ELITE JUNIOR CLASSIC
GEORGIA’S BEST TAKE THE FIELD FOR SECOND ELITE JUNIOR CLASSIC BY BRIAN JONES | BJONES@SCOREATL.COM
he 2014 high school football season has T come to an end with seven teams winning GHSA state titles at the Georgia Dome
two short weeks ago. Before the state title defenses begin and a new class of seniors takes the Georgia gridiron next season, the 2014 football action will conclude at McEachern High School with the second annual Elite Junior Classic. The second installment of the all-star game will let the biggest stars from the Class of 2016 go head-to-head and give us a glimpse into the season to come. There will be a North and a South team that have been split up by the region the player comes from. Regions 1-4 are placed on the South team and any player that plays on a team that belongs to Regions 5-8 will be on the North Squad. ARMORY OF TALENT….
The North team will be led by Norcross head coach Keith Maloof who has won the Class AAAAA state title two of the last the last three years. Maloof has won 150 games in his career and he comes from a rich tradition of coaching in his family. His father, George Maloof, won a state title at St. Pius, and his brother, Kevin Maloof was the head coach at Dacula from 1991-2010. Maloof will have a very experienced coaching staff working with him. Mill Creek head coach Shannon Jarvis leads the North assistant coaches. Other coaches on the staff include Ron Gartrell (Stephenson), Terry Crowder (Creekview) and Derek Cook (Kell). In the North trenches will be Archer’s Kobe Smith, a 6-foot-4, 295-pound defensive tackle committed to N.C. State, will line up in the North trenches. The South Team’s defensive line will be manned by McEachern’s Julian Rochester, the No. 1 ranked prospect in the state. Rochester, a 6-foot-5.5, 280-pound defensive tackle will represent
McEachern with his Indians’ teammate, running back Sam Jackson. On the South team, Colquitt County wide receiver Kiel Pollard comes off a dramatic 28-24 victory over Archer in the Class AAAAAA state championship. Pollard hauled in seven receptions for 59 yards in the victory. Defensive back Marquez Callaway has jumped into the top 5 Peach State prospects for the Class of 2016 on several recruiting boards and will represent Warner Robins on the South Team. West Hall standout Tyquan Statham will take snaps at defensive back for the North Team and will face South Team quarterback Logan Byrd and a deep group of receivers. Byrd is a 6-foot-3 signal caller from Veterans and is committed to Virginia Tech. Collins Hill defensive end Tomon Fox and Upson-Lee offensive tackle David Marshall skyrocketed in the recruiting ranks this past season and like all the competing players in the Elite Junior Classic, can continue climbing the ranks with a strong showing Monday, Dec. 29 Ware County’s Franklin Stephens is the South’s head coach. Stephens has won two state titles at Tucker and led Lamar County to a state title appearance in 2013. Like Maloof, Stephens will have a very talented coaching staff working with him. Lee County head coach Dean Fabrizio will be the offensive coordinator while Spalding head coach Nick Davis will be the defensive coordinator. Other notable coaches on the roster are Tom Fallaw (Cairo) and Welton Coffee (Camden County).
Having Rochester in the Classic will give the state a chance to watch its No. 1 prospect line up against the best competition. Early commits like Byrd (Virginia Tech) give fans of their future schools a chance to see them play before they arrive on campus. The event also gives the players a chance to learn from some of the best coaches in the state with Maloof and Stephens. Both coaches have built winning programs and mentored all-state selections and future college stars. The Elite Junior Classic is also a way to celebrate Georgia high school football and our newest class of leaders. The players participating in the Elite Junior Classic have already become leaders on their teams and will continue to be looked up to next season as they try to get to the Georgia Dome in December. The coaches and players are all competitors and bragging rights will be on the line for the North and the South but this is a game that celebrates the talent in our backyard. When a player dresses out for the Elite Junior Classic it is more than another football game. It is a unique opportunity to step on the field and compete in the spotlight with the biggest names in the state. Lastly, it is an opportunity for each player to represent his school and community in the Peach State’s newest postseason tradition. Photo courtesy of Sonny Kennedy.
