The Pickens Dragons locker room has seen a lot over the past 5 years. From the glory of an 11-1 season, to the demise of a 3-6 season just 2 years later, it has been a roller coaster ride in Jasper recently. I could see how fans might want to jump ship. But boy would you be regretful if you did.

If anyone is going to be able to put Pickens County football on the map, it’s going to be Grant Myers.

The Dragons, had youth on their side last season with only a handful of seniors. While it’s true that they will again have youth on their side this season, they will bring in a year of experience and a knowledge of the growing pains that were suffered last season.

Grant Myers steps in as the head man in charge after spending the last two seasons as defensive coordinator. Myers, has shown an excitement and readiness to lead a program and this Dragons football team seems like a perfect match. Myers, has formed a good staff around him including newcomers Aaron Nance, comes to Jasper to serve as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach after being at Grayson High School. Jay McClosky also comes to Pickens from Grayson and will serve as an offensive line coach. A familiar face to Dragon fans is Adam Wharton, who was at Gilmer High School for the last couple of seasons. Wharton has come back to Pickens to be the defensive coordinator.

While 3-6 doesn’t seem flattering, it’s also misleading. Looking back at that 2020 season, a few breaks here or there and the Dragons would have found themselves in the postseason. Even with the sub .500 record, the Dragons were a game away from another trip to the playoffs. The region the Dragons are in, 7-AAAA, will once again be very competitive. Six teams will once again fight for four playoff spots. The seventh team, Southeast Whitfield, will once again play a non-region schedule.

Schedule wise, the Dragons will have 5 home games and 5 road games. Pickens, will have a scrimmage game against the West Hall Spartans on August 12th at West Hall. While the Spartans finished 2020 with a 4-6 record, they gave up just over 23 points per game and scoring 23.6 points per game. That will be a good test for the Dragons. The non-region portion of the schedule has the Dragons opening the season in Ellijay against the Gilmer Bobcats. Pickens will then have back to back home games against the Chattooga Indians and the White County Warriors. The Dragons will go back on the road as they take on the Coosa Eagles. The non-region schedule wraps up with a home game against the Union County Panthers.

Continuing with the schedule, after a bye week, the Dragons will get into region play. Pickens will open region play with a home game against who many feel to be the favorite to win the region championship, the Cedartown Bulldogs. The Dragons will then take to the road to battle the Ridgeland Panthers. In a game that could be very interesting, the Dragons will come back home as they host the Central-Carroll Lions. These two teams did not play against one another in 2020 due to Covid issues. After their second bye week, the Dragons will be on the road for two straight weeks as they take on the Heritage Generals and the Northwest Whitfield Bruins.

Let’s look at some of the young men that will be impact players for the Dragons this upcoming season. Rising Sophomore QB Sam Streicher, will look to build off of a freshman season that saw him earn All-Region Honorable Mention. While Mykel Hand may not be catching long touchdown passes or covering receivers on the defensive end anymore for the Dragons, his brother Devin Hand, will be a handful for teams this year. Rising Sophomore Isaiah Williams, will be a big target for Streicher in the passing game and we could also see Williams make an impact on the defensive line. Two WR that can take a big leap is rising senior Tom Frechette, and rising Sophomore Marcus Pike. Rising Junior Kadyn Hampton, will see time on both sides of the ball at RB and LB. The offensive line, will feature guys like rising Seniors Rylland Holland, and Aaron Duncan, Junior Charlie Fleming.

Defensively, the Dragons will have a defensive line that features rising Junior Kaleb Taylor, and Kaleb Nicholson. Linebackers will feature guys like Mason Powell, Kenny Nelson, Triston Chapman, Anthony Antinozzi, & Connor Browning. In the secondary, guys like Devin Hand, who was mentioned earlier, Parker Rhodes, and Collin Kellogg will look to have big years.

All in all, the Dragons have the pieces for what should be an improved season. With a fired up staff and excited players, the Pickens Dragons will no doubt be fighting for one of those four playoff spots this upcoming season.