Top 10 GHSA Class 5A Football Talk and Much More!

Presented by Pepsi and Dr. Kevin Collins #sponsored

“Extra Point! With Phil Jones” is your go-to podcast for the latest news, hot topics, and insider opinions on Georgia high school sports! Tune in to the live stream every Monday at 5:30 p.m. on Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter, or experience the excitement in person as host Phil Jones goes live from Mellow
Mushroom in Valdosta, GA.

Listen to the audio-only version here or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

For more great coverage of high school sports in Georgia, Florida, and across the country, visit www.itgnext.com.

Follow us on socials!
Instagram: @itgnext.georgia
Facebook: @itgnext.georgia
TikTok: @itgnext
X (Twitter): @itgnext_georgia

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, guys, and welcome back with extra point with

(00:04):
Phil Jones.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
All right, guys, welcome back. Indeed that's a man.

Speaker 3 (00:11):
Flint Dykes with that as always exceptional introduction for the show.
Welcome in everybody, Phil Jones with you. Mark Dike's not
able to make it in with me today, but I
do have my good or reliable standby. We know that
Larry can answer the call, and Larry's ready to talk
about anything anytime. And it certainly does help to have

(00:34):
a friend like that. Of course, it's great to have
a friend like Larry, period. But so glad that Larry
God has joining me today.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
What was that Larry?

Speaker 4 (00:42):
Listen, man, it doesn't matter if it's a busy day
on a Monday or kind of you lazy Sunday afternoon,
it's always a good time to talk about high school
football in the state of Georgia.

Speaker 2 (00:56):
Well, and that the and that the truth will almost
hit my tongue. There'll be.

Speaker 3 (01:00):
We are live once again, as we have been for
the last couple of months, live from the Melamus Room
here in Valdosta. We've got folks sitting mostly back back
behind me here. We're back here in the corner of
this beautiful, expansive restaurant here in Valdosta. If you are
in Valdosta, or if you're close enough by where you

(01:22):
can stop by and visit with me, please do so.
Melo mush Room here on Batree Road in Valdosta, come
by and get some of the great pizza as I
am enjoying as we go through the show, most of
which I'll enjoy after the show. But anyway, thanks so
much for joining us, and certainly big ups to our
friends here at Melo Moche Room. I also want to
pass along big ups to our sponsors, doctor Kevin Collins,

(01:46):
the Houston Clinic, as well as Pepsi Valdosta and by
the way, Mela USh Room. Yes they are a Pepsi vender.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
So any let me.

Speaker 4 (01:55):
Ask you a serious question. Let me ask you a
serious question.

Speaker 2 (01:58):
Absolutely, go ahead, Larry.

Speaker 4 (02:00):
You're you're there in the h great mellow Mushroom there.
What is your favorite kind of pizza?

Speaker 2 (02:08):
So I normally get the meats pizza.

Speaker 4 (02:12):
Okay, like a meat lover's type of deal.

Speaker 3 (02:14):
Yeah yeah, they call it different names. I think it's
lots of Metza or something like that. But today I've
decided to simplify it a little bit, and I just
went back to today, I'm enjoying a pepperoni with Italian
sausage and mushrooms.

Speaker 4 (02:29):
Would you ever would you ever consider or do you
enjoy pineapple on your I knew that's where you were going.

Speaker 2 (02:36):
I knew that's what you were about to ask me.
And the answer is absolutely yes.

Speaker 4 (02:41):
Oh yeah, oh yeah, Okay, there's there's there's buddies of
mine around here that make fun of me profusely because
I love pineapple one pizza.

Speaker 2 (02:52):
Yeah, I think pineapple works.

Speaker 4 (02:55):
You know.

Speaker 3 (02:56):
Actually it's a pretty nice compliment, you know, to pizza.
So I'm with you on that one. On Larry and Larry,
that's interesting that you asked that question because I want
to segue, since we're talking food into one of the
things that you know, we do top tens all the time.
That's all we know. We've been doing top tens forever.

(03:16):
We're doing a lot of top tens now. And one
of the top tens that we are doing is top
ten Tailgate like the fans? Who is the top ten
tail getting fans? And I think we are going to
release that pretty shortly. Also, Larry, I was asking, and

(03:37):
of course listen. Lounges is one of the top tail
getting school without a doubt. I mean, I didn't realize
until today. Danny Retshaw informs me that that service road
that runs between I seventy five and Martin Stadium is
actually literally named initially, Yes, I did not know that.

Speaker 4 (03:59):
Phil, let me describe an experience. Yeah, so you've got
the tailgators with their reserves.

Speaker 2 (04:07):
That pineapple does not go on pizez.

Speaker 3 (04:09):
I thought I would mention that, well, go ahead, So.

Speaker 4 (04:13):
Tailgate alleys are pretty pretty long road, yes, services and
so Friday afternoons, Uh, you'll see people setting up their
reserve spots. Yes, there are people that reserve those tailgating
spots out there. They'll put their tents up that so
it'll start grilling that kind of stuff. So game time
is starting to approach and around I want to stay

(04:35):
around seven o'clock. So at Louns, you know, we typically
kick off at eight o'clock. The rest of the state
other than Valdosta usually kicks off at seven thirty. It's
eight o'clock allowance. So about seven o'clock, all the tailgators
are starting to put their utensils away, get their grills,
put out that kind of stuff, and about that time
you start to hear this, uh, this the ground shaking

(04:59):
like a big Tyrannosaurus rex that's coming down tailgate Alley.
Because you can feel the vibration, you can hear the
tubas starting to kick in feel, and all of a sudden,
those trumpets, all two hundred trumpets strong of the Loungese
George Bridgeman with compliments a total band size of four
hundred and fifty. The four hundred and fifty of these

(05:21):
guys are starting to march from the high school down
tailgate Alley in front of the tailgaters, and when they
when they get into about midway point, they stop and
basically play a little band two top of deal. I
think that a couple of different songs, including the lounge

(05:43):
Ice Long, basically a little salute if you will, to
the loyal tailgaters that are there, and then they will
eventually stop and continue their march to Martin Stadium to
their end of the concrete palace before they enter the
stadium and form the pregame show. So that's all part

(06:03):
of the tailgate pregame festivities there.

Speaker 3 (06:07):
Which is why in our top tailgate schools that we
did Lownes I believe was Numero Uno Offee a very
close second, and we'll talk about that a little bit
as we go, but listen, one of the most recent
things that we asked for was top tailgate foods.

Speaker 2 (06:29):
I went to Jimmy Lindsay. I went to.

Speaker 3 (06:34):
Ronnie Saws, two of the bigger tailgators at Lowndes High School.
Also interviewed to my buddy Stephen Tate, who's checking in
Stephen Tate and.

Speaker 2 (06:44):
Rodney I believe it is from Coffee.

Speaker 3 (06:48):
Collins, Jebody, Daniel's a bunch of over there at Coffee
at Tailgate. I interviewed my buddies at Buford Luke Nelson,
Luke Big Bufford.

Speaker 2 (06:57):
Nelson, who I hope is in the house tonight watching
the show. Henny Perlott. His son.

Speaker 3 (07:05):
Is a Jaden Perlott, big, big, hard hitting linebacker at Beauffred.
He's now at the University of Tennessee. Kenny is a
regular on the show. Anyway, my buddy doctor m McCartney
eight old delass assiates with Cook and.

Speaker 2 (07:21):
Anyway, I think there's about five.

Speaker 3 (07:23):
Or six schools that I talked to top tailgating foods,
and my question is, and guys, I promise we're gonna
move on.

Speaker 2 (07:30):
Okay, We're not gonna sit here and talk about food.

Speaker 3 (07:31):
Foreverybody is steak an appropriate tailgate food?

Speaker 2 (07:39):
Now think about it. Think about it for you answer okay,
it's steak appropriate for tailgating.

Speaker 4 (07:51):
Can I answer?

Speaker 2 (07:53):
Yeah, so I'm asking you of course.

Speaker 4 (07:54):
Okay, So, uh, steak is always appropriate no matter where
you are. Now, is it wise to cook steak? No,
because it can probably get a little expensive and kind
of difficult to eat while you're standing up right instead
of you yeah, right, unless you do the Fred flintston't
eat it with your hands top of deal. So so

(08:17):
in that regard, so you're probably not going to do it.
So so I would choose, and probably people would steer
towards finger type of things where you can just pick
up and it's more appropriate to eat with your hands
and get messy. You know. Ribs might be okay, Burgers absolutely,

(08:37):
chicken wings. You might throw a Boston butt with a
pulled pork type of deal. You might throw a brisket
that kind of stuff, you know, but I wouldn't normally
think of steak when it comes to tailgating stuff.

Speaker 2 (08:50):
There you go, and that's why I ask, and that's
why you know.

Speaker 3 (08:53):
By the way, Stephen Tate, Tailgate Extraordinaire, says now Luke Nelson,
who is checking into the show. Luke, thanks so much
for checking out the show. He's big Buford boy getting
ready to Chris and speaking of tail getting getting ready
to christ and that brand new stadium here in a
few weeks. But yeah, Luke Nelson had given your answer

(09:16):
Larry In that steak is appropriate any time anywhere.

Speaker 2 (09:21):
But I do think you're right.

Speaker 3 (09:22):
I think it's got to be prepared, you know, in
other words, you know you want to maybe do something.

Speaker 2 (09:26):
Cut it up into pieces, you know, maybe be a cold.

