Bishop Media Sports Network
What Might Have Been
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
For the past 15 years or so the SEC has been the best college football conference in the country.
As much as it pains me to say it, they’ve had the best coaches, players, and overall teams from top to bottom during that span.
To be honest, they’ve been at the top so long it was easy to forget that in the early 2000’s the ACC actually made a play for that honorable distinction when they added Boston College, Virginia Tech, and Miami to their lineup.
I actually remember a few columnists, as well as many ACC fans, were upset by the move because it was so obviously football centric many people thought it was going to water down the conference from a basketball viewpoint.
That was as acceptable in ACC country as it would be telling Alabama children they don’t need to be a quarterback, but should play tennis instead. (For the record, there’s nothing wrong with choosing tennis over football, but I don’t live in Alabama, either.)
I realize trying to explain to someone under the age of 20 that the Miami Hurricanes were actually a powerhouse program is as difficult as trying to convince my 15-year-old daughter that the Dave Matthews Band was once cool, but they were (in both cases).
The Hurricanes were so dominant back then it would be like taking this past season’s LSU team and extrapolating their success over the next 3 to 4 years.
Not only did it feel like the apocalypse was upon us anytime Miami lost, it also seemed like, for a while, the first round of the NFL draft was a who’s who of Hurricane players.
Virginia Tech wasn’t on the same level as Miami, but they had just gone through the Michael Vick years, which helped propel them into the national spotlight.
The Hokies had also signed Marcus Vick, Michael’s younger brother, so expectations were extremely high.
Boston College, even though they were kind of an afterthought among the three schools, were considered better than most other ACC programs.
When you combined the addition of those three schools, along with Florida State, which was a premier program, and Clemson, which always seemed to be bubbling right below the surface, the conference was poised to really become an athletic juggernaut.
Of course, like most plans, we all make it looks great on paper, but once you get 10 minutes into it the whole thing just falls apart.
Boston College is well, Boston College. Virginia Tech did fairly well, but has never been able to recreate the success they had in the few years prior.
As for Miami, the crown jewel of this expansion, you could argue they have been the worst of the three.
I don’t think it’s too far-fetched to say that overall the three programs have brought more success to the basketball court than the football field, which is saying something.
I have to admit, as a fan of the ACC, it gets a little rough thinking about what may have been had everything turned out the way most people expected.
Instead, the SEC has enjoyed being at the pinnacle of college football for the past 15 years and for right now are in a strong position to keep that spot for the next 15.
Then again, a lot of can change over a 15 year period; just ask the Dave Matthews Band.
Early Chatter
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
After defeating the Mets 5-3 in 10 innings on Saturday night, the Atlanta Braves evened the beginning of their season to 1-1 with a meager 58 more games to play.
Two games wouldn’t generally provide a lot to chat about, but this is 2020 and everything is either a little or a lot different.
So, let’s take a moment and figure out what we can glean from Atlanta’s first two contests of the season.
Starting at the end: it took only two games before the Braves experienced one of 2020s more drastic rule changes; a runner on second to start every extra inning.
In Atlanta’s case, Adam Duvall started the top of the 10th on second base and the first batter up, Dansby Swanson drove him in to take a lead that the Braves would hang onto in the bottom of the inning.
It’s easy to say that I like the rule since the team I was rooting for won the first time it was used, but I do think it adds an immediate excitement to the game (in addition to being a functional way to shorten games in the middle of a pandemic).
Just look to the bottom of the 10th. The Braves were up by 3 runs, but with only one hit the Mets had the tying run at the plate in the form of last year’s MLB homerun leader Pete Alonso.
They only got one run across the plate, but the tension was great. The very real possibility that the Mets could come back was palpable right away. In short, regardless of how it goes game-to-game, this is going to be an exciting wrinkle to the season.
Let’s turn now to the offense that the Braves have produced over the first two games of the year. The 5 runs in the second game of the series is nothing to scoff at, but up through Marcel Ozuna’s game-tying homerun at the end of the game the Atlanta offense looked downright anemic.
