Top Overall High School Athletic Programs in Georgia
Pope Volleyball Captain, Setter Jahan Lalli Leads With High-Energy Style of Play
Speedy CF Kendall Jackson Sets Table for Houston County Baseball
Are 7-on-7 Football Camps, Tournaments Good for Player Development?
Camden County Wrestling Wins 11th Straight State Championship
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Camden County Wrestling Wins 11th Straight State Championship
Pope Volleyball Captain, Setter Jahan Lalli Leads With High-Energy Style of Play
Richmond Hill 2-Sport Star Mmekom Inyang Headed to Howard University
Speedy CF Kendall Jackson Sets Table for Houston County Baseball
Lowndes Wrestler Valrie Medina Voted ITG Next’s January 2025 Georgia Female Athlete of the Month
Buford Wrestler DJ Clarke Voted ITG Next’s January 2025 Georgia Male Athlete of the Month
Top 10 Best Georgia High School Football Stadiums
Are 7-on-7 Football Camps, Tournaments Good for Player Development?
Valdosta Basketball Player Jabarri Williams Voted ITG Next’s February 2025 Georgia Male Athlete of the Month
Coffee Basketball Player Lexie Bradford Voted ITG Next’s February 2025 Georgia Female Athlete of the Month The State of Basketball in the State of Georgia
Top 3 Georgia High School Football Coaching Hires That Could Make the Biggest Impacts in 2025
Will Travis Hunter Play Both Offense & Defense in the NFL?
2 Major Changes Affecting Reclassification Could Be Coming to GHSA in 2026
Top Overall High School Athletic Programs in Georgia
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The Camden County High School wrestling team recently claimed its 11th straight GHSA team duals state championship. All 14 Camden County weight class wrestlers placed in the Top 5, and four of them won individual state championships.
Bradley Patterson, a senior, won the 113-pound weight class state title, his third state championship wrestling for Camden County.
“Bradley actually won the state title in dominant fashion,” said Jess Wilder, Camden County head wrestling coach. “He was impressive.”
Isaac Santos, competing in the 120-pound weight class, was one of three juniors who captured a state championship.
Brock Weaver, competing in the 157-pound weight class, won his first wrestling state title.
The junior is the younger brother of former Camden County state champion wrestler Konlin Weaver.
Rider Wilder, a junior, captured his third overall state title, winning in the 190-pound weight class.
Camden County had to get past a familiar foe to capture their 11th straight title. After defeating East Coweta in the first round, followed by victories over Mill Creek and West Forsyth in the next two rounds, Camden County faced off against Buford in the state finals for the third consecutive year.
“We had to beat Buford, and we have had quite a history with them,” Wilder said. “Plus, they are a nationally ranked wrestling program, so we knew it was going to be a battle.”
To make matters even tougher for Wilder
and his Camden County grapplers, Buford was the host team for the Class 6A finals.
Camden County ultimately won 43-26.
Wilder said he felt this year’s team was as ready as they have ever been heading into the state finals, as they were fresh off of competing in one of the toughest tournaments in the country.
“Over the Christmas break, I took our team to a tournament called The Knockout in Orlando, which we had not been to in a few years,” Wilder said. “It has state champions from Oklahoma, North Carolina, Virginia, as well as the state champions from here in Georgia, and all the state champions from Florida.”
Camden County came away winners.
“We won it,” Wilder said. “Plus, that was just two weeks prior to
the Georgia state duals, which rolled right into the state traditionals, so that was really big for us. It was such a tough tournament, and given that we had not been there in a few years, I wasn’t sure how we’d do. But to win there was a huge highlight for us and really gave us a good boost for the rest of the year.”
Heading into this wrestling season, Wilder said he liked his team, but there were some holes to fill before he could assess whether it would be good enough to make another championship run.
“We had five weight classes that we needed to fill with non-starters,” Wilder said. “So anytime you have a new starter, you just don’t know what they are going to do. So for all of them to be able to place in state, it looks like we haven’t skipped a beat.”
Wilder said he feels that’s the secret sauce to the success of the program.
“That’s the strength of Camden wrestling, that we always have tough kids fighting for varsity spots when we have seniors graduate, and whoever starts, they usually perform at a high level. We have been very fortunate these last few years.”
Does Wilder feel like he has the team to do it again next year?
“Next year we will be very senior heavy and will return 10 of the 14 starters that placed this year, but we will see,” Wilder said.
Like any champion coach, he’s not looking too far ahead yet.
“Once we get back to school in September or October, we’ll put the kids on the scales and see what we have to try to win another state championship,” Wilder said.
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Written by: Phil Jones
Photography by: Wyld Films and Ryan Trotti
Pope High School’s volleyball team capped their 2024 season by capturing the GHSA Class 6A state championship, which was the program’s third state title in the past seven years and their sixth overall.
This was Pope head volleyball coach Erica Miller’s second state championship in her four seasons as the Greyhounds’ coach.
Like any good coach, Miller knows that you’re nothing without great players. She also knows that with great talent comes a mix of personalities. That sums up the 2024 Pope squad, with each team member playing a significant role toward winning the championship.
For setter Jahan Lalli, that role was as the team’s quarterback, according to Miller.
“Jahan is our team glue, our spark, our fire,” Miller said. “She is our quarterback. Jahan is high energy. She was our No. 1 setter and floor captain, and she rarely left the court. She controlled our offense.”
Lalli was named All-County, All-Region, and All-State for her outstanding play for the 2024 season, during which she compiled 96 kills, 51 aces, and 1,111 assists, averaging 9.4 assists per set. As a defender, Lalli was quite effective with 248 digs on the season.
She set a Pope High School record this season with a 62-assist performance in a five-set win over Woodstock. According to Miller, that is the most assists in a single match in the history of Pope volleyball and ranks No. 5 all-time in Georgia high school history.
In the state finals match against Woodward Academy, Lalli rose to the challenge time and time again.
“In the championship, Jahan was focused and full of energy, quickly recovering from an error and lifting her teammates up when they made a mistake,” Miller said.
Miller said there was a moment in the final match when the Greyhounds were ahead and Lalli took charge on the floor.
“We were ahead two sets to zero at the five-minute break in the final, and Jahan was a key voice, encouraging her teammates to stay focused, keep pushing for excellence, and to go ahead and close the match down right there in the third set, which we were so pleased to have done,” Miller said.
Lalli excels in the heat of a match with her high-energy approach, but
it’s her preparation off the floor that makes her a special player, according to Miller.
“She thoroughly studied the scouting report and knew what Woodward’s tendencies were and what they were going to do, and from that she knew what we should do to achieve the success we were looking for,” Miller said. “One of her strongest traits as a setter is her understanding of who the opponent is and what is wise to do against them. She pays attention to what hitters and sets are effective against a particular team, even if that means to take a risky approach over the easy, and perhaps more expected, way. She keeps everyone on their toes.
“Jahan’s play was full of split second choices like this during the state final.”
Growing up in Frisco, Texas, which is located just outside Dallas, Lalli said she fell in love with the sport of volleyball early in her childhood, which kick started her rise to competitive play.
“I played on my first recreation league volleyball team when I was around 7, and from there I went on to play with some of the most competitive club teams in the country,” Lalli said.
Those club teams include Dallas Skyline, TAV, and Drive Nation.
“Playing at such a high level really drove my passion for the game and prepared me for my later years,” Lalli said.
Lalli said that when her family moved to Georgia, she knew that she would be trying to break into a highly successful program at Pope.
“I knew it would be a daunting task, but incredibly exciting too,” she said.
Pope was coming off their 2022 state championship, and Lalli was a new face trying to find her way into the Greyhounds’ program.
“My first season was my sophomore year, and I played defensive specialist while learning from our defensive setter, Cooper Abney,” Lalli said.
That season, Pope fell to Alpharetta in the 2023 Class 6A state finals. That made Lalli more determined than ever to contribute the next season.
“That just fueled me to help bring home a state championship for my junior season,” she said.
That’s exactly what happened.
“Winning a state championship and getting to run a 5-1 (offensive set) and be the floor captain for the program truly shaped who I am as a player,” Lalli said. “The trust that my team and our staff instilled in me has fostered my leadership skills and confidence so much.”
Lalli pointed to the team’s chemistry and ability to support each other as one of the qualities that contributed to the program’s second state title in three seasons.
“We are extremely tight knit,” Lalli said. “These girls are not only my teammates, but they are some of my best friends. Our chemistry allowed us to bend but never break in those difficult moments.”
Lalli was quick to heap praise on her coaches too.
“I wish I could truly explain how much of a gift Erica Miller has been to me and the Pope volleyball program,” Lalli said. “She is consistent, passionate, and
intense. She is a comfortable presence on the sidelines when things get tough, and she is a mentor to all of us.
“Coach Erica really brought out and nurtured my best qualities, this past season especially. Her unwavering trust in my abilities really changed the way I viewed myself as a player and a person.”
Lalli said she’s looking forward to finishing strong at Pope in her senior season and hopes she’ll be able to continue with the game she loves and has played her whole life.
“I’m hoping to play collegiate volleyball following high school and further my education to study journalism and international affairs,” she said.
Miller said she is looking forward to having Lalli back next season.
“The girl is competitive, has the fire to win, and keeps the gas pressed all match long,” Miller said.
Lalli, along with her teammates and Miller, will look to win another volleyball state championship in 2025 for Pope.
