Colquitt Co. cancels first two games
Colquitt County has canceled its opening games against Marietta and Brookwood because of multiple players in quarantine for possible exposure to the coronavirus, the Moultrie Observer reported Thursday.
“Most of our offensive and defensive linemen have been ordered to quarantine for 14 consecutive days, due in part to a strong recommendation from the Department of Health out of Albany, Georgia,” Colquitt principal Jamie Dixon stated in a letter Thursday as quoted by the newspaper.
Colquitt coach Justin Rodgers texted his thoughts of disappointment to GHSF Daily: “Just a terrible situation. Our guys have been working so hard.”
Colquitt’s first scheduled game is now a Sept. 18 home date against Banneker, a Fulton County school that also is not playing the first two weeks. Next for Colquitt would be Valdosta in a Sept. 25 homecoming for former Colquitt coach Rush Propst, now Valdosta’s coach.
Pinecrest begins 8-man season tonight
The first GHSA football team will open its season tonight when Pinecrest Academy of Cumming plays Harvester Christian Academy. It won’t be a GHSA game, however. With lower participation numbers and the COVID-19 pandemic bearing down, Pinecrest decided this season to play eight-man football with the Georgia Association of Private and Parochial Schools (GAPPS). “You still have to block and tackle, catch, throw, run and cover,” Pinecrest coach Shawn Coury told S. Thomas Coleman of ajc.com. “We watched a lot of film over the summer. We’re excited about being the only game in town [tonight].” Coury, an assistant on Cherokee’s staff last season, said Pinecrest planned to play a GHSA non-region schedule in 2021 and a region schedule in 2022 and beyond. Pinecrest was 2-8 last season but has fielded several GHSA playoff teams. The Paladins won Region 6-A in 2015.
ELCA replaces Irwin with Woodward
Irwin County had to pull out of its Sept. 4 opener with Eagle’s Landing Christian this week because of players in quarantine, but ELCA acted swiftly and picked up Woodward Academy as a replacement Thursday. “Going to be a tough one,” ELCA coach Jonathan Gess said. “But at this point, we are excited to play.” The Woodward game will be at ELCA. The ELCA-Irwin game would’ve been a matchup of Class A champions, ELCA from private, Irwin from pubic. ELCA played Woodward in 2014 and 2015, losing 27-7 and 20-10. Woodward is expected to be a top-10 team in Class 5A this season. ELCA is the five-time Class A Private champion.
680 The Fan to air Scoreboard Show
Sports Radio 680 The Fan in Atlanta will broadcast the Georgia High School Football Network Scoreboard Show on Friday nights from 10 to midnight beginning Sept. 4. Hosts will be Steve West, Chris Mooneyham and Brandon Joseph. They’re taking over for the popular Tommy Palmer, who retired after 15 years. Palmer, also a color commentator for GPB-TV’s coverage of the state football finals, has been in hospice care since May, when he revealed he was battling a late stage of cancer. This show, which features reports from correspondents from games and interviews with coaches, will feed live from the studios of 680 and Southern Sports Today in the Battery Atlanta. It will be distributed in partnership with Georgia News Network and hosted online at southernsportstoday.com.
GHSA sets re-acclimation guidelines
The GHSA on Thursday established guidelines for quarantined players returning to practice afterbeing sidelined for five days. Those players must undergo five days of re-acclimation, the last of which allows full pads but no game, so that means the first three days are helmets only.
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Payton Freeman, a three-year starter at center for Commerce and preseason all-state pick, has been a dirt-track racer since he was 10 years old and has won 36 races. (Photo courtesy of Payton Freeman)
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Today’s interviewee is Commerce center Payton Freeman, a three-year starter, 2019 all-region performer and GHSF Daily preseason all-state pick in Class A Public. Freeman also has been a dirt-track race car driver since he was 10. He has won 36 races, including five this year, racing around the South but most commonly at tracks in Lavonia, Toccoa and Winder. He races in the limited and super late-model divisions.
Payton Freeman, Commerce center
and race car driver
1. How did you get started in racing? “I got started at a young age. I raced go-karts from age 7-9 and got into a four-cylinder car at age 10. Then I got into a late model at age 12. My dad raced when I was young, and I always enjoyed being around it. At the shop and at the track, I enjoyed all aspects of it as a young kid and still do today.”
2. How are the Friday night lights of football and racing different? “Each sport is a whole different beast. In racing, it takes more than just the driver, but at the end of the night, the driver can make things happen for himself inside the car. Football is definitely a team sport. Each player is depending on everyone else to do their job, especially the offense we run [triple option]. It takes every person doing their job to make it work.”
