the starter early in each of the last two seasons, Zeke Douglass enters this year as the true No. 1.

Douglass steps into his own spotlight

By Griffin Callaghan

gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

Etowah quarterback Zeke Douglass was pressed into action the last two years, but this time, it’s his job from Day 1.

After injuries prematurely ended former starter Xavier Mahoney’s junior and senior seasons, the Eagles turned to a young Douglass, who kept them afloat in one of the most competitive regions in Class AAAAAA. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound junior

comes into 2025 with valuable experience on Fridays, and he’s already earned the trust of his new head coach, Brett Vavra.

“There is no substitute for experience,” Vavra said. “You can’t manufacture that in practice. You can try and get close, but you can’t even really manufacture it on a Thursday in a JV game. Friday night experience just carries a lot of weight and value.”

Douglass first saw the field as a freshman, playing in two games and learning on the fly as Etowah

finished the turbulent season 4-6 overall.

Then, as a sophomore, Douglass took on a much larger role with substantially more playing time. He completed over 60% of his passes in 2024 for 835 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Nerves were a factor, especially in his first varsity game.

“That was probably the most nervous I’d ever been,” Douglass said. “Getting thrown in like that and just never really having played with the guys on that field, I didn’t

know exactly what to do. I feel like that helped me for last year, though, when I was thrown into the exact same situation, so I was better prepared, but still not enough.”

Etowah’s chemistry is palpable, especially between a 33-man junior class that includes Douglass and Walker Hughes, who converted to receiver from running back. That duo led the Eagles in rushing last year, and now they hope to ride their connection into the passing game.

“I’ve played with him since like See DOUGLASS, Page 66

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Q&A

Q: Coming from a place in Sprayberry, where you’ve spent the last eight years, how much of an adjustment has it been returning to Cherokee County and Etowah?

with Etowah’s Brett Vavra

A: You know, it’s been a little bit of adjustment, obviously, because I was there (at Etowah) for five years, but it was a long time ago. Schools change a little bit, and there’s still some employees that I worked with in the past who are still there, which is cool.

But there are a lot of new faces, too, and obviously new kids and new families, so it’s just getting to know everybody. There’s a lot of new, but there’s also a good deal of familiarity because I’ve been there before. I know the facilities, I know the campus. I felt like it was a pretty easy transition from my standpoint.

Q: The fact that you were coming off a season where you won your region and went to the quarterfinals. Did that make it more difficult to leave Sprayberry, or did you see it as going out on top?

A: It was definitely a little bit of both, but it was probably one of the toughest decisions I’ve had to make in my life. But what made it harder was the kids because I loved those kids so much, and I know what kind of group was coming back. I think they have a chance to be really, really good again and special. It was hard, but just the timing of everything and trying to look at it as a big picture and long-term decision, I felt like it was what was best for myself and my family.

Winning the region last year was awesome, but I don’t know if it would have mattered if we didn’t win it or we didn’t have the season we had, I don’t know if that would have factored into my decision more, but it probably did factor into it.

Q: Have you stayed in touch with or have relationships with any of the other coaches here in Cherokee County?

A: Yeah, I mean, Coach (Chris) Bryce was on staff when I was at Etowah earlier, and he’s on staff, and he does a great job for us. Coach (Adam) Holley, I’ve gotten to know him a little bit, just over the last year or so. Mike Collins at River Ridge, I’ve known him for a long time, and we’ve always stayed in touch. We played them when I was over at Sprayberry. They were in our region for a lot of years, including last year. I have a pretty good relationship with all of the coaches that are in Cherokee County, just from playing them, River Ridge, Sequoyah, Creekview and all of those schools, and even Woodstock — I’ve known Dan (Devine) for a long time. I have a pretty good relationship with all those guys, so that’s kind of helped the transition be a little bit easier, too.

Q: You start your season with probably the biggest rivalry game in Cherokee County, against Woodstock, and they have won the last two. Does the fact that it starts the season amp up the intensity at all?

Special - File

New Etowah coach Brett Vavra led Sprayberry to a region championship last year. Now he will try to do the same thing with the Eagles.

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

Q: Going through the offseason with these guys and getting reacclimated to this program, has it been everything you’ve expected so far?

A: It’s been good. The kids are buying in and working hard and the support from the community has been great. Support from administration’s been really good. Just getting our staff fully in place, it’s always a little bit of a process. It’s never going as quickly as you like it, but we finally got all that figured out and finalized, so that’s been good. But it’s just getting the kids to understand, buy into the process and get better every single day, and it’s not going to happen overnight. It’s about working hard, doing things with a purpose and being very intentional and detail-oriented.

Those are all things we’ve been preaching, with a sense of urgency.

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A: I would probably be lying if I said it didn’t weigh on my mind, and that’s who we play in game one. It’s a huge rivalry, and I have been a part of many of those games. That’s are a really good football team right now. They have a lot of returning players, and they were really good last year, so that’s going to be a big test. I know our kids will be excited about it, and I know the community is excited about it, but you feel a little sense of urgency to perform well and have our kids playing as well as we possibly can that night.

Q: Game 2 you head to Sprayberry to be on that visiting sideline. Do you have any expectations for how that will feel?

A: Yeah, that’s a tricky one. I’m sure it’s going to be an emotional rollercoaster that night, and quite honestly, I’m not really looking forward to it all that much. I’ve got a lot of history there and a lot of memories made with a lot of great people that, you know, I have really great relationships with. I’ve never coached against Sprayberry at Jim Frazier Stadium, or been on that visiting team sideline other than one JV game at the beginning of my career when I was at South Cobb.

That’s going to be kind of a weird feeling, and I’m trying not to think too much about it. It’s a tough matchup, one because they’re going to be really good, but two, just the feeling of being on that opposite side for so many years. It’s definitely going to be a weird, and probably, emotional night for myself and some of my assistant coaches that were with me there, and then probably for my family as well.

Answers have been edited for space and clarity

MARIETTA BLUE DEVILS 2025 Schedule

8/15 at Gainesville

8/22 at West Forsyth

8/29 McEachern

9/5 Hillgrove

9/12 at Wheeler

9/19 Etowah

10/3 at Walton

10/10 North Cobb

10/24 at Cherokee

10/31 North Paulding

New philosophy for new-look Blue Devils under Duke

By John Bednarowski Marietta fans in the 2025 season can expect an up-tempo offense with its first rule being – take what the defense gives it.

Under new head coach Cameron Duke, the Blue Devils are planning to use it with the hopes of averaging 20 points or more per game for the first time since 2021, with the hopes of approaching the 36.6 points per game they averaged in the state championship season of 2019.

To achieve that goal, Duke and the coaching staff are trying to build the trusting relationships with the players necessary to get them to work as one unit each time it takes

the field.

“It takes time,” he said. “We want them to be the best player, best student, best man they can be to be so they can become the best person they can be.

“So far, their attitude and effort have been great. Now we want to see how we can transform from being a team to becoming a family.”

Duke has experience in that area.

He built Edgewater (Fla.) into a state power, taking the program to 85 wins and a pair of state championship appearances over the last eight seasons. He also did it after taking over a program which went 0-10 the season prior to his arrival.

Marietta went 2-8 last season, which was its third straight losing season and fourth in the last five,

No. Name 1 Titus Grant 2 Landon Mannery 2 Jamine Solomon 3 Caleb Graham 3 Jayden Whiteside 5 Danta Young 6 Carson Snipes 7 Isaac Copeland 8 Elijah Green 9 Alec Huff 9 Brody Archie 10 Samaj Anderson 11 Payton Smith 11 Jordan Adams 12 Xavier Gwynn 13 Braylon Urquhart 13 Devan Plummer

No. Name 13 Nathan Hill 14 Jackson Nesmith 16 Grant Abercrombie 17 Drew Box 18 Merrick Ham 19 Andrew Liedke 20 Max Turner 21 Martavious Ross 22 Kylon Scott 22 Jude Morris 23 Ethan Greene 24 Donivan Gober 25 Ezekiel Montoya 26 Girbran Taylor 27 Jack Ison 28 Bo Hurley 29 Nathan Chambliss

sportseditor@mdjonline.com

but Duke said there is plenty of talent on the team to start setting the foundation for success.

Offensively, it starts at quarterback. Jayden Whiteside will be the likely starter with Carson Snipes also in the mix at the position. Whiteside started last season and completed 58% of his passes for 1,594 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions.

He will play mainly out of the shotgun with the idea of being able to lead an offense which runs the ball effectively and can push the ball down the field when the opportunity is available.

The key will be an offensive line led by tackle Trey Hudgens-Tucker (6-foot, 260-pounds), along with guard Jordan Adams, which is athletic and gotten bigger.

Landon Mannery (374 yards, 4 touchdowns), who is coming off an ACL injury, and Titus Grant (177 yds.) are expected to lead the running game. Both backs averaged right at 4.5 yards per carry a year ago.

On the outside, the team returns leading receiver Elijah Green, who had 41 receptions for 747 yards and three touchdowns. He is joined by Samaj Anderson (35 rec., 389 yds., 3 TD), Jackson Neismith (6 rec., 85 yds.) and Brody Archie (34 rec., 562 yds. 10 TD) who comes over from North Cobb Christian.

Whiteside and Snipes will also have a chance to throw to a pair of tight ends in Isaac Copeland (19 rec., 249 yds. TD) and Merrick Ham. See DUKE, Page 63

2025 Roster Pos. RB RB DB DB QB DB QB/DB HB WR LB WR WR LB/DL RB WR RB DL/LB

Cl. 11 12 12 12 11 12 12 11 12 12 11 11 12 12 12 12 11

Pos. LB/DB WR TE DB/LB DE LB/DL DB/ATH RB WR DB DB LB LB/DL DB LB DB WR

Cl. 12 11 11 11 10 11 12 12 10 11 12 12 12 11 11 11 11

No. Name 30 Elijah Martin 31 Kaveon Debose 33 Jaylen Bell 34 Kaveon Istas 34 Chandler Hall 35 Preston Runnels 36 Davis Parrott 36 Keyondre Linen 37 Lawton McGee 38 Andrew Roland 42 Brady Brister 46 Markeith Linen 47 Luther Hill 49 Tyler Henderson 50 Eric Ovalle 51 Deniz Kose 52 Aubrey Lester

Pos. QB/ATH LB RB HB LB/DL LB K DB K WR LB DL DL DL DL OL OL

Cl. 10 11 10 10 12 10 12 10 11 11 12 12 12 10 12 11 9

No. Name Pos. 53 Treyvius Hudgens-Tucker OL 54 Derrick Jenkins DL OL 55 Michael Minervini 56 Romero Hutson DL OL 58 Braxton Vaughn 61 Jack Hawkins OL DL 67 Cyle Jacobs 72 Christopher Salazar OL OL 75 Tate Jones 77 Bryce Brown OL 81 Gaden McCoy DB K 82 Cole Baumgartner K 83 Yonatan Mazariegos Landon Stewart IR

Cl. 12 11 11 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 12 12 12 12

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2024 RESULTS Gainesville .............................3-41 ............L West Forsyth ........................7-28 ............L McEachern .........................27-33 ............L Hillgrove ............................. 21-24 ............L Etowah ..................................34-0 .......... W Wheeler ...............................17-24 ............L Walton ....................................3-21 ............L North Cobb ....................... 22-38 ............L Cherokee ........................... 25-20 .......... W North Paulding ................. 28-38 ............L

Instagram: @mariettaftball

2024 LEADERS VARSITY COACHING STAFF RUSHING

FIVE YEAR

RECORD

Cameron Duke .......................HC Landon Mannery... 84 car......374 yds ....4 TD

Mark Duke..............Co-OC/WR’s Labrone Mitchell......Co-OC/QB Kyle Joyce.................................DC Jeff Duke ...............................Asst.

Chris Jamison...........................OL Dane Holihan ..............STC/DB’s Derrick Tinsley .........................RB Josh Vandergrift ......................ST Myron Toles ..............................DL Josh Weaver.............................LB Tom Guckian............................K/P EJ Dunston......................... DL/LB Nick Houstoulakis..................DB

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI RB Kamani Vidal (2016-19) .............................................. Troy, LA Chargers QB Harrison Bailey (2016-19), .........................................................Louisville Ricky White (2019) ................................................ UNLV, Seattle Seahawks LB BJ Ojulari (2016-19), ........................................... LSU, Arizona Cardinals LB Azeez Ojulari (2014-17),................................ Georgia, New York Giants RB Derrick Tinsley (1997-2000), ................................................. Tennessee RB Travis Zachery (1993-96), ...........................................................Clemson QB Eric Zeier (1989-90) .................................. Georgia, Cleveland Browns K Scott Sisson (1985-88), ............... Georgia Tech, New England Patriots K Rex Robinson (1974-77), ........................Georgia, New England Patriots RB James “Friday” Richards (1968-71), ................. Florida, New York Jets

PASSING Jayden Whiteside…105/180…1604 yds…10 TD…5 INT RECEIVING Elijah Green .......... 41 rec.......747 yds.....3 TD Anthony Kruah .... 25 rec .....427 yds ....4 TD Samaj Anderson. 35 rec......389 yds....3 TD TACKLES Jamine Solomon ....................71 Jude Morris...............................57 Anthony Kruah ........................55

20-36

2024: 2-8 2023: 3-8 2022: 5-7 2021: 7-5 2020: 3-8

SACKS Anthony Kruah .... 7

ALL TIME RECORD 604-460-29

INTERCEPTIONS Caleb Graham .......4

2005, 2004, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1983, 1967, 1966, 1959, 1957, 1949, 1948

a strong downhill run defending squad.

“If you can’t stop the run, you From Page 62 can’t stop anything,” Duke said.

Defensively, Duke said the team Ham, though only a sophomore, will play out of a 3-4 base look. He will be one of the leaders on the wants them to be attacking and defensive line. At 6-5, 230-pounds

REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (15)

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (2) 2019, 1967

Coach: Cameron Duke • 1st Season • Record: 0-0 • Career: 99-31

DUKE

Facebook: @MariettaFootball

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

he already has Division I offers from Indiana, Wake Forest and Kennesaw State. He finished last season with 25 tackles, three sacks and three tackles for loss. Ham is joined by Payton Smith, DJ Plummer and Derrick Jenkins.

Alec Huff (45 tackles) and Don Gober will man the middle at the linebacker spots and will be covered by a secondary that includes Snipes, Jasmine Soloman (71 tackles, 2 INT), Caleb Graham, Danta Young and Max Turner.

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John Bednarowski

Merrick Ham could be the next big thing across multiple Blue Devils’ sports programs.

Ham following family athletic pattern

By John Bednarowski

sophomore is an up-and-coming football player, playing defensive end and getting reps as a passIt seems there isn’t much Marri- catching tight end.

As a forward on the basketball etta’s Merrick Ham can’t do when team, Ham averaged 11.7 points and it comes to athletics.

At 6-foot-6, 220-pounds, the 6.5 rebounds per game, and there sportseditor@mdjonline.com

are already stories about him hitting home runs into the Blue Devils softball complex as a member of the JV baseball team.

However, his finest athletic accomplishment to date may be winning his family’s Christmas

Reindeer Games.

“It breeds competitiveness and whoever wins is a big deal,” Ham said. “I enjoy winning a lot. I’ve won it three years running.”

For most families, winning an See HAM, Page 65

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Ham From Page 64 annual competition which includes competitions on judging who can throw an egg the farthest or who can unwrap presents with their feet, may not register as an accomplishment, but in Ham’s case, he may be right. Consider his competition.

His father Nicholas was a college baseball player and his mother Deana played college basketball.

His uncle, Paul Duncan III, played left tackle at Notre Dame and briefly for the Denver Broncos, and his grandfather played defensive tackle at Newberry College in South Carolina.

In addition, his sister is a member of the Marietta flag football team, basketball team and she also plays soccer. Younger brothers Duncan and Bennett play football, lacrosse and basketball for their middle school team.

Maybe winning the Reindeer Games is his best accomplishment to date, but coach Cameron Duke is hoping Ham can use all his talents to help put the Blue Devils football team back at the top of the region standings and compete for a state championship sooner than later.

“He’s extremely intelligent,” Duke said. “He’s very coachable and we’re thoroughly pleased with how he is picking up the new system. He’s versatile and I think it’s a testament to his family and the work ethic they have instilled in him.”

Ham said his parents held him out of tackle football until he was in seventh grade, but he has quickly made up for any perceived lost time. Ham already has offers from Vanderbilt, Indiana and Kennesaw State after a freshman season in which he had

Special - File

Merrick Ham sacks Walton quarterback Kaleb Gilstrap last season.

25 tackles, three sacks and three tackles for loss in eight games.

Heading into his second varsity season, Ham said he understands the possibilities which lie in front of him.

“There’s a little bit of pressure to do well,” he said based on his family’s athletic history. “You see the path, but the key is to work hard and keep my head down. That way, when you look up, you can be where you want to be.”

Ham will mainly line up on the defensive side of the ball and rush the passer this season. It’s where he said he feels most comfortable. He said it is where he has the most fun, and he enjoys the physical contact.

“I like to be able to attack and be able to go pop somebody,” he said.

However, with his large frame and

big hands, he is likely to become a favorite target of quarterback Jayden Whiteside, especially down near the goal line.

“He has great value as a tight end and H-back,” Duke said. “We are not opposed to working him on offense.

“We’re excited about what he can do. We’re excited about him playing football. To be good at all three sports at his age is incredible.”

While there is a big future for Ham in whichever sport he may want to play, he is excelling in the classroom to make sure he is successful in whatever he does after school. He currently has a 4.32 grade point average and his favorite subjects are in math. Ham has also found a way to take those math

skills and utilize them on the football field.

“I enjoy learning how to learn,” he said. “I enjoy problem solving. I enjoy seeing the decisions that are three steps ahead of you.”

While he may even entertain becoming a coach in the future, for now, he wants to help Marietta get back to winning, including a state championship. He was around the team when the Blue Devils won the 2019 title. He said he saw the impact that team made and he wants to be part of something similar before his career is over.

“Winning a championship means a lot,” Ham said. “I saw the community and how it bonded together and grew. Being able to be part of that would mean a lot.”

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65

JONES

main thing he can improve is his footwork. He said he has been doing cone drills and working on his comfort level in the pocket.

Jones said he believes a focused mindset can help the struggling South Cobb program turn things around.

“Over time, everyone has begun to focus as we’ve gotten closer and spent time together during the summer I think that’s the best thing for Special - File us,” he said.

Jones did not play in his time with Zeke Douglass is the expected full-time starter for Etowah this season. along with understanding how the Indians but he did get to be around to read defenses at a higher a team that had success and made level. the Class AAAAAA playoffs in 2024.

From Page 59 Etowah’s new quarterback feels a He said McEachern’s success, particularly on offense, showed fifth grade, so we’ve had that chem- sense of comfort and support comhim what things could look like at istry coming into high school,” ing from his new coaches ahead of his new school if everyone is on the junior running back Walker Hughes the season. He said the scheme fits said. “It started before we even his game perfectly, and he’s ready same page.

“Offensively I think we can be got here, so that’s been great. It’s to showcase his and the Eagles’ excellent,” Jones said. “We can con- great to have a quarterback that I potential on Friday nights.

“They know what we can do,” tinue to get better but everything played with all throughout elemenhas been going smoothly. If I get the tary school and middle school.” he said. “They challenge us, and passes down and everyone is in sync Douglass said off-field activi- they push us because they know then everything will continue to go ties have helped build the bond where we can be, and what we’ve between himself and his team- been these past 10 years. They are smoothly.”

Jones does not currently have any mates, while his own game has ready to step it up and so are we. offers but he said he still has big goals continued progressing on the It’s hand in hand. Players are ready, for the future. gridiron. He’s worked to grasp coaches are ready. We’re ready to “The dream for me is to make it the new playbook and system, move up.”

From Page 50 experiences,” he said. “The guys on this team now have become real tight like brothers and we just chill together a lot and even on days when we don’t have practice we still come out here and work.”

Jones said he’s been focused on becoming better off the field this offseason.

“The big thing I want to improve off the field is just helping the team,” he said. “Just being more of a leader and helping the team when we’re down is something I’m working on because I’m the leader, so I have to pick my guys up.”

He said the little things are where he can inprove in terms of that leadership role.

“Even if it’s just the small things like remembering their birthdays or getting gifts for the offensive line,” Jones said. “They’re in the trenches for me so I just want to be there for them more too. I want to be there for all my teammates even in the smallest ways.”

He said he feels like his biggest strength is his consistency and the

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Q&A

with Marietta’s Cameron Duke

guy. I was able to run and catch the football well. I could get in and out of breaks.

I was kind of a (Wes) Welker, like all those guys that were slot receivers for the Patriots.

I played two years at South Lake High School, and then I played two years at East Ridge High School in Claremont, Florida. I felt like I was a good athlete and played for a good coach who allowed me to play — coach Bud O’Hara.

After high school, there was an opportunity to go off and play. It was NAIA, D2, small school football in different places.

Q: What from coach O’Hara did you take with you?

A: How much he genuinely cared for his players. He loved us well and cared for us way more than just as a football player.

You could go to him about other stuff besides football. He was a funny guy. He was intense. We were tough. He made us tough. We practiced hard, but we genuinely knew he cared for us and loved us, and we would play hard for him because of that relationship that he had with all of us.

Q: There’s another coach that had a pretty good influence on you in your father, Jeff Duke.

A: No doubt. He had the most influence on me of anyone in my life, him and my mom, but as a coach and as a son, for sure. He’ll still be helping me out this year. He’ll be traveling up on Wednesdays and going back on Saturdays in the fall, and he’ll sit up top and help us out. On game day, more importantly, he’s going to help us as a staff, grow as men.

I got a chance to see him, you know, early as a young man, coach at an extremely high level. To get a great perspective and see he had his priorities in order.

So, you know, I saw him as a father, as a coach and as a man. He definitely has had the most positive impact on my life.

Q: What led you to coaching?

A: I was a good high school player, but I had an opportunity to have an academic scholarship at Florida State and had a chance to become a student assistant with the football program for a year. So, I did that, worked towards my degree, and then jumped on at Childs High School in Tallahassee as I finished up my degree.

I got my first full-time teaching and coaching job at Jefferson County High School in 2009. I knew at an early age that’s where the good Lord was calling me. What He was calling me into.

Q: You got to coach one game up here a couple of years ago with Edgewater. Now that you’re here, how much are you looking forward to coaching in Marietta?

Marietta City Schools

New coach Cameron Duke will lead Marietta into the 2025 season.

By John Bednarowski sportseditor@mdjonline.com

A: It’s such a special place with an incredible community. Families and the people that we’ve got a chance to get to know so far have been awesome. They’ve been great to myself, my wife, my two girls. I’m just very grateful for the community, for welcoming myself and our family up here. It was a big boost. Getting them to come see us, have an opportunity to play when we get to Northcutt Stadium in the fall we’re really excited.

Q: How did you get involved in football

Q: You lived in Florida for a long time. You come up here, new community, is there anything that has surprised you that you didn’t expect? What has surprised you?

A: When I was born my dad was the county athletic director of the Leon County School system in Tallahassee, Florida, so early on my childhood was Friday nights. Then of course I started playing at a young age as well, but definitely from my father.

A: I think the natural beauty of Marietta is special. We got up here in February to go through spring and to see the amount of flowers and everything blooming. It’s beautiful. The mountain, the nature that we have here. I think the kindness of the people. I don’t think that’s surprising. It’s just really awesome.

Q: What was your playing career like?

Answers have been edited for space and clarity.

A: I played slot receiver, and I’d love to tell you it was better than it was. I thought it was a really good position for me to play and I was fortunate to be an all-whatever KICKOFF 2025

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NORTH COBB WARRIORS 2025 Schedule

8/15 Archer

8/22 at McEachern

8/29 at East Coweta

9/5 Cass

9/12 at North Paulding

9/19 Walton

10/10 at Marietta

10/17 Cherokee

10/23 Etowah

10/31 at Wheeler

Warriors’ offense set to lead team on postseason run

By Kai Millette

A dynamic backfield and new, highly-touted quarterback will look to lead North Cobb to a deeper playoff run in 2025.

The Warriors tore through their non-conference schedule and Region 5AAAAAA last year en route to an undefeated regular season, finishing a game within one possession just once.

North Cobb’s title hopes fell short, however, falling to Douglas County 31-10 in the second

round of the playoffs.

“I think our program’s gotten to the point where, hey, you know, those 10 regular season games are practice games,” North Cobb coach Shane Queen said. “What are you going to do in the playoffs? And I’ll be the first to admit that we need to make a deeper run and to make that deeper run we need to work on the little things.”

The Warriors lost senior quarterback Nick Grimstead to graduation, but filling his shoes is North Cobb Christian transfer and highlytouted recruit Teddy Jarrard.

Standing at 6-foot-4, 200 pounds,

No. Name 0 Quavy Echols 1 Sebastian Easley 2 Teddy Jarrard 3 Micah Billingley 4 Keshawn Alexis 5 Jace Caldwell 6 Aziz Helm 7 Trey Shaw 8 Zach Belyeu 9 Latavian James 10 Tre Gragg 10 Dylan Rainey 11 Lewis Richards 12 Michael Hill 13 Jayden Harris 14 Iago Guimaraes 15 Joshua Hoskins 16 Kayson Fernandez 17 Christian Woods 18 Chris Morris 19 Jonas Ruiz 20 David Renfroe 20 Levi Echevarria 21 Anarion Johnson 22 Calvin Moss 23 Jayden Hamlette

No. Name 24 Tristen Riddick 25 Aric Dicks 26 Buchi Emerah 27 Dewaine Mitchell 28 Brian King 28 Jaylen Grimes 29 Jayden Bryant 30 Will Conley 31 Sean Henry 32 Devin Ortiz 32 Preston Jenkins 33 Logan Rudolph 34 Zareh Davis 35 Bryce Johnson 36 Greg Payne 37 Justin Johnson 38 Ellis Reid 39 Ryan McKinney 40 Rameses Echevarria 40 Gavin Stroud 41 Gavyn Cabble 42 Isaiah Rogers 43 Vinny Martinucci 44 Jude Blessington 45 Marcus Singleton 46 Christian Fields

MDJ Sports Writer

Jarrard is currently rated a fourstar recruit by On3 and 247Sports composite, holding 33 college offers including Georgia, Auburn, Clemson, Ohio State and several other power conference schools. He was scheduled to commit in late July.

“He’s a generational player,” Queen said. “He’s very cerebral, loves the game of football. He’s a gym rat, constantly studying the game. (He) wants to get better every day, drives his teammates to do the same. The sign of a leader is bringing other guys up to your level and he does a good job of that.”

Aiding Jarrard is a slew of returning offensive production, including the Warriors’ top three leading receivers from last season in Steele Ingram, Micah Billingsley and Sebastian Easley who combined for 1,145 yards and 15 touchdowns on 62 receptions in 2024.

North Cobb also returns the 1-2 punch in the backfield consisting of star sophomore Zach Belyeu and his counterpart Arquevious Echols.

The two combined for 1,846 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns last season while splitting carries.

See WARRIORS, Page 70

2025 Roster Pos. RB WR QB WR DB LB DB WR RB LB RB DB LB K WR WR RB DE WR DB QB WR LB DB LB LB

Cl. 12 12 11 11 12 12 10 11 10 11 11 11 12 12 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11

Pos. RB RB DB DB RB WR DB RB LB WR WR LB RB RB RB WR LB LB LB WR DB DE TE DB DB DB

Cl. 11 10 10 12 12 11 12 10 10 10 9 12 11 10 10 10 11 10 11 10 12 11 12 12 10 12

No. Name Pos. TE 47 Marcus Zedian 48 Jaden Taylor RB WR 49 Aaron Bowman 50 Daniel Okafor OL DE 51 Ryland Rader 52 Nathan Lawrence Harris DE OL 53 Sedarian Bloodsaw 54 Jonathan Oliver OL DL 55 Christian Williams 56 Jordan Johnson DL OL 57 Jesse Jean-Claude DL 58 Anthony Castoreno OL 59 Jordan M Johnson 60 Caleb Bennett DL 61 Kellon Porter OL 62 Elijah Jean OL OL 63 Xavier Duke 64 Anderson Johnson OL 65 Madden Fredenburg OL OL 66 Jayden St Jean OL 67 Joshua Dahan OL 68 Tristan Mazor 69 Jared Bonner OL 70 Clarence Pearson OL OL 72 Isaiah Blalock DL 73 Omar Diallo

Cl. 10 10 12 11 10 10 11 10 10 12 11 10 10 11 12 11 12 10 10 10 12 10 10 11 10 11

Pos. No. Name 74 Avery Clifton OL OL 76 Allen Butler OL 77 Rylan Carter 78 Anthony Martinez-Toruno OL OL 79 Brandon Anderson WR 80 Dylan Burkes K 81 Kaleb Castro TE 82 Keegan Vayens WR 83 Jeremy Steele RB 84 Galvin Mack WR 85 Brayden Ages WR 86 Christian King RB 87 Brayden Ward TE 88 Gunner Jarrard 89 Ronaldo Cruz K WR 90 Kamren Tucker DL 91 Jamori McMichael 92 Kamari Simmons TE 93 Carson McKnight WR WR 94 Justin Cowan WR 95 Patrick Henderson WR 96 Pedro Perez 97 Logan Garcia TE K 98 William Nichols WR 99 Josiah Christian

Cl. 10 12 10 10 12 10 12 10 11 11 10 10 10 9 11 10 11 12 10 10 11 10 10 10 10

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N O RT H C O B B WA R R I O R S 3400 Old 41 Hwy NW, Kennesaw GA 30144 • Emory Sewell Stadium https://www.northcobbfootball.com X: @NCWarriorsFB

2024 RESULTS Archer ................................. 49-21 .......... W McEachern .........................45-33 .......... W East Coweta .......................27-20 .......... W Cass ..................................... 43-14 .......... W North Paulding .................. 42-18 .......... W Walton ................................. 42-14 .......... W Marietta.............................. 38-22 .......... W Cherokee ............................ 56-10 .......... W Etowah ..................................43-0 .......... W Wheeler .............................. 49-14 .......... W State Playoffs Camden County .................. 28-7 .......... W Douglas County ................. 10-31 ............L

Instagram: @northcobbfootball

2024 LEADERS VARSITY COACHING STAFF RUSHING Shane Queen .................... HC Tyler Queen ...............OC/QB Jude Blessington ............. DC Robert Ingram ..........AHC/OL Kyle Mann ...........................DL Michael Dillard...................DL Brett O’Buck ......................OL Oscar Guerrero..................RB Donte Sawyer ...................WR David Sidler........................ TE Josh Shaw ......................... DB Matt Tener .......................... LB

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI DL Christian Albright (2013-17),.....Ball State, Saskatchewan Roughriders (CFL) OL Mike Fredenburg (1987-90), ...............................East Tennessee State LB Eric Norwood (2002-05), .............. South Carolina, Carolina Panthers DL Derrick Lott (2007-10) ................... Chattanooga, Philadelphia Eagles QB Malachi Singleton (2019-22), ...................................................Arkansas TE Darren Waller (2007-10), .....................Georgia Tech, New York Giants LB Chandler Wooten (2013-16), .......................Auburn, Carolina Panthers

From Page 69

“They had a great campaign last year, but again expecting them to just build on that,” “Both of them are very talented, big physical backs and they push each other to be better,” Queen said.

“What I love about it, one gets a

FIVE YEAR

Zach Belyeu .............. 127 car .... 1107 yds ........15 TD Arquevious Echols.. 107 car…739 yds............12 TD Nick Grimstead ........ 105 car .... 625 yds ........10 TD PASSING Nick Grimstead .....101/171....1605 yds…18 TD..2 INT RECEIVING Steele Ingram ........26 rec ...560 yds..... 7 TD Micah Billingsley ...20 rec ...342 yds ..... 5 TD TACKLES Cooper Negron ........... 145 SACKS Dom Moody .................. 6 Orlando Wilson ............ 6 Cooper Negron ........... 6 INTERCEPTIONS Dy’lon Womack............ 8

20-yard run, we put the other guy in, we don’t miss a beat.”

A stout offensive line anchored by Missouri commit Brandon Anderson is expected to make offensive coordinator Tyler Queen’s job even easier. Returning all-region center Joshua Dahan and newcomer Madden Fredenburg are also expected to be major contributors in the trenches.

“We’ve got a lot of pieces there,”

RECORD 47-12

2024: 11-1 2023: 7-4 2022: 9-3 2021: 10-2 2020: 10-2

ALL TIME RECORD 386-317-3 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (8) 2024, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2013, 2007, 1979, 1959

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Coach: Shane Queen • 20th Season • Record: 143-72 • Career: 179-100

WARRIORS

Facebook: @North Cobb Football

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

Shane Queen said. “We’ve just got to get those young guys to grow up in a hurry.”

The Warriors find themselves much younger on the opposite side of the ball. Major departures including Kamron Cullins, Dy’lon Womack and Cooper Negron make room for fresh names on the North Cobb defense.

“We’re young on that side of the

ball but it’s good youth, it’s very talented youth,” Queen said. “We’re going to have some bumps and bruises probably early on. Hopefully our offense can score some points till they continue to develop.”

Queen said he expects nose guard CJ Williams to step up on the defensive line, and Keshawn Alexis and Aziz Helm to do the same in the secondary.

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North Cobb’s Zach Belyeu is ready to better last year’s breakout freshman season.

Belyeu setting foundation for big career

By Kai Millette

season as a freshman, posting 1,107 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 8.7 yards per carry along the way.

Despite his individual success, North Cobb’s Zach Belyeu seems things remain about the team. With to have unlimited potential.

The sophomore running back that, Belyeu said he doesn’t contook Region 5AAAAAA by storm last sider last season to have been a MDJ Sports Writer

great one.

“I don’t want to say it went great because we didn’t finish the mission like we wanted to,” Belyeu said. “But as far as everything in the regular season, it went well, we won our region. I feel like this team

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Thanks to his youth, Belyeu still has what feels like forever to sharpen his abilities before he makes the jump to the college level. This See Belyeu, Page 80

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WALTON RAIDERS 2025 Schedule

8/16 vs McEachern

8/22 at Lambert

8/29 Roswell

9/5 at Norcross

9/12 Wheeler

9/19 at North Cobb

10/3 Marietta

10/10 Cherokee

10/17 at Etowah

10/24 at North Paulding

Raiders back planning for deep playoff run in 2025

By Devyn Hlavek

Walton has three goals for the 2025 season – win the opener, win the region and be the last team standing.

The Raiders are coming off their eighth consecutive playoff appearance, but they are hungry to make a deep playoff run. They are looking to prove themselves after going 7-4 and finishing second in Region 5AAAAAA last season. The program is two seasons removed from a state championship appearance.

“I want the people in our program and our players believing that we can go win 15 games year in and year out,” Coach Daniel Brunner said. “I feel like we have a team this year that can make that happen. We’re going to have to have some things come together for us and have a lot of growth, but I definitely feel like this is a group that can make a run.”

Last season, Walton fell short to Valdosta in the first round of the playoffs. The loss came after a Week 10 bye, which left Walton with 21 days between their last game

No. Name 1 Jordan Peacock 2 MJ Burnett 3 Noah LaVallee 4 Christion Peacock 5 Sam Strickland 6 Jack Klim 7 CJ Jordan 8 Noriega Thompson 9 Mathayo Odhiambo 10 Max McRaney 11 Aiden Opore 12 Mario Dixon 13 Christian Andrews 15 Pierson Degala 16 Hall Pruet 17 Bobby Frierson 18 Daniel Stricklin 19 Jude Cascone 20 Tate Adams 21 Tosin Adejumo 23 Japhet Veasy 24 Ethan Baker 25 Garrett Bailey 26 Asim Alexander 27 Ray Ray Wilkerson

No. Name 28 Jaylen Hawkins 29 Matthew Manning 30 Tomi Abimbola 31 Achilles Brown 32 Christian Govea 33 Todd Haley 34 Christian Lavette 35 Michael Flores 36 Jack Smith 37 Shrihan Allad 38 Rocky Burns 39 Gavin Retter 40 Garrison Muller 41 Austin Henninger 42 Ambrose Richmond 43 Collin Munn 44 Harrison Duncanson 45 Landen Miller 46 Said Alexander 47 Sam Nicholson 48 Finn Seifer 49 Mizell Richard 50 Tripp Percy 51 Rocco Tenebruso 52 William Lehman

MDJ Sports Writer

of the season and the first round of the playoffs. Brunner said that Walton has to make adjustments after being given a Week 10 bye again this season.

“We’re going to hopefully learn from some things that we did last year in preparation and hopefully do it better this time around,” Brunner said.

The program will have a mix of new talent and experienced players this season. Christion Peacock, a transfer from North Cobb, to compete for the starting quarterback position. The 6-foot, 172-pound

sophomore ran for 114 yards and recorded three rushing touchdowns last season. He also threw for 58 yards and one touchdown. Sophomore Pierson Degala, who has offers from Arkansas State, Bethune-Cookman and UNLV is also a contender for the starting quarterback title.

