Three games to watch in Week 4
Game: Cherokee (3-0) at Creekview (2-0) Players to watch: Cherokee: QB A.J. Swann A.J. Swann 6'3" | 200 lbs | QB Cherokee | 2022 State GA (6’3″, 200), RB, Keith Adams Jr. Keith Adams Jr. 5'10" | 195 lbs |…
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Continue ReadingGame: Cherokee (3-0) at Creekview (2-0)
Players to watch:
Cherokee: QB A.J. Swann A.J. Swann 6'3" | 200 lbs | QB Cherokee | 2022 State GA (6’3″, 200), RB, Keith Adams Jr. Keith Adams Jr. 5'10" | 195 lbs | RB Cherokee | 2022 State GA . (5’10″, 200), WR Adarrius Harshaw Adarrius Harshaw 5'9" | 155 lbs | WR Cherokee | 2022 State GA (5’10″, 155), DE Toby Thompson (6’4″, 240)
Creekview: QB Brody Rhodes (6’1″, 190), OLB Isaac Hubert (6’1″, 210), RB Tyler Stevens (6’1″, 205), LB Grant Anderson (5’11″, 205)
Preview: Two remaining unbeatens will square off this Friday in when Cherokee travels to Creekview.
Cherokee (3-0) is coming off a 21-15 win over Rome, which entered last Friday’s game ranked No. 3 in Class 6A. So far this season, the Warriors have the most explosive offense in the area, averaging 33 points per game.
Junior quarterback A.J. Swann A.J. Swann 6'3" | 200 lbs | QB Cherokee | 2022 State GA leads the county in passing with 236 per game along with seven touchdowns. His primary target has been fellow junior Adarrius Harshaw Adarrius Harshaw 5'9" | 155 lbs | WR Cherokee | 2022 State GA (269 yards and three touchdowns) but seniors Brady Borcherer and Hayden Shockley each have found the endzone and have combined to average seven receptions and 90 yards per game. Swann holds one offer from Troy and drawn attention from several FBS schools including LSU, Virginia Tech, South Carolina, South Florida, and Maryland among others.
Cherokee’s running game is one of the most potent in the area as well, with junior Keith Adams Jr. Keith Adams Jr. 5'10" | 195 lbs | RB Cherokee | 2022 State GA . averaging 116 yards per game, and defensively, Cherokee has several players near the top of the county in multiple defensive categories. Senior linebacker Braesen Parker enters the game with a county-high 43 tackles while Keegan Baker has a county-high two interceptions. Cherokee’s junior kicker Joel Stahl has also quietly been putting together an impressive start to the season and has been perfect on field goals and extra points.
Creekview (2-0) will enter the game following a 16-2 road victory at Woodstock. While Cherokee boasts the county’s best offense, Creekview has produced the county’s best defense. Woodstock’s only points came by way of a Creekview safety and through two games the Grizzlies’ defense is allowing 126 yards and 6.5 points per game.
Creekview senior linebacker Grant Anderson leads the team in tackles and has been supported by senior defensive lineman Sam Minozzi along with sophomore linebacker Isaac Hubert.
Junior safety Cale Williams and senior corner Nick Stewart will be key pieces to watch as the Grizzlies attempt to slow down Cherokee’s passing attack.
Creekview’s offense has been led by its junior running back Tyler Stevens (137 yards per game) but senior quarterback Brody Rhodes is always a threat in both the running and passing game. Rhodes accounted for 213 yards of total offense last week and holds offers from Army, The Citadel and Kennesaw State.
Game: Campbell (1-2) at Woodstock (1-2)
Players to watch:
Campbell: DB Christian Hughes (6’2″, 215), OT Travion Florence (6’3″, 300), OT Kevron McCloud (6’4″, 280), RB Emon Padgett (5’7″, 170)
Woodstock: DB David Daniel David Daniel 6'3" | 190 lbs | DB Woodstock | 2021 State GA (6’2″, 185), DL Brett Stefan (6’4″, 250), WR Wes Bruno (6’2″, 180)
Preview:
Woodstock (1-2) fell 16-2 at home last week to Creekview in a game where the Wolverines struggled to move the ball offensively. Woodstock amassed 166 total yards against the Grizzlies and scored its only points by way of a safety.
