The new Region 8-AAAAAAA is mostly the old Region 6. It’s the Region 6 seven minus Discovery and Duluth. Shiloh was slated to be here but won an appeal to move into the classification below.
North Gwinnett has won 20 straight region football games, none of them particularly close, so all signs point to the Bulldogs again in 2020 despite heavy graduation losses. But North Gwinnett is the only team that doesn’t return its starting quarterback.
Here is a team-by-team look of the five Region 8 members.
Collins Hill – The most promising thing about the Eagles' 5-6 season in 2019 was the sophomore combination of quarterback Sam Horn (196-of-301 passing for 2,326 yards, 22 touchdowns) and Travis Hunter (49 receptions, 919 yards). Hunter, who is committed to Florida State, is the No. 1 cornerback prospect nationally among rising juniors, according to 247Sports. Horn has an offer from Appalachian State. Logan Brown (36-496) will be another proven receiver who returns. The defense was more senior-oriented, but James Smith and Jonathan Martin return on the defensive line. Both were honorable-mention all-region last season.
Mill Creek – Mill Creek has averaged 10.4 wins the past five seasons and reached the quarterfinals at 10-3 last year, the first under coach Josh Lovelady. He'll have to work without 1,800-yard rusher Chancellor Lee-Park and WR/RB/RET Parker Wroble, two all-state offensive pieces. Five other all-region players are graduating. Fullback/linebacker Christian McIntyre and defensive back Brayden Dudley are returning all-region players. Dudley has several mid-major Division I offers. So does cornerback Emon Hill. Thurman Harris, who started as a sophomore, returns as quarterback. Defensive back Caleb Downs was the team's third-leading tackler as a freshman.
Mountain View – Mountain View, which finished 5-6 in 2019, brings back its quarterback, Nathan Payne, who threw for 1,658 yards in the regular season, and leading receiver, Mossiah Carter, who had 499 yards receiving. Both got all-region recognition in 2019. So did strong safety Derrick Smith, a leader on the defense.
North Gwinnett – North Gwinnett was a region-winning state semifinalist in 2019. The Bulldogs have two of the state's most heavily recruited players – linebacker Barrett Carter and cornerback Jordan Hancock. Both are among the state's top 10 senior prospects. But North Gwinnett's 10 other first- or second-team all-state players are graduating. That includes the potent offensive trio of QB J.R. Martin, RB Devin Crosby and WR Josh Downs. Rising senior Ashton Wood played some last season as the backup quarterback. Wide receiver Bobby Ezzard has several Division I offers and can expect a breakout season. Another wide receiver, Seth Anderson, is also D-I material. The defense returns about five starters. Linebacker Corbin Hood is the most proven outside of the blue chips Carter and Hancock.
Peachtree Ridge – Reggie Stancil in his fourth season. It's been a struggle. The Lions' 3-7 record in 2019 was their best since Stancil was hired. The offense returns quarterback Kyle Kingsbury and Michael Hernandez, who should be one of the region's better duos. Offensive lineman Amari McNeill is getting scholarship offers. Center Alex Carman got some all-region recognition in 2019. Cameron Ellerby is another college prospect on the offensive line. The defense, which had as many as eight underclassmen starters at times last season, should be better.
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