Walton is bringing in Levi Brown as its new offensive coordinator. He will be the team’s third offensive coordinator in three seasons. Brown is a former quarterback for the Buffalo Bills and previously served as See RAIDERS, Page 74

2025 Roster Pos. WR DB/ WR LB QB DB LB TE/DE RB/DB DB WR WR/DB DB/WR WR QB LB TE K TE/DE DB RB RB WR TE DL LB

Cl. 9 11 12 10 12 12 11 12 12 12 10 10 12 10 12 9 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 9

Pos. DB K DB/WR WR/DB RB/DB LB/TE LB/RB RB/LB DB LB LB/TE WR/DB DB/WR DB TE/DB DL/TE LB WR/DB RB DL LB/TE DL/TE OL OL/DL DL

Cl. 12 9 10 10 10 12 10 10 11 10 10 10 11 11 10 11 11 10 9 12 10 11 10 11 12

No. Name 53 Cooper Bowles 54 Brady Ball 55 Athiksh Padmanaban 56 Tyler Wilson 57 William Ruddell 58 Cole Rose 59 Keino Young 60 Courage Nwayor 61 Danny Eiser 62 Colton Henry 63 Patrick Tchou 64 Luke Blalock 65 Nicholas Thorner 66 Logan Smith 67 Dominick Camasta 68 Sam Moradi 69 David Rueda 70 Grant Wheeler 71 Ryan Zenner 72 Logan Reid 73 Gurubaaz Singh-Khehra 74 Matthew Ladner 75 Sam Besselink 76 Julez Gachugu 77 David Silva

Pos. OL LB DL OL/DL DL OL/DL OL/DL OL LB/LS OL OL OL/DL OL OL OL/DL OL OL OL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL LS OL OL OL

Cl. 12 11 10 11 12 11 12 10 10 9 10 11 12 10 10 12 12 11 10 10 10 12 12 10 11

No. Name 78 Rylan Baker 79 Troxler Nicholson 80 Christian Neves 81 Thomas Parker 82 Om Patel 83 Max Perlowin 84 Joaquin Koger 85 Taylor Hart 86 Devon Lavette 87 Wyatt Gorman 88 Chrystyan Beard 89 Jack Xu 90 Ethan Scott 91 Bryant Gunnels 92 Ivey Edwards 93 William White 94 Caelan Leslie 95 Batu Yucel 96 Gage Retter 97 Nolan Bassett 98 James Port 99 David Nunez Jack McKinney Chris Myint

Pos. OL OL/DL WR WR/DB WR TE/DL DL/TE LS WR K DL WR RB K/P K/P K K/P WR/DB TE/LB WR/DB OL OL/DL WR K

Cl. 11 10 12 10 12 11 12 12 11 10 10 11 11 12 10 12 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

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W A LT O N R A I D E R S 1590 Bill Murdock Rd, Marietta, GA 30062 • Raider Valley http://www.raidersfb.org

Norcross .............................. 14-41 ............L Wheeler .............................. 43-21 .......... W North Cobb ........................ 14-42 ............L Marietta..................................21-3 .......... W Cherokee ............................ 28-21 .......... W Etowah .................................. 42-7 .......... W North Paulding ................. 42-20 .......... W State Playoffs Valdosta ..............................27-35 ............L

Daniel Brunner ................. HC Bill Letton ... AHC/Co-OC/OL Josh Allen .............Co-DC/DB Alan Gordon.......Co-DC/OLB Levi Brown .................OC/QB Pat Kay ..........................TE/RB Kevin Horne .................ST/DL Juwan McKnight ...............RB Bret Cooper ......................WR Tristin Reaves ...................WR Vince Cary .......................... LB Morgan Burnett ................ DB Mikey Eiser ............. Off. Asst.

Tim Ewing ...........................DL Kyle Whitaker .....................DL Tim Rogers ....................... K/P Monty Bumper ...............Asst.

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI WR Dominick Blaylock (2015-18), ...........................................Georgia Tech DB Chuck Carswell (1983-96),............................Georgia, Miami Dolphins RB Justin Forte (2000-03),............................................................ Richmond OL Brandon Kublanow (2009-12), ................. Georgia, Baltimore Ravens DL Chase Thomas (2004-07),.................... Stanford, New Orleans Saints

PASSING Kaeden Gilstrap ........124/231....1925 yds ......19 TD..12 INT

TACKLES Noah Lavallee........124 SACKS Jake Thorner .........8 INTERCEPTIONS Alex Ward................2 Christian Ferrell.....2

From Page 73

served as the offensive coordinator at River Ridge and Valdosta State.

It will be without Alex and Christian Ward who transferred to IMG Academy, but Brunner said the changes that happened over the offseason are positive.

“We want the guys that want to

be here. I want to be a part of what we’re doing and I feel like we’re stronger because of the changes that occurred throughout the off season,” Brunner said. “ I hope that shows up when we get to the fall.”

Walton is also set to return more than 30 seniors with experience on both sides of the ball. On offense, Brunner is expecting 6-foot-2, 250 pound tackle Cooper Bowles to step

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STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

up as a vocal leader. Running back Noriega Thompson is also returning for his senior season after gaining significant playing time last season.

He had 566 rushing yards on 95 carries along with five touchdowns.

“There are some very talented players in that group, but that’s not what makes them special,” Brunner said. “It’s their chemistry, their ability to play for each other, desire

to work hard and give everything I can for the man next to me.”

Brunner said linebacker Noah Lavallee and cornerback MJ Burnett are projected to be leaders on defense. Lavallee is committed to Florida State and led Walton in total tackles with 124, one sack and two fumble recoveries last season.

Burnett had 47 total tackles and defended seven passes.

Wishing the Teams a Great Season!

T OF COB ES

2019

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ALL TIME RECORD 356-198-1

2025

PR

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46-18

2024: 7-4 2023: 14-1 2022: 10-3 2021: 9-4 2020: 6-6

RECEIVING Christian Ward .......46 rec ...768 yds ..... 10 TD

Coach: Daniel Brunner • 9th Season • Record: 73-27 • Career: 73-27

RAIDERS

RECORD

NE

Roswell................................32-42 ............L

FIVE YEAR

Lucas Farrington...147 car....836 yds.... 18 TD

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2024 LEADERS VARSITY COACHING STAFF RUSHING

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2024 RESULTS Brookwood......................... 30-21 .......... W

Instagram: @waltonraidersfootball

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Quiet Thorner a key to Raiders offensive line

By Devyn Hlavek MDJ Sports Writer

Walton offensive lineman Nick Thorner is quiet and unassuming, but he is arguably one of the most dependable players on the field.

The 6-foot-3, 250-pound senior will be new to his role as a leader and said he plans to lead the team by example.

“I wouldn’t say I’m the most vocal leader, but I go out and get the work done,” Thorner said.

He and his brother Jake Thorner, who graduated earlier this year, have both been in the program since kindergarten. Thorner said he looks up to Jake as a role model, but wants to set himself apart from his brother.

“I follow him, but also want to make my own name, too,” Thorner said. “He is a hard worker and I’d say I am a hard worker too.”

Thorner said something that makes him stand out is his success academically. He has a 4.0 grade point average, and he aims to balance his time between football and schoolwork.

Walton coach Daniel Brunner said Thorner does everything with little fanfare or recognition.

“He’s a pretty amazing human being. He’s a 4.0 student, great in the classroom and a phenomenal football player,” Brunner said. “He speaks softly but carries a big stick.

I think that’s how he goes about his life in the classroom and how he goes about his life on the football field.”

This will be Thorner’s third year as a starter for Walton and he has high expectations for the upcoming season.

“My expectations are pretty big. We have a good team,” Thorner said. “I want to make it far in the playoffs.”

He is a key part of the offensive line, playing guard and tackle.

Thorner said he models his game after Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell, and feels as though they have a similar playing style.

Thorner will line up next to Cooper Bowles and Sam Besselink, who are also returning to Walton’s offensive line for their senior seasons.

Brunner said Thorner is a part of a senior group that is committed and hungry to win.

“This senior group has gritty determination. If they work hard, trust the program and trust the process, then good things will show up,” Brunner said. “That’s really happening with a lot of these guys, and I am hoping it shows up in the fall.”

Thorner is still early in the recruiting process, and said he is still figuring out where he wants to go to college. He is yet to receive his first official offer, but has attended camps at Mercer and Elon in the offseason.

Special - Anthony Stalcup

Nick Thorner wants to leave a legacy within the Walton football program when his high school career comes to an end later this fall.

Special - File

Nick Thorner, left, will be one of the leaders on the offensive line.

KICKOFF 2025

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DOZEN From Page 9 Sam took the opportunity to interview all the players with a handful of questions, which allows us to get to know them and their personalities a little bit. In addition, you will get to see the highlights that have helped the players earn those star ratings.

There will be an individual story on each of the Dynamite Dozen and Super Six players available online at mdjonline.com or cherokeetribune.com once Kickoff ‘25 has been published.

Normally, we try to get a unique story to feature from each high school to pair with their team preview.

We made a few alterations to that rule this year. We had so many players who could have been included within this year’s Dynamite Dozen class, we took advantage of the school’s feature story to introduce the fans to those players who may have been included in most other years.

They include Hillgrove linebacker

CARDS

Chris Carbin and Kell tight end Nathan Agyemang, who are committed to Georgia Tech along with McEachern defensive lineman Darryl Rivers (Tennessee). All three are current three-star recruits.

The stories also include players who will soon earn a rating in Kennesaw Mountain quarterback Chris Miller, North Cobb running back Zach Belyeu, Sprayberry quarterback Jaden Duckett, Marietta defensive lineman and tight end Merrick Ham and a sir name which should be familiar to Georgia fans — Luckie.

Gino Luckie is a freshman quarterback for our newest GHSA football program at Mount Bethel Christian.

He is the latest talent to come out of the family that gave us Georgia defenders Mike, Miles and Dustin (Gino’s father) in the 90s, and current Bulldogs tight end Lawson Luckie.

It is an impressive amount of talent for one county, and it should give us one heck of a season.

From Page 44 be OK,’ if all three of them can stay healthy and keep moving in the right direction,” Cook said.

Herrin is the most experienced of the three, having played for Cook last year. He finished strong with four catches for 78 yards and a touchdown in the regular season finale against McEachern. He also had an interception and nearly came away with another .

With King and May getting adjusted to Osborne’s system this offseason, Herrin has been supportive.

“I just encourage them,” he said.

“Everybody makes mistakes. I make mistakes. I drop passes. It just happens. It’s part of the game.”

King joined the Cardinals last spring after taking time away last year, Cook said. Entering his second season as head coach of the program, he said he likes what he sees from the newcomer, describing King as an explosive player with his hands. He also complements both his speed and work ethic.

John Bednarowski is the sports editor of the Marietta Daily Journal. He can be reached at sportseditor@mdjonline.com or on X @cobbfballfri or @jbednarowski

15% r Hyd unt

GAME DAY

“When we got out here, it didn’t take long to figure out he was pretty fast,” he said. “He’s got good speed and has good hands. He can take it and go.”

May also has Cook’s attention.

Not having played football until he was 12, May is coming off a solid junior varsity season. While he may not be the fastest, quickest or the strongest player on the roster, Cook said May has a knack for being at the right place at the right time. May is also a player that does not seem to be afraid of taking a hit.

“I wasn’t good (at first),” May said. “I didn’t play as much and just got better. (Seeing) everybody else on the field, I’m like ‘That’s supposed to be me.’”

Cook said he is impressed with how May has progressed.

“As a JV player, you could tell that he was way ahead of some of the other kids his age in knowing how to play the game,” Cook said, “his understanding of things that are happening on the field and quickly adjusting to certain things he would see. He has good ball skills.

He catches the ball well.”

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WHEELER WILDCATS 2025 Schedule

8/15 at North Forsyth

8/22 at Harrison

8/29 North Atlanta

9/5 Kell

9/12 at Walton

9/19 Marietta

10/3 at Cherokee

10/10 at Etowah

10/17 North Paulding

10/31 North Cobb

Wildcats taking lessons learned into new season

By Adam Carrington MDJ Sports Correspondent

“What has been is no more and what shall be is now.”

That is Wheeler coach Bryan Love’s way of saying that the disappointing 2024 season is staying in the rear view. All the Wildcats can do now is move forward and focus on 2025.

It won’t be easy moving on without learning what went wrong a year ago, when the Wildcats finished the year with a 2-9 season that ended with a 48-20 first-round playoff loss to Colquitt County.

“Last year was definitely a learning year for us,” Love said.

“We had a large senior class. We

have high expectations. Then, we had some injury bugs in some key places. It kind of hurt us from that standpoint, but that is no excuse. We had a disappointing year, but we’re looking to bounce back.”

Arguably the biggest setback was quarterback Marcus Romain injuring his non-throwing arm in early October and not returning.

Not only did Wheeler miss Romain in the latter half of the 2024 campaign, but injuries also hit hard at the offensive line, linebacker and wide receiver positions.

So if worst comes to worst, and the injuries continue this season, Wheeler will be more prepared.

“What I learned personally as a

head football coach was that we don’t take anything for granted” Love said. “I’m putting more emphasis this year in getting our ‘Next Guy Up’ players ready to go. We’re putting a greater emphasis on developing these younger kids.”

One advantage of having an injury-ravaged season is that Wheeler has a slew of players who have experience playing at the varsity level. The Wildcats return seven offensive players and six on defense who received ample playing time last season.

Having received reps as a sophomore in place of Romain, junior quarterback Patrick McCollough is the new starting quarterback with senior Brock Adams also

getting snaps under center.

Senior running back Greg Kendrick is also stepping into the forefront after playing a backup role last season. He is filling the shoes of Josiah Allen, who is now at Cornell University.

“He’s going to be more of a complete back this year,” Love said of Kendrick. “He’s going to be more of a versatile guy for us that we will be able to move around in certain spots.”

While Adams will play quarterback at times, his primary role as Wheeler’s top receiver.

Sophomore Bolt Odutola is also expected to play along with senior tight end Bryce Carries.

Wheeler will also benefit from See WILDCATS, Page 78

2025 Roster No. Name 1 Greg Kendrick 2 Brock Adams 3 Landon Harper 4 Jajid Alleyne 5 Avery Jones 7 Braylon Ford 8 Dakari Moore 9 Bolt Odutola 10 Jerry Hatter 11 Matthew Morris 14 Oliver Jones 15 Patrick McCollough 16 Ryan Deal 17 Kaleb Hurt 18 Vincent Alavi

Pos. RB WR/DB DB/RB LB/TE LB DB DB DB/WR DB/WR WR K QB K RB/DB DB

Cl. 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 10 12 11 12 11 12 12 12

No. Name 19 Luke Flowers 20 Donovan Wilburn 21 Tyler Grant 22 Jemar Mitchell 23 Anthony Naylor 24 Jashawn Sanders 25 Malcolm Patrick 26 Javon Mangum 27 Semaj Wiles 28 Dante Fuchu 29 Najad Knight 30 Jaiden McCullough 31 Dino Perez 33 Luke Bartis 35 Chad Morley

Pos. WR DB DB LB LB LB WR RB RB/LB DB DB DB DB LB DB

Cl. 12 11 11 12 11 12 9 10 11 11 12 12 10 10 11

No. Name 36 Kalin Kennard 37 Santiago Leon 39 Zamarion Rogers 40 Bryce Carries 41 Michai Norris 43 Areghlen Stepherson 44 Chase Greenwood 45 Dion Miller 46 Hamza Basic 47 Devonte Little 49 Jonathan Hardy 50 Damion Parker 51 Jayden Randolph 52 Octavion Morton 53 Ranson Maddox

Pos. DB DL/TE DB/RB DL/TE WR WR DL RB K WR TE/OL LB OL OL/DL OL

Cl. 11 11 12 12 10 11 12 10 9 11 11 12 12 11 11

No. Name 54 Daron Harris 55 Donovan Smith 56 Khalil Bullock 57 Alexander Slaughter 58 Makio Sattiewhite 59 De’marioan Hurd 70 Kaleb Robinson 71 Khristain Williams 72 Massiah Franklin 75 Chinecherem Mbanude 76 Rodney Hester 79 Emmanuel Akinsanya 81 Kaydin Walker 84 Jayden Toney 85 JR. Pearse

Pos. OL OL/DL OL/DL OL DL/OL DL DL DL OL OL OL OL WR TE WR

Cl. 11 11 12 11 12 12 11 11 10 10 12 11 10 11 9

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W H E E L E R W I L D C AT S 375 Holt Road, Marietta, GA 30068 • Corky Kell stadium https://wheelerwildcatathletics.com X: @WHSFootball

2024 RESULTS North Forsyth.........................0-1. ....L (FF) Harrison ..............................34-35 ............L North Atlanta ........................9-10 ............L Kell ........................................ 13-31 ............L Walton ................................. 21-43 ............L Marietta................................24-17 .......... W Cherokee ............................28-27 .......... W Etowah ................................. 13-16 ............L North Paulding .................. 14-22 ............L North Cobb ........................ 14-49 ............L State Playoffs Colquitt County ................ 20-48 ............L

Instagram: @wheelerwildcatsfootball

2024 LEADERS VARSITY COACHING STAFF RUSHING Bryan Love ........................HC Terry Jones Jr ............OC/QB Christopher Beal .............. DC Rammon Spann .................OL Braxton Kelly...............ST/ LB Xavier Womack .........WR/RB Grant Alsbrook ..................OL Arth Holiday ......................WR Chance Jackson ............... DB Rodney Carlock .................RB Andra’ Cole ................. DOGS

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI DB Byron Capers (1989-92), ...............Florida State, Philadelphia Eagles DL Randy Edwards (1976-79), ....................... Alabama, Seattle Seahawks RB Ed Guthrie (1972-75), ................................................................... Georgia OL Robert Shaw (1972-75),............................Tennessee, Dallas Cowboys

FIVE YEAR

RECORD

Josiah Allen ............180 car ..1435 yds.... 12 TD PASSING Marcus Romain .......36/70 .....519 yds........2 TD ...2 INT RECEIVING Javon Broussard .................22 rec ..418 yds......4 TD TACKLES Elijah Muhummad .................95 SACKS Shamar Yarber........................8 INTERCEPTIONS Elijah Muhummad .................2 Emanuel Jones ......................2

18-34

2024: 2-9 2023: 7-4 2022: 5-6 2021: 1-9 2020: 3-6

ALL TIME RECORD 334-302-8 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (10) 2006, 1997, 1993, 1989, 1988, 1987, 1977, 1976, 1974, 1973

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

2019

WINNER

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Wishing the Teams a Great Season!

2025

PR

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Seniors Jajid Alleyne and Jemar Mitchell are back at linebacker after combining for 75 tackles last year. Seniors Landon Harper, Da’Kari Moore and Braylon Ford are counted on to lead the secondary.

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on the defensive line. They have a key returner in senior De’Marion Hurd after posting 47 tackles and three sacks. Sattiewhite and Carries are also linemen expected to rotate up front.

EN

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Jayden Randolph and Khalil Bullock and junior Makio Sattiewhite.

From Page 77 On defense, it will be hard for the Wildcats to replace Kobi having three experienced McInnis and Shamar Yarber, offensive linemen in seniors who combined for 14 sacks

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Coach: Bryan Love • 7th Season • Record: 23-40 • Career: 59-70

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

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Special - Anthony Stalcup

Brock Adams, JT Hatter, Greg Kendrick and Da’Kari Moore have speed to burn for the Wheeler offense.

Wheeler blessed with plenty of speed

By Adam Carrington MDJ Sports Writer

Having speed on the roster can go a long way in having a successful season.

Wheeler plans on taking advantage of that in 2025.

Four seniors, who are also members of the Wheeler track team, plan on taking on extra responsibility due to their quickness. Greg Kendrick, Brock Adams, Da’Kari Moore and Jerry Hatter are all up to the challenge and plan on using

the disappointment of last season as motivation.

The foursome recently returned from the New Balance Nationals in Philadelphia, where they competed in the 400-meter and 800meter relays.

Kendrick, Adams and Moore were on the 400-relay team that placed 42nd out of 94 teams in the preliminary round with a time of 42.42 seconds. Hatter was supposed to be the fourth runner on the team but aggravated his hamstring prior to the race and was replaced by

Ja’Von Broussard.

Kendrick was also on the 800relay team that finished 16th in the finals, clocking in at 1:27.41.

During the 2025 track campaign, Kendrick, Adams, Moore and Hatter helped guide the Wildcats to a third-place finish in the Region 5AAAAAA meet behind Marietta and Etowah.

Coach Bryan Love said having experienced track athletes on his football team should bode well toward having an improved season.

“Playing two sports keeps their

conditioning at a high level the entire time,” Love said. “They learn to compete on a daily basis. In track, they are competing against the clock. If they are on a relay team, they’re going to have to work together on the handoffs and timing. Those are the important keys.”

These four players are determined to put their disappointing 2024 campaign in the rear view.

“We know the mission,” said Kendrick, who is tabbed as the starting running back after backing up See SPEED, Page 80

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79

SPEED From Page 79 Josiah Allen last year. “We don’t want to go 2-9. Everybody knows the mission and what to achieve.”

Adams mentioned that the losses last season caused players to grow apart and do their own thing.

Now he is saying the chemistry has been great during the offseason with seven players returning on offense and six on defense. He also mentioned that the team is more disciplined.

Being a track athlete is going to help Adams take on multiple responsibilities as Wheeler’s go-to wide receiver and parttime quarterback. A major key to his success is avoiding injury.

“I just have to stay in shape,” Adams said. “I’m going to be everywhere on the field. I’m not going to get off the field too much. I have to make sure I’m going hard every play.”

Kendrick, who rushed for 430 yards on 49 carries and scored three touchdowns last season, is eager to have an expanded role as the main tailback, with

pass catching duties out of the backfield.

“You are going to see that level of hunger when he touches the football because he knows that this is his senior year,” Love said. “He had split time with Josiah (last year), and this is his time to shine.”

Moore and Hatter will have expanded roles on defense.

Love plans on using Moore’s speed in the secondary, where he will rotate at both safety and cornerback. Love said Moore is fast enough to play both man-on-man defense and blitz from the secondary.

Hatter is projected to start at linebacker this season after being a rotational player last year. He is also expected to get playing time at defensive end.

Love describes Hatter as a rangy player who has increased in both speed and agility from a year ago.

“We’re definitely excited about what he can do rushing the passer, but also what he can do in pass coverage as well,” Love said. “We’re looking this year to get more out of him.

He’s excited about the role he’s going to play.”

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BELYEU From Page 71 offseason, he said the theme has been watching film in order to improve his vision as a ballcarrier.

“I’d say (I’ve been) really working on my vision,” Belyeu said. “Working on how to get better at watching film, reading how my blocks will get me to the promised land as they would say.”

Belyeu’s early career success has earned him plenty of early attention from colleges.

He currently holds more than 30 offers, including potential in-state suitors; Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia State and Georgia Southern, as well as Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Memphis from his home state of Tennessee.

Even with the heaps of attention and scouts at every home game, Belyeu said it’s a privilege rather than added pressure to be in his position.

“No it isn’t pressure, I take it one-by-one,” Belyeu said.

“I just really look at it like I’m blessed by God, you know? A lot of kids want to be at my point in life, I just really thank (God) for what he’s done for me and I just embrace it all.”

With Belyeu’s strong work ethic and ability to rally his older teammates, it’s safe to say he’s earned the respect of his coaches and fellow Warriors.

“He’s a very mature young man, so he leads our football team even from a freshman standpoint,” coach Shane Queen said. “I remember one time last year in the playoffs, he brought our whole team up. And it was like, ‘Let’s get this, we got to go get it together.’

“He does a great job in the classroom, works his tail off on the football field, in the community and in the weight room.

He’s somebody that can be very vocal and people listen to him because he does all the right things.”

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Q&A

with Pebblebrook’s

Rodney Hackney

have been labeled on me over the years. I bring consistency, I think I’m going to bring some things that the kids need as far as being able to take things to the next level. I think the coaches before me have done a good job in keeping them right there, you know, able to get them to the first round (of the playoffs) and to stay in the mix. I think coach (Leroy) Hood was there for a couple of years. He did a great job of maintaining the program, and coach Woolridge did a good job after him and just kept the program at a steady pace of making it to the playoffs. I think my job is to come in and try to enhance that, get us to another level and maybe compete for region championships, those types of things. I’m excited about it, and I think I have an opportunity to do it.

Q: Last season you helped Tri-Cities to its first winning season in nine years, so how do you think you can do the same at Pebblebrook and elevate this program?

A: I think when you have a place like Tri-Cities that has been losing for so long, getting kids to buy into something is really difficult, but we were able to do that. We were able to get our kids to buy into our system and how we did things, and just doing things the right way all the time is one of the things I believe in, and that’s on the field and off the field. That’s kind of what I came in with — the process with Pebblebrook is just getting our kids to buy into the process of doing things the right way all the time, and that’s when coaches aren’t looking or aren’t around, just doing the right thing and making sure you hold to that mindset every day. I think it helps our kids become better-character kids, and that’s what we want to shoot for, changing the whole mindset and making sure that we’re doing the small things on and off the field, and then those things will carry on to wins later on the football field.

Q: What would you say you’re most proud of from your time at Tri-Cities?

A: Tri-Cities is a beast, man. I told people if you can win at Tri-Cities, you can win anywhere. So, we did, we were able to turn it around. We went 6-5 as well over there, made it to the first round of playoffs, and that says a lot for the things we did. The school hadn’t been to the playoffs in 12 years, so that’s a long time to go without being in the state playoffs. So, for me to get that, I was proud of myself for helping lead the team to that.

We had a couple of seniors that really bought in, and they just wanted to win, they wanted to go out as winners that year, and they really did that. It was exciting to coach over there, and it’s so challenging that you really forget how good people at Pebblebrook really have it, like some of the stuff that we have here, we didn’t have at Tri-Cities. That’s one of the things you look at, you take stuff for granted and move forward, but when you come to a place like this, you’re like, ‘Man, these guys are blessed, the stuff that they have.’ So, we’re really excited to be here.

Q: What would you say you’re most excited about in this new position?

Special - File

Rodney Hackney will take over Pebblebrook with the hopes of leading it to the top of Region 3AAAAAA.

By Owen McDaniel MDJ Sports Writer

A: It’s the administration. I’m really excited about what Dr. (Dana C.) Giles has done here so far and the foundation at Pebblebrook because the stuff that we’re basically reaping is stuff that they’ve been under construction for three or four years. And then just her leadership all together, like we’re having an athletic luncheon for all the kids that have been practicing over summer. So, she’s doing that. I haven’t had that at other places. She took my staff out to eat, and we all went out to dinner when I first got hired, and she got a chance to get to meet the whole staff. That’s stuff that doesn’t usually happen with your principal, but she’s definitely making it a family atmosphere, and that right there for me is excitement.

Q: Why did you choose Pebblebrook?

Q: Pebblebrook is coming off of a 6-5 season and first-round exit last year and lost its top receiver, top tackler and top pass rusher, so where is your confidence level overall with the team right now?

A: Pebblebrook is a great opportunity for me to showcase the things that I’ve been harboring for the last 20 some, 30 years as a head football coach. It gave me a chance to definitely show what I think Pebblebrook has to offer the community and the Georgia High School Association, and then me as a coach, just to come in and be able to highlight those things that I think are running well at the program already, so it was a win-win for me.

A: For right now, I’m satisfied. The guys that are coming back are working hard, efficient, strong. I’m definitely going in with the mentality I had back at Riverdale, which is ‘don’t flinch.’ That’s the mentality I’m coming in with — I’m not going to flinch. I’m not going to go in and start worrying who’s left and who’s not there anymore. I’m going to go over to the kids that are there that do want to be at Pebblebrook. I’m going to focus on those guys, and we’re not going to flinch in the process.

Q: What do you think you bring to this team?

A: I’m a consistent winner and I’m also a program builder. Those are two things that

Answers have been edited for space and clarity.

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REGION 5AAAAA

Mustangs improving, Rome still favorite

By Kai Millette

PREDICTED FINISH

MDJ Sports Writer

Region 5AAAAA’s contenders will have to produce new star power this season.

Kennesaw Mountain’s win over Lithia Springs saved it from last place finish in the region last season.

The Mustangs have a real young talent in Chris “Smooth” Miller who held things down in the pocket as a freshman, throwing for 1,347 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.

Nicholas Rankine is expected to get his opportunity as the primary ball-carrier this season following the graduation of leading rusher Jeremiah Tatum.

Rome ran the table last season, finishing with a 7-0 record in region play after dropping two of its nonregion games. The Wolves return expected starting quarterback Braxton Anderson for his senior season, but will have to find a way to replace the production of their three leading rushers in Chance Arthur, Javarius McDearmont and Jaedon Harmon.

East Paulding fell a 27-7 loss to Rome short of an undefeated regular season in 2024, defeating every other opponent with the exception of South Paulding by two or more possessions. Chantz Bouknight’s graduation opens the door for sophomore and expected starter Bode Spence to take over at quarterback after seeing action in eight games while throwing seven touchdowns and over 500 yards along the way.

New Manchester had one of the more impressive turnarounds in the state last season, improving

1. Rome 2. East Paulding 3. Villa Rica 4. New Manchester 5. Kennesaw Mtn. 6. Alexander 7. South Paulding 8. Lithia Springs from 4-6 to 8-3 and cracking the postseason for the first time since 2020. The Jaguars will have to fill the shoes for quarterback Delancy Alexander who transferred to Chapel Hill after a stellar junior season.

The only returning quarterback to see action last season on the roster is Lucius Robinson III, who played sparingly in 2024. The loss of leading receiver George Sabb means senior Jakobe DeJesus could be poised for a big year in the WR1 slot.

Villa Rica’s 4-3 record in region play was enough to claim the final playoff spot in the region last year, but dropping four of its final five contests did not do an impressive start justice. Running back Cameron Bolton is expected to be the X-factor this season after torching opposing defenses for 1,053 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024. Junior wideout Myles George showed significant promise last season, leading

Special - File

Chris Miller will try to lead Kennesaw Mountain to the postseason this year. the team with 533 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

Alexander had bright spots last season, such as expected starting quarterback Chance Collins who completed 61% of his passes to go along with 13 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Junior running back and expected primary ball carrier Josh Smith posted a team-high 633 yards in his sophomore campaign to impress as well. The Cougars climbing the ladder this year will likely hinge on the continued development of its promising offensive core and vast improvements on a defense which surrendered 32.1 points per game last season.

South Paulding ended the season with a 3-7 record, narrowly defeating Kennesaw Mountain and

Alexander to escape the bottom two in the standings.

The Spartans attempted just 142 passes last season, the majority of which came off the arm of expected returning starter Kade Wigginton who threw for 900 yards and 11.

They graduated running back Albert McCoy, who made up almost all of the team’s rushing production last season with 1,486 yards and 12 touchdowns, leaving Jaleel Shakir as the only returning running back with a carry.

Lithia Springs lost its starting quarterback and leading receiver to graduation. It will have to find quick solutions for a defense which held opponents under 30 points just twice last season in order to find something that sticks in 2025.

Over 50 years of Care and Compassion Good Luck Kennesaw Mountain High School!

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2980 Lewis Street • Kennesaw, GA 30144 • 770-422-1554 • www.bhesterdmd.com 84

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KENNESAW MOUNTAIN MUSTANGS 2025 Schedule

8/15 Harrison

8/29 at Sprayberry

9/5 at Johns Creek

9/12 New Manchester

9/19 at Lithia Springs

10/3 Alexander

10/10 at South Paulding

10/17 at East Paulding

10/24 Villa Rica

10/31 at Rome

Mustangs focus on winning attitude for 2025 season

By Trey Perry MDJ Sports Writer

Kennesaw Mountain is beginning the 2025 football season with the goal of trying to improve.

This year’s team will be younger, but coach Caleb Carmean said the players gained a lot of experience last season.

With that, it hopes to better last year’s 2-8 mark this season.

“I think every day it’s about creating competition. You know, for us, we have a 1-and-0 mindset in everything that we do,” Carmean said. “Finding ways to generate competition in the

mundane in practices, the offseason, and the summer it really helps grow a team together. They learn how to compete together, how to battle adversity together, while also growing that inner competitor.”

Returning starting quarterback Chris Miller, who started as a freshman last season, threw for 1,347 yards with 12 touchdowns.

“I’ve said this forever. I coach the quarterbacks and I think the growth of a quarterback, the largest growth, comes between Year 1 and Year 2,” said Carmean, a former Mustangs quarterback in his own right. “Seeing

his offseason, he’s one of the hardest-working players and definitely one of the hardestworking quarterbacks I’ve ever seen. He puts in a lot of time, a lot of effort into being a great quarterback, but also a great leader. I’m excited to see him continue to develop.”

Along with Miller on the offensive side, taking a new position at tight end is Trevor Williams. Carmean said Williams, at 6-foot4, 235-pounds, could be a key player this season as he has the size to create mismatches against smaller defensive backs and slower linebackers. Williams will team with returning receivers

Carson Law, who caught 11 passes for 162 yards last season, and Ashtyn Thomas, who had 14 receptions for 107 yards and six touchdowns.

On the defensive side, leading the front seven is Dylan Green Jr., who had 34 tackles, including 26 solo stops and one sack last season, with Kamari Butler returning at linebacker after posting seven tackles and adding two sacks.

Carmean said the goal this offseason was to foster teamwork and internal competition with such a young squad.

“I think the hardest challenge See MUSTANGS, Page 86

2025 Roster No. Name 0 Kamari Butler 1 Chris Miller 2 Dylan Green 3 Jaydin Kimble 4 Trevor Williams Jr. 5 Ashtyn Thomas 6 LeMarri Robertson 7 Hollis Williams 8 Robert McDaniel 9 Anthony McCoy 10 Cole Stark 11 Gavin Hodges 12 Carson Lew 13 Tyron Wilson 14 Jaiden Jackson 15 Luke Wall 16 Aaron McDaniels 17 Josh Pickett 18 Drayson Knox 19 Tyler Wilson

Pos. TE/LB QB/DB WR/DB WR/DB TE/DL WR/DB RB/DB WR/DB LS/DB RB/DB WR/LB RB/DB TE/LS WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB RB/LB QB/DB TE/LB QB/DB

Cl. 10 10 12 11 12 11 12 10 11 12 10 12 11 11 11 11 11 10 11 10

No. Name 20 Nate Shipman 21 Eric Darden 22 Jayden Johnson 23 Ammar Karim 24 Isiah Boyce 25 Ronald Johnson 26 TJ Anderson 27 TJ McGilmer 28 Bryce Beris 29 Omarion Butler 30 Ashton Arnold 31 Marquise Davidson 32 Jack Clemens 33 Joziah Smalls 34 Carter Griffin 35 Luke Thompson 37 Chase Brown 38 Carter Salvadon 39 Zion Matthews 41 Daniel Duprea

Pos. WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB TE/LB WR/LB WR/DB RB/LB RB/LB RB/DB WR/DB RB/LB RB/LB TE/LB WR/DB RB/LB QB/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB RB/DB

Cl. 11 12 11 11 12 11 10 11 10 11 12 10 11 10 9 9 9 9 10 10

No. Name 43 Matt Olivarez 44 Sam Richardson 45 Joey Barrett 46 Bradley Kawi 47 Lorenzo Parker 48 Jaden Spilker 49 Jonas Herring 50 Subhan Rana 52 Eric Simpson 53 Alex Jenkins 54 Christian Bolden 55 Sloan Travis 56 Simon Berhe 57 Alonso Olivarez 60 Hayden Toth 61 Demaris Whipple 63 Andrew Ross 64 Bryson Adamson 65 Brandon Cowan 66 Daniel Dezelle

Pos. TE/LB RB/LB K/P TE/LB RB/DB WR/DB WR/DB TE/LB OL/DL OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL

Cl. 11 12 11 10 9 10 9 9 11 9 10 10 10 11 9 12 11 12 9 10

No. Name 68 Preston Sheridan 72 Jacob Castillo 73 Tommy Matuzek 74 Justin Ruiz 75 Hanley Baltzell 77 Jordan Parks 80 Dominic Simmonds 81 Antoine Daniels 82 Nathaniel Walker 83 Matthew Ryan 84 Derrick Gavin 85 Ethan Peterman 86 Elijah King 87 Aden Breckemeir 88 Alex Gabriel 89 Logan Eubanks 91 Keenan Yates

Pos. OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/LB WR/DB TE/LB WR/DB WR/DB

Cl. 10 9 9 11 12 10 12 10 9 10 12 10 12 9 9 9 9

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KENNESAW MOUNTAIN MUSTANGS 1898 Kennesaw-Due West Rd NW, Kennesaw, GA 30152 • Cobb EMC/Mustang Stadium https://www.kmhsfootball.com/ X: @KMHS_FootballGa

2024 RESULTS Harrison .............................. 21-35 ............L Sprayberry............................3-38 ............L Johns Creek .......................27-24 .......... W New Manchester ................ 14-21 ............L Lithia Springs .......................32-8 .......... W Alexander ............................13-27 ............L South Paulding ................... 15-21 ............L East Paulding .......................0-45 ............L Villa Rica ............................. 18-45 ............L Rome .....................................3-50 ............L

Instagram: @kennesaw_mtn_football

Facebook: @KMHS Mustang Football

2024 LEADERS VARSITY COACHING STAFF RUSHING Caleb Carmean........................ HC Johnathan Henslee..........DC/LB Anthony Washington...............ST Adam Wilson .............................OL Brian Young ...............................DL Chris Walker................................LB Jared Parker .............................WR David Reason ........................... QB Dennis Stanley..........................RB Jarvis West ....................................S Blade Clonts .............................WR Darius Lucas ..............................CB Russ Hiett ............................K/P/LS

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI RB Keyon Brooks (2015-18), ..................................................Louisiana Tech OL Jeremy Ciulla (2004-07), ...........................................................Michigan OL Jay Finch (2005-08), ...........................................................Georgia Tech OL Connor Lew (2019-22), ................................................................. Auburn TE Ryland Goede (2015-18) .....Georgia, Mississippi State, Georgia Tech

FIVE YEAR

Jeremiah Tatum ....157 car .....771 yds ... 3 TD

RECORD 24-28

PASSING Chris Miller ...............106/222 ....1347 ..........12 TD..6 INT RECEIVING Kobe Lewis .............36 rec.......654 yds.. 7 TD TACKLES Christian Winston .....................65 SACKS Tyler Worley ...........3 INTERCEPTIONS Aden Hatchett .......2

Coach: Caleb Carmean • 8th Season • Record: 28-44 • Career: 28-44

2024: 2-8 2023: 1-9 2022: 7-3 2021: 10-2 2020: 4-6

ALL TIME RECORD 89-155 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 2021

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

with all the distractions is we’re going to get better each everything that we get, nothMUSTANGS intrying to find a way to elimi- day and forget about every- ing is entitled here. And the

From Page 85

we face in the world we live

86

KICKOFF 2025

nate those distractions while body else but us. second layer of that is what we we’re here and focus on the “For us this year it’s been call FEBU: Forget Everybody team,” Carmean said. “How twofold. It’s about earning But Us. That helps us eliminate

Special - Anthony Stalcup

Chris “Smooth” Miller hopes he’s the guy to lead Kennesaw Mountain back to the playoffs.

Mustangs hope Miller is ‘Smooth’ operator

By Trey Perry MDJ Sports Writer

Chris Miller is just starting his sophomore year at Kennesaw Mountain, but his impact is already being felt within the program.

“At 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, he already has the size, the arm and the ability to lead even at his age,” coach Caleb Carmen said. “There’s a reason they call him ‘Smooth.”

