Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020
Colquitt faces practice shutdown
Colquitt County on Monday revealed two positive tests among players that could shut down practices indefinitely, Wayne Grandy of The Moultrie Observer reported. The preseason No. 4-raked team in Class 7A, Colquitt announced last week that it was canceling its first two games because most of its offensive lineman had been exposed to the virus.

“I don’t know what to do,” Colquitt County coach Justin Rogers told the newspaper. “I’m trying to be positive. I’m trying to figure out the best way forward.''

If the team is shut down for two weeks and must undergo a five-day re-acclimation period as required by the GHSA, Colquitt would not be able to play its Sept. 18 opener against Banneker. Colquitt’s next game would be Sept. 25 against Valdosta.

4 more teams delay start of season
Four teams canceled or postponed opening games Monday.

East Jackson, a Class 3A school in northeast Georgia, won’t play its game Sept. 4 against West Hall or a Sept. 11 date against Jackson County.

“The spread rate has impacted the football team, and we have had to quarantine a substantial amount of players that would not allow us to continue,” East Jackson coach Cameron Pettus told GHSF Daily. “Hopefully we will bounce back and be ready to play Sept. 18.”

Vidalia coach Jason Cameron confirmed to WJCL-AM’s Frank Sulkowski that two of his players had tested positive for the coronavirus. The team has suspended practices until at least Sept. 8 and won’t play its Sept. 11 opener against Appling County. Vidalia is a Region 2-2A team in southeast Georgia.

KIPP Atlanta, a Class 2A school, has canceled its first three games and will open no sooner than Oct. 2 against Washington. KIPP athletic director Myss Johnson-Jelks told ajc.com’s Adam Krohn that no players had tested positive, but that the move was to give the team more time to prepare.

Laney has postponed its game Friday with Region 4-2A and crosstown Augusta rival Josey because of a positive test within the Laney program, according to the Augusta Chronicle.

More than 60 of the GHSA’s 425 football-playing schools have delayed their seasons, and nine have canceled.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s preseason rankings, selected by GHSF Daily, were released Sunday. Here is a brief look at each top-10 team in classes 3A, 2A, A Private and A Public. A similar report on the top-10 teams in 7A, 6A, 5A and 4A appeared in Monday’s newsletter.
Class 3A
1. Cedar Grove
The two-time defending champion is loaded again. Quarterback Austin Smith, who is committed to Eastern Michigan, is a three-year starter. Wide receiver Janiran Bonner, running back Rashad Dubinion, safety Jordan Grier and cornerback Kayin Lee have major Division I offers. But Cedar Grove won’t have games until October because of DeKalb County’s delay.
2. Crisp County
The 2019 runner-up should be even better in 2020. Linebacker Christopher Paul and defensive back Sirad Bryant (Georgia Tech) are likely headed for Power 5 Conference schools. Crisp also returns 1,000-yard rushers A.J. Lofton and Marquise Palmer.
3. Peach County
Peach County loses its leading rusher and passer and 10 of its top 12 tacklers, but it’s a program with 112 wins over the past decade, most of any school in 3A.
4. Sandy Creek
The Patriots, a 12-2 semifinalist in 4A last season, had a 2,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers last season, but all graduated. The defense should be good again.
5. Oconee County
The 4A runner-up last year, Oconee beat Sandy Creek in the semifinals and should’ve been ranked higher in retrospect. The Warriors return 13 starters, including preseason all-state players West Weeks, Carsen Stocklinski and Jake Johnson.
6. Greater Atlanta Christian
GAC lost to Cedar Grove 28-18 in the 2019 semifinals and finished 12-2 but must replace four first-team all-state players.
7. Hart County
Hart County lost to GAC in the quarterfinals last year. The Bulldogs have running back Malachi Thomas (1,942 yards rushing) and tight end Cane Berrong (committed to Notre Dame).
8. Pierce County
The Bears bring back 12 of 17 all-region players from a team that went 11-1, got as high as No. 3 in the rankings and lost to Hart County 32-29 in the second round. Their leading rusher, passer, receiver and tackler were underclassmen.
9. Burke County
Burke County is down from 4A, where it won its fourth region title in eight seasons.
10. Dawson County
Region 7-3A athlete of the year Dakohta Sonnichsen is among five all-region players that are back from a team that went 8-4 and made the second round for the third consecutive season.

