The 2008 Walton Raiders entered the season with something to prove. They had to prove that last year was no fluke. They had to prove that this year’s team is just as special as its predecessor. And they had to prove that they could win a game at the Georgia Dome.
On Aug. 23 at the Corky Kell Classic, the Raiders proved all those things and more, as they beat Gwinnett powerhouse Brookwood 14-9. Walton head coach Ed Dudley knew that they had to win to set the tone for the rest of the season.
“Don’t tell anybody, but we had a long losing streak in [the Georgia Dome],” said Dudley after the game against the Broncos. “To break it against Brookwood, that was good for us.”
RELOADING, NOT REBUILDING
If you follow Walton football, you know that they lost many key players from last year’s team due to graduation. Chase Thomas, Braden Theobald, J.J. Jackson and Adam Shreiner were all key members of the ’07 team that reached the state semifinals and have since moved on. But quarterback Ray Rayburn is back and had a strong game against the Broncos, completing 14 of 17 of his passes for 144 yards and one touchdown. He suffered a knee injury late in the game, however, and his status is day-to-day. If for some reason he cannot play, sophomore quarterback Bradley Kilborn is the backup; he saw some action late in the game against Brookwood but did not attempt a pass.
On the defensive side, Thomas is gone but David Paulsen seems ready to take his place. He had a strong game against Brookwood with five tackles and one sack and is considered one of the best defensive ends in the county. Paulsen will be a key player if the Raiders want to go deeper in the playoffs.
LOST BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
The Raiders lost another member of their squad not to graduation, but something more tragic. Aaron Cleveland was hit by a van almost a month ago and passed away at the scene of the accident. The Cleveland family attended the game at the Dome and took pictures of the 300 students that were wearing Aaron Cleveland shirts, an idea started by his friends Matt Cheek and Joey Caforio. All proceeds went to the Cleveland family and the shirts dawned the No. 29, Aaron’s number, and featured the quote, “If you don’t go hard, why go at all?” As for the players, they will be wearing No. 29 decals on their helmets and Aaron’s name will be left on the roster.
The win against the Broncos felt good on many levels, but the Raiders know that they still have their work cut out for them. On Friday, the Raiders will take on Kell, who is coming off a big win against Woodstock. They are led by new head coach Derek Cook and also feature running back Justin Randolph, who is one of the most dangerous players in Cobb County. The Raiders have only played one game and have already experienced what many teams go though in an entire season. But the Raiders have always risen to the occasion and this year should be no different.
Jones can be reached at bjones@scoreatl.com.
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