The Clarke Central High School varsity football team will compete against Cedar Shoals High School in the 60th Classic City Championship at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 18 in Billy Henderson Stadium.
Game preview: 60th annual Classic City Championship
Clarke Central High School varsity football quarterback Trey Bryant scrambles in the backfield to prepare a pass against the North Oconee High School Titans on Sept. 4 at the Titan Stadium. CCHS played the Titans in their most recent game, leading up to the 60th Classic City Championship on Sept. 17. “We got two really good quarterbacks that we feel confident enough to go out there and win with,” CCHS varsity football running backs coach Jack Mangel said. “They both played just about the same amount (against Pebblebrook High School), and they both played really good. So, I just think it’s how the game goes, with what quarterback we use.” Photo by Iliana Tejada
The 60th Classic City Championship will take place in Billy Henderson Stadium on Sept. 18 and will also serve as the CCHS Homecoming game.
After narrowly escaping the claws of the Cedar Shoals High School Jaguars last year in a tense, weather-delayed game that resulted in a final score of 13-12, the Clarke Central High School Gladiators are bringing a different attitude to the 60th Classic City Championship.
This year’s rivalry game will take place on Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m., in Billy Henderson Stadium, with the game also serving as the CCHS Homecoming game. CCHS head varsity football coach David Perno believes this year’s matchup will go differently than the last.
“(After last year’s game,) it’s a little concerning, but this team’s different. This team’s a different personality,” Perno said. “Anything can happen in a rival game, so we just have to protect our kids and make sure we’re not thinking it’s going to be easy, because that game’s never easy.”
“Anything can happen in a rival game, so we just have to protect our kids and make sure we’re not thinking it’s going to be easy, because that game’s never easy.”
— David Perno,
CCHS head varsity football coach
The Gladiators currently have a 2-1 record after losing 17-10 to the North Oconee High School Titans in Titan Stadium on Sept. 4. At the quarterback position, junior Hudson Welter and senior Trey Bryant, III have contributed to the Gladiators’ 21 average points per game, along with junior Zyon Phillips, who put points on the board against Oconee County High School on Aug. 28.
“Trey Bryant gives us more of the dual-threat factor. I think he could play running back too if he wanted to, and he’s got a huge arm,” CCHS varsity football running backs coach Jack Mangel said. “Hudson (is) more of the game manager. If the game slows down, he’s going to hit his checkdowns and hit his intermediate routes and get us down the field when we need to.”
Former Clarke Central High School varsity football quarterback Kamron Lawrence, currently the starting quarterback for Cedar Shoals High School, throws a pass during the 59th Classic City Championship against the Jaguars on Aug. 16, 2025 in CSHS’ Waters-Wilkins Stadium. CCHS defeated CSHS 13-12 after a second half comeback. “It was sloppy (that) Saturday afternoon in that heat and we didn’t play well,” CCHS head varsity football coach David Perno said. “Our kids started really playing hard and rallying together. It was a good second half, but that first half was a struggle.” Photo by Iliana Tejada
The Jaguars have an overall 1-2 record after their most recent game against Hart County High School on Sep. 4, which ended with a 48-14 loss. The Jaguars are averaging 20.3 points per game, led by running back Desmond Moss, a CCHS senior and transfer, and starting CSHS quarterback Kamron Lawrence. Moss had 132 yards against Seckinger High School on Aug. 28, contributing to breaking the Jaguars’ 22 game losing streak along with Lawrence, who recently threw two touchdown passes against HCHS.
“Cedar’s going to bring a bunch of good athletes, and I think they’re going to give us their best, no matter what, I think they do every year,” Mangel said. “I think they’ll be better this year, and they’re going to come out prepared and do everything they can to beat us, so we (have) to be ready.”
Lawrence, who will wear the orange and blue of CSHS in Billy Henderson Stadium for the first time, feels his team’s gameplanning will pay off against his former team.
“Some things we’ve been doing to prepare for the game is studying film and practicing hard,” Lawrence said. “I think it’ll come down to execution and focusing on what we can control.”
