The Clarke Central High School varsity football team plays against the North Oconee High School Titans on Sept. 5 in Billy Henderson Stadium. With a record of 1-3, the Gladiators lost their last three games after opening the season with a win over Cedar Shoals High School in the 59th Classic City Championship. “We’ve been behind in every single game, and most of them, we gave up points on the first drive the (opposing) team had the ball,” CCHS head varsity football coach David Perno said. “We’ve been trying to play uphill all year, and we’ve had our struggles offensively, but it would be nice to get out front and see how we handle that both defensively and offensively.” Photo by Iliana Tejada
The CCHS varsity football team will face Jackson County High School for the CCHS Homecoming game at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 19 in Billy Henderson Stadium.
The Clarke Central High School varsity football team will play its first Georgia High School Association Region 8-AAAAA game of the season against the Jackson County High School Panthers on Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in Billy Henderson Stadium, which will be CCHS’ Homecoming game.
In the 2024-25 season, the Gladiators defeated the Panthers 27-11, achieving a 14-point lead in the first quarter before scoring 13 more points in the fourth and claiming the win. Despite a 1-3 overall record this season, CCHS head varsity football coach David Perno hopes to kick off the region schedule with a positive start.
“(This will be) our first region game, so it obviously has more impact than anything we’ve played thus far. We just (have) got to play a lot better than we’ve played (recently),” Perno said. “(JCHS has) got a good program (and) good coaching. It’s going to be a challenge for sure.”
“We’ve had a plethora of injuries (and) we got to find a way to navigate without (certain players). We haven’t adjusted well yet, but I think we will.”
— David Perno,
CCHS head varsity football coach
The Gladiators are currently facing multiple injuries to key players, including CCHS varsity football defensive lineman and University of Georgia commit AJ Lonon, a senior, who recently tore his meniscus and will not be returning for the rest of the 2025-26 season. Such absences have contributed to the team’s defeats, the most recent being a 0-40 loss against North Oconee High School, Perno says.
“We practiced a lot better than we played (the) last couple weeks, and part of it is (because) we’ve been undermanned,” Perno said. “We’ve had a plethora of injuries (and) we got to find a way to navigate without (certain players). We haven’t adjusted well yet, but I think we will.”
Despite the challenges early in the season, CCHS varsity football offensive lineman Marley Green, a senior, is optimistic about the upcoming game and believes the Gladiators can come out on top with a renewed attitude.
“We haven’t found that switch (that lets us) lock in and play as hard as we can at practice,” Green said. “It’s just a matter of time (before) we flip the switch and everybody works together. When we win (on Sept. 19, we’re) gonna flip (the switch).”