Speaker 4 (09:32):
But anyway, now to state tempts might be better for tail.

Speaker 2 (09:38):
Getting there you go.

Speaker 3 (09:40):
But anyway, guys, check all that content out at it
G next Georgia.

Speaker 2 (09:44):
Subscribe to our newsletter.

Speaker 3 (09:45):
If you're not getting our newsletter, go to itg next
our Facebook page. You can see the newsletter doesn't cost
you a thing. It comes to your email inbox once
a week, right now free. We'll go to two days
a week once football season gets closer.

Speaker 2 (09:58):
But you guys will really like it a lot.

Speaker 3 (10:01):
All right, let's find out who else in the house, Larry,
Then we'll get to We're gonna be talking about some
of the.

Speaker 2 (10:07):
Top opening week matchups.

Speaker 3 (10:10):
I just mentioned Beauford getting ready to Christian that brand
new stadium of Theirs Man, everybody and the brother's talking
about it. We're gonna go up there and get the
grand Tour from Tony wolfare what we're hoping is in days.

Speaker 2 (10:22):
But you've got Buford gonna be hosting Milton Larry.

Speaker 3 (10:28):
You know, it doesn't get any bigger than that.

Speaker 2 (10:33):
Yeah, that is gonna be one of the big ones.

Speaker 3 (10:36):
But anyway, we're gonna get into that, gonna talk about
the We just released the Class five A preseason top ten.

Speaker 2 (10:44):
Who do you think is on top of that?

Speaker 3 (10:46):
Hint hint, I was just talking about the school seconds ago.
Also part two of our Top ten Stadiums. Okay, we
released You're truly released the the first top ten Stadiums
list back in February, and we got so much response

(11:07):
from people wanting to give us their ideas of who
their top stadium pick was that we had enough content,
had enough selections that we went back and made a
top to a Part two Top ten and it's out today.

Speaker 2 (11:18):
You guys can check it out at our Instagram, our
Facebook page, so be sure to check it out.

Speaker 3 (11:23):
And we got some quarterback battles going on, Larry, in
places that you would not suspect it. I understand there's
a quarterback battle going on over in Buford. I mean,
I'm sorry over in Brooks County.

Speaker 4 (11:36):
In Brooks County.

Speaker 2 (11:38):
From what I'm hearing, you remember we had Bryce.

Speaker 3 (11:42):
Puckett who transferred in from kro Right, Okay, you already
had ju and your Boroughs.

Speaker 2 (11:51):
Right led Brooks to a state title.

Speaker 3 (11:53):
Left, now stay til I'm sorry state championship game appearance.

Speaker 2 (11:57):
Okay.

Speaker 3 (11:58):
Well, the word is is that there's possibility that Burrows
may be moved to wide receiver and to make room
for the new I say, newly acquired the new transfer,
Bryce Puckett. Now I don't know if that is Uh,
can anybody give me an update on that? Let me

(12:20):
know if that's trick, there's anything to that. I did
see it on Facebook. Let me know if there's anything
to it.

Speaker 2 (12:24):
Guys.

Speaker 3 (12:25):
But point being, Larry, you've got a quarterback battle going
on there. You got a quarterback battle going on at Valdosta.
If any of Valdosta fans want to chime in on that,
let me know. But yeah, we got some quarterback battles
going on with various teams, so it's gonna be interesting
to see.

Speaker 2 (12:42):
It's gonna really be the year of the quarterback this year.

Speaker 4 (12:45):
Do you know where there is not a quarterback battle?

Speaker 2 (12:47):
That's at Lowndes High School?

Speaker 3 (12:49):
Larry my Man, Jaise juice man.

Speaker 2 (12:56):
Did you did you see out a lock on that
does he not?

Speaker 4 (12:58):
Did you see the post that his his mom had
posted about it about his his journey to the quarterback position.
I did not tell what an inspiring post that was
or is. She described a situation where you know, he's
been He's been training football obviously for a for a

(13:19):
long long time, from early years, but I did not
know until I read her post that he was. He
played both offense and defense when he was younger. He
played obviously quarterback, but he was also a linebacker, and
linebacker was actually his more comfortable position really, And so

(13:42):
when it came time for him to specialize, because when
you get to high school, you basically had to pick
right right, So when it came time for him to
pick something, he wanted to specialize in his mom asked
him what he wanted to do, and he said he
wanted to focus on being a quarterback. And so she said,
are you sure, because he was more naturally gifted or

(14:06):
felt more comfortable, I should say, as a linebacker. So
he says, no, I want to focus on quarterback. And
so through this journey she says that all the camps
that he had been to, he really excelled as a linebacker,
but he chose to focus on the developing his craft
at quarterback. And you see now where he's developed into

(14:26):
the number two quarterback in the nation for the twenty
twenty seven class.

Speaker 3 (14:31):
Larry, this sounds like reminds me of another Lounges quarterback
who was pretty darn good at linebacker as well.

Speaker 4 (14:43):
Barrett.

Speaker 2 (14:44):
Yeah, there you go.

Speaker 3 (14:45):
They got all right guyst's Larry, Let's check out and
see who all is in the house, who all is
watching the show?

Speaker 2 (14:50):
Always loved to give give our guys some blove, and
ladies that are watching the show. I did see.

Speaker 3 (15:00):
See here, Jim Blair says, thirty one days till Calwood County, Benedictine.

Speaker 2 (15:06):
Wow, are you kidding me?

Speaker 3 (15:08):
We're gonna talk about top ten season opening games and man,
that is one of them there.

Speaker 4 (15:14):
Bilunt, I've been atine. That's actually one of my top
ten right there that I was gonna.

Speaker 3 (15:18):
Gotta be right, Yeah, gotta be for sure, all right,
Jim Blair says, thirty one days until we got that.

Speaker 2 (15:23):
Robert Taylor, go.

Speaker 3 (15:24):
Peach County Trojans and coach Westbrook. Robert, I've got a
question for you. Don't let me forget. I'm gonna circle
back to you here in about five minutes. Do not
let me forget if I get to rambling and uh,
and I don't ask you this question.

Speaker 2 (15:41):
Say hey, mister Phil, be quiet, You're gonna ask me something.

Speaker 4 (15:44):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (15:44):
George chauns Lemon's is checking us out tonight. Of course,
Bruce County Trojans. You've got his son, one of the
top receivers in the United States of America. Maybe George
can offer, can't can enlighten us a little bit on
what's happening with Bruts County's quarterback situation?

Speaker 2 (16:03):
If you don't mind.

Speaker 3 (16:04):
George, who is George is gonna be catching the ball
front this year?

Speaker 2 (16:08):
Is what everybody wants to know. George Shaw's lawan so
let us know.

Speaker 3 (16:11):
But I farly of course, I mentioned Obada earlier said
he didn't want to add that yucky pineapple on his pizza.
Larry over, I Farley, I T G T C C
the de E A F B I C I.

Speaker 2 (16:23):
A all checking in Overdell. What's going on, my man?
Always love to hear you making your way into the show.

Speaker 4 (16:29):
You see what I said a while ago about pineapple
on pizza, he said, as I said, not.

Speaker 2 (16:34):
Yeah, I just I just I just mentioned that.

Speaker 3 (16:36):
You Larry's there's a long day, guys. I'll let Larry
if he wants to tell you about it again. But
uh yeah, I said Larry, I said the obad. I
is checking in the guy that said that he didn't
want any that stinking pineapple on his pizza.

Speaker 4 (16:52):
But uh yeah, man, I'm trying to do like four
things at one time while I'm talking to you.

Speaker 2 (16:57):
I got you. It's all good. It's all good.

Speaker 3 (16:59):
Listen, I asked Larry Mark whatever I make it a
nice I'm imposed on Larry about three o'clock this afternoon,
and he gladly answered the bell.

Speaker 2 (17:06):
So Larry, we forgive you. Brother Kelly Mitchell, good afternoon,
Brits County. Checking in.

Speaker 3 (17:12):
Jim Blair also says no to pineapple on this pizza.
And we mentioned over the Oscar Miles, what's up, Oscar
you're checking out the show, Oscar mar Big Oscar Mills,
big Carver Columbus fan.

Speaker 2 (17:25):
I mentioned Stephen Tate is checking out the show. Stephen Tate.

Speaker 3 (17:30):
You will always will always, Larry, and I will always
be indebted to Stephen Tates.

Speaker 4 (17:34):
Yeah, man, Big.

Speaker 3 (17:38):
Stephen Tate made sure we were taking care of not
only food wise, but over at Pierce County in a driving.

Speaker 4 (18:14):
Larry.

Speaker 1 (18:14):
We got you back on one second for field guys.

Speaker 4 (18:18):
Sorry about up I didn't know I went away.

Speaker 1 (18:23):
Internet issue guys. Sorry, we are going to upgrade this
WiFi immediately. I promise you.

Speaker 4 (18:30):
All right, So we're back. Yeah, you're back.

Speaker 1 (18:33):
We'll wait, don't feel guys, it's the it's the Internet.
No Musher's Internet too. We might have to talk to
them as well. But yes, we got you, Larry. The
audience has you, Larry, if you want to pick up,
pick up until Phil gets back.

Speaker 4 (18:47):
Could be could be something that isn't as well.

Speaker 2 (18:49):
Well.

Speaker 4 (18:49):
Guys, apparently right now you're kind of stuck with me
because I'm told.