3. What are your long-term goals for both sports? Do you see yourself possibly playing college football? “My goals for racing are to be at the highest point in dirt late-model racing, which would be following a World of Outlaws or Lucas Oil tour. These tours consist of guys who race for a living, traveling the country year round. It’s the NASCAR of dirt. NASCAR would also be pretty cool if I was able to make it to that level and get paid to do something I love. College football is something I’ve thought about many, many times. I feel like if the right opportunity came about, I’d be all over it. As for now I plan on going into work out of school, but I’m not against playing football on the next level. it’s a dream most kids have, and I’m no different.”
4. Are your teammates aware of your other hobby? Are they supportive? “My teammates have been very supportive in my racing, just as if it were another sport they were involved in. They always wear my hats or shirts and have a good time at the track. Bryson Flint, Tyelon Brock, Landon Worley, Jake Frates, Hunter Nunn, Gaven Dawley, Draylen Martin, just to name a few, are always supporting me and asking about my racing. It’s pretty cool to look up in the stands and see my own little section full of my buddies cheering me on. The announcer at Toccoa is Charles Head, and he always mentions something about Commerce or the Commerce football when I’m racing, and I know the boys love that. I’m very blessed to be able to do what I love on both Friday night lights and have so much support behind me on both.”
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Decade's best: 3A
These are the top 20 current Class 3A schools ranked on victories over the past decade.
112 - Peach County
109 - Greater Atlanta Christian
105 - Sandy Creek
101 - Cedar Grove
96 - Burke County
95 - Mary Persons
85 - Pierce County
83 - Thomson
79 - Westminster
78 - Monroe Area
70 - Carver (Atlanta)
68 - Adairsville
68 - Rockmart
68 - Morgan County
68 - Appling County
65 - Stephens County
64 - Liberty County
64 - Crisp County
63 - Hart County
63 - Dawson County
63 - North Hall
Join the GACA and be eligible for liability insurance, participation in all-star games, registration to clinics, and access to job listings.
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Which current Class 3A coach won the most games from 2010 to 2019? (Answer Monday)
Answer to Thursday’s question: Marist’s Alan Chadwick, with a 105-25 record, won the most games among current Class 4A coaches from 2010 to 2019.
Jostens is the leading provider of yearbooks, caps and gowns, class rings and championship rings and is the Official Championship Ring of the GHSA. Click here to learn more.
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Class 3A
The Maxwell Ratings, compiled by mathematician and Georgia High School Football Historians Association founder Loren Maxwell, have projected the region finishes of all 425 football-playing schools in the GHSA. The projections are based on historical scores, with the most recent season weighing most heavily. They do not consider changes in player personnel or coaching staff. Below are Maxwell’s projections and a brief look at how Class 3A shapes up in 2020 after the GHSA’s reclassification of schools.
*Moving in: Americus-Sumter, Burke County, Carver (Atlanta), Cross Creek, Douglass, Gilmer, Harlem, Hephzibah, LaFayette, Mary Persons, Oconee County, Richmond Academy, Rockmart, Sandy Creek, Stephens County, Thomson, Upson-Lee, West Hall, White County
*Moving out: Benedictine, Calhoun, Cook, East Hall, Fannin County, Haralson County, Islands, Jackson County, Jefferson, Jenkins, Kendrick, Lovett, Monroe, Pace Academy, Stone Mountain, Towers, Worth County
*Defending champion: Cedar Grove
*Best region: Region 5 has four of the top seven teams, plus Douglass and Carver of Atlanta, which made the playoffs last season.
*Story lines: Cedar Grove has won Class 3A three of the past four seasons. Peach County has been a runner-up twice in that time. Crisp County was the 2019 runner-up. Unlike last season, Peach and Crisp are now in the same region. ... Class 4A runner-up Oconee County and semifinalist Sandy Creek moved down into 3A. ... Five Savannah teams in Region 3 are playing non-region intra-district schedules this season, leaving only Southeast Bulloch and Liberty County in the region. And Liberty County has suspended sports indefinitely, so it’s feasible that Southeast Bulloch will win its first region title in 26 years by default. ... The average 3A team is about three points weaker than the average 4A team and 4.5 points stronger than the average 2A team, according to the Maxwell Ratings.
