33rd Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic schedule was finalized this past January and the excitement has built over the course of the offseason for the massive four-day, 11-game lineup that will kickoff the 2024 GHSA Football season Wednesday, Aug. 14 through Saturday, Aug. 17 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
An effort was made to make this year’s lineup represent the widest range of participants in the event’s history and 11 of the 22 teams taking the field will be making first-ever appearances in the event to meet that pursuit.
“I think if you look at the 11 games and 22 teams playing this year, you will see we worked hard to be as inclusive as possible,” said Corky Kell Executive Director I.J. Rosenberg, also the president of sports marketing company Score Atlanta.
“It took three months to put this schedule together. We also have made a move into South Georgia as well as going back to the Northwest part of the state while getting teams from all over the Metro Atlanta area. And our finale in Mercedes-Benz Stadium between Cedar Grove and Douglas County may be one of the best ever in the 33 years of the
Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic.”
The opening day will feature a double-header at Kell High School— with LaGrange facing Douglass-Atlanta—in what will be the first game of the entire 2024 high school season.
The Astros and Grangers will also make their first-ever appearance in the Classic and it will be the first meeting between the programs. Wednesday’s nightcap will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. and will stage a showdown between North Atlanta and host Kell.
This will be the third all-time meeting between the Warriors and Kell, and first since 2015.
NON-STOP ACTION
West Forsyth will return as a host site for the fourth-straight year for Thursday’s doubleheader. In the 4:30 p.m. slot, Dunwoody and South Paulding will face off for the first time and Maurice Allen will make his coaching debut as South Paulding’s sixth all-time head coach. Thursday’s nightcap will pair two-time defending state champion Prince Avenue Christian and host West
TALE
Forsyth in a first-ever meeting and cross-classification showdown. Dunwoody, South Paulding and Prince Avenue Christian will each be making debuts in the Classic.
On Friday, Hebron Christian will host a 2 p.m. kickoff between the Lions and Therrell before the action shifts to Rome’s Barron Stadium for Cass versus Callaway at 5 p.m. and Creekside versus Rome in the 8 p.m. slot.
Hebron Christian, Therrell and Callaway will all be appearing in the Classic for the first time.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium will host a starpowered four-game lineup on Saturday that will open with Brookwood and Walton at 10 a.m., followed by Houston County and Alpharetta at 1 p.m. McEachern and North Gwinnett occupy the third slot in a must-see Cobb versus Gwinnett County clash and then the grand finale will stage Cedar Grove against Douglas County. This will be the firstever meeting between the Saints and Tigers and the first Corky Kell appearance for both teams.
Each of the games will be broadcast live on the Peachtree Sports Network, and streamed digitally on the Atlanta News First app and the National Federation High School Network (NFHS). On Saturday, each of the four games will additionally be broadcast on Peachtree TV, with live radio coverage from 92.9 The Game.
AT A GLANCE
The GHSA’s reclassification cycle set the new landscape for the next two school years and the result is that six different classifications will be represented in this year’s Corky Kell lineup. Class
6A became the new largest classification after the removal of Class 7A and the creation of a separate Class A-3A Private division maintained the eight total champions that will be crowned this season. Class 6A is the most represented classification in this year’s lineup with eight total teams.
Additionally, six of the 11 matchups will feature one or more teams from Georgia’s largest classification. The two Cobb County-based Class 6A teams (Walton, McEachern) will be facing the two Gwinnett teams (Brookwood, North Gwinnett) from Class 6A on Saturday. The other four teams from the largest classification will face teams from lower classifications with North Atlanta battling Class 4A Kell, Alpharetta taking on Class 5A Houston County, Douglas County meeting Class 3A Cedar Grove and West Forsyth hosting Class 2A’s Prince Avenue Christian. An all-Class 3A showdown and top 10 matchup will kickoff with Douglass-Atlanta and LaGrange in Wednesday’s opener and Thursday’s opener at West Forsyth will pin Class 5A’s Dunwoody against South Paulding their intra-classification bout. Friday’s three matchups will be the only day without a Class 6A participant and this stacked lineup will feature Class 2A’s Hebron Christian against Therrell, Class 4A’s Cass against Class 2A Callaway and Class 5A Rome against Class 4A Creekside. This is the most inclusive lineup of teams in the history of Corky Kell and the group also shares a combined 23 all-time state titles with an opportunity to add more hardware this season.
The first game of Georgia’s high school football season features two of the best Class 3A programs and there’s one thing certain about these players, teams and coaches – all eyes in the state will be on them on the first day of the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic.
before winning the national championship, capping one of the greatest seasons in state history. And Napier is guiding the team in the right direction.
2004 before retiring from the NFL.
“We are very excited about the Corky Kell,” Pritchett said. “LaGrange is a tough team, dropping down to 3A, but they’ve always been known as a perennial power and so we are looking forward to the challenge.”
L AGRANGE GRANGERS
By Seth Ellerbee
N.
WARRIORS
DOUGLASS ASTROS VS. VS.
It’s the first game of the season, of course, and what better way to spend a Wednesday evening than watching high school football from teams in one of the hardest classes in the state. It’s been said that Class 3A teams could challenge any of the best high-classed programs, and this season, like many before, they will.
“Not that polls matter, but there are easily 15 or 20 top 10 teams in the class,” said LaGrange head coach Matt Napier. “You look at Mary Persons, Spalding, Trinity Christian, LaGrange, Troup, Whitewater, Sandy Creek, Cedar Grove, Douglass. It’s just a tough classification.”
LaGrange is entering Napier’s fifth season and first year in a new classification after dropping down from Class 4A. The Grangers are in the lowest classification the program has been in since 2011 when it was again in Class 3A. Since 2016, the team has been in Class 4A and is coming off a 9-3 season and second-round exit in the playoffs.
A storied program, LaGrange has won six state championships – but none since 2004, when it won three titles in four seasons – 2001, 2003 and 2004. In 1991, the Grangers finished 15-0 and won the state championship in Class 4A
The nightcap game Wednesday gives North Atlanta a chance to defeat Kell for the first time in two attempts, while Kell will look to open the year with a victory after losing to Parkview in last year’s Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic matchup.