The heavy hitters in the lineup, Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuna, Jr., have done very little of note so far. Of course, it’s incredibly early, but with a 60-game season Atlanta can hardly afford to take some to warm up.
The pitching, for the most part, has looked good.
Mike Soroka picked right up where he left off with a stellar 6-inning outing on Opening Day, and Max Fried, while a little less in command of the ball, also pitched well.
The bullpen, specifically Chris Martin, was responsible for the lone run that cost the Braves the game after Soroka was pulled. However only one run allowed by the ‘pen is generally an acceptable amount.
Luke Jackson displayed his two trademarks: a) being left in too long (not his fault) and b) making a game unnecessarily close (his fault), but they got the win and you can’t argue with results.
The pitching was expected to be a strength of this team, and it looks like that may hold true.
Some other, quicker points: Pace has long been an issue with baseball, but neither game has seemingly dragged (again, small sample size).
The minimum of three batters for relievers along with the extra inning rule seem like they’ll be effective in this regard.
The DH in the National League has been a long time coming. Technically it’s a “this season only” rule, but I’d bet it’s here to stay.
Chip Caray said that the Mets are expected to make the playoffs. With a whopping 16 teams qualifying this season (if it gets that far), he’s probably right. It’s going to be a wild chase for the series.
Gator Chomp
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Last year saw the Jason Strickland era begin with a bang at Ware County.
Arriving in Waycross after successful stints at Lamar County, Fitzgerald and Pierce County, Strickland wasted no time in making his mark.
The Gators took a few lumps early on in the non-region schedule, only to storm through Region 2-AAAAA undefeated and make it to the second round of the state playoffs before bowing out to eventual state champion Buford.
Heading into Year Two under Strickland, Ware has faced the same trials and tribulations as every other team in GHSA, as they have been limited in their preparations for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think we’re getting through everything just fine,” Strickland said. “I’m lucky to have a staff that is experienced and has been together for a while. As for the kids, I think they’re fine. Honestly, I think kids respond to this kind of shake-up and adversity better than most adults.
“They have taken the attitude of focusing on what needs to be done each day and just working forward from there. That’s big for them and big for our community. A lot of people in this area need something to make them smile. And for a lot of these towns, football can do that. So long as we can be safe and play, that’s something we’re looking to do for ourselves and for the community.”
It’s good that the Gators have been hard at work because there will be no shortage of challenges on this season’s schedule.
Ware County joins longtime rival Wayne County in a shift to Region 1-AAAAA with the GHSA’s latest region alignments.
The teams spent the last few seasons playing region rivals in and around coastal Georgia, but the competition now shifts west and north as they join a stacked region that includes Coffee, Veterans and Warner Robins.
“I don’t think it’s a stretch to say this will be the toughest region in 5-A,” Strickland said. “It might be one of the toughest in the state at any level. But we’ll embrace that challenge. There will be a lot of tense Friday nights, but a lot of fun Friday nights.”
Heading into a tough schedule, the Gators will lean heavily on proven leaders on both sides of the ball.
Rising senior linebacker Michael Mincey has Strickland’s trust to make calls and anchor the defense.
On the attacking front, quarterback Thomas Castellanos will be a junior this fall, but has been at the helm of the Gator attack since he was a freshman.
“Michael has some big-time offers and he’s a leader on and off the field for us,” Strickland said. “Thomas can get things done with both his arm and his legs. He’s got another year in the system and he’s really starting to settle in and run the offense.”
In addition to their tough region slate, the Gators will travel to Florida to take on Bartram Trail and will also face Cook and Thomson in non-region action.
The New Buzz
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Wayne County is no stranger to great football. The Yellow Jackets rank 26th all-time in the state of Georgia with 561 wins.
Better yet, Wayne County is currently enjoying its most successful run to date.
Three of the school’s 15 region championships have come during a run that has seen the Jackets reach the playoffs in a school-record eight consecutive seasons.
The 2019 campaign saw a small step back with an 8-3 record following back-to-back region titles in 2017-18, but the Jackets notched a first-round win in the state tournament before dropping a close contest to state quarterfinalist Clarke Central.
