Roswell High School's football history officially began in the spring of 1950 when Coach Tom Coleman, then a player at Georgia Tech, assembled 26 players for a spring practice and a spring game. Bill McCampbell became head coach and the first full season in 1951 resulted in a 6 - 2 record in the books, including beating Milton twice.

In 1952, after the departure of Coach McCampbell, who left for Marietta High, 19 players assemled under the direction of Coach Kurt Pierce. 1953 saw Coach Lewis Lake take over the helm with only 13 players. In 1954, Coach Bill Yost began building for Roswell's first championship team. The 1956 Hornets posted an 8 - 2 - 2 record but suffered a tough loss to Monticello in the Class C State Campionship

In the fall of 1961, Coach Ray Sheppard took over the Roswell program before retiring to private business in 1966. His teams compiled a record of 43 - 16 - 2. In 1964 and in 1965 they were the 4B Subregion runner-up and they won the 4B Subregion Championship in 1966 with a season record of 10 - 1 - 1. Coach Charlie Horne became the head coach of the Hornets in 1967 and his team ended the season with a 9 - 1 record. Roswell's shining moment came in 1968 when the hornets completed the school's only undefeated season with a 13 - 0 record and a Class B State Championship victory over Irwin County.

The 1970 season was Roswell's first in Class A competition. The new classification did not deter the Hornets from streaking to a 12 - 2 record and the Class A State Championship by defeating Warren County. The 1971 team posted a record of 8 - 5 ending the season as Area and Region Champs. In 1973 Coach Horne's team won the 5A Region Championship and ended the season with a record of 10 - 1. Coach Horne posted a career record of 73 - 18 before moving on to Winder Barrow High School. Assistant Coach Ray Manus became the Hornets head coach, taking over for Coach Horne in 1975.

The 1981 Roswell team made it to the Region 5AAA finals before suffering a heartbreaking loss to Columbia High School. In 1985, the Hornets won the Region 5AAA Championship with two resounding victories over archrival Maris before falling to Gainesville in the first round of the State Playoffs. They finished the season with a record of 12 - 1. In 1986, their first season playing in Class AAAA football, the Hornets qualified for the Region playoffs. The playoff streak continued in 1987 and 1988 before bowing to Walton and Crestwood respectively. 1989 found the Hornets ending their 36-year residence at the campus stadium known as the "Hornets' Nest".

In 1991 the Hornets returned to playoff action versus Marietta and Coach Manus captured his 100th career victory against Etowah. 1992 brought the Hornets a first-ever top ten ranking in AAAA football after a 7 - 0 start. They finished the season with a record of 9 - 2 and once again made the Region playoffs.The 1993 Hornets became the first Roswell football team to reach the AAAA State Playoffs. The Hornets were paired against Milton for the 1st round playoff game. In a heartstopper that wasn't won until the last second of play, the Hornets advanced in dramatic fashion with a score of 28 - 27. Roswell was then matched against an undefeated Dunwoody team in the 2nd round of the State Playoffs. On a rainy night and muddy field, the eventual 1993 AAAA State Champions from Dunwoody High School ended the Hornets' season. In 1994, the Hornets inaugurated their new campus stadium complex in a game against Sequoyah High School. A new era in the new, state of the art "Hornets' Nest" had begun. The 1996 Hornets recorded Roswell's second victory in the AAAA State Playoffs with a stunning win over defending State Champs, southwest Dekalb at Memorial Stadium. This victory moved the Hornets in to the final 16 where perennial powerhouse, Clarke Central, in a game played at the Hornets' Nest, prematurely ended Roswell's season.

The 1997 season is remembered as Coach Manus' 24th and final season as head coach. His dedication to the development of his "heroes" both on the field and in theclassroom will serve as his greatest legacy for many years to come. He has indeed touched many lives. Long time assistant Coach Tim McFarlin took the helm as the Hornets began their 49th season of football in 1998. McFarlin's young squad showed great poise as they defeated Marietta for the first time in 10 years and made the first round of the State Playoffs before losing to Brookwood. Coach McFarlin's 2000 squad had fpur team members receive scholarships to play at the cpllegiate level and his 2001 team sent a record number of nine players to the collegiate ranks. The 2002 Hornet team fell short of the State Playoffs by posting a 7 - 3 record. We had another great signing year with four Division I and two Division II signees.