High School

The Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic: An Homage to Metro Atlanta Football

The event that highlights the opening week of the Georgia High School football is a legacy to two men who have worked to grown the sport in the state

Baigen Seawell

The Kell Longhorns, their school a memorial to Lassiter Carlton "Corky" Kell, made their 14th consecutive appearance in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic
The Kell Longhorns, their school a memorial to Lassiter Carlton "Corky" Kell, made their 14th consecutive appearance in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic / Kellfootball.com

The final horn sounded late Saturday night in Mercedes Benz Stadium, signaling the conclusion of the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic. Fans were satiated with a four-day, eleven-game series of football across the Metro Atlanta area and beyond, with venues spanning from Rome to the heart of downtown Atlanta.

In its 34th year of existence, the Classic aims to bring the hype and tradition to the southern pastime of high school football.

Non-Stop Georgia High School Football

From Wednesday to Saturday, Georgia high school football fans got a taste of the first official week of football, with founding teams such as McEachern, Brookwood making their 34th straight appearance since the Classic’s inception. In addition to the Indians and Broncos, the namesake of Kell made its 14th straight appearance. 

Big Plays Filled the Four Day High School Football Extravaganza

Notable plays were plentiful over the week, including a fake punt to secure a touchdown from McEachern’s Casey Barner (that also earned an SportsCenter Top 10 nod), a burst of a run game from Andrew Beard of Prince Avenue Christian, and an unscathed kick return from Hebron Christian’s Jarvis Mathurin for six. 

To truly appreciate what we see today, we have to understand the history and the masterminds behind the beloved Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic.

The Legacy of Lassiter Carlton “Corky” Kell

Nestled in the trees and greenery of East Cobb lies a yellow, pawprint-riddled street on Holt Road, home of Wheeler High School. Take a sharp turn down the road, towards the football field, you’ll find Corky Kell Stadium. Kell’s impact started at Wheeler, where he served as head coach for football and was credited with starting the Girl’s Basketball Program in 1965.

Kell’s impact was transcendent in East Cobb as shared from the Marietta Daily Journal. His impact helped Wheeler to a 77-25-1 overall record under his tutelage. It didn’t stop there however. He went on to become the Athletic Director for Cobb County School District. That simply was not enough for Kell though, as he wanted to expand the impact he created past Cobb. What better way to leave an impact than to create a Classic?

In 1992, the Corky Kell Classic started with four teams: Brookwood, McEachern, Newnan and Southwest DeKalb. In 1994, it expanded to six, then ten. The Classic continued to build momentum, but its founder would not get to see the full glory. Corky Kell passed away in 1995 from lung cancer, but the spirit lived through Dave Hunter, former Brookwood High School coach and current Executive Director of the Classic.

Dave Hunter and the Expansion of the Classic

Hunter coached at Brookwood for two decades, with storied accomplishments over his career including a victory in 1996 over Valdosta. He coached in the first years of existence in the Classic, including Brookwood’s first-ever Corky Kell Classic victory in 1993 over Southwest DeKalb. His contributions to the Classic went beyond coaching, but calling the shots as well. Hunter was tasked by Kell himself to not let the Classic fade.

He fulfilled that promise, seeing teams from every corner of Georgia participate. The lineups expanded year after year with host sites that would go beyond the Dome, including Brookwood and McEachern. Kell’s spirit continued to carry on, being named after the newfound Carlton J. Kell High School in 2002, as the Classic celebrated its 10 year anniversary.

In 2014, 19 years after Kell's passing, the Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame inducted Kell into their ranks. Soon thereafter, the Classic continued to swell and grow with each passing year. Eventually, the event was rebranded to the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic, honoring  both Hunter and Kell who have contributed so much, not just to the Metro Atlanta area, but Georgia High School football in its entirety.

2025 Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic Results

Wednesday, Aug. 13

Kell 44, South Paulding 21

Prince Avenue Christian 40, Callaway 17

Thursday, Aug. 14

Hebron Christian 29, North Atlanta 14

West Forsyth 27, Douglass 0

Friday, Aug. 15

Cedar Grover 38, Therrell 6

LaGrange 27, Cass 7

Creekside 48. Rome 28

Saturday, Aug. 16

St. Pius X 15, Dunwoody 12

Houston County 31, Brookwood 24

McEachern 50, Walton 17

Douglas County 21 North Gwinnett 7

Published |Modified
Baigen Seawell
BAIGEN SEAWELL

Baigen Seawell is a 2019 Graduate of West Virginia State University. Studying Communications with an Emphasis in Broadcast, she was the first female sportscaster for WVSU. Since graduating, she’s worked within the ranks of numerous Athletic Departments such as UAB, The Big South Conference and Life University, working in women’s sports such as tennis, volleyball, softball and more. She added to her resume through working with Professional Leagues, most recently being League One Volleyball. She began contributing to High School On SI in 2025.

Home/Georgia