Friday night's Central Georgia high school football scouting reports (and region updates)
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
Playoff scenarios
Region 1-5A
Warner Robins quarterback Dylan Fromm.
Warner Robins is first if it wins. Veterans is first if it wins and Bainbridge loses. Bainbridge wins the tiebreaker with Veterans and Warner Robins wins a tiebreaker with Bainbridge, but loses a tiebreaker with Harris County because of the forfeit. And points can come into play.
Region 2-4A
If Howard beats Mary Persons and Upson-Lee wins, all three are 4-1 and Howard is first, Mary Persons second and Upson-Lee third. If Mary Persons and Upson-Lee win, Upson-Lee is second and Howard third. If Upson-Lee and Howard lose, Upson-Lee gets second, having beating Howard.
The winner of West Laurens-Perry is fourth.
Region 3-AA
Northeast has clinched fourth.
If Dublin and Dodge County win, it’s Dublin, Dodge County, and Washington County. If Washington County beats Dublin by more than 15 points, it’s Washington County, Dublin and Dodge County. If Washington County wins by less than 15, it’s Dublin, Dodge County, and Washington County.
Region 5-AA
As per an AJC explanation of the region’s convoluted tiebreaker – it involves non-region wins, opponent records, classifications – Lamar County is fourth if it beats Temple and Jordan beats Spencer.
Region 8-AA
Another points – plus-minus 12-points – system. Monticello gets fourth if it beats Social Circle and Elbert County loses by less than eight.
Class A
It’s unofficial, since computer ratings and region championship are the final determining factors, but some teams are clearly in and it’s just a matter of seeding, and perhaps climbing enough for a first-round home game. No. 16 gets the final home spot for the first round.
A region champ gets seeding priority, which can put a team ahead of a higher-ranked team, and can push teams out of the field.
Who’s in, Public: No. 15 Dooly County, No. 16 Hancock Central.
On the Public bubble: No. 20 Macon County, No. 23 Taylor County
Who’s in, Private: No. 10 Mount de Sales.
On the Private bubble: No. 21 Tattnall, No. 23 Stratford.
Games of the Week
Veterans (8-1, 2-1) at Warner Robins (7-2, 2-1)
This game features the top two passing-yards QBs in the region. Irrelevant. How much of a running region is this? A full 1,955 yards separate those two quarterbacks, Warner Robins’ Dylan Fromm (2,855 yards) and Veterans’ Sebastian Verger (900). The heat is on Veterans’ defense, which is fourth in the region in passing yards allowed per game, but also first with 13 interceptions – Jacob Pierce, one of the area’s top defenders, has three and Javon Singletary five - and third in completion percentage allowed, a hair behind Bainbridge. Of course, the Warhawks haven’t faced a QB anything like Fromm or an offense with as many weapons, like Marcayll Jones, Ty Carr, Devin Brown, Jalen Rutherford, etc. If the Demons get a two-touchdown lead …
Jones County quarterback Hunter Costlow.
Stockbridge (8-1, 5-1) at Jones County (8-1, 5-1)
The Barking Lot will have more than the normal sound effects, fans encouraged to scour the kitchen and house for whatever will make the most noise. This is a contrast in tempo, with Jones County running 64 plays a game to 37 for Stockbridge. Both have multiple weapons in the backfield, but the Greyhounds and QB Hunter Costlow and Co. are in a hurry and the Tigers aren’t. The mild temperatures could eventually wear down Stockbridge’s defense – which lost major playmakers in Donovan Manuel and Brenton Cox, among others - in the fourth quarter if the Greyhounds’ offense is clicking.
Westside (7-2, 5-0) at Peach County (7-2, 5-0)
The Seminoles are scoring more than they’re giving up in the largest margin under Spoon Risper since his first year, 2009, when Westside was in 4A. They’re allowing the second-fewest points a game under Risper with 12.33. Conversely, Peach County is allowing the third-most points a game, 15.22, since Chad Campbell took over in 2007. But for the eighth time since then, the Trojans are getting at least 30 points a game, and the mark of 39.2 points is the second-highest. QBs Victor Dixon and But a couple staggering stats: Peach County has never lost two regular-season home games under Campbell, and it hasn’t happened since 2000, when they were 3-2 as part of a 6-5 season.
Dublin (8-1, 5-0) at Washington County (8-1, 4-1)
These two AA teams have a number of players that plenty of bigger programs would love to have, and a few that some notable college program wouldn’t mind getting, either. The pads and helmets will be bruised after a game between teams that on average don’t combine for double-digit pass attempts in a game. That said, don’t be surprised if the passing game, one way or another, dictates who wins. Dublin runs the Wing-T and Washington County the single wing, so, welcome to 1974.
