By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

Games at 7:30 p.m. unless noted

Listing based on home team’s classification unless both are from Central Georgia

Mid-week rankings are updated, compiled by the Georgia High School Football Daily, and are composite rankings from from AJC, GPB, ScoreAtlanta, 680 The Fan, Maxwell, and MaxPreps.

Stats: MaxPreps stats are based only on what is reported and posted by teams. If teams don’t put the information in or update in a timely manner, it makes for an incomplete and misleading list.

Friday

GHSA

Class 6A

No. 7T Crisp County, 3A/3-1, at No. 12T Northside, 2-2

          The Eagles are off arguably their biggest win under Chad Alligood, and probably since Northside’s roller coaster 9-6 runner-up season. So there are naturally concerns of a letdown, which Crisp County is good enough to take advantage of. RB Semaj Chatfield and WR Trae Walker are weapons (although stats from the team on MaxPreps are inconsistent and doubled up). The lone loss is to then-No. 10 7A Westlake on the road, and the Cougars are 5-5 in their last 10 games against higher-classification teams. Northside QB Damien Dee gets 94.8 rushing yards a game, but the Eagles have to improve on a 38-percent completion rate and only 2 passing touchdowns.

No. 8 Warner Robins, 5A/1-3 at No. 8 Houston County, 4-0

          A staggering stat: Houston County in four games has scored 6.6 times times as many points as Warner Robins in the same number of games. This go ‘round, it’s Houston County with the big passing game, durable runners, and big-play offense. WR Ricky Johnson has 6 TDs, more than the Demons have scored. The Demons have a task with him, RB Ryan Taleb (61-550/12), and QB AJ Hill (74-96-2/13, 1,184 yards). Houston County’s defense is balanced, with Jaydon Phillips leading with 7 tackles for loss. QB Chase Reese leads Warner Robins in rushing with less than 40 yards a game. Sophomore Rasean Dinkins is a playmaker on defense, and the Demons will need playmakers on all three levels.

Veterans, 3-1 at Northgate, 5A/1-4

          The Warhawks have two QBs who can do damage, with Jake Maxwell and Matthew Bruce, Bruce a running threat with 74.3 yards a game. Damare Franklin (41-469/4) is a threat no matter who’s throwing. Austin Hurlbert and Malik Holiday (7.5 tackles a game each) and the defense may pounce on an offense averaging 174.8 yards a game, with three players having 2 touchdowns each.

COVERAGE
This week
Maxwell Ratings predictions and rankings
Who’s going to win this week’s games?
Macon Touchdown Club players of the week
Monday Morning Quarterback: Surprises, upsets, Loughdmouthings, Central Georgia’s polls

Last week
Roundup: Demons fall, Northeast pulls away, Northside wins OT thriller, Perry pops Peach County, rough Macon GIAA night
Friday night’s scouting reports
Maxwell Ratings predictions and rankings
Who’s going to win this week’s games?
Macon Touchdown Club players of the week: Westside, Howard, Northeast
Monday Morning Quarterback: Predictable – and misguided – handwringing about Atlanta; Loughdmouthings; Central Georgia polls

 Howard, 4-0, at No. 3 Perry, 3-1

        Howard has several adjustments to worry about: a big, loud crowd, an offense that can eat clock or flip the scoreboard with a big play, and a defense that’s given up only 27 points to 5A Jones County and Veterans and 3A Peach County. This may be the best team Howard has faced in Paul Carroll’s time with the Huskies. Howard’s run-oriented offense is led by Camareon Taylor and Tybien Smith, who team for 120 yards a game and have 5 touchdowns. Zelin Pollard and Seth Portivent are good for double-digit tackles a game. The Panthers bring multiple weapons: QB Armar Gordon Jr. (54-88-1/12, 966 yards), RB Demetrious Carter (76-491/5), and WR Dakarai Anderson (25-517/6). They average 389 yards a game. Perry leads the series 8-4 and has won three straight.

Spalding, 2-2, at Baldwin, 1-3

          The Braves have a decent run game, with major prospect Micah Welch (MaxPreps stats aren’t updated), but have been inconsistent through the air, and have been plagued by mistakes. Baldwin has almost given up twice as many points as it has scored, 142-72. Spalding averages 160 yards passing and 97.5 rushing. Baldwin has won the two meetings, 35-0 in 2020 and 27-14 last year.

West Laurens, 1-3, at Griffin, 0-4

          The second year at Griffin for former Rutland head coach Rusty Easom is off to as rough a start as the first year at West Laurens for former Mary Persons assistant Kip Burdette. The Raiders have a win, but have scored only 14 points in four games, and have been blanked in 14 straight quarters. Griffin is averaging 24.5 points a game.