The programs have not met since 2015 when Kell won 52-7. Kell defeated the Warriors 35-7 in 2014.
North Atlanta, which remained in Class 6A this season after reclassification, has been resurging over the past few seasons and last year’s 9-2 finish was the best of head coach Jamie Aull’s four-year stint leading the Warriors.
However, the first-round exit stung. Opening against Kell is the type of experience Aull knows his team will need if it wants to play football in December.
“It’s a very tough matchup against Kell,” he said. “They’re probably a top 5 team dropping down from Class 5A to Class 4A this season and they are loaded with talent. They’re well-coached and this will be a challenge.”
North Atlanta is 2-0 in Corky Kell matchups with victories against North Forsyth 31-27 in 2022 and Johns Creek 58-14 last season.
This year, a 3-0 Corky record is the goal.
“The offseason has gone well,” Aull said. “We’ve had great attendance all summer heading into our scrimmage. On offense we return Ian Reynolds, our starter from last year and he actually started some as a sophomore.”
Reynolds is a big body, at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds and is hard to bring down.
Prior to Napier’s hire, LaGrange finished back-to-back 2-8 seasons in 2018-19. Napier’s first team finished 8-4 and exited in the second round of the playoffs. In 2021, the team finished 9-3, but faced another second-round exit. Two years ago, the Grangers finished 8-3 but lost in the first round. Dropping down to Class 3A might help the team’s postseason run after last year’s 9-3 record and second round exit.
But then again, the playoff road might still be a long one.
“It’s going to be very competitive,” Napier said. “Seeing some of the 3A names around the state that you recognize like Calhoun, Jefferson, Sandy Creek and Cedar Grove, 3A will be tough.” Against Douglass, quarterback Dylan Barber will lead the Grangers offense onto the field with Malachi Render-Fannin and Abi Ayala in the backfield. Receivers Julian Jones, Gryson Cockrell, Kalvin Snowberger and Jett Napier and Denoryon Reid provide ample targets for Barber.
On the opposite side of the field, Douglass – which has been in Class 3A since 2020 -- is on the rise in head coach Stanley Pritchett’s fourth year at the helm. Pritchett leans on experience to lead a resurging Douglass into the fray. Drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 1996, Pritchett played with the Dolphins, Eagles, Bears and Falcons in
of our pieces in Grant Thompson, Tobi Adewoyin and Saalim Davis on that back end trying to help us cover people down.”
There’s a battle ongoing in the backfield and running responsibilities will be divided after the graduation of Demetrius Barnes, who rushed for over 1,000 yards and had 20 touchdowns.
“That’s going to be tough to replace,” Aull said. “We have a couple of different guys – Henry Debardeleben, he’s a senior and will probably get the first crack at it. Juniors Cayden Edwards and Bryce Little are going to be change of pace backs. So we are going to do it by committee.”
On defense, North Atlanta faces holes which need filling.
“We have to replace a lot of graduated seniors,” Aull said. “But we’ve got Chase Linton back on the defensive front, he’s a big kid who picked up a Georgia offer last weekend.”
On the other side of the field, Kell will be fielding new players while looking for its first Corky Kell victory since beating Mays 17-12 at MercedesBenz Stadium in 2019. Also coming off a 9-2 record in Bobby May’s second season last year, Kell dropped from Class 5A to 4A this season.
New quarterback Kaleb Narcisse will take over duties for the Longhorns and was 33-of47 passing for 555 yards and 12 touchdowns in four games for North Cobb last season. On the ground, sophomores Quinterius Gipson and Kamoni Adams will handle duties.
Pritchett took over the Douglass head coaching job in 2021 after an eight-year stint at Arabia Mountain and has been a welcomed change for the Astros. Douglass has been on the rise and after a 1-9 season in his first year, the team finished 3-8 in 2022 and 6-5 last season with a first-round exit in the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.
“We have nine returning starters on offense,” Pritchett said. “And we have a lot of experience up front, bringing all five linemen back led by Xavier Canales, a Georgia Tech-commit. And at quarterback, we return junior John Wilson, who has a ton of experience.”
Wilson was 122-of-236 passing for 1,623 yards and 15 touchdowns last season to lead the Astros. He added 66 carries for 316 yards and six touchdowns. Heading into his junior season, Wilson could be formidable. On the ground, senior Antonio Watkins had 139 carries for 727 yards and six touchdowns last season for the Astros.
The team will have to replace its two leading receivers from graduation, but juniors Quantavious Boykin, Adonis McCrary and DeKari Carter contributed last season and could fill larger roles this year.
by Landon Mayes, Brayden Rouse, Jaden George and Trenton Wanjogu.
Myles had 11 receptions for 159 yards and three touchdowns last season while George and GIpson each had one reception for a touchdown. On defense, the Longhorns have new faces – strongside end Collin Davis and free safety Tony Forney Jr (both from Cedar Grove), cornerback Jalen Williams (Dutchtown) and nose tackle Alexander Jean (Sumrall, Mississippi). Defensive tackle Tyshawn Natt leads the way with 45 solo, 35 assisted tackles and 28 tackles for loss and 11 sacks.
Kell has competed in 13 Corky Kell games and since its first in 2010, the Longhorns have won eight games, its last in 2022 with a 38-22 victory over Cherokee Bluff. And despite North Atlanta entering just its third Corky appearance, both programs and communities know what’s at stake with a Corky Kell game on the schedule.
By Seth Ellerbee
“We are excited to have him back,” Aull said. “Our secondary is where we are returning most
Gipson leads with 96 carries for 742 yards and 12 touchdowns while Adams had limited playing time last season but had one touchdown on two carries. The receiving corps is led
“It’s definitely cool for our kids and our community,” Aull said. “To get that kind of exposure and be in front of the whole state, it puts a sense of urgency on your preparation. Once you get back from that dead week in July, it’s all Corky. And everyone is going to be sitting there watching us on Wednesday night because there’s only two games in the state that night. It’s definitely an awesome event. This is our third year and it’s been a tremendous deal for our program.”
