by: Alex Tonico

The year was 2013. The current senior Grady football players were just freshman waiting to make their mark and leave a legacy on the field.

Then, all was seemingly derailed by an address fraud scandal that resulted in the former head coach and athletic director transfers to other schools. Some players were forced to transfer to their zoned schools as well, following a school district investigation and highly-publicized announcement of the news.

The result of the investigation wiped out an 8-3 season, in which the team advanced to the first round of the state playoffs as the Georgia High School Association forfeited the team’s wins, resulting in an 0-11 final record.

Now it’s 2016, and times are good again. Graduation is just around the corner; the eight players remaining from that team have just finished their final season.

The Grey Knights finished 10-2 and won the Region 6 AAAAA championship, but they were upset by Woodland-Stockbridge 24-21 in the second round of the GHSA state playoffs.

“I’ve been coming to the Grady games since middle school, so to be able to play on this team for four years was like a dream for me,” said lineman Seth Wolfe.

Grady hadn’t captured a region title since the 2010 team that included current New Orleans Saints defensive back Damian Swann, Marcus Caffey, Treveon (Tupac) Albert, and Hoderick Lowe. That team lost in the Class AAA semifinals to Peach County.

Players remaining from the 2013 squad include quarterback Caylin Newton, wide receiver Jacquez Sloan, lineman Jalen Whitt and Seth Wolfe, tight end and defensive end John Peace, cornerback and tailback DiMarcus Clay, and linebacker Jerome Taylor.

For this group, it was never easy, but the players were persistent.

After losing coach Ronnie Millen, who reached 99 wins in his last season, the players were lost with no direction. The only familiar face remaining on the sideline was defensive coordinator David Johnson.

As it turned out, former standout Grady athlete Earthwind Moreland, who won a national championship at Georgia Southern and a Super Bowl title with the New England Patriots, took over the reigns.

Sophomore year was quite a learning experience for the remaining eight and the team. Grady went 5-5 that season and was barred from the playoffs had the Knights qualified.

As a result, the season was experimental and used to develop the young players, giving them the varsity exposure that would prove beneficial later in their careers.

“I know our seniors [at the time] are hurt from the consequences that were at hand, but we have done our best to keep the name and legacy of Grady on the pedestal it’s always been on,”said Hudson.

Junior year came along with high expectations as the Knights looked comfortable after a season of sanctions was behind them, but they suffered setbacks with massive injuries along the way as Newton, Sloan and Whitt suffered injuries that kept them sidelined them.

The eight collectively only played six games together during the 2015 season which ended with 7-5 record and second-round state playoff loss. However, the team was 5-1 in games the entire group played in.

“It took each and every player from the 2013 team to help carry the load for four years along with the people who came and went during our tenure,” said Newton. “We couldn’t do it without each other”

Newton and Sloan have broken Grady records for passing and receiving yards in a season.

In the Knights’ first playoff game playoff game, a 42-8 win over Walnut Grove, Sloan hauled in receptions totalling 126 yards to become the state leader in Class 5A with more than 1,200 yards and 13 touchdowns.

“It’s an honor and very humbling,” said Sloan. “It’s shows I’m a big threat, but none of this means anything if we don’t get what we came for.”

Newton, who passed for over 3,200 yards with 33 touchdowns and rushed for over 900 yards and 12 touchdowns, was second in 5A and fifth in the state among quarterbacks. Some of the remaining eight aren’t certain of their football futures, but all have completely bought into their final high school season.

“Regardless of what happened, we formed a deep brotherhood that can never be taken away,” said Newton.

A season starting with high hopes for a state championship ended on a last-second Woodland-Stockbridge kick. The 24-21 loss ended the Knights’ hopes in the second round of the state playoffs for the second consecutive year.

“Even though we didn’t accomplish everything we wanted, I’m still happy about our play and what we did this season,” said senior lineman Theron Anches

The Knights came out of the gates strong. They received the ball to start the game and made the best of their opportunity with a 6-play, 65-yard drive that ended with a 5-yard rushing touchdown by senior quarterback Caylin Newton. Grady led 7-0 with 10:17 left in the first quarter.

The defense forced a 3-and-out on Woodland’s first possession.

The Knights second possession started at their own 20, and they drove to the Woodland 25 before a ball bounced off senior wide receiver Jacquez Sloan’s hands and was intercepted by the Wolfpack defense with 6:05 left in the first quarter.

The offense didn’t stop as it continued to drive the field and took a 21-7 lead with 4:56 left in the first half after a 15-yard run by senior tailback Jeffrey Black and a 39-yard pass to Sloan.

Woodland responded with two rushing touchdowns and tied the game with 2:38 left in the third quarter.

After a missed field goal attempt by junior kicker Quinn Cowden, the first attempted field goal of the year by the Knights, and an interception from Newton with 38 seconds left, the Wolfpack ran out routes and took advantage of penalties into Grady territory. Woodland kicker Tommy Herman drove a 40-yard field goal ball through the uprights to advance to the third round.

The Knights loss came a week after blowing out Walnut Grove 42-8 in the first round. Newton led the offense over the fourth-seeded Warriors who qualified for the playoffs for the first time. Newton combined for four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) and Sloan hauled in touchdown passes of 52 yards and 75 yards while adding a 79-yard kick return.

Grady also faced many injuries throughout the season, similar to last year, when the team was also injury-riddled.

Junior defensive back Trysten Fowler tore his ACL during the team’s game against North Atlanta and was out for the season. Junior linebacker Jaleyn Rivers suffered a fractured leg in the middle of the season but was able to return for the last three games of the season.

Senior safety and tailback Cincere Mason also suffered a season-ending injury during the homecoming game against Maynard Jackson, tearing his ACL as well. Seniors Jalen Whitt and Emmanuel Sanders also suffered knee injuries late in the season to end their senior year and maybe their football careers.

While the Knights came up short of their goal, fans witnessed the Newton-Sloan quarterback-wide receiver duo both break Grady season records in the same season.

Newton became the first quarterback in Grady history to pass for over 3,000 yards and rush for over 1,000 yards in one season.

Senior tight end Kemari Averett finished tied for second in the class 5A for touchdown catches with 11. Fans also witnessed the sixth region championship in the 69 years of the school being established.

“It came down to the mistakes we made,” said head coach Earthwind Moreland. “At the end of the day, though, I love all those kids, and I’m looking forward to next season.”