We tell you everything you need to know about the 2024 Camden County High School football team in this preview, including roster changes and what fans can expect from the Wildcats this season.
2023 Stats
- Overall Record: 10-4
- Points Scored: 457
- Points Allowed: 260
Key Losses
The Wildcats’ biggest losses heading into 2024 come on the defensive side, especially up front.
Linebacker Cooper Thornhill leaves behind a stellar Camden County career that saw him rack up 312 tackles with four sacks.
The Wildcats will also miss fellow linebacker Antonio Laws, who also saw time at running back in 2023. Laws had 51 tackles last season and two career interceptions on defense, and on offense he rushed for 10 TDs on 49 carries in 2023.
Another two-way player who will be missed is defensive end and tight end DeNigel Cooper, a three-star recruit who is now enrolled at Appalachian State University.
Defensive lineman Tyler Higginbotham leaves Camden County with 139 career tackles, including 81 tackles with a sack in 2023.
Longtime head coach Jeff Herron announced his retirement this offseason.
Who’s Back
Camden County brings back a good bit of talent from last year’s 10-win, semifinal squad.
That includes quarterback Parks Riendeau, who will be counted on to run the Wildcats’ new offensive attack installed by new head coach Travis Roland. Riendeau, a junior, passed for 1,180 yards and 15 TDs in a run-heavy offense last season.
Riendeau will be throwing to one of the best receiving targets in the state this season in five-star tight end Elyiss Williams, who is widely considered the top prospect at his position in Georgia.
Williams has elite company returning along the offensive line with linemen Tazio Rosso, Anthony Green, and Zachary Taylor all back for their senior seasons.
Defensively, Camden County brings back a ton of talent, including All-Region defensive lineman Malaki Mowan; highly recruited junior cornerback David Coleman Jr., who will also return punts again this year; junior linebacker Xavier Brown; and senior safety Ja’maric “Jam” Daley.
What to Expect
Expect big things from a talented Camden County program in 2024. They have one of the most talented and experienced lines returning this season, and it always helps having an experienced starter at QB returning as the Wildcats do with Riendeau.
Roland takes over as head coach, and he arrives after leading Mainland High School to the Class 3S state title game in Florida the last two seasons, winning it in 2023.
Roland said that he expects the winning culture that Herron delivered at Camden County last season to continue with him and his staff now taking over.
“I expect us to compete for the region title, make it to Thanksgiving weekend, and once again fight for the chance to be among the state’s elite programs,” Roland said.
Prediction
Camden County will be one of the favorites to win Region 1-6A. I see an 11-3 overall record for the Wildcats in 2024.
Game to Watch
Oct. 25 versus Colquitt County
