As you all know I write for Score Atlanta and this year I've been moved from writing about Cobb schools to writing about 5 different Gwinnett schools. That's kind of cool. No disrespect to the Cobb Schools, but the Gwinnett schools are a little more "tradition-rich" than the Cobb schools. So I will be covering South Gwinnett, Brookwood, Norcross, Parkview, and Grayson. I am excited about it and I want to give a brief look though at all of the Gwinnett programs. I wrote this for Score originally, but it might not get run now. But I wanted to give an inside look at the county.
Any argument about the dominant high school football county in the state of Georgia MUST include Gwinnett County. With all due respect to the counties in South Georgia, Gwinnett features at least eight schools that enter each season counting on a state title. Any discussion of Gwinnett schools also must include the fantastic coaches that rival the collection of coaches of the SEC. And this season is no different.
Defending Class AA champ Buford lost a lot from the last year’s defense, but coach Jess Simpson does have his best defender from last season back in Dallas Lee, who also starts on the offensive line. The versatile Cody Getz also returns for the Wolves, and senior Michael May is scheduled to take over the quarterback position. GAC with new coach Ken Robinson will try and challenge the Wolves’ dominance with senior QB Colton Chapple and TB Blake Southerland. Both teams are young and the region should be decided when the two meet.
Another quarterbacks who will be taking over is Charles King of Norcross. He split time last season, but Coach Keith Maloof will need King to be steady and use standout RB DJ Adams and WR/DB Prince Kent as weapons to try and grab that elusive state title. The Blue Devils have been 22-3 the last two years, but both ended without a title. Bob Sphire of North Gwinnett has taken the Bulldogs to a 24-4 record the last two years and he came close to winning a title last season before losing in the championship game. The Bulldogs will have an explosive offense with QB Michael Tamburo (2900+ total yards 29 TDs), RB Tyler Jarry, WR Cordero Dixon, and TE Kenny Barnes, but the defense will be extremely young as the team lost 30 seniors from last year. Peachtree Ridge will be hard pressed to challenge these two for the region title as the defense, led by LSU-bound Kevin Minter, CB Connor Norman, and DE Michael Pate will have to carry a team still searching for an offensive identity. Mill Creek will try and sneak into the fourth playoff spot as the team returns Zach Landis at QB and RB Lenny Brooks. The Hawks went 7-4 last season to make the school’s first ever playoff appearance.
The Grayson Rams may be able to win Region 8-AAAAA with QB Tyler Horne and RB Ean Pemberton back, along with two tough Linebackers. The interior lines must have starters emerge, but look for the team to improve on its 2007 record of 10-3 with a third round appearance in the playoffs. Parkview will go as far as RB/LB Brandon Jacobs can carry them. The Panthers will have a strong backfield with TaRon Squires also toting the rock. Troy Davis and Berkmar will battle Brookwood and Kellen Williams for the third seed in Region 8-AAAAA.
With Buford and Parkview’s history and several others ready to make history, Gwinnett takes a backseat to no county for high school football. Success Plays Here.
PS be sure to tune in to 790 tomorrow for the Kell Powerade Classic, especially the Walton/Brookwood game at 2:30 and the Camden/Norcross game at 5:30 as THIS GUY is doing the games. Ohhhh yeah. High school football. I'm going home RIGHT NOW and watching Varsity Blues and Remember the Titans. Maybe even All the Right Moves. SWEET!
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