Fatal crash. Team fight. New region. Carver persists to reach Georgia football title game
In the 17 years since the Carver football program won its only Georgia High School Association championship, the Tigers have changed regions or classifications seven times, and they have changed head coaches five times.
But they still are the commanding team in Columbus and a perennial title contender, qualifying for the state playoffs every year since Dell McGee (now head coach at Georgia State University) guided the Tigers to that 2007 championship.
Now, after persevering through those changes — as well as other adversity — this program is one victory away from its second state title.
The Tigers (13-1) will play Burke County (13-1) for the GHSA Class AA trophy Tuesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Years of overcoming adversity
In 2022, their first season with head coach Pierre Coffey, the Tigers went 9-3 and reached the Class AAA quarterfinals while mourning the deaths of wide receiver Braylon Jakes’ parents and sister. Byron, Katrina and Kamryn Jakes were killed in a car crash that October as they drove home from Carver’s game at Thomasville.
In 2023, the Tigers stepped up a level in performance. They went 10-4 and reached the Class AAA semifinals while overcoming the dissension and distraction from fights that erupted among assistant coaches and players that October after their game at Dougherty County.
And in 2024, after dropping down to Class AA, the Tigers again stepped up a level in performance. They not only have reached this state final moment, but they’ve done it in dominating style.
Carver has outscored its opponents 539-98. That’s an average game score of 39-7.
More impressive, in their four playoff games — when the competition is supposed to be tougher — the winning margin for the Tigers has been even bigger, 182-33, an average game score of 46-8.
This season’s only loss for Carver came in the third game, 15-6, at Class AAAA Harris County. The Tigers have won 11 straight.
Returning to Muscogee County from a stint at Chattahoochee County, Coffey succeeded Corey Joyner, who resigned in February 2022 without a public explanation — two months after leading the Tigers to the 2021 Class AAAA state championship game. Joyner joined Westover as an assistant and now is the Class AAA team’s head coach.
Coffey didn’t reply to the Ledger-Enquirer’s request to interview him and one of Carver’s players.
How to watch Carver in the state championship game
All GHSA football and flag football state championship games will be telecast live on GPB-TV and streamed live on GPB.org.
Tickets won’t be available at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium box office. They are being sold at GoFan.co for $23, general admission only.