Miller has been known by his

nickname since his early football days.

“Everyone calls me ‘Smooth,’” Miller said with a smile. “That started back in third grade when I was playing receiver. I caught a pass, and I guess it looked smooth to the coaches. It just stuck ever since.”

As a leader, Miller is preparing to take a big step forward for a Mustangs team that believes he has elite potential. He said his adjustment to

high school football came quickly, thanks to the coaches and teammates around him.

“Being a freshman quarterback isn’t easy, but the team really helped me,” Miller said. “The brotherhood here is strong. They accepted me from Day 1 and pushed me to grow.”

Handling the pressure that comes with the position has been a challenge at times, but Miller said he embraces it.

“I try not to let it get to me,” he

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said. “I prepare during the week, meet with my coach, go over the plan, and just stay focused. When Friday night comes, I’ve already seen it all in my head.”

That level of preparation didn’t stop when the season ended. It became a focus of his offseason work.

“Miller put a lot of work into strengthening his leadership during the offseason,” Carmean said. “He’s See MILLER, Page 88

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87

Indians, Raiders face off in Classic

By John Bednarowski sportseditor@mdjonline.com

The usual teams — McEachern, Walton and Kell — will again represent Cobb County as part of the Corky Kell-Dave Hunter Classic, but there will be one fewer game to keep an eye on.

McEachern and Walton will face off against one another in the 4 p.m. game on Saturday, Aug. 16 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

It will be the third time the teams have met in the Classic, and the first time since Walton won 21-7 in 2003. McEachern won 29-13 the previous year. Both of those games were played at the Georgia Dome.

“I think its exciting,” Walton coach Daniel Brunner said. “We don’t get to face them very often.

It will be a good matchup for Cobb County football.”

Overall, it will be the 10th meeting between the programs, with Walton leading the series 6-3.

The most recent matchup was a

MILLER From Page 87 proven himself as a regular in gym mobility workouts to help with movement in and out of the pocket and band-resisted footwork drills.”

That effort showed up in every part of his growth.

“Definitely my movement and leadership,” Miller said. “Taking over the weight room, along with

49-9 victory for the Raiders in the opening round of the 2020 state playoffs.

McEachern, as one of the founding schools of the Classic with Brookwood, have played every year since the annual event began in 1992.

Kell will once again host the first regular-season football games of the year in Georgia.

The Longhorns will host South Paulding on Wednesday, Aug. 13, with kickoff set for 8 p.m. It will be only the second matchup between the teams, with the first coming in a 55-21 Kell victory in 2011.

That game will follow a 4:30 p.m. game between Class A-AAA state runner-up Prince Avenue Christian and Callaway.

This year’s Corky Kell-Dave Hunter Classic will include a total of 11 games between four days and five locations — Kell, West Forsyth, Buck Godfrey Stadium in DeKalb County, Barron Stadium in Rome and MercedesBenz Stadium.

footwork drills, and keeping the team connected. That’s been a big thing for me.”

Last season, Miller threw for 1,347 yards and 12 touchdowns, while also adding six scores on the ground. Carmean said his ability to stretch the field helped him average 12.7 yards per completion and finish with a 73.9 quarterback rating.

Miller has the poise and confidence of a much older player. His awareness and ability to lead the

Friday, Aug. 15 At Buck Godfrey Stadium, Decatur 2 p.m. — Therrell vs.

Wednesday, Aug. 13 Cedar Grove At Kell At Barron Stadium, Rome 4:30 p.m. — Prince Avenue 5 p.m. — LaGrange vs. Cass Christian vs. Callaway 8 p.m. — So. Paulding vs. Kell 8 p.m. — Creekside vs. Rome Saturday, Aug. 16 At Mercedes-Benz Stadium Thursday, Aug. 14 10 a.m. — St. Pius X vs.

At West Forsyth 4:30 p.m. — Hebron Christian Dunwoody 1 p.m. — Brookwood vs. vs. North Atlanta 8 p.m. — Douglass vs. Houston County 4 p.m. — McEachern vs. Walton West Forsyth 7 p.m. — Douglas County vs.

North Gwinnett 2025 Corky Kell-Dave Hunter Classic Schedule

offense haven’t gone unnoticed.

“He’s learning how to command the huddle, not just play quarterback,” Carmean said. “He’s vocal, but more than that, he’s consistent.

Guys follow that.”

Recruiting interest is starting to pick up. Miller holds offers from Auburn, Duke, Pitt, Georgia State and Indiana, and has already visited Georgia, Georgia Tech, Alabama and Mississippi State, though he’s not rushing any decisions.

“I’m just taking it one step at a time,” Miller said. “It’s a blessing to be in the conversation, but I know there’s a lot of work left to do.”

As his sophomore season approaches, Miller knows expectations both internal and external are beginning to grow.

“We’ve got the talent, we’ve got the culture,” Miller said. “Now it’s time to win. That’s the focus, bringing it all together and doing something big this year.”

, MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! VOTE ALL SEASON LONG TO HELP PICK THE LOCAL PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK!

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Chasing History Special - Anthony Stalcup

Sequoyah’s James Teter will soon become the winningest coach in Sequoyah program history.

Teter on cusp of new Sequoyah standard

By Griffin Callaghan

gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

Sequoyah coach James Teter is chasing history this season.

Teter, heading into his 17th year with the Chiefs, is one win away from tying his predecessor, Sid Maxwell, for 97 wins. It will make him the winningest coach in Cherokee County history, while putting him at the doorstep of the illustrious 100win mark with a single program.

“It just says a lot about what we’ve done here in 16 years,” Teter said.

“We’ve had some really good players and some great coaches come through here, so it says a lot about

them, and I think more so than me getting 100, it says what we’ve done since we’ve been here, what this program’s come to.”

Teter is just the third coach in Sequoyah history behind Maxwell and Ronnie Jackson. Maxwell finished his Sequoyah career with a 97-67 record, and he crossed the 100-win mark the following season after departing for Lambert, while Jackson went 17-23 over four seasons.

Overall, Teter has 137 wins since coming to the state of Georgia, and he’s 196-147 across all three stops as a head coach. He’ll more than likely cross the 200-career-wins

threshold in 2025 as well.

He’s well aware of where he stands, historically.

“I think you are always aware of what’s going on, and Sid did a great job here,” he said. “So, to be able to be in the same area he was in, and almost in the same amount of years, it means a lot.”

Teter could break Maxwell’s record the year after the former Sequoyah, Lambert and Dawson County coach announced his retirement with a career record of 197128. Maxwell was in attendance as the Chiefs took down Gainesville in the 2024 playoffs, earning Teter his 95th win at the school.

“He’s done a great job with Sequoyah since he took over for me,” Maxwell said. “It couldn’t happen to a better man… When you’re coaching, in one place for a long time, you can’t do that without success, so his longevity speaks for who he is and what he’s brought to that program.”

Behind Teter and Maxwell, Cherokee coaches Brian Dameron and Josh Shaw have the next-most wins in the county at 58 and 55, respectively.

River Ridge’s Mike Collins (38) and Creekview’s Trevor Williams (37) are the active leaders behind those two in Cherokee County.

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Teter From Page 89

Special - File

Top: Sequoyah coach James Teter needs two more wins to pass Sid Maxwell as the all-time winningest coach in Chiefs program history. Above: Teter has a calm conversation with the referees about a call in Sequoyah’s playoff game last year against Coffee.

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With two quarterfinal runs and nine postseason appearances in 16 years, Teter has become a household name in Canton.

Longevity, though, is something he’s especially proud of. It’s the theme of his career, going back to Clay County in Florida, where he spent nine years. Teter then spent seven years at Dunwoody, taking that program from irrelevant to a playoff contender, before his longest stop in Canton.

“The most I had been at a school at that time was nine years, and usually, in high school football right now, you don’t see a lot of longevity and coaches staying places,” Teter said. “Every administrator I’ve had has been really good, and they work really well with us, so it’s just been very comfortable for us and our family.”

He gave credit to a talented staff for assisting his success at Sequoyah, in particular, led by current defensive coordinator Brent Budde, who coached Woodstock from 2010-20, and longtime assistant Greg Key. Teter has won everywhere he’s gone, between Clay County, Dunwoody and now Sequoyah. He won a region championship in 2008 with the Wildcats, alongside a career-best 12-1 record, an undefeated regular season and a perfect 6-0 region mark. Since taking over the Chiefs, he has two 10-plus-win seasons, and he has finished below .500 in region play just twice.

In 16 years, Teter averaged six wins per year. That type of sustained success catches eyes around Cherokee County, including those of new Etowah head coach Brett Vavra, who spent the last eight years at Sprayberry.

Teter and Vavra squared off four times since 2017, with Sequoyah winning three of four.

“Coach Teter is a phenomenal football coach,” Vavra said. “I’ve coached against him for many, many years, probably more than half of my career, whether I was an assistant or a head coach. He just does a really, really good job and not only just coaching and the fundamentals, but their scheme is really, really good.

It makes it difficult, all of that coupled with the way he develops players in the weight room, on the field and as people.”

The Eagles’ newest coach sees the Chiefs as a model program.

“That’s where we are trying to take this program,” he said. “That’s my goal, so I have a lot of respect for Coach Teter and the job that he’s done there.”

Looking back to the start of Teter’s

career, his high school coach, Mike Hickman, played an integral role. Teter played for Hickman in West Virginia and then worked his first coaching jobs alongside him in Tallahassee, Florida.

They worked together for three years, and they remain in contact to this day.

“It’s the same thing everybody else would tell you that gets into this business,” Teter said. “They had a coach in their life that kind of set them down the path… It’s the relationships you build, and then you have the opportunity to do the same thing with the kids you’re coaching.”

Of Teter’s 16 seasons at Sequoyah, a few stand out, including the 2018 Class AAAAAA state quarterfinals run. The Chiefs went 10-3 and beat Alpharetta and Creekside in the playoffs as the games were decided by four points and one point, respectively.

All-state players Cole Jacobs and Adam LaSelva led an experienced team that lost just two regular-season games. However, that group coincided with Creekview’s lone region championship season, where the Grizzlies went 12-1 in Adam Carter’s one year and also made the quarterfinals.

Despite all his coaching success and accolades, Teter said his players are the reason he does it. During Teter’s last trip to St. Augustine, he had dinner with three former players from 30 years ago, and they had their own families.

It’s those moments that validate him, but it goes both ways. Teter is a strong figure in his players’ lives, and he’s left a lasting impression.

“Coach Teter has meant a lot to me during my years at Sequoyah,” senior running back Will Rajecki said. “Starting my freshman year, he pulled me up to varsity. It really showed me he believed in me and thought I could be something special. Since my freshman year, we’ve been undefeated in the county. He and our coaching staff have proven they know how to get the best out of our players to build a winning program. Not only have they built a winning program, our coaches have invested in our lives as young men.”

As Teter gears up for 2025, he has a chance to build on his legacy, beyond just the milestone wins. Sequoyah returns most of its difference-makers on offense, and the defense should improve as its experience grows.

Still, in Year 17, Teter has no plans of stopping.

“I don’t know, everybody keeps asking me that, how much longer I want to go,” Teter said. “I’m going to go until they run me out of here… But I like what I’m doing, I like being around the kids, I like being around the coaches, and as long as they’ll have me, I want to stay.”

Cherokee Super Six Sequoyah’s 3-stars lead county’s best

By Griffin Callaghan

gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

The decisions were rather easy for this year’s Cherokee Super Six, headlined by the Sequoyah duo of running back Will Rajecki and offensive lineman Alex Brewer.

Rajecki, rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports, had 25 Division I offers at the time of his commitment to Memphis. He broke out as a junior with 1,541 yards and 21 touchdowns during the Chiefs’ run to the Class AAAAA quarterfinals.

His teammate and fellow threestar, Brewer, is an imposing presence along the Sequoyah offensive front, standing at 6-foot-4, 300-pounds. He committed to Colorado State in April.

Rajecki and Brewer made it a

trio of three-star commits from Sequoyah in the last three years, joining former Super Six member Jackson Hancock, who signed with Missouri in 2023.

The clear difference with this year’s Super Six class is the lack of any quarterback presence.

After back-to-back years with signal callers, running backs are the dominant position in 2025 between Rajecki, Cherokee’s Jalion Trowers and Creekview’s Mason Munn, with Woodstock linebacker Trace Washington also expected to receive some handoffs this season.

As of press time, Washington did not have a star rating, though that is likely to change as he moves through his junior season. The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder has offers from South Florida and Miami (OH), with interest

coming from Alabama.

Washington registered 58 tackles, nine passes defended and six tackles for loss in 2024.

Munn has been a constant in the Creekview backfield, running for 1,339 career yards and 10 touchdowns as now a fourthyear starter. The 5-10, 190-pound running back notched 652 yards and five touchdowns on 5.6 yards per attempt.

Trowers, a lesser-known commodity in Cherokee County, will become a featured runner in the Warriors’ young offense. He’s tall for a running back at 6 feet and 205 pounds, but is a physical player who will also play linebacker on the defensive side.

River Ridge’s Wyatt McCarty rounds out this year’s Super Six, a speedy linebacker who’s the top returning tackler in Cherokee

County, coming off a season where he tallied 100 total tackles and 12 for a loss.

All six players will likely move on to college football, joining a talented group of recent Super Six alumni and current NCAA athletes AJ Swann (Appalachian State), Andrew Rosinski (Georgia Tech), Tate Nelms (Georgia) and Grant Hollier (Georgia State), among others.

This year is the fourth time we have included a short video of each Super Six and MDJ Dynamite Dozen, so check out the QR codes on each athlete’s page to watch their highlights and learn a little more about them.

Griffin Callaghan is the sports editor of the Cherokee Tribune & Ledger News. He can be reached at gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @griffcallaghan.

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For highlights and more information on Alexander

Alexander Brewer Sequoyah

6-foot-4, 310-pounds Offensive Lineman Senior 3-Star National Rating: 1,245 State: 104 Position: 133 92

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Committed To:

Colorado State

For highlights and more information on Wyatt

Wyatt McCarty River Ridge

5-foot-10, 190-pounds Linebacker Senior

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For highlights and more information on Mason

Mason Munn Creekview

5-foot-10, 185-pounds Running Back, Linebacker Senior

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College Offers: Sewanee Reinhardt

For highlights and more information on Will

Will Rajecki Sequoyah

6-foot, 200-pounds Running Back Senior 3-Star National Rating: 1,380 State: 83 Position: 146

Committed To:

Memphis KICKOFF 2025

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For highlights and more information on Jalion

Jalion Trowers Cherokee

6-foot, 204-pounds Running Back, Linebacker Senior

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College Offers: Sewanee

For highlights and more information on Trace

Trace Washington Woodstock

6-foot, 204-pounds Running Back, Linebacker Junior

College Offers:

Kennesaw State, Georgia State, Miami (Ohio), South Florida

KICKOFF 2025

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REGION 6AAAAA

Chiefs, Yellow Jackets vie for supremacy

By Griffin Callaghan

gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

There are two clear frontrunners in Region 6AAAAA — Sprayberry and Sequoyah. However, they are not the only contenders in the eightteam group.

Fresh off their run to the Class AAAAA quarterfinals, the Chiefs eye their first region championship since 2003. However, as the reigning champs, Sprayberry will not lie down despite the head coaching change.

“I think it’ll be like last year, where it will be a fight for those four spots,” Sequoyah coach James Teter said.

“Hopefully, we get things figured out by the time we get to region play and we’re in the middle of that fight, or pushing for the top. I think our region is always very competitive and probably a lot better than what most people think.”

Still, nothing is guaranteed in a region where one or two games could be the difference between making or missing the playoffs. Woodstock, with a 4-3 region record, narrowly clinched the 4-seed ahead of Creekview and Pope, which both finished 3-4 in region play a year ago.

Even the region champion wasn’t Special - File safe. Sprayberry’s only regular-season loss was delivered by the Grey- Sprayberry will try to win consecutive region championships this year for the first time in program history. hounds in the first week of region Lassiter continuing their rebuild- senior Mitch Seaman to run the play. The Yellow Jackets and Chiefs ing efforts. The Knights and Wol- show. remain the favorites, though, headverines occupied those spots in The Knights have been a postseaing into 2025.

2024, with Woodstock returning son fixture in recent history with “You gotta feel like Sequoyah is to the postseason for the first time three straight appearances and four going to be one of the favorites with since 2017. in the last five years. Both River all the players they have coming “I think we’re probably in one of Ridge and Creekview will lean on back, coming off of the incredible the most underrated regions in the the run between backs Camden Cox run that they had last year,” River state,” Creekview coach Trevor Wil- and Mason Munn, respectively, as Ridge coach Mike Collins said. “And liams said. “You talk about Spray- they fight for playoff contention. then you would think with Sprayberry, Sequoyah, River Ridge, Woodstock, on the other hand, berry, it’s kind of the same. They Woodstock and Pope, and then will contend with the talented region got a lot of players back.”

Lassiter and Riverwood are getting to re-establish itself as a consisBoth Sequoyah and Sprayberry better. I mean, all those guys can tent winner. return key offensive pieces, led by beat you on any given Friday night.

“You just want to try to get betChiefs running back Will Rajecki, We saw it last year. You have some ter every year, though it’s a really who’s coming off a 1,541-yard, teams that were heavily favored hard region,” Woodstock coach 21-touchdown junior season. The lose games, and then teams that Dan Devine said. ‘It’s tough comregion’s reigning Offensive Player were big underdogs win games.” petition, but that’s what we like. It’s of the Year, Jaden Duckett, returns Behind them, Creekview, Pope, River Ridge, Creekview and Pope important. You’re going to have to to quarterback the Yellow Jackets’ offense, while Alabama commit River Ridge and Woodstock should will all deploy new quarterbacks, win games that you were not picked Jorden Edmonds headlines the be fighting for the final two play- while Lassiter, which hasn’t made to win last year. But it’s fun, and defense, and also stars at receiver. off spots, with Riverwood and the playoffs since 2016, retained we’re looking forward to it.”

PREDICTED FINISH 1. Sprayberry 2. Sequoyah 3. Woodstock 4. River Ridge 5. Creekview 6. Pope 7. Lassiter 8. Riverwood

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CREEKVIEW GRIZZLIES 2025 Schedule

8/15 at Calhoun

8/22 at North Forsyth

8/29 Cambridge

9/5 at Lassiter

9/12 Riverwood

9/19 at Woodstock

10/3 Sprayberry

10/10 Pope

10/24 at River Ridge

10/31 Sequoyah

New-look Grizzlies ready to roar into new season

By Griffin Callaghan

Growth and development are the names of the game for Creekview.

The Grizzlies, who finished 5-5 last year and narrowly missed the Class AAAAA playoffs, bring a mixture of battle-tested veterans and unproven talent into the 2025 season.

Turnover on the roster and within the coaching staff, including the departure of standout quarterback Austin Guest, has tested Creekview but seventh-year coach Trevor Williams is optimistic as he fits the puzzle pieces together.

“It’s been a big offseason for us,” Williams said. “We graduated a ton of guys from last year’s team — a ton of production on both sides of the ball — so it’s been really important for our guys to get into the weight room. Our guys have done a phenomenal job of growing into those roles, and they’ve done a nice job for us so far.”

In Guest and Jackson Stanley, Creekview graduated its top passer, rusher and receiver from 2024.

Stanley broke the school’s all-time career receiving record last year following an 820-yard, nine-touchdown senior season.

One primary holdover on the

No. Name 0 Austin Penrod 1 JD Russell 2 Hayden Hansen 3 Alex Penrod 4 Jasper Gilliam 5 Aiden Trujillo 6 Derek Mizysak 7 Jackson Shirley 8 Robert Van Alstyne 9 Zach Reis 10 Jaxon Stephens 11 Chris Theroux 12 Landon Barnes 13 Tru Daniel 14 Andrew Niles 15 Bradley Conwell 16 Braxton Carnes 17 William Blakey 18 Daniel Tanner 19 Carson Lott 20 Ben Theroux 21 Carter Cundy 22 Travis Vines

No. Name 23 Mason Munn 24 Drake Jenkins 25 Hudson Mondich 26 Jackson Tyson 27 Caleb Barkwell 28 Cash Marinelli 29 Aidyn Grice 30 Nickolas Shakespeare 31 Hudson Stanley 32 Asher Rich 33 Michael Fredrikson 34 Landon Parker 35 Joseph Gates 36 Liam Collins 37 Jace Whiddon 38 Karsen Pearson 39 Brayden Kimber 40 Aladen Hames 41 Elijah Kawa 42 Bennett Smith 43 Aron Kovak 44 Caden Simpson 45 Colt Davis

gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

offensive side is senior running back Mason Munn, who finished second on the Grizzlies’ rushing chart with 652 yards and 5 touchdowns on 5.6 yards per attempt.

Munn has 1,339 career yards and 10 touchdowns heading into 2025.

“We feel really good about our running back room with Mason, who will be playing his fourth varsity year for us,” Williams said. “With Travis Vines and Carson Lott, too, we feel like we’ve got three guys that can carry the football. We feel really explosive at the skill spots on offense.”

Munn will be taking handoffs from receiver-turned quarterback

Alex Penrod, who’s no stranger to the most important position on the field. Penrod came up as a quarterback but moved out wide because, according to Williams, his skills were too great to keep on the sideline.

Penrod caught 15 passes for 132 yards last year, paired with another 54 yards and 1 touchdown on the ground. He threw the ball five times, with three of four completions resulting in touchdowns.

On the defensive side, Williams expects Creekview’s D-line to be a strength. State championship wrestlers populate that unit, led by junior Damion Moreno, who See GRIZZLIES, Page 100

2025 Roster Pos. WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB QB WR/DB TE/LB TE/LB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB QB TE/LB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB RB/LB WR/DB RB/LB WR/DB FB/LB RB/LB

Cl. 12 11 11 12 12 12 11 12 10 11 12 12 10 10 11 12 11 12 11 11 10 12 11

Pos. RB/LB WR/DB WR/DB WR/LB WR/DB WR/DB RB/DB RB/LB RB/LB TE/DE WR/LB RB/LB WR/DB WR/DB FB/LB FB/LB TE/LB FB/LB RB/LB QB/LB RB/LB FB/DL K

Cl. 12 11 10 10 10 11 12 12 10 11 11 11 11 11 10 11 12 10 10 10 10 11 12

No. Name 46 Justin Graham 47 Mason Simonton 48 Luke Lyons 49 Isaac Elliott 50 Jayden Gilmore 51 Journey Cowart 52 Jacob Watson 53 Adrian Alanis 54 Benjamin Rutkowski 55 Caleb Glover 56 Lemay Matos 57 Ryan Marrinson 59 Cole Rich 60 Ryan Sullivan 61 Bryant Kealhofer 62 Ridge Camp 64 Wyatt Hill 65 Damion Moreno 67 Jacob Ward 68 Jason Nicks 69 Zander Jolivette 70 John Roper 71 Lincoln Alley

Pos. FB/LB RB/LB WR/DB FB/LB OL/DL OL/DL LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL FB/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL

Cl. 12 11 11 11 10 12 12 12 10 11 10 11 10 11 9 10 10 11 10 12 12 10 10

No. Name 73 Cainan Benefield 74 Noah Rushing 75 Luke Murphy 76 Logan Farmer 77 Colton Champagne 78 Ryan Perez 79 Brayden Buchanan 80 Silas Johnson 81 Tyler Grant 83 Jackson McHugh 84 Atticus Johnson 86 Kolivin Kerrigan 88 Jackson Ewing 90 JB Pierce 91 Caleb Leonard 93 Will Quillen 94 Nathan Barnes 95 Wells Hutchinson 96 Chase Mackenzie 97 Colton Martin 99 Luke Hurst

Pos. OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL TE/DL WR/DB TE/LB TE/DE WR/DB TE/DL TE/DL WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB TE/FB K/P WR/DB

Cl. 11 12 10 10 10 10 12 10 11 10 10 10 11 11 12 10 10 10 10 11 11

Good Luck This Season!

BASH NIGHT

Monday & Wednesday - All you can eat wings

Canton 1625 Ballground Hwy. (Across From Walmart) | Woodstock 12035 Hwy. 92 (92 @ Trickum) KICKOFF 2025

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CREEKVIEW GRIZZLIES 1550 Owens Store Rd, Canton, GA 30115 • Grizzly Den https://www.gogrizzly.net/ X: @FtballAtTheView

2024 RESULTS Calhoun ............................... 17-10 .......... W North Forsyth..................... 20-14 .......... W Cambridge ...........................0-39 ............L Lassiter............................... 63-20 .......... W Riverwood ............................ 45-7 .......... W Woodstock ......................... 21-28 ............L Sprayberry........................... 21-41 ............L Pope ................................... 55-24 .......... W River Ridge .........................24-34 ............L Sequoyah ............................ 14-21 ............L

Instagram: @ftballattheview

Facebook: @CreekviewGrizzlyFootball

2024 LEADERS VARSITY COACHING STAFF RUSHING Trevor Williams .................HC Chip Martin Asst........ HC/DC Bo Page ..................... OC/WR Jay McCloskey Asst.........HC Heath Hover.................ST/LB Josh Pritchett.................... DB Paxton Nayman ...........TE/FB Taylor Hunt.........................DL Peyton Parker ....................DL Chandler Wold ...................RB Myles Ellis.......................... CB Issac Clayton ....................WR Forrest Paulson .......Asst. OL

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI OL Nick Pendley (2015-18) .......................................................Georgia Tech OL John Williams (2016-19) ..............................................................Clemson RB Cade Radam (2015-18).................................................. Kennesaw State

FIVE YEAR

RECORD

Austin Guest...........121 car ...883 yds ..... 11 TD Mason Munn ..........116 car ...652 yds..... 5 TD PASSING Austin Guest.............118/218 ...1686 yds .....15 TD..11 INT RECEIVING Jackson Stanley....49 rec ...820 yds..... 9 TD TACKLES Brant Freeman ......97 Ryan Brooks...........79 SACKS Brant Freeman ......6 INTERCEPTIONS JD Russell ...............2

32-21

2024: 5-5 2023: 7-4 2022: 4-6 2021: 8-3 2020: 8-3

ALL TIME RECORD 128-73 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 2018

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Coach: Trevor Williams • 7th Season • Record: 5-5 • Career: 37-25

GRIZZLIES

Simpson, Jason Nicks, Ryan Marrinson, and some others in that mix,” Williams said. “A couple of those From Page 99 guys were on the state championwas also the Region 6AAAAA indi- ship wrestling team, so I’m really vidual title-winner. excited about getting those guys “I’m excited about those guys, in. I think that could be a strong with Damion Moreno, Caden point for us defensively.”

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

The Grizzlies look to make backto-back postseason appearances for the second time under Williams, though a competitive region featuring favorites Sequoyah and Sprayberry, along with three Cherokee County rivals, stands in their way.

“The goal is always to make the

playoffs and play to win down the stretch when we get to region play,” Williams said. “That’s always the initial goal, but for us, it sounds cliche, but it’s about being better tomorrow than we were today and taking it one step at a time because we are so young.”

195 Woodstock Parkway, Woodstock I-575 Exit 8.

Shop online at www.KrauseFamilyFord.com Call us at 678-831-9727 100

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Special - Anthony Stalcup

Alex Penrod takes over the starting quarterback position for Creekview this season.

Back in primary position, Penrod takes reins

By Griffin Callaghan

gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

Alex Penrod was Creekview’s natural successor at quarterback.

The Grizzlies replaced one dualthreat with another, moving from former starter Austin Guest to Penrod, who occupied the receiver position last season. He played the backup role in 2024, making the transition much smoother as Creekview strives for a playoff return.

Penrod returns to his preferred position, one of the most important on the field.

“I played a lot of receiver last year, but I like quarterback a lot more,” he said. “I’m excited to lead this team and really excited about this season…. I was still the backup, so

I still got a lot of work in, and I’ve been playing quarterback since I was in sixth grade, so I just keep trying to get better.”

At receiver, Penrod caught 15 passes for 132 yards last season, with another 54 yards and a touchdown in the run game. He also stepped behind center, completing 4 of 5 passes for 87 yards and three touchdowns, a rather efficient clip.

Creekview coach Trevor Williams couldn’t just leave him on the bench as the backup quarterback.

“He’s been a quarterback his whole life,” Williams said. “He’s just so athletic. We wanted to find him a spot last year, and we were able to get him in at receiver. So now he’s back into his comfort position, really taking the reins of the group and has done a nice job for

us throughout this offseason.”

Now as the team’s primary quarterback, Penrod gets to complete passes to his brother, Austin, who plays on both sides of the ball between receiver and defensive back. Austin caught four passes for 68 yards and a touchdown last season, while tallying 55 tackles and three passes defended.

“It’s great, I love it,” Penrod said.

“You’ll hear Penrod to Penrod on the intercoms during games, and that’s awesome.”

Both brothers also compete on the Creekview baseball team, which had a resurgent season behind the allcounty duo. Alex and Austin helped the Grizzlies finish 21-16 and make the Class AAAAA quarterfinals.

Alex, a pitcher, has a similar role in both sports.

“Yeah, it’s similar, but I’ve got to switch it sometimes,” Penrod said with a chuckle. “When I play baseball, I throw it like a football, when I play football, I throw it like a baseball, so sometimes I have to flip it, but (playing both) helps a lot.”

As a mobile quarterback, Penrod expects to hit the ground running in 2025, working seamlessly in the Creekview offense following Guest. He praised the progress of his offensive line, namely Ryan Sullivan, throughout the Grizzlies’ summer practices.

“Our guys have done a great job this summer, especially on the line,” Penrod said. “I’m just excited to prove a lot of people wrong. You know, a lot of people count us out this year, so I’m ready to prove everyone wrong.”

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Staff - file

Allatoona quarterback Brandon Rainey scored the Bucs lone touchdown in the second half to give them a lead they would not relinquish in the 2015 Class AAAAA state championship game against Glynn Academy.

Driving Wins for w in Creekvie !

2025-26

200 Liberty Blvd.

Canton, GA 30114

678-493-1000 shottenkirkchrysler.com

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BOUNTY From Page 26 the play himself.

The few times Dallas threatened to make a big play, Wilkerson found himself in the right place at the right time.

“He made three or four tackles that just barely got Dallas to the ground,” Smith said. “If he missed him, Dallas may have scored a touchdown.”

Glynn Academy did drive into Allatoona territory twice in the first half, but on each occasion, defensive lineman Allen Johnson broke through the line and blocked a field goal to keep the game scoreless.

Early in the second half, Rainey finally got Allatoona on the board with a quarterback sneak for a 7-0 lead.

In the fourth quarter, a 30-yard run by Rainey set up a 29-yard field goal by Skyler Davis with 2:21 to seal the victory.

The only question left to answer was could the Buccaneers get the shutout? Glynn Academy drove the length of the field and threw an incomplete pass as the clock hit zero. A penalty allowed for one more play and Dallas went around the right side for a touchdown.

Final score: Allatoona 10, Glynn Academy 6.

Aftermath Allatoona won its state title in only the eighth year of the program, and it gave Cobb County a state champion in back-to-back years.

Mount Paran Christian had won the Class A title the year before, which ended a 47-year drought without one.

The victory allowed a special group of seniors to go out on top, and Rainey said it was the way it was supposed to be.

“There was a group of five of us who had played together since we were 6-years-old,” he said. “Tesler, Juanyea Tarver, Faizon Harris and Raleigh Webb.”

Rainey and Webb would go on to the Citadel together and came back to Atlanta a couple years later, and hooked up on a touchdown pass to upset Georgia Tech in Bobby Dodd Stadium.

However, that moment would never eclipse the title they won with the Bucs in 2015.

“It meant the world for the whole Allatoona community,” Morrell said. “We opened in 2008 right when the stock market was crashing. It wasn’t the best time to try to build a football program, let alone an entire athletic department. But we knew we were going to build something great.”

LASSITER TROJANS 2025 Schedule

8/15 at Midtown

8/22 at Alexander

8/29 Northview

9/5 Creekview

9/12 Woodstock

9/19 at Pope

10/3 at Sequoyah

10/10 Riverwood

10/24 at Sprayberry

10/31 River Ridge

Lassiter searching for day-by-day improvements

By Jack Martin

Lassiter looks to keep moving forward this upcoming season.

Coach Sean Thom said his team is improving day-by-day. He said the Trojans have been working hard to improve over the offseason, and he is excited for them to put it together on the field.

Thom said this improvement is a great step for his players.

“It is exciting just seeing these guys put the pads on again and hopefully get this thing turned around to where we all want it to

be,” he said.

Thom said he believes three phases of the team have improved since last season.

“We’ve improved our coaching staff,” he said. “I truly believe that. We improved our offense, and there’s a lot more continuity from last year with returning starters same thing defensively. The last phase I’d say is culture because I have a different feel with this team.

The way the kids interact and the way they come to work. I believe their work ethic is truly elite, especially from what I’ve seen over high school kids the last 15 years.”

No. Name 1. Mitch Seaman 2. Johnny Michaels 3. Chase Campbell 4. Joshua Frere 5. Cole Stewart 6. Drew McGee 7. Collins Price 8. Blake Seaman 9. Emmett Elmore 10. Tyler Morton 11. Caden Jones 12. Chase Sutherland 13. Parker King 14. Dalton Price 15. Brick Bruner 16. Bryce Kitzrow 17. Luke Thomas 18. Kane Heinmiller 19. Luke Young 20. Jax Brickley 21. Luke Turner 22. Harston Harrison 23. Reid Ashmore 24. Tre Armer

No. Name 25. Ethan Schneeberger 26. Wyatt Sellers 27. Caden Bloom 28. Mike Jones 29. Sawyer Coon 30. Damon Goins 31. Jude Samuelson 32. Nick Hoggard 33. Tyler Corona 34. Thomas Anderson 35. Tyler Levine 36. Gavin Baines 37. Trevor Galloway 38. Nini Oloyede 39. Gavin Andrews 40. Parker Wojtczak 41. Baxter Glover 42. Gabriel Montgomery 43. Zharee Baranger 44. Cooper Hawkins 45. Gavin Tomlin 46. Alton Tarnoff 47. Joel Banos 48. Nicholas Hooten

MDJ Sports Writer

With the improvements that Lassiter has made, Thom said there is still room to grow.

“I think the biggest thing is just decisiveness,” he said. “These kids are smart, and they know what they’re doing. Just having them go out there and be decisive would be the biggest improvement we can make.”

Thom said there are a number of players he believes will make an impact this year.

He started with senior quarterback, Mitch Seaman, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound three-star quarterback according to Rivals.com. After

his junior season, where Seaman completed 57.3% of his passes for 1,641 yards and six touchdowns, the staff believes he is primed for a big improvement this season.

Thom also mentioned Michael Henson, Alejandro Tobar and Keegan Sellers as offensive lineman that will make an impact. Henson is a 6-foot, 255-pound junior offensive guard. Tobar (6-0, 283) is a sophomore offensive tackle and guard and Sellers (6-2, 245) is a senior center.

Thom said that Lassiter has many impactful players in the front seven.

See TROJANS, Page 105

2025 Roster Pos. QB DB LB QB LB LB WR WR LB LB QB QB DB WR RB WR WR DB LB DB DB LB LB WR

Cl. 12 11 11 11 11 9 11 10 11 11 9 10 9 11 10 10 9 9 10 11 10 12 12 10

Pos. DB LB RB RB DB LB RB TE LB DB DB DB LB WR/K K TE LB DB DB DB DB LB LB DB

Cl. 12 9 11 12 9 11 12 11 9 12 12 12 10 12 9 12 10 9 10 9 10 10 10 10

No. Name 49. Hunter Jackson 50. Barrett Burkhart 51. Jonah Youmans 52. Sean Beirne 53. Jake Johnson 54. Jalil Isaac 55. Joey Del Pozzo 56. Tavaris Knuckles 57. Will Haskin 58. Wyatt Hensman 59. Ethan Hoang 60. Keegan Sellers 61. Miles Usher 62. Michael Henson 63. Connor Murray 64. Alan Rodriguez 65. Ashton Oard 66. Peter Belawske 67. Henry Affaine 68. Ben Bimmerle 69. Victor Esclusa 70. Rhys Mackenny 71. Tyler Rogers 72. Emre Akan

Pos. DB OL LB OL DL DL DL OL DL DL OL OL OL OL OL OL DL OL DL OL DL DL OL OL

Cl. 11 10 9 12 12 11 12 12 11 10 9 12 11 11 11 11 9 10 11 9 12 9 9 11

No. Name 73. Chase Jones 74. Jon Walker Brown 75. Nidal Maghrbi 76. Brock Tefft 77. Bruno Chipatecua 78. Keegan Loadwick 79. Alejandro Tobar 80. Aiden Singleton 81. Yusef Touray 82. Devon Johnston 83. Corey Epling 84. Thatcher Bruner 85. Brayden Jenkins 86. Jacob Drew 87. Henry Hansen 88. Carter Irving 89. Finnegan Shook 90. Daegyum Hwang 91. Samuel Moody 92. Aiden Clark 93. Charlie Watkins 94. Charlie Miller-Eaton 98. Nate Seaman 99. AJ Armer

Pos. DL OL OL OL DL DL OL WR WR DB WR WR WR WR TE WR WR DL DL DL K DL DL DL

Celebrating 53 Years!

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LASSITER TROJANS 2601 Shallowford Rd, Marietta, GA 30066 • Frank Fillmann Stadium https://www.lhstrojansfootball.com/ X: @LassiterTrojans

2024 RESULTS Midtown ............................. 35-30 .......... W Alexander ............................ 14-15 ............L Northview .............................42-0 .......... W Creekview ......................... 20-63 ............L Woodstock ........................... 3-37 ............L Pope ...................................... 3-27 ............L Sequoyah .............................6-43 ............L Riverwood .......................... 16-24 ............L Sprayberry.............................0-31 ............L River Ridge ......................... 12-56 ............L

Instagram: @lassiterjrtrojanfb

VARSITY COACHING STAFF Sean Thom ........................ HC Josh Herring .....................OC Joshua Poole ... Asst. HC/DC Paris Brown ................ DB/ ST Howie DeCristofaro ..........OL Chris Stewart ....................ILB Campbell Price ................. DB Justin Jefferson .................DL Anthony DeCristofaro ......DL Tab Griffin ........................... TE Curtis McGee .....................OL Mike DeLuca ......................RB Tim Morris .........................WR Harold Germany ........O Asst.

