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June 30, 2025 78 mins
This episode is about the Top 10 best athletes currently in Georgia high school football.

Presented by Pepsi and Dr. Kevin Collins #sponsored

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Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Stick out because Bottott Station.

Speaker 2 (01:59):
Al right, guys, and we are back with Phil Jones
and this is extra point. Welcome back, all right, guys,
welcome in to another week of talking high school football.
It is as you heard our introduction there from our
very own Plant Dykes. This is extra point with Phil

(02:20):
Jones and of course Mark Dykes, he is the founder
of by I TG Next.

Speaker 3 (02:25):
Mark, thanks so much for joining me yet again.

Speaker 4 (02:28):
Oh happy to be here, Phil. We ought to have
some fun today.

Speaker 3 (02:32):
Yeah, Mark, what is this?

Speaker 2 (02:33):
I think about four street weeks you've been joining me,
and I tell you we really had a blast talking
high school football. You know, Mark, you and I always
talk high school football off the air kind of you know,
both related to our jobs.

Speaker 3 (02:46):
And sometimes not just casually.

Speaker 2 (02:48):
So it's good to bring over that same type of
casual conversation here to the show.

Speaker 4 (02:55):
Yeah. I really enjoy it, always have growing up in
South Georgia high How can you not like high school football.
I think it's the best place to be. We've traveled
a lot of places. There's nowhere better.

Speaker 2 (03:10):
I agree with that, Mark one hundred percent. So just
getting the show set up here on my phone so
I can answer y'all's questions. By the way, if you're
new to the show, we are brought our live streaming
on our all of our platforms itg next Georgia social
media platforms on x, Facebook, Instagram, and I believe YouTube.

Speaker 3 (03:37):
If I'm not mistaken, Mark, I think we've got them
all covered.

Speaker 4 (03:39):
Yeah, that's correct, got all of them covered. So you
can click the link in any any of the on
any of those platforms in tune.

Speaker 2 (03:47):
In absolutely, and of course no matter where you're watching
the show at you can comment as well.

Speaker 3 (03:54):
And listen, guys, this is really one of the.

Speaker 4 (03:57):
Big Okay, did we lose Phil? Looks like we lost
field there for some reason. Guys, we do have a
storm rolling here, so bear with this. Hopefully this does
not happen too often. Well, hopefully we'll get filed back
in just a minute, guys, a couple of things I

(04:18):
do we're gonna talk to Phil about today. I'm sure
all of you had the opportunity to check out Feels,
a list of the all time great football programs in Georgia. Oh,
Fiel's back with us. Yeah, all right, we lost you
there for a minute. I was actually bringing in the

(04:39):
intro for you know, for the for the top ten
all time football programs in Georgia. Yeah, I think the
first you know, the first two three programs are real easy.
But Phil, I know you've been taking a little bit
of heat for that list. I'm actually gonna give you
a little bit of a hard time to Leah, we'll

(05:02):
have a little fun with that. But hey, if we
want to get started, tell me a little bit about
your list. I think it's a no brainer. Valdosta at
the top, right, twenty three state championships, what ten or
I don't know, multiple five, six national championships, right. I

(05:22):
don't think that'll ever be I don't know that that
record will ever be beat in the state of Georgia,
at least not in my lifetime anyway. So I think
that Valdosta is a no brainer. I also think Buford
probably coming in at number two. Now that you have
those in no particular order, feel when you made that list.

Speaker 2 (05:43):
So, and that's a good question, Mark, and I you know,
so here's my answer. I honestly thought Valdosta was number one.
I thought Buford was number two. I guess the way
I'm answering this is I really felt strongly and I
do feel strong only that our top three I think

(06:03):
are in order in my opinion. Now again, if we
you know, I do this based there's a lot of
subjectivity to it. Mark, Okay, yes, we're talking about the
state championships, but you know, also just looking at the
consistency of winning football.

Speaker 3 (06:24):
It's a long time since any.

Speaker 2 (06:26):
Of these schools, not Austin Bufford, had had a losing season.
And you know, look, you're gonna have your natural, your
national natural ebbs and flows, mark your ups and downs.
But what I was looking for when I put together
this list was a model of consistency.

Speaker 3 (06:41):
So I answered your question by saying that, I'll say with.

Speaker 2 (06:46):
Some confidence, certain degree of confidence, Mark that I like
my first three Valdosta, Bufort and Lowns in order. And
then after that, you know, it really just gets to
be pretty tough and trying to figure out, you know,
what's there really between four and five?

Speaker 3 (07:01):
Not a whole lot. So you can say that from.

Speaker 2 (07:04):
Four through ten, it's kind of you can put them
pretty much in whatever order you want to.

Speaker 3 (07:10):
So I hope that kind of gives it a little
bit of clarity.

Speaker 4 (07:12):
Well, I got to say, I think several people probably
gonna agree with me on this.

Speaker 3 (07:18):
I know where you're going. I know where you're going.

Speaker 4 (07:20):
Where I'm going. Lincoln County, I think it's got to
be on the list. Almost make a case for Lincoln
County to be number three. Yeah, at fourteen state championships.
You know, they've had so many great years there, so
so to me, I think maybe, you know, leaving them
off was was tough. I think maybe I think maybe

(07:43):
you just kind of blanked out on that go round
right there. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (07:46):
Look, here's the thing about I love it, you know, man, Yeah, yeah,
oh yeah.

Speaker 3 (07:53):
I love it.

Speaker 2 (07:54):
Listen, here's the thing about it. Okay, And I first
of all, I do agree with you. I agree with everybody. Uh,
and you're right. That is the one school that I
really called a lot of flack about. You know, anytime
we do these top tens, whether it's players or teams, Mark,
you know, when I get through, of course, once I

(08:16):
press send, you know, for you guys out there, I'll
put together the list and I'll send it to Anna.
She is our operations director, and she got to you know,
puts together a lot of our graphics and her and Flint,
you know, put together everything. But actually I take it back,
I send it to Flint who put together the graphic.
By the way, Flint Dykes and Anna, they do a
great job with our graphics. We've got the best graphics

(08:40):
of anybody in the business. And I'm I biased, yeah,
a little bit, but I meanwhile, I think it's legit anyway.

Speaker 3 (08:47):
So but once I hit sinned Mark into our viewers,
that's it. There's no going back.

Speaker 2 (08:52):
But as soon as I hit send, I immediately thought,
you know what, I probably should have included Lincoln County.

Speaker 3 (09:03):
So I will admit that.

Speaker 2 (09:04):
But that's really the kind of that's really the way
it is with every top ten that I do. You know,
we're also ranked these the teams by classification Mark. We
rank the player rankings, of course, and I'm so grateful
to be able to do that.

Speaker 3 (09:19):
I love it.

Speaker 2 (09:20):
But there's always going to be that one player, that
one team that you're gonna second guests yourself on.

Speaker 4 (09:25):
So well, I agree there is a lot of subjectivity
to it. However, that being said, Valdosta with twenty four
state championships and no brainer, Lincoln County with fourteen. Buford
has fourteen state championships. Yes, and then if I'm not mistaken,
Clinch County has eight coming in after that one of

(09:46):
Robbins has six. Yeah, and I believe Lowne Lowndes has five.
You know, I think we're people in Calhoun. Calhoun has
five now and.

Speaker 3 (10:00):
Which by all those all those teams of course in
my top ten. Yeah, go ahead.

Speaker 4 (10:04):
Yeah. And so you know, I'm a huge Camden County fan,
but me too, you know, do they have that history
there behind them? I'm a huge Cockwit fan. Uh, you know,
looking at the history. But you know, it's subjective. I
think that list could will be fluid, with the exception

(10:24):
of Valdosta at the top spot.

Speaker 2 (10:27):
And again I certainly don't argue out a bit now,
you know, again you have to You just mentioned several
of the teams and how many state championships they've won. Mark,
I will say this state titles was not my only criteria.
It certainly was a big part. Of course with Valdosta,

(10:47):
it was just the overall win.

Speaker 3 (10:49):
I mean, they're getting the overall.

