The time for talk has ended. The 2018 high school football season begins tonight when teams across the state take to the field to begin their treks toward the postseason. Highlighting the weekend will be top-ranked Calhoun's debut appearance in the Corky Kell Classic at Rome's Barron Stadium.
The defending Class AAA champions will face Cortney Braswell's Ridgeland Panthers in Braswell's first season as the head coach in Rossville. Calhoun head coach Hal Lamb enters the his 20th season at Calhoun, where he has led the Jackets to three state titles – 2011, 2014 and 2017—and region titles in AA from 2001-2013 and in AAA from 2014-2017. With the challenge at hand, it's worth mentioning that Calhoun has not lost an opener since 2008.
It will not be a cake-walk for Calhoun to earn its first-ever Corky Kell Classic victory. Class AAAA Ridgeland is coming off its best season (11-1) since reaching the state finals in 2012 (13-2), and most of its top players return. But Calhoun is also loaded, experienced and is riding a post-championship high with a confident team whose leaders return on both sides of the ball.
Quarterback Gavin Gray will lead the Yellow Jackets again this season. Three-star linebacker and Clemson commit Davis Allen (6-foot-5, 220-pounds) is back, and Luke Moseley, a 6-3, 178-pound receiver, returns.
"To play in the Corky Kell is a large deal," said Lamb. "A stage like that at the beginning of the season, it's an honor to play in it. The community and our team is excited to be a part of it and it will be something great for the kids to experience."
It's not Lamb's first appearance in the Kell. He was an offensive coordinator for Upson-Lee when the Knights appeared in the 1995 (McEachern 9, Upson-Lee 7) and 1996 (Marietta 49, Upson-Lee 7) editions of the Classic.
There are other big games on the schedule:
-- No. 2 Cedar Grove at Summerville, S.C.: Second-ranked Cedar Grove will begin its season on the road for the first two weeks against teams from South Carolina and Alabama. On Saturday, Jimmy Smith's Saints will travel to South Carolina to face Class AAAAA quarterfinalist Summerville, which lost to eventual-champion Dutch Fork 28-8 last year.
-- No. 7 Lovett vs. No. 3 Greater Atlanta Christian: GAC has dominated this rivalry for the past four seasons, winning five matchups, including twice last season during GAC's semifinal run. Last year, GAC opened with a 46-14 victory against the Lions before meeting again in the second round of the playoffs, where GAC won 38-21. Lovett enters this season looking to keep its postseason streak alive. Since 2002, the Lions have appeared in the postseason each year with a state title in 2013.
Class AAA Rankings
1. Calhoun vs. Ridgeland (Thursday at Rome's Barron Stadium – Corky Kell)
2. Cedar Grove at Summerville, S.C. (Saturday)
3. Lovett at Greater Atlanta Christian (Friday)
4. Peach County vs. Northside (Aug. 25 at Mercer in Macon)
5. Benedictine vs. Burke County (Saturday at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro)
6. Jefferson at Oconee County (Friday)
7. Lovett at GAC (Friday)
8. Westminster vs. Woodward Academy (Friday)
9. Liberty County at Bradwell Institute (Aug. 24)
10. Jenkins vs. New Hampstead (Friday)
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