Rich Oria .....................O Asst.

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI OL Ross Brannon (1992-95), .....................................................Florida State TE Philip Lutzenkirchen (2005-08), ...............Auburn, Los Angeles Rams QB Hutson Mason (2006-09), ................. Georgia, Washington Redskins LB Kevin Schimmelmann (1997-2000), ......Stanford, Green Bay Packers OL Camden Wentz (2005-08), ..................N.C. State, Minnesota Vikings

2024 LEADERS

From Page 104

including linebackers Reid Ashmore (73 tackles, 14 tackles for loss) and Cole Stewart (two tackles, one tackle for loss across four games) and defensive ends Chase Jones and Jake Johnson (combined for 36 tackles, nine tackles for loss and two sacks).

Thom said his skilled position

FIVE YEAR

RUSHING Mitch Seaman .......106 car..223 yds ..... 2 TD

RECORD

PASSING Mitch Seaman .......153/267 ..1641 yds .. 6 TD..8 INT

TACKLES Harston Harrison ..83 Reid Ashmore........73 SACKS Joseph Grice..........4 INTERCEPTIONS Johnny Michaels ..1 Harston Harrison ..1 Chase Jones ..........1

players are going to be impactful this year as well. Defensive back Caden Bloom, running back Tyler Morton (101 yards, five touchdowns on 40 carries) and wide receivers Dalton Price and Collins Price (combined for 611 yards, two touchdowns on 52 receptions) were amongst the names listed.

Thom said every player has improved this offseason, which is why he expects a lot of players to make an impact

12-38

2024: 2-8 2023: 1-9 2022: 3-7 2021: 4-6 2020: 2-8

RECEIVING Gavin Rose .............31 rec.....379 yds ..... 2 TD Levi Mundt ..............27 rec....339 yds ..... 1 TD Collins Price............34 rec....326 yds ..... 2 TD

Coach: Sean Thom • 7th Season • Record: 13-47 • Career: 13-47

TROJANS

Facebook: @LassiterFootball

ALL TIME RECORD 210-238-2 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (3) 2013, 2012, 2009

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

this season.

“I know that it seems like we have a lot of guys, but I think we have a lot of good pieces now,” he said.

“We just have to keep getting better and hopefully stay healthy.”

Thom mentioned players Jax Brickley, Luke Turner and Bryce Kitzrow as more players he expects to have a big leap in production this year. Brickley is a 6-foot-1, 146pound junior safety. Turner is a 6-foot-1, 174-pound sophomore

cornerback. Kitzrow is a 5-foot-9, 135-pound sophomore defensive back and receiver.

Thom said he is looking forward to seeing how his players have improved and how they can make an impact for the Trojans this season.

“Our big mantra that we’ve preached to them this offseason is ‘What are you doing to become the best version of yourself?’” he said.

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Seaman to keep Trojans above water

By Jack Martin MDJ Sports Writer

Lassiter quarterback Mitch Seaman is ready to lead the Trojans this season.

He said his growth has been good, especially since transitioning to quarterback during his sophomore year.

“I started off by playing a different position because I wasn’t as good at quarterback, and they just needed me,” he said. “I played receiver for a little bit, and then that offseason, I just took off and worked hard to start.”

Seaman completed 57.3% of his passes for 1,641 yards and six touchdowns during his junior season.

Currently, the 6-foot-1, 205pound senior holds offers from Shorter and Reinhardt. Seaman is also talking to the University of North Alabama and Murray State. He models his game after his favorite See SEAMAN, Page 141

Special - Anthony Stalcup

Mitch Seaman set to be fulltime starter for Lassiter this season.

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POPE GREYHOUNDS 2025 Schedule

8/15 at Cambridge

8/22 at Dunwoody

By Bryce Holder

8/29 Cherokee

9/5 at Sprayberry

9/12 River Ridge

9/19 Lassiter

10/3 Woodstock

10/10 at Creekview

10/24 at Sequoyah

New faces, clean slate for Greyhounds

Pope returns just one starter on defense this season. Mix that with a new starting quarterback, a new starting running back and losing most of their top receivers, the Greyhounds have a nearly clean slate in 2025.

After showing improvement in coach Sean O’Sullivan’s second season, the new-look Greyhounds have a lot to prove, but also a lot to replace as they hope to continue building towards success.

“I think the biggest thing is just obviously trusting the process and working hard and competing,”

O’Sullivan said. “Football is not rocket science.”

Hudson Marinko will take the reins at quarterback from two-year starter Hudson DeLine. The junior grew four inches to 6-foot-3 and was offered by Southeastern Louisiana University in the offseason.

“He’s worked his tail off in the weight room,” O’Sullivan said. “So just his body maturing and him having a great offseason.”

O’Sullivan said the Greyhounds will turn to Ethan Alterman as their top running back in 2025. Alterman rushed for 402 yards on just 58 carries last season. He will be one of the more experienced players on either side of the ball for the

No. Name 0 Ethan Alterman 1 Simon German 2 Hudson Marinko 3 Josiah Moss 4 Fletcher King 5 Nate Pierce 6 Mathews Lago 7 Keita Watanabe 8 Beck Chaney 9 Dylan Talley 10 Jack Gorney 11 Mark Miller 12 Luke Taylor 13 Michael Howell 14 Connor O’Ryan 15 Karson Kershaw 16 Sam Weitnauer 17 Colton Miller 18 Ivan Darden 19 Brayden Slorahn 20 Will Armstrong 21 Caleb Mardis

No. Name 22 Luc McClendon 23 Hunter Bradford 24 Gabe Hemans-Mensah 25 Daniel Tolentino 26 Tye Campbell 27 Braden Lex 28 Jakob Forstner 29 Thomas Forstner 30 Caden Helgeson 31 Harry Grice 32 Landon Grimaldo 33 Brennon Wendel 34 Nicholas Broyard 35 Gavin Ghersi 36 Grady Kane 37 Dalton Reed 38 Cameron Prosser 39 Paul Bloom 40 Logan Kurtz 41 Brandon Hewett 42 Colton Harris 43 Brock Caffee

MDJ Sports Writer

Pos. RB DB QB DL DB LB K WR DB DB DB WR QB LB LB QB WR LB RB DB DB RB

Cl. 12 11 11 11 12 11 12 12 12 12 12 11 9 12 10 10 11 12 9 11 12 10

2025 Roster Pos. WR TE DB RB DB WR DB DB DB LB DL TE WR DB DL WR TE DB LB QB DL DL

Cl. 10 12 9 9 9 12 11 11 12 10 11 10 9 9 11 10 9 9 10 9 11 9

10/31 Riverwood

Greyhounds.

“I expect him to have a big senior year,” O’Sullivan said. “He’s played on Friday nights, which always helps when you have a kid with experience back.”

John Stuetzer has been described as one of the best athletes to ever play at Pope and after 34 receptions for 797 yards and 12 touchdowns, his departure leaves a big hole on the outside. Keita Watanabe will lead a relatively inexperienced wide receiver group that will also feature Luc McClendon, Brennon Wendel and Dylan Talley.

Experience will not be lacking on the offensive line as the Greyhounds will start five seniors. Returning

starters Jaxson Griffin and James Burns will be the anchors in the trenches alongside Isaiah White who also played meaningful snaps last season.

On the defensive side of the football the Greyhounds return just one starter, second-team all-region defensive end Josiah Moss. Moss had 66 total tackles and four sacks in 2024.

Senior Colton Miller and sophomore Connor O’Ryan will start at linebacker for the Greyhounds with a young and inexperienced secondary behind them.

“A lot of young, new guys out there, but they’ve been working See GREYHOUNDS, Page 108

No. Name 44 Joseph Casale 45 Merritt Maltby 46 Ethan Vaskovardzic 47 Sebastian Jaramillo 48 Henry Couch 49 Sam Mokhtari 50 Alex Bogdan 51 Carson Baker 52 Chase Grelecki 53 Miguel Rosa De Silva 55 Zane Vaskovardzic 56 Lucas Rahn 57 Callan Moore 58 Athan D Marton 59 Diar Rexphi 60 Hunter Foree 61 Nathan Nwoku 62 Connor Hannan 63 Cameron Frink 64 Connor Plumley 65 Jaxson Griffin 66 Preston Cort

No. Name 67 Carson Okeefe 68 Walker O’Daniel 70 James Burns 71 John Moore 72 Quinn Murphy 73 Isaiah White 75 Wade Holland 77 Kavon Cashaw 78 Jackson Nally 79 Vincent Moore 80 Chase Hubbard 81 Trenton Williams 82 Stephen McWilliams 83 Grant Deline 84 Coby McCulley 85 Gabriel Rodriquez 86 Brooks Pennington 87 Price Baskin 88 Wyatt Zellers 89 Gavin Hewett 90 Maxwell Kuba 91 Roman Trueba

Pos. DL LB DL DL TE LB OL OL OL OL DL DL LB DL OL DL OL DL OL OL OL OL

Cl. 11 11 11 11 9 12 9 11 10 12 9 9 10 10 10 12 9 9 9 10 12 12

Pos. OL OL OL OL DL OL OL DL DL OL DB WR WR QB DL WR WR WR TE TE OL DL

Cl. 10 9 12 11 10 12 9 12 10 9 10 9 9 10 9 9 9 11 12 9 9 9

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POPE GREYHOUNDS 3001 Hembree Rd NE, Marietta, GA 30062 • Hound Pound https://www.popefootball.com/ X: @PopeFootball

2024 RESULTS Cambridge ......................... 10-34 ............L Dunwoody ...........................41-27 .......... W Cherokee ........................... 42-65 ............L Sprayberry..........................34-23 .......... W River Ridge ...........................3-45 ............L Lassiter.................................. 27-3 .......... W Woodstock .......................... 17-41 ............L Creekview ......................... 24-55 ............L Sequoyah .......................... 28-56 ............L Riverwood ......................... 42-22 .......... W

Instagram: @popefootball

Facebook: @Pope Football

2024 LEADERS VARSITY COACHING STAFF RUSHING Sean O’Sullivan ................HC Kevin Burnette ..................OC Adam Pullen...................... DC Corey McKinney ....... QB/WR Jerry Mahon .......................OL Butch Climmons ................RB Lucas Krull .......................... LB Carl Pfaff ............................. LB Pat Hall............................... CB Jerad Johnson ..................Str.

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI QB Holland Frost (2008-11), .....................................................Georgia Tech OL Max Kemper (2011-14), ...............................................................Air Force OL Thomas O’Reilly (2007-10), ................................................Georgia Tech WR Ryan Sawyer (1995-98), ..............................................................Virginia QB T.J. Yates (2002-05), .........................North Carolina, Houston Texans

FIVE YEAR

RECORD

JT Way......................152 car ..900 yds ...4 TD PASSING Hudson Deline ......63/133 ...1323 yds...17 TD ..5 INT

2024: 4-6 2023: 2-8 2022: 1-9 2021: 7-4 2020: 4-4

RECEIVING John Stuetze ..........34 rec....797 yds ....12 TD TACKLES Nigel Combs ..........92 SACKS Nick Chao ...............6 INTERCEPTIONS Nigel Combs ..........2

18-31

ALL TIME RECORD 167-216 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (3) 2011, 2000, 1998

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Coach: Sean O’Sullivan • 3rd Season • Record: 6-14 • Career: 24-46

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

to develop them.”

“The biggest thing is playing com- 6AAAAA in 2024, the seven game GREYHOUNDS haveO’Sullivan said he expects special plimentary in all three phases of region slate will once again provide

From Page 107

hard this offseason, trying to learn the new defense,” O’Sullivan said.

“I’d say the biggest thing is, obviously the weight room, because we have a lot of young kids, so you

teams will once again be a strength of the Greyhounds as senior Mathews Lago will handle the kicking and punting duties. Lago received a kicker rating of four stars and is rated as a top 100 punter in the class of 2026 per Chris Sailer Kicking.

the game,” O’Sullivan said.

Pope finished just 4-6, 3-4 in region play, in 2024. However, they defeated region champion Sprayberry before suffering multiple injuries on both sides of the ball.

After a sixth place finish in Region

a challenge in 2025.

“There are not any guaranteed wins in our region, because I feel like our region is strong,” O’Sullivan said. “I think the biggest thing is keeping the kids hungry and loving football as we go through this long season.”

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Alterman gets his shot in Pope backfield

By Bryce Holder MDJ Sports Writer

Pope’s Ethan Alterman is ready to step up on and off the field heading into his senior season. He is one of the few returning Greyhounds with experience on Friday nights, and he hopes to make it count.

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound running back rushed for 402 yards on just 58 carries as a junior, nearly seven yards a carry. Alterman said he learned toughness from former Greyhounds running back JT Way and perseverance from former wide receiver John Stuetzer, but is ready to make his own mark as the top guy in the backfield.

Alterman has put on size and muscle in the offseason and said he believes his quickness and vision in the open field give him the opportunity to have a special senior season alongside a new-look team.

“We’re just ready to show what we’ve been doing,” Alterman said.

Not only will Pope look different See ALTERMAN, Page 141

Special - Anthony Stalcup

Ethan Alterman will take over as the lead running back in the Pope offense.

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RIVER RIDGE KNIGHTS 2025 Schedule

8/15 Cherokee

8/22 at Denmark

8/29 at Allatoona

9/5 at Woodstock

9/12 at Pope

9/19 Sequoyah

10/3 at Riverwood

10/10 Sprayberry

10/24 Creekview

10/31 at Lassiter

Defense will pace Knights’ path to postseason

By Griffin Callaghan

River Ridge has been an offensive powerhouse in recent years, but in 2025, the Knights look to win on defense and in the trenches as they strive for a fourth consecutive playoff appearance.

Turnover at quarterback and a strong returning defensive unit headlined River Ridge’s offseason as seventh-year coach Mike Collins, the young program’s alltime winningest coach (38-27) expressed his optimism.

“We’ve had a really good offseason,” Collins said. “The guys have been working extremely

hard. I’m pretty excited about the 2025 season offense, defense and special teams. Hopefully, all of the hard work that we put in will pay off for us in the fall.”

Defensively, standout senior linebackers Wyatt McCarty and Matthew Burdette are expected to lead the returning unit, with McCarty posting a team-best 100 tackles last year. The 2025 Super Six member registered 12 tackles for loss, along with a sack and forced fumble.

River Ridge allowed 19.1 per game in 2024, its fourth-fewest all-time and best mark since 2017. The Knights held six of 10 opponents in the regular season under 20 points, including a

No. Name 0 Sam Vincent 2 Mateo Jimenez 4 Camden Cox 5 Tyler Hardin 6 Andrew Rowe 7 Wyatt McCarty 8 Miles Lesley 9 Caleb Roper 10 Sam Paul 11 Hunter Lockerman 12 EJ Davis 13 Zade Currin 14 Leandro Avila 15 Harris Deriso 16 Elijah Ryal 17 Quinn Barrentine 18 Luke Thompson

No. Name 19 Nate Kress 20 Bryce McFarland 21 Eli Bolden 22 Tafari Bailey 24 Brodey Dixon 25 Jeremy Duncan 26 Mathieu Vargas 27 Gauge Rybak 28 Micah Simmons 29 Chase Heramb 30 Liam Wages 31 Jason Mushimba 32 Matthew Burdette 33 Hudson McKoy 34 Kani Stephens 35 James Hutcheson 36 Bryce Miley

gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

shutout against Region 6AAAAA foe Riverwood.

Collins said he expects his front-seven to play a major role in limiting opposing offenses.

“Our strength would be our linebacker corps,” Collins said.

“They’ve got quite a bit of experience with Wyatt (McCarty) and (Matthew) Burdette. Some of those guys have been playing since sophomore year. So that’s probably the strength, and our D-line, too, is another group that’s been together for a while and got a lot of games under their belts.”

River Ridge’s offensive strengths will be along the offensive line, where it returns size

and experience to protect a new starting quarterback.

Junior Hunter Lockerman is the favorite to succeed former slinger Ethan Spector, who threw for a school-record 35 touchdowns and just one interception in 2024. Lockerman pushed Spector for the job last year, but he now steps into the spotlight.

“He actually was nipping at the heels of Ethan about this time last year,” Collins said. “We thought it was a really, really close competition. It really wasn’t until the spring game that Ethan edged him out and took that job last year. So, we’ve been pretty excited about Hunter. He had a See KNIGHTS, Page 111

2025 Roster Pos. WR WR RB/LB DB QB/DB RB/DB LB DB/LB DB/WR QB/DB DB/WR K/P DB LB/H QB/LB WR LB

Cl. 12 12 12 12 11 12 12 12 11 11 11 12 12 12 10 11 11

Pos. QB/LB LB DB/WR RB LB DB LB/RB LB DB DB LB DB LB/RB WR/DL DB DB/WR LB

Cl. 10 11 12 11 11 11 11 11 11 10 11 11 12 10 11 10 10

No. Name 37 Jacob Rodgers 38 Tuttle Thorne 39 Chris George 40 Ryan Sousa 41 Marco Foster 47 Michael Imperial 48 Will Barry 49 Antrevious Gilder 50 Oliver Thomas 52 Ty Dispennett 54 Gabriel Belback 55 Andres Nash 56 Aaron Nemec 57 Isaac Valencia 58 Aiden Dubon 61 Matthew Green 64 Tyler Burin

Pos. RB DB/WR DB/WR DB/WR DL LB K/P RB OL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL DL/OL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL

Cl. 10 10 10 10 11 12 12 12 11 12 12 12 10 10 10 11 10

No. Name 65 Vincent Odish 66 Tomas Perez 71 Jacob Sluss 72 Daithan Williams 73 Jasper Roach 74 Jaxen Wages 75 Mark Prewett 77 Matthew Steffman 78 Cameron Lamanac 79 Caleb McKamey 81 Rushil Jaiswal 82 Max Bomar 83 Rodrigo Delgado Ayala 88 Noah Green 90 Jaxen Wages 99 Dayde Goforth

Pos. OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL DL/TE OL/DL OL OL OL/DL DB/WR WR/DB DB WR/DB DL/TE OL/LB

Good Luck This Season!

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RIVER RIDGE KNIGHTS 400 Arnold Mill Rd, Woodstock, GA 30188 • River Ridge Stadium http://www.riverridgefootball.com/ X: @RR_Knights

2024 RESULTS Cherokee ...............................7-21 ............L Denmark ..............................39-17 .......... W Allatoona ............................ 42-13 ......... .W Woodstock ......................... 44-14 .......... W Pope ......................................45-3 .......... W Riverwood ............................52-0 .......... W Sprayberry..........................27-30 ............L Sequoyah ...........................35-38 ............L Creekview ..........................34-24 .......... W Lassiter................................ 56-12 .......... W State Playoffs Roswell................................. 31-41 ............L

Instagram: @knightsfootballattheridge

Facebook: @River Ridge Knights Football

2024 LEADERS VARSITY COACHING STAFF RUSHING Mike Collins ......................HC Cam Cochran ..............Assist.

Dean Braxton..............Assist.

Andrew Cloy ...............Assist.

Joseph Mullinax .........Assist.

Mike Collins Sr............Assist.

Gary Roach..................Assist.

Kevin Roach Jr ............Assist.

Cecil Phillips................Assist.

Thomas Lester ............Assist.

Rashad Wonnum ........Assist.

Julian Todd ..................Assist.

Amehre Morrison .......Assist.

Pete Maderano ...........Assist.

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI Amehre Morrison (2017-20) .......................................... West Virginia State

FIVE YEAR

RECORD

Camden Cox ......72 car.......421 yds ....3 TD

35-20

PASSING Ethan Spector....165/245...2485 yds 35 TD ...1 INT RECEIVING Grant Hollier .......52 rec ......975 yds ...16 TD TACKLES Wyatt Mccarty........................100 SACKS Mason Mclendon .................3 Harris Deriso ..........................3

2024: 7-4 2023: 5-6 2022: 6-5 2021: 6-4 2020: 11-1

ALL TIME RECORD 67-93 INTERCEPTIONS Sam Vincent...........................3

REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 2020

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Coach: Michael Collins • 7th Season • Record: 38-27 • Career: 107-106

KNIGHTS

are expected to be key pieces again this year after Cox led River Ridge in rushing and Vincent snagged From Page 110 a team-best three interceptions. good offseason, but that compe- Both players contributed on both tition will continually be open sides last season and will likely until the first game.” maintain another heavy workload.

Camden Cox and Sam Vincent The Knights need all hands on

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

deck to make their sixth postseason trip, and they have a chance to start fast, similarly to last year, when they went 5-1. However, a brutal Region 6AAAAA schedule, featuring reigning champ Sprayberry (11-2 in 2024), Sequoyah (11-2) and two other county rivals

awaits them.

“There’s a lot of parity in our league,” Collins said. “I think it’s an incredibly competitive league from top to bottom. Anything can happen on any Friday night, so we’re looking forward to competing in it.”

GO KNIGHTS! Good Luck This Season!

195 Woodstock Parkway, Woodstock I-575 Exit 8.

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Special - Anthony Stalcup

Cam Cochran, a member of the River Ridge region championship team in 2020, is back to coach the offensive line.

Cochran glad to be back at alma mater

By Griffin Callaghan

gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

A dream come true is how the newest addition to River Ridge’s coaching staff, Cam Cochran, described his return to the program to coach the offensive line ahead of 2025.

Cochran, a vital part of the Knights’ first region championship and state quarterfinals trip back in 2020, played his college football at Huntingdon from 202124 before finding himself back at his

alma mater. The former Offensive lineman maintained a relationship with River Ridge coach Mike Collins, which ultimately helped land him a spot on staff.

“This is something I have really looked forward to my entire time through college,” Cochran said.

“I kept in contact with coach Collins and the previous offensive line coach as well, (Joe) Mullinax. But this is something that I’ve looked forward to, and it was amazing how it just fell in my lap after I graduated early. I wasn’t going to waste

the opportunity.”

Cochran isn’t the only former Knight on staff from that magical 2020 season. Running back Amehre Morrison has returned as a community coach working with running backs. He ran for nearly 2,000 yards and finished with 29 touchdowns as River Ridge went 11-1 overall.

The Knights went undefeated in the regular season before squeaking past Kennesaw Mountain 35-34 in Round 1 of the playoffs and then blowing out Rome in the second round.

Most of that 2020 group remained in contact, but Cochran said he and Morrison had a special relationship, as running backs and their blockers often do. Memories from that school-record season are fresh in Cochran’s mind, and now he hopes to recreate his success as a coach.

“I remember Amehre going for crazy numbers and just being an awesome guy that you want to block for,” Cochran said. “I remember all of it, really, because it meant a whole lot. It’s one of the big reasons why See COCHRAN, Page 141

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SEQUOYAH CHIEFS 2025 Schedule

8/15 Denmark

8/22 at Cherokee

8/29 Kell

9/5 at Riverwood

9/12 Sprayberry

9/19 at River Ridge

10/3 Lassiter

10/10 at Woodstock

10/24 Pope

10/31 at Creekview

Veteran Chiefs have high expectations

By Griffin Callaghan

Fresh off its best season since 2018, Sequoyah has high expectations.

The Chiefs reached the Class AAAAA quarterfinals in 2024, taking down Gainesville and Woodward Academy in perceived upsets.

They’re not catching anyone off guard this year, in a season where longtime coach James Teter can become Sequoyah’s all-time winningest coach.

With a veteran roster and plenty of momentum, Teter eyes the

program’s second region championship and first since 2003.

“That’s been our goal every year,” Teter said. “This group has been lucky enough to make the first round as ninth graders, second round as sophomores and third round as juniors. So the objective is to try to raise the bar and see if we can go further, and part of that would be adding a region title.”

Sequoyah’s offense features a talented senior class between running back Will Rajecki, quarterback Kolby Martin, offensive lineman Alex Brewer and receiver Brooks Darling. Brewer, a Colorado State

commit, anchors a physical unit, which paved the way for 202.9 rush yards (2,638 total) per game in 2024.

Rajecki accounted for 1,541 of those yards, along with 21 touchdowns. The future Memphis running back was the Chiefs’ secondleading receiver with 578 yards and five scores.

Darling hauled in 56 passes for 931 yards and 11 touchdowns to lead Sequoyah’s offense, catching balls from an experienced quarterback in Martin, who enters as a fourthyear starter after injuries pressed him into action as a freshman.

Those returners powered the

Chiefs to a school-record 481 points (37 per game) last season, with a season-high 56 in a blowout win over region rival Pope. They hope to be even better in 2025.

“Our offensive line is pretty good, and Will had a great offseason,” Teter said. “Kolby has done really, really well. Jack Ripley’s gotten a lot better at wideout. Brooks has looked good, and then defensively, our defensive line has been the best part of it. We’ve gotten better at linebacker with Drew (Williams) a year older and understanding things more, and then just there’s a lot of See CHIEFS, Page 114

No. Name 0 Michael Fountain 2 Kolby Martin 3 William Rajecki 4 Brooks Darling 5 Benji Smith 6 Matthew Matz 7 Carson Bahry 8 Maddox Waller 9 Michael White 10 Holden Campbell 11 Asa Goings 12 Eli Stoddard 13 Jack Ripley 14 Nolan Shakar 15 Luca Lopez 17 Hudson Hamilton 18 Hayden Poole 19 Sospeter Magua 20 Jedadieah Marshall 21 Clinton Martin 21 Daniel Martinez 22 Logan Pichon 23 Joseph Lucente 24 Judah Martin

No. Name Pos. 24 TJ Hill DB 25 Jayden Dupervil DB 25 Wyatt Poole WR 26 Lucas Nieves DB 26 Omer Abdenwahab WR 27 Jay Streeter LB 28 Drew Williams LB 29 Duke Sanders DB 30 Ethan Bispham DB 31 Brady Streeter LB 32 Noah Wilson RB/LB 33 Braylon Bannister DB 34 Bradley Joseph DB 34 Caleb Quarles LB 35 Easton Brown DB 36 Aidan Nunez LB 37 Aiden Finney RB 37 King-Soloman Owusu-Kyei DB 38 Jake Hamilton ATH 39 Brody Vance LB 40 Ethan Zeigler LB 40 Anthony Ruiz ATH 41 Cameron Thompson LB 42 Grayson Mitchell LB

No. Name 43 Kristian Koson 44 Brayden Wilbur 45 Liam Kenney 46 Jacob Rajecki 47 Shayne Billings 48 Keating Carroll 49 Kenneth Altman 50 Chason Curl 51 Rhett Brown 52 Bryant Bobo 53 Max Martineau 54 Cason Gantt 55 Colton Bass 56 Carlos Alfaro-Gonzalez 57 Case Darracott 58 Charlie Reissig 59 Thomas Mays 60 Cain Rega 61 Eli Auman 62 Jonah Ayers 63 Parker Ross 64 Riley O’Neill 65 Jacob Shean 66 Asher Stokes

No. Name 67 Charlie Miller 68 Andrew Stephens 70 Logan Wright 71 Brody Craig 72 Alex Brewer 73 Noah Normile 74 Roman Binion 75 Dean Binion 76 Brycen Adams 77 Myles Bennett 78 Christian Gustafson 79 Alexander Craig 80 Micah Griffin 81 Connor Kelley 82 Jackson Jones 83 Easton Richardson 84 Arman Hunt 85 Devon Voakes 86 Nathan Born 87 Brandon Scott 88 Callum Gannon 89 Da’Kale Harris 90 Leif Hanson 91 Ryan Jacobs

gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

Pos. LB QB RB WR/DB DB DL DB TE/DL TE/DL RB DB QB WR QB TE/DL WR LB DL WR/DB LB ATH DB RB/LB DB

Cl. 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 10 12 11 11 12 12 12 10 12 10 12 11 10

2025 Roster

Cl. 12 12 10 12 10 11 11 11 10 10 10 11 12 11 10 10 10 12 11 10 12 10 11 11

Pos. DB RB/LB DB RB DB WR DB OL LB OL/DL OL/DL DL OL/LB LB DL DL DL OL DL OL/DL DL OL/LS OL/DL OL

Cl. 10 11 10 10 11 10 10 11 11 10 11 11 12 10 11 10 10 10 11 10 10 12 11 10

Pos. OL OL/DL OL OL OL DL OL/DL DL OL OL DL OL DB LB ATH WR TE/DL WR DL LB WR WR K P

Cl. 12 10 10 11 12 12 9 11 11 9 10 10 12 11 10 12 10 10 10 11 12 10 11 11

BASH NIGHT Monday & Wednesday!

All you can eat wings!

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S E Q U O YA H C H I E F S 4485 Hickory Rd, Canton, GA 30115 • Skip Pope Stadium https://www.sequoyahfootball.com/ X: @SequoyahChiefs

2024 RESULTS Denmark .............................38-35 .......... W Cherokee ........................... 38-30 .......... W Kell ....................................... 24-21 .......... W Riverwood ............................50-7 .......... W Sprayberry........................... 17-31 ............L Lassiter..................................43-6 .......... W Woodstock ........................... 35-7 .......... W River Ridge .........................38-35 .......... W Pope ................................... 56-28 .......... W Creekview ........................... 21-14 .......... W State Playoffs Gainesville ......................... 38-28 .......... W Woodward Academy ....... 35-20 .......... W Coffee .................................48-72 ............L

Instagram: @sequoyahchiefsfootball

2024 LEADERS VARSITY COACHING STAFF RUSHING James Teeter .................... HC Brent Budde................Assist.

Greg Key ......................Assist.

Ben Jacqmein .............Assist.

John Streeter ..............Assist.

Kevin Bannister ..........Assist.

Breon Isaac .................Assist.

Colin Dozier ................Assist.

Steve Collis .................Assist.

Wes Emery ..................Assist.

Eric Burkhalter ............Assist.

Billy Pichon .................Assist.

Jeff Behnke .................Assist.

Brad Mann ...................Assist.

Jayce Gentry ...............Assist.

Joe Hulen ....................Assist.

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI

competition in the secondary.”

Williams, at 6-foot-2, 200-pounds, takes the primetime role on defense following the departure of former standouts Ean Marria and Taiwo Ogundele. He

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32-24

2024: 11-2 2023: 8-4 2022: 5-6 2021: 4-6 2020: 4-6

RECEIVING Brooks Darling.........56 rec ......931 yds........11 TD TACKLES Taiwo Ogundele ..101 SACKS Ean Marria..............8 INTERCEPTIONS Jake Bertils ............3 Benji Smith.............3

ALL TIME RECORD 210-169 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 2003

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

registered 55 tackles, three sacks and an interception last season.

“It’s different because we don’t have Ean and some of those other guys,” Teter said. “I think the experience will help. It’s just about how they handle the replacements and how well they do their jobs and perform at the level we need to try to make a run at the region.”

Fun Facts: • Originally from Americus, GA • Lived in North GA since 2011 • Dog dad, big foodie, and favorite hobby is traveling.

• Almost done with my goal of visiting all 50 states.

RECORD

PASSING Kolby Martin ............153/239 ..2392 yds ..24 TD..3 INT

Coach: James Teter • 17th Season • Record: 96-79 • Career: 137-112

From Page 113

FIVE YEAR

Will Rajecki...................265 car....1541 yds ......21 TD

ATH Patrick Hall (1998-2001) .......................................................Penn State DB Austin Thomas (2001-04)............................................................. Indiana OL Paul Cantrell (1998-2001) ..........................................Middle Tennessee CB Derrion Rakestraw (2012-2015) .................................Colorado, Tulane

CHIEFS

Facebook: @SequoyahChiefsFootball

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

Matthew Matz will also step into a larger role on the defensive line after his four-sack season. Sequoyah’s defense allowed 334 total points (25.7 per game) last year – the most in program history – so improvement on that side of the ball is paramount.

Sequoyah’s veteran roster and dynamic playmakers has it positioned to return to the

playoffs, challenge for the Region 6AAAAA crown and potentially much more.

“We were close last year, and most of these kids are back, so they know how hard you have to work to get there,” Teter said. “So, I think that’s kind of always the goal. It’s just, how do we come together, have the chemistry to make it work.”

I’m excited to join the Cherokee Tribune/Ledger and connect with the businesses & communities across Cherokee County! It’s clear that is a truly special place, and I’m eager to partner with local businesses to help them grow, reach new audiences, and elevate their brand presence.

Looking forward to making a positive impact together!

Special - Anthony Stalcup

Riley O’Neill, Matthew Matz and Maddox Waller are seniors who are not letting the Chiefs settle for last year’s run in the playoffs.

Sequoyah’s vets helping avoid complacency

By Griffin Callaghan

gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

Sequoyah has dedicated itself to avoiding complacency in 2025, following a historic run that saw the program’s third state quarterfinals appearance in its 36 years of existence.

The Chiefs have displayed an upward trajectory over the last

three years, going from a first-round playoff exit in 2022, to Round 2 the next year, to the elite eight in 2024. As it looks to continue that trend to make school and county history, Sequoyah’s veteran roster is working to ensure letdowns will not sneak in.

“We can’t get complacent with the success that we had last year,” senior tight end and Samford commit

Maddox Waller said. “It’s about constantly keeping our foot on the gas and getting better every day, trying to be better than we were last year.”

Last year marked the third time in program history that Sequoyah made three consecutive playoff appearances. If they qualify in 2025, it will be just the second time they’ve made four straight trips.

Senior defensive lineman Matthew Matz said with every playoff season, the hunger to return and to win the school’s second region championship grows. As one of the favorites to win Region 6AAAAA this year, he and the Chiefs hold high expectations.

“We are confident, but not satisfied,” Matz said. “With what we’ve See VETS, Page 141

GO CHIEFS! Good Luck This Season!

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SPRAYBERRY YELLOW JACKETS 2025 Schedule

8/15 at Alexander

8/22 Etowah

8/29 Kennesaw Mtn.

9/5 Pope

9/12 at Sequoyah

9/19 at Riverwood

10/3 at Creekview

10/10 at River Ridge

10/24 Lassiter

10/31 at Woodstock

Yellow Jackets look to back up record season

By Owen McDaniel

With a new year, new coach and a perfect storm of returning and incoming starpower, Sprayberry is confident it will get over the hump in 2025, using last season as both a template and a motivator.

The Yellow Jackets are coming off of their best season on paper in school history.

They won the Region 6AAAAA championship, finished with a program record 11 wins and reached the state quarterfinals for the first time since 1982.

However, the 2024 season came to a stinging end with a 64-0 loss to Lee County in the state quarterfinals, a reality check new coach Pete

Fominaya is using to help the team stay grounded this year.

“I tell the boys, every time we think we’re king of the hill or the best team in the area, go back and watch the first half of that game,” Fominaya said. “We need moments in life that humble us because that makes us work harder. I think when we can refocus and talk about those moments, they can push us and give us drive and motivation to move forward.”

Consensus five-star Alabama commit Jorden Edmonds headlines the group of notable returnees.

The 6-foot-3, 175-pound senior is currently ranked as the top cornerback and 14th-best player nationally in the 2026 class by 247Sports.

Edmonds is not tested often, but

No. Name 1 Jorden Edmonds 2 Kobe Lewis 3 Jrue Keeling 4 Jaden Duckett 5 Noah Voltaire 6 Kealan Jones 7 Durrell Wilson 8 Ian Hulbert 9 Marques Gray 10 Nicco White 11 Justin Nguyen 12 Saiky Minnifield 13 Zion Smith 14 Jack Trout 15 Daniel Mailey 16 Christian Bowden 17 Daylen Wade

No. Name 18 Edris Nickerson 19 Naitwan Thompson 20 James Funchess 22 Gabriel Clarke 23 Isaac Da Silva 24 Noah Wideman 25 Jarkeis Troutman 26 Landyn Parker 27 Adoniz Vickerstaff 28 Treyvon Johnson 29 Hudson Spiva 31 Corey Mayfield 32 Ethan Garcia 33 Jayden Jones 34 Isaiah Morris 35 Rodney Green 36 Andreus Osborne

MDJ Sports Writer

he has recorded two interceptions, seven passes defended and 63 tackles across the past two seasons.

Though he is primarily recruited as a cornerback, he is also an offensive standout at wide receiver. In 2024, he hauled in 35 receptions, tied for the team high, amassing 670 yards and four touchdowns.

The Yellow Jackets lost some talent in the secondary with threestar cornerback Mark Manfred’s graduation, but safety Kealen Jones emerged as the team’s newest elite defensive back last season. The nowsenior tallied 42 tackles, four passes defended and a team-leading four interceptions, earning a three-star rating and offers from 25 Division I schools, including Georgia, who he committed to in April.

Reigning Region 6AAAAA Offensive Player of the Year Jaden Duckett will man the offense, entering his third season as the Yellow Jackets’ starting quarterback. The dual threat signal caller threw for 1,969 yards and 14 touchdowns, while tallying another 805 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground.

Duckett said he is looking to prove that he can be a consistent passer, and this year, he will have the weapons to help him accomplish that.

Sprayberry also picked up two transfer wideouts who are expected to make an immediate impact alongside Edmonds.

Kobe Lewis transferred from Kennesaw Mountain after leading the team in receptions (36), yards (654) See JACKETS, Page 117

2025 Roster Pos. DB WR RB QB DB DB QB RB TE WR LB LB QB LB DB DB RB

Cl. 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 11 11 12 12 11 10 12 11 12 10

Pos. WR DB RB DL LB DB WR LB DL DB DB RB RB WR WR LB DB

Cl. 11 12 12 12 12 11 11 11 12 12 11 12 11 10 10 11 10

No. Name 37 Kenneth Madayag 38 Levi Hefner 39 Zahir Martin 40 Reyzon Bachman 41 Kendrick Holland 42 Brock Trout 43 Dawson Myers 47 Alexander Wells 48 Mark Colin 50 Donovan Davis 51 Zekiel Thomas 52 JavariousTroutman 53 Emery Williams 54 Je’lun McCrary 55 Taylen Swinney 58 Alejandro Torres Hill 59 Jack Rollins

Pos. K K WR LB LB DL LB LB DL OL DL DL OL DL OL OL OL

Cl. 11 10 10 11 11 12 10 10 12 12 10 12 12 11 12 10 10

No. Name 60 Dantae James-Banfield 61 Nathan Couey 62 Cash Barowsky 63 Owen Daskal 64 Liam Cole 65 Benjamin Cureton 68 Jordan Anderson 70 Giovanni Rivera 72 Josiah Lescook 73 Zephyr-Riot Robinson 74 Ashton Wright 80 Centrail Beck 81 Kian Simpson 82 Khylin French 84 David Zamora 86 Xavier Scott 90 Jacob Brabham

Pos. OL OL OL DL OL OL DL OL OL OL OL DB DB DB TE LB DL

PIEDMONT CHURCH SUPPORTS SPRAYBERRY FOOTBALL! GO JACKETS!

