Fulton postpones sports until Sept. 14
Fulton County Schools on Thursday postponed all sports competitions until Sept. 14, two weeks after the GHSA’s first scheduled football games.
Fulton County Schools athletic director Steven Craft made the announcement after a meeting involving almost every metro Atlanta school system superintendent.
The meeting, held virtually, was designed to gauge where metro Atlanta school districts stood on starting football as scheduled the week of Sept. 4 and potentially forming a consensus to delay or stay the course.
The broader significance of Fulton’s move remains to be seen. It could foretell similar moves by other metro Atlanta districts, or it could signal that most will start on time, as only Fulton made an immediate move to delay, and it acted independently.
Craft is a member of the GHSA’s board of trustees, which voted to postpone the first games by two weeks into September. GHSA executive director Robin Hines reaffirmed his desire to stay on schedule Wednesday after his weekly meeting with his sports medicine advisory council.
Fulton’s football teams are Alpharetta, Banneker, Cambridge, Centennial, Chattahoochee, Creekside, Johns Creek, Hapeville Charter, Hughes, Milton, North Springs, Northview, Riverwood, Roswell, Tri-Cities and Westlake. They are allowed to practice.
Bibb’s schools suspend competitions
The Bibb County School District in Macon, which has six GHSA members, suspended sports competitions indefinitely Thursday and said schools would begin Sept. 8 with virtual-only learning through October. Bibb County athletic director Barney Hester told GHSF Daily that sports teams may continue to practice. Bibb’s schools are Central, Howard, Northeast, Rutland, Southwest and Westside.
Our Lady drops football schedule
Our Lady of Mercy, a private school in Fayetteville, won’t play football this season, the GHSA confirmed Thursday. Our Lady is the sixth Class A school to drop off the GHSA’s football schedule, joining Calhoun County, Twiggs County, Stewart County, Riverside Military and Pinecrest Academy. Pinecrest chose to play eight-man football in another association. Our Lady has reached the playoffs four times since starting football in 2001 but finished 0-10 the past two seasons.
Florida to vote on fate of football today
The Florida High School Athletic Association’s board of directors is meeting this morning to consider when to start the football season, which already was delayed to the week of Aug. 28. Proposals include starts as early as Sept. 4, or as late as Dec. 11 and stretching into winter. The FHSAA’s sports medicine advisory committee strongly recommended this week that the season be delayed three to four weeks after schools have opened.
N.C. moves football into winter/spring
North Carolina this week became the 14th state, plus Washington, D.C., and second in the South to move its football season into winter or spring. The North Carolina High School Association announced this week that its schools can begin practice Feb. 8 for a seven-week season that runs Feb. 26 to April 9. Virginia is planning a similar winter season.
Utah to kick off season nationwide
The first high school football games of the season are scheduled for tonight in Utah, with six other states, including Alabama and Tennessee, slated to begin next week. Utah has 50 games on its opening-week schedule. One was to be played Thursday night between Weber and Bingham but was canceled when three Bingham players tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.
Vermont approves touch-football plan
The Vermont Principals’ Association approved a plan this week for its schools to hold a 7-on-7 touch football season instead of the traditional 11-man football, according to the Burlington Free Press. That season could resemble 7-on-7 passing leagues that are common in the offseason and wouldn’t necessarily replace having a traditional tackle football season in the winter or spring.
Briefly ...
Marlin Dean, the Elbert County lineman who made GHSF Daily’s Georgia Power 100, transferred this month to IMG Academy.
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Collins Hill wide receiver and defensive back Travis Hunter is the state's consensus No. 1 prospect among juniors and a top-10 recruit nationally. (Photo by Rusty Mansell / 247Sports).
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Making an impact all over the field |
Call them what you want: athletes, two-way players, dual threats.
They are players that affect the game in multiple ways and often don’t spend enough time at one position to pile up the statistics for the credit they deserve.
These 10 are the latest members of the Georgia Power 100.
*Shad Dabney, Cherokee Bluff: Dabney had 2,500 all-purpose yards and 29 touchdowns in 2019 for Riverside Military Academy, a Class A Public school that decided not to play football this fall because of COVID-19 concerns. Dabney chose to stay in his native Hall County to play for Cherokee Bluff. Syracuse is the reported leader for Dabney, a three-star recruit who is viewed as a cornerback in college.
