Today’s interviewee is Hebron Christian coach Jonathan Gess, whose team is in the semifinals for the first time after a 63-13 victory over Aquinas in the Class 3A-A private playoffs. This is Gess’s third season at Hebron. His teams are 25-10 overall and 10-2 this season. Gess coached 15 seasons at Eagle’s Landing Christian and led the Chargers to six state titles.
1. First semifinal for Hebron Christian. First 10-win season. Is it important to recognize those milestones? “I think it will be important to recognize it and celebrate it when the season is over. In the playoffs, it is important to keep a focused mindset on each game. To focus on the external things like records and how far we make it is a distraction. It is an awesome accomplishment, and when the final whistle blows on this season, we will all celebrate it. But for now, full focus on the next game.”
2. What makes your team a contender? What’s the scouting report on your team? “Our team has some talented players. We have five kids that will sign on signing day this Wednesday. Gerritt Kemp, N.C. State; Sichan John, UVA; Carrington Coombs, Georgia Tech; Adam Cannon, VMI; and K.J. Thomas, Mercer. We have a great quarterback, Thomas Stallworth, who also will sign with someone in February. We have other amazing seniors like Tyson Craig and Nick Wade, just to name a few. They are all kids that were developed here at Hebron over the past three years, so it is really awesome to see their hard work paying off.”
3. In building up Hebron Christian, what is the blueprint? Was it the same as ELCA, or were the challenges different in some ways? “It probably was the same blueprint. Every place is different, but the message that I constantly preach is Jesus Christ and hard work. I feel like if you take those two things seriously you can be successful in whatever you do. You always need support from your top administrators, and I have a great head of school in Dr. James Taylor and then a great athletic director in Taylor Davis. God has brought me great people in the coaches I coach with and then some of the dads involved in our program.”
4. How do you feel about the 3A-A private division? What would you like to see in dealing with the public-private issue? “Here is what I know. GHSA will change everything up every two years. I don’t know what is right or fair. This 3A-A private division is great and very competitive. My personal opinion is there are always going to be dominant football programs, whether they are public schools like Lee County, Coffee, Buford, Carrollton, etc., or private schools like Marist, Prince Avenue, Blessed Trinity, etc. I think what we have to do as schools who do not or have not won consistently like them is work our tails off to try and beat them. I feel like the greatest achievements of mankind have been from a man chasing the man in front of him. It’s been pretty cool to see schools like Douglas County and Langston Hughes chase the lion and then be right there in the hunt with them. LaGrange is having an amazing year. My point here is to put people somewhere and quit changing it and just let everyone go to work.” [The Class 3A-A private playoff division is new this season. The 25 football-playing private schools in classes 3A to A competed with public schools during the regular season but only with private schools in the playoffs. The GHSA made the change after private schools won 39 of 78 state titles in classes 3A-A in 2022-23.]
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