McEachern High School: 19-20 Team Preview

<p><strong>Powder Springs, Georgia</strong> - The official NCAA fall evaluation period has officially begun, which means college coaches are able to travel and hit the road to spectate and visit their recruits for their programs. This article is not necessarily about that though, but here we will preview Georgia's class 7A defending state champions, McEachern High School. McEachern, which is located in Powder Springs, Georgia just outside Atlanta, finished their 2018-2019 season with an amazing 32-0 overall record. The Indians played one of the nation's toughest schedules and were nationally ranked in the top-10 all year. </p> <p>Not bad for a public school, as most nationally ranked programs are private schools or special academy schools. After a tremondous 2018-2019 season, the Indians finished it off by capturing their first high school boys state championship with a win over the 2018 class 7A champions, Meadowcreek High School. I had a chance to stop by McEachern for their practice last night and got a quick look on what is to come for the 2019-2020 season. </p> <p>Head coach Mike Thompson holds a 87-4 overall record in the last three seasons as the Indians head coach. That includes three straight region titles, a class 7A final four appearance, a class 7A elite eight appearance, and a class 7A state championship. The Indians will once again be led by their dynamic playmaker, <strong>2020 PG Sharife Cooper</strong>. Cooper has only lost a total of four games since suiting up in a McEachern uniform and only 2 out of those 4 are loses to a Georgia state program. </p> <p>With Cooper leading the pack, other top prospects like <strong>2020 C Dylan Cardwell</strong> will help get McEachern back to Macon next March. Georgia native, Dylan Cardwell, spent his junior season at powerhouse Oak Hill Academy (VA) before returning to his home state. He ran with the AOT Running Rebels (GA) in the Nike EYBL this past summer alongside Cooper, so the chemistry should already be there between those two. Other prospects like <strong>2021 SG Cameron McDowell</strong>, <strong>2021 SG Bobby Moore</strong>, and <strong>2020 SG Jovan Tucker</strong>, who have all transferred in, should round out the starting five for the Indians this season. </p> <p>Their official 2019-2020 schedule has yet to be released but the Indians are expected to participate in events like the Georgia Elite 8 Tip Off Classic, Hawks Naismith Classic, and famous City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Florida. Yes, McEachern, who won the City of Palms Classic last December, will be returning to Fort Myers. McEachern will probably begin the season ranked in the national top-25 and will come in as Georgia's number two best team in our preseason poll. Will the Indians become back-to-back Georgia class 7A champions next March? </p>