Monday Morning Quarterback: The polls, Loughdmouthings (history at Jones County?, the big postseason races)
Central Georgia polls
That warm spell the past week? It’s staying warm in a number of regions for a playoff spots and for seeding. The final two weeks are loaded with drama.
Division I (6A, 5A, 4A)
1. Jones County, Warner Robins, tie
Gutting out a win at Bainbridge is pretty good, and that’s what Warner Robins did. Their strength of schedule is hard to judge, because Jones County has only three non-region games to six for Warner Robins. And both have three opponents that are currently ranked. The Greyhounds have outscored eight opponents by an average of 19.6 points, the Demons nine opponents by an average of 18.6 points. Defense lifts the Demons into the tie.
3. Veterans
A week off came at a good time to get healthy, get rest, and get ready for a frisky Thomas County Central team in must-win mode. This is a playoff-type test for the Warhawks, who with a win will play Warner Robins – at Freedom Field – for the region championship. But TCC is a statement game of sorts for the Warhawks.
4. West Laurens
Well, the pick here was the Raiders by 17, and they crushed that. More than doubled it. Handed Mary Persons an historic loss. Did it with offense, defense, and special teams. If they can handle success and prosperity, the Raiders will make some postseason noise. Finishing the region season undefeated, though, still has to be a priority.
5. Perry
Don’t look now, but the Panthers are giving up the second-fewest points in the region, and by a chunk. Playing physical and fast, Perry is the surprise team of the region, and can clinch second with their first win over Mary Persons since 2010, second since 1998, and third since 1990. And it would be their best region placing since 2007.
Division II (3A, 2A, A, others)
1. Peach County
Another rout for the varsity and JV. (Sorry, if there’s nothing new, there’s nothing new).
2. Dublin
The green machine keeps chugging. Getting some pushback from an underrated Northeast team was a good thing. Now, a non-region game against a respectable 5A team from Florida comes at an interesting time.
3. Bleckley County
The four-year playoff drought is over, now the Royals get to all but clinch second with a win over Dodge County. In Cochran. And break a five-game losing streak to the Indians in the process.
4. Washington County
The Golden Hawks were banged up, and still dropped 65 on Southwest to keep alive hopes for second place. Or, well, yessir, share first place with a win at Dublin in the regular-season finale.
5. Westside
The Seminoles had their highest point total last week since, well, last year’s win over Kendrick. It was sixth-most points in program history, and a good game to get going down the stretch and toward the postseason.
6. Mount de Sales
One goal has been crossed off: sweeping their pals in the neighborhood for the first time since 1997. The Cavs are among the most consistent teams in the area, and broadening their strengths a little more each week.
7. John Milledge
No, the Trojans haven’t played many good teams, but quality teams do to the completion what they’re supposed to. And John Milledge is doing that, which is the sign of a good team.
8. Lamar County
The Trojans have hit a competition wall, and have dropped from region title contender to, well, needing a really good Friday night. The finale with Temple may be for the final playoff spot.
(It’s tempting to vacate the final two spots, )
9. Central
Yes, the Chargers got thumped by Peach County - it happens – and are five games under .500 – a sign of the state of 3A, 2A, and A ball in Central Georgia. They move up in part because at this point, they’re better than some teams with better records, teams that may not have won a game or two lately by as much as expected or haven’t beaten anybody to raise their profile. And don’t look now, but the Chargers are playoff-bound with a win over Rutland. If Central loses to Rutland, Pike County has to beat Westside – a task – and Kendrick – not so much – to end the Chargers’ season.
10. Macon County
The Bulldogs’ poll debut comes on the heels of three straight wins, including a huge W over Schley County, last year’s sub-region winner. Macon County has made strides since a subpar start to the season and then a baffling loss to Dooly County. In Montezuma.
Loughdmouthings
Dear young’ns in helmets and pads on defense: Please, for the love of all that is good about football, grasp fundamental tackling principles and use them. Because tackling, on all levels, is becoming atrocious on a regular basis.
