DUBLIN, Ga. — Dublin may be the 2A state champion, but they will defend their title in a new classification. The Irish move from AA to A-Public in 2020.
Everything went Dublin's way in 2019. The year ended with not only a AA state championship, but also the offensive and defensive players of the year. Head Coach Roger Holmes said that's all in the past.
"When last year's seniors have a reunion in 20 years, they'll be talking about their team won the state championship. This is 2020, what are y'all gonna talk about at your 20 year reunion," Holmes said he told his team.
The 18 seniors in this year's class, including Kendell Wade, hope it's a back to back title.
"You gotta lead by example and just be the leaders of the team, because like Coach Holmes said, this is our team, our year this year. We can't ride off what happened in the past. We got to do what we got to do this year," Wade said.
The reins will fall heavily on quarterback Markelle Mitchell's shoulders as well as Wade's, who lost two years to injury including last year's state title run.
"Physically, I feel good, I feel like this could be my year," Wade said. "I know the work that I put in. It's going to show this year."
The Fighting Irish will defend their title in a new classification. Moving down from AA to A-Public. Holmes said it was the best move for the school system, not just Dublin football.
"I'm a team guy first and I felt like for the advantage of all Dublin City Schools that playing single A, that while our numbers are single A, is certainly where we need to be," Holmes said.
He noted that while basketball and football have done well in AA, other sports have struggled against bigger AA schools. The Fighting Irish join a region that collectively went under .500 in 2019, but included 9-3 Wilcox County and 7-3 Johnson County teams.
"I think we would have been competitive in this region last year, but as we started this show off, this isn't last year so we'll see where we can get to from here," Holmes said.
The Fighting Irish will open their season against their longtime rival, the Dodge County Indians.