Class 2A
1. Rabun County
Rabun County has averaged 11.8 wins the past five seasons but never won a state title. This is the first time in history the program has been ranked No. 1. Five-star junior quarterback Gunner Stockton is only getting better, and Rabun’s junior class is probably the best ever to come through Tigertown.
2. Callaway
Semifinalists the past two seasons, the Cavaliers are another team that’s knocked on the door of state titles but never broken through. The graduation of running back Tank Bigsby to Auburn is huge, but quarterback Demetrius Coleman, his region’s player of the year, is back along with eight other all-region players.
3. Thomasville
Thomasville made the semifinals last season and brings back region co-defensive player of the year Ty Anderson and quarterback Ronnie Baker, who passed for 2,579 yards.
4. Fitzgerald
Back are the Region 1-2A offensive player of the year - Chance Gamble, a wide receiver - and a first-team all-region running back, Mario Clark. Fitzgerald made the second round last year.
5. Pace Academy
Pace was 5-5 in 3A last season. New quarterback M.J. Morris and receiver Jayden Thomas are both four-star recruits.
6. Lovett
Lovett was 7-4 last season in 3A and must replace all-state quarterback Blaine McAllister. Linebacker Stevie Bracey made all-state as a sophomore.
7. Washington County
The Golden Hawks beat eventual 2A champion Dublin to close the regular season, then lost to runner-up Brooks County in the first round. It was mostly a senior team, but McKale Haynes and Warren Coneway are all-region defenders who are back.
8. Swainsboro
Swainsboro was 8-4 last season. The team must replace 2-2A offensive player of the year Kade Youmans, the quarterback, but has two Georgia Power 100 receivers, twins Cedric and Fredrick Seabrough.
9. Bleckley County
Bleckley County has the state’s No. 1 senior prospect, five-star offensive tackle Amarius Mims. He’s one of five Bleckley juniors who made all-region last year on a 7-4 team that hasn’t gone past the second round since 2006.
10. Jefferson County
The Warriors were 9-3 last season, their first finish below 10 wins since 2014. They had 10 juniors who got all-region recognition.

Class A Private
1. Eagle's Landing Christian
Five consecutive state titles and counting. ELCA coach Jonathan Gess agreed with GHSF Daily’s selection of two ELCA players for preseason all-state – lineman Bryson Estes (Florida State commit) and defensive back Kaleb Anthony (UConn). “Everyone else needs to prove it,” Gess said. Knowing ELCA, several probably will.
2. Athens Academy
The Spartans have three preseason all-state players plus AJC Super 11 receiver/cornerback Deion Colzie. Palmer Bush is an underrated quarterback. They’ve won 37 consecutive games when not playing ELCA
3. Prince Avenue Christian
Brock Vandagriff, a quarterback committed to Georgia, is among four preseason all-state Wolverines. Prince Avenue lost to eventual champion ELCA 62-57 in last year’s second round.
4. Wesleyan
The 2019 runner-up’s quarterback transferred out, but the Wolves have two of the state’s best two-way players, lineman Tanner Bivins and receiver/defensive back Cooper Blauser. The next-best player is probably tight end/defensive end Vance Nicklaus, a grandson of the Golden Bear.
5. Holy Innocents’
Speaking of Golden Bears, the only Class A team that has beaten ELCA since 2014 is Holy Innocents’, which won 42-41 in a regular-season game last year but lost the rematch 21-7 in the semifinals. Star running back Michael Cox (1,986 yards) has graduated, but they have 11 returning all-region players.
6. Fellowship Christian
The Paladins, a 12-1 semifinal team last year, have nine first-team all-region players back, including 6-A offensive player of the year Murphy Reeves, who has 3,353 career rushing yards.
7. Hebron Christian
The Lions made the quarterfinals last season, their best finish ever. Quarterback Colten Gauthier is committed to South Carolina. Seven other all-region players are back.
8. Christian Heritage
These Lions have back 17 starters and two preseason all-state players, Evan Lester and Gage Leonard, who are two-way starters. They also return leading tackler Ben Hermann and dual-threat QB Christian Thomas, who was all-region as a sophomore.
9. Savannah Country Day
The Hornets were 10-0 before losing to Savannah Christian, a team they had beaten in the regular season. They return their leading passer (Barry Kleinpeter), rusher (Davion Smith) and receiver (Erik Brown).
10. Darlington
The Tigers were 9-0 before losing their final two games. Gone to Georgia is lineman Tate Ratledge. Watch for multi-positioned Patrick Shelley and running back Harrison Allen, a Cartersville transfer, to have big seasons.

