High School Football
Cat Prowler
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Jake Lindsey has been playing organized football since the age of four. You can tell it on the football field. The current Camden County Wildcat star has ability that is instinctual and that cannot be taught.
Lindsey is entering into his senior year and his second year starting at safety for Jeff Herron’s Wildcats. Lindsey also started as a sophomore at safety at Coffee County before transferring to Camden County.
His family moved to Camden County as Lindsey’s father, Jon Lindsey was hired away from Coffee County and joined the Camden staff as the Defensive Coordinator.
Lindsey has had the privilege of playing for 2 high school football coaching legends in Jeff Herron and Robby Pruitt, that is pretty good coaching.
“Learning from both coaches has been great. They are pretty similar as far as they love to coach and are very organized.”
Lindsey was born in Dallas, GA, an Atlanta suburb in Cobb County and moved around a good bit growing up due to his father being a high school football coach.
He is the youngest of 3 and his two older sisters, Caroline and Jenna, have set some lofty expectations for their little brother. Caroline just recently graduated from Georgia and is currently at the University of Pittsburgh attending Law School. Jenna just graduated from Camden County High School and will be attending UGA in the fall.
“I have been blessed with the family I have. They have been so supportive and made sure responsibility was instilled in me. My mom, Melissa, is my biggest fan and my dad and I are very close.”
Lindsey also played QB in middle school and last season stepped in at RB for the Wildcats due to injuries. He rushed for over 200 yards against the Glynn Academy Red Terrors last season, not bad for a guy playing out of position.
“I look forward to playing safety. I love it. I love being out there with my team mates and being trusted by the coaches to be able to make adjustments on the field if necessary. But I would not mind working my way into the RB rotation either.”
Last season the Wildcats finished 4-7. “I felt like we were so close in a so many games. Those experiences will make us better and teach how to win those close games. Our goals for the season are win the region. We know we are good enough. We also want to beat Colquitt and Lowndes. We have not beaten those guys in a long time and the time is now. We just want to win.”
Lindsey has seen interest to play football at the next level from Georgia Southern, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, and Coastal Carolina, just to name a few. Currently, the standout safety has committed to the Army Black Knights.
Swash-Buc-Ler
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There are lofty expectations for the McIntosh County Academy Buccaneers for the upcoming 2022 football season.
Many believe a deep playoff run will be in the Bucs future come playoff time. A key piece of that equation will be rising Senior JaReese Campbell.
Campbell is expected to take over at QB for MCA. He played running back last season.
Campbell is a dual threat QB with dynamic playmaking ability.
JaReese Campbell knows the expectation his Bucs have on them. “We are pretty good and have a senior heavy team. We expect to make a deep playoff run. Losing in the second-round last year was hard. None of us want to repeat that. Our team is like a big family and we are a bunch of hard workers”
Campbell was born and raised in Darien and has been playing football since the age of seven. He will spend his entire high school career at MCA.
“My parents have been the most impactful people in my life. They have always made sure I had everything I needed to succeed at whatever I decided to take on. They taught me about hard work and have always been very supportive.”
JaReese has set some pretty high goals for himself with that support system in place. “I am still trying to figure out what I want to major in in college but I know I am going. I plan to play football at the college level as well”.
Campbell has gotten looks so far from Middle Tennessee State, Georgia State, East Tennessee State, Wofford, Alcorn State, Georgia Southern and Kennesaw State. As the season progresses, it is a given that more schools will be recruiting JaReese as well.
JaReese has set some personal goals for himself on the football field as well. “I feel like if I throw for 1,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards, we will have a great season. That will allow other talented guys on our team to shine too”.
The Bucs QB will not only be under center for MCA but will play on defense as well. Campbell will be the starting safety for the Bucs. This will be his second year starting at safety for MCA.
“I honestly like playing defense better than offense. On defense, I can be more aggressive and I like that”.
Campbell has some high praise for his coach, Bradley Warren too. “Coach Warren has come in here and made believers out of us. He has shown us what it takes to win. The environment at The Ship on Friday Nights has been really awesome since he got here”.
We will see how well the Bucs do this season, but don’t be shocked to see them have a monster year and to hear the name JaReese Campbell as a huge reason why.
A Red Terror
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Glynn Academy Red Terrors roll into the 2022 football season with some lofty expectations for senior QB, Tyler Devlin.
Devlin will be under center for his second season as the Red Terrors signal caller.
