The 55th Classic City Championship, which is taking place at Clarke Central High School in the Billy Henderson Stadium, will begin at 7 p.m. on Oct. 28. The highly-atticipated game was originally scheduled for Aug. 20, but was pushed back twice for COVID-19 related reasons. Illustration by Antonio Starks
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By the Numbers: CCHS vs. CSHS
The 55th Classic City Championship kicks off tonight at Clarke Central High School’s Billy Henderson Stadium. The Jaguars bring a 2-5 record against the 6-2 Gladiators. “We’re excited about the opportunity to play Cedar (and) we’re glad we’re getting it in (after) the cancellation (earlier this season), but it is a little different timing,” CCHS head varsity football coach David Perno said. “It’s later in the year (and) it’s a non-region game, but there’s still a lot riding on it.” Graphic by Eva Orbock
The CCHS varsity football team looks to extend its six-game winning streak at home against rival Cedar Shoals High School in the Classic City Championship at 7 p.m. on Oct 28 at Billy Henderson Stadium.
Clarke Central High School
(6 – 2): Overall record for the Clarke Central High School varsity football team.
(6 – 0): Record in AAAAA Region 8 games for the Gladiators.
6: Number of wins in a row for the CCHS varsity football team.
226: Total number of points scored by the Gladiators football team this season.
155: Total number of points scored against the Gladiators football team.
746: Total passing yards for the CCHS varsity football team.
1448: Total rushing yards for the CCHS varsity football team.
46: Percentage of passes completed by Gladiator quarterbacks.
426: Total tackles made by the CCHS football team’s defense.
-1: Turnover margin (Turnovers created – Turnovers lost) for the Gladiators.
93: Georgia State Ranking for the CCHS varsity football team according to MaxPreps Computer Rankings.
(9 – 1): Record for CCHS in this last 10 iterations of the Classic City Championship.
Cedar Shoals High School
(2 – 5): Overall record for the Cedar Shoals High School varsity football team.
(2 – 3): Record in AAAA Region 8 games for the Jaguars.
3: Number of losses in a row for the CSHS varsity football team.
136: Number of points scored by the Jaguars football team.
201: Number of points scored against the Jaguars football team.
963: Total passing yards for the CSHS varsity football team.
664: Total rushing yards for the CSHS varsity football team.
56.3: Percentage of passes completed by Jaguar quarterbacks.
413: Total tackles made by the CSHS football team’s defense.
1: Turnover margin (Turnovers created – Turnovers lost) for the Jaguars.
200: Georgia State Ranking for the CSHS varsity football team according to MaxPreps Computer Rankings. id=”game”
(1 – 9): Record for CSHS in the last 10 iterations of the Classic City Championship.
Data from maxpreps.com
Game preview
(From left to right) Clarke Central High School varsity wide receiver Antonio “AJ” Jewell, varsity linebacker Khyle Cowan and cornerback Franklin Manago, III, all seniors, take a break in the weight training room at CCHS. The game was delayed twice in August due to COVID-19, but that has not changed the team’s ambition. “We just broke a record for the school by how many points (we scored in a game). We put up 76 points (in the game against Greenbrier High School on Oct. 15), and there’s been a school record for a while, so we just want to keep breaking records,” Jewell said. “We feel it. We feeling confident, feeling good in ourselves. It should be no problem. It’s Cedar.” Photo by Chloe Sears
After a pandemic-related delay at the beginning of the season, the CCHS varsity football team will host the Classic City Championship at Billy Henderson Stadium at 7:00 p.m. on Oct. 28.
After being rescheduled earlier in the season from Aug. 20 to Aug. 21, the current date for the 55th Classic City Championship between cross-town rivals the Clarke Central High School Gladiators and Cedar Shoals High School Jaguars is Oct. 28 at Billy Henderson Stadium.
After breaking the school scoring record by notching 76 points in the win against Greenbrier High School on Oct. 15, CCHS varsity wide receiver Antonio “AJ” Jewell, a senior, is feeling confident about winning the Classic City Championship against the Jags tonight.
“We just broke a record for the school by how many points (we scored in a game). We put up 76 points (in the game against Greenbrier High School on Oct. 15), and there’s been a school record for a while, so we just want to keep breaking records,” Jewell said. “We feel it. We feeling confident, feeling good in ourselves. It should be no problem. It’s Cedar.”