Speaker 2 (10:50):
Winning this program in the in the United States, we all,
you know, kind of the no secret there. But you know,
when I look at these teams and I want to
talk about Camden for a second. Mark, so we know
the success that Jeff Hairing had during his run there.
You know, when you think about and Mark just just

(11:13):
reflect for a second, when you think about the run
that Jeff Herron and Camden County went on, it really
is for the most part or unparalleled in this state.
You know that there was a time there where I
didn't think Camden was ever going to lose again. And
again I don't have the numbers in front of me,

(11:34):
but it's again all about a model of consistency winning football.

Speaker 3 (11:40):
And man, I'm going to tell you Camden I say
they had that.

Speaker 2 (11:43):
They really still do, although not quite as successful as
when Jeff Heron was there, but we all remember the
string that coach Aaron got on.

Speaker 3 (11:51):
And again, when you thought about winning.

Speaker 2 (11:54):
Football programs, consistently winning football programs, and I'm talking about
you know, ten win seasons, there's a couple of schools,
a couple of programs that come to mind, Mark, that
would be Camden North Side one of Robins just right
off the top of my head.

Speaker 4 (12:11):
Well again, very good programs, you know that said of
course obde Farley just mentioned I believe in the chat
TCC has six state championships.

Speaker 3 (12:24):
And sure I think if you talk.

Speaker 4 (12:25):
About legendary runs, I don't know that there's been a
better run than Ed Pilcher had at Thomas County Central.
I think if you go back and look at what
he win, I mean it was like four or five there.
I mean, could have won four or five in a
row or five four in a row and barely missed one.

(12:47):
But I think TCC could be on that list. Then honesty,
I'd probably removed Canada and a cockuit and put TCC
on there because of six state championships potentially, and put
Lincoln on there. But again it's subjective.

Speaker 2 (13:04):
Yeah it is. And again that's the beauty of it.
And look, I've always said this about anything that I do,
whether it's rankings or you know.

Speaker 3 (13:17):
Whatever the case may be. I've never pretended that I
know more than anybody else. I've never said that never will.

Speaker 2 (13:24):
So the thing I do love, though, is that for
the most part, I can put up a pretty good
argument and defense of the picks that I do put
out there. But at the same time, you know, there's
always going to be room to be needled a little
bit and for people to come in and make their
own points.

Speaker 3 (13:42):
The point counterpoint if you will.

Speaker 2 (13:44):
So again very subjective, not saying that my list is
one correct, but you know it's it's my opinion, it's
what I think, and of course I try to represent
the company can make it an our opinion. But again
it's the beautiful thing is when you only put the out,
putting down ten teams or in the case of players,

(14:06):
mark you know, there's always going to be somebody left out.
You know, I'm beginning to find, not really beginning to find,
but I've always known this. But when you start doing
these top tens whatever it is, ranking players teams, what
have you you come to find out just how many
not just good but great teams we've got. And when

(14:29):
you only give credits to ten whatever players teams, when
you only give ten, that.

Speaker 3 (14:39):
Really is a pretty tough criteria.

Speaker 4 (14:42):
Well, the bottom line is we're talking about high school football.

Speaker 3 (14:46):
In Georgia, which is there you go.

Speaker 4 (14:48):
Anytime we can get people talking about it, that's great. Look,
I've always said and have still yet to figure it out.
And I know we have a lot of fun with
these with these lists, but you know the three star,
four star, five star athletes, well what's a star? And
it gives out those stars, because how many times have

(15:09):
we seen a five star athlete maybe not be quite
as good as he was anticipated to be, And then
how many times have we seen a player that was
not even really getting recruited then turn into a really
great player that could have been worthy of a five star.

(15:30):
So it's certainly subjective, but our goal is to lift
people up. Let's try to get people talking about it,
and maybe we get people in the mix or in
the conversation, or teams that maybe don't get as much
recognition as they otherwise normally would. So, yeah, we get
people talking. That's a good thing. I like that list. Again,

(15:54):
I would have made a few tweets you and I.
You know, I cut up with you about it, and
we had talked a little bit about that all off
camera when the list came out. But I think it's
good to do those kinds of things. It gets people
talking about it, and certainly we're made aware of maybe
some teams that got left off. And also the luxury

(16:15):
of hindsight. It's a wonderful thing. No matter how long
you spend researching something or looking at something, hindsight's a
wonderful thing, And especially you have somebody that's very familiar
with a particular area or program or player, and it's like, hey,
all you can do is tip your hat and say
that's a valid point.

Speaker 2 (16:35):
Absolutely what history when they say mark hindsight is twenty twenty,
it's always going to be crystal clear after the fact.

Speaker 4 (16:44):
And we could always say, well, why don't we just
break that down per classification. That's you know, that's really
needling down on it then. But I think we all
agree Valdosta is clear cutting number one. I think there's
you know, it's tough after that, and I hope Valdosta

(17:05):
keeps winning. I hope they can hold on to that.
Winning his high school football program status in the state
of Georgia's good for Georgia's certainly good for South Georgia.
I know, Phil, you and I talked about it. You know,
I think they had to forfeit those wins. I guess
when Rush was there for the season, and yeah, I

(17:26):
do think now what it's just one or two games?
Is that correct separation?

Speaker 3 (17:30):
Yeah, I'm arguing me to catch out.

Speaker 2 (17:32):
I think it's about three or four if I'm not mistaken.

Speaker 3 (17:35):
And this kind of goes back and forth. The reason
for that is.

Speaker 2 (17:40):
There's always been some speculation and some argument, for lack
of a better word, of exactly how many total wins
Valdosta has. And I think that goes back to whether
or not some games were counted to during and been
World War two.

Speaker 4 (17:57):
Oh those games at account War.

Speaker 3 (18:03):
I agree one.

Speaker 2 (18:05):
But you know there's some people that and I think
it is in the case where Valdosta lost.

Speaker 3 (18:10):
Again, I'm just I'm just maybe misremembering here.

Speaker 2 (18:13):
I'm not so don't hold it against me, guys, but
there was an argument about a conflict which had to
do with I guess Valdosta being able to have all
their players because of the draft, because of the one
of the wars, and so you know, I think you
can say that there is some losses for Valdosta. That
was an asterisk attached to it. Again, fair not fair,

(18:39):
that is I think one of the arguments. Johnny Holkom,
I know is checking out the show. Johnny, you are
a pretty good well you are mister Valdosta high school football. Uh,
president of the Touchdown Club. Nobody knows Valdosta football like
Johnny Holkom does. Johnny, if you can clarify that for us,
I know you're watching the show.

Speaker 3 (18:56):
So if you can clarify that for us and let
us know kind of where about to is.

Speaker 2 (19:00):
Here's the interesting thing, real quick, Mark, and I think
our viewers will find this interesting.

Speaker 3 (19:05):
So Masalon, Ohio, which you went up there.

Speaker 2 (19:10):
To represent us a couple of years ago when Valdosta
went to Masalon, right, yes, correct, Yeah, So you obviously
saw the the pomp, circumstance, the energy, the size of
the crowd, the stadium. I mean, there's a reason that
they're on Valdosta's heels for the number.

Speaker 3 (19:29):
Of all time victories.

Speaker 2 (19:31):
Now my thing is outside of Massalon again, right in
the shadows of the NFL Hall of Fame. They're in Canton.
But here's what's interesting. Outside of valdostin Masalon. You've got
two teams from Kentucky. One is mail in Al High

(19:53):
School in mail Kentucky, and there's another one. I think
those are three and four. I find that interesting in
a state the Bluegrass State as is known. I find
that interesting, in a state where basketball is king and
even high school in college, that you've got two of
the five one of the most football programs in the country,

(20:14):
hell from Kentucky. Mark, that's I find that that's kind
fascinating to me.

Speaker 4 (20:19):
Well, Kentucky's certainly a basketball state. You're right, I'm not
really familiar with those schools. I think, you know, they're
probably in smaller communities. I think I can say this
about Masling having gone up there. Yeah, that's a wonderful
small town. And it's a very small town.