Nope, no need to use the head and helmet wrong, just the simple shoulder pads into the hips and wrapping up, and never diving at ankles – see, backs and receivers are athletic and can jump over a tackle attempt that is basically just falling down – or tackling shoulder pads.
Really, you want brownie points, a good grade, and a win? Make the simple and proper tackle. Watch college and pros and see how many wretched tackle attempts lead to big plays, tackle attempts that should become actual tackles. …
Jones County is 8-0.
Jones County has won eight games or more overall nine other times in its history. Nine or more wins? Five times, three times under Justin Rogers.
Shoot, the Greyhounds have gotten superb support for years despite having only four one-loss region records the past 20 years.
Last year’s team set the program record for scoring average at37 points a game. This year, the Hounds are 37.13 points. …
The Class A playoff bubble: Hancock Central and Taylor County, Macon County on the good side and Dooly County on the bad side in Public, Stratford on the good side in Private and FPD barely on the bad side.
And there are plenty of games the final two weeks not involving the local teams that can lift or push down a team. Lots of going-down-to-the-wire. …
Still hoping: The lone Central Georgia GHSA or GISA team with a zero on the left side of the record is Twiggs County. Next: Stratford, which has barely – stunningly so – survived games with Wilkinson County the past two years. …
There’s anticipation, obviously, of playing for a region title. But if you want just as much hunger, how about playing for a region’s final playoff spot?
Barring upsets of call-the-Guinness-folks proportions, next week’s Houston County-Northside game will have some juice. No, it will be nowhere near capacity, but those on hand will see one team hungry to avoid a legacy loss – and miss the playoffs for the first time since, and this isn’t a typo – since 1991 – and one team hungry for a turn-the-corner win and first playoff trip since 2016.
Region 2-4A is turning out as expected, albeit maybe not in the expected order.
Going by favorites this week, Howard beats Spalding, Perry beats Mary Persons, and West Laurens beats Upson-Lee. That puts Mary Persons at 2-2, Upson-Lee at 1-3, Howard at 1-3.
And then those regular-season finales? Well, you have Mary Persons at Howard and Upson-Lee at Spalding. If Howard and Upson-Lee win? Helloooo, three-way tie for third and fourth. Yes, your favorite neighborhood sportswriter will inquire about tiebreaking procedures. …
Region 3-4A is tight, too, but only for placing. Dodge County (3-2) is fourth, unofficially, and plays its 10th game this week, while Northeast (1-3) is next, but needs the Indians to lose to Bleckley County while beating Washington County and East Laurens, half of which is a tall task. …
Stratford is looking to avoid its first sub-.500 regular season since 2009 and second since 2002. The Eagles have missed the postseason once this century. …
Memo reminder to all coaches using Hudl for box scores and stats: please check the final numbers out before sending/finishing, because the majority of boxes forwarded the past few weeks – and much appreciation – have had incorrect scores all over the place. More, in fact, have been wrong than right. And some overall records are off.
And it’s never a bad time to check rosters on MaxPreps and Hudl and anywhere else.
It really isn’t, because there are issues. Still.
Note to keepers of standings, results
In this age of technology, certainly more teams can have stats on Friday night or Saturday morning to send to centralgasports@gmail.com so folks can find out what happened – everybody loves reading about high school football on a Saturday morning - other than seeing video of a few plays that don’t tell much about the game.
Thanks last week to Trinity Christian, John Milledge, Brentwood, Mount de Sales, and Dublin for full Friday night game stats and to Peach County for full stats on Saturday, and on Sunday from Perry, Upson-Lee, and Lamar County, and in general partial stats or info from Northeast, Washington County, Howard, Jones County.
But really, really need game info on, you know, game night, or postgame morning with both teams, to enhance Central Georgia’s only full names-and-stats-and-details coverage of four dozen high schools.
And please, please, please make sure you’re spelling kids’ names right. Some still aren’t, so others aren’t spelling them right.
Dear Friday night gamecasters
Here’s hoping that some can find some Internet access at some point, where they can find information like standings and stats and scouting reports and highlights and results, thus avoiding so many avoid multiple “I don’t knows” on a Friday night when simple information is out there.