Goodbye to South Georgia’s reign of dominance in Class AAAAA? Or is 2010 just a fluke?

roger

November 29th, 2010
9:53 pm

first. it is a fluke

roger

November 29th, 2010
9:55 pm

Look who is winning in four A. watch out for statesboro, watch out for savannah christian in one A,

city slicker

November 29th, 2010
9:56 pm

south georgia is out numbered in AAAAA metro ATL dominates with numbers But region plus camden is good gwinett is the king right now Dekalb will always have the best prospect but until the perents and board of education get there support system together gwinnett will leave dekalb in the last century. South Ga needs more AAAAA schools to dominate region normally benefits from the flow of the brackets.

99packer

November 29th, 2010
10:04 pm

I have not pulled up school populations, but between the two South Georgia regions (1AAAAA & 3AAAAA) there are really only 5 or 6 true AAAAA schools. Valdosta has less than 2000 students and technically could play in AAAA. They chose to stay in AAAAA and they had a great season under Coach Gillespie. I don’t know, at least by population, if there is another true AAAAA school in region 3 besides Camden. With all of the remaining AAAAA teams being in the Atlanta area it just seems like it is Valdosta, Lowndes, Colquitt, Tift, Coffee & Camden against Atlanta. It just seems to me that the balance by sheer number of schools is in Atlanta’s favor. I don’t want to take anything way from any region particularly region 7 & 8 which are still in it, but there are only 5 AAAAA contenders each year from South Georgia four from Region 1 and Camden. The rest are from Atlanta so come playoff time the South is greatly out numbered. To add insult to injury, region a played region 3 in the first round which automatically eliminates 1 of the 5 contenders from the South.

the Shef

November 29th, 2010
10:04 pm

it is a fluke, the camden and lowndes are just reloading. Camden county only 1 school in the entire county or lowndes county 2 schools in entire county compare that to creekside, westlake,banneker, langston hughes a 15 miles radius

99packer

November 29th, 2010
10:06 pm

Meant to say Region 1 played Region 3 in the first round. Camden knocked out a fastly improving Coffee County team from Region 1

reggae man

November 29th, 2010
10:09 pm

This is trully a one wonder.. Valdosta and Lowndes both beat themselves and they played stiffer competion. Grayson only had 150 yards totally but The Cats turnovers gave them an easy 20 points..

99packer

November 29th, 2010
10:13 pm

I agree with you Shef. Colquitt County is the same way, 1 town 1 team. Everybody in Moultrie is a Packer. Made the trip to Kindsland last year for the Semifinals and the atmosphere there reminded me a lot of Moultrie. There was a big fan turnout for both teams even in the cold wet weather.

99packer

November 29th, 2010
10:21 pm

I know that the Gwinett schools have to put up with new schools being built every few years, but they have the advantage of having quality AAAAA competition right down the street. With 5 teams in Region 1 and several smaller schools in Region 3, we have to find quality non-region opponents to help improve our football teams. Valdosta and Camden schedule games with out of state teams each year. Colquitt County played one of the best teams in the country in South Panola. Lowndes usually plays a metro team early in the year. We have to play smaller, although typically very good, local schools to fill our schedule and even then we have to pay many of them to play us. We paid Cook County and got beat. We offered a good bit of money to get Cairo to play us and they wouldn’t. We are fortunate to have a good rivalry with AAAA Thomas County Central and we get to play them pretty much every year.

quitman dog

November 29th, 2010
10:40 pm

Put your money on the PACKERS,nobody gave them a chance to get this far.They had the
toughest schedule in GEORGIA,Colquitt Co will score points on Grayson.they will score early and often,they are battle tested,and will beat Grayson,in Grayson,you heard it here first………..GO PACK GO…………………………

billy

November 29th, 2010
11:26 pm

you guys are some haters, its not a fluke.

yo

November 30th, 2010
4:19 am

Didn’t we have this same discussion in 2006? You see where that got you.

Gatornation

November 30th, 2010
6:57 am

I thought that having region 1-AAAAA and region 3-AAAAA play one another in the first round was kind of silly. If this setup is played out every year then there will only be Camden from region 3 and 3 teams from region 1 in the second round. I would like to see region 1 matched up with with either region 7 or 8 in the 1st round or region 3 with region 7-8. This will spread the wealth. Then we may be able to put to rest which region is better. What better time to find out than to matchup the regions in the playoffs. This will also prevent regions from matching up with schools that they played earlier in the year. In the case of North Gwinnett versus Lassitter in the first round. All that has to be done is place them all in different bracketts so that teams don’t play region teams. That is the only way Ga will ever know who has the best region year in and year out. But for now, the south dominates with basically 4 teams versus the numerous schools out of the Atlanta metro area. Really kind of says a few things about the Atlanta metro schools really. Regardless of the number of schools that are being built to alleviate overcrowding. These schools are still larger than the schools from the south. I’ll take Gwinnett County since they have an established football league of some sort. With this league, every school is getting their fair share of players coming up through this league. So, to say schools lose players when new schools are built is kind of cheesy. New schools don’t just popo up over night, they are built in years increments based on population growth. So before that new school pops up, what’s the issue with not winning a state title? Or competing for that matter? I don’t think that south Ga is about to turn over the reins yet. Has north Ga gotten better, yes. They have established football leagues now, makes it easier to produce players. This is that 3-4 cycle of Ga football. 2000-2002(Parkview. 2003-2005(Camden and Lowndes)2006(Roswell-PTRDG)2007-2009(Lowndes-Camden). 2010? I think that Colquitt has a great chance, been saying it all year, would not count them out. They had some issues, internally I believe and the Seniors have righted the ship. I also Like Brookwood chances. Either way south Ga will be back in the saddle next year. The other thing that separates north Ga from south Ga is longevity. Which means their is a history of pride in the different programs. There are a lot of 1 hit wonders in north Ga, where as there are some fixed powerhouses in south Ga. I will say again, match regions 3-7 and 1-8 in the playoffs and let the chips fall wehre they may.

cat doc

November 30th, 2010
7:19 am

a fluke , I can only speak for Camden. Two field goals , instead of TDs. An onside kick. Hillgrove was more pumped up in game. Camden lost that nite. But I would put CCHS up any week againist any Hotlanta team.

valleyboy32

November 30th, 2010
7:29 am

i think now its all about pride for those sga teams they dont wanna drop down but sooner or later they wont have a choice like everyone saying population good coaching its hard to beat that

GHS#22

November 30th, 2010
7:51 am

You guys are on crack………..
first of all Gwinnett teams have to play other top schools all year every year. Lowndes just plays valdosta and colquitt has a good game sometimes. you guys should be all rested come playoff time.

Fact is Grayson played lowndes and won, played Valdosta and won, played Warner robins twice and won, played CC twice and went 1-1.

Gatornation
Region 1 and 8 met last friday!!

GHS#22

November 30th, 2010
8:09 am

you south boys should really be proud to have people like reggae man on your side……..his post
” Valdosta and Lowndes both beat themselves and they played stiffer competion. Grayson only had 150 yards totally but The Cats turnovers gave them an easy 20 points..”

That has to be the most clueless comment I have eve heard in here. what game was he watching? this guys doesn’t know anything about football. Those turnovers were CAUSED, they were not just dropped by accident. Valdosta must have never been hit, and I mean HIT!!!

you should not post dumb stuff. get your fact right.

Grayson defense facts during Valdosta game: 2 INT, 4 pass breakups, 5 sacks, 3 sacks for huge losses, 6 hurries, 3 caused fumbles, and a safety. also only allowed 36 total rushing yards.

total domination!!
reggae man don’t just let emotions cloud your judgement!! BTW 22 points, but one thing you said right, those points were easy to get. Grayson has worked harder to score on their worst region teams.

Fred

November 30th, 2010
8:22 am

@reggae man, with all due respect I would offer that Grayson had all the offense they needed. Valdosta may have moved up and down the field but they never got over the goal line or through the uprights. Style points only count in the mythical rankings. W-L wins championships and at this point the teams left are 3-0 where it counts – in the playoffs. All the other teams are (some number) – 1.

Using Grayson as an example since I prefer to talk about the teams I have the most personal knowledge, as another poster pointed out, Grayson is 5-1 against south Georgia teams if you include Warner Robbins in the south classification, 5-2 if you include Newnan (and that is a whole ‘nother issue!). Not too bad. I know that several Gwinnett teams have traveled south or hosted southern teams for some of their non-region games. There are some real dollars and cents issues with that lengthy of travel so I don’t know that you will see much more than the hand full a year that we now have.

