The Monday Morning Quarterback on Wednesday afternoon (man, the weather just gunks up everything)
MMQB: Around Central Georgia
No more polls until the end of the season, then once by divisions and once with all teams, as well as the Maxwell Ratings computer list
Friday’s surprises, the not-so-good
Man oh man, Central Georgia took a hit Friday night.
Five area teams were favored by the computers at the Maxwell Ratings and lost.
The biggest point flop came from the South, where 9-point underdog Bainbridge came back and then pulled away from Jones County by 27.
The Greyhounds led 10-0 and the Bearcats crept back. No surprise. Then the rain came, and Jones County – which can run the ball fine – played some un-Greyhound ball, turning it over five times, three on interceptions. Mighty surprising, considering Hunter Costlow had thrown only eight all year against 30 touchdowns on 217 attempts.
But a huge impact came in the absence of running back Semaj Ingram, who tore an ACL late in the regular-season finale against Stockbridge.
Thus, the Greyhounds were held to only nine first downs – about their average for a half – and negative yards rushing, running more than 25 fewer plays from scrimmage on offense.
The comeback and the final score almost overshadows that Upson-Lee was a solid favorite in the first, well, you know. To go down by 27 to a team that had scored that many in a game only three times this season, and to do it at home, was a body blow.
The Knights had a shot late, but were picked off. The loss is a downer, but the comeback a plus for a team that may be a favorite in the region next year.
Holy Innocents beating Mount de Sales wasn’t a huge upset, but the Cavs losing by 23 at home was an upset. The 31 first-half points were more than Mount de Sales gave up in any game all year, and it hadn’t given up more than 40 since the end of the 2016 season (47-0 to FPD).
And how rough is losing a two-point game on the road? Ask Tattnall, which played an even game against an evenly matched opponent. Wesleyan won with 210 yards total offense.
Friday’s surprises, the good
There weren’t any. No Central Georgia team that was an underdog won, and few came close.
Friday’s surprises, the painful
Veterans, Upson-Lee, and Howard all got the ball back late in their games, trailing by a touchdown or less.
Veterans? Threw an interception in the end zone inside the final 30 seconds.
Howard? Threw an interception in the end zone inside the final 30 seconds.
Upson-Lee? Threw an interception on its half of the field inside the final 90 seconds.
That’s painful enough.
But Veterans was going toe to toe with a quality upper-level program, and on the road. The Warhawks had a chance at its fourth win in 21 tries against a top-10 team.
Howard was down 28-0 and amid a five-turnover game, but crawled back on the road to within six, with a chance to win a game it probably had no right, in football terms, to win, which would have made a W doubly huge for the still-learning program.
Upson-Lee? The first home playoff game since 1993 was a major bust for three quarters, the Knights digging into a 27-0 hole, mostly of their own mistake-prone making. And they stormed back in the fourth to be within a TD and PAT of a win. They got the stop and the ball back, deep but with some time, and got intercepted.
And a win would have been historic for Veterans and Howard, a combined 1-5 in the postseason, and huge for Upson-Lee, entering last week 2-11 this century in the playoffs.
It put a little damper on the season for all three, who nevertheless took steps forward under new or almost-new head coaches.
And otherwise
Baldwin beating Perry was no shock, since the records were different by only a game, and the Braves were at home.
But few saw the Braves gain control early and stay in control the whole time.
Warner Robins has gotten better since the early-season 50-40 win over Locust Grove, which apparently also has gotten a little bit better. The Wildcats won three of their last four in the regular season to make the playoffs, and turned in their tied-for-third-best scoring defense night of the season, “holding” the Demons to 27 points during a season in which they coughed up 30 or more seven times.
It was the second-fewest points scored by the Demons.
Northeast gave Swainsboro a good battle, the game tied into the second half. But a scoop-and-score led to Swainsboro’s lead TD, and another fumble came a few minutes later. Northeast is not a comeback team, but the four-win Raiders played tougher than a four-win team.
FYI
Last year, Central Georgia went 12-6 in the first round. This year, 8-11, with two games (Baldwin over Perry and Dooly County over Hancock Central) pitting area teams against each other.
Central Georgia went 5-7 in the second round (Stratford had a first-round bye) a year ago.
Looking ahead
Northside is at home, home being Freedom Field for the night, against Bradwell Institute and are a huge favorite.
Ware County makes its regular postseason trip to McConnell-Talbert, this time to take on Warner Robins, which better be prepared for a team that enjoys the trip – well, the arrival and departure anyway – to McConnell-Talbert, where the Gators are 3-3, a pretty good road record.
Baldwin welcomes a Columbus team that has won five of six, two on the road.
Zzzzzz, oh, I’m up, I’m up. Peach County welcomes a third-place team from a region that had a 2-9 team make the playoffs. Westside will need its best game in a few years against a team that has reached the quarterfinals five straight years, with two championships, albeit all in AA.
The 3-AA trio matches up well with all three opponents, and wins by Dublin, Dodge County, and Washington County all together wouldn’t be a surprise.
Dooly County has a task, at Mt. Zion, which has won 12 straight at home.
Will advance: Northside, Warner Robins, Mary Persons, Peach County, Dublin.
Odds are good: Dodge County.
Coin flip: Baldwin, Washington County.
Need a big night: Westside, Dooly County.
Wishing for bad karma
An Upson County man was arrested Tuesday for setting up a fake GoFundMe page to raise money for the family of deceased Pike County player Dylan Thomas.
Thomas died on Sept. 30, two days after collapsing in the third quarter against Peach County.
Justus Hughley was arrested for computer theft for trying to swindle people in the name of the Thomas family. He set up a bank account in Iowa to move money into is personal account. Th Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported only one donation, which was refunded. Several subpoenas were received in the investigation.
He is in the Pike County jail, located less than two miles from where Thomas collapsed. So, you know …