Football is back and not a moment too soon
After the most challenging season in the history of Georgia high school football, we once again find ourselves at the start of another new football season. However, anxiousness still abounds. Just when it looked like we might not have to worry about COVID-19 rearing its ugly head again and threatening another season, we’re back to crossing both fingers and toes that we get through another one.
But I’m not intending to write this column to frighten anyone. My only agenda is to lighten your load and talk about something a LOT more pleasant — high school football.
And this season has all the makings of a very intriguing one for reasons strictly on the field.
Last year saw three of our six local schools make the postseason and I’m still awaiting the day when every single one of our teams qualifies for the playoffs.
Could 2021 be the year? Only time will ultimately tell.
Let’s start with Region 7-AAAA where the Heritage Generals have some new faces at key positions, including under center, but the talent is there. With only six of the seven teams in the region competing for playoff berths — Southeast Whitfield is again playing a non-region slate — the odds are favorable for Heritage getting in, but only if they take care of business.
Same goes for Ridgeland. The Panthers are coming off one of their toughest seasons ever, but this team is a year older, a year stronger and a year wiser. The nonregion part of their schedule is once again brutal, but if they get through it relatively healthy, they should be battle-tested going into the region portion of the slate.
Of course, facing the likes of Cedartown, Central-Carroll, Northwest Whitfield and Pickens will certainly not be a cakewalk, far from it. But if the new faces for Heritage and Ridgeland step up, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that both find a way to finish in the top four.
As for Region 6-AAA, could this FINALLY be the year that Ringgold gets that longawaited first-ever region football title? They will have to dethrone region power Rockmart to do it, but the Jackets have a few major players to replace, while the talented, senior-heavy Tigers have a large number of players that will be starting for the second, third, and even the fourth straight year.
LaFayette ended a 27-year playoff drought last fall, but it’s been over 30 years since the Ramblers made the postseason in back-toback years. Can the returning talented players, along with a virtually all-new coaching staff make it two in a row? And will a newlook on offense be what gets LFO back to the state tournament? The Warriors should be able to put up points, but can they get past the likes of North Murray, Adairsville and Sonoraville, not to mention Rockmart, to possibly join Ringgold and LaFayette in the playoffs?
With three of our teams looking to secure just four playoff spots in a nine-team region, the margin for error is very slim.
Then there is Gordon Lee, coming off a 10-win season that saw them set all sorts of offensive records. But a lot of that offense, along with a solid defense and senior leadership, graduated, leaving it up to this year’s team to find a way to keep the momentum going. With Bowdon, Trion and Mt. Zion looking strong, B.E.S.T. Academy still being tough and Armuchee seemingly improved, the Trojans will also have their work cut out for them to get in the top four of Region 6-A.
Now, as always, some thank-you’s are in order.
This year’s Pigskin Preview, as always, is a team effort. From the advertising team here in town and as far away as Rome, to the graphics department, to all the folks that helped out with photos, to those who designed the pages, it certainly is not a one-person operation.
To Lee Field for the cover design, to the hard work put in by Austin Smith and Teressa Reeves in our office, to the tireless and creative Heather Koon for the layout design, to those who bought the ads and invested just a little bit in our youth, and to the photographic excellence of Michelle Petteys, Danielle Pickett, Darice Gentry, Courtney Couey, Bambara Aven, Keith Deal, Jan Wright, Doug Smith, Chris O’Neil and others, whose work has been featured in our regular editions, this year’s Pigskin
Preview and Pigskin Previews over the last few years, I absolutely can not thank you all enough.
To all the coaches who continue to give me moments out of their busy schedules to sit and talk prior to each season, and to the band directors, cheerleading coaches and dance team coaches, thank you for your assistance in helping me be able to promote and publicize these kids. As a former band member myself, I know how hard the bands, cheerleaders and dance teams work to perfect their skills and add to the magic of Friday Night Lights.
And, most importantly, to my wife of 25 years (as of next week), Andra, for her love, support and understanding about my career, especially during the late summer run-up to the release of the Pigskin Preview each fall. I can’t begin to tell you how much all of that means to me.
It’s a labor of love that I hope continues to show on each of the 20 pages in this edition.
As always, I apologize in advance for any mistakes, misspellings or errors that may appear in print or for any unnoted personnel changes that might have taken place since this edition went to print last week.
Now, cross those fingers extra tight and throw up a little prayer if you see fit. The 2021 season is here.