2024 Prep Football season kicks off for Coweta Schools on Friday
From Staff Reports
All six Coweta County high school football teams open the 2024 regular season Friday with four local squads hosting and two hitting the road.
The four games set for Coweta County include Horizon Christian at Central Christian, Towers at Heritage School, Starr’s Mill at Northgate and Ola visiting Trinity Christian. East Coweta travels just up the road to face Sandy Creek while Newnan goes to Greater Atlanta Christian. All games begin at 7:30 p.m. with the exception of the Central Christian-Horizon Christian contest which starts at 7 p.m.
Four teams reached the state playoffs a year ago – Central Christian (6-5), East Coweta (7-4), Northgate (7-4) and Trinity Christian (6-5). Central Christian was the only local school to earn a victory in playoff action, as the Crusaders knocked off Lafayette Christian, 12-2, in first-round play.
Both Newnan (3-7) and Heritage School (2-8) missed the state playoffs.
Two new head coaches will roam the sidelines this fall. Richard Moncrief takes over at Heritage School in place of Jake Copeland while Kevin Whitley replaces Mike McDonald at Northgate.
With the GHSA eliminating one classification (7A), regional alignments and classifications also changed for the local schools.
East Coweta and head coach John Small will participate in Region 2, Class 6A. The Indians will compete with region opponents consisting of Carrollton, Chapel Hill, Douglas County and Westlake.
Both Newnan and Northgate will be Region 3, Class 5A members. The Cougars and Vikings will face Banneker, Dutchtown, Langston Hughes, Lovejoy, McIntosh and Morrow in region competition. Newnan is coached by Chip Walker.
Trinity Christian, led by head coach Kenny Dallas, is now a member of Region 2, Class 3A. The Lions region opponents will be LaGrange, Mary Persons, Sandy Creek, Spalding, Troup, Upson-Lee, Whitewater and Fayette County.
Heritage School continues to be a member of the Georgia Independent Athletic Association (GIAA). The Hawks will be in District 1, Class 2A with district opponents consisting of Central Fellowship Christian, Flint River Academy, Rock Springs Christian and Windsor Academy.
Central Christian, coached by Joey Farlow, plays in the Georgia Association of Private and Parochial Schools (GAPP). A huge change this season for GAPP members is moving from 8-man to 9-man football. The football field width will now be played at 11-man football depth (53.3 yards) instead of 40 yards. The Crusaders are Region 2, Class AA members with Community Christian, Lafayette Christian, New Creation Christian and Young Americans Christian.
Below are the 2024 schedules for each of the Coweta County schools.
CENTRAL CHRISTIAN CRUSADERS (0-0)
Aug. 16 – Horizon Christian, 7 pm
Aug. 23 – at Holy Ground, 7:30 pm
Aug. 30 – at Unity Christian, 7:30 pm
Sept. 6 – Open
Sept. 13 – Hearts Academy, 7:30 pm
Sept. 20 – at Crosspointe Christian, 7:30 pm
Sept. 27 – Praise Academy, 7:30 pm
Oct. 4 – #at Young Americans Christian, 7:30 pm
Oct. 11 – #Community Christian, 7:30 pm
Oct. 18 – Open
Oct. 25 – #at Lafayette Christian, 7:30 pm
Nov. 1 – #New Creations Christian, 7:30 pm
# District Game
Head Coach: Joey Farlow
GAPPS Region 2, Class AA (9-man football)
2023 Record: 6-5
EAST COWETA INDIANS (0-0)
Aug. 16 – at Sandy Creek, 7:30 pm
Aug. 23 – Newnan, 8 pm
Aug. 30 – at North Cobb, 7:30 pm
Sept. 6 – Lovejoy, 8 pm
Sept. 13 – Open
Sept. 20 – at Perry, 7:30 pm
Sept. 27 – Cambridge, 7:30 pm
Oct. 4 – #Douglas County, 7:30 pm
Oct. 11 – Open
Oct. 18 – #Carrollton, 7:30 pm
Oct. 25 – #at Westlake, 7:30 pm
Nov. 1 – #at Chapel Hill, 7:30 pm
# Region Game
Head Coach: John Small
GHSA Region 2, 6A
2023 Record: 7-4
HERITAGE SCHOOL HAWKS (0-0)
Aug. 16 – Towers, 7:30 pm
Aug. 23 – at Athens Christian, 7:30 pm
Aug. 30 – Kings Ridge Christian, 7:30 pm
Sept. 6 – Strong Rock, 7:30 pm
Sept. 13 – at Walker, 7:30 pm
Sept. 20 – #at Rock Springs, 7:30 pm
Sept. 27 – at Piedmont Academy, 7:30 pm
Oct. 4 – Open
Oct. 11 – #Central Fellowship Christian, 7:30 pm
Oct. 18 – #at Flint River Academy, 7:30 pm
Oct. 25 – #Windsor Academy, 7:30 pm
# District Game
Head Coach: Richard Moncrief
GIAA District 1, 2A
2023 Record: 2-8
NEWNAN COUGARS (0-0)
Aug. 16 – at Greater Atlanta Christian, 7:30 pm
Aug. 23 – at East Coweta, 8 pm
Aug. 30 – Arabia Mountain, 7:30 pm
Sept. 6 – Open
Sept. 13 – #at Northgate, 7:30 pm
Sept. 20 – #at Morrow, 7:30 pm
Sept. 27 – #Langston Hughes, 7:30 pm
Oct. 4 – #Dutchtown, 7:30 pm
Oct. 11 – Open
Oct. 18 – #Lovejoy, 7:30 pm
Oct. 25 – #at Banneker, 7:30 pm
Nov. 1 – #McIntosh, 7:30 pm
# Region Game
Head Coach: Chip Walker
GHSA Region 3, 5A
2023 Record: 3-7
NORTHGATE VIKINGS (0-0)
Aug. 16 – Starr’s Mill, 7:30 pm
Aug. 23 – Villa Rica, 7:30 pm
Aug. 30 – at Northside, 7:30 pm
Sept. 6 – Open
Sept. 13 – #Newnan, 7:30 pm
Sept. 20 – #at Banneker, 7:30 pm
Sept. 27 – #McIntosh, 7:30 pm
Oct. 4 – #at Morrow, 7:30 pm
Oct. 11 – Open
Oct. 18 – #Langston Hughes, 7:30 pm
Oct. 25 – #at Lovejoy, 7:30 pm
Nov. 1 – #at Dutchtown, 7:30 pm
# Region Game
Head Coach: Kevin Whitley
GHSA Region 3, 5A
2023 Record: 7-4
TRINITY CHRISTIAN LIONS (0-0)
Aug. 16 – Ola, 7:30 pm
Aug. 23 – Riverdale, 7:30 pm
Aug. 30 – Open
Sept. 5 (Thurs.) – #at LaGrange, 7:30 pm
Sept. 13 – #Spalding, 7:30 pm
Sept. 20 – Sandy Creek, 7:30 pm
Sept. 27 – at Whitewater, 7:30 pm
Oct. 4 – #Mary Persons, 7:30 pm
Oct. 11 – #Troup, 7:30 pm
Oct. 18 – Open
Oct. 25 – #at Upson-Lee, 7:30 pm
Nov. 1 – Fayette County, 7:30 pm
#Region Game
Head Coach: Kenny Dallas
GHSA Region 2, 3A
2023 Record: 6-5
