surely at times, but Meadowcreek’s three wins in 2015
were as many as the program has recorded in the previous
seven seasons. Perhaps head coach Jason Carrera, entering his second season at the helm, is putting something
together. His cast of players to work with in 2016 includes a
lot of juniors, signaling the potential for a big leap in 2017.
But for now, Meadowcreek, with an explosive backfield
thanks to Quvella Calhoun and Triston Harris, could
surprise some teams this season.
NORCROSS BLUE DEVILS
2015 RECORD: 7-4
THE COACH: Keith Maloof
THE PLAYERS: Robert Beal (Sr., DL), Jalen Pinkney (Sr.,
DL), Da’Meon Williams (Sr., DB), Devin Bennett (Sr., OL),
Baron Radclilff (Sr., QB), Monty Montgomery (Sr., LB), Nazir
Sy (Sr., DL), Cole Hanna (Jr., K), Jake Camarda (Jr., P/K)
THE WORD: Reaching the first round of the playoffs is
good for most teams. For Norcross, more is desired after
exiting early two years in a row. But this looks to be the year
where the Blue Devils once again assert their dominance
and make a deep run. The defensive line is absolutely
stacked with four-star prospect Robert Beal, who has
Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan and
many others after him. Quarterback Baran Radcliff is a big
6-4 and 215-pound quarterback who holds offers from
Georgia Southern, Tulane and Vanderbilt. Norcross’ x-factor
this year is on special teams with kicker Cole Hanna and
punter Jake Camarda. Both have big legs and are quite
consistent in the kicking game.
PARKVIEW PANTHERS
2015 RECORD: 6-5
THE COACH: Eric Godfree
THE PLAYERS: Jaylen Askew (Sr., WR), Malik Washington
(So., DB), Caleb Mitchell (Sr., QB), Deion Slade (Sr., RB),
Jonathan French (Fr., LB), Miles Marshall (Jr., WR), Hanock
Berhane (Sr., DL)
THE WORD: After a dip in production over the last few
years, third-year Parkview head coach Eric Godfree has
the Panthers trending upward once again. Parkview, one
of Georgia’s better programs over the past two decades,
has a talented cast returning to build on its solid 2015
season. Jaylen Askew and Miles Marshall are playmaking
receiving targets that should step up and be this year’s
top two wideouts. Caleb Mitchell is assuming the starting
quarterback job in his final high school football season.
He threw for 371 yards and a touchdown in backup duty a
year ago. Freshman linebacker Jonathan French will be an
intriguing player to watch early on.
Region 8
ARCHER TIGERS
2015 RECORD: 11-2
THE COACH: Andy Dyer
THE PLAYERS: Quinton Miller (Sr., LB), Brandon Shelnutt
(Jr., TE), Taiyon Palmer (Jr., ATH), Keegan Strickland (Jr.,
LB), Dillon Waye (Jr., QB), Andrew Booth (So., WR), Darren
Vaughn (Sr., RB), D.J. Taylor (So., RB)
THE WORD: Archer has a lot to replace from last year’s
11-win team. Receiver Kyle Davis (Auburn) and offensive
lineman E. J. Price (USC) are off to college and the Tigers
have to find ways to replace them. It didn’t help that last
season’s leading rusher, Jamyest Williams, elected to
transfer to Grayson before spring practice. This has Archer
scrambling for offensive production. The Tigers will hope to
get explosive plays out of junior athlete Taiyon Palmer and
senior running back Darren Vaughn. Junior quarterback
Dillon Waye will also step in and replace Will Beaden, who
threw for 2,430 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2015. On
defense, the star is linebacker Quinton Miller, who holds
college offers from Central Florida, Cincinnati and Mercer.
GRAYSON RAMS
2015 RECORD: 13-1
THE COACH: Jeff Herron
THE PLAYERS: Tony Gray (Sr., OL), Jamyest Williams (Sr.,
WR/DB), DeAngelo Gibbs (Sr., WR/DB), Breon Dixon (Sr.,
LB), Chase Brice (Sr., QB), Kurt Taylor (Sr., RB), Will Taylor
(Sr., OL), Ellison Hubbard (Sr., DL), Jalen Jackson (Sr., OL),
Aaron Brawley (Sr., LB), Demetrius Murray (Sr., DB), Evan
Sturgil (Sr., WR)
THE WORD: Grayson hit a double jackpot during the
offseason. First, the Rams were able to land Jeff Herron
to succeed Mickey Conn as its head coach. Herron has
a storied history at both Oconee County and Camden
County, although he was most recently at Prince Avenue
Christian. Second, Grayson landed five elite-level transfers
before spring practice. Offensive lineman Tony Gray,
receiver/cornerback Jamyest Williams, receiver/cornerback
DeAngelo Gibbs, running back Kurt Taylor and linebacker
Breon Dixon immediately catapulted Grayson to the top 2
in the state upon arriving. Gray, Williams and Gibbs are still
being suited by every major college. Dixon has committed
to Georgia and Taylor to Michigan. On top of those five players, Grayson returns quarterback Chase Brice, a Clemson
commit who can make any throw on the field. The Rams will
certainly be Class 7A state title contenders.
NEWTON RAMS
2015 RECORD: 9-3
THE COACH: Terrance Banks
THE PLAYERS: Jeremiah Holloman (Sr., WR), Robert Black
(Sr., DB), Jaquan Henderson (Sr., LB), DeOnta Clark (Sr.,
ATH), Deion Watson (Sr., DL), Elija Goodwin (Jr., DB), Robert
Sease (Sr., LB)
THE WORD: Newton returns one of the best wide receivers
in the enter state in Jeremiah Holloman, who has a ton
GEORGIA HIGH
SCHOOL FOOTBALL
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GEORGIA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FANS
are passionate and plentiful. One measure of
their zeal is the 1. 25 million e-mails sent each
season by Georgia High School Football Daily, a
newsletter about to launch into its eighth season
on August 1.
