Skip to main content

Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic 2025 Day 4 takeaways

IMG_8358by: Andy Villamarzo08/18/25Andy_Villamarzo
CaseyBarner
McEachern 2028 ATH Casey Barner; Photo by Jeremy Johnson, DawgHQ

On the fourth and final day of the 34th annual Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic 2025, four games took place at the Atlanta Falcons’ home venue of Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a couple exciting finishes and numerous strong performances.

With the four-day event now concluded, we go ahead and revisit Saturday’s games and give you some takeaways from the day’s slate.

McEachern’s 2028 Casey Barner is simply electric

If you weren’t familiar with Casey Barner‘s name before the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic, you most certainly were when McEachern was finished defeating Walton. The 2028 four-star athlete had himself an absolutely electric afternoon for the Indians in their 50-17 rout of Walton as Barner stole the show with his performance.

Barner finished the evening compiling 341 all-purpose yards and scoring three touchdowns as McEachern cruised past Walton to start off the season at 1-0. There was an abundance of talent on full display at the Benz, but no player impressed more than the newly anointed four-star was for the Indians.

Douglas County holds on without Utah commit Michael Johnson for win

Having a player of Michael Johnson‘s caliber as your starting quarterback certainly helps your case when you’re looking to compete for the GHSA’s Class 6A state championship down the road. On Saturday, Johnson (Utah commitment) showed flashes of why the Tigers could have enough to win it all come December, but the quarterback did not return for the second half of Douglas County‘s 21-7 victory over North Gwinnett as the night cap to the classic.

The Tigers’ signal caller did not return to the contest after halftime, as Douglas County went ahead to split second half snaps between senior Ryan Dvce and freshman Cameron Anderson. Johnson finished the evening throwing for 59 yards and a touchdown, but it would be the Tigers’ defense stealing the show. Douglas County’s front seven held up on numerous scoring threats by North Gwinnett to showcase why they’re a viable contender to Grayson when the playoffs come around.

Houston County and St. Pius X win in thrilling fashion

It wouldn’t be a high school football classic without some thrilling endings, right? For the first two games of the day, they provided just that as St. Piux X and Houston County put together go-ahead touchdown drives in the final minutes to come away winners in their respective regular season openers. St. Pius X opened up the dais with a 10 a.m. clash against Dunwoody, with the Golden Lions upending the Wildcats, 15-12. Dunwoody held a 12-7 lead midway through the fourth quarter after a Liam Whitehurst touchdown, but it would be a Aiden Francios (53 yards rushing) score, answering for St. Pius X with 3:30 left in the game. That would be enough for the Golden Lions’ defense as they held up the rest of the way for the win.

In the very next contest between Houston County and Brookwood, it would become and back-and-forth affair all afternoon long. The Bears and Broncos treated fans on hand to the most exciting finish of the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic, as Houston County and Brookwood were tied 24-all in the waning moments of the game. Houston County was able to get the ball last and sophomore quarterback Ryan Maxwell (23 of 32, 219 yards) drove the team downfield for the go-ahead touchdown on a 17-yard pass to a wide open Jase Jordan with 14 seconds on the clock.