A late-season rally, in which they won three of their last four games, has turned a wayward season into a surprising state playoff trip for the Marietta Blue Devils.

The postseason excursion - which pits the 5-5 Blue Devils against the state's top-ranked team, Gwinnett's Grayson, which is also ranked nationally in the Top 10 - may only delay what is expected to be the end of a great era in Blue Devil football when Head Coach James "Friday" Richards steps down.

Richards, a former Blue Devil football standout who earned a scholarship to the University of Florida, has told several close friends that he is hanging up his whistle after 15 seasons as head coach and his 32nd year coaching at his alma mater, Around Town has learned.

It has been whispered that Richards was contemplating resigning since the program slipped into a decline four years ago. The Blue Devils were 4-6 in 2006, bounced back to 7-3 in '07, but slipped to 3-7 last year and were 4-5 going into Friday night's game against Kennesaw Mountain.

If he does step down, it likely won't be the end of his coaching career. Richards, who helped coach Marietta's track team, reportedly has told close friends he will accept a position as a part-time track coach with a "northwest Cobb high school" with no classroom responsibilities. MHS requires coaches to be full-time teachers.

Richards carried a 106-57 record into Friday night's game against Kennesaw Mountain and he has sent more than 120 former Blue Devil players to the college ranks. If he does, indeed, resign, it will close undoubtedly the most notable chapter for high-profile coaches in Marietta sports history. After last season, Charlie Hood resigned as head basketball coach with one of the greatest legacies in state basketball history: a 715-284 record in 37 years as the Blue Devils' head coach; 34 winning seasons; 20 state playoff trips; and two state championships.

Richards and his wife of 30 years, Dorothy, a WellStar Kennestone delivery-room nurse, are well respected in the Marietta community. They have one daughter, now a college freshman, but over the past 32 years the Richards have opened their home and served as guardians to more than a dozen Blue Devil players.

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LOOK FOR DON BEAVERS to serve as interim president and CEO of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce for 2010 until he retires at the end of next year. Beavers, currently the chamber's economic development chief, would succeed longtime chamber head Bill Cooper, who unexpectedly announced in September he would retire at the end of this year after filling that position since 1991. Several chamber insiders tell AT that incoming chairman Rob Garcia of Bank of North Georgia and past chairman "Red Fred" Bentley want a new, more business-oriented focus for the organization. Southern Polytechnic State University President Dr. Lisa Rossbacher is this year's chamber chair.

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COBB SOLICITOR GENERAL BARRY MORGAN announced Friday that he would seek re-election next year for a fourth term. His office is responsible for the prosecution of all misdemeanor-only crimes, all traffic offenses and all ordinance violations - some 150,000 cases each year in Cobb State Court.

Morgan was appointed solicitor general in March 1998 by then-Gov. Zell Miller and won elections to the position that fall and again in 2002 and 2006.

Morgan has an unusual background for a prosecutor. Yes, he has a law degree (John Marshall, 1987), but was a high school band director for 12 years (Wills/Campbell and then North Cobb High schools) prior to taking up law. He also was assistant band director at Sprayberry High while in law school. A trumpet player, he says he loves anything by Count Basie and directs the jazz band as a volunteer parent at Allatoona High School.

"I look forward to the opportunity to continue my service to the citizens of Cobb and to provide the quality service they deserve," Morgan said. "We want to continue holding offenders accountable and seek fresh new strategies in DUI, domestic biolence and truancy prosecutions."

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NEWLY APPOINTED Georgia Supreme Court Justice David Nahmias is slated to speak to the Marietta Kiwanis Club Dec. 17. Nahmias, a conservative, was appointed to the bench in August by Gov. Sonny Perdue to succeed retiring Justice Leah Ward Sears.