Founded in 2009 by two veteran prep sports
writers, Georgia High School Football Daily has
a daily readership of more than 13,000. One
hundred issues are published annually, from
August through December.
“The first email I open every morning is the
GHSF Daily to start my day and to keep me in the
loop,” Rabun County head coach Lee Shaw said.
“The topic of discussion for the day is always gen-
erated by what everyone has read in the Daily.”
The newsletter is written and produced by
Todd Holcomb and Chip Saye, who worked
on the high school desk of The Atlanta Journal-
Constitution for many years. Holcomb also was
a major co-founder and lead researcher for
the Georgia High School Football Historians
Association website, which has become the
national standard for chronicling a state’s history
of high school football.
In 2009, the two started the newsletter and
built up the readership from just a few hundred
readers in those first issues seven years ago.
GHSF Daily features game summaries of
every top- 10 team on Mondays, top individual
player performances on Tuesdays, a player-of-
the-year watch on Wednesdays, previews of the
10 best games on Thursdays and a state yardage
leaderboard on Fridays.
It also includes a daily trivia question, a daily
list and a daily quick-hitting question-and-answer
with a different Georgia head coach each day. Then
there are the Maxwell Ratings, which predict every
game with margins of victory.
A number of advertisers and sponsors, most of
them Georgia-based companies, have supported
the work. Coaches are some of the newsletter’s
biggest fans. Some say it even helps them
prepare for Friday night.
“I even save each one during the season in
case we wind up playing someone we don’t know
much about,” Grayson coach Jeff Herron said.
“I feel it is one of the most informative things we
have going for high school football.”
TO SUBSCRIBE, E-MAIL
GHSFDAILY@BELLSOUTH.NET
of college suitors, including presumed favorites Auburn,
Georgia and Tennessee. Holloman is a 6-2 and 181-pound
target who can fly and go up to get jump balls. Once committed to Michigan, Holloman reopened his recruitment.
While Holloman returns, Newton has to figure out how to
replace 2015 leading rusher Kurt Taylor, who transferred
to Grayson for his senior season. Plenty of playmakers fill
Newton’s defense, including defensive back Robert Black,
linebacker Jaquan Henderson and linebacker Robert
Sease. Those three leaders, along with senior defensive
line Deion Watson and junior defensive back Elija Goodwin,
will help form a high-caliber defense.
ROCKDALE COUNTY BULLDOGS
2015 RECORD: 2-8
THE COACH: Greg Manior
THE PLAYERS: Jamichael Baldwin (Sr., WR), Dexter Manior
(Jr., TE), Cortez Faulkner (Jr., DB), Cordarrian Hartsfield (Sr.,
DB), Cameron Turner (Sr., WR), Andrew Tanner (Sr., K), Tyler
Smith (So., WR)
THE WORD: Following a 2-8 season, Rockdale County is
searching for answers in how to turn around its football
program for the better. The 2015 season, from a win-loss
standpoint was the worst in four years. But there is
optimism that last year was a rebuilding type of year and
that there are plenty of key contributors to work with on this
season’s roster. Senior wide receiver Jamichael Baldwin
and junior tight end Dexter Manior are quality targets to
attack with in the passing game. Defensive backs Cortez
Faulkner and Cordarrian Hartsfield should be able to hold
their own in the back end. Rockdale County should be an
improved team in 2016 and could wind up with an over
.500 record when it’s all said and done.
SHILOH GENERALS
2015 RECORD: 3-7
THE COACH: Ryan Andrews
THE PLAYERS: Cameron Sample (Sr., DL), Julian McDuffie
(Sr., DB), Donavon Grier (Sr., WR), Kevin Hill (Sr., DB),
Davonte Womack (Sr., DB), Eric Clay (Sr., RB), Neimaan
Jackson (Sr., DL)
THE WORD: Toward the end of the 2015 season, Shiloh
appeared to finally put it together on the football field.
After losing its first seven games, the Generals recorded
three consecutive wins over Parkview, Berkmar and South
Gwinnett to close their season. That can be seen as a silver
lining for head coach Ryan Andrews’ program heading into
2016. On top of that, four of Shiloh’s 2015 losses came
by eight points or less. Andrews should have an improved
team this year, especially on defense. Cameron Sample
and Neimaan Jackson will anchor a stout defensive line,
with Kevin Hill and Davonte Womack holding it down in the
secondary.
SOUTH GWINNETT COMETS
2015 RECORD: 2-8
THE COACH: John Small
THE PLAYERS: Malik Robinson (Sr., LB), Justin Mascoll
(Jr., DL), Terell Smith (Jr., ATH), Christian Malloy (Jr., RB),
Robert Cooper (Jr., DL), Amin Hall (Jr., RB), Angelo Miller (Jr.,
OL), Chabarri Thomas (Jr., LB)
THE WORD: South Gwinnett, in head coach John Small’s
12th season, could be one of the more improved teams
in the entire state. The Comets had an uncharacteristic
2-win season, which was the worst in Small’s tenure. But
South Gwinnett has what should be a spectacular defense
returning. Senior linebacker Malik Robinson, a North
Carolina commit, and junior defensive end Justin Mascoll,
who holds 13 offers (including Alabama, Auburn, Florida,
Florida State and Georgia), should prevent offenses from
moving the ball much. Terell Smith and Christian Malloy will
look to be South Gwinnett’s playmakers on offense. If the
Comets can get solid quarterback play, they should improve
their win total considerably.
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