Tyler Devlin was born on November 5th 2004. He began playing football at 7 years old. However, the Glynn QB did not start as a quarterback. Devlin started out playing running back and linebacker.
By the 8th grade, he was developing into a very good QB. So much so that he transferred to Frederica Academy and started for the Knights as freshman at QB.
Devlin transferred to Glynn Academy after his freshman year. “I knew I would graduate as a Terror. I wanted to play against the best competition I could and Glynn was the best choice for me.”
Devlin was the backup QB his sophomore year to TJ Lewis, who went on to Louisville. “I looked up to TJ and learned how to be a leader from him. I just tried to replicate everything he did.”
Despite being the backup his sophomore, Devlin still found his way on the field for the Terrors as a 10th grader by playing safety.
The 2021 season saw Glynn go 4-6-1 and lose in the first round of the playoffs. I asked Devlin what the 2021 season was like….”Honestly, everyone was upbeat the whole season. The culture was the same as if we were 10-0. We expected to win. We knew we didn’t have the fastest guys, or the biggest but our team was full of heart and we fought every week.”
Devlin went on to talk about the 2021 season. “We didn’t get off to the best of starts. At the beginning of the season, we were young and didn’t let the game come to us. We played way better toward the end of the year once we got used to our offense and guys got into a rhythm. We had a whole new offense to learn.”
The Red Terrors signal caller tossed 12 touchdowns and threw for over 1,200 yards. Devlin took care of the ball as well, only throwing 3 interceptions during the regular season
Going into 2022 the Red Terrors are expected to be in the mix for a region title. “My goals for the 2022 season are to beat Brunswick High, win the region and then we can go from there.”
A few schools are showing interest Devlin as he is a great athlete. He is also the starting centerfielder for the Red Terror baseball team. “I would like to play both at the next level.”
The Red Terrors will be in good hands putting the offense in Tyler Devlin’s hands and with him going into his second year of Rocky Hidalgo’s offense, I am predicting Devlin to have a monster season.
The Border War
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
On Thursday September 8th the first annual Border War Classic will kick off at Glynn County Stadium.
Glynn County Athletic Director said in a press conference to announce the event, “this had been a dream of mine since I became Athletic Director in 2012.”
Fourteen teams will participate in the inaugural event, seven school from Georgia and seven from Mary’s Florida.
Baker Sports and Under Armor have gotten on board to sponsor the event and all games will be streamed live by WJXT out of Jacksonville, FL.
Here are the games:
September 8th 5p: MCA Buccaneers v. West Nassau Warriors The MCA Buccaneers from Darien, GA reside in Region 3-A Public. The Bucs finished last season 6-5-1 and lost in the second round of the GHSA A playoffs.
The West Nassau Warriors from Callahan, FL reside in 2S District 5. The Warriors finished last season’s campaign at 5-5.
September 8th 8p: Glynn Academy Red Terrors v. Creekside Knights The Glynn Academy Red Terrors from Brunswick, GA call Region 3-6A home. Last season the Red Terrors finished 4-6-1 and lost in the 1st round of the GHSA 6A playoffs.
The Creekside Knights are located in 4S District 3. In 2021 the Knights went 8-3 with a loss in the first round of the FHSAA 4S playoffs.
September 9th 5p: Charlton County Indians v. University Christian Christians The Charlton County Indians from Folkston, GA play in Region 2-A. The Indians finished the 2021 campaign with a 7-4 record and made the playoffs.
The University Christian Christians from Jacksonville, FL play in 1M District 1. The Christians went 7-5 in 2021 and made the second round of the playoffs.
September 9th 8p: Brunswick High Pirates v. Bolles Bulldogs The Brunswick High Pirates from Brunswick, GA finished last season with an 11-1 mark. The Pirates made the second round of the GHSA playoffs and play in region 3-6A.
The Bolles Bulldogs from Jacksonville, FL plays in 2M District 2. The Bulldogs made the 3rd round of the playoffs and had a record of 8-3.
September 10th 2p: Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane v. Madison County Cowboys The Purple Hurricane from Fitzgerald, GA won the 2A State Title in 2021, going 13-2.
The Madison County Cowboys from Madison, FL also won a state title in 2021 going 11-3 on their way. The Cowboys play in 1A Region 2 District.
This is the only game that will pit state champions against each other.
September 10th 5p: Coffee County Trojans v. St. Augustine Yellow Jackets The Coffee County Trojans from Douglas, GA play in Region 1 5-A. The Trojans went 7-3 in 2021, making the playoffs.
