Photos Andy Calvert
Rome finished this past season at 11-2, with their only losses coming to Carrollton, who is now a 6A powerhouse, and eventual state champion Thomas County Central, to whom they lost by a field goal in the final seconds in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs.
The Wolves had 10 padded practices in the spring, and those practices along with summer camps and scrimmages yielded positive results. They competed against teams such as Walton and Grayson in OTA’s and 7on7’s and continued to get stronger in the weight room during the sweltering summer heat.
With the season just around the corner, Head Coach John Reid looks to have his team ready for competition, and finally be able to put on those pads and show teams what they have.
“To me, practice is everything, says Reid. “That is where you put in the work and where you get better. We are blessed to have the advantage of our indoor facility this time of year because of the heat. Being able to move things inside to continue to work is something our staff doesn’t take lightly. It allows us to be more flexible, but regardless of where we practice we want to be efficient and competitive.”
For Rome, goals and expectations are what you would think they are; win a state championship, and be a championship squad in every aspect of the game. Reid will always have his teams primed and ready to compete for that crown in Mercedes Benz Stadium, and he looks forward to just how hungry and competitive his team is.
At Rome, there will be a surplus of talent all over the field. For Coach Reid, a lot of that will be on the defensive line. JJ Chatman will return from a knee injury suffered against Pebblebrook last year, and Dash Kinnebrew will return for his junior campaign. Marquez Elston and Tim Perkins will be names to watch at D-end to complement Chatman and Kinnebrew. Jaz Williams and Nasir Jones will be looking at significant time at defensive tackle for the Wolves as well this season.
Parko Smith will be back for his senior year, along with Jaedon Harmon, a national phenomenon headed to Tuscaloosa to play for the Crimson Tide. Rae Sykes, a Boston College commit, will be one of the leaders in the secondary, with Toot and Tinerious Stallings being leaders as well.
On offense, the Wolves also have much of their offensive line back. Will Byington, Jamiel Williams, and Mason Worsham will highlight the offensive line. In the backfield, Chance Arthur and Javarius McDearmont have a few D1 offers and could have breakout senior campaigns. Moss Tant will likely be the replacement for 4-year starter, Reece Fountain. Tant was the JV quarterback last year for the Wolves, but Braxton Anderson could compete for the QB spot as well. Aiden Mcpherson, a transfer from Allatoona, is another potential weapon for the Wolves offense. JJ Winston, Braijon Jackson, and Darnell Collins show extreme promise as receivers.
For Rome, having this sort of talent has become the norm. Don’t be surprised if the Wolves are back in Atlanta playing for yet another state championship at season’s end.
Martel Hight, a Vanderbilt commitment, racked up more than 1,000 receiving yards for the Wolves last season and was a force as a wideout and cornerback. Demarcus Daniel and Martavious Collins are two other key targets for the Rome offense and both players have had huge upside and potential.
Rome’s defensive line and linebacking corps look stacked yet again and rumors coming out of the area predict this group of linemen could be as good or better than the group that anchored the line for the back-to-back state titles. Stephilyin Green, a Clemson Commit and All-State Selection let season, anchors the group and will be one of many Wolves helping terrorize opposing quarterbacks and ballcarriers all season.
