After enjoying plenty of rivalry games over the last two years, five of the six East Cobb high school football teams are no longer in the same region.
The Georgia High School Association did keep three of them—Lassiter, Pope and Sprayberry—in the same region, and reunited two other longtime rivals together in Walton and Wheeler.
But a number of those backyard brawl games remain on their schedules in non-region format for the 2022 season, which gets underway in mid-August.
As has been the case in recent years, Kell and Walton will be getting an early start in the Corky Kell Classic.
The Longhorns, who have a new coach in Bobby May, formerly of Westlake High School in Atlanta, have dropped from Class 6A to Class 5A (classification is based on overall student enrollment).
He’s the only newcomer to the coaching ranks among the six East Cobb schools.
Before Kell gets into Region 6 play, it will be facing neighboring rivals Pope and Sprayberry in September.
In Class 6A Region 7, games between Lassiter, Pope and Sprayberry will take on extra meaning in a region with several schools in North Fulton.
Lassiter is maintaining a non-region rivalry game with Wheeler in the season opener for both teams, and a Pope vs. Walton game continues this season. Pope also will be meeting Wheeler in non-region play.
Walton, which reached the Class 7A semifinals last year, remains there, but is now in Region 5, which includes North Cobb, Kennesaw Mountain, Osborne, Cherokee and Wheeler.
The Raiders will once again play at Mercedes Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta against Mill Creek in the Corky Kell Classic, then plays at Brookwood.
For the first time since 2017, Walton will square off against Wheeler at Raider Valley on Nov. 4, in the regular season finale for both schools.
The head coaches and select players from all six public high schools in East Cobb will appear before the East Cobb Area Council of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce on Aug. 11.
It’s the annual East Cobb Pigskin Preview, and more information and a registration link can be found by clicking here.
Opponents with a * indicate region games.
Kell Longhorns
Class AAAAA Region 6
2021 Record: 6-5
Aug. 17, 5:30 p.m. vs. Cedar Bluff (Corky Kell Classic at Johns Creek HS)
Aug. 26, 7:30 p.m. vs. Allatoona
Sept. 2, 7:30 p.m. vs. Pope
Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. at Sprayberry
Sept. 23 7:30 p.m. at Centennial*
Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m. at Northview*
Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m. vs. Cambridge*
Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. at Greater Atlanta Christian*
Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. vs. North Springs*
Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m. vs. Chattahoochee
Lassiter Trojans
Class AAAAAA Region 7
2021 Record: 4-6
Aug. 26, 7:30 p.m. at Wheeler
Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. at Woodstock
Sept. 16, 7:30 p.m. vs. Dalton
Sept. 30, 7:30 p.m. at Johns Creek*
Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m. vs. Roswell*
Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m. vs. Alpharetta*
Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. at Pope*
Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. at Sprayberry*
Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m. vs. Blessed Trinity*
Pope Greyhounds
Class AAAAAA Region 7
2021 Record: 7-4
Aug. 26, 7:30 p.m. vs. River Ridge
Sept. 2, 7:30 p.m. at Kell
Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. at Walton
Sept. 16, 7:30 p.m. vs. North Paulding
Sept. 23, 7:30 p.m. vs. Alpharetta*
Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m. at Blessed Trinity*
Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m. vs. Roswell*
Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. vs. Lassiter*
Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. at Johns Creek*
Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m. at Sprayberry*
Sprayberry Yellow Jackets
Class AAAAAA Region 7
2021 Record: 3-6
Aug. 19, 7:30 p.m. at Campbell
Aug. 26, 7:30 p.m. vs. Paulding County
Sept. 2, 7:30 p.m. at River Ridge
Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. vs. Kell
Sept. 23, 7:30 p.m. at Blessed Trinity*
Sept. 30, 7:30 p.m. at Alpharetta*
Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m. vs. Johns Creek*
Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. at Roswell*
Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. vs. Lassiter*
Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m. vs. Pope*
Walton Raiders
Class AAAAAAA Region 5
2021 Record: 9-4
Aug. 20, 7 p.m. vs. Mill Creek (Corky Kell Classic at Mercedes Benz Stadium)
Aug. 26, 7:30 p.m. at Brookwood
Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. vs. Pope
Sept. 16, 7:30 p.m. at Marietta
Sept. 30, 7:30 p.m. at North Paulding
Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m. vs. North Cobb*
Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m. at Kennesaw Mountain*
Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. vs. Cherokee*
Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. at Osborne*
Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m. vs. Wheeler*
Wheeler Wildcats
Class AAAAAAA Region 5
2021 Record: 1-9
Aug. 19, 7:30 p.m. at Centennial
Aug. 26, 7:30 p.m. vs. Lassiter
Sept. 2, 7:30 p.m. at South Cobb
Sept. 16, 7:30 p.m. vs. North Atlanta
Sept. 23, 7:30 p.m. at Campbell
Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m. vs. Cherokee*
Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m. at North Cobb*
Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. vs. Osborne*
Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. vs. Kennesaw Mountain*
Nov. 4, 7:30 p.m. at Walton*
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