Best of Preps - North Georgia Football Offense

Mike Bowman

Ridgeland
6-5, 215, Senior
Receiver
The Alabama-bound star set several school marks this year, including 1,075 yards and 11 TDs receiving.

Alex Burse

Dalton
6-3, 290, Senior
Lineman
The tackle paved the way for a Catamounts ground game that amassed more than 2,000 yards.

David Clemons

Calhoun
6-3, 265, Senior
Lineman
He anchored a senior-laden line that helped Calhoun average 35 points per game.

Watts Dantzler

Dalton
6-8, 305, Sophomore
Lineman
After a solid first year of starting, he’s already been noticed by SEC schools Georgia and Tennessee.

Terryl Freeman

Ridgeland
5-8, 185, Senior
Running back
Despite nagging injuries, he rushed for 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns for the region champions.

Adam Griffith

Calhoun
5-7, 146, Freshman
Place-kicker
He filled a huge void for the Jackets and made six field goals and was 52-for-52 on PATs.

Jacob Groce

Gordon Lee
5-10, 180, Senior
Running back
He led the Trojans with 1,151 yards, added 162 yards receiving and scored 20 touchdowns.

Michael Johnson

Calhoun
5-11, 190, Junior
Quarterback
He passed for 2,559 yards and 25 touchdowns with only five interceptions.

Dimitri Miles

LaFayette
6-2, 190, Junior
Receiver
He helped lead the high-scoring Ramblers with 43 receptions, 789 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Derek Ramsey

Calhoun
6-2, 190, Senior
Receiver
Despite missing three games, he caught 35 passes for 790 yards, a 22.6 average, and 10 TDs.

Evan Swindall

LaFayette
6-3, 285, Senior
Lineman
He’s headed to UCF after grading out at 94 percent and ending his prep career with no sacks allowed.

Ethan White

Gordon Lee
5-11, 250, Senior
Lineman
The two-way star graded out at 91 percent for the Trojans while adding 79 tackles.

Second team

Carlan Bowman: Ridgeland, Senior, Quarterback
Cody Commons: Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, Junior, Athlete
Michael Freeman: Dade County, Junior, Running back
Devin Gainer: Ringgold, Senior, Lineman
Rhett Jackson: Calhoun, Senior, Lineman
Keidric Johnson: Gordon Central, Junior, Receiver
Zimba Kumbugue: LaFayette, Senior, Lineman
Shaquon Moore: Dalton, Junior, Running back
Josh Morgan: LaFayette, Sophomore, Quarterback
Da’Rick Rogers: Calhoun, Junior, Receiver
Chad Smith: Ridgeland, Senior, Lineman
Tyler Thacker: Sonoraville, Senior, Lineman

Teams of the year

1. Calhoun (12-3): The Yellow Jackets won an improbable 11 consecutive games after a slow start to finish as the Class AA state runners-up.
2. Ridgeland (10-2): The Panthers established several firsts this year, including the program’s first region title and playoff win.
3. Dalton (7-3): Late-season injuries derailed a once-promising season, but several stars will return next year.

Coach: Troy Boeck

In his 10 years as head coach, the Calhoun Yellow Jackets have won nine consecutive region titles and 61 league games in a row. So why is Lamb calling this season the most gratifying of his career? In many ways this year’s 12-3 team was his most surprising. After losing 14 starters and starting the season 1-2, little was expected of the Yellow Jackets, but they reached the Georgia Class AA final. “We started out very slow and we could have easily folded the tent and not had a very successful season,” Lamb said, “but with the character of these kids and the character of this coaching staff, we were able to improve each week. “I felt they believed in themselves from the get-go, and when we lost those two games they didn’t get real down on themselves. They knew we had an opportunity to have a real good football team. It took a few wins to build some confidence.” With a strong group of returning players, the expectations will be greater next year. It will be a hard act to follow, though.