Who's going to win this week's Central Georgia high school football games?
Last week: 22-4
Season: 173-56, 75.5 percent
Within 7 points of margin: 7, 48 for the season; picked Bleckley County and Westfield spreads
A note: The Sports Report policy is to max out picks at 39 points, although some games could earn a predicted margin of victory in the 40s and 50s.
Games of the Week
Northside (6-2/1-0) at No. 2 Lee County (7-1/1-0)
The Eagles gutted it out against Valdosta, and Houston County gave Lee County plenty of trouble for a good while. Thus, Lee County will have a tighter week of practice, but the Eagles should have some confidence and momentum.
TSR pick: Lee County by 11
No. 9 Baldwin (5-2/4-0) at No. 6 Spalding (5-1/2-0)
Nobody, and I mean nobody, saw these rankings being this way two months ago. Baldwin will start a correction to them. Can Spalding come up with a No. 6 type performance with home-field pressure?
TSR pick: Baldwin by 15
No. 4 Bleckley County (8-0/4-0) at No. 10 Washington County (5-2/2-1)
Flip a coin. The Royals find ways to win, and that’s not been a strength in two games this year for the Golden Hawks. In the House of Pain makes this even more of a slugfest.
TSR pick: Washington County by 2
No. 6 Dodge County (5-2/2-1) at No. 8 Northeast (5-2/2-1)
Special teams will do the Raiders in when it counts this season. Will it happen this week? This is a region that makes you pay for any little slip-up, and the defending region champs can do it.
TSR pick: Dodge County by 3
No. 7 Putnam County (7-0/4-0) at Jefferson County (5-2/4-0)
We’re back where we were last year, and Jefferson County won 50-12 on the road. The War Eagles learned from that, and are a bit better prepared for the stage.
TSR pick: Putnam County by 8
Tattnall (5-1/1-1) at Stratford (6-1/2-0)
Dang, is this 2011 or 1994 GISA? Where are Barney Hester and Rodney Collins? Tattnall has had a week to let the 20-0 home loss to FPD fester, but Stratford has momentum.
TSR pick: Stratford by 11
Notables
Houston County (4-4/0-1) at Valdosta (3-5/0-1)
The Bears are off a 20-point loss that was closer than that, and Valdosta lost to Northside, and may be out of juice.
TSR pick: Houston County by 4
Westside (4-3/2-1) at No. 7 Perry (6-1/2-1)
The records are closer than the teams are. Perry is in a TCOB – takin’ are of bidness – mode.
TSR pick: Perry by 27
Jackson (4-3/3-1) at Peach County (3-3/3-1)
Remember when Jackson beat Peach County 3-2, the Trojans last region loss until recently? Yeah, well, no repeat.
TSR pick: Peach County by 25
Upson-Lee (4-3/2-2) at Mary Persons (4-3/2-2)
The Knights have no good karma going against the Bulldogs, whether in Thomaston or Forsyth or in between in Culloden, home to former MP QB Justin Elder, who’s the current U-L head coach.
TSR pick: Mary Persons by 10
Johnson County (4-3/2-3) at Dublin (4-3/4-1)
Dublin is looking and playing like Dublin, and getting hungrier by the week.
TSR pick: Dublin by 24
No. 10 Manchester (4-2/3-1) at No. 3 Macon County (7-0/5-0)
Macon County feels due for a close, four-quarter game.
TSR pick: Macon County by 20
Warren County (5-2/3-0) at GMC (8-0/4-0)
GMC hasn’t been in the hunt this late in a good while, a really good while. Warren County has played a little stronger non-region schedule.
TSR pick: Warren County by 11
Bethlehem Christian (6-2) at John Milledge (6-0)
Sure, the records are nice and all, but John Milledge has’t played in awhile. We’ve had three weather-pattern changes since then.
TSR pick: John Millege by 24
The games
Class 5A
No. 7 Coffee (7-1/1-1) at Veterans (2-5/1-0)
TSR pick: Coffee by 22
Wayne County (0-7, 0-2) at No. 5 Warner Robins (6-1/0-1)
TSR pick: Warner Robins by 32
Eagle’s Landing (3-4/1-3) at Jones County (5-2/4-0)
TSR pick: Jones County by 24
Class 4A
Rutland (1-6/0-3) at Howard (2-5/0-3), Ed DeFore
TSR pick: Howard by 15
Class AAA
Pike County (2-5/1-3) at Central (1-6/1-3), Henderson
TSR pick: Pike County by 3
Class AA
East Laurens (4-3/0-2) at Bacon County (0-7/0-3)
TSR pick: East Laurens by 19
Jasper County (0-7/0-3) at Lamar County (4-4/1-3)
TSR pick: Lamar County by 29
Class A Public
Dooly County (4-3/3-2) at Treutlen (2-5/1-4)
TSR pick: Dooly County by 19
Wilcox County (5-3/5-1) at Hawkinsville (1-6/0-5)
TSR pick: Wilcox County by 24
Hancock Central (0-6/0-3) at Twiggs County (1-6/0-4)
TSR pick: Hancock Central by 24
Crawford County (1-6/1-3) at Wilkinson County (3-4/2-2)
TSR pick: Crawford County by 8
Class A Private
Deerfield-Windsor (3-4/1-1) at FPD (5-2/2-0)
TSR pick: FPD by 16
Mount de Sales (3-4/0-2) at Strong Rock (0-6/0-2)
TSR pick: Mount de Sales by 21
GISA
Trinity Christian (2-6/1-1) at Pinewood (6-1/1-0)
TSR pick: Pinewood by 28
Westfield (5-1) at Creekside Christian (0-6)
TSR pick: Westfield by 32
Brentwood (6-1) at Piedmont (6-2)
TSR pick: Brentwood by 18
King’s Academy (3-3/GAPPS) at Gatewood (3-4)
TSR pick: Gatewood by 21
Georgia Christian (2-3/1-0) at Fullington (1-6)
TSR pick: Georgia Christian by 15
Central Christian (3-3/GAPPS)) at John Hancock (0-7/0-1)
TSR pick: Central Christian by 22