Written by: Phil Jones
Photography courtesy of Richmond Hill Track & Field
Mmekon Inyang, a senior at Richmond Hill High School, is a multisport athlete for the Wildcats. She alternates between small forward and guard for the girls basketball team, and as a member of the girls track team, Inyang competes in four different events: 100-meter hurdles, 4x100 relay, javelin, and shot put.
She holds the Richmond Hill High School record in the 100 hurdles and the 4x100 relay. Her 100 hurdles record-setting time was 14.31 seconds, and her 4x100 relay record-setting time was 47.22, set at last year’s state competition.
Inyang won the bronze medal last year at the Junior Olympics, competing as a member of the Coastal Georgia AAU track team.
At the time of writing, Inyang is competing in the New Balance Nationals Indoor competition.
After receiving college offers for her track abilities from programs across the country, including South Carolina State, Kennesaw State, Norfolk State, and Howard University, she made her decision last November. She chose Howard University.
As a member of the Howard track team, Inyang will actually compete in the heptathlon, meaning she will increase the number of events she competes in from four to seven. Heptathlon athletes are rare, as only the best athletes are suited to take part in seven different events – 100 hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200 dash, long jump, javelin, and 800 run – at a single track meet.
As good as Inyang is on the track, she is pretty good at her other sport too.
“Mmekom is a great defender, and I constantly called on her to guard our opponents’ best offensive player, regardless of position,” said Sarah Jones, Richmond Hill girls basketball head coach.
Inyang was named the Region 1 Defensive Player of the Year in the state’s largest classification two years straight, for Class 7A in 2024 and Class 6A in 2025.
She was an All-Region First Team selection this past season for her performance on the Richmond Hill girls basketball team, where she averaged 8.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 2.5 deflections, and 2 steals
per game while shooting 35% from the floor.
“Mmekom joined our basketball program when she moved to Richmond Hill her sophomore season,” Jones said.
Jones said Inyang made an immediate impact with her skills and her demeanor, which helped her win over her teammates.
“She instantly made a big impact just by her positive attitude, her work ethic, and her ability to be coached,” Jones
said. “She has been a great teammate, which has made her a great leader for our basketball program.
“Her main position was small forward, but she would move out to play guard if that's what we needed at the time.”
Jones said Inyang will be quite the addition to the Howard University track program.
“I know she’ll be as great an asset there as she was here for our Richmond Hill basketball pro-
gram,” Jones said.
Stacy Bennett, Richmond Hill athletic director, said that while he is excited for Inyang, it will be tough to see her leave.
“She is special, and we will miss her,” Bennett said.
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Written by: Phil Jones
As one of Georgia’s top high school baseball programs, Houston County has won consistently throughout the years, including state championships in 2021 and 2023 under current head coach Matt Hopkins.
Hopkins was also part of Houston County’s two other state titles in 2014 and 2016 as an assistant coach on former head coach Jason Brett’s staff. Hopkins’ solid coaching, and recognizing how to succeed with the talent he has, is one of the reasons Houston County has remained successful for such an extended period.
That’s been the case these past two seasons. With the departure of heavy hitters like Drew Burress, Andrew Dunford, Coleman Willis, and Gage Harrelson, Hopkins and his coaching staff have had to change their approach at the plate.
“We are playing a different brand of baseball than we did a couple of years ago,” Hopkins said. “When we had those guys like Drew, Andrew, Coleman, and Gage, and even other power hitters, we were able to drive the ball out of the park.”
While that meant scoring runs, it also meant the Bears just didn’t run a whole lot on the bases.
“We weren’t trying to hit and run or steal bases because we didn’t want to run into outs,” Hopkins said.
As Burress and other homerun hitters left the program, Hopkins turned to the players who could run – and run fast. It was time to play a little small ball. It was time for Kendall Jackson.
A speedy outfielder, Jackson set the school record for stolen bases last season with 39. He broke the previous record of 35 stolen bases in a season, which belonged Harralson, who is now hitting leadoff for the Florida State Seminoles.
Fast forward to this season, and Jackson, a senior, has now moved into the leadoff role. With barely a third of the season complete, Jackson already has 27 stolen bases. Hopkins thinks Jackson will shatter his own record of 39 stolen bases by a lot.
“Right now, Kendall is on pace to steal anywhere from 60 to 70 bases,” Hopkins said.
The current brand of Bears baseball has suited Jackson quite nicely.
Hopkins said that Jackson playing under and watching Harralson in previous seasons has helped him quite a bit. Jackson also hit in the No. 2 spot in the batting order last year behind leadoff hitter Vick Gann, so he was able to observe and learn from the on-deck circle.
Now, Jackson hitting lead off has helped Houston County in their approach at the plate and on the bases.
“We are utilizing Kendall’s speed to our advantage,” Hopkins said. “We’re trying to get him to third base with less than two outs, and if we can do that, we are able to score from a lot of different angles.”
Through the Bears’ first 12 games of the season, Jackson has a red hot .510 batting average and an even better on-base percentage of .613. For a speedy leadoff hitter, getting on base is the key.
Jackson has at least one stolen base in 11of-12 games so far this season. On March 7 in a double header against crosstown rival Northside, Jackson stole six bases over the two games, including four bases stolen in the first game, leading the Bears’ attack in the two-game sweep.
Even the best base stealers will get caught trying to steal a base. For Jackson, that has happened once out of the 28 attempts.
As good as he has been at the plate, Jackson has turned into a solid outfielder for Houston County as their centerfielder.
“We are blessed with three good outfielders, but Kendall can really go get it, and I think he gives us a calming presence being in the middle,” Hopkins said.
Hopkins said that while the speed is obvious, Jackson has improved his overall defensive abilities.
“Kendall has really come a long way with his arm strength,” Hopkins said. “One of the early knocks on him was in that area, but not anymore. He can not only track balls down out there, but he can also get it back in much better than before. He has really turned into a complete outfielder and baseball player overall.”
Hopkins said Jackson has committed to continue his baseball career at Chattahoochee Valley Community College in Alabama.
Written by: Phil Jones
Lowndes High School wrestler Valrie Medina is ITG Next’s January 2025 Georgia Female Athlete of the Month.
Medina was one of four nominees considered for the award.
“We are very proud of Val, and she has definitely worked hard to achieve her goals,” said Spencer Graybeal, Lowndes head wrestling coach, after hearing that Medina had been named Athlete of the Month.
At the time of writing, Medina is 21-0 on the season and has won several invitational tournaments across the state, according to Graybeal.
“Valrie has won the Raja Bryan Invitational Tournament at Ola High School, the Blue Devil Brawl at Tift County High School, the Lady Packer Invitational at Colquitt County High School, and she won the Valdosta Invitational at Valdosta High School.”
At the time of writing, Medina is competing for the Area 1 girls championship, which is being held at Houston County High School. Graybeal said that Medina is competing at 140 pounds and is the No. 1 seed.
This would be her second straight season of winning the Area tournament.
According to Graybeal, Medina won the 2024 Region 1-6A championship and was a state qualifier in the 145-pound weight class.
Last year was a breakthrough season for Medina as she became the first girls wrestler to ever represent Lowndes High School at the GHSA state championships. She finished as the Area 2 girls wrestling champion at 145 pounds, winning her first match in just 15 seconds. She then won the Area 2 title by a technical foul, which is a perfect 15-0 score. She was a sectional qualifier at 145 pounds, finishing third in her weight class. That secured her spot in the GHSA state finals.
Unfortunately, an injury at the state championships in Medina’s second match prevented her from capturing the state title, according to Graybeal.
In addition to competing on the Lowndes High School team, Medina also wrestles for the SGAC Devil Dogs, a Valdosta-based club program affiliated with USA Wrestling.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how her season concludes this year, and we are certainly wishing her the best,” Graybeal said.
Let’s hope Medina can get another shot at winning that state championship.
Her overall record while wrestling for Lowndes is 53-12.
Congratulations to Lowndes wrestler Valrie Medina, ITG Next’s January 2025 Georgia Female Athlete of the Month.
Written by: Phil Jones | Photography by: Wendy Beuglas
Buford High School wrestler DJ Clarke is ITG Next’s January 2025 Georgia Male Athlete of the Month.
Clarke was one of four nominees considered for the award. The other nominees were Bowdon basketball player Kaiden Prothro, Worth County basketball player Ashton Williams, and Woodward Academy basketball player Zac Foster.
Clarke, a junior, has been a member of the Buford wrestling program since his freshman season.
At the time of writing, Clarke’s 2024-2025 season record at Buford is 39-4, and his overall career record with the Wolves is 137-15, accord-
ing to stats provided by Clarke and Buford boys wrestling head coach Tom Beuglas.
Buford recently finished as the runner-up in the 2025 GHSA Class 6A Boys Team Dual Wrestling State Championship. The Wolves also finished as the runner-up in 2024 in Class 7A.
Clarke finished the 2023-2024 season as the runner-up in the 2024 GHSA Class 7A Traditional Wrestling State Championship in the 113-pound weight class. The 2025 GHSA Traditional Wrestling State Championship will take place on Feb. 13-15.
Clarke’s other accomplishments include winning back-to-back
championships in 2023 and 2024 in the Greater Miami Valley Wrestling Association Holiday Wrestling Tournament.
Blaine competed in the 132-pound weight class at the 2024 tournament, which was held in Vandalia, Ohio, on Dec. 2728. He won by an 18-7 decision over opponent Blaine DeMarco of Graham Local Wrestling.
Clarke also finished as a finalist in the 132-pound weight class at the 2024 KC Stampede Wrestling Tournament, which was held in Missouri on Dec. 21, 2024.
