Location: Rockdale, S. Gwinnett, Dekalb, Newton and Walton counties

Team: High School

Link to:
EAST ATLANTA MUSTANGS WEBSITE

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2010 East Atlanta Mustang Football Season

Friday, Aug 27th: North Georgia 52 East Atlanta 13
Friday, Sept 3rd: East Atlanta 35 Unity Christian 18
Friday, Sept 10th: Christian Heritage 62 East Atlanta 7
Friday, Sept 17th: Holy Ground 21 East Atlanta 14
Friday, Sept 24th: Georgia Force 37 East Atlanta 0
Friday, Oct 1st: HSD Panthers 45 East Atlanta 6
Friday, Oct 8th: North Georgia 47 East Atlanta 7
Friday, Oct 15th East Atlanta 12 SC Titans 10
Friday, Oct 22nd Freedom Academy 50 East Atlanta 21

Mustang's RB Reginald Spears is a senior who has the speed and the ability to play college football

EAST ATLANTA MUSTANGS

Leon Jones (left) and Ben Herring

Mustangs give Homeschoolers, Private School Students a Chance to Play Football
Written By: Robert Naddra

Ben Herring and Leon Jones don’t have many extracurricular options at The Wilson Academy, a small private school on Covington Highway in Decatur. In fact, the only school-based activity is basketball. So when the pair found out about a football league for high school students who either are homeschooled or attend a school without a football program, they jumped at the opportunity. “I wanted to be in more activities and try a new sport,” Jones said. “I don’t want to sit around. I like to be active.” Jones and Herring are two of five DeKalb County students who play for the East Atlanta Mustangs in the Glory For Christ Football League (formerly the Georgia Football League). The eight-team league plays standard, 11-man tackle football complete with a 10-game regular-season schedule plus playoffs.

One of Herring’s teachers came across the Mustangs’ Web site and mentioned it to his class. The Mustangs are based in Rockdale County and practice at Rockdale Baptist Church off Sigman Road, not far from the DeKalb County line. “We want kids to know the opportunity is there,” said first-year Mustangs’ coach Joe Blount. “Sometimes parents think they have to give up sports or other extracurricular activities to go to a private school. But we want to let the kids know the chance is there to play football.”

The Mustangs started six years ago when the league formed. The other teams in the league are located in suburban Atlanta and as far away as Carrollton and Dalton. The Mustangs went 5-5 last season and lost in the first round of the playoffs. Blount is looking to grow the football program and has started to recruit more in DeKalb County. “We had about 25 kids show up for spring practice,” Blount said.” It’s the most we’ve ever had for spring. We’re trying to build the program and get about 35-40 kids out for the fall. Spring is a good opportunity to get everyone excited about the season.”

The league is not off the map to college recruiters. A former Mustangs player from Covington – John Bodin – is a redshirt sophomore on the football team at the University of Georgia.

Jones is a two-sport athlete who is in his second year playing football. A senior who starts on both offense and defense for the Mustangs, Jones has played basketball for several years and is a member of the GT Stars AAU basketball program. “I like to hit, and I like the excitement of the game,” Jones said. “A big play can happen at any time.” Jones said he has made the adjustment to football fairly smoothly and also plays running back and wide receiver for the Mustangs. “I didn’t really know the plays or what I needed to do when I first started,” Jones said. “Just getting used to the plays and seeing where I was supposed to be on offense and defense was the main thing.”

Unlike high schools that participate in the Georgia High School Association, the Mustangs do not have structured workouts during the summer. Both Herring and Jones have prepared for the season by working out on their own and trying to stay in shape. Herring, a senior, has been playing organized football since he was 13 and is in his third year with the Mustangs. He starts at linebacker and also plays running back. Playing for the Mustangs has allowed Herring to continue with his favorite sport. “I love to play football and I was interested even before I found out about the Mustangs,” Herring said.

Blount is hopeful he can find other players in the coming years with similar stories and continue to help student-athletes find a place to play football if it’s not available to them at their school. For more information about the East Atlanta Mustangs, call (770) 788-8534 or visit www.georgiafootballleague.com

2010 East Atlanta Mustangs
# Player Name
1 Reginald Spear
2 Vince Hall
3 Leon Jones
7 Quran Weaver
10 Khadyle Curry
12 Blake Jones
14 Javonte Flanagan
17 Roger Smith
23 Dion Smith
24 James Donnelly
25 Justin Glover
26 Benjamin Herring
40 Jelani Weaver
44 Marquis Jutan
45 Steven Stembridge
46 Michael Diaz
50 Alex Wright
52 Chris Burch
55 Will Blount
56 Ryan Lencrerot
57 Ross Baggett
58 Matthew Lugg
61 Brandon Beam
64 Ryan Woodall
69 Carter Jones
70 Kadesh Taylor
75 Devin Bacon
77 Demetre Patterson
80 Eric Estevez
84 Stephon Day
85 Kentravious Brown
86 Caleb Carter
88 Talmadge Broome
90 Trevor Smith

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2009 East Atlanta Football Season

East Atlanta vs Georgia Force (2009 GFC Playoffs)

Click here to enlarge East Atlanta Mustangs picture

2009 East Atlanta Mustang Roster
#….Player’s Name
3….Reginald Spear
7….Rashid Ali
8….Daniel Trout
10..Reid Hawkins
12..Deon Smith
20..Shun Hannah
22..Tyler Rowe
23..Leon Jones
26..Benjamin Herring
28..Jonathan Montgomery
32..Eric Estevez
40..Victor Montgomery
42..Talmadge Broome
45..Michael Diaz
50..Derrick Lynch
51..Preston Rogers
52..Chris Burch
54..Will Blount
55..Dylan Walden
58..Matthew Lugg
63..Jeremy Black
67..Andrew Vadala
69..Kadesh Taylor
72..Hayden Keating-Broyles
74..Tyler Mattingly
75..Matt Tryall
76..Brandon Beam
89..Blake Jones