Speaker 5 (18:53):
That we have an internet issue, and Phil has been
Biel has been bumped, although all I suspect that since
he's touting the food there at the Mellow Mushroom, he's
probably been bumped off their by Papa John's or.

Speaker 4 (19:09):
Domino or somebody like that. Little sabotage going on. I
agree with you, guys, We do have a pretty exciting
top topics for you, not top ten stadiums across the
state fields already published one list tonight's part two, and
then really interested to hear your thoughts on your opening

(19:31):
weekend games of choice? Where are you going to be now?
Obviously many of you are going to be at your
local high school, you know, regardless if it's a cupcake
game or you know, a world beater, right. Which games
are you looking forward to in the opening week right?
So that's one of the things that we'll be talking
about tonight. So I see these guys in the background

(19:57):
trying to get feelback on there. Do we have feelback?
I don't know, So I'll just can'ttinue to ramble. Nope,
we don't have feel back yet. One of the things
that we're scared to talk about as well. Now we're
back on Yeah, all right, there we go, Phil, just

(20:24):
feel back all right? So Fell was back in the saddle. Guys,
feels back in the saddle.

Speaker 2 (20:31):
Again?

Speaker 4 (20:32):
Uh sing Larry, Yeah, I'm not a singer man, all.

Speaker 2 (20:40):
Right, there we go.

Speaker 3 (20:42):
All right, so I am back, Larry, go ahead, brother.
You were you were talking about top something.

Speaker 4 (20:50):
So what we were talking about, I was kind of,
you know, going over some of the couple of topics
that we're gonna be touching on during the show. And
then I started to say that, Phil, you wanted to
touch on the top ten for Class five A and
this is itg next is top ten, which kind of
resembles I would suspect other media outlets when they roll

(21:13):
out with their top ten preseason stuff, Chase. We're kind
of getting close to kickoff, so I suspect those top
tens will start coming out in a couple of weeks. Phil,
I'm looking at this list that you sent me. Makes
perfect sense to me, although I probably would, you know,
shuffle a couple of those teams around. But what you've
got here is legit. It's a it's a legit top ten.

(21:33):
So you want to go ahead and cover that or.

Speaker 3 (21:36):
Wait, yeah, you know, yeah, why don't we do that Larry, okay,
and and guys, y'all chime in with us, let us
know what you think.

Speaker 2 (21:44):
And again you guys can.

Speaker 3 (21:47):
Give us your thought. So we're going to go from
ten to one. And this is our three season, the
latest in our top ten. We're doing top ten classification
for every classification rather and this is our preseason top ten.

Speaker 2 (22:03):
Last ib.

Speaker 3 (22:05):
Coming in at number ten is huge, Larry, they played
in the state championship game last year.

Speaker 2 (22:11):
Him up a little bit short. Nelson.

Speaker 4 (22:14):
Yeah, this is one of the ones that I was
going to push back on a little bit yet, mainly
because you know, it's kind of hard to follow up
with the last several seasons they've had. But the number
one factor to me is they lose their head coach,
right and he goes down to North Side Warner Robbins,

(22:35):
So they've got you know, sometimes a team might be
so loaded with talent that the next coach that jumps in,
it could be maybe they have some type of continuity
play where they may promote the offensive coordinator, but anything
sure that if it's a new guy coming in, I
seriously doubt that they're going to repeat. And I just

(22:57):
don't see them being a top ten team Class five A,
mainly because of, you know, a lot of disruption in
that program with the exit of their head coach.

Speaker 3 (23:10):
Larry Well said, and I agree with you, you know,
I put him in the in Larry, because mainly as
a respect I think, if you make it to the
top ten, I'm sorry. If you made you the state
title game, sure you you sort of have earned the
honor of being a top ten team for the following year.

(23:31):
But they very just really made it. So they come
in at number ten, all right. Coming in at number
nine is the Brunswick Pirates. Larry Garrett Grady has won
a great job since arriving there, but they tend to

(23:51):
do well in the region. In fact, I think they've
won the region every year that coach Grady has been
there except for one, and even then it was a
number two seed. But Brunswick has got to get over
that hump, Larry.

Speaker 2 (24:06):
In the region.

Speaker 3 (24:07):
They're getting the first round playoff game, they're losing, and
they make these early exits from the playoffs. So before
we get bruns with too much credit, they've got to
get over that hall of losing these early, these early
playoff they get to what I'm saying, but until they do,

(24:28):
we're gonna stay in the bottom half of my number ten.

Speaker 2 (24:31):
What's there at number nine field?

Speaker 6 (24:33):
It's kind of hard to judge what Brunswick is going
to do this year, mainly because of their schedule, you
know they I don't think it's any secret that they're
they don't play in the most competitive region around right,
So outside of their very first game at August fifteenth,

(24:54):
when they're at Camden County, that'll be a pretty good
test for them.

Speaker 4 (24:57):
So if they can beat Camden or lead keep it close,
then there are they might be a legitimate power in
Classify A. But if they go down to Kingsland lose
pretty badly to Camden, Uh, then the rest of that
schedule is not the strongest in the world. So it's
kind of hard to gauge whether they belong in that

(25:19):
top ten. But I can certainly see why you'd come
up with it.

Speaker 7 (25:31):
And the internet it's just got taking all all got crazy, right.

Speaker 3 (25:36):
I'm with you on that, so Hughes Brunswick, Now, I'm
not interested to hear your opinion Larry on number.

Speaker 2 (25:45):
Uh coming in as well as our play.

Speaker 3 (25:47):
I wanted to mention Evan agree with you says the
problem with Brunt is that they don't play a hard schedule.

Speaker 2 (25:53):
Larry's pretty much just what you were saying.

Speaker 4 (25:56):
Yeah, Phil, are you getting a lot of feedback? Yeah
I am, Yeah, Okay, I just wanted to make sure
that that that Clint knew that he could be working
on that.

Speaker 2 (26:06):
Uh what was your bothering me? As long as it's
to make sure our feet is going.

Speaker 3 (26:11):
Out to our followers, can you guys hear us and
see us? Okay, I want to make sure we're okay.

Speaker 4 (26:21):
All right?

Speaker 3 (26:22):
So coming in uh at number one, so huge, number ten, Brunswick,
number nine. We've got Houston County coming in at number eight,
May I tell you, Larry?

Speaker 2 (26:31):
And again I was not really sure of this pic even.

Speaker 4 (26:34):
At number eight.

Speaker 3 (26:36):
Yeah, man, they lose a lot, Larry, including all everything
quarterback aj Hill.

Speaker 4 (26:43):
They do. You know, Houston County is just one of
those types of schools that you know, they're kind of
often overlooked just because of the county that they're in.
You know, for the longest time, north Side Warner Robbins
was a power there before them, Warner Robbins was the
school to go to and play for. And then it's

(27:06):
swung back around to war Robbins again and then up late.
Perry High School is the school that has basically taking
the reins there in Houston County right as the premier
football school. But every once in a while, Houston County
comes out of the blue. We saw that several years
ago when Jake fromm was lighting up the air when

(27:29):
he was playing for the Bears there, and then just
recently you saw quarterback Agent Hill. So it just seems
like Houston County goes as their quarterback goes, and because
Agent Hill exits, you know, it's kind of hard to
see what they do. So I understand why you'd play
them there because they did well last year. Again, very

(27:52):
difficult to gauge what they're gonna have to have coming back.

Speaker 3 (27:58):
So the last time I spoke with Jeremy Edwards, the
head coach at Houston County, Look, I'll be honest, Yeah,
a lot of these teams now, especially if you are
in competition for you.

Speaker 2 (28:14):
Know, the state title, uh, which I'd say fair.

Speaker 3 (28:17):
You know, Houston County had gotten to that point where
a j Hill, they were making a run at a
quarter final or maybe even a semi final run. But
you definitely got to have a a really solid quarterback.
And what I've been waiting on at Houston County. Look,
this is no uh not putting nichde on the younger
men coming up from middle school, but that's all they

(28:41):
really have right now. I think they had a couple
of guys that are flying for the starting quarter right position,
but you haven't really heard.

Speaker 2 (28:48):
A lot about them, and there's a reason for that.

Speaker 3 (28:52):
So I just don't know if Houston County is going
to be able to, yeah, have the same says that
they enjoyed under.

Speaker 4 (29:02):
It's just fact.

Speaker 3 (29:03):
And what I was gonna say was you kind of
start waiting for the scene when they replaced have to
replace their quarterback, Larry. You're really now just kind of
become used to the mindset of okay, well where's the
new transfer coming in from.

Speaker 4 (29:20):
Yeah, I mean that's really all you can can do
right now. Uh do you expect? Uh? Now? Now, you
you talked to a lot of these coaches more than
I do. So when you talk to someone like a
coach Edwards, a lot of phil a lot of these
coaches pretty much know what they have, right I remember
talking to the with you on the show, talking to

(29:42):
the Milton coach last year before the season, and you
saw at the end of season how well how good
Milton was. But you know, in the preseason last year,
coming up to that, we were we were talking about
to coach Live and I asked him this question. I said, coach,
you know end Tall was did the course of the season,

(30:04):
those kids started to jail and mature together and we
saw the finished product there at the end. Does Houston
County have that? I don't think they do at this stage.
I don't think if you were to ask coach Edwards's
coach and other coaches what they think they have got
to get them off to the side, I don't think
they would tell you they have a state contending type

(30:26):
of team.

Speaker 2 (30:28):
And I agree with that. I want to say to Austin,
my man, Austin A. B.

