The annual Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic has kicked off the Georgia high school football season for 33 years. This year, the Classic broadened its horizons and expanded into the state’s fastest growing sport, flag football. Host, West Forsyth High School, which also host the Football Classic, is set to feature four action-packed flag football games comprised of past state champions and early favorites to lead their respective divisions. Each of the four matchups in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Flag Football Classic will be televised live on the Peachtree Sports Network, and streamed digitally on Atlanta News First, ZEAM, and the National Federation High School Network. To purchase tickets to the event, click here!
Greenbrier vs. Allatoona – 5:30 p.m.
It’s a state championship caliber matchup and a No. 1 vs. No. 2 battle between defending champion Greenbrier and state runner-up Allatoona which will open the first-ever Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Flag Football Classic Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at West Forsyth.
Greenbrier is coming off the program’s first-ever state championship victory in Class 5A-6A after defeating Lithia Springs 12-6 in the title game. Following the expansion of the sport to four divisions, the Wolfpack will compete in Division II this season, opening at No. 2 behind top-ranked Allatoona.
The Buccaneers enter the contest following a crushing 14-13 loss to Pope in the Class 7A (Division III) championship game, that capped a 22-3 record last season, but left them two points short of Allatoona’s first-ever state title.
In last season’s 22-3 effort, Allatoona lost to McEachern 14-6 and Pope twice, 40-7 in the regular season and the narrow defeat in the title game. In the playoff run, the Buccaneers moved past Hughes 25-0, Alpharetta 19-6, Woodstock 13-6 and Sequoyah 28-0 in the semifinals before falling to Pope.
Greenbrier lost the opening game last season to three-time defending champion Southeast Bulloch 19-13 and then won 19-straight games to capture the program’s first-ever state championship. In last year’s playoffs, Greenbrier moved past Miller Grove 39-0, Walnut Grove 40-6, McDonough 31-7, and Central-Carrollton 6-0 before capturing the state title 14-6 over Lithia Springs.
RETURNING TALENT
Then-junior quarterback Kenzie Horton was a major part of that successful playoff run. Through 20 games last year, Horton was 247-of-380 passing for 2,492 yards and 44 touchdowns with just six interceptions.
“Defensive back and receiver Maggie Pangle was the player of the game in the state championship as a freshman,” mentioned head coach Daniel Jordan via email.
Pangle had 85 receptions for 829 yards and a team-leading 15 touchdowns in last year’s championship run while linebacker and receiver Aaliyah Silver had 71 catches for 761 yards and 14 touchdowns. Wide receiver and safety Presley McDermott added 62 receptions for 731 yards and six touchdowns as a sophomore.
“Silver was named the Player of the Year,” Jordan explained. “McDermott, linebacker and defensive captain Sophie Campanaro, rusher Ari Boone, running back Carrington Meyers all return. They play in a very tough area and Division II is loaded with talented teams. They believe they must continue improving to compete at the state level.”
Greenbrier will have to replace its leading rusher – Jai Sheffield – who had 38 carries for 416 yards and five touchdowns in her senior campaign. But Horton had 10 carries for 64 yards and two touchdowns, Pangle had 15 carries for 106 yards and two touchdowns and Meyers – in her freshman season – had 29 carries for 118 yards and a touchdown.
Loganville vs. Blessed Trinity – 6:30 p.m.
It’s a matchup between two teams who suffered the same fate last season – a gut-wrenching and utterly devastating loss in the semifinals of their respective classes.
Loganville fell to eventual Division II runner-up Lithia Springs 12-6, while Blessed Trinity lost in the Division III semifinals against eventual-champion Pope 7-6. This season, with both teams entering the game with a semifinals-loss-sized chip on their collective shoulders, it has created a playoff-like atmosphere in the team’s season opener.
“The three most impactful returning players from last year are Hannah Daley, Maggie Sullivan, and Addie Spak,” said Blessed Trinity head coach Brandon Harwell. “We had a great senior class last year, but we will be young and athletic this season. I am very excited about this group and believe it could be a special team.”
Blessed Trinity enters the season ranked No. 4 in Division III but will have to weather the graduation of quarterback Julia Geis, who last season was 306-of-471 passing for 3,890 yards and 60 touchdowns with 17 interceptions and led the ground attack with 54 carries for 358 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Spak, however, a rising junior quarterback, was 41-of-62 passing for 409 yards and 10 touchdowns, gaining critical experience which will improve and expand her impact this season. On the ground, Sullivan, a rising junior, had 33 carries for 302 yards and three touchdowns.
Daley, who had 57 receptions for 902 yards and 16 touchdowns as a sophomore to lead Blessed Trinity’s receiver’s stall, is also back. Sullivan had 56 receptions for 515 yards and eight touchdowns, while Spak had 26 receptions for 251 yards and five touchdowns.
FAMILIAR FACES
Loganville enters the season ranked No. 5 in Division II and is coming off a 20-3 record. In the playoffs, the Red Devils defeated Villa Riva 13-7, St. Pius X 7-0 and Trinity Christian 7-0 before falling to Lithia Springs in the semis.
“We are returning seven starters between offense and defense with three others who saw a lot of action,” said Loganville head coach Bran Mills.
There will be a new face under center for Loganville, highlighting the biggest shift from last year’s team.