This year’s team figures to be stacked as the Jackets return eight starters on offense and seven on defense.
Highly touted offensive guard Weston Franklin also returns to Jesup after spending a season at the IMG Academy.
“With everything going on (related to COVID-19 and practice restrictions), I still think we’re ahead of the game,” WCHS coach Ken Cribb said. “We have a lot of veteran guys who are ready to get the season going.”
One of the most impressive aspects of the Jackets’ recent success has been their ability to endure change. All prep teams must deal with graduating seniors, but many perennially successful programs have continuity at head coach. As for Wayne County, it has found its current success under three different head coaches.
“I give a lot of credit to everyone in the program,” said Cribb, who is entering his fourth season with a 28-6 record at Wayne. “We’ve got a great group of coaches and our kids are ready to work hard every day.”
Cribb and his team continue to have high hopes for another solid season, but the road will be much rougher due to region realignment.
Wayne County won its two most recent region titles while regularly dispatching struggling rivals such as Statesboro, South Effingham and New Hampstead.
Now a resident in Region 1-AAAAA, the Jackets will run a non-stop gauntlet of perennial powers Coffee, Veterans, Ware County and Warner Robins.
All five teams made it to at least the second round of last year’s playoffs, with Warner Robins finishing as state runners-up for a third consecutive season.
Opponents such as Pierce County, Benedictine and Richmond Hill dot the Jackets’ non-region schedule, meaning that there will be very few breathers along the way.
The Knights’ Crusade
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Brandon Derrick enters his 8th season as head football coach of the Frederica Academy Knights this fall.
Derrick has built Frederica into one of the elite programs in the Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) by winning the State Championship in 2018.
The Knights finished 4-6 in 2019 as they rebuilt from losing so many seniors from the championship team, but made the playoffs and lost in the first round to Southland Academy.
The 2020 Knights have 14 starters returning from last season and are experienced across the offensive and defensive lines of scrimmage.
Depth could be an issue because the Knights have a total of 31 players on the entire roster. Derrick says “We have a chance to develop and be good if we can avoid injuries”.
Garrett Squires will anchor the offensive line. Derrick says he is versatile and is a team leader in the locker room.
Jacob Triplett will play plug in at right tackle. The defensive line has experience with Will Thompson and Will Counts returning. Counts is a three-year starter at nose guard.
The Knights will run a spread offense that will be more run based. Thomas Veal looks to be the QB and looked good in limited reps in 2019 after he returned late in the season from a preseason injury.
Kyle Perez is up to 185 lbs. and will get the bulk of carries at running back. Watch for Jordan Triplett to break on to the scene this fall at WR/RB.
Josh Meadows and Josh Elliott will lead an experienced linebacker position. Jayden Rose will be one of the better corners in the region.
The schedule/My Predictions/ * Region Game
9/11 @ Valwood: Valwood might as well be the third public school in Lowndes County.
The Valiants cherry pick Valdosta and Lowndes and that makes them a state title contender every season. These two schools have developed a great rivalry over the past 4-5 seasons.
Beating Valwood on the road will be very tough. The Knights play well but fall short 27-20 to go 0-1 on the season, but could see Valwood again in the postseason.
9/18 Calvary: Calvary always has one or two very talented players, but in the home opener Frederica gets it done 28-22 to even its record to 1-1 on the season.
9/25 @Tiftarea: The Knights travel to Chula, which is 10 miles north of Tifton to play the Panthers who went 8-4 in 2019.
This could be another playoff preview game for Frederica. The Knights come up a little short in this one 17-14 to fall to 1-2 on the season.
10/2 Brantley County: The Herons come to St. Simons to play football instead of the entire county coming over for 4th of July Fireworks. Highly anticipated matchup between the schools.
The public school Herons take the private school Knights for granted and get beat 24-18. The Knights go to 2-2 on the season.
10/16: Long County: Long is awful in football. FA wins 27-14 to go to 3-2
10/23: Memorial Day: The Matadors roll to SSI and get blistered 34-6. FA goes to 4-2 on the season.
