henry/clayton football 2015

2015 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Clayton News • Wednesday, August 19, 2015 • Henry Herald

2 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015 • news-daily.com henryherald.com

Lovejoy relying on young talent to step up on offense

Key ReturnersATH Aaron Miller, ATH Malik

Route, ATH Marquese Taylor, DE/OLB Chris Henderson, DE Macai Bruce, LB Jonathan Thomas, LB Queryachi Taylor

Offense Lovejoy will return only one of-

fensive starter from a 2014 offense that scored more than 40 points five times.

Seniors Aaron Miller, Malik Route and Marquese Taylor will spend time in the backfield and at receiver for the Wildcats this season. Sophomore run-ning back Zion Custis also figures to be the next in a long line of Lovejoy standouts of the same name.

At quarterback, sophomore Haj-Malik Williams will be handed the keys to the offense. Williams had success at passing camps and 7-on-7’s this summer but must handle the spotlight of leading one of Clayton County’s premier program.

“I talk to him all the time about just being patient,” said senior leader Chris Henderson. “We’re playing AAAAAA football so you might see something, but you really don’t see it. So I’ve told him just to remain calm and stay humble be-cause he’s starting his sophomore year. He’s going to have lot of attention.”

Carson said that he’s not worried about his skill positions and that Love-joy’s success will depend on the play of a young offensive line.

“We have skill guys,” he said. “But we’re very young up front. If we can grow up in the first few games, it’ll determine our success as far as going to the playoffs.”

One notable change for Lovejoy will be at offensive coordinator, as Brandon Byron will join Carson’s staff.

DefenseHeadlined by Henderson, Lovejoy’s

front seven has the potential to be quite potent.

The Indiana commit recorded 67 tackles and seven sacks for the Wildcats last season. Fellow senior Macai Bruce joined Henderson to form a potent pass-rushing duo.

“Chris and Macai were the two guys anchoring our defensive line last sea-son,” he said. “So it’s nice to have those two coming back.”

Senior linebackers Jonathan Thomas and Queryachi Taylor received play-ing time last season and will be called upon to stop the run for the Wildcats this season.

Player to WatchWith so much turnover on offense,

Route, the unit’s lone returning starter, will need to take on the bulk of the work.

“He’s had varsity reps for two years now, so we’re looking for big things from him this year,” said Carson.

Route will wear various hats for the Wildcats this season. He’ll run between the tackles, catch the ball out of the backfield and be a weapon on special teams.

By Luke [email protected]

Above, Chris Henderson led Love-joy’s defense with seven sacks last season. At left, Malik Route is Lovejoy’s lone returning starter on of-fense. (Staff Photo: Luke Strickland)

LOVEJOYHead Coach: Edgar Carson2014 Record: 7-4 (4-1)Last Playoff Appearance: 2014Marquee Match-up: Oct. 30 at Tucker

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Drew TitansRegion 4-AAAAA,

Division A Aug. 28 at Fayette CountySept. 4 at LowndesSept. 11 at North Clayton (SC)Sept. 25 at Forest Park (SC)Oct. 2 Starr’s Mill (SC)Oct. 9 at Morrow (T)Oct. 16 Mundy’s Mill (SC)Oct. 22 Northgate (SC)Oct. 30 at McIntosh

Dutchtown BulldogsRegion 4-AAAAA,

Division B Aug. 21 at OsborneAug. 28 at Camden CountySept. 4 at Lovejoy (TO)Sept. 11 at Starr’s MillSept. 18 WoodlandOct. 2 at StockbridgeOct. 16 at LuellaOct. 23 Union GroveOct. 30 at Ola

Eagle’s Landing Golden Eagles

Region 4-AAAA, Division A

Aug. 28 Union GroveSept. 4 at SouthwestSept. 11 JonesboroSept. 18 at SpaldingSept. 26 at EastsideOct. 2 HamptonOct. 16 at Locust GroveOct. 23 Walnut GroveOct. 30 at Henry County

ELCA ChargersRegion 5-A

Aug. 21 North Florida ChristianAug. 28 at StockbridgeSept. 4 at Greater Atlanta ChristianSept. 11 Mount Pisgah Christian

Sept. 18 WhitewaterSept. 25 at Woodward AcademyOct. 9 at Strong Rock ChristianOct. 23 Landmark Chris-tianOct. 30 Our Lady of MercyNov. 7 at Mount Vernon

Forest Park PanthersRegion 4-AAAAA,

Division A Aug. 27 at SpaldingSept. 4 at WoodlandSept. 10 Luella (T)Sept. 19 at Starr’s MillSept. 25 Drew (SC)Oct. 9 at Mundy’s Mill (TO)Oct. 16 at NorthgateOct. 23 McIntosh (T)Oct. 30 Morrow (T)

Hampton HornetsRegion 4-AAAA,

Division A Aug. 28 at Ware CountySept. 4 at Sandy CreekSept. 11 RiverdaleSept. 17 at GriffinSept. 25 Henry CountyOct. 2 at Eagle’s LandingOct. 16 at Walnut GroveOct. 23 EastsideOct. 30 at Locust Grove

Henry County Warhawks

Region 4-AAAA, Division A

Aug. 21 at Tift CountyAug. 28 at GriffinSept. 11 Mount Zion, JonesboroSept. 18 at Pike CountySept. 25 at HamptonOct. 9 Walnut GroveOct. 16 at EastsideOct. 23 Locust GroveOct. 30 Eagle’s Landing

Jonesboro CardinalsRegion 4-AAAA,

Division B Aug. 21 at Mount Zion (T)Aug. 28 at Sandy CreekSept. 4 at WestoverSept. 11 at Eagle’s Land-ingSept. 17 Eastside (TO)Sept. 25 Griffin (T)Oct. 9 at SpaldingOct. 16 Riverdale (T)Oct. 30 at Pike County

Locust Grove WildcatsRegion 4-AAAA,

Division A Aug. 28 at OlaSept. 4 at Union GroveSept. 11 Pike CountySept. 18 at Mount Zion, Jonesboro (T)Sept. 25 at Walnut GroveOct. 9 EastsideOct. 16 Eagle’s LandingOct. 23 at Henry CountyOct. 30 Hampton

Lovejoy WildcatsRegion 2-AAAAAA

Aug. 28 Mundy’s Mill (TO)Sept. 3 Dutchtown (TO)Sept. 11 at HillgroveSept. 18 at McEachernSept. 25 Mays (TO)Oct. 2 Rockdale County (TO)Oct. 9 at Lakeside, DeKalbOct. 23 Newton (TO)Oct. 30 at TuckerNov. 6 Alcovy (TO)

Luella LionsRegion 4-AAAAA,

Division B

Aug. 21 at ShawAug. 28 McIntoshSept. 4 at Tift CountySept. 10 at Forest Park (T)Oct. 2 at Union GroveOct. 9 StockbridgeOct. 16 DutchtownOct. 23 at OlaOct. 30 Woodland

Morrow MustangsRegion 4-AAAAA,

Division A Aug. 28 Mount Zion (T)Sept. 4 Ola (T)Sept. 11 Stockbridge (T)Sept. 17 Northgate (T)Sept. 25 at McIntoshOct. 1 at Mundy’s Mill (TO)Oct. 9 Drew (TO)Oct. 16 Starr’s Mill (T)Oct. 30 at Forest Park (T)

Mount Zion BulldogsRegion 4-AAAA,

Division B Aug. 21 Jonesboro (T)Aug. 28 at Morrow (T)Sept. 11 at Henry CountySept. 18 Locust Grove (T)Sept. 24 Riverdale (T)Oct. 2 at WhitewaterOct. 8 at GriffinOct. 16 at Pike CountyOct. 30 at Spalding