MORE THAN A GAME…
With this being the second even Elite Junior Classic, many may think that this is just an all-star game for the best juniors in the state. That’s one of the reasons for the event, but this is also a way for fans to get a look ahead at the 2015 season.
We would like to thank the Georgia National Guard, Score Atlanta, Sky Zone, McEachern High School, the Atlanta Falcons, EvoShield, Bulldog Sports, Play On Sports, Adidas, PT Solutions, Next Star Communications, Sports Medicine South, Stars and Strikes, OrthoAdvantage Inc., Perry McGuire and John Woods for their support of the 2014 Elite Junior Classic! The Elite Junior Classic Guide was produced and published by Score Publishing, a division of Score Atlanta. The publisher is I.J. Rosenberg, Managing Editor is Craig Sager II, Creative Art Director is DJ Galbiati Blalock and Marketing/Partnership Director is Lauren Goldstein. Score is a full-service marketing company and can be reached at 404-256-1572 and SCOREATL.COM. You can also check us out on Facebook (scoreatlantasports) and Twitter (@scoreatlanta).
ELITE JUNIORS NORTH TEAM NAME
POS. SCHOOL
Matt Agnew............OL...................... Dacula Bryson Armstrong....LB............................. Kell Marcelino Ball........DB..................... Roswell Jackson Bardall......OL..........North Forsyth
NAME
SOUTH TEAM POS. SCHOOL
Keenan Mar............DL........................Grady Joseph Mancuso....QB..........Union County Bryce Morais..........DL....................Grayson
NAME
POS. SCHOOL
NAME
POS. SCHOOL
Tarik Adams...........OL...................Lowndes
David Marshall......DL............... Upson-Lee
Alex Barbir..............K/P........South Forsyth
Nick Moss...............LB...................Thomson
Chris Barnes...........OL...............Lee County Arkeem Byrd...........RB.......................Jenkins
Gabe Nabers..........TE....................Lowndes Mack Nash..............TE.....................Camden
Robbie Bell..............OL................ Mill Creek
Stockton McGuire.QB........ Landmark Chr.
Jamir Billings..........RB................... Norcross
Alex Mollette.........OL...... North Gwinnett
Allen Cater..............DL................. Mt. Paran
Jakob Brashear.......LB....................... Dacula
D.J. Owens..............WR......North Paulding
Devin Cochran.......OL.......................... GAC
Kiel Pollard..............WR.... Colquitt County
Conor Davis............QB........ Blessed Trinity
Harrison Poole.......DB....................Camden
Pippin Davis............LB.........................Lamar
L.J. Pope...................WR......South Paulding
Keenan Dodson.....DL..........Peach County
Jesse Reverio..........DB............ Cedar Grove
Tray Eafford............WR.............Lee County
Seth Shuman..........QB...................Valdosta D’Ante Smith..........OL...............Grovetown
Jarrett Cole.............DB.................. Norcross Kenny Cooper........DL...............Sonoraville Tristan Crowder.....OL................ Carrollton Forrest Evans..........OL......................Walton
Tyler Simmons.......WR.... New Manchester Dylan Singleton.....DB...................... Archer Alex Smith..............OL......................Etowah
Michall Carter........DL.....................Jackson
Tomon Fox...............DL............... Collins Hill
Kobe Smith.............DL...................... Archer
De’Andre Gardenhire.....DL....................Camden
Roury Glanton........LB................. Carrollton
Anthony Stanley....WR....Heritage-Conyers
Brodarious Hamm.OL................... Spalding
Kendrec Grady.......DB.................. Norcross
Tyquan Statham.....DB.................West Hall
Devon Henderson.DB...................Marietta
K.J. Hancock...........WR.... North Gwinnett Will Harper.............LB............. Sandy Creek Tyrone Hopper.......LB...................... Roswell
Chandler Staton.....K/P.............Gainesville Jarvis Terrell...........RB................. Carrollton
DeAndre Huff.........WR...................Newton Sam Jackson...........RB............... McEachern
Tabarius Peterson....LB........................Tucker
Kyron Smith............DB........ Macon County Lorenzo Smothers....ATH.... Marion County Zachary Thompson....OL... Emanuel Co. Inst.
