2023 Cedar Shoals Football Season Preview

With the 2023-24 school year in full swing, Jaguar football is right around the corner. With a new quarterback, new facilities and a more experienced team, the Jags are sure to have a thrilling season. 

2022 Recap:

The Jaguars started slow last season, losing their first three games and getting outscored 120-27. The Jags then regrouped after their bye week and won five of their final seven games.

Head Coach Leroy Ryals attributes the rebound to the team’s mentality.

“We just needed to win the day; we kept improving every week,” Ryals said, “We Ignored the wins and losses, didn’t worry about the past and worried about the present.”

In region play, the Jags went 5-3, including a win on the road against Walnut Grove that the Athens Banner-Herald chose as the biggest Athens-area upset of the 2022 season. 

Unfortunately, Cedar’s season ended with a 49-0 loss to Cedartown in the first round of the state playoffs, but 22-23 clearly showed the team’s resilience.

Players To Watch:

Devin Hester – Senior – WR

One of the best players in AAAA region 8, senior Devin Hester, scored 15 total touchdowns last season and was named to both the Athens Banner-Herald All-Region and GHSA All-Area teams. With a wide receiver corps mostly composed of sophomores, Hester’s experience will be a valuable resource this year. 

The Furman commit is electric in the passing game, averaging 86.6 yards per game, leading the team in receiving yards. He’s also a star in special teams, returning both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown last season. 

Anthony Hubbard – Senior – QB

With last year’s starting quarterback Mandrell Glenn graduating, senior Anthony Hubbard will take charge this season. Hubbard saw limited snaps last season, primarily serving as Glenn’s backup.

“Even though we have a new quarterback, we’re still gonna do the same thing we did last year,” Ryals said, “Throw the ball a little bit, pitch and catch, try to keep the defense honest.”

Throughout those appearances, Hubbard has shown flashes of excellence as a dual threat quarterback. 

Kayden Scott – Senior – RB/SS

A key player on both sides of the ball, Kayden Scott rushed for 604 yards and scored a total of four touchdowns last season. His two best games include rushing for 137 yards against East Forsyth and 157 yards against East Hall.

This year, Scott hopes to improve on multiple areas of his game.

“I try and keep an even focus between rushing and receiving,” Scott said, “but other than that my speed and my confidence has improved during the offseason.”

Schedule Breakdown:

Clarke Central – August 19th – Home – 2022 Record: 5-6

There’s no bigger high school rivalry in Athens than the Classic City Championship. Cedar and Central had similar stories last season; both teams started the season 1-3, ending on a hot streak before losing in the first round of the playoffs.

Cedar has not won against Central since 2018, where the Jags defeated the gladiators 17-7. Since that victory, the Jags have been outscored 126-34, with Central winning the previous meeting 40-0.

Monroe Area – August 25th – Away – 2022 Record: 6-6

Monroe Area was significantly better than their 6-6 record indicates in 2022, as they scored 163 more points than they allowed. They surpassed schools like Gainesville and Prince Avenue, but several key players graduated, including their starting dual threat quarterback, and their top two receivers who combined for 1092 yards. Monroe won the previous meeting 58-13.

East Forsyth – September 1st – Away – 2022 Record: 6-4

East Forsyth and Cedar Shoals were in a fierce race to decide the 4th playoff team from region AAAA 8 last season. East Forsyth started out 5-1, but lost their next three, including an upset loss to Chestatee that officially clinched a trip to the playoffs for Cedar. 

Last season’s matchup was the first ever game between the two teams, and East Forsyth used 279 rushing yards to finalize a 22-14 win.

Walnut Grove – September 15th – Home – 2022 Record: 9-3

Walnut Grove, despite having the second best record in the region, was unable to dominate less accomplished opponents. Riddled with nailbiter wins against East Forsyth, Cherokee Bluff and Madison County, they won by a combined total of seven points across the three games. Cedar won the previous meeting 35-28.

East Hall – September 22nd – Away – 2022 Record: 2-8

One of the weakest teams in the region, East Hall, was outscored by 326 points last season, with two large losses; a 69-0 loss to North Hall and an 83-0 loss to North Oconee was no surprise. East Hall is a young team, so all signs point toward the Vikings improving. Cedar won the previous meeting 49-21.

Cherokee Bluff – September 29th – Home – 2022 Record: 3-7

Close games were a common theme for the Bears in 2022, as six of their games were within one possession. Their biggest moment last season came when they upset Madison County by one point. Cedar won the previous meeting 21-19.

North Oconee – October 6th – Away – 2022 Record: 13-1

North Oconee were by far the best team in the region last season, steamrolling through region play and reaching the state semi-finals. The Titans scored an average of 54.5 points against region opponents, most of which were shutouts. Defense was the Titans’ strongpoint, allowing a miniscule 4.1 points per game. They held their opponents scoreless in half of their region games, but Cedar scored the most points out of any region opponent against North Oconee. North Oconee won the previous meeting 55-12.

Madison County – October 13th – Home – 2022 Record: 6-5

The Red Raiders are one of the most creative teams in the region, based around an old school triple option attack. A team lacking depth, Madison resorts to playing players on both offense and defense to compensate. However, when the Red Raiders get rolling, they’re nearly impossible to stop. Cedar has won four of the last five matches against them, with Madison County winning the previous meeting 34-20.

Chestatee – October 20th – Away – 2022 Record: 2-8

Chestatee has been a regional opponent for Cedar since 2020, with Cedar winning all three meetings between the two teams. The passing game was strong for the Jags, gaining well over 300 yards in a 46-39 victory. With Chestatee’s top tacklers Ethan Clarke and Elijah Pruitt graduating last summer, the Jags’ offense is well positioned for another stellar performance.

North Hall – October 26th – Home – 2022 Record: 3-7

North Hall’s younger demographic provides opportunities for exciting position battles, the most  notable being between sophomore Walker Davis and senior Tanner Marsh for the starting quarterback role. The team is sure to run the ball and use short passes to break down the defense. The Trojans don’t score many points, but they’re solid on defense. Cedar won the previous meeting 28-14.