FLOWERY BRANCH — Hall County's newest school could have its share of growing pains in 2018.
The Bears open their inaugural season in a rugged Region 7-3A, from which three teams advanced to the state Sweet 16 and one, Greater Atlanta Christian, made the semifinals.
Veteran and former Lumpkin County and Dacula coach Tommy Jones, however, may be just the man to lessen any early frustrations. With help from friends like Mill Creek coach Shannon Jarvis, who built the Hawks from scratch, Jones has hit the gridiron running.
"Shannon has been a huge help. We talk almost every day," Jones said. "I wanted this challenge and I felt it was a tremendous opportunity to be a part of what this administration is wanting to do. It has been a challenge, but it's also been rewarding already. We're ready to get (the season) started."
The Bears will employ a multipe offense led by former Flowery Branch backup quarterback, senior Connor Boyd. Boyd will have sophomore twins Charles Tolbert (RB) and Jamir Tolbert (WR) to provide some athleticism in skilled spots. However, a young and inexperienced line will be a work-in-progress.
Defensively, the Bluff will look to an aggressive a 50 defense, which should be anchored by talented sophomore linebacker Garrett Davis. The Tolbert twins will give them a sturdy secondary but, again, line play could be a work-in-progress.
"The lines of scrimmage are always the hardest positions to fill in a new school just because of the numbers and how long it takes to develop guys in those spots," Jones said. "We feel we have some skilled guys on both sides, but our biggest goal is to start developing as many guys up front as we can."
Cherokee Bluff will kick off its first-ever contest on Saturday Aug. 18 at home against Whitefield Academy.
CHEROKEE BLUFF: NEED TO KNOW
- MASCOT: Bears
- TEAM COLORS: Purple and White
- CURRENT REGION: 7-3A
- HEAD COACH/RECORD AT SCHOOL: Tommy Joness, first season,
- 2017 RECORD/ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 0-0, inaugural season
- KEY LOSSES: N/A
- OFFENSIVE STYLE: Multiple -- The Bears want to be balanced but will take advantage of what defenses give them.
- KEY OFFENSIVE PLAYERS: Sr. QB Connor Boyd, Sr. WR Justin Murphy, Jr. OL Daniel Bescher, Sr. OL Kyle Jones, So. RB CharlesTolbert, So. WR Jamir Tolbert
- DEFENSIVE STYLE: 50 defense -- The Bears want to play an aggressive style.
- KEY DEFENSIVE PLAYERS: So. CB Charles Tolbert, So. CB Jamir Tolbert, Jr. S Jacob Carlson, So. LB Garrett Davis, So. DL Trey Marshall
- SPECIAL TEAMS: Fr. PK Mason Gill, Jr. P Jacob Carlson, Sr. LS Kyle Jones
- STRENGTH: Secondary/skilled positions on offense -- The secondary will be athletic and skilled and anchored by the Tolbert twins. The Bears also will have some experience at QB with Boyd, and Justin Murphy and Jamir Tolbert will give him two solid targets at receiver.
- QUESTION: Inexperience/lines of scrimmage -- Boyd is the only roster player with any varsity minutes so the Bears will be very inexperienced. The lines of scrimmage expect to be works-in-progress and may take time to develop.
- KEY GAMES: The opener at home against Whitefield Academy will be a spectacle. A win would certainly give the program some immediate positive gains. But two road games follow -- including against a brand new Denmark (Forsyth County) program expected to be loaded from the outset -- and then a challenging 7-3A opener against North Hall at home on Sept. 21 should give the program a solid measuring stick of the progress made.
- TRENDING: Being a new school, the trend can only be up over the first few seasons for the Bears as a young roster learns and develops. Jones and a quality staff should make an impact early as they instill the kind of work ethic and system that he has been known for in his time at Lumpkin County and Dacula.
2018 SCHEDULE
Aug. 18 vs. Whitfield Academy
Aug. 24 at Denmark
Aug. 31 at Johnson
Sept. 7 vs. Athens Academy
Sept. 21 vs. North Hall*
Sept. 28 at Fannin County*
Oct. 5 vs. Lumpkin County*
Oct. 12 at East Hall*
Oct. 19 vs. Greater Atlanra Christian*
Oct. 26 at Dawson County*
*- Indicates region contest
(All kickoffs scheduled for 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted)
