Since last season, it’s likely that few regions in the Georgia High School Association lost more important players to its teams than 7-A Division I — with the notable exception of one team.
Six of the region’s eight teams must find new starters at quarterback, with seven also replacing their leading rusher and top receiver. The lone wolf is Gordon Lee, as the Trojans return quarterback Dustin Day, their two leading rushers in Peyton Groce and Layne Vaughn, and leading receiver Landon Norton from a seven-win team.
It’s why coach Josh Groce’s team was the easy preseason choice to win the Chickamauga program’s first region championship since 1978.
“On paper, this should be Gordon Lee’s year,” Chattooga coach Roone Gable said. “Peyton Groce is the best player in our region and one of the best in the state. They return seven to eight starters on each side of the ball, and Coach Groce is a tremendous coach.”
Dade County coach Jeff Poston’s opinion is that “Gordon Lee has an outstanding senior group. Most everybody else lost a good bit, but there’s still talent, it’s just that some of it young or untested, like our team.”