10/30 @ Bulloch Academy *: The Gators, I’m told, have been recruited hard by Benedictine and lost key players.
The Knights find a way to win the region opener on the road 28-26 to set up a battle with Pinewood for the region crown in two weeks. FA goes to 5-2.
11/6 St. Andrews *: The Knights handle the Lions 34-16 to go to 6-2 and 2-0
11/13 @ Pinewood: The Patriots are loaded and the Knights gave the game away to them in 2019.
FA can win this game in Bellville, which is near Claxton. Due to factors out of their control, if you get my drift, the Knights fall short 27-23 and go to at 6-3 and 2-1 in region play.
11/20: Trinity Christian: The Crusaders roll into St. Simons and crusade out with a 28-14 loss. FA finishes the regular season with a 7-3 record and finish 3-1 in the region.
Frederica is a solid playoff team barring a rash of injuries in 2020.
Sting Rays
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
As we get closer to the start of Major League Baseball season, I will dedicate some time to the Tampa Bay Rays.
In a Major League Baseball season, assuming players do play and get through 60 games, and the playoffs are without cancellation, the Rays are set up as well as any other team in baseball for this unprecedented 60 game season.
Opening Day is scheduled for July 24 versus Toronto at the Tropicana Field.
Manager Kevin Cash stated, “in a normal setting, generally, the first month is, let’s see, where we’re at. Let’s not make too many irrational decisions, but that might change a little bit simply because we’re playing 60 games.”
The Rays have three outstanding starting pictures, who could feasibly be not only the best Rays pitcher this season but the Rays have 3 legitimate Cy Young contenders.
Blake Snell, the 2018 Cy Young Award winner, is looking to rebound from an injury-riddled 2019 season. So far in workouts, Snell’s fastball appeared lively during simulated games with his velocity reaching 96 mph.
Kevin Cash named Charlie Morton the Opening Day starter. Morton established career bests in wins (16), ERA (3.05), strikeouts (240), and innings pitched (194 ⅔) in 2019 and finished third in AL Cy Young Award voting.
Tyler Glasnow, to me, looks like an ace in the making. He is a lanky 6 foot 8 and throws an upper 90’s fastball toward the plate. Glasnow might be the best bet to the Cy Young in 2020.
That’s three reasons to pick the Rays to make a run in the short 2020 season.
Then there’s the bullpen; one of the best bullpens in baseball.
There’s lefty Jose Alvardo, who slings a 98-mph sinker and a wipeout slider.
There’s Diego Castillo, who throws 100 mph fastball.
There’s Nick Anderson who throws a 97 mph like soft toss and Chaz Roe, who throws a slider that moves like a frisbee.
There’s no question, the Rays built baseball’s nastiest pitching staff in today’s game and I believe their dominant pitchers will give them a chance in each and every game in 2020.
Position players to watch: Kevin Kiermaier, the speedy center fielder who won his third Gold Glove last season. He is the main defensive star in the Rays’ outfield.
Ji-Man Choi is a left-handed hitting first baseman who hit .261 with 107 hits, 63 RBIs, and 19 home runs. He cut down his strikeout rate to a respectable 22% last season.
Two new additions to the Rays roster this season: Yoshi Tsutsugo and Hunter Renfroe. They seem to be ready to make an impact.
Tsutsugo smashed 139 home runs over the past four seasons with the Yokoham DeNA BayStars in Japan.
Hunter Renfroe hit a career best 33 home runs in 2019 with the San Diego Padres.
Excellent depth seems to be the recipe for success this MLB season. The Rays have an excellent farm system, with great MLB-ready middle infielders and outfielders ready to step up.
Making comparisons in pitching, no team in baseball boasts the depth the Rays have right now.
Look at the last three World Series champs, who’ve all had a strong trio of starters: 2019 Nationals; Strasburg, Scherzer and Corbin, 2018 Red Sox; Sales, Price and Eovaldi and 2017 Astros; Verlander, Keuchel and Morton.
The Rays can win it all in 2020. Let’s just pray they get the opportunity to do it.