Speaker 3 (20:39):
I did not realize that.

Speaker 4 (20:40):
Yeah, it's a very small town. Their stadium seats I
think it sets about fifteen thousand people, and they actually
get they have a huge fan base from you know,
all the counties that border them. They actually come to
their games, very very entrenched. You know, that's where Paul

(21:05):
Brown is from. It's you know, a lot of history
around football in that community. They're fine people there, certainly.
I can tell you this about Maslyn. They are all
pulling in the same direction. Everybody in that community. The
high school coach, the ad, the touchdown club, administration, the mayor,

(21:30):
everybody is all on board with that team. They desperately
want to be the winning is high school football program
in the nation. They are aware of it, they talk
about it. They want to get that record. And again,
they're all pulling in the same direction. I gotta tell you,

(21:50):
and they're very I gotta tell you, it reminds me
of Valdosta. They have a museum, they have someone that

(22:18):
I'm I'm glad that Valdosta and and uh Felton Shelton
have have got things going in the right direction at Valdosta.
I think they're going to have a good year. I
don't think Valdosta is going to lose that this year
because I think they're going to win a lot of games.
But Maslyn, Ohio is a really great place, and make

(22:38):
no mistake about it. They want to be the winning
in high school football program. And there's really it's truly
amazing to see. I mean, there's really not much else
in that town. It's a very small town. And from
the like you mentioned, the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
So Valdosta will keep winning and they want you know,

(22:59):
they will be able to pass past Valdosta's. It's good
that they hold onto that. So you know, you certainly
got the number one spot, right Phil, That was the
easy one.

Speaker 2 (23:12):
It was from two through nine or two through ten,
I should say it was the tuppy But so Obadi
far of course, Thomas County Central is number one fan.
He's always representing the Yellow Jackets program. Well, here on
the show, Obadi says Mark that Valdosta with nine sixty
five ninety by wins, has a nine n sixty five

(23:35):
wins according to.

Speaker 3 (23:36):
NFL play Football.

Speaker 2 (23:37):
They are followed closely by Masline Washington.

Speaker 3 (23:41):
With nine fifty nine.

Speaker 2 (23:43):
So Mark, you're right, it's six wins, six wins.

Speaker 3 (23:48):
Yeah, I think that's what you said earlier.

Speaker 4 (23:50):
And I gotta tell you, I don't know what the
rules are in Ohio as far as transfers. You know,
every state is different, but I got to tell you,
Maslin first class facilities, incredible stadium. I think they pick
up some players. In fact, I'm sure they pick up

(24:12):
some players from the neighboring communities because when I was
up there a couple of years ago, their starting quarterback
had just moved in there as a senior, very talented
young man. I don't really know what that looks like. However,
they run a first, first class program. You can have
all the transfers you want, but you know, to win
a lot of state titles and win a lot of games,

(24:33):
you got to have good coaching, you got to have
good infrastructure, you got to have more going on. But
look for them. They'll be very competitive. I can't see
them losing a lot of games. So hopefully Valdosta continue
to win. That's a great place, and I encourage anybody
if you ever get near there, or if you go
to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, go see Maslem.

(24:56):
A lot of history there.

Speaker 2 (24:58):
Well, Mark the thing I'm impressed with. And I didn't
realize the city was as small as it is. You know,
we and I say, well, it was you that went
up there to represent us. You know, devoted a lot
of energy, a lot of time, a lot of resources
to covering the not just the mat the mass one
Valdosta game. Mark, but you know, obviously you went up

(25:21):
there to cover that culture of massline football. Why don't
you take a second and kind of fill us in
on that. I don't want to get there, and of
course we'll come right back to this top ten list,
but I just think it's worth pointing out the team
that's run on the heels of catching Valdosta with a
number of all time wins. I think it's worth, you know,
taking a little bit deeper look at them.

Speaker 3 (25:41):
So tell us what you saw up there.

Speaker 4 (25:43):
Well, first of all, we did create a video about
that game. It's on our YouTube channel. It's a couple
of years ago.

Speaker 3 (25:53):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (25:54):
I don't know if Flint's with us, maybe he could
grab a link to that video and put it put
it up. But it's a really good video and it'll
and it's a lot it's look, their community is just
like South Georgia. Uh, they are all behind that football team. Again,
they have a museum right near the stadium. They also
have a museum downtown. Uh that tells you all about uh,

(26:19):
you know, the history of all the people that have
come through there. Yeah, they have again, neighboring counties. It
would be like, for example, in South Georgia, if you're
in Moultrie and then you're you have season ticket holders
that live in Worth County or Cook County or Brooks County.
That's what they have. They are the the main game

(26:43):
in town up there in their area. But it's a
very it's very rural. I mean we flew into the
airport in Pittsburgh and then drove there and we're a
lot of two lane roads getting there, let me put
it that way.

Speaker 3 (26:57):
Interesting, very interesting. What just sounds like you of.

Speaker 2 (27:01):
Midwestern high school football that it's fine that's right, that's right.

Speaker 4 (27:05):
It is a great environment up there. Would like to
go back up there and do a deep dive into
the whole program. I mean, we couldn't do it justice.
In the video that we put out that you know,
we did give you a glimpse, a little overview of it.
You can see some of the facilities, the stadium, talked

(27:25):
with the coach, and then obviously covered the game. But
you could easily go back up there and spend some
days and do a really nice little mini documentary about
that place.

Speaker 2 (27:37):
Absolutely, you're watching Extra Point with Philip Jones. Mark Dyke's
in with me. Big thanks to our friends here at
Melo Mushroom who have been quite the host for our
show this past month.

Speaker 3 (27:49):
We want to give a big thanks to them.

Speaker 2 (27:51):
Also thanks to doctor Kevin Collins at the Houston Clinic,
one of our sponsors. Also Pepsi Cola of Valdosta serving
as or two sponsors.

Speaker 3 (28:01):
So a big thanks to doctor Kevin Collins the Houston.

Speaker 2 (28:03):
Clinic, as well as Dori deluch and our friends at
Pepsi Cola. So any other comments, Mark, before we move
on with our top ten, I will ask you this.
You said you had a couple of teams that you
would put in place. I think we all in agreement,
even me after the fact, would probably concede that, yes,

(28:26):
Lincoln County does belong.

Speaker 3 (28:28):
So I am here today.

Speaker 2 (28:30):
On the fly mark at five point fifty six gonna
officially admit that Lincoln County should be in So we're
gonna make it the all time top eleven, all.

Speaker 4 (28:44):
Time top eleven. I like it. Lincoln County's gotta be
in there. I think, you know again, TCC makes makes
a good argument to get in there too. I think
you have to look at state championships. That's just my opinion.
I think uh Cockwoitod has three, Camden has three, Northside

(29:05):
has three, Grayson has four. I don't know that there's
a better run that Ed Pilcher had at Thomas County Central,
you know, back back in the day when he was there,
and you know he did it the old fashioned way.
He did not have If I'm not mistaken, and Obadi
is an expert, I only think for all those state

(29:26):
championships he only had one or two D one athletes
on the team. Really, they won those games on physicality
and discipline. But I'm almost positive I heard that and
I think he I think he told me that Coach
Pilcher did years ago.

Speaker 3 (29:46):
But I don't think.

Speaker 4 (29:47):
I know they didn't have a lot of a lot
of talent. Again, I think that I think the number
was one d one recruit during those years where they
won all those state championships. And I mean, you don't
really need to say that. He tells you everything you
need to know. I think about a program and a community,
and I tell you that's another thing that he told me.

(30:09):
I've had some great conversations with coaches and really enjoy
talking to coach Pilcher, and he mentioned to me, he said, look,
to be successful in win state championships, you've got to
have everybody pulling in the same direction. The coach, the
athletic director, the touchdown club, the superintendent. You know, everybody's

(30:30):
got to be going in the same direction. You could
have the best team in the world and the coach
is doing a great job, but if you've got a
touchdown club that's pulling in a different direction, or somebody
in administration that's not on board what's going on. It's
not a matter of if it's just when things are

(30:50):
going to come on glued or you're not going to
get to that final destination. You got to have everybody.
A lot of things have to go right, and you've
got to have everybody on the same page.

