Habersham eyeing return trip to playoffs in 2020

MT. AIRY — Despite a slide back to 3-7 in 2019, Habersham Central was just two plays, maybe less, from a repeat trip to the playoffs in a very tough Region 8-6A.

A gut-wrenching 41-40 loss to Winder-Borrow on a blocked extra point knocked them out of the playoffs in the next-to-last week of the season. That probably contributed to a wild 56-49 loss to Apalachee in their finale.

Raiders’ coach Benjie Harrison says he still wonders what might have been if not for the blocked kick.

“We were crushed after that Winder game and I think we beat Apalachee the next week if not for that blocked kick. We were all just kind of down after that,” Harrison said.

Despite the rough finish to 2019, Harrison and his staff have brought the Raiders back into consistent playoff contention in a tough Region 8-6A. However, the 2020 season and beyond may remind the Raiders of their ill-fated time in Class 7A.

Region 8-6A will have a much different, and more serious, feel to it after adding Buford, the reigning Class 5A state champion, and a pair of Class 7A teams in Shiloh and Central Gwinnett to an already stacked region. Dacula, a state semifinalist each of the last two seasons, Lanier, a 2018 semifinalist, and Winder-Barrow all remain along with the Raiders.

But Harrison said no matter the region makeup, they are considering themselves a contender for a playoff spot.

“We don’t worry about who is or who isn’t in the region,” he said. “We just try to prepare for whoever they tell us to play. No matter the region you know you’re going to be playing great teams in Class 6A so we just try to focus to get ready each week and not worry about the other stuff.”

The Raiders’ spread attack could be a factor in 2019, especially with the infusion of senior Duke-commit Joshua Pickett at quarterback. Pickett, the 2019 Region 8-6A Two-way Player of the Year, played quarterback in his younger days and gives them a dangerous playmaker every down. Senior running back Jackson Cloatre, who hit the 1,000-yard plateau each of the last two seasons and a 2019 8-6A first-team All-Region selection, also returns after a stellar 2020 campaign (1,119 yds rushing, 6 TD). Another 2019 8-6A All-Region first-teamer in senior wide receiver Grayson Taylor (500 yds, 3 TD) along with senior receiver Austin Wood should give Pickett plenty of targets.

The defense, which was young and gave up over 34 points a game, also should be much improved. The unit returns half of its starters from 2019 and a slight scheme change for 2020 should be able to keep the Raiders in most every game.

A pair of solid linemen in seniors Sutton Dover and Tanner Wade along with junior linebackers Garrett Heaton and Caleb Wade, and senior linebacker Grayson Taylor give Habersham the nucleus for a pretty good front-seven.

But Harrison and his staff are moving several guys around, especially on defense, and there may be some early growing pains as they get acclimated to their new positions.

“You’re always trying to put the right people in the right spots and we felt some changes would make us better,” he said. “We have a lot of talent on this team and I don’t think it will take long for these guys to get there.”

However, Harrison also felt that some early wins are crucial before heading into a brutal region schedule. They open Sept. 4 at home against Madison County, a Class 4A quarterfinalist in 2019, and close out the non-region on the road against arch-rival Stephens County. The Indians are sure to be waiting after the Raiders ended a 14-game losing streak to their rivals going back to 1996.

They also may have the toughest stretch in the region with consecutive games against Buford, Dacula, and Lanier. They close out the season and the region against Central Gwinnett and Shiloh.

“I think we need some early wins for sure to help build that confidence,” he said. “We have that tough stretch in the middle (of the region) but again, I think with some early confidence this group is good enough to battle for a playoff spot.”