High hopes abound for Georgia Region 7-AA teams
The latest round of reclassification in Georgia brought with it much consternation for a great deal of GHSA member schools. Football teams in Region 7-AA were not among them.
League bully Rockmart and its three consecutive region titles are gone to Class AAA (much to the chagrin of Region 6-AAA), bringing elevated hope and expectations to the six holdover teams and newcomer Fannin County.
On paper, the Pepperell Dragons, whose only losses the past two seasons in league play came at the hands of Rockmart, is the team to beat, but the Chattanooga area’s three 7-AA members — Dade County, Chattooga and Gordon
Central — all have reason to believe a playoff berth is within reach.
“I am still becoming familiar with the teams in the region, but I feel if we get some young guys to step in and if we play to our potential, we can contend,” said Chattooga first-year coach Shawn Peek, who came over the state line from South Pittsburg.
The Indians have, along with Pepperell quarterback Gage Moses, one of the league’s most dangerous players in junior running back Lashaun Lester, a 1,500-yard rusher last year who has, Peek said, gotten in better shape and added speed. Rangy quarterback Cash Allen (6-foot-6, 200 pounds) will have plenty of opportunities to make big plays with speedy athletes L.A. Riley, Damien Smith and freshman Nick Hester on the outside.
Dade County is also breaking in a new coach as longtime assistant Jeff Poston takes over a team with 15 starters returning, but 12 of those starting spots are held by six players. The versatility among that group, which includes athletes David Cole, Isaac Pangle, Brody Swader and Cody Williams, should give the Wolverines ample opportunity to compete with most teams on their schedule.
However, one thing must happen for Dade to remain competitive the entire season.
“We are going to rely a lot on that group of two-way starters,” Poston said. “If we lose any of them, we’re in trouble. If we stay healthy, we have
a shot. I think Pepperell and Fannin are the two teams to beat. Model might be next, and we have a real legitimate shot of being in the four slot.”
Gordon Central, in coach T.J. Hamilton’s first season, came within one win of making the playoffs a year ago and returns 12 starters. Among them is one of the more intriguing players in 7-AA, quarterback and linebacker Tre Williams, who missed last season.
“Tre is a true athlete,” Hamilton said of the 6-4, 245-pound senior. “He has every tool in the book to be a Division I college athlete, and I think his work ethic will pay off in a big way for him and the Warriors this year.”
With Hamilton and fullback Jordan Boone (5-8, 230) featured in the team’s wing-T attack, Gordon
Central has a chance to wear defenses down, which would allow speedy playmakers Sean Gray and Josh Wilson to bust big plays. Safety David Lindsay is the leader of a ball-hawking secondary, while Williams, Boone and Carlos Escobar form an extremely physical linebacking corps.