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Cl. 10 11 12 10 10 11 10 10 10 10 12 10 10 10 11 10 10

SPRAYBERRY YELLOW JACKETS 2525 Sandy Plains Rd, Marietta, GA 30066 • Jim Frazier Stadium https://www.sprayberryfootball.org X: @SHSProspects

2024 RESULTS Alexander .............................28-0 .......... W Etowah ................................. 31-17 .......... W Kennesaw Mountain...........38-3 .......... W Pope ....................................23-34 ............L Sequoyah ............................ 31-17 .......... W Riverwood ............................ 34-3 .......... W Creekview ........................... 41-21 .......... W River Ridge .........................30-27 .......... W Lassiter...................................31-0 .......... W Woodstock ..........................38-17 .......... W State Playoffs Lanier ...................................27-14 .......... W Newnan ................................ 35-7 .......... W Lee County ...........................0-64 ............L

Instagram: @sprayberryfootball

VARSITY COACHING STAFF Pete Fominaya.................. HC Clay Mcknight ...................OC Josh Cassidy ..................... DC Brad Trout...........................DL Brent Haygood ..................OL Caleb Brewster.................. LB Chester Ransom...............WR Will Petway........................ DB Mark Fominaya..................OL Robert Jenkins................... TE Myles Worthy .....................RB Bill Bellus ............................RB

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI DL Jabari Zuniga (2015-19), .......................... Florida, New Orleans Saints RB Trey Sermon (2013-16), ......................... Ohio State, Indianapolis Colts K Rodrigo Blankenship (2011-14), .........Georgia, Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Jerick McKinnon (2006-09), ..Georgia Southern, Kansas City Chiefs DB Brynden Trawick (2004-07), ............................ Troy, Baltimore Ravens

2024 LEADERS RUSHING Jaden Duckett............. 158 car ...805 yds ....16 TD Rayshawn Simpkins .. 139 car....870 yds.....8 TD PASSING Jaden Duckett.........97/177 ....1969 yds .....14 TD..3 INT RECEIVING Mark Manfred ........35 rec....892 yds..... 5 TD Jorden Edmonds..35 rec....670 yds ..... 4 TD TACKLES Everett Currie.........107 SACKS Jamarion Cooper .6.5 INTERCEPTIONS Kealan Jones .........4

From Page 116

and receiving touchdowns (7) and setting a school record with 237 receiving yards in a game last season. He has six Division I offers, including from Bowling Green, Kennesaw State and Troy.

Nicco White spent his first two seasons at Sprayberry, moved to Tate in Cantonment, Florida for his junior year and is now back at Sprayberry for his final year. White

hasn’t gotten significant playing time, but has dangerous speed and acceleration — he clocked a 10.2 in the 100-meter dash this past spring.

“We got two D-I wide receivers, and that’s going to cause a whole lot of problems,” Duckett said. “Our outsides are dangerous.

We’ve got Jorden (Edmonds) and Kobe (Lewis) — everyone’s going to want to double team them, and now we’ve got a guy that runs a 10.2, so they’re not going to be ready.”

Fominaya said that he’s looking to test the guys he knows are playmakers

FIVE YEAR

RECORD 30-25

2024: 11-2 2023: 6-5 2022: 4-7 2021: 3-6 2020: 6-5

ALL TIME RECORD 285-415-8 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (4) 2024, 2008, 1982, 1978

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Coach: Pete Fominaya • 1st Season • Record: 0-0 • Career: 31-45

JACKETS

Facebook: @Sprayberry High School Football

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

and drive them to push their limits.

“You’ve gotta make them the kid that when other coaches are watching film, they look up and say, ‘Man, how are we going to stop that kid?’” Fominaya said. “We’re fortunate enough that we don’t just have one of those guys, we have a few of them. My focus is to continuously challenge our kids to be better because they’ve nowhere near emptied the tank.”

Fominaya is replacing Brett Vavra after leading Hiram for the past seven seasons, and he brought a

whole new coaching staff and playbook with him. He believes Sprayberry is on the verge of greatness, and he can help the Yellow Jackets finally break through.

“I think I can just come in and bring a fresh set of ideas, maybe bring some fresh ideas to the table,” Fominaya said. “The two previous coaches really did a good job of getting this place healthy financially, facilities-wise, uniforms. Now it’s my turn to continue what’s been done here and take the next step as a program.”

You had me at

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Special - Anthony Stalcup

Entering his third season under center, Sprayberry’s Jaden Duckett has transformed himself into a quality quarterback who can do it all.

Duckett set to prove he’s a true QB

By Owen McDaniel MDJ Sports Writer

When quarterback Kemari Nix transferred to Kell following the 2022 season, Sprayberry was left without a player on its roster that had played a varsity snap at quarterback. Former coach Brett Vavra had to find a replacement quickly, and Jaden Duckett stepped up.

A sophomore wide receiver at the time, Duckett did not know much

about the quarterback position, but he knew he was dangerous with the ball in his hands — and if all else failed, he could depend on his legs to make plays.

“I’ve always wanted the ball in my hand,” Duckett said. “I feel like when the ball’s in my hand, I can change the game. Whether that’s running the ball, passing the ball or just simply handing it off, I felt like that’s what I wanted to do.”

Vavra’s offensive scheme gave

the fleet-footed signal caller plenty of opportunities to use his speed in open space, and Duckett capitalized. He ran for 843 yards and 16 touchdowns on 118 carries in his first season at the helm of the offense.

However, his arm needed a little more work. Duckett averaged 52.7 passing yards a game, completing just 50.5% of his passes while dishing out more interceptions than touchdowns.

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He focused on developing his arm talent after the season, and the work came to fruition immediately.

In his junior year, Duckett completed 54.8% of his passes while averaging 164.1 passing yards per game. He threw for 1,969 yards and posted a 14-to-3 touchdownto-interception ratio in 13 games.

On top of his improved passing numbers, Duckett ran for 805 yards and 16 touchdowns, leading him See DUCKETT, Page 142

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Q&A

Q: Have you been able to keep some of Sprayberry’s traditions in place?

with Sprayberry’s

Pete Fominaya

A: Yeah, it’s one of the oldest football programs in Cobb County. I think next year we’ll be playing 70 something years of football here, so there’s three generations of guys who have played football here at Sprayberry. We’ve tried to honor and respect a lot of things that have happened in the past, but also pave our way forward and really build off of what has been done, specifically last season.

Q: I saw an interview from when you first got to Sprayberry where you said you think this team is on the verge of greatness. What do you think you bring to this program or what can you put in place to help this team get over the hump?

A: I think the difference between a good team and a great program is on good teams, it comes along every couple of years. They’re good, then you don’t hear about them for a few years, then they’re good again. But if you think about the elite programs in Georgia, the last names graduate, but the standards never change. You talk about some of the really good teams, whether it’s in Cobb or South Georgia or in the metro, they graduate 25 kids every year, but their expectations don’t change. So, that’s what we’ve kind of talked about here, ‘Last year’s team’s legacy is their legacy — what is your legacy going to be?’

I think I bring a fresh set of eyes. I’ll be the first head coach who’s not an alumni in 20 years, so I think I can just come in and bring a fresh set of eyes, maybe bring some fresh ideas to the table. The two previous coaches really did a good job of getting this place healthy financially, facilities wise, uniforms, they did a really good job. Now it’s my turn to continue what’s been done here and take the next step as a program.

Q: Looking at your schedule, it looks like your home slate is a little bit easier on paper, but you have a couple tough road games. You have Sequoyah, River Ridge, Creekview and Lassiter. Have you given any thought to the schedule so far? Do you have any initial thoughts on it?

A: I think specifically the teams that are on our schedule, I know every single one of those head coaches, I know all of them work really, really hard. I tell our guys when they’re having a bad day, ‘Hey, you think you’re competing against the guy next to you, but you’re not. You’re competing against that guy up the street at blank high school or the kid up in Cherokee County. I promise you, he’s working.’

We’ve got our local rivalries with Lassiter and Pope, and those are always going to be huge games for us and Kennesaw Mountain is up the street, so that’s going to be a big game for us as well. But then when we get up against some of those Cherokee teams, I think there’s going to be some really big challenges that come through the schedule.

Q: What’s one thing that you’re really excited about for this new position?

Special - File

New Sprayberry coach Pete Fominaya will try to keep the Yellow Jackets atop Region 6AAAAA in 2025.

By Owen McDaniel MDJ Sports Writer

Q: This team is coming off of what was, on paper, its best season in school history. You have a lot of returning stars, so what kind of potential do you see in 2025?

A: The previous staff did a really good job establishing the standard, establishing some traditions here that we’re really excited about going forward. Our expectations are really high. When you have a team that won 11 games last year, went to the third round and has multiple Division I players, I think you’re doing the kids a disservice if you’re not talking about going all the way, about competing at the highest level. So, what we talk about here is how we need to get better every single day to reach our goals, and that’s been our focus.

A: I’m really excited to be part of this Cobb County fraternity. I’ve lived in Cobb the entire time even though I was coaching in Paulding. My kids go to Cobb County schools, my wife works for a Cobb County school, so I was kind of the outside man, outside looking in. Now, I’m here. I’ve got a lot of respect, like I said earlier, for the coaches in this area, and I’m just excited about being part of this Cobb County fraternity.

Q: Last season ended in a rough way for Sprayberry. Is that something that you think the returning guys can use as fuel to motivate them and want to wipe that ugly feeling away?

A: I tell the boys, ‘Every time we think we’re alright, we need to play the first half of that game. Every time we think we’re the king of the hill, or every time we think we’re the best team in the area, go back and watch that half.’ I did it this Saturday as a matter of fact, and I didn’t even coach in the game. I think we need moments in life that humble us because that makes us work harder. So, I think when we can refocus and talk about those moments and talk about those things, they can push us and give us drive and motivation to move forward. So yes, we do speak about that game often.

Answers have been edited for space and clarity KICKOFF 2025

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WOODSTOCK WOLVERINES 2025 Schedule

8/15 at Etowah

8/22 Woodland

8/29 North Springs

9/5 River Ridge

9/12 at Lassiter

9/19 Creekview

10/3 at Pope

10/10 Sequoyah

10/24 at Riverwood

10/31 Sprayberry

Talent, expectations driving Wolverines hopes in ‘25

By Griffin Callaghan

Woodstock has turned the page on its rebuild under thirdyear coach Dan Devine.

The Wolverines went from 2-8 to 7-4 in a one-year span, while making the playoffs for the first time since 2017. With plenty of returning players, and an established system, Woodstock searches for consecutive postseason appearances for the first time in nearly a decade.

“I think there are expectations, which are fun,” Devine said. “I think there’s an expectation that’s set, and it’s important that they’re up to the standard every day. We let them

know, and we’ve got good leadership this year with our leadership council. These guys having experience always helps, too.”

The difference was night and day between Devine’s first two years with clear improvement on both sides of the ball. Defensively, the Wolverines surrendered just 231 total points (21 per game), their best mark since 2011.

Junior linebacker Trace Washington – who has seen a significant uptick in his recruiting – returns to lead that unit, while also headlining the backfield, which graduated last year’s 1,000-yard rusher, Isaiah Payton. Washington sang the praises of his

No. Name 0 Jordan Foster 1 Cavaughn Profit 2 Tyler Barbera 3 Daniel Palmese 4 Luke Similien 5 Jaxon Foster 6 Xavier Murphy 7 Graham Burmeister 8 Khalil Anderson 9 Jayden Christopher 10 Nathan Kellner 11 Rylan Hubbard 12 Will Lord 13 Anthony Colby 14 Delvin Hill 16 Brady Arnold

No. Name 17 Sean Scott 18 Delfon Wilson 19 Caleb Vigna 20 Tobi Akanbi 21 Gage Sawyer 23 Adrian Holliday 24 Trace Washington 25 Ryan Holmberg 27 Jayden Zephir 30 Ean Roberson 32 Nathan Walker 33 Murphy Burke 34 Colin Keonhothy 35 Kentrell Stewart 37 Alejandro Morales 38 Amari Wallace

gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

coach and Woodstock’s new culture heading into Year 3.

“Coach Devine has had a huge impact,” Washington said. “He really built this program. It’s more physical, and it’s more competitive.”

The results speak for themselves, and Woodstock’s lead man has earned the trust of his players because of it.

“The beautiful part is the locker room is 110% in,” Devine said. “That’s what you try to build from day one as part of your culture. I think that’s the beauty of it, just accountability from the players. Once you build that accountability, then you’ve won a locker room.”

Woodstock returns junior

quarterback Graham Burmeister to lead the offense in 2025, who made quite the impact in his first year under center. Burmeister, a dual-threat, threw for 2,057 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions, while picking up another 485 yards and seven scores on the ground.

However, graduation gutted his receiving corps as the Wolverines will deploy an entirely new receiving unit.

Defensively, all-county defensive back Tyler Barbera is back to lead the defense alongside Washington, who’s Woodstock’s top returning tackler with 58. Barbera registered 48 tackles and seven passes See WOLVERINES, Page 121

2025 Roster Pos. TE/LB WR DB/WR DB DB DE RB QB RB DB/RB WR LB LB WR DB QB

Cl. 12 12 12 11 12 12 11 11 12 11 12 11 11 12 12 9

Pos. LB DB RB/LB DB LB H LB/RB OLB WR K DB DB WR H/LB DL DB

Cl. 10 11 10 11 10 11 11 11 10 10 11 11 11 10 10 10

No. Name 39 Finn Burke 41 Charlie Baldwin 42 Kahero Dillon 43 William Gilbert 44 Tyler Howard 45 Connor McCarthy 46 Jacob Johnson 47 Zahyr Joseph 50 James D’Amico 52 Allah, Al-Jalil Shamar 54 Parker Angel 55 Maddox Mann 56 Jamal Buford 57 Tyler Colina 58 Marvin Beltran 59 Zachary Carter-Leach

Pos. WR DB DL OLB DL/K H/OLB LB WR LB OL/DL OL OL OL/DL LB DL OL

Cl. 12 10 10 10 12 10 10 10 11 10 11 12 10 10 12 10

No. Name 60 Caleb Lemacks 61 Justin Marrero 64 Carter Clay 66 Dabril Ba 67 Logan Campbell 70 Deangelo McKinney 75 Jamir Richardson 76 Liam Manion 77 Samson Spitz 79 Wyatt Roth 80 Cameron Smith 81 Isaac Hailu 82 Bryceson Leveridge 83 David Gavin 84 Akinyemi Kier 99 Nasir Thomas

Pos. OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL DL OL/DL OL OL DL WR WR WR WR WR/DB DL

Good Luck This Season!

BASH NIGHT

Monday & Wednesday - All you can eat wings

Canton 1625 Ballground Hwy. (Across From Walmart) | Woodstock 12035 Hwy. 92 (92 @ Trickum) 120

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Cl. 10 12 12 11 11 10 12 10 10 11 12 11 10 10 10 12

W O O D S T O C K W O LV E R I N E S 2010 Towne Lake Hills S Dr, Woodstock, GA 30189 • Wolverine Den https://www.woodstockfootball.net/ X: @WoodstockFtball

2024 RESULTS Etowah .................................. 24-7 .......... W Woodland .............................42-3 .......... W North Springs ......................58-7 .......... W River Ridge ......................... 14-44 ............L Lassiter.................................. 37-3 .......... W Creekview .......................... 28-21 .......... W Pope ..................................... 41-17 .......... W Sequoyah ............................. 7-35 ............L Riverwood ........................... 21-14 .......... W Sprayberry...........................17-38 ............L State Playoffs Milton .................................... 7-42 ............L

Instagram: @woodstockwolverinesnation

Facebook: @Woodstock Wolverines Football

2024 LEADERS VARSITY COACHING STAFF RUSHING Dan Devine .......................HC Josh Smerker ..............Assist.

Scott Stansel ...............Assist.

Jared Wallace .............Assist.

Andrew “Oz” Price.....Assist.

Justin Pearce ..............Assist.

Bernard Walker ..........Assist.

Trevor Stephens .........Assist.

Sean Gaddy ................Assist.

Billy Waters .................Assist.

James D’Amico ...........Assist.

Chris Welch .................Assist.

Rachel Delay ...............Assist.

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI DL Latrell Bankston (2014-17) .......................................................... Houston RB Corey Carmichael (2006-09)....................................Middle Tennessee RB Bruce Miller (2007-10) .................................UCF, San Francisco 49ers DB David Daniel-Sisavanh (2017-2020) ............................... Georgia, Troy

FIVE YEAR

RECORD

Isaiah Payton..........175 car ..1062 yds ... 11 TD PASSING Graham Burmeister...157/269 ..2057 yds ..15 TD ...6 INT RECEIVING Chase Colina .........50 rec ...545 yds..... 6 TD TACKLES Drew Burmeister ..113 Cooper Price..........106 SACKS Cooper Price..........8 INTERCEPTIONS Rylan Hubbard ......3

12-39

2024: 7-4 2023: 2-8 2022: 0-10 2021: 0-10 2020: 3-7

ALL TIME RECORD 118-168 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Coach: Dan Devine • 3rd Season • Record: 9-12 • Career: 15-17

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

a senior, along with sacks) anchors the defensive “It’s just the hard work from WOLVERINES Barbera, fellow senior Luke Similien front. these coaches and players,”

and junior Daniel Palmese (44 tackles). Junior Rylan Hubbard defended, which trailed only (28 tackles, 11 PD, three INT) Washington’s nine. will pair with Washington in the The secondary has plenty linebacking unit, while senior of experience overall, with Tyler Howard (42 tackles, four

From Page 120

The Wolverines remain in a loaded Region 6AAAAA, so their path to the playoffs will face resistance. Still, Devine remains confident in what he’s built heading into Year 3.

GOOD LUCK

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LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU!

Devine said. “I think it’s been a really good summer. It’s just got to continue progressing and getting ready for kickoff, so we’re looking forward to it.”

THIS SEASON TO ALL OF OUR AREA TEAMS!

6739 BELLS FERRY RD. WOODSTOCK, GA 678.483.5995 4035 CANTON RD. MARIETTA, GA 770.928.0006 KICKOFF 2025

121

Special - Anthony Stalcup

Graham Burmeister helped return Woodstock to the playoffs last season, now he’s out to prove the Wolverines are here to stay.

GO WOLVERINES! Good Luck This Season!

Burmeister shows Woodstock belongs

By Griffin Callaghan

gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

195 Woodstock Parkway, Woodstock I-575 Exit 8.

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Woodstock quarterback Graham Burmeister took Cherokee County by storm last season, taking the Wolverines back to the state playoffs for the first time since 2017 in his first year as the starter.

Still, Burmeister feels like Woodstock has something to prove heading into his junior year.

“I’ve definitely improved physically and mentally at the quarterback position, and we’re locked in,” he said. “We have something to prove this year. After having a good year last year, we just want to go and have another great season.”

Burmeister threw for 2,057 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions in his debut season. He averaged 13.1 yards per completion as the Wolverines scored 296 total points (26.9 per game), their best

marks in eight years.

However, his receiving corps is changing substantially in 2025, with an entirely new group featuring tight end Jordan Foster, a basketball convert. Burmeister spent the summer building a rapport with his new unit, and he’s been impressed with the results.

“Most of them are new, so we’ve been doing 7-on-7s and getting chemistry that way,” he said. “But, I mean, I got Rylan (Hubbard) and Jordan (Foster), my tight end, and they’re both good receivers. We have 8-10 good receivers that can play varsity football.”

Among the departed receivers from last year’s team is Burmeister’s brother, Drew, who gears up for his first season of college football at Columbia. The brotherbrother connection was alive in 2024 as Drew caught 29 passes from See BELONGS, Page 142

REGION 6AAAA

Kell looks to claim top spot in loaded region

By Bryce Holder MDJ Sports Writer

Region 6AAAA is a small region, but it is loaded with returning talent, as Blessed Trinity hopes to defend its region crown, with Kell as the top contender.

Kell is the lone Cobb County representative in the region, and with just five teams, securing a spot in the state playoffs is likely, but leaves the Longhorns with little room for error if they want to capture the region championship.

“Our region is tougher than people think,” Kell coach Bobby May said. “Cambridge and BT both made runs last year. Obviously we had our chances too.”

The Titans swept the region in 2024, including a 27-24 region clinching overtime win over Cambridge in the last week of the regular season. Westminster, Kell and Cambridge all finished 2-2 in the region with Kell winning its final two games to continue its streak of 17 straight state playoff appearances.

The Longhorns will look to win their second region title under coach Bobby May as they return starting quarterback Kaleb Narcisse, leading rusher four-star Moonie Gipson, who rushed for 1,683 yards and 17 touchdowns, and added 3-star transfer tight end Nathan Agyemang to help replace leading receivers from last season, Jaden George and Trenton Wanjogu.

Kell features three highly touted players: linebacker Brayden Rouse,

PREDICTED FINISH 1. Kell 2. Blessed Trinity 3. Westminster 4. Cambridge 5. Centennial a Tennessee commit, Arizona State commit cornerback Jalen Williams and safety Jowell Combay who will lead a stout Longhorns defense.

Blessed Trinity QB and Cincinnati commit Brooks Goodman who threw for 1,668 yards returns alongside leading rusher Ahmonte Pitts, leading receiver Quinn Davis and leading tackler D.J. Jacobs as the Titans look to improve on their 2024 semifinal appearance and capture their second straight region championship.

Cambridge turned in a 10-3 record and Class AAAA quarterfinal appearance in 2024. It will have to replace most of the offensive production outside of four-star wide receiver Craig Dandridge who had 1,443 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. The Bears have made five straight playoff appearances.

Westminster has missed the state playoffs only once in the past 18 years, and won a Class AAA state championship a decade ago in 2015.

Special - File

Kaleb Narcisse and Kell will try to dethrone Blessed Trinity this season.

Centennial went winless in region play last season and will also have to replace multiple starters if it wants to improve on its last place finish in Region 6AAAA and return to the state playoffs for just the third time since 2018.

The Longhorns non-region slate leaves them with the fourth toughest strength of schedule based on 2024 win percentage in Cobb County.

The Longhorns will open by

hosting South Paulding and Alpharetta, before traveling to Sequoyah hoping to avenge last season’s 27-24 loss. Kell will round out non-region play with games at Wheeler and state powerhouse Lowndes before returning home to face Columbia.

After a bye-week, Kell will travel to the defending region champions, Blessed Trinity to open region play.

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KICKOFF 2025

KELL LONGHORNS 2025 Schedule

8/13 South Paulding

8/22 Alpharetta

8/29 at Sequoyah

9/5 at Wheeler

9/12 at Lowndes

9/19 Columbia

10/3 at Blessed Trinity

10/10 Westminster

10/17 at Centennial

10/24 Cambridge

Kell positioned to make run at Class AAAA title game

By Bryce Holder

Kell will have a mix of talent and experience this season as they hope to claim their second region championship in three years.

Starting quarterback Kaleb Narcisse and running back Moonie Gipson return alongside a talented and experienced defense as the Longhorns have a lot to prove after a second round exit in the Class AAAA state playoffs last season.

The Longhorns finished 7-5, 2-2 in region play in 2024 with a second place finish in Region 6AAAA after dropping games to eventual region champion Blessed Trinity

and Westminster. With just four region games to round out the regular season, Kell will once again have a good litmus test against teams in higher classifications that handed them losses last season.

“We got a lot of people we’ve got to get back,” Kell coach Bobby May said. “We’re just worried about ourselves right now. In the summer, we don’t talk about anybody else, but when we get there, we’ll have some extra motivation.”

Gipson, who rushed for 1,683 yards and 17 touchdowns on 237 carries as a junior will once again be the focal point of the Longhorns offense. The four-star is a top 10 ranked running back in the class

No. Name 0 Moonie Gipson 0 Alexander Jean 1 Michael Domanik 1 Donte Grant Jr. 2 Jowell Combay 3 Brock Burrus 3 Tony Forney Jr. 4 Jalen Williams 5 Kaleb Narcisse 6 Nathan Agyemang 7 Robert Tyson 8 Brayden Rouse 9 Collin Davis 10 Kason Fox 11 Bryce Shelton 13 Boston Pierce 14 Nehemiah Watson 14 Noah Anderson 15 Jonathan Baker 16 Hollis Williams 17 Zamir Jackson

No. Name 18 Myles Jones 19 Daylon Good 20 Jacob Carroll 21 Jaziah Owens 22 Noah Daniel 23 Martin Yancey 24 Kamoni Adams 25 Sean Phillips 27 Nick Krause 28 Carlos Barneman Jr. 29 Fernando Tavares 30 Langston Jones 31 Tim Wheeler 32 Kenneth Ambrose 33 Matthew Battle 34 Fraser Sperling 35 Omarr Luke Jr. 36 Titus Wimbush 36 Aayden Pulley 38 Andre Perry 39 Anthony Shippee

MDJ Sports Writer

of 2027 and currently has more than 40 offers.

“He’s a talented back and can catch the ball in the backfield,” May said. “I think the best thing about him is he’s better in the fourth quarter than the first.”

After throwing for 2,168 yards and 22 touchdowns, senior Kaleb Narcisse will return behind center for the Longhorns. The strongarmed dual-threat quarterback is expected to take a big jump as a full-time starter.

Despite losing both leading receivers from last year’s team – Jaden George and Trenton Wanjogu – the Longhorns do not lack talent at receiver with elite two-way player

Brayden Rouse who caught eight touchdowns last season, Creekview transfer and Georgia Tech commit Nathan Agyemang and speedster Nemo Watson to complement Brock Burrus, who missed most of last season with a broken hand.

Seniors David Ornelas and Vincent Consolino will anchor the offensive line alongside a young group.

“The offensive line is definitely where we need the most improvement,” May said. “We definitely need to improve in that group as far as our work ethic and consistency.”

On the other side of the trenches, the Longhorns will have to replace sack leader and two-time first-team See LONGHORNS, Page 126

2025 Roster Pos. RB DL LB RB/WR DB/WR WR DB DB QB TE DB LB/TE DL TE/LB LB QB WR LB ST QB WR

Cl. 11 12 12 11 12 11 12 12 12 12 12 11 11 12 12 10 11 11 12 9 9

Pos. DB/WR WR LB/RB LB RB DB/WR DB/RB RB DB/WR DB K/P DB DB LB LB RB/S DL DB/WR DB DB/WR WR

Cl. 12 12 12 12 9 12 11 10 12 10 11 10 10 11 10 9 11 9 10 10 9

No. Name 40 Ethan Iovino 41 Jayden Bryant 42 Prynce Overton 44 Easton Farmer 46 Bryant Riggins 47 Kayo De Morais 48 Bryan De Morais 49 Ox Pennington 50 Kyle Lam 52 Beau Romano 54 Arnold Montana 55 Chase Lewandowski 56 Casey McDougall 58 Caleb Wise 62 Kayden Jacobo 62 Jaydon Roberts 63 Charles Stallworth 64 Elijah Ellis 65 Gabe Pimiento 66 Demarie Wright 69 Quinton Ruredzo

Pos. DB LB RB/DB DL DB LB DL WR LB LB OL OL OL OL OL OL DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL

Cl. 9 10 9 10 9 11 9 10 10 10 11 12 12 11 12 9 9 10 12 10 9

No. Name 70 Ben Hodonu 71 Tyson Griggs 72 David Ornelas 74 Vincent Consolino 75 Avon Glover 78 Chase James 79 Will Payne 80 Luke Petzel 81 Omar Studebaker 82 Milo Allen 83 Bryson Russell 84 Ethan Thomas 85 John Bosire 86 Cayman Creevy 87 Joshua Lee 88 Traeden Brittain 88 Kyle Jackson 91 Jaelyn Smith 92 Bryce Roberts 95 Brynnan Williams 99 Nasser Sims

Pos. OL OL OL OL OL DL/ OL OL WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR/DB WR/DB DL DL DL DL

Cl. 10 12 11 11 10 10 10 11 10 10 10 11 10 10 9 9 10 9 10 9 10

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KELL LONGHORNS 4770 Lee Waters Rd, Marietta, Ga 30066 • Carlton J. Kell Stadium https://www.kellfootball.com/ X: @Kell_Football

2024 RESULTS North Atlanta ..................... 29-15 .......... W Alpharetta.............................57-0 .......... W Sequoyah ........................... 21-24 ............L Wheeler ............................... 31-13 .......... W Lowndes ............................. 13-35 ............L Columbia ..............................34-6 .......... W Blessed Trinity .................... 21-31 ............L Westminster ........................ 14-16 ............L Centennial .......................... 61-49 .......... W Cambridge ......................... 28-14 .......... W State Playoffs Hiram................................... 49-31 .......... W Creekside .......................... 35-42 ............L

Instagram: @kell_football

VARSITY COACHING STAFF Bobby May .......................... HC Brendan Tyner .... AHC/Co-OC Chaz Ferdinand .. AHC/Co-OC Dan Sanso ........................... DC Decorian Swain .................. QB Jonathan Dwyer ............ Sr. RB Travis Booker ................. Sr. RB Chris Pack ............................OL Codi Vick ..............AHC/DB/ST Jasper Grimes...................... DL Cody Ames...........................DE Derhyan Arnold .................. ILB Brian Golson ..................... OLB Adrian Morris .......................CB

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI LB Bryson Armstrong (2012-15),........................................ Kennesaw State RB Jonathan Dwyer (2003-2006)........ Georgia Tech, Arizona Cardinals DB Taylor Henkle (2010-13), ............................................... Kennesaw State WR Brendan Langley (2009-12), .......................... Lamar, Denver Broncos DB Quincy Mauger (2009-12), ..............................Georgia, BC Lions (CFL) DB Brian Randolph (2007-10), ..................Tennessee, Los Angeles Rams

2024 LEADERS

FIVE YEAR

RUSHING Moonie Gipson .....237 car .. 1683 yds..17 TD

RECORD

PASSING Kaleb Narcisse ........151/245 ....2168 yds .. 22 TD .7 INT RECEIVING Jaden George .......32 rec..... 581 yds ....3 TD Trenton Wanjogu..32 rec..... 563 yds ...4 TD Brayden Rouse .....26 rec .... 382 yds ...8 TD TACKLES Brayden Rouse .....111 SACKS Tyshawn Natt .........8 INTERCEPTIONS Jalen Williams........2 Zayd Rogan ............2 Tony Forney Jr.......2

recruit. He held offers from more than 40 Power 4 schools before announcing his commitment to From Page 125 Tennessee. He will team with Charall-state defensive lineman lotte commit Michael Domanik to Tyshawn Natt. They will have a lead a deep and talented linebackmore experienced defensive line ing core that also includes seniors led by Alexander Jean and ColJacob Carroll and Jaziah Owens. lin Davis.

Arizona State commit cornerback Rouse, whose main position is Jalen Williams and safeties Jowell linebacker, had 111 total tackles last Combay and Missouri commit Tony year, is a highly-touted four-star Forney Jr. will make up one of the

38-18

2024: 7-5 2023: 9-2 2022: 10-2 2021: 6-5 2020: 6-4

ALL TIME RECORD 176-79 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (5) 2023, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2010

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Coach: Bobby May • 4th Season • Record: 26-9 • Career: 53-19

LONGHORNS

Facebook: @KellLonghornsFootball

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

most experienced and talented secondaries in the state to round out a Kell defense with high expectations. Williams played most of the 2024 season with a torn labrum.

“We’re excited to have Jalen healthy, and he’s a lockdown corner,” May said. “Those three guys, really are going to move around for us and definitely be the leaders on the defense.”

The expectations are certainly

high for an experienced Longhorns team as they look to recapture a region championship and make a run in the Class AAAA state playoffs, but May said he is focused on the small things that will make his team successful.

“Just to play with discipline and to play hard every single snap,” May said. “I think the big thing is we got to practice better than we did last year to stay consistent.”

PIEDMONT CHURCH SUPPORTS KELL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL! GO LONGHORNS!

piedmontchurch.tv | 570 Piedmont Road, Marietta | 770-422-2566 126

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New position has paid off for Agyemang

By Bryce Holder MDJ Sports Writer

Fresh off his commitment to Georgia Tech, Kell tight end Nathan Agyemang is ready to take the next step with his new team in his senior season.

The Creekview transfer is switching schools and shifting positions, but he is ready to hit the ground running. As a receiver for the Grizzlies last year, Agyemang had 21 receptions for 397 yards and three touchdowns.

“It was a great move for me in the offseason.” Agyemang said.

While it is a drop in classification, Agyemang knows the Kell program will be a different challenge.

The Longhorns have made the state playoffs 17 straight years and have a track record of sending players to the next level including many Special - Paul Holm Division I commitments off this New Kell tight end Nathan Agyemang is another weapon for the Longhorns offense in 2025. year’s team. “(Kell) gets me more prepared Agyemang upon his transfer he knew it he was ready to for the next level,” Agyemang said. my mind, for the next level.”

Offers began rolling in for to the program and before See POSITION, Page 142 “It’s really preparing me, my body,

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REGION 7AAAA

Bucs better, but have tough region slate

By Jack Martin MDJ Sports Writer

Coach Brad Smith said Region 7AAAA is shaping up to be one of the most stacked regions in Georgia. Cobb County’s sole team in the region, Allatoona, is ready for the challenges that come with playing in this region.

“Attack the region as a separate entity, take it day-by-day and hopefully get an opportunity to make our way into the playoffs at the end,” Smith said.

He said there is no shortage of talent as many of the squads have multiple Power 4 caliber players.

“We are going to play D-I kids every week,” he said. “You have the Brady Marchese kid at Cartersville, you’ve got the quarterback from Cass (Brodie McWhorter), you’ve got the lineman from Cass that’s going to Michigan (Bear McWhorter). Hiram is just full of talent when it comes to how they play the game.”

Smith said his team will have to watch film each week, and prepare for each region opponent equally.

“I wouldn’t say we are looking at anyone individually,” he said. “We are very aware of the big-name kids that we play against.

“When we get to that region play you can circle the whole region, because I think top to bottom it is one of the toughest ones in Class AAAA.” Cartersville won the region a year ago. The Hurricanes went undefeated in the regular season and fell in the state quarterfinals of the playoffs to North Oconee.

Cartersville is headlined by Marchese, Langston Hogg and Cole Crawford.

Hogg is a three-star senior offensive lineman who is committed to Tulane. Marchese is a four-star senior wide receiver who is committed to Georgia. He logged 1,051 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on 44 receptions during his junior year. Crawford is a four-star junior linebacker who holds 12 Power Four offers. He had 26 total tackles and two sacks during his sophomore year.

Cedartown finished second in the

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KICKOFF 2025

Special - File

Allatoona will try to find a way to get past Cartersville and the rest of Region 7AAAA. region and its only loss came from Cartersville. The team is expected to be led by junior quarterback Wyatt Mosley, who threw for 126 yards and two touchdowns last season in limited action.

Hiram finished third. The Hornets are led by senior quarterback Ethan Latimore, who threw for 1,351 yards and 10 touchdowns.

After a Cinderella playoff run in 2023, Cass finished fourth in 7AAAA last year.

The team is headlined by brothers “Bear” and Brodie McWhorter.

“Bear,” is a four-star senior offensive lineman who is committed to Michigan, while his brother Brodie is a three-star senior quarterback who is committed to Mississippi

State.

Allatoona finished fifth and missed the playoffs for the second straight season. The Bucs are headlined by Xavier Rucker and Tyler Duckworth. Rucker is a three-star senior running back who is committed to Georgia Tech. He ran for 1,135 yards and 11 touchdowns on 174 carries last season.

Duckworth is a junior offensive lineman with offers from UNLV and Bethune-Cookman.

Smith said he has a history against region schools and there is not a school in the region the Buccaneers can take lightly.

“I worked at Dalton for five in this state,” he said. “Cartersville, years, so that’s a huge game when Cass, Cedartown, and everybody it comes to the history of football knows Woodland.”

PREDICTED FINISH 1. Cartersville 2. Cedartown 3. Cass 4. Hiram 5. Allatoona 6. Dalton 7. Woodland

ALLATOONA BUCCANEERS 2025 Schedule

8/15 Adairsville

8/22 at South Paulding

8/29 River Ridge

9/4 at Holy Innocents’

9/12 Cedartown

9/19 at Dalton

10/3 Woodland

10/10 at Cartersville

10/17 Hiram

10/24 at Cass

Bucs ready to make return run to postseason play

By Jack Martin

After doubling its win total from the previous season, Allatoona looks to build on the foundation it has set over the last few seasons.

This is the third season under coach Brad Smith and second season under defensive coordinator Fran Mahan, and Smith said he believes there was a key aspect of improvement made over the offseason.

“I would say development,” he said. “A lot of these guys have been playing since they were sophomores and now they’re getting to their senior year where they’ve had a ton

of experience on a Friday night.”

Smith said the Buccaneers have faith in their staff, and they expect to see improvements across the board. He said he believes in their process of development and molding of players. With another year under his and Mahan’s belt, they expect to execute new schemes, and they will better understand the strengths and weaknesses of their team.

“This is the second year with our defensive coordinator coach Mahan, so our defense has to be much improved, but I think it will be,” Smith said. “We returned a lot of those guys from last year, so a second year in the system usually

No. Name 0 Xavier Rucker 1 Aidan Navarro 2 John Arnold 3 Jacob Wan 4 Ethan Corpus 5 Andrew Ingle 6 Myles Davis 7 Michael Odinjor 8 Noah Atkins 9 Colton Greaves 10 Kyle Downey 11 Frank Young 12 Hunter Griffin 13 George Kahinga 14 BJ Hill 15 Caleb Williams 16 Micah Morgan 17 Eric-Anthony Downie 18 Willie Hollis 19 Noah White 20 Cooper Kanuch

21 Landon Ortega 22 Dakota Atkins 23 Nate Ortega 24 Rhys Rooney 25 Logan Castle 26 Aidan Dupree 27 Brian Ohia 28 Parker Kave 29 Brady Shoplock 30 Seth Ward 31 Jj Vaughan 32 Trevor Hunter 33 Levi Brown 34 Brooks Chandler 35 Roman Dupree 36 Angelo Arsenault 37 Triston Johnson 38 Brayden Golyer 39 Nolan Elliot 40 Matthew Benede 41 Mason Gerenyi 42 Carter Tucker

MDJ Sports Writer

Pos. RB DB DB QB/P RB LB WR LB LB LB WR QB QB DB WR WR DB DB DB LB DB

Cl. 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 12 12 12 11 9 12 11 12 12 12 12 12 12

DB TE DB WR WR DB DB QB QB RB DB DB TE DL DB DB RB LB LB LB DB RB

11 11 11 11 11 11 12 10 10 11 11 11 10 12 10 10 11 10 10 10 10 10

sees a lot more changes, a lot more higher level stuff than we were able to do last year.”