Fred

November 30th, 2010
8:38 am

You know, I think we have a “you say potato and I say potahtoe” issue here. We all can agree that the rapid growth in the metro area causes issues with the ability of the schools here to build their programs and maintain them. We differ in the amount that impact has. Using Grayson as an example, two years ago Grayson lost 1500 students to Archer. Kids that live 1 mile from Grayson now go to Archer. The Gwinnett Football League (GFL) programs also had to realign. If you did your research several years ago and determined that you wanted your 8 year old to be in the Grayson program and purchased your house based on that desire in relatively close proximity to the school but just happened to be on the wrong side of GA 20, all your planning went out the door. It is not in the first 2-3 years after a split that the program feels the difference as most kids in high school are given the opportunity to stay and complete HS if they provide their own transportation, it is that the “farm system” to use a baseball analogy has now been dramatically changed.

On the flip side, the south Georgia rural counties don’t have to deal with that but as someone pointed out on the last discussion, they have issues with rural life, keeping kids in the community, poverty (although the metro area has that as well). Valdosta was was hoping to do will this year because many of those factors are having an impact and folks down there aren’t sure they will be able to be competitive in the next several years.

This has gone far too long but the short answer is each are has its issues and while they might not be the same, they have similar results to the football programs.

Fred

November 30th, 2010
8:41 am

Oops – Valdosta was hoping to do *well*

Mike

November 30th, 2010
9:24 am

You AJC scribes are just itching for a Metro school to take over AAAAA. How many south Georgia schools made the quarterfinals & all from pwoerhouse region 1 AAAAA? Looks like four to me. And 6 of the last 7 state champions came from the southern part of the state. To borrow a pharse, “Come on Man!” When Metro schools can claim more championships, then the Atlanta fish wrapper can beat the drum. Until then, just cool your heels.

Sideline Observer

November 30th, 2010
9:34 am

GHS#22 “Lowndes’ only tough regular season games were against Colquitt and Valdosta.” (sic) Lowndes also played Burke county which is still playing, along with McEachern, South Gwinnett, Coffee, Ware, (all playoff teams) and Tallahassee Leon. A mediocre team (by Lowndes standards defeated a good Newnan team, and took the best team Collins Hill has ever had to overtime.

PACKER99 Valdosta had over 1900 students when the numbers were sent to the state for classification. Earlier they had stated if the numbers come out low they would “play up.” But when the actual atendance numbers came out, they were indeed a AAAAA school and could not “play down.”

Gwinnett and Cobb teams have made huge strides in the quality of their teams AND programs. Teams win games and occasional championships. Programs win repeated championships. Growth and expansions seems to have slowed down in those two counties, probably due to the economy, and therefore, the level of consistant play should continue to improve because of students remaining within the same school feeder areas.

Nevertheless, South Georgia football is NOT dead, as evidenced by the numner of Region 1-AAAAA teams in the 1/4 finals. Coffee and Tift will be vastly improved next year, as will Camden County. Tift will have the best Sophmore QB in the state regardless of classification. Ware, Charlton, Thomas County Central, Bainbridge, Thomasville, and Fitzgerald will all be better next year because they played so many young players. Valdosta won’t be as good next year because of the number of seniors they played this year, and Lowndes most likely will also have another “down year” by their standards. (But they still made the final 8 this year in what Todd Holcomb called a “down year”)

See yer in the dome everybody!

MHC Tiger

November 30th, 2010
9:35 am

dayum socio-economic issues, and population growth. we all know it comes down to who recruited better…the top kids in each area are STEERED/RECRUITED to the top schools in a prospective area.

waynester

November 30th, 2010
9:57 am

(Full Disclosure) CCHS ‘82
Having said that, I realize Grayson has a helluva defense, playing at home etc, etc–but don’t sleep on the Packers. Rush Propst set up a grueling early-season schedule and Colquitt took their lumps early against the stiffest competition they could find. That initial bombardment really toughened this team up for their current playoff run. The arrow is definitely UP for CCHS….

billdog

November 30th, 2010
10:05 am

Let’s face it; if Mill Creek could have picked their nose just a little better, they could have flicked that Colquitt booger out of the playoffs. How many times did Colquitt offer them the game with turnovers? How many series did Mill Creek play on the Colquitt side of the field with no results? A 4 seed that just doesn’t have the killer instinct born of playoff experience to finish.

It’s still a Region 7 and 8 world for the best top to bottom AAAAA football. Lowndes and Camden come to the party every year but I still say they could not survive a Region 7 or 8 schedule year after year, or play from a 4 seed position deep into the playoffs. You could go 6 deep in either region most years and I bet you would see a #6 go to the quarter finals.

The GFL youth program is superior training. Good facilities, excellent coaching, great instruction/teaching, top level competition, etc. It even spills over into lower classifications with most of Buford, GAC and even some of Wesleyan’s players having grown up in the GFL. I have an old AJC article that quotes some of the Cobb high school coaches when asked about why Cobb teams lose to Gwinnett teams in the playoffs every year, saying the GFL is the difference.

Get ready. Archer, Mountain View, Lanier, and two new Gwinnett high schools to be built in the next few years just mean future regional alignments that could bring even more Gwinnett teams to the playoffs. And someday they will build another high school in Lowndes and Camden County and you might not hear from them again in AAAAA for at least a decade.

Gerald

November 30th, 2010
10:11 am

The Lowndes-CH game was a great game. Although, it could have been more decisive on CH’s part with and Int in the endzone on the 1st drive, fumble inside their 25, in which Lowndes scored 7, pick 6 for Lowndes and then CH not converting on 4th down inside the ten. Great game, but CH COULD have scored a few more times. Obviously the other team had something to do with these things and I know if and but’s, but I’m just saying. The people, atmosphere and facilities at Lowndes were awesome.

GHS#22

November 30th, 2010
10:13 am

Waynester…
Unlike the down South boys, you won’t find Grayson taking any team for granted. That’s how you get caught slipping. This is football, and any giving friday you can lose!!

Laughing out Loud

November 30th, 2010
10:31 am

You win High School Championships we produce Pros and well looks like the Hesiman Trophy winner this year lol!!! Enjoy your High School rings Ed Bundys lol!!! And if your wondering yes I have a High School ring with SWD..

plowboy

November 30th, 2010
10:34 am

gerald your comment can go both ways, if Collins QB didn`t throw up a prayer in the 4th (the bad snap play) or the freaking trick play!

plowboy

November 30th, 2010
10:35 am

Lowndes will be back! we are only losing 7 or 8 starters! watch out for these names….Tre Jackson and Richard Williams

PACKDADDY

November 30th, 2010
10:44 am

Colquitt loves being the underdog. We are just de-lighted to go up to the big city and play such an obviously talented team. We don’t stand a chance. O’Course, we have had our nose bloodied before and survived. Just spot us …say 20 points..and maybe we can keep up with your boys with their personal trainers and off season football league. It will be a pleasure to pop your chin strap. Fact is, most of the Gwinnett schools would be run of the mill down here..Just ask the Mill Creek coaches. You can’t tackle what you can’t touch.

Fred

November 30th, 2010
10:49 am

Plowboy, was your stadium full Friday night? The Valdosta stadium was a loooooong way from full and that really surprised me. Were the Wildcats looking past Grayson and not taking us seriously so they didn’t bother to come out? It surprised me more at the number of Valdosta fans that left at halftime. I know it was raining and they were down 20-0 but this is the playoffs and anything can happen!

Having said that, the Wildcat fans I talked with were all very nice and the facilities are great! There was even a Lowndes fan in front of me that I joked with all night but he was adamant that Lowndes would kick our b*** all over the field!

Gerald

November 30th, 2010
11:01 am

@powboy – How was that pass a prayer, the WR was open and he threw it to him, it’s not like it was a hell mary pass. How do you know they wouldn’t have scored on that drive anyway and the last drive even if they didn’t run the double pass.

Fred

November 30th, 2010
11:06 am

Packers fans, I know the team is traveling on Thursday so they won’t be impacted by traffic. For all the fans coming up on Friday, add an hour to whatever the time given you by your GPS or mapping software! You may get lucky (in traffic anyway ) and not have any problems but if you want to ensure that you make the kickoff you need to allow for Friday afternoon traffic in the Big A! Also, while there is a fair amount of parking at Grayson, it overflows onto the roads around and can get to be a mess. There are three ways to get to the school and they are all two lane roads leading to a single driveway. I know but that it the way it is. Next year we should have a second entrance off Ga20 when the road construction is finished but until then it will be a mess!

WarEagle

November 30th, 2010
11:39 am

Who follows AAAAA anymore — the best football in the state is played at the AAAA level anyway!

SportsFan31313

November 30th, 2010
12:00 pm

I believe that Colquitt County can pull this one off as well. They have been under the radar for so long that people have discounted them, and did not take them serious. You had better think again.

99 Packer,

Bradwell Institute is very close in population to be a true Class AAAAA School again. Bradwell are less than 100 students off from being a true Class AAAAA school. They would have been easily a AAAAA School if it had not been for the new School being built in recent years. Bradwell Institute and Liberty County are both true Class AAAA Schools though. Bradwell Institute have just chosen to play up.

