The stars of Friday night were out in full force last week as the first full weekend of high school football officially kicked off. Collins Hill was breaking in a new coach in Kevin Reach, who joined Georgia Public Broadcasting's Sports Central XL and he mentioned several times how excited he was just to get out there as a first-time head coach after 23 years of coaching. He noted that leading up to the game, one of the man differences in being a coordinator, as he had been for the last twenty years, and being a head coach is "so many little things." Reach said, "You touch everything in the program. It's a lot of fun, but a lot of hard work."
Reach would have the best player on the field in Score 44 QB Taylor Heinicke as the Eagles hosted the No.8 Hornets of Roswell. Despite being outgained in the first half, Heinicke hit Nick England for a 51-yard touchdown to give Collins Hill a 7-3 halftime lead. Two Roswell field goals would leave the Eagles down, but then Heinicke, the QB that Reach says is "the best he's coached in 23 years," led the Eagles down the field before he himself plunged the ball into the endzone for the 13-9 lead. That score would stand as the Eagles started the season 1-0. Reach gushed about Heinicke, saying "he's well poised, good in the film room and the catalyst for us."
In other Gwinnett high school action, Buford used three Seon Jones touchdowns and Alex Ross threw for an early score in a 40-19 win over Gainesville as the Wolves look to win its fourth-straight state title. GAC also got a victory in its first game of the season, defeating Columbia 42-7. Dacula needed overtime but dispatched Mill Creek 34-31.
Grayson and North Gwinnett both took on powerful schools from Alabama in the Progressive Football challenge. The Rams started the day with Spain Park and Grayson got two quick scores on the board early. Korey Jones first ran for a score from 21 yards out and then on the next drive, took a pass from Nick Schuessler for a 23-yard score. The Rams would go on to win 20-9.
In the nightcap North Gwinnett took on Bob Jones and it marked the third straight exciting week for the Bulldogs after a televised scrimmage against Grayson and a date against Lassiter in the Corky Kell Classic. The Bulldogs, No.3 in the state entering the game, certainly proved up to the hype, rolling to a 42-20 win. For the second straight week, the ground game got it done for North Gwinnett. Donnie Miles had two rushing scores and Joe Jones scampered in for a score as well in the rout that was over at halftime.
Football was not the only sport making some serious news in Gwinnett. Out on the softball diamond, Providence Christian's Kylie Kleinschmidt made some history by striking out her 1000th batter in a recent loss to Buford High School. The event came as the Stars competed in the Wolves Invitational, and the loss dropped Kleinschmidt to 4-2-1 on the season, after Providence tied Union County 0-0 earlier in the invitational. Providence Christian's coach Scotty Strong was proud of his star pitcher's performance. "Kylie is a very dedicated and hard working player. She has been looking forward to her senior year for many reasons." Strong continued, "One being the opportunity to lead these girls towards a great season and getting back to Columbus, GA for the Elite 8. The other reason being that she has a heart to mentor the younger girls and have some solid team unity." Strong credited God for giving Kleinschmidt, "tremendous talent and a sweet heart." Strong says that Kleinschmidt is more than just a tremendous player though and he is proud of her as a young woman. "She has been around the game of fast pitch softball for many years and she is leaving a legacy here at our school and in our community."
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