Football schedules for the 2014 season have been released, and they show that Georgia’s new Region 4-AAAAAA, dominated by west Cobb schools, will be battle-tested before the first region games in late September.
McEachern, a state semifinalist in 2013, has perhaps the toughest nonregion gauntlet statewide. The Indians have nonregion games against North Gwinnett, Buford, Peachtree Ridge and Lovejoy.
Hillgrove, a region champion in 2013, will meet two recent state finalists, North Gwinnett (Sept. 5) at home and Lovejoy (Sept. 12) on the road.
North Cobb plays at Northside-Warner Robins, and North Gwinnett and plays at home against Cartersville and Monroe Area.
The schedules, published last week by the Georgia High School Association, show an increase in intriguing nonregion matchups as schools take advantage of smaller regions brought about by the move to six classifications in 2012.
No team plays a tougher first seven games than North Gwinnett. The 2013 runner-up to Norcross in AAAAAA will face, in order, McEachern, North Cobb, Hillgrove, Collins Hill, Mill Creek, Norcross, Peachtree Ridge. All were ranked in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Top 10 at some point last season.
Archer’s 11-0 start last season was deemed questionable because of an alleged lack of quality opponents. The Tigers open this season with Sandy Creek (Aug. 22). Next comes Peachtree Ridge (Aug. 29).
Florida's best come to town: Hallford Stadium in DeKalb County will be the site of a four-game event Aug. 30 that brings in some of Florida's better teams. Miami Central and B.T. Washington are Florida state champions. The schedule, with Florida teams listed first, has Tallahassee Godby vs. Marist (noon), Miami Norland vs. M.L. King (2:30 p.m.), Miami Central vs. Stephenson (5:30 p.m.) and Pensacola B.T. Washington vs. Tucker (8 p.m.)
Kell Classic makes a move: The Corky Kell Classic, played in the Georgia Dome almost every year since 1992, will be played at McEachern on Aug. 22-23 because of a conflict with a Falcons exhibition game that weekend. One of the best matchups is Tucker, the AAAAA runner-up that is moving to the highest classification this season, against Norcross, the AAAAAA champion.
Marist vs. St. Pius is back: Marist and St. Pius will play each other Oct. 10 for the first time since 2009. The rivalry between DeKalb Catholic schools was played each season from 1962-2009, but ended while the two were in different classifications.
Parkview pitchers allows earned runs: The quest of a Parkview pitcher to compete a regular season without giving up an earned run ended in his final start last week, when left-hander Mac Marshall allowed a home run to Grayson's David Stinson and an RBI double to Chase Brice. Parkview won the game 5-4. Marshall, who signed with LSU and is a top major league prospect, entered the game with 39 2/3 innings pitched and a 0.00 ERA. His ERA is now 0.31. Parkview will play host to West Forsyth in the first round of the AAAAAA playoffs beginning Friday. Marshall is expected to start the first game.
Etc.: Chestatee promoted defensive coordinator Bill Forman to replace Stan Luttrell, who left to become an assistant at Buford. Forman was head coach at Athens Christian in 2009 and 2010. … Hampton, a new school in Henry County, has hired Chad Ashley as football coach, Michelle Huffman as softball coach and Jonathan Perry as boys basketball coach.