SportsFan31313

November 30th, 2010
12:01 pm

It’s been region 1-AAAAA or region 3-AAAAA with the dominance. It will be Region 1-AAAAA who will win it this year.

plowboy

November 30th, 2010
12:05 pm

@Gerald, he is a heck of a QB! i was right in front of that play and the receiver was not open! REALLY GOOD PASS, but a hail mary for sure. hope he has some more of that magic this weekend!

plowboy

November 30th, 2010
12:10 pm

@Fred, yes we were full! I was praying that it would RAIN harder! during the little bit of rain we did get, collins hill QB could not grip the ball, and i felt like we were about to run away with the game, but they played hard! maybe this is the year GWINNETT COUNTY gets the title. But BEWARE, the VIKINGS will be back with some UNBELIEVABLE talent! If u thought Greg Reid was good, wait until you see the next 3 or 4 years!

rwdekalb

November 30th, 2010
12:47 pm

When you think about it one of the critcisms on this blog is a lot of the south georgia posters constantly bragging about their past accomplishments, but the key word there is “past” accomplishments. This the 2010-2011 season. Its great to remember past accomplishments but how can that help you this season. Seeing different teams advance is great for high school football and in the end seems like something we all should embrace.

grayram

November 30th, 2010
1:15 pm

Packdaddy: There is no way Colquitt can be the underdog. You see they participate in the vastly superior region 1. Grayson is fortunate just to be allowed to play against a team from the chosen region. Sure Grayson may have gotten lucky 4 or 5 times against teams from down south but that can’t be expected to continue. And i’m sure you are correct that Grayson won’t be able to touch or tackle the Packers, after all The Reg 1 teams have proven this by scoring 7 points in the two games they have played already.

plowboy

November 30th, 2010
1:21 pm

grayram…..win state and everybody will have to shut their mouth about the Gwinnett AAAAA teams!

plowboy

November 30th, 2010
1:24 pm

every team that plays Lowndes gets UP for that game, because of all of our success….if Grayson wins state this year, then you will see how all the teams start gunning for you, they will play their best game against you and you will have to fight every week!

GHS#22

November 30th, 2010
1:35 pm

Grayson has to fight every week now…….thier in region 8 remember!

plowboy

November 30th, 2010
1:52 pm

GHS#22 great region (8AAAAA)…. I personally believe that all of AAAAA is getting better, that is why u don`t have a BUFORD in AAAAA! this year I witnessed some pretty good spread teams, maybe one of the spread teams will win state…..seeing it hasn`t been done in AAAAA in a long time! if at all!

Gatornation

November 30th, 2010
1:52 pm

How many staetitles in AAAAA does Gwinnett County have since the inception of this classification? Folks are throwing out Gwinnett schools have this record against this school and that record against that school. Let’s look at the big dogs of Gwinnett County.

Grayson- Zero titles
Brookwood- Zero titles
North Gwinnett- Zero titles
Parkview-3
Peachtree Ridge-1(shared)
Collins Hills- Zero titles
South Gwinnett- Zero titles
Norcross- Zero titles
Buffalo beat a lot of teams and had a lot of great seasons, but had no championships to show for it. So do you really want to be known as a team that won a lot of games, but could not win the big one or do you want to win a lot of games and have the championships to back it up?

SportsFan31313

November 30th, 2010
2:01 pm

Gatornation,

I like the way you put that statement out there, and it is so true.

plowboy

November 30th, 2010
2:13 pm

our region will never be down long……since 1980
region 1 …..14 state titles
gwinnett county……5.5 state titles
camden…….3 state titles
warner robins……2
morrow……1
dunwoody…..1
clark central….1
southwest dekalb….1
lagrange….1
roswell….1/2
all were in the largest classification!

grayram

November 30th, 2010
2:38 pm

Plowboy:
Brookwood does have 1 title, i think AAAA was the largest then.

Grayson has the same number of state titles in their 1st 10 years as Lowndes and alot more wins and playoff games.

And its not like we get to play little teams like Braswell Institiute.
(just kidding sportsfan)

grayram

November 30th, 2010
2:43 pm

Sorry plowboy ,I should have said Gatornation. BTW i was busy Saturday reading all the blogs from Lowndes/Valdosta/Brookwood games and missed The college games, who won the Florida/FSU game?

GwinnettDad

November 30th, 2010
2:57 pm

This north vs. south routine has been a source of more nonsense and anger than any single subject over the years of blogs. I have no desire to add to the flames, No need for more lost tempers and hurt feelings all for perceptions that don’t matter one bit once the kids take the football field.

Fred

November 30th, 2010
3:26 pm

@GwinnettDad,

I agree that the whole North/South thing is way overblown. The problem is that we know our issues up here and they don’t and vice versa. We will never be able to resolve this. I am pretty confident that Gwinnett will win 5A this year but things happen! Look at how we have gotten to where we are now with all of the upsets.

I am not sure but I think it was Plowboy that said wait until you win and have the target on your back. Grayson went through all of last year as the team to beat so yes, we have been there, done that.

Camden74

November 30th, 2010
4:32 pm

You guys are talking as though Gwinnett has already won the championship this year! It ain’t over yet!

plowboy

November 30th, 2010
4:55 pm

@Fred, I meant WIN state…….then you will have to fight every dadgum game! Everyone will get up for that one game and they will give you their best!

plowboy

November 30th, 2010
4:57 pm

I can`t remember the last time I watched Lowndes storm onto the field after they beat somebody, but everytime we get beat, teams storm the field like they have won the SUPERBOWL…

plowboy

November 30th, 2010
5:00 pm

we along with others around the state have a PROGRAM, no one is gonna win every year. I felt like Lowndes should have won it with the past 2 years, because we were loaded….but that is why the game is played on the field….We will slip in some more state titles over the next 10 years….WE ARE NOT DOWN!

david kidd

November 30th, 2010
5:19 pm

dream on north. enjoy this december, it just might fall your way in AAAAA. we are still holding out for the pack. the bluecats, yellowcats and vikings will merely reload and bring again next season. that all being said, good luck to all the teams and fans and by all means play fairly, stay safe and God speed.

camdenbluecatfan

Fred

November 30th, 2010
5:38 pm

@Plowboy, I agree with your programs and having some up and down years. Where I struggle is that many of the SG fans talk about their programs but are unwilling to give some of the NG programs a chance to build up. Lowndes and Valdosta, among others, have outstanding programs but if you go back and look at what they did when they were starting up, they don’t look as good as some of the newer programs. Parkview and Brookwood are relatively old programs for Gwinnett but still much younger than Valdosta/Lowdes. Grayson, Peachtree Ridge, Mill Creek and the like are all 10 years old or younger. That is not a lot of time to build a dynasty. This is especially true of schools like Grayson that have already been subdivided in that time. Heck, they took the equivalent of a large AAAA school OUT of Grayson 2 years ago. Things like that have an effect. Even though I grew up in DeKalb, I cannot speak for them and their issues.

GwinnettDad

November 30th, 2010
5:42 pm

billdog November 30th, 2010 10:05 am Let’s face it; if Mill Creek could have picked their nose just a little better, they could have flicked that Colquitt booger out of the playoffs.

@billdog, Mill Creek is too new for you to have graduated from there. My question to you: have you graduated from anywhere? Your choice of metaphors suggest you should be confined to a barnyard, and believe me, you’re not doing Mill Creek, or yourself, any favors. I suggest you first take a remedial English class, as soon as your take that big foot of yours out of your mouth. Or is that nose?

To anybody from Colquitt County, we here in Gwinnett obviously aren’t immune from occasional displays of bad taste on this blog. Please accept my apology for being on the same planet, not to mention county, as billdog. He reminds me of the old ethnic joke: “How would you break billdog’s index finger? You’d punch him in the nose!”

Wing_T_Fan

November 30th, 2010
5:58 pm

Lowndes Defense wasnt equipped to handle the quick passes friday night. they used camdens’ 3-4 defense witch only allowed the opposing offence to chew up the clock. Perhaps a defencive end contain would have stop the qb from reading lowndes safety. But other than that Lowndes offence was on lock. Even camden county last yr didnt put lowndes offence on lock like that.

good game though, got my money’s worth.

unbiased fan

November 30th, 2010
6:25 pm

I can tell you from experience, growing up in a south Ga. town with 1 high school, that HS football is more like a religion for a lot of the residents. You have generations of people that played for and support these schools for years. The football legacy and tradition is passed on from generation to generation. The entire town gets behind their team in a big way. This kind of tradition is hard to maintain in urban schools where the landscape can change rapidly. in most of these small towns there is little else to do but eat, breathe and sleep football, and they do.

The teams that are traditional powerhouses usually win because of great coaching and tradition. If you just went by talent (D1 recruits) alone, Stephenson should have won at least 2 titles in the last 5 years. The metro Atl. area has great talent year in and year out, but you need coaching, support from the BOE, and maintained tradition to be good every year. I love watching well coached teams play (think Camden) and I love watching great players play, and I don’t care about the who’s better North/south debate.

