Once again, the Georgia High School football season will begin with Atlanta Public Schools (APS) leading the way with three teams in the 2024 Corky Kell Dave Hunter Classic.
Frederick Douglass High School will play in the first high school football game of the year against LaGrange at Kell High School on Wednesday, August 14, at 4:30 p.m. This is the first year the Astros have been invited to the season-opening classic and the players are excited to get off the practice field and meet their opponent.
“Our young men are excited about an opportunity to be the first game in the state of Georgia,” Frederick Douglass High School head football coach Stanley Pritchett said. “We want to make sure we represent APS well, and represent Frederick Douglass in a first-class manor.”
After the Astros kick-off the season, North Atlanta High School returns to the Corky Kell Dave Hunter Classic. Last year, the Warriors made a statement in defeating Johns Creek 58-14 in the first game of the 2023 season. This year, North Atlanta will face Kell High School at 7:30 p.m. directly after the Douglass vs. LaGrange game.
Both Douglass and North Atlanta have key players to watch. Douglass High School’s Jontae Gilbert is a 4-star defensive back and one of the top-ranked players in the state. North Atlanta’s Chase Linton is a 3-star defensive end committed to Rutgers.
On Friday, August 14, Therrell High School will travel to Hebron Christian High School for a 2 p.m. game against the host school.
Last season, APS schools finished with an overall 56-62 record with eight playoff teams (Douglass, Carver, Jackson, North Atlanta, South Atlanta, Mays, Therrell, and Washington). North Atlanta and Therrell had the best records in the district, both finishing last season 9-2.
APS is looking forward to another great football season and starting the year off strong at the Corky Kell Dave Hunter Classic.
