BREAKING NEWS: Marquis Groves-Killebrew out for remainder of season with ACL tear
Senior cornerback Marquis Groves-Killebrew, unfortunately, sustained a tear to his ACL in the last game of the regular season. Whenever asked about Groves-Killebrew, head coach Shane Queen always praised his immense talent and extensive leadership. Upon hearing the news, the NC program knew adjustments to the defensive scheme needed to take place to accommodate his injuries. “As a defense, losing Marquis was a big hit as he is a good leader and player. The game plan against Camden County’s offense is to shut down their Wing T run game with aggression and technique, forcing them to have to pass the ball, which they are not as good at,” senior linebacker Vernard Martin said.
November 11, 2021
As the NC Warrior varsity football team ventures into the 7A state playoffs, the team will miss a familiar face from the Warrior defense leadership. Senior cornerback Marquis Groves-Killebrew, who committed to the University of Georgia under head coach Kirby Smart, tore his ACL (Anterior cruciate ligament) during Friday night’s game against North Paulding. Killebrew went down on NC’s sideline late in the first half and did not return for second-half play. Senior cornerback Langford Parker took over his duties as the Warriors went on to win in a close one, 12-7.
“I can say everyone’s reaction was the same when hearing about Marquis’ injury. [Everyone was] shocked and, I guess you could say, a little upset for losing one of our top corners, but we knew just like coming into the North Paulding game without our quarterback Malachi, that one person on our team can’t define us. So we plan to keep doing us, getting better and winning it all for Quis’,” junior safety Jordan Lonas said.
Groves-Killebrew garnered a four-star rating on 24/7 sports and ranks as the fifteenth best cornerback in the nation for the class of 2022. Groves-Killebrew not only secured the cornerback position but also boasted significant playtime as wide receiver throughout the year. Most notably, Groves-Killebrew scored the first touchdown of the 2021 season on a busted play against Buford, in which he took a shallow checkdown pass for an 80-yard highlight-worthy touchdown. According to Dawgs Today and NC’s athletic program, Groves-Killebrew will undergo surgery in the next few weeks as his senior season comes to an unfortunate end. The six-foot 180-pound phenom plans to graduate early and head up to Athens in January, where he will continue rehab under the Bulldog’s care. Despite this setback, the Warriors still start the 2021 playoffs on Friday, November 12 at Emory Sewell stadium with great optimism.
“Coming into this game defensively, I feel me and my teammates are being well prepared by our defensive coaches, with a great game plan for Camden county and their different offensive playing style [Wing-T],” Lonas said.