Class A Public
1. Irwin County
The Indians won their first state title since 1975 last season. Four players made GHSF Daily’s preseason all-state team. “This team has all the tools to be special,” coach Casey Soliday said. “It could be as good as last year.”
2. Brooks County
The 2019 runner-up in 2A has dropped in for a visit. Ni’Tavion Burrus is the first-team preseason all-state quarterback in this class, and Omari Arnold rushed for more than 1,500 yards as a sophomore.
3. Clinch County
The Panthers lost only to Irwin County (twice) last year and blew out Brooks County 38-14, though it was early in the year. Clinch won state titles three of the past four seasons and returns 1,500-yard rusher Tyler Morehead, a major Division I recruit.
4. Dublin
The 2019 2A champion is playing in A this season but graduated 10 of 11 starters on offense. “Our kids don’t have a lot of Friday night experience, and that’s a big question mark,” coach Roger Holmes said.
5. Mitchell County
The Eagles beat Pelham for the Region 1 title last year, then lost to the Hornets in the playoffs. Quarterback Quintavious Hunter, the Region 1 offensive player of the year, is back.
6. Pelham
Pelham reached the semifinals for the second consecutive season last year and lost a shootout with Marion County 42-25. The Hornets will have to replace quarterback Kendrick Patterson and region player of the year Darrell Starling, but a majority of starters are back.
7. Marion County
The Eagles must go without Class A Public offensive player of the year Trice McCannon, a dynamic quarterback. Offensive lineman Austin Duffey and defensive back DeChristian Hillis made all-state teams last year.
8. Wilcox County
Martez Thrower, a linebacker/running back, might be the class’s best all-around player. He’s committed to Kentucky. Wilcox was 9-3 last season.
9. Lincoln County
Lincoln County has a new coach, former Vidalia head man Lee Chomskis, Front-seven defenders Colt Willis and Kennon Lampkin made the preseason all-state team.
10. Commerce
The Tigers have reached the second round each of the past six seasons. They have a couple of really good linemen, Bo Childers and Payton Freeman, to open holes in the triple-option offense.
Decade’s best
Class A Private
These are the top 20 current Class A Private schools ranked on victories over the past decade.

120 - Eagle's Landing Christian
105 - Prince Avenue Christian
96 - Calvary Day
93 - Athens Academy
92 - Savannah Christian
91 - Aquinas
90 - Deerfield-Windsor
87 - Darlington
84 - Mount Paran Christian
78 - Stratford Academy
77 - Tattnall Square
76 - Wesleyan
74 - Heritage (Newnan)
69 - George Walton Academy
65 - Fellowship Christian
64 - Landmark Christian
62 - Mount Pisgah Christian
62 - Brookstone
62 - First Presbyterian
58 - Holy Innocents’

Join the GACA and be eligible for liability insurance, participation in all-star games, registration to clinics, and access to job listings.
Which current Class A Private coach won the most games from 2010 to 2019? (Answer Wednesday)

Answer to Monday’s question: Callaway’s Pete Wiggins, with a 101-27 record, won the most games among current Class 2A 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.
GHSF Daily will select 10 games each week for a Predict the Winner contest, presented by ALL-STAR QB. Predictions must be submitted by 5 p.m. each Friday. Limit one entry per email address. Contest winners will be announced on Mondays at the start of each new contest and will receive the ASQB-LITE model game, the company's most popular. Click here to play!
See GHSF Daily's archive to find all editions dating to 2010.
Class A Private
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 A Private shapes up in 2020 after the GHSA’s reclassification of schools.

