GISA powers put winning streaks on the line
Georgia high school football history will take place on Friday in Camilla between two state champions of which many Georgia high school football fans have never heard.
Westwood School, the home team, is the reigning champion of Class A in the Georgia Independent School Association, sometimes called GISA (pronounced gee-sa). The team averaged 49.9 points per game last season, the second-most in state history (GHSA or GISA) behind Camden County’s 50.9 in 2011.
Piedmont Academy, from Monticello, is the reigning champion of Class AA.
Each team is riding a 26-game winning streak. It’s the first time in GISA history that teams with winning streaks that long have played each other. The longest winning streak in GISA history is 29 games, held by Westwood and Savannah Christian.
“I do feel like this game should get statewide attention since both schools and football programs have had such unprecedented success the past two seasons,” said Westwood’s coach, Ross Worsham, who grew up in Camilla and played for Mitchell-Baker’s 1983 GHSA state championship team. “You have four state championships and 52 straight victories between the two schools on the line. I know both communities view this as a huge opening game, and I feel like there will be a ton of interest.”
Piedmont Academy coach Rhett Farmer added a key note: “Both head coaches were willing to put their streaks in jeopardy.”
The GISA has 46 member schools that play football. They are private schools with enrollment that typically would be middle to low in the GHSA’s Class A.
But college coaches know they’re there. In 2011, there were 69 college football players who came from associations other than the GHSA, primarily GISA.
“GISA football is very competitive considering the small size of the member schools when you compare the small number of student-athletes as compared to what most public schools have to draw from,” said Piedmont’s Farmer, whose school has about 45 males, 31 who play football. “This league is loaded with talent when you look at it from a per-capita standpoint.”
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13 comments Add your comment
Football fan
August 24th, 2012
8:29 am
GISA game with streaks that long.
Sandy Creek and Peach Co had longer streaks when they met in playoffs a couple of years ago.
Todd Holcomb
August 24th, 2012
9:05 am
You’re right. SC had a 27-game winning streak. Peach had a 28-game winning streak.
Charles
August 24th, 2012
10:14 am
These schools and many others in the GISA are small but are very talented. The bigger schools players and coaches in GHSA should be as dedicated as these players and coaches are. Their players don’t get the notoriety as the GHSA players but they play hard with what they have. Its not the streak but the recognition of the streak that matters. Sure SC lead by Ronnie Bell now at Georgia State and PC had longer streaks than these schools but so what. Its an accomplishment at any level to win that many games.
That Dude Says...
August 24th, 2012
10:18 am
Charles I hate to break it to you but there are GHSA JV teams that could beat the best GISA teams.
Todd Holcomb
August 24th, 2012
10:19 am
Good points, Charles.
btw, Football Fan was just clearing up speculation in the original version that perhaps no other game in state history had streaks this long. He wasn’t minimizing this game.
Charles
August 24th, 2012
10:40 am
dude..you are probably right..there are JV teams that could beat those teams. There are also JV teams that could beat teams from Class A GHSA from the higher Classifications. So what is your point? The discussion is not about who can beat whom, its about recognizing an accomplishment. Its about giving a little recognition to the GISA. Its about showing that the GHSA is not the only game in town.
Charles
August 24th, 2012
10:48 am
One last thing, the average GISA AA and A school have a pool of guys to pull from in the entire school that is less than some of the classrooms in public schools. To put together a football team that is competetive is an accomplishment. The forementioned JV team have at their exposure hundreds of kids to pick over.
Wildcat Fan
August 24th, 2012
1:53 pm
No matter the outcome of tonight’s game, I couldn’t be prouder of our boys and what they have accomplished. You will have a hard time finding a coach who is more dedicated or cares more about his boys than Ross Worsham. I will be at that game tonight cheering on my Wildcats with just as much heart and emotion as any person can, possibly with more people in the stands than there will be at most of the bigger schools games. That is why it’s great to be a Westwood Wildcat!
Old21cat
August 24th, 2012
3:40 pm
I believe some of last years ghsa state champ teams were private schools playing in the ghsa.
Tater Head
August 24th, 2012
3:55 pm
I would put the Heart and Desire of a GISA starting player against the public schools for our boys will play both sides of the ball for the entire game most of the times.
Go Cats!
August 24th, 2012
5:53 pm
GO WILDCATS! 99 % college placement and stellar academic and atheletic programs.
Proud to be a Westwood Wildcat (’94)!
Piedmont alum
August 24th, 2012
10:20 pm
Not to mention, most gisa teams are lucky to have 20 players on the team. It’s very common for the players to play both ways the entire game without a break. I’m proud of the cougars from Piedmont. When I was a student there, were no where near the team they are now.
Go Cats!
August 24th, 2012
11:27 pm
Westwood wins!!!