Teams: Please email game information – stats (offense and defense), names, big plays, etc. – to centralgasports@gmail.com by midnight Friday or by 10:30 a.m. Saturday for inclusion in Central Georgia’s only comprehensive roundup.

 

Class 6A

No. 3 Valdosta (3-3/1-0) at Houston County (5-3/0-1)

          The Wildcats have won two straight games by 55-0 total, over Westside (Fla.) and Northside. The Bears were thumped by Lee County, and have lost seven straight to Valdosta, with only one by single digits (28-24 in 2016).

No. 1 Lee County (6-1/1-0) at Northside (3-5/0-1)

          Northside has lost 11 straight to teams in Class 5A or higher, and five straight region games. The series is split, but Lee County has one the last four, and has given up 20 points in the span, with two straight shutouts.

 

Class 5A

Eagle’s Landing (0-7/0-4) at No. 10 Jones County (4-3/4-0)

          The hot Greyhounds are in the Region 4 driver’s seat, and face a team that has topped 10 points twice, and has scored 64 points, two more than the Greyhounds had against Union Grove.

No. 2 Warner Robins (6-1/1-0) at Wayne County (3-5/1-1)

          Can Wayne County slow 5A player of the year candidate Jalen Addie,who has 1,09s yards passing and 544 yards rushing, with eight passing and eight rushing touchdowns? Or targets Armon Porter and Daveon Walker? And can the Yellow Jackets get much done against a defense that has all-state candidates on all three levels? And given up more than 20 points five times since the start of last season?

Veterans (4-3/0-1) at No. 6 Coffee (6-2/1-1)

          The struggling Warhawks went from ranked and looking really impressive to losing three straight, an offense dropping from 26.5 points a game to 4.3 the last three games. Coffee’s two losses are by seven to Houston County and 10 to Ware County.

 

Class 4A

Rutland (1-5/0-3) at Howard (2-3/0-2), Ed DeFore, ppd

Perry (3-4/3-0) at Westside (3-2/1-1), Saturday, 1 p.m., Ed DeFore

          The Panthers are on a roll, and need a win to stay in the hunt for their first region title since 1959. Perry’s passing game with Lane Rucker, Curtis Head, Brantley Gibson and Daequan Wright averages 169.9 a game, but averages an interception a game. Sophomore Camerin Marshall averages 11.1 tackles a game. Vansean Jackson averages 110.8 rushing yards a game for the Seminoles, who lead the series 4-2 and won 33-13 at Ed DeFore last year.

Spalding (1-6/1-2) at No. 10 Baldwin (3-0/3-0)

          Spalding is seriously in the hunt for its first playoff trip since 2017, but needs an upset over the Braves, eyeing their second region title in three years.

 

Class 3A

Central (4-2/4-0) at Pike County (1-5/0-4)

          The Chargers have had a week off, while Pike County got its first win, over 4A Spalding, scoring three more points in that game than in the previous five. Central’s Jalik Taylor and Maurice Elder team for 196.7 yards a game rushing, and they have 17 touchdowns between them.

Mary Persons (3-4/1-3) at Upson-Lee (4-3/2-2)

          Upson-Lee is two plays from being 6-1, and two plays from being 2-5. The Bulldogs broke a four-game losing streak – losing by an average of 29.8 points – with a romp over Pike County. Will this be Upson-Lee’s first win ever over Mary Persons, in seven tries?

No. 3 Peach County (5-1/4-0) at Jackson (3-3/2-2)

          Jackson is off a 40-7 loss at home to Crisp County, a week after Peach County won 14-13 at Crisp County. The Trojans had last week off.

Class AA

Bacon County (4-4/0-3) at East Laurens (3-3/0-2)

          The winner stays alive for the fourth playoff spot, while the loser does not. East Laurens has already played two of the top three teams, so a 2-1 finish keeps the Falcons al ive.

Lamar County (3-5/1-3) at Monticello (2-5/1-2)

          The Trojans are battling inconsistency, from early potential to losing consecutive games by 30-0 and 38-0 to Bleckley County and Dodge County.  Both teams now eye .500 as a goal.

No. 8 Northeast (5-1/3-0) at Dodge County (3-3/2-1)

          A game of the week. Dodge County’s losses are to three playoff-bound teams, by six, three, and five. Northeast, eyeing its first six-win season since 2013 and first region title since 2009 and perhaps first double-digit win season since, well, ever, racked up a huge program win last week over Bleckley County. This will be an action-packed game that’s very likely to go down to the final minute. Dodge County is a little more run-heavy on O, and can make Northeast pay for mistakes. The Raiders are off, though, a very clean game against Bleckley County, while the Indians thumped Monticello 58-0 and Lamar County 38-0 in their last two games. Dodge County’s Daylon Gordon is a two-way player of impact.

