Prince Avenue started the season on a high note beating Class 6A’s West Forsyth 35-28 in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic. Although Prince Avenue is ranked #1 in our Private 3A-A rankings, it was a statement game beating an opponent in the highest classification, showing the Wolverines could stick with any school in the state, regardless of student size.
One deciding factor was Prince Avenue’s great offensive line play, headlined by several All-State selections including junior Mason Townsend. The class of ’26 offensive lineman did an excellent job of blocking against West Forsyth, making some thunderous pancakes.
“I think we were underrated coming out this year and after our first game we shocked a lot of people,” Townsend said.
West Forsyth is no 6A pushover, finishing last fall 9-3, and was consistently one of the stronger teams in the state’s highest classification.
Townsend’s excellent performance earned him a spot on our ‘Bully Squad’ feature on the site, where we highlight 5 of the top blockers of the week, and amazingly, Townsend tied Thomasville’s Jaylen Walden with exactly 986 votes for OL of the Week.
Both athletes rightfully deserve the honor, their blocks were downright devastating. For Townsend, the recognition is a testament to the countless hours he spent this offseason in preparation. The junior talked about a few areas where he has improved the most.
“I think I have improved on my outside zone plays and getting to linebacker,” he said.
With the season underway, Prince Avenue will be looking to win its fourth state title in the last five years. Townsend believes they can make it back and has another goal for the season.
“My goal for this season is to make it to state and win again. Another goal is to be the most physical player on the line of scrimmage every play.”
On the recruiting front, Townsend doesn’t have any visits yet planned for the fall football season but believes he will soon have a few lined up. As of now, Townsend holds one offer from UNC-Charlotte but has also heard from Vanderbilt, Rutgers, NC State, FAU, Jax State, Troy, Hawaii, Central Michigan, Cornell, Dartmouth, Penn, and Miami-Ohio.
The laundry list of programs should grow soon, as colleges’ evaluations become evident. Townsend is among the most fundamentally strong blockers in his recruiting class, and someone D1 programs will covet, so be sure to follow @RecruitGeorgia on Twitter/X to hear the latest on Townsend and athletes all across the state of Georgia.
