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Corky Kell Classic preview: Mill Creek vs. Walton

Mercedes-Benz Stadium will play host to the final five games of this year's Corky Kell Classic, which promises at least 27 hours of live preps action.

MILL CREEK vs. WALTON

WHERE: Mercedes-Benz Stadium

WHEN: Saturday at 11:45 a.m. EST

TV: The ATL

WEB: 11Alive.com | Facebook Live | YouTube

MILL CREEK HAWKS

Head Coach: Trent Slear

Status: Lost in the 7A playoffs to Archer

Preseason State Ranking: No. 9 in 7A (Georgia High School Football Daily)

2017 Record: 8-4

2017 Legacy: Lost twice to Archer last season (regular season/playoffs), but with a nary margin of 4.5 points per game

SCORE ATLANTA PREVIEW

The Hawks return six starters on offense and will use the spring to figure out their quarterback situation. One has experience. One is an up-and-comer.

Yet, both are talented. According to Jarvis, there are several more players vying for the spot, but from his perspective, it's down to two.

"A bunch of names in the battle," said head coach Shannon Jarvis, regarding the club's quarterback situation. "Caden Cullen played a little bit last year. He will be a rising senior and we are looking forward to him. Caden has a lot of experience. He is a very strong kid and is in the 1,000-pound club and plays on our baseball team, which is in the state playoffs. He’s just a very athletic young man."

Cullen had just two completions in six attempts last year for 62 yards and one touchdown. He rushed for 15 yards and two touchdowns on 16 attempts. His competition is a rising sophomore looking to make a name for himself.

"We also have a sophomore, M.J. Patterson, that we are very excited about," he said. "We will let them battle it out over the spring and summer, and by that time, we will be able to name that starter. But, currently, those two are the front-runners fighting for that position."

Returning receiving and rushing leader Parker Wroble will certainly have an impact offensively for the Hawks. He rushed for 86 yards and a touchdown on 25 touches and caught 18 passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns. The 5-foot-8, 163-pound junior rotated through the lineup last year before settling down. This season, look for him to be in the backfield a bit more.

"Parker started for us last year as a sophomore," Jarvis said. "He started but was rotating a bit early, but as the season went on, he was a kid that we had to get more and more involved. We are counting on Parker this year. Last year, he was used a lot as a slot receiver, and we will use him this year more in the backfield. He’s a very tough kid. He’s not overly big, but he’s strong and tough and has speed and quickness and we are counting on him this year to have a big year for us."

On defense, Mill Creek returns four starters with Austin Ruiz-Velasco the anchor. The 5-11, 225-pound all-region DE/OLB has been a brute. Last year, he made 52 solo tackles and 29 assists with seven tackles for a loss, six sacks, 11 quarterback hurries and two fumble recoveries.

"Austin is an all-region player from last year," Jarvis said. "He's a kid who has such a motor and such tenacity. Yesterday we were going through a walk-through and I had to get on him a bit for going too fast then. He's a kid you’re always having to slow down a bit instead of saying ‘giddy up.’ He is going to be a huge part of not just our defense but our whole team, just the energy he brings. He's a high-academic kid with tremendous grades and character. I tell them all that he's our best football player, pound-for-pound."

________________

WALTON RAIDERS

Head Coach: Daniel Brunner

Status: Lost in the 7A playoffs to eventual runner-up Colquitt County

Preseason State Ranking: No. 6 in 7A (Georgia High School Football Daily)

2017 Record: 11-1

2017 Legacy: Walton won its first 11 games last season (including the playoffs), scoring at least 28 points at every point of that stretch

PLAYERS OF INTEREST

#2 QB AUSTIN KIRKSEY

**Coach Brunner loves the intangibles and physical tools of his quarterback, citing Kirksey as a classic 'football junkie'

**Brunner also says: "I truly believe he's one of the best quarterbacks in the state of Georgia, and I wouldn't want anyone else as our triggerman."

#1 WR DOMINICK BLAYLOCK

**A 5-star prospect at wideout, Blaylock has already committed to UGA for next fall

**Rivals.com lists Blaylock as the No. 31 overall recruit for the Class of 2019

COACH BRUNNER ASSESSMENTS

On the confidence boost of upending North Gwinnett in last year's Corky Kell: "When we left that field, we knew we had a phenomenal group."

On the comparisons/contrasts with the quarterback Kirksey and a certain famous character from the hit movie, Remember The Titans: "(Kirskey) may look like Sunshine, but he (doesn't) play like it."

On how/why leadership changes resonate faster with certain kids: "Everything that happens here, culturally, begins in the weight room."

On the confidence that comes with starting a mammoth freshman at right tackle (Jared 'Bear' Jones): At 6-foot-3, 330 pounds , Jones "is just built differently than most humans are built."

On the keys to staying competitive with Mill Creek on Saturday: "We've got a big challenge ahead of us ... we must run the football."

SCORE ATLANTA PREVIEW

Kendall Alford, who caught 35 passes for 600 yards last year, is another option through the air.

Running back D.J. Soyoye rushed for 1,193 yards and is expected to pick up where he left off last season. Last year, the offense set school records of 5,400 total yards and 39-plus points per game. Senior David Sobek and junior Walker Hurst will be looked upon to fill the holes on the offensive line.

On defense, key players also return. Seniors CB Mikey Farr, LB Malik Adams, CB B.J. Gibson, DB Weston Gurr and DB Drew Michalek will be leaders on this side of the ball.

"Mikey Farr has had a tremendous offseason, and not just at the corner spot,” Brunner said. “But we are expecting big things out of him in the return game and helping a little bit on offense. Those corner spots are really good for us."

Two players with Ivy League potential anchor the defensive back position, and according to Brunner, they can hit hard.

"Another couple of guys that are three-year starters, Drew Michalek and Weston Gurr, we call them the Pixie Bros., they pack a punch, buddy. They're Ivy League-type kids, that’s where their interest is right now and where they’re getting looked at."

Adding to the hard-hitting defense is Adams, a linebacker who can also hit.

"Malik is another three-year starter at the linebacker position and he is about as electric as they come at the position. He's a big play kind of guy and he will thump your butt, buddy. So he is going to do some big things for us this year. Connor West is another at the linebacker spot. He’s a kid who got some playing time last year but he’s one that we expect to step up in that starting role and really do some big things for us."

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