REGION 6AAAAAA
ome Aatoona it fie erokee onty teams
By Griffin Callaghan
gcallaghan@cherokeetribune.com
Allatoona is the lone holdover in Region
6 AAAAAA from last season. The road does not
get any easier, though, with state powerhouse
Rome being among the new additions.
Region 6 AAAAAA also brings in five of the six
Cherokee County schools: Creekview, Etowah,
River Ridge, Sequoyah and Woodstock.
“We have to get accustomed to it again,”
Allatoona coach G ary V arner said. “We have
played the Cherokee schools, and we are only a
few years removed from that side of the region.
The biggest difference is Rome, which is a contender
KICKOFF ‘22 85
to win the state championship this year.”
Rome finished second in Region 5AAAAAA
last year, going 6 -1 and 8-3 overall. Q uarterback
Reece Fountain returns for his j unior year
after throwing for 2,312 yards, 19 touchdowns
and five interceptions as a sophomore.
The Wolves also see V anderbilt commit
and top receiver Martel Hight Jr. return after
posting 6 2 receptions for 1,069 yards and nine
touchdowns in 2021.
V arner said behind Rome, there is not much
separating the region field. Allatoona and
Creekview are two of the strongest teams behind
the Wolves, though, after finishing second
and third in their respective regions last year.
Allatoona ( 7-4, 7-1 6 AAAAAA) has the element
of continuity working in its favor, similar
to Rome, as its starting quarterback Tyler
McG uire ( 1,080 yards, eight TDs in 2021) and
lead running back Jayden Ponder (999 yards,
eight TD) are back.
Creekview ( 8-3, 6 -2 Region 7AAAAAA) had
the best record of the Cherokee County teams
last season but now hands the keys to sophomore
quarterback Austin G uest with former
starter Mason Hicks graduated.
The G rizzlies have key pieces on defense
coming back with senior linebacker Isaac
Hubert ( 58 tackles, 7.5 sacks) and senior
defensive back Cole Sackman (47 tackles,
two interceptions).
“O ur guys are looking forward to the county
matchups, and then you throw in a team like
Allatoona, which has won a state title recently
and Rome,” Creekview coach Trevor Williams
said. “There is not a week where you can take
a break. If you want a chance at the playoffs,
you have to play your best every Friday night.”
At 6 -4 overall, River Ridge narrowly missed
the playoffs last season, finishing fifth in Region
7AAAAAA with a 3-4 record. The K nights
have put together two winning seasons in a
row after going 11-1 in 2020, and they have
a talented young nucleus, according to coach
Michael Collins.
“From top to bottom, this region has a lot of
even teams,” Collins said. “It is going to be very
competitive. If we show up every night and play
our A-game, we can play with any team in this
region. If we do not, we can be clipped by any
of these teams.”
Sequoyah went 4-6 overall last year but had
some inspired showings, especially early in the
schedule. The Chiefs beat Woodstock and Cass
in Weeks 1 and 3, respectively, and took the AJ
Swann-led Cherokee to the brink in Week 2.
With two-way standout junior Jackson Hancock
returning, along with junior running back
Tyler Bell, Sequoyah’s offense has the potential
to take a j ump.
The Etowah-Woodstock rivalry moves into
Region 6 AAAAAA with both teams looking to
make progress. Despite the 1-9 record (1-6 Region
5AAAAAAA), the Eagles played in multiple
close games, especially late last year. Coach
Matt K emper said the next step for his squad
is to finish off those tight contests.
Woodstock ( 0-10, 0-5 Region 5AAAAAAA)
has a small senior class but a talented one nonetheless.
The Wolverines have the only returning
starter at quarterback in Dan Comeau and
a pair of Division I prospects in Adonis G arcia
and Tyler Douthit. Woodstock, and coach Troy
Hoff, hope to build on last year and get back
in the win column.
“All these teams are really well-coached, and
they consistently play good football year in and
year out,” Hoff said. “Add that to the rest of the
teams in our county, with Creekview and River
Ridge making runs the past few years and our
cross-town rivals Etowah and Sequoyah. This
is a very good region.”
PREDICTION
1. Rome
2. Allatoona
3. Creekview
4. River Ridge
5. Sequoyah
6. Etowah
7. Woodstock
File
Creekview and Woodstock have played the last few years, but now they are region rivals for the first time.
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