Loughdmouthings

          We worried in the spring, and then throughout the summer, and then when football was supposed start.

          It was fairly shocking to start on time, some of us sure the beginning would be pushed to October. It wasn’t.

          Here we are, around mid-November, and there has been only one Central Georgia GHSA/GISA team that hasn’t played: Twiggs County.

          A number have been sidelined more than once by COVID concerns. Based on the blatant lack of concern by fans – young and old – at many schools, it’s fairly stunning there haven’t been more.

          Nov. 19-20 remains the final regular-season week, with many schools having that week off. At this point, knock wood, three teams will finish their regular season on schedule, with this week being their 10th game: Houston County, Northside, and Bleckley County, with none of the area GISA programs on schedule.

          Many others in the area will play their 10th game when the 10th game was scheduled.

          Everybody give a little prayer of thanks for that. …

          It’s never too late to fix rosters and schedules and stats on MaxPreps. …

          Dear Fridaynightgamecasters: Really, why do you not have binoculars? Any idea how absurd it sounds for two or three people to not be able tell us what happened, and who did what, and what the call was? Or not see flags?

          It’s very absurd. Binoculars for the play-by-play person makes huge sense, since that’s who’s watch the ball and tackler. The “color” person – thought the color is light beige – should offer something other than the same thing as the PBP person, and should see a flag or something. But everybody can’t keep missing the same things.

          This allergy to giving the time and score with every break remains astounding. …

          The plan to update Central Georgia’s 1,000-yard passers and runners and 500-yard receivers will take a week off, since many of the players previously listed haven’t had their stats updated by their teams in a few weeks.

          Unofficially, Veterans’ Blake Etheridge is the first 2,000-yard passer in the area. …

          Peach County’s Chad Campbell, Macon County’s Dexter Copeland, and FPD’s Greg Moore are a win from 150 now. …

          It’s never too late to fix rosters and schedules and stats on MaxPreps. …

          Two Central Georgia rushers – and their offensive lines – broke hearts last week ina serious way, cracking 300 yards: Mount de Sales’ A’Khori Jones went wild on Strong Rock, 353 yards and three touchdowns. And Washington County’s Malyk Walker took off for 335 yards and five touchdowns in the 42-20 win over Bleckley County.

          Veterans’ Etheridge was on the money in the heartbreaking OT loss to Coffee with 415 yards and four touchdowns on 25-of-36 passing. …

          Monday Night Football comes to Bibb County.

          Rutland and Westside will go on Monday at Ed DeFore, because Westside needs the game to determine its playoff status. The Seminoles are 1-2, just behind third-place West Laurens and just ahead of fifth place Spalding.

          Westside and Spalding play on Thursday, and that’s a big game, too. The Seminoles visit West Laurens in the regular-season finale, and that will be big to figure out who’s third and fourth.

          Barring some 2020ness before then.

 

Polls

Division I (6A, 5A, 4A)

1. Warner Robins (7-1)

          The Demons have this week off to ponder another region title and top seed in the playoffs. And we near the end of another season of the Demons getting nowhere near the attention and attendance and support they deserve from the city and school community.

2. Jones County (5-3)

          It’s almost funny – when absurd can be funny – that people were whining about this team a month ago. Right now, there’s little difference other than the record of this team and the last several.

3. Houston County (5-4)

          The 27-6 loss to Lee County was pretty convincing, but may lead to a tight week of practice and better play against Valdosta.

4. Baldwin (4-0)

          The Braves are off this, but with a 35-0 win after two weeks off, they’ll be mighty well-rested for next week’s showdown with Perry.

5. Perry (4-4)

          A win Friday puts them in a region championship game against Baldwin next week.

 

Division II (3A, AA, A, GISA)

1. Peach County (6-1)

          The Trojans are on a path for allowing less than 10 points a game, which they’ve done nine times, twice under Chad Campbell.

2. Dublin (7-1)

          The Irish are a predicted win away from the ninth region title under Roger Holmes, and it would be in a third classification.

3. John Milledge (5-0)

          The last team to score on the Trojans was Savannah Christian, a GHSA team, on Sept. 25.

4. Macon County (6-1)

          Idle this week, the Bulldogs are a win from their first one-loss regular season since 2016, and second since 2004.

5. Central (5-2)

          This is fixing to change, with Central closing the regular season against Crisp County and Peach County. And neither team is going to overlook Central as in the past.

6. Northeast (5-2)

          The loss to Dodge County wasn’t a surprise in the least. Dodge County was better than its record, and the Raiders are still in the dealing-with-success mode.

7. Putnam County (7-1)

          The end of the winning streak wasn’t a shock – the schedule has been so weak – but how much Jefferson County won by was a surprise.

8. Bleckley County (6-3)

          The Royals are trying to break out of the program’s history, which has been to tease and slump. This year has gone that way, and now Bleckley County is set for third or fourth place and unranked statewide.

9. Washington County (5-3)

          The passing game dealt some key blows against Bleckley County? Well, it’s 2020, after all. The Golden Hawks are on a roll, and they know Dodge County is a major task.

10. Dodge County (4-3)

          Last week: “… a playoff-caliber team.” And the Indians promptly showed it with the solid win over Northeast. If healthy, they may be a playoff pest.