*Kaleb Edwards, Dacula: Edwards rushed for 1,153 yards and 15 touchdowns, caught 29 passes for 566 yards and three scores and had 86 tackles, four interceptions and 10 pass breakups for a 13-1 Class 6A semifinal team. He was a unanimous first-team all-state player in 6A. A consensus three-star recruit, Edwards committed to Georgia Tech last month.
*Travis Hunter, Collins Hill: Hunter (6-1, 165) is the state’s consensus No. 1 prospect among juniors and a top-10 recruit nationally. He had 49 receptions for 919 yards and 12 touchdowns as a receiver last season. He intercepted seven passes. Collins Hill was 6-5. Hunter has committed to Florida State.
*Caleb McDowell, Lee County: McDowell likely will play only on offense as a running back and receiver this year except for some kick-return duty. In 2019, he made 87 tackles, broke up eight passes in the secondary and was a unanimous first-team all-state player as a defensive back. He also had 629 yards from scrimmage on just 48 touches and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. A consensus three-star recruit, McDowell is committed to South Carolina as a running back.
*Tyler Morehead, Clinch County: Morehead rushed for 1,543 yards with 19 touchdowns last season and made three first-team all-state teams at quarterback, where he usually lined up, and running back. Clinch doesn’t throw much. Morehead also had 54 tackles and three interceptions and scored touchdowns returning a fumble and a kickoff. A top-500 national recruit, Morehead is strongly considering East Carolina and N.C. State.
*Joshua Pickett, Habersham Central: Another WR/DB type, Pickett had 750 yards receiving, returned one kickoff for a touchdown and made 61 tackles for a 3-7 team. He was a GACA first-team all-state player in Class 6A. Recruited as a cornerback, Pickett committed to Duke in February.
*Malaki Starks, Jefferson: A five-star recruit among juniors, Starks rushed for 544 yards and five touchdowns on just 53 carries last season. On defense, he intercepted five passes and made first-team GACA all-state as a defensive back. This season, he’s slated to be the Dragons’ quarterback and play in the secondary again.
*Javin Whatley, Rockmart: Whatley passed for 1,533 yards, completing 65 percent of his attempts, while rushing for 1,150 yards on 116 carries in 2019 for an 11-1 Class 2A team. He was the Region 7-2A player of the year and first-team 2A all-state as an athlete. Whatley is seen as a wide receiver in college and has mid-major offers.
*West Weeks, Oconee County: A unanimous first-team all-state pick last year, Weeks had more than 100 tackles for the Class 4A runner-up. He also had more than 800 all-purpose yards as a receiver and return man. He was thought to be the successor to Max Johnson at quarterback this spring until other players emerged. A consensus three-star recruit at linebacker, Weeks committed to Virginia in May.
*Nathaniel Wiggins, Westlake: Wiggins is a consensus top-125 player nationally and top-10 cornerback among seniors. He 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. He transferred to Westlake in the offseason. Florida and LSU are believed to be his top college choices.
Coming Monday: Special-teams players
Georgia Power offers sports lighting services to increase your game experience for the players, coaches and fans. Click here for more information. Financing options available.
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Peach's Super 11s
Peach County has had 10 AJC Super 11 players since the team’s inception in 1985. That’s the most from any school and three more than nearby state powers Warner Robins (three) and Northside (four) combined.
2020 - OG Terrence Ferguson
2019 - LB Sergio Allen
2017 - WR Kearis Jackson
2012 - WR Demarcus Robinson
2005 - WR Chris Slaughter
2004 - OL Darius Dewberry
2004 - RB Tony Wright
2003 - QB A.J. Bryant
1997 - QB Regan Torbert
1993 - DL Juaquin Feazell
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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Two active Georgia coaches, including one newly hired, have won multiple region championships at three or more schools, making them among four in history to do it. The first were Rodney Walker (four at Stephens County, four at Peach County, two at Sandy Creek) and T. McFerrin (four at Peachtree, two at Elbert County, two at Jefferson). Who are the two active coaches who have done it? (Answer Monday)
Answer to Thursday’s question: Lee Campbell and Chad Campbell were the first brothers to win state titles as head coaches. Lee Campbell won Class A at Hawkinsville in 2003 and 2004. Chad Campbell won 3A at Peach County in 2009. Lee has been Chad’s offensive coordinator the past six seasons at Peach. The next brothers to win state titles were Erik Soliday (2000, 2001 Americus) and Casey Soliday (2019 Irwin County), although Soliday was an interim head coach for Buddy Nobles, who continued to supervise the team as best he could during his battle with cancer.
