Daily Dive: McDonough looks for historic start this Friday

The McDonough Warhawks, formerly known as Henry County High School have an opportunity to make history this Friday night in their Region 5 opener against Mt. Zion-Jonesboro. Despite having multiple 10-win seasons over its previous 73 years as a program, Friday stands as an opportunity to record the first 3-0 start in school history. Head coach Rodney Cofield, who has also coached at Douglass and Booker T. Washington in the APS is in his third season with the Warhawks and did not realize last Friday was historic in its own right.

McDonough secured a 28-23 win over county rival Union Grove and that was the first time in eight tries that the Warhawks had ever defeated their neighboring rivalry. I didnt know until we I got an email Saturday morning, Cofield told GPBs Sam Crenshaw .The email said, You know coach, this is the first time that McDonough High has ever beaten Union Grove. I had not even thought about that.

The key to McDonoughs success this season has been senior quarterback Terrell Riley, who has started every season since Cofields arrival. Riley has been named Region 5 athlete of the year in each of his previous two seasons and is off to another incredible start with eight total touchdowns. In the season opener, Riley accounted for six touchdowns, more than 400 yards of offense and nine tackles.

McDonough cruised to a 49-7 win over Mt. Zion-Jonesboro last season at home and were just short of earning a playoff berth with close losses like the Woodland-Stockbridge (29-28) and Pace Academy (42-40) region battles. This game will be updated live tomorrow night on the ticker as a top 30 game as Roswell hosts Milton.