“DJ is a great choice and definitely very deserving of the Athlete of the Month,” Beuglas said. “He is having a great
season and has proven himself as one of the top wrestlers in the state. It is a pleasure to coach him. He is a great kid who comes from a great family.”
Clarke said he was honored and surprised to win the Athlete of the Month award.
“I was honored just to be nominated for the ITG Next Georgia Athlete of the Month,” Clarke said. “I actually thought my dad was busting on me when he told me I had won for January. I really appreciate everyone who voted for me.”
Clarke described the past season and how he felt about his accomplishments.
“I have really enjoyed my junior season,” he said. “My goal since the summer was not to worry about the wins and losses, but to simply become a better wrestler. Sure, I’d love to win them all, but that’s nearly impossible when you’re wrestling the
best guys in the country.”
Clarke said competing against the toughest wrestlers he could was part of his goal this year.
“My purpose this year was to chase after the toughest matches, then study the film to help improve my positioning, mat awareness, etc.,” he said. “My dad calls it putting down good film.”
Clarke said there are a lot of people to thank for his success: “I want to thank my high school coaches and, of course, my family, mom, dad, brother, and Coach Sammy Roundtree from RWA (Roundtree Wrestling Academy). They are my anchors.”
Congratulations to Buford wrestler DJ Clarke, ITG Next’s January 2025 Georgia Male Athlete of the Month.
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Written by: Phil Jones
Photography by: Eric Vinson, Marque Milla Reese, ITG Next Archive
How do you define what makes a high school football stadium better than others? What is it that sets one stadium apart from the rest? When it comes to the best venues to watch a high school football game on a Friday night in Georgia, fans have strong opinions.
We recently asked our audience to give us their feedback on which stadiums they thought provided the best game day experience. Factors that affected fans’ opinions included the tailgating experience before the game; the character of the stadium; the game-viewing experience, including the audience’s proximity to the field; and the pregame experience, including the team’s entrance into the stadium, with several stadiums now adding to the experience with the addition of the LED lights.
Stadium size wasn’t really mentioned as a factor in many of the comments we received, but we all know better. Size does matter.
There’s no objective way to rank which Georgia high school football stadium is the best. Instead, we present to you the 10 stadiums that were mentioned the most by our audience.
So, in no particular order, here are the top Georgia high school football stadium experiences.
Talk about a stadium with character. The Brickyard has it, and it’s truly the stuff of legends.
The home of the Thomson Bulldogs seats 7,000 people and is surrounded by a wall built of bricks that came from the old Thomson High School, which burned in 1938, according to former Thomson coach John Barnett. Barnett co-wrote the book “Ghosts of the Brickyard,” which tells the history of Thomson High School football.
In a Facebook comment, fan Dondrell Kendricks said: “Coming to Thomson is tough, especially in big match-ups. Not only do you have to deal with current players… you have to deal with the ‘ghosts of the bricks,’ meaning the energy of all the Thomson legends that came before the current roster.”
Another fan identified only as Crystal said: “The Brickyard is a legendary spot. The history, the energy, and the tradition make it one of the toughest environments in Georgia high school football. The ghosts of the Brickyard are real… Thomson football is built differently.”
There’s likely not another stadium that gets more daily views than the home of the Lowndes Vikings. Every day, several thousand vehicles drive right by this mammoth stadium, which is located right off of I-75.
Martin Stadium checked just about every box we were looking for in identifying the great Friday night venues for experiencing Georgia high school football, from well before the game starts to the final horn.
The tailgating scene outside the stadium is one of the more impressive in the state, as hundreds of fans gather on the 76 acres that make up the Lowndes High School campus. The pregame party scene is an impressive display of crimson-and-white-clad fans under pop-up tents as far as the eye can see.
Once inside the 13,000-seat stadium, the pregame experience provides fans with one of the most electric atmospheres in Georgia high school football.
As the stadium lights are dimmed, the large video board lights up with a tribute to the Vikings’ fighting spirit, complete with seafaring Viking ships making their way into battle. According to Luke Bush, the president of the Viking Touchdown Club, this is known as the Vikings’ Valhalla. The presentation is complete with thundering audio and a dizzying LED light display.
As the video closes, the home team makes a dramatic entrance onto the field and is greeted by the school fight song being played by all 350 members of the Georgia Bridgemen, the school’s marching band, much to the delight of the home fans.
Throw in the visiting team as they make their entrance with their band firing up their own fight song, and you have a pregame experience that’s hard to top.
Throw in a great game against a hated rival, like the Winnersville Classic versus Valdosta High School, and the energy inside the stadium becomes one of the most electric high school football experiences you’ll find anywhere.
The home of the Dublin Fightin’ Irish is indeed a bowl stadium. The grass end zone has provided fans an area to sit and watch the game when all other seating was taken, like when the stadium hosted the 2006 state title game between Dublin and Charlton County.
Dublin fan Nelson Carswell lV pointed out another unique feature about the stadium.
“The home and visitor side have the same amount of seating,” he said.
Fans John and Lori Strickland also told us about the live shamrock that used to surround the stadium: “The original shamrock in the bowl was a live shamrock made up of a lighter green and darker green border. Now, it's just a concrete painted version.”
This stadium inspired not only fans, but an official working the game.
“I officiated the Dublin-Thomasville quarterfinal playoff game, and the entire parking lot across the street was packed with tailgaters having a great time,” Reese Chapman Smith said.
This 5,000-seat stadium also made an impression on fan Roshoun Carter, who said, “I vote for Dublin, with its tailgating and seeing the players walk down the hill.”
Suggestions for Dalton High School’s stadium actually came to us from fans of visiting opponents.
John Eunice, a Valdosta Wildcats fan, visited Dalton’s Bill Chappell Stadium when his Wildcats played there in a 2016 semifinals matchup, and he described it as “something out of a Norman Rockwell painting.”
“It was like stepping back in time as far as the feel of it,” Eunice said, adding that the stadium has a long, 90-year history.
Several others remembered that 2016 semifinals game, including Chris Greene, who said, “That was a great night. Awesome atmosphere.”
Monty Long said: “I’ve been to a lot of stadiums, and the best atmosphere I’ve ever been in was the stadium in Dalton for the 2016 semifinals. They still had the old crown on the field. Truly an amazing atmosphere.”
Phillip Shane Thompson said: “Bill Chappell Stadium in Dalton when I coached there was electric, Fire Trucks escorted us in, 100s of fans lined up as we got off buses, an entire practice field of live band and tailgating!”
Buford Wolves fan Kenny Parlotte, who played his high school football at the Granite Bowl for Elbert County, said it was an experience like no other.
“The Granite Bowl was made from tons of donated granite back in the ‘50s,” Parlotte said. “The fans there are right on top of you. There is no track, just fans and football right on top of each other.”
Sean McGuire added his opinion of the unique stadium: “Elberton is the granite capital of the world. The stadium is unique, and it’s the best in Georgia.”
Former Elbert County football player Ontario Rucker said, “Ain’t nothing like playing in the Granite Bowl in Elbert County.”
The home of the Toombs County Bulldogs was a favorite of many fans replying to our informal poll of best high school football stadiums in Georgia, and the reasons were many.
“It’s almost built into the ground like a pit with all-concrete walls around it,” Jared Morris, a Toombs County fan, said about the stadium. “Everything echoes, and it can throw you off.”
Other fans offered their comments about The Pit.
“There’s none like The Pit in Toombs County,” Gracy Dykes said.
“That one right there (The Pit) is certainly a unique environment,” Thomas Hughes said.
The home of the Colquitt County Packers is one of the state’s oldest stadiums and one of the most intimidating for visiting teams and coaches.
Jeff Herron, one of the winningest coaches in the state with 334 wins over his 32 years, has taken his teams into many different venues and has coached in many different atmospheres. He said that the Hawg Pen was one of the toughest places he’s ever coached in.
“When they got those lights and that sound system going, we couldn’t hear each other,” Herron said. “It was so loud. The crowd is right on top of you. It’s a very intimidating place to coach and play.”
The home of the Marietta Blue Devils is nestled smack dab in the middle of one of the city’s oldest residential areas, and the game day experience there has just about everything for fans, players, and the media.
A large grass lot, which also serves as the practice field for the team, is located right outside the entrance to the stadium, and Blue Devils fans take full advantage of the spacious area on game day. The tailgate scene is arguably one of the best in the state, complete with bounce houses for the kids and families enjoying buffets under pop-up tents.
The stadium’s press box is a three-story building with a scenic view of Kennesaw Mountain behind the north end zone and the huge video board.
Northcutt Stadium has everything a football fan, and those of us covering the game, would want.
Also known by many as Cleveland Field, it's hard to not include the home to the winningest high school team in the country.
Many of Bazemore-Hyder Stadium’s best memories are prior to 2004, when the stadium underwent a major renovation that modernized the venue, but also buried many of the “ghosts of Cleveland Field” from the glory days of Valdosta football. That was the era of Wright Bazemore and Nick Hyder, when the two legendary coaches won 21 of the school’s 23 state titles from 1941 to 1995.
During its heyday, there were not many more intimidating places for opposing teams than Cleveland Field, where a large wooden sign at the west end of the stadium greeted fans with “Welcome to Death Valley.”
Trey Wethgerington, an ardent Wildcats supporter and sixthgrade coach of the Alley Cats, agreed that the best memories of the home of Valdosta football were from days gone by.
“From the ‘50s to 2000 was a pretty impressive stretch,” Wetherington said. “The ‘50s and ‘60s were as good as any.”