Speaker 3 (30:34):
Butler checking in from up in the northwest corner of
the state.

Speaker 2 (30:39):
What's up, Austin, tell us a little good news in five.

Speaker 3 (30:42):
A and what's going to happen with those reng Wolves
And we're about talking about these wrong wolves if we're
talking about the Class five A top ten, my man
definitely want to hear your take. Adam st talking about
Tiffon County. I remember to twenty six eight, we'll definitely
be talking about sixty eight Jim Blair House in the region.

(31:03):
You got to you gotta be two top teams in
the and Evan recently coming up your Roswell Hornets coming
here in just a minute. I think Class five A
has two of the hardest regions of the state in
two A two five AM and seven time eight.

Speaker 2 (31:18):
Yeah, which we'll get you more in here a minute.

Speaker 3 (31:21):
All right, speaking of Class two five eight or I'm sorry, regent,
we mentioned Hughes number two, number nine, House County number eight.

Speaker 2 (31:32):
Are the Roswell Warners. New head coach Thompson taking over.

Speaker 3 (31:40):
He's coming in from Leak where he was the offensive
coordinator of that high high team offensive Leak County. Now
he's not going to have a us Monte Croue MA
and running back, but he will have Tray Smith, one
of the top gilil threat quarterbacks in the state of jill.

Speaker 2 (32:02):
So you know he's gonna run that No hord, let's
roll with.

Speaker 3 (32:10):
Sixty snaps a game and uh Rales were going to
be a team to watch.

Speaker 2 (32:14):
I just don't know though.

Speaker 3 (32:16):
It's gonna be almost like count, are they going to
really be a qualified challenger for the state title in class?

Speaker 4 (32:27):
Well, you know this early Sea is very difficult to
answer that question, but I will tell you that, uh,
they may be on the right track because I'm going
to tell you, phild you know, last year they made
it to the second round of the playoffs. You know,
the previous coach was it Chris Prewitt. I believe now

(32:47):
prewit spelled different related to the cruits down here that
y'all are all accustomed to. Uh, this is p r
E W E T T. So Chris, you know, made
it second round the playoffs last year. Now, the three
seasons before that field they were quarter finalist, semi finalists,
and then quarter finalist again. So they certainly have the

(33:10):
talent and the infrastructure in place to make a run
for it or run at it. Now. It's gonna be
interesting to see an offensive coordinator of a pretty good
team down here turn into a head coach up there.
So he's got the you know, I don't know about

(33:30):
this year, but in the coming years, if he can
do well in the first couple of seasons, you're probably
gonna can guess what I'm about to say, if he
can do well in the first couple of seasons, that
solidifies him as a bona fide head coach. And if
you can solidify yourself as a bona fide head coach
and show that you can develop talent in the metro

(33:52):
Atlanta area, then all of a sudden, transient student athletes
start showing up on your doorstep, and all of a
sudden you've got the makings of a really really good team.
So that's for the new head coach coming up there
until the Rosseel Hornets.

Speaker 3 (34:07):
Absolutely, and I do know that coach Thompson took some
of the key assistance with him, so they're gonna be
a really high octane offensive mind did run and shoe?
Let's throw it around a good visit in Why not
when you've got a quarterback like Trace Smith. Evan come
in here, buddy, what do we miss it? Evan Reese,

(34:29):
of course, is mister Rosseell Hornets fan. So what us
snow man if we're all faced? But I do see
Rosseell Hornets kind of around. Well, just where I've got
him at at number seven, coming into number six, we
go to Region two five A. I like the coffee,
I Trojans of Mike co to come in at number six,

(34:53):
just out south the top five.

Speaker 2 (34:55):
Remember, Coffee is gonna be without ty Wood.

Speaker 3 (35:01):
Now do you remember Larry god One when I would
get dead last year? Remindus Phil time would be in
the final set a Georgia single game rushing record. Wait

(35:21):
a minute, he just ran for another ten yards. Ty
would get run for I forgot to count somebody. Six
hundred yards. Incredible, incredible game. But he's not back this year.
Yeah uh he ran wild over Seoya.

Speaker 4 (35:41):
Phil. You know when you take a look at Class
five A. You brought this up a while ago, a
few minutes ago. The two probably toughest regions in Class
five A region two five A and seven five AW.

Speaker 2 (35:59):
Let's just clarification, everybody. What teams two regions?

Speaker 4 (36:03):
Yeah, I'm gonna go through here. I'm gonna go through here,
and before we go into those those things, I'm just
gonna make a prediction right now, on July fourteenth, twenty five,
several weeks before the czven Stars, the next state champion
for Class five A is either gonna come out of
two five A or seven to five A. Now, let's

(36:25):
go through those teams and everybody will agree with me
when we go through those two teams, those two regions,
I mean, okay, So Region seven five A, okay, from
top to bottom quickly. You have chat Chattahoogee, you have
you have Gainesville, you have John's Creek, you have Lanier,

(36:49):
then you have Milton, then you have Roswell and then Secondary.
So half of those teams Roselle, Milton and Gamelle. One
of those three are easily at least quarter finalist teams.
Now one of those is probably a finalist in Milton.

(37:12):
Would you agree with that? Okay? So let's let's talk
about Region two five A quickly? Okay, So I think
everybody down here already knows who they are, right. So
you have Lee County, Uh, you have Coffee County, Houston,
North Side, Warner Robbins, Thomas County Central and Veteran. So

(37:36):
from top to.

Speaker 3 (37:38):
Bottom and Larry, let me entertain quick Larry, Larry, I'm sorry,
hold on, just say.

Speaker 2 (37:45):
For everybody that may be Chuckley. When Larry mentioned his veterans,
they have.

Speaker 3 (37:52):
Assembled what could be one of the best coaching staffs.
Steve divorced, it takes over he bring and with them
coach rylewill from Paulkwood County, who was called a coordinator.
You've got Ashley Enders, Larry Yeah joining the staff as

(38:14):
as last year.

Speaker 4 (38:15):
Right, that's exactly right.

Speaker 2 (38:18):
So that's just.

Speaker 3 (38:19):
Three big time coaches going to veterans to make them
a better ball team.

Speaker 2 (38:24):
Just wanted to interject that, but Larry, go ahead please.

Speaker 4 (38:27):
Yeah. So you know, from top to bottom, you know,
let's let's talk about the top three team. Let's talk
about maybe, yeah, the top three teams first in that
region to five. You got uh right now, it's probably
a toss up between Coffee now Obadiah and uh Cole

(38:47):
Moore and the Central mafia over there in Thomas County. Right,
so they would probably disagree with me and say Thomas
County Central his head and shoulders above everybody else. But
those top three teams Coffee, Lee County, Thomas County Central,
And then you got three teams vying for the number

(39:08):
four c probably out of Houston County North Side and Warner,
Robbins and Veterans. Now, out of those three, it's probably
a toss up right now. Probably I would give the nod,
probably to a veterans, but we'll see how the stadium
shakes out, I mean the season shakes out. So those
two regions, those two regions probably sport the top six

(39:31):
teams in the state.

Speaker 3 (39:35):
All right, guys, I need to ask over the say
you could not hear me. I can hear me clearly,
So let me know if you guys can hear.

Speaker 4 (39:46):
Phil, Phil, I can hear you.

Speaker 2 (39:49):
Find you can hear me that what I'm saying.

Speaker 4 (39:52):
You've got a terrible echo.

Speaker 2 (39:56):
Yeah, I hear it.

Speaker 4 (39:57):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (40:00):
Okay, So we're gonna continue with our top So we
mentioned coffee. Now we go to our top five, Coffee
at number six.

Speaker 4 (40:09):
Yeah. So, so you've got.

Speaker 3 (40:11):
Coffee to keep me from having a talk so much
because the feedback is so bad.

Speaker 2 (40:17):
Go through our top five.

Speaker 4 (40:19):
Okay, guys, we just ran down. Started with number ten
was Langston Hughes, followed by Brunswick Houston County Roswell at
number seven, and we finished off with Mike Coe's Coffee
Trojans at number six, and that takes us to the
number five team in the state according to the ITG. Next,

(40:40):
and that is the Wrong Wolves. Now, everybody knows the
reputation that John Reued has. You know, he was down
here a few years ago. Phil and started to build
up a Tiff County Blue level team and was probably
all the cuss of turning them into a good program
and decided to go off to greener pastures up in Rome.
I don't blame him, right, and so has done an

(41:03):
amazing job at Rome and So enters the season in
twenty two five as your top five team in the state.

Speaker 3 (41:11):
One of the biggest regrets I bet U Tiff County
will ever have is losing and letting John Red go.
But anyway, that that ship is sailed, as we say,
there's no need in crying about build milk. So it's done.
Jeff has got to coach in there now. But John

(41:35):
Read has definitely done a great job. Now, my buddy
Austin ab Butler, I asked him about Rome earlier, and
let's see here what Austin said, Austin, what did you.

Speaker 2 (41:46):
Say about Roman? Well?

Speaker 3 (41:49):
I think he uh, he said something about Rome. See
if I can find it here in a second. Anyway,
So all right, so we got Rom. Now we're in
the top five, and here's where things gonna get very interesting.
Larry so Hughes at ten, Brunswick nine, Johnson County eight

(42:10):
were for one at seven coffee six.

Speaker 2 (42:13):
Now we get into the top five moment number five.
Who's number four?

