Jeff Moeller, sports correspondent

This season, the Wildcats will begin play in the state’s new Class 7A classification and face a new set of challenging opponents. And their first test begins with hosting Effingham County Friday night. The visiting Rebels finished last season with a 9-3 record - their most victories since 2022 - and their season ended in a second-round state playoff game with a 34-33 loss to Clarke Central.

Wildcats’ head coach Matt LeZotte expects his team to be tested.

“We have a tremendous amount of respect for Effingham,” stressed LeZotte. “They are coming off a nine-win season, and when you watch them on film, there really aren't many weaknesses. They're well coached, physical, disciplined, and they play extremely hard. This is a very good football team.”

The Rebels’ main weapon will be running back Jamere Moe-Davis, who ran for 2,030 yards and scored 19 touchdowns, and he also caught 31 passes for 539 yards with six scores.

Trayvis Hunter, whose older brother Travis plays for the Jaguars, had 46 catches for 677 yards with six touchdowns, and Isaiah Brown hauled in 25 passes for 430 yards with five touchdowns.

The Rebels have had to rebuild their offensive line and had a quarterback battle during the summer.

“Offensively, they have an outstanding running back and a very experienced group of receivers,” added LeZotte. "They can make you defend the entire field, and if you put too many people in the box to stop the run, they have guys outside who can hurt you."

“They do have some new faces on the offensive line and at quarterback, but I wouldn't necessarily call those weaknesses. Those are just areas where they have less game experience than some other positions. We expect them to be prepared and play well.”

On the other side of the ball, Effingham has a veteran unit that has been bolstered by the addition of linemen Jordan and Matthew Dillon along with R.J. Brown, all of whom transferred from Savannah Christian.

“Defensively, I think that's where their experience really stands out,” said LeZotte. “They have a strong front seven and a lot of experience returning in the secondary. They run to the football well, they're physical at the point of attack, and they don't give you many easy opportunities.”

As for the Wildcats, who finished 6-5 last season after a 45-0 loss in a state playoff game to eventual state champion Buford, they are confident their offense will mature, and their defense will take another step.

“Offensively, the biggest adjustment is probably replacing the production we lost at running back,” offered LeZotte. “ We have experience at quarterback and at our skill positions, so figuring out exactly how the carries and roles fit together in the backfield has been an important part of camp.

“Defensively, we've got quite a bit of experience back, but we've continued to work on finding the right combinations and developing depth, especially because of the schedule we're going to play. In our region, you can't expect to get through the season with 11 guys. We have to be able to rotate players and trust the next guy to go in and execute.”