Memorial Stadium in Waycross, Georgia, is one of the most unique in the state, hands down. A former baseball stadium that served as the home to minor league teams in the ‘50s and ‘60s, it became the football home to the Waycross High School Bulldogs. Consolidation brought an end to the Bulldogs, making Memorial Stadium the home of the Ware County Gators in 1993.
The original grandstand area, which included a canopy covering the fans behind home plate for baseball games, remained intact in the southeast end of the stadium once it was converted for football only. The best seats in most football stadiums are usually at the 50yard line, but fans at Memorial Stadium can enjoy Ware County football games under the protection of the covered seats in the southeast end zone.
As Ware County fan Lerrick Baker said, it also creates a disadvantage for opponents.
“When visiting teams are backed up in their own end and their backs are towards our southeast corner, the loud crowd chants of ‘defense’ bouncing off the shelter make it tough for opponents to hear their calls and audibles,” Baker said. “That’s when most of the game’s momentum swings happen during the games.”
“Back when I officiated football, I visited many stadiums, and Ware County stadium was number one,” said Junior Troupe, a former high school referee.
The Jackets’ Nest, Thomas County Central High School
House of Pain, Washington County High School
Veterans Memorial Stadium, Thomasville High School
McConnell-Talbert Stadium, aka The Mac, Warner Robins High School
Ray Manus Stadium, Roswell High School
Jaycee Stadium, Fitzgerald High School
Rose Bowl Field, Monticello High School
Trojan Field, Lee County High School
Billy Henderson Stadium, Clarke Central High School
Chris Gilman Stadium, Camden County High School
Ray Lamb Stadium, Commerce High School
Written by: Phil Jones
by: Lundyn Robinson of Lunnflickss
Coffee High School girls basketball player Lexie Bradford is ITG Next’s February 2025 Georgia Female Athlete of the Month.
Bradford, a junior forward, was one of four Georgia high school student-athletes nominated for their standout performances.
Bradford was a key factor in the Coffee girls basketball team’s success this season. The team finished 27-2 overall and 9-1 in the region, which was good enough for the Region 2 title in Class 5A.
The Lady Trojans won 27 of their 29 games, including a 68-point victory in the opening round of the state playoffs. Unfortunately, their season came to an end with a second-round playoff loss to New Manchester.
In her third season with the Lady Trojans, Bradford has put up career-best numbers, averaging 13.7 points per game along with 6.6 rebounds per game. According to Coffee girls basketball head coach Crescenthia Kellogg, Bradford’s 13.7 PPG led the team in scoring, and her rebounding average was split between both sides of the court, with an average of 3.2 defensive RPG and 3.4 offensive RPG. Bradford also contributed to her team's success with 1.4 assists per game and 1.1 steals per game.
Kellogg praised her points leader for her contributions to the team this past season.
“Lexie is a beacon of talent and determination and blazed a trail for her team this season, leading the Lady Trojans in points per game,” Kellogg said. “But, not being content with just scoring, Lexie also dominated the boards with her rebounding and earned the prestigious Class 5A Region 2 Co-Player of the Year title.
“Lexie was sensational, lighting up the scoreboard with 20-plus points on four occasions this year. Her defensive prowess was equally remarkable, as she became a stalwart protector of the rim, averaging two blocks per game and swatting away three or more shots in six games. Her relentless effort and unyielding propelled the Lady Trojans to their first playoff appearance in two years and clinched their first region championship since 2009.”
Bradford displayed that same tenacity away from the basketball court, according to Kellogg.
“Off the court, Lexie’s impact was just as profound,” Kellogg said. “She was a mentor and role model to her younger teammates, always ready with encouragement and advice. Her leadership extended into the community, where she volunteered with local youth sports programs, inspiring the next generation of athletes with her dedication and passion for the game.”
“I’m very thankful to have been chosen for this award,” Lexie said. “Academics and basketball are my two main priorities, so it’s exciting to be recognized for either. My family, teachers, and coaches have taught me many values, and because of that I’ve always been determined to give my best in everything I pursue. Thanks to everyone who voted for me.”
Congratulations to Coffee forward Lexie Bradford, ITG Next’s February 2025 Georgia Female Athlete of the Month.
screen printing embroidery promo items YOUR LOGO HERE
Written by: Phil Jones
Photography by: Faizan Bokhari and ITG Next Archive
Georgia high school football coaches have plenty of time in the offseason to work on making their teams better. Coaches also have plenty of opportunities and activities to keep their players busy at perfecting their craft.
Organized team activities, also known as OTAs or padded camps, allow teams to simulate real game scenarios, going 11-on-11 against each other with players able to wear pads.
Then there are 7-on-7s, which have really become popular over the past couple of decades, although no one is really sure where 7-on-7s originated or who is credited for starting the passing drill.
It’s only natural that as more high school football teams adapt their offenses to a spread formation, which relies on a strong passing game, those teams take part in more 7-on-7 camps. It seems that most coaches in the state have their teams participate in at least one 7-on-7 tournament in the offseason.
As participation in these camps and tournaments rises, high school football coaches are taking a hard look at the benefits of participating in 7-on-7s. Players seem to love the attention and exposure they get from participating in 7-on-7s. Their high school coaches, however, seem to have mixed opinions about them. Some coaches are even raising concerns about some of the bad habits players seem to be developing from the 7-on-7s, which takes away from the proper technique coaches have instilled in their players through traditional on-campus practices.
We spoke with a few coaches around the state about what they think of 7-on-7s, and they gave us both the good and the bad.
“I think the 7-on-7s have a place in the offseason, and there are things I like about it, but there’s some things I don’t like,” said Justin Newman, who was recently hired as the head football coach at Crisp County and previously served as the defensive coordinator for the state champion Carver Tigers. “I like that 7-on-7 teaches quarterbacks to go through their progressions, and that’s a great teaching tool, especially for the younger guys. The receivers can work on running crisp routes, but they’ve got to do things right.”
JT Thompson, who previously served as Lee County’s offensive coordinator before being tabbed as the Roswell Hornets’ new head football coach earlier this offseason, said the 7-on-7s are absolutely necessary.
“You have to do it,” Thompson said. “I think there are a lot of benefits from having your guys involved in 7-on-7s. I like to see how our kids handle themselves in competitive situations, and you’ll get a lot of those types of situations in 7-on-7s. The kids like to outdo each other, and I want to see how my players handle the adversity.”
Thompson said his Roswell team will take part in as many 7-on-7s as possible.
“We are going to throw with someone every week because at the end of the day, the way our guys get better is when the receivers are running routes, catching balls, and competing, and you learn a lot about your kids when they’re competing,” he said.
Thompson said he likes to use the heat of competition as a teaching tool, especially with his quarterbacks.
“As a quarterback coach and coordinator, I’m always teaching, and 7-on-7s offer me the perfect opportunity to work with my quarterback and making sure he is keeping his footwork clean,” Thompson said.
Carver (Columbus) head football coach Pierre Coffey pointed to two main benefits he sees from 7-on-7s.
“I like the fact that our guys stay active, especially if they aren’t playing in a spring sport,” Coffey said. “I also think it’s a great opportunity to work on timing between the quarterback and the receivers.”
Collins Hill head football coach Drew Swick loves both the reps and the competition that 7-on-7s offer.
“I want our guys at Collins Hill competing every chance we get, and a lot of the college 7-on-7s give my defensive guys a chance to see the best high school receivers around,” Swick said. “I love the beston-best.”
Swick said that once the regular high school football season rolls around, your team may not be lining up against the top wide receivers in the state until deep into the season or even into the playoffs.
“I like our guys seeing the highly recruited receivers in 7-on-7s,” Swick said. “That helps to prepare my defensive players. Plus, all the reps that players get in 7-on-7 are just added to the reps you get in practice. The more reps the better.”
Some coaches think the amount of time that quarterbacks have to throw in 7-on-7s may be a bit much. In 7-on-7s, most teams use a timer with a digital clock display that gives the quarterback four seconds to release the ball to one of the receivers after a simulated snap.
“I question how many quarterbacks are going to have four full seconds to throw the football in a real game,” Newman said.
He suggested there be an adjustment to reflect real game scenarios.
“Set the QB clock to maybe two or three seconds for a blitz scenario so he has to get rid of it quicker,” Newman said. “There are other things you can do to adjust for real game situations.”
While many coaches welcome competition, there is a concern that the desire to win a 7-on-7 trophy may override the objective of what 7-on-7s were initially created to do: teach good habits and technique.
“I’m not a fan of the competition side of 7-on-7s because it becomes something different altogether,”
Newman said. “If teams really want to win the 7-on-7, they all go to playing man-free (zone)
coverage.
That’s not what I want from my defensive guys or my receivers.”
He’s referring to the multi-team tournaments that high schools, and in many cases college programs, host. Schools pay a fee to enter one or more teams in a 7-on-7 tournament, with most using a double elimination format.
Newman recalled a 7-on-7 tournament his previous team participated in.
“There were a couple of teams there whose only concern was to take home a trophy,” he said. “You could see that they weren’t teaching or coaching the kids on the proper coverage skills and footwork. I mean, it was bad. They did take home a trophy, but I also remember they finished 2-8 that season too.”
Matt Helmerich, the head football coach at Peachtree Ridge, said he’s not sure if he learns much at all about his players from 7-on-7s from a competition standpoint and how that relates to real game situations.
“Yes, players do get a lot of reps, but you have no idea if he’s going to be physical or not when they are in helmets and shorts,” he said.
Helmrich said he prefers the OTAs over 7-on-7s.
