Today's interviewee is Dawson County coach Sid Maxwell, whose team defeated 10th-ranked Westminster 27-3 in a first-round Class AA game last week. Though Dawson County is 42-16 with five playoff victories and a region title in Maxwell's five seasons in Dawsonville, the win over Westminster was the first in school history against a top-10 program from the same classification. Dawson County travels to Jenkins of Savannah this week in another first. It will be the Tigers' first trip south of Macon for a football game.
Sid Maxwell, Dawson County head coach
1. Was the Westminster game special to the team, or with it being your third straight first-round win, is it just another nice victory? "For me, I've been doing this a long time. I think it's my 31st year, 25th as a head coach. I really look at anybody we play as a faceless opponent. I didn't know the history of Dawson County football when I took the job. I didn't know that in 50 years we hadn't won a region championship or that we hadn't beaten a top-10 team. I don't worry too much about the history. I just try not to repeat it when something goes wrong."
2. How did you feel about this team and its potential to advance in the playoffs? "Football is a weird game, and each team has its different personalities. We had a lot of graduation. We lost 28 seniors and had one [starter] back on offense and two on defense. I don't want to say rebuilding, but I didn't know what to expect. They play hard, they have good chemistry, and it's been really refreshing to have some new faces. We're even starting two freshmen who are performing at a high level. We've got young men who trust in the system and each other. Great things happen when those things come together."
3. Region 7-AAA went 3-1 against 5-AAA, a region that had won more rounds than any other (22-10 record) the past three years in the playoffs. Did you anticipate that? "I think the guys I'm with in this region, they're well-coached top to bottom. I wasn't really surprised. Obviously Greater Atlanta Christian is always there year in, year out. North Hall does a good job. I felt confident they could advance. [The Trojans beat Lovett 24-21.] It was very competitive in our region this year, and everybody got better. So I wasn't surprised. I just know that nobody wanted be No. 4 and play Cedar Grove." [Fannin County got that assignment and lost to the defending champions 36-7.]
4. Dawson County has never played a game in South Georgia. What are you doing to prepare for Jenkins? "First of all, it's a great opportunity. Our guys will embrace it. It will be a challenge for our coaches to make it as close to the routine that we've had, which is different with traveling 300 miles. But we'll try to lay out a game plan to prepare those guys so that at least by 3 p.m. Friday they'll be in the same environment they're always in so they can get ready to play. This time of year, when you get to play on, it's always a good thing. It's time to let it fly and have fun doing it."
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