The Creekview Grizzlies are coming off a 6-4 season where they fought the toughest teams in 6A last year. The Grizzlies were in a region with Allatoona, Harrison, and Dalton. However, this year they are in a new region with lots of upside. Head coach Trevor Williams will return this season for his second year leading the Grizzlies. The Grizzlies will miss Ethan Dirrim but have lots of returning talent to make a playoff run in the new region. Creekview will also play all 5 of the other Cherokee County teams making them a must watch team for local fans.
Players to watch:
Sr. QB Brody Rhodes: Brody had a great season last year being the Grizzlies top passer and rusher with over 1500 yards, with 16 touchdowns passing and over 400 yards rushing. He excels in the RPO system that keeps the Creekview system balanced. Rhodes has already picked up multiple D1 offers from teams like Kennesaw State, Georgia Southern, Army and the Citadel. We would not be surprised if some Power 5 teams come through with offers soon.
Sr. RB Cole Hasty: Cole helps balance the rushing attack for the Grizzlies. Cole did not post tons of numbers, but watching film, it’s easy to see that opposing defenses paid him enough attention to open other opportunities for the offense, especially the play action passing game. Cole is poised to have a huge senior year after adding 20 pounds this offseason, according to Coach Williams. Cole already has an offer from Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois, and with a 4.2 GPA, expect him to receive many more.
Sr. WR Andrew Cloy: Andrew was the second favorite target for Rhodes last year (only behind Ethan Dirrim) with nearly 400 yards and 2 touchdown receptions. Andrew is a big target, coming in at 6’2” and 190 pounds, making him a big threat in the redzone and in the play action passing game. Andrew also has an offer from Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois, and as the leader of the receiving core, he could easily pull in more before he finishes his Senior year.
Sr. OL Anthony Dorr: Creekview has a history of top-notch offensive linemen, and Dorr is next on that list. Anthony helped anchor the offensive line for the Grizzlies last year, opposite of John Williams. Anthony is listed at 6’3” and 255 pounds, and already has two offers from Birmingham-Southern and Culver-Stockton. With a solid year in the trenches, Dorr can easily pick up many more offers.
So. LB Isaac Hubert: Isaac had a huge Freshman year for the Grizzlies, racking up 9.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss. Hubert was recognized as a 1st team Freshman All-American by MaxPreps as well. He is already listed at 6’1” and 195 pounds, and already has an offer from Jacksonville State. He is one of the first of the 2023 players that has made an impact in Cherokee County so far.
Sr. LB Grant Anderson: Grant will be the leader of the Creekview defense. He led the Grizzlies in tackles last season with over 65, tallied 7 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks. Grant has had a big offseason in the weight room, watch for him to have a huge senior year for the Grizzlies.
Jr. DB Cale Williams: Cale will be relied on to lead the secondary with the loss of Ethan Dirrim. Williams has a big frame for a defensive back, listed at 6 foot even and 190 pounds makes him effective in the run game, and a good coverage option. Cale will most likely catch the attention of some colleges this season if he is able to anchor the secondary for Creekview.
Games to Watch: *- denotes games that will be featured on WLJA 101.1 FM as the Cherokee County game of the Week
*September 4th: Creekview @ Etowah* - Creekview will begin their 2020 campaign at the Eagles Nest in Woodstock. The Eagles will look very different this year with Coach Matt Kemper taking over the program after a first round playoff exit in 2019. With the loss of players like Dalton Miller and Jackson Manns, the Eagles will be looking for offensive answers. The Eagles do have lots of returning talent, WR Brock Rechsteiner, LB Austin Skinner, and DB Trevor Fair are all primed to make an impact this season. Creekview will have to rely on the linebacking core to contain the Etowah playmakers, and Brody Rhodes will have to protect the football and force the Eagles to play sound defense.
September 11th: Creekview @ Woodstock - Creekview and Woodstock have played each other for the past two years, the Grizzlies took both of those games. Creekview is hoping to keep that streak alive when they travel back down to Woodstock for back to back weeks. The Wolverines hit a bit of a snag last year, only winning 2 games. However, the Wolverines do have lots of returning talent in QB Walker Ormsby, WR Wes Bruno, and S David Daniel. Creekview will have to limit the Wolverines running game to claim a 3rd win in the series.
*September 25th: Cherokee @ Creekview* - The Grizzlies first home game of the season will be the biggest test of the Creekview defense so far this season. Cherokee will be bringing a huge amount of offensive firepower with QB AJ Swann, RB Keith Adams Jr. and WR Adarrius Harshaw leading the way for the Warriors. Cherokee certainly isn’t lacking on defense either with LB Braesen Parker anchoring the defense. The Grizzlies will have to have a big game from Brody Rhodes and Cole Hasty on offense to keep up with the Cherokee offense. The Creekview linebacking core will be crucial to contain the Cherokee offense and force them to play mistake free. If you want to watch one game this season, make it this one.
*October 16th: Creekview @ Sequoyah* - The battle of Hickory Flat is one of the best rivalries in Cherokee County. Creekview has dominated this rivalry with an overall record of 9-3, however the Chiefs have won 2 of the last 4 times these two have faced off. Sequoyah has historically been a run first team with a Wing-T offense, this year should be no different. The Creekview defense will have to control the run game with their strong linebacking core. Sequoyah uses their athletes on both sides of the ball, keep an eye on Jack Blackman, Jaden Mitchell, and Dion Rolle for the Chiefs. The advantage for the Grizzlies going into this game is their ability for the big play on offense.
*October 23rd: River Ridge @ Creekview* - Creekview will finish their tour of Cherokee County with a region matchup against the Knights. River Ridge has made lots of progress last year and kept the Grizzlies to 14 points in last years match-up. The Knights have relied heavily on younger players for the past few years, and this season will be no different. Although they will have to replace QB Chase Begin, they still have RB Amehre Morrison and TE Jackson Head for this season. The Grizzlies will need to play fundamental football and limit turnovers in this one.
*October 30th: Riverwood @ Creekview* - Riverwood is making the jump from 5A to 6A for 2020. The Raiders had an incredible season last year, winning 11 games and going undefeated in the region. They still have tons of talent with QB Avery Smith, RB Quinterio Lawson, and DE Jonathan Brown all returning. Riverwood excelled in stretching the field with the spread offense and using the play-action game to take shots downfield. The Grizzlies will have to put pressure on Smith and rely on the secondary to play the deep ball effectively.
*November 20th: Johns Creek @ Creekview*- Johns Creek won this region (region 7-6A) before our Cherokee County teams joined in the realignment, going undefeated in the region. Johns Creek will have to replace lots of talent this year, losing their leading passer, rusher, and receiver to graduation. The Gladiators will be a wildcard in the region, but fortunately for the Creekview, they will get a whole year of film on the Gladiators before they face off. The Grizzlies will have to rely on the run game to control the tempo of the game and use the time of possession to their advantage.