Speaker 2 (31:00):
Again, I don't want to get too far off, but Mark,
I think when you talk about teams and schools that
fit the criteria you just laid out, I don't think
you know that it goes any further than Tiff County, which,
by the way, Jeff Littleton doing a fantastic job of
restoring Jiff County Blue Devil football to.

Speaker 3 (31:22):
Where you know it once was.

Speaker 2 (31:24):
And yeah, it's a great school, great athletic director really
like Chris Davis up there at shift and really all
those entire administration and coaches. But you know, Chiff County
took a tumble there for a while. But anyway, that's
just one of the schools that comes to mind. If
you take your eye off the ball, so to speak,

(31:44):
things can you know, go off the rails pretty quickly.

Speaker 4 (31:50):
Well, they can do that. You got to get somebody
that'll come in and and you know, make the hard
decisions that need to be made to turn it around.
I mean, you know, I'm a Worth County ram that's
where I graduated from and Jeff Hammon's done a great
job there. Had a chance to talk with him a
couple of weeks ago. I know, we put out a
video from our interview with him. He's breathed life into

(32:14):
that program that was not there, and you know has
has at least now some community support for that program.
And a big part of it is is getting all
the kids to come out and participate. Look, there's great
athletes all over South Georgia. You got to get them
in the program and get them and get them to
stay in the program and get on the same page

(32:36):
with you. But that's just an example, and that's what's
got to happen in tim You know, Jeff Littleton's breathing
life back into that program, and he's got to get
some community involvement. Look, it takes money to run a
program over and above what you're getting, so you need
to get people to donate to the program. I think
he's doing a great job there. We'll see, it'll pay all,

(32:57):
but it takes time. It just doesn't happen overnight.

Speaker 2 (33:00):
Absolutely, let's go and check out some of our comments,
Mark from some of the folks that are watching the show.
We got a lot of a lot of people checking
out the show. We got some pretty interesting comments. Mark,
I want to say hello to my buddy, Austin ab Butler.

Speaker 3 (33:16):
He says, hello, Phil and Mark, the men of the
hour and a half.

Speaker 2 (33:21):
He says, what's up guys now? Austin is up in
the Rome area. Does a pretty good job with say
a pretty good job, no, Mark, Austin does a great
job of covering the northwest corner of the state, especially
in the Rome Wolves.

Speaker 3 (33:36):
Mark, should Rome have made the all time top ten.

Speaker 4 (33:41):
Great environment Rome? You know, again, I have to look
at history when I'm thinking about that right at this
and I gotta be honest, I would have to delve
into Rome's history to really know if they should have
made that top ten. Again, I feel like hec could
have been on that list. Lincoln should be on the list.

(34:05):
There's no disagreeing that Rome is an incredible place, especially today.
I think if you want to, I think I think
you could create another list vill where where would you
want to be? What are the top ten programs to
play for today? What would you would be your top ten?

(34:26):
If you are a player, what would be the top
ten destinations where you would like to play. Oh wow,
that's a different list. So you should give that thought.
We should, in fact, we should come up with that
list and talk about it next week, maybe that next
week or the week after. But I do think, you know,

(34:48):
things things change that all time list. Clearly, history is
a big part of it. If you were playing today,
where would you want to be today? Wow?

Speaker 2 (34:59):
Mark, that is a great topic. I just I don't
know why we hadn't thought of that earlier. So your destination.

Speaker 4 (35:07):
School, Yeah, your destination school. If I you know, if
I could play anywhere, where would that be? Where do
we think what destination gives au the best opportunity to
win a state championship. And also quality of life, you know,
quality of coaching facilities come into play, and unfortunately, I mean, look,

(35:30):
great facilities don't guarantee wins. I mean, I've mentioned on
this show multiple times. I've been all over the country,
been to Saint Thomas Aquinas multiple times, and their facilities.
They got a nice field, but their weight room. Most
middle school weight rooms in South Georgia better than Saint
Thomas Aquinas weight room. You know, again, it's just not

(35:52):
the best facilities. Now that said, they win because of
the people there.

Speaker 2 (35:56):
So, but what a great example that is. I want
everybody to stop and hear what Mark's saying. You probably
when you hear Saint Thomas Aquinas, most of you probably
think the taj Mahal five Stars of four Seasons. But

(36:19):
it's not like that at all, as Marcus explaining.

Speaker 4 (36:22):
Yet, it's not that school. I gotta be totally honest
with you. I went down there five years ago for
the first time, and my expectation was just what you said.
But the school is older, it's been there a long time.
I mean, it's not in the best part of town. However,

(36:46):
it's a very good school both academically and athletically. And
we have some couple of videos coming out with Saint
Thomas Aquinas that I'll be coming out here in the
next week or two. I want to make sure everybody
can watch them and have great interview with their athletic
director Twine Russell. When you when you listen to that
interview with him, look, they're a d He left a

(37:11):
great job with the Miami Dolphins to come being a
d at Saint Thomas Aquinas. And once you talk to
him and Roger Harriet, and you talk to the people
there and the other coaches. I can't explain it. You
just had to go there and talk to them and

(37:31):
see it. But but again it's certainly not the taj Mahal.
Their facilities just again are not that great. Nice football
stadium and they're in Their stadiums are nice. You know,
their baseball stadiums very nice. But you know, they don't
have the indoor facility, you know, they don't. They don't
have all the bells and whistles that you know the

(37:54):
South Georgia schools have, even but they win. And also
down there's very can haetitive because those kids move around
so much and they can and they can move around.
That's just the way it goes. I've mentioned this before.
I've talked to a Florida coach before and having a
conversation with him and in uh the end of May,

(38:15):
beginning of June, I said, well, coach, you know, what
are you looking like this year? He said, wait and
talk to me the end of July. Let me see
who I get in. Let me see who I'm getting
to come play. And so it's the wild wild West
in Florida a lot of the time.

Speaker 3 (38:34):
Mardon, guys, I'm trying to get his attention.

Speaker 2 (38:37):
Okay, need to refill on the soda here. But anyway,
so Stephen k when Mark has had a question for
both of us or Stephen Gay when, uh, great friend,
great friend of mine, great friend of it g next
big league emmy fam Stephen Gay Wynn says Mark and

(38:58):
Phil what would it for Valdosta and Masline to run
it back? But this time in Valdosta. Mark, I note
that that was brought up, that conversation, that topic was broached.
I know you had talked to Shelton about it, Shelton
Felton about it.

Speaker 3 (39:13):
You may have talked to the head coach up there
at Masalon.

Speaker 2 (39:18):
About this, Mark, because a lot of people were assuming
that Valdosta Masalon was going to turn into a home
and home.

Speaker 3 (39:24):
What can you tell us about that?

Speaker 4 (39:26):
Well, I think there was talk about it, and I'm
not sure. I'm not really sure why Maslyn didn't make
a trip to South Georgia. But I would love to
see that happen. I would definitely like to see that
happen again. I was at the game. Look, I've said
that Valdosta, you should have won the game, should have

(39:49):
could have won a right but quarterback got banged up,
but Valdosta came right out and got played physical ball
and jumped on them. But to Maslen's credit, they certainly
didn't flinch and they played a long game and ended
up winning. But I would you know, that's a excuse me,
that's a great question, and I would like I would

(40:11):
personally love to see that that take place. I love
and I look, I think Maslen would come down. I
just think financially it has to work. That's a tough trip.
I know, you know, Valdosta took a bus up there.
I will have to say this. I think they took
the bus up there, and I think there were some

(40:32):
hotel resumeations made for them. Maslyn helped coordinate that. I
don't think their accommodations were the best in the world.
Let me put it. I think once Valdosta got up there,
it's like, okay, well wait a minute. You know, I
don't think the accommodations were the best in the world.