Bad Habits
Every coach agreed that preventing bad habits that players might pick up from 7-on-7s is something to keep an eye on.
Those bad habits include players running shallow routes, like receivers running too shallowly crossing routes over the middle where linemen would normally be.
“You have most linemen that are at least 6-foot tall, and a quarterback needs to learn to throw over those linemen, while the receiver needs to learn that he’ll never be able to cross where those big guys would normally be,” Swick said.
Injuries
Coffey said that injuries are his biggest concern with players participating in 7-on-7s.
“Knock on wood, we haven’t had players get seriously hurt in 7-on-7s, but we all hear about it every year, a player going down and being lost for the season,” Coffey said.
Rush Propst, who was previously the head football coach at Valdosta High School and Colquitt County High School in Georgia and at Hoover High School in Alabama, is credited with being one of the first coaches to bring 7-on-7s into the mainstream of high school football.
While at Hoover, Propst began hosting the Southeastern Select 7-on-7 Tournament in 2002. It was the first large scale 7-on-7 tournament of its kind, drawing teams from all across the southeastern United States.
In a recent phone interview, Propst explained how the tournament helped to not only grow the popular passing drill, but also helped to modernize it.
“There were no real hard rules before we started our tournament. We put in the four-second QB clock and came up with other rules of the game, and it began to take off into what it has become today,” he said.
Propst said that as 7-on-7s have become more and more popular, there have been issues with player habits.
“What I have noticed about 7-on-7s is not good,” Propst said. “The
environments
are
not good, there just isn’t a lot of teaching going on, and these kids have developed some really bad habits.”
Propst said he was at a recent 7-on-7 tournament as an observer, not in a coaching capacity, and that he talked to several parents about their kids and their habits.
“There were three sets of parents that I talked to about their kids,” he said. “I told them they were picking up some really bad (football) habits.”
Propst said he isn’t sure his advice made any difference.
“No, parents don’t see it,” Propst said.
A long-time advocate of the 7-on-7s, Propst said he has had a change of heart about what is best for players now in offseason drills.
“I think teams and players get way more benefit from the padded camps and OTAs now,” he said.
Propst is currently serving as a part-time assistant coach with Coosa Christian School in Gadsden, Alabama. He previously served as Coosa Christian’s athletic director and associate head football coach for 10 weeks in 2023 before resigning to become the head football coach at Pell City, where he served for one season before resigning.
Propst said he’s not sure what his future holds or if he’ll ever return to being a full-time head football coach.
“I’m happy doing what I’m doing now, working with these kids (at Coosa).”
Valdosta High School boys basketball player Jabarri Williams is ITG Next’s February 2025 Georgia Male Athlete of the Month.
Wiliams, a senior point guard, was one of four Georgia high school student-athletes nominated for their standout performances.
In eight games last month, Williams averaged 19.5 points per game, topping his season average of 17 PPG through the season total of 24 games played.
Valdosta boys basketball head coach James Lee spoke of the impact Williams made with the Wildcats not only this season, but throughout his entire career at Valdosta.
“Jabarri was fierce on the court for us all season,” Lee said.
Lee recalled the path that Williams has blazed at Valdosta and how he was able to top a stellar junior season with an even better se-
nior campaign.
“Jabarri had a junior season to remember, finishing with his third consecutive All-Region selection, being named the GHSA Class 7A assist leader, while receiving All-State honors,” Lee said. “Jabarri did what many thought was impossible: He had an even better senior campaign.”
Lee said that Williams was asked to produce even more scoring than last season. Williams not only answered the call, but went above and beyond in the process.
“Although Jabarri is a natural ‘pass-first’ true point guard, he took on a heavier scoring load and was able to match and set a new career high on three separate occasions this season, but he still orchestrated the offense beautifully,” Lee said.
Williams was the GHSA assist leader for
Written by: Phil Jones
the second consecutive year in the state’s largest classification, averaging 7.4 assists per game. (He led Class 7A last year and Class 6A this season.)
Williams received his fourth straight All-Region selection, having received the honor in each of his high school seasons at Valdosta.
He was selected as the Region 1-6A Player of the Year and, according to Lee, is likely to receive his second straight All-State selection. The All-State selections will be announced at the end of the current season.
“Every accolade that Jabarri has received is well deserved,” Lee said. “He faced double teams every night and still rose to the challenge as the leader of a very young team, leading us to the regular season region title.
“Jabarri showed
that with his points per game average, 7.4 assists per game, and four rebounds per game, while also establishing a career high 41% from the 3-point line, he showed why he is considered the best point guard in South Georgia and one of the best in the state.”
Lee said he will miss Williams, but is looking forward to seeing his
former floor leader as he continues his career.
“With a slew of scholarship offers, we cannot wait to see what the future holds for such a bright talent,” Lee said. Congratulations to Valdosta point guard Jabarri Williams, ITG Next’s February 2025 Georgia Male Athlete of the Month.
Georgia certainly boasts some of the finest high school football programs, players, and coaches in the country. That’s no secret. However, the state of Georgia also produces some really good boys high school basketball talent.
At the time of writing, Georgia has two programs in the MaxPreps national Top 25 basketball rankings, with Grayson and Wheeler ranked 10th and 11th, respectively. That’s the same number as historically basketball-rich North Carolina (two) and more than Indiana (one), a state more well known for high school basket-
ball than high school football. Holy Innocents’ (No. 54), Woodward Academy (No. 74), and Pace Academy (No. 84) give Georgia a total of five teams in the Top 100.
Georgia also has nationally ranked individual talent. Holy Innocents’ power forward Caleb Wilson is currently ranked as the No. 5 player in the Class of 2025 by Rivals, while Grayson shooting guard Caleb Holt is rated third in the country by Rivals for the 2026 Class. Both are also ranked in the Top 10 in their respective classes by 247Sports.
Other highly ranked Georgia high school
basketball recruits include Grayson small forward Jacob Wilkins, Wheeler power forward Tylis Jordan, Woodward Academy combo guard Zac Foster, and Cedar Grove small forward Manny Green.
Obviously, Georgia has no shortage of elite high school basketball talent, and the programs are well run by some of the best coaches in the country.
But that’s where things fall off.
The state of Georgia’s collegiate basketball programs have not fared nearly as well when it comes to being known for their national prominence.
The state’s two most well known college programs, UGA and Georgia Tech, rarely qualify for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
UGA last made the tournament in 2015. Georgia Tech made the Big Dance in 2021 following an upset win over FSU in the ACC tournament championship game. It
was the Yellow Jackets’ first trip to the tournament since 2010.
Kennesaw State has made the NCAA tournament just once in 20 years as a Division I program. The Owls made it in 2023, which was the most recent visit to the Big Dance for any other college basketball program in Georgia.
Georgia State may be considered the most successful college basketball program in the state, having made the NCAA tournament four times since the 2015 season, including the Panthers’ most recent appearance in 2022.
Grayson High School
It’s bad, except for high school basketball, which is pretty good.
Written by: Phil Jones
girls basketball head coach Tim Slater said a closer look at the Panthers’, and other teams’, success can be attributed to a roster full of instate players.
“When we look at colleges in Georgia that had success, one common denominator sticks out,” Slater said. “Georgia State went on that March run, and it had a roster filled with Georgia kids.”
Slater, whose team finished as the runner-up in the Class 6A state championship this season, said that same approach has worked with Georgia Tech’s women’s program.
“(Head coach Nell Fortner) at Georgia Tech is kill-
ing it right now with Georgia players,” Slater said.
Regardless of who you root for, there’s not a lot of madness for college basketball fans in Georgia when March rolls around. Slater thinks the solution is straightforward.
“I think all too often there is a missed opportunity to recruit in the state,” Slater said. “This is partially because these colleges aren’t tapping into one of the biggest resources available for this, which is hiring local coaches, specifically high school coaches, who have all the connections with high schools, local AAU, and other high school coaches, which
could help land the Georgia high school talent and keep in it in state.”
The Atlanta Hawks, the state’s lone NBA franchise, has given professional basketball fans little to cheer about since arriving in Atlanta from St. Louis in 1968.
The Atlanta Hawks have never won an NBA title. The franchise has won one Pro Basketball Championship, which was in 1958 when they were the St. Louis Hawks.
Once the Hawks were in Atlanta, it took the
team 48 years to advance past the second round of the NBA playoffs.
They broke that dreadful streak in 2015, marking the first time the Atlanta Hawks made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, which is one step away from advancing to the NBA Championship Series. They lost that game to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Hawks advanced to the Eastern Conference finals again in 2021, but lost to the Milwaukee Bucks.
So close, yet so far.
It’s tough being a fan of college and professional basketball in the state of Georgia. At least
we have some really good high school basketball to watch. By the way, when does high school football spring practice start?
Written by: Phil Jones
Several Georgia high schools have named new head football coaches this offseason with the number of new hires approaching 60. There are three Georgia high school football coaches who made quite the impact when hired at their previous schools. The question is: Can they do it again with their new teams in 2025?
Here’s a look at the three, how they built winners before, and how they plan to build winners at their new schools.
• Adam Clack is the new head football coach for the Parkview Panthers. In 2018 Clack led the Milton Eagles to their first state championship, a 14-13 win over top-ranked Colquitt County. Just three seasons later, he led the Eagles to a second state title game, which they lost to Collins Hill.
• Daniel “Boone” Williams is the new head football coach for the Northside (Warner Robins) Eagles. In 2022 Williams led the Langston Hughes Panthers to their first football state title in school history. He also led the Panthers to state championship game appearances in 2021 and in 2024 in the Class 6A finals.