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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AJC announces Super 11
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has announced its 2020 Super 11. Click here to find out more about this year's selections:
- Cody Brown, Parkview
- Barrett Carter, North Gwinnett
- Chaz Chambliss, Carrollton
- Deion Colzie, Athens Academy
- Terrence Ferguson, Peach County
- Nyland Green, Newton
- Amarius Mims (right), Bleckley County
- Smael Mondon, Paulding County
- Micah Morris, Camden County
- Daejon Reynolds, Grayson
- Brock Vandagriff, Prince Avenue Christian
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Photo by Christina Matacotta / AJC |
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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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Two 2A champs upset in computer tourney second round |
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A pair of Class 2A state champions were picked off Thursday in the second round of the Team of the Decade tournament, a computer simulation featuring some of the state’s top teams of the 2010-19 era.
Dublin’s 2019 team, which won its school’s first championship in 13 years, ran aground against Lamar County’s 2013 state runner-up. The Trojans won 30-15.
Both teams were 14-1, and the computer model rated the game a toss-up. That Lamar team, coached by Franklin Stephens, featured three future Georgia Tech players – Qua Searcy, Lance Austin and Lawrence Austin – and lost to Lovett 14-7 in the championship game.
Benedictine’s 2016 team, which went 15-0 and won the Savannah school’s second state title in three seasons, lost to Cook’s 2010 team, a 3.5-point underdog. Cook was 12-1 in 2010, upset eventual Class 5A runner-up Colquitt County in the season opener and lost to eventual champion Buford 21-14 in the Class 2A semifinals.
“To be honest, we all thought the game between us and Buford was the state championship game that year,” former Cook coach Ken Cofer, now at Dodge County, told GHSF Daily. “We definitely thought if we could’ve won the coin toss to bring the game with Buford to Adel that we would’ve won. But, I lost the toss. Still burns me up to this day.”
Now, Cook will get a digital rematch as Buford’s 2010 team coincidentally awaits in the 2A quarterfinals. With Buford as the higher seed, Cook will be traveling again.
The computer model used for the tournament simulation was created by Georgia High School Football Historians Association founder Loren Maxwell. It uses historical scores to simulate any matchup involving Georgia high school teams of the past 75 years.
In each game, the stronger team will be favored, but upsets and surprising scores will occur, as they do in real life.
Below are second-round scores in the smaller four classifications, with upsets are noted in red.
Coming Monday: Second-round results in 7A-4A.
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Class 3A
2010 Cairo 34, 2013 Ringgold 9
2013 Washington County 32, 2019 Jenkins 13
2013 Buford 44, 2014 Hart County 9
2014 Calhoun 21, 2011 Henry County 13
2010 Peach County 36, 2019 Crisp County 19
2012 Jefferson 35, 2018 Benedictine 17
2010 Carver-Col. 14, 2014 Westminster 7
2014 Blessed Trinity 27, 2017 GAC 9
Class 2A
2018 Dodge County 27, 2018 Callaway 26
2018 Heard County 49, 2010 Westminster 15
2011 Calhoun 40, 2010 Thomasville 20
2013 Lovett 49, 2018 Rockmart 35
2013 Lamar County 30, 2019 Dublin 15
2015 Pace Academy 17, 2017 Brooks County 14
2010 Buford 22, 2017 Rabun County 17
2010 Cook 23, 2016 Benedictine 16
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Class A Private
2018 ELCA 34, 2015 Prince Avenue Christian 20
2014 Calvary Day 24, 2019 Trinity Christian 14
2016 Fellowship Christian 38, 2013 Mount Pisgah 20
2019 Holy Innocents’ 35, 2019 Hebron Christian 7
2012 George Walton 33, 2012 Our Lady of Mercy 21
2011 Savannah Christian 56. 2011 First Presbyterian 3
2019 Darlington 30, 2019 Wesleyan 27
2014 Mount Paran 44, 2016 Tattnall Square 20
Class A Public
2016 McIntosh Co. Academy 6, 2011 Lincoln County 0
2010 Clinch County 31, 2019 Mitchell County 21
2019 Irwin County 41, 2011 Seminole County 28
2010 Johnson County 35, 2016 Macon County 34
2012 Emanuel County Institute 42, 2018 Commerce 9
2018 Pelham 31, 2010 Wilcox County 22
2010 Wilkinson County 27, 2014 Hawkinsville 20
2014 Marion County 33, 2016 Manchester 14
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Today’s interviewee is Todd Downes, president of the Atlanta-based Georgia Football Officials Association, one of 23 officials groups that works GHSA football games. Downes is a former Georgia high school teacher and softball, basketball, baseball and golf coach. He is the assistant head coach of Georgia State’s softball team.