The St. Augustine Yellow Jackets from St. Augustine, FL are from 3S District 4. The Yellow Jackets went 6-3 last season.
September 10th 8p: Richmond Hill Wildcats v. Baker County Wildcats The Richmond Hill Wildcats from Richmond Hill, GA play in region 1-7A. Last year the Wildcats went 4-6 last season in 6A and made the playoffs.
The Baker County Wildcats from Glen St. Marys, FL made the FHSAA Final Four and finished 11-3 in 5A. Baker County plays in 5A District 2.
Golden Isles Legend
By: Charles Skipper
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I have only been writing articles for two months now and I do not know how many more opportunities I will have in the future to write others but I feel it is safe to say that this will be the most difficult one I will ever have to compose.
The reason for the level of difficulty in this particular article is that it is about the passing of my best friend Bob Black on April 4th, 2022.
Bob was diagnosed with Cancer in early February and lived six weeks after receiving the news. During those six weeks hundreds of people reached out to Coach Black, as he was known, and let him know how much he meant to them.
The Glynn Academy Baseball Team honored him at their game with Brunswick High School and he was able to stand and throw out the first pitch.
He told me after the event that he had no idea the amount of love and respect that people in the community had for him. He was humbled beyond words and extremely appreciative of everyone’s support.
I could fill volumes of articles with stories and antidotes of my friendship with Bob from the time we first met in 1983 at Georgia Southern but I have chosen another way to honor Coach Black.
I reached out to other Coaches that were fortunate enough to work alongside Bob in his coaching career and asked them to share their thoughts and experiences with Coach Black. These are their own words on what Bob meant to them and the kids they coached together.
Cricket Mobley: To lose a friend like Bob Black would leave a big hole in anyone’s “Friends” list. For me it takes away someone I have shared a lot of experiences with and shown up with.
We Coached the local kids and allowed us to grow up with them. To be a part of athletics and life with Bob was truly a blessing and I will miss him every day.
God bless Bob and his family and may the voices of time speak well of him. Always available. Always A Competitor. Always a friend. Love you Man
Todd Collier: Coach Black was tough on the field but he was always the first one to give them that atta boy hug afterwards. He was a player’s coach and the kids wanted to work hard for him. They worked hard for his respect. They never wanted to disappoint Coach Black.
Ted Wallen: Coach Bob was our backbone. He not only coached kids, he coached coaches. He would send out group texts to all the coaches at some of our worst times and remind us all of what we have to be grateful for and say “it is a great day to be a Terror.”
Our players are deeply saddened by the loss of their Coach. Bob reminded us just how powerful the Human Spirit can be.
Rocky Hidalgo: He will be remembered as the most honest man I ever met.
Coach Black would never sugar coat anything. He was open, direct and honest with every player and coach in our program, whether they liked it or not. He will be missed by all of us associated with the program.
Scott Spence: I knew Coach Black for over 30 years. I had the opportunity to work with him from the perspective of a Coach, Athletic Director, Principal and Superintendent.
He unselfishly gave himself to the student-athletes of the Glynn County School System. I can think of few, if any, who supported our student-athletes during that time frame in the positive manner that Coach Black did.
He was a good man who unselfishly wanted to see all of our young people succeed. Those kinds of people are very rare and we will miss him tremendously. We lost a good man.
The interactions and relationships Bob had with players and Coaches will be forever remembered and cherished by them. He truly was a person that made the world a better place.
Bob, I hope the fish are always biting and the Braves, Bulldogs and Terrors are winning all their games up there where you are my oldest friend.
We miss you and you keep them laughing up there Pal.
The New Knights
By: Jeff Doke
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
It’s a Friday afternoon at Frederica Academy, and Coach Brandon Derrick is happy to have made it through the day without any injuries.
Granted, this was spring field day at the school, not spring football practice, but he’ll take the victories where he can get them.
“Any day without injuries is a good day around here,” says the Englewood, Tennessee native, preparing for his 10th season leading the Frederica Knights.
The injury report was not his friend last season. Multiple week absences from two key players on an already short roster meant the 2021 Knights would have to rely on a late-season surge to salvage a .500 record for the year and eke into the playoffs.
It was a difficult task for a team that started with a scant 24 players on the roster, but relief is on the way for the 2022 Knights.
That relief comes in two forms; an influx of young talent from a rising freshman class that led the middle school Knights to an undefeated season last year, and a rising senior quarterback transferring in from Brunswick High.