Mundy’s Mill TigersRegion 4-AAAAA,

Division A Aug. 28 at Lovejoy (TO)Sept. 4 Central Gwinnett (TO)Sept. 11 Union Grove (TO)Sept. 18 McIntosh (TO)Sept. 25 at NorthgateOct. 1 Morrow (TO)Oct. 9 Forest Park (TO)Oct. 16 at Drew (SC)Oct. 23 at Starr’s Mill

North Clayton EaglesRegion 4-AAA,

Division A Aug. 28 at Riverdale (SC)Sept. 4 Mount Paran Chris-tian (SC)Sept. 11 Drew (SC)Sept. 18 at DecaturSept. 24 McNair (SC)Oct. 9 South Atlanta (SC)Oct. 16 at Jackson, AtlantaOct. 23 at Cedar GroveOct. 31 at Towers

Ola MustangsRegion 4-AAAAA,

Division B Aug. 28 Locust GroveSept. 4 at Morrow (T)Sept. 11 at McIntoshSept. 18 at Lamar CountyOct. 2 at WoodlandOct. 9 Union GroveOct. 16 at StockbridgeOct. 23 LuellaOct. 30 Dutchtown

Riverdale RaidersRegion 4-AAAA,

Division B Aug. 28 North Clayton (SC)Sept. 4 at Thomas Co. CentralSept. 11 at HamptonSept. 18 Walnut Grove (SC)Sept. 24 at Mount Zion (T)Oct. 1 Pike County (SC)Oct. 16 at Jonesboro (T)Oct. 23 Spalding (SC)Oct. 30 Griffin (SC)

Stockbridge TigersRegion 4-AAAAA,

Division B Aug. 21 Central, Phenix City (Ala.)Aug. 28 Eagle’s Landing ChristianSept. 11 at Morrow (T)Sept. 18 at Rockdale

CountyOct. 2 DutchtownOct. 9 at LuellaOct. 16 OlaOct. 23 at WoodlandOct. 30 at Union Grove

Strong Rock PatriotsRegion 5-A

Aug. 21 Athens ChristianAug. 28 at Social CircleSept. 11 Tattnall Square AcademySept. 18 Mount de Sales AcademyOct. 2 at Riverside MilitaryOct. 9 Eagle’s Landing ChristianOct. 16 at Our Lady of MercyOct. 23 Mount VernonOct. 30 at Landmark Christian

Union Grove WolverinesRegion 4-AAAAA,

Division B Aug. 28 at Eagle’s LandingSept. 4 Locust GroveSept. 11 at Mundy’s Mill (TO)Sept. 18 at Tri-CitiesOct. 2 LuellaOct. 9 at OlaOct. 16 WoodlandOct. 23 at DutchtownOct. 30 Stockbridge

Woodland WolfpackRegion 4-AAAAA,

Division B Aug. 21 North SpringsAug. 28 at ApalacheeSept. 4 Forest ParkSept. 11 at NorthgateSept. 18 at DutchtownOct. 2 OlaOct. 16 at Union GroveOct. 23 StockbridgeOct. 30 at Luella

*Region play-ins Nov. 6

STADIUM KEYSC: Southern CrescentT: Tara StadiumTO: Twelve Oaks

2015 football schedule

Follow us on TwitterClayton Sports: @CNDSportsDesk Henry Sports: @HDHSports


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Tigers striving for title with returning and rising talent

Key ReturnersDE Charles Wiley, QB

Malachi Brown, RB/CB Jamari Clark, WR Mar-quez Ezzard, OLB Jajuan Jackson

OffenseMalachi Brown may not

have an imposing enough stature to be a college quarterback, but he’s been electric on the high school scene. He’s an effective passer (100-for-178, 1,406 yards) and an incredible rusher (139 carries, 944 yards). He’s been the driv-ing force for Stockbridge over the last few years. If he can keep up that level of productivity, maybe a semifinal won’t be the final game the Tigers play in 2015.

As if that’s not threat-ening enough, the Tigers have sophomore wide receiver Marquez Ez-zard, who as a freshman made 43 receptions 518 yards. Against Houston County in the third round, Ezzard logged 96 yards in five catches. Brown trusted him a lot more than seniors Jacob Pinch and Damar Chanis, who combined for 31 catches and 564 yards, and will continue to do so.

Jamari Clark will fac-tor into the conversation as well. With his path cleared, the running back will get more playing time and more chances to im-prove on his 154 rushing yard, 36-point season.

DefenseThere’s probably no

one in Henry County that opponents are more afraid of than Ole Miss

commit Charles Wiley. Wiley led the Tigers to the 2014 semifinals with a mind-blowing 57-tackle, 18-sack season. It doesn’t look like he’s slowing down any time soon.

Damian Bounds Jr. should continue to im-press too. The 6-foot-2, 250-pound tackle commit-ted to Liberty University in July.

Jajuan Jackson was pivotal as an outside line-backer during his junior season, recording 35 solo tackles and assisting on 18. The best part about that level of production? It was his first year on de-fense. This year, he’s hop-ing to be part of at least 75

stops to stay on par with Wiley. The 75-tackle goal might seem lofty when considering he’ll have to share with Wiley and fel-low senior David Brown, but Jackson’s football smarts could help push Stockbridge over that final ledge.

Player to WatchIf his Twitter activity is

anything to go by, running back Jalen Holston had a busy summer visiting an impressive number of Division I camps. The junior’s recruiting page on 247 Sports shows that UNC-Charlotte and the University of Florida have offered him. He’s ranked among the best running back recruits in the state.

Look for Brown to use Holston a lot. Holston recorded 323 yards on 52 carries as a sophomore. Like so many of his team-mates, the departure of the Class of 2015 should help his stock soar.

By Maria Torres

[email protected]

STOCKBRIDGEHead Coach: Kevin Whitley2014 Record: 11-3 (4-1)Last Playoff Appear-ance: 2014, Final FourMarquee Match-up: Oct. 2 vs. Dutchtown

Stockbridge’s Malachi Brown could have an even more explosive 2015. (File Photo)

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Wolfpack has intimidating talent in the backfield

Key ReturnersILB Tre Allen, DB

Isaiah Isaac, MLB Shelby Poss, RB Deangelo Albert, DE Chris Anderson, CB/FS Yusuf Corker, DB Wal-ter Sanders

OffenseWoodland is plagued

by a number of offensive question marks now that leading pass-catchers Justin Strozier and Connor Hedgecoth have moved on to Division-I fields. Thankfully, the Wolfpack have some rising talent in seniors Josh Wade and Walter Sanders.

They’ll also have All-Region running back Deangelo Albert back in action. The 6-foot-1 inch, 198-pound senior rushed for 247 yards on 54 carries last season. Junior Chris-topher Charles (68 carries,

266 yards) could be a big factor too.

Junior Reid Larson is looking to inherit the quar-terback position but he’ll only be calling signals for Woodland if he outshines transfer Shakur Brown. Davenport said Larson will more than likely be starting on Aug. 21 against North Springs.

Whatever comes of the battle, second-year head coach Steven Davenport is secure in the knowledge that his team, which is a lot deeper with 80 players on the roster this go-round, has all the pieces it needs to run with the best teams

in Region 4-AAAAA.

DefenseWoodland is as strong

as, or maybe even more so, than any of its subregion opponents this season. There’s a lot of returning talent.

Shelby Poss is one of three linebackers who Davenport believes will be

a difference-maker again as the Wolfpack tries to chase down an elusive playoff spot. The senior was the team MVP in 2014 after recording 74 tackles (44 solo). The number would have been larger if he hadn’t missed the play-in game against Mundy’s Mill due to an injury.

