'Time could be now' for GHS to rejoin state conversation

GAINESVILLE — Gainesville coach Heath Webb put it rather succinctly: “we are ready to play with the big boys.”

And they better be because the Red Elephants will jump into Class 7A in 2020 after the new Georgia High School Association’s latest round of reclassification. Webb made no bones about what playing in the state’s largest classification means.

“To me, Class 7A in Georgia is one of the premier high school leagues in the nation,” he said. “If you can play in this classification and have success, it means you’re probably one of the best teams in the country. That is something every coach and player wants: a chance to show they are among the best. 

“We know that we will have to step up our program in every facet. It’s going to be a battle every week. But we’ve also been excited about having this opportunity since it was announced. We can’t wait to get started.”

Gainesville joins Region 6-7A and the entire Forsyth County system -- Denmark, Forsyth Central, Lambert, North Forsyth, South Forsyth, West Forsyth -- to form a group of programs that all have had their ups-and-downs in recent years. Only Gainesville has a state title to its credit (2012, Class 5A). None of the seven teams have made it past the second round of the playoffs in any classification since 2015 (South Forsyth). None of the four playoff teams from 6-7A in 2019 made it out of the second round.

But gone is two-time defending region champ and 2018 state champion Milton leaving this as one of the most competitive, and wide-open, regions in the classification. The Red Elephants are no strangers to this group having been a part of old 7-3A along with Forsyth Central, North Forsyth, and South Forsyth in the early 2000s. They have played Lambert and North Forsyth each of the past two seasons (1-3 record).

“I think week-in and week-out every game is going to be ultra-competitive. Anyone will be able to beat anyone in this region and everyone should be in the (playoff) race,” Webb said.

However, Gainesville is a combined 8-10 all-time against the region and 0-6 lifetime against North Forsyth. The Raiders finished second in 6-7A in 2019.

Of course, past performance is not indicative of future success. Or is it?

Webb and his staff built Winder-Barrow from a sub-par program into a yearly playoff contender in his four years, including the program’s first GHSA playoff win since 1993, before taking over at Gainesville in 2018. They are now in Year 3 of the Red Elephants’ rebuild and already may be on track for quicker results.

Gainesville has 14 players that have started all three seasons in Webb and staff’s system. 

On offense, senior quarterback Gionni Williams, the Region 8-6A Athlete of the Year in 2019 (1,328 yards passing 11 TDs, 7 INT; 942 yards rushing, 10 TD) is poised for a breakout season and will have dynamic receiver playmakers in senior Lenny Chatman and junior DJ Miller. That pair, in a run-oriented offense, combined for 39 catches with a 14.3 yards/catch average and 7 TDs in 2019. A pair of 8-6A All-Region 1st team linemen in senior Cedrick Nicely and sophomore Elijah Ruiz will anchor another solid line upfront. Sophomore running back Naim Cheeks, who started mainly at safety as a freshman, should get the bulk of the carries in the backfield after averaging over 8 yards a carry in limited action last season.

“We may be a little ahead here than we were at Winder overall,” Webb said. “There was more to work with here than when I got there. It takes time to change a culture and that was our biggest obstacle here. We feel we’ve done that.

“Gionni has a lot more experience and has really taken on the leadership role for us. What we’re excited to see with him is that we changed his mechanics in the offseason and he was making good progress before the virus stuff. Lenny and DJ I think are ready to have big seasons as well. I think the guy to watch may be Naim. We think he could be really, really special for us over the next three seasons.”

Defensively, a pair of tackling machines in senior Yusif Ali (78 total tackles, 2 TFL, 2 sacks, 2 FF, 2 PBU, 1 INT) and senior Quamaine Rucker (leading tackler in 2019, 96 total tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack, 1 FR) will highlight a fast, hard-hitting linebacker group. Senior Ethan Reeves (51 tackles, 5 QBP, 3 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 2 PBU) and junior Khaliq Maddox (28 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 10 QBP, 2 sacks, 2 PBU) will anchor what is expected to be a deep line.

“Our (defensive) line last year with Makius was really good. I think this group could be even better, and that’s saying something,” Webb said. “There’s more depth across the line this year and no one guy for teams to key on. As a unit being fresher on every down, I’m expecting them to have a breakout season.

“Yusif and Quamaine have such great instincts on getting to the ball. We really like our defense coming into this season.”

Webb said the key to the season will lie within their own sideline.

“Our biggest issue throughout the season will be depth in general,” he said. “Most 7A teams have legit No. 2s at every spot. We have that at some positions but not all. That is the next step for the program: building depth. We need numbers and quality.”

Did we mention the region is wide-open? Consider that the holdovers -- Forsyth Central, Lambert, North Forsyth, South Forsyth, West Forsyth -- were just 20-28 overall in 2019. Denmark was 7-3 in a brutal Region 7-4A and did not make the playoffs. And, the Danes lost most of their high-profile talent from the past two seasons and sports a new coach.

However, Webb said West Forsyth may be the early front-runner and the Red Elephants begin a three-game stretch to finish the season against the Wolverines on Nov. 6 and will close things out against North Forsyth on Nov. 20 at City Park Stadium with Denmark sandwiched in between.

“This is a good region for us from the standpoint that I think all seven teams are pretty equal,” he said. “I don’t see any powerhouses right now. But it’s also Class 7A football so you know no matter what region you’re in it’s going to be a challenge. That being said, though, I feel we’re a playoff-caliber team coming into the season.

Gainesville should be more than prepared to jump into the region fray with a very challenging non-region schedule. Their four non-region games -- Stockbridge, Discovery, Flowery Branch, Hillgrove -- were a combined 24-19 in 2019 with three making the playoffs.

“We wanted to challenge ourselves right from the start and I think our non-region schedule does that,” Webb said.

The Red Elephants' history has suggested they have been among the state’s elite programs sitting third all-time in wins (747) behind just Valdosta and LaGrange but with just one state championship. Webb said it is time to put them permanently on the map.

“This is the time I expect the program to really take off,” he said. “Our plan in building programs is usually in Year 3 or 4 and has proven to work in the other places we’ve been. With this group, I think the time could be now.”