What’s in store for the Packers going to Grayson High?

Published 8:11 pm Tuesday, September 18, 2018

MOULTRIE – Looking ahead. No high school coach will admit it happens, but it does. Could that explain why No. 3 Grayson High only defeated unranked Westlake High of Atlanta 21-15 last Friday on the road? Could it explain why the Rams, one week before that game, needed an interception in the final minute to defeat Marietta (one spot away from this week’s 7A top 10) 38-31 in Marietta after leading 35-0 towards the end of the third quarter?

This middle part of September on the 7A schedule featured two “Game of the Year” candidates, one of them taking place last weekend and living up to the hype when Walton defeated defending champion North Gwinnett 27-24. The next one is this coming Friday in Loganville when the 3-1 Grayson Rams host the undefeated and No. 1 ranked Colquitt County High Packers.

Certainly nobody can say Rush Propst’s team was looking ahead to this match-up when, at then Class 5A No. 2 Warner Robins, the Packers built a 21-0 lead before the sun could set and never had to sweat any kind of Demon rally. The final ended up 41-14 even though Warner Robins was able to build up more offensive yards.

What a coincidence. Westlake out-gained Grayson in defeat on its home turf with 392 yards to 310 for the Rams.

Points are the only thing that determine a winner, and Grayson did all of its scoring in this contest during the first half. Westlake, in the final two minutes before halftime, hit a 50-yard touchdown pass play bringing the at the break to 21-12.

While the ‘looking-ahead’ theory is possible, Propst said to not underestimate Westlake, a team that should win its region in 7A.

“Westlake has talent,” he said. “We’ve played them before in the playoffs. Their problem is their school system won’t let them have enough coaches. At one time they had as many people playing in the NFL as any high school in Georgia.

“I think Grayson’s had this one circled for a while. I think the issue with Marietta is that Marietta had lost (two games) and Grayson may have looked at them as not as good as they thought. They are not going to do that with us. They got up on Marietta good early, and they did what we do sometimes.”

So if the state hasn’t seen the best out of Grayson yet, Propst said it’s likely to happen Friday.

One thing that cannot be denied about the Grayson football roster is that Division I colleges from spots all over the map are laying a claim to somebody. Call it an All-Star team, but it’s one Propst said wasn’t just put together this year, though some of the players come from different environments and different schools.

“They’ve been together for a while,” he said. “The issue with Grayson is they have been good for 10 or 12 years. Mickey (Conn) built that program from scratch. This is the game, if you are a normal fan, you go buy this ticket. It may be the only game you go to all year. This has everything you want in a high school football game.”

The Rams’ story begins with linebacker Owen Pappoe, a starter from the 2016 Ram team that won the first 7A GHSA championship after knocking off Colquitt County in Moultrie during the quarterfinal round. Pappoe is committed to Auburn, and he not only is averaging 9.5 tackles per game, he is scoring touchdowns in close yardage situations. He had the first Grayson points vs. Westlake.

One major prospect – cornerback Kenyatta Watson II, committed to the Texas Longhorns – was injured late in the Marietta game, an injury that required an ambulance ride off the field. But Propst said Watson played in the Westlake game.

In addition, there’s 6-4 defensive end Kevin Harris with six quarterback sacks so far. He is committed to the apex of college football, the University of Alabama.

Kenyon Jackson, a 6-5 1/2 wide receiver, has chosen Texas A&M. He had two touchdown catches vs. Westlake on consecutive offensive plays from quarterback J’Kori Jones. They covered 60 and 31 yards.

Continuing though the list of Ram players ranked among the state’s best by 247sports.com:

Lineman Wayna Morris, 6-5 1/2 and 311 pounds, is committed to Tennessee

Lineman Trente Jones, 6-6, 282 pounds, is committed to Michigan

Ronald Thompkins, athlete, is committed to Nebraska

Tru Thompson, 338-pound defensive tackle, is committed to Florida State

Allen Smith, 6-3, 205 pound outside linebacker, is committed to North Carolina

Jalen Alexander, cornerback, is committed to Duke and had a key interception in the Westlake game

Jeremiah Smith, 6-2 safety, is committed to Georgia Tech and had the interception that ended the Marietta game

The center, 305-pound Jakai Clark, decommitted but is supposedly still sought after by Auburn

When Grayson won it all two seasons ago, it was the one and only season there for former Camden County High head coach Jeff Herron. Herron replaced Conn when Conn took his current position as safeties coach under Dabo Swinney at Clemson. Herron was replaced by Christian Hunnicutt, who has championship coaching experience at Buford High and spent time in South Georgia scheming against the Packers for two seasons (2013-14) at Lowndes High. It all began at Buford from 1997 to 2011, and he was offensive line coach/offensive coordinator for seven state winners. Hunnicutt was offensive line coach at Grayson in 2015, served as head coach at East Jackson in 2016, then returned to the Rams.

“He’s a good person,” said Propst. “Always been nice and cordial to me. I have nothing but respect for Grayson’s program, their coaching staff. Being around Buford, he knows how to win.”