There is great talent all over this state

Stephenson Fan

November 30th, 2010
7:02 pm

Can we get a story on high school coaches in Georgia that are on the HOT SEAT?! I love my Stephenson Jaguars but I really hope this is Ron Gartrell’s LAST season at Stephenson. The community is FED UP and one would have to think if he doesn’t make a SERIOUS playoff run for the 2011 season…HE’S GONE! Pleeeeaaaaseee Stephenson MAKE A CHANGE!!! NOW!!!

jackets speed

November 30th, 2010
7:40 pm

If the D of the south comes back undisciplined they will not be on top next year. That’s what it all boils down to. They have the atheletes but don’t see the fast paced pass teams like Gwinnett shows. Wing T works, but you have to make stands and control the ball (and convert points not just yards).

Columbia Blue

November 30th, 2010
7:55 pm

The way I look at it is you must give credit where credit is due.The Camden Wildcats are on the outside looking in and we tip our hats to everyone who is in the final four.HILLGROVE BEAT US–NO EXCUSES. The only thing I can say is congratulations and good luck. There is nothing wrong with saying good luck. Has the power changed from the South to the North. Heck who knows. The only thing I can say is the Wildcats will work their rears off to get back to the championship. We will remain humble. Why talk trash? Good luck you guys deserve to be where you are.

SouthGARules

November 30th, 2010
8:23 pm

unbiased fan: I could not agree with you more. You are right about the South GA towns-when I lived there the town revolved around HS football on Friday night & church on Sundays. I can remember being in Valdosta when they had blue laws.
plowboy: Sorry to disappoint you, but the stands were not full at all. Not on the visitors side & there were empty seats on the home side too. There were more people @ the South Gwinnett game in August-I know, I went to both games.
As far as a power shift, who knows. I remember in 1997 after Parkview won state after Brookwood won in 1996, some jackwagon @ the GDP proclaimed that the road to the state championships ran thru Gwinnett County. Funny, I didn’t know Valdosta (1998) & Lowndes (1999) were in Gwinnett. Yes, Parkview won 3 in a row (2000,2001,2002) & Roswell/Peachtree Ridge (2006) shared one, but I seem to remember Camden won 3 (2003, 2008, 2009) & Lowndes won 3 (2004, 2005, 2007). Camden beating the Ridge in 2008 & Lowndes beating Parkview, Brookwood & North Gwinnett.
Those are the facts, folks.

UncleJunior!

November 30th, 2010
9:23 pm

Aiight. To be honest, I am loving this discussion. In an earlier blog, I stated that this competitive structure reminded me of an older brother vs. the younger brother sibling rivalry. Even though big brother has the accumulated victories there may come a time where little brother becomes a force to be reckoned with. In some cases, the younger brother becomes even more dominant (more skillful) from being handled relentlessly. Not calling any names. But this competitive environment will only improve Georgia Football. YES. Many of us are fans and are pretty much irrelevant. But the competition between these young athletes will only improve the overall status of Georgia Football. When I see these athletes do battle on Friday nights, they end the battle with a respectful handshake.

I don’t know where the so-called dominant region in Georgia resides but I love the competition. BUT! . . . . . .you cannot deny . . . . .well, you might have to bow to the Gwinnett teams this year!

TJ

November 30th, 2010
9:48 pm

Grayson surprised me this year. I made predictions and stated Grayson would be in the hunt but did not predict this far. This was suppose to be a rebuilding year for them. Yes folks………they will be better next year. I am not surprised by Brookwood this year. I think Gwinnett will be taking the title home the next 2 years….do not know after that. I would not be surprised if the title would be in 8 AAAAA the next 2 years.

UncleJunior!

November 30th, 2010
9:58 pm

I am torn!!!!! I don’t know which ballgame I will attend this Friday! Grayson vs. Colquitt Co. or Tucker vs. Star’s Mill? Please help.

Packerdad

November 30th, 2010
10:38 pm

@GwinnettDad – thanks for the post. Looking forward to a good football game this Friday night. We, as Packers, are proud of our kids, not just for their accomplisment this far, but also their sportsmanship. Do you have any suggestions on how to get to the stadium from I-75. We got lost the last two trips to Atlanta looking for stadiums. Google maps was not very helpful on the last two.. Thanks!!

THSALUM00

November 30th, 2010
10:40 pm

LMAO!!! The Powerhouses (No disrespect to Colquitt County) of South Georgia finally falls off, and there is a debate about whether or not their dominance is over!!!?? Bring this question back up in 2012 if North Georgia (AAAAA) takes the ‘10 and ‘11 titles…..SMH

Fred

November 30th, 2010
11:14 pm

@Packerdad,

The school/stadium address is 50 Hope Hollow RD, Loganville, GA 30052. Add an hour to whatever your mapping preference says to allow for Friday afternoon traffic. It is notoriously bad in ATL on Fridays!

Take I75 north to I675 (only one exit). I675 around past I20 to US78 to Snellville/Athens. Do NOT take Memorial Dr/Cynthia McKinney Pkwy! After about 9 miles, the Stone Mtn Fwy ends at Park Place. It is 6.5 miles to the center of Snellville. Continue through Snellville. After passing through the built up area of Snellville it will open up some. Get in the left lane and turn left at Cooper Rd (2-3 miles maybe, haven’t clocked it). Rudy’s Bar will be on your left. Go through the first light past Hope Hollow Rd. At the second light, Turn right onto GA20. There is a Wendy’s, Publix, Chevron at the intersection. Go 1.1 miles to Hope Hollow – the first light – and turn right. The entrance to the school is on the left about 100 yards. Once you get close, I bet most traffic will be headed there anyway.

There are plenty of places to eat in the general area. Eat at Joe’s is in the Publix center at Cooper and GA20 and is pretty good for wings, burgers, that kind of stuff. If you turn left on GA20 and head into Grayson proper, Hail Mary’s Pub is there as well as a large Mexican place, Chinese, Zaxby’s, McDonalds, KFC/Taco Bell, Burger King and I’m sure others I am forgetting. It is probably a mile or so up to Grayson proper.

Have a safe trip!

Fred

November 30th, 2010
11:30 pm

Oops, that’s what I get for watching TV while typing! Take I675 to *I285* (about ten miles) exit right onto I285 toward I20. The rest is right.

Safe travels!

GwinnettDad

December 1st, 2010
7:13 am

@Packerdad – I couldn’t improve one bit on Fred’s directions. Don’t get too concerned that after you’re making that left onto Cooper, that you think you’re in the middle of nowhere. It is country and rural, and keep in mind that most of what you see has been built very recently. Heck, the school isn’t older than 10 years or so itself. And as Fred said, earlier the better. Avoid the Atlanta commute, if you can, and get there early. .

Collins Hill threw 57 passes last week. Brookwood throws a lot too. Grayson runs the ball. I hear Colquitt is balanced. Your game may be over way before the CH BW game. Using somebody’s Iphone, monitor the BW CH game. If your game ends early, all you need do is retrace your steps from Grayson HS, get back to US 78 west bound, take a right on US 124, and a left on Dogwood, and you’ll be at Brookwood HS. 9.9 miles in total. Don’t buy a ticket, and stand on the hill at the west end outside the fence, and you’ll see the end of the game.

TJ

December 1st, 2010
7:28 am

If you can not make it to Grayson early, parking can be terrible at Grayson. Do not show up late. Let everyone heading up know that and ride share as much as possible. It would be worth chartering a bus if that arrangement has not been made already.

Suwanee 0wnz

December 1st, 2010
7:56 am

The real question is why AJC decided to throw gasoline on this fire by introducing this as a separate topic? I’m not pleased.

There are great players, coaches, and teams all over Georgia. We ought to respect and encourage each other as a whole state without fueling tempers or further negative balkanization.

Did any of you guys at AJC actually get degrees in journalism? There certainly are not any degrees in diplomacy.

soutgaman

December 1st, 2010
8:05 am

3/4 of the state is in Atlanta. It is obivious that the Atlanta schools have the advantage in recurting. And dont even act like it doesnt go on. That is why I allways pull for South GA teams, becasue it is all home grown Tallent. Combine Lowndes and Valdosta and see it anyone can beat them.

Dostahawk

December 1st, 2010
10:09 am

Frankly, I’m tired of this South Georgia – North Georgia talk/debate….in football, basketball, baseball, whatever.

There is really no “area” better than the other. Each team has their own identity, strengths, weaknesses, etc. It doesn’t matter what part of the State they come from.

Grayson just whupped our fannies last week. Didn’t matter one iota where either team came from

Fred

December 1st, 2010
10:20 am

@TJ – Amen Brother! The AD told me they are opening up the bus parking lot and moving all the buses of site before the game so that will help a lot. Buses are a *very* good thing!

@Suwanee 0wnz & Dostahawk – Double Amen Brothers! We all have our issues whether they be uncontrolled growth and schools subdivided to rural decline and poverty. Let’s just play some good slobber knocking GA football and gang up on the other states, not each other!

