The Screven County Gamecocks are getting used to being back in the playoffs.
After a 2002 GHSA Class AA state title, SCHS went through a slump where they didn’t reach the postseason in 2003 or 2004.
The recent resurgence of the program has had the Gamecocks back competing for another title and a Region 3-AA championship.
Making the playoffs in 2006 and 2007 was nice, but Screven is ready to move to the next level. The players took it upon themselves to assign leadership positions to their fellow teammates
“Our team has elected two captains, and I couldn’t have done it better myself,” said Gamecock coach Pat Collins. “There’s probably several guys worthy of being captains. Senior fullback Travis Coles was elected this year, as was Travis Sampson, a defensive safety. They’re very deserving young men to be captains of this program.”
Screven County wants to make a statement in the Region 3-AA standings, and they hope to make a splash in the state playoffs. With a ton of experience on both sides of the ball, there’s no reason why the Gamecocks shouldn’t be competitive in one of the state’s toughest regions.
“I think it is a tough region, but hopefully we’re a part of that equation that makes it tough,” Collins said. “We want to go and compete every Friday night. You better compete every Friday night, because if you have a letdown at any point in the season, you’re going to get beat.
“Everybody on the schedule — everyone from the old region and everybody in the new region — is capable of beating you. That’s reflected by the fact that eight of the 11 teams last year were in the state playoffs. It’s not something we try to talk about and dwell on. We try to dwell on ourselves and get better.”
Offense
Joining Travis Coles in the backfield of the SCHS Wing-T attack are a group of three other seasoned players, all of whom can break a big play at any moment.
Quarterback Michael ‘M.J.’ Johnson has the breakaway speed to compliment the power running style of the other three.
“M.J. is probably the fleetest of foot that we have back there, and he’s strong too,” said Collins. “He’s certainly worked hard in the weight room.”
Johnson joined Coles in the state championship weightlifting meet in the 2007-08 season. What Coles lacks in breakaway speed, he makes up for in power. In fact, he took home the Class AA state championship in weightlifting as a junior.
Seniors Cameron Abraham and Walker Stuart man the wings of the four-headed rushing attack.
Johnson and his three running backs look to use their experience and seniority to lead the rest of the Gamecock offense.
Coles, who rushed for at least 1,000 yards for each in each of the past two seasons, heads up a backfield that — to say the least — has been there before.
“It doesn’t happen often that you have three three-year starters and one that’s going to be a two-year starter in the same backfield,” said Collins. “We’re going to have some experience. We’re going to have to work really hard on the guys behind them, because they’re going to be gone next year, and hopefully we’ll have them ready to go.”
Defense
The Screven County defense uses a five-man front to punch opponents in the mouth and take away the run. It is backed up by two linebackers and a four-man secondary. The run-first approach to defense helped the Gamecocks allow only 16 points per game in 2007.
“We’re playing a 5-2 defense like we played last year,” said Collins. “That’s what our coaches know best, that’s what our boys know best, and it’s what we feel is best suited to stop the run, which we feel like’s the first thing that has to be done in high school football.”
Each defensive group has leadership and experience.
Senior Donnie Mobley anchors a defensive line that is backed up by a tough corps of linebackers. Senior Tevin Roberts has emerged as the leader of that group, and Sampson — who is one of WTOC’s Super 11 for the 2008 season — heads the secondary as a safety.
The seniors have helped the youth of the defense learn its roles.
“You put them together,” said Collins, “and you’ve got kind of a leader in every group, and that’s good to have.”
Screven won’t get a break from its region schedule, which kicks off Friday, August 29 at 7:30 p.m. on the road at Dublin.
After a 2002 GHSA Class AA state title, SCHS went through a slump where they didn’t reach the postseason in 2003 or 2004.
The recent resurgence of the program has had the Gamecocks back competing for another title and a Region 3-AA championship.
Making the playoffs in 2006 and 2007 was nice, but Screven is ready to move to the next level. The players took it upon themselves to assign leadership positions to their fellow teammates
“Our team has elected two captains, and I couldn’t have done it better myself,” said Gamecock coach Pat Collins. “There’s probably several guys worthy of being captains. Senior fullback Travis Coles was elected this year, as was Travis Sampson, a defensive safety. They’re very deserving young men to be captains of this program.”
Screven County wants to make a statement in the Region 3-AA standings, and they hope to make a splash in the state playoffs. With a ton of experience on both sides of the ball, there’s no reason why the Gamecocks shouldn’t be competitive in one of the state’s toughest regions.
“I think it is a tough region, but hopefully we’re a part of that equation that makes it tough,” Collins said. “We want to go and compete every Friday night. You better compete every Friday night, because if you have a letdown at any point in the season, you’re going to get beat.
“Everybody on the schedule — everyone from the old region and everybody in the new region — is capable of beating you. That’s reflected by the fact that eight of the 11 teams last year were in the state playoffs. It’s not something we try to talk about and dwell on. We try to dwell on ourselves and get better.”
Offense
Joining Travis Coles in the backfield of the SCHS Wing-T attack are a group of three other seasoned players, all of whom can break a big play at any moment.
Quarterback Michael ‘M.J.’ Johnson has the breakaway speed to compliment the power running style of the other three.
“M.J. is probably the fleetest of foot that we have back there, and he’s strong too,” said Collins. “He’s certainly worked hard in the weight room.”
Johnson joined Coles in the state championship weightlifting meet in the 2007-08 season. What Coles lacks in breakaway speed, he makes up for in power. In fact, he took home the Class AA state championship in weightlifting as a junior.
Seniors Cameron Abraham and Walker Stuart man the wings of the four-headed rushing attack.
Johnson and his three running backs look to use their experience and seniority to lead the rest of the Gamecock offense.
Coles, who rushed for at least 1,000 yards for each in each of the past two seasons, heads up a backfield that — to say the least — has been there before.
“It doesn’t happen often that you have three three-year starters and one that’s going to be a two-year starter in the same backfield,” said Collins. “We’re going to have some experience. We’re going to have to work really hard on the guys behind them, because they’re going to be gone next year, and hopefully we’ll have them ready to go.”
Defense
The Screven County defense uses a five-man front to punch opponents in the mouth and take away the run. It is backed up by two linebackers and a four-man secondary. The run-first approach to defense helped the Gamecocks allow only 16 points per game in 2007.
“We’re playing a 5-2 defense like we played last year,” said Collins. “That’s what our coaches know best, that’s what our boys know best, and it’s what we feel is best suited to stop the run, which we feel like’s the first thing that has to be done in high school football.”
Each defensive group has leadership and experience.
Senior Donnie Mobley anchors a defensive line that is backed up by a tough corps of linebackers. Senior Tevin Roberts has emerged as the leader of that group, and Sampson — who is one of WTOC’s Super 11 for the 2008 season — heads the secondary as a safety.
The seniors have helped the youth of the defense learn its roles.
“You put them together,” said Collins, “and you’ve got kind of a leader in every group, and that’s good to have.”
Screven won’t get a break from its region schedule, which kicks off Friday, August 29 at 7:30 p.m. on the road at Dublin.
