If you are a University of Georgia fan, you can’t help but to stick your chest out a little during the Olympic Games in Rio.
If the school were its own count, they would rank 14th in the WORLD for medals won.
With thousands of athletes gathered in South America, current and former Bulldogs only count for 48 of them. That number is impressive because 10 of them have won medals. By comparison, the host country of Brazil has only won 11 metals.
Among its alumni are; Shaunae Miller, who dove across the line to win 400m gold.
It also includes volleyball player Alexandra Oquendo and swimmers Chase Kalisz, Allison Schmitt, Amanda Weir and Gunnar Bentz among their ranks.
Now onto high school football.
Can you believe it is opening weekend on the gridiron for high school football players?
It’s gonna look a little different around the area with the region realignment, I think it’s gonna be best for almost every team involved.
In Region 7AA, you have 4 teams from Floyd County, one from Gordon Polk and Chattooga Counties, with the long trip of the year Dade County. After the past decade, these teams are sure glad not to have the powerhouses Calhoun and Darlington on their schedule for the next few years.
The “new kids on the block” are Rockmart and Gordon Central. Both teams are looking to make an impact after the past few years, which including numerous disappointing losses. What Gordon Central does do is bring a familiar face back to the area. Former Rome High School and Rome Gladiator football coach David Humphries is the lead man for the Warriors.
Rockmart will welcome a new coach this season, but a familiar face for the program. Former Banks County High School head coach Biff Parson, who served as Rockmart’s defensive coordinator for the 2007 season, will assume the head job for the Yellow Jackets.
Early projections have the region as a two team battle between Chattooga and Pepperell. The Iddians are going to be powered by a pair of brothers with hot, nasty speed. Isaiah and Issac Foster return for their senior campaign with a lot of experience, as well as a lot of college teams looking at their resume.
For Pepperell, the Dragons are hoping to return to the way of Hunnicut. Pepperell turned their program around last year under new head coach Rick Hurst. Ironically the Pepperell, Chattooga game will be played on the last week of the regular season. It will likely decide the number one seed and region champion, so with the game in Lindale, I am going to have to go with the Dragons to take the region this year.
That will be followed by Pepperell at the number two spot. Model, a playoff power for the past few years will be looking to say something about that. Model will begin their year against AAA Sonoraville, which could be telling for both teams that made the playoffs last year. While being down, the Devils should take the three spot in the playoffs.
That only leave one spot open. Coosa will be looking to bounce back after what turned out to be a horrible year last season. The Eagles were picked to finish toward to top, but had to claw their way for even a single victory.
Dade County is always, well, Dade County. These kids from the hilltop of northwest Georgia are always big. That is what they are known for, a bunch of big and powerful linemen. While they don’t always have the speed of teams around here, they beat you up in the trenches. I think that should give Dade the four spot this year.
But who knows, that’s why you play the game!
Don’t forget you can listen to high school football EVERY Friday night on Coosa Valley News!
Join myself and Ken Fox starting at 5:30 for a one hour LIVE sports talk show where we will talk all things sports! Then at 7, join us LIVE at the stadium for our Game of the Week! This week we will travel to Murray County to watch Gordon Central take on the Indians.
Remember to follow me on Twitter @TheTonyPotts
