There are just 30 days remaining until the kickoff of the 2022 high school football season. But make no mistake, preparations for the upcoming campaign got underway months ago. And teams throughout northeast Georgia already are in full countdown mode.
With that in mind, we spent the last couple of weeks catching up with programs around our area to get a feel for how spring practice went, how the summer is going, and what coaches believe the fall will look like. Our "Two-a-Days" series honors those old-school grinding sessions that lead us out of summer and into fall, asking each area coach two key questions about the state of their respective programs.
Over the next two weeks, AccessWDUN's Friday Game Night will get you prepped for the start of gridiron action with responses from coaches throughout northeast Georgia. (Teams run in alphabetical order)...
DAWSON COUNTY
The more things change in Dawsonville, the more they stay the same for the Tigers. They graduated more than 75 percent of their offensive production from 2021, including the program's all-time leading passer and more than 1,500 yards in receiving. However, there is still plenty of talent, though much of it is young.
A new Region 7-3A will be even more wide-open than in years past, and finding the right elements on offense could be the telling factor if they are once-again region title contenders or simply fighting for a playoff spot.
We caught up with coach Sid Maxwell to see how the changes are coming along as summer practices are heating up.
QUESTION: Coach, like several other teams in the area, y'all are looking for a new quarterback to run the offense. Y'all have sophomore David Glass and juniors Walker Massey and Sawyer Bearden battling for that starting spot. How is that shaping up during the summer, and has anyone taken a step forward?
ANSWER: "We are working with all three as we move into the summer, developing each one to their specific strengths. Coach (Andy) LeBlanc does an excellent job helping our quarterbacks to be season ready. It is too early to tell who will be the first one starting in August, but we will definitely build our offense around each one's strength. As of today, if it were game week, David Glass would get the start."
Q: You also lost a lot at receiver and in the backfield. Who are some guys that have impressed you in both positions so far during the spring and summer?
A: "We are building depth at both positions because the majority of our players play both sides of the ball, and it is all hands on deck. The running back position rotating through is Kade Moledor, Matt Bennett, Kenny Nelson, Alex Stewart, and Jace Jett. The receiving crew consists of Dom LeBlanc, Christian Webb, Doug Pagel, Sawyer Bearden, Elijah Smith, Andrew Monkus, Luke Smith,and Braden Crane."
(Click PLAY.above to see the video:)
- Previously in Two-a-Days: COMMERCE
- Up Next in Two-a-Days: EAST FORSYTH