Speaker 3 (42:17):
I tell you, I let Dean Fabricio see my top
five and he said, hey, that's okay, you got us
ranked at four. You're gonna regret that. See he said,
you got to drink too low. I want to tell
you something, and I agree with him. He knows Phil
was not at Fabrizio at Leek County, and I tried

(42:40):
to tell him that the talent in Plas five A
is just so rich. But let me tell you gots something.
If you think Leek Cownty is going to fall off
the edge of the earth for all you flat earthers, Uh,
if you think Leek County, Larry, if you think Leek
Downty is just want to just.

Speaker 2 (43:00):
Go away, you are wrong.

Speaker 4 (43:03):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (43:04):
As fun as he said, you are rude.

Speaker 4 (43:11):
If you get it, you get it.

Speaker 8 (43:12):
So still you know, uh, you know Farrizio has always
been a very confident coach, right, but I've heard him
give coach speak before on your show, where you know
he has a pretty like I said before, coaches have
usually a pretty good sense of what they have, right,

(43:34):
and so when when he noted when in years past,
when he's on your show doing it, you can always.

Speaker 2 (43:50):
Hello and you guys healthy field. Let you go ahead. Yep, Larry,

(44:22):
you are sought on what you just said with the prisia.

Speaker 3 (44:26):
Okay, every year, as long as I have known coach Debrisio,
like Larry just pointed out, he doesn't give you the
coach speak. He tells you exactly what kind of team
he's got and what's gonna happen. I'll tell you guys
this last year, Okay, we were up you know, Mard

(44:48):
to Milton with Milton with.

Speaker 2 (44:50):
The county, and we were in the locker room with coach.

Speaker 3 (44:53):
I was basically, you know, with him by his side
through the entire pregame and the all week leading up
to the game. Fabrizio confided to me and he said, Phil,
we've got a good.

Speaker 2 (45:12):
Team, but they're really good.

Speaker 3 (45:14):
Phil said, I just don't know if we can do it.
And you know, Larry, Whatebrisio described and what he predicted is.

Speaker 2 (45:28):
Exactly what happened.

Speaker 3 (45:30):
Yeah, Larry, he doesn't every year he's not gonna give
you a bunch of belonging.

Speaker 2 (45:35):
A bunch of woof so lere you called it. Yeah,
that's exactly with Theme Fabrizio.

Speaker 3 (45:42):
He's not gonna say, yeah, man, we've got what it takes,
we're gonna win it all. He's gonna tell you what
what what what kind of thing he's got. He's in
that every year, and I'm telling you this year, he's
telling you, telling me, and he's telling anybody, we are
gonna be better than everybody's.

Speaker 4 (46:02):
Yeah. So Phil, let me say this Flint, if you
can hear me. I think I think what feels issue
is you know what I see on my screen? I
see one of me, but I see to a feel
and I think, because you've got maybe two windows of
feel open, it's it's picking up his microphone twice. So

(46:24):
so that's that's that's okay.

Speaker 3 (46:26):
Should I Should I go out and try to.

Speaker 4 (46:31):
Try that and see, I'm not sure if that will
work or not.

Speaker 2 (46:35):
Okay, but try that, guys. It's keep going there.

Speaker 4 (46:39):
Yeah, So guys, I'm sorry. I know, I know it's
a kind of untenable for when when something like that happens.
So we'll see. Okay, So I see one of you now, yes,
much much better. Okay. So, uh, we were talking about

(47:00):
Lee County and Dean Fabrizio. He's always been a straight shooter, right,
That's what it sounds like this year. Now, the other thing,
and I know we're gonna I know, I'm kind of
leap frogging over to Gainesville and I'll give you a
little bit of tease. Now. The other thing is the
Thomas County Central head coach is a straight shooter as well,
and so it's gonna be that market on your calendar

(47:22):
this year. Phil. I cannot wait to see Lee County
and Thomas County Central duke it out. That is going
to be such a fun game to watch. Now, on
the flip side of that, I think Mike Coe is
gonna feel disrespected and I think he's gonna sell that
message to his team to rally around with the Coffee
County Trojans this year, because everybody continues to talk about

(47:45):
Thomas County Central and Lee County and little old Coffee
County is over here kind of pushed to the side,
not talked about very much, and they kind of sneak
up on you. And I think Cole is going to
sell that to to his players this year. Now back
to Lee County, now, Fabrezio is probably doing the same
sales job or a similar sales job to his Trojans

(48:08):
over there and saying something like, listen, the talk of
the region now used to be the Lee County Trojans.
We were the benchmark, the standard of which teams in
South Georgia were measured. That's what That's basically what he's
told his team. But Thomas County Central has supplanted everybody.
Now everybody's talking about Central with their fantastic forty million

(48:31):
dollar athletic complex build out. You saw their performance and
outcomes on the field for the last several years in
justin Rogers. So I'm thinking that Farizio is selling that
message to his team that a lot of fans down
here are thinking about us as yesterday's team and the
Thomas County Central as today's in the future team. So

(48:54):
you know, coaches love to sell that underdog type of
program to their players, right, and so the same thing
goes for the Gainesville Red Elephants.

Speaker 2 (49:05):
Yeah, hang on now, don't don't get you for it.

Speaker 4 (49:10):
Yeah, go ahead, I'm just I'm just trucking right along, man.

Speaker 3 (49:14):
I'm telling you all right, So leeke down we were
at Leek Downty at number four. So anything else you
want to add about Leke County.

Speaker 4 (49:22):
They're gonna be a tough, tough team to beat this year. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (49:27):
Really remarkable there when you think about let Lee County
last year went undefeated in that region.

Speaker 2 (49:33):
Can you believe that?

Speaker 4 (49:35):
Listen, man, let me tell you something real fast.

Speaker 2 (49:39):
Yeah, quickly pulled this up.

Speaker 4 (49:40):
Okay, So Lee County this year, they're gonna be at
Warner Robbins to start the.

Speaker 2 (49:48):
Season, non region game, right, that's right.

Speaker 4 (49:50):
So if you take a look at Fabrizio's non region
schedule and the way he has set this thing up,
check this out.

Speaker 3 (49:58):
Now, somebody just it sound is great? Now, that's good news.
So we're gonna keep trucking, that's right.

Speaker 4 (50:04):
So if you take a look at farrezio schedule this year,
I think it's set up really, really well. Now he's
got some cupcakes early on, but he's got some tough
games too. Like to start the season on August fifteenth
at Warner Robbins is gonna be pretty good. Warner Robbins
is not gonna be a world beater, but they're gonna
be a quality team, right, And he goes on the
road to do that. Then he follows that up at

(50:26):
home with Hateville Hateville at home August twenty nine, takes
on Tiff County with a hopefully improved Blue Devil squad.
Then Phil Big showdown at home for Lee County as
they host Kaukwood County. Right, so out of the gate
the first four weeks, first five weeks, you got Warner

(50:47):
Robbins and as one of the bookends Cauchwood County as
the other book in fourth week of the schedule, then
they kind of step things down with North Florida Educational
Institute and don't even know who that is. Good gracious,
I think these sisters of the line might have changed
their name and rebranded to the North Florida Educational Institute.

Speaker 3 (51:07):
That's so what happened there. You had a team that
backed out on Lee County. They had to scramble to
find the game and.

Speaker 2 (51:13):
They were the yes. So they're probably as bad as
they sound.

Speaker 4 (51:19):
Yeah, my point is it's a pretty good non region
schedule because he starts with the quality team kind of
backs it down a little bit. Fourth game of the
season where the team should be starting to hit their stride,
right and he hosts Copple County is going to be
a very very tough game. For them, but stets them
well up for region play because the very next week

(51:39):
they step it back down, probably nurse some injuries. And
then the following week they're on the road at Thomas
County Central to start their region play. And then they
have back to back weeks on the road Thomas County
Central and then over in Douglas at at Coffee County.
That is a tough, tough city, tweak stretch. There actually

(52:03):
seven weeks.

Speaker 3 (52:03):
Stretch, right all right, So let's go in and roll through, uh,
the remainder. So again, guys, we're going through our Class
five A top ten, so Lee County at number four.
So here's our top three, yep, and we'll go through
these pretty quickly.

Speaker 2 (52:20):
So the games for Red Elephants coming in at number three.

Speaker 3 (52:26):
Now, last year was undoubtedly larry and for our viewers,
the most disappointing season for coach Josh Nevlett.

Speaker 2 (52:36):
You know, the year before they had to finished.

Speaker 3 (52:40):
I'm trying to remember basically every year that he's been there,
Josh Neblett, he's taken them.

Speaker 2 (52:45):
We'll come to the state championship in his.

Speaker 3 (52:46):
First year, uh, and then the next couple of years
they were okay. Then last year they really regressed, right.

Speaker 2 (52:54):
They lost to Sequoia in the.

Speaker 3 (52:57):
First or second round of the playoffs, a big disappointment,
not what we expected from Gamesville, and I can promise
you that was a a and that has been a
big motivating factor for games for I've heard it from
coaching Dibbley himself and he said, you know, we are
going to make what happened and I'm paraphrasing, but what
happened last year is going to motivate us. And let

(53:19):
me tell you, Larry, They've got what is probably maybe
the best defensive player, Tyler Atkinson. That Grayson may have
an argument for this, but you've got Xavier Griffin, five
star linebacker at Gamesville, I mean all everything. He is

(53:41):
one heck of a player. And you've got on the
other side Kareem Hugley, who has just announced his intentions.

