When is a Class A region not a Class A region?
In northwest Georgia, that's essentially the case with Region 7-A Division I, which, after a controversial round of GHSA reclassification, has four former Class AA programs, private school Darlington and city schools Armuchee and Trion, which won 10 games a year ago when Class A was split between private and public schools. Now the class is divided based on enrollment, with the larger schools in D-I.
"I know this, we're going to be tested," said Dade County coach Jeff Poston, who guided the Wolverines to seven wins and a playoff berth last year out of Region 7-AA. "It's pretty much the same region except they added Trion and Darlington to it, which makes it tougher."
Region coaches tabbed Darlington as the preseason favorite, based partly on tradition — the Tigers have made the playoffs in all but one season since 1995 while winning 10 region titles — and returning talent up front. Coach Tommy Atha lost a lot of offensive production from last year's quarterfinal team, but a powerful line led by Gatlin Hancock, Gus Gammage, Briant Powell and Truitt Hayworth can consistently dominate opponents.
Pepperell, which has played in the postseason 17 consecutive seasons, returns quarterback Matthew Waddell, who had close to 2,000 yards of total offense last year, and the region's leading returning rusher in DJ Rogers, who had 1,481 yards and 21 touchdowns. Despite making the playoffs, however, the Dragons had just one victory against a team with a winning record.
Included in that unusual season was a four-point loss to Dade County, a win that helped spur the Wolverines to just their second winning season since 2010.
Twelve starters return from that team, including senior quarterback Brody Cooper (6-foot-3, 200 pounds), who is poised to better last year's nearly 2,000 yards of total offense. He'll have ample weapons at running back with powerful back Braylon Sullivan and speedy Evan Koger, along with receivers Demetrius Walker and Nick Eacret and 6-3 tight end Zeke Wheeler.
In junior linebacker Landon Williams (6-2, 210), a state wrestling champion, the Wolverines have one of the region's top defenders who will also help anchor the offensive line -- and do a bit of everything, his coach said.
"He'll probably play every snap, which is the way he wants it," Poston said. "He's just a tough kid who loves to compete."
The GHSA's 3.0 multiplier for out-of-district students moved Trion up into D-I, where the task will be made tougher by the graduation of star running back Rob Brown and six of the seven linemen and tight ends who helped pave his way.
"Last year we were so good up front and had a 2,600-yard rusher," Patrick said. "We made great strides in the offseason up front, and I'm excited about this group. Making it tougher is that our region has gotten tougher. We'll be playing teams almost twice as big as us, but it will be good football."
The cupboard isn't bare, though, as athletic sophomore quarterback Kade Smith returns. Powerful runner Logan Eller (6-0 205) takes over as the lead back, with junior tackle Ezra Adams (6-3, 280) anchoring a raw but potentially powerful line.
Chattooga also was hit hard by graduation, with the losses including four-year starting running back and defensive back Lashaun Lester, eight other defenders and six offensive starters. Coach Shawn Peek hopes his third Indians team will be a physical group.
Leading that charge is two-way starter Billy Settlemoire, a 260-pounder who will anchor the lines while also punishing defenses as a fullback in short-yardage situations. Zadyn Perry takes over as the lead back in a new offensive scheme that goes from the triple option to the spread. Lanky quarterback Brady Groce (6-6, 195) will spread the ball around to a receiving group led by first-time starter Quarry Gibson, a player Peek said "is an elite ball-skill guy who's going to touch the ball in a lot of ways for us."
Seven freshmen and sophomores, including defensive backs Corde Hill and Colton Sanford and linebacker Zayden Cook, will start on defense.
Armuchee, a five-win team last year in Class A, and Coosa, 1-10 in 7-AA, round out the region.
Staff file photo by Matt Hamilton / Christian Heritage football coach Jay Poag’s team doesn’t have to worry about fighting its way into the state playoffs this season, but the Lions will have to battle if they want to win the region title in small but competitive 7-A Division II.
Region 7-A D-II outlook
The good news for Christian Heritage is that it's guaranteed a playoff spot out of 7-A D-II. The bad news is that to win the three-team region, the Lions will have to defeat Bowdon, coming off back-to-back Region 6-A public titles, and Mount Zion-Carroll, which posted seven victories and reached the playoffs last year.
Christian Heritage coach Jay Poag said his team is up to the challenge. Seventeen seniors, the most in program history, lead the Lions, including all-state defensive lineman Daniel Geil (6-4, 225). He's one of eight returning starters on that side, a group that includes 300-pound linemen B.K. Blansit and Kyrese Broome plus Camp Carpenter and Sam Wooten in the secondary.
Eli Thomason steps in as the lead running back and is joined by first-time starter Carter Triplett (6-4, 220) at quarterback behind a massive but young line that features D-line starters Blansit, Broome and Geil. If there's a concern, it's the number of two-way starters Poag will count on.
"The depth, as small as we are, will always be an issue," he said. "But, we're thinking about winning a region championship and making a deep run in the playoffs."
Bowdon, 10-2 last year, returns a pair of offensive stars in quarterback Robert McNeal, who had 2,800 total yards and 31 touchdowns in 2021, and sophomore running back Luke Windom, who rushed for 1,034 yards and scored nine times.
Mount Zion-Carroll also has a talented group of skill players, led by backs Sharrod Montgomery and Malachi Ackles, a combo that produced 1,600 total yards and 25 touchdowns last year.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.