Tortugasteve

December 1st, 2010
10:45 am

Here’s my question…..what would this whole thing look like if the Gwinnett Teams weren’t forced to square off in the 2nd round and if the South teams didn’t eliminate each other in the 1st round?? Wow!!! I think that South Georgia has always had legitimate championship teams since the dawn of time. There is no question about that. I mean, ESPN and Sports Illustrated dubbed Valdosta “Title Town” for a reason. And yes, Gwinnett has 2 of the best 4 regions in AAAAA…..all within 10 minutes of each other! This debate will never have an absolute answer, but I am personally just glad to see that Georgia can compete on the national stage! Whether it be N. Gwinnett, Camden, Grayson, Coffee or Lowndes…..let’s not forget Buford either! And this is coming from a Gwinnett resident!!!!

PC Fanatic

December 1st, 2010
12:35 pm

All I can say is that when the metro AAAAA teams out number the South Ga AAAAA 4-1 the metro teams have a huge advantage. Their are only 14 AAAAA teams south of the gnat line, and those 2 regions matched up in the first round. Given the fact that those 2 regions were slated to play each other in the first round, one can fairly say that AAAAA was set up for the metro schools to dominate. Maybe next year the GHSA can set the brackets up as Reg 1 vs Reg 4 and so on, then lets see how it plays out!

K-From Da Wood

December 1st, 2010
1:39 pm

Well here is my two cents. As far as schools size, every school in Gwinnett is a legit 5A with facilities and resources. They should be able to compete on a regular basis and quite a few do. From what I have seen about the South GA schools, most seem to have a different sense of school and community pride that is very evident. With that said, outside of Lowndes, Camden and NSWR(I consider them middle GA) in the higher classifications, there aren’t anymore juggernaughts from South GA. Colquitt has competed recently, but the only way these teams from South GA even get competition is to play teams from out of state or Metro ATL teams. Dekalb county only has 1 true 5A school by size and that is MLK. The way programs are being built and the work that goes into it from the coaching staffs, I think it’s fair to say that the rest of the state has caught up to South Ga…I don’t know if it will translate into more championships at the 5A level, but the gap is closing fast.

BR

December 1st, 2010
1:51 pm

If metro Atlanta had any coaching quality, it wouldn’t and shouldn’t be a fluke. But we all know that the six 5A schools outside of Atlanta will always dominate the 47 Metro atlanta schools available in the same classification. Never heard of odds being so much in one regions favor and minus a 3 year period and a tie, all of the rings have gone elsewhere in this decade.

A ratio 6:47(when the Houston County schools were in 5A it was 9:47) should easely eliminate all south GA schools based on the chances. You want to shrink it to the playoff brackets, we can go 5:27. You’re telling me 27 teams cant find a way to knock off 5? Metro Atlanta is one of the worst football metros in the nation, when it comes to coaching and one of the best when it comes to players. You have an abundance of athletes, just look at any college roster. You guys couldn’t win a title with sCam Newton, the Ogletree twins, ect. Big football goes to good coaching. Just keep celebrating Buford High Schools and Wesleyan rings(two schools that give out free tuition to students with one purpose in mind)and the one Tucker is about to win, unless Statesboro High is hungry to redeem the last 3 seasons. And celebrate the players you send to major colleges throughout this great nation. Until great coaching makes an appearance in metro Atlanta’s largest classification, you can always “Remember the Panthers.”(the name of Atlanta’s only dominant period in the largest classification).

I don’t consider Carrolton Metro Atlanta when it comes to football. They are metro Alabama. They are too great to be polluted by the bad coaching that exist in the rest of Metro Atlanta’s communities.

Fred

December 1st, 2010
2:42 pm

@BR, did you even look at the brackets this year? People are complaining about the region 1 having to play each other early and the disparity in the playoff numbers. What would you have GHSA do? Seriously. The Metro teams play each other in the early rounds to cut down on travel for everyone. The two Gwinnett regions played each other in the second round, paring down the number of Metro teams. The answer is not to start off playing N/S in the first round. That travel is brutal and I have a lot of respect for teams that are able to do it. We just made the trip to Valdosta and it is no fun. Had it not been done on a holiday, the kids would have missed at least one day of school. Colquitt Co is traveling on Thursday this week so they will miss at least a day and a half of school and I would offer a full second day no matter what time they leave. Do you really think they get anything done in class the day they are leaving? You also would wind up with few fans at the games for the visitors. There are limits as to how many times you can or are willing to make that type of trip.

I think I understand they GHSA rotated the brackets every two years. Call or write them and give them your ideas to make it better. The numerical difference between the Metro schools and South Ga will always exist so there will always appear to be a disparate number of Metro schools in the playoffs.

HS Fan

December 1st, 2010
3:12 pm

PC Fanatic,
The GHSA rotates which region plays another every year. This year, it was 1v3 and 2v4 in the South Ga brackets. Next year it will either be 1v2 or 1v4, and region 3 will get the other. Same goes for the North Ga. bracket. This year 5v6 and 7v8, next year it rotates. The reason for the North and South Ga brackets is to reduce travel, and it’s only in effect for the first 2 rounds. It’s not designed so that there will be a “North vs South” final. It could be worse, they could go back to the old formula that they had around 1990 and before. They had all the South Ga. playoff teams play, and all the North Ga playoff teams play, crown North and South champs, then those 2 would play for the State Championship. In that format, you could NEVER see a Camden/Lowndes, Valdosta/Lowndes, or Gwinnett/Gwinnett championship game.

shankit

December 1st, 2010
3:13 pm

Kudos to Grayson for fanny whipping my cats.
We are very familiar with fanny whipping cause
we have fanny whipped North Georgia 23 times.
Lowndes has fanny whipped North Georgia 6 times.
As Clint says, “I’ll be back”.

HS Fan

December 1st, 2010
3:15 pm

shankit,
Sorry, but that would be Arnold that says that.

shankit

December 1st, 2010
3:33 pm

HS Fan – Sorry, I got “Make my Day” confused with “I’ll Be Back”.
Anyway, Grayson did not make my day, but we will be back.

shankit

December 1st, 2010
3:36 pm

Also, we played Colquitt (which we won) and we
played Grayson (which we lost). Grayson had
better have their jockey straps on tight, cause
Colquitt ain’t gonna be no push over, even though
they are from our “weak” 1-AAAAA.

HS Fan

December 1st, 2010
3:44 pm

Any team left in the playoffs by now is legit. It just took longer for Grayson and Colquitt to gel as a team. Plus, both played tough schedules early in the year

PackerAlumni66

December 1st, 2010
3:49 pm

Everyone up in Buford ok? I heard about the tornadoes touchdown last nite. Is it going to affect the games up there?

South will rise up!

December 1st, 2010
3:51 pm

I happen to be from the metro area and went to school in the metro area but throughout high school I found it hard to find a dominant high school football team. Which brings me to the point that I KNOW south ga has better football with valdosta getting back to well valdosta powerhouse football and camden co and lowndes always being good. Metro teams are horrible ill be putting my son in some dsgf preferrably valdosta with its rich tradition.

shankit

December 1st, 2010
4:22 pm

Fred – The reason our crowd was down last week
against Grayson, is GHSA states we have to send
one half tickets to ya’ll. Congratulations on selling
a few hundred tickets. The previous week our weak
1-AAAAA team sent over 4,000 fans to McEachern.
Plus, Lowndes, our cross town rival, was playing the same night
in the playoffs in our “weak” 1AAAAA region.

Fred

December 1st, 2010
5:46 pm

@sankit, I happen to know we got a 1,000 seat ticket allotment as I was standing there when the box was opened. I think maybe the ADs talked and agreed on the smaller amount. I also know we had a ton of people out of town as it was the Friday after Thanksgiving. I will admit we did not have as many in quantity as I would have liked but we made up for it in quality. We were up and loud all night and welcomed our boys onto the field at the first of the game and after the half. The large group of Wildcat fans in the middle of our fans (what’s up with that since they were particular about reserved seats and sitting in the seat on the ticket?) never got up to support the Cats.

