Will Hammock, Gwinnett Daily Post sports editor
Today’s interviewee is Will Hammock, sports editor of the Gwinnett Daily Post. Hammock, a Gwinnett native, is in his 26th year of reporting on Gwinnett high school sports. He will be covering Friday’s Class 7A game between No. 1 Buford and No. 3 Mill Creek.
1. How do you see this game playing out? “I think it's a pretty even matchup. Buford is really strong on the defensive side, and it has an elite running back in Justice Haynes. The Wolves can run the ball well, but there will be games where they need to be less one-dimensional and show they can throw the ball effectively. This is one of those games because Mill Creek is a team that typically plays the run really well and has more issues with a passing team – like the Walton game in the Corky Kell. Mill Creek has a more balanced, high-scoring offense. It will be interesting to see how the Hawks fare against an elite Buford defense. Another thing to watch is how many snaps, and in what ways, will Mill Creek use multi-talented Caleb Downs, the nation's No. 1 safety, on the offensive side.”
2. Both teams have top-20 national rankings, but the season is early. Taking each team one at a time, starting with Buford, what do they really do well that makes them so well-regarded this season but also what is the question mark for them? “Buford is ranked high with good reason. The talent level is exceptional, and the history of success from the past at every classification warrants it. Its latest challenge is its biggest — proving it can win in the state's biggest classification. The region games week in and week out will be tougher than ever, and the state playoff games will be more challenging. This team also is fairly young. The senior class isn't huge, and the younger age groups, particularly the juniors, are loaded with talent. Those underclassmen will be very important if Buford wants another state title this season.”
3. Same with Mill Creek. What do they do that's elite, but what remains to be seen about Mill Creek? “Mill Creek is one of Georgia's most consistent programs, but it hasn't yet taken the next step. The Hawks have made playoff runs in the past with two final-four appearances, but their best teams have been eliminated by some of the most talented state championship teams in Georgia [2019 Marietta, 2016 Grayson, 2015 Colquitt County]. The Hawks have the capability to make a run at a state championship this season with an offense that can score on anyone. The one question mark is a revamped secondary from 2021 other than Downs. If those defensive backs can hold up against pass-heavy teams, I like Mill Creek's chances.”
4. What is the buildup to this game? Is it like any other big game in Gwinnett, of which there have been so many over the years, or is there something about this game that makes it even more intriguing than most? “I guess my perspective on what this game means is unique. I've been covering Gwinnett football full-time since 1997, so I've seen all the previous big games, and I live halfway between Buford and Mill Creek, so I have numerous friends at both places. There is a lot of excitement around this one, and as far as regular-season games go, I'd say it's close to the classic Brookwood-Parkview battles of the past. Maybe not to the level of when two Gwinnett teams play for a state title – like Brookwood vs. Parkview, Norcross vs. North Gwinnett, Collins Hill vs. Grayson – but it's a big one. The national rankings play into it, but the community interest is really what ramps it up. It's the first time the two neighbors have played each other in varsity football. People in the Buford community have talked to me for years about how the Wolves could beat Gwinnett's top teams in the biggest classification. They get a chance to prove that Friday.”