Speaker 2 (53:50):
I'm trying to remember what he committed to.

Speaker 3 (53:53):
Maybe you guys can help me out with that, but anyway,
you got some great pieces surrounding those two players.

Speaker 2 (54:00):
Gainesville I think is going to be loaded for Bear.

Speaker 3 (54:03):
I like him at number three and I think for
right now they are my pick for to win that
region this year.

Speaker 4 (54:12):
Phil you know, before coach Niblet came along. I hate
to say this about any team because it's gonna come
off as harsh, but it's the reality. Is it safe
to say that before coach Nibleck came along that Gainesville
was a mediocre team? Yes, okay, so that's probably a

(54:35):
fair statement. It is so so Nibleck comes along, and
I remember when he was introduced to the team. Yep,
there was so much excitement in that team, the fan base,
the athletic student population, we're all gathered in that I
guess lunch room where they introduced coach Newla and he

(54:57):
gave kind of like a many little motivational slash pet talk, right,
A a charismatic coach, which Coach Niblett is, with a
pedigree to back up his claims and his hype can
do wonders for a program. We've seen this repeated over

(55:18):
and over. This template is nothing new, it's repeated over
and over again. But yeah, but he's got to be
able to back it up, and Coach Nibble has been
able to back it up. But at the same time,
when he came on board with Gainsville, there was probably
a mutual expectation from the administration and him as a

(55:38):
coach for him to bring championships to Gainesville. And he's
come close. He's come very very close. And so last
year when they had four losses on the season, that
had to be a little that had to really chap
his hide basically right and probably disappointing a lot of people.
So I think he's going to come back very very

(55:59):
strong this year. You're probably gonna be a top five
team all year long, and so it's gonna be very
very interesting to see how Gainesville plays out. But I
think you have them positioned pretty well in your top.

Speaker 3 (56:11):
Ten, absolutely all right, So we've come down to the
nitty gritty here. You know, we're doing the Class five
A preseason top ten. Obviously we'll have one more from
yours truly that'll be coming out I would guess next week,
and that would be the Class six A Top ten.

(56:31):
But first things first, who do you guys think are
our top two teams in Class five? A kind of hard,
I guess really to figure out who's gonna be one
or two, But it's not very hard, I would think,
Larry for everybody to understand who our final two teams are.

(56:54):
So who do you guys think between Milton and Thomas
County Central, I've got at number one one and Larry,
while we asked for our viewers to give us a
few their thoughts and this little formal informal poll I'm
putting out there.

Speaker 2 (57:14):
We'll get the first five or six from you guys, but.

Speaker 3 (57:18):
You want to give us your thoughts, Larry, Milton or
Thomas County Central. Now, obviously you see the list. You
know who I've got a number one? Our viewers do not.

Speaker 2 (57:27):
So what say you, Larry? Without disclosing who I have
a number one?

Speaker 4 (57:32):
Well, I'll say it this way and both both Dusty
Rose by the.

Speaker 3 (57:41):
Way and by the way, Evan Reese and Tony When
I'm sorry Larry, but yeah, you guys have got it right.
It is Thomas County Central and Milton. But who do
you guys think we have as one and number two?

Speaker 2 (57:50):
Go ahead, Larry.

Speaker 4 (57:52):
You know to to borrow a saying, a very popular
saying from Dusty Rhodes and the Nature with Rick Flair.
In order to be demand, you got to beat the
man right until somebody's at the National Powerhouse, Milton. Uh,
it's it's their class and everybody else is playing for

(58:15):
second place. Now, going into the season this year, I've
been told that the Thomas County Central roster is just
loaded from top to bottom, that athletes are coming out
of the woodwork to go play for Justin Rodgers over there.
And so you know, there's a lot of expectations in

(58:35):
Central Land, right And so I would ask guys like
a cole More or a Obadiah Farley, is is anything
less than a semi final appearance against Milton? Is that
considered a disappointing season or is it semifinal or bust
for Thomas County Central to be considered a good A

(58:58):
good season, now, a great season would be to win
a state title. But Phil, we just went through one
through ten. Those are some tough teams in Class five
eight for for Central to run through to claim a
state title. So early on favorites right now, I think
you've got Milton placed well at the number one position.

Speaker 2 (59:22):
Okay, guys, So.

Speaker 3 (59:25):
I asked y'all to give me your thoughts number one
between Milton and Thomas County Central. Number two between Milton
Thomas County Central. Let me look and see what you
guys are saying about it.

Speaker 4 (59:41):
Tony, Phil, let me, let's talk about these comments that
you're about to go through. Uh, you know, I thought
I never thought I would see where Obadi Farlow would
give us coach.

Speaker 3 (59:53):
Speak all right, Tony Winn says Milton number one, Thomas
County Central number three. Uh, well, Tony, that's impossible because
there's only two spots left over. Dulph Arty says Milton won,
Hughes two and Thomas County Central three. I'm assuming no,

(01:00:14):
he's just got the whole three teams listed. Let me
just say this, Hughes, they're gonna be lucky to be
a top ten team.

Speaker 2 (01:00:20):
They lost everybody this year.

Speaker 3 (01:00:22):
They they did get the transfer from over at Peetree Ridge,
the quarterback Darnell Kelly.

Speaker 2 (01:00:30):
But man, they lost a lot.

Speaker 3 (01:00:31):
I think they were exposed in that Tiff County spring game.

Speaker 2 (01:00:35):
And say what you will bout it being a spring game.

Speaker 3 (01:00:38):
I like coach Hines a lot and dreco Hines, he
said he's a great coach. He was Dolphins cooridator during
Hughes the state championship season twenty twenty two.

Speaker 2 (01:00:48):
But you lose a coach like.

Speaker 3 (01:00:50):
Boone Williams, Daniel Boone wiives, I just don't think he's
gonna be in it when it's all said and done.
Could be wrong, but we'll see. Abby sp said, is
Milton number one? Jim Blair says Milton number one. Jim
Blair says Milton one in TCC, Tony Winn TCC and Milton.

Speaker 2 (01:01:08):
Okay, Evan Reees TCC and Milton, Larry.

Speaker 3 (01:01:12):
You could really flip a coin here, Okay, I'm gonna
say this, Thomas County Central is app susolutely low dead.

Speaker 4 (01:01:23):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:01:24):
Did I emphasize that enough?

Speaker 3 (01:01:25):
I mean, coach Justin Rodgers has got that program locking
and rolling right now. Having said that again, I'm gonna
give the benefit of the doubt to Milton.

Speaker 2 (01:01:38):
Like you just said, Larry, say it again.

Speaker 4 (01:01:42):
To be the man, you gotta beat the man.

Speaker 3 (01:01:47):
So as Larry said, paraphrasing uh well actually quoting uh
the nature boy, Rick Flair and Death, there is to
beat the yes lisp fully intense. To be the man,
you gotta beat the man. So I'm gonna again, out
of respect and honor to the two time defending state champion,

(01:02:09):
I'm gonna have Milton at one Thomas Gonnay Central number two.
I will say this, guys, it doesn't come with a
lot of confidence. And what I mean by that is
I could have easily gone with Thomas Canning Central and
Milton Thomas gonentn Central one. But I think for now,
until somebody knocks them all, I'm predicting Milton to capture

(01:02:30):
their third consecutive state championship, and I've got them ranked
over TCC.

Speaker 2 (01:02:35):
But guys don't make.

Speaker 4 (01:02:36):
A lot of that.

Speaker 2 (01:02:37):
I said that all year long. This is a pre
season top ten.

Speaker 3 (01:02:42):
I'm merely putting Milton as the top team because again
they are. They're well, they're defending state champion until somebody
knocks them off.

Speaker 4 (01:02:50):
You know, Phil, you know, I think deservedly. So we're
giving Milton a lot of preps on process.

Speaker 2 (01:02:57):
Should say, well and deserved.

Speaker 4 (01:03:00):
We desert, Yeah, we desert. But you know, in the
game of football, it's Baul bounces strangely on occasion. But here,
here's the deal. If anybody can beat Milton this year,
there are a handful of states that can beat Milton.
I think I think Lee County has a shot to

(01:03:21):
beat Milton. I think Coffee County can beat Milton. I
think Rome can beat Milton. I think Gainesville can beat
Milton and certainly Thomas County Central. Okay, sure, sure anybody
can beat Milton this year. I think Central probably has
the best chance to do it because of the talent
they have been stockpiling the last couple of years. I

(01:03:42):
think it's going to explode. Like Phil, I put it
this way, I think Central is more loaded than a
baked potato at Longhorn Steakhouse.

Speaker 3 (01:03:53):
I love it, I love it, Chris Pace says, Year
of the Three Peaks.

Speaker 2 (01:04:00):
I love that.

Speaker 3 (01:04:01):
Now, Chris, I'm assuming that you're mean. You're intending that
from Milton. Obviously you've got tuned and I know we're
jumping around here Toms not Toomes County, but Bowden, Larry
going for a four piece.

Speaker 2 (01:04:19):
Can you believe that?

Speaker 4 (01:04:20):
Yeah? I know, man, I know. Oh listen, Phil to
Mario Jones raises an interesting topic. I think we should
publicly say it. Happy birthday, Phil Jones.

Speaker 2 (01:04:30):
Oh, thank you, Larry. I appreciate that.

Speaker 3 (01:04:33):
But I tell you I got so many well wishes
from from folks over the over the weekend.

Speaker 2 (01:04:38):
Indeed, it was birthday number forty one.