Smith said he wants his team to be complete and build on its strengths from last year.

“We ran the ball really well last year, we need to do a better job of passing the ball down the field,” he said. “I don’t wanna be cliche but all three areas matter. Offensively we’ve got to have a better passing game than we did last year, defensively just continue to improve Year 2 in the system, and special teams all together we gotta tighten that up across the board.”

Allatoona takes great pride in developing its players. The growth

2025 Roster

43 Jojo Ducham 44 Asher Powe 45 Morgan Brooks 46 Micah Espino 47 Kenneth Randall 48 Joseph Mateo 49 Mateo Bagley 50 Mason Muholland 51 Phillip Gilcrist 52 Elijah Bridges 53 Takeru Gallardo 54 Michael Wright 55 Austin Lacuzong 56 Tyler Duckworth 59 Daniel Stafford 60 Miller Fleming 61 Jack Brown 62 Jaxon Holbert 63 Connor Warner 65 David Bermudez 66 Jeremiah Coleman 68 Alex Miller

DB LB TE LB LB RB DB OL OL LB LB DL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL DL OL

10 11 10 10 10 10 10 11 11 10 11 11 10 11 11 10 12 10 10 10 12 12

of the players comes from the foundation the coaching staff has set.

“We have to be great at development, and I think that’s what is so big about our strength and conditioning department,” Smith said.

Smith said he and his team are eager to see all of the work culminate for this upcoming season.

“I’m most excited for us to do what we’ve been saying we’ll do for the past couple years,” Smith said. “I think we have the right mindset, we have the right leadership in place.

We’re finally going to accomplish some goals we’ve been setting for the last couple of years.”

The goals in place for this team See BUCS, Page 130

70 Knox Besse 72 Jayden Ohia 74 Grant Howard 77 Ben Cannon 78 Edwin Motino 80 Jonah Heunick 81 Crosby Kanuch 82 Joseph Tally 83 Gavin Steele 85 Bryce Lattimore 86 Jayden Cassady 88 Gabe Geday 89 Jayden Espino 90 De’Shawn Riles 91 Landon Garrett 92 Daniel Gonzalez 93 Issac Young 94 Sam Schultz 95 Wilson Perry 96 Christopher Wofford 98 Wesley Gore-Cobb 99 Gabe Morgan

OL OL OL DL OL WR WR LB WR WR WR WR WR DL DB DB DB DB K/P LB DL DL

11 10 10 10 11 10 11 11 10 10 10 11 10 10 11 10 10 10 12 10 11 12

Over 50 years of Care and Compassion

Good Luck Allatoona High School!

Bruce A. Hester D.M.D, Chelsea M. Smith D.M.D, and Kara H. Johnson, D.M.D.

2980 Lewis Street • Kennesaw, GA 30144 • 770-422-1554 • www.bhesterdmd.com KICKOFF 2025

129

A L L AT O O N A B U C C A N E E R S 3300 Dallas-Acworth Hwy NW, Acworth, GA 30101 • Cobb EMC/Buccaneer Stadium https://www.allatoonabucsfootball.com X: @ahsbucsfootball

2024 RESULTS Adairsville ...............................27-28 ....... L South Paulding ...................... 31-29 ......W River Ridge ............................. 13-42 ....... L Holy Innocents Episcopal .... 30-21 ......W Cedartown................................ 7-45 ....... L Dalton..................................... 42-29 ......W Woodland ..................................17-0 ......W Cartersville ................................0-31 ....... L Hiram......................................... 7-52 ....... L Cass ..........................................17-32 ....... L

Instagram: @allatoonahighschool

VARSITY COACHING STAFF Brad Smith......................... HC Mike Dennison ........... Assist.

Jeremy Anderson....... Assist.

Ed Russ ........................ Assist.

Brett Hubinger............ Assist.

Dan Mullins ................. Assist.

Bradley Dodd .............. Assist.

Patrick Liner ................ Assist.

Randy Reed ................. Assist.

Fran Mahan ................. Assist.

Zack Edwards ............. Assist.

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI TE Bennett Christian (2017-20) ................................................... Ohio State DL Royce Francis (2013-17) .......................................................Wake Forest K Jude Kelley (2016-19) ...................................Georgia Tech, Chattanooga QB Brandon Rainey (2012-15).....................................................The Citadel WR Raleigh Webb (2012-15) .......... The Citadel, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Facebook: AHS BUCS Football

2024 LEADERS

FIVE YEAR

RUSHING Xavier Rucker ........174 car...1135 yds..... 11 TD

RECORD 30-25

PASSING Cruz Paul .................51/124 ....721 yds ...... 4 TD ..4 INT

SACKS Collin Fields ............3

2024: 4-6 2023: 2-8 2022: 6-6 2021: 7-4 2020: 11-1

INTERCEPTIONS John Arnold............4

ALL TIME RECORD 135-63-1

RECEIVING Xavier Rucker ........17 rec .....281 yds ...... 2 TD TACKLES John Arnold............71 Michael Odinjor ....67

REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (4) 2020, 2015, 2014, 2011

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 2015

Coach: Brad Smith • 3rd Season • Record: 6-14 • Career: 24-28

BUCS

From Page 129 are optimistic. Smith said he wants to take the season day by day, but each goal works towards another goal.

“The first thing is to go undefeated in the non-region,” he said.

“I think the biggest goal right now is for us to make the playoffs. That’s not the end goal, we want to win a region championship. We know that it runs through a couple places, and we’re working for that.”

Smith said he knows what lies ahead, which is why he is preparing his players as Allatoona looks to return to the playoffs.

Smith highlighted a number of impact players for the Buccaneers this season, starting with Xavier Rucker. He ran for 1,135 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground last season. He also logged 17 receptions, 281 yards and two touchdowns through the air.

“Obviously, you have Xavier Rucker who I feel is one of the best players in the state,” he said.

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

“He holds over 30 offers, and he is committed to Georgia Tech. He can do so many different things for us, whether it’s catch the ball, play running back, he could play quarterback if he wanted to, but he does so many things for us. This year we are going to work him some on the defensive side which will be huge for us as well.”

Smith also gave praise to players on the other side of the ball. With Mahan’s second year as the defensive coordinator, Smith expects a big jump from these players.

“Michael Odinjor also on the

defensive side,” he said. “He’s a young outside linebacker, and he’s going to be big for us as well. Then you have John Arnold who was a unanimous firstteam all-region safety last season.”

Odinjor had 67 tackles, five tackles for loss and two sacks, while Arnold logged 71 tackles and four interceptions.

There is a message that Smith and his staff preached to players all offseason.

“Our thing for the summer is to do hard better,” he said. “We are trying to do hard things better than other people.”

Plumbing Repairs + Honest Answers

130

KICKOFF 2025

Allatoona trio signifies team brotherhood

By Jack Martin MDJ Sports Writer

The brotherhood built within the Allatoona football program is shared between Jeremiah Coleman, Tyler Duckworth and Ethan Corpus.

Coleman is a 6-foot-1, 256pound senior defensive lineman and offensive lineman. Duckworth is a 6-foot-3, 265-pound junior offensive lineman. Corpus is a 5-foot-10, 200-pound senior running back.

The players stayed busy over the summer with camps. Coleman competed in the Reinhardt camp. Duckworth participated in USF’s camp. Corpus competed in a Shorter University camp, where he received his first offer.

All three said they all plan on continuing their football careers at the next level. Duckworth has Special - Anthony Stalcup offers from Bethune-Cookman and UNLV. Coleman is continu- Tyler Duckworth, Ethan Corpus and Jeremiah Coleman are part of the core that makes the Bucs a family. ing to work for offers as the summer goes on. his teammates have spent together and senior Xavier Rucker make Georgia.

See TRIO, Page 142 Coach Brad Smith said Corpus up the best backfield in Northeast Coleman said the time he and

We’re your team for HVAC Service, Repair and Replacement!

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131

REGION 7AA

Rockmart enters season as region favorite

By Grant Turnage MDJ Sports Writer

This is the second year of the realigned Region 7AA, a deep nineteam league where the top spot is up for grabs.

Rockmart, the defending champion, is once again a favorite to win and this will be its third region championship in four years, but they will face stiff competition against North Cobb Christian and other contenders.

Last season, the Eagles made a strong playoff push with their only region loss coming at the hands of eventual champion Yellow Jackets.

This year North Cobb Christian will field a younger roster, integrating new talent at crucial offensive and defensive positions. However, a stout offensive line returns to anchor their efforts.

Rockmart enters the season coming off back-to-back undefeated region campaigns. Its deep run in the Class AA state playoffs ended in the semifinals with a 35-22 home loss to eventual runner-up Burke County.

The Yellow Jackets will be led by two-way standout Nate Davis.

The starting running back and linebacker, finished last season with 937 rushing yards and 117 total tackles.

The Eagles and Yellow Jackets are set to face off in early October in what could be a decicive game for the region title.

“They’re very good, but just like us, who knows what we will be in October,” said North Cobb Christian coach Matt Jones.

Beyond the top two, North Murray and Ringgold emerge as formidable contenders with the potential to compete for the region title.

“Those are the kind of games this team can’t just show up and win,” said coach Jones. “ It takes tough, hard-nosed football to win in this league, and the Eagles have a lot of respect for everyone in the region.”

The Mountaineers return their leading passer and rusher

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KICKOFF 2025

Special - File

A younger North Cobb Christian will try to get back on top of the region standings this season. in quarterback Hudson Hulett and leading tackler Jacob Daley, who averaged 12 tackles per game.

Hulett, who threw for 825 yards and five touchdowns, while also rushing for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns, led the Mountaineers to a third-place finish last year, highlighted by a narrow 27-26 victory over Ringgold.

The teams will have a rematch in October, with both facing the tough challenge of beating the Rockmart on its home turf.

Ringgold finished 5-3 in region play last season, with its three losses coming by an average of just two

points. The Tigers made it to the state playoffs, but fell to Carver 35-14.

“This is a competitive region from top to bottom, and you cannot slip up or have an off week,” Jones said.

He also highlighted the strength of the region, with five teams qualifying for the playoffs last season. Despite the challenges his team faces he is confident in his players and they want to win for the school and community.

They know they are capable of winning and Jones has continued to make improvements in the program every year.

PREDICTED FINISH 1. Rockmart 2. Ringgold 3. North Murray 4. NCC 5. Union County 6. LFO 7. Sonoraville 8. Coahulla Creek 9. Murray County

NORTH COBB CHRISTIAN EAGLES 2025 Schedule

8/15 at Providence Chr.

8/22 Darlington

8/29 at Coahulla Creek

9/5 Sonoraville

9/12 at Ringgold

10/3 at Murray County

10/10 Rockmart

10/17 at North Murray

10/24 Lakeview-FO

10/31 Union County

Young roster hopes to build on Eagles’ success

By Grant Turnage

North Cobb Christian enters the 2025 season under coach Matt Jones with significant momentum from a program-best 11-2 record and state semifinals appearance, though this season will feature a younger roster.

The Eagles lost several starters through transfers and graduation, but will counteract it with a coaching staff which combines for more than 140 years of experience. They also have an experienced group of seniors on the offensive line, who will play a pivotal role in a rebuilding year.

The team has really bought into the brotherhood mentality and the “iron sharpens iron message” Jones has emphasized for the team, which offensive line coach Jack Knapp

said has been significant this offseason for the team’s development The offensive line features four seniors who have developed under the guidance Knapp since middle school. This deep-rooted connection has cultivated exceptional leadership among the unit, composed of seniors Mike Patterson, Andy Reed, Jackson Elbert, and Connor Feltault, and sophomore Wright Upton.

“They’re willing to stick their face in front of a bus for their teammates. Do whatever it takes for their teammates and that’s what I’m excited about,” Jones said. “Because there are some years you don’t have (any) lineman, and we have a good group of linemen that work hard and will be the strength, and then there’s a lot of personality in that group.”

No. Name 1 Oakleen Padgett 2 Cooper Bazarksy 5 Mykah Wilson 6 Collin Barfield 7 Coker Ormsby 9 Toby Martin 10 Jayden McCullough 11 Chris Jenkins 13 Trindon Thompson 14 Jake Orton 15 Austin Tamborra 16 JT Herr 17 Haiden Gibson

No. Name 19 Nolan Porch 20 Jaden Batista 21 Bryson Vickery 22 Carson Bruce 23 JD Aufderheide 24 Brody Clarke 25 Cain Foley 26 Hudson Lovette 27 Zachary Valentino 28 Nathan Valentino 30 Truett Morris 31 Tristian Carter 33 Brooks Staton

MDJ Sports Writer

Going into fall camp Jones said Jayden McCollough is presumed starter at quarterback, unless something drastic changes. He is a sophomore and got his first game like reps at their spring game back in May. On the defensive side the Eagles lost their two leading tacklers Ray Dixon and Beedjy Guerrier. This will be the most depth Jones has had during his tenure with the Eagles. Two will be playing on the offensive and defensive line — Feltault and Patterson. This will be their first full season as starters playing both ways for the Eagles. Although this defense may not feature any top end player to carry the load Jones said fans can expect to see five to seven kids fill the void that is left.

For Jones and his staff having a younger roster and less experienced

starters, is a position they dealt with back in 2022. The team started approximately 15 freshmen. The mindset is to take one rep at a time and one play at a time. Jones said there is no secret to success but does speak highly of his team overall and references the underclassmen’s work ethic.

“These freshmen and sophomores that we do have are competitive,” Jones said. “They work their butt off in the weight room and on the field. They’re going to be here before it’s time to start and after it’s time to leave. These kids love North Cobb Christian, and they love our school, they love our community. The kids love being an Eagle and want to play for North Cobb Christian.”

Every game is important, but after See EAGLES, Page 134

2025 Roster Pos. WR/DB RB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB QB WR/DB WR/DB RB/LB WR/DB WR/DB RB/DB

Cl. 11 12 10 12 12 10 10 11 9 11 11 12 9

Pos. QB/WR RB/LB RB/LB WR/LB RB/LB RB/LB WR/DB WR/DB RB/DB RB/DB RB/LB RB/LB RB/LB

Cl. 9 12 12 11 11 9 9 9 10 10 11 10 9

No. Name 34 Cannon Smith 35 Tripp Duvall 36 Price Startup 37 Alex Adair 41 Jett Conner 43 Michael Warren 44 Max Byrom 45 Sam Greer 47 Colton Bell 48 Daniel Rivera 51 Andy Reed 52 Lee Brown 53 Wright Upton

Pos. WR/LB WR/DB QB/DB RB/LB RB/DE OL/DL RB/LB RB/LB RB/LB K/P OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL

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Pos. OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL WR/DB

Cl. 9 9 12 9 10 12 10 12 10 12 12 10 11

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NORTH COBB CHRISTIAN EAGLES 4500 Eagle Dr, Kennesaw, GA 30144 • Jacob Dennis Field https://www.ncchristian.org X: @NCCEaglesFb

2024 RESULTS PCA.........................................14-0 .......... W Darlington..............................14-7 .......... W Coahulla Creek....................48-0 ......... .W Sonoraville ..........................24-17 .......... W Ringgold ............................. 41-39 ......... .W Murray County.....................49-6 .......... W Rockmart ............................ 21-24 ............L North Murray ..................... 34-13 .......... W Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe.....47-21 .......... W Union County.....................44-24 .......... W State Playoffs Whitefield Academy ...........40-6 .......... W Savannah Christian ..........30-27 .......... W Prince Avenue Christian ....0-43 ............L

Instagram: @nccseagles

2024 LEADERS VARSITY COACHING STAFF RUSHING Matt Jones................................HC Gary Varner...................AHC/QB PJ Hughes ................................DC Raymond Priester ...................RB Zack Shelton.............................LB Mike Johnson......................... WR Jack Knapp ...............................OL Armani Martin ..........................RB Hunter Poole ...........................DB Bill Parker...................................DL Elijah Towne..............................DL Benny Louis ..............................LB

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI LB Jacob Cruz (2019-22), .........................................................Georgia Tech OL Gabe Fortson (2019-22), ....................................................Georgia Tech

From Page 133

speaking with the offensive line, there are two games which stand out on their schedule. Both will be home games, however only one is

FIVE YEAR

RECORD

Denim Stevens.........86 car ...... 514 yds ....10 TD Cooper Bazarsky ....94 car ...... 489 yds ...5 TD PASSING Teddy Jarrard…209/291…2647 yds…31 TD…5 INT RECEIVING DJ Huggins...........53 rec .....899 yds.....11 TD TACKLES Spears Martin ......89 SACKS Raymond Dixon ..7 INTERCEPTIONS Beedjy Guerrier .....................1 Turner Davis ............................1 Brody Archie ...........................1 Rilee Hutchinson ...................1 JD Aufderheide......................1 Oakleen Padgett ...................1

Coach: Matt Jones • 5th Season • Record: 33-15 • Career: 34-34

EAGLES

Facebook: @North Cobb Christian School

to avenge a region loss.

The Darlington game in September was a close one last year with the Eagles winning 14-7. Members of the offensive line are anxious for this matchup. Although it is a nonregion opponent this will be a good litmus test to see

41-18

2024: 11-2 2023: 9-3 2022: 10-2 2021: 3-8 2020: 9-3

ALL TIME RECORD 81-100 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (2) 2023, 2018

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

where the team stands in preparation for region play and the rest of the season.

The region rematch against Rockmart at home in October has the potential to be a de facto region championship game for the second year.

“I learned how good everybody in the region is,” Jones said. “There’s going to be four to six teams in our region that are going to be hard games, and you got to be healthy, you got to be on your A game. You can’t just show up and win. So a lot of respect for the region.”

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Eagles’ offensive line to lead team in ‘25

By Grant Turnage MDJ Sports Writer

North Cobb Christian’s experienced offensive line is poised to lead the Eagles to a successful season this year.

The group features four seniors — Mike Patterson at 6-foot-2, 310-pounds, Andy Reed (5-10, 220), Jackson Elbert 5-10, 260) and Connor Feltault (6-2, 175).

The two underclassmen are sophomores, Wright Upton (6-2, 220) and Brayden Gutierrez (6-3, 260).

Most of the linemen have three years of experience and a deep understanding of the playbook.

This will be beneficial as the Eagles will have a new starting quarterback in Jayden McCollough, after last year’s starter, Teddy Jarrard, transferred to North Cobb.

They will also be blocking for a Special - Anthony Stalcup new running back, Cooper Bazarsky, as last year’s leading rusher, The North Cobb Christian offensive line will be the backbone of this year’s team.

Denim Stevens, transferred to Holy Innocents. offensive line coach Jack Knapp is execute. He has built a special trust leading-by-example leadership See LINE, Page 159 With new faces in key positions, confident in his players’ ability to with them, highlighting vocal and

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REGION 5A DIVISION I

MPC, Whitefield to fight for subregion

By Paul Holm MDJ Sports Writer

Mount Paran Christian and Whitefield Academy return with two of the top rushing attacks in Class A and enter 2025 as favorites in their subregion of Region 5A Division I. Mount Paran, now led by coach Connie Arnold, finished 8-4 last season and went 3-2 in region play.

Arnold took over midway through the season and now enters his first full year in charge. The Eagles ran for more than 3,000 yards and will return key playmakers, including junior running backs Gavin Steele and Christian Holmes.

“We’re going to focus again on the triple-option,” Arnold said. “We spent last season installing it, and now that it’s in, we can focus more on the air. We want to put in a few more passing concepts than last year.”

The Eagles are expected to rely on a balanced backfield and competition between two sophomore quarterbacks, Eli Hewatt and Kobe Fleming, to lead the offense.

“Whitefield’s going to be a tough game,” Arnold said. “They have some of the best athletes we will face. It’s going to take a lot of discipline and a lot of luck to win the region.”

Whitefield Academy is coming off a 7-4 season and a 4-1 finish in region play. Coach Robert Walsh expects another strong year on the ground.

The Wolfpack will be led by Mason Hollingsworth, who had more than 1,400 total yards of offense last year, and is expected to have at least as big a role in the offense, if not bigger this season.

He has a personal goal of reaching the 2,000-yard mark this season.

A lot of that depends on his offensive line.

“We have a lot of experience coming back on our O-line, so our run game should improve,” Walsh said.

“Last year it was pretty run-dominant across the region.”

Walsh also noted that the Wolfpack could open up the offense this fall.

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KICKOFF 2025

Special - File

Whitefield Academy will try to win the subregion for the second straight season.

“Our quarterback, Landon Ryan, is a year older, so our passing game will be more of a part of the plan,” he said. “We have to see what Mount Paran is doing, our game plan could change depending on who they are trying to get the ball to.”

Walker went 2-8 last year and 0-5 in region play. The Wolverines are hoping to build consistency with a short roster headed into the season under coach TJ Anderson.

“We got a tough region so we are going to do our best,” Anderson said. “For the most part, it’s a run-dominant conference, so we have to be ready in the trenches.

We’re going to continue to work hard throughout the summer.”

Walker will depend a lot on senior Grant Addison who is a main target on offense and a leading tackler on defense.

One of the biggest challenges for the Wolverines will be numbers.

The roster is thin again despite

Anderson’s best efforts of recruiting players within the school to come out for football.

Rounding out Subregion A is Landmark Christian and B.E.S.T. Academy.

Landmark finished 7-4 overall and 3-2 in region play last year behind quarterback Skyler Hamilton, who passed for 1,914 yards and 20 touchdowns.

B.E.S.T. Academy went 4-6 and 1-4 in region play and will look to bounce back behind a more experienced lineup.

Sub-region B features Wesleyan, Fellowship Christian, Mount Pisgah, Mount Vernon and St. Francis. Wesleyan and Fellowship are expected to be early favorites to win that side of the bracket.

Arnold said he knows the road won’t be easy.

“Landmark can do it all,” he said.

“There’s no team in this subregion you can overlook.”

PREDICTED FINISH Sub-Region A 1. Whitefield 2. Mount Paran 3. Landmark 4. BEST Academy 5. Walker Sub-Region B 1. Wesleyan 2. Fellowship 3. King’s Ridge 4. Mount Pisgah 5. Mount Vernon 6. St. Francis

MOUNT BETHEL CHRISTIAN EAGLES 2025 Schedule

8/15 Asheville Christian

8/22 at Creekside Chr.

8/29 Copper Basin

9/4 at IMG Acad. St.

9/12 Greenville

9/20 Palm Beach Chr.

10/3 Eagle’s View

10/10 Lanier Christian

10/17 Dominion Christian

11/1 Mentoring Sports

Mount Bethel has final year to prepare in non-region

By Kai Millette

Mount Bethel Christian isn’t using its youth as a program as an excuse to not be successful in 2025.

The Eagles are not only a young program, entering its second varsity season and playing a full varsity schedule for the first time, but they also host a young roster – without any seniors.

“You want that senior leadership, but we have such a strong junior class that they’re kind of able to lead,” coach Micah Hughes said.

“And then two you know, hey, we got all these kids for another year after this – that’s exciting for us, too.”

Mount Bethel will play a nonregion schedule this season, including teams from Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

Despite the lack of a postseasonbased goal due to the nature of this

season’s schedule, Hughes said he put the schedule together with the intention of testing his team’s attitude, effort and execution through adversity.

“The biggest thing for us, we kind of harp on three things – attitude, effort (and) execution,” Hughes said. “Really the two biggest things for us is attitude and execution on how we do that, and I feel like we’ve done a really good job on that the last two years. That’s continuing to do that even though we’re not playing for a playoff spot, but it’s keeping that level and that intensity.

“I think that’s why I put the schedule together the way I did, where we’re going to play different teams from different states, people we’ve never seen before.

Then make some trips to play some tough teams that’s going to put us in situations where we’re going to have some adversity and then seeing those kids and how their attitude is, how their execution is and

No. Name 0 Zion Williams 1 Ronin Thompson 2 Asher Adams 3 Carson ‘Bubba’ Lungull 4 Wesley Dunlop 5 Ford Whyte 6 Mathis Coutu

No. Name 7 Greyson Adams 8 Alex Hedden 10 Riley Collier 11 Tripp Parsons 12 De’Anthony Wymbs 13 Gino Luckie 17 Asher Briely

MDJ Sports Writer

their effort through those different forms of adversity.”

There is one familiar opponent on this year’s calendar in Copperhill, Tennessee’s Copper Basin.

The Eagles’ 22-0 loss to the Cougars was one of only two losses the team had last season in an 8-2 campaign, and Hughes said the game will serve as not only an opportunity for payback, but also a barometer on how far the team has come.

“That was a tough game for us and we went through about a two game stretch where we had about six or seven kids that were dinged up and injured and that’s part of football,” Hughes said. “Having (last season’s loss) gives us a little bit of an extra boost going into that to kind of, I’ll say get a little payback, but to see where we are and how we’ve progressed and how we’ve grown and how much better we’ve gotten from that year to this one.”

The Eagles’ fall camp is expected

to include an open race at quarterback between last season’s starter Ronin Thompson, who also plays defensive end, and freshman Gino Luckie.

“Both the kids have very unique qualities and traits,” Hughes said.

“You know Ronin is a really good passing quarterback, but is a dualthreat kid, almost. He’s a running quarterback, very physical (and) can throw the ball very well. Geno started the (spring game) with about a 70-yard touchdown pass, and started the game for us. He had a huge game as well.”

Hughes also said there’s a possibility both quarterbacks see the field this season.

“I know a lot of people don’t like a two-quarterback system but that’s something we may really kind of look into this year with kind of how we do things,” he said. “And again with Ronin playing both sides of the ball very effectively as well.”

See EAGLES, Page 138

2025 Roster

GOS! EAGLE

Pos. RB/DB QB/DE WR/DB WR/DB RB/LB DB/WR WR/DB

Cl. 10 10 11 9 11 11 9

Pos. WR/DB DB/WR K WR/DB WR/DB QB K

Cl. 9 11 10 11 10 9 10

No. Name 18 Alex ‘Goose’ Kuimjian 22 Whit Hudgen 23 Sam Long 33 Zion Hudson 35 Dante Saro 50 Ledger Carlson 52 Henry Alarcon

Pos. DE/TE RB/DB OL/DL WR/DB LB/RB C/DL OL/DL

Cl. 11 9 9 9 11 9 10

No. Name 55 Griffin Lemming 58 Nick Sloan 60 Tyler Pond 62 Ryan Arnold 71 Weston Studivant 72 Revin Saro

Pos. OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL C/DL OL/DL OL/DL

Cl. 9 9 11 10 10 12

WELCOME TO

“OUR NEW ERA” FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @MBCA_ATHLETICS WWW.MTBETHELCHRISTIAN.ORG/ATHLETICS/EAGLE-ATHLETICS KICKOFF 2025

137

MT. BETHEL CHRISTIAN EAGLES 2509 Post Oak Tritt Road, Marietta, GA 30062 • XX Stadium https://www.mtbethelchristian.org/athletics

2024 RESULTS Bethlehem Christian JV ....... 29-13 ......W Providence Christian (TN) .....33-0 ......W Flint River Academy...0-0 (Cancelled) ....T Creekside Christian .................14-9 ......W Cross Keys.............................. 20-14 ......W Towers HS JV ........................ 14-30 ....... L Copper Basin ...........................0-22 ....... L Mount Pisgah JV ......................41-0 ......W Dominion Christian ............... 25-18 ......W St. Francis .............................. 1-0 (F) ......W Banks County JV................... 31-30 ......W

2024 LEADERS VARSITY COACHING STAFF RUSHING Micah Hughes...................HC Eric Washington ...............OC Willie Flynn ........................DC CJ Whyte ......................ST/RB Kaleb Ringer ......................LB Eddie Burr ......................... DB Mike Dixon .................. OL/DL Eric McAfee ............. Asst. HC Damon Dawson.......... OL/DL Major Brown IV.................WR Bobby Sprandin ...... Asst. LB

Wesley Dunlop.......................682 yds...................6 TD PASSING Hayes Stephens ....78/134 .....1,511 yds ...18 TDs...6Ints RECEIVING DeAnthony Wymbs ..............482 yds ..... 6 TD Asher Adams ..........................426 yds..... 4 TD Alex Hedden...........................356 yds..... 5 TD Tripp Parson ............................247 yds ..... 3 TD

INTERCEPTIONS Ford Whyte..........................3 Alex Hedden.......................2 Tripp Lemming ...................2

Coach: Micah Hughes • 2nd Season • Record: 5-1 • Career: 5-1

From Page 137

To ease the life of whoever

RECORD 8-2

2024: 8-2

TACKLES Bryce Cary ...........................24 Simon Schineller................21 SACKS Bryce Cary ...........................1.5 Alex Hedden.......................1.5

EAGLES

FIVE YEAR

the signal-caller may be, the Eagles return each of their four most productive receivers from last season in DeAnthony Wymbs, Asher Adams, Alex

ALL TIME RECORD 8-2 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0) Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

Hedden and Tripp Parson who all combined for 1,511 yards and 18 touchdowns.

In the backfield, Wesley Dunlop is expected to bring more

continuity after posting 682 rushing yards and six touchdowns last season, and will be joined by newcomer Zion Williams.

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Special - Anthony Stalcup

Gino Luckie will take the quarterback reins at Mount Bethel this season, breaking from the family tradition of mainly playing defense.

Luckie gets to grow up with Mount Bethel

By Kai Millette MDJ Sports Writer

Gino Luckie has the chance to be next up in an accomplished football family.

Georgia football fans may quickly recognize the Luckie family name from current Bulldogs tight end Lawson Luckie, who ended his freshman season with 24 receptions, three for touchdowns.

Older fans may also remember the Luckie triplets from the late 90s. Mike, Miles and Dustin Luckie became the first set of triplets to play together at the Division I level, and remained the only to do so until this year when the Coleman triplets enrolled at Texas.

Gino’s father, Dustin Luckie, started at linebacker for the Bulldogs for two seasons. His uncle Miles Luckie, started at center for

two seasons and was named firstteam All-SEC in 1999, and middle triplet Mike Luckie spent three seasons playing in Athens before transferring to James Madison, where he helped lead the Dukes to a Division I-AA playoff appearance.

Largely due to his family’s influence, football has been a large part of Gino Luckie’s life for about as long as he can remember.

“Football’s been a great thing ever since I was little,” he said. “I was introduced maybe when I was like four or five and ever since I was little, that’s all I’ve been doing since I was like a kid so, I love it, that’s what I like to do.”

Distinguishing himself from his relatives, Gino plays quarterback.

“Gino’s one of those kids that likes to do the coaching mode when playing Madden or anything like that,” Dustin

Luckie said. “He just always had a football mind. He liked that side of the ball and (he’s) worked at it really hard.”

Despite his son’s young age, Dustin Luckie said it’s easy to pick up on Gino’s unique leadership skills.

“If you were to talk to any of his coaches, they’d tell you he has a leadership quality – something’s in him, it’s always been that way,” Dustin Luckie said. “You can’t really teach that quality he has being a leader, and he’s always been out front. He’s just a unique kid in that way.”

As a freshman, Gino is in the running to be the starting quarterback for Cobb County’s newest Georgia High School Association member, Mount Bethel, a program he said has given him the best time of his life, providing growth on and off the field.

“I’ve only been here for almost one and a half years, and so far

it’s been the best time of my life,” Luckie said. “I’ve learned so much and gotten so much better. It’s been just a great joy to be here.”

He said his dream is to continue playing football at the next level, but he wouldn’t reserve his options to Georgia.

“I’m not sure (where I would want to go), I have no idea,” he said. “Whatever God has in plan for me that’s what I’m going to do.”

Still at the front end of his high school career, Gino Luckie is aware his play has plenty of time to improve.

He said his primary objective is to grow off the field and as a leader in the locker room.

“This season I would like to become a better person, not only for myself but for my teammates,” he said. “(I would like) to improve as a leader. I have to be the best person on the field and off the field.”

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Q&A

Q: What was so good about Sale Creek?

with Mt. Bethel’s

Micah Hughes

A: They never had football. They had been okay at other sports, basketball and some things like that, but they had never had football. So coming in and having to teach kids how to put a helmet on, how to put shoulder pads on, we weren’t even at Xs and Os yet. It was just how to put your equipment on. And then kind of move into how to play football. So you got to teach it from the ground up, which made me a lot better coach.

Q: Mount Bethel is your first head coaching job. How did you first find out about the school here?

A: I had a buddy who was at South Forsyth. I had coached him at Sale Creek.

He called me and said, ‘Hey, you need to check this job out,’ because he had known I had been looking at a couple of head coaching jobs, and I had been offered a couple, but it just really wasn’t the right time or right situation for me.

When you start doing your research and you do your due diligence where you could have success or the administration wants to be successful, some of them aren’t as appealing or maybe not the right move for you at that point in time. I started doing research on it, and while I was doing the research, you start to figure some things out.

I went through a pretty extensive interview process here. When I got here and really started talking to the administration they had a five year plan in place. I was really impressed and kind of knew the amount of work they had put into the planning. When I was offered the position we quickly made the decision to come down here and take the job.

Q: you mentioned a five-year process, I imagine we’re probably around Year 3 or 4 right now?

A: Yes. Year 1 was the planning process. Year 2, they did like a padded flag football just to kind of launch the football aspect of it. Year 3 was us playing a modified, I say modified, like a JV schedule, which we did play a couple varsity games in the first year.

Just found some teams that were smaller schools like us. We actually played a team that was in the same situation as us, brand new program, starting out. Last year we played almost all varsity games. And really, like our first year, we were able to go 5-5.

Last year, we were able to go 8-2 and had a lot of success. We’ve had a lot of success too at the middle school level, but this will be fully Year 3.

Q: What are some of the long term visions and goals of this program?

Special - Paul Holm

Mount Bethel Christian coach Micah Hughes and his team will face a nonregion schedule this year before joining Region 5A Division I next season.

By Kai Millette MDJ Sports Writer

Q: Tell us about yourself. Where are you from and how did you settle into Cobb County?

A: I’m originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee. I went to Soddy Daisy High School, and as soon as I got out of high school, I knew I wanted to get into coaching, I ended up coaching at the Baylor School in Chattanooga, which is a pretty prominent private school there. From there, I took a defensive coordinator job at a rural public school. A lot of people thought I was crazy. They were like what are you doing? It was to help start a program. So that’s kind of been my passion. It was called Sale Creek High School. The ability to kind of start a program and put your stamp on it. (That) was huge for me.

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A: Grow the numbers. We’ve had decent sized rosters within our middle school programs. We have two middle school programs, the Junior Eagles, which is fourth, fifth, and sixth grade, and then we have the true middle school program, which is seventh (and) eighth grade. We have to get kids excited about football. The long term goal is to grow the program, to have success. Win and be successful, that’s what we’re looking to do.

Q: There are a number of notable private schools in Cobb County – North Cobb Christian, Mount Paran Christian, Walker and Whitefield Academy right up the road. Are you looking forward to getting a chance to play them, and as far as potential rivalries go, who maybe sticks out to you?

A: I’ve been asked that question some about the rivalries and who. I definitely want to see and play all those schools around the area. From a rivalry standpoint, I’ve tried to look at it from a basketball or baseball standpoint to try to figure out who it is. Who’s the best team? Who’s that gold standard in this area?

You want to be able to compete against those type teams. So it’s still trying to learn the landscape from my standpoint. We want to compete at that high level with the best of the best, and just try to figure out who that is and matching up against them each week.

Answers have been edited for space and clarity

COCHRAN From Page 112 I’m out here and coaching them so hard. I want them to have that same experience, and the same success I had.”

Cochran and Morrison were weight-training partners in high school, and Cochran said coaching alongside him has been “picking up right where we left off.”

As Cochran transitions from his playing to coaching days, he’s had a decorated coaching staff to learn from. Collins has 107

VETS From Page 115 got, we want to go farther. We want to make a little history and get past the elite eight for sure.

And we want to win this region because we came up short last year.”

Matz, especially, is slated for a more substantial role within the Sequoyah defense following the departure of Ean Marria, who tallied 18 tackles for loss and eight sacks last season. Matz had 36 tackles, nine tackles for loss and four sacks as a junior.

Waller, Matz and offensive lineman Riley O’Neill – all seniors – were at the forefront of Sequoyah’s anti-complacency push during

SEAMAN From Page 106 quarterback to watch, the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen.

Now entrenched as the full-time starter, Seaman hopes to lead the program to more victories this season. Lassiter went 2-8 a year ago and has only won 14 games over the last seven seasons. He said he expects the team to be better as the Trojans look for their first playoff berth since 2016.

“Win, play hard and work as a team,“ he said of their goals.

Seaman said that the coaches at Lassiter have helped him develop a lot.

“They have helped me with my leadership, my playmaking and they have helped me learn the plays a lot better,” he said. “Lassiter has

wins across 21 years of coaching with two region championships, including a 38-27 record with the Knights.

“I had great relationships with all of my coaches, and playing college ball helped a lot with trying to know the game better,” Cochran said. “It hasn’t been that big of an adjustment. It was more of an adjustment going into teaching, but it’s just been ball, which is something that I love to do.”

Cochran sees River Ridge as a very real postseason threat heading into 2025, with high praise for his new offensive line and

returning running back Camden Cox. With those position groups as strengths, along with a new quarterback, Cochran expects the Knights to lean on the run game to find success.

“I think a big emphasis this year is that we’re going to run it, and we’re going to be very physical,” Cochran said. “That’s a big reason why I’m so hard on them — I’m trying to get the best out of them, get the best out of double teams and all that stuff. It’s because I want to see the best, and I think we can be that, especially with the guys that we have in the backfield.”

the offseason.