*Moving in: Deerfield-Windsor, Heritage (Newnan), Loganville Christian

*Moving out: None

*Defending champion: Eagle’s Landing Christian

*Best region: Region 5 has four of the top 12 teams. Region 8 has the best pair – No. 2 Athens Academy and No. 3 Prince Avenue Christian.

*Story lines: ELCA is gunning for its sixth consecutive state title. ... Class A had separate public and private champions the past eight seasons but played in regions together. Now, they will be segregated in the regular season, as well. The playoffs also are expanded to 32 from 24 teams. That means 32 of Class A Private’s 36 teams will make the playoffs, although the GHSA has not decided how it will handle three-team Region 2. It had four teams until Our Lady of Mercy pulled out over COVID-19 concerns. ... Deerfield-Windsor, Heritage and Loganville Christian are coming from the Georgia Independent School Association. Deerfield has won four GISA titles, the most recent in 2012. Heritage has won GISA region titles five of the past eight seasons. ... The average Class A Private team is about 8.3 points better than the average A Public team, according to the Maxwell Ratings. That margin has grown since the public-private split eight years ago. Class A Private trails 2A by less than two points, per Maxwell.
Region 1
Class**State
Rank***Rank****Team**************Rating
*20****249*****Mount de Sales*****54.27
*22****279*****Stratford Academy**51.36
*23****289*****First Presbyterian*50.50
*24****293*****Tattnall Square****50.17
*31****350*****Strong Rock Chr.***42.02
*33****372*****Deerfield-Windsor**37.55

Region 2
**1*****17*****ELCA***************89.33
*19****246*****Whitefield Academy*54.76
*32****361*****Landmark Christian*39.32
*36****397*****O.L. of Mercy [C]**30.81

Region 3
**7****156*****Savannah Christian*63.90
*10****198*****Calvary Day********59.33
*13****218*****Sav. Country Day***57.12
*18****243*****Aquinas************54.98

Region 4
*16****236*****Trinity Christian**55.89
*21****263*****Brookstone*********52.75
*27****331*****Heritage (Newnan)**45.52
*35****385*****Pacelli************34.76

Note: Teams whose fall seasons were canceled because of COVID-19 concerns are noted with a [C] and red type.
Region 5
Class**State
Rank***Rank****Team**************Rating
**4****103*****Wesleyan***********70.95
**5****120*****Holy Innocents’****67.49
**9****180*****Hebron Christian***61.81
*12****213*****Mount Vernon*******57.64
*38****403*****Providence Christ.*27.87

Region 6
**6****135*****Fellowship Christ.*66.12
*25****295*****St. Francis********50.01
*26****315*****Mt. Pisgah Christ.*47.94
*30****347*****Pinecrest Acd. [C]*42.44
*34****373*****Lakeview Academy***37.42
*37****400*****King's Ridge Chr.**29.52

Region 7
**8****163*****Darlington*********63.41
*11****204*****Mt. Paran Christ.**58.68
*15****230*****Christ. Heritage***56.54
*17****238*****North Cobb Chr.****55.45
*29****340*****Walker*************42.19

Region 8
**2*****62*****Athens Academy*****76.55
**3*****99*****Prince Avenue Chr.*71.41
*14****219*****George Walton Acd.*57.10
*28****339*****Athens Christian***43.63
*39****407*****Loganville Christ.*26.03
Today’s interviewee is Corky Kell Classic executive director Dave Hunter, whose event will kick off the 2020 season with the state’s only two Wednesday games – Carver (Atlanta) at Cherokee and Mays at West Forsyth. The schedule includes nine games at nine sites over four days. The Corky Kell originally was planned with four venues, including Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but was retooled several times, adding and dropping teams and sites, because of COVID-19 concerns.