Speaker 3 (01:04:44):
But do want to thank you everybody for the happy
birthday wishes. Guys, really means a lot. Appreciate that very much.

Speaker 2 (01:04:50):
Thank you. A coach to Mario Jones. Gonna be keeping
to Mario Jones.

Speaker 3 (01:04:55):
I talked about your Charlton County Indians today. By the way,
shameless plug, Larry uh today kicked off our Georgia Public
Broadcasting GPB what we call the All Stars, and again
I'm just humble to be a part of that. I
think there's four or five of us that John Neltson

(01:05:16):
from GPB calls up. We have each about seven or
eight minutes to talk about what we think is gonna
happen this year across the state.

Speaker 2 (01:05:24):
We'll be doing that every week.

Speaker 3 (01:05:26):
It is recorded, so John and Georgia Public Broadcast GPV
will be gb Sports will be making that available probably
Wednesday or Thursday. I'll promote that on our Facebook page
as to where you guys can watch that. But anyway,
I wanted to point that out, but Larry, but go ahead.

(01:05:46):
You were so we were talking about Milton Thomas Hounty
Central Class five A. I've been saying this all along
and we'll kind of get ready to wrap up here,
but you know, I think five A may very will.

Speaker 2 (01:06:00):
Be the toughest classification in the state.

Speaker 4 (01:06:02):
What say you, Larry, that's that's a that's tough from
I don't know if I agree with you. Let me
tell you why. Let me tell you why it's so tough,
Because in order to make that statement true, they've got
to be better than Grayson, the eventual state champion has

(01:06:24):
to be better than Grayson, has to be better than Buford,
has to be better than Calkwood County, has to be
better than Carrollton, uh North Quarnett, and the list goes
on and on. So I think I think the more
accurate measuring stick would be with the top five in
Class A or Class five A beat the top five

(01:06:47):
in Class six A. I mean, if you took the
top five teams out of both those classes, that would
be a heck of a weekend of football if you
watch those teams play.

Speaker 2 (01:07:00):
So let's let's break this down. So this is a
good us A good topic. Okay.

Speaker 3 (01:07:04):
So, and by the way, our Class six A top
ten has not been released yet, so what I'm about
to say is not on the record. But let's just
say in Class six A, you've got Buford, Grayson, right, Larry, Yeah, Okay?

Speaker 2 (01:07:20):
Who else?

Speaker 4 (01:07:21):
Uh? So you got North Quinnette, correct, Colquook County. How
many is that?

Speaker 2 (01:07:31):
That's four?

Speaker 4 (01:07:32):
That's four and maybe five Nton. Yeah, you could throw
someone like a Carrollton, although Carrotter is probably gonna take
a step back this year. But let's throw Carrollton in there.

Speaker 2 (01:07:43):
Okay, all right.

Speaker 3 (01:07:45):
So, by the way, Matthew Park says top five and
six A, top five.

Speaker 2 (01:07:54):
And five A not even closed. Now, Matthew Park, what
do you mean by that?

Speaker 3 (01:08:01):
All right, so let's let's look at this. So Beauford,
Grayson or going that call with Carrollton. That's just the
first five.

Speaker 2 (01:08:09):
We got Douglas County in there as well. Okay. In
five A, you've got Milton, Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:08:15):
Thomas County, Central Gamesville, Lee County, Rome Coffee.

Speaker 2 (01:08:25):
I got. Okay, we'll thought Hughes in there for I
gotta be honest with you, Larry. I think any one
of those teams could win a state title and nobody
would be surprised.

Speaker 4 (01:08:40):
Yeah. Yeah, so so it would be some really really good.

Speaker 2 (01:08:43):
Games, right, And that's why I say five A.

Speaker 3 (01:08:46):
I think, in my opinion, it's the toughest classification of
the state.

Speaker 2 (01:08:49):
But go ahead, Larry, Well, I'm.

Speaker 4 (01:08:52):
Not necessarily disagreeing with you. But in order to be
in order to make that statement true, which is Class
five A is the toughest, which means that they're clearly
better class most competitive.

Speaker 2 (01:09:08):
Word it that way. Go ahead, Larry.

Speaker 4 (01:09:09):
I would say that any given Friday night, any of
those teams could beat any other team. So I would
say they're probably equal.

Speaker 2 (01:09:16):
In comparison, maybe something, And I'll buy that.

Speaker 3 (01:09:20):
I mean, but but but again the test the little
uses here, Larry, and guys, help us out there. Who
are we missing here? So in six say Beuford, Grayson,
nor Cauquitt, Carrollton, Larry, do any of those.

Speaker 2 (01:09:43):
Teams stand a chance realistically at winning the state championship
this year? Think about it.

Speaker 4 (01:09:48):
Run through that list again.

Speaker 2 (01:09:50):
It was your five.

Speaker 3 (01:09:51):
It was the five that we came up with, Bufford, Grayson,
North Cold Cutt County and Carrollton.

Speaker 4 (01:10:02):
Grayson's probably gonna repeat as the champion in six A.
Buford is probably a close second. Again, I think we're
gonna see a repeat if those two teams find each
other in different sides of the bracket. I think you'll
see a repeat between Buford and Grayson this year. Now,
the big test is going to be the first game

(01:10:22):
of the season. I hate that this is the first
game of the season because I think all teams need
to tune up before you play. Team this tough. But
Milton taking on Buford August fourteenth, right, right right, very
difficult game, first game out of the shoot right there,
So that will go a long way in answering the

(01:10:44):
question right there.

Speaker 2 (01:10:46):
Yeah, guys, And look we're splitting here is here.

Speaker 3 (01:10:48):
I think as far as witch classification's tough, but again
I'll go back to it. I just look at that
is Murderer's Row, Milton TCC game Lee County Rome coffee, right,
I mean the Roslyn there, right. I mean, guys, whoa

(01:11:11):
don't forget Sekoya. Now, I don't know what Sekoya is
gonna do. I think they lost a lot. But look
they came out of nowhere last year and we won't
see and we went include thee cooy. Okay, just just playing,
But Milton TCC Gamesville, Lee County Rome Coffee in russ
with God, that's that's a stout Top seven Beautford, Grayson,

(01:11:32):
North One, Colswood, Carrollton.

Speaker 4 (01:11:35):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (01:11:35):
And then as Matthew Park reminded us, Collins Hill, you
know last year, I was the only by the way
we we it g next was part of the AJC's
composite statewide top fifteen and yours. Truly, we're the only
one to include Collins Hill in our preseason top ten.

(01:11:56):
And you know, so, I think Collins Hill, as long
as Druce Week is there, they're gonna be back contending.
I just don't know, man, you know, And look, I
love Drew Swick. I love what he's done up there.
Collins Hill, Uh, you got a great quarterback and uh
and and Dudah, You've got maybe the two best defensive

(01:12:22):
linemen in terms of a duo in the.

Speaker 2 (01:12:25):
Coltreill Web and their uh Deuce Gerald's. Man, they are beast.
Let me tell you.

Speaker 3 (01:12:34):
Having said that, I just I just don't know if
they're gonna have enough weapons surrounding all those guys to
contend for a state tyle.

Speaker 4 (01:12:41):
I could be wrong, yeah, Phil, Going back to the comments,
you know Obadiah Farley, he's got a question question earlier
when the county reports to the stadium with the fans
get some of that tailgating food. So you know what
he's referring to as Thomas County Center is coming over
to the Concrete Palace for the preseason fall scrimmage this

(01:13:03):
year taking on mind mighty Vikings. So it's gonna be
a kind of a rematch of the preseason game. They
soundly beat us last year. We went over there to
uh to visit Central. So the Jackets come over here
this year to Martin Stadium. So I'm looking for Obdi.
I hope you're there. I mean, I don't think we've
ever met. Would love to shake your hand, maybe buy

(01:13:26):
you a coke, that kind of stuff. So, uh So
it's gonna be interesting to see what, you know, what
both programs have in the preseason scrimmage. Now, Phil, going
back to Class five it, I think what makes Thomas County, Central,
Coffee County, and Lee County so impressive in Class five

(01:13:48):
A is this they're southern schools. But you might ask, Larr,
why is that so impressive? Phil? In modern day football,
especially at the higher classes. One of the things that
we complain about as fans down here is the the
the population of the Metro Atlanta teams, right, and why

(01:14:10):
is that important? Because as we talked about at nauseum
on this program and others including my show, is the
transfer stuff that's going on with highly mobile student athletes nowadays.
So a Metro Atlanta school, you would make, you would
make the connection. It would make sense that these schools
are the top of the class year in and year

(01:14:33):
out in class five A and six A because of
all the students they have access to because they're they're
highly mobile. Now you compare you contrast though, that environment
with the schools down here, Phil, you're talking about Douglas,
you're talking about Lee County, you're talking about Thomasville, which
is not known for uh, you know, a heavily, heavily

(01:14:56):
populated metro urban type environment that has access to millions
of student athletes, right like you do with the Metro.
So for those three teams in particular to compete year
in and year out like they have in the last
probably five or six years, Man, my hat's off to
those three head coaches that are competing at the highest

(01:15:19):
levels when the stack, when the deck is so stacked
against them.

Speaker 2 (01:15:25):
All right, So let's go through some of the.

Speaker 3 (01:15:29):
Listener or viewer comments. We're gonna take you guys up
to seven o'clock. So we got about seven minutes left.

Speaker 2 (01:15:34):
Great show. I want to thank you everybody, but we've
still got a few minutes left.

