Sports

The year

was 1985. "Back to the Future" was big at the

box office, Huey Lewis and The News blared from every

radio, and a man named Jeff Ford arrived at McIntosh High

School, becoming their new boys' soccer coach.

The Chiefs

built a talented program under the direction of Ford,

culminating in a state championship in 1992. The Chiefs

defeated their longtime rivals, the Fayette County

Tigers, 4-1 in the AAAA state finals.

Ford

finishes his career at McIntosh with an overall record of

177-32-12. The team earned respect regionally, as well as

on a state-wide and national level. He brought the Chiefs

to the state playoffs 13 times, the Chiefs made it to the

finals on two of those occasions. Four times, they made

the final four.

Ford will

travel back to Henry County. He launched the Henry County

soccer program in 1979 and still lives in McDonough.

Ford

announced his resignation to the team at the spring

awards banquet. He has been coach of the varsity team for

15 of the 16 years it has existed. His replacement is

expected to be his assistant coach Bunky Colvin. Colvin

has been Ford's assistant for five years.

Henry

County plays in 4-AAA and will likely face McIntosh in

two years when the Chiefs drop to AAA.

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