But if he’s absent at any

point this year, the Wolf-pack will still be in good hands. Fellow senior Isaiah Isaac backed up Poss’ effort with 66 stops — 41 of them on his own — last year. He also led the team with eight interceptions, becoming a force to be reckoned with. The two upperclassmen also had the help of then-sopho-

more Tre Allen, an inside linebacker who made 98 tackles (59 solo) and two sacks.

Junior Yusuf Corker will be relied on to lock down the best of Woodland’s foes. Last year, he led the team in interceptions with five while also tackling 39 opponents by himself. Corker and Poss both were first-team selections on the All-Region team.

Player to WatchDavenport expects

senior Jacob Honea to step up in the absence of Strozier and Hedgecoth too. Strozier accounted for more than 50 percent of Woodland’s receiving yards last year, so the 6-foot-4 inch, 180-pound Honea has a lot of ground to cover. He only caught four passes last season but impressed Davenport throughout the offseason.

By Maria [email protected] WOODLAND

Head Coach: Steven Davenport2014 Record: 7-3Last Playoff Appear-ance: 2009Marquee Match-up: Sept. 11 at Northgate

From left, seniors Isaiah Isaac and Shelby Poss and junior Tre Allen are the core of Woodland’s defense. (Staff Photo: Maria Torres)

Warhawks hope to get opponents in double trouble

Key ReturnersC/DT Jeremy Howard,

WR/CB Tyris Gresham, QB/CB Dominique Joseph, RB/LB Justin Howard, DE/G Jamaal Edge, WR/SS Dan Joseph

OffenseQuarterback Marquez

Souder may not be around anymore, but the Warhawks have a player who’s been waiting in the wings. Domi-nique Joseph, who transferred to Henry County from New Jersey as a junior last year, will be calling signals for his senior-heavy team this season. He played plenty of snaps in 2014, so he brings experience to a team that, despite being older, hasn’t had a lot of play-

ing time.Don’t be surprised if

Joseph’s last name is on the scoreboard twice. He has a twin brother, Dan, who is a wideout for the Warhawks.

“They’re vocal guys, always high-spirited,” head coach Morris Starr said. “Whether I want them to or not, they’re always talking. They’re excitable kids, always competing with each other. They bring a lot of experi-ence, leadership and excite-ment to our program.”

Dan Joseph’s efforts will be complemented by Tyris Gresham’s. He’s a third-year starter who is more famil-iar with the Henry County

system than Joseph. Starr said Gresham put up good numbers last year that were just shy of being All-Region worthy.

DefenseThere are twins across

the Henry County grid-iron, including the Howard brothers. Jeremy Howard, a 260-pound defensive tackle, is one of the few seniors who played everyday last year and knows what Starr and his coaching staff expect from their team. He will feature more prominently on the defensive line this year.

“He’s a lineman who’s like a quarterback up front,” Starr said. “He knows the schemes and he’s very verbal.”

But where the tackle is strong and has “good punch,” his brother Justin is the

opposite. Justin Howard is a recently-minted linebacker for the Warhawks who is 5-foot-9 inch and approximately 170 pounds. He was a running back last season and was moved to safety for this year, but Starr is expecting a lot from him.

He’s also banking on the return of senior Jamaal Edge, who dislocated his kneecap in the Warhawks’ game nine loss to Eagle’s Landing. He plays a little bit of every position on the offensive and defensive lines, so his knowledge is pivotal to Henry County’s success this year.

“He’s another quar-terback-type kid on the line,” Starr said. “He knows what everybody should be doing.”

Player to WatchStarr is hoping the entire

team will be one to watch in 2015, especially now that the players have tasted what it’s like to be competitive in Region 4-AAAA.

“I think last year we had the potential to be pretty good,” Starr said. “We lost three games we had a chance to win. They realized how close they were last year to mak-ing it to the playoffs and they used that to fuel their summer workouts.”

However, running back Aaron Bryant is one senior to keep an eye on. At 6-foot-2 inches, 210 pounds, Starr said he’s the perfect size for college recruiters. So the Warhawks expect a break-out season from him.

By Maria [email protected]

HENRY COUNTYHead Coach: Morris Starr2014 Record: 4-6 (2-3)Last Playoff Appear-ance: 2013Marquee Match-up: Oct. 9 vs. Walnut Grove

Morris Starr’s Warhawks feature two pairs of en-ergetic twins in 2015. (File Photo)


Talented youth will be on display for MorrowKey Returners

WR George Carter, WR/RB Josh Lowery, QB Montravious Nunnely, QB Josiah Dixon, OL Brandon Mackey, OLB Preston Al-len, LB Fred Wright

OffenseLast season, Morrow’s

attack ran through the arms and legs of Larry Hodnett.

“Replacing Larry is going to be pretty tough,” said head coach Leroy Foster. “He was an integral part of our offense last year. But we have some guys that are definitely capable. We just need to get that cohesiveness back.”

Solidifying the offense starts at quarterback, where

the Mustangs have an open competition between senior Montravious Nunnely and junior Josiah Dixon.

Whoever lines up behind center for the Mustangs this season will have two de-pendable targets to throw to in senior George Carter (500 yards, four touchdowns) and junior Josh Lowery (over 1,000 all-purpose yards). Foster said he also expects freshmen Robert Jones III and James Jones to play big

roles offensively.Senior Brandon Mackey

will be called upon to lead a young offensive line unit up front.

DefenseMorrow’s defense took

its lumps in 2014, but Foster said the experience his play-ers gained last season will pay dividends this year.

“We’re young on defense because we had to throw them to the lions last year,” he said. “But that’s good

and bad because we have some really good guys returning.”

Linebackers Preston Allen, Fred Wright and William Covington head-line a talented linebacker unit, while defensive end

Andrew O’Connor is look-ing to build off a solid 2014 season.

“We have pressure guys now that we hope are going to pressure the ball and force teams into mistakes and get us the ball back so we can do our thing,” said Foster.

Player to WatchMorrow’s talented youth

will be front and center opening night as Robert Jones III and James Jones will be asked to play big roles despite no high school experience.

Robert Jones is a steady receiver who Foster said has “phenomenal hands for a ninth-grader.” James Jones will be used as Mor-row’s primary running back between the tackles this season.


Dual-threat players key for Eagle’s Landing to make playoffs

Key ReturnersWR/SS Antonio Gibson,

LB/FB Lunderek Craig, DE/TE Emmett Sherrod

OffenseIt’s hard to pigeonhole

any of Eagle’s Landing key returners. They’re threats on both sides of the ball, and the Golden Eagles should con-tinue to be stronger for it.

Antonio Gibson represents a goldmine on the pass-catching front. If quarterback Van Heflin Jr., who’s finally getting an opportunity to start, can find him as ef-fectively as his predecessor, there’s no reason why the speedy Gibson wouldn’t again average 83 yards per game or better. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound senior caught 53 passes for 912 yards last year.

Gibson also led the team in scoring with 86 points —

84 of them on touchdowns — and was the team leader in all-purpose yards by more than 400.

Without Aaron Dore and Andy Constant, Gibson will need someone else to help him shoulder the weight of the offense. Interim head coach Shawn Jones expects fellow senior Emmett Sher-rod to be that person.

“He’ll play with his hand in the dirt and also stand up and get into his routes,” Jones said. “We’re expecting a lot from him.”

Last year, Sherrod logged 14.9 yards per catch and grabbed two of the 19 passes

thrown his way in the end-zone.

The majority of the rush-ing threat will continue to come from fullback Lun-derek Craig, who last year ran the ball for 364 yards on 98 carries. Junior running back Star Rawls totaled 156 rushing yards on 46 tries and should complement

Craig’s effort.

Defense Considering he was the

defensive coordinator last year, Jones has a better pulse than most on his team’s defensive abilities. He’s counting on his defense to be more aggressive this year and improve on its 317 tackles.

“We should be playing fast on both sides of the ball,” Jones said. “There should be an intensity, a sense of urgency.”