Class 3A

Columbus, 2-2, at No. 10 Mary Persons, 3-1

          Columbus makes its first visit to Dan Pitts Stadium and gets to face one of the state’s top rushers in Duke Watson (59-688/5), as well as one of Class AAA’s top passers in Logan Hickman (52-68-1/8, 635 yards), who has threats in Nemo Jones and Kham Little. Jaise Davis and Jacobi Jones team for 26.1 tackles a game. Phil Marino is in his 14th year at Columbus (42-97) while Brian Nelson is in year 11 (94-32). 

Hardaway, 4A/1-4, at No. 7T Peach County, 2-2, 8 p.m.

          Odds are against Peach County falling to 2-3 for the first time since 1989, Hardaway with two losses to ranked teams this season by 41-10 and 49-21 and an 0-44 streak against ranked teams. Peach County leads the series, which began with two straight Hardaway wins in 1970-71, 6-2. This is the first meeting since 1999.

Mt. Zion, Jonesboro, 4A/0-4, at Upson-Lee, 1-4

          The Bulldogs have been outscored 116-26, while the Knights are outscored 151-102. Mt. Zion will have to deal with Jaquan Bentley, who has 592 rushing yards and 5 scores, as well as defensive standout T.J. Searcy, a focal point who gets the attention to open opportunities for Amari Fletcher (7.3 tackles a game), among others. Upson-Lee won the last meeting, 48-6 in 2007.

Class AA

Dodge County, 1-3, at No. 1 Fitzgerald, 4-0

          Duke Johnson gets 118 yards a game on the ground – 15th in AA - and has 5 rushing touchdowns, but the Indians are looking for more offense. Fitzgerald is No. 1, but not dominant, having won three games by one possession, including 28-27 over Northeast. The Purple Hurricanes won 15-6 twice last season and 30-27 in 2019, Dodge County winning 28-9 in 2018, so the Indians should have some confidence to be competitive on the road.

Josey, 2-2/1-1, at No. 10 Putnam County, 3-1/1-0

          Branan Griffin of Putnam County completes 66.7 percent of his passes, but the War Eagles are riding RB Tamarion Peters, eighth in AA with 407 yards, 118 a game, and 5 touchdowns. Josey averages 28 points in wins, 6.5 points in losses, while Putnam County has scored 86 points in its last two games. The War Eagles are 5-0 against Josey, by a 98-18 margin in the 2020-21 meetings.

Kendrick, 0-4/0-1, at Central, 0-4/0-1, Thompson

          The Chargers are outscored by 21.5 points a game, the Cherokees by 34. Kendrick’s lone win last year was by Jordan’s forfeit, following an 0-9 2020 and 1-9 2019 (lone win 28-27 over Jordan) and 1-9 2018 (26-13 over Rutland) and, well, you get the point. Kendrick head coach Andre Slappey knows a little about Macon, having played for the Macon Knights indoor football team for several years in the early part of the century.

Rutland, 3-1/1-0, at Spencer, 2-2/1-0

          The Hurricanes eye a 2-0 region start for the first time in program history (started 2003) and to go 4-1, which would match the program’s win total of four in only five seasons. They’re 13 points from passing last year’s scoring total. Spencer is also looking for needed program momentum, eyeing its first winning season since 2016. The teams have split the series 1-1, in 2014-15.

Southwest, 1-4/1-0, at No. 8 Northeast, 2-2/1-0, Henderson, 5:30 p.m.

          The Patriots are the latest to try and stop Nick Woodford, who is getting 199.3 yards a game and has 11 touchdowns, and has accounted for 67 percent of the Raiders’ yards. Southwest is off its first shutout since beating Macon County 31-0 in 2019, while Northeast solidified its grip on the region with a big second half in beating ACE 47-21. The Raiders lead the series 27-25, with four straight wins, the last two by 88-18.         

Washington County, 1-3, at Thomson, 2-1

          The Golden Hawks’ Morgan Jones is second in AA with 791 yards passing, but has five picks to counter five TDs. Thomson has two quarterbacks teaming for 160.7 yards a game and a 54.5 percent completion rate, while Jontavis Curry is good for 131.7 yards on the ground. Thomson leads the series 29-12, the teams playing every year from 2005-15, Thomson winning 28-14 in the 2020 resumption.

Class A
I

No. 5 Bleckley County, 4-0, at Pelham, 2-3

          The Royals’ Eli Mullis is ninth in A-I with 682 yards, completing 53.2 percent of his passes, and Jahvon Butler is 11th with 421 rushing yards. Nehemiah Mack has been steady on defense, bringing 11.3 tackles a game. Pelham (incomplete stats) runs about 97 percent of the time.

Crawford County, 1-4, at Twiggs County, 2-2

          The hosts will have to slow down QB Judd Puckett, 12th in A-I with 565 yards, completing 55.6 percent of his passes with 4 TDs and 2 INTs. Terrel Ashley is a playmaker, with 397 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns.