• Steve DeVoursney has been hired as the new head football coach for the Veterans Warhawks. In 2013 DeVoursney led the Griffin Bears to a state title over Carrollton, their first championship in 35 years. He also led the Cairo Syrupmakers to two region titles and 53 wins in seven seasons.
When Clack was named Milton’s head football coach in 2017, he was taking over an Eagles program that had won zero state titles; had suffered through one of the state’s longest losing streaks, a 37-game stretch that included three straight 0-10 seasons; and had won its first state playoff game ever just three years earlier in 2014.
Clack changed all that, and he did it pretty fast, leading Milton to an 8-2 record in his first season as head coach there in 2017.
The following year, Clack led Milton to a 13-2 season and the school's first ever state championship, a 14-13 win over the Colquitt County Packers.
Now, as the new head football coach at Parkview, he’s taking over a program with a much stronger history of winning. However, it’s been over 20 years since Parkview’s 45-0 run of three straight undefeated seasons and back-toback-to-back state titles in 2000, 2001, and 2002. Parkview also won a state championship in 1997.
“I used to compete against those guys, growing up in neighboring Bartow County,” Clack said, recalling those championship years. “I had so much respect for Parkview and seeing how good they were as an outsider.”
Now, he looks forward to joining the Big Orange crowd.
“Now, I have the opportunity to put my stamp on things here, and I can’t wait,” Clack said.
Clack talked about the blueprint he has always followed in his coaching career and how he plans to apply it at Parkview.
“I have a formula that I like to use that includes a basic set of principles,” Clack said. “It’s instilling our culture in the locker room, as a coaching staff, where we introduce our core values, bringing in great coaches who have the acumen to develop our kids and put them in the right place to be successful.”
Clack said he is all about teamwork and putting effort into everything they do.
“We want to teach mental toughness,” he said. “When you get knocked down, you learn to get right back up.”
Clack said support from the administration and the community is a major part of the overall path to success.
As far as what the team will look like, Clack said that part has just begun.
“I told the team that I came in here not having watched five minutes of Parkview football,” he said. “But I did know a lot about the Parkview brand, and with that I know the potential we have for success here.”
Williams arrives at Northside after spending the past six seasons at Hughes, where led the Panthers to a 63-17 record and three trips to the state finals from 2019 to 2024.
The Hughes program had enjoyed nominal success prior to Williams’ arrival, advancing to the state playoffs most years, but never getting further than the quarterfinals.
After Hughes finished with just two wins in Williams’ first season there, the program underwent a complete makeover, with Williams leading the program to two region championships, three state runner-up finishes, and a state title in 2022.
He’ll now look to resurrect a proud Northside football program that has enjoyed one of Georgia high school football’s most successful strings of winning seasons.
“This program finished with 10 or more wins every year from 1998 to 2014, and that included two perfect 15-0 seasons,” Williams said.
It’s clear he’s researched his new team.
“The expectations of that kind of winning history are staring me right in the face,” he said matter-of-factly.
Williams said he’s not shying away from any of it. He doesn’t have to, according to what he sees.
“This roster has the talent to go compete right now this season,” Williams said. “We just needed a change in the chemical balance here.”
Williams’ philosophy is to get things right off of the field first, which will then take care of what happens on the field.
“We’re going to focus on loving these kids and making sure their grades are where they need to be,” he said. “I want to make sure they are buying into the process here. It’s the little things that come first.”
As far as what takes place on the field, Williams referenced the style of football he has been known for at Hughes.
“I’ve received a lot of recognition for having an offense that scores a lot of points and playing violent defense,” he said.
Under Williams, the 2022 Hughes offense set the Georgia high school football state record for points scored in a season with 792, and they were the first team in state history to score at least 35 points in every game in a single season.
Williams said the community support at Northside is the best he’s ever seen anywhere.
“Tradition never graduates, and Northside is the prime example of that,” he said. “I have had people that graduated in 1963, in 1990, etc., that walk in this building every day. I truly believe that if you cut our fans, they will bleed blue, orange, and white.”
DeVoursney was successful as a head coach in Georgia with a 182-68 record between Griffin and Cairo combined.
At Griffin, DeVoursney took over as head coach in 2000 and resigned in 2013. He led the Bears to 128 wins during his 13 seasons as head coach, including a perfect 15-0 season and state championship in 2013 during his final year there.
At Cairo, DeVoursney was hired in 2015, then took the team to an 11-win season and a region championship the very next season in 2016. Two seasons later, he led Cairo to its second region title with a 10-win season. The Syrupmakers advanced to the state quarterfinals in both years.
DeVoursney admitted that the Veterans job will be challenging and a bit different from his previous stints as a Georgia high school football head coach with Griffin and Cairo.
“At both Griffin and Cairo, I was promoted to head coach from within (as an assistant coach), so I knew the players, the administration, everybody,” DeVoursney said. “Here at Veterans, I just now found my office, and I have no idea about who we have as far as our kids are concerned, but we’ll figure it out.”
DeVoursney said the key to winning at Veterans, just as it was at Cairo and Griffin, will be getting the players to buy what he’s selling.
“You get the kids to buy in, as well as the community and the support, that’s the first step,” he said. “We’ve got the support here, there is no doubt about that.”
DeVoursney said one of the things that attracted him to Veterans is the growth of the Houston County area, especially the Veterans school district.
“A lot of the growth is moving this way towards the south end of the county, and that’s good for us,” DeVoursney said.
Veterans finished 1-9 in 2024 and is in the second season of a schedule that ITG Next ranked as the toughest overall Georgia high school football schedule in 2024.
How quickly does DeVoursney think he can get the Warhawks back to being competitive?
“I think if we can get through this season, then we’ll be ok,” he said. “At the end of the day, football is football. Once you get to the grass, everything is fine.”
Written by: Phil Jones
by: Brandon Pham
With the 2025 NFL draft looming, Travis Hunter will be turning pro. While it’s not exactly clear which spot Hunter will land in, he’ll likely be one of the top three picks.
However, the big question isn’t where he will be drafted or who will take him. Whichever NFL team is fortunate enough to call Hunter’s name at the draft in a few weeks will have a player many consider to be the greatest college football player to ever enter the NFL.
No, the real question is this: Will Travis Hunter play both offense and defense in the NFL?
While it is rare for an NFL player to play on both offense and defense, Hunter is a rare talent. He is the only player in the history of college football to be awarded both the Chuck Bednarik Award, which is given to college football’s best defensive player each year, and the Biletnikoff Award, which is awarded annually to
the nation’s top college football receiver.
Hunter was also named the consensus 2024 National Player of the Year, The Associated Press College Football Player of the Year, and the 2024 Sporting News College Football Player of the Year. He won the 2024 Walter Camp Award and became the first repeat winner of the Paul Hornung Award as the nation’s most versatile player.
Despite playing just two seasons for the University of Colorado, Hunter is the most decorated player in the Buffaloes’ history.
He is also the most decorated non-quarterback in NCAA history.
Over the course of his football career, beginning with Collins Hill High School and extending into college at Jackson State University and Colorado, Hunter has consistently played on both offense and defense, rarely coming off the field.
You don't become the
first ever player in college football history to receive awards for being the best player on both sides of the ball by just lining up. Hunter excelled at it. In 2024, he played 688 snaps on defense and 672 snaps on offense for the Buffaloes. Lining up as a wideout for Colorado, he finished this past season with 96 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns. As a cornerback, which is considered to be perhaps the toughest position on the field, he came away with four interceptions and 11 pass breakups.
At the time of writing, Hunter has just been announced as a semifinalist for the AAU Sullivan Award, an honor that recognizes the most exceptional athlete in collegiate or olympic-level sports in the U.S.
To better understand if Travis Hunter would best work out as an offensive player, defensive player, or both in the NFL, I spoke with a few of the coaches who
worked closely with him in high school.
Drew Swick, who is the current head football coach at Collins Hill High School, was the team’s defensive coordinator and served as one of Hunter’s defensive back position coaches.
“I started working with Travis when I became the defensive coordinator and he was a junior,” Swick said.
That year is when Hunter really began to set himself apart from the rest, according to Swick.
“The thing I noticed was he made everyone around him so much better,” Swick said. “He was able to put guys in the right places on the field. Even though he was lined up at corner, he would move guys around… like having a coach on the field.”
On offense is where Swick remembers Hunter doing his best work.
“I just remember him making these catches that were impossible,” Swick said.
Swick described a catch Hunter made in a game versus Graham-Kapowsin High School (Washington) in the GEICO State Champions Bowl Series in Las Vegas following Collins Hill’s 2021 state title win over Milton.
“We threw a fourthdown pass to Hunter in double coverage, but he went up above both defenders, made the catch, came down on one leg, and he’s still short of the end zone, so he spins around and lunges for the endzone and scores,” Swick said. “I could not believe he caught the ball. I had to watch it on film the next day just to make sure my eyes weren’t playing tricks on me.”
That left an impres-
sion on Swick.
“Although I am a defensive guy, I really believe Travis will be a better wide receiver in the NFL,” Swick said.
Former Collins Hill head football coach Lenny Gregory led the Eagles to their first ever state championship in 2021 and coached Hunter for all four years of high school.
Gregory, who was recently announced as the new head football coach for Commerce High School in Commerce, Georgia, offered up an explanation on how Hunter may be one of the rare players to play on both offense and defense in professional football.
“As talented as Travis is, the thing that I noticed about him most of all was his endurance,” Gregory said. “He’s the only player I have ever coached that never gets tired. He has more ‘wind’ than any player I have ever coached. Travis was playing 150 snaps per game. That’s just next-level stuff.”