After helping helm the Brunswick High Pirates to an 11-1 record in 2021, Class of 2023 Quarterback Sutton Ellis will be suiting up for his final campaign in the forest green and gunmetal grey of Frederica Academy,
“After the playoff loss to Dacula, his dad reached out to me,” recalls Coach Derrick. “He told me some things were said and Sutton wants to come over here. I told him if he wants to transfer, he’ll be like everyone else. He’ll have to compete.”
Ellis is used to competition. Splitting time under center last season, he managed to complete 42 of 83 attempts for 689 yards and 5 touchdowns during the Pirates’ run to the state playoffs. His first few months on campus at Frederica would lead you to believe those numbers can go nowhere but up this season.
“After his dad reached out to me, they came over to campus and hung out for a day,” elaborates Coach Derrick. “Sutton loved it. He thought this was a good place & a good setup and jumped right in. He’s playing baseball right now, starting at catcher.”
Since most of his eventual football teammates are two- and three sport athletes, there won’t be a true spring practice, save for film room, weight training, and playbook work.
“(Sutton)’s got the playbook and is studying it. He and Grant are actually working on it together right now.”
The “Grant” that Coach Derrick mentions is rising freshman QB Grant Moore – the leader of the previously mentioned undefeated middle school Frederica team from last season and the “competition” Coach Derrick spoke of in that first phone call with Sutton’s dad.
“We’ve got an 8th Grader coming up named Grant Moore that’s going to be pretty good,” says Derrick. “(He and Sutton) going to have to battle, it’ll be a competition.
Sutton is more of a traditional-style quarterback guy, and Grant is a pure athlete. We’ll be able to get him on the field at other positions, but I’m pretty sure they’ll both see action under center at some point.”
Joining the freshman QB will be several of his middle school teammates, not just adding depth to a roster that desperately needed it, but many starting as well.
“We’ll be starting or playing 8-10 freshmen, on the lines mostly. As crazy as that sounds, they’re gonna be some pretty good freshmen. We’re going to have 30-40 kids all total this year. The cupboard isn’t bare for the first time in a long time.”
Possibly the biggest benefactor of the influx of talent will be junior phenom running back Jordan “The River” Triplett.
“Jordan has been playing a lot of basketball, now baseball,” reports Coach Derrick. ”He’s a great three sport athlete, but his main focus is always football. He’s up to 195 lbs and is working on his speed & technique at a clinic down in Jacksonville. Hopefully Sutton & Grant will be able to get some throws to the outside, spread the field a little bit, and open up the middle for Jordan. We’re trying to add in some new wrinkles to get (Jordan) the ball in space.”
If I’ve learned anything in the last ten years, it’s that when Brandon Derrick starts talking about adding wrinkles to the playbook, there’s going to be some fun-to-watch football on the way. In his own tongue-in-cheek, self-deprecating words, “we’ve got a chance to make some noise as long as I don’t do anything stupid.”
New Captain Coming
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
My friend Sean Pender will be the next football coach at North Hall High School in Hall County, Georgia.
I’m excited for Sean, Dana and the kids as they move to this next chapter in their lives.
I know Sean will be successful because the man is a winner and he has a passion for developing young boys into men. That, folks, is what life is about. Winning and losing football games matter to the casual fan, but building a top-notch football program is way more than that. Winning is a result of the foundations that have been built.
When Sean Pender took the BHS job in 2017 the program was pretty much at rock bottom. No discipline, academics were not up to par, and the list goes on and on.
Sean Pender went to work to reverse the sorry culture that had taken root at Brunswick High School and in 5 short years he built the program into a contender. The 2021 Pirates went 10-0 in the regular season and finished 11-1 in the best season in the program since 1999.
Sean Pender has left his mark on the program. Here is the proof:
Record: 35-21. A .625 winning percentage which stands currently as the best in school history.
Playoff Wins: 3. Prior to the Pender tenure the last playoff win for BHS was in 2010.
Region Championships: 2. Pender shared a region title in 2020 with two other schools and won it outright in 2021. BHS has 8 region football titles in its football history dating back to 1968. Pender produced 25% of those championships in 5 years.
Perfect Regular Season: 1. The 2021 Pirates went undefeated in the regular season. The school has 3 undefeated regular seasons in school history. Sean Pender accomplished that in his 5th season.
