Brookwood announced its new football head coach on Tuesday—promoting defensive coordinator Chad Nighbert to become the fifth head coach in the school’s 44-year history. Nighbert served as Brookwood’s interim coach from the third game into the playoffs last season as head coach Philip Jones, in his 10th season at his alma mater, took time away for health reasons. Brookwood finished 7-4 and did not renew Jones’ contract after the conclusion of the fall semester.
Nighbert—who grew up in Germany and came to Georgia to play linebacker at Georgia Southern, came to Brookwood last season after serving as defensive coordinator at Colquitt County. He has worked on staffs at Effingham County, Savannah, Southeast Bulloch, Screven County and Jones County. Brookwood plays in Region 7-6A, finished as the region’s No. 2 seed in 2024 and lost to West Forsyth in the first round of the playoffs. Brookwood’s longtime rival Parkview is one of the remaining openings in the state and within Class 6A as the Panthers look for their replacement for Joe Sturdivant.
Around the class boys - Defending state champion and No. 1 ranked Grayson will be featured in the 2025 Hoophall Classic National Tournament this weekend. Holy Innocents’ is the other Georgia school participating in the event and the Golden Bears will take on St. Joseph’s High School out of California at 10 a.m. during Saturday’s lineup. Grayson’s matchup will be broadcasted on NBATV and will match the rams up against Sierra Canyon School out of California. Tipoff will be at 7 p.m. Grayson has compiled a 15-1 record this season with its only loss coming to Florida’s Christopher Columbus High School (85-48) back on Dec. 20. The Explorers also defeated Wheeler this season and they are the No. 2 ranked team in the latest National poll—just several spots higher than Grayson—which sits at No. 7. Grayson can earn a big win for the program and the entire state of Georgia on Saturday in this televised contest. It will be the seventh out-of-state program that Grayson has faced this season and the Trailblazers are 13-3 and the No. 21-ranked team out of The Golden State. Sierra Canyon added two four-star prospects and a three-star this season as transfers that will be teaming up with seniors Bryce Cofield and Jayden Alexander—making their roster one of the top lineups that Grayson has faced this season. …Nearly every team in the top 10 will have a series of huge matchups in the next week with the teams playing Tuesday night, again this weekend and then some MLK matchups or games next Tuesday. …No. 2 ranked Wheeler faces region rival and No. 6 ranked Etowah for the first time this season tonight in a top 10 matchup. …No. 9 Meadowcreek faces Norcross on Friday after replacing the Blue Devils in this week’s poll following their loss to Duluth and the weekend concludes with a top tier matchup between No. 2 ranked Wheeler and No. 3 ranked Newton on Saturday at Wheeler.
Around the class girls — Grayson has won 16-straight games since its loss to Cherokee in its season opener and will have a busy week with Region 4 home games against Rockdale County and Heritage-Conyers Tuesday and Thursday before taking on Calvary Day on MLK Day at 10:35 p.m. … The Campbell Girls defeated Region 3 opponent Paulding County 71-63 this week. Saniya Binion led all scorers with 32 points. Marlie Battle finished with 13 points, Gabby Parish finished with 11 and Aleigha Parish added seven points and five rebounds. Campbell improved to 14-1 overall and 4-1 in Region play and faced off with McEachern Thursday night. In that matchup Campbell scored a 47-34 victory—growing its win-streak to 9-straight and improving to 15-1 now. Campbell’s only loss came to Harrison on the road on Dec. 13 (46-38) and those teams will clash again at Campbell on Jan. 24.
Boys Top 10 Schedule
1. Grayson – Tuesday vs. Rockdale County, 7:30 p.m.; Thursday vs. Heritage-Conyers, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday vs. Sierra Canyon, 7:00 p.m.
2. Wheeler—Tuesday vs. Etowah, 7:30 p.m.; Friday vs. Marietta, 7:30 p.m., Saturday vs. Newton, 7:30 p.m.
3. Newton—Tuesday vs. Grovetown, 7:30 p.m.; Friday vs. Rockdale County, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday vs. Wheeler, 7:30 p.m.
4. McEachern—Tuesday vs. Paulding County, 7:30 p.m.; Friday vs. Pebblebrook, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday at Pace Academy, 5:30 p.m.
5. Walton—Tuesday at Marietta, 7:30 p.m.; Friday vs. Cherokee, 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday at North Paulding, 7:30 p.m.
6. Etowah—Tuesday at Wheeler, 7:30 p.m.; Friday vs. North Cobb, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday vs. Creekview, 7:30 p.m.
7. Lambert—Tuesday vs. Forsyth Central, 7:30 p.m.; Friday at Denmark, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday vs. North Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.
8. Buford—Tuesday vs. Mountain View, 6:30 p.m.; Friday at Collins Hill, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday at Southwest DeKalb, 6:00 p.m.
9. Meadowcreek—Tuesday at North Gwinnett, 7:00 p.m.; Friday vs. Norcross, 7:00 p.m.; Monday at Ramsay (AL), 3:30 p.m.
10. Hillgrove—Tuesday at Pebblebrook, 7:30 p.m.; Friday vs. Osborne, 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday at Campbell, 7:30 p.m.
Girls Top 10 Schedule
1. North Forsyth—Tuesday vs. North Atlanta, 6:00 p.m.; Friday vs. Alpharetta, 6:00 p.m.; Tuesday at Lambert, 6:00 p.m.
2. North Paulding—Tuesday at North Cobb, 6:00 p.m.; Friday at Holy Innocents’, 6:00 p.m.; Monday vs. Baldwin, 6:25 p.m.
3. Grayson—Tuesday vs. Rockdale County, 6:00 p.m.; Thursday vs. Heritage-Conyers, 6:00 p.m.; Monday vs. Calvary Day, 10:35 a.m.
4. Archer—Friday vs. Grovetown, 6:00 p.m.; Tuesday at Rockdale County, 6:00 p.m.; Friday vs. Grayson, 6:00 p.m.
5. Campbell—Tuesday at Osborne, 6:00 p.m.; Friday at South Cobb, 6:00 p.m.; Saturday vs. Chattanooga Christian, 3:30 p.m.
6. Carrollton—Friday vs. Westlake, 6:00 p.m.; Monday vs. Norcross, 10:35 a.m.; Tuesday vs. Northwest Whitfield, 6:00 p.m.
7. Newton—Tuesday vs. Grovetown, 6:00 p.m.; Friday at Rockdale County, 6:00 p.m.; Monday vs. Whitefield Academy, 5:00 p.m.
8. Cherokee—Friday at Walton, 6:00 p.m.; Tuesday at Marietta, 6:00 p.m.; Friday vs. North Paulding, 6:00 p.m.
9. Lowndes—Tuesday at Thomasville, 6:00 p.m.; Friday vs. Camden County, 6:00 p.m.; Saturday vs. Creekside, 5:00 p.m.
10. Buford—Tuesday vs. Mountain View, 5:00 p.m.; Friday at Collins Hill; Saturday at Southwest DeKalb, 4:30 p.m.
Loading ...
