CHICKAMAUGA, Ga. — After the Georgia High School Association’s reclassification and realignment of its regions, Gordon Lee’s path to the playoffs has gotten a little more difficult.

That’s OK with the Trojans. They expect to be there anyway.

Region 6-A has expanded with the additions of Darlington and Walker, which dropped from Class AA after the GHSA cut out its multiplier for private schools. And Mount Zion, Carroll is playing its first region schedule.

Those schools should add to the ferocity of play in the league, but Gordon Lee was accustomed to fierce competition. Each of the seven schools the Trojans played outside the region last year was in a higher classification.

“It changes who we play, but I don’t know that it makes our schedule any easier,” Gordon Lee coach Kevin McElhaney said. “We didn’t back away from anybody last year. The difference is that before we were pretty much guaranteed to make the playoffs. Now you’ve got to win. If you don’t, I don’t think you deserve to go anyway.”

Reasons for hope include having their leading rusher, passer and receiver from 2007 each back this season.

Running back Jacob Groce no doubt will be a target of opposing defenses. Last season he managed to top the 1,000-yard rushing mark even though he was slowed with dislocations of both shoulders and a broken rib that caused him to miss essentially four games.

Groce wants to exceed his previous best season marks for rushing yards and touchdowns because he knows his team will benefit.

“I’ve worked hard and gotten a little bit done in the last few years,” he said. “They’re probably going to be looking for me, but that’s where our passing game comes in.”

Senior Brad Culbreth and junior Josh Weller are in competition at quarterback. Weller started last year after Culbreth suffered a knee injury that caused him to miss the season.

Wide receiver Jordan Afman is looking to improve upon his 242 receiving yards from a year ago. He and Groce are also stalwarts in the secondary. Free safety Afman intercepted eight passes last season.

Perhaps the most credible aspect of the team is its veteran leadership in the lines.

“We’re going to have a senior-dominated front,” McElhaney said. “We’ve got three offensive starters up front that are seniors, and defensively we’ve got three starters that are seniors. It looks like we ought to have a really good offensive and defensive front line.”

As is the case with most schools in the smallest classification, lack of depth can become an issue. McElhaney is also looking for help in the kicking game.

There’s more upside than down with most of the Trojans starters returning and a strong senior class of 12. The only thing now is for the ball to bounce Gordon Lee’s way.

“I’ll be extremely disappointed if we don’t make the playoffs,” McElhaney said. “If we play hard and eliminate mistakes, I feel we’ll be very competitive.”

Groce praised league holdover Bremen and newcomer Darlington but couldn’t help envisioning the Trojans possibly winning a region championship and making a substantial playoff run.

“I feel like we have a lot to prove,” Groce said, “but I also feel like we can.”

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