Charlton County football is preparing for a winning season, after a 5-6 record last year. Even though they ended the season with a losing record, the Indians had a record of 3-3 in region play, which gave them a seat in the playoffs, one that they have managed to clinch every year since 1990.
Coach Rich McWhorter is looking forward to having a more successful season than the last. “We need to work on everything because nothing is done well enough to not be worked on,” said McWhorter.
The 2012 season was the first time in McWhorter’s tenure at Charlton County (since 1990) that one of his teams succumbed to a losing record. The competitiveness within the Region 2-A last season was at an all-time high. Only two of the seven schools had a winning region record – Irwin and Wilcox. Three of the seven schools were tied in the region at 3-3, including Charlton. Despite losses to the two teams they were tied with (Turner and Telfair), the Indians made the playoffs due to being in the top four of the region in the GHSA’s point system.
Charlton’s schedule for 2013 is going to difficult. There will be four non-region games that will be a challenge for the Indians. The Region 2-A school will have to play schools such as Brantley County (1-AAA), Ware County (3-AAAAA), Bradwell Institute (3-AAAAA), and Fitzgerald (1-AA) that are much larger than them. Due to the location of Charlton County, the reason for playing these non-region schools are to not only bring a challenge, but also to cut down on travel time. Playing larger schools, McWhorter comments, is done “more now because of location and not having to travel across the state to play a game.”
Last season, Charlton won its first game of the season against Brantley 20-0. The Indians beat Bradwell Institute 12-0, and the other two non-region games were losses to Fitzgerald and Ware County.
The “Swamp War” between Charlton County and Clinch County still remains the biggest rivalry for both schools, which dates back almost 50 years. Similarities in size and location across the swamp from one another create a competitive environment and game for both schools seasonally. In last year’s game, Charlton won 21-0. The year before that was a closer game ending in a 21-14 victory for the Indians.
Returning for another season for the Charlton Indians are seniors Trae Harrington, a quarterback, Julian Roberts, a wide receiver and defensive back, and junior linebacker T.J. Wilson. Last season, the Indians’ offense scored an average of 18 points per game against and the defense allowed an average of 23 points per game.
Charlton’s top college prospects for the 2013 season are defensive lineman Will Gowen and quarterback Trae Harrington. The colleges that have shown interest in these players include Mercer, Shorter and Valdosta State. Juniors Curtis Nixon and Levi Cribb also show promise to be recruited in the upcoming season.
The Indians hope to keep their streak of making it to the playoffs this season with the goal of making it to the finals, which they have not been to since 2009. The first game of the season will be played at Charlton on Aug. 30 against Brantley County.
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