Preseason all-state: Savannah private schools put six on Class 3A team
*Best player: Kameron Davis, Dougherty. Davis has thrown for more than 5,000 yards and rushed for more than 3,000 in his career. His team is 19-6 after a winless season his freshman year. He’s committed to Florida State as a running back.
*Best position: Running back. The three here – Duke Watson, Nori Moore and Ahmari Douglas – each had more than 1,800 yards from scrimmage last season.
*Most highly recruited: Elijah Griffin, Savannah Christian. He is the consensus No. 2 junior prospect nationally.
*That’s interesting: Six players on this team play at Savannah private schools that were in Class A two years ago. Three are from Calvary Day, two from Savannah Christian and one from Savannah Country Day.
*Snubbed: Running backs Ethan Bloom of Adairsville and Zo Smalls of Savannah Christian each had more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage last season.
*Underrated: Cedar Grove’s Chase Kerns played alongside four Division I signees last season and led the Class 3A runner-up in tackles for losses, sacks and forced fumbles. At 6-1, 270, he has only a couple of small-school offers such as Clark-Atlanta.
*What else is news: It doesn't mean anyone is writing off the defending champions, or things won't be different in December, but nobody from Sandy Creek made the team. Virtually all of the Patriots' first-team all-region players graduated.
Offense
QB - Elliott Colson, Cedar Grove, Jr.
QB - Jake Merklinger, Calvary Day, Sr.
RB - Duke Watson, Mary Persons, Sr.
RB - Nori Moore, Hart County, Sr.
RB - Ahmari Douglas, Long County, Jr.
WR - Cole Shaw, Thomasville, Sr.
WR - Jamie Tremble, Wesleyan, Sr.
TE - Michael Smith, Calvary Day, Sr.
OL - Bobby Campbell, Adairsville, Sr.
OL - Kam Dawkins, Carver (Columbus), Sr.
OL - Jaylen Slaughter, Cedar Grove, Sr.
OL - Max Thurston, Monroe Area, Sr.
OL - Barry Walker, Crisp County, Sr.
ATH - Kameron Davis, Dougherty, Sr.
PK - Cash Ramirez, Savannah Country Day, So.
Defense
DL - Aidan Butts, Stephens County, Sr.
DL - Maurice Davis Jr., Dougherty, Sr.
DL - Chase Kerns, Cedar Grove, Sr.
DL - Elijah Griffin, Savannah Christian, Jr.
LB - David Bucey, Savannah Christian, Sr.
LB - Jordan Davis, Calvary Day, Sr.
LB - Drew Faucher, Hebron Christian, Sr.
LB - Cedric Roberts, Peach County, Sr.
DB - Jontae Gilbert, Douglass, Jr.
DB - Jakyre Horton, Cedar Grove, Sr.
DB - Rodrick Hunter, Carver (Atlanta), Sr.
DB - Jay Randall, Thomasville, Sr.
P - Andrew Bennett, Thomasville, Sr.