He hopes to see even better plays from Gibson and Sherrod. The former had a two-interception night against Henry County last year and the latter combined

with Craig on some key sacks.

Player to WatchHeflin will finally get his

chance in the spotlight this season. His coaches trust him to lead the charge down the field without many complica-tions. Heflin is, after all, the son of Vanderbilt’s first-ever starting African-American quarterback Van Heflin, so the senior has a lifelong bank of knowledge to tap into.

He’s already earned the trust of his offense with his leadership skills and deci-sion-making.

“That’s always a plus to have your offensive line believe in you,” Jones said. “They want to protect you, they want to take care of you. Your receivers trust you’ll be able to get the ball to them.”

The only thing the young-er Heflin will need to watch out for is the defense — but that’s just something that will come with experience.


Coach Leroy Foster is hoping to continue the momentum he’s generated since arriving at Mor-row in 2012. (File Photo)

Former defensive coordinator Shawn Jones steps in as interim head coach for Eagle’s Landing this season. At right, Coach Shawn Jones expects two-way player Em-mett Sherrod to have a breakout senior season at Eagle’s Landing. (Staff Photo: Maria Torres)

MORROWHead Coach: Leroy Foster2014 Record: 3-7 (1-5)Last Playoff Appear-ance: 1998Marquee Match-up: Sept. 17 against North-gate

EAGLE’S LANDINGHead Coach: Shawn Jones2014 Record: 8-3 (6-2)Last Playoff Appear-ance: 2014Marquee Match-up: Oct. 16 at Locust Grove


Experienced Chargers might be ones to beat in Class A-Private

Key ReturnersMLB Chase Burdette, QB

Donald Hammond III, RB Trevor Gear, RB Josh Mays, OT Chandler Reeves

OffenseThis would be a bad year

for the Chargers to miss on the playoffs for the first time in their GHSA his-tory. They’re stacked with talent across the board. And you know that after a gut-wrenching 49-7 loss to Mount Paran in the state championships last year, there’s no way the Chargers will be happy to let that kind of disaster happen.

The players know what it takes to turn a 0-6 skid into a championship game appear-ance, so there aren’t many excuses they can make. If the season follows the plan, there will be no mourning period at ELCA this year.

Part of that will be owed to Donald Ham-mond III’s second season at quarterback. He made a huge dent in the Chargers’ passing game. Prior to the

final game, he had passed for 1,154 yards with nine touchdowns and rushed for 431 yards and nine more touchdowns.

The country is now watching Trevor Gear. He’s a junior, so this is his season to shine. Do a quick search of his name online and you will find a scout recruiting page that ranks him third in the state among Class of 2017 running backs. At 6 feet, 198 pounds, he cuts an imposing figure. On his 99 carries last season, he rushed 706 yards through the Chargers’ first 13 games.

Linemen will be a strength for coach Jonathan Gess’ squad too. It has to be when tackle Chandler Reeves, a Clemson commit, is leading the charge.

DefenseOn the opposite side

of the ball, there is just as much to be excited about. Linebackers Griffin Alex-ander and Chase Burdette, both of whom stand at 6 feet, are itching for another ring and they’re going to match their desire to their efforts on the field.

Burdette is arguably the most productive player on the team. Gess sings his praises more often than not, especially for the way he leads practice. He’s a player by example who has seem-ingly infected his teammates with his will to work. That translated onto the field last season, when he was named the Region 5-A Defensive Player of the Year after amassing over 120 tackles. That’s hard to beat.

Player to WatchIf you think Gear had a

prolific season, look at these numbers for sophomore running back Josh Mays — through 13 games in his first year of high school ball, the 5-foot-8, 180-pounder rushed 123 carries for 782 yards. He had a few 100-

plus yard games, too.With all these pieces,

there’s no reason why ELCA shouldn’t be a top

contender for another state title.


ELCAHead Coach: Jonathan Gess2014 Record: 7-7 (3-3)Last Playoff Appear-ance: 2014, State Runner-UpMarquee Match-up: Sept. 11 vs. Mount Pisgah

There probably aren’t many ways quarterback Donald Hammond can do better than the approximately 1,500 yards he accumulated in 2014 for ELCA. (Staff Photos: Maria Torres)

Junior running back Trevor Gear rushed for 706 yards on 99 carries through ELCA’s first 13 games last year. 270081-1

Resume: Hammond

played some big snaps his

junior year at ELCA. He made a huge

dent in the Chargers’

passing game. Prior to the final game,

he passed for 1,154 yards

with nine touchdowns and rushed

for 431 yards and nine more touchdowns. Rivals ranked him the No.

206 recruit in the state.

Resume: Henderson is

one of the most disruptive

forces in the area. As a junior last season, the

230-pound defender

recorded 67 tackles and

seven sacks. The Indiana commit moves well for a bigger player

which allows him to explode off the

line of scrimmage.

Resume: Huntley is

currently the only Henry County rep-resentative tabbed for the Elite Junior

Classic held in December, and it’s for good reason. He’s possibly one of the best Class of 2017 recruits in the state. Last season, he ac-counted for 650 of the team total 2,303 rushing

yards as a running back and helped the defense with a second-best 55 tackles (40 solo).

Resume: It’s rare for a

player in today’s game to make an impact both offensively and defensively, but Hylton does just that. As a junior, he accumulated

nearly 1,400 yards of total

offense and 10 touchdowns.

Hylton also led Mundy’s Mill with 81 total tackles.

Resume: Newman burst

onto the scene in 2014 with a

breakout junior season. He ac-counted for over 3,500 yards and 35 touchdowns last year. Aside from Newman’s ability to run and

throw, he’s a sound decision-maker — he only

threw four interceptions in

2014.

Resume: There may not be a more dominat-ing presence in Clayton County than Okonya.

That’s why SEC powerhouse

Tennessee made a goal to earn

Okonya’s commit-ment earlier this year. His explo-siveness and energy makes

him tough against both the run and

the pass.

Resume: With increased playing time as a junior, Payne demon-strated he was capable of af-

fecting games on both sides of the ball. He caught 15 passes at an average of 13.9 yards per catch for five touch-

downs. He also recorded 21 tack-les and one sack while doubling as a defensive end.

Resume: This 6-foot-6, 250-pound

Clemson commit can only continue to get better, and he’s already pretty good. Reeves is ranked the 62nd-best offensive tackle in the country and the fifth-best in

the state. For a bulky guy, Reeves is fast.

He put himself on the map last year after

adding some weight and improving his

footwork.

Resume: The versatile Stubbs had to wait until his junior year for his chance to start and immediately

made waves. He’s a rare utility player, one who can just as easily rush for 681

yards as he can tackle 26 players. Syracuse

University was quick to snatch him up as the first H-back in their recruiting class of

2016.

Resume: Wiley led the Tigers to

the 2014 semifinals with a mind-blowing 57-tackle, 18-sack season. He is com-mitted to Ole Miss. This four-star ath-

lete is the 21st-best recruit in the state,

the 223rd-best recruit in the nation and the 11th-best recruit at his posi-tion countrywide.

Resume: No local player’s stock has risen as much as

Vildor’s over the last year, culminating in a recent commitment

to Georgia Southern. He intercepted three

passes and recovered two fumbles last season while

amassing nearly 500 yards in the return

game.

Resume: Weems led the Bulldogs in tackles last year with 85 and in sacks

with five. He averaged 34.3 yards per kickoff returns and scored four touch-

downs. His versatility also allowed him to rush for 182 yards and catch a pair of passes for 26 yards. The

combined yardage was the fourth-best on the team, but with the departure of Malik

Barkley, Weems should shoot up the charts.

Resume: Despite

missing his junior

season with an ACL

injury, the Clemson commit is one of the top dual-

threat quarterback prospects in the country.

