Calvary Day's Mark Stroud stepping down as football coach

Stroud has won six regional championships and one state title over the last 16 years

Mark Stroud has announced that he will be stepping down as Calvary Day head football coach at the conclusion of the 2024 postseason. The Cavaliers are 9-1 as they prepare to face Mount Paran Christian in a Round of 16 game in the new GHSL Private School Class state tournament, on Friday. / Kyunnie Shuman for Savannah Morning News / USA TODAY NETWORK

Calvary Day’s playoff run just got a little more important for the Cavaliers. 

The program’s all-time winningest head coach Mark Stroud announced on Tuesday that this year will be his last coaching the Cavaliers. Stroud has coached the Cavaliers for 16 seasons, posting a 148-43 record. The news was first reported by Georgia High School Football Daily.

During his 16 years at Calvary Day, Stroud has helped lead them to six region championships - including the last four years in a row - eight quarterfinals, four semifinals and one state championship game. 

THe Cavaliers won this year’s Region 3-AAA championship with a 9-1 record and will be competing in the new All-Private playoff bracket as the fourth overall seed. They’re already through to the Round of 16 and will await the winner of Mount Paran Christian and Greater Atlanta Christian a week from Friday. 

Stroud got his head coaching start in 1992 at Toombs County high school and coached that program for 16 seasons until 2007. He amassed a 120-60 record with the Bulldogs, winning five region championships in the process. 

The veteran head coach made the switch from Toombs County to Calvary Day in 2008 and has coached them every year since then but one. He left in 2016 for Swainsboro only to return one year later. 

Over the course of his 33 seasons, Stroud has put together a hall-of-fame career in the state of Georgia, winning 272 games, good enough for 17th all-time. His 272 wins are the second most all-time in south Georgia, and the second most active wins in the state trailing only Marist’s Alan Chadwick. 

A replacement for Stroud has already been announced. 

Cavaliers offensive coordinator Jason Cameron, who has previously served as the head coach at Vidalia and Jenkins. He won two region championships at Jenkins and one at Vidalia, all within the past eight years. 

Active GHSA coaches wins*

441 – Alan Chadwick, Marist

272 – Mark Stroud, Calvary Day

239 – Gerry Romberg, Westminster

231 – Ed Dudley, Blessed Trinity

231 – Keith Maloof, Norcross

All-time GHSA south Georgia coaches

288 – Rich McWhorter, Charlton County

272 – Mark Stroud, Calvary Day, Toombs County, Swainsboro

268 – Wright Bazemore, Valdosta

250 – Ed Pilcher, Thomas County Central, Early County, Bainbridge, Berrien

249 – Nick Hyder, Valdosta

* Source: Georgia High School Football Daily