S. PAULDING SPARTANS
VS.
DUNWOODY WILDCATS
By Hayden Gilbert
South Paulding and Dunwoody will both be making their first appearance in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic to kick off day two of the event at West Forsyth High School. The two teams will also be facing off for the first time ever in an exciting Week 1 matchup.
South Paulding is currently on a three-season playoff streak, which is tied for the longest streak in school history. The Spartans have been on an upward trend over the past half-decade, making the playoffs in four of the last five years, winning playoff games in 2019 and 2022, and compiling a 34-21 record over that span.
On the other side of the field, Dunwoody is coming off its best season in a decade and a half, going 8-3 and making the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Coach Nash is heading into his tenth year as the head coach of the Wildcats, a tenure that has seen him climb up the Dunwoody all-time wins list, where he currently stands at third all-time. Coach Nash hopes to build off last season and push the Wildcats back to the upper echelon of the sport, a spot they have not been in since the early 90s.
This year, the Spartans will be led by a group of talented young players that were given significant playing time early in their careers. The offense will feature second-year starting quarterback Kade Wigginton to lead the passes and handoffs.
In his sophomore season, Wigginton threw
Thesecond and final game on Thursday will see the hosting West Forsyth Wolverines face off against the two-time defending Class A Division I champion Prince Avenue Christian Wolverines. Coach Greg Vandagriff and Prince Avenue will be making their first appearance in the event, while West Forsyth has been a mainstay, playing host to a game every year since 2020.
Vandagriff’s squad is coming off one of the best four-year stretches in state history, making four finals appearances while winning three championships compiling a 54-4 record. The team is coming off a 14-1 season that saw them win their second straight state championship. The team will look to continue their dominance as they move up to 2A while competing for the new private school state championship.
West Forsyth will look to build off last season’s resurgent 8-3 record when it hosted a program-first playoff game since 2020. This came after a down year in 2022, when it went 4-6 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and only the fifth time in school history.
The team remains in the highest classification in the state but will play in a newly wideopen Region 6-6A. Without the dominant power of defending 7A champions Milton in the region, West Forsyth will be expected to once again finish at the top of the region.
for over 1,700 yards with 15 touchdowns, completing 60 percent of his passes. He provided a dynamic passing attack last season and will look to grow into an even more dangerous passer in his junior year. Along with Wigginton, South Paulding returns their leading rusher from a year ago in running back Albert McCoy, who ran for over 700 yards with four touchdowns.
The offensive line will be anchored by two Division-I prospects, Jayce Sanker and Tyler Chukuyem. Sanker currently holds three D1 offers, while Chukuyem recently received two FBS offers. Together, they will provide a major edge helping to create a balanced offense that will be hard for the wildcats to stop.
Dunwoody’s defense will have a tough test against South Paulding’s offense, but they should be up to the task. The Wildcats defense had their best season in over a decade, holding opponents to only 17.45 points per game, the fewest given up since the 2011 season. They held six of their opponents to seven or fewer points, shutting out three of those six.
The Wildcats will be led on defense by big and physical defensive back Julian Madison. Madison has been a major contributor throughout his high school career. At 6-foot, 170 pounds, he has the ability to play both as a man and zone corner. He can anchor one side of the defense and will help Dunwoody slow the dynamic South Paulding offense.
per game last year, will have to replace recordbreaking quarterback Aaron Philo. The current back-up Georgia Tech quarterback set the record for career passing yards with 13,922 yards, breaking Trevor Lawrence’s record of 13,902.
The team has been conducting a QB battle between senior Jake Bobo, son of Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, and sophomore Ben Musser, who has recently received his first FBS offer from Middle Tennessee State.
The running back position was another major question mark heading into the offseason.
However, elite sophomore running back Andrew Beard transferred into the program this spring answering those questions. Beard, the nephew of former Georgia great Garrison Hearst, already has offers from the likes of Georgia and Alabama. At receiver, the team returns their top two receivers in sophomore Hudson Hill and junior CJ Dockery, combined they create an offense that should be balanced and explosive.
The Wildcat offense will be led by senior quarterback Matt Pearch. While he proved last year to be a great quarterback, he is also an elite pitcher on the baseball team, where he is committed to play for the Yale Bulldogs. Pearch grew into one of the top quarterbacks in the state last year, being named First Team All-Region.
The team also returns two of its top wide receivers in Danny Boden, who was named First Team All-Region, and Porter Allison, who was named All-Region Honorable Mention. Together, they should continue the dynamic passing attack they had last year, averaging 24.9 points per game and scoring more than 30 points in six of their 11 games.
The Spartans defense needs to build on the 2023 defense that gave up the fewest points per game since 2020. They return a substantial amount of production on defense, including 296 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. The team’s leading returning tackler is Jeremiah Hughey, who had 52 tackles, 13.5 TFLs, and 5 sacks last season, being tied for the team lead in sacks and second in tackles for loss. The team returns two more players that had more than 40 tackles last year in safety Jermain Tyler and outside linebacker Eddie Stafford. Combined, the three place a major difference maker at all three levels of the defense, leaving no position group without an elite player. But they will still have a tough task stopping the dynamic wildcat offense.
tations from last year and slow down the Prince Avenue offense.
By Hayden Gilbert
Prince Avenue’s offense will see a big overhaul heading into the 2023 season.