As a sophomore

in 2013, Cooper

threw for 1,200 yards

and six touchdowns. Cooper can make all the throws and has been

running the Jonesboro offense for the better

part of three seasons.

Resume: Griffin’s

play-making ability on

both sides of the ball is a huge asset for Jones-

boro. The Kentucky

commit ac-counted for 412 receiv-ing yards and three

touchdowns last season.

He also intercepted a pass at

corner back

FANTASTIC FOURTEENSOUTHERN CRESCENT

Donald Hammond III, Quarterback,

ELCA, Sr. Chris Henderson, Defensive

End/Outside Linebacker, Lovejoy, Sr.

Caleb Huntley, Running Back/Defensive End,

Locust Grove, Jr.Khalid Hylton,

Running Back/Strong Safety,

Mundy’s Mill, Sr. Joseph Newman,

Quarterback, Drew, Sr. Chidi Okonya,

Defensive End, Riverdale, Sr.

Aubry Payne, Tight End, Locust

Grove, Sr. Chandler Reeves, Offensive Tackle,

ELCA, Sr.Darius Stubbs, Running Back,

Luella, Sr.Charles Wiley, Defensive End,

Stockbridge, Sr.

Kindle Vildor, Defensive Back,

North Clayton, Sr.

Ja’Tavien Weems, Nose Guard/Running Back, Dutchtown, Sr.

Jordan Griffin,

Defensive Back/Wide

Receiver, Jonesboro,

Sr.

Zerrick Cooper,

Quarterback, Jonesboro, Sr.

By Luke StrickLand and Maria torreS

[email protected]@henryherald.com

The Southern Crescent is home to some of the top football talent in the state. The following 14 players are among the best of that group.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015 11 •10 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2015 • henryherald.com • news-daily.com


Mix of youth, experience highlights Mustangs’ drive

Key ReturnersWR Jake Hayes, ILB

Marlon Gollat, K Cameron Corley, DE Jason Lord, RB/OLB Shane Shirley, CB Darius Osbie

OffenseThe biggest adjustment

for the Mustangs will be replacing quarterback Joe Rushin, who last year scampered into the end zone with 12 rushing touchdowns and connected with receiv-ers nearly 50 percent of the time. But second-year head coach Jared Zito is pretty confident his team can get past Rushin’s departure with ease.

The preseason featured a three-way battle for the start-ing quarterback position.

Sophomores Bryce Law-rence and Matthew Mama-tas — who was at running back and outside linebacker last year — duked it out with junior Tyler Jedding all summer long. They all displayed varying levels of compatibility with the Ola offense, but the one thing they all had in common was a lack of experience.

“Doesn’t matter who it is, one of those three will have to adjust to the Friday night lights,” Zito said.

The good thing is at least two of them are familiar

with winning big games. Lawrence and Mamatas were both on the Ola Middle School eighth-grade team

that in 2013 went a perfect 9-0 to clinch the county championship.

Lawrence left the Ola district for ELCA as a freshman but moved back to Ola this summer. His return threw a wrench in Ola’s original game plan, which featured Jedding as the clear front-runner at quarterback after spring practice. Law-rence was in the lead for the starting role before the Mus-tangs’ scrimmage against Hampton on Aug. 14.

Regardless of who wins the battle, Ola will be better off for it on its depth chart as the team seeks the first win-ning season in the school’s 10th year of existence.

DefenseAfter evaluating the

way his team performed in a combination 4-4, 4-3 defense, Zito decided it was time for the Mustangs to adopt a new defensive identity that would fit their undersized stature. He brought in a new defensive coordinator to make those changes. He couldn’t be happier with the way Chris Curtiss has done the job of transforming his side of the

ball into a snappily moving defense.

“He’s like another head coach on the staff,” Zito said. “(The system) doesn’t seem to be as new as it should be because it fits us. He does a good job of implementing it.”

One of the players who Zito thinks has benefited most from the new system is senior defensive end Jason Lord.

“He’s turned the corner,” said Zito of Lord, who last year was in the coach’s dog house for a general lack of hustle. “He’s doing every-thing right. He’s a lot stron-ger than he looks. He’s a re-ally skinny, lean kid. If you

saw him you wouldn’t think he was a defensive lineman. He’s a technician and he plays with a high motor. He doesn’t stay blocked, just stays on his feet and plays relentlessly.”

Player to WatchSophomore running back

Justin Lamar didn’t have the opportunity to make an im-pact last season with prolific players like Tyler Pippens (rushed for 1,127 yards) and A.J. Stodghill in front of him. This year, however, expect to see his name in the box score with a lot more frequency. Lamar was also on that 2013 championship team.


OLAHead Coach: Jared Zito2014 Record: 4-6 (1-4)Marquee Match-up: Oct. 9 vs. Union Grove

The Mustangs installed a new, quicker defensive scheme this summer. (Staff Photos: Maria Torres)

Sophomore running back Justin Lamar will be a threat for Ola this season.

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Mount Zion defense led by elite players in secondary

Key ReturnersWR/SS Lenox Copeland,

WR/DB Timotheus Slade, LB Tyree Leonard, DB Demaje Carter, DB Jeremy Judge

Offense Mount Zion’s offense

will take a huge hit with the loss of quarterback Kirklin Varnado. Varnado accounted for over 1,400 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

Head coach Kevin “Bull” Jones hasn’t decided on a starting quarterback for 2015 but said he’s been pleased with what he’s seen from juniors Corey Turner and Brandon Dickerson this summer.

The Bulldogs have plenty of weaponry on the outside in Lenox Copeland and Timotheus Slade.

DefenseWhile Mount Zion will

miss Varnado on offense, the defense will be the team’s strength.

Copeland and Slade will combine to form one of the top safety combinations in the county. A second year in Jones’ defense has given both Copeland and Slade the confidence to make pre-snap checks at the line of scrimmage.

“Both of those guys are very cerebral,” Jones said. “They are able to make checks in our coverages that most kids don’t see. It’s like having two coaches on the field.”

Sophomore Demaje Carter and incoming senior Jeremy Judge give the

Bulldogs two lockdown cor-ners. Judge was an all-state player in Mississippi and has already made a notice-able impact on the Mount Zion defense.

“During the spring and summer, we’ve done very well,” Slade said. “The new player that came from Mis-sissippi, (Jeremy) Judge, is a valuable asset to the team. He has great covering skills and we can leave him on his own island.”

Up front, Tyree Leonard will cause problems for op-posing offensive lineman.

Player to WatchMount Zion figured to

have a formidable second-ary before Judge joined the team this summer.

But Judge’s cover skills will provide the Bulldogs with another elite secondary piece to slow down oppos-ing passing attacks. Judge’s cover skills will allow Copeland and Slade to play more aggressively and focus on creating turnovers.

By Luke StrickLand

[email protected]

Mount Zion Coach Kevin Jones is looking for improvement in his second year. (Staff Photo: Luke Strickland)

Locust Grove line is key for offense to be effective

Key ReturnersTE/DE Aubry Payne, QB

Cameron Maddox, RB/OLB Caleb Huntley, ATH Champ Leddon, DT/DE Dorrius Rodgers

OffenseOffensive linemen are at

a premium for head coach Clint Satterfield’s squad, so Locust Grove’s skill players need to make the most of their opportunities. Good news is there’s a lot of returning talent in guys like Aubry Payne, Caleb Hunt-ley and Champ Leddon. That trio single-handedly scored nearly 50 percent of the Wildcats’ 342 points in 2014.

Huntley especially pushed teams to their limits with his 650 rushing yards 141 carries. On two occasions, he rushed for more than 130 yards. In the region play-in against Jonesboro, he car-ried the ball 15 times for 92 yards.