The Wolverines were 2-for-12 on third down attempts against Creekview and 0-for-2 on their fourth down attempts. Senior running back V’ontae Hampton leads the team with 142 rushing yards on 31 carries while first-year quarterback Preston Lawrence is completing 58 percent of his passes this far. Facing a Campbell team coming off a shutout victory, the Wolverines offensively will need to improve in order to avoid a third-straight loss. Senior receiver Wes Bruno (offer from Birmingham Southern) has remained of the best weapons for Woodstock.
Defensively, Woodstock is trending upward. In each game played, the Wolverines have allowed fewer points than the previous week, and for the season they are averaging allowing 24 points per contest. Sophomore linebacker Carson Gray leads the team in tackles (20) and is tied for the county lead in tackles for loss (6). Senior linebacker Nate Osario has been a key contributor in his first year starting while senior safety David Daniel David Daniel 6'3" | 190 lbs | DB Woodstock | 2021 State GA (Georgia commit) remains arguably the best safety in the state. Senior defensive lineman Brett Stefan (D1 offer from Morehead State) is one of the best defensive linemen in the area.
Campbell (1-2) snapped a 21-game losing streak last week with a 35-0 win over Berkmar. It was the first win for the Spartans since their season-opener in 2017.
Woodstock will need to be prepared to stop the run once again, as Campbell will be led by its senior quarterback Mark-Anthony Swain along with the running back duo of senior Emon Padgett and junior Joe Phillips. Swain is arguably the team’s best running back and tallied 190 yards rushing two weeks ago against East Paulding. Padgett and Phillips combined for 277 rushing yards in last week’s win over Berkmar.
Senior safety Christian Hughes is an Air Force commit while junior book-end tackles Travion Florence and Kevron McCloud certainly have college potential.
Game: North Forsyth (3-0) at Etowah (0-2)
Players to watch:
North Forsyth: QB Brady Meitz Brady Meitz 6'2" | 175 lbs | QB North Forsyth | 2021 GA (6’2″, 175), LB Patrick Corrigan (6’2″, 225), DB Jumel Lewis (5’11″, 175), RB/ATH Jared Lucero (6’1″, 200)
Etowah: DL Jared Weitkamp (6’3″, 245), WR/DB Brock Rechsteiner (6’3″ 210), K Carson Allen Carson Allen 5'10" | 165 lbs | K Etowah | 2023 GA (5’10″, 170), WR Remington Adams (5’8″, 165)
Preview:
Etowah (0-2) fell 38-7 on the road at River Ridge last week in a game where the Eagles offense struggled to move to the ball.
Several younger players saw action in the second half against River Ridge including sophomore running back Luis Martinez and freshman running back Elijah Washington. Washington finished with a team-high seven carries for 31 yards and could see more action moving forward. Getting senior receiver Brock Rechsteiner and junior slot receiver Remington Adams more involved in the passing game could help open up the running game as well.
Defensively, Etowah will continue to be led by its defensive line which is led by senior Jared Weitkamp (offers from Columbia, Hanover College, Berry College and Birmingham Southern).
North Forsyth (3-0) will come to Etowah following a 28-14 win over Hapeville Charter, which entered last week’s game ranked No. 6 in Class 4A. North Forsyth defeated defending Class 6A state champion Harrison in Week 2 and should pose a significant challenge this week.
Leading the way so far this season for North Forsyth has been the senior duo of quarterback Brady Meitz Brady Meitz 6'2" | 175 lbs | QB North Forsyth | 2021 GA and running back Jared Lucero. Meitz is completing 65 percent of his passes (32-for-49) so far this season while tallying 396 yards and three touchdowns. An excellent athlete, Meitz is also a threat on the ground with team-high three rushing scores. Lucero is the team’s leading rusher with 31 carries for 148 yards, but the Raiders have been balanced as four different players have amassed at least sixteen carries.
Defensively, junior linebacker Patrick Corrigan leads the team in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks. He earned preseason All-State recognition, along with Meitz, and so far this season looks to be the centerpiece of the North Forsyth defense. Junior defensive back Jumel Lewis is a D1 prospect, with an offer from Tennesee along with attention from Kansas, Coastal Carolina and Western Kentucky.