Bleckley County-Dodge County always big; this year, it's bigger
Rex Hodges has been involved in plenty of meetings between Dodge County and Bleckley County.
No matter the records, folks on both sides start talking about this game within an hour after the previous game is over. After all, the two high schools are all of 17 miles apart, and have been playing yearly since 1977.
Dodge County leads the series 30-11, has won three straight over the Royals and by an average of 34 points. But it's been awhile since both teams came into the meeting - which at times has been early in the season or to start the season - with these resumes.
Dodge County has been a top-10 team in Class AA for nearly the entire season and is 8-0. Odds are the Indians would be 9-0, but the Sept. 8 home game vs. Appling County - currently 2-4 - was canceled because of Hurricane Irma.
Bleckley County is 6-2 under alum and first-year coach Von Lassiter, and looking for its first eight-win season since 2013 when the Royals went 9-3.
"I've been around here for 20 years," said Hodges, a longtime Indian assistant before a stint at Houston County preceded him taking over in 2011. "I don't ever remember this much being on the line for the game. It's a big ballgame and there's a lot at stake here."
Dodge County clinches the top seed in Region 3-AA with a win in its regular-season finale. Bleckley County has one more game, at Southwest next week, so a Royals win Friday and next week would send region officials to the calculator for tiebreakers.
If Bleckley County loses this week, the Royals fall into a logjam. They're 3-1, Dublin is 3-2 and off, Washington County is 2-2, with Northeast and Southwest 1-3.
Northeast plays Washington County while Southwest plays East Laurens Friday. Next week, Washington County visits Dublin.
So Bleckley County could alleviate a lot of pressure with the upset, but it'll be hard.
The Royals and Indians bring different offensive attacks.
Bleckley County's Zach Lassiter is ninth in Central Georgia with 1,050 yards and sixth with 17 passing touchdowns. Nykeem Farrow is fourth with 982 yards rushing and second with 16 rushing touchdowns.
The Indians are a run-heavy team out of the spread, with the area's leading rusher in R.J. Carr, who has 15 touchdowns and 1,177 yards on 138 carries. Hodges also gets major production from quarterback Nick Cummings and back Erin Pitts as well.
So that puts a focus on the defenses.
The Royals have been pretty tight, save for giving up 37 points in the season-opening loss to Clinch County and 28 points in a 14-point win over Washington County.
They've shut out Hawkinsville and East Laurens, and held Wilcox County and Northeast to single digits each.
"Their defensive line is pretty good size," Hodges said. "They've got a good defensive line, linebackers are solid."
Hodges is impressed with safety Justin Rozier, who leads the Royals with 7.8 tackles and 3 tackles for loss a game.
"(Rozier) looks to be very good," Hodges said. "He's a really good safety. Their defense is going to be a big challenge."
Dodge County has given up three more points, in one less game, with no shutouts and two teams held to single digits (Washington County and East Laurens). More than a few points have come against non-starters for a team winning by an average of 25 points.
The Indians have been getting a little bit better play up front on offense and have serious size there with Trey Hodge, Wyatt Hargrove, Alex Horne, Andrew Fowler, Tyvik Wallace and Trey Bellflower. The group averages about 6-1 and 265 pounds.
"The guys that are in there seem to have gotten better each week," Hodges said. "They're coming along. Still got a ways to go, but they've progressed each week."
And he hopes for that again against a solid unit that compares favorably with Vidalia and West Laurens, the two defenses Hodges said are the best Dodge County has played so far.
As it is, there are probably some points to be scored. Probably.
"You never know," Hodges. "You never know what's going to happen."