Speaker 3 (01:15:39):
So Austin Avy Balta says, it's gonna be a great
high school football seat in Georgia. Indeed it is, my man, absolutely,
Jose Badilla, what's up, Jose, my main man from Thomas
County Central. Jose sent me a Thomas County Central sweatshirt
larry A pullover. Yeah, now, I wouldn't dare wear it

(01:15:59):
today it's one hundred degrees, but can I wait to
get some football weather?

Speaker 2 (01:16:06):
But Jose bad I agree with Phil.

Speaker 3 (01:16:08):
I think there's more teams in five A that will
that won't surprise if they win it.

Speaker 2 (01:16:12):
All fair quy, fair statement.

Speaker 3 (01:16:13):
Matthew Park, thanks for the comment, buddy, that's why you're
the man, Goes Jones. I don't know about that, buddy,
but I do appreciate your kind words. Brother Chris, no.

Speaker 4 (01:16:24):
Way, I'm answering that question from Chris.

Speaker 3 (01:16:28):
Of the five A teams, which team has the best
coaching staff to put them in position to win the
twenty twenty five title, because at the end of the day,
you can have all the talent you want, but at
the end of the day, again, it comes down to
one staff on one side of the field and the
other staff on this side of the field.

Speaker 2 (01:16:45):
Is that the ques Is that the one you said
you wouldn't gonna answer.

Speaker 4 (01:16:48):
Yeah, he's asking which of those those teams has the
best staff, has the best coaching staff? Yeah, that is
a very difficult question to answer because all three head
coaches are really good head coaches and one of the
things they're known for is hiring really great staffs.

Speaker 3 (01:17:04):
Let me go ahead and put out a little teaser
for everybody. You guys know, we've been doing these top
ten various questions. You know, we've been doing that forever,
you know, top ten, this, top ten that. Well, I've
got a new one that we're gonna come out with,
and I want to go ahead and solicit everyone's input today.

(01:17:26):
And it's just it's just segueing off of what Larry
was just talking about, and we can do top five
or top ten?

Speaker 2 (01:17:33):
Is too many? Top five? Larry?

Speaker 3 (01:17:36):
And for our viewers, who are the I'm trying to
think how to phrase this, who are the top five
most passionate, most intense head coaches in high school football?

Speaker 4 (01:17:51):
Okay, so not necessarily who we think are the best
head coaches, that's right. Passionate that's right, that's exactly right.

Speaker 2 (01:17:58):
I've got my clear cutt. Number one and it's not Rush.

Speaker 4 (01:18:03):
Uh. The most passionate is probably Dean Fabrizio.

Speaker 3 (01:18:06):
Yes, yeah, I mean man is bringing up flags and
throwing the back at the referees.

Speaker 2 (01:18:14):
Hey, come on, but go ahead, Larry.

Speaker 4 (01:18:17):
Number two is probably justin Rogers. Uh. Number three. This
may surprise a lot of people when I say this,
Number three is probably Adam Carter.

Speaker 2 (01:18:29):
He is no, it is surprised.

Speaker 4 (01:18:31):
He is very intense on that sideline, very intense.

Speaker 3 (01:18:34):
Surprise anybody I thought I thought I thought he was
gonnaut him at number two.

Speaker 4 (01:18:39):
A lot of our audience may not have seen him
on the sideline. Right.

Speaker 3 (01:18:44):
Listen, my man Flint, who does a great job for us,
Flint Hykes. He's the producer of this show. And Flint
is responsible for a lot of our content. We've got
on Instagram and really everywhere. Flint does a lot of
our graphics. Flint has got a rate. I guess you
call her real where Adam Carter is and he's just

(01:19:06):
calling in plays. Yeah, but Adam Carter is so intense.
He got a coach having to hold him back, got
him about the Beltlet you know, I'm he's.

Speaker 4 (01:19:15):
Got himself of his own getback coach. He got there.

Speaker 3 (01:19:18):
You go, hey, Larry, if you've got to get back coach,
you've got to be on the list, right.

Speaker 4 (01:19:26):
Oh my gosh, yes, yes, absolutely.

Speaker 2 (01:19:30):
So we got thinking of guys. I think John Reid
might make the list of John Reid.

Speaker 4 (01:19:35):
Uh Tucker Pruitt certainly, I think would make that list, really,
I think. So, now, what what do you think about,
uh kid, what do you think about Coach Williams up there?
You know, the former of Langston Hughes head coach. You

(01:19:57):
think he belongs in the top five as far as
there one of the most passionate coaches.

Speaker 3 (01:20:03):
Okay, so I would put him maybe in a different category.

Speaker 2 (01:20:09):
I think coach Boone Williams, that's what you're talking about, right, Larry.

Speaker 3 (01:20:15):
I think Daniel Boone Williams is flat out one of
the top five coaches in the state of Georgia period.

Speaker 4 (01:20:26):
Really, Oh my gosh, coaches in the States.

Speaker 2 (01:20:33):
I agree. I am just so impressed with him.

Speaker 3 (01:20:37):
You know, all of you guys remember but his was
not I mean, they were, they were good, but Daniel
Boone Williams took them to a whole different level.

Speaker 4 (01:20:48):
Okay, I'm with you, man.

Speaker 3 (01:20:53):
So I think the fact guys that they made it
to the state championship game last.

Speaker 2 (01:20:59):
Year, that that was huge.

Speaker 3 (01:21:03):
Guys, remember no printice Aaron Nolan, Right, that's right, I'm
telling you.

Speaker 2 (01:21:11):
I love just think. I think when I heard Larry.

Speaker 3 (01:21:16):
That Norse had to win a Robins and man, some
of you guys are gonna get me for that one.

Speaker 2 (01:21:23):
It's not supposed to be Norse. I want to Robins.

Speaker 3 (01:21:25):
From what I've been told Larry, it's just Norse side.

Speaker 4 (01:21:32):
They don't even want to have one of Robins in
their name.

Speaker 2 (01:21:36):
They don't. It is incredible anyway, but.

Speaker 3 (01:21:56):
Where they belong, which is at the top of the
food chain, comes to Middle Georgia.

Speaker 4 (01:22:00):
High school football at North Side.

Speaker 3 (01:22:09):
All right, guys, seven o'clock, gonna give you the final word, Larry,
what you got?

Speaker 2 (01:22:12):
Final word?

Speaker 4 (01:22:13):
What you got? Phil? You know you can tell that
everybody is just chomping at the bid when it comes
to football season kicking off, you know.

Speaker 3 (01:22:23):
Real quickly, Carol Anthony SMI, Carl Anthony Smith, real quick, Lari.
I'm gonna give you the rest of your chances to
make your comment. I want to answer this before we
get out of here. Carl Anthony Smith says, is leek
Henty gonna be good this year because they lost a lot?
Yes they will, Carl, go back and watch the show,
Carl if you if you missed it, this show, we
archive it. And Larry and I've been talking a lot

(01:22:44):
about why we think Leekeny is gonna be really good
again this year.

Speaker 2 (01:22:47):
But go ahead, Larry.

Speaker 4 (01:22:48):
Sorry. Yeah, so you know, everybody's chomping at the bid
to us, the the hardcore high school football fans down here.
We all recognize as the week after the July fourth
week is basically the start of football season, right, that's
when everything culminates with all the summer workouts. Now you're

(01:23:10):
in the home stretch preparing to hit fall camp. And
so you're only about a month away from fall camp. No,
actually just a few weeks away from everybody starting fall camp.
So we're chopping at the bit. So we appreciate all
you guys, you know, sticking with us all summer long
with these shows. That feels dug We think Phil for

(01:23:32):
being so loyal and dedicated to high school football. So anyway,
I'm going to leave it with this, My final thought
is this, no matter who your rival is, no matter
how good or bad your team may or may not
be there this year, go out and support your Go

(01:23:52):
ahead and get ready to support these guys. Right. If
you haven't joined the touchdown clubs yet, go ahead and
join them, because every team needs funds this time of year,
if at no other time. So, guys, thank you so
much for allowing me on your show tonight. Phil. It's
been a blast. I hope I've done it justice because
I'm dogcutter and my voice is just about out. So

(01:24:14):
thank you so much for letting me join you.

Speaker 3 (01:24:16):
You're welcome, Matthew Park. I hope y'all do this more often.
This is great. Thanks for all you do. It's obvious
you guys do your research. Great for high school football. Hey, Matthew,
you must be anybuddy. We do this every Monday night.
We've been doing it for gosh a long time. Larry
is a regular co host with me, and I'm glad
to have him.

Speaker 2 (01:24:37):
So Matthew, yes, we will do We do it every
Monday night.

Speaker 4 (01:24:40):
Brother.

Speaker 2 (01:24:40):
I hope that you will be a repeat viewer here
on the show. Larry, thanks so much for joining me.

Speaker 4 (01:24:45):
Brother, anytime, guys, anytime.

Speaker 2 (01:24:48):
All right, guys.

Speaker 3 (01:24:49):
I want to thank you our buddy Flint Dykes though
again who made the show. Possibly he always does. I
want to thank all of you guys for checking out
the show. Come back with us on Monday. Remember in
the interim, though, follow us on Facebook, all of our
social media platforms. Remember to like and share and guess
follow yours truly on my ex platform Twitter, we're trying

(01:25:11):
to beat that up a little bit so as well
as our ITG next platforms as well.

Speaker 4 (01:25:15):
So