The offense, which scored over 49 points
Dave Svehla’s Wolverines have had one of the best defenses in the state during his tenure, allowing only 19.5 PPG. The 2023 West Forsyth defense was the best of his tenure, giving up only 16.3 PPG. The team will return first-team AllRegion linebacker James McCallar, who will be looked to lead the front seven. Along with him, the team returns three more All-Region defenders in Chase Hayden (DB), Drew Davis (LB), and Jack Sacchetti (DL). The three of them should anchor a defense that will try to meet the expec-
The West Forsyth offense will look to build on last year’s young squad. The offense will once again be led by junior QB Max Walraven, who was named First Team All-Region as a sophomore in 2023. Along with him, they will return fellow First Team All-Region selection and 1000-yard running back Foster Oris, who will help form a pairing that will be hard for any opposing team to stop. Additionally, they return four other offensive players who made All-Region first and second teams, including two pass catchers in seniors Cole Cato (TE) and Topher Delp (WR). These players will force defenses to play sideline to sideline, opening more running lanes for Oris. The Prince Avenue defense was elite in 2023, giving up only 16.3 PPG and this year’s edition will be led by Georgia commit Christian Garrett. Garrett, at 6-foot-3 and 280 pounds, is a massive defensive lineman who will be tasked with disrupting the West Forsyth run game. As the main interior presence for the Wolverines, he will need to have a productive game to slow down West Forsyth’s backfield. Prince Avenue will also return two First Team All-Region linebackers in seniors Mac Bradley and Kyler Giddens, who will both have to quickly differentiate between run and pass to slow the balanced West Forsyth attack. The back end of the defense will return one All-Region selection in Gaines Scoggins, who will be the leader of the secondary.
THERRELL PANTHERS VS.
HEBRON CHRISTIAN LI0NS
By Max Wolborsky
The third day of the 2024 Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic begins at Hebron Christian as the hosting Lions welcome Therrell to help usher in the new high school football season.
The game is Friday, August 16 at 2:00 p.m. and is the first of three games of the Corky Kell that will take place on Friday. While it’s the first of the day, the following two games will be held at Rome’s Barron Stadium, starting at 5:00 p.m.
This season marks the first time that both Therrell and Hebron Christian will make an appearance in the Corky Kell, with both programs looking to earn program-first wins in the event.
Along with both programs playing for their first victory in the Corky Kell, the teams share multiple similarities from last season including both being eliminated in the first round and both scoring 329 points throughout all of last season.
The Panthers welcome back head coach BJ Jamison as he enters his fourth year leading the Therrell football program. Jamison led the Panthers to one of their best seasons in recent memory a year ago and holds a 17-14 overall record.
Therrell enters this season coming off one of the program’s best seasons in the last two decades. In 11 games last year, the Panthers went 9-2 and only had one loss going into the playoffs. Therrell’s season featured a three-game win streak to open the season followed by a win
TheCallaway Cavaliers will start the new season against the Cass Colonels at Barron Stadium Friday, August 16 at 5:00 p.m. on the third day of and second daily matchup of the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic.
This will be the third-straight year that Cass will be competing in the Corky Kell. The Colonels are 0-2 in their short history of playing in the event featuring a 34-0 loss to Rome in 2023 and a 26-25 loss to Kennesaw Mountain in 2022. On the opposing side, 2024 marks the first time that Callaway will be participating in the Corky Kell.
VS.
By Max Wolborsky
A season ago, both Callaway and Cass were eliminated in the quarterfinals in the GHSA state playoffs. The Cavaliers lost 17-14 to Fitzgerald in the Class 2A playoffs and the Colonels lost to Coffee 30-0 in Class 5A.
Both programs will look to rebound after disappointing losses deep into the postseason, leaving each wanting more.
Callaway finished last season with a 9-3 record, marking the ninth-straight season the Cavaliers finished with nine wins or more, a streak that stretches back to 2015. Callaway head coach Pete Wiggins will enter his 20th season at the helm of the Cavaliers football program, holding an overall record of 178-58 as the head coach at Callaway.
After almost two decades, Wiggins and the Cavaliers have won 10 region titles and have not lost a region game since 2021. Callaway is seeking
streak of six games after its only regular season loss to Region 5-2A champion North Cobb Christian in the fourth week of the season.
The Therrell defense only allowed an astounding 87 points throughout the entire season and surrendered just 6.6 ppg during the regular season. The Panthers allowed under 10 points in eight games last season, including three shutouts in consecutive weeks and four overall. During its three-game shutout streak during the regular season, the Therrell offense outscored its opponents 99-0 during the three week span. The Panthers allowed over 10 points in just three games all season, losing two of them including their 21-8 loss to Model in the first round of the playoffs.
On the opposite side of the ball, the Therrell offense displayed its explosiveness by averaging close to 30 points per game. The Panthers scored above 50 points in two separate weeks and scored over 30 points in six of the eleven games from last season. Therrell returns key players such as running back Ahmad Bridges, wide receiver Quentorian McClendon and linebacker Boston Carr to return some familiarity to both sides of the ball for the Panthers.
Hebron Christian makes its first appearance in the Corky Kell and will serve as the first host site for Friday’s slate.
The Lions head coach Jonathan Gess en-
a third-straight regional championship this year after winning the Region 5-2A title the last two seasons. Due to the GHSA realignment for this upcoming season, Callaway’s region was moved from Region 2-2A to Region 5-2A for 2024.
Wiggins and the Cavaliers are tasked with replacing production on both sides of the ball. Georgia High School Football Daily’s Region 5-2A Offensive Player of the Year quarterback Deshaun Coleman and Defensive Player of the Year defensive back Cam Tucker are two big pieces that the Cavaliers will have to replace along with Georgia High School Football Daily First-Team tight end, Koryon Hoard, wide receiver Treyon Tucker and First-Team offensive linemen Jojo Shuman and Avery Bartlett.
In replacing last year’s seniors, the Cavaliers return serious talent across the board that will produce for Callaway and keep them as competitive as they have been over the years. The Cavaliers return Georgia High School Football Daily First-Team defensive players such as junior linebacker Xae Anderson, senior linebacker Kavious Leonard and junior defensive lineman Tyrone Fitten who will each provide familiarity on defense for the Cavaliers.
