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Who's back, who's not? It's GAME WEEK! The yearly high school football capsules from The Prep Sports Report have been finalized. They contain school details, the coach's perspective, and the latest individual school schedules (including date, day, opponent, location, and start time) for the 21 high school football teams in the Savannah Area.

 

The Georgia High School Association approved new reclassifications and region alignments this year. All teams are participating in the latest classifications of this two-year commitment, and some Savannah area football teams are familiar with their new regions and opponents, while some are not. This year, the capsules will again be presented as a three-part series.

 

PART 1 – A.E. Beach High School (3-3A), Robert W. Groves High School (3-3A), Islands High School (3-3A), H.V. Jenkins High School (3-3A), Sol C. Johnson High School (3-3A), Liberty County High School (3-3A), Windsor Forest High School (3-3A)

 

School: A.E. Beach High School

Mascot: Bulldogs

Location: Savannah

Head coach: Michael Thompson

Record at school/years: 3-26/4

Overall coaching record/years: 106-57-1/15

2023 overall/region records: 1-9/1-6 Region 3-3A

 

Key returning players: FB/MLB Ladante Bright, TE/DE Dakari Smith, MLB Emmanuel Korankye, CB Chandler Reid, QB Jayvion Williams, RB Kejuan Lindsay, SB/CB Shareefe Morgan, RB/OLB Kobie Goldwire, OL Jaden Hamilton

 

Coach's quote: "I think with us, it's remaining consistent, holding each other accountable. You can't worry about what everybody else is doing in the city. Worry about Beach High School. Take nobody lightly. We're going to prepare for everybody like it's Day One, and we'll see who's going to get the job done." – Beach Coach Michael Thompson.

 

2024 Schedule

Aug. 16 at Calvary Day*

Aug. 23 at Savannah High

Sept. 6 Windsor Forest* (Islands)

Sept. 13 at Jenkins* (SHS)

Sept. 20 Long County* (SHS)

Oct. 4 at Islands*

Oct. 11 Johnson* (SHS)

Oct. 18 at Groves* (SHS)

Oct. 25 Liberty County*, 7 p.m. (SHS)

Nov. 1 at Southeast Bulloch*

*Region game

 

School: Calvary Day School

Mascot: Cavaliers

Location: Savannah

Head coach: Mark Stroud

Record at school/years: 139/42/16

Overall coaching record/years: 263/109/33

2023 overall/region records: 13-1, 7-0 Region 3-3A, won region and lost in GHSA state semi-finals

 

Key Returning player: Sam Hensley (Sr., T, G), John Swindell (Jr., G, C), Ethan Cohen (Jr., MLB, G), Jay Varner (Jr., LB), Thomas Blackshear (Sr., WR, DB), Caden Jones (So., RB, MLB), Skooter Cherry (Jr., RB, DB), Corey Blount (Sr., RB, C, CB), Buddy Mathis Jr. (Sr., DT, DE), Brody Dawson (Sr., RB, OLB), Cutter Powell (Sr., FB, MLB), Brexton Bell (So., CB, SS), Emerson Lewis (So., WR, CB), and James Mobley (So., QB, RB).

 

Key losses: QB Jake Merklinger; TE/WR Michael Smith; FS/SB Trevor Strowbridge; WR/DB Caden Arnold 

 

Coach's quote: "I think we have a good nucleus of guys coming back, and we can do this with our staff. I think we're going to have to get creative defensively. We've got a different style of defense this year, so we need to get a little bit more creative. We just have to get creative to create opportunities for us to be successful. That's kind of where we are on both sides of the ball, it's a work in progress. We probably have a little bit more returning offensively across the board, but again, I think the real key for us this year is being very multiple defensively, showing lots of different looks, bringing pressures from different places. On the back end, we need good quarterback play. I think James Mobley has kind of established himself, and we've got to get the job done there. I'm excited about his upcoming season, but I still go back to our season outlook—it's going to be about our ability to get very creative defensively, creating plays and opportunities for us to make plays by being very diverse." -Calvary coach Mark Stroud.

