The first game of the Class 3A high school football season provides a large stage for No. 6 Carver-Atlanta. The Panthers will travel to Class 7A West Forsyth at 8 p.m. Wednesday for the second game of the 30th annual Corky Kell Classic.
The game – along with all the Corky Kell contests scheduled from Wednesday to Saturday – will be broadcast on WPCH.
“The guys are really excited to play this game on television,” Carver coach Darren Myles said. “For us, any time you are able to play on television and in the Corky Kell Classic in the same menu and match that with the first game of the high school season -- the boys, the coaches, we are ready to get going.”
Myles has coached Carver each season since 2005 and has won two region titles – 2007 and 2017. Last year, Carver finished 6-5 and lost to eventual state champion Pierce County in the quarterfinals of the 3A playoffs. The quarterfinal appearance was Myles’ third at Carver to go with a semifinal finish in 2017. A test like West Forsyth should get the Panthers off on the right foot.
“We expect hardnosed football,” Myles said of West Forsyth. “They have a talented quarterback and a big-time tight end in Oscar Delp and a nice flashy running back. The offensive line looks good and their defensive line looks good, too, linebackers as well. Their secondaries are not bad, and they are all well-coached.”
However, Carver is ready for the test.
“But we have a good group of guys also,” he said. “I am not going to sell our guys short. We have two returning linebackers in De’Vonte Amasiani and Dialo Moseley. They finished 1-2 in the region in tackles.”
On defense and in the backfield, experience returns.
“We have a defensive line that is coming back,” he said. “The guys who are returning played a lot of football last year, led by Aquantis Clemmons and Terrell Lightfoot. Offensively, the region’s leading rusher returns in Jarveous Brown, and we added Quintavious Lockett in that mix, a transfer from Douglass. He will give us a big boost. We will be inexperienced in the quarterback position. We have two sophomores at it, so our goal is to manage the game so they don’t have to do too much.”
The opening week of the Class 3A season also features two games between ranked programs:
-- No. 8 Westminster will play host to Class 2A No. 5 Lovett in the 33rd meeting between the teams. Lovett, which reclassed from 3A to 2A before last season, trails Westminster in the series 20-12. Westminster won last season 31-21. The other matchup has No. 10 Rockmart hosting Class 5A No. 9 Rome. The programs played for the first time last season, and Rome won 28-21.
-- No. 2 Peach County and No. 5 Greater Atlanta Christian face out-of-state opponents to open their seasons. Peach plays host to Alabama’s Class 7A No. 5 Phenix City at its new stadium outside of Fort Valley. Greater Atlanta Christian will travel to Tennessee Division II-AA No. 2 Lipscomb Academy.
Follow the link to see this week’s SCOREBOARD.
Here is the Class 3A Top 10 Schedule
1. Cedar Grove – August 27 vs. Tucker, 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 3 at Colquitt County, 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 17 vs. Greater Atlanta Christian, 7:30 p.m.
2. Peach County – Friday vs. Central-Phenix City (AL), 8 p.m.; August 27 vs. Northside-Warner Robins, 7:30 p.m. (At McConnel Talbert Stadium); Sept. 3 at Griffin, 7:30 p.m.
3. Oconee County – Friday at North Oconee, 7:30 p.m.; August 27 vs. Cedar Shoals, 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 3 at Clarke Central, 7:30 p.m.
4. Pierce County – Friday at Brunswick, 7:30 p.m.; August 27 at Wayne County, 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 3 at Claxton, 7:30 p.m.
5. Greater Atlanta Christian – Friday at Lipscomb Academy (TN), 7:30 p.m.; August 27 at Lovett, 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 3 vs. Decatur, 7:30 p.m.
6. Carver (Atlanta) – Wednesday at West Forsyth, 8 p.m. (Corky Kell Classic); August 28 vs. Lovejoy, 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 4 vs. Providence Day (NC), 7:30 p.m.
7. Crisp County – August 27 at Houston County, 7:30 p.m.; Sept 10 vs. Eagle’s Landing Christian, 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 17 vs. Jackson, 7:30 p.m.
8. Westminster -- Friday vs. Lovett, 7:30 p.m.; August 27 vs. St. Pius X, 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 3 at Pace Academy, 7:30 p.m.
9. Appling County – Friday vs. Monroe, 7:30 p.m.; August 27 vs. Clinch County, 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 3 vs. South Effingham, 7:30 p.m.
10. Rockmart – Friday vs. Rome, 7:30 p.m.; August 27 at Cedartown, 7:30 p.m.; Sept 10 vs. Coahulla Creek, 7:30 p.m.
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