By: Priscilla Salmasi
This summer has been hot but fall shows no sign of cooling off as Gwinnett County coaches and players hustle on the football field to battle it out under the Friday Night Lights. This region has quickly become one of most competitive in the state and the communities of fans are excited to see if their team will go all the way. What can the fans of our local high school teams anticipate this season? Area head coaches took a time-out to talk about their teams’ goals on the road to victory.
COLLINS HILL EAGLES
HEAD COACH: KEVIN REACH
REGION 7-AAAAAA
HOME SCHEDULE:
Aug. 21 Dacula
Sept. 4 S. Gwinnett
Sept. 18 N. Gwinnett
Oct. 2 Mountain View
Oct. 23 Mill Creek
SNAPSHOT (OVERALL):
With eight returning starters on offense and seven on defense, Collins Hill has no problem with experience for the 2015 season. Coming off a great spring session, head coach Kevin Reach says it is as physical as it’s been since his first year of coaching at Collins Hill in 2008.
STRENGTHS: Reach says this year the Collins Hill defense is their strong point. With their talented linebackers and defensive line, they’ve got more experience in their secondary.
GOALS: After not making the 2014 state playoffs for the first time in six seasons, Reach said their first goal is to win every region game and win a region championship; of course the higher goal being to win a state championship. Reach said right now, it’s “stepping stones” to a region championship. He said, “Hard work always pays off. It’s not how you start, but how you finish.”
PEACHTREE RIDGE LIONS
HEAD COACH: MARK FLEETWOOD
REGION 7-AAAAAA
HOME SCHEDULE:
Aug. 22 Christ Presbyterian
Sept. 11 McEachern
Sept. 18 Meadowcreek
Oct. 2 Duluth
Oct. 30 Collins Hill
SNAPSHOT (OVERALL):
This year the Lions will take advantage of their junior starting quarterback as the team looks to reestablish the run game with his mobility. While the positions left and right tackle are slightly inexperienced, they are very talented and have come a long way. Offensively they’re looking to correct the run game and that has been the focus in the off-season.
STRENGTHS: From a football standpoint, the team’s group of talented receivers will work well to compliment their mobile quarterback. Fleetwood said the team is “one heartbeat: the coaches, players and staff.” Fleetwood stated the number one focus for the team is academics and to work with the boys to build character through football.
GOALS: Fleetwood said there are so many good teams in the region that it is essentially a “war zone.” In this region, “It doesn’t matter who you’re playing, it’s tough.” The goal for Peachtree Ridge is to always try to win a region and state championship. For Fleetwood, “Different years bring different things but you’ve got to put it all together and that is what we strive for and
work for every day.”
LANIER LONGHORNS
HEAD COACH: KOREY MOBBS
REGION 8-AAAAAA
HOME SCHEDULE:
Aug. 21 Lambert
Sept. 4 Clarke Central
Sept. 25 Loganville
Oct. 16 Heritage
Nov. 6 Apalachee
SNAPSHOT (OVERALL):
Lanier Longhorns are coming off their first ever region championship after going undefeated during the regular season. Head Coach Korey Mobbs looks to build on the success of last year to be better prepared for playoff football.
STRENGTHS: Mobbs said the Longhorns’ biggest strength is their offensive backfield along with their defensive front seven, quarterback and running back. In addition, the Lanier fans are “tremendous” and as the crowds grow each year, the players feed off of the energy that the crowd produces.
GOALS: Mobbs wants to continue to play winning football. His goal for the 2015 season is to find the Longhorns in the mix come playoff time. He wants to continue to build a winning tradition at Lanier High School. Mobbs teaches his players to stay humble and hungry and that each day is a new opportunity to improve in the classroom and on the football field. He believes doing well in the classroom is a daily choice of discipline and effort and when done with consistency the results take care of themselves.
NORTH GWINNETT BULLDOGS
HEAD COACH: BOB SPHIRE
REGION 7-AAAAAA
HOME SCHEDULE:
Sept. 4 Hillgrove
Sept. 25 Mill Creek
Oct. 9 Peachtree Ridge
Oct. 23 Duluth
SNAPSHOT (OVERALL):
The North Gwinnett Bulldogs are faced with one of the most difficult schedules in the state combined with one of the most inexperienced teams in over a decade. There are only eight players who have started a varsity game, so the team will need to grow up very quickly.
STRENGTHS: The running back positions are filled with several talented young players who can contribute and Sphire considers the running backs the strength of the program. The team also has some explosive receivers along with the senior center leading everything up front. Although the defensive front is young, it is talented.
GOALS: Along with the new group of players, North Gwinnett acquired familiar faces and new alike to assist Sphire. Jeff Carlberg and Todd Faulkner of Centennial and Troy Hobbs from Shiloh will be tested with the tough, non-region schedule. Sphire said “We have some tough games early and we have a lot of holes to fill.” But, the team is confident that despite a challenging schedule, they will be viable contenders in their region this year.
