Football, in these parts, tends to provide a lot of chest thumping for those who feel that the game produces some great teams and some great players.
Indeed, there have been some great moments — we’re talking the high school game here — in our football past, and it seems that it comes in surges.
There have been some great runs by area programs as was the case in the late 1970s and the early ’80s, with West Rome’s historic run to four straight state championships. And twice in the 1990s, two more Peach State crowns landed here.
Hopefully, the decade-long championship drought (Darlington’s 1998 state title was the last) will soon end, continuing the ebb and flow of football success for teams.
In the meantime, however, the market is soaring as far as the talent Greater Rome has produced. Just check out the rosters of some of the major-college powers in the nation.
Heck, right here in our own state, there are familiar names beginning to get noticed.
In Athens, Gordon County is well represented. Kris Durham (Calhoun) returns for his junior season with Georgia’s Bulldogs after being named the team’s Most Improved Receiver following spring practice, while Will Sullivan (Gordon Central) and Ty Frix (Calhoun) are listed.
Georgia Tech has some local flavor as well. Steven Powers (Model) and Drew Brannon (Rockmart) are on the Jackets’ defensive and offensive depth charts, respectively, while former Calhoun kickers Scott Blair (he handled 68 of Tech’s 70 kickoffs as a freshman last year) and Andy Elakman are together again.
Keep the Jackets’ Nov. 1 game at Grant Field against ACC foe Florida State on your calendar because it will mark the return to the home state of two former Darlington teammates, Ryan McMahon and Shawn Powell.
Powell will begin his first year as a punter for the Seminoles but enters the preseason on the depth chart. McMahon already established himself as FSU’s starting center as a redshirt freshman last fall and seems headed toward a career of playing on Sundays.
The same could be said of Toryan Smith (Rome), who enters his junior season at Notre Dame as the No. 1 middle linebacker for the Irish. Smith immediately saw action the first day he stepped foot in South Bend, Ind., splitting time with upperclassmen and now has the opportunity to be the man in the middle.
At Central Florida, the Knights emerged in the national spotlight last year as did redshirt sophomore Brian Watters (Rome), who started the 2007 season on the specialty teams and wound up being a main receiving weapon for UCF.
And out in the wild blue yonder in Colorado where he has begun his career serving his country, Air Force Academy junior Luke Hyder (Darlington) returns for the Falcons after playing in all 13 games last season.
These are but of few former prep football standouts from around here who are playing in the college ranks, with dozens of other athletes competing at every level, including a strong contingent who stayed home to play at Shorter.
So go ahead and be proud of our football tradition, one that is being carried on elsewhere and one that begins anew soon.
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