Dave Hunter,
Corky Kell Classic executive director
1. We’re on the eve of the opening games of 2020. Given all the uncertainty of this season, how do you feel about where things stand? “We’re anxious. I’d be telling a story if I said we’re not. Everybody is anxious to get going but also to see if we can do it right, as safely as possible, with concern for the well-being and safety of our fans. I’m forever in debt to all the host schools, and the visitors, who’ve stepped up so profoundly to help us make this happen. Most of our sponsors have stuck with us, and we really appreciate that.”

2. What have the past several weeks been like to organize the event and keep it together? “We’ve been through a gauntlet. My blood pressure is not good. We’ve gone from having games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to doubleheaders everywhere. We had the medical community recommend we not do that. Then we went through playing at nine different sites, then not playing, to putting one game on TV, to putting all of them on TV. So it’s been an unbelievable roller coaster. Nobody can accuse the Corky Kell of not putting forth our best effort to continue this event. The simplest thing would’ve been to cancel because there’s so much to managing it. Whoever heard of nine games at nine sites? Fortunately, we’ve got great athletic directors at these schools. It’s been a monumental undertaking, and financially tough as well, but we made a commitment, and we’re going to try to honor it.”

3. Why not cancel the event and give the games back to the home teams and let them manage it since they’re now being played at their stadiums? “They are managing their own games really. We’re there for the TV part of it and also to be able to put your name on it. It’s our 29th year. We wanted to keep it alive. Not to do that, we send the wrong message to rest of the state. We want to be the shining light on the hill as far as the early season of Georgia high school football is concerned. And being able to put on these first games in the state on TV, it makes it more special for the players. These are going to be games they’ll be telling their grandchildren about, like the first games we did in 1992. We’ve got the coronavirus going on. My gosh. The last time that happened was in 1918, the year my mother was born. They’re never going to forget this. These are unforgettable times.” [All games will be televised by Peachtree TV.]

4. You decided to require that fans wear masks and social-distance at the games. You could’ve left those rules up to the host schools. Why was it important that you make those rules? “We just think that’s the appropriate thing to do when we talked with the medical people. We feel like it’s our brand as well. Two things we think are big – social distancing and mask covering. I don’t think there’s any question that wearing masks thwarts coronavirus spreading. If we’re going to have people together, we should ask the fans to wear those and the players while not playing and the cheerleaders. Some might think that doesn’t pertain to them, but it might pertain to their neighbor. We’re certainly not going to brow-beat people, but we’re strong in our opinion that masks should be mandatory.”

Dickey Broadcasting Company’s Sports Radio 680 The Fan & Southern Sports Today Network along with the GHSA and the Georgia News Network announce a production partnership for the 2020 Georgia High School Football Network Scoreboard Show. The program will feed live from the studios of 680 The Fan and Southern Sports Today in the Battery Atlanta on Fridays from 10 p.m. to midnight, running Sept. 4 through Nov. 27. The show will be distributed in partnership with Georgia News Network and hosted online at southernsportstoday.com. Show hosts will be 680 The Fan’s Friday Night Football staff of Steve West, Chris Mooneyham and Brandon Joseph with executive producer Derrick Thomas, and will include the latest scores and interviews with coaches and play-by-play announcers from metro Atlanta and across the state. It can be heard in Atlanta on 680 The Fan and Xtra 106.3FM.
Note: All scores are courtesy of the Georgia High School Football Historians Association, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and other media outlets. If a score is not accurate, it was reported incorrectly.

*All games are on Fridays unless noted.
Stadium key: GL – Glynn County; GS - Georgia State; MT - McConnell-Talbert; SH - Sharp; T - Tara; TO - Twelve Oaks
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.

Marietta, East Jackson seeking games
Marietta High School is looking to add a home game Sept. 4 or Sept. 11. Please contact Marietta athletic director Craig McKinney at 770-428-3151. ... East Jackson High School is looking for games Oct. 9 and Oct. 30. Click here to contact coach Cameron Pettus.

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.

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.
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.
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.