Even if we got half, that doesn’t explain 2 full sections on the home side with no one in them or the number of fans that left at half time, the 3rd quarter and into the 4th quarter. While I am a die hard stay to the end kind of guy, I kind of understand leaving with maybe 5 minutes to go when you are down 20-0 but not before then and most certainly not in the quarterfinals!

drake43

December 1st, 2010
6:00 pm

I think S. Georgia is done, for now that is. A N. Georgia team will win this year, and im confident in region 8 or region 2 for next year. All the region 2 teams look strong, especially Newnan, who dissapointed this year, but with the potential firing of their boneheaded offensive coordinator, and with a new QB that actually has pocket presence, different from the last one who looked like, they will rebound strong next year. i like east coweta, they were young and went 7-0 before they lost their first game, and as always Stephenson and MLK will be strong. watch region 2 next season

Fred

December 1st, 2010
6:24 pm

@shankit, sorry for the typo on your name. I’m not sure why you are saying “weak” team and region. The only issue I have ever had with the South GA teams is the conviction at least some of y’all have that your teams walk on water and every other team is dirt. As I have said earlier, I remember back in the ’60s playing Valdosta when the top region was AAA. One year y’all won, one year we one. Both the programs there deserve and get my respect but I recognize that things change and now there are other good teams throughout the state. All I ever ask for is a little respect for us. We haven’t won it all yet but we are the ONLY 5A team to make the quarter finals the past 4 years. That is good for something. Yep, I agree that we need to win state and I hope and pray this is the year but even if it is not, I know that we have been a dadgum good team!

Fred

December 1st, 2010
6:25 pm

one year we “won”. dad gum cold! I can’t think straight!

GwinnettDad

December 1st, 2010
6:35 pm

@PackerAlumni66 – the tornado did hit Buford, the damage severe but local. Football will go on as it would have anyway. Forecast is for it to be 44 degrees or less at game time Friday. That cold temperature and wind led to 12 turnovers at Brookwood vs.Hillgrove. So the elements can significantly impact the game here. Bring your woolies!

PC Fanatic

December 1st, 2010
6:53 pm

@ HS Fan

Good point. I forgot about that. I personally can not stand this North vs South crap. We blessed with some of the best prep football in the country and we demean it by labeling it with a direction.

SouthGARules

December 1st, 2010
7:14 pm

PackerAlumni66: Any updates on the baby?

GwinnettDad

December 1st, 2010
7:28 pm

Looking at Lowndes playing Valdosta, I didn’t realize that Lowndes is 16-33 all time against Valdosta, but at one time was 5-30. Times sure have changed in that rivalry, since Lowndes has won 11 of the last 14.

Parkview won 46 games in a row. Valdosta 37, Camden 28, Lowndes 26.

Valdosta has played 775 football games (626-140-0 .814). What an awesome record that is! Lowndes is relatively mortal (318-187-3 .629). Camden County is a little better, but no Valdosta (446-205-12 .682).

Gwinnett AAAAA has no comparable history. The only team named after a city here is Norcross (275-243-9 ..530) and is without a State title. (Buford, of course, is AA) Berkmar is a perenial bridesmaid (164-298-10 .358) without even so much as a region title. South Gwinnett has had recent success, but historically is a bridesmaid too (249-304-9 .451) with just 2 region titles.

I imagine for a more successful Atlanta history, one would have to look towards Dekalb or Fulton or Cobb. Most of Gwinnett was fields and pine forests just 20 years ago.

Where am I going with this? Suffice to say, there’s plenty of good Georgia football history. But the fact of the matter is that due to inevitable changes as years go by, the history has nothing to do in determining the scores of today’s contests. But it sure makes for some lively rhetoric.

Footbaler

December 2nd, 2010
9:34 am

Can anyone tell me if the Brookwood/Collins Hill game will be televised????? I cannot make it to Snellville Friday but would like to watch the game, any idea?

TheRealDirtySouth

December 2nd, 2010
10:16 am

LaughingOutLoud, Check your history in regards to your comments:”You win High School Championships we produce Pros and well looks like the Hesiman Trophy winner this year lol!!! Enjoy your High School rings Ed Bundys lol!!! And if your wondering yes I have a High School ring with SWD”..

Check your history we already have one of those; You ever heard of Charlie Ward. Do your research as well on the statistics on professional players from the south as well before stating thse absurd opions lest we all be laughing out loud ( not with you but at you)

E Rock

December 2nd, 2010
10:29 am

What school has the most State Titles in all sports the last 10 years?

The Hill !!! Check it out Collins Hill 5A…Thats what you call program production !!

legioncat

December 2nd, 2010
10:37 am

@ Gwinnett Dad

Valdosta has played 1097 games with 862 wins and 201 losses which is a 786 winning %..only 2 teams in america has more wins and that would be Yale and Michigan

BrusterBoy

December 2nd, 2010
11:50 am

I haven’t read all the posts, but something I think everybody is missing is the known recruitment of players in Valdosta. Its been happening since the 70’s where local businesses hire the parents of good players that go to other S GA schools, then rent them a nice apartment in the Valdosta school district. That brings the best players in the area to Valdosta, thus they have good teams. Can’t really do that too well in Gwinnett County.

grayson band dad

December 2nd, 2010
12:32 pm

@ footbaler – I heard the Brookwood game was going to be shown live by channel 2 in Atlanta and will be rebroadcast later in the night.

BrusterBoy

December 2nd, 2010
12:53 pm

Hey grayson band dad, my son played in the band at Grayson a couple years ago. Watch out for the band director, he is a real nut case.

Anyway, someone has mentioned several times about coaching talent. That is such an understatement, that it takes good coaches to mold good talent into a good team. I played for a great metro coach, Wayman Creel, back in the 70’s. He was no brilliant strategist, but is one of the winningest coaches in state history. He did teach respect and hard work, and many of his teams played for state championships in the 70’s. When the talent started to move from DeKalb to Gwinnett, his wins started to move also. South schools can’t really move from apartment to apartment, but have to go from city to city.

Grayson Fan

December 2nd, 2010
3:03 pm

To: quitman dog and all the other Colquitt Co fans; don’t underestimate the power of the Grayson Rams. The North rules now, so you better bring your A game. GO GRAYSON, show them who rules AAAAA.

Grayson Supporter

December 2nd, 2010
3:07 pm

If Gwinnett Co only had two high schools, we would probably be dominating in state titles and championships as well. But sinc we are the top school system in the stated of GA, our talent is spreaded out amongst all our schools. Hats off to Gwinnett Co Football teams. Do what you do and show them who rules AAAAA.

Fred

December 2nd, 2010
3:31 pm

@Grayson Supporter,

If we only had 2 high schools I don’t know how much we would get done as each school would be the size of a large college like GT! Ooohhh, can you imagine, 20,000 9-12 graders in one place? The horror of it all!!!

Grayson Supporter

December 2nd, 2010
3:45 pm

Exactly Fred. I hope Valdosta and Lowndes get that.

plowboy

December 2nd, 2010
4:53 pm

@bruster boy…..valdosta does not recruit! maybe lowndes and valdosta switch players every now and then because a kid quits and goes and play for the other school, if u want to talk about recruitment…what did the gwinnett county schools do back in the middle 90`s….bus kids in! my best friend went to parkview his junior and senior year and they had one black guy in the whole school! tell me where all the kids on grayson’s team played middle school ball!!!!!

plowboy

December 2nd, 2010
4:55 pm

I hope Colquitt County buries Grayson!!!!!!!!

grayram

December 2nd, 2010
5:32 pm

Plowboy:
Our middle schools don’t have football teams. They play in the Grayson rec league. That kid from Parkview isn’t on our team anymore he got bad knees after his 14th year.

Fred

December 2nd, 2010
5:36 pm

@plowboy,

I don’t know when your friend went to Parkview but if it was in the 90’s, it is very believable that there were very few non-whites. At that time I think Gwinnett was something like 90-95% white overall and the Parkview area was not where the 5% were. Since that time, there has been rapid change and now the county and the school system are majority minority meaning that there are no majorities in the county any more.

I can’t speak for them but I believe that the vast majority of the Grayson players played middle school ball right where they were supposed to. If you are implying that the racial makeup of the current Grayson team does not reflect the surrounding area, you could not be further from the truth.

plowboy

December 2nd, 2010
5:39 pm

i hear ya grayram! hope you guys play well tomorrow, still want our region to beat ya! funny little fact….same officiating crew from the LOWNDES/GRAYSON GAME 2008 , LOWNDES/CAMDEN 2009 , COLLINS HILL/LOWNDES 2010….all losses!!!!! those guys need to stay away…

plowboy

December 2nd, 2010
5:43 pm

GWINNETT COUNTY IS SO OVER-POPULATED, u mean all those guys start in the Grayson Rec league…that play for Grayson, Parkview,etc….. we all know about Caleb King and how he just went where he wanted

Fred

December 2nd, 2010
5:49 pm

I wasn’t going to get into the whole GFL thing but let me give a brief explanation. GLF is rec league ball. I think most every high school has a park that is associated with them. Mountain Park is with Parkview, Bay Creek with Grayson, etc. These teams have the same mascots, colors and run similar offensive and defensive schemes as the “parent” high school. This is where the kids get their playing before high school. I don’t even know how many hundreds of teams there are throughout the county but you can look up Gwinnett Football League. This is one of the issues with all of the constant school redistricting going on. When the school system builds a new high school, all the elementary, and middle schools in the area get new high school clusters. Then the parks and GFL have to realign as well. It is true that any kid can play at any park in GFL but that does not hold true when they start to play at the high school level. There are very few exceptions to that and mostly they are when a kid has been moved to a new high school after attending the previous one. If he can provide his own transportation and was at least a sophomore (I think), he can stay. If he was not in high or was a freshman and redistricting takes place, he and his family have to move to stay in the same school.

