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Who's Playing Who? Part 2 - Region 3-3A in 2022

By Travis Jaudon/For the Prep Sports Report | August 9, 2022

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The Georgia High School Association approved changes to its classification and region alignments beginning this fall around the state. Many Savannah area football teams will be playing in new classifications (1A-7A) and/or new regions beginning in August with the start of the 2022 GHSA football season.

Throughout this three-part series, Prep Sports Report is taking a look at every area team's schedule for this season, including highlights and keynotes to know this year. This is part two, but here's the breakdown of the entire series:

 

PART 1 – Bryan County (3-A); Savannah High (3-A); Windsor Forest (3-2A); Jenkins (1-5A); Effingham (2-6A); South Effingham (2-6A); Richmond Hill (1-7A)

PART 2 – Calvary Day (3-3A); Savannah Christian (3-3A); Savannah Country Day (3-3A); Johnson (3-3A); Groves (3-3A); Beach (3-3A)

PART 3 – Benedictine (3-4A); New Hampstead (3-4A); Islands (3-4A); Memorial Day School (GISA); St. Andrew's (GISA); Bethesda Academy (SCISA)

 

REGION 3-3A NOTES 

TEAMS: Calvary, Savannah Christian, Savannah Country Day, Johnson, Groves, Liberty County, Long County, Beach

 

FORMAT: Each team will play every team in the region, for a total of seven region games, per team, per season. The region will conclude play with the season's final week on Friday, November 4. The top four teams in the region standings following region play will advance to the GHSA Class 3A state playoffs.

 

OTHER: Savannah's private school trio of Calvary, SCPS, and SCDS will play in a region with Savannah public schools Johnson, Beach, and Groves for the first time in the modern era. The trio played together in previous years within Region 3-A Private along with Aquinas.

 

CALVARY DAY (12-1 in 2021)

Moving up to classes with fellow Savannah private schools Savannah Christian and Country Day, Calvary Day will be plenty talented at taking on the best that Class 3A has to offer. The Cavs reached the Class A Private Final 4 last season, and head coach Mark Stroud has a lot of key players coming back for 2022.

 

Quarterback Jake Merklinger (2,513 passing yards, 25 passing touchdowns, 11 rushing touchdowns in 2021), running back Donovan Johnson (1,336 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns), tight end Michael Smith (nine receiving touchdowns), wide receiver Edward "Doopah" Coleman (eight receiving touchdowns), defensive end Troy Ford Jr. (13 tackles for loss), linebacker AJ Butts (132 tackles) and defensive tackle Terry Simmons (19 tackles for loss) are just a few of those returning star players.

 

August 19 at Islands

September 2 Eagle's Landing Christian

September 9 at Frederica Academy

September 16 at Liberty County*

September 23 Savannah Christian*

September 30 Johnson*

October 7 at Groves*

October 21 Savannah Country Day*

October 28 Long County*

November 4 at Beach*

 

SAVANNAH CHRISTIAN (5-6 in 2021)

The Raiders had an up-and-down season last year under head coach Baker Woodward. SCPS improved with each week, and the Raiders will have high expectations in Year 1 playing in Region 3-3A this season.

 

Paulus Zittrauer is a rising senior quarterback who figures to be the frontrunner for the starting signal-caller job this fall. He was injured midway through last season after starting the first few games for Woodward's club. Ely Brown and Zo Smalls should see a bulk of the carries at running back this season.

 

Defensively, SCPS could be excellent once again in 2022. The Raiders had eight interceptions as a team last year. Linebackers Austin Saylor (115 tackles in 2021) and David Bucey (103) form an intimidating tackling duo at the second level, and rising sophomore defensive end Elijah Griffin (69) is poised for a breakout season as a future Division I lineman.

 

August 19 Hilton Head Christian Academy

August 26 at Islands

September 9 at Battery Creek

September 16 Savannah Country Day*

September 23 at Calvary Day*

September 29 Long County*

October 7 at Johnson*

October 21 Beach*

October 28 at Groves*

November 4 Liberty County*

 

SAVANNAH COUNTRY DAY (4-7 in 2021)

Head coach John Mohring enters his second season at the helm of the Savannah Country Day football program. The Hornets will look to replace four-year starting quarterback Barry Kleinpeter (1,553 passing yards, 13 touchdowns in 2021) behind center.

