From Class 5A to Class A, Central Georgia fans will be close to huge games on Friday night.

          To the south of the area, Dodge County is at Bleckley County in a battle of longtime rivals who aren’t far from each other. Dodge County has been a top-10 team most of the season and is undefeated, while Bleckley County has been solid and needs an upset – and Dodge County losing a region game this year is an upset - to win to force a standings tie for first.

          They’ve played 41 times, and Dodge County has won 30, including the last three by 41, 35 and 25.

          Three games in Macon are of import.

          Howard hosts underrated Spalding, which is suddenly in the 2-4A race. The Huskies are tied for second, and a loss drops them into a tie with Spalding (and Upson-Lee and West Laurens if Upson-Lee beats West Laurens).

          The No. 15 and 16 teams in the Class A power rating meet when Mount de Sales goes to FPD, both teams playing to improve their playoff seeding and odds for a home game. And, well, they’re just playing each other.

          A few miles away, No. 4 Stratford visits No. 14 Tattnall, for the 51st time. Five of the last 10 meetings have been decided by single digits, including Tattnall’s 13-7 win last year and 7-3 win the year before.

          The monster game is in Gray, where the barking will begin before sunset with two of Class 5A’s top five teams playing. Stockbridge (No. 2 in AJC and 3 in Georgia Sports Writers) visits Jones County (No. 5 in both).

          The monster part comes a little more on defense. Jones County has given up 86 points, which is very impressive until looking at the 31 points Stockbridge has surrendered. The Greyhounds have a 340-196 in points scored.

          Two years ago, Jones County was No. 6/5 when its hosted No. 2 Houston County and won 24-17. The Greyhounds, however, are 1-8 against teams ranked No. 2 by the AJC. But this is only the second time in such a meeting that Jones County was also ranked.