“With a lot of us starting and a lot of us getting new roles, we just hold each other accountable and set the standard,” Matz said.

“We are not joking around this year. We’re trying to go as deep as we can.”

According to O’Neill, team chemistry and the sizable senior class have also helped the Chiefs keep their eyes on the prize.

Sequoyah’s 30-player senior unit includes running back Will Rajecki (Memphis commit), offensive lineman Alex Brewer (Colorado State) and quarterback Kolby Martin, who’s led this team behind center since his freshman year.

O’Neill said team chemistry has strengthened exponentially over time, coming from

elementary and middle school, when they first stepped onto the field together.

Sequoyah has been an underdog over the last few years, according to Waller, especially with a younger quarterback.

With last season’s quarterfinals run, along with an experienced and dedicated roster, the Chiefs aren’t sneaking up on anyone in 2025.

“We want to make a deep run, and we want to win state — that’s always the goal,” O’Neill said.

“We want to win the region, but what we want to do is always make sure that we’re going all out. We are setting an example that we don’t take plays off, we don’t take reps off. We just always keep working.”

helped me become a better teammate, a better person, a better son and a better brother.”

Seaman said his brotherhood with the Trojans is special.

“I’ve been with Lassiter since sixth grade,” he said. “All of my teammates that were on my team in sixth grade have been my friends for a very long time, and I love them all.”

Seaman said his father inspired him to play the game.

“He was the first one to teach me how to throw a football, and he has always helped me,” he said.

“He has always been there for me, he knows what is best for me, and he helps me a lot.”

As he continues to learn the game, Seaman said quarterbacks coach Josh Herring is a big influence on the field for him both on the field and off.

ALTERMAN From Page 109 personnel wise, Greyhounds fans can expect some aspects of the offense itself to look different around Alterman and other first-time starters.

The Greyhounds have a lot to replace and a lot to prove, however, Alterman knows the turnover also leads to an opportunity for him and his teammates.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what our offense and defense can do against other teams and have a winning season,” he said.

For Alterman, it is about the energy he feels on the field on Friday nights.

As a senior, he is looking forward to being the guy that leads his team into every game.

The leadership role will be new for Alterman, but he feels in the midst of a long season and region schedule his leadership will make a difference.

“Just do my best to support my team on everything,” Alterman said. “Don’t let anything get to anyone.”

At Pope, the program is building towards the future with a young roster, but players like Alterman know this is their last chance. He feels the pressure on him to lead the backfield.

However, coach Sean O’Sullivan is confident one of the most experienced returning players will be up to the challenge.

“I expect him to have a big senior year,” O’Sullivan said. “He’s played on Friday nights, which always helps when you have a kid with experience back.”

“He always tells me what to do,” Seaman said. “He is always encouraging me, even if I make a bad throw.”

The confidence and encouragement he’s gotten from his coaches and teammates has helped him fulfill his spot as a team leader.

“I make sure my teammates are doing the right thing at the right time,” he said. “I help out players that need to know what the plays are and what to do or questions that the coaches don’t have time to answer.”

Lassiter coach Sean Thom has been impressed as Seaman has grown into the quarterback role, and he has seen those leadership qualities emerge.

“I think he’s a phenomenal young man, he’s a leader,” Thom said.

“He is the type of guy that if you send a message out and you need

something, he is the first one to respond. He is a leader in the weight room and he is a leader in a school building.”

Thom said that when he first saw Seaman, he did not expect him to be a quarterback. The young player was husky to the point he may have his hand on the ground as an offensive lineman. It was because of a relentless work ethic Seaman has worked his way into his current position.

“I’m glad I was wrong,” Thom said. “I was somewhat joking with him, but he is a phenomenal person.”

Seaman said he looks forward to his future outside of football.

“I hope to be a good husband, be a good brother and be a good son,” he said. “I hope to find a good career that suits me.”

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TRIO

BELONGS

into a means to support his family.

“My biggest goal is to make it out for my parents,” he said. “We’re in a good situation now, but From Page 131 From Page 118 I love football so much and being able to retire has shaped their brotherhood.

Graham, totaling 452 yards and three them is my biggest dream.”

“It has made us more disciplined, made us play The upperclassmen have many messages for touchdowns. better as a team and let us know what we need to younger players on the team.

In one of the duo’s best performances do to get better,” he said.

“Relentless effort is key. More effort is better,” last season, Graham and Drew connected Each player has their own story, whether it is Duckworth said. “If you make a mistake just make five times for 125 yards and a touchdown perseverance, improvement, or dreams of sup- sure you are making it at full speed.” to beat Creekview for the first time in proporting their parents through football. gram history and earn Georgia High School Coleman said to be coachable.

Corpus said he has been taught to grind through “My advice to them is keep your head down and work Football Daily’s statewide “Team of the challenges. hard,” Corpus said. “Coach Smith appreciates hard Week” award.

“The time at Allatoona I spent, it’s really been a work and he would definitely take you on the field as “Playing with Drew was a blessing, to be great experience,” he said. “It taught me grit, get- long as you know what you’re doing and work hard.” honest,” Graham said. “It was fun throwting through my sophomore season through an Coleman said that this final season for him and ing him the ball and seeing him just be injury really taught me how to persevere through his fellow seniors means more than anything. great, you know. And going to college, things that are tough.”

“We’ve got to put everything together now,” hopefully, he can contribute at ColumColeman said he has improved a lot during his he said. “When we get into the season we can’t bia and do well.” high school career. He logged 34 tackles, two sacks be playing around, and have to take it more seri- With Burmeister now a year older and and four tackles for loss last season. ously so we can do better than we did last time.” more experienced, he’s expected to become “Before, I did not know what I was doing, but Duckworth said that he expects big things this a vocal leader for third-year coach Dan after getting training, I have gotten better and year for the team.

Devine’s team. He understands the assignmore experienced,” he said. “I am more prepared ment, and it’s been an adjustment because “We’re going to be great this year,” he said. for college and the higher level.”

Corpus, who had 604 yards and six touchdowns of his mild-mannered personality, but Duckworth said the growth is apparent in his last year, said there is improvement made through- Burmeister looks to take his game teammates across the board. Smith said Duck- out the locker room. to the next level this year, individually, worth helps anchor the offensive line.

“Our goal for the team is definitely a state champion- while also helping Woodstock advance “We’ve all definitely gotten a lot stronger, a lot ship,” he said. “Our O and D-line look good this year, past Round 1 of the playoffs for just the of development and growth through our training I feel that I could rush for like 1,500 yards with the fifth time in school history. He hopes to and all the work ethic we put in here,” he said. help of my lineman. As long as we lock in this season reach the 3,000-yard mark in the passing Duckworth said he dreams of turning football we definitely walk away with a state championship.” game, which would likely lead Cherokee Longhorns in 2025. Agyemang At 6-foot-5, 230-pounds Agy- County in 2025. will join a talented Kell offense emang will be able to utilize his The 2024 leader, Cherokee’s Tanner alongside quarterback Kaleb Narcisse size and athleticism at tight end Savasir, threw for 2,674 yards.

From Page 127 and running back Moonie Gipson. while remaining a capable pass Burmeister sees those goals every day commit to the Yellow Jackets.

“We make each other better catcher for the Longhorns and when he opens up his phone. The dualthreat quarterback has lofty expectations The expectations are certainly every day,” said Agyemang. “Just Narcisse. higher, but Agyemang is using playing with them, it’s like a con“He’s a really good blocker,” May for himself, and now he can prove himself the outside noise as fuel. fidence booster.” said. “Obviously, he’s a size in 2025 as the Wolverines’ most impactful player.

“It all came pretty fast, but I Although Agyemang has only mismatch.” think I handled it pretty well,” been in the Longhorns program Agyemang will enter a new pro- “I have a screenshot on my phone of Agyemang said. “I didn’t let it for a couple of months, he and gram with new expectations and a what I want — 3,000-plus passing yards get to me or get to my head, and coach Bobby May believe he is fit- lot more to prove. He has just one and 700-plus rushing yards,” Burmeisjust use that motivation to go ting right into the program. season with the Longhorns, but ter said. “I want to be over 30 touchdown harder.”

“He’s a smart kid, he’s a really hum- coming off a summer where they passes. You obviously want to win games, The consensus three-star pros- ble kid, he’s a hard worker, so I think won three 7-on-7 titles, the expec- and our goal is definitely to go deeper in pect will play tight end for the we’re happy to have him.” May said. tation is a state championship. the playoffs and succeed in our region.”

Duckett said the loss left a bad can do it. I think my team and my everything he can for us to go as taste in his mouth and he couldn’t wide receivers are really gonna help far as we possibly can. I think that watch the film for a whole week me out, they’re going to make it an speaks louder about him than anyFrom Page 118 after the game, but he eventually easier job to accomplish that goal.” thing he can do on the field. You to be named the Region 6AAAAA dove in to see what he could fix.

Sprayberry’s new coach Pete Fom- can turn on the Hudl tape and be Offensive Player of the Year and He identified consistency in his pass- inaya has only been on campus for shocked by how good of a football earning scholarship offers from ing game as an area where he needs seven months, but he already has player he is, but he’s a better leader eight schools, including Miami of improvement, so he has been focus- high praise for Duckett’s on-field and better person for this team.”

Ohio, Eastern Kentucky and Cen- ing on putting in the reps this offsea- talent, calling him one of the best Duckett’s leadership comes with tral Michigan. son to elevate that aspect of his game. dual threat quarterbacks he has a healthy confidence in the guys His efforts helped propel the YelDuckett also set a personal goal of been around. around him, and he believes the low Jackets to a 9-1 regular season 3,000 passing yards for his senior Fominaya said it’s Duckett’s team as a whole will take a major record, Region 6AAAAA champion- season, as he hopes to prove he is intangibles that stand out the most. step forward next season. ship and two playoff wins, but their a complete quarterback.

“What I’m most impressed with “We got some guys this season,” season came to an end in emphatic “A lot of people think I’m just a is his leadership and commitment Duckett said. “I feel like nobody in fashion with a 64-0 defeat to Lee running back, but I want to prove to our team,” Fominaya said. “He Georgia is expecting what we’re County in the state quarterfinals. them wrong,” he said. “I think I wants us to be great. He’s doing going to do this year.”

POSITION

DUCKETT

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MOUNT PARAN CHRISTIAN EAGLES 2025 Schedule

8/15 Lake Oconee Acad.

8/22 Mount Pisgah

8/29 Savannah Christian

9/12 Cedar Grove

9/19 at Wash.-Wilkes

9/26 Whitefield Academy

10/3 at Walker

10/16 at BEST Academy

10/24 Landmark Christian

10/31 Region Crossover

Arnold hopes for new heights in first full season

By Grant Turnage

Mount Paran Christian enters the 2025 season with a strong foundation and heightened expectations, aiming to climb the ranks in Region 5A Division I. After finishing 2024 with an 8-4 overall record and a 3-2 mark in region play, coach Connie Arnold, entering his first full season at the helm, said he plans to guide the program to new heights.

Arnold, a familiar face within the Eagles program since 2011, transitioned into the head coaching role officially in April after being the team’s interim coach last year.

He gives credit to his experienced and dedicated coaching staff for the smooth shift.

“The transition has been pretty smooth, because we have a great coaching staff, and we have guys who believe in what we are doing,”

Arnold said. “For the most part, our coaching staff has stayed intact.

Those guys work just as hard as I do, and they care as much as I do about what this program means.”

Drawing lessons from his decadelong mentorship under former head coach Mitch Jordan, Arnold continues to prioritize character development alongside on-field success.

Offensively, the Eagles will stick to their established triple-option base, but with a new addition. Arnold has integrated a two-minute offense into the playbook, aiming to make the team more versatile and capable of attacking defenses in different ways.

A significant strength for the Eagles, according to Arnold, will be their offensive line. This year’s front will feature juniors Carter Levstek, Webb Scarbrough and Cooper Thompson, senior JJ Hankins, and sophomore Hunter New.

No. Name 1 Rhett Bonner 2 Austin Smith 3 Davis Cauley 4 Eli Hewatt 5 Cameron Bone 6 Gavin Steele 7 Kobe Fleming 8 Luke Kilroy 9 Kaleb Trowell 10 Harris Meers 11 Colton Peek

No. Name 12 Hudson Harvey 14 Brandon Parkinson 15 Brayden Varnes 16 Andrew Cobb 17 Kobe Fleming 18 Cash Cauley 19 Andrew Fitzpatrick 21 Michael Stubbs 22 Logan Diggle 23 Christian Holmes 24 Gabrial Perry

MDJ Sports Writer

Pos. RB/DB QB WR/DB QB/DB RB/DB RB/LB K/P RB/LB WR/DB RB/DB WR/DB

Cl. 12 11 12 10 12 11 10 10 11 10 9

Leading the backfield will be junior running back Gavin Steele, a key offensive weapon who closed 2024 with 894 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns.

“Gavin’s barely scratched the surface of what he’s capable of,” Arnold said. “Every year he gets closer and closer to having a breakout year. He’s the catalyst for our offense right now. He’s going to have the load of the carries, and I think it’s realistic to think that he’s 12-plus touchdowns for the season.”

On the defensive side of the ball, Mount Paran will bring back key returners. Sophomores Cash Cauley and Alejandro Torres, who both started as freshman, bring experience and understanding of the playbook to the secondary. Cash had three interceptions and 32 tackles last season, while Alejandro had two interceptions and 26 tackles.

Arnold said he was impressed by

their poise as young players under the lights, believing their baptism by fire as a freshman will serve them well this year.

Junior Davis Cauley contributed significantly last season with 69 total tackles. Up front, junior Bennett Schwab, who led the team with eight quarterback hurries and added three sacks, serves as the “motor” on the defensive line. Linebackers Jack Hollis and Christian Holmes, who combined for 111 total tackles, are two more defensive players Arnold expects to perform well for the Eagles.

Region 5A Division I is segmented into two sub-regions, with the Eagles competing in Sub-Region B. In 2024, Mount Paran finished second in their sub-region behind Whitefield. Arnold acknowledges the overall strength of the region, though the immediate focus remains on their own team, with closer See EAGLES, Page 144

2025 Roster Pos. RB/LB WR/DB RB/LB WR/DB QB WR/DB K/P RB RB/LB RB/LB RB/LB

Cl. 9 9 10 10 10 10 11 9 9 10 9

No. Name 25 Easton George 26 Alejandro Torres 28 Scott Mckenzie 31 Landon DuBois 33 Jack Hollis 36 Harrison Huft 40 Jackson Stovall 44 Riely Clough 51 Brighton George 54 Johnathan Murphy 56 JJ Hankins

Pos. RB/LB WR/DB WR/OLB R/LB RB/LB K/P RB/LB RB/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL

Cl. 11 10 9 10 12 10 10 9 9 9 12

No. Name 58 Webb Scarbrough 61 Hunter New 62 Nolan Wolfe 63 Major Jones 64 James Hankins 68 Luke O’Kelly 70 Carter Levstek 73 Aydian Smith 75 Imri Dunson 77 Cooper Thompson 88 Bennett Schwab

Pos. OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL TE/DL

Cl. 11 10 12 9 10 12 11 10 10 11 12

PK3 - GRADE 12 ✦ RIGOROUS ACADEMICS / ROBOTICS ✦ SMALL CLASSES (12:1) ✦ AWARD-WINNING ARTS ✦ STATE CHAMPIONSHIP ATHLETICS ✦ CHRIST AT THE CENTER

MOVE mountains TUESDAY TOURS

Chart your Christ-centered, covenantal school journey @ mtparanschool.com KICKOFF 2025

143

MT. PARAN CHRISTIAN EAGLES 1275 Stanley Rd NW, Kennesaw, GA 30152 • Catherine Steele Sewell Stadium https://www.mtparanschool.com/athletics/sports/football X: @MPCAthletics

2024 RESULTS Lake Oconee Academy.......0-16 ............L Mount Pisgah Christian .... 17-13 .......... W St. Francis ............................. 27-3 .......... W Cherokee Christian........... 42-14 .......... W Washington-Wilkes ........... 30-18 .......... W Whitefield Academy ...........8-35 ............L Walker ...................................56-0 .......... W B.E.S.T. Academy.................25-6 .......... W Landmark Christian .......... 28-21 .......... W Wesleyan .............................. 6-37 ............L State Playoffs Greater Atlanta Christian...32-39 .......... W Calvary Day .......................... 7-48 ............L

Instagram: @mpcfootball

Facebook: @MPC Athletics

2024 LEADERS VARSITY COACHING STAFF RUSHING Connie Arnold ................. HC Tyron Kirkland ....... AHC/ OC Brandon Scarborough..... DC Blake Jones........................OL Kyle Levstek .......................OL Carter Smith .......................OL Jerimiah Aken....................DL CJ Jackson ........................WR Cam Ealey ..........................LB CJ Cody ............................. DB

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI QB Niko Vangarelli (2016-19), ........................................................ Princeton OL Brady Scott (2013-16), ..........................................................Florida State DL Allen Cater (2012-15), .......................................................North Carolina RB Taylor Trammell (2012-15), ............................New York Yankees (MLB) DB Dorian Walker (2011-14), ............................................... Kennesaw State

FIVE YEAR

RECORD

Andrew Overton...146 car ..1172 yds..... 16 TD Gavin Steele...........139 car ..894 yds ..... 11 TD PASSING Andrew Overton...23/46 ....491 yds ...... 3 TD ..3 INT RECEIVING Sam Westbrook ....11 rec......318 yds ...... 2 TD TACKLES Jack Hollis...............74 Reed Stallings........71 Davis Cauley ..........69 SACKS Finbarr Crowley ....6 INTERCEPTIONS Reed Stallings........3 Cash Cauley...........3

21-30

2024: 8-4 2023: 2-8 2022: 4-6 2021: 6-5 2020: 1-7

ALL TIME RECORD 115-73 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (2) 2017, 2014

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 2014

Coach: Connie Arnold • 2nd Season • Record: 5-3 • Career: 5-3

EAGLES

and a potential region championship will demand consistency and health. Arnold said depth could From Page 143 become a factor if injuries mount, attention to crossover matchups as some players have opted for sinlater in the season. gle-sport commitments.

The path to a deeper playoff run “It’s going to take a year of focus

CELEBRATING OVER 50 YEARS

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

with the guys we have, and it’s going to take a year of just staying healthy,” Arnold said.

To prepare, Mount Paran beefed up its non-region schedule. Marquee matchups against Savannah Christian and Cedar Grove, will

provide invaluable tests.

“You want to put your kids out there against really good athletes and a really challenging game,” Arnold said, highlighting these challenging contests as crucial opportunities to prepare for the postseason.

Wishing all the teams a great season!

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Carter Levstek, Webb Scarbrough, JJ Hankins, Cooper Thompson and Hunter New will pace the Eagles’ triple-option offense.

Experienced OL to pace way for MPC

By Grant Turnage

group. “We know it pays off in games and we’re able to show our abilities and help to carry the team.”

Arnold said the offensive line had a mix of seasoned players and promising young talent. At center, fans can expect a rotation between two seniors: Luke O’Kelly, who stands at 6-foot, 300-pounds, and JJ Hankins, at 6-1, 220 pounds.

The tackles include a trio of talented underclassmen. Juniors Cooper Thompson (6-4, 230) pounds and Carter Levstek (6-4, 315) are poised to anchor the edges, bringing both size and experience.

Joining them will be sophomore Imri Dunson, a formidable presence at 6-4, 264-pounds, who is also expected to see considerable action at tackle.

Rounding out the starters, junior Webb Scarbrough, weighing in at

MDJ Sports Writer

With a seasoned offensive line, a workhorse running back, and a full year under Mount Paran Christian coach Connie Arnold, there’s a sense of renewed focus and determination within the program.

The unit will be responsible for paving the way for the triple-option attack that Arnold plans to stick with which has been a core of the Eagles offense in recent years. He believes the offensive line can compete with anyone they face and are developing into leaders.

“I feel like it’s a big responsibility, but it also encourages us to put in more work than everyone else and showing up in practices when we have harder stuff to do,” said JJ Hankins, the only senior of the

6-1, 235-pounds, will take up a spot at guard.

Levstek, entering his third year as a starter at offensive guard and tackle, led the team last year with 58 pancake blocks as part of the unit’s total of 104. His dedication and leadership are already evident to his teammates.

This summer, he attended several recruiting camps to get interest from college coaches. His ultimate goal is to play in the SEC and hopes to get his first offer this fall.

“Nothing’s changed. I mean, we got a taste of what he’s like last year, and it’s just how we are focused,” Levstek said. “The team and coach Arnold are focused on winning these games. I think that with him being the coach, it’ll boost us a lot higher.”

The offensive line’s success is also intertwined with the trust they share

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Looking ahead at the challenging Region 5A Division 1 schedule for sub-region B, the Eagles have circled a few key matchups. Whitefield Academy is a team they are particularly eager to face again.

“I’m really excited to face Whitfield again,” Scarbrough said. “I really want that opportunity to prove that last year was not our best and that we are a better team, a more mature team, and that they are someone I’m really excited to face, because they have got some good players, and I think it’ll be a good challenge for us, but it would be a good time to prove what we have.”

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WALKER WOLVERINES 2025 Schedule

8/15 at Kendrick

8/22 at Utopian Acad.

8/29 at Dominion Chr.

9/5 Kings Ridge

9/12 at Heritage

9/25 at BEST Academy

10/3 Mount Paran

10/10 at Landmark

10/24 Whitefield Academy

10/31 Region Crossover

Undermanned Wolverines building a solid foundation

By Lance Warren

Coach TJ Anderson said the future of Walker football is on its way up.

“The future’s bright, for sure,” he said. “We’re building it the right way and the future is obviously to be able to compete and put a good product on the field and have a successful program. I just think that the future is very bright and that’s one of the reasons why I keep this job is because I know this is a great job and a great community of support. We’re going to get there one day and we’re heading in the right direction.”

The Wolverines are coming off their first year back playing a full region schedule in which they went 2-8 with an 0-5 record in region 5-A Division I. Anderson said growth is about the little things this year.

“A big one for us is just getting the numbers up,” he said. “Participation has been a problem here at Walker

but even with that, you know, the guys that we have right now I just want to see growth from those guys in terms of the way they’re learning the game of football and we’re trying to cultivate a culture of just having a great football experience and learning everything that it takes to play this game.”

Anderson said he expects Walker to field a team with somewhere between 20 and 25 players this season. He said they have to get more of the younger kids at the school to play football in an effort to grow the program.

“We’ve been trying to grow and promote our program with kids we already have at Walker,” Anderson said. “We’ve been working hard to build through our junior Wolverines programs and I host a summer youth football camp every year for first through sixth grade. I also hope to be able to start flagging kids for football as early as the elementary school level in the near future.”

He said not having the luxury of being able to have a ninth grade or

No. Name 2 Ian Hall 3 KJ Johnson 4 Tamosa Okundaye 6 Ronan Flaherty 7 Maxime Lee

No. Name 10 Travis Tatom 11 Grant Addison 14 Gavin Rosen 18 Jack Burckhalter 21 Lyndon Davison

MDJ Sports Writer

Pos. QB/DB WR/LB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB

Cl. 9 11 9 10 9

Pos. RB/LB WR/DB WR/LB TE/DL RB/DB

Cl. 12 11 11 11 11

junior varsity team has hurt the program.

“As soon as kids hit ninth grade here they’re having to play varsity football,” Anderson said. “A lot of kids just shy away from it because they don’t have that development and they can’t develop on a JV or ninth grade team so it hurts us a little bit.”

Anderson said he hopes some of those freshmen from last year can take small steps this season.

“Growth for those guys just means that they’re picking up the offensive and defensive schemes we’re implementing,” he said. “And hopefully they’ve gotten a little bigger, a little faster, a little stronger and are ready to compete at the varsity level.”

Anderson said the players he has have bought in.

“We have a small number of guys that are consistently bought in,” he said. “They show up everyday and it’s not many of them but that’s a strength for us as far as those guys being committed to each other and

2025 Roster

No. Name 23 Amir Edwards 24 Mattias Simon 25 Owen Miller 27 Ty Evangelista 34 Sam Glatzer

Pos. RB/LB OL/LB TE/LB RB/LB LB

Cl. 11 10 9 11 12

committed to building a football program. The bond and the relationships they’ve built among each other and the coaching staff, you know, that’s one thing we’ve done a good job of at Walker.”

Anderson said senior Grant Addison is one player who’s been a standout despite the program’s struggles.

“Grant has been a special player for us ever since he was a freshman,” he said. “He’s a Walker kid through and through just in the way he goes about his business the right way and lives his life. He’s a high moral kid, high academic kid and he’s going to be the guy we feature game in and game out.

Everyone knows that when they play Walker it’s all about finding number eleven so, you know, he’s Mr. Everything for us.”

The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder had 49 receptions for 585 yards and five touchdowns in 2024 to go along with 20 carries for 154 yards and a touchdown on the ground. He See WOLVERINES, Page 148

No. Name 68 Shia Goodrum 70 Dawson Davis 85 Owen Lambert 76 Mac Marr 99 Corey Gross

Pos. OL/DL OL/DL TE/DL OL/DL DL

Cl. 11 11 10 9 9

On and off the field, we are One Walker. thewalkerschool.org | @twsathletics KICKOFF 2025

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W A L K E R W O LV E R I N E S 815 Allgood Rd. NE, Marietta, GA 30062 • Robertson Field https://www.thewalkerschool.org/football-varsity X: @TWS_Football

2024 RESULTS Kendrick................................ 0-37 ............L UAA ..........................................7-6 .......... W Dominion Christian ........... 14-29 ............L King’s Ridge Christian ........0-42 ............L Heritage ................................33-0 .......... W

VARSITY COACHING STAFF TJ Anderson ...................... HC Josh Lammert ................Asst.

Darryl Overton ...............Asst.

Tom Evangelista ............Asst.

Instagram: tws_football_

2024 LEADERS

Mount Paran Christian .......0-56 ............L Landmark Christian ............ 7-48 ............L

TACKLES Bennett Wright ......44

Whitefield Academy ...........6-49 ............L Mount Pisgah Christian .....0-48 ............L

SACKS Jack Burkhalter .....2

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI RB Evan Kasian (2009-12), .......................................Birmingham Southern OL Hunter Nourzad (2014-17), .....................................................Penn State DL Nick Schulz (2003-06), ........................................................Wake Forest DL Mike Ramsay (2009-12), ...................................................................Duke

RECORD 11-39

PASSING Justin Boronat .........68/122 ...689 yds.......5 TD ...2 INT RECEIVING Grant Addison .........49 rec ....585 yds.......5 TD

B.E.S.T. Academy....................0-1 ....L (FF)

FIVE YEAR

RUSHING Bennett Wright ........77 car .....365 yds.......2 TD

INTERCEPTIONS Lyndon Davison ....1 Amara Gueye ........1

2024: 2-8 2023: 6-5 2022: 1-8 2021: 1-9 2020: 1-9

ALL TIME RECORD 82-152 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (1) 2012

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Coach: T.J. Anderson • 3rd Season • Record: 8-13 • Career: 8-13

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

said. “We have to overHe said he wants his team to so that’s what we’re preaching here WOLVERINES Anderson come pre and post snap penalties learn a lot from playing football mentality wise at Walker.”

From Page 147

played in seven games tallying 739 allpurpose yards and six touchdowns.

Ian Hall will be the quarterback for Walker.

The 5-foot-10, 150 pound rising sophomore played in eight games during 2024 completing 25 of 47 pass attempts for 213 yards.

“We can’t beat ourselves,”

and not put ourselves in a deficit that is already hard enough to climb out of with our participation numbers and the lack of depth that we have. Just playing the game of football with enthusiasm, flying around and most importantly, having fun is what matters. Playing the game with energy and passion is what it’s about for us.”

2026 148

KICKOFF 2025

at Walker.

“To me football is the ultimate game of life,” Anderson said. “That’s what we’re trying to preach and pour into these guys is that someday they’re going to learn a lot by overcoming the struggles that they have by playing football at Walker and it’ll help prepare them for any life challenges that they may face down the road as fathers, husbands or coworkers

Anderson said he loves his job and Wolverines football.

“We got great kids here and I just think the people here at Walker are tremendous,” he said. “From our faculty and staff all the way down to everyone else here we just get so much support from everybody and the community and it’s just a tremendous place to be and I’m excited to be a part of what we’re building.”

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Walker’s Evangelista using leadership role to prepare for post high school and college

By Lance Warren MDJ Sports Writer

Ty Evangelista said he’s just trying to share his experience and help Walker’s program grow during his senior year.

“I’ve been experiencing football at Walker since elementary school so I’m looking for one final year to share my experience,” he said. “We have a lot of freshmen and just a lot of younger guys and we’re just trying to grow our program. I know a lot of the rising freshmen so I’m just trying to help them all grow and build a stronger program for the future.”

The Wolverines are coming off their first season back playing a region schedule in which they went 2-8 with an 0-5 record in Region 5A Division I. The 5-foot-10, 200-pound linebacker said his leadership can be a tool to help the team get through the difficult times.

“I think one of my biggest strengths is that I have a loud voice,” he said. “I think I am a pretty good leader, I know how to talk to people and I just want to set a good example for my team.”

Evangelista dealt with hamstring injuries limited him to just three games during the 2024 season.

He totaled nine tackles in those games.

He said he’s been working to recover and further prevent the nagging injuries which have plagued his career.

“I’ve had really bad hamstring problems so I’ve been working on being much more flexible,” he said.

“I’ve been doing some yoga, continuing to work out, and focusing on my agility to just get better and healthier.”

Evangelista is a four sport athlete – competing in football, wrestling, lacrosse and track. He said playing so many sports helps him stay in shape, be stronger as an athlete

and improve his time management.

“In my opinion, the more sports you play, the better and stronger you’ll be,” he said. “In season you’ll always be better and more in shape than in the off-season so I think it just helps me stay fit for every season. And then of course just managing my time and everything has improved so much because of playing so many sports.”

Walker is only expecting to have between 20 and 25 players on the team this coming season. Evangelista said the players they do have are bought in, but the team needs more of them.

“We’ve been working very hard,” he said. “We got guys on both sides of the ball but I still think growth for us is getting more people in.

The problem is, we do have a pretty big school but no one plays football. The people who do play are hard workers, give great effort and come in with a great spirit everyday. If guys are playing here they’re always going to work hard.”

Evangelista said Walker has changed him as a person.

“When I got here in sixth grade I was very rowdy and didn’t really have the ability to listen to others,” he said. “I was not who I am today because now I’m able to listen, learn and do better, even from the younger guys. I’ve learned to open my ears and I’m just very appreciative of this school. They’ve been very loving.”

Evangelista said his dream is to become a Navy SEAL when he graduates.

“There’s no better place to find family than with something like a military program,” he said. “I want to be the best of the best and I want to serve my country the best way I can. That’s definitely the focus once I graduate is just doing an ROTC Program for the Navy and then becoming a Navy SEAL.”

Special - Anthony Stalcup

Walker’s Ty Evangelista is preparing himself to be a successful leader once he leaves high school.

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WHITEFIELD ACADEMY WOLFPACK 2025 Schedule

8/15 Savannah Christian

8/22 Mount Vernon

9/5 at Social Circle

9/12 Darlington

9/19 St. Anne Pacelli

9/26 at Mount Paran

10/10 BEST Academy

10/17 Landmark Christian

10/24 at Walker

10/31 Region Crossover

Whitefield eyeing trip to quarterfinals... or farther

By Faith Stokes

Whitefield coach Robert Walsh said he and his seniors are hungry for postseason play.

Walsh is entering his third season with the Wolfpack and he is ready to make it past the second round of playoffs for the first time in program history. With 73 kids on the roster this year, which is the most the program has ever had, Walsh said he is excited to see what they can accomplish this year.

Last year, the Wolfpack went 7-4 and 4-1 in Region 5A Division I, which was enough to finish third.

It made it to the second round of Class A-AAA Private school playoffs, but short of making the quarterfinals for the first time in program history.

“The seniors have set the goal of getting to the quarterfinals for the first time, and getting past the second round,” Walsh said. “That’s definitely the hump they want to get over.”

Additions to the staff this season are wide receiver coach Octavious Andrews and defensive backs coach Jaquan Henderson. Andrews played at Georgia State and Auburn, and Henderson played at Georgia Tech.

Walsh believes the two will bring a lot of knowledge from their experience at the highest level of college football.

“They’re both young,” Walsh said.

“They’re definitely going to bring good energy.”

He added the Wolfpack have 16 seniors returning this year, with a lot on both sides of the ball. He said the offensive line and defensive line will be a strength for them

No. Name 0 Mason Hollingsworth 1 Cole Rabalais 2 Parker Shim 3 Ian Kelly 4 Bo Bradford 5 John Durden 7 Thomas Baxter 8 Ben Yarbrough 9 Robert Sipp 10 Landon Ryan 11 Luke Linder 12 Jackson Wallace

No. Name 15 Amos Robinson 16 Harrison Brantley 17 Carson Jones 18 Graydon Dukes 19 Henry Tidwell 20 Grayson Morris 21 Cole Wotton 22 Jack Anderson 23 Liam O’Halloran 24 Jake O’Connor 25 Micah David 28 Fernando George

MDJ Sports Writer

this year, and he is looking to senior Joshua Ellis to anchor the offensive line and senior William Dukes to anchor the defensive line.

Ellis is a guard and defensive tackle standing at 5-foot-11 and 270 pounds. Dukes, a defensive end, had 45 tackles and two sacks in eight games played.

“We have two really good slot receivers that are very dynamic with the ball in their hands, — Parker Shim and Cole Rabalais,” Walsh said.

Last year, Shim and Rabalais led the team in receiving. Shim had 22 receptions with 277 yards and two touchdowns. Rabalais had 22 receptions for 210 yards and two touchdowns.

Walsh said the quarterback position is still up for grabs, with juniors Landon Ryan and Ian Kelly battling over the summer. Ryan played

the first six games as quarterback before suffering an injury. Harrison Brantley took over, but the plan is for him to play receiver.

Walsh said Ryan did a good job last season managing the offense before his injury, but that Kelly and him are still in a good competition for the position.

Last year Brantley threw for 520 yards, three touchdowns while Ryan had 568 yards with three touchdowns. Kelly threw for 54 yards and a touchdown.

Senior Mason Hollingsworth is also a leader that Walsh will be looking to this year. Last year, Hollingsworth put up stats on both sides of the ball, as a running back and linebacker/safety. He had a total of 1,406 yards on offense, and will likely be more in the mix at receiver this season.

See WOLFPACK, Page 151

2025 Roster Pos. Cl. RB/LB 12 RB/DB 12 WR/DB 12 QB/WR/DB 10 K 12 WR/DB 12 WR/DB 12 RB/LB 12 WR/DB 10 QB/DB 11 TE/H/LB 11 WR/DB 12

Pos. RB/LB QB/WR WR/DB WR/DB RB/LB WR/DB WR/DB H/LB K H/DB WR/DB RB/DB

Cl. 10 12 10 10 11 11 12 12 11 11 10 10

No. Name 29 Mychal Haynie 32 Thomas Dickey 36 Matthew Grant 50 Harris Clark 51 Parker Bassing 52 David Tidwell 53 William Dukes 55 Sam Blee 57 Andrew Kim 58 Jamison White 59 Jackson Bradford 61 Louis Barbieri

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2025 FACTBOOK PUBLISHED BY THE MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL

Pos. RB/DB TE/LB RB/LB OL/LB OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL

Cl. 10 10 10 11 11 12 12 12 11 11 10 10

No. Name 62 Alden Martin 63 Samuel Suddath 64 Jack Green 65 Brock McIlvaine 68 Carter Godsey 71 Josh Ellis 73 Edgar Velez 77 Graham Harris 95 Case Martin

Pos. OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL TE/DL

Cl. 10 11 10 11 10 12 12 10 11

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WHITEFIELD ACADEMY WOLFPACK 1 Whitefield Dr SE, Mableton, GA 30126 • Whitefield Stadium https://www.whitefieldathletics.com X: @WhitefieldFBall

2024 RESULTS Savannah Christian ............ 7-35 ............L Mount Vernon .................... 35-14 .......... W Social Circle ....................... 35-14 .......... W Darlington...........................20-27 ............L St. Anne Pacelli ................. 27-15 .......... W Mount Paran Christian .......35-8 .......... W B.E.S.T. Academy.................42-6 .......... W Landmark Christian ............35-0 .......... W Walker ...................................49-6 .......... W Fellowship Christian ........... 7-44 ............L State Playoffs North Cobb Christian .........6-40 ............L

Instagram: @whitefieldfootball

2024 LEADERS VARSITY COACHING STAFF RUSHING Justin Krueger ..Asst. HC/DC/ST William Bell ..........................OC/RB Alex Manning..............................TE Octavious Andrews.................WR Brad Hawkins..............................DL Kevin Bentley ..............................LB Jaquan Henderson............ ST/DB

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI TE Kennard Backman (2007-10), .......................UAB, Green Bay Packers DL T.J. Carter (2016-19) ................................................ Kentucky, L.A. Rams DB Ayden Duncanson (2019-22), ........................................North Carolina DL Ian Geffrard (2019-22),...............................................................Arkansas LB Caleb LaVallee (2019-22), ................................................North Carolina QB Trey Miller (2005-08),....................................................................... Navy

PASSING Landon Ryan.............46/77......568 yds .......3 TD ....4 INT RECEIVING Parker Shim ............22 rec ...277 yds ..... 2 TD TACKLES Case Martin ............74 SACKS Jamison White.......3 INTERCEPTIONS Parker Shim ............3

at home against non-region opponent Savannah Christian. In last year’s opener, Whitefield lost 35-7.

From Page 150 The Wolfpack began playing SavanHollingsworth, at 6-foot, 185 pounds, nah Christian as their opener after had 1,214 rushing yards and 14 touch- Walsh was added to the coaching downs last season. staff at Whitefield ahead of the 2023 The Wolfpack’s first game will be season. He was Savannah Christian’s

RECORD 31-25

2024: 7-4 2023: 6-6 2022: 6-5 2021: 6-5 2020: 6-5

ALL TIME RECORD 119-129 REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (3) 2023, 2008, 2007

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)

Coach: Robert Walsh • 3rd Season • Record: 13-10 • Career: 13-10

WOLFPACK

FIVE YEAR

Robert Walsh.......................HC/OL Mason Hollingsworth....... 159 car ....1214 yds...4 TD

Historical Info from Georgia High School Football Historians Association

defensive coordinator for six years.

