There are just 22 days remaining until the kickoff of the 2024 high school football season. But make no mistake, preparations for the upcoming campaign began months ago. And teams throughout northeast Georgia already are in full countdown mode.
With that in mind, we spent the last couple of weeks catching up with programs around our area to get a feel for how spring practice went, how the summer is going, and what coaches believe the fall will look like. Our "Two-a-Days" series honors those old-school grinding sessions that lead us out of summer and into fall, asking each area coach two key questions about the state of their respective programs.
Over the next two weeks, AccessWDUN's Friday Game Night will get you prepped for the start of gridiron action with responses from coaches throughout northeast Georgia.
(Teams run in alphabetical order)
NORTH HALL (7-4 in 2023; 1st round Class 4A playoffs)
The Trojans made the playoffs in 2023 and showed vast improvement across the board in Sean Pender’s second season. But they come into the 2024 campaign having to replace several key pieces from that group on both sides of the ball.
The offense will have a new quarterback and running back and will have to reconstruct the receiving corps as well. The defense is having to replace more than 300 tackles to graduation.
We caught up with Pender to see who has stepped forward during the summer to try and fill some key positions.
QUESTION: Coach, y’all are having to replace some key guys on offense at quarterback, running back, and at receiver. How has the summer practice developed as you look for the right pieces at those spots?
A: We graduated our starting QB, RB, tight end, and two wide receivers and replacing those players has definitely been challenging. However, we have a few younger players stepping up to the task. Replacing Tate Ruth as the feature RB has been Parker Carlton (who played a lot last year), RJ Dalton (JV running back last season), and Luke Jenkins, who played defense last year. All three bring a different dynamic and will all be effective parts of the offense. The only familiar face from last season in the receiving core is junior TY Kemp but he is joined by some talented young players. Sophomore Cole Cable has had an outstanding spring and summer. Senior Ethan Croft and sophomore Drew Cronan both have also been showing signs of improvement. The loss of Breckon Kirby at tight end also was a big hit to our offense. Sophomore Dawson Grey has stepped up and could be able to fill some of that void. But the experience of our offense is the offensive line with guys like Mason McGill, Kade Hawthorn, Thomas Green, Nick Sanders and Eli Ham.
Q: Alex Schlieman and Smith McGarvey have been battling at quarterback. How has that competition shaped up and has either begun to distance themselves as far as winning the starting job?
A: Both Smith and Alex are working extremely hard and are doing exceptionally well. Either one could start and it is looking like both will play. Who plays more? That will be the one who has the hot hand.
BONUS QUESTION: Y’all graduated three guys with over 100 tackles on defense from last season. What has been the focus on defense as you try to find the right combinations and rebuild that unit?
A: Most of our depth is at the line of scrimmage. We felt it is important to beef up our defensive line. Senior Charlie House and sophomore Robby Lee have made the move over to the defense to help with size and strength. Juniors Matthew Arceo, Hunter Robertson and Dawson Reed, along with senior Tanner White, all played a lot of varsity downs last season and have made great improvements this summer. (Junior) linebackers Dalton Hulsey, Parker Carlton, Bubby Clark and Michael Donatelli will have big shoes to fill. Returning starters Charlie Dyer and Jake Clark, both seniors, and junior Walker Davis will be joined in the secondary by juniors Conner Hardwood, Wade Haynes, Wyatt Tumlin, and Jay Jay Young in the secondary. We will be rotating several players on the defense and we will have to do a good job getting to the football and team tackling.”
- Up Next in Two-a-Days: RABUN COUNTY
- Previous Two-a-Days: NORTH FORSYTH