Cass head coach Steve Gates enters his fifth year leading the Colonels after going 7-6 last season and holding a 23-23 overall record. The Colonels have made the playoffs in three-straight
ters his third season with Hebron after leading the program to a 6-5 record last season. In just two seasons thus far, Gess holds a 15-8 overall record. Gess led the Lions to GHSA Playoff berth a year ago, marking eight-consecutive years of Hebron Christian making the playoffs.
Hebron Christian will be playing in Class 2A after spending the last two seasons playing in Class 3A and is ranked in the top 5 of the early Class A-3A Private division. The Lions’ offense showed flashes of its capabilities a season ago, scoring upwards of 40 points per game in its six wins. In their 11-game season, the Lions scored 60 points or higher in two games, scoring 70 in their opener against Chestatee and 65 against Franklin County in their eighth game of the season.
The program returns primary contributors from last year, including wide receiver and 3-star Duke-commit Gerritt Kemp, 3-star Georgia Tech-commit and defensive end Carrington Combs and 3-star Virginia-commit and defensive lineman Sichan John.
All three played a major role in Hebron Christian’s football program last season as they will each look to leave their mark on this season after a disappointing first round exit in the playoffs a year ago where they were defeated by eventual state champion Cedar Grove on the road by just three points.
seasons and have made the postseason in every year of Gates’ tenure besides his first. The threestraight seasons of postseason berths is the longest in program history for the Colonels.
Cass lost its first two games of the season including its opener to Rome in last year’s Corky Kell. After an 0-2 start, the Colonels won four straight games, scoring at least 40 points in each victory. Cass propelled to 4-2 after its midseason win streak, averaging 43 points per game over four games before losing the next three games after. The Colonels entered the postseason 5-5 and won two postseason games on the road before losing to Coffee in the quarterfinals.
After losing Georgia High School Football Daily Class 5A-Region 7 Co-Player of the Year, defensive back Devin Henderson, UGA freshman wideout Sacovie White and linebacker Kevin Henderson, the Colonels have to replace a lot of talent and experience.
Cass returns Georgia High School Football Daily First-Team quarterback junior, Brodie McWhorter and his cousin, junior offensive lineman Bear McWhorter. Along with the McWhorters, Second-Team tight end Chase Tatum returns to Cass for his junior season. The Colonels will have to find a way to replace Georgia High School Football Daily Class 5A-Region Defensive Player of the Year, senior defensive lineman Kaden Ellis, who will be out for the season with an injury.
ROME WOLVES CREEKSIDE SEMINOLES
VS.
By Max Wolborsky
The nightcap on the third day of the 2024 Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic will feature the Class 5A state champion runner-ups, the Creekside Seminoles, against Friday nights host, the Rome Wolves in a showdown of some of the top offenses in the state from a season ago. The Creekside-Rome showdown is the final game of the third day of the Corky Kell.
Both programs are no strangers to competing in the Corky Kell and have each made multiple appearances throughout the years. The two teams have participated in the event for the last two years, even playing each other in 2022 where Rome defeated Creekside, 16-6 to begin the season.
Rome will be making its fifth appearance at the Corky Kell and holds an undefeated 4-0 record in the event — hosting in every appearance. The Wolves participated in 2018 and 2019, playing Marietta in both games where Rome secured victories, winning 48-14 in 2018 and 51-41 in 2019. After taking two years off in between, Rome has competed the past two seasons, including its win over Creekside in 2022 and shutting out Cass 34-0 in 2023.
Creekside holds a 1-1 record in the Corky Kell after losing to Rome in 2022 and defeating Kennesaw Mountain 35-23 in 2023.
The Seminoles are coming off a successful 13-2 season which featured a Class 5A state championship appearance. The Seminoles were defeated by Coffee, 31-14 in the state championship, but are poised to return to the big stage.
Seminoles head coach Maurice Dixon enters his eighth season at the helm of the Creekside football program, coming off of his third-straight
double-digit win season. Dixon and Creekside remain region champions and have not lost a region game since 2021 and are back-to-back champions in the region. The Seminoles have won four region titles since Dixon’s hiring.
Dixon has changed the culture of the Creekside football program after going 0-10 in his first year with the school. Since his inaugural season in 2017, the team has only seen improvement in the overall product on the field.
Last season, the Seminole’s offense scored 591 points and averaged 39 points per game during the 15-game season. In 15 games last season, Creekside scored more than 40 points in seven different games, including three games scoring over 60.
Creekside will replace the production of Georgia High School Football Daily Class 5A-Region 5 Player of the Year defensive back Roderick McCrary, Offensive Player of the Year quarterback Vinson Berry as well as running back Travis Terrell. The talent still remains on the Seminoles depth chart with players such as wide receiver Eric Paul Jr., center Kaleb Noel and offensive lineman Rylan Robertson moving into more prominent roles this season.
The Rome Wolves are entering their fifth Corky Kell after an 11-2 season and an appearance in the quarterfinals in the GHSA Class 6A state playoffs.
Rome is led by head coach John Reid who is entering his 10th season. Reid holds a 97-21 overall record with the school, including backto-back state championships in 2016 and 2017. Throughout his tenure, the Wolves have not lost
more than four games a season.
The Wolves wrapped up their 2023 season going 11-2, marking the second straight season of double-digit wins for the program. Rome holds a streak of nine-consecutive years of making the postseason dating back to 2015, where they have accumulated six region titles and two state championships during the time span.
The Wolves offense scored a colossal 617 points during the 2023 season over 13 games, averaging a little over 47 points per game. Rome scored over 50 points in eight games last season, including scoring over 60 in two of those games. The defense from the Wolves in 2023 was astounding, only allowing 110 points on the season. The defense held its opponents to scoring single-digit points in nine games, including five shutouts.
Reid and Rome will have to replace a multitude of seniors from last year’s team including Georgia High School Football Daily Class 6A-Region 6 Player of the Year quarterback Reece Fountain, Defensive Player of the Year defensive back Joe Wilkinson ,and a pair of defensive lineman in Trevyon Adams and Justin Terrell. The Wolves still hold plenty of talent in their depth chart including Alabama-commit, 4-star linebacker Jaedon Harmon, Georgia High School Football Daily First-Team running back Javarius McDearmont, Second-Team running back Chance Arthur and wide receiver Tinerious Stallings.
