High School Football's return celebrated with Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic Luncheon at Atlanta Marriott

The Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic celebrated the arrival of the 2024 season on Monday at the Atlanta Marriott Northwest with its annual luncheon and attendees got a taste of the 33rd Classics star-powered lineup as players, coaches, administrators, family and media packed the event space with more than 350 guests. Corky Kell founders Dave Hunter and Jimmy Dorsey were on site, but the luncheon was hosted by Score Atlanta President and Corky Kell Executive I.J. Rosenberg. Zaxbys provided the food for each guest and the luncheons sponsor, Sports Turf, provided each guest with wireless headphones and reflected on the last three-decades as the company and Corky Kell Classic have grown alongside Georgia High School football.

Rosenberg previewed the brand new Mr. and Mrs. Georgia Football Awards that will take place this December and players from around the state that were named to the Mr. Georgia Watchlist were recognized. This included several players that will be featured in this years 11-game Corky Kell lineup, in addition to players that traveled from all over the state to be there. Manchesters Justus Terry, Miltons Luke Nickel and CJ Wiley, Perrys Ahmad Gordon, Bufords Jadon Perlotte, Westlakes Travis Smith Jr. and Fellowship Christians Josh Petty were among the guys that attended the luncheon as Mr. Georgia Watchlist names.

Corky Kell matchups for Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays games were previewed as Matt Stewart and Brandon Adams interviewed the head coaches and players representing each of the teams. LaGrange and Douglass Atlanta started it off and were recognized by Rusty Mansell as the first real football game that will be played in the country this season when they kickoff at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 14. The backend of that double-header will be North Atlanta and host Kellwhich is coming off a region title last season. Thursdays double-header of South Paulding and Dunwoody and Prince Avenue Christian at West Forsyth was previewed and the tackle football segment closed with interviews for the final four matchups at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Saturdays four-game slate starts with Walton versus Brookwood at 10 a.m., then Houston County versus Alpharetta, North Gwinnett versus McEachern and the finale between Douglas County and Cedar Grove. The luncheon concluded with a preview of the first-ever Corky Kell Flag Football event that will take place in October and interviews with several of the teams participating. The three matchups slated for Friday, Aug. 16 will get their own luncheon on Tuesday in Rome, Ga. This triple-header starts at 2 p.m. at Hebron Christian against visiting Therrell before it heads to Romes Barron Stadium. The Peachtree Sports Network will broadcast all of the Corky Kell action and as soon as the Hebron Christian and Therrell game concludes on Friday, Cass and Callaway will kickoff in Rome at 5 p.m. before Rome and Creekside square off.