(40:53):
But would love to But I would love to see
that happen. That would be great. But that's tough when
you got a bus at that far. Now, if you
can fly this different, but but driving, you know, on
a bus that that's a lot. Then right after the game,
you know, they got back on the bus and just
drove all night back.

Speaker 3 (41:13):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (41:13):
Mark, So the former coach at Cedar Grove, his name
escapes me right now.

Speaker 3 (41:20):
You guys helped me out.

Speaker 2 (41:22):
Who was the coach at Cedar Grove that led them
to that that great run of the state championships and
title game appearances that they had. Yeah, I know he
went over to Georgia State. But he told me, Mark
that he and this was before the Valdosta Maslon game, Okay,
but he told me we he and I were talking.

Speaker 3 (41:44):
He told me that he had taken.

Speaker 2 (41:47):
His Cedar Grove team up to the Washington slash Maryland area,
the Washington, DC Maryland area, and uh.

Speaker 3 (41:55):
There's a team up there. They're they're they're very good.
And I'm drawing a blank on the team name.

Speaker 2 (42:02):
However, the point of this story is that because coach
had asked me how Valdost was going to travel and
I said, they're gonna go by bus. I said what
he asked, and he told me he said, look, we
had a team or we had a game that we
went up there to play in the DC metro Washington area.
When we took a bus and Mark he said he

(42:23):
would never do that again. The level of wear and
tear on the players. And you think just riding in
a bus is not going to put a lot of
wear in tear, but it really does. You know, that's
a long time to be seated. You know, whether it's
charter buses or not, that that's gonna get uncomfortable. But

(42:43):
and there was even some speculation Mark, and not taking
anything away from Masalon, that that long bus riding may
have had something to do with Valdosta's performance. Now who knows,
you know, maybe maybe not, but.

Speaker 4 (42:59):
Well it could have. Look, I think the longest trip
I've made many years ago. I date myself my sophomore
year of college. I went to the University of Colorado, Phil,
are you thirsting to death over there?

Speaker 3 (43:21):
To get you as attention, go ahead, Mark.

Speaker 4 (43:23):
Yeah, I was going to say, Look, the longest drive
I've made my sophomore year, I went to the University
of Colorado. I left Sylvester, Georgia at seven o'clock in
the morning and drove for twelve or thirteen hours and
made it to Saint Louis, Missouri, spent the night there
and then got up and drove all the way across Kansas,

(43:48):
spent the night. But anyways, thirty three hours of driving
from school to Bowl of Colorado, thirty or thirty five
hours of driving, that's actual drive time in Wow, adiot,
that's tough if you're going to when you start getting
oder fourteen hours in a car, you know, in a

(44:10):
day or on a bus. I mean, that's fourteen fifteen hours.

Speaker 2 (44:14):
That's tough, man, Mark, I didn't realize you had done that.
That's uh, yeah, you're right, that's hard.

Speaker 4 (44:21):
So anyway, yeah, and feel a funny story I gotta tell.
Driving through Kansas, I came up on a toll road
and I was almost out of gas. And look, this
is back in nineteen eighty one, and I said, well,
how far is the nearest gas station? And they said, well,
it's like twenty eight miles you know away, And you know,

(44:45):
I said, I don't know that we're gonna make it.
I had somebody with me. True story. We get off
the exit and my car cut off and I coasted
to the gas pump. I felt so great, filled the
car up the gas. I said, ma'am, thank goodness, we
made it. And once I filled the car up the

(45:07):
car would not crank. The starter went out on my car,
and no, anyway, I had to deal with that, as
you know, had no money to begin with, and right,
I got to deal with this star. But anyway, yeah,
I don't have good memories in Kansas.

Speaker 3 (45:25):
It sounds like it, all right.

Speaker 2 (45:28):
So anyway, I again, we're talking about our top ten
list all time high school football teams. That's gotten a
lot of engagement. Mark, I think you had shared how
many people had had viewed the lists.

Speaker 4 (45:44):
I believe, Yeah, yeah, yeah, crazy, crazy amount of people.
I don't know, between Instagram and Facebook just I don't know,
probably two hundred and eighty thousand views. Wow.

Speaker 2 (45:56):
Like that, And guys, listen that that's really at the
end of the day, what it's all about.

Speaker 3 (46:01):
We want to create engagement and conversation.

Speaker 2 (46:04):
And you know, look, I think the you know the
name if you go just straight, you know, buy the
book with everything, which I don't like to do.

Speaker 5 (46:13):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (46:14):
I think they call it going straight chalk okay, And
I don't really want to do that.

Speaker 3 (46:18):
I really like to go with you know, create a
little controversy.

Speaker 2 (46:22):
But at the same time, we want to we definitely
want to be credible I'll say this and we'll move on, Mark.

Speaker 3 (46:27):
When you think of a team.

Speaker 2 (46:30):
Just right so off of your head, model of consistency
winning football, my school that comes to mind. And of course,
again we've got a lot of great schools listed here,
but I gonna be honest with you, Mark, when I
think of north Side Warner.

Speaker 3 (46:49):
Robins seventies, eighties, nineties, I mean.

Speaker 2 (46:57):
North Side went through a real dominant period, you know,
and just all the time of governing high school football,
That's one of the schools that immediately come to mind
when we're talking about a model of consistent winning.

Speaker 4 (47:12):
Yeah, Conrad Knicks had done an incredible job there, you know,
with what he built. I can remember going to that
program when he was there. And I tell you another thing,
and this is a kind of off subject, but it
was hard to go into Northside and win. First of all,
they're very competitive. But you weren't going to get any

(47:34):
calls against Northside up there. You just you just weren't.
You know, I've seen some questionable things up there. That said,
Conrad Knicks did an outstanding job building that program, and
I can remember when he left and coach Kinsler took
over and just going up watching the way that they
work out and the way they approach what they do

(47:57):
is very impressive there. I mean again, there's a reason
than they won. Good old physical South Georgia football is
and that's the way they've played it at Northside there.

Speaker 3 (48:07):
Absolutely.

Speaker 2 (48:08):
Greg Hammock reminds us that speaking of my loc consistency
Peach County playoffs, that made the playoffs every year since
nineteen ninety one.

Speaker 3 (48:17):
So again you.

Speaker 2 (48:20):
Got the several schools that certainly have a valid argument
for making the top ten.

Speaker 4 (48:25):
Well, I think you can look for look for north
Side and one of Robbins with with a coach boon
there to make a make a comeback, not that they
ever really went away, but I believe he'll find success
there and breed life into that program. Of course, we
know one of Robins big history there as well. I

(48:46):
think that rivalry is just like you know, Lownes Valdosta.
I think you'll even take on more, I guess more,
make more, you know, more of impression now since Avenue
coach north Side, I know they want to get back
on the winning side of that.

Speaker 2 (49:03):
Speaking of the north Side, this is kind of what
I was referring to. D Smith a big north Side fan.
By the way I've been taught, Mark, I am not
to refer to north Side as north Side one of Robins.

Speaker 4 (49:20):
Yeah, they don't like to get that one of Robins in.

Speaker 2 (49:23):
There with That is a big, big no note. Absolutely so.
But d Smith tells me that eighteen years of ten
win eighteen straight seasons of ten wins or more.

Speaker 3 (49:42):
Now think about that.

Speaker 4 (49:44):
That's that's insane. That that is insane, really, and I'm
assuming he knows what he's talking about. That's an unbelievable stat.

Speaker 2 (49:55):
Isn't it though?

Speaker 3 (49:55):
But Mark, that see, that's where my memory goes.

Speaker 2 (49:58):
You know, when you get when you when you that
which we did and we have here in the state
covered high school football, that's you know, that's what.

Speaker 4 (50:07):
My memory is.

Speaker 3 (50:08):
When you think of north Side one of Robins, that.

Speaker 4 (50:12):
Reminds me of FSU when Bobby Bowden was there. And
if I'm not mistaken, it was like ten plus years
they were in the top five. Every year they finished
in the top five. Just some crazy number of what
he accomplished at Florida State. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (50:27):
Absolutely, Andrew Watkins big Darty High fans is Darty versus
Peach Fountain City Classic that's certainly going to be certainly is.