Creekside and Rome will face off on Friday, August 16 at Rome’s Barron Stadium at 8 p.m. after Callaway takes on Cass at 5 p.m. also as a part of the Corky Kell.
WWALTON RAIDERS BROOKWOOD BRONCOS
VS.
By Najeh Wilkins
ALPHARETTA RAIDERS
VS.
HOUSTON COUNTY BEARS
By Najeh Wilkins
alton is coming off one of their best seasons in program history, making it back to the state championship for the first time since 2011 last season. Head coach Daniel Brunner has led the Raiders to the postseason every year he has been a head coach and has won two region championships in his tenure.
The Brookwood Broncos missed the playoffs for the first time since 2015 last season. Head coach Philip Jones is the third longesttenured coach in 6A having been at the helm for 10 seasons. During his decade run, Jones has had six winning seasons with the Broncos.
Brookwood is led by one of the best running backs in the country in the 2027 class Brayden Tyson. You may remember Tyson put on a show last year in the Corky Kell and was named offensive player of the game in the Broncos’ victory. In that game, he rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown.
The Broncos also return their do-it-all receiver Lee Niles. Niles finished with 34 catches for 476 yards and five touchdowns. Niles was dynamic in the open field whenever he had the ball in his hands, and he earned all-region firstteam honors for Region 4-7A in 2023.
Defensively, the Broncos will be led by their staple veteran Cole Van Hassel who will be a senior. During his junior year, Van Hassel finished with 108 tackles (second on the team) and two sacks. He was a first-team all-region selection.
Another player to watch defensively will be sophomore Julian Elzey. Elzey is a ball hawk at
It doesn’t get much better than two teams meeting for the first time on the gridiron. We will get to see that when the Houston County Bears face the Alpharetta Raiders in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic.
Alpharetta went 5-6 last season and has made the playoffs for eight-consecutive seasons. Head coach Jason Kervin has led the Raiders to the playoffs every season since he took over in 2020. Since their inception in 2004, the Raiders have won four region championships.
Houston County has won nine games or more in the first two seasons under head coach Jeremy Edwards and made the quarterfinals in his first year at the helm. Last season they made it to the second round of the playoffs before losing to Woodward Academy.
You may remember last year seeing Houston County on the Peachtree Sports Network last year. The Bears gave us a thrilling game on September 29th against Lee County in a game that came down to the wire with Lee County winning 44-35.
This year will look a little different for the Bears after graduating 36 seniors from last year’s team. There will be a lot of inexperience on the team. Coach Edwards is expecting the young guys to step up.
Houston County will be led by four-year starter Antwann Hill who is one of the best quarterbacks in the 2025 class.. The Memphis-commit passed for 2,732 yards and 31 touchdowns last season at a 65% completion rate. He made first-team all-state by the Georgia Athletic Asso-
the
DB position and is excellent at playing manto-man coverage. He is very technically sound and has great instincts when driving on the ball and creating a pass break-up or interception.
Walton will look a lot different in 2024 after replacing a great senior class. Some of their key players this season will be WR Christian Ward, ATH Alexander Ward, QB Kaeden Gildestrap, RB Lucas Farrington, TE Jude Cascone, LB Jake Thorner, and LB Noah LaValle.
Ward is a receiver who can stretch the field and is a big play threat. He only had 12 catches last season but five of them were for touchdowns. He finished with 362 yards for the Carrollton Trojans.
Alexander Ward is young but ready to capitalize on his opportunity. He’s created quite the buzz for himself picking up Alabama, Georgia, and Georgia Tech offers before his sophomore season even began. During the summer, he was a standout in 7-on-7 and at different camps. Ward could potentially go both ways for Walton in 2024.
QB Kaeden Gildestrap is one of the most athletic QBs that Walton has had in their program. The Wofford commit is a multisport athlete who plays football, basketball, and baseball. Gildestrap also flashed his escapability and potential this offseason putting together impressive performances in 7-on-7.
A position of strength for Walton will be their linebackers. Despite losing Ashton Woods
ciation and was named region offensive player of the year by Georgia High School Football Daily.
Houston County will replace their dynamic playmakers in Kale Woodburn (Cincinnati) and Ricky Williams (Mississippi State). Between the two they combined for 1,838 yards and 21 touchdowns last season. A player to watch this season in the receiving corps will be Isaiah Mitchell, who is a senior who is ready to capitalize on his opportunity.
Returning in the backfield for Houston County will be Amir Thomas who rushed for 586 yards and seven touchdowns during his junior season. Thomas will be the featured running back after running back Ryan Taleb graduated.
Defensively the Bears will be led by four-star safety Jordan Smith who had a stellar sophomore campaign. He led the team with 88 tackles, five tackles for loss, and three interceptions. Smith holds 30 offers notably from Alabama, Florida State, Florida and more. What makes him special is he is great at reading coverage and making a play on the ball. He also is equally as good at tackling in the open field and making big hits. F or Alpharetta, rising sophomore quarterback Matt Schletty will take over the reins of the offense this season. Kevin Lipscomb will be a major receiving threat. He had 17 catches for 412 yards and four touchdowns last season. Another threat in the passing attack will be Tucker Kelleher, who was a second-team all-region selection. The BYU commit is expected to have a big season for the Raiders.
(North Carolina) to graduation, the Raiders return a good chunk of their starters and players with experience at that position. Walton will be led by LB Jake Thorner and LB Noah LaValle who each will play pivotal roles for the Raiders. LaValle had 43 tackles, four tackles for loss, and an interception. LaValle already holds three ACC offers out of his total of four.
Thorner put together a strong showing in 2023 finishing with 144 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, six quarterback hurries, and five sacks. He will be the signal caller for Walton in 2024.
A position to watch for the Raider program will be the defensive line after losing two key defensive starters from last year’s state runner-up in Lota Ugokwe (BYU) and Wendell Gregory (South Carolina). They combined for 20 sacks last season.
