Pelham high school filled its coaching vacancy last week by hiring former Hardaway head coach Ryan McKenzie to lead the Hornets. Coach McKenzie went to Hardaway before the 2023 season from Class A Chattahoochee County. He led the Panther to a 5-6 finish in his only season at Chattahoochee County and then saw Hardaway improve from an 0-10 record in 2023 to a 4-6 finish this past season.
“We at Hardaway and MCSD wish Coach McKenzie the best of luck as he moves on,” Hardaway athletics director Kendall Mills told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email Thursday. “He did an outstanding job within his two years at Hardaway High School.”
Brookstone graduate Will Whilden was named the replacement for coach McKenzie at Hardaway and it will be his first-ever head coaching job.
Coach McKenzie is entering his 13th year as a coach and he has three seasons spent as a head football coach. His journey includes stops at Hardaway, Macon County, Brunswick, Central-Macon, Sumter County, Bleckley County and Chattahoochee County. Coach McKenzie has coached NFL All Pro Roquan Smith and other NFL players like Warren McClendon and Deontrey Hill over the course of his career—in addition to first round draft pick and Cincinnati Bengals standout Amarius Mims.
Coach McKenzie played high school football at Macon County before playing collegiately at Mesabi Range Community College and the University of Charleston. As a coach, he has helped lead teams to two region championships, six playoff appearances and one run to the quarterfinals.
“I can’t wait to be a Hornet and contribute to the school and community in a positive way,” said McKenzie. “We’re ready to work hard and build something special.”
Pelham carries a 10-year playoff streak into the 2025 season and McKenzie will be replacing former head coach Leonard Guyton—who led the program to an 11-23 record in three seasons.
Around the classification boys: The first round of the state playoffs saw the host teams go 13-3. The only road teams that advanced were Region 1 No. 4 seed Early County, Region 1 No. 3 seed Mitchell County and Region 3 No. 3 seed Bryan County. As a result, Region 1 was the most successful region in the opening round and completed Class A Div. II’s only sweep. No. 1 seed Randolph-Clay handled business against Twiggs County 85-44 and will host Warren County on Saturday. Region 1’s No. 2 seed Calhoun County dominated Johnson County 96-51. Mitchell county produced a 59-47 victory over Wilkinson County and will visit top seed Clinch County and No. 4 seed Early County was a 62-52 victor over top-seed Hancock Central.
Around the classification girls: Home teams went 14-2 in the first round of the state playoffs. The only two road teams that survived were on the left side of the bracket with Region 2 No. 3 seed Charlton County and Region 1 No. 4 seed Pelham. Charlton County defeated host Lake Oconee Academy 67-51 and will now travel to top-seeded Randolph-Clay in the Sweet 16. As for Pelham, the Hornets held off top-seeded Hancock Central 51-45 and will travel to Clinch County in the Sweet 16.
BOYS SWEET 16 MATCHUPS
R8#2 Warren County (19-9) at R1#1 Randolph-Clay (26-2)
R6#2 Chattahoochee County (20-9) at R4#1 Hawkinsville (16-11)
R1#4 Early County (18-10) at R2#2 Turner County (20-8)
R7#2 Manchester (18-4) at R3#1 Savannah
R3#2 McIntosh County Academy (23-5) at R6#1 Taylor County (22-3)
R1#3 Mitchell County (17-12) at R2#1 Clinch County (22-2)
R3#3 Bryan County (20-8) at R7#1 Mt. Zion-Carroll (20-8)
R1#2 Calhoun County (22-3) at R8#1 Greene County (20-7)
GIRLS SWEET 16 MATCHUPS
R2#3 Charlton County (21-6) at R1 #1 Randolph-Clay (22-6)
R6#2 Taylor County (21-3) at R4#1 Wilcox County (24-1)
R1#4 Pelham (16-11) at R2#2 Clinch County (14-12)
R7#2 Greenville (17-4) at R3#1 Screven County (21-5)
R3#2 Bryan County (24-3) at R6#1 Macon County (20-3)
R5#2 Johnson County (17-5) at R2#1 Turner County (21-8)
R4#2 Telfair County (20-5) at R7#1 Bowdon
R1#2 Seminole County (21-5) at R8#1 Washington-Wilkes (11-8)
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