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.
Updated each Monday with AJC rankings.
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.

Thursday

Rutland 26, Central 19

Friday

GHSA

Class 6A

Lakeside Evans, 2-1, at Veterans, 2-1

          Veterans QB Jake Maxwell is off a two-INT game against Perry, but is only 112 yards from 1,000 for the season, completing 65.7 percent of his passes. Damare Franklin is a major target, with 31 catches for 360 yards in two games. Malik Holiday leads the defense with 8.7 tackles a game. The Panthers average only 24.7 passing yards a game, but the 221-yard ground game is led by Temarcus Elam (203 yards).

Northside, 1-2, at North Cobb, No. 5 7A/2-1

COVERAGE
This week
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

Last week
Roundup: Warner Robins surprised, Perry and Houston County cruise, Northeast with upset, big wins for Peach County, Mary Persons, ACE, Bleckley County, and more
Friday night’s scouting reports
Maxwell Ratings predictions and rankings
Who’s going to win this week’s games?
Notebook: Washington from Mount de Sales to ACE; still no sign of Zavion Hardy; GHSA decides on Mary Persons-Northeast
Early-season Macon Touchdown Club players of the week: ACE, Howard, Jones County, Mount de Sales, Northeast, Tattnall
Monday Morning Quarterback: Enjoy those Saturdays, for college football's greed will eliminate them, which should anger you; surprises, upsets, Loughdmouthings, Central Georgia's polls.

          The Eagles had a week off after the frustrating 17-10 overtime loss to Warner Robins, but should have some confidence. They’ll need their best game of the year, though, on the road against a ranked 7A team. David Mbadinga went for 196 yards last week in North Cobb’s 35-21 win over Marietta. The Warriors were without starting quarterback Malachi Singleton, Nick Grimstead leading the offense in the win. Northside leads the series 2-0, winning 27-24 at North Cobb early in the 2015 season.

Class 5A

No. 7 Dutchtown, 4-0, at No. 4 Warner Robins, 1-2

          The Demons could be 3-0 or 0-3, still trying to find an identity and consistency. They’re averaging only 100 yards passing and 81 yards rushing a game, with standout running back Malcolm Brown leading the ground attack with only 106 yards in three games. Dutchtown’s pass game is similar, but the Bulldogs get 179.3 yards on the ground, led by Jamal Bing, who’s good for 121.3 yards a game, and has five touchdowns. It’s the Region 2 opener, and the region is looking like more of a logjam this year.

Locust Grove, 0-3, at No. 12 Jones County, 2-2

          The timing is good for a struggling Jones County group, off losses of 28 and 32 points, the kind of thing that hasn’t happened in a long, long time. Locust Grove has given up 43, 45, and 68 points so far, a worse start than last year’s 0-10 team. Jones County had a rough turnover game at Peach County, with four that mostly turned into points. The Greyhounds couldn’t get back into the game, and are likely to take it out on Locust Grove as region play starts.

Class 4A

No. 5 Peach County, 3A/2-1, at No. 4 Perry, 2-1

          This is the first time in the history of the series, which started in 1972 and has 42 games under its belt, that both teams are ranked. It’s only the third time that Perry has been ranked. And more than that, the Panthers are ranked higher in their class (4A) than the Trojans in theirs (3A). Since 2000, only four of 18 games have been decided by single digits. The teams played every year from 2000-17, and Perry had one win, 48-28 in 2007. Perry QB Armar Gordon Jr. hasn’t thrown an interception in 61 attempts. Peach County’s Jayden Parker picked off three Jones County passes and carried one back for a touchdown. Perry may have more talent - Demetrious Carter went for 187 yards and three TDs last week - but there’s some history to overcome, even if none of the current players have been part of it. A win will be big for the Panthers, who keep knocking down bad parts of the past.

Pike County, 3A/2-2, at Howard, 3-0, Ed DeFore

          Pike County is playing its first opponent above the Class AA level, the Pirates losing to Class A Temple and Jasper County, breaking the 16-game losing streak for the Purple Hurricanes. They hammered AA Southwest and Class A Randolph-Clay. Howard linebacker Ethan Ellington is off a big game, with 12 tackles and a safety in the Harris County win. A week earlier, linebacker Zelin Pollard had 11 tackles, an interception, and a safety. But the Huskies are still transitioning on offense, and getting only 47.7 passing yards and 147.7 rushing yards a game. Nevertheless, Howard has already passed last year’s scoring total, by four points.