His aggressiveness matches well with dual-threat quarterback Cameron Maddox. The senior aver-aged 140.8 passing yards and 61.2 rushing yards per game last year. He totaled 612 of the latter, making him the second-most prolific ball carrier on the team.

DefenseIt goes without saying

that scoring won’t be a prob-lem for Locust Grove. What could be a problem instead are the holes on the line and in the secondary. The Wild-cats have a lot to make up for defensively, what with the departure of five seniors who between them recorded 116 tackles in an 11-game span.

But the change in person-nel might just push last year’s leading tackler Calvin Durham, now a junior, to go beyond his 80-stop cam-paign.

Realistically, the shuf-fling would give way to a breakout senior season from Dorrius Rodgers, who last year made 33 solo stops and assisted on 13 tackles.

“I think right now looking at it, our strength would

probably be looking at our linebackers,” Satterfield said.

Player to WatchThere’s no one Locust

Grove leaned on more than Champ Leddon. He was an All-Region athlete last year for good reason. You couldn’t ignore his 112 rush-ing yards or his 565 yards on kickoff returns — not when he was only a sophomore.

Junior year could be tre-mendous for the 5-foot-11, 170-pound Leddon. After a 700-plus receiving yard season, don’t be surprised if Leddon gets more time as a wideout and racks up 1,000 or more yards on catches. He has the ability to be that man for Locust Grove.

By Maria torreS

[email protected]

Senior quarterback Cameron Maddox recorded 2,020 total yards last season for Locust Grove. (Staff Photo: Maria Torres)

MOUNT ZIONHead Coach: Kevin Jones2014 Record: 2-8 (2-6)Last Playoff Appear-ance: 2009Marquee Match-up: Aug. 21 against Jones-boro

LOCUST GROVEHead Coach: Clint Sat-terfield2014 Record: 8-3Last Playoff Appear-ance: 2014Marquee Match-up: Oct. 9 vs. Eastside


Hylton’s two-way prowess leads a talented Mundy’s Mill squad

Key ReturnersRB/DB Khalid Hylton, RB

Marqarious Crutchfield, WR/DB Javon McCrary, WR/DB Armani Donaldson, OL Ashton Darnell, LB Kolby Williams, DB Kimani Donaldson

Offense Mundy’s Mill averaged over

300 rushing yards a game last season behind a stellar season from Khalid Hylton. The senior will be looking to build off an 1,100-yard, 10-touchdown cam-paign in 2015.

Junior Kaziah Hall will be tasked with replacing Rodricous Gates’ 23 touchdowns from last season, but head coach Greg Manior believes Hall is ready for the challenge.

“Kaziah is a really smart kid,” said Manior. “He knows how to handle the pressure of being a leader. With him calling the shots at quarterback, he’s going

to see this as his opportunity to show the world what he can do. We expect big things out of him and the team is very comfortable with him calling the shots.”

Hall’s primary target will be fellow junior Armani Donaldson, who caught eight touchdowns as a sophomore last season. Senior Ashton Darnell will be the Ti-gers’ leader on the offensive line.

DefenseHylton wasn’t only Mundy’s

Mill’s top offensive player, as he led the team with 81 tackles from his strong safety position. His impact on both sides of the ball makes him an obvious leader for the Tigers.

“Khalid is a never-say-die guy,” said Manior. “He gives everything he’s got on both sides of the ball. He’s our leader — all the kids look up to him. He’s always a positive role model for our guys. If there’s something I need to know, I usually go to him. He keeps his finger on the pulse of the team.”

Senior defensive back Javon McCrary (33 tackles, two interceptions), junior linebacker Kolby Williams (75 tackles) and junior defensive back Kimani Donaldson (three interceptions, five pass break-ups) will also give Manior solid defensive play.

Player to WatchWhen opposing defenses un-

derstandably key on Hylton this season, Armani Donaldson could be the biggest beneficiary.

At 5-foot-9, 150 pounds, the junior isn’t physically imposing. But his speed and ability to make defenders miss after the catch makes him dangerous in the open field.


Heart of the Lions is in their standout rushing gameKey Returners

RB/CB Darius Stubbs, TE/DE Terry Thomas, RB/ILB Josh White, TE/DE Kindell Bell

OffenseLost in the hullabaloo

surrounding Syracuse com-mit Darius Stubbs is fellow senior running back Josh White. Like Stubbs, he’s on the smaller side. White is only 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs in at 190 pounds.

But head coach Nic Vasilcheck was so im-pressed by White’s pure talent in cutting and power running that he and his staff decided to switch

things up in the Lions’ offensive scheme. Vasil-check was probably tipped off toward the end of the season when White rushed a ball 70 yards for a touch-down against Woodland. If

installed correctly, White will get more than the 74 carries he recorded last year, when he rushed for 490 yards.

But, of course, Luella would be remiss to ignore

Stubbs in their new scheme. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound running back averaged 68.1 rushing yards per game last year in his first full year starting for the Lions. With an entire season under his

belt, there’s no telling where Stubbs’ quick feet and versatility will take him in 2015.

DefenseDefensive end Terry

Thomas stopped opponents left and right in 2014. He logged 45 solo tackles and assisted on 68 others for a whopping grand total of 113 tackles. He also record 6.5 sacks and a career high 20-tackle night against

reeling Union Grove. Thomas’ defensive produc-tion was so stellar last season that he’s 11 tackles shy of the school record. Thomas has impressed plenty of Division I coaches with his quick feet and 6-foot-2, 245-pound frame.

“He got strong scar-ily fast,” Vasilcheck said. “He’s really going to have a big season.”

Player to WatchVasilcheck expects a lot

from 6-foot-1, 209-pound defensive end Kindell Bell. Bell made 81 stops in 2014, a mark that was fifth-best on the team. But even more inspiring to Vasilcheck were his 8.5 sacks.


Defensive end Terry Thomas is 11 tack-les away from a new Luella record. (Staff Photo: Maria Torres)

MUNDY’S MILLHead Coach: Greg Manior2014 Record: 7-4 (6-1)Last Playoff Appearance: 2014Marquee Match-up: Oct. 16 at Drew

LUELLAHead Coach: Nic Vasil-check2014 Record: 5-5 (2-3)Last Playoff Appear-ance: 2013Marquee Match-up: Oct. 9 vs. Stockbridge

Khalid Hylton led the Tigers in rushing yards and tack-les last season. (Staff Photo: Heather Middle-ton)

FOR A PREVIEW OF STRONG ROCK FOOTBALL, SEE SPORTS IN THE HENRY HERALD.


Newman leads Drew offense into Lyles’ second year

Key ReturnersQB Joseph Newman,

RB Quarderman Sloan, WR Bryson Duckworth, WR Kahari Richards, OL Shamarious Gilmore, LB Jallah Neal

OffenseAfter averaging 400

yards of offense per game last season, it’s scary to think the Titans could be even more explosive this season.

But with Newman returning for his senior year, Drew should tout one of the best offensive units in the region. He accounted for over 2,500 yards and 35 touchdowns last season.

Newman will have

plenty of weapons at his disposal with a plethora of talented players across the skill positions.

Wide receivers Bryson Duckworth (16 catches, 356 yards, 8 TD) and Kahari Richards (11 catches, 108 yards) will be pivotal in the passing game, while running back Quarderman Sloan (696 all-purpose yards) should be more than capable of replacing the production of the departed Marquis Terry.

Up front, Shamarious Gilmore will lead the way for the Titans.

DefenseOn the flip side,

Drew figures to endure through some growing pains while breaking in multiple new starters on defense.

“Defensively, we’ll be pretty new and inexperi-enced there,” said head coach Dorwyn Lyles. “So hopefully, some of the new guys that we have can come fill some holes for us.”

Despite the turnover, Lyles will be thrilled to have three-year starting linebacker Jallah Neal re-turning for his final year.