Be-Deviled
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Last year was great for Marietta. The Blue Devils (14-2) won the 7A state championship. It was their first state title since 1967. They were loaded with talent. The team had 9 seniors ranked in the top 100 prospects in Georgia.
This program is an anomaly because we normally see the same top programs winning championships repeatedly. Marietta is not known as a football powerhouse.
Also, when a school has a talented class, they typically turn that into multiple championships. The Blue Devils were just as talented in 2018 and they were the top team in Georgia in the preseason. They finished the year 5-6 and unranked.
Their 2020 class was led by five-star tight end Arik Gilbert. He was the Gatorade National Player of the Year, first-team All-American and named Player of the Year for class AAAAAAA. Gilbert committed to LSU. He posted the second-greatest single-season mark for receiving yards in state history with 101 catches for 1,760 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Quarterback Harrison Bailey, defensive lineman B.J. Ojulari, tackle Jake Wray and defensive back Rashad Torrence were four-star prospects.
They don’t have any players ranked in the top 100 state prospects in 2021. After losing so much talent the Blue Devils will come crashing back to earth in 2020.
The season opener is home versus Colquitt County. The Packers were 9-3 last season and they will be a top 10 team this year. Wide receiver Lemeke Brockington is rated as the No. 39 prospect in the state and he’s a three-star recruit. Colquitt will win big.
The second game of the year is against Armwood (FL). They were a semifinalist last season in Florida’s highest classification. This game is probably cancelled because the GHSA announced the season will be pushed back and start September 4th. This game was going to be played August 28th.
Week 3 is at archrival McEachern. The Indians won last year’s meeting and they were the region champs. Star quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson transferred to Grayson but they still have other good players on the team.
Their best player is inside linebacker Ese Dubre, the 68th ranked player in Georgia and a three-star recruit. I expect mighty McEachern to win.
The first road game is a long drive to Camden County. The Wildcats were 8-3 last season and lost in the playoffs to Marietta, 41 – 13.
Tackle Micah Morris is the No. 6 prospect in state and a four-star recruit. He committed to Georgia. Camden also has three-star wide receiver and Nebraska commit Shawn Hardy. The Wildcats will get revenge in a blowout win.
Week 5 is a second consecutive road game at Parkview. The Panthers were 12-2 in 2019 and lost to Marietta 42 – 31 in the semifinals.
Their led by four-star running back Cody Brown. Brown is rated as the No. 14 Georgia prospect and he’s committed to Tennessee. The Panthers will roll.
After a bye week the second half of the season begins with North Paulding at home. This will be the first win of the season.
Hillgrove is the next game. The Hawkss (yes, double s) should win this game.
Harrison has moved up to 7A and they’re in the same region. They were undefeated and won the 6A state championship last year. The Hoyas will win this game.
The final two games are against North Cobb and Walton. They should win one of those games, probably the North Cobb game.
I think Marietta will win two, potentially three games this season. Not very good for defending state champs.
Draft Options
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
As the NBA season is on the brink of resuming for many teams, for organizations like Atlanta, which has seen their season already come to an end, it’s time to look forward to possible free agent signings and the NBA Draft.
It’s difficult to get too specific about what Atlanta’s draft may look like since that event is still roughly three months away and a lot can happen between now and then.
The muddy waters should become a little bit clearer on August 25 when the NBA holds their draft lottery and the Hawks will find out exactly what their draft position is; their first-round pick could range anywhere from the first pick to the seventh overall.
If Atlanta is fortunate enough to wind up with either the first or second pick, I think the choices are obvious, it’s going to be James Wiseman or Anthony Edwards.
Personally, if Atlanta were to receive the number one overall pick, they should go with Wiseman. The former Memphis Tiger- and I use that in the loosest sense of the term since he only played three games there- is the better of the two players and fills a deeper need for the Hawks.
That’s not to say Atlanta wouldn’t be as happy as a college student making a late-night run to the Waffle House if they wound up with Edwards, my preference just happens to be Wiseman.