Coaching Staff: Sean Pender has developed the best coaching staff in this area in my opinion. A loyal dedicated staff. The program mission statement of “All About The Family” is as real as it gets. The kids and coaches love each other and go to battle like that on every Friday night.
Culture: Sean Pender turned a losing selfish culture into a championship culture in 5 short years that is on a solid foundation moving forward.
My wife, Sandra and I have a great friendship with Sean and Dana Pender that will continue despite the fact that they will be in North Georgia.
The best thing you can say about a football coach is did they leave the program in better shape than they found it? Well Sean Pender left BHS in 100% better shape than he found it. Sean Pender leaves a winning culture at BHS.
I’m going to miss my dear friend. I love him and his family. I will also will be eternally grateful for the impact the Pender’s had on the school I love with a passion the Brunswick High Pirates.
Well done my friend. Now go build a championship culture at North Hall High School.
You are one hell of a football coach! The 27th Annual Branch Camping Trip dates are January 11-15, 2023. The committee met and Sean Pender is now an official 5-Star Camper! That’s the equivalent of a State Title in football.
All Area Team
All-Area
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2021 season has come to an end for the coastal Georgia football teams and once again we there was a lot of talent on display on the field.
Here is my Coastal Georgia All-Area team consisting of players from Camden County, Glynn Academy, Brunswick High, McIntosh County Academy and Frederica Academy.
Offense
QB-Tyler Devlin (Glynn)
RB-Jordan Triplett (Frederica)
RB-Chuckobe Hill (Brunswick)
RB-Austin Crosby (MCA)
TE-Trey Elvine (Brunswick)
WR-Terry Mitchell (Brunswick)
WR-Bryce Reilly (Frederica)
OL-Jacob Aiken (Frederica)
OL-Noah Demeritt (Camden)
OL-Daniel Rush (MCA)
OL-Ashton Frankel (Frederica)
OL-Kanaya Charlton (Brunswick)
Defense
DL-Iman Davis (Camden)
DL-K’Shawn Thomas (Brunswick)
DL-DJ Clinch (Glynn)
DL-Will Jones (MCA)
LB-Will Dykstra (Camden)
LB-Devin Smith (Brunswick)
LB-Colton Seay (Glynn)
LB-Jadin Jones (Camden)
CB-Jayden Drayton (Brunswick)
CB-Jalen Rogers (MCA)
S-Zach Andreu (Camden)
S-Jake Lindsey (Camden)
Special Teams
K-McClain Fineran (Brunswick)
P-Adonis Coyle (Camden)
KR-Jamie Felix (Camden)
Coach Of The Year-Brandon Derrick (Frederica)
End of the Road
By: Jason Bishop
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The season is over for the Camden County Wildcats.
The Wildcats were eliminated in the first round of the GHSA state 7A playoffs at the hands of the North Cobb Warriors, 44-6.
North Cobb was the winner of region 3-7A and a #1 seed going into the 2021 playoffs. The only loss the Warriors suffered was to the Buford Wolves in the season opener. They are a very good football team and overmatched the Wildcats.
Camden ends the 2021 season with a 4-7 mark. It was a tough second half of the season for the Wildcats.
Camden came in with high expectations entering the 2021 campaign. This was mostly due to the second coming of Jeff Herron as Camden Coach; I like to refer to it as the Jeff Herron era 2.0.
Herron won three state titles in his first go around with the Wildcats and 12 straight region titles.
In fairness to Herron, he was trying to implement to complicated Wing-T offensive system to 17-18 year olds, who had never run it and were used to playing out of a spread offense. It was a tall order.
Not to mention the schedule was brutal. By far the Wildcats had the toughest schedule in the state. The Wildcats played games against Glynn Academy, Marietta, and Oakleaf in the first half season of season. The first half of Camden’s season saw them go 4-1 with blowout wins over both Glynn and Oakleaf.
The schedule in second half of the season got even more difficult. Camden had game @ Coffee County, Warner Robins, Colquitt, @ Tift and then at home against Lowndes.
Coffee made the playoffs, Warner Robins is the favorite to win the 5A state title, Colquitt was ranked 8th in the state, Tift had a new coach and new system and Lowndes was ranked #5 in the state. The second half schedule was brutal.
Despite that the Wildcats played tough in most of those games and had chances to win. Camden lost to Coffee 10-7 on a trick play and a 50-yard field goal. Then lost to Colquitt in over time. After that lost to Tift by a touchdown and then lost to Lowndes on a miracle play right at the end of regulation. The point is Camden could have very easily finished the regular season 8-2 with a region title and a #1 seed in the GHSA playoffs, instead of 4-6.