Class 3A

Haralson County, AA/1-2, at Upson-Lee, 0-4

          The Knights are amid another odd year, staying close and getting thumped and then rallying a little bit, still battling. They’re outscored by 15.8 points a game, and giving up 34 a game. Upson-Lee is trying to avoid its first 0-5 start since 2010, which started with six straight losses.

Class AA

Butler, 2-1 at No. 9 Putnam County, 2-1

          The War Eagles are more run-oriented this season, led by Tamarion Peters’ 98.7 yards a game, with four rushing touchdowns. Putnam County is getting 60.7 yards through the air. The defense, led by Jalon Kilgore, is balanced, Detravius Smith topping the unit with six tackles for loss. Butler is riding high with a 2-1 start coming after an 0-10 season in which the Bulldogs scored only 49 points, the fourth shutout coming in a 61-0 loss to Putnam County.

Jordan, 0-3, at Southwest, 0-3, Henderson

          Jordan has yet to score this season, and scored only six points in the three games that counted – seven were forfeits – last year. The Red Jackets went 2-7 in 2020, and did crack double-digits four times, winning twice. Southwest is being outscored 50-17 so far.

No. 8 Northeast, 1-2, at ACE Charter, 4-0

          Northeast is bigger than ACE, much bigger, and the Raiders may have more speed, but the Gryphons aren’t slow, and have a variety of weapons. But that size … The Raiders are much bigger than anybody ACE has seen, led by OL Johnny Williams, at 6-6 and 310. RB Nick Woodford is only 5-8, but is a powerful runner getting 180 yards a game and always running downhill, from RB or QB, with seven touchdowns. ACE counters with Aaron Davis, getting 138.3 yards on the ground, and QB Kaleb Scarbary is a dual threat, with 165 yards passing and 60 yards running a game, accounting for 11 touchdowns. And Bryce Whitley is a multi-purpose threat, with 11 catches for 246 yards and five TDs, plus a large number of special-teams yards and some touchdowns. Both defenses have potential to be worn down a bit, for different reasons. Northeast, though, is rolling in off one of its best wins in years and its best game of the season, a win over Class AAA No. 2 Carver-Columbus.

Washington County, 0-3, at Glenn Hills, 1-3

          Glenn Hills has matched its win total of 2021 and 2020, while the Golden Hawks have yet to get new head coach Robert Edwards his first win. Washington County trails 10-9 in the series, but has won six straight, including by 125-0 in 2014-15, the last time the teams played.

Class A

Chattahoochee County, 1-2, at Taylor County, 1-2

          Taylor County had the week off after falling 14-8 to Montgomery County. The Vikings have scored 56 points and given up 42, while the Panthers are plus-32 points, also with a losing record.

Dublin, 2-1, at Metter, 2-2

          The Tigers went 13-1 last year, losing to Brooks County in the semifinals, after going 13-1 and losing to Irwin County in the semifinals. Swainsboro broke their 24-game regular-season winning streak to open the season, and Metter has matched the loss total of the past two seasons. Demari Foster has 424 yards on 28 carries and Jaquarius Evans 301 on 29 in three games, while the Irish have completed 5 passes in 18 tries. Dublin leads the series 5-2, losing 17-14 in 2015 in the last meeting. This is a playoff-caliber matchup.

East Laurens, 0-3, at No. 5T Johnson County, 2-0

          The Falcons had 111 points through three games last year, and only 20 through three this year. Johnson County, which leads the series 27-17 and has won eight straight, has given up 20 points in two.

GSIC, 0-3, at Crawford County, 0-4

          Crawford County started off 0-6 last year and made the playoffs, but the Eagles are a heavy favorite in their first meeting with GSIC.

Hancock Central, 1-2, at Warren County, 1-2

          These two have played 40 times, Warren County with a 23-15-2 lead. The Screamin’ Devils handed the Bulldogs one of three shutouts last year in a 46-0 win. Warren County went 9-4 last year, and held seven teams to seven points or less, but has already coughed up 118 points this year.

Hawkinsville, 1-3, at Twiggs County, 2-1

          Hawkinsville turned in a stellar defensive performance last year in a 13-3 win over Marion County, while Twiggs County thumped Central-Talbotton 48-0. The series is tied at 2.

Lake Oconee, 1-3, at Jasper County, 1-3

          The Purple Hurricanes are favored at home to get their second win, which would match their total from 2020, which preceded last year’s winless season. The Titans have been held to 6, 0, and 0 in their losses.

