A look at Blessed Trinity’s special Class of 2019 nucleus

ajc.com

Defending Class AAAA state champion Blessed Trinity will be led by a group of Class of 2019 stars this upcoming season that have already played a significant role in elevating the program over its past three seasons to where it is today.

As a program, the Titans had won just one region championship before Tim McFarlin arrived in 2011 and had never posted double-digit wins in a season; now they boast 49 wins in just the last four years. There is no questioning the talent of these individual players, but what is worth pointing out is how well McFarlin and his staff have been able to find the formula that has allowed each of these players to continue to blossom in a variety of situations and roles. It all also goes to show how valuable playing time can become to varsity freshmen down the line.

LOOKING BACK

Blessed Trinity has excelled in other sports, but its gridiron ascent really began in 2014 when McFarlin and his staff had a pair of juniors that could balance out the offense, and the defense began to establish a culture that has only strengthened in the seasons since. Quarterback Conor Davis and running back Milton Shelton became breakout juniors and the defense came together to produce 26 team sacks, 18 interceptions and allow just 11.6 ppg in its 13-1 record. Davis tossed 20 touchdowns with just four interceptions, while the 5-foot-9 Shelton averaged 135.6 rushing yards per game and ran in 17 scores.

After reaching the semis for the first time in school history in 2014, the 2015 season was looking especially promising with Davis and Shelton back for their senior seasons. Oh, how close they would came. The Titans tied Cedar Grove 13-13 and entered the playoffs 9-0-1, but were heartbroken when they reached the first finals in school history and suffered a 38-31 overtime loss to Westminster. Davis was graduating and Shelton was too, after rushing for 2,059 yards and 28 touchdowns. Blessed Trinity was about to be very very young, but when you look back at the 2015 season, there were plenty of moments that showed how special this young group of guys could potentially be.

Conor’s younger brothers Colin and Ryan were wide receivers and the team, and as a freshman, Ryan was already proving to be a primary receiver. He finished the season with 39 catches, 751 yards and four touchdowns. Also, JD Bertrand stepped into a defensive end and tight end role as a freshman and excelled. He caught 14 passes for 275 yards and a team-high 5 receiving touchdowns, while adding 65 tackles and 12.5 sacks. But there was still another massive moment to reflect.

After defeating Cook 40-14 to open the 2015 playoffs, Blessed Trinity hosted a 10-1 Jefferson team in the second round. Davis began the game 0-2 passing before an injury sidelined him and freshman quarterback Jake Smith had to step into the playoff action. ... Smith proved superb, completing 12-14 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown. Ryan Davis caught six passes for a season-high 111 yards, foreshadowing the same quarterback-receiver combination that would become so effective and help the Titans earn the state title this past season. Conor rested one more week and as a result, Smith got his first career against Dawson County in the state quarterfinals. This time, it was the team’s senior carrying the load. Shelton rushed for four touchdowns and caught Smith’s touchdown pass in the 35-7 win, accounting for all of the team’s points. Davis returned to the lineup and BT defeated Calhoun 12-7 before falling to the Wildcats at the Georgia Dome in the finals.

In 2016, Smith (now a sophomore) finished his first season as a starter with 1,569 yards, 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Steele Chambers did more than just fill in for Shelton, he rushed for 1,486 yards and 21 touchdowns off of 213 carries while adding 74 tackles on defense. Ryan Davis caught 50 passes for 706 yards and seven scores and Bertrand added another four-touchdown season. Also, sophomore fullback and defensive lineman JR Bivens became a major contributor that season, compiling 58 tackles and five sacks.

Their upward trend continued in 2017, and the group’s experience and leadership truly began to show. Bivens compiled 89 tackles and 10 sacks and earned an invitation to play in the Georgia Elite Classic. Ryan Davis caught 68 passes for 1,273 yards and 12 touchdowns and Chambers once again showed off his versatility with 1,301 rushing yards, 21 rushing touchdowns, two receiving touchdowns, 70 tackles and even a pair of touchdown passes off his only two pass attempts of the season. Chambers committed to Ohio State this past week (April 18). As for Bertrand, a hairline fracture in his foot sidelined him for the first half of the season. Bertrand was also transitioning from the defensive line position he played as a freshman and sophomore to middle linebacker, the role the 4-star Georgia commit is expected to play in Athens. When Bertrand came back, the Blessed Trinity defense played and looked like the state champs. His size and speed helped throttle Trevor Lawrence and the Cartersville offense, while his sure-tackling helped eliminate any chance at an explosive play. In the final seven games of the season, Bertrand racked up 62 tackles, 8.5 TFL and five sacks.

Blessed Trinity will be an exciting team to watch this upcoming season and for the Class of 2019, it will be an opportunity to leave an even bigger legacy at the school than they already have.

2018 Schedule

8/17 at St. Pius

8/24 South Forsyth

8/31 at Woodward Academy

9/7 Benedictine

9/21 West Hall **

10/5 at Denmark **

10/12 at Flowery Branch **

10/19 at Chestatee **

10/26 Marist **

11/2 White County **

**Region 7-AAAA