Speaker 3 (50:37):
Always a great game.

Speaker 2 (50:39):
But Karen Patel I graduated from north Side in twenty
twenty one.

Speaker 3 (50:44):
I'm excited for this upcoming season.

Speaker 2 (50:46):
I think it'll be a breath of fresh year for
north Side fans as of recent So again here we
go talking about Northside and Mark is even with all
the consistency of winning, they too finally ran into a downtime.

Speaker 4 (51:03):
Well, I think inevitably it's hard, especially in today's world.
I mean it's hard to win. You know, it's hard
to win consistently over a period of time. It just
really is, you know, because there's so many variables. I
think that impact even high school football. Now. Yeah, it's

(51:23):
just a question, very difficult.

Speaker 2 (51:25):
Yeah, all right, Mark, So a couple of other things
we want to talk about.

Speaker 3 (51:30):
Is there anything else on the top ten you want
to talk about?

Speaker 4 (51:32):
Mark, I think no, I think that'll do it. It's
top eleven.

Speaker 3 (51:36):
Now we know that top eleven. That's not I stay
in corrected. By the way.

Speaker 2 (51:42):
We do want to encourage everybody that are going to
be coming out releasing our Class three A top ten
should be out this week, and I can't I give you.

Speaker 3 (51:54):
A little seak peek, gonna be something. A couple of
interesting teams in that class three eight.

Speaker 2 (52:00):
I'm just curious if anybody knows who I'm talking about.

Speaker 3 (52:03):
If I'm gonna get release of IM gonna tell you
who it is.

Speaker 2 (52:05):
But a couple of teams in Class three A, our
preseason top ten gonna be coming out here next couple
of days.

Speaker 3 (52:10):
And who do you think I'm referring to?

Speaker 2 (52:15):
So would take a shot, guys, and uh, let me
know what you think. But okay, so we Mark actually
came up with this idea, and we talked about it
last week.

Speaker 3 (52:27):
We teased a little bit. Mark, you had come up
with this idea of what if, just.

Speaker 2 (52:32):
Having fun, what if we can have an in our
high school football draft, A mock draft.

Speaker 4 (52:43):
That's right, A mock draft, that's right.

Speaker 2 (52:47):
And again, guys, make sure you understand this is all
for fun. Okay, we know this will never happen, but
we were thinking. Mark was thinking, look, what do we
have a mock draft of, you know, picking the top
high school football players and we'll pretend that you know,
all of us are owners and general managers, and we

(53:10):
get to draft the state of Georgia high school football players.

Speaker 3 (53:16):
And with that said, Mark Dyke's with the number one pick.

Speaker 2 (53:22):
In the twenty twenty five Georgia high school football draft.

Speaker 3 (53:29):
Your selection is, well, look.

Speaker 4 (53:33):
This is going to be an obvious pick. I mean,
I don't think there's would be any question, at least
in my opinion. But I would have to go with
Tyler Atkinson. Why, you know, most everyone you know I'm

(53:53):
going with the consensus number one player in Georgia or
everybody's top two or three. But having been up to Grayson,
seeing this young man up close and personal, having seen
the way he handles himself, he's a first class guy,
very humble, guy, hungry. He will be an asset wherever

(54:18):
he winds up at college at the next level. I
would I would take I would take defense. I would
go with defense in this particular case. I couldn't let
him slip away.

Speaker 3 (54:30):
How about that? So I gotta tell you.

Speaker 2 (54:36):
I'm a little torn here because I really want to
go with offense. You know how I'll feel about quarterback
to Mark, that's right, I gotta tell you I would
probably go with Travis Burgess of Grayson. The high school
went out and participating in the Elite eleven selected as

(54:57):
one of the Elite eleven going out to uh California recently.
The poise, the height, the arm obviously led Gregson to
a state championship last year. I like Travis Burgess Grayson.
He'll be not my number one pick.

Speaker 4 (55:16):
That's a great choice. And you know he's on my
list somewhere. I gotta say that. Love that kid. Another
another fine young man. So so fil with with the
number two picks.

Speaker 2 (55:33):
So my buddy Stephen gay Win is all over at Stephen.
You you're you're right on uh, right on top with
me here, buddy, I'm going with I'll go to the
other side of the football.

Speaker 3 (55:43):
I'm gonna go with Deuce.

Speaker 2 (55:45):
Gerald, the dominant five star defensive lineman for the Collins
Hill Eagles who is absolutely showing out in these u
O t as here recently.

Speaker 3 (55:59):
So I'm gonna go Deuce Gerald's or Collins Hill Mark.

Speaker 4 (56:03):
Okay, I can tell us we gonna have a lot
of overlap, I think to a degree, because he will
show up on my list. But that said, I think
with my number two pick, I'm gonna stay with defense
and go Xavier Griffin.

Speaker 3 (56:20):
And oh yep, yeah, yep, that was gonna be my
next pick. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (56:25):
Again, another young man I've had an opportunity to meet
several times, conducts himself in a very very good way.
Hungry kid, He'll do big things at the next level.
So I'm basically kind of shoring up my defense here
with these first couple of picks. But I gotta go
with who I feel is the best available at the time.

Speaker 3 (56:51):
I guess you know, if we.

Speaker 2 (56:54):
You know, I guess in a situation like this, and
it makes me think, I guess you probably would want.

Speaker 3 (56:59):
To start drafting a Fleets, right, you would.

Speaker 4 (57:02):
I got an athlete on my list, all.

Speaker 2 (57:05):
Right, So we did this last time, I went back
to back. Let's let you go back to back on
this one.

Speaker 4 (57:12):
Okay, Well, I'm gonna I'm gonna go to offense this time.
And I too, would would have taken Travis Burgess the
QB at Grayson.

Speaker 2 (57:26):
Okay, So I'll tell you I was gonna go with
the Xavier gripper. I can't and I can't believe that
really he's lasted where we had third pick number three
H so far right, But I gotta go with the
Xavier gripping of H of course, Gainesville High School.

Speaker 4 (57:47):
Okay, all right, So I would at this point go
with the big tight end about Uh brother, Yes, that's him,
brother rod Well.

Speaker 3 (58:01):
What a dominant player he is.

Speaker 4 (58:03):
I am a believer in tight ends. And if you
have a big tight end that can catch the ball
at the high school level and will use him, creates
mismatches all over the field.

Speaker 3 (58:18):
Let me tell you.

Speaker 5 (58:20):
Who is he?

Speaker 4 (58:21):
Oh?

Speaker 3 (58:21):
Yeah, the valid and young man.

Speaker 4 (58:26):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (58:28):
I gotta be honest with you.

Speaker 2 (58:31):
Millson utilizes their tight ends about as well as any school.
Let me just say this, they utilize the tight end
position as well as any school that I've ever seen.

Speaker 4 (58:44):
Mark, I'm a firm believer in tight end play. You
just you know at the high school Well, it's hard
to find a good tight end that catches the ball.
I mean, you gotta have a certain body tight. You
also have to be able to move. You gotta be
able to catch the ball. But I am a big
believer in tight end.

Speaker 1 (59:01):
Uh.

Speaker 4 (59:01):
Again, you'll create a lot of mismatches all over the field.
But I would take the tight end from Bowden, uh field.
What about you? Next pick?

Speaker 2 (59:13):
Speaking of tight ends, I'm gonna gonna go with Grant Haveland.

Speaker 4 (59:20):
He is a junior.

Speaker 3 (59:22):
Uh, junior tight end there at Milton Grant Haveling, Okay, junior.

Speaker 4 (59:27):
Tight end on the offensive side of the ball. And
give me, uh what, jay Len Marta running back at Cockwood.

Speaker 3 (59:37):
Oh I gotta take him?

Speaker 4 (59:39):
Yeah, yeah, I would, you know, give me a give
me a good, good, tough so out Georgia running back.

Speaker 3 (59:48):
All right, I'm gonna turn so I'm gonna go with.

