It’s that time of the year again. While college football for so long had been engrossed with the Heisman Award, the time has come for something special in high school football as well. The much-awaited Georgia 6A awards. Only a few names get lucky to get their hands on the awards given within Georgia’s Class 6A high school football division that is part of the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) framework. This time a particular high school program got too lucky, and that’s the Collins Hill Eagles Football. 

This has been Collin High’s season. The 2024 season could not be any more perfect for the Eagles. They blew past the Mountain View Bears, posting a 51-0 win at home. With that victory, Drew Swick’s program’s stats shot up to 30 points per game. There have been some phenoms who kept the winning streak on for the high school football program.

One of them was Jacari Thomas, who came up with 92 yards and two touchdowns on only six carries. Definitely, the players did their part. But not to forget the heroes who had put in their blood, sweat, and tears to build the players that way. Thanks to Georgia 6A awards, the high school football coaches are appreciated for their contribution. On December 22, Collins Hill gave a shoutout to the coaches and wrote, “Blessed with the BEST 💚 Congratulations to these outstanding coaches! Much deserved 🦅.”

So who are they? The award went to the Eagles’ defensive coordinator, Cory Beck. Before Collins Hill, Beck was at Huntington High School, where his program got Mountain State Athletic Conference (MSAC) titles and six consecutive playoff appearances. The other names who got honored with the awards are offensive coordinator Gerald Mitchell, assistant coaches Daverin Geralds and Brian Na, and athletic trainers Rachel Essington & Jon Miller.

Earlier too, Essington earned accolades like the “Athletic Trainer of the Year.” Yes, it’s definitely a proud moment for Collins Hill and the coaches. Meanwhile, something bigger calls for a celebration.  

Collin Hill’s role in shaping a future college football legend

Apart from landing six awards in the Georgia 6A awards, Collins Hill has been trending for another big reason. The reason is none other than the Colorado Buffaloes dual-threat Travis Hunter. As we all know, Deion Sanders’ two-way star ended up first in the Heisman race, beating Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty. So what’s up with Hunter and the Eagles?

As much as the Buffs deserve credit for how far Hunter has reached in his college football journey, the seeds to become a renowned athlete have been planted in Collins Hill. A little over two years ago, he was a graduate of Gwinnett County, where he had 85 receptions for 1,284 yards and 12 touchdowns. And look how fast the night changed. Hunter now has reached the last chapter of his college career. Plus, he will be starting a crucial chapter and will be soon off to the NFL. So how could it go without a small celebration?  

On December 14, Saturday night, Collins Hill High School arranged a watch party inside the high school gym in Suwanee. So the faculty, students, staff, and the former coaches huddled up to witness their alumnus’ memorable evening. Even though Travis Hunter was in New York, his high school faculty did keep the spirits alive. They had a fun time doing the “Heisman” pose. That’s how coaches and players at Collins High are taking school pride to new heights.