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Region 1
Class**State
Rank***Rank****Team**************Rating
**8*****77*****Pierce County******74.37
*17****132*****Appling County*****66.50
*42****314*****Brantley County****48.11
*45****338*****Tattnall County****43.69
*54****388*****Long County********33.02
Region 2
**2*****27*****Peach County*******84.05
**6*****61*****Crisp County*******76.28
*10*****85*****Mary Persons*******73.58
*18****136*****Upson-Lee**********66.03
*21****157*****Jackson************63.76
*23****171*****Americus-Sumter****62.61
*30****258*****Central (Mac.) [D]*53.00
*32****264*****Pike County********52.60
Region 3
*16****131*****Liberty Co. [D]****66.55
*31****263*****Southeast Bulloch**52.63
*34****284*****Windsor Forest [D]*50.62
*37****300*****Beach [D]**********49.21
*53****387*****Savannah [D]*******33.10
*55****390*****Johnson (Sav.) [D]*32.91
*57****411*****Groves [D]*********21.51
Region 4
**9*****81*****Burke County*******74.00
*12****102*****Thomson************71.00
*26****186*****Morgan County******60.88
*28****249*****Richmond Academy***54.12
*35****286*****Harlem*************50.52
*39****304*****Hephzibah**********48.76
*48****362*****Cross Creek********38.92
Note: Teams whose fall seasons were canceled because of COVID-19 concerns are noted with a [C] and red type. Teams whose regular seasons will be delayed are noted with a [D] and blue type.
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Region 5
Class**State
Rank***Rank****Team**************Rating
**1*****14*****Cedar Grove [D]****90.32
**3*****37*****Sandy Creek********81.00
**4*****38*****GAC****************80.98
**7*****75*****Westminster[D]*****74.73
*24****173*****Douglass***********62.45
*25****177*****Carver (Atlanta)***62.20
*41****309*****Salem [C]**********48.38
*47****357*****Redan [D]**********39.74
Region 6
*11*****93*****Rockmart***********72.83
*22****158*****North Murray*******63.62
*29****257*****Sonoraville********53.20
*33****274*****Adairsville********51.98
*40****305*****Lakeview-Ft. Ogle.*48.64
*43****329*****Ringgold***********45.54
*44****336*****LaFayette**********43.95
*50****366*****Murray County******38.13
*56****391*****Coahulla Creek*****32.63
Region 7
*13****105*****Dawson County******69.78
*15****121*****North Hall*********67.33
*20****155*****White County*******64.09
*36****296*****West Hall**********49.81
*46****356*****Cherokee Bluff*****40.19
*49****365*****Lumpkin County*****38.23
*51****369*****Gilmer*************37.58
Region 8
**5*****56*****Oconee County******77.31
*14****119*****Monroe Area********67.61
*19****142*****Hart County********65.43
*27****188*****Stephens County****60.63
*38****301*****Franklin County****49.17
*52****378*****East Jackson*******35.84
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Pivot To Play Program
Pivot to Play is a free six-week program to help recruits navigate the recruiting process and gain more visibility with college coaches. It is targeted to teams that are not playing this fall. Players need to be nominated by their high school coach. Click here for more information.
Also, GHSF Daily, in conjunction with scoutSMART, will be announcing a football student-athlete of the week each Friday this season. The ideal candidate will be outstanding on the field and in the classroom. Please click here to send nominations to Diane Bloodworth.
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Top transfers congregating at common destinations
Transfers will account for 10 of the top 50 seniors and three of the top 10 juniors in Georgia this season, according to the 247Sports Composite ratings. Many are finding common destinations. Schools benefiting the most this offseason based on their newcomers’ recruiting stars appear to be Brookwood, Carrollton, Grayson, Valdosta and Westlake. Here are some of the transfers and side notes on some of the more prominent travelers.
*Jake Garcia, Valdosta: When California postponed its fall season, several top recruits there began making calls, especially those looking to enroll early in college. That was the situation for Garcia, who is committed to Southern Cal. The consensus No. 4 pro-style quarterback nationally is now the consensus No. 4 overall recruit in Georgia. Valdosta might’ve had a transfer at quarterback regardless. Amari Jones, a 6-4 junior, had come from Carver in Atlanta, where he got some all-region recognition.
*Aalah Brown, Valdosta: Brown caught 61 passes for 1,164 yards last season at Valwood, a Georgia Independent School Association member. He’s back at Valdosta, where he had 786 yards receiving as a sophomore. Brown is a three-star recruit with offers from several Power 5-conference teams. Also coming to Valdosta to catch balls will be Tajh Sanders, who played with Valdosta coach Rush Propst at Colquitt County. Sanders is a junior with ACC and mid-major offers and will be one of the state’s best return men. As many as a half-dozen transfers are expected to be prominent for the Wildcats.
*Daejon Reynolds, Grayson: Reynolds is the lone AJC Super 11 player who changed schools. He’s coming off a highly productive season at Central Gwinnett, where he had 88 receptions for 1,534 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also had four interceptions on defense. Reynolds is committed to Florida.
*Carlos Del Rio, Grayson: Del Rio and Reynolds are getting an early start together that they hope will flourish at Florida. Del Rio passed for 1,792 yards and rushed for 572 yards last year at McEachern and has moved up in the recruiting rankings in the offseason.
