Robert Walsh, Whitefield Academy head coach
Today’s interviewee is Whitefield Academy coach Robert Walsh, whose team was lifted by running back Mason Hollingsworth’s 426-yard rushing performance in a 63-24 victory over St. Anne-Pacelli last week. Hollingsworth got his first scholarship offer Monday from Andrew College. He is the state’s leading rusher with 1,247 yards. Whitefield Academy, a Cobb County private school, is 4-1 in Walsh’s third season. In 2023, Whitefield won its first region title in history. In 2024, Whitefield won playoff games in back-to-back seasons for the first time and won its subregion.
1. What do you make of the game that Hollingsworth had against St. Anne-Pacelli? “I’ve never seen a performance like that before. I knew Mason was having a big game, but I didn’t realize he was closing in on 400 yards until the coaches in the press box told me. At that point, as a coach, you’ve got to let the kid try breaking 400 yards rushing. I don’t know how many times that’s going to happen ever. Our offense was super excited about it. He broke a 59-yard touchdown run to get past 400.”
2. What type of runner is he, and what problems does he pose for defenses? “He’s a very patient runner. He sets up his blocks really well. He has great instincts with the ball in his hands and has the stuff you can’t easily coach. I would like to say we’ve coached him up really well, and Coach [William] Bell has done a really good job of developing him with second- and third-level moves in the secondary, but a lot of what he does is just God-given ability.”
3. Your team appears to be better this season. You've avenged one loss, to Darlington, and played Savannah Christian much closer than in 2024. What's the difference between this year's team and last? “It’s definitely the most depth we’ve had in my three years here. We have 68 kids on our roster, which is the most that Whitefield Academy has ever had. We’re not even dressing most of our freshmen because we have so much depth now from the sophomore to senior class. That’s the biggest difference between that and the previous two teams I’ve had.”
4. You won a subregion last season and were competitive with every opponent except those top three or four teams in Class 3A-A. What is the difference between those elite smaller private schools and the rest? And what will it take to catch them? “It’s the depth those other teams have. They’re very talented obviously, but I can say over the last three years, the commitment the program has had here to the weight room and offseason training and development has been remarkable. I think we’re getting closer, but still those top three or four – Hebron Christian just beat Blessed Trinity [a top-10 Class 4A school] – are really good. I think it would take the ball bouncing our way to clip one of those top three, four teams right now.”
