Douglas County is coming off one of the best seasons in school history – a semifinal appearance and a devastating 24-21 loss to Woodward Academy when Class 6A was the second-best class in the state.
It was a win that the team, the fans and head coach Johnny White really, really wanted.
It would have been the team’s first state championship since winning the title in 1964 under head coach Donald Denning – interestingly, in his only season as coach of the Tigers – and it was already the best season of White’s twelve-year coaching career.
White coached at Creekside from 2009-2011 and took over at Douglas County in 2016. Before last season, White’s best playoff appearances were in the second round of the 2017 and 2021 seasons.
“During practice,” White said before meeting Class 3A champion Cedar Grove in night play of the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
“We put that score on our scoreboard,” White explained, giggling. “For motivation.”
And after quarterbacks DJ Bordeaux and Rah’Keith Kelly each scored three touchdowns and the Tigers took a 28-0 halftime lead in a 42-7 victory over Class 3A Cedar Grove, Douglas County seemed motivated.
“They played well,” White told Hayden Gilbert after the game. “But we still have work to do. This is a good team. They lost a lot of players, so we can’t take that and think we can win the state championship. We have to work, get better and clean up a little bit and so on to get ready for a really good Jonesboro team.”
Bordeaux completed 12 of 23 passes for 142 yards and three touchdowns — one each to Zamarcus Lindley, James Johnson and Kelly, who had three carries for 43 yards and two touchdowns. Aaron Gregory had four carries for 54 yards and a touchdown to help the Douglas County backfield.
The new faces of Bordeaux, Gregory and receiver Devin Carter, who played at Cedar Grove last year, have integrated well into the Tigers’ team.
But there is still a lot of work to be done to build the chemistry needed to last long in the postseason again.
“They just have to play for each other,” White said. “If they like each other and realize that if they play for each other they’ll get their opportunities on the field, then I think we have a chance.”
Cedar Grove quarterback Josiah Moore completed 14 of 23 passes for 136 yards and scored a 54-yard touchdown to Cleve Sutherland, who recorded seven catches for 119 yards and scored the team’s only touchdown.
Douglas County is one of the favorite teams in Class 6A, the state’s highest division after the last reclassification cycle. But there is one key to the continued success of the program and the culture that White cultivates.
“You just have to stay humble,” he said. “We have to play together and keep working every day.”
