Last week: 27-6, 81.8 percent
This season: 130-52, 71.4 percent
Within 7 points of margin: 10, 35 for the season

By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com

          You know, being within seven points of 19.2 percent of the time isn’t too bad, either.

It will take, though, a burly level of execution to reach the stated goal of 80 percent overall for the season. Fortunately, it’s a long season, and we’re barely halfway through the regular part of it.

The challenges of a short week are not just for the teams. Who needed another practice and a half? Who won’t be quite as healthy on Thursday as Friday? Who won’t be overly stressed out by playing a day early? All are relevant in predictions, too.

Can’t figure out Warner Robins, Peach County, Northside, Jones County, among others. If Baldwin gets its act together, keep an eye on the Braves.

Games of the week

Class 6A
No. 8 Houston County, 5-0, at No. 2 Lee County, 4-1
          Is this 2016 or something? Because, well, that’s when Houston County was No. 1 and Lee County was No. 4/3, and they played in Leesburg. Trojans won 55-29. Something like that is slightly possible, especially in 2022, but highly unlikely. It’s too early to say the Bears are back. A win would change that.
TSR pick: Lee County by 4

Class 3A
No. 2 Carver-Atlanta, 3-1, at No. 6 Peach County, 3-2, 7 p.m.
          A quality AAA showdown that might give us an idea of who we’ll be watching a few weeks into the postseason. The Panthers reached the finals last year. Peach County is a little better tested at this point in 2022.
TSR pick: Peach County by 12
No. 10  Mary Persons, 4-1, at No. 1 A-I Prince Avenue Christian, 4-0, 7:30 p.m.
          The Bulldogs step out of Central Georgia with a gamble of a scheduling move, only for “marketing.” Games are scheduled to get better, and a quality effort in this game means you got better. As for now, the hosts are better.
TSR pick: Prince Avenue by 15

Class 4A
Westside, 4-0, at No. 3 Perry, 4-1/1-0
          Perry doesn’t care who the opponent is, especially after that season-opening loss. Perry 2022 may be the best team anybody in the region has faced in a little while. And it’ll keep showing. The Panthers are among the top 25 teams in the state, regardless of classification. Strength of schedule is a major difference.
TSR pick: Perry by 34

Games of note

Class 5A
No. 10 Warner Robins, 1-4/0-1, at Ola, 2-2
          Is it possible that the Demons could fall to 1-5, and put themselves in a huge region hole before October hits? Very much so. Ola had a week off after a 42-14 loss to Eastside, and the Demons haven’t had a chance to regroup since August. And they’re in must-win mode.
TSR pick: Warner Robins by 8

Class 4A
Baldwin, 1-4/0-1, at Howard, 4-1/0-1, Thompson (moved from Henderson), 7 p.m.
          The difference in the records is strength of schedule, and Baldwin has a clear edge there, having played three ranked teams (3A, AA, 5A), but the Braves are all over the place. Howard has been pretty steady, despite taking the lumps last week that Perry will be dishing out all year.
TSR pick: Howard by 4

Class A-II
Wheeler County, 3-2, at No. 8 Dooly County, 2-2
          The Bobcats came back after two weeks off and won a shootout with Turner County. Dooly County is ranked again this week, which it hadn’t been since late in the 2018 season.
TSR pick: Dooly County by 19

GIAA
Deerfield-Windsor, 4-1, at Stratford, 4-1
          These two have played 48 times. It’s a non-region game, but relevant for both teams to get some momentum with region play nearing.
TSR pick: Stratford by 18

CFCA, 5-0, at Gatewood, 2-3, 6 p.m.
          The first year back in the GIAA has been pretty fun for the Lancers, thanks in part to smart scheduling. Gatewood brings perhaps the biggest challenge so far, but the Gators are struggling.
TSR pick: CFCA by 11

The Schedule

Class 6A
Tift County, 1-4, at Northside, 3-2
TSR pick: Northside by 28

Class 5A
Jones County, 3-2/1-0, at Eagle’s Landing, 1-4/0-1, 7:30 p.m.
TSR pick: Jones County by 31

Class AA
ACE, 4-1/1-1, at Kendrick, 0-5/0-2
TSR pick: ACE by 34
No. 7 Putnam County, 4-1/2-0, at Westside-Augusta, 1-4/1-1, 7:30 p.m.
TSR pick: Putnam County by 29
Worth County, 5-0/1-0, at Dodge County, 1-4/0-1, 7 p.m.
TSR pick: Worth County by
Central, 1-4/1-1, at No. 9 Northeast, 3-2/2-0

SR pick: Northeast by 39
Southwest, 1-4/1-1, at Rutland, 3-2/1-1, Ed DeFore , 7 p.m.
TSR pick: Rutland by 17
Laney, 4-0/1-0, at Washington County, 1-4/1-1, 7:30 p.m.
TSR pick: Laney by 17

Class A
GIAA 3A Westfield, 3-2, at No. 4 Bleckley County, 5-0, 7 p.m.
TSR pick: Bleckley County by 30
East Laurens, 0-4, at Bacon County, 1-4
TSR pick: Bacon County by 20
Greenville, 1-4/1-1, at Taylor County, 2-3/1-1
TSR pick: Taylor County by 6
Hancock Central, 1-4, at Glascock County, 1-4
TSR pick: Hancock Central by 4
GMC, 1-4, at No. 4 Johnson County, 4-0, 7 p.m.
TSR pick: Johnson County by 33
Hawkinsville, 2-3, at Telfair County, 4-1, 7:30 p.m.
TSR pick: Telfair County by 28
Macon County, 1-4/1-1, at Manchester, 3-2/2-0, 7 p.m.
TSR pick: Manchester by 12
3A Pike County, 2-3, at Lamar County, AA/5-1, 7:30 p.m.
TSR pick: Lamar County by 29
Twiggs County, 2-3, at Wilkinson County, 2-2
TSR pick: Wilkinson County by 20

GIAA

GHSA A-I Commerce, 3-2, at FPD, 1-4
TSR pick: Commerce by 3
Pinewood Christian, 3-2, at John Milledge, 5-0, Monday
TSR pick: John Milledge by 33
Briarwood, 3-2, at Brentwood, 2-3, 7 p.m.
TSR pick: Brentwood by 12
Fullington A/3-2 at Trinity Christian, 2-4, 7:30 p.m.
TSR pick: Fullington by 2