“Jallah has been start-ing for us since he was a freshman,” Lyles said. “He’s a very good foot-

ball player and gets to the ball well. He makes all of our defensive calls.”

Outside of Neal, defen-sive backs Richards and Shemar Vance, linemen Nelson Armour, Javonte McGirt and Mario Baity and linebacker Justin Fantroyal all must step up for Drew defensively this season.

“I’m confident we are going to score points,” said Lyles. “We have plenty of key players coming back on that side of the ball. We lost seven starters defensively, so we’ll need to coach the kids up. We have to im-prove there.”

Player to WatchWith so many play-

makers, it’s easy to overlook some of Drew’s offensive talent, but Sloan could be on the verge of a breakout season.

Sloan has a much differ-ent style than last season’s leading rusher Marquis Terry. The rising senior is shifty and uses his quick-ness to make defenders miss as opposed to the straight-ahead approach that made Terry so successful.

A gifted receiver, Sloan’s biggest impact could once again come in the passing game. He led the Titans with 46 catches last season and scored eight touch-downs.

By Luke [email protected] Far left, in his

first season as head coach, Dor-wyn Lyles led Drew to a 7-4 record and hosted a home playoff game for the first time in school history. (File Photo) Near left, with QB Joseph Newman back, Drew’s offense could be among the region’s best. (Staff Photo: Heather Middleton)

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DREWHead Coach: Dorwyn Lyles2014 Record: 7-4 (5-1)Last Playoff Appear-ance: 2014Marquee Match-up: Oct. 16 against Mundy’s Mill

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With elite offensive talent, Cardinals could soar

Key Returners QB Zerrick Cooper, RB

Montrailous Mosely, WR/DB Jordan Griffin, WR James “M.J.” Walker Jr., OL Jeff Taylor, DT Kali James, DE Joshua James

OffenseWith quarterback Zerrick

Cooper back in the fold after missing last season with an ACL injury, Jonesboro’s offense has no ceiling.

As a sophomore in 2013, Cooper passed for 1,200 yards and six touchdowns. The Clemson commit is a big-time talent who can make every throw.

Cooper’s job will be much easier with both Jordan Griffin and James “M.J.” Walker back as big-

play targets. Griffin caught 20 passes for 412 yards and three touchdowns last sea-son, while Walker chipped in with two touchdowns of his own.

“Jordan and M.J. will make big plays when we get them the ball,” Cooper said. “The majority of our passing yards will come from them.”

Leading rusher Mon-trailous Mosely also returns for the Cardinals, while Colorado State commit Jeffrey Taylor will be relied upon to lead a young

offensive line.

DefenseJonesboro’s defense

gave up 30 or more points four times last season, but showed significant improve-

ment as the season pro-gressed. In the team’s final four games, the Cardinals allowed just 26 points and posted two shutouts against Mount Zion and Pike County.

Two crucial pieces will return in Griffin and defen-sive tackle Kali James.

Griffin is committed to the University of Kentucky as a defensive back and has some of the best cover

skills in the county. James, a Campbell commit who re-corded six sacks last season, disrupts opposing offenses with his power and quick-ness inside.

Jonesboro will also count on Joshua James, Jason Sears, Sarry Pierre, Kannon Banks, Dezmond Harris and Kendall Hillman to slow down opponents this season.

Player to WatchWith such talent in the

passing game, it’s easy to overlook Mosely. But the 5-foot-9, 175-pound ball of energy is Jonesboro’s heartbeat.

“We’re expecting big things out of him,” said head coach De’Timothy Floyd. “He’s going to have to carry the load quite a bit because of all the young linemen we have up front.”


Coach De’Timothy Floyd has the pieces for a deep playoff run this season. (File Photo)

JONESBOROHead Coach: De’Timothy Floyd2014 Record: 4-7 (4-4)Last Playoff Appear-ance: 2012Marquee Match-up: Sept. 25 against Griffin

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Panthers hoping for big play from line on offense, defense

Key Returners QB Courtney Wil-

liams, RB/DB Christopher Winston, RB/LB Jersavi-ous James, WR/DB James Ragland, DT/OG Corey Funches

OffenseForest Park has plenty of

talent on the offensive side of the ball, but the offensive line must improve in order for quarterback Courtney Williams to get them the ball.

If Forest Park can improve in that aspect, Williams will have a chance to make big plays down the field to the explosive James Ragland. The wide receiver caught 24 passes for 321 yards and two

touchdowns in 2014.The Panthers also have

two dependable running backs returning in Christo-pher Winston and Jersavious James. Austin said Winston (546 all-purpose yards, three TD) will be given the ball in space, while James will be used more in short-yardage situations.

DefenseDefensive lineman Corey

Funches (41 tackles) and

Dakota Anderson will be vital stopping the run in the middle of the defense.

Forest Park will also use most of its offensive talent on defense. Ragland (42 tackles) and Winston will be tasked with covering receiv-ers in the secondary, while James (22 tackles) will lead the linebacker corps.

Player to WatchWinston’s lateral quick-

ness and speed make him almost impossible to tackle once he gets going.

Last season, Winston was dangerous in every aspect. He was second on the team in all-purpose yards, 500 of which came in the run game. He’s also a scary return man and will be For-est Park’s main weapon on special teams.


Key ReturnersQB Daniel Roberts, WB/

FS Derrick Oliver, WB/OLB Tyrris Mitchell, OLB Sirvetus Ratcliffe

OffenseMaturity will go a long

way for the Hornets this year. They will have to file away the disappointment of not winning a game last year — to be fair, even established schools have a hard time winning in Class AAAA — and return to the gridiron with the sole purpose of improving on a low-scoring season.

Head coach Chad Ashley saw some encouraging signs during spring practice. The Hornets actually tore up some of the grass on the field, which Ashley said they were hardly able to do throughout 2014. It means

they’re getting bigger and Ashley would rather have that than a pristine field all day.

Quarterback Daniel Roberts returns for his senior year one season after passing for 345 yards and rushing for 328 yards. He should have a nice target in wingback Der-rick Oliver.

DefensePart of the offseason work-

out plan was geared toward helping the Hampton defense tear up some of the grass. The Hornets have a hand-ful of imposing players. But

opponents should be wary of tackles junior Peyton John-son (6-foot-1, 307 pounds), sophomore Marvion Field (6-foot-1, 246 pounds) and senior Juwon Crittenden (5-foot-7, 246 pounds).

Player to WatchIt’s hard to narrow down

who’s on the cusp for a team that’s only been around one year, but senior wingback/outside linebacker Tyrris Mitchell may be the one to look out for in 2015. He averaged about 13 yards per catch and 3.5 yards per carry. He took some snaps in relief of Roberts as well.

By Maria torreS

[email protected]

FOREST PARKHead Coach: Dale Myers2014 Record: 0-10 (0-6)Last Playoff Appear-ance: 2003Marquee Match-up: Oct. 30 against Morrow

HAMPTONHead Coach: Chad Ashley2014 Record: 0-9 (0-5)Marquee Match-up: Sept. 25 vs. Henry County

Hampton head coach Chad Ashley (File Photo)

Hornets prepare for defensive sting


Riverdale returning impact players

Key ReturnersQB Joseph Cambridge,

RB Chauncey Moore, WR Greg White, WR Jaylon Freeman, OL Tariq Walker, DL Chidi Okonya, DL Amere Jones, DL Chie-dozie Iyizoba

OffenseIn high school football,

it always helps to have a veteran quarterback return-ing. For Riverdale, junior Joseph Cambridge will be looking to build off a break-out sophomore season that saw him lead the team in all-purpose yards (611).