Like with most drafts, it only gets interesting after those initial picks. Depending on which mock draft you choose to look at the Hawks, currently slotted in the fourth spot until the lottery takes place because of their record, seem to have more possibilities than Brad Pitt at a bar during Ladies Night.
Of all the names associated with that pick, there are three I could see the Hawks leaning towards; Obi Toppin, Isaac Okoro, and LaMelo Ball.
Toppin, the power forward from Dayton, probably has the highest ceiling of the three and is arguably the most NBA ready, which in a draft bereft of franchise changing talent, can be difficult to pass up.
On the downside he is 22, which in our bizarro world makes him the elder statesman of the draft- and likely has the lowest ceiling of the three. That combination can be a tough sell when you’re drafting that high.
Okoro, freshman out of Auburn, is an athletic wing that thrives on the defensive end but has a very limited skillset on the offensive end.
Players like Okoro are high risk/high reward and I have a feeling if Atlanta decides to go this route it will be indicative of their feelings towards De’Andre Hunter or Cam Reddish.
If I had to choose between one of the three, Ball, who spent the last few seasons playing overseas, would be the choice.
LaMelo’s game translates well to the NBA and I would love to see how Trae Young would play with him in the backcourt. Even though the level of competition he faced overseas may not have been as high as it would’ve been at a major conference program, from all accounts he took his experience over there very seriously and should be prepared for the rigors of an NBA season.
Atlanta may not be ready for the playoffs yet, but who they choose in this year’s draft, paired with an already young and talented roster, could go a long way in getting them there.
At least they’ve got three months to think about it.
Terrorizing
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2020 edition of the Glynn Academy Red Terrors will be a blueprint of what they have been known for in these parts since 2014, which is a consistent winner.
Since Rocky Hidalgo took over on the south end of Brunswick in 2014, The Terrors have gone 55-22 and have appeared in a state title game, won 4 outright region championships, made deep runs in the state playoffs, and have beat rival Brunswick in six straight meetings.
2019 was not up to the standards of Glynn Academy football which has three goals every season and they are the City Championship, Region Championship, and State Championship.
The 2019 Terrors were City Champions, but fell short in the Region to Richmond Hill after winning four straight region championships. Did you know that before Rocky Hidalgo arrived at Glynn Academy that the Red Terrors went 43 years without a region football title?
The win total in 2019 was 6 for a program that is used to winning 8-12 games per season since 2014.
The 2020 Terrors have a chip on their shoulder to regain the region title and make a deep playoff run. The talent is there.
TJ Lewis returns at QB and has some good offers to play college football. Caden Hutchinson will be the featured running back. Some Glynn folks are telling me that Hutchinson will be the best running back in the region that is stacked with quality running backs.
On defense Miles Smith returns at LB. Does it not always seem that Glynn has a linebacker that tackles everything that moves? Jayden Drayton could be the most dynamic play maker in coastal Georgia this fall. This is a talented roster.
Schedule/My Prediction/* Region Contest:
8/21 At Islands: The Red Terrors travel to Savannah to play Islands in what they are calling the I-95 classic. Well Glynn is rolling into Savannah and will whip Islands 35-17 to go 1-0 on the season.
8/28 At Camden County: Glynn will be good but not Camden good, as the Wildcats have 9 or 10 division one football prospects on the roster. Cats beat GA 28-10. GA drops to 1-1.
9/04 At Winder-Barrow: The Bulldogs went 3-7 in 2019. Glynn should take care of business 28-13. GA goes to 2-1 on the season.
9/18 At Coffee: Many chalk this up as a loss, but not me. Glynn will always play good team defense, and Glynn wins these types of games when nobody gives them a shot. Terrors win 17-14 at Coffee to go to 3-1.
9/25 At Brunswick*: Talent is pretty much even, but mentally Glynn owns this series and until Brunswick gets over this mental hump its 7 straight for GA with a 25-22 win over the rival Pirates. GA goes to 4-1.
10/02 Bradwell Institute *: GA owns Bradwell. Terrors go to 5-1 with a 42-14 win.