 

 

2024 Schedule

Aug. 16 vs. Beach*

Aug. 30 at Oceanside Collegiate, SC

Sept. 6 vs. Southeast Bulloch*

Sept. 13 at Windsor Forest* (P)

Sept. 20 vs. Jenkins*

Oct. 4 at Long County*

Oct. 11 vs. Islands*

Oct. 18 at Johnson, Savannah* (SM)

Oct. 25 vs. Groves*

Nov. 1 at Liberty County*

*Region game

 

School: Robert W. Groves High School

Mascot: Rebels

Location: Garden City

Head coach: Calvin Wells

Record at school/years: 2-18/3

Overall coaching record/years: 2-18/3

2023 overall/region records: 1-9/0-7 Region 3-3A

 

Key returning players: QB/MLB Trenton Tukes, TE/LB/DE Micah Calhoun, RB/WR/SB/FS Makel Brown, TE/DE Avion Dillard, C/NG Lyric Johnson, OT Hezekiah Manning 

 

Key losses: WR/FS/LS Malachi Gardiner, ATH Aaron Dillard, WR/FS Jaylen Mozone 

 

Coach's quote: "We want to stick to the basics. One of my things is having fun with the mental. So in our fundamentals, we're going to work until we can't work anymore, and then we're going to go home and figure out what we failed in. We'll come back and work on it more. That's our goal." ­– Groves coach Calvin Wells

 

2024 Schedule

Aug. 23 at West Laurens

Aug. 30 at Jenkins* (Savannah High)

Sept. 5 Long County* (SHS)

Sept. 13 at Islands*

Sept. 20 Johnson* (IHS)

Oct. 4 at Southeast Bulloch*

Oct. 10 at Liberty County*, 7 p.m.

Oct. 18 Beach* (SHS)

Oct. 25 at Calvary Day*

Nov. 1 Windsor Forest* (SHS)

*Region game

 

School: Islands High School

Mascot: Sharks

Location: Savannah

Head coach: DeShawn Printup 

Record at school/years: 13-29/6

Overall coaching record/years: 13-29/6

2023 overall/region records: 0-10, 0-5 Region 3-4A, moved to 3-3A

 

Key returning players: B-back/MLB Ja'quan Jones, OLB/TE Isaac Harris, QB Chet Bachman, RB/CB Carson Kurdys, WR/CB Jayden Sutton, WR/FS Jayson Padgett, TE/DE Elijah Patton, LB Camden McChesney, OG/NG Isaac Gaines, OL Eason Chen, DL Daniel Luu

 

Key losses: QB/FS Amaree Bedgood, RB Dominick Jackson, WR/DB Devon Deleon, DB Hayden Burroughs, 

 

Coach's quote: "Our team strength is our maturity. We're transitioning to a player-led team. That's what any successful coach will tell you. Once the players start leading the team, you're going to be successful. I think that's something this senior class has really focused on. We took a deep dive into character development two years ago. These guys have really grasped onto that." – Islands coach DeShawn Printup.

 

2024 Schedule

Aug. 16 McIntosh County Academy

Aug. 30 at Southeast Bulloch*

Sept. 6 at Johnson* (Memorial Stadium)

Sept. 13 Groves*

Sept. 20 at Liberty County*

Oct. 4 Beach*

Oct. 11 at Calvary Day*

Oct. 18 Windsor Forest*

Oct. 26 at Jenkins*, 7 p.m. (MS)

Nov. 1 Long County*

*Region game

 

School: H.V. Jenkins High School

Mascot: Warriors 

Location: Savannah

Head coach: Tony Welch

Record at school/years: 13-20/4

Overall coaching record/years: 51-76/13

2023 overall/region records: 5-8, 2-3 Region 1-5A (moved to Region 3-3A in 2024), advanced to the third round of GHSA Class 5A playoffs

 

Key returning players: O.L. Camron Thompson, SB/ATH Trenton Rhodes, QB Demetrius Holloway, WR/CB Marquis Bush, LB Brandon Baxter, RB/WR/DB Domonique Johnson, RB/CB Khayden Jones, RB Coray Stafford, RB Jayaun Albert, RB/MLB Ryan Scott  

 

Key losses: DE/TE Lorenzo Cowan, QB/ATH Jeremiah James, RB/LB Sylvester Harris, WR/DB Todd Rhodes

 

Coach's quote: "If you're a head coach in any sport in the city of Savannah and you don't think you're the best coach in the city, then you shouldn't be the head coach. That's just how I am. What I put on the field is what I put on the field. As I tell my other coaches by me being the AD (athletic director) with other sports, if you're a head coach, you've got to love it. You just can't just like it. By me being the head coach, I love it. The ones who love it are going to work hard enough to get their kids to the level they need to get to as far as competition. I don't know any coach in America that goes in and says, 'I'm going to be the worst team in the city or the state.' Because if you send that vibe to your players, what are they going to do? My players know that I stick with them and I'm going to support them. It's not being cocky. It's just that they need to believe if you believe." – Jenkins coach Tony Welch.

 

2024 Schedule

Aug. 16 at Lowndes, 8 p.m.

Aug. 30 Groves* (Savannah High)

Sept. 6 at Liberty County*

Sept. 13 Beach* (SHS)

Sept. 20 at Calvary Day*

Oct. 4 Windsor Forest* (Memorial Stadium)

Oct. 10 Southeast Bulloch* (Islands)

Oct. 18 at Long County*

Oct. 26 Islands*, 7 p.m. (M.S.)

