Meet Smith McGarvey! Smith is a junior at North Hall High School and the quarterback for the Trojans. North Hall (9-2, 7-0 AAA Region 6) takes on Upson-Lee tonight in the second round of the playoffs at The Brickyard.

Smith’s parents are John and Natalie and he has a sister, Prentice and brother, Cape.

We want to thank Smith for spending time with us recently and telling us more about his life and love of Hall County.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about playing in North Hall this year?  

A: “I would say it’s all the friendships and bonds I’ve made. It really feels like a family over there, and also, winning is great, too.”

Q: Can you tell me a little bit about the game on Friday?

A: “We’re playing up against Upson-Lee. They’re a pretty good team, but it’s nothing we haven’t seen this year. As long as we stay disciplined and focused, we shouldn’t have any problems.”

Q: How long have you been playing football? What do you love about it?

A: “I’ve been playing since 6 or 7-U. I love the competition and being side by side with my teammates, going through everything together and experiencing it all with them.”

Q: Personally, what have you been focusing on this week in terms of your position and the game plan?

A: “I’ve just been focused on being as good as I can for the team. It’s going to be a big game, so I’ve been working on staying level-headed this week—not getting too high or too low emotionally. My main focus has been on leading the team.”

Q: Who is your favorite college team and NFL team?  

A: “My favorite college team is the University of Mississippi — Ole Miss. And my favorite NFL team is the Falcons.”

Q: Who’s your favorite athlete of all time? Why?  

A: “I would probably say Tom Brady. I admire how much success he had…it was all about his hard work and determination, and the amount of success he was able to achieve with that is impressive.”

Q: What’s something important that you’ve learned from Coach Pender?

A: “Something important I’ve learned from him is to always play the next play. Don’t let the previous play affect the next one. It’s all about looking ahead and never getting hung up on the past.”

Q: Who inspires you the most?  

A: “I would probably say my grandmother. She does so much for me, and I see how hard she works every day. It inspires me to do my best and give back to her for everything she does for me. We all call her Grandma, but her name is Debbie McGarvey.”

Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Gainesville? 

A: “I would probably have to say Decoy. I love the Smashburger they have.”

Q: Do you have a score prediction for the game on Friday? 

A: “I would probably say it’s going to be tough, but I think it’ll be 35-21, us.”