A matchup to pay attention to in this game is Walton’s run defense against Brookwood’s potent rushing attack. Walton had a very stout defensive front last season that combined for 42 sacks and 66 quarterback hurries. The defensive line will look different this year for Walton. Brookwood is expected to be stout on the offensive line and like to pound the rock especially with Tyson being back there. His 6’0 and 215-pound frame is tough to bring down. Saturday will mark the fifth consecutive year that Walton and Brookwood have faced off. Walton leads the series 6-5 with their last victory coming in 2023 a 65-17 victory. Walton has won three consecutive games in this series.
Alpharetta will have a productive backfield this season with two running backs expected to take a big leap. Ayden Williams will return for the Raiders after he rushed for 387 yards and a touchdown. Alongside him will be Jrue Keeling who took advantage of his touches last year rushing for 377 yards and four touchdowns. Keeling was also selected second-team all-region by Georgia High School Football Daily for his efforts in 2023.
A matchup to watch in this game will be the Houston County offensive line against the Alpharetta front seven.
The Bears will look to replace their staple offensive lineman Kahlil House (Stanford). Houston County returns Hayes Ellerbee. The Bears also have a new addition to the offensive line in Peyton Joseph (Florida State commit) who comes over from Peach County to help bolster the trenches. Joseph is massive at 6-foot-3 and 309 pounds and is an absolute mover in the run game.
On defense, the Raiders will be led by Julius Holly (Michigan Commit) who is a force on the EDGE. Holly has a great first step and uses his hands well to get past the opposing lineman. On the other side rushing the passer who is expected to have a big role for Alpharetta is his brother Jaxon Holly. The Holly brothers are a dynamic tandem and will be a problem for defenses in 2024. On the interior, JaQuention Madison will be one to watch for Alpharetta. Madison was a first-team all-region selection during his junior campaign.
AbuddingMCEACHERN INDIANS
VS.
N. GWINNETT BULLDOGS
By Najeh Wilkins
DOUGLAS COUNTY TIGERS
VS.
CEDAR GROVE SAINTS
By Seth Ellerbee
rivalry is on hand when these two teams take the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. North Gwinnett has won the last six matchups when these teams have faced off. McEachern’s last victory over the Bulldogs came in the series opener in 2011 with a 26-17 victory.
When talking to both sides at the Georgia High School Football Media Day, there was intrigue and intensity from both teams wanting to come out with a win. There was no love lost and each program wants to outduel the other for the bragging rights.
McEachern won its first region title since 2021 after going 7-5 and winning seven of their last eight games. The Indians have won three region championships in the past five seasons. Head coach Kareem Reid has been successful at multiple stops (Westlake, Griffin, McEachern) winning four region championships in just six years as a head coach. Reid was named Region 3-7A Coach of the Year by Georgia High School Football Daily.
North Gwinnett went 8-4 last year and made it to the second round of the playoffs before losing to Walton, under head coach Eric Godfree in his first season with the Bulldogs.
McEachern will be led offensively by threestar running back Jayreon Campbell, who is considered one of the best running backs in the state and was an all-region first-team selection in 2023. He has great instincts and balance at the running back position and is also very explosive. Campbell put together an impressive sophomore campaign and was named first-team all-state by
Douglas
County is mad that it lost in the Class 6A semifinals last season when 6A was the second-highest class. Cedar Grove is the sitting Class 3A champion. The Saturday nightcap game and Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic finale could be one of the greatest high school football games of the season.
And it’s only Week 1.
Douglas County entered the semifinals last season as the No. 3-ranked team in the state against No. 10 Woodward Academy, hoping for a championship berth and following the 24-21 loss, the Tigers were left wanting more.
And the loss became fuel.
“Every practice,” Douglas County head coach Johnny White said, emphasizing his next statement with a resounding ‘sir’.
“We use the clock on our scoreboard and put that score from last year’s game on it. 24 to 21. So if you go to practice, you remember what happened last year. We didn’t match our potential.”
The experience gained by Douglas County during that semifinals run was valuable, especially for a team that might’ve over-kicked its coverage, so to speak.
“We started 15 sophomores last year,” White said. “I told my coaches last year, that was a hard way to go. But if I’d told them last August that we would be 13-1 and in the semifinals for the first time in 21 years, I think everyone would have taken it.”
Junior quarterback DJ Bordeaux – 6-foot-2, 190 pounds – transferred to Douglas County and will help to lead the talented offense. The back-
the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association.
The Indians made a big splash in the offseason landing four-star wide receiver Nalin Scott who has 16 offers and major P4 programs interested in him at the next level. He adds a different dimension to the McEachern offense that makes them tougher to stop. His ability to win the 50/50 ball and also pick up huge YAC (yards after catch) will make teams’ game plan for the Indians differently.
McEachern is known for having a dominant offensive line each year and is one of the staples of their program. The offensive line will look different this year after the Indians graduated three all-region first-team selections last season (Leon Wesley, Keydrell Thomas, and Zayden Charity). This year they will be led by Paul Bowling who is a three-star prospect committed to Troy. Bowling was selected first-team all-state by the Georgia Athletic Association.
Defensively the Indians will lean on junior edge rusher Zakir Abdul-Salaam to get pressure on the quarterback. Salaam is a coveted college prospect holding offers from Tennessee, South Carolina, Kentucky, Texas A&M and more.
For North Gwinnett, Ryan Hall will be the leader offensively. Hall passed for 2,178 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also was very accurate completing 65% of his passes. He also rushed for 723 yards and 11 touchdowns. Hall built off a good sophomore season where he had his coming out party against McEachern in 2022.
The Bulldogs will have a new running back room heading into the 2024 season after Julian
field includes junior Zamarcus Lindley and senior Kendan Arnold. The receiving corps of senior star James Johnson, senior Brandon Ellison, junior Devin Carter and junior Aaron Gregory will catch the passes.
