HIAWASSEE — This time last year John Cornett told anyone that would listen that his team was set for history.
Towns County, in fact, did just that by winning five regular season games and reaching the state playoffs for the very first time.
So when he says his 2018 Indians could be even better, it might behoove readers to pay attention.
"We've got 15 seniors -- yes we lost a lot of good ones from last year, but we've got a lot back too," Cornett said. "This could be the best team Towns County has ever had. Now the schedule is probably even tougher than last year, so our record may not show it. But we've got some incredible talent."
With 10 starters returning on offense, including all five offensive linemen, a veteran quarterback in Trent Bradshaw, and a 6-foot-4 receiver in Will Travis -- not to mention a talented transfer from North Carolina in Alan Gillis, who will play all over the field -- it's easy to guage the optimism for a unit that, at 254 total points, scored the second most in program history.
However, a brutal schedule and a defense that is replacing a number of starters on the line are also reasons for temperance. That said, self-belief in the program is at an all-time high, and players now enter every contest expecting to compete.
"It's our third year in the system, and it's just a great atmosphere to be in right now," Cornett said.
TOWNS COUNTY: NEED TO KNOW
- MASCOT: Indians
- TEAM COLORS: Blue and White
- CURRENT REGION: 8-A
- HEAD COACH/RECORD AT SCHOOL: John Cornett, third season, 8-12
- 2017 RECORD/ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 5-6, reached first round Class A Public playoffs
- KEY LOSSES: FB/DB Andy Chambers, ATH/DB Zach Davenport, TE/DT Logan Cowart, TB/DB Cole Ledford, LB Harold Cox, DL Luke Woody, DT Jeremy Mays
- OFFENSIVE STYLE: Triple option -- It may be simple, but it was deadly effective for much of last season for the Indians. And with a veteran quarterback, another talented athlete in the backfield and a dominant receiver on the edge -- not to mention five seniors on the offensive line -- Towns County feels it has the make-up to be even better in 2018.
- KEY OFFENSIVE PLAYERS: 10 starters returning -- Sr. QB Trent Bradshaw, Sr. WR Will Travis, Sr. OL Jake Parker, Sr. ATH Alan Gillis
- DEFENSIVE STYLE: 8 man front -- Towns County will look to stop the run first, though the Indians must replace a number of standouts amongst its front.
- KEY DEFENSIVE PLAYERS: 4 starters returning -- Sr. LB Hunter Frisk, Sr. Saf Alan Gillis, Sr. DL Danny Reagan, Jr. DL Shane Sparks
- SPECIAL TEAMS: Sr. PK Wes Calhoun, punting duties undecided as of publication time.
- STRENGTH: Self-belief -- After fighting its way to the program's first-ever state playoff berth in 2017, Towns County now expects to compete in every game and that it will find a way to win. It is a huge psychological step forward for a program that spent much of the previous decades only hoping it could find a way to win.
- QUESTION: Defense -- There are standouts on the defensive side of the ball -- Frisk and Gillis figure to be stars -- but, unlike the offense, the Indians' defense is still cobbling together its starting 11 and coaches will have to see who is up to the task during the regular season.
- KEY GAMES: The opener against Hayesville (Aug. 17, away) could give the Indians a chance to show off their offensive prowess, while game two against neighboring Union County (Aug. 31, home) will get the Indians prepped for the type of size and athleticism they can expect to see with regularity in Region 8-A. The region slate also starts with a challenge, facing a George Walton squad (Sept 14, away) that reached the Class A Private playoffs last season. The Sept. 28 game at Riverside Military could also prove big in the 8-A north subregion standings and preceeds two straight games versus what figures to be the top two programs in 8-A North (Oct. 5 vs. Hebron Christian and Oct. 19 vs. Commerce).
- TRENDING: What the Indians accomplished last season ranked as one of the top stories of the campaign, as they clinched their first--ever state playoff berth and produced their second-highest win total in program history. And despite graduating a number of standouts, Towns believes it can improve this season. And belief is the key word. Indians players bought in fully in 2017 and are eager to continue their rise from obscurity that saw the program produce just one winning season in its history. A ridiculously tough schedule that includes Class A Private runner-up Athens Academy as one of Towns' 8-A region cross-over contests may mean that it is tougher to prove it on the scoreboard, but the Indians expect to keep rolling in 2018.
2018 Schedule
Aug. 17 at Hayesville, N.C.
Aug. 31 vs. Union County
Sept. 7 vs. Andrews, N.C.
Sept. 14 at George Walton Academy*
Sept. 21 vs. Athens Academy*
Sept. 28 at Riverside Military*
Oct. 5 vs. Hebron Christian Academy*
Oct. 19 vs. Commerce*
Oct. 26 at Lakeview Academy*
Nov. 2 vs. Region Crossover
*- Indicates region contest
(All kickoffs scheduled for 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted)
