FIVE 2020 LEADERS
YEAR
RECORD
45-18-1
2020
11-1
2019
11-3-1
2018
8-4
2017
9-4
2016
6-6
RUSHING
Jayden Ponder
177 Att., 1,068 Yds., 6.0 Avg., 8 TD
Dequori Garrett
75 Att., 370 Yds., 4.9 Avg., 5 TD
PASSING
Elan Hall
67/140, 1,162 Yds., 15 TD, 3 INT
Tyler McGuire
9/22, 146 Yds., 1 TD
RECEIVING
Troy Glen
23 catches, 418 Yds. 18.2 Avg., 6 TD
Bennett Christian
18 catches, 216 Yds., 12.0 Avg., 2 TD
TACKLES
Vinnie Canosa
34 tackles, 21 Ast., 55 Total
Kevin Kesser
25 tackles, 30 Ast., 55 Total
INTERCEPTIONS
Caleb Moore 4 INT
Brett Blomquist 3 INT
SACKS
Ty Thompson 8 sacks
VARSITY COACHING
HARRISON 27-17 W
KENNESAW MOUNTAIN 21-6 W
SOUTH COBB 38-0 W
OSBORNE 37-0 W
WHEELER 23-0 W
SPRAYBERRY 20-10 W
KELL 30-15 W
LASSITER 44-9 W
POPE 30-14 W
JOHNS CREEK (PLAYOFFS) 24-0 W
DACULA (PLAYOFFS) 31-6 W
WESTLAKE (PLAYOFFS) 24-27 L
ALL TIME RECORD
117-39-1
Historical Info from
Georgia High School Football
Over 50 years of Care and Compassion
GOOD
LUCK
Good Luck Allatoona High School!
Bruce A. Hester D.M.D and Chelsea M. Smith D.M.D
ALLATOONA!
2980 Lewis Street • Kennesaw, GA 30144
770-422-1554 • www.bhesterdmd.com
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Over 50 years of Care and Compassion
2980 Lewis Street • Kennesaw, GA 30144
770-422-1554
www.bhesterdmd.com
STAFF
2020 R E S U LTS
Historians Assocation
REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (4)
2020, 2015, 2014, 2011
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (1)
2015
COACH:
GARY
VARNER
14 Years at School
Record: 117-39-1
Career: 117-39-1
STADIUM:
Cobb EMC
Buccaneer
Stadium
Xavier Smith .........................DC
Brett Hubinger ......................DL
Casey Smith .......................... LB
Jarvis West ............................RB
Casey Linch ...........................RB
Jeremy Anderson .................WR
David Cintron ........................DB
Barry Cox ............................. QB
Troy Peterson ..................... AHC
Mike Dennison ......................OL
Brad Dodd ............................. TE
David Eeles ..........................WR
Erik Fridborg ...........................K
Emmett Hill ...........................DB
Vince Rogers
Buccaneers to battle through
youth and inexperience
By Jake Jennings
MDJ Sports Writer
Allatoona coach Gary Varner
will be working to piece together
the Buccaneer puzzle as the 2021
season begins.
In his 14th year at the head of
the program, Varner said the team
will have to reload at many different
spots to find success, however,
the veteran coach is focused on
creating a tight-knit unit.
“We are just trying to build a team
and find that chemistry,” said Varner,
after his squad went 11-1 in 2020 and
advanced to the Class AAAAAA state
quarterfinals. “The weight room
is always a big priority as well.”
Allatoona said goodbye to quarterback
Elan Hall, it’s top two receivers,
Troy Glen and Zach Jackson
(Clemson), as well as a plethora of
defenders. Besides the obvious loss
of talent Varner said he sees leadership
as the biggest need his team
has this offseason.
“They’re going to have to step up,
not just their game, but they’re going
to have to have more leadership,” Varner
said. “We lost good players but we
lost great leaders. That’s the interesting
part, who’s going to fill those roles.”
Quarterbacks have a way of becoming
natural leaders. For Allatoona, a
two-horse race emerged this summer
for the place under center. Sophomore
Tyler McGuire and freshman Saadiq
Teel will likely lead the group.
Bennett Christian is another player
Varner said he sees as a leader
heading into the fall. The 6-foot-6,
235-pound tight end is committed
to Ohio State and, after catching 18
passes for 216 yards last season, he is
expected to become the leading pass
catcher this year. Bryce Herring will
also carry some of the load at wide
receiver.
Varner said he sees the running
game as a strength. Returning
starter Jayden Ponder will lead
the way after a 1,068-yard, eight
touchdown sophomore year. Ponder
already garners high praise
from his coach after just one year
in the backfield.
“We’re really excited about him.
He had a great offseason,” Varner
said. “He has gotten a little bit bigger,
stronger and faster.”
Varner lost four of his five starters
on the offensive line after last season.
To fill the holes up front there
is a group of four seniors and a junior
battling it out. He said Harrison
Mcfarland is the only returning
starter and will have to step up in a
big way this season.
The defensive front and linebackers
will be strong behind returning
starters like Ty Thompson and Vinnie
Canosa. Thompson and Canosa
had 46 and 55 tackles respectively
in 2020.
“Our defensive front should be
pretty strong,” Varner said. “With
the linebackers that are returning and
the defensive linemen that we have.”
In the secondary, the Buccaneers
lose Hunter and Fisher Paulsen at
corner and safety respectively, who
were not only great on the field but
also leaders vocally. Varner sees this
as the biggest hole on his roster but
knows that he has players with the
capability to step up. Levi Brown is
one player he sees as a potential leader
within the Allatoona pass defense.
“We lost some of those big vocal
leaders that you don’t always
find in high school,” Varner said.
“So we are going to need some
guys to step up.”
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