“James Johnson is a four-year starter for us with 45 offers and is just dynamic with a football in his hands. He can play anywhere – quarterback, receiver, running back and safety or corner,” White said. “He’s a pure athlete – the best I’ve coached since Eric Berry.”
Berry – who played at Creekside – was inducted into the inaugural Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame in 2022. He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs as the fifth pick of the 2010 NFL Draft and played eight seasons there before retiring.
Carter, Douglas County’s junior wideout, played football at Cedar Grove last season before transferring to Douglas County. He was the Saints’ leading receiver and Cedar Grove’s cornerbacks and safeties might enjoy the matchups against a former teammate.
Despite being in a lower classification, Cedar Grove is an exceptional powerhouse of football talent. The program has won five state championships since 2016, winning in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021 and last season. It’s also seen its alumni populate NCAA and NFL rosters with regularity.
“I think they’re addicted to winning,” White said, chuckling.
Interestingly, the team has turned over four coaches in that span. Jimmy Smith coached the
Waters graduated. Tommy Lafayette (Stanford commit) will be the starter. Last season he rushed for 236 yards and two touchdowns.
North Gwinnett also has a good receiving core returning in Erik Ronning and Nicolas Bookman. Ronning was the leading receiver last year for the Bulldogs finishing with 34 catches for 584 yards and eight touchdowns. Bookman finished with 34 catches, 377 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Bookman flashed his potential this summer by being a go-to threat offensively and churning out huge yards in the open field. He also caught the game-winner to help North Gwinnett win the Corky Kell Dave Hunter 7-on-7 tournament.
When you look at the defense for North Gwinnett they have a player at every level. Cole Funderburk is a terror off the edge for the Bulldogs and finished with 65 tackles, 35 tackles for loss, 25 quarterback hurries and 16 sacks. The Wake Forest commit has gotten better this offseason.
Jake Godfree had an impressive freshman season and led the team with 78 tackles, three sacks, and an interception. At defensive back, North Gwinnett has one of the best tandems in the state in Malachi Weedon and Chandler Jordan. Both are special in their own way and complement each other well on the back end. Jordan is listed as a cornerback heading into the season which showcases his versatility after being predominantly a safety.
This game has the potential to be one of the best in this season’s Corky Kell.
Saints to championships in 2016 and 2018 before Miguel Patrick took over and led the Saints to the 2019 state championship. Patrick left in 2020 and first-year coach John Adams led the Saints to a championship in his first season – 2021 – and last season – 2023.
Now it’s Roderick Moore’s turn. He was the head coach for McNair from 2005 to 2008 and Redan from 2014-2017. He was the defensive coordinator at Dougherty before taking the Cedar Grove job.
And he’s got a tall task in somewhat rebuilding parts of the Cedar Grove team. But he’s up to the task.
The Saints will have to weather quarterback EJ Colson’s departure to Central Florida. Through the semifinals last season, Colson was 182-of-285 passing for 2,636 yards and 31 touchdowns with 132 carries for 868 yards and six touchdowns.
Those are big shoes to fill.
However, the Saints return Boden Walker, who had 250 carries for 1,579 yards and 29 touchdowns, each stat is team-leading. Sophomore Kingsley Dudley rushed 41 times for 197 yards and a touchdown and could see improvement from his freshman numbers.
Andrew Leslie – now that Carter is at Douglas County – is the Saints’ leading receiver with 35 catches for 468 yards and six touchdowns last season. But freshman King Parrom passed 15 times for 24 yards last season and other than Colson, Carter was the only Cedar Grove player to throw a touchdown pass last season.
DOUGLASS ATL. ASTROS
HEAD COACH
STANLEY PRITCHETT JR.
LAGRANGE GRANGERS
HEAD COACH MATT NAPIER
NORTH ATLANTA WARRIORS
HEAD COACH JAMIE AULL
HEAD COACH BOBBY MAY KELL LONGHORNS
Pink DL/HB 12
X’avier Parks HB/LB 9
Quintin Anderson Jr. HB/LB 9
Antonio Colton Jr. TE/OLB 10
Jermaine Williams RB/DB 10
Riley Cockrell WR/DB 9
.............. Robert Pipoly Jr. ..................... DE/TE ................. 10
Kannon Karvelas OLB/WR 10
Ivan Gomez-Calvo OL 12
Frederick Vaughn Jr. OL/DL 11
Shawn Conley Jr. OL 10
Clanton Reisinger OL 12
Carson Shattuck OL/DL 11
Yazirick Dorsey OL/DL 11
Chase Blandingburg OL 11
Camden Beall OL/DL 10
Kyle (Parker) Poe OL 11
Noah Stargill OL 10
Jamir Butler OL 12
Anthony Fulghum OL 10
Jimmy Turner OL/DL 9
Princeton Kennedy OL/DL 9
Preston Brown DB 10
Benji Blackburn RB/LB 10
John Ramseur DB 12
Quinn Herring LB 10
Prince Williams LB/DL 12
............... Kirk Frost ................................. DB ......................... 11
EJ Dennis DB 10
Jahsir Samuel DB 10
Cash Coats LB/TE 11 30 Rigsby Gullett LB 12
Kingston Adams LB 10
Kenneth Rhone DB 9
Greg Connor RB 12
Dorian Gilliam RB 12
DeShawn Ngando LB 11 36 Michael Ngando WR 11 37 Malik McDowell DB 9 39 Gabriel Warrior DL 11 40 Shep Sloan TE 10 41 Jayden Alexander LB 12
42 Yves Louis DL 11
43 Chima Anyikire DL 11
44 Brody Holloran LB 12
45 Johnny Diedrich DE 11 50 Reis Holzworth OL 12 51 Easley Sloan LS 12 52 Alphonso Dreher OL/DL 11
53 Lucas England K 11
54 Antoine Worsham OL 11
55 Wyatt Welch OL/DL 12
56 ............... Jayleon Mitchell .................... OL ......................... 11 57 Javier Rivera OL/DL 9 61 Troy Cleveland OL 10