Speaker 2 (59:53):
Ryan. I'm gonna stay with Milton, and uh can I
tell you you're not gonna go wrong sticking with Milton? Right, Mark,
I'm gonna go with Ryan G. Now talk about versatility.
Ryan g five star offensive lineman, slash tied end.

Speaker 3 (01:00:11):
And guess what, Mark, he's a freshman.

Speaker 4 (01:00:18):
Well I will I will flip over on the defensive
side of the ball and take Tristan Givens. He's an
edge Russier from Carver, Columbus.

Speaker 3 (01:00:32):
Oh my gosh, how did you how did he go.

Speaker 4 (01:00:37):
This far.

Speaker 3 (01:00:39):
In our draft? Yeah?

Speaker 4 (01:00:41):
He's an incredible athlete.

Speaker 3 (01:00:44):
What is our what are our listeners? Our viewers?

Speaker 2 (01:00:48):
I should say, Jamie Fraeley Seeger checking in from where county,
says hey, Philip Jones, Now, Jamie, what do you mean
where a county? Is are you guessing you happen to
just be physically in where County because we know Jamie
that you are a Camden County fan. But hello, Jamie,

(01:01:09):
thanks so much. I always love to see your smiling
face checking in here. Jamie Freley seeer big Camden County fan.

Speaker 4 (01:01:15):
Mark gotta love Camden County. Like to see what they're
gonna do this year.

Speaker 3 (01:01:21):
Same, Well, they've got listened.

Speaker 2 (01:01:24):
They've got a heck of a quarterback battle, by the way,
in Camden County. So you had the young man who
has been a I think a three year starter for
Camden County. This off season, you had Will Jackson quarterback

(01:01:48):
came in from I believe it was South Florida.

Speaker 3 (01:01:52):
And so what they're gonna do with Camden is they're
gonna take the starter.

Speaker 2 (01:01:57):
Somebody help me remember his name. They're gonna take the
three year starter at quarterback, and uh, they're gonna move him.
I believe it's a wide receiver. He's very personally, he's
a great athlete. But Will Jackson is going to get
the start for well, that's the that is the estimation

(01:02:18):
right now. With Travis Rowland, Mark, the head coach at
Camden they're gonna make Will Jackson the head coach. There
are the starting quarterback rather in uh A, Camden County
this year.

Speaker 4 (01:02:32):
Well you know he's coming from Florida, so yeah, we
may see an influx of Florida players up up going
up to Canden. Which look, I think there have been
some some players from Canden come up. I mean some
players from North Florida that you know, border them come
out to play in Camden and Gim's a great place,
great community, great atmosphere for high school football. I think

(01:02:55):
he'll do a great job. I know that coach has
a lot of.

Speaker 3 (01:02:57):
Energy, no doubt about it.

Speaker 2 (01:03:00):
I want to say hello to my buddy Rusty Cravy. Uh,
Tiff Gauty. What Russey Cravy, what's up?

Speaker 3 (01:03:06):
My friend? Always love to see you here checking out
the show.

Speaker 2 (01:03:10):
I'm gonna go with Jase Johnson, Jace Juice Johnson mark
quarterback for the Lownes.

Speaker 3 (01:03:17):
I vikings.

Speaker 4 (01:03:20):
Heck of a player, a lot of yeah, definitely a
lot of potential with him. You know, at this point
I probably let it and you've already chosen. But but
Deuce Gerald's at Collins Hill. You know I would have
It's on my list. I think you know whoever gets

(01:03:41):
that kid?

Speaker 2 (01:03:42):
He is a man, all right, So what do you
guys think you you're you're listening to be in Mark
make our picks? This again is the all just for
fun Draft twenty twenty five. Who which player are you taking?
The players are you taking?

Speaker 3 (01:04:02):
Stephen K.

Speaker 2 (01:04:02):
Winns says, I'm going with Deuce Lawrence, Stephen Cannon, and
Jaden Dupshaw. Let me tell you Benedictine Stephen Cannon quarterback
is coming back into his starting position. And then of
course you got Deuce Lawrence, Thomas County Central Christian Deuce Lawrence. Listen, Mark,

(01:04:25):
Thomas County Central is I think they've got seventeen players
now with Division one.

Speaker 4 (01:04:30):
Off not surprising. Do not sleep on Thomas County Central.
I think everybody talks about and rightfully so Milton, But
you can't sleep on Thomas County Central. Gainesville is another program.
They have a lot of people, a lot of talent.

(01:04:51):
I think Justin Rodgers is right where he wants to be. Yeah,
as a great team. A lot of some people are
talking about him. But again the topic of conversation, Milton's
gone back to back. Ye Ken, they three p you
think they can't? You think they can now, I personally

(01:05:14):
don't know how you can replace all the senior leadership
that they lost. But if I'm not mistaken, Phil, you
had picked Milton to beat Buford, right.

Speaker 3 (01:05:26):
I believe I did. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that will not happen.

Speaker 4 (01:05:36):
Really, Coach Reeves has done an outstanding job at Milton.
I'm a big believer in Coach Reeves done a great job.
I can tell you I believe they'll be ready to go.
But I can't see Buford's gonna make some noise. Let's
put it that way. Look Beaufford and Grayson in the
state championship. I mean, I don't know how they brack

(01:06:00):
it's line up, if that could happen or not. But yeah,
I don't I don't see how. I don't really see
how Beewford loses to Milton in that new stadium. Guford
always has a lot of talent. I think if you
look top to bottom on that roster, if you just
I mean look at the players. I do think they're

(01:06:20):
going back to basics now you know they're hungry. I
think they'll come out play as a Teamviewford will be
hard to contend with this year.

Speaker 2 (01:06:32):
Yeah, look, Mark, I think Brian Applin has had probably
the best team, to be very honest with you, in
the state's highest classification.

Speaker 3 (01:06:41):
For the last couple of years. Love coach Chaplin. He
is the kind of guy, well what do you look like?
But the uh, the walking tall character. You remember that,
that's right, that's right.

Speaker 2 (01:06:56):
And his mantra, Mark, if you'll remember walking tall, he walked,
talk slowly, hear the big stick, Yeah you got. That's
kind of how Brian Appling.

Speaker 3 (01:07:10):
Is who I think about when I hear you know
about big John, And I just think.

Speaker 2 (01:07:15):
That he doesn't say a lot well I know, he
doesn't doesn't say a whole lot, not a lot of
raw raw with him. Really depends on his assistant coaches,
Mark to do a lot. But let me tell you,
at the end of the day, Brian Appling does a
fantastic job. But having said that, Marky, He's got a
lot of great talent. And I think the expectations are

(01:07:36):
super high in Buford. They want another state title.

Speaker 4 (01:07:38):
Mark. They they play for state titles at Beauford, that's
what they do. I do believe that Buford is going
to have a great season. I also think that Milton
lost a lot. I don't look, nobody was gonna beat
Milton last year here here, whatever, Look, Lee County has

(01:07:59):
a very good ball club last year period, very well coached,
a lot of athletes. You know, a bounce here, a
bounced there. That game may it could have been closer,
but at the end of the day, it was played
at Milton. Had Milton had to come to Lee County,
things may it could have been different. But I just
don't think anybody's beating them. And now, as you know,

(01:08:22):
I think six Day is more wide open this year,
certainly more wide open than it was last year, no doubt. Look,
don't be surprised if TCC is not back in it,
and don't sleep on Lee County or Coffee. We all
know how difficult that region is. Everybody's talking about Milton Gainesville,

(01:08:44):
two first class programs, two great coaches. But like I've
said before, you know, and this would come up in
our top ten of where would you want to go play?
If I'm a coach right now and you said you
could go anywhere, go to any program in the state
of Georgia, Thomas County Central may be the place I go.

Speaker 3 (01:09:08):
Listen.

Speaker 4 (01:09:09):
You know, connext a lot of boxes and with everything
they have going on, there's going to be location everything.

Speaker 3 (01:09:20):
Coaching.