No. 8 Lamar County, 4-0, at Jackson, 3A/2-1

          Jackson will focus on CJ Allen, who rushes for 138.1 yards a game and turns around and gets 11.3 tackles a game as one of the state’s top college prospects. CJ Cloud has 3.5 sacks for the Trojans, who trail in the series 25-11, winning 35-24 last year after falling 23-22 in OT a year earlier.

Macon County, 0-3, at Greenville, 0-3

          The teams played the past two years, Macon County winning 42-14 and 56-6. The Bulldogs have given up 117 points so far, only 19 points less than all of last year. Macon County’s Marlon Mitchell is among the top 20 rushers in all classes with 596 rushing yards, second best in Central Georgia.

Riverside Military, GIAA AAA/0-3, at GMC Prep, 0-4

          RMA leads the series 17-11-3, but the Bulldogs won 26-6 last year to break a three-game losing streak. GMC’s 10-0 regular season in 2021 is a distant memory, the Bulldogs having outscored last season’s first four opponents 142-14, and managing only 47 points so far this season.

West Laurens, 0-3, at No. 4T Bleckley County, 3-0

          The Royals are pretty balanced with 51 pass attempts and 89 rushes, passing for 143.7 yards a game and running for 191.3. Jahvon Butler averages 107.3 yards on the ground, and Eli Mullis is completing 52.9 percent, but with as many interceptions as touchdowns. The Raiders have only 334 yards in total offense, and are coming off being shutout in two straight games. The Royals have won two straight in the series, 21-14 and 27-19, breaking a six-game losing streak against the Raiders.

GIAA

Class AAA

FPD, 1-2, at Pinewood Christian, 1-2

          FPD gave GHSA AA Laney plenty of trouble in the Vikings’ first road game of the year, losing 26-14. The second road game of the year is a little more friendly, the Patriots having lost two straight, albeit to GHSA Class 3A Savannah Country Day 28-6 and Class AA Vidalia 56-16. They were off last week. Pinewood Christian head coach Keith Wasson is 128-80-1 in his 19th season at the school. FPD leads the series 8-3.

Frederica, 1-2, at John Milledge, 3-0

          The losing team has been shutout in the last three meetings: 48-0 in 2018, 50-0 in 2019 and 49-0 in 2020. The first and last in that list were championship games, the teams splitting, JMA taking the middle one in 2019.

Mount de Sales, 2-1, at Westfield, 2-2

          The Hornets can score points, and are averaging 39 a game, led by QB Hunter Kirkley. He has scored rushing 14 touchdowns, and thrown for four more while combining for 316 yards a game in total offense. Ryan Powers has 308 yards and three scores on 11 catches. The Cavs were smacked 38-0 at St. Anne-Pacelli in their first game without QB/LB Fernando Washington.

St. Anne-Pacelli, 3-1, at Stratford, 3-0

          The Eagles are at home for a quality non-district showdown, the teams meeting for the first time. Keondre Glover has 355 yards and six touchdowns rushing, with three touchdowns each from James Groves and Shaun Wilmore. Kjell Stevenson gets six tackles a game. Four Vikings runners have between 149 and 334 yards, Pacelli rushing for 15 touchdowns.

Tattnall, 2-2, at Mount Vernon, GHSA A/2-1

          The Trojans keep on with the big tests against GHSA competition. Tattnall averages 156.3 rushing yards and 146.3 passing yards, with Brayden Smith accounting for plenty of receiving and special teams yards. Reggie Troutman leads the defense with eight tackles a game. Mount Vernon passes for 211 yards and runs for 109 a game.

Class AA/A

Gatewood, 2-1, at Briarwood, 1-2

          Gatewood gave up 35 points in the game before playing Briarwood last year, and won 28-13. Of course, that 35 came from John Milledge. The Gators lost a heartbreaker last week, 35-33 to Southland. Briarwood leads the series 20-17, with Gatewood winning the last five.

Piedmont, 0-3, at Edmund Burke, 2-0

          Edmund Burke leads the series 7-4, but has won two straight, though the teams haven’t played since 2013.

Trinity Christian, 1-3, at Creekside Christian, GAPPS/1-3

          The Crusaders are hoping for a step-up defensive performance, considering they’re averaging 37.5 points on offense. Creekside has been outscored 103-12 in three games, the win coming by forfeit.

Fullington, 2-1, at Lakeside, Fla.

          The Trojans are getting 34 points a game and giving up 21.