Nov. 1 at Johnson* (M.S.)

*Region game

 

School: Sol C. Johnson High School

Mascot: Atomsmashers

Location: Savannah 

Head coach: Steven Smith

Record at school/years: 3-7/2

Overall coaching record/years: 3-7/2

2023 overall/region records: 3-7, 2-5 Region 3-3A

 

Key returning players: RB/LB Isaiah Scott, QB Brayden Hurst, RB/OLB JaShawn Lovett

 

Key losses: NG Nashun Mitchell, OT/NG Jayceon Little

 

Coach's quote: "The pride in the program – that's the first thing that we've really been driving home. You've got to take pride in what you do, pride in the duties that you're asked to complete. Instead of guys worrying about what position they're playing or what position they want to play, they take the position they've been asked to play and take pride in that position." – Johnson coach Steven Smith.

 

2024 Schedule

Aug. 16 at Bryan County

Aug. 23 at Long County

Sept. 6 Islands* (Memorial Stadium)

Sept. 13 at Southeast Bulloch*

Sept. 20 at Groves* (Islands)

Oct. 4 Liberty County* (Savannah High)

Oct. 11 at Beach* (Islands)

Oct. 18 Calvary Day* (M.S.)

Oct. 25 Windsor Forest* (IHS)

Nov. 1 Jenkins* (M.S.)

*Region game

 

School: Liberty County High School

Mascot: Panthers

Location: Hinesville

Head coach: Tony Glazer

Record at school/years: 10-12/2

Overall coaching record/years: 10-12/2

2022 overall/region records: 3-7 (3-4) Region 3 AAA

 

Key returning players: WR/FS Ryan Golden, WR/SS Jaden Hurd, WR/CB Julian Gerena, OL Carson Carter, OL Ed Spencer, OL William Buckley, DE Christian Hines, DE Anquan Roberts, RB Brandon Roberts, DL Karlos Caison,

Key losses: Carlos Singleton, Ron Golden Jr., Jeremiah Payne, Audric Whitfield, Jamon Pittman

2024 outlook: "We return a good core group of upperclassmen coming off last season that did not meet our expectations as a program. We have a lot of sophomores who will be stepping into major roles this season, and I feel like they are ready for that challenge. This group of young men have worked extremely hard this off-season, and we look forward to playing our first game on Aug. 16 vs Bradwell Institute." - Liberty coach Tony Glazer.

 

School: Windsor Forest

Mascot: Knights

Location: Savannah

Head coach: C.J. Frazier

Record at school/years: 0-0/1

Overall coaching record/years: 0-0/1

2023 overall/region records: 2-8, 0-6 in Region 3-2A (moved to 3-3A in 2024)

 

Key returning players: OL/DL Markee Eason, RB/LB Izaiyah Cooper, QB Anthony Williams, WR/FS Jaysen Jackson

 

Key losses: WR/DB Marquis Lonnon, LB Zach Patterson

 

Coach's quote: "This year we're definitely going to play with what we call the Knights' EDGE -- EDGE standing for Every Day Give Everything. That's going to be in the classroom, that's going to be in the community. We're going to continue to do that each and every day. We hope that that translates to wins in the fall." – Windsor Forest coach C.J. Frazier.

 

2024 Schedule

Aug. 23 at Brantley County

Aug. 30 Liberty County* (at Islands)

Sept. 6 at Beach* (IHS)

Sept. 13 Calvary Day* (Pooler Stadium)

Sept. 20 Southeast Bulloch*

Oct. 4 at Jenkins* (Memorial Stadium)

Oct. 10 Long County*, 7 p.m. (Savannah High)

Oct. 19 at Islands*

Oct. 25 Johnson* (IHS)

Nov. 1 at Groves* (SHS)

*Region game

 

PHOTO CREDIT:  Georgia High School Helmet Project and schools websites

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Optim Orthopedics generously sponsors Prep Sports Report football coverage! 

Optim Orthopedics is a familiar face on Savannah's prep sports scene, extending their support from the gridiron to the court. Their dedication to local athletes goes beyond logos, offering crucial medical support to nine powerhouse high schools:

• Dr. Don Aaron: Bryan County Middle/High School
• Dr. David Sedory: Benedictine Military, Bradwell Institute, Liberty County
• Dr. David Palmer: Calvary Day, Richmond Hill, South Effingham
• Dr. Thomas Alexander: Savannah Country Day, St. Vincent's

As Southeast leaders in fellowship-trained orthopedic surgery, Optim Orthopedics proudly sponsors the Prep Sports Report. Remember, Optim Orthopedics gets you back into the game!