It was all there for the Cedartown Bulldogs last season . Head coach Jamie Abrams saw his team ranked as the number one team in class 4-A for most of the season . A post season run brought victories over sixth ranked Bainbridge and second ranked North Oconee, on the way to the state championship game. Then it happened, a heartbreaking 14-13 loss to Benedictine prevented the perfect (15-0) mark and the school's first state football championship since 1963.
Fast forward to June of 2023. It's a sweltering summer afternoon at Fayette County High School.
Jamie Abrams has brought his team south of Atlanta to get some competition in and he was not in a reflective mood.
"We lost 16 seniors , so we got some guys to replace," says Abrams."We have some guys who have been in the program for a while . They show up every day and work their behinds off. That’s what we have to do."
With a gleam in his eye, Abrams looked like he was excited to see how his team was performing, or maybe he was just glad to have everybody together. You see, many of the players on this team play multiple sports .
"We don’t get a full spring," says Abrams." Our coaches and a lot of our players are involved with track. A lot of them were at the state track meet , so we only got about 70 percent for the spring ,but I'll take it."
Cedartown was attending a Padded Camp, hosted by Fayette County. The GHSA allows high school football teams in the state of Georgia to take part in a limited number of these events where players wear helmets and shoulder pads. There is real contact that allows coaches to teach some fundamentals and its an advantage for Georgia schools.
"I talked with somebody out of state yesterday," says Abrams."They were envious of us , because they can’t do this in their state. I think its a very positive thing to acclimate the guys and get them going in the right direction for the season ."
Abrams took over as head coach in 2020 and led the Bulldogs to the state quarterfinals, then to the semi-finals in 2021. Last season's team went to the state championship team, but that was last season. With 16 seniors departed this is a different team, but the opponents will still expect Cedartown to be Cedartown and the coach knows it.
"No they will not feel sorry for us," says Abrams."I have been telling my kids that .
We just have to work together and play hard for each other, that’s what we have to do. We’re not getting a bunch of transfers or stuff like that. They got to love each other and play for each other ."
Cedartown will open the season against Rockmart on August 18. Don't forget the High School Scoreboard Show starts Friday August 25 on Sports Radio 92.9 The Game.