None the less, the season is over and the record is 4-7. Now the Wildcats look ahead to 2022.
Camden will lose QB Gray Loden, RB Jamie Felix, LB Jadin Jones, RB KK Albertie, DB Zach Andreu, LB Will Dykstra, DL Iman Davis, DL Demarion Davis, DL Quinton Pinkney, K Adonis Coyle, OL Noah Demeritt, OL Thomas Scholl, OL Tyler Yarborough just to name a few.
The question is now can Jeff Herron turn this program back into one that reloads instead of rebuilds, I feel the answer to that question is YES.
Restructure
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
It has been an interesting few weeks in the Georgia High School Association.
The GHSA assigned classifications for the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 athletic seasons in early November.
After the classifications were revealed then schools around the state had the opportunity to appeal their placement. Below are the GHSA rulings on the various appeals filed.
Appeals results:
From 7A to 6A:
Won – Arabia Mountain, East Paulding*, Etowah, Rockdale County, St. Pius, Woodward Academy
Lost – Camden County, Carrollton, Kennesaw Mountain, Richmond Hill
From 6A to 5A:
Won: Cartersville*, Chapel Hill, KIPP Atlanta Collegiate
Lost: Blessed Trinity, Marist, New Manchester
From 6A to 4A:
Lost: Thomas County Central
From 5A to 4A:
Won: Perry, Riverdale, Starr’s Mill, Walnut Grove, Whitewater*
Lost: Calhoun, Flowery Branch, Greater Atlanta Christian, Jefferson, Jenkins
From 4A to 3A:
Won: Central-Macon, Cross Creek, Johnson-Savannah, Pickens*, Richmond Academy, Ridgeland, Sonoraville*, West Hall
From 4A to 2A:
Lost: Lovett
From 3A to 2A:
Won: East Jackson*, Therrell
Lost: Bremen, Thomasville, Vidalia
From 2A to A:
Won: Bryan County
Lost: Social Circle
*Six schools were allowed to move down without appealing to accommodate schools below that won petitions to move up.
Schools petitioning to play up:
All won except Fellowship Christian, which must remain in Class A Private.
7A: Milton
6A: Jackson County
5A: Mays
4A: Holy Innocents’, Pace Academy, Trinity Christian
3A: Savannah, Woodville-Tompkins
2A: Aquinas, B.E.S.T. Academy, Coretta Scott King, Davidson Fine Arts, Elite Scholars, Johnson-Augusta, Technical Career Magnet
In coastal Georgia both Camden County and Richmond Hill lost their appeal to play in the 6A classification and will be forced to play in their correct classification on 7A.
The GHSA basically had their hands tied on this one. By granting an appeal to Camden and Richmond Hill the state would have been left with a three team 7A region in South Georgia. Under current playoff guidelines the top 4 teams in each region make the playoffs in each sport.
Region 1 AAAAAAA will look like this next year: Camden County, Colquitt County, Lowndes County, Richmond Hill and Valdosta.
This will be a brutal football region. Camden is rebuilding their football program and under Jeff Herron should be in the hunt for a region title in 2022.
Richmond Hill could struggle in this region in football, but will be very competitive in both basketball and baseball in their new region.
Region 1 will be the only 7A region in all of South Georgia. Richmond Hill had 7A numbers during the last cycle but appealed under the isolation rule and was allowed to play down in 6A.
Tift County dropped to 6A for the 22-23 seasons, which left old region 1 with 3 teams. With Valdosta moving back up into 7A, the GHSA could not grant appeals to both Camden and Richmond Hill so the GHSA denied their isolation appeals and will require them to play in the 7A classification.
In 6A The Coastal Georgia region will look like this: Brunswick, Effingham County, Glynn Academy, and South Effingham.
The GHSA will probably add three Augusta area schools of Grovetown, Evans, and Lakeside Evans to create a 7-team region.
With Richmond Hill moving up a class and Bradwell and Statesboro dropping to 5A, adding the Augusta schools replaces the three teams lost.
Wayne County who finished the season at 0-9 will drop down to 4A.
Benedictine will move up to 5A. Brantley County will drop to 2A. MCA will stay 1A. Ware County and Coffee County will stay in 5A.
Stay tuned for region placements coming in the near future where everyone will learn who they will compete against for the next couple of years.