The Matchups
Class 4A
Howard (6-3, 3-1) at Mary Persons (9-0, 4-0)
Mary Persons’ Quen Wilson.
The Huskies want to extend the game, consume clock, and wear down a defense with their version of the Wing-T. The Bulldogs take whatever’s available. Howard’s talent is underrated, but it’s still fairly young and hasn’t been on this stage. Mary Persons is used to this stage. And it’s senior night for 27 Bulldogs, including QB J.T. Hartage, RB Quen Wilson, WR Deadrek Alford, DB Desmond Williams, OLs Noah Davis and Colton Dingmore, among others. This senior class is 31-6 with two region titles the past three years.
West Laurens (5-4, 1-3) at Perry (5-4, 1-3)
In the last two games, West Laurens has given up 86 points after allowing 46 in the first seven games. That’s culture shock for the Raiders. Perry is adjusting after a 3-point output against Mary Persons, the Panthers’ fewest points since a shutout by Spalding on Oct. 21, 2016. Perry sophomore QB Lane Rucker has passed for 2,421 yards and 14 touchdowns – 768 and four to Davion Ross, but has 10 interceptions. The Raiders’ AJ Mathis has less than half the yardage (1,103) but a nifty 14-2 touchdown-interception ratio.
Spalding (3-6, 0-4) at Upson-Lee (6-3, 3-1)
An Upson-Lee win will cause quite the celebration, because it clinches second in the region and the Knights’ first home playoff game since 1993, the second year of Upson-Lee’s existence after Upson and R.E. Lee merged. And the Knights take care of business? Matthews Field will be wild.
Class A
Tattnall (6-3, 5-0) at Greene County (7-2, 6-0)
Both teams are on a nice roll after a sluggish start. The common opponent is Mount de Sales, which beat Greene County 20-14 in game 3 and lost to Tattnall 28-17 in game 7. Greene County’s subdivision, though, was stronger than Tattnall’s, whose bottom three teams are 3-24 compared to 10-17 for Greene County’s half. Greene County QB C’Darius Kelley has completed 59.2 percent of his passes for 1,323 yards and rushed 93 times for 830 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Mount de Sales (8-1, 4-1) at Hancock Central (6-3, 4-2)
Hancock Central is a solid team, fifth in the entire region in points scored with 268 and second in points allowed with 143. The Bulldogs will have to corral QB Dexter Williams (1,366 yards and 14 TDs rushing), but the Cavs have weapons in Micah Hattaway, Josiah Cotton, and Walker Schofield, among others. A win keeps the Cavs’ chances alive for a first-round bye.
The Games
Class 6A
Northside (4-5, 1-2) at Houston County (2-7, 0-3)
Class 4A
Baldwin (4-5, 3-0) at Cross Creek (3-5, 0-3)
Class 3A
Jackson (5-4, 3-2) at Rutland (0-9, 0-5)
Class AA
Northeast (3-6, 2-3) at East Laurens (1-8, 0-5)
Lamar County (3-6, 1-4) at Temple (1-8, 0-5)
Putnam County (2-7, 1-5) at Oglethorpe County (0-9, 0-6)
Monticello (4-5, 3-3) at Social Circle (4-5, 1-5)
Bleckley County 33, Southwest 12
Class A
Dooly County (5-4, 3-2) at Brookstone (6-3, 4-1)
Crawford County (2-7, 0-5) at Central Talbotton (0-9, 0-5)
Hawkinsville (3-6, 1-4) at Greenville (3-6, 1-4)
Macon County (5-4, 3-2) at Manchester (5-4, 3-2)
Taylor County (4-5, 3-2) at Pacelli (4-5, 2-3)
Stratford (4-5, 3-2) at Aquinas (8-1, 5-1)
Walker (0-9) at GMC (3-6)
Twiggs County (0-9, 0-5) at Lincoln County (3-6, 1-5)
Wilkinson County (1-8, 1-4) at Warren County (4-5, 2-4)
FPD (2-7, 2-3) at Washington-Wilkes (3-6, 3-3)
GISA
Westfield (3-6, 2-2) at Pinewood (2-7, 0-3)
Trinity Christian (5-4, 1-2) at Bethlehem Christian (2-7)
Augusta Prep (1-7, 1-1) at John Milledge (9-0, 2-0)
Gatewood (6-2, 1-0) at Piedmont (3-5-1, 0-1)
Brentwood (6-4) at Thomas Jefferson (5-3-1)