By Lee Wilson
MaxPreps.com
The Georgia high school football season always gets started in the Georgia Dome, the same place where the year comes to and end for many teams during the state playoffs. This year the Corky Kell Classic featured four games with teams that could be around to see their seasons come full circle in the home of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.
Walton 14, No. 16 * Brookwood 9
The Walton Raiders took the field with one thing in mind – beating Brookwood for the first time in school history.
The Raiders did just that as they beat the Broncos after failing to do so in the previous three meetings between the teams. They also improved a less-than-impressive record in the Dome to 2-6 following up last year's 31-7 postseason loss to North Gwinnett on the same field.
Walton got the job done with a solid defense and a heavy heart. On Aug. 7, just four days before the first day of class at the school, junior varsity football player and track athlete Aaron Cleveland was killed in a tragic auto accident just outside his family's subdivision.
Still mourning the loss and playing for their fallen comrade, the team intentionally left Cleveland on the roster.
"I think he is definitely on the players' minds and not going away," Raider head coach Ed Dudley told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The defense was strong when it needed to be but the Broncos finished with 33 rushes for 142 yards, including 105 from Marvis Lane on 18 carries. Lane, who has been fighting a leg injury, tallied 56 of his yards on one third-quarter carry that set up a field goal.
Bronco quarterback Ben McLane completed 7 of 12 passes for 68 yards.
"We've got some growing up to do on offense obviously," Brookwood head coach Mark Crews said. "We knew we were inexperienced and the defense kept us in it so we'd have a chance to win at the end."
Walton gained 78 rushing yards on 35 attempts against the Brookwood defense, which didn't perform poorly. Quarterback Ray Rayburn did most of the damage for the Raiders, completing 14 of 17 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown pass. After the interception on the opening drive Rayburn rattled off 12-straight completions.
Etowah 47, Starrs Mill 24
The Etowah Eagles seem poised to continue their pace of improvement under third-year head coach Bill Stewart, especially after a 47-24 romping of Starrs Mill.
Without a doubt, the star of the game was senior tailback Ryan Boykin, who finished the night with four rushing touchdowns. Boykin entered the game with only one career rushing touchdown.
"I felt like I was running forever," Boykin told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "The line was opening great holes. It was unbelievable."
The Eagles offense dominated the Panthers. After a first-half deficit of 20-7, the Panthers rallied to make the game interesting at 27-21 with Etowah still leading. Then the Eagles, lead by Boykin, notched 20 unanswered points before the Panthers tacked on a late field goal.
Stewart, in his third year with the team, won the school's first ever region title in his first season and became the first coach to take the squad to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons last year.
“We’re in a golf community,” Stewart told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It means a lot recognition-wise being on this stage. Coming out and having a good showing is a big deal. I think it means a lot to Cherokee County and our community.”
No. 4 Camden County 21, No. 25 Norcross 6
Camden County used its Wing-T offense and stout defense to control Norcross 21-6 in a battle of MaxPreps’ preseason state top 25 teams.
At halftime the game was still very much in doubt at 7-3 and the Wildcats needed a little motivation to revive their killer instinct.
“We told ‘em at halftime that their guy is going to kick it in the end zone, so we need an 80-yard drive and we’re going to go out, try to line up and mash ‘em,” Camden County coach Jeff Herron told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “And the kids did a real good job of that.”
That they did as a 10-play, 80-yard drive, capped off with an 11-yard touchdown run by Greg Baker, made the score 14-3 in Camden County's favor. All 10 plays were on the ground as the Norcross defense couldn't find a way to overcome the grit of Camden County.
No. 11 Grayson 31, McEachern 21
The Grayson Rams were on a mission to prove they deserved to be ranked in the top 10. After their 31-21 victory over the McEachern Indians, they won't find many people who disagree.
The Ram program – now just eight years old – is considered among the best in the state. It produced Gwinnett County's lone victory in the final game of the Corky Kell Classic in the Georgia Dome, and did so by maintaining its role as the aggresor.
After seeing Grayson score on a 63-yard drive to grab an early 7-0 lead, the Indians came back to tie it up. Yet McEachern was never able to lead in the game and it handed an unwanted result to new head coach Kyle Hockman, replacing 23-year veteran Jimmy Dorsey.
The Rams totaled 277 yards offensively – all on the ground. Ean Pemberton managed 113 yards in the season opener and quarterback Tyler Horne had two rushing touchdowns.
"We were starting eight new players on offense and four new offensive linemen," Rams coach Mickey Conn told the Gwinnett Daily Post. "They had to get adjusted to the speed of the game. Once they did, they were coming off the ball hitting. And we found out where (McEachern's) defense was lining up. So, we got in something we felt could hurt them and stayed with it."
* MaxPreps.com preseason Georgia state rankings