“Among those starters is Parker Bridges, our best player, who plays both ways, but will be moving to quarterback this year with the graduation of cornerback and quarterback Caty Beth Bolemon, who until this season has been the only starting quarterback in program history,” Mills said. “We return all our receivers from last season including some girls who got quality snaps at the position. Parker brings a big arm to the table and should allow us to spread the field more. We will need her to play well this season to get to where we want to be.”
North Oconee vs. Lithia Springs – 7:30 p.m.
There will be a playoff and championship style atmosphere when state runners-up Division II No. 3 North Oconee and Division III No. 1 Lithia Springs meet for the penultimate of the evening at West Forsyth.
Each team is entering the season feeling it left something to be desired after last year’s championship game losses – North Oconee 14-0 to Southeast Bulloch in the Class A-4A title game and Lithia Springs 14-6 to Greenbrier in the Class 5A-6A final.
Lithia Springs will have to weather the loss of many of the moving parts from last year’s deep playoff run that included victories over Jackson County 20-0, Lakeside-Evans 14-0, East Coweta 27-7 and Loganville 12-6 in the semifinals.
The team will be replacing its quarterback, leading rusher and leading receiver entering the season, a tall task to say the least.
HUNGRY FOR MORE
Last year, quarterback Rashyia Minnex-Moss was 139-of-234 passing for 1,894 yards and 32 touchdowns with eight interceptions. However, rising senior Ksaja West saw action and was 12-of-25 for 222 yards and six touchdowns for the Lions.
Lithia Springs will need to replace Neveah Shedrick, the team’s leading rusher, who had 152 carries for 1,108 yards and 19 touchdowns, as well as Emmani Roberts, who had 18 carries for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Hannah McIver is also gone after a senior campaign with 51 receptions for 812 yards and 17 touchdowns.
The program will benefit with the return of rising senior MyAngel Ross, who had 37 receptions for 428 yards and seven touchdowns and Jayden Graham, who had 19 receptions for 363 yards and six touchdowns.
On the other side of the field, North Oconee is coming off a 15-3 season and a playoff run that included victories over Washington 35-0, Northside-Columbus 31-0, Calvary Day 6-2 and Columbus 13-6 in the semifinals.
The team lost a decent part of its production from last season, and with just four seniors on the team, it will be a youthful group with 11 juniors providing key experience from last season.
The Titans list sophomore Emery Harden and junior Catherine Cooper as quarterbacks, each with returning experience from last year’s playoff run. Cooper will get the start for North Oconee with wide receivers Anslee Solodkii, Addie Stewart, Taylor Dillard and Kallie Mashburn ready to catch passes.
On the ground, North Oconee features running back Lexi Favreau starting ahead of Blake Wiepking. Center Asher Sinclair will handle snapping duties for the Titans.
On the defensive side, Favreau (blitzer), Wiepking (outside linebacker), Solodkii (middle linebacker), Dillard (cornerback) and Stewart (free safety) play both sides of the ball. Elizabeth Patterson will feature as the outside linebacker while Taylor Kelley will start at cornerback ahead of Hayden Holland and Harden.
McEachern vs. West Forsyth – 8:30 p.m.
Top-ranked McEachern enters the season on the hunt for the program’s first title, while host West Forsyth turns the page on a challenging 2023 season and aims to win one for the home fans in the nightcap game of the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Flag Football Classic.
West Forsyth was one of the two inaugural flag football champions in 2020 when the sport fielded just two classifications – 6A-7A and A-5A. The host Wolverines defeated Hillgrove 26-25 in the 7A championship game that season.
The victory capped a thrilling title matchup and helped usher in one of the most successful first seasons for a newly-sanctioned sport in GHSA history. Last season, the Wolverines fell to 5-12 overall and were 4-4 in Area play.
“Last year, we had new offensive and defensive coordinators,” said Wolverines head coach Donna Duncan. “It took us a while to find our footing. We finished fourth in the region and earned a spot in the playoffs where we upset the No. 1 seeded Grayson in the first round but lost to Woodstock in the Sweet 16.”
The Wolverines boast an experienced group, including 13 seniors and 13 juniors led at the quarterback position by starter junior Sydney Neel and backup McCall Elliott.
“We are returning many of our starters from last year,” Duncan said. “Sydney Neel, who played wide receiver for us the last two seasons, has stepped into the role of quarterback. Juniors Rylee Ferguson and Bryn Birkholz earned All-Area Honors last season for their contributions at running back and wide receiver, respectively, and they will continue to play on both sides of the ball.”
READY FOR ACTION
On the other side of the ball, McEachern is coming off a 14-12 loss to Sequoyah in the quarterfinals of the playoffs last season and after a busy summer, the Indians are ready.
McEachern returns experience with 14 seniors on the roster, but will need to replace quarterback Amara Davila who was 291-of-456 passing for 3,265 yards and 48 touchdowns last season. Rising senior quarterback Chelsea Njoku was 114-of-188 passing for 25 touchdowns as a junior and brings experience to the position.
The Indians also lost their leading receiver De’Aysia Williams, but return rising senior Tami Chatwood, who had 82 catches for 771 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior. Rising sophomore Ava Couzens had 43 catches for 509 yards and six touchdowns during her freshman season.
“This being the first Corky Kell for flag football, and the fact that our tackle team is always competing in the Corky Kell, makes us just excited to compete,” said McEachern head coach Jake Burgdorf. “So, to get to play a game, televised, for our young ladies and to get to see how we match up, hopefully we come out and play well.”
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