Leondre Kincy........DL..........Peach County
Robert Tucker.........LB.....B.E.S.T. Academy
Javon Jackson.........DB............ Sandy Creek
Tyler Vernon...........DL................ Mill Creek
Nate Lee..................OL...................Veterans
Martial Washington....DB......... Richmond Hill
Sam Letton..............OL......................Walton
Isaac Weaver..........OL.....................Lassiter
Antonio Leroy.........LB......................Monroe
Ronald Wilson........DL...............Lee County
NORTH COACHES
SOUTH COACHES
Keith Maloof - Norcross..............................................................Head Coach Shannon Jarvis - Mill Creek..................................... Offensive Coordinator Reggie Stancil - Norcross.......................................................Wide Receivers Mike Earwood - Our Lady of Mercy......................................Offensive Line Terry Crowder - Creekview......Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs Ron Gartrell - Stephenson...................................................... Defensive Line Derek Cook - Kell...........................Linebackers/Administrative Assistant
Franklin Stephens - Ware County..............................................Head Coach Dean Fabrizio - Lee County...................................... Offensive Coordinator Van Spence - McEacnern....... Wide Receivers/Administrative Assistant Tom Fallaw - Cairo.....................................................................Offensive Line Nick Davis - Spalding........................Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers David Bruce - Veterans........................................................... Defensive Line Welton Coffey - Camden County....................................... Defensive Backs
8 GRADE ALL-STARS TH
GEORGIA FORCE
NAME POSITION Dominick Blaylock.................................. Ath Steele Chambers.................................... Ath Naiser Currie Sudler................................DB Juandrago DJ Turner................................DB Chris Carter...............................................DB John Thomas.............................................DL Garrison Riley............................................DL Caelan Johnson.........................................DL Luis Cano..................................................... K Malik Adams..............................................LB Dantez Simpson........................................LB Kameron Brown.........................................LB Alex Contreras...........................................LB Miles Henderson.......................................LB Kareem Hobbs...........................................LB Mason Napper..........................................OL Edward Hernandez...................................OL Harrison Miller.........................................OL
Quentin Skinner........................................OL Jake Ludwig...............................................OL Parker Brogdon.........................................OL Riley Simonds............................................OL Bulah Nyang..............................................OL Ross Malmgren........................................ QB Ethan Wright............................................ QB William Goldring..................................... QB Lance Wise................................................ RB Paris Brown................................................ RB Ryland Goede............................................ TE Isiah Grant............................................... WR Emanual Jenkins..................................... WR Zion Hawkins.......................................... WR Jordan Cox............................................... WR Justin Tew................................................ WR
Head Coach................................................................ Ross Malmgren
FUTURE STARS
NAME POSITION Jakori Jones.............................................. QB Kyle Terry.................................................. QB Jakai Clark..................................................OL Keiondre Jones..........................................OL Justin Eboigbe...........................................OL Chilton Tolliver..........................................OL Micheal Brooks.........................................OL Vincent Murphy........................................OL Tucker McCoy...........................................OL Nathaniel Morgan.................................... RB Trevor Smith.............................................. RB Gary Benton............................................... RB Kayle Wallace......................................... WR AJ Brown.................................................. WR Deshon Stoudemire............................... WR Kenyatta Watson.................................... WR
Derrick McLendon...................................DL David Ross.................................................DL Bevin Glanton............................................DL Jawaun White...........................................DL Jaylen McCollough....................................LB Trevon Salter..............................................LB Kenny Edwards..........................................LB Jake Wilson...............................................DB Malik Webb...............................................DB Justin Foster..............................................DB Jaylen Edwards.........................................DB Malik Washington....................................DB David Davis...............................................DB Jamorious Griffin......................................DB Owen Pappoe.........................................ATH Patrick Markwalter.................................... K
Head Coach.................................................................Valister Wilson
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