*Marquis Groves-Killebrew, Brookwood: A top-100 national prospect among juniors, Groves-Killebrew committed to Georgia in May. He came from Grayson, where he was the only sophomore to make first-team all-Region 8-7A last season.
*Andrew Stewart, Brookwood: Stewart is teaming up with Groves-Killebrew to give Brookwood the most talented pair of cornerbacks in the state. Both are juniors, and transfers. Stewart also came from Grayson. He committed to Auburn. In fact, Brookwood may have a similar deal at wide receiver as Sam Mbake (four-star from IMG Academy, originally North Cobb, whose leaders are Georgia and Penn State) and Denylon Morrissette (three-star from Maryland, which postponed football) also are in the Broncos’ stable.
*Nathaniel Wiggins, Westlake: Wiggins is the consensus No. 8 cornerback prospect nationally, and all seven 247Sports “crystal balls” have him headed to LSU. In 2019, Wiggins was a two-way starter last year at Grady, where he had 30 receptions for 814 yards and nine touchdowns and three interceptions in 10 games.
*Dacari Collins, Westlake: Collins has been committed to Clemson for nearly a year. He had 39 receptions for 595 yards and six touchdowns last year for McEachern.
*M.J. Morris, Pace Academy: Morris is the No. 2 dual-threat QB prospect nationally among juniors, according to 247Sports, and has offers from Alabama, Georgia and LSU. As a sophomore, Morris passed for for 2,186 yards and 20 touchdowns last year for an 11-1 Carrollton team. Morris is back at Pace, where he attended middle school.
*Chief Borders, Carrollton: The Trojans lost Morris, but they picked up some good ones, too. Borders is one. He’s a linebacker/defensive back, also a tight end, who committed to Florida in December after his junior season at McEachern. He joins a Carrollton defense that also features Georgia-committed linebacker Chaz Chambliss. The Trojans also welcomed running back Christian Lett and defensive end Khristian Zachary from Landmark Christian and linebacker Byron Green of McEachern, all Division-I caliber players.
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Attention Georgia high school football broadcasters!
This season will be unlike any other. Many fans will be unable to attend games, making your broadcasts bigger than ever. Get ready to broadcast with tips and instruction from 12-time Emmy award winning sportscaster Bob Rathbun. Join Bob on Wednesday, Sept, 2 at 8 p.m. for a one-hour seminar. Play-by-play, color, sidelines and studio will be covered, plus a Q&A session after the seminar. Cost is $20. Click here to register.
Storm Johnson gives back to student-athletes
Former UCF standout and NFL running back Storm Johnson has joined The Learning Company in offering services to middle and high school students and student-athletes through a boys only academy with NCAA approved classes (in person one-to-one or virtual); final semester program for high school seniors; ACT/SAT prep; athletic training; and Camp Storm, a residential camp facility located in southeastern Georgia on 40 acres. For information, call 770-652-7542 or click here to email.
Chattahoochee seeks freshman boys basketball coach
Chattahoochee High School is seeking a freshman boys basketball coach for the 2020-21 season. Click here to send your letters and resume to head coach Chris Short. There are no teaching positions currently available.
Mitchell County seeks two opponents for 2020 football schedule
Mitchell County High School is seeking two football games to complete its 2020 schedule. It has open dates on Sept. 25, Oct. 2 and Oct. 9 and would like to play one of the games in Camilla. Click here to contact coach Deshon Brock.
Sequoyah seeks boys basketball assistant coach
Sequoyah High School is accepting applications for a varsity boys basketball assistant coach for the 2020-21 school year. Teaching certificate needs to be in science or SPED Math. If you are interested, click here to contact head coach Allen Carden.
St. George’s Episcopal seeks assistants in volleyball, boys basketball
The assistant coaches in volleyball and boys basketball will assist in all matters concerning the varsity teams. We are looking for someone who wants to help build a competitive program in an elite academic environment. We are only in the fifth year of competing at the varsity level. St. George’s competes in GISA AA athletics. These are part-time jobs through the season with the possibility of expanding roles in the coming years. Click here to contact athletic director Britt Gaylor.
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GHSF Daily classified ads
Reach 22,000 readers per day in GHSF Daily’s classified ads. Rates are $50 per week. Ads must be a maximum of 75 words and include a headline and contact information. Click here to contact us.
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About Us
Georgia High School Football Daily is a free e-mail newsletter produced and owned by Todd Holcomb and Chip Saye. Holcomb is a former lead high school football writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and co-founder of the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. Saye is a 35-year veteran of the newspaper industry who has covered high school sports for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Athens Banner-Herald, Anderson (S.C.) Independent-Mail and Gwinnett Daily News.
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