Class AA

ACE Charter, 3-0, at Jordan, 0-2

          Jordan has to tangle with RB Aaron Davis, eighth in the state with 553 yards, eight touchdowns in the Region 2 opener. The Red Jackets have been outscored 113-0 in losses to 3A Columbus and A-II Mount Zion-Carroll, and are on a 17-game losing streak. They haven’t had a non-losing season since 5-5-1 in 1996.

Baldwin, 4A/0-3 at Washington County, 0-2

          Neither team is all that used to winless starts after a few games, moreso by being handled so much through a few games. Baldwin is getting outscored by 26 points a game with two running clocks. When Washington County started 0-2 in 2015, the losses were to 4A teams Thomson 49-42 and Mary Persons 38-14. The Golden Hawks lead the series 22-19-2, and Baldwin’s 34-28 win in 2017 is the lone W in the last six meetings.

3A/No. 2T Carver-Columbus, 2-0, at No. 13T Northeast, 0-2

          Jamari Riley has 308 rushing yards in two games for Carver, under new head coach Pierre Coffey. The Tigers have made the postseason every year since 2006, a streak started under then-head coach and current UGA assistant Dell McGee. That run included at least the quarterfinals from 2006-2013. Northeast’s hopes for an upset decrease if the Raiders’ only offensive threat is underrated and powerful sophomore RB Nick Woodford.

Central, 0-2, at No. 15 Worth County, 3-0

          The Chargers have a task to avoid another 0-3 start, on the road against a team off to its best start since 1999. The Region 1 Rams thumped Upson-Lee 56-33 last week while Central lost 56-19 to Howard.

Dodge County, 1-1 at A-I/No. 3 Swainsboro A-I/3-0

          The Indians got a timely – and convincing – win over Washington County last week, 43-21, despite giving up 263 passing and 153 rushing yards. Here’s another test before the start of region play, and Swainsboro is a huge test, outscoring its last two opponents (Washington County and Jeff Davis) 89-0. Dodge County, though, has won the last four meetings, with two straight shutouts (albeit seven years between them). Dodge County won 35-0 last year.

Class A

No.5 Bleckley County, 2-0 at A-II/No. 5 Schley County, 1-1

          QB Eli Mullis is off to a bit of a sluggish start, at 50 percent with four scores and a pick, but that’ll change as young receivers get more experience. The Royals have running threats in Jahvon Butler and TJ Mays, teaming for five rushing TDs. The Royals’ D will get work against a good passing team.

Central, Talbotton, 0-2, at Twiggs County, 1-1

          The Cobras had a spring in their step during the week after hammering GSIC 61-0.

ECI, 1-1, at Dublin, 1-1

          A pair of perennial small-school playoff teams and regular state contenders should put forth quite a slobberknocker at the Shamrock Bowl. Dublin has had five trips to at least the semifinals since Roger Holmes showed up in 2002, and ECI has done the same six times. Both have two state titles, ECI with nine 10-win seasons and Dublin with 10 in that stretch. As even as the programs are and as close together as they are – less than an hour apart – they’ve only played twice since 1955, in 2018-19, Dublin winning 21-0 and 42-7 to extend the series lead to 9-0-1.

East Laurens, 0-2 at Richmond Academy, 3A/2-1

          The Falcons have scored only 14 points in two games and the Musketeers are giving up 9.7 a game. East Laurens is looking for its first win over a higher-classification team since topping 4A Howard 40-6 in 2012. Richmond was a 5A team until 2016, and then 4A until 2020.

GMC Prep, 0-3, at Washington-Wilkes, 2-0

          A year ago at this point, GMC was 3-0 and had outscored a 3A, A, and AA team 122-14. This year, opponents have outscored the Bulldogs 98-45, and GMC will have to battle for a third straight winning season for the first time since 1999-2001. The struggling start comes right after a historic 10-1 season in which GMC gave up only 76 points. W-W went 9-3 last year.

Manchester, 1-1, at No. 8 Lamar County, 3-0

          Now it’s Manchester’s turn to get a go at CJ Allen, among the state’s top two-way players, a major prospect at linebacker who’s also 26th in the state with 429 rushing yards in three games.

Marion County, 0-2, at Hawkinsville, 0-3

          Marion County was stung last week with a 21-14 loss at GIAA Southland, for a second straight 0-2 start, after going 11-3 in 2019. The Red Devils are losing by only 6.7 points a game, and could very easily be 2-1.