 

A likely candidate to replace Kleinpeter is rising sophomore Barton Mixon, who played sparingly in certain formations as a freshman last season. Returning for his senior season will be running back Michael Grandy. Grandy rushed for nine touchdowns and 739 yards in 11 games as a junior.

 

August 19 Windsor Forest

August 26 Pinewood Christian Academy

September 2 Aquinas

September 16 at Savannah Christian*

September 23 at Long County*

September 30 Beach*

October 7 Liberty County*

October 21 at Calvary Day*

October 28 Johnson*

November 4 at Groves*

 

JOHNSON (5-6 in 2021)

Johnson went 4-2 in Region 3-3A and made the state playoffs last season under head coach Kenderrick Bonner. The Atom Smashers are losing a lot of production with the graduation of wide receiver Ted Hurst (41 catches, 591 yards, four touchdowns in 2021) and quarterback Keon Edwards.

 

Rising senior running back Amarion Scott should be the focal point of the offense after rushing for 739 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior last season.

 

August 19 at McIntosh County Academy

September 2 at Windsor Forest

September 9 Brantley County

September 16 at Beach*

September 23 Liberty County*

September 30 at Calvary Day*

October 7 Savannah Christian*

October 21 Groves*

October 28 at Savannah Country Day*

November 4 Long County*

 

GROVES (0-6 in 2021)

The Rebels remain in the 3-3A region moving forward, and they'll be looking to secure a win this season after going winless in 2021.

 

Groves will use one of its two off-dates to open the season in Week 0. GHS opens the 2022 season with a home game versus Brantley County on August 26 before taking on Savannah High at the newly opened Savannah Chatham County Public School System Savannah High Football Stadium on September 2.

 

August 26 Brantley County

September 2 at Savannah

September 9 at Claxton

September 16 Long County*

September 23 at Beach*

September 30 at Liberty County*

October 7 Calvary Day*

October 21 at Johnson*

October 28 Savannah Christian*

November 4 Savannah Country Day*

 

BEACH (1-8 in 2021)

The Bulldogs should be much improved this season after struggling to a 1-8 record in 2021. Beach's top returning offensive players are quarterback Desmond Burchett (nine passing touchdowns in 2021), running back Sidney Simmons (255 rushing yards), and receiver Shamarrie Hugie (five receiving touchdowns).

 

On defense, Beach will need to replace five of its top six tacklers from last season. Rising sophomore Shareefe Morgan logged 26 tackles as a freshman in 2021.

 

August 19 Bluffton (SC)

August 26 at Vidalia

September 2 at Brantley County

September 16 Johnson*

September 23 Groves*

September 30 at Savannah Country Day*

October 7 at Long County*

October 21 at Savannah Christian*

October 28 at Liberty County*

November 4 Calvary Day*

 

Who's Playing Who in High Scool Football 2022? Part 1

 

FOLLOW Travis Jaudon on Twitter/Instagram @JaudonSports. Email him at travisLjaudon@gmail.com.

 

Helmets from FridayNightFootball.com

 

Optim Orthopedics supports Benedictine Military School, Calvary Day School, Richmond Hill High School, Savannah Country Day, South Effingham High School, and St. Vincent's athletics. Benedictine Military School's team doctor is Dr. David Sedory. The team doctor for Calvary Day School, South Effingham, and Richmond Hill is Dr. David Palmer. Savannah Country Day and St. Vincent's team doctor is Dr. Thomas Alexander. Remember, Optim Orthopedics gets you back into the game!

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The "Coach" Karl DeMasi has been teaching and coaching for the past 35 years on all levels of academia and athletics. One of his hobbies has been writing, announcing and talking about sports. DeMasi has been involved in the Savannah Area sports scene since 1995, and he created the high school magazine "The Prep Sports Report" in 2000. In 2010, the "Coach" started broadcasting The Karl DeMasi Sports Report. He's still going strong, broadcasting on Facebook live and Twitter live every Saturday morning. You gotta love it!


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