CLASS 1A REGION 7
CEDAR BLUFF TIGERS
The good news for Cedar Bluff
fans is that the Tigers only lost 6
players from last year’s squad that
advanced to the quarter-finals of the
Class 1A playoffs. The bad news is 3
of those 6 were All-State selections.
Gone are running back Deshaun Fife
who accounted for 36 TDs, Jake
Mintz who was a finalist for 1A
Lineman of the Year, and All-State
defensive back Blake Terry. Despite
the key losses, Tiger boss Jonathan
McWhorter expects another good
team on the shores of Weiss Lake.
Cedar Bluff returns 9 starters on
offense and 6 on defense from a
team that won 7 of their last 11
games.
Most of the offense is back
including 4 of 5 linemen, 3 of 4
receivers, the quarterback, and the
fullback. QB Josh Decker (6’0, 200)
will have nice targets to throw to in
D.J. Chapman, Jamie Abernathy, and
Colton Reed. Fullback Haylon Bailey
(6’1, 220) will line up behind a line
that is led by Sr. D’Andre Autry
SCHEDULE
8/27 Collinsville............... Home
9/04 Spring Garden............ Away*
9/11 Valley Head............... Away*
9/18 Jacksonville Christian... Home*
9/25 Ragland................... Away
10/02 Woodville................. Away*
10/09 Coosa Christian.......... Home*
10/16 Section.................... Away
10/23 Gaylesville................ Home*
10/30 Sand Rock................ Home
Baily and Autry will spearhead the defense at end and linebacker
respectively. Linebackers Jordan McElroy and Logan Shinn will also be
key contributors on defense. McWhorter looks to Spring Garden as the top
competition in Class 1A, Region 7 play.
COACH JONATHAN MCWHORTER...
“We got on a hot streak in the playoffs to end last season
and we want to continue that to start this season.”
GAYLESVILLE TROJANS
The Gaylesville Trojans are
looking to bounce back to a winning
season and a playoff berth after
falling to 2-7 and missing the 1A
playoffs in 2014. The numbers
are low with only 26 total players
expected in August. The low
numbers are mainly because
of extremely small senior and
sophomore classes with only four
and two players in each class
respectively. The Trojans do return
some experience with 5 starters
back on offense and 6 on defense.
Coach Kyle Garmon expects to
receive some help from a large and
good freshman group.
Just about every Trojan will play
both ways. Offensive leaders Jon
Bradley and Austin Slayton will
split time at quarterback, wi th
Bradley also being a “go to” threat
at receiver and Slayton working
at running back also. Brandon
Barnes is an inside runner who
started at fullback the last two
years and will move to tailback this
season. Defensive leaders include
SCHEDULE
8/27
Sand Rock.....................
9/04 Ider............................
9/11
Spring Garden................
9/18
Valley Head...................
9/25 Gaston.........................
10/02 Jacksonville Christian.......
10/09 Woodville.....................
10/16 Coosa Christian...............
10/23 Cedar Bluff....................
10/30 Spring Garden................
Away
Away
Home*
Home*
Home
Away*
Away*
Home*
Away*
Away
Logan Hurley, a four-year starter
at linebacker. Hurley has over 300
career tackles and is a small college
prospect. Will Smith led the team in
tacles in 2014 before an injury in the
fourth game of the season. Hurley
and Smith will both also start on the
offensive line. Landon Lawson is a
3 year starter at defensive end and
led the team in tackles for loss and
sacks a year ago. Garmon expects
transfer receiver/safety Derek Hill
to get lots of playing time as well.
Garmon puts Cedar Bluff and Spring
Garden at the top of the Class 1A,
Region 7 race.
COACH KYLE GARMON...
“We look to compete for a playoff spot. We missed the playoffs
last year and we hope to get back there this year.”
COOSA CHRISTIAN CONQUERORS
Another new year
for the Coosa Christian
Conquerers, and another
new coach. Mike Sheffield
will be roaming the
sidelines this year for
the Conquerers. Coosa
Christian will be starting
Caiden Lipscomb, a
freshman, at quarterback
this season, and will have
three seniors to help him
out on both sides of the
ball: Mikey Green, Jeremy
Ware, and Russ Mangum.
Coach Sheffield says
“these guys can play and
understand the game, and
are tough.” Besides the
already tough 1A Region
7 schedule they have,
they have a tough nonregion schedule as well
playing Donoho, Decatur
Heritage, Winterboro,
and 2A West End.
COACH MIKE SHEFFIELD...
“We have several big boys. The team is getting stronger. No
speed, but we’re working on it. If they keep working hard
they will see some results.”
SCHEDULE
8/28 Winterboro............... Home
10/02 Decatur Heritage........ Home
9/04 Valley Head............... Away*
10/09 Cedar Bluff............... Away*
9/11 Jacksonville Christian... Home* 10/16 Gaylesville................ Away*
9/18 Woodville................. Home* 10/23 Spring Garden............ Home*
9/25 West End................. Away
10/30 Donoho................... Away
40 | 2015 Pigskin Roundup the Magazine