AA/No. 11 Putnam County, 1-1 at Jasper County, 1-2

          The War Eagles are off a quality effort in a loss to AAA Oconee County, and have beaten their neighbors to the west three straight times, by 49-0 and 69-0 after 24-21 for a 35-27-1 lead in the series. It’s the second-longest series for Jasper County and longest for Putnam County.

Wilkinson County, 1-1, at Greene County, 2-1

          Wilkinson County raised eyebrows with a 53-13 win at Crawford County, arguable the Warriors best game in more than a half-dozen years. Now they’re going for the second two-game win streak since the end of the 2017 year. Which was capped with a 53-27 win over Greene County.

GIAA

Class AAA

GHSA A-II/No. 4 Bowdon, 2-1, at Tattnall, 2-1

          The Trojans will try to slow down RB Robert McNeal, among the top 40 rushers in the state with 127.7 yards a game. But Bowden has to deal with Brayden Smith, among Central Georgia’s top playmakers in all phases. He has more return yardage than most backs have rushing yards.

FPD, 1-1, at Laney, GHSA AA/2-0

          The Wildcats have a win over a AA team from South Carolina and 3A Hephzibah, after a 6-5 season that followed 1-8. FPD had some hiccups in losing 34-28 in overtime at home to Brookstone.

George Walton, 1-2, at John Milledge, 2-0

          George Walton has beaten John Milledge six straight times, and leads the series 13-5-1. Of course, the teams haven’t played since 2009, amid JMA’s 0-10 season and before alum JT Wall took over in 2011 to start the Trojans current run, which includes three straight state titles and the active winning streak of 38 straight games.

Mount de Sales, 2-0, at St. Anne-Pacelli, 2-1

          Pacelli’s loss is 27-23 to Tattnall, which scored in the final minute to win. The Cavs have knocked off Strong Rock and Brentwood in a pair of taking-care-of-business wins. Pacelli handled the Cavs 37-3 in the GHSA Class A Private playoffs in 2020, three years after Mount de Sales won 57-6. The Cavs go without QB/RB/LB Fernando Washington, among the GIAA’s top players, who is now at ACE.

Stratford, 2-0, at Brookwood, 2-1

          Brookwood has to deal with RB standouts Keondre Glover (12-188/2) and Shaun Wilmore (14-102/3). Kjell Stevenson leads the Eagles with 12 tackles, 3 for loss. Brookwood QB Rodge Waldrop already has 734 yards and 10 touchdown passes.

Westfield, 1-2, at Tiftarea, 0-3

          Westfield QB Hunter Kirkley has 427 rushing yards in three games, tied for 28th, and has run for 8 TDs while throwing for 457 yards (63rd in state) and three scores . Tiftarea is a competitive 0-3 team, having lost its last two – to Frederica and Central Fellowship – by seven and four points, storming back against CFCA. Head coach Erik Soliday has coached at Turner County (twice), Henry County, Americus, Perry, and Americus-Sumter, his head coaching career starting in 1989.

Class AA/A

Augusta Prep, 0-2, at Piedmont, 0-2

          Both teams are off close losses, Augusta Prep 33-26 to Gatewood and Piedmont 27-14 to Terrell. Piedmont hasn’t been 0-3 since 2017.

Brentwood, 1-2, at Thomas Jefferson, 2-0

          The War Eagles could easily by 2-1, and showed why with last weeks’ 27-16 win over GHSA Class A GMC when they ran for 265 yards on 50 rushes and held the Bulldogs to 165 yards total offense. Thomas Jefferson is a Class AA program that last year played in the Class A playoffs and won the state title. The lone loss? To Brentwood, 41-20 in mid-September.

Bulloch, 1-1, at Trinity Christian, 1-2

          Bulloch started 1-1 two years ago, and finished 7-3. TCS has to pick up the defense, which is giving up 42 points a game, at least 35 points in all three games.

Crawford County GHSA A/0-3, at Central Fellowship, 3-0

          The Eagles had some optimism entering the season, and even after a 70-53 opening loss at ACE, but they’ve struggled, and are off a particularly surprising 53-13 home loss to Wilkinson County. CFCA had a big lead last week over Tiftarea and had to hold on to win.

Southland, 2-1, at Gatewood, 2-0

          Southland has wins over two GHSA teams, Taylor County and Marion County, before being thumped by Westfield. Gatewood started off 2-1 last year and 3-0 the year before. The Gators lost this meeting 14-13 on the road last year after winning 16-7 a year before.