“We feel it. We feeling confident, feeling good in ourselves. It should be no problem. It’s Cedar.”
— Antonio “AJ” Jewel,
CCHS vasity wide receiver and senior
While there were rescheduling issues leading up to the Oct. 28 rivalry game, the non-region contest holds significance to CCHS head varsity football coach David Perno.
“Obviously, it’s a different time of year for us. At the same time, (the Classic City Championship) can really give us a lot of momentum going into the playoffs, if we can play well, and it’s always good for the community,” Perno said. “We’re excited about the opportunity to play Cedar (and) we’re glad we’re getting it in (after) the cancellation (earlier this season), but it is a little different timing. It’s later in the year (and) it’s a non-region game, but there’s still a lot riding on it.”
After enduring 2020’s upended season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Jaguars bring their 2-5 record to Billy Henderson Stadium, the former stomping grounds of CSHS varsity head football coach Leroy Ryals, who is ready to embrace the traditional rivalry.
“We’re trying to get back to some normalcy. Not only as athletes, but just as students, in general,” Ryals said. “Trying to get back to having the fans and the student body as something to look forward to because Friday night football is a tradition not only in Athens, but all across the state of Georgia. I think students are looking forward to it, especially a rivalry like this one.”
Entering the game with a 6-2 record and as the number one seed in AAAAA Region 8, CCHS varsity linebacker Khyle Cowan, a senior, is excited to host the Jags.
“I feel real good, real excited about going into it. Real confident. You know, you always want to put on for Cedar. You don’t want to lose to the other side, so you gotta always play hard,” Cowan said.
Classic City Championship Timeline
Cheer preview
The Clarke Central High School varsity cheer team cheers during the CCHS vs. Greenbrier High School varsity football game on Oct. 15. The varsity cheer team has been preparing for the 55th annual rivalry game between CCHS and CSHS on Oct. 28 since the beginning of the season. “(We’re) just making sure our spirit’s going to be high,” varsity cheerleader Addisyn Huff, a sophomore, said. “Just honestly thinking about the atmosphere on (Thursday) is enough to prepare us.” Photo by Lucas Donnelly
The CCHS varsity cheer team hopes to raise the school spirit of the crowd during the Classic City Championship on Oct. 28 at Billy Henderson Stadium.
The Classic City Championship will be held at 7 p.m. on Oct. 28 in the Billy Henderson Stadium and the CCHS varsity cheer team will lead the spirit of the crowd.
The rivalry game was rescheduled from Aug. 20, which has allowed the CCHS cheer team more time to prepare for the upcoming game.
“We were really excited initially because that was supposed to be our first game to kick off the season (but it) got postponed to two months late,” CCHS head varsity cheer coach Krystian Edwards said. “That actually has given us more time to be a little more creative with our cheers and our chants and we have a couple of surprises that I can’t mention just yet. We’re looking forward to the game.”
According to Edwards, the efforts of the cheer team will play a big role in the atmosphere of the annual game.
“So (our cheers) just brings more of that positive energy, even on the football field.”
— Krystian Edwards,
CCHS head varsity cheer coach
“(We bring) the school spirit awareness on the sidelines (and) get the crowd involved,” Edwards said. “I think that I’ve noticed this year a lot with the football team, a lot of the cheers that (we) have done for the first time this year they’re enjoying it so they’re getting hyped and excited with them. So it just brings more of that positive energy, even on the football field.”
After having been a part of the cheer team preparation, CCHS varsity cheerleader Addisyn Huff, a sophomore, is excited for her first Classic City Championship with the cheer team.
“I’ve been to Classic City Championships ever since I was young so I’m excited to be on the sideline helping to cheer on the Glads and help create engagement for the first time,” Huff said.
The game will be CCHS varsity cheer team co-captain and senior Jordyn Clark’s last Classic City Championship, and she hopes to make it the best game she has cheered at.
“I’m really excited. This is something I’ve been waiting for for a long time. We’re practicing as much as we can. We’ve been sending videos talking about the game over and over about how we’re gonna prepare,” Clark said. “This is my last Cedar game, so I think it’s gonna be really exciting, especially because it is rivalry week.”
By the numbers by Wyatt Meyers
Cheer preview by Lukas Cornish and Janie Ripps
Game preview and timeline by Chloe Sears
Package by Ireland McCage
