Bulldogs look to reload for ’18 season
♦ Cedartown football hosting Haralson County Thursday for camp
The long, hot days of summer continue for the Cedartown Bulldogs football team. A few members of the team will be out in pads and helmets, lining up in a 7-on-7 style camp Thursday against Haralson County on Doc Ayers Field.
It’s just the latest round of practicing game situations during the lead-up to the 2018 season, and already Head Coach Doyle Kelley is excited about what his Bulldogs are shaping up to be for this year. For him, August can’t get here soon enough.
Based on previous 7-on-7 performances and camps including pads, especially in Pickens County last week, the team is already competing well.
“We’ve still got some work to do, and we’ve got to make a decision on who is going to be quarterback for the season,” Kelley said. “Hopefully one of the three we’re looking at will rise to the top.”
Those three to replace three-year starter Trevon Wofford under center include incoming junior Taji Hudson, who played several times late in games last year as the quarterback, showing off impressive speed and height along with talents on the flip side of the ball as a defensive back.
“Taji (Hudson) can run, we know that. He can throw the ball too,” Kelley said. “I think we got a little spoiled last year with having Trevon (Wofford.)”
Kelley also has rising sophomores Jayden Johnson and Jackson Bussey to consider as well in the quarterback positions. Both had good years on the junior varsity Bulldogs squad, and could be just the thing the Bulldogs need under center.
He’s finding out which one of the three will end up replacing Wofford, who graduated and is headed off to the University of Pikeville in Kentucky this fall, and will also be in charge of handing off the ball to another rising star at Cedartown High: Tony Mathis.
Mathis, who will be starting in the backfield on offense his senior season with the potential for many offers from Division I and Division II programs already coming his way, he’s got the chance to show off what the Bulldogs can do after a 10-2 season that ended with a run in the playoffs in 2017.
Kelley said that he feels is senior running back will be ready.
“Tony is Tony,” he said. “He does what he does. We’re excited about Tony and what all he brings to the table.”
Overall, Kelley said he looks forward to another great season coaching the Bulldogs, only his second after being hired to take over in 2017.
Kelley plans to play a “lot of kids” this year, and he’ll have to with the schedule ahead.
Right now the Bulldogs are still looking for an Aug. 3 scrimmage opponent in pre-season play, but they’ll definitely be taking the field on Aug. 10 against Chattooga County before they’ll be heading to Rockmart to start the season on Aug. 17 against the cross-county rival.
They’ll follow that up with a 6-A non-conference game against the Alexander Cougars for their home opener on Aug. 24, and then host Bremen on Sept. 7.
In their third home game of the season on Sept. 14, Rockmart plays Southeast Whitfield before getting into region play for one last home game in a row on Sept. 21 to open region play against Cartersville.
A Thursday night trip to LaGrange will be in store on Sept. 27 against the Grangers, then come home on Oct. 5 to play Central Carroll.
The schedule in October wraps up on Oct. 19 at Troup County and Oct. 26 at home against Sandy Creek before the final home game of the season at Chapel Hill on Nov. 2.