Jefferson County (4-2/4-0) at No. 7 Putnam County (7-0/4-0)

          The Warriors’ two losses are by seven to Thomson and two to Fitzgerald, so this is by far the best team Putnam County has played. And Jefferson County is much more used to this kind of pressure situation, having won two straight region titles and winning at least eight games from 2013-19. The War Eagles all but seal first with a win: Jefferson County still has Westside (5-3/4-1), which Putnam County has beaten. The War Eagles finish with Josey (1-5/0-4) and Butler (2-4/0-4).

Washington County (4-3/2-1) at No. 9 Bleckley County (6-2/3-1)

          Bleckley County has won eight of nine at home the past two seasons, the loss coming last year to 5A Veterans, 28-10. That includes 21-18 over the Golden Hawks last year. Washington County still has Dodge County (3-3/2-1) and Monticello (2-5/0-1) left, Bleckley County has Southwest (1-5/0-4). The Golden Hawks have to win to keep alive hopes of a home playoff game, while the Royals pretty much clinch one with a win.

 

Class A

Dooly County (2-3/2-3) at Treutlen (1-6/0-5), Saturday

          The Bobcats pulled off a nice win Tuesday over Wheeler County to stay alive in the postseason hunt. Granted, they need some help, but they’re the favorite in two of their final three games, two at home, and can get some help.

No. 5 Dublin (6-1/5-0) at Johnson County (6-1/4-1)

          Quite a battle of veteran head coaches. Dublin’s Roger Holmes is 167-60-1 with the Irish, and Johnson County’s Don Norton is 107-70 with Treutlen and the Trojans. He hasn’t had a losing season in 14 in Wrightsville. The programs in neighboring counties, but have played only six times, Dublin leading 5-1.

FPD (4-3/2-0) at Deerfield-Windsor (2-5/0-2)

          The Vikings need a win to keep alive hopes for their first region title – outright or shared – since joining the GHSA in 2010 and first such title since 2007, which capped a run of four straight in GISA. The teams haven’t played since 2009, a 35-21 D-W win. The Knights have had some predictable transition issues in their first year in the GHSA.

GMC (5-3/2-1) at Warren County (4-2/1-1)

          Former GMC head coach Steven Simpson is now at Warren County, and his current team is one a three-game winning streak over his last team. The winner pretty much clinches a home playoff spot.

Hancock Central (3-0/2-0) at ACE (2-4/1-1)

          Hancock Central has given up 24 points in three games, ACE gives up an average of 31 a game. Hancock Central has Wilkinson County and Crawford County (combined 1-12), so a win figuratively seals a region title. ACE is still in the playoff hunt with a loss.

No. 6 Macon County (6-1/5-0) at Manchester (3-5/2-3)

          Jakalen Williams is eight yards from 1,000 passing for the season, while the Bulldogs are led on the ground by Davion Clark and Branden Cochran, who team for 830 yards and have 14 rushing touchdowns.

Strong Rock (4-3/1-1) at Mount de Sales (3-4/1-1)

          These are are among four teams at 1-1 in region play. The loser is still alive, Strong Rock hoping to keep hopes going for the regular-season finale with FPD to have a little more meaning.

Stratford (4-2/1-1) at Tattnall (3-4/1-1)

          Stratford kept alive region title hopes with the win last week at Strong Rock, but has to avoid being Tattnall’s first victim since Sept. 25 to make next week’s game at FPD a big one. Tattnall leads the series 29-24, and it’s 5-5 in the last 10.

Wilcox County (6-2/5-1) at Hawkinsville (2-5/1-4)

          The Red Devils are in a bit of a spoiler role against a team working on a home playoff game. Four of their losses are by 10 points or less, so Hawkinsville isn’t a team that can be overlooked.

Wilkinson County (1-4/1-1) at Crawford County (0-8/0-3)

          Wilkinson County, still alive for a playoff spot, leads the series 4-1, but they haven’t played since 2001.

 

GISA

Creekside Christian (5-1) at Westfield (4-1-1)

          This should be quite the battle. Creekside is 2-1 against GHSA Class A/Public teams, and given up only 14 points in the wins (one win is a forfeit).

Gatewood (6-1) at King's Academy (1-5)

          The Gators have been in some tight games since falling 40-0 to John Milledge, and now venture to Woodstock against a GAPPS program.

John Milledge (5-0) at Bethlehem Christian (1-5)

          The well-rested Trojans haven’t played since Oct. 16, and haven’t been scored on since Sept. 25. It’s a reunion of JMA head coach J.T. Wall and Bethlehem Christian’s Bruce Lane, last of Westfield but who coached at JMA from 1995-99, where one of the Trojans was J.T. Wall

Piedmont (6-1) at Brentwood (5-1)

          The War Eagles have been on the road three straight games, and won 41-0, 46-0, and 62-6. The Cougars’ lone loss is to 3A Westfield.

Pinewood (4-2/1-0) at Trinity Christian (0-6/0-2)