This is the most recently updated 2020 Cherokee County Football Schedule. All games subject to change due to COVID 19. 

The Etowah Eagles are coming off a 5-5 season with a first round playoff loss to East Coweta. The Eagles will be a very different team this year with Dalton Miller, Jackson Manns, and many other big-time players graduating. Etowah will be led by former Roswell Head Coach Matt Kemper after Coach Sevelah took a position at West Forsyth. The Eagles will be Cherokee County’s biggest question mark. This preview will be very different, as the Eagles have yet to name a starting QB.

Players to Watch:

Jr. RB/WR Remington Adams: Adams is poised to have a breakout season this year, with his speed and elusiveness. We expect him to thrive in the new spread system that Coach Kemper uses, where the jet sweep play is common. He is slightly undersized to be a typical running back, but it helps make him an open-field nightmare for the defense.

Sr. WR Brock Rechsteiner: The Rechsteiner name is familiar to any Cherokee County football fan, and Brock is another great athlete in the family. Brock was a huge part of the Eagles offense last season, providing a second option for Miller after Jackson Manns. Listed at 6’3” and 205 lbs, Brock is a big target with the ability to bring in highly contested passers. Whoever is named QB, Rechsteiner will be a reliable target for them.

Sr. DL Jared Weitkamp: Jared will play a big role in filling the void left by Raymone Devezin and Cole Milavonvic after they both graduated last season. He is able to play anywhere on the defensive line, however his speed makes him a better edge rusher than defensive tackle. Listed at 6’3” 245 lbs, we expect him to be a big part of the Eagles defense.

Sr. LB Austin Skinner: Austin tallied over 100 total tackles last season, along with 12 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. Skinner was able to give the Eagles some speed and protection in the flats last season. He will be a key part in a Etowah linebacking core responsible for keeping run plays and underneath passes to short gains.

Sr. LB Lane Cantrell: Lane is the one of the other key pieces returning for the Eagles defense for 2020. Lane also has a prototypical build for a linebacker, listed at 6’0” and 190 lbs, he has the size to play the run inside and the speed to cover passes.

Sr. DB Trevor Fair: Trevor is slightly undersized, listed at 5’8” 145 lbs. However, if you watch him on film, he is one of the best at making open field tackles. Fair is also a dynamic part of the special teams, using his ability to make open field tackles to good use, and using his speed to return kicks. He will be a leader in the secondary this year for the Eagles, especially in a region that uses spread offenses.

Games to Watch: *- denotes games that will be featured on WLJA 101.1 FM as the Cherokee County game of the Week

*September 4^th: Creekview @ Etowah*: The Eagles will open the season against one of the most promising teams in Cherokee County. The Creekview defense is led by a group of speedy linebackers, which should be a good matchup against the spread offense of Etowah. Etowah will need to rely on Brock Rechsteiner and the receiving core to spread the Creekview defense and use the size of their receivers to their advantage.

*September 18^th: Etowah @ River Ridge*: River Ridge has made lots of progress over the past two seasons, coming extremely close to winning their first inter-county game last year. The Knights will rely heavily on the running game with Amhere Morrison and the Eagles will need the linebackers to control the run game and limit Morrison.

October 23^rd: Etowah @ Milton: Milton was the 2018 State Champion for 7A and will be the first new region opponent for the Eagles. Milton is going to be difficult and is easily considered the favorite for region 5-7A, but Etowah has the ability to upset Milton. Milton lost 4 games last season, showing they are far from invincible. Some good news is that Coach Kemper is very familiar with Milton because of his time with Roswell. Etowah will be put to the test and will be a good way to measure how far the Eagles have come in the season.

*October 30^th: Cherokee @ Etowah: One of the most exciting games in the season last year was this matchup when the Eagles took the victory in overtime. Cherokee is one of the most promising teams in the county, with the likes of A.J. Swann and Keith Adams JR. returning for 2020. The Eagles will have to limit the impact of both of those guys to pull out the win like they did last season.

*November 6^th: Etowah @ Woodstock:* The Battle of Towne Lake, easily one of the top 3 rivalries in Cherokee County. Etowah won last year but this matchup will be much different this season. This far into the preseason, we still do not know who will be the Quarterback for either of these teams. Both teams do have lots of athletes returning, making this game a bit of a wildcard. When it comes to a rivalry this big, throw out everything you know and enjoy the ride. 

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 1^st 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 4^th: 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 11^th: 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 3^rd win in the series.

*September 25^th: 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 16^th: 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 23^rd: 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 30^th: 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 20^th: 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.