2024 Corky Kell-Dave Hunter Classic

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Sykotyk | August 21, 2024

The Corky Kell-Dave Hunter Classic in Georgia has deep roots. Starting in 1992, the formerly named Corky Kell Classic started as a modest doubleheader at the then home of the Atlanta Falcons.

The Georgia Dome hosted almost every year from the events’ inception in 1992 until the dome’s closure midway through 2017. In 1995 and 2014, all games were hosted at McEachern High School. While 1997 was jointly hosted between Corky Kell stalwarts McEachern and Brookwood. With the closure of the dome, the 2017 games were held mostly at Georgia State Stadium, the former Turner Field and Olympic Stadium south of downtown Atlanta, with two additional games at Mercer University near Macon.

Since the dome’s replacement, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, opened in 2017, first hosted and has hosted since the Corky Kell Classic games on the weekend’s Saturday slate. Except the 2020 games disrupted by the Covid-19 Pandemic.

The games have grown from a simple doubleheader in 1992 and 1993 to eleven games scheduled the past four years starting in 2021. The slate expanded to 3 games in 1994, and 5 games in 1996. Before reverting to four games from 1997 to 2011. After two more years with 5 games in 2012 and 2013, the schedule expanded to seven games in 2014 and nine games in 2016. Before finally reaching its current slate of eleven games in 2021.

With the additional games, more venues were used for the lead-up to the Georgia Dome or Mercedes-Benz Stadium all-day Saturday schedule. The obvious first choice was McEachern in Powder Springs. Starting in 2015, McEachern who had hosted all the games in 1995 and 2014 also hosted the extra games while the Georgia Dome hosted the other 5 in 2015. Though hasn’t hosted any games since.

Over the years, Mercer University hosted four games over 2 years in 2016 and 2017. Before Rome became a regular host start in 2018 with two games, and again in 2019, 2022, and 2023 with two games with three games in 2022. Recently, Kell High School has hosted doubleheaders in 2023 and 2024. While West Forsyth in northern Forsyth County has hosted doubleheaders each year since 2020. Other hosts have been Hallford Stadium, Johns Creek, and Dacula with doubleheaders. And single games at Gainesville, North Cobb, Fellowship Christian and Hebron Christian.

Having been named for Carlton J. Kell, whose namesake was given to Kell High School in Marietta, the Corky Kell Classic added Dave Hunter’s name in 2023. Dave Hunter was also a coach, at Brookwood, who were original participants in the Classic. Dave Hunter is now the the Executive Director of the MetroPCS Corky Kell-Dave Hunter Classic.

For the 2024 edition of the Corky Kell-Dave Hunter Classic, the schedule opened in Marietta at Carlton J. Kell High School on Wednesday. The season opened with the LaGrange Grangers taking on the Frederick Douglass Astros from Atlanta. The night game were the host Kell Longhorns taking on the North Atlanta Warriors.

LaGrange started the scoring with a field goal. Before Douglass reeled off 18 first half points to take a comfortable, though suspect, 18-3 lead into the break. Holding on through the scoreless second half to win, 18-3 and secure the first win of the 2024 season. Also on Wednesday, Kell blows up a 15-15 tie in the second half to win 29-15 over North Atlanta.

On Thursday, the bright lights of the spotlight move to West Forsyth’s Wolverine Stadium. Opening the night the Dunwoody Wildcats win comfortably, 24-7 over the South Paulding Spartans. Before the West Forsyth Wolverines match up against the Prince Avenue Christian Wolverines.

In one of the best games of the weekend, the Prince Avenue Christian squad score first on a one yard run by Andrew Beard. West Forsyth answers with a 42 yard Field Goal later in the quarter. Halving the deficit to 6-3. In the second quarter, Prince Avenue Christian extends their lead with a short touchdown pass to go up 12-3. Again missing the point after attempt. West Forsyth kept pace, with a 52 yard TD pass, and trailed 12-9 after the third missed PAT of the day. Prince Avenue Christian adds a 96 yard kickoff return. Prince Avenue Christian takes a 20-12 lead into halftime on the heels of a West Forsyth 31 yard field goal.

West Forsyth opens the second half scoring, tying the game, on a 7 yard touchdown run by Horace and a two point pass reception by Hunter Green ties it at 20-20. Prince Avenue Christian doesn’t linger, as they take a 5 yard run for six by Hudson Hill. Beard adds two. Ben Musser adds another touchdown in the third on a long QB keeper, to extend the lead to 35-20. West Forsyth cuts the lead late, but are unable to find the endzone late. Settling for a punt on 4th and 14 and a chance to play defense that faulters. Prince Avenue Christian wins, 35-28.

Friday was two games at two venues. An afternoon contest originally scheduled for 2pm was bumped back to 4:30pm after a bus crash sidelined Rome’s team for the opening weekend game. The doubleheader at Rome was turned into a single game at 7;30pm. Giving Hebron Christian the ability to move their game back later for television purposes.

At Burlingame Field, Hebron Christian ran away on the back of Devon Caldwell. Going up 14-0 after one, 21-0 after two. And a fantastic third quarter runs the lead up to 48-0. Before a scoreless running clock fourth quarter ends the game over Therrell and secures the shutout.

Friday night’s matchup between Cass and Callaway was eventually postponed due to rain. So, nearby, outside the Corky Kell-Dave Hunter Classic, the Mountain View Bears were hosting the Hillgrove Hawks. Located also in Gwinnett County, the Bears opened the first half keeping up with the visiting Hawks, trailing 17-14 going into halftime. Before the floodgates opened. A 2 hour and 15 minute lightning delay pushed the second half kickoff until after 11pm.

In the second half, Hillgrove added a field goal in the third quarter. And the fourth quarter was a back-and-forth affair. Hillgrove adding two touchdowns while Mountain View scored once and held the ball on a late drive past midnight. A final play ended with a quarterback sack. Giving the visits a 34-28 victory over Mountain View.

Saturday was the four-game extravaganza at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Starting at 10am, the Brookwood Broncos take on the Walton Raiders. At 1pm the Houston County Bears took on the Alpharetta Raiders. At 4pm was another local matchup as North Gwinnett Bulldogs took on the McEachern Indians. And to close out the weekend, the Cedar Grove Saints were paired up against the Douglas County Tigers.

Walton wins a closer than it appeared, 30-21 game over Brookwood. In the second game, Houston County obliterates Alpharetta in their first Corky Kell appearance, 57-10. The early evening matchup between North Gwinnett and McEachern goes to the Bulldogs of North Gwinnett, 39-17. And the final game of the day goes nearly for a shutout, 42-7 as Douglas County gave up a late score in the final minutes in an interclass matchup between the 6A Tigers and the 2A Saints.

In years past, the Corky Kell-Dave Hunter Classic has been a regular on television in the Atlanta area. Now hosted by the Peachtree Sports Network on the Peachtree Cable System. However, attendance has waned and was noticeably sparse at some of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium games. It still is the most notable and longest running Kickoff Classic in the nation.