Walsh said he expects good competition in Region 5A Division I, and said he believes Mount Paran to be their biggest competitor in region play. Last year, the Wolfpack defeated the Eagles on the road, 35-8.

“I think Mount Paran is going to be a pretty good landmark,” Walsh said. “It has some really good athletes and are coached up really well.”

Walsh also expects Fellowship and Wesleyan to be tough competition on the other side of the region championship.

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151

Hollingsworth sets ambitious goals

By Faith Stokes MDJ Sports Writer

Mason Hollingsworth said he is aiming to break 2,000 total yards to have a career season. If he’s successful, the team likely will be too.

Whitefield Academy’s 6-foot, 185-pound star running back has big goals ahead of his senior season.

Last year, Hollingsworth led the team in rushing with 1,214 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also had 15 receptions and 147 yards as a receiver.

Hollingsworth is a multisport athlete who plays multiple positions on Whitefield’s basketball team and runs the 100 and 200-meter dashes. He is also a member of the 4x100-meter relay team.

“Track helps a lot with endurance and speed,” he said. “Basketball helps with coordination and it translates to football, helping me with hand-eye coordination, speed and stamina so I can play See HOLLINGSWORTH, Page 141

Special - Anthony Stalcup

Whitefield Academy’s Mason Hollingsworth has big goals for him and the Wolfpack.

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Kennesaw State has long climb to top of CUSA

By Kai Millette MDJ Sports Writer

New quarterbacks and programs could shake things up in this year’s version of Conference USA. With Delaware and Missouri State making their CUSA debuts and UTEP and Louisiana Tech taking a final lap around the league, the conference sits at 12 teams for the first time since 2012.

Jacksonville State will have to deal with the loss of experienced starting quarterback Tyler Huff. In his place, Kentucky transfer and former Rutgers starter Gavin Wimsett is expected to take over and bring high-level experience in coach Charles Kelly’s first season.

Last season’s pre-season favorite Liberty started 5-0 before being tripped up by Kennesaw State midseason and split its final six games to end the year. The Flames are expected to replace 2023’s CUSA MVP quarterback Kaidon Salter with last season’s Coastal Carolina starter Ethan Vasko. Running back Quinton Cooley was lost to the Canadian Football League and is expected to be replaced by former wide receiver Julian Gray.

Sam Houston State’s 10-3 record in 2024 may have been somewhat deceptive. The Bearkats struggled mightily on offense, ranking 99th in scoring in the nation and 122nd in passing. First-year coach Phil Longo

PREDICTED FINISH 1. Liberty 2. Sam Houston 3. Western KY 4. Jax State 5. UTEP 6. MTSU 7. Kennesaw State 8. La Tech 9. Missouri St. 10. NMSU 11. Delaware 12. FlU will be a head coach for the first time in two decades after leaving as Wisconsin’s offensive coordinator to take the job. The Bearkats return three of five starters from a stout offensive line to protect returning starter Hunter Watson.

This should be another year full of firsts for Kennesaw State. Firstyear coach Jerry Mack brings a newlook offense to the program, which is expected to be run by Georgia Southern quarterback transfer Dexter Williams II. Returners Christian Moss

and Gabriel Benyard provide options for the senior quarterback through the air while the Owls are expected to take a running back by committee approach. The defense returns most of its production, including every starter in the secondary.

Western Kentucky’s Ty Helton enters his sixth year with the program. The Hilltoppers made a run to the conference championship game last season, but find themselves replacing nearly their entire starting lineup.

Left tackle Marshall Jackson is the only returning starter on offense, and defensive backs Kent Robinson and Demarko Williams are the only two on defense. Abilene Christian transfer Maverick McIvor is expected to take over at quarterback after throwing for over 8,000 yards in three seasons at the FCS level.

Middle Tennessee State enters the second year of the Derek Mason era following a 3-9 initial campaign. The Blue Raiders were one of the worst rushing and scoring teams at the FBS level last season, but veteran quarterback Nicholas Vattiato is expected to start for a third straight year. Chattanooga linebacker transfer Alex Mitchell is expected to have an immediate impact on a defense that ranked near the bottom of the country in rushing, passing and scoring.

Following an 0-6 start in coach Scotty Walden’s first season at UTEP, the Miners seemed to begin putting the pieces together late in the season, winning three of their last six games. The addition of former five-start recruit Malachi Nelson at quarterback is expected to help boost an offense that averaged just 19.5 points per game last season.

Louisiana Tech ranked 111th in total offense last season, but not due to quarterback play. All-CUSA freshman Evan Bullock returns as signal-caller after completing 65.8% of his passes last year with 14 touchdowns and just three interceptions. The Bulldogs ranked 12th in the nation last season in total defense, but they only return three starters.

FIU held onto standout quarterback Keyone Jenkins in the offseason, but lost just about the rest of its production.

New Mexico State struggled on both sides of the ball in coach Tony Sanchez’s first year, finishing 121st in total offense and 120th in total defense. Montana transfer quarterback Logan Fife who put up solid numbers last year is expected to take over an offense only returning three starters.

Delaware and Missouri State bring well established programs into the conference, but are ineligible for postseason play this season.

a big goal for the team is to make it He said he and Hollingsworth had to figure HOLLINGSWORTH toHethesaid quarterfinals, something that has never each other out to really shape it into the rela-

From Page 152 throughout the whole game.”

Hollingsworth also plays defense as a linebacker and safety. Last season he had 45 tackles and two sacks. He said he is able to take his offensive knowledge and apply it on defense, and vice versa.

“They say a linebacker is like a running back on defense. So knowing what the linebacker is going to do as a running back helps a lot,” he said. “As a linebacker, seeing the different options that the running back has and being able to be there and make the play helps a lot.”

Hollingsworth said he also expects to be mixed in as receiver more this season, hoping to help push towards his goal of 2,000 total yards.

154

KICKOFF 2025

been done in Whitefield program history.

“As a team, quarterfinals is a big goal that we’ve all had since freshman year and we’ve just been falling short of that,” Hollingsworth said.

As a running back, the relationship with the offensive line is vital. Hollingsworth said the players up front protect him, and they’re some of his best friends.

“If I could buy them something I would.

They’re all really nice guys and you know, they protect me,” he said.

Coach Robert Walsh took over the program in Hollingsworth’s sophomore year. Despite the adjustment, Hollingsworth said he and Walsh have grown very close.

“It’s like tough love. He’s definitely a great mentor, someone I look up to,” he said.

Walsh said he is a very passionate, high energy coach and holds the players to a high standard.

tionship they have today.

“That kid’s pure as gold to me,” he said. “He’s a great kid that comes from a great family and represents our community well.”

Walsh also said Hollingsworth was voted by his peers to be captain as a junior, which says a lot about him in the locker room when the coaches aren’t around.

During the offseason, Hollingsworth said he is constantly in the weight room seeing trainers to make sure his body is prepared with three sports going on.

Hollingsworth’s recruitment process is off to a slow start, although he has no firm offers he has attended camps and had some conversation with schools in the offseason.

He is hopeful to continue his career and has plans to play on Saturdays, if he is given the opportunity.

KENNESAW STATE OWLS 2025 Schedule

8/29 at Wake Forest

9/6 at Indiana

9/13 Merrimack

9/20 Arkansas State

9/27 Middle Tenn.

10/9 La. Tech

10/21 at FIU

10/28 UTEP

11/8 at NMSU

11/15 at Jax St.

11/22 Missouri State

11/29 at Liberty

Owls look for better showing in CUSA under Mack

By John Bednarowski

For the first time in the 11-year history of the Kennesaw State football program, it will open a season with a new head coach.

Former North Carolina Central coach Jerry Mack was hired last fall to replace Brian Bohannon, the only coach the Owls had ever had.

Like Bohannon at the program’s inception, Mack was able to sell his own vision of program firsts to bring new players to campus.

“It was the opportunity,” Mack

said. “We sold the chance to play on national TV. We sold an opportunity for snaps and a chance to get on the field, for a chance to be the No. 1 and not just be a guy. And there was a chance to play in the program’s first bowl game.”

In its first year as a member of Conference USA, KSU suffered through growing pains. The Owls went 2-10 and 2-6 in conference play and struggled on both sides of the ball. The offense only averaged 16.5 points per game while the defense allowed 31.2. To try and get the team back pointed in

No. Name 0 Coleman Bennett 0 Donelius Johnson 1 Gabriel Benyard 1 JeRico Washington Jr. 2 Amari Odom 2 Caleb Offord 3 Alexander Diggs 3 Antonio Stevens 4 Chase Belcher 4 Alexander Ford 5 Tylon Dunlap 5 Dexter Williams II 6 Christian Moss 6 Marcus Patterson 7 Garland Benyard 7 Skyler Williams 8 Roderick Daniels 8 Tykeem Wallace 9 Davis Bryson 9 Isaac Paul 10 Jordan Jackson 10 Ethan Tookes 11 Preston Clemmer 11 Jamar Rucks 12 Kody Jones

No. Name 12 Lyndon Ravare 14 Tommy Ulatowski 14 Donovan Westmoreland 15 Five Hamilton 15 Javon Rogers 16 Navelle Dean 16 Juandarion Silas 17 Gerard Bullock Jr. 17 Tay’vion Lawson 18 Clayton Coppock 18 Jaden Kelly 19 Jayce Cora 19 Elijah Harper 20 Tyler Hallum 21 James Ziglor 22 Devin Ross 23 Jonathan Mathis 24 Isaiah Thomas 25 Joshua Troupe 27 Britton Williams 28 Kayden Miller 29 Milon Jones 31 Nacari Johnson 32 Jaden Burgess 33 Jeremiah Solomon

sportseditor@mdjonline.com

the right direction, and fulfill his vision, Mack attacked the transfer portal and almost completely turned over the roster.

Offensively, the team should look different playing a more balanced style of offense, and it will start with Georgia Southern transfer quarterback Dexter Williams II. Williams has had limited playing time, seeing action in only five games a year ago, but he finished the year 19-of-30 for 238 yards and three touchdowns. It will also be important to develop Wofford transfer Amari Odom, a redshirt

sophomore, and true freshman Skylar Williams to lead the program into the future.

Mack said Coleman Bennett, a redshirt senior transfer from Rice, and returnee Alexander Diggs have taken the lead in the running back department. Bennett, who saw action in only four games last season, was a second-team All-Patriot League running back at Bucknell in 2023 with 1,377 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns.

Diggs, in three seasons at KSU, has rushed for 122 yards. Working See OWLS, Page 156

2025 Roster Pos. RB LB WR DB QB DB RB DB RB DB DL QB WR DL LB QB DL WR WR DB WR DB QB DL DB

Cl. R-Sr. R-Jr. R-Sr. R-So. R-So. R-Sr. R-Jr. Gr. Sr. R-Jr. R-Sr. R-Sr. R-Sr. R-Jr. R-Sr. Fr. R-Sr. R-Sr. R-Jr. R-So. Sr. R-So. So. R-Sr. Sr.

Pos. WR QB DL DB WR WR LB TE DB WR LB WR DL DB DB DB RB DB RB K DB DB DB DB DB

Cl. Jr. R-Jr. R-So. R-So. So. R-So. R-Jr. Gr. Fr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Jr. R-Sr. R-Sr. So. R-So. Rf. Fr. R-Sr. Fr. Sr. So. R-So. Fr.

No. Name 34 Brylan Noonan 35 Brody Bond 36 Taiwo Ogundele 39 Eli Leiataua 41 Byron Jackson 42 Karson Moss 43 Ben Blanton 44 Baron Hopson 46 Tywon Christopher 47 Deldrick Franklin 52 Havik Pettigrew 53 AJ Miller 54 Eseosa Aigbokhae 55 Seaburn Hines 55 Ugonna Nwoha 56 Elijah Hill 56 JaDarious Lee 58 Brandon Best 58 Mike Jones 59 Jamiel Williams 64 Cameron Williams 65 JT Pennington 66 Chase Stevens 68 Benton Dunn 70 Chrisdasson Saint-Jean

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2025 FACTBOOK PUBLISHED BY THE MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL

Pos. LS DB LB LB DL DB LS LB LB LB OL DL DL OL DL DL OL OL DL OL OL OL OL OL OL

Cl. R-Sr. Fr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Fr. So. R-Sr. R-Fr. R-So. R-Jr. R-So. Fr. R-Sr. R-Jr. Fr. R-Jr. R-Jr. Gr. Fr. R-Sr. R-Sr. R-Fr. So. R-Fr.

No. Name 71 ZaMario Woodgett 72 Haston Crawford 74 Elijah Zollicoffer 75 Josiah Chenault 76 Nikola Milovac 77 Rene Miller 79 Marlo East Jr. 80 Josh Williamson 81 Erik Ronning 82 Christian Bishop 83 Matthew Choules 84 Semaj Parker 85 Rowan Darnell 86 Isaiah Williams 88 Jamari Harrold 89 Daniel Kinney 91 Joshua Huiet 92 Jackson Cooper 93 Keinan Williams 95 Ebenezer Dibula 96 Jaiden Grimes 97 Adam Watkins 98 RJ Taylor 99 Nasir Smith

Pos. OL OL OL OL OL OL DL WR WR WR P TE TE TE TE K P DL DL DL DL DL DL DL

Cl. Fr. Fr. Sr. R-So. R-So. R-Jr. So. R-Jr. Fr. Fr. Fr. R-Jr. R-Jr. So. Fr. Fr. R-Sr. Fr. Fr. Gr. So. R-Sr. R-Jr. R-Fr.

2025 - 2026

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K E N N E S AW S TAT E O W L S 1000 Chastain Rd NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144 • Fifth Third Stadium https://ksuowls.com/sports/football X: @kennesawstfb

2024 RESULTS UTSA ............................................16-28 .....L Louisiana .................................... .10-34 .....L San Jose State .............................10-31 .....L Tennessee-Martin ......................13-24 .....L Jacksonville State ..................... 24-63 .....L Middle Tennessee State ............. 5-14 .....L Liberty ......................................... 27-24 ... W Western Kentucky .......................14-31 .....L UTEP ................................ 35-43 (2OT) .....L Sam Houston State........... 17-23 (OT) .....L Florida International ................. 27-26 ... W Louisiana Tech ............................. 0-33 .....L

Instagram: @ksuowlsfootball

VARSITY COACHING STAFF Jerry Mack ....................... HC Mitch Militello ..........OC/QB Marc Mattioli ................... DC Kyle Blocker ............... ST/TE Jay Clements ...................OL Aston Walter ....................RB David Whitlow ................WR Jonathan Bradley ............DL Granville Eastman .......... DB William Paruta.................. LB James Williams ............... DB

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI Travis Bell (2019-22) ........................................................Cincinnati Bengals Auzoyah Alufohai (2016-19) ............................................... Houston Texans Chandler Burks (2014-18) Bryson Armstrong (2017-20) Justin Sumpter (2014-18)

2024 LEADERS RUSHING Michael Benefield...138 car...579 yds .......5 TD Davis Bryson .............113 car ....447 yds .......4 TD Qua Ashley ...............122 car ...436 yds ........1 TD PASSING Davis Bryson ..........143/261 .1495 yds ... 6 TD...10 Int RECEIVING Blake Bohannon...24 rec....289 yds..... 0 TD Qua Ashley .............28 rec ...255 yds..... .1 TD Carson Kent............18 rec.....217 yds ...... 3 TD Christian Moss.......14 rec.....203 yds..... 2 TD TACKLES Donelius Johnson .................89 Sidney Porter ..........................66 Milon Jones .............................62 SACKS Donelius Johnson .................3.5 Garland Benyard ...................3.5 INTERCEPTIONS JeRico Washington Jr..........2 Jayven Williams .....................1 Tyler Hallum ............................1

Coach: Jerry Mack • 1st Season • Record: 0-0 • Overall: 31-15

OWLS

From Page 155 his way into the mix is West Georgia transfer Chase Belcher, who had 422 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns.

Former North Cobb high school standout Christian Moss ,and Gabriel Benyard, who enters his fifth season in the program have separated themselves heading into fall camp.

“They are the top dogs,” Mack said. “We expect them to be productive and move the ball.”

In the slot are Tykeem Wallace and last year’s starting quarterback

Facebook: @Kennesaw State Football

Davis Bryson.

“They are older and have played a little bit,” Mack said.

One key area is the offensive line where 14 of the 18 players on the roster are new. The unit has gotten significantly bigger as 13 of the players are at least 6-foot4, 300-pounds, including Georgia Tech transfer Brandon Best.

One key player who is not quite at the 300-pound mark is Florida International transfer JaDarious Lee, who at 6-4, 287-pounds is the leader to be the new left tackle.

“We like the combination,” Mack said. “A lot of guys have played college football.”

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RECORD 25-25

2024 (FBS): 2-10 2023: 3-6 2022: 5-6 2021: 11-2 2020: 4-1

ALL TIME RECORD 72-37

Defensively, Donovan Westmoreland, a transfer from South Carolina, is expected to finally make his KSU debut at edge rusher. Mack said he has had a great offseason and will join a group which includes Western Kentucky transfer Marcus Patterson, Liberty transfer Roderick Daniels and true freshman Jackson Cooper.

Adam Watkins, Georgia State transfer Tylon Dunlap and former Pope High School standout Jaiden Grimes will help man the inside of the line.

Mack said he has been impressed with Grimes, who has put on 15 pounds of muscle and has had a really good offseason.

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FIVE YEAR

Three returnees highlight the linebackers — Garland Benyard, Baron Hopson and Juan Silas. They are expected to earn starting positions, while the defensive backfield will have a Cobb County feel.

Three of the leading contenders for playing time are former Lassiter standout Tyler Hallum, who had 56 tackles and an interception last season, Milon Jones (Marietta) and James Ziglor (Harrison), who Mack said is coming into his own.

Jones had 62 tackles a year ago, and Ziglor, who saw action in nine games, will see time along with starter JeRico Washington Jr. and Isaac Paul in the secondary.

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KSU offensive line ready to surprise

By John Bednarowski sportseditor@mdjonline.com

Kennesaw State offensive lineman JT Pennington has to be laser focused when he takes his place on the line of scrimmage.

It’s not just because there is a large opponent lining up opposite him who will be trying to get to his quarterback. It starts well before with the line calls. He has to focus to make sure he can understand the things being called out by new linemate, South Florida transfer Nikola Milovac.

Milovac, who goes by Mili to his friends and teammates, comes from Indjija, Serbia, has a unique accent which forces Pennington, from Wilsonville, Alabama, to concentrate a little harder to make sure he understands the calls.

“Coming from Alabama, I couldn’t be any more different,” Pennington jokingly said about understanding the Eastern European accent. “It took me a little while to know what he heck he was saying.”

Milovac laughed and said it was equally challenging to understand Pennington’s southern drawl, but it was all part of learning about new teammates.

That was especially true within the offensive line room. New coach Jerry Mack completely overhauled the unit as 14 of the 18 offensive linemen are new to the program.

Pennington is one of the few holdovers, and he said he is looking forward to the season, mainly because he expects the offensive line to surprise a lot of people in Conference USA.

Special - Kennesaw State

Offensive linemen JT Pennington and Nikola Milovac get ready to play in the KSU spring game.

“I’m pumped up,” he said. “The coaches have done a great job of bringing in talent. The guys want to win and are hungry for it. We’re just a good group of guys all working together.”

Mack said when putting the new offensive line together he knew the players had to get bigger and stronger.

Pennington, who was recruited under former coach Brian Bohannon, at 6-foot-4, 305-pounds was one of the larger members of the line with the team playing in the Big South Conference, now heading into the second season of CUSA play, he is now average sized.

Cameron Williams, a transfer from Alabama A&M, is 6-3, 315-pounds, Chrisdasson SaintJean, who comes in from Florida

6 2 0 2

Atlantic is 6-7, 310, Arkansas State transfer Elijah Zollicoffer measures in at 6-5, 345, and Rene Miller, an Alcorn State transfer, is 6-6, 335.

Not only are the players bigger, but Pennington said they can all move well, too.

“I don’t mind it one bit,” he said of being an average height and weight on this offensive line. “Small guys have to be perfect all the time. Our strength staff had done a great job with everyone’s mobility. We’re moving better than ever before.

“We are a bunch of big guys who can move, and that’s scary.”

As good as the new size is for offensive line coach Jay Clements, he said the players have quickly become a tight-knit group who work in unison. It will be the key to being able to live up to the

offense’s motto of RTDB – “Run The Damn Ball.”

Other key members of the line this year will be Georgia Tech transfer Brandon Best (6-4, 305), Florida transfer Chase Stevens (6-3, 310), and JaDarious Lee, a 6-4, 290-pound transfer from Florida International who is expected to start at left tackle.

To become one unit, Milovac, who is 6-6, 310, said the players have done everything together this summer. Pool parties, cook-outs, and a lot of extra work and walkthroughs.

“I haven’t seen anything like it,” he said. “After every run, we’re doing extra work. After every lift guys are putting in extra work.

“It helps the main goal, because I just want to win games.”

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APPALACHAIN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Reinhardt favorite for 10th straight title

By Griffin Callaghan

gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

One thing is clear in the Appalachian Athletic Conference: it runs through Reinhardt.

Nine consecutive conference championships later, the Eagles own their AAC opponents, though 2024 wasn’t as painless as normal.

Reinhardt shared last year’s title with new conference foe Pikeville as both teams finished 5-1 in league play.

Behind the Eagles (7-4 overall in 2024) and Bears (6-6), Bluefield and Point tied for third place, each at 4-2 in conference play.

Union Commonwealth, Kentucky Christian and St. Andrews finished fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively.

Reinhardt returns the majority of its key contributors from a year ago, including its entire quarterback room and running back duo Jah Colbert (751 yards, four TDs) and Jamarion Walker (617 yards, eight TDs).

Defensively, it brings an experienced front seven, with defensive end Emmanuel Olaitan coming off a 10-sack season, and linebacker Julian Stevenson looking to back up his breakout freshman campaign.

Stevenson posted 38 tackles last year, and he expects Reinhardt’s defense to lead the conference in 2025.

“We’ve got the confidence, and we’ve got the guys at every position,” Stevenson said. “We are three or four deep at each position, and everyone can play. We have a lot

LINE From Page 135 styles are present with this group “Connor Feltault and Jackson Elbert both do it in different ways which is what I love about them.

Connor is going to be the vocal guy, he’s encouraging, he’s uplifting.

If you do something wrong, he’s going to let you know you got it next time,” Knapp said. “Then Jackson Elbert just shows it by how he practices. He brings some energy out there that not a lot of kids at

PREDICTED FINISH 1. Reinhardt 2. Pikeville 3. Bluefield 4. KY Christian 5. Point 6. Union 7. Rio Grande of older guys, along with a lot of younger guys who can play. I think this defense is going to be one of those ones.”

On the other hand, Pikeville also returns many standouts, headlined by running back Amon Williams, who ran for 1,314 yards and 15 touchdowns as a freshman. The Bears have won six or more games for three straight years, and they show no signs of slowing down.

“Pikeville is going to be really good again,” Reinhardt coach James Miller said. “Point has a new coach, but they always have good players.

So it’s a challenging schedule that I’m excited about and these kids are excited about.”

Nigel Lawrence takes the post at Point, making the jump from assistant to head coach after four seasons on staff. The Skyhawks have won four games for three consecutive seasons, so they hope Lawrence pushes them to the next

level.

“This is more than just a coaching opportunity – it’s a chance to build young men of character, compete with excellence, and uphold the values that make this university special,” Lawrence said in a statement. “I’m excited to lead this

program forward, both on the field and in the classroom.”

Rio Grande makes its AAC debut this season, replacing St. Andrews, which dropped from the conference and closed its doors in May following two straight winless years.

this age bring, which is awesome.

He comes to practice every day to work, and he sets that example, and everyone follows his lead at practice. So those two have been huge for the offense.”

The Eagles’ ability to dominate in the trenches will be key to its offensive success. Although they run a balanced offensive scheme, its capacity to provide time in the pocket for McCollough to go through his reads or open holes for Bazarsky will alleviate pressure on the defense.

“This is the hardest group of

workers he’s coached; they are really bought into the culture that coach Jones has implemented,” Knapp said. “I think they are confident in themselves, and they’re confident as a group and confident as an offense, which is really cool to see, “I think it’s exciting that they’re in the leadership role, and I think they are ready for it.”

During the offseason, the team is emphasizing improving the run game and communication, which are crucial for the Eagles’ offensive success this year. Knapp is

also working with the linemen on their footwork and continuing to develop their football IQ. He has utilized film study to enhance their understanding of the game and onfield drills to refine their footwork.

The seniors said they want to be dominant upfront, win every game in the trenches, and give their best effort on every play. With their experience, leadership and dedication to improvement, this North Cobb Christian offensive line is poised to be a formidable force and a tough matchup for any opponent this season.

Griffin Callaghan - File

Reinhardt will try to win its 10th straight AAC championship this season..

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159

REINHARDT EAGLES 2025 Schedule

8/30 Fla. Memorial

9/6 at Cumberland

9/13 at Southeastern

9/20 Lindsey Wilson

10/4 Union

10/11 at KY Christian

10/18 Bluefield

11/1 at Rio Grande

11/8 Point

11/15 Pikeville

Veteran offense will pace Eagles in 2025

By Griffin Callaghan

Reinhardt has only gotten stronger since the end of last year, reloading at key positions and returning the majority of its skill position standouts.

The Eagles, after finishing 7-4 in

2024, have their top passer, rusher and receiver back as they chase an 11th conference title. They led an offense that averaged 30.8 points and over 360 yards per game, and veteran coach James Miller is ready to see them thrive after another productive summer.

“They are great about being

No. Name 1 Emmanuel Olaitan 2 Markell Sutton 3 Bryghton Peters 4 Ethan Rice 5 Jah Colbert 6 Jamarion Walker 7 Stephin Craig 8 Braylon Jones 9 Taylor Jackson 10 Julian Stevenson 11 Adam Mweemba 12 Cam Curtis 13 Namari Jenkins 14 Kace Kinnamon 15 CJ McGhee 16 Jakorrian Paulk 17 Jordan Ghant 18 Carter Hicks 19 Braden Bohannon 20 Gabe Helton 21 Anthony Morley 22 Nolan Marshall 23 Xavier Brantley 24 Bryce Stack 25 Brandon Payton 26 Jayden Ponder 27 Harlem Diamond 28 Kish Wright 29 Aaron Fennen 30 CJ Hollinquest 31 Bryce Parrish 32 Randy Williams 33 Jamauri Major 34 Christopher Barnes 35 Jae Colbert 36 Jordan Herndon

No. Name 37 Kabreon Aldridge 38 Caleb Cooley 39 Robert Jones 40 Montel Hundley 41 Christian Irwin 42 Jacarian Grier 43 Jonathan Wylly 44 Daniel O’Neil 45 Tereon Jones 46 Alex Hanson 47 Preston Smith 48 Chris Reed 49 Cooper Negron 51 Tyronne Perry 52 Kamari Pointdexter 53 Landon Sauls 54 Ky’Von Rivers 55 Don Juan McGee 56 Ja’nas Daniels 57 Jalen Ray 58 Justin Pinkney 59 Aaron Inman 60 Trent New 61 Luke Robinson 62 Michael Anderson 63 Dermon Richard 64 Anthony Green 65 Ben Hollars 66 Mason Coley 67 Danaeiz Samaniego 68 Quentin Lett 69 Milton Lauofo 70 Daniel Davis 71 Braddock Vohun 72 Jayden Calhoun 73 Taquavian Hargrove

gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

accountable, and I feel like they’ve been really working hard,” coach James Miller said. “We’ve had a good amount of guys on campus this summer, and I’m excited about that. I feel like we’re in a really good place.”

On the offensive side, Reinhardt returns its entire quarterback room

between Taylor Jackson III, Stephin Craig, Kace Kinnamon and Ethan Rice. All four signal callers saw the field last season, though Jackson III led the group with 1,177 yards, 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Jackson III will likely be the opening day starter, but Miller See EAGLES, Page 161

2025 Roster Pos. DL DB DB QB RB RB QB DB QB LB LB WR DB QB WR TE WR DB QB DB DB DL WR DB DB RB RB DB DB DB DL DB DB RB RB LB

Cl. Sr Sr Sr Sr Sr Jr Sr Jr Gr Fr So Jr Jr Jr Sr Sr Jr So Jr Jr So Jr So Jr So Fr Jr Sr So Fr Sr So Fr Jr Jr Jr

Pos. DB DB RB DL TE LB LB DL LB K LS LB LB LB LB LB OL DL LB DL OL OL RB OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL

Cl. So So Jr Fr Fr Jr Jr So Fr So So Fr Fr Fr Fr So So Jr So Fr Sr Sr Jr Sr Fr Sr Fr Sr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Jr Fr

No. Name Pos. 74 Zac Lyle OL 75 Darius Biggins OL OL 76 Charlie Counts OL 77 Cameron Harris OL 79 Nick Howard-Davis 80 Demarcus Horne WR WR 81 Cedric Cullars 81 Brandon McClendon Jr WR/FS TE 82 David Turner 83 Markese Wilson WR WR 84 Ty Jones TE 85 Xavier Nickerson 86 Damoni Taylor WR 87 Austin Davis TE 88 Joshua Jackson WR DL 88 Nathaniel Sanford 89 Xavier Walker TE 90 VaSean Moody DL 91 Damian Deloney DL 92 Dante Finley DL DL 93 Ethan Anderson 95 Dan’Quavious Cummings DL DL 96 Darren McKenzie 97 Darius Jordan DL 98 Aidan Scott DL DL 99 Caleb Brooks Zachary Alvarez DB Gunnar Barber DL Javian Beacham LB Jamari Benjamin DB Andrew Bennett LB Kenry Wall DB Cameron Brown OL Jamaal Brown P Robert Butler WR Kenneth Clark DB

Cl. Sr Fr Fr Fr So Fr Sr Fr Fr So Fr So So Jr Fr Sr Jr So Jr Jr Jr Fr So Fr Fr Fr Fr So Jr Fr So Fr Fr Fr So Fr

No. Name Johnny Clay Isaiah Coney Thomas Stallworth Aiden Ellis Spencer Galo Ely Green Thomas Green Matthew Haber Aydin Priest EJ Harrison Colin Wood Lakota Johnson Jared Jones Jayce Jones John Katzmark Braxton Kitchens Jakoby Smith Corderian Leverett Jakob Lunsford Thomas Union Jerome Roundtree Jairus Ogden Matt Peavy Easton Pilkilton Ricky Simmons Jomar Roberts Ethan Spector Kingston Rivers Keaston Taylor Darryl Turpin Caleb Walters Javen Watts Donald Widener Peyton Williams

Pos. DL DL QB DL DB TE OL/DB RB LB WR QB WR WR DB OL LS DL WR DL LB DL WR QB DL QB DL QB WR DB DL RB TE LB RB

Good Luck This Season!

BASH NIGHT

Monday & Wednesday - All you can eat wings

Canton 1625 Ballground Hwy. (Across From Walmart) | Woodstock 12035 Hwy. 92 (92 @ Trickum) 160

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Cl. So Jr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr So Fr So Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr So Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Fr Sr Fr So Fr Fr

REINHARDT EAGLES 7300 Reinhardt Circle, Waleska, GA 30183 • Ken White Field https://reinhardteagles.com/sports/fball/index X: @ReinhardtFb

2024 RESULTS Carson-Newman ........................ 7-50 .....L Faulkner ..................................... 22-21 ... W Southeastern ............................ 10-28 .....L Cumberlands ............................ 35-31 ... W Georgetown ...............................31-34 .....L Pikeville ......................................21-47 .....L Point .......................................... 36-26 ... W St. Andrews .................................63-0 ... W Bluefield..................................... 24-16 ... W

VARSITY COACHING STAFF James Miller ...................... HC Tyler Hennes.... AHC/OC/QB Barry Gardner ................... DC Willie McCloud .................WR Fred Alexander..................DL Keon McGhee ................... DB Rob Armstrong .................. TE Cam Cagle.................O. Asst.

RJ Bellflower ..................Asst.

Kentucky Christian................... 41-20 .. .W Union Commonwealth ........... 49-21 ... W

FAMOUS FOOTBALL ALUMNI Tre Coney (2016-19) Billy Hall (2018-21)

Instagram: @reinhardtfootball

2024 LEADERS RUSHING Jerdavian “Jah” Colbert .....107 car ...751 yds ... 4 TD Jamarion Walker...................85 car.....617 yds ...8 TD PASSING Taylor Jackson III .......84/169.......1177 ......11 TD ......8 Ints RECEIVING Cedric Cullars ........21 rec.....290 yds..... 2 TD Tyress McKey ........15 rec.....200 yds..... 3 TD TACKLES Keon McGhee ........................45 Jeremiah Rowe ......................44

From Page 160

said multiple quarterbacks should play this season.

“There’s a lot of experience in that room,” Miller said. “It’s a room where I think they’re all ready to contribute and help us in any way they can to win.”

Reinhardt’s offensive line, as it always is, will be another strength.

Zac Lyle, the 6-foot-5, 285-pound tackle, returns to the fold, while newcomer Ja’nas Daniels impressed enough to earn the starting left guard job.

FIVE YEAR

RECORD 41-13

2024: 7-4 2023: 8-3 2022: 8-2 2021: 9-3 2020: 9-1

SACKS Emmanuel Olaitan ................10 INTERCEPTIONS Keon McGhee ........................4

Coach: James Miller • 9th Season • Record: 72-20 • Career: 72-20

EAGLES

Facebook: @Reinhardt University Football

“I think we’re going to be pretty good up front on offense,” Miller said. “Our O-line will be experienced — we have four guys coming back with a lot of playing experience.

I’m excited about them, and I’m excited about our tight end room, too. I think it’s the biggest and most physical we have ever been in that area.”

That offensive front will pave the way for running backs Jah Colbert and Jamarion Walker, the Eagles’ two leading rushers from 2024.

Colbert posted a 751-yard, fourtouchdown season, while Walker broke onto the scene with 617 yards and a team-best eight touchdowns.

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Defensively, Reinhardt has one of its best pass-rushing duos in recent history between Emmanuel Olaitan and Nolan Marshall. Olaitan notched a team-best 15 tackles for loss and 10 sacks, while Marshall added another four sacks.

“Nolan Marshall and Emmanuel Olaitan are two of the better defensive ends in our conference, and maybe in the country,” Miller said.

Linebacker Julian Stevenson returns after his breakout freshman season, and Darren McKenzie will hold down the defensive front. Bryghton Peters and Braylon Jones patrol the secondary as the defense hopes to improve on

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its 26.7 points allowed per game from 2024.

The biggest difference for the Eagles between its 2024 and 2025 teams will not come on the field.

Jonathan Burton became the school’s interim athletic director back in December before taking on the position full-time. Miller said he’s off to an excellent start.

“I’m really excited about our new leadership,” Miller said. “(Burton) has done a phenomenal job of reshaping and rebranding our entire university on the athletic side.

I’m super excited about him and the vision and the goals he has for myself, our program and our kids.”

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Expectations, development driving trio

By Griffin Callaghan

gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com

Improvement is the name of the game at Reinhardt, and the trio of Julian Stevenson, Emmanuel Olaitan and Stephin Craig embodies that ahead of the 2025 season.

Expectations are high, and they are backed by a history of winning as the Eagles seek an 11th conference championship, 10th consecutively, and an elusive national title, which they came close to in 2017 but fell just short.

“The standard is the standard, which is a national championship,” Stevenson said. “So that’s what we’re pushing for every day. I think we have a group of guys who come in every day willing to work. Just taking it day by day and bringing energy, bringing all we have that day.”

Stevenson exploded onto the scene last year as a redshirt freshman, notching 38 tackles for fifth on the team. He did a bit of everything with a sack, interception and fumble recovery. His role will only expand in 2025.

“It’s just being versatile,” Stevenson said. “Not just being a linebacker, but being a defensive player as a whole. It’s being able to go wherever coach puts me. Wherever I can impact us winning, that’s where I’ll go.”

Like Stevenson, Olaitan has shown substantial growth since arriving in Waleska. The Marietta High School product transferred in from Faulkner, where he registered 13 tackles and 4.5 sacks.

After a full offseason with Reinhardt and coach James Miller, Olaitan posted 41 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. This year, he expects to be even better, working with the Eagles’ new defensive line coach Fred Alexander.

“I felt like I was a more aggressive player,” Olaitan said. “This season, I’m developing my move set and IQ of the game. We had a new defensive line coach coming in, Coach Alexander, and he’s honestly changed the tempo a lot. He’s very uplifting, and he teaches a lot of great techniques. I’ve learned a lot from him

Griffin Callaghan

Emmanuel Olaitan rushes the quarterback last season. He is one of a trio of players who have shown significant growth on and off the field heading into this year. in just a short time this spring.”

Olaitan’s dedication bleeds into the classroom, too, where he has a 4.0 GPA. The importance of academics was instilled in him early on by his parents, and it remains a priority in college because he knows it will help him beyond his football career.

On the offensive side, this is Year 4 for Craig in the Reinhardt quarterback room. He’s gradually earned more playing time each year, culminating in nine appearances last season with 376 passing yards and 3 touchdowns. He ran for another 201 yards and 3 scores.

The next level of his game is better dissecting coverages, and alongside working in the film room, Craig has supplemented his knowledge with the new EA College Football 26 video game. It helps him remain sharp as the Eagles

Fun Facts: • Originally from Americus, GA • Lived in North GA since 2011 • Dog dad, big foodie, and favorite hobby is traveling.

• Almost done with my goal of visiting all 50 states.

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KICKOFF 2025

use different quarterbacks throughout the year.

“It’s just being a student of the game, and it starts in practice,” Craig said. “I’m getting mental reps in whenever I can, and I’m taking advantage of all the reps I do get. You never know when your number is going to be called.”

Reinhardt’s first chance to showcase another summer of progress is Aug. 30 against Florida Memorial. Olaitan said it’s one week at a time as the Eagles work toward yet another winning season.

“We’re trying to be one of the best teams in the nation,” Craig said. “We have a lot of offensive firepower coming back, and we have a lot of depth. It’s going to be exciting. We’re going to have fun this year and put some points on the board.”

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