With this year’s Classic City Championship being the 60th, the Gladiators are prepared to outduel the Jaguars in a classic, hometown rivalry, which Perno hopes will be a good game.
“I’m just trying for our kids to play a good game,” Perno said. “As long as we control what we can control, and do the things that we’re capable of doing, then I’ll take my chances with the results.”
Timeline: Looking back at Classic City Championships
A timeline shows the winners of the past 21 games of the longstanding Classic City Championship between Clarke Central High School and Cedar Shoals High School. Timeline by Lea D’Angelo
The Homecoming performance
The Clarke Central High School Gladiator marching band performs at the 59th Classic City Championship on Aug. 16, 2025 in Cedar Shoals High School’s Waters-Wilkins Stadium. CCHS Drum major Destiny Walker, a junior, has practiced with the marching band since July as preparation for the game. “(The Classic City Championship) is important because it’s a big rivalry game, and we get to be part of the whole experience while bringing energy and school spirit to the stands for the students and adults to enjoy,” Walker said. Photo by Maypop Wren
The CCHS Gladiator marching band will perform at the 60th Classic City Championship for this year’s Homecoming game on Sept. 18 at CCHS.
The Clarke Central High School Gladiator marching band will perform at the 60th Classic City Championship against Cedar Shoals High School, and alongside that, they will perform at Halftime for the Homecoming Court at CCHS on Sept. 18.
CCHS Director of Bands Christopher Simposon and Assistant Band Director Jordan Raysor held practices in early July at CCHS as an opportunity for everyone to get used to the environment and prepare for the game.
“We prepare for games by making sure we look and sound our best in the stands and on the field, whether that be performing our halftime show, or in this year’s case, our Homecoming song,” Raysor said. “Our students will also practice at home, in the morning before classes start, and members of our leadership team will occasionally call sections in order to work on more specific things.”
“It’s a big rivalry game, and we get to be part of the whole experience while bringing energy and school spirit to the stands for the students and adults to enjoy.”
— Destiny Walker,
CCHS Gladiator marching band Drum Major
Before performing at Halftime, the CCHS marching band will take the stand at the field alongside the CCHS Competitive Color Guard to perform at the Halftime show, “ICU” by Coco Jones.
“Performing our Halftime show is important because that is the band’s chance to put everything they have learned from previous performances and practices on the field,” Raysor said. “(The Classic City Championship) impacts the band for future games in the sense that when we perform our show, it gives us new things to work on in the music or drill, so the next time we perform our show, there is improvement.”
Although the rivalry between CCHS and CSHS has been a tradition for 52 years, CCHS Drum Major Destiny Walker, one of the leaders of the marching band who directs during the performance, played at the Classic City Championship last year, and hopes to bring energy and spirit to the game.
“I’ve been preparing by rehearsing the music, staying focused at rehearsal, and making sure I’m ready for everything I have to do as a drum major,” Walker said. “My goal is to lead the band well, keep everyone energized, and just make sure we have a good time while doing what we do.”
Loud and proud
The Clarke Central High School varsity football cheerleading team performs during the 59th Classic City Championship against Cedar Shoals High School in CSHS’ Waters-Wilkins Stadium on Aug. 16, 2025. With the 60th Classic City Championship game approaching on Sept. 18, CCHS varsity football cheerleader captain Kayla Walker, a senior, emphasized the importance of the game. “The importance of cheerleaders during football games is to cheer toward the crowd and the football team because you want to keep the energy (high) and the crowd hyped, especially during the (Classic City Championship) game because we are going against our biggest rivals,” Walker said. Photo by Maypop Wren
The CCHS varsity football cheerleading team is ready to put on a show at the 60th Classic City Championship on Sept. 18.
Friday night’s 60th Classic City Championship will take place in the Billy Henderson Stadium at 7:30 p.m. and will feature performances from the Clarke Central High School varsity cheerleading team.
CCHS varsity cheerleading captain Kayla Walker, a senior, has been on the team since her freshman year. Through her years on the team, Walker has learned that cheerleading is more than entertainment, as it plays a key role in creating a positive atmosphere for the audience.
