'Runaway train' Calhoun still top dog in Region 6-AAA

Calhoun quarterback Baylon Spector takes part in a 7-on-7 camp this summer. The Yellow Jackets haven't lost a region game since 2001, and they'll try to win their 16th region title in a row this fall.
Calhoun quarterback Baylon Spector takes part in a 7-on-7 camp this summer. The Yellow Jackets haven't lost a region game since 2001, and they'll try to win their 16th region title in a row this fall.

REGION 6-AAA AT A GLANCE

Team to beat: Even though Calhoun has multiple holes to fill, it's hard to see another team ready to challenge a Yellow Jackets program that has won 116 consecutive region games. However, this subdivided region is top-heavy in the South with Calhoun, Sonoraville and Adairsville, so the Jackets won't have it easy. Watch out for: Murray County. The Indians are on a steady rise under coach Chad Brewer and have the pieces in place to end a 10-year playoff drought. Best game: There's a natural rivalry with Murray County and North Murray, but the two never have been competitive in the same season. That should change this season, and expect Mountaineer Stadium to be filled Sept. 30. Dream schedule: Murray County, with a realistic shot at making a playoff run, could get some early confidence with home games against Gordon Central and Southeast Whitfield before traveling to Class A Christian Heritage. The Indians also get to end subregion play against Coahulla Creek and Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, two teams that combined to go 1-19 last year. Nightmare schedule: Hal Lamb always wants to get his Calhoun team tested before league play begins, and this year be no different. The Yellow Jackets play at a very good Dalton team in week two before hosting defending AAAA state champ Cartersville. Players to watch: Skill players abound in this region, led by Calhoun senior QB/LB Baylon Spector, a Clemson recruit, and his RB teammate, Olico Dennis. Ringgold's Andre Tarver is the league's top deep threat at WR, while North Murray OT Luke Griffin, though only a sophomore, already has committed to Georgia. Defensively, Sonoraville LB Sherrod Agee is a sideline-to-sideline missile and Murray DL Margarito Gutierrez is a major disrupter. Predicted order of finish: North subregion - Ringgold, Murray, North Murray, Coahulla Creek, LFO; South subregion- Calhoun, Adairsville, Sonoraville, Bremen, Haralson County.

After all its meetings, rulings and mandates, there is still one overwhelming truth regarding Georgia Region 6-AAA football.

"As they say, to be the man you've got to beat the man," Sonoraville coach Jim Kremer said.

Kremer didn't have to say anything else. Anyone familiar with the region knows the subject matter. Calhoun is riding a 116-game region win streak, dating back to 2001. During that period the Yellow Jackets have won 15 region titles and appeared in seven state championship games.

"They are a runaway train," said Kremer, a former Calhoun defensive coordinator. "I know they lost a lot of good kids, but it doesn't slow them down. Once you get it going like that it's a program, not just a program that gets a nice group of kids, then falls back to earth. They are still the team to beat, and everyone knows it."

Though that may be true - the Jackets again were a unanimous selection by league coaches - the path to a 16th region title has an extra twist this season. Reclassification in Georgia left 6-AAA with 10 teams, which would have cost teams several big-gate nonregion games. After much bickering among schools, the GHSA stepped in and subdivided the region and then set up a week 10 crossover system in which the No. 1 seeds on each side will play the No. 4 seeds on the other side and the No. 2s will play the 3s.

In other words, each of the region's four playoff teams could come from the same subregion, which is good news for a South group that includes the three top teams from a year ago: Calhoun, Adairsville and Sonoraville.

"It worked out as best as it could," Calhoun coach Hal Lamb said. "The region, even though it's subdivided, isn't very different, so there's not that much change there for what we need to do. Our goal is to obviously get to the playoffs and make another run."

Added Kremer: "We like how it all turned out. At least we have the opportunity to have the best four teams out of the region into the playoffs. If you lose, even if you are a 1 seed, you don't go. If we don't play good ball, it won't matter who we play."

The week 10 drama may allow a surprise or two to reach the postseason. While Ringgold is expected to be the team to beat on the North side, three other northern teams will have a shot that final week.

"I'm not going to lie, I'm going to be very disappointed if we're not sitting down in weeks seven, eight and nine discussing getting a shot in week 10 to make the playoffs," said Murray County coach Chad Brewer, whose team went from zero wins in 2012 to four last year. "That's the expectations we have, and the players seem ready for it.

"It was a difficult process to get the region set up, but now that it is, that week 10 should be fun."

Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296; follow on Twitter @youngsports22.

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