Campbell Ready For New Season

It’s just four more days until the Harris Rainbow era at officially kicks off. That’s when the Spartans play host to Centennial High in a game set to begin at 7:30 p.m. on Friday night.

Rainbow is Campbell’s third coach in the last four years and its sixth since 2001. There’s been little to celebrate within the program in recent seasons as the team has dropped 17 of its last 20 games overall.

But Rainbow and his staff saw something in the Spartans during last week’s scrimmage at Mountain View High in Lawrenceville. Down 7-0 at the break, Campbell roared back for a 23-13 victory. While the triumph doesn’t count in any official standings, it could be psychologically beneficial in helping the players sometime this season believing and knowing they can win at crunch time.

“Having success like that can go a long ways,’’ Rainbow said. “We were pleased with the effort and I thought our defense really stepped up.’’

Some of the seniors Rainbow will be looking to for leadership on defense include Tyler Houston, Morgan Ford, Delarrion Purifoy, Marquis Hudson, Caleb Parks and Demario Formbly.

On the offensive side of the football, Austin Green and Ricky James should share time under center, while running back Dykari Hickey will also take some snaps.

Qadeem Salaam and Kevin Chirwa will see extensive action from the running back position and will benefit from running behind an experienced offensive line. Check with Smyrna-Patch on Tuesday for a profile feature on the Spartans’ rugged offensive front.

Also on Friday, Whitefield Academy opens its 2011 season with a 7:30 p.m. game at Walker.

Lovett is off this week after opening the new campaign with a 14-12 win at Thomasville this past Saturday despite a 312-173 gap in total yards.

Behind Grant Haley's two touchdowns, including a 62-yard third quarter run that proved the game-winner, Lovett outlasted Thomasville while giving up 245 rushing yards, according to the game's box score. Thomasville missed two field goals, an extra point and a conversion attempt.

Haley rushed for 74 yards to lead Lovett, and also broke loose for a 27-yard kickoff return and 22 yards in punt returns for 123 all-purpose yards. Quarterback Luke Hart completed 12 out of 22 passes for 100 yards for the Lions, who are ranked ninth in the Class AA poll.

- Buckhead Patch Editor Louis Mayeux contributed to this story.