I think I got this mostly right but anyone else that knows better please chime in.

grayram

December 2nd, 2010
5:53 pm

The Parkview kids play in the Mountain Park league, the South Gwinnett kids At south Gwinnett athletic association, Mill Creek kids at the Bogan park league ETC. They all play against each other in the Gwinnett football league. Caleb King i think went to a private school that gave his brother a job or something like that.

plowboy

December 2nd, 2010
6:01 pm

@Fred and Grayram, I am a Lowndes Alum that lives in Tifton, Lowndes has 3 middle schools that run their same schemes…that`s 66 kids to choose from when thay get to high school…..Tifton`s head coach has tried to get more than one team in his middle schools and they won`t (BOE) do it, Colquitt county started doing that when Propst came aboard and look what it has produced! valdosta has always had multiple teams…hope u guys get a GREAT game tomorrow night….the moultrie boys are already there..

plowboy

December 2nd, 2010
6:02 pm

they

grayram

December 2nd, 2010
7:31 pm

Same refs for all 3. Wow.

Columbia Blue

December 2nd, 2010
7:53 pm

@ Grayson Fan

. The North rules now, so you better bring your A game. All I can say is good luck and thanks for the motivational statement. Camden is very pi__ed right now. I can asuure you that we will be back.

Grayson Nation

December 3rd, 2010
9:50 am

plowboy- Not sure what officiating crew you are talking about, but the refs were the ONLY reason Grayson did’nt have a shot at beating Camden at the beginning AND end of last years season….http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUQ0_qm10gI..

As far as the population in Gwinnett goes- I can verify that 99% of the players on Graysons team have been playing together since they were in Elementary school which makes one of the reasons for the success simple chemistry. Some kids of course move in and out but not because of “recruiting”…when you have that many kids to fill your roster there is no need.

People move to Gwinnett for the quality of the education- http://www.ajc.com/news/gwinnett/how-gwinnett-schools-reached-688999.html.

Good Luck to all of the boys Friday on both sides of the field. Let us all hope for a competent officiating crew…

Grayson Nation

December 3rd, 2010
9:52 am

plowboy-Sorry the previous link is not working..Lets try again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUQ0_qm10gI

BrusterBoy

December 3rd, 2010
11:53 am

Grayson Nation hit it right on, a kid in the metro area can move into the Grayson district and play ball there right away. No recruiting because we don’t have to, dad will move to an apartment in the Grayson or Brookwood or North Gwinnett district, and can move anywhere else he wants if a program is looking like it is going to be good for a few years. In Valdosta, you guys have to bring kids in from other S GA counties, and you have the support of the entire town, as football on Friday is as big as church on Sunday. I can give you an example from the 1971 team, Stan and Roger Rome were move to Valdosta, and the Football Club or whatever you call them bought the family a nice house and gave dad a job with the city. See the difference?

grayram

December 3rd, 2010
12:07 pm

Grayson Nation: I remember those fumbles well. Newnan got a huge break there. But Grayson lost because they somehow forgot they should block Alec Ogletree on the field goal attempt at the end of the game. Was a short kick for the win and he came untouched and blocked it.

DaKing

December 3rd, 2010
12:09 pm

Imagine if Gwinnett only has two schools in the whole area. That team would be unstoppable. It would literally be a “collegiate style” team. If gwinnett did not have over 20 schools, mostly in 5A, for the athletes to be be spread out so sparsly, no other county school would have a chance. The sheer size of gwinnett population hurts state championships in all sports.

I’m foreseeing….Grayson vs. Brookwood for the state game. Grayson wins.

DaKing

December 3rd, 2010
12:32 pm

Plowboy is an idiot. Demographics change rapidly in the metro-area, in which Gwinnett is. Unlike the southern part of the state, the metro-area offers many types of jobs which brings families from all backgrounds to our area.

As a former employee at Mill Creek High, many students in that school are from New York and New Jersey.

So Plowboy, don’t be saying we recruit up here, because it is farse. Can’t help the fact that Atlanta brings families from across the country. Oh and we have some of the best education in the state as well.

UncleJunior!

December 3rd, 2010
12:59 pm

I don’t know what is considered recruiting but I know that there are parents who look for a good fit for their kid. They do this because they might like a school, a program or it is simply a good fit for their child. Parents are ultimately interested in getting their kid into a good college. If a parent seeks out a program is that considered recruiting? Even so, they would do this sometimes as a huge gamble. If you run over here or there. . . .you might leave a program that could possibly field a dominant team. That is how things are in the Atlanta area.

grayram

December 3rd, 2010
2:35 pm

Easy now DaKing

You can’t call someone an idiot and follow it up with farse??

plowboy

December 3rd, 2010
4:08 pm

@DaQueen I never said anything about recruiting! That was BrusterBoy, u can have the metro Atlanta area…..lived in Virginia Highlands for yrs and u guys can have it…the best education in Atlanta is private schools, Georgia Tech, Emory, Spelman and Morehouse! Hope a Gwinnett AAAAA team wins state so that u all can have some sort of relief!

plowboy

December 3rd, 2010
4:14 pm

@da queen, quit talking about if Gwinnett County had only two high schools….we would be all that and a bag of chips……600,000 in Gwinnett County….100,000 in Lowndes County……we win because of coaching and that is it……about the same number of kids in AAAAA schools all over Georgia, with a few exceptions…. it is what u do with what u have!!!!!

plowboy

December 3rd, 2010
4:20 pm

Lowndes and Camden will be back next year and the year after and the year after……….Lowndes won`t win it every year but no school will do that…..in fact I believe that Lowndes and Camden in a way have made your Gwinnett schools better in FOOTBALL! just ask Parkview, N.Gwinnett, Brookwood, Peachtree Ridge……

Wildcat12

December 3rd, 2010
8:11 pm

First off, it feels good to be back, Now Colquitt at Grayson. This is a good game (I think) Both teams have been flying under the radar this whole season. Now we finally get to see a battle of the unseens. I really cannot pick a winner for this game. Grayson is good and Colquitt is good. It will come down to has the more drive to win. Safe travels to the Packers.

Now to answer the question at hand. Is this year the end of South Georgia’s reign? I would have to say no. First off the question should be is this the end of Camden/Lowdnes dominance. Every team, North or South has to take an off year. Camden is not out for good. We are just reloading. It would be nice to 3-peat, but really think about it Camden has had a target on its back since the beginning of the year. They played and lost. They will be a force in the playoffs next year. Same could be said about Lowdnes. This was a reloading year for the South. Im not making excuses. Camden loss because they were on a high horse. They are like Boise State, They have never had to play four quaters of football except for Miami Central, St. Thomas and Coffee. They thought Hillgrove was a little sister of the poor Now will North Georgia run the tables this year? Possibly. They have 3 out 4 teams playing in the Semis.

Now next year I think the GHSA should shake up the brackets. Think about it. for the first round South Georgia plays South Georgia and North Georgia plays North Georgia. I think it would be fun to see Camden play N. Gwinnett or Collins Hill in the first round or Lowdnes play Mill Creek or MLK or even Valdosta play Hillgrove. It has gotten old seeing South Georgia beat the snot out of each other and North Georgia beat the snot out of each other.

Good Luck to all teams tonight. Everyone on here can somewhat agree that it will actualy be fun to NOT see Camden or Lowndes play in the Semis. Change is good. Now to answer the second part of the question: Is 2010 a fluke? No, as much as I hate to say this, but North Georgia has made a statement this. They are serious, and it is about time. They will no longer be pused around by South Georgia. COngrats to North Georgia for taking over the playoffs this year.

Clinch County

December 3rd, 2010
9:54 pm

Well, I guess Colquit will win and shut up this North GA talk.

CAMDEN COUNTY WILDCAT

December 3rd, 2010
10:01 pm

Colquit county…and true camden county wildcat fan here is rooting you guys on so yall can win the state tittle this year…keep the tittle down south and show them that we have way more talent in the south than up north….camden yall boys let me down but we cant always win it every year..but next year I promise that we are gonna be state champions!!! our whole entire defense is coming back, and our stand out player JJ Green who is only a sophmore!!! but watch out 2011!!! its gonna be another cat attack!!!

plowboy

December 3rd, 2010
10:01 pm

Well I guess the south dominance and our weak region has one more shot!

Loopy

December 3rd, 2010
10:34 pm

Dont forget cook hornets beat this packers team in moultrie and should have been playing at home tonight against lovett, but lost to the officials oops I mean buford wolves in SHEEPS CLOTHING. well I just want to add a few things hope Calhoun lowers the BOOM on buford. Clinch over Savannah Christian and Colquitt over Brookwood.

