Who's going to win this week's Central Georgia high school football games?
Last week: 26-5, 83.9 percent
This season: 249-78, 76.15 percent
Within 7 points of margin: 7 (2 perfect picks), 80 for the season
Games of the week
Thursday
Class 4A
Westside, 6-3/2-3, at Howard, 6-3/2-3, 7 p.m., Henderson
Who knows? And the coaches like think about the same thing. Westside has more explosiveness. The hungriest team wins, and it’s hard to figure that out ahead of time.
TSR pick: Howard by 4
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
Class AA
Northeast, 6-3/5-1, at Rutland, 5-4/3-3, 7 p.m., Ed DeFore
The Raiders can take first in the region, but they can’t overlook a Rutland team off a decent outing against ACE.
TSR pick: Northeast by 24
Class A/Division II
Marion County, 2-7/2-4, at Macon County, 4-5/4-2, 7:30 p.m.
The Bulldog are on something of a roll, and stay on one.
TSR pick: Macon County by 27
Taylor County, 2-7/1-5, at No. 9 Manchester, 5-3/4-1, 7 p.m.
Manchester is playing for seeding and momentum, so this may get ugly early.
TSR pick: Manchester by 30
Twiggs County, 2-7/0-4, at GMC, 3-6/2-2, 7 p.m.
GMC gets third outright with a win.
TSR pick: GMC by 21
This week
Notebook: John Milledge ignores streak; Hardy finally has a team; Greg Moore celebration; playoff picture update
Scouting Reports: all GHSA and GIAA games
Maxwell Ratings picks, Central Georgia state rankings
Who’s going to win this week’s Central Georgia high school football games
Monday Morning Quarterback: Harsin’s costume should have had a big smile; Loughdmouthings (Falcons, high schools, Deion Sanders, Northside, Dublin, Warner Robins, Bo Nix, CFP rankings), CGA polls”
Macon Touchdown Club players of the week: Howard, ACE, Northeast
Last week
* Roundup: Warner Robins pulls away, Putnam County wins late, Dodge County falls in OT, plenty of routs
* Scouting Reports: all GHSA and GIAA games
* So, you’re wondering about Central Georgia’s GHSA standings and playoff picture?
* Maxwell Ratings picks, Central Georgia state rankings
* MMQB: We all thought we’d seen most anything, and then Lee County … Loughdmouthngs, upsets/surprises, Central Georgia polls
* Macon Touchdown Club players of the week: CFCA, Howard, Rutland
Games of the week
Class 6A
No. 3 Thomas County Central, 9-0/4-0, at No. 10T Northside, 6-3/3-1
A region title on the line at The Mac? The Yellow Jackets are more balanced, are off a big road win at Lee County, and amid the biggest dream season since 2007. What kind of game can Northside’s dandy D come up with?
TSR pick: Thomas County Central by 11 (upset watch)
Class 5A
Jones County, 5-4/3-2, at Union Grove, 4-5/2-3
It’s all about general tempo. If Union Grove can establish some early, and if the Greyhounds have taken any steps back health-wise, an upset is very likely.
TSR pick: Jones County by 15
Class AA
ACE, 8-1/5-1, at Spencer, 7-2/6-0
The gut feeling here was that Spencer would hang with Northeast, but didn’t see the upset. Spencer had no really good wins or losses. The matchup was probably better in that game than this one.
TSR pick: ACE by 15
Class A/Division I
No. 2 Swainsboro, 8-0/3-0, at No. 10T Dublin, 6-2/3-0
Ahh, a good ol’ fashioned slobberknocker for a region title between a pair of run-oriented teams in Central and South Georgia.
TSR pick: Dublin by 3 (upset alert)
GIAA
John Milledge, 9-0/3-0, at Tattnall, 6-3/3-0
Man, man, man, I could flip a coin here for awhile. Didn’t think John Milledge would maul FPD like that. JMA is so sharp and fundamental, and now comes in like they have every Friday for a few years playing, for the most part, extremely inferior competition: well-rested and off of routs and confident. Had FPD made John Milledge work at all, it’d be easier to pick Tattnall, and I’m this close to doing it anyway. But …
TSR pick: John Milledge by 9 (upset watch)
Games of note
Class 3A
No. 7 Peach County, 6-3/3-0, at Jackson, 5-4/3-1
Jackson at home could make it interesting. Peach County the past few weeks is about making it boring.
TSR pick: Peach County by 28
Class A/Division I
No. 12T Lamar County, 8-1/2-0, at Heard County, 5-4/2-0
It’s for the outright region title, but the Trojans are just stronger.
TSR pick: Lamar County by 24
Friday
Class 6A
No. 8T Houston County, 7-2/2-2, at Veterans, 5-4/1-3
TSR pick: Houston County by 28
Class 5A
No. 8 Warner Robins, 5-4/4-1, at Locust Grove, 0-9/0-5
TSR pick: Warner Robins by 37
Class 4A
Griffin, 3-6/3-2, at Baldwin, 3-6/2-3
TSR pick: Griffin by 10
No. 3 Perry, 8-1/5-0, at West Laurens, 1-8/0-5
TSR pick: Perry by 34
Class AAA
Pike County, 2-7/0-3, at Mary Persons, 5-4/1-2
TSR pick: Mary Persons by 23
Class AA
Central, 2-7/2-4, at Southwest, 3-6/3-3
TSR: Southwest by 17
Putnam County, 7-2/5-1, at Washington County, 4-5/4-2
TSR pick: Putman County by 16
Class A/Division I
East Laurens, 1-8/0-3, at Jefferson County, 1-8/0-3
TSR pick: Jefferson County by 18
Crawford County, 2-7/0-2, at Temple, 4-5/0-2
TSR pick: Temple by 21
Oglethorpe County, 5-4/0-2, at Jasper County, 3-6/0-2
TSR pick: Oglethorpe County by 24
Division II
Glascock County, 2-7/1-3, at Wilkinson County, 5-4/2-2
TSR pick: Wilkinson County by 11
Hancock Central, 4-5/3-1, at No. 2 Johnson County, 9-0/4-0
TSR pick: Johnson County by 28
Hawkinsville, 3-6/1-3, at Dooly County, 4-5/2-2
TSR pick: Dooly County by 18
GIAA
Class AAA
Stratford, 6-3/1-2, at FPD, 2-7/1-2
TSR pick: Stratford by 13
Mount de Sales, 2-7, at Athens Christian 3-6
TSR pick: Athens Christian by 3
Westfield, 5-4/2-1 at Anne Pacelli, 8-1/3-0
TSR pick: Pacelli by 12
AA/A
Gatewood, 4-4/0-1, at Brentwood, 6-3/1-0
TSR pick: Brentwood by 21
Central Fellowship, 9-0, at A Thomas Jefferson, 8-1
TSR pick: Central Fellowship by 29
GHSA Class A/II Lake Oconee, 4-5, at Piedmont, 2-8
TSR pick: Lake Oconee by 22
Fullington, 6-3 at AA St. Mary’s, 1-7
TSR pick: Fullington by 20