Todd Downes,
Georgia Football Officials Association president
1. As an official, what is your main concern about working football games during the pandemic? “Outside of the obvious concern that each official has about his or her personal health, the biggest fear for officials that have opted out for the 2020 season is the health of their families. They are afraid that they might bring the virus back home and expose family members or that if they get sick through refereeing that it could place a financial hardship on their family.”
2. What are your registration numbers this year compared to last, and do you have a sense of the rest of the state? “Personally, I can only speak for our association because I have spoken to other associations’ leaders across the state that have minimal members that have opted out. I think by the time we get to September 4th that we will be down about 25 percent in membership numbers from last year. You always will have some attrition and retirements, but you can hopefully replace those numbers with first-year prospects or transfers. Right now, we have five potential first-year members and two transfers with experience. Our recruiting efforts were as good as ever. I just think people are reluctant to jump aboard during these times. One additional area where we potentially may add a few experienced officials is college officials that had their seasons canceled that want to call high school games to stay fresh and involved.”
3. What are the chances that there won't be enough officials on any given Friday night this season because of some opting to sit out? “We will find a way to get all games staffed, but there will be challenges. All associations in the metro Atlanta area have already started to work together to trade games on heavy nights and have agreed to loan out officials to help everyone get things covered. Saying that, there will probably be a lot of less-experienced officials getting their opportunities on the varsity field, and that could affect the quality of the product due only to the experience level. We are also covering and reviewing the mechanics for five-man officiating crews in the event that an official shows COVID symptoms late in the week or even a Friday and we can’t get him/her replaced. Fortunately, we have presently not had to ask any of our contracted schools to move games to Thursday or Saturday over not having enough staff on a particular Friday, but there is always a possibility that could develop as the season goes longer.”
4. Is there something that the GHSA could do to make you and your association more comfortable working games this fall? “The GHSA has given us protocol recommendations to help with social distancing and spacing. Examples include wearing masks and the use of electronic whistles, no hand shaking with captains, only one captain per team. Gloves and long sleeves are always an option to be worn. Team boxes have been extended to the 10-yard lines to allow more social distancing between players and staff along with not putting the duties on the sideline officials to police the spacing and distancing behind them in the boxes. We have been assured that each school has a COVID-19 plan, and that would include notifying me if any of our officials work a game where players or staff test positive after the contest. As an association, we [GFOA] will have a plan in place where we ask our officials to notify us immediately if they develop symptoms, and we will keep those officials out of assignments or notify schools if a positive test was after an event. I guess we won’t know if we or the GHSA are doing the right things until this is all over and evaluate.”
MaskClubTM, the first subscription-based buy one, donate one online mask destination, has launched Highschool.MaskClub.com in partnership with the Georgia High School Association. The new site is home to a collection of masks representing nearly 450 schools across Georgia, encouraging students to comply with CDC guidelines to cover your face while showing school spirit.
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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.
Jackson County seeks assistant in boys basketball, baseball
Jackson County High School is accepting applications for an assistant boys basketball coach and assistant baseball coach that will include duties as a PE teacher. If interested, click here to contact athletic director Brad Hayes.
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.
Rockdale Co. seeks assistant football, baseball, girls basketball coach
Rockdale County High School is looking for an assistant coach for baseball, girls basketball and football. Interested candidates should be certified in one of the following teaching vacancies – English, Spanish and/or SPED (Science and/or English). Click here to contact athletic director Chad Suddeth.
Manchester seeks head softball coach
Manchester High School is now accepting applications for our head softball coach. Also, there is a possibility of coaching an additional spring sport, with a SPED co-teacher opening as well. Interested applicants can send their resume and cover letter to assistant principal/athletic director Dr. Kelvin Smith by clicking here.
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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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