Last week
18-8, 69.2 percent
This season
34-17, 66.7 percent
Within 7 points of margin
3, 10 for the season
Upset specials
0-2

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          One more week of this sub-70 percent garbage, and somebody will have to spend more time in the film room.

          The goings on with transfer QB Judd Anderson make picking the Northside-Warner Robins game a little more difficult. There may be issues, there may be nothing.

          Northside hasn’t dazzled much in two grind-it-out wins, but this does feel like a different Eagles group. Different enough?

          This should be a week to improve the percentage, because there aren’t many coin-flip or one-possession games.

          Can Perry get back up a bit without a full stadium? Herb St. John should still have plenty of folks to watch the Panthers take on a 5A team, as well as show appreciation for last week’s show.

          As important as anything this week is kickoff weather: under 80 degrees, cloudy, no rain.

          Hallelujah.

Games of the Week

Class 5A

No. 9/6A Northside, 2-0, at No. 3 Warner Robins, 0-1
          This pick is open to change, but no later than lunchtime Friday, amid the transfer of Jones County’s Judd Anderson, and some health. Northside has been decent-to-solid in two wins over teams we don’t know much about right now, and Warner Robins maybe should’ve beaten Lee County, but then had a week off. The Eagles were outgained by 43/78 yards (depending on what stats you believe) by struggling Peach County, and will have to be much better against a rested Demons team that appears to be picking up where they left off, even with a new staff. The Demons may have been better against Lee County than the Eagles have been in their two games, but Northside does seem to be stronger and steadier than in the past few years.
TSR pick: Warner Robins by 5

Class 4A
No. 11/5A Jones County, 1-1, at No. 5 Perry, 0-1
         Perry has to avoid a letdown. Jones County has to avoid the distractions of a quarterback shuffle that led to a quarterback departure. Perry is much easier to figure out than Jones County is.
TSR pick: Perry by 23 

Class AA
No. 9 Northeast, 0-1, at No. 1 Fitzgerald, 2-0
          Determining what Northeast might be from the opener against Mary Persons is tough. The Raiders had conditioning issues and loads of cramps, communication issues getting plays in, passing game issues affected by the cramps, and enough mental mistake to last a few games. And then they were off. That doesn’t really bode all that well, since how well they’ve cleaned things up is a mystery. Fitzgerald eats it up when opponents have mysteries.
TSR pick: Fitzgerald by 22

No. 9 Baldwin, 2-0, at No. 1/5A Ware County, 2-0
          The Braves are another enigma. The Gators are not an enigma. But Ware County – players, not coaches – have to battle overconfidence, because Baldwin comes in without a win or performance that will really worry the Gators – players, not coaches. Baldwin might work on some things to prepare for region play, because they’ll have to play an absolutely astounding game to win.     
TSR pick: Ware County by 25

Class A
Lamar County, 1-1, at No. 7 Dublin, 1-0
          The Irish started resting for this one early in the season opener, and then had last week off. The Trojans, meanwhile, were stunned by Upson-Lee by 31 at home. It’d be a surprise to see Lamar County knocked out so early, but then again, Dublin may be better than Upson-Lee right now. And the Irish are at home, where they’ll pull away.
TSR pick: Dublin by 25

The Schedule
Class 6A
West Laurens, 0-1, at No. 3 Houston County, 2-0
TSR pick: Houston County by 34
Class 4A
Westside, 2-0, at Morrow, 1-1
TSR pick: Westside by 20
Class 3A
Mary Persons, 1-1, at Trinity Christian-Sharpsburg, 1-1
TSR pick: Trinity Christian by 17
Worth County, 1-1, at Upson-Lee, 2-0
TSR pick: Upson-Lee by 14

Class AA
ACE, 2-0, at Pataula Charter, 2-0
TSR pick: ACE by 33
Dodge County, 2-0, at Washington County, 0-1
TSR pick: Dodge County by 12
Pike County, 0-2, at Southwest, 0-2
TSR pick: Southwest by 13
Putnam County, 0-1, at Oconee County, 0-2
TSR pick: Oconee County by 8

Class A
Claxton, 0-2, at Hawkinsville, 1-1
TSR pick: Hawkinsville by 2
Crawford County, 0-2, at Wilkinson County, 0-1
TSR pick: Crawford County by 7
Dooly County, 0-2, at No. 4 Macon County, 2-0
TSR pick: Macon County by 26
East Laurens, 1-0, at Jenkins County, 2-0
TSR pick: Jenkins County by 17
Greene County, 2-0, at Hancock Central, 1-1
TSR pick: Greene County by 12
Morgan County, 1-1, at Jasper County, 2-0
TSR pick: Jasper County by 3
Taylor County, 1-1, at Montgomery County, 0-1
TSR pick: Montgomery County by 11

GIAA
Class AAA
FPD, 0-1, at Brookstone, 0-1
TSR pick: Brookstone by 5
Southland, 1-1, at Westfield, 1-1
TSR pick: Westfield by 17
Stratford, 1-0, at Riverside Military, 0-1
TSR pick: Stratford by 36
Athens Christian, 0-1 at Tattnall, 0-2
TSR pick: Tattnall by 19

Class AA
Augusta Prep, 0-1, at Gatewood, 1-1
TSR pick: Gatewood by 22
GMC Prep, 0-2, at Brentwood, 1-1
TSR pick: Brentwood by 17
Central Fellowship, 1-0, at Tiftarea, 0-2
TSR pick: CFCA by 25
Trinity Christian, 0-2, at Edmund Burke, 1-0
TSR pick: Edmund Burke by 19