Today’s interviewee is GPB play-by-play announcer Matt Stewart, who will call his first game of the season this week when Cedar Grove plays at Milton. Stewart has called high school football games for more than 20 years. Stewart also works for ESPN/SEC Network calling college football, basketball, baseball and softball.
Matt Stewart, GPB play-by-play announcer
1. GPB is opening with Milton and Cedar Grove. What attracted you and GPB to this particular game? “When you can get two teams that have won three state championships between them the last two years, that’s very attractive. Milton remains one of the great stories over the last few seasons under head coach Adam Clack. The Eagles have gone from a program that was less than an afterthought for so long to becoming a contender. We don’t get Cedar Grove on that often, and a lot of that has to do with the fact they are so dominant in their region that it almost has to be a game like this. Otherwise they just mash everybody. I believe they’ve won 24 straight region games and 35 of their last 36. Both teams are loaded with college prospects, and both teams' strength is in their junior classes. Scary news for 3A, where the Saints have won the last two titles and three of the last four. I’m excited to see Eagles defensive end L.T. Overton, who 247Sports has rated the No. 1 sophomore in the nation. So I expect it to be a really fun game.”
2. Cedar Grove is ranked No. 1 in most Class 3A polls despite having not played a game. Are they your No. 1 team? And what do you expect out of them this season? “I think the four-week sit out could make a difference in this game. I would think coach Miguel Patrick has got to be a little concerned about that, on top of playing a 7A power that already has two games under its belt. But that’s kind of the hand we’ve been dealt here in 2020. I think everybody’s just happy to be playing. I do have Cedar Grove ranked No. 1 on my weekly GPB Sports ballot and have all season. Like I said above, the Saints are loaded with talent, top five in the state in that regard, regardless of classification - four-star juniors WR Janiran Bonner and DT Christen Miller, junior four-star RB Rashod Dubinion, four-star Raul Aguire, rated by 247Sports the No. 2 sophomore ILB in the nation, three-year starter and three-star Austin Smith at QB. Coach Patrick has picked up right where his predecessor, Jimmy Smith, now RB coach at Arkansas, left off. State champion (three times) or state semifinal finish (two times) in each of the last five years. That’s why I have them No. 1.”
3. What has been the most interesting storyline of the 2020 season so far and why? “The fact that we’re even playing football is the biggest storyline. Up to two weeks before the Corky Kell Classic, I was not so sure I’d be saying that here at the end of September and start of October. I think Dr. Robin Hines and the GHSA did an extraordinary job of navigating the COVID-19 landscape to get this season played. And if all it had been was the pandemic, that would have been tough enough, but we know that everything in our country is so politically charged right now. They did an incredible job of ‘putting the ball’ in the courts of each individual school district and system and let them decide how they wanted to handle it. That said, as you know, every week is an adventure. Teams are having to postpone games or cancel them, finding opponents and playing them two days later like Marist did vs. Holy Innocents' a few weeks back. The real test will be the playoffs because the schedule safety net will be gone, and I just hope nobody ends up having to forfeit a playoff game, but unfortunately that’s just the way things are in 2020.”
4. Will there be anything new about GPB’s coverage of games on Friday nights? “We’re very excited to be launching our GPB Sports Recruiting 2020 show this season. It will air every Friday night at 7 right before our Football Fridays in Georgia Game of the Week. Jon Nelson, Hannah Goodin and I will talk about the biggest recruiting news of the week, interview the biggest prospects and highlight the most exciting games. This takes me back to my days hosting In the Huddle recruiting show on CSS, so I’m really excited that GPB is diving in on this. I think it will be a great lead-in to our Friday night coverage. Really honored to be starting my seventh season with GPB and my 23rd season calling live high school football on television here in Georgia. It was unheard of when we started back in 1998, and now look at what it has become. I’ve been blessed to be a part of it.”
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