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TUESDAY’S $25 MILLION MARIETTA PARKS BOND failed in three wards. Two were the home wards of ardent bond proponents, lame duck Mayor Bill Dunaway and ousted Councilwoman Holly Walquist. Dunaway lives in Ward 4 which produced 51 more “no” votes than “yes” votes. Ward 3, represented by Walquist, polled 44 more “nos” than “yeses.” Those two wards combined had 95 more “no” votes than “yeses.” The bond passed by only 59 votes citywide. Ward 7 voted “no” and produced 97 more “nos” than “yeses.” Councilman Philip Goldstein, who represents Ward 7, was an opponent of the bond. ... Among the mayoral write-in votes in Ward 3 were one for MDJ city hall reporter Jon Gillooly and another for frequent MDJ guest columnist and Dunaway critic Larry Wills.

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WERE YOU surprised former Councilman Johnny Sinclair won by such a healthy margin despite the disclosure 10 days before the election that he owed more than $75,000 in delinquent taxes? One wag chirped: “If he owes taxes himself, maybe he won’t raise mine!” Another quipped: “Folks could ‘feel his pain’ during our bad economy and home foreclosesures.”

Some residents voted early or by absentee ballot before news reports surfaced about Sinclair’s tax woes. Sinclair had name identity, being an “OM” (Old Mariettan) in a ward with probably more “OMs” than any other. He is son of former MHS football star Johnny Sinclair, and iIn fact, some OMs thought they were voting for the senior Sinclair.

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AFTER BEING “ROASTED” at times by his fellow council members and many times on these pages, retiring Marietta Mayor Dunaway is due to be both roasted and toasted at the Strand Theatre on Marietta Square at 7 p.m. Nov. 22. Featured roasters will include Hylton Dupree, Jim Fleming, Ed Gabriel, Commission Chairman Sam Olens and others. The toasters will include daughters Claire Dunaway, Dawn McEachern and Ann Teh, as well as Kim Gresh, who this week helped mastermind passage of the city’s $25 million parks bond referendum. The event will be emceed by Strand impresario Earl Reece and Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art head Sally McCaulay. For ticket info call the Strand at (770) 293-0080.

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TUESDAY’S ELECTION NIGHT BASH hosted by builder Bill Poston for winning mayoral candidate Steve “Thunder” Tumlin drew a noisy, near-overflow crowd to the Traton Homes corporate office at Kennestone Avenue and Tower Road. Quipped one of the organizers, “It’s not hard to draw a big crowd when you’ve got a winning candidate and free booze!”

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FOLLOWING THE Veterans Day ceremonies on Marietta Square Wednesday, the cities of Kennesaw and Acworth also will observe Veterans Day activities. Kennesaw, in conjunction with American Legion Post 304, will host a free lunch for veterans from noon to 2 p.m. at the Ben Robertson Community Center, 2753 Watts Drive. City officials and staff, members of the North Cobb High School Naval JROTC and Legion members will serve free hamburgers and hot dogs. No ID is required. Acworth will host a ceremony at 2 p.m. at Patriots’ Point in Cauble Park, 4425 Beach St., honoring veterans. Retired Air Force Gen. George Harrison, former commander of the AF Operational Test and Evaluation Center at Kirkland Air Force Base in New Mexico, will speak. Harrison is the associate director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute.

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THE MADISON FORUM will host U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) at a Monday luncheon at the Rib Ranch Restaurant. Isakson will provide a Washington update.

“This is an important meeting and the Madison Forum is anticipating a big turnout,” said President Michael Opitz. The restaurant will increase seating capacity. There’s standing room only for late arrivals, Opitz said, and cafeteria-style serving will prevail.

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THIS AND THAT: The annual softball game between the Cobb Chamber Chargers and the Government Official Gorillas is Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Tolleson Park in Smyrna. Williamson Brothers will serve free barbecue afterward. … A public hearing by the Marietta City Council regarding adoption of the proposed design guidelines for the Kennesaw Avenue Historic District is Monday at 7 p.m. A description of the guidelines is on file in the Department of Development Services at City Hall. .... Marietta High School Senior Kaeland Chatham has been awarded the Nordstrom Scholarship valued at $10,000.

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THE NORTH COBB CIVITAN CLUB will hold a beauty pageant for girls ages 4-18 on Sunday The Miss Holiday and Miss Horizon Pageant will take place at Kennesaw Mountain High School, and will include special-needs contestants.

For more information contact Louise Crapps at (770) 971-1833 or civitan.net/northcobb.