Speaker 4 (01:09:21):
Yeah, Coach Roger has done an outstanding job there and
and certainly has that program back on the map, and
they're gonna do nothing but just keep better and better.
So you know you're talking about dominating six A. I
believe dominating in six A could revert back down to
South Georgia especially. We're just transfer a rule coming into
play potentially where it's just you know, you're not gonna

(01:09:44):
be able to transfer so easily. Uh, if that in
fact is policed the way it should be.

Speaker 2 (01:09:52):
Mark Reok, quick, we're kind of counting down our draft picks,
so we're having a lot of fun with these team.

Speaker 4 (01:10:00):
Are these.

Speaker 3 (01:10:01):
Mock draft?

Speaker 2 (01:10:03):
But you brought up the playoffs and the playoff brackets
and I just want to mention something real quick. So
expecting the twenty twenty five season playoff brackets to be
released any time now that I don't know. I didn't
I didn't look this afternoon, but a little birdie told
me they were actually gonna supposed to been out Friday,

(01:10:25):
but that didn't happen.

Speaker 3 (01:10:27):
But this if things go the way a lot of
us want or hope at the gitchs Mark. Next year,
the GITCHSA will have the.

Speaker 2 (01:10:40):
Larger classifications, will adopt the power rankings.

Speaker 3 (01:10:47):
To give us the playoff matchups.

Speaker 4 (01:10:50):
Okay, I think that's a great idea. I mean, I
think it should be that way right.

Speaker 3 (01:10:56):
Now, I say, and I do too.

Speaker 2 (01:10:59):
And here's one of the the biggest reasons though, Mark,
and not a lot of people are talking about this,
and I think it's very important to listen to what
I'm about to tell you guys. Last year, and Mark
just kind of touched on it, you know, last year
when the playoff brackets were released, Okay, pretty much every
coach started looking.

Speaker 3 (01:11:19):
And I know that, and I'm not knocking the coaches
at all, but I know that Mike.

Speaker 2 (01:11:25):
Co pretty much looked at the brackets and thought, you
know what, I can tell you exactly who we're going
to be playing.

Speaker 3 (01:11:32):
In round three And he was right. Dean Fabrizio, I
remember Coach Fregio telling me that Phil, we're probably going
to be playing Milton uh Coach Reeves and Milton in
the semi finals, and Mark, he was right.

Speaker 2 (01:11:49):
Now, there's nothing really wrong with that, but I just
I guess there's something that bothers me a little bit
about the level of predictability, well, the level of level
of predictability.

Speaker 4 (01:12:02):
But also, look, I've had a coach tell me, hey,
we'd be better off being the two.

Speaker 3 (01:12:06):
Seed exactly, and that's what happened.

Speaker 4 (01:12:09):
With the easier Our path would be easier. So this
will eliminate it. Plus, I mean, who wants to see
the state championship matchup in the semi.

Speaker 5 (01:12:18):
Finals here here, Mark, final here here, and that has
happened well, Mark again, And I know coach doesn't mind
me talking about that because he was.

Speaker 3 (01:12:29):
He was pretty straightforward with it last year.

Speaker 2 (01:12:31):
If you guys will remember, we did the Coffee Thomas
County Central game, last game of the ITG, next game
of the week last year, right, yes, right, okay, so
we did the Thomas County Central Coffee game. For all
intents and purposes, that was going to be a mammoth game.

(01:12:55):
You had playoff seating on the line, You had Coffee
potentially playing for a whole playoff game in round one, Mark,
that is, if they could get to win and secure
the home advantage, right right, Well, Mike co tells me
that look, he said, look, we're not really concerned about

(01:13:20):
getting the two seats. We think our easier path will
be by way of the third seat.

Speaker 3 (01:13:30):
And Mark turns out he was right.

Speaker 4 (01:13:33):
Look it happens whenever, like you said, the predictability factor
being there, but yeah, this eliminate it. I believe they'll
pass that and so go to the power of rankings
and you know that'll that'll be out the window.

Speaker 3 (01:13:47):
It will be because here's why.

Speaker 2 (01:13:49):
And we'll close with this, so coaches will no longer
they will not know who they're playoff upon it's going
to be until you know the game, say in a
weekend time game is over.

Speaker 3 (01:14:04):
Well, that's only.

Speaker 2 (01:14:05):
Then will you know who your playoff upon is going
to be. Because again they're taking into account, you know,
the the algorithm mark that includes some two points for
I mean, there's a big formula for it.

Speaker 3 (01:14:17):
But it's really impossible to predict who your playoff upon
it's going to be. And that's the key.

Speaker 2 (01:14:22):
And that's why you guys will remember last year I
was even calling for something akin to a receding. Got
caught with a lot of you know, pessimism, and I
get it, but this will in essence be a receding.

Speaker 3 (01:14:38):
Of its own.

Speaker 2 (01:14:40):
Instead of being able to predict who's going to be
playing who with the plays right right, Well, I.

Speaker 4 (01:14:46):
Think it'll be good. And look, I think the GHSA
has done a great job with sure changes they're making.
So I think the big thing with a transfer a rule,
if they could just eliminate like making multiple transfers so
you know, you transfer one time, you got to show
us legit, but you can't be transferring after that. Receding

(01:15:07):
you know, power rankings for the playoff, that's a great thing.
It's going to do nothing but help the game. I
think high school football and Georgia is in a great place,
and that is partly because of the decisions that GHSA makes.
I don't envy the leadership at the GHSA because you
cannot please everybody all at the time. It's an impossibility,

(01:15:27):
and you know everybody's not on a level playing field.
But there's nothing they can do about that in certain instances.
But I had seasons just around the corner looking forward
to it. Phil, I know it's been a great show man.
I blinked my eyes here and it seems like time
has just flown by.

Speaker 2 (01:15:47):
It really is Mark the same way. I'm looking up
and here we are at what six forty four? So
I guess it's the time that we wind this thing
down and Mark, I give you the final word. Do
you have your final word? I'll have my final word. Mark,
what's your final word today? As we bid a do
to h are the fans out there watching extra point?

Speaker 4 (01:16:10):
Final word today? A couple Well, I'm glad we got
the list change from ten to eleven. Give them their
last dig or that got in there. Also. I think
next week we can talk about maybe top ten destinations
where play. Yes, you're you know, if you're a high

(01:16:32):
school football player or a parent, where would you like
your kid to play? And you can you know, we'll
talk about you know what ours will be, maybe put
something out on that prior to uh that said, just
looking forward to a great season of football.

Speaker 2 (01:16:49):
Same here, and I don't want to remind you that
with my last word. I just want to remind everybody
do some couple of things to be looking out for.
Will continue with our top ten rankings by classification. It's
our top ten pre season rankings. You're truly taking care
of those, and we'll next classification. Mark has to put

(01:17:12):
out class three A, and I mentioned earlier there's a
couple of teams that you're probably not gonna see coming,
but Mark my word, there are a couple of teams
is bringing everybody back this year. So again you guys
can be looking forward to that. Remember I said watch
out for these SUO particular teams if you think you
know who it is. Suit me a text star post

(01:17:35):
here on the page. Also, and in this to our
top ten, Mark challenged me earlier today to come up
with a top backfield and Mark, I'm looking forward to
putting that together and creating a story around that.

Speaker 4 (01:17:55):
Yeah, maybe we could talk about that in a couple
of weeks.

Speaker 2 (01:17:58):
Okay, all right, sounds good. Well, Mark, thanks as always
for joining me and we had a great time. Again,
want to thank everybody along the line for joining us.
Had a great time, and Mark is going to start
the highchoal football Season's gonna before you know it.

Speaker 4 (01:18:12):
It will enjoyed it, look forward to it next week.

Speaker 2 (01:18:16):
Okay, Mark, guys, thank you all so much for joining us,
for our friends here at Mellow Mushroom, for Mark Dyke,
for Flint Dyke's back at Command Central.

Speaker 3 (01:18:25):
I want to thank you everybody for joining

Speaker 2 (01:18:26):
The show, and we'll check out you guys next Monday
as we come to you live once again from Melo
mush Room
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