Region 6-AAAA outlook
Team to beat: Two-time defending region champion Ridgeland, even with a new head coach and the graduation of several stars, garnered most of the coaches’ first-place votes.Watch out for: Pickens. The Dragons easily return the most offensive talent in the region, and they get to host Ridgeland.Best game: It’s that Ridgeland-at-Pickens affair Oct. 19. Though each team has tests earlier in the region campaign, this could easily decide the top two playoff seeds.Dream schedule: LaFayette has a new coach in Paul Ellis and new offensive and defensive schemes, but the Ramblers have a favorable nonregion schedule with four teams that combined for seven wins a year ago.Nightmare schedule: Ridgeland, undefeated a year ago in the regular season, will have a difficult time repeating that feat with opening games against Class AAA champion Calhoun, a nine-win Troup County team and annual state power Sandy Creek. The Panthers also have to travel to Northwest Whitfield and Pickens in league play.Players to watch: Ridgeland dynamic receiver Stephon Walker could benefit from the Panthers’ move to the spread offense more than anyone, while massive tackle Fred Norman Jr. is perhaps the top lineman in the league. Northwest Whitfield 230-pound running back Dominique Sistrunk will be the focal point of the Bruins’ offense and looks to improve on a 1,300-yard season, while new quarterback Ty Fisher might benefit from a change of scenery after transferring from LaFayette. Heritage two-way starter Jeffrey Curtis and Southeast Whitfield running back Christian Gillespie are keys to graduation-depleted teams.
Few football regions in Georgia face the challenge of replacing as much production as 6-AAAA this season.
The top five teams - Ridgeland, Heritage, Pickens, Northwest Whitfield and Southeast Whitfield - combined lost more than 15,000 total yards. How that production is replaced could well decide the region playoff race.
"All around the region there are probably more top kids to replace than we've seen in a long time," said Northwest Whitfield coach Josh Robinson. "You look at the top quarterbacks, running backs and receivers, there's a lot to replace."
In addition to the Bruins' star quarterback, Luke Shiflett, Heritage, Pickens and Southeast Whitfield also lost quarterback starters. A rare returning starter is part of the reason league coaches tabbed defending champion Ridgeland as the team to beat again.
Senior Tanner Hill is a three-year starter at Ridgeland and, under first-year coach Cortney Braswell, will pilot a team going from the wing-T to a more QB-friendly spread attack. With elite athletes such as Stephon Walker, Jordan Blackwell and Azavier Blackwell at his disposal, Braswell believes Hill will thrive.
"Changing from the wing-T to the spread will, I think, showcase the dual-threat ability that's been hidden the past two years with Tanner," Braswell said. "We've got a long way to go to compete with the teams on our schedule, but the guys are very hungry and they are accepting the challenges we're putting in front of them."
Though Pickens lost versatile quarterback Jacob Brumby, junior C.J. Streicher is ready to step right in and brings a strong arm and the ability to run (449 yards rushing a year ago) to a lineup that also brings back 1,200-yard rusher Robert Davis and receiver Zach Goss Jr., who had 847 yards and 15 touchdowns.
"It's probably Ridgeland first, but Pickens is on the rise and they will be tough," Heritage coach E.K. Slaughter said. "Pickens lost their quarterback, but the kid they have coming up is good. They will be right there with them. I like to think we can compete with anybody we play, but we have a lot to replace."
Slaughter's Generals, runners-up to Ridgeland last season, lost more than anyone, including 10 defensive starters. Talented sophomore Nick Hanson steps in at quarterback, but playmakers must emerge to replace the 2,000-plus yards that graduated with Luke Grant and Ryan Carter.
Northwest has a new offensive coordinator in former LaFayette coach Chad Fisher, whose son, Ty, likely will replace Shiflett at quarterback. The more athletic Matthew Redmond also will play some there as well as other positions.
The Bruins and Southeast Whitfield figure to battle with Heritage for the final two playoff spots. Southeast's Raiders, like Heritage, return one defensive starter and lost over 3,500 yards and 35 touchdowns. Sean Gray's team will focus on a run game featuring 900-yard rusher Christian Gillespie and a large offensive line.
LaFayette welcomes successful former Fort Payne coach Paul Ellis in as coach, while Gilmer is looking to break a 20-game losing streak.
* In Region 6-AAAAAA, Dalton again expects to be in the running for a playoff spot in a league that had a pair of teams, Harrison and Allatoona, reach the 2017 state quarterfinals.
The Catamounts will ride the talents of transfer quarterback Landon Allen, the running of junior Jahmyr Gibbs and an offensive line with plenty of size. Linebackers John Ross and Jack Ridley lead a fast, if somewhat small, Dalton defense.
Coach Matt Land sees a tight race at the top.
"Allatoona was the best team in the region, to me, and they will be the lead dog this year," Land said. "Harrison is always a strong program, and offensively you can make the argument they became a more complete offensive unit after (now Georgia quarterback) Justin Fields got hurt because more players became involved. That was a preview of what we will see this year.
"If we develop some of our younger guys and stay healthy, there's no reason we can't be right there."
Though Harrison lost the nation's No. 1 college prospect in Fields, they return quarterback Gavin Hall, running back David Roberts and the three leading tacklers. Allatoona lost four of its top five tacklers but brings back quarterback Dante Marshall.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296; follow on Twitter @youngsports22.