COVINGTON, Ga. — An event that has been on a four-year hiatus returned last Friday, July 21. High school varsity squads from Newton and Walton counties gathered for the 2023 East Metro Atlanta Football Media Day.
The occasion was held in the Newton College and Career Academy Lecture Hall.
The day served as a way to help kick off the upcoming football season set to begin in mid-August.
Phillip B. Hubbard, sports editor with The Covington News, served as the emcee and delivered opening remarks.
“I know we have some rivalries in here but, the way I view it, we’re all just football fans,” Hubbard said. “I encourage all of us to sit back, relax and let’s just talk football and see what each program has going on heading into a new year.”
A coach and two players from each team attended to help highlight what their teams were up to in the offseason.
Here’s a list of representatives from each school:
Alcovy Tigers
Coach Spencer Fortson, BJ Johnson and Taylor Richardson
Eastside Eagles
Coach Jay Cawthon, Elijah Davis and Tagen Brown
George Walton Academy Bulldogs
Coach Logan Beer, Mason Mathis and Tristen Hill
Loganville Christian Academy Lions
Coach Nathan Murphy, Kylan Friar and Devin Larry
Loganville Red Devils
Coach Gene Cathcart, Dylan Robbins and Charles Barkley Smith
Monroe Area Purple Hurricanes
Coach Kevin Reach, Max Thurston and Rickey Robbins
Newton Rams
Coach Josh Skelton, Marcus Calwise and Ephraim Wright
Peachtree Academy Panthers
Coach Jim Eidson, Justin Mingo and Will Stanley
Piedmont Academy Cougars
Coach Clint Satterfield, Ridge Stroud and Mason Tumlin
Social Circle Redskins
Coach Rob Patton, Sean Crews and Kam Durden
The Covington Academy Bulldogs and Walnut Grove Warriors were invited, but were unable to attend.
All interviews went like a press conference. Each coach delivered an opening statement then he and the two players fielded questions from media members present.
The Walton Tribune’s sports editor Jeff Byrd, The Covington News’ correspondents Garrett Pitts and DJ Moore in addition to Hubbard asked questions to each group.
Once each school concluded their press conference, The Covington News’ photographer Andrew Mills took headshots and group shots. Michael Bandoo, another photographer for The Covington News, took photos of the press conferences.
Chick-fil-A in Covington was the event’s food sponsor as it provided lunch, which featured a Chick-fil-A sandwich, chips, cookies, tea and lemonade.
In his closing remarks, Hubbard mentioned that The Covington News aims for the East Metro Atlanta Football Media Day to become an annual occasion once again.