No. 8 Lamar County, 5-0, at Social Circle, 3-1

          Social Circle QB Logan Cross has completed 66 of 95 for 701 yards and 8 TDs to only one pick, with weapons Damascio Bolden,Kam Durden, and Jameccus Hardge at running back, and Mason Moore, Jude Nelson, and Dashon Hyman at wideout. The Trojans are working on being more than CJ Allen (76-676/4 rushing, 9.8 tackles per game). Allen has 55 percent of Lamar County’s scrimmage yards, but the defense is balanced with playmakers.

Jasper County, 2-3, at No. 12T Mt. Zion, Carroll, A-II/3-1

          The Purple Hurricanes are 23 points from matching last year’s scoring total, and past the halfway point of the 118 points in 2020. Tyler Banks averages 8.7 yards a carry and has three touchdowns on 29 carries. The run-heavy Eagles get 7.3 yards per carry and have 13 rushing touchdowns, but are off a 33-10 loss to GIAA 3A Brookstone.

II

No. 6 Schley County, 2-2, at Macon County, 1-3

          The Bulldogs lead the series 6-2, including a 53-38 win last year when they were No. 3/AJC and Schley County was No. 5. Macon County’s Marlon Mitchell is 35th in the state with 596 yards, plus seven touchdowns.

Taylor County, 1-3, at Central, Talbotton, 0-4

          The Vikings will try to break a two-game losing streak – outscored 75-15 – against the Hawks, who have a forfeit to Baconton Charter after opening the season with an 80-0 loss to Miller County and have yet to score.

Turner County, 1-4, at No. 8T Dooly County, 1-2

          The Bobcats were off after hammering Macon County 58-26, while Turner County has lost two straight. The series is tied at 11.

No. 7 Washington-Wilkes, 3-1, at Hancock Central, 1-3

          The hosts are on a three-game losing streak, while the visitors had a three-game winning streak broken last week against Elbert County. The Tigers lead the series 35-4, having won every meeting but one since 1981 (every year but 10).

Wilkinson County, 1-2, at Portal, 3-1

          Wilkinson County was off after the 28-7 loss to Greene County, Portal miffed after its three-game win streak was broken 28-24 by Bryan County. Wilkinson County, though, leads the series 5-0-1, but the teams haven’t played since 1999.

GIAA

Class AAA

John Milledge, 4-0, at Brookwood, 2-2

          Brookwood lost 42-20 to Stratford two weeks ago, while John Milledge was beating George Walton 48-0. The Trojans thumped Frederica 63-13 last week, and have won 41 straight games, seven short of the state record of 47 set by Buford.

Mt. Pisgah Christian GHSA A/3-1, at FPD, 1-3

          The Vikings won’t have an easy time breaking their three-game losing streak. FPD has lost by 6, 12, and 8. Mt. Pisgah, which remained in the GHSA, suffered its first loss last week, 36-22 to Athens Academy. The teams have met only twice, FPD 42-21 in 2010 and 54-9 in 2004. FPD’s Jakhari Williams is 37 yards from 1,000 passing for the season.

Pinewood Christian, 2-2, at Mount de Sales, 2-2

          Pinewood’s Banks Booth has 816 yards passing – fourth in GIAA AAA – with 9 touchdowns and no interceptions. The Cavs lead the series 5-2, but this is the first meeting since 2003, a 42-14 MdS win.

Stratford, 3-1, at Brookstone, 3-0

          The Eagles’ Keondre Glover is third in GIAA AAA with 461 rushing yards, and 7 touchdowns, while Brookstone’s Dimitri Flowers is 12th with 262 and 5. Stratford won the lone meeting, 42-21 in 2020.

Class AA/A

Brentwood, 1-3, at George Walton, 1-4

          The War Eagles have already matched their loss total of 2021 (1), 2020 and 2019 (3) and are trying to avoid the first 1-4 since 2018, which ended 8-5 and in the quarterfinals. The teams haven’t played since 2007, George Walton having won seven straight for an 8-6 series lead.

Piedmont, 0-4, at CFCA, 4-0

          The Lancers had a week off after popping GHSA A Crawford County 41-14. Jeb Walls has passed for 798 yards on only 32 completions – 15 to Jamal Lawrence for 255 yards and 5 scores - and leads CFCA with 255 rushing yards. Jaylun Goodrum, formerly of FPD, has 5 rushing and 2 receiving TDs.

St. Anne-Pacelli, 4-1, at Gatewood, 2-2

          Justin Jameson gets 121 yards a game and has six rushing touchdowns, and Gatewood will need that and more against a team that has blanked Mount de Sales and knocked off Stratford, and outscores opponents by 20 points a game.

Trinity Christian, 2-3, at Briarwood, 2-2

          TCS’s Jim Coleman is second in the GIAA with 639 rushing yards. Briarwood leads the series 14-6, TCS having lost four straight.

Southwest Georgia, 2-3, at Fullington, 3-1

          Fullington’s Aidan Price is 28th in the state with 639 rushing yards, and has six touchdowns.