Class 3A blog: Davis leads Dougherty closer to the footlights
Kameron Davis is a major reason why a hungry Dougherty team has been trending toward a return to prominence.
The Trojans, which began playing football in 1963, reached the playoffs for the first time in 1976 – a quarterfinal appearance – under coach Luther Welsh. The program advanced to the semifinals in 1996 under coach John Reynolds and made a quarterfinal appearance the next season. In 1998, Reynolds led Dougherty to its first state championship by beating Peach County 27-7.
Dougherty advanced to the state championship game again in 2005 under coach Carror Wright, but the team has been to the playoffs only five times since. Last season, Dougherty lost in the second round, after making a quarterfinal appearance in 2021.
Enter Davis, an AJC Super 11 selection who is listed as a running back on every recruiting website but features at the quarterback position for Dougherty. An outright athlete, Florida State will be receiving a brute in Davis.
“He just outruns everybody,” coach Johnny Gilbert told the Albany Herald. “It seems like the kid has about 10 different gears to get outside, to explode, to cut back, and then to explode to the end zone. He’s just amazing to watch.”
The 5-foot-10, 209-pound Davis passed for 2,736 yards and 20 touchdowns last season and has amassed more than 5,000 passing and 3,000 rushing yards in his career.
The Trojans open the season Friday against Class 4A Westover, then travel to Class A Division II Randolph-Clay in Week 2. Dougherty opens Region 1-3A play Sept. 29 at Crisp County, then hosts Columbus and travels to Monroe before a road trip to Thomasville. Dougherty closes its regular season against Carver-Columbus on Oct. 27 at home.