Riverdale will also bring back running back Chaunc-ey Moore and wide receiv-ers Greg White and Jaylon Freeman. Moore racked up

430 total yards in just six games last season. White (337 yards) and Freeman (237 yards) will provide

Cambridge with excellent weapons on the outside.

Up front, protecting Cambridge and opening

up holes for Moore and the other backs will be tasked to senior Tariq Walker and the rest of the offensive line.

DefenseCoach Terry Herrod’s

defense starts and ends with defensive lineman Chidi Okonya. The Tennes-see commit is Riverdale’s leading returning tackler and figures to be one of the most dominating defensive players in Clayton County.

But Okonya isn’t the only member of Riverdale’s defensive front that will make an impact this season. Senior Amere Jones played in eight games last season, while senior Chiedozie Iy-izoba will be hoping to use his size to cause problems for opposing lineman.

Player to WatchRiverdale lost multiple

games last season due to shoddy special teams play. Improving in the kicking game was a point of empha-sis for Herrod this summer.

“We lost games last year because we couldn’t kick field goals,” he said. “So we have brought our soccer coach on as an assistant. I think we’ve found a kicker. I feel like we have good enough players on offense and defense, so hopefully we can win those types of games this year.”


Revamped offense key for Wolverines

Key ReturnersMLB Hunter East, QB

Jake Kaufman, WR/FS Devin Tumlin, RB Aaron Abney, MLB/RB Noah Schmidt, WR/CB Khalil Milledge

OffenseThe Wolverine offense

has been first-year coach Craig Melton’s project since he took the reins of the program in February. He wanted a new identity for his players after they only mustered 147 points last year. A wrench was thrown into his plans when the offensive coordinator he brought in took a job closer to home, but Melton rem-edied that by hiring a young but talented coach in Ty Moore.

Spectators should be excited by this new brand of Union Grove football in 2015. The offense will be snappy, running more often than not but tak-ing advantage of some options too. Sophomore wide receiver Devin Tumlin will figure into the quarterback Jake Kaufman-led operation on the regular, but there will be a little more expe-rience Melton can count on as well in seniors Aar-on Abney, Noah Schmidt and Khalil Milledge.

In his own right, Kaufman could be in for a breakout season as well. At the team’s last 7-on-7 camp this summer, he totaled 30 touchdowns in

10 games. He admitted that having the opportu-nity to run more suits him better as a player.

The offensive line will be well off, too, with the return of senior Austin Whaley, a second-team All-Region player last year.

DefenseThis side of the ball

doesn’t concern Melton as much. Veteran coaches are watching over the defense to make sure the players get the most out of their agility. The Wol-verines as a whole are not a large team, so expect them to use speed to trip up their opponents.

Tumlin will factor into the defense as well.

“He’s just a special player,” Melton said. “He’s really good. He’s natural, a good pass-catcher. He’s fast, a good tackler. All the way around he’s a good skill player.”

Player to WatchUnion Grove took a

hard hit with the gradua-tion of the 2015 class this spring. Hunter East is a defensive force Melton expects to make a differ-ence in the wake of that departure.


After committing to the University of Tennessee, Chidi Okonya is ready for a special senior season. (Staff Photo: Heather Middleton)

RIVERDALEHead Coach: Terry Herrod2014 Record: 3-7 (2-6)Last Playoff Appear-ance: 2012Marquee Match-up: Oct. 16 at Jonesboro

UNION GROVEHead Coach: Craig Melton2014 Record: 3-7Last Playoff Appear-ance: 2012Marquee Match-up: Oct. 16 vs. Woodland

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Continuity should lead to success in Soza’s third year

Key ReturnersRB James Monroe, WR

Jamarcus Sanders, WR Ali Hill, DE Vincent Donehue, LB Justus Coleman, DB Kindle Vildor, DB/RB Dan Carmichael

OffenseCoach James Soza said

there’s still an open competition between senior Donnie Calliens and sophomore Keelin Lee and likely won’t name a starter until the week of the season opener.

After playing quarterback for the Eagles last season, Jamarcus Sanders will move to his natural position of wide receiver this season. Soza said Sanders could

see some time back under center in 2015 as well.

North Clayton’s backfield will bring back its two top running backs from last season in junior James Monroe (324 yards, two touchdowns) and Dan Carmi-chael (149 yards, two touch-downs).

DefenseSenior Kindle Vildor high-

lights a veteran defensive unit for the Eagles. The Georgia Southern commit intercepted three passes and defended six passes in 2014. Carmichael (seven passes defended) will combine with Vildor to make a solid paring in the secondary.

Up front, seniors Justus Coleman and Vincent Donehue will try to put pressure on the quarterback in order for Vildor, Carmichael and the rest of the secondary to make plays on the ball.

Both the offense and the defense will benefit from the fact that both of Soza’s coordinators will return for the first time in his three-year tenure as head coach.

“We’ve jelled as a coach-ing staff and we have assistant

coaches who want to win,” Soza said. “Continuity always breeds success. In a community like this, where so many of these young men don’t have those con-stant, mentor-type relationships in their lives, it means a lot that you’ve been coming to practice with the same position coach. You develop a trust factor, which helps raise the expectations.”

Player to WatchSanders was forced into quar-

terback duties last season, which deprived North Clayton of his play-making ability as a receiver.

But at passing camps this summer, the senior dazzled with acrobatic catches against some of the top defensive backs in the state.


Bring-ing back

both coordi-nators

from last season should

pay divi-dends

for James

Soza and the Eagles

this sea-son. (File

Photo)

Epps’ cannon could shoot Dutchtown into sub-region contention

Key ReturnersRB/LB Ja’Tavien

Weems, QB K’lin Epps, CB/WR Devonta Mont-gomery, DB Justin Richey, RB/DB Michael Reid, RB/DB Alondre Swift

OffenseHalf of the Bulldogs’

explosive offense gradu-ated with Malik Barkley (938 all-purpose yards), but there’s no need for them to panic. They’re in the capable hands of returning quarterback K’lin Epps. As a junior last season, Epps rifled passes to the tune of a 49 percent completion rate with an average of 11.8 yards per pass. He was recognized as a second-team All-Region offensive player when he coupled his cannon with a 574-yard rushing game.

Senior Devonta Mont-gomery should have no problem filling the hole Barkley left. The first-team All-Region wide receiver racked up 246 yards on just

12 catches, so it’s safe to predict he’ll be a big target for Epps.

Juniors Michael Reid and Alondre Swift might

get early shots at inherit-ing the backfield while Montgomery is at it. Reid amassed 421 all-purpose yards (245 on kickoff returns) for an average of 60.1 yards per game in seven games last year. Swift, meanwhile, rushed 78 yards on 14 carries in four games.

DefenseLinebacker Ja’Tavien

Weems was an All-Region caliber player last season. Weems, especially, out-shone some of his team-mates with a school-leading 85 tackles and five sacks. Weems was pretty versatile, too, as he scored 24 points on touchdowns and rushed 182 yards. He’ll surely be a bigger threat without guys like Deandre Montgomery around anymore.

He’ll need to be if Dutch-town wants to stop explo-sive teams like Stockbridge and Luella in the subregion.

Player to WatchWeems wasn’t the only

defender to receive some attention from the region.

Fellow senior Justin Richey was given a nod, too, for

recording 17 solo tackles, forcing the loss of 10 yards

on sacks and defending six passes in nine games.


NORTH CLAYTONHead Coach: James Soza2014 Record: 3-7 (3-2)Last Playoff Appear-ance: 2011Marquee Match-up: Oct. 23 at Cedar Grove

DUTCHTOWNHead Coach: Mark Myers2014 Record: 5-5 (4-2)Last Playoff Appear-ance: 2010Marquee Match-up: Sept. 18 vs. Woodland

K’lin Epps’ arm could be the difference-maker for the Bulldogs in 2015. (File Photo)

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henry/clayton football 2015

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