“The importance of cheerleaders during football games is to cheer toward the crowd and the football team because you want to keep the energy (high) and the crowd hyped, especially during the (Classic City Championship) game because we are going against our biggest rivals,” Walker said.
CCHS head varsity cheerleading coach Sophia Campbell has led the varsity cheer squad the last four years. As a CCHS Class of 2004 alumna, Campbell has been teaching at CCHS since the 2019-20 school year and has a long history with the Classic City Championship.
“I grew up in Athens (and) went to Clarke Central (High School), so (for me) that’s the nostalgia of Athens versus Athens. Now, it’s also the Homecoming game. It’s very busy and very packed. (To prepare) they’ve been doing a lot of practicing. We practice until 6:30 p.m. every day. Practice makes perfect,” Campbell said.
“The importance of cheerleaders during football games is to cheer toward the crowd and the football team because you want to keep the energy (high) and the crowd hyped, especially during the (Classic City Championship) game because we are going against our biggest rivals.”
— Kayla Walker,
CCHS varsity cheerleading captain
CCHS senior and varsity cheerleader Isabella London has been on the team for two years now. With this being her second year performing in the Classic City Championship game, London has learned how to raise the atmosphere both on and off the field.
“We say encouraging things for them to get riled up and more motivated to win the game instead of them feeling discouraged, because I know they get stressed. Whenever we’re cheering, we cheer directly towards the football players so they hear us loud and clear,” London said.
Gallery: 59th Classic City Championship
The Clarke Central High School plays against the Cedar Shoals High School varsity football team in the 59th Classic City Championship on Aug. 16, 2025. The Gladiators were trailing until the fourth quarter when they came back and won with a final score of 13-12. “Overall, I’m proud of how we fought and battled against a tough rival, even though we came up short,” then-CSHS varsity football quarterback Keelin McLendon, a junior, said. “We learned a lot about ourselves as a team and what we need to clean up moving forward.” Photos by Maypop Wren and Iliana Tejada
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By The Numbers: CCCHS vs. Cedar Shoals High School varsity football team in the Classic City Championship
The Clarke Central High School varsity football team takes the field in Billy Henderson Stadium on Aug 13. The Gladiators will face the Cedar Shoals High School Jaguars during the 60th Classic City Championship on Sep. 18 in Billy Henderson Stadium. “We gave (the players) off Monday, but ever since then we’ve been (preparing for) Cedar Shoals,” CCHS varsity running back football coach Jack Mangel said. “We’ve been game planning, we’ve been watching film. This week we’re just fine tuning everything, getting our game plan ready and getting the guys ready. It’s going to be a big game, and I think a lot of people are going to show up.” Photo by Grady Dunston
The Clarke Central High School varsity football team will play against the Cedar Shoals High School Jaguars in the Classic City Championship at Clarke Central High School on Sep 18, at 7:30 pm.
Clarke Central High School Gladiators
(2-1): Overall record for the varsity Gladiators.
(0-0): Region 8-AAAAAA record for the CCHS varsity football team.
(1-0): Home record for the Gladiators.
(0-1): Away record for the Gladiators.
(1-0): Neutral record for the Gladiators (played against Pebblebrook High School at Kell High School in Mableton Georgia).
16.0: Average passing yards per game for the Gladiators.
34.7: Average rushing yards per game for the Gladiators.
67: Georgia state ranking for the CCHS Gladiators according to MaxPreps Computer Rankings.
Cedar Shoals High School Jaguars
(1-2): Overall record for the varsity Jaguars.
(0-0): Region 8-AAAAAA record for the CSHS varsity football team.
(1-1): Home record for the Jaguars.
(0-1): Away record for the Jaguars.
(0-0): Neutral record for the Jaguars.
26.7: Average passing yards per game for the Jaguars.
84.3: Average rushing yards per game for the Jaguars.
326: Georgia state ranking for the CSHS Jaguars according to MaxPreps Computer Rankings.
Data by maxpreps.com
*This data was recorded on Sept. 15 and is therefore not an accurate reflection of either team’s entire season.