Gregory remembers the first conditioning drill he had with Travis.
“He was just this skinny kid who showed up to do the conditioning drills with the veteran players,” Gregory said. “I asked him if he could pass the drill, and he said, ‘No problem, Coach.’ I thought to myself, ‘He's never going to make it,’ because at that time he had never worked out with us. Well, he went out and just embarrassed the seniors, everyone.”
Does Gregory think Travis Hunter can play both offense and defense in the NFL?
“He is equally good as a receiver as a defensive back,” Gregory said. “He
does things that are not normal. I’ll tell you that.”
Todd Wofford worked with Hunter at Collins Hill as a wide receivers coach and as the passing game coordinator during Hunter’s junior and senior seasons.
Wofford remembers meeting Hunter for the first time. It wasn’t necessarily love at first sight, although that changed quickly.
“I remember Coach Gregory telling me about this young man who was going to be the greatest high school player I had ever seen,” Wofford said. “I thought, ‘I got to go see this kid.’ Coach told me he (Hunter) was in the weight room, so I went in looking for the most physically imposing looking young player in the room. I went up to one of the coaches and asked where Travis Hunter was. He pointed at a young man standing over in the corner.”
It was not what Wofford was expecting to see.
“I saw a young, skin-
ny kid,” Wofford said. “I thought, ‘This kid is going to break in half the first time he gets hit.’”
That was during the summer before the 2020 season. When practice started, Wofford saw just how wrong he was.
“We started practicing, and I quickly saw what the coach was talking about,” Wofford said. “He (Hunter) was making plays I had never seen.
“He practiced making one-handed catches, and it wasn't showing out. He was trying to make the toughest catches he could so that during the games it would be natural for him, and that’s exactly what happened.”
Wofford talked about whether Hunter is better at offense or defense.
“On defense, when the ball is in the air, the chances are better than 50-50 that Travis will get the ball in his hands,” Wofford said. “He’ll get to the ball no matter where he is on the field.
“I told him in high
school that one day he would wind up playing offense more than defense because coaches are going to want the ball in his hands making plays and scoring points. That’s what it’s going to come down to for Travis.”
Dante Williams, who is the current head football coach at Archer High School in Lawrenceville, Georgia, served as Collins Hill’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2019 to 2021, including during the Eagles’ state title season.
Williams recalls his earliest memories of Hunter.
“He was a 15-yearold sophomore, and his natural position was cornerback,” Williams said. “He wanted to be just like Deion (Sanders). PrimeTime was his idol. His biggest attribute was his eye-hand coordination and his body control. Everything was just so natural for him, the whole locomotion of his body. That skill set gave him an advantage at receiver,
being able to go up and over and around defenders to make these unbelievable catches.
“All of us on the coaching staff would just get together and ask each other, ‘What are we looking at?’” Williams said he thinks Hunter will play offense in the NFL.
“The things he does as a receiver are mind blowing, which is why I think whomever takes him (in the NFL) will make him a receiver,” Williams said.
Here’s a final look back at Hunter’s high school stats as a reminder of what he is capable of.
In 2019, he played his first full season on varsity as a sophomore. He had 49 receptions for 919 yards and 12 TDS, and he led Gwinnett County with seven interceptions.
Hunter’s junior season, 2020, was his best year of high school football. He had 137 receptions for 1,746 yards and 24 TDs. He also had eight interceptions.
In 2021, Hunter’s senior season of high school football, he had 85 receptions for 1,284 yards and 12 TDs. He also had four interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
Hunter set the Georgia high school state record for most career touchdown receptions with 48. His 137 receptions in 2020 is also a state record. His 3,949 career receiving yards ranks him at fourth alltime in state history.
His high school coaches all agree: Travis Hunter will likely play only wide receiver in the NFL
Regardless, as Williams said about the man who is widely regarded by many as the best college football player in history and who could become one of the greatest to ever play in the NFL: “Travis wasn’t the biggest, the fastest, or the strongest. He was just the best.”
Written by: Phil Jones
Talks are underway at the GHSA regarding classification that could dramatically alter the future landscape of Georgia high school athletics.
Is it possible that student enrollment size will no longer be the primary factor in determining how schools are placed in classifications? If competitive-balance reclassification gets enough support and approval, that could very well be the case for GHSA member schools.
The Competitive Balance Reclassification Model was introduced to the GHSA at the Board of Trustees meeting on July 18, 2024, then discussed further at a GHSA State Executive Committee meeting on Oct. 7, 2024, and at the GHSA Board of Trustees meeting on Nov. 20, 2024.
The proposal’s basic concept is fairly straightforward: Enrollment size, or FTE, would no longer be the sole determining factor in assigning schools to classifications. In fact, enrollment size could end up playing no role in GHSA classification, according to Adam Lindsey, who is one of the state’s leading voices on the competitive-bal-
ance model.
“That is the plan, to take enrollment out of the picture,” Lindsey said.
Instead, a points system would be used to rank each schools’ overall athletics success over a threeyear period across all sports. As determined by that ranking, the five schools in each classification with the most overall athletics success would move up one classification, while the five schools in each classification with the least overall athletics success would move down one classification.
Lindsey is a high school athletic director and a member of the committee that first introduced the competitive-balance proposal to the GHSA almost a decade ago. That same proposal is essentially the one that was reintroduced in 2024 and recently discussed at a GHSA Reclassification Committee meeting on Jan. 24, 2025.
Lindsey said minor tweaks and adjustments have been made to the proposal since that first draft nine years ago.
“I think the first proposal was a bit too much too soon,” Lindsey said.
Perhaps the proposal was a little ahead of its time?
“That’s a safe assumption,” Lindsey said.
Lindsey decided to simplify the plan so that the proposal was easier to understand and has worked to educate coaches and athletic directors about the advantages of the competitive-balance model.
“I bring it up every reclassification cycle,” Lindsey said.
However, following the last cycle, which placed schools in their current classifications for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons, Lindsey said he decided that he needed to ramp up his efforts if his competitive-balance proposal was ever going to advance further within the GHSA.
“I decided to start spending my own time and money traveling around and educating athletic directors in the state to see if I could get some momentum going on it,” Lindsey said. “The more people I talked to, the more they seemed to like it.”
With renewed interest, the revised and simplified plan that Lindsey first proposed nine years ago has made its way back in front of the GHSA Reclassification Committee and will likely be on the agenda for further discussion at the GHSA’s next Reclassification Committee meeting, which is scheduled for Feb. 25, 2025.
The plan has some significant support among the members of the GHSA,
including GHSA Executive Director Tim Scott, who said one of the proposal's primary goals is to keep schools on “level footing,” especially in the state playoffs.
“There is still a lot of discussions on it, trying to work some things out within the Reclassification Committee,” Scott said. “But we are looking at how schools perform in the state playoffs, and we have a formula (as part of the competitive-balance proposal) that looks at that, with points. And there has been all kinds of questions that have come up, such as, ‘What happens when a school has 32 sports versus a school that has 10 sports in the same classification?’ Obviously, the school with 32 sports is going to score more points towards the state playoffs just for the fact that they have more activities.”
Scott said this is where part of the new proposal comes in and accounts for that exact scenario.
“What we would do is take the number of points that they have and divide it by the number of sports that they participate in,” Scott said. “That gives us what we call our Next Gen Number.”
That would ultimately be the number used in the competitive-balance model to determine which classification a GHSA member school would be placed in, thus replacing enrollment
size as the determining factor.
However, there’s still much discussion to be had before that proposal becomes reality.
“Ultimately, it has to go before the executive committee before anything can be voted on, and we’re a long way from that right now,” Scott said. Number of Classifications Could Be
At the end of the GHSA Reclassification Committee meeting on Jan. 24, 2025, committee member Eli Connell raised the topic of the GHSA going from eight classifications down to four classifications.
“It’s still very much just a concept right now,” Connell said in an interview with ITG Next about addressing the move to four classifications.
Connell is the athletic director for Monroe Area High School located in Monroe, Georgia, and as a committee member, he is working on a proposal that he said will outline the advantages of reducing to four classifications.
“Travel has always been the biggest issue for just about every member school, and I hope to present something that would cut travel for everyone,” Connell said.
His concept would include just four
classifications, but with more regions, which would create less travel and more natural rivalries with nearby schools.
“There’s no reason we need to stop with just eight regions,” he said.
Connell said his plan would include a power ranking system to determine playoff seeding and that each classification would include two separate playoff brackets, thus keeping the total number of state champions at eight.
Although Connell introduced the four-classification concept, he said the idea was not solely his.
“This (idea) has spawned from me talking to many people around the state,” Connell said. “I think there are several areas that need addressing through reclassification.”
Connell said much more information is needed before he presents his proposal to the Reclassification Committee at their next meeting on Feb. 25.
At Connell’s request, the GHSA sent out a brief survey to all member schools. Connell said he’ll weigh the information collected in the survey as he moves forward with his proposal for four classifications.
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Written by: Phil Jones | Photography by: Brandon Pham, Faizan Bokhari, ITG Next Archive
Ever wonder which Georgia high schools have the best overall athletic programs? The results may surprise you.
The Georgia Athletic Directors Association has been ranking the state’s best overall athletic programs since 1999, recognizing the top overall GHSA athletic program in each classification in the state each year with the Director’s Cup.