Titletown Fan

December 3rd, 2010
10:46 pm

It must be really tough for all these Gwinett fans…..all that talk and boasting about dominance and to see a Region 1 team close the deal and play for the state 5A title. Congrats to the Colquitt Packers for making an incredible run.

Jammer

December 4th, 2010
12:45 am

Congrats to the Colquitt County Packers for showing that South Ga football is still alive and kicking. Also Props to Fayette County Football with 2 teams competing for a championship in there respective classes.

Packerdad

December 4th, 2010
3:28 am

I just have to say. What a sweet victory!! Have been pretty quiet on here, just looking and watching. Our boys done the talking for us on the field..

Titletown Fan

December 4th, 2010
7:37 am

The crickets have taken over Gwinett County internet servers………

EagleNationRising

December 4th, 2010
10:34 am

I appears that the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has gotten ahead of themselves, yet again. The metro Atlanta cheerleading is absurd and a borderline joke.

In Class AAAAA, the overwhelming majority of the programs are located in metro Atlanta. A 0.500 South Georgia team that was drilled by a AA program is still sitting in the State Championship game.

With all due respect, I ask posters on this site as well as any cheerleader (I mean “journalist”) working at the AJC to name a major metropolitan area in the United State with a worst level of championship programs than Atlanta, GA. It is unreal! I have never seen anything like it.

FYI: It is great to see that Brookwood is back. Brookwood and Southwest DeKalb were the only metro Atlanta programs that regularly competed at the highest level for decades. New schools and aging populations have changed the dynamics for many programs. Brookwood is still playing good football. We will see if the best team in Gwinnett County can beat a mediocre team from outside of the metro area. At the end of the day, Colquitt County is just a 0.500 program that can’t beat a decent AA program. However, the Packers are very likely to hoist another State Championship! Say something metro Atlanta posters.

I encourage the AJC staff to report the results and throw the pom-poms in Todd Holcomb’s old office where they belong. Face it, metro Atlanta is just not what you guys hype it to be in the world of high school football. When Grayson can’t beat a team that traveled hours and got hog-tied by a AA team, you know the state of football in this city.

plowboy

December 4th, 2010
11:13 am

@Grayson Nation, just saw your link about the officials, those are the guys!!!!!1 they are terrible…..last year at camden they called a chopblock on our defense…..this year they called late hit after late hit on our defense…..and many false starts…..interference w/ the punt returner when our guy was pushed in to the guy….

pack.to.da.dome

December 4th, 2010
11:39 am

where all the grayson fans guess the south was to much. i think colquitt county should play atlanta teams every year in the playoff. then we could make it to the championship every year. lol

GoPackGo

December 4th, 2010
11:42 am

Grayson was a great place to play. The fans were pleasant to all people from Colquitt County. I live in Atlanta now and still travel to all Packer games. Grayson fans hold your heads up high and thank you for the hospitality. Let’s finish this thing Packers. Go Pack Go!

plowboy

December 4th, 2010
1:33 pm

@EAGLENATIONRISING…..the Cook vs Colquitt game was not a beatdown by Cook….Colquitt had 18 penalties and Cook`s coach that passed away use to coach under Propst….and I`m a VIKING !!

SportsFan31313

December 4th, 2010
2:27 pm

I told all the Metro Atlanta NON Believers about Colquitt County. They will become the 2010 Class AAAAA State Football Champions thereby keeping the State Title down in South Georgia and bring it back to Region 1-AAAAA.

Podivad

December 4th, 2010
3:55 pm

Colquitt County asks no quarter and gives none. No prisioners! South Georgia Football lives. On to the Dome!

Grayson Nation

December 4th, 2010
4:44 pm

@plowboy- I wonder what it would take to bring all of these issues with this group of refs to the GHSA. These refs should not be allowed to get away with this year after year…Every team deserves a fair and unbiased officiating crew.

@GoPackGo- Very happy to hear that you felt welcomed and were treated with kindness. Colquitt definitely came to play, and their fans were loud and stayed up and on their feet for a majority of the game. I did not see any bad conduct from either side of the field between the players and the fans were all respectful. Of course, It is always hard to watch the young men deal with defeat at the end of the game, but time heals wounds.

Congratulations to Colquitt and Good Luck!

Ramses

December 4th, 2010
5:11 pm

Brookwood is only around 25 years old and is made up of part of Parkview & South Gwinnett. It is at the top academically in Gwinnett which is a big draw for the sports programs as well. There are no apartments that feed into Brookwood, practically all single family homes. Very tight-knit middle to middle upper class community.

Classof2k11ATLvike

December 4th, 2010
7:16 pm

Goodbye to South Georgias reign of dominance? In the words of the great Lee Corse, Not so fast my friend! Congrats Pack, this just goes to show that the south is the sec of Georgia high school football. Colquitt is in the finals, not Lowndes or Valdosta, who the Pack lost too. Shows that any one can win on any given day, and playing with the big dogs really does make you a better team. Go Pack!

Classof2k11ATLvike

December 4th, 2010
7:16 pm

Corso

GoPackGo

December 4th, 2010
9:05 pm

We are always loud Grayson Nation. We will be back on turf in the Dome. That should be an advantage for us. Not to mention the dome is loud! Go Pack Go!

grayram

December 4th, 2010
10:18 pm

Colquitt was really good. Can’t see how they possibly lost to Valdosta. Grayson lost a good game to good team. I’m glad it didn’t come down to a kick again. It’s to bad we were a year late to the semi’s or we could have easily advanced with a win over the JV team from North Warner Robins.
The fans from Colquitt were great. Good luck in the Dome.

maurice

December 5th, 2010
12:01 pm

yeah its ah fluke next year newnan will rise again with a top def

Source of info?

December 6th, 2010
10:24 am

The numbers are in metro-Atlanta’s favor…period. Half of the state’s population comes from several counties in and sorrounding Atlanta. With that said, most state championships in the higher classifications come from the south! Forget about the last 7 years alone and look at the history! Someone stated that North Georgia creates professional players and now Heisman Trophy winners. Once again, not a valid argument. Charlie Ward is from Thomasville (TCCHS). One of the best cover corners in the history of the NFL (Champ Bailey) is from Charlton County High School. The list is endless for South Georgia and North Georgia. We have great football in our state. The basis of this blog is about South Georgia’s reign of dominance being over. If you are writing about it because one year South Georgia might not win a state title (Colquitt, Clinch, Savannah Christian still playing), then “YAY” North Georgia! There is always a chance for the “inferior” underdog, right?

WisconsinPacker

December 6th, 2010
12:02 pm

Reading the comments from the cold in Wisconsin (15 above at noon), got to love the fan support for both sides! I was raised in Moultrie (go Pack!) and lived in Roswell in the mid 80’s. Heck, I remember when Moultrie went to the state finals in the early 60’s only to get killed by Avandale (?) 45 to 7…or something along those lines. Now I go to Friday games here in Cedarburg, Wi. (this year, our boys went to the state finals, 1100 students, so not sure where they would fit in your system, at Camp Randell stadium (home of the Wisconsin badgers). Sometimes, I feel like the guys that watch high school FB practice in “Friday Night lights” thinking we have one more game in us….

All that said, our Wisconsin boys would struggle to play equivilent Ga. teams in football head to head. (Hockey….now that would be different!)

Good luck to both teams this week, however my heart is with the Packers…both C.C. and Green Bay!

Chuck

December 6th, 2010
3:53 pm

What does it matter that it is “one county, one school” or that a school has a radius of 15 miles or 50. Larger schools have a better opportunity to have more quality players. The south Ga teams have dominated over the years and one or two years out of eight does not change that. Don’t count Colquit out. That region they are in is good and they could win it all.

packer03

December 6th, 2010
4:05 pm

go pack go

Reeze

December 6th, 2010
5:08 pm

Granted over the last few years a few Metro AAAAA programs , Grayson , Ridge and NG for example have really stepped up their game…..But if my memory is correct the four semi finalist’s In AAAAA in 2009 were Northside W.R, Colquitt, Camden and Newnan ( Two from region 1 , 1 each from region’s 3 and 4) and the AAAAA champions 2007, 2008 and 2009 were Camden and Lowndes…… before you ask whether South Georgia’s domination is over in AAAAA , I think we should at least get a Metro Champion in AAAAA (Not Shared either) and wait and see if Camden and Lowndes bounces back ………If Colquitt wins this weekend , this entire piece will be for not….

SHOTGUN

December 6th, 2010
8:59 pm

man its almost over, cant wait till next year ,time 2 reload

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8:42 pm

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Goodbye to South Georgia’s reign of dominance in Class AAAAA? Or is 2010 just a fluke?

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Goodbye to South Georgia’s reign of dominance in Class AAAAA? Or is 2010 just a fluke?

164 comments Add your comment

About Prep Zone: High School Sports

Search this blog

Recent Posts

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Other high school sports blogs of note

Twitter and Facebook

All AJC blogs »

Tell us what you think about the site

Subscribe »

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