By: Garrison Ryfun

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Glynn Academy enters the 2026 season looking to make the playoffs for the 18th year in a row and the 13th time under current head coach Rocky Hidalgo.

Last season, Glynn finished 6-5 overall and 5-3 in Region 1-5A, finishing 4th before falling in the 1st round of the 5A playoffs to Jackson County.

This year, the Red Terrors move up to Class 6A as the GHSA returns to a 7-classification system for the first time since 2023.

Despite the change, Glynn will see many familiar opponents, with Brunswick, Bradwell Institute, Effingham County, South Effingham, Lakeside-Evans and Greenbrier remaining on the region schedule. Grovetown joins the region, while Statesboro and Evans stay in 5A.

With the GHSA’s new Post Season Ranking system, it may not be as easy to sneak in the playoffs as a four seed in the region.

The new Post Season Ranking Formula weighs a team’s winning percentage at 35%, its opponents’ winning percentage at 35% and its opponents’ opponents’ winning percentage at 30%. Region champions will still receive favorable treatment, but the remaining playoff spots will depend more heavily on overall record and strength of schedule.

On the field, the biggest storyline will be the second season of the flexbone offense.

The flexbone was introduced at Glynn Academy last year and immediately produced points. The Terrors averaged 29.6 points per game, the 8th-best points per game in school history and the 2nd-highest during Hidalgo’s tenure.

Returning to command that offense is rising junior quarterback Max Noonan, who missed much of spring practice while helping Glynn Academy’s baseball team make a deep playoff run. Noonan led the Terrors in rushing yards and touchdowns last season while quickly picking up the new offense.

Replacing the two-headed attack of Da’sean Howard and DJ Creighton at fullback will be one of the questions on offense for the Terrors. The Terrors have several potential options at the position, including Caiden Robinson, standout linebacker Cooper Reiss and backup quarterback Ayden Wilson, who could all see carries in the backfield.

The Terrors will have only three games to settle on their new-look backfield before region play begins, and even with the new seeding formula region play is still very important for the playoffs.

Glynn’s Schedule:

8/20/2026 – vs Calvary Day

8/28/2026 – @ Camden County

9/4/2026  – vs Savannah Christian

9/11/2026 – BYE WEEK

9/18/2026 – vs Bradwell Institute (Region)

9/25/2026 – @ Lakeside-Evans (Region)

10/2/2026 – vs Effingham County (Region)

10/9/2026 – BYE WEEK

10/16/2026 – @ Brunswick High (Region)

10/23/2026 – @ Greenbrier (Region)

10/30/2026 – @ South Effingham (Region)

11/6/2026 – vs Grovetown (Region)

After making three trips to the Augusta area for region games last season, the Terrors will thankfully make the journey only twice this year to face Lakeside-Evans and Greenbrier.

The path to the region championship has typically run through some combination of Brunswick, Effingham County, and Glynn Academy in recent years.

That is unlikely to change despite coaching changes and excellent talent that graduated for all 3 schools last year.

Brunswick still boasts an explosive backfield with Josiah Gibbons and Nigel Gardner at running back, while Effingham should continue an impressive passing game with standout wide receiver Trayvis Hunter returning on the outside.

The outlook for the Terrors’ 2026 season is very optimistic. With another year in the flexbone offense and several key contributors returning on both sides of the ball, Glynn should once again compete near the top of the region and put itself in position to extend its playoff streak to 18 consecutive seasons.