The GADA uses a points system for all GHSA member schools’ sports teams, awarding points for success in postseason play. Teams that advance to region and state playoff appearances can earn points, with championships counting for the most points. Schools can earn points from 31 varsity sports each school year, although the eight girls and boys sports that have the highest points totals are the ones counted in the final Director’s Cup standings.
Another important fact worth pointing out is that the current points totals come from the sports that have been active so far through the 2024-2025 school year. That represents 15 sports, which means only roughly half of the total 31 sports considered for the Director’s Cup have been scored in the current school athletic season. (At the time of writing, points from the recently concluded basketball season have not yet been factored into the standings.)
With spring sports still ongoing, the totals that we used to calculate the top athletic programs in Georgia are likely to change, so we’ll check back with an update at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
Eight schools, one from each classification, entered the 20242025 school year as defending Director’s Cup champions.
The Wesleyan Wolves were the top overall athletic program in the state last year, regardless of classification, with a total of 1,450 points. Winning the 2023-2024 Director’s Cup for Class 3A marked their seventh straight Director’s Cup and 13th overall.
Wesleyan hit another major milestone by becoming the first school in the history of Georgia high school athletics to win a state championship in every sport. The school’s 20 varsity programs have now each won at least one state championship since they started.
Last year Wesleyan captured nine state titles, also tops among all GHSA schools for the 2023-2024 school year, further proving why the school has one of the benchmark programs in Georgia high school athletics.
A look at the top 10 athletic programs may reveal a bit of a surprise for some. Despite the perception that schools in the larger classifications represent the most successful athletic programs, last year’s ranking of the Top 10 programs, from a points standpoint at least, paints a different picture.
Wesleyan was the overall points leader for 2023-2024 as a Class 3A school. Realignment placed the Wolves in Class 1A-Division I for the 2024-2025 school year.
Westminster, which has now won the Director’s Cup in 23 of the award’s 24 years of existence, was the state’s second-best overall athletic program and the best in Class 4A for 2023-2024
1. Wesleyan (Class 3A): 1,450 points
2. Westminster (Class 4A): 1,433 points
3. North Oconee (Class 4A): 1,367 points
4. Marist (Class 6A): 1,341 points
5. Walton (Class 7A): 1,289 points
6. Mount Vernon (Class 1A-DI): 1,268 points
7. Mt. Paran Christian (Class 2A): 1,259 points
8. Starr’s Mill (Class 4A): 1,255 points
9. Blessed Trinity (Class 6A): 1,220 points
10. Oconee County (Class 3A): 1,214 points
Class 7A
1. Walton: 1,289 points
2. Buford: 1,206 points
3. Lambert: 1,196 points
4. North Gwinnett: 1,193 points
5. Carrollton: 1,189 points
Class 6A
1. Marist: 1,341 points
2. Blessed Trinity: 1,220 points
3. Pope: 1,146 points
4. Woodward Academy: 1,086 points
5. North Forsyth: 1,029 points
Class 5A
1. Jefferson: 1,166 points
2. Cambridge: 1,159 points
3. Chattahoochee: 1,106 points
4. McIntosh: 1,100 points
5. Decatur: 995 points
Class 4A
1. Westminster: 1,433 points
2. North Oconee: 1,367 points
3. Starr’s Mill: 1,255 points
4. Pace Academy: 1,046 points
5. Lovett: 1,035 points
Class 3A
1. Wesleyan: 1,450 points
2. Oconee County: 1,214 points
3. Hebron Christian: 1,123 points
4. Mary Persons: 982 points
5. Morgan County: 957 points
Class 2A
1. Mt Paran Christian: 1,259 points
2. Athens Academy: 1,064 points
3. Model: 1,061 points
4. Pierce County: 1,020 points
5. Fellowship Christian: 946 points
Class 1A-Division I
1. Mount Vernon: 1,268 points
2. Whitefield Academy: 1,032 points
3. Prince Avenue Christian: 914 points
4. Tallulah Falls: 868 points
5. Mt. Pisgah Christian: 817 points
Class 1A- Division II
1. Lake Oconee Academy: 967
2. Georgia Military College: 815
3. Schley County: 762
4. Charlton County: 628
5. Emanuel County Institute: 623
Current Standings for 2024-2025 School Year
At a little over halfway through the 2024-2025 school year, Pope ranks as the top athletic program in Class 5A and the No. 4 overall athletic program among Georgia high schools with 793 points so far. Pope’s boys teams have contributed 234 points toward that total, but the girls teams have carried the day with 559 points, the highest points total among all girls athletic programs in Georgia regardless of classification.
Last year, Pope finished outside the overall Top 10 and was the third-best school in Class 6A with a total of 1,146 points.
Can the Greyhounds hang on this time and claim the title as Georgia high school’s best overall athletic program this year?
Josh Matthews, Pope High School athletic director, said one look at the upper walls of the school’s gymnasium reminds him that they’ll always be in the mix.
“We have a lot of banners hanging up in here,” Matthews said of the banners that represent the Pope teams that have won region and state championships.
The Greyhounds have claimed state titles in flag football, volleyball, and girls cross country in the 20242025 school year. The flag football state title was the Greyhounds’ second straight. The three state title teams also won their region titles. Pope’s boys cross country team also won their region championship.
Matthews, who is in his 13th year as Pope’s athletic director, said all the credit goes to the coaches, who bring out the best in each of their athletes.
“The key to our success here is that the student-athletes have their intellectual curiosity challenged, and our coaches do an exceptional job of bringing that out in them,” Matthews said. “The number one commodity in education-based athletics is having great coaches and dedicated athletes, which we have here at Pope.”
Last year’s top scoring team, Wesleyan, is now a member of Class 1A-Division I and ranked as that classification’s best team with 596 points so far this year. However, they currently do not have enough points to crack the Top 10 overall.
1. Jefferson (Class 3A): 880 points
2. Buford (Class 6A): 821 points
3. North Gwinnett (Class 6A): 803 points
4. Pope (Class 5A): 793 points
5. North Oconee (Class 4A): 772 points
6. Lovett (Class 2A): 756 points
7. Milton (Class 5A): 743 points
8. Carrollton (Class 6A): 735 points
9. Mill Creek (Class 6A): 725 points
10. West Forsyth (Class 6A): 676 points
1. Buford: 821 points
2. North Gwinnett: 803 points
3. Carrollton: 735 points
4. Mill Creek: 725 points
5. West Forsyth: 676 points
Buford is the points leader in Class 6A. The Wolves’ boys teams have amassed 324 points, the highest boys total in Class 6A, while the Wolves’ girls teams have collected 497 points, the third-highest in the classification.
The North Gwinnett Bulldogs have the highest girls ranking in Class 6A with 519 points.
1.
Pope: 793 points
2. Milton: 743 points
3. McIntosh: 645 points
4. Creekview: 622 points
5. Greenbrier: 612 points
Pope is the top athletic program in Class 5A, with the boys teams totaling 234 points and the girls teams totaling 559 points.
1. North Oconee: 772 points
2. Marist: 665 points
3. Blessed Trinity: 645 points
4. Cambridge: 601 points
5. St. Pius X: 559 points
Marist is the No. 2 overall athletic program in Class 4A with 665 total points. The War Eagles’ boys teams have collected 275 points, while the girls teams have 390 points so far.
Mrist is no stranger to the Director’s Cup, having won 23 total Director’s Cups, including the one for Class 6A last year.
“Since the Director’s Cup was created in 2000, we have won it every year except two,” Derek Waugh, Marist athletic director, said.
Waugh said Marist only has 748 students in the high school.
“We are statistically a Class 2A team in terms of enrollment, and we petition to play up (in a higher classification) every year,” he said.
While the school has done well with the three major sports recently, Waugh said the school’s running sports have made the biggest improvements.
“We have won 14 state titles in baseball and three each in football and basketball, but it’s been our track and cross country sports that have made the most strides,” he said. “They are 10 times better now.”
Marist’s success has also been buoyed by the strength of their girls soccer team, which was awarded the mythical MaxPreps National Championship last year.
1. Jefferson: 880 points
2. Oconee County: 602 points
3. Heritage, Catoosa: 593 points
4. North Hall: 581 points
5. Greater Atlanta Christian: 564 points
Jefferson is currently the top overall athletic program across all classifications. The Dragons are the top program in Class 3A by a wide margin, outscoring second-place Oconee County by 278 points.
1. Lovett: 756 points
2. Hebron Christian: 638 points
3. Columbus: 633 points
4. Morgan County: 568 points
5. Rockmart: 555 points
Lovett is the highest ranked athletic program in Class 2A with 756 points. State championships in boys cross country, girls swimming and diving, and traditional wrestling, plus strong performances in girls cross country, boys swimming and diving, volleyball, and dance, have buoyed the Lions to top of the classification.
1. Wesleyan: 596 points
2. Toombs County: 583 points
3. Mount Vernon: 571 points
4. Savannah Christian: 553 points
5. Vidalia: 485 points
Wesleyan is Georgia’s top athletic program among the smaller school classifications with 596 total points.
Toombs County and Mount Vernon are ranked second and third in the classification, respectively, with only 25 points separating the top three teams.
Savannah Christian’s girls teams have scored 441 points so far, the highest in the class among girls programs. The Raiders are ranked No. 4 overall in Class 1A-Division I.
1. Metter: 412 points
2. Lake Oconee Academy: 383 points
3. Schley County: 343 points
4. Georgia Military College: 334 points
5. Elite Scholars Academy: 227 points
Metter currently leads Class 1A-Division II with 412 points.
We’ll publish a follow-up at the end of the current 2024-2025 school year after the Director’s Cups have been awarded.