10/09 At South Effingham*: The Mustangs will be no match for Glynn even home in “The Corral “. Glynn wins 38-17 to go to 6-1 and 3-0 in the region.
10/16 Effingham County*: Effingham is in rebuild mode and that is never a good thing when you play Glynn in a region contest. GA wins at home 42-14 over Effingham. GA goes to 7-1 and 4-0.
10/23 Richmond Hill*: I have gone back and forth with this one. 7A Richmond Hill playing in 6A has more talent on paper, but Glynn has Rocky Hidalgo and everyone is anointing the Wildcats as Region Champions. If Glynn comes into this game with no region losses they won’t lose to the Wildcats. Terrors clinch the region title at home with a 28-24 win over Richmond Hill. GA goes to 8-1 and 5-0
11/06 At Statesboro*: Trap game in Statesboro. I’m putting Glynn on upset alert here. After clinching the region Glynn comes out flat and drops a tough contest to Statesboro at historic Womack Field 24-17 to finish the regular season at 8-2 and 5-1
The Red Terrors will enter the playoffs as the number 1 seed from Region 2-AAAAAA, and makes it to the third round in a huge bounce back season.
Ramming Down the Door
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Grayson is one of the elite programs in Georgia’s largest classification, AAAAAAA.
The Rams won state championships in 2011 and 2016. They hope to return to the top of the GHSA mountain in 2020.
Last season Grayson was expected to compete for the state championship. They beat Marietta by two touchdowns during the regular season. The Blue Devils were the most talented team in Georgia and they went on to win the 7A championship.
The Rams finished 2019 with a 10 – 2 record. They lost in the quarterfinals to Lowndes, 28 – 20. Lowndes advanced to the state championship game.
Grayson has produced a lot of talent. Most notably, Robert Nkemdiche was a five-star recruit and the top player in the class of 2012.
This season is no different. Wide receiver Daejon Reynolds is the 19th ranked player in the state and a four-star recruit. He’s committed to Florida. He’s 6’2 and 190 pounds so he has good size. Reynolds played at Central Gwinnett last season and he had 88 catches for 1,534 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was the Touchdown Club of Gwinnett’s wide receiver of the year for the 2019 season.
Quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson is also a four-star recruit and the 20th ranked player in Georgia. He will join Reynolds in Gainesville. He transferred from McEachern and this is his first season at Grayson. Del Rio-Wilson is 6’3, 205 pounds and he’s a dual threat. He’s in the 2020 Elite 11.
Running back Phil Mafah is the 27th ranked player in the state and another four-star recruit. The 6’1, 220-pound back is committed to Clemson. He missed several games at the beginning of the season due to a broken collarbone. He ran for 676 yards and 9 TD’s.
Defensive end Victoine Brown is a three-star recruit and the 34th ranked player in state. He’s committed to Louisville.
The season begins August 21st versus Creekside. The Seminoles are a 5A team and they were 7 – 5 in 2019. This will be an easy win.
Week 2 is at McEachern. The Indians were 12 – 1 last year and they are a very good team. This will be a close win.
Stephenson comes to town next. The Jaguars were 10 – 2 last season and they were one of the best 4A teams. They can’t compete with 7A talent though and Grayson wins big.
The Rams travel to Archer in Week 4. Last year’s game was very close, a 34 – 31 Grayson win. The Tigers are looking to build off of their momentum from 2019 after finishing 9 – 4. This will be another close game but I give the edge to Grayson.
Paul Bryant high school from Alabama comes to town. I don’t know much about the Stampede but I know they can’t compete with Grayson.
Mill Creek is next on the schedule. The Hawks are a very good team and were 10 – 3 in 2019. This will be a battle, but the Rams will win.
Grayson travels to South Gwinnett for the sixth game. The Comets are a bad team and they’ll lose by 30.
After a bye week Parkview is the next game. The Panthers were 12 – 2 last season and they are led by four-star running back Cody Brown. I think Parkview will win.
The final two games are at Brookwood and Newton. They’ll win both games. I think Grayson will make it to the state championship game in 2020. They are the most talented team in Georgia.
