By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

Games of the week

No. 11/3A Peach County at No. 9 Northside
Northside overcame a 21-10 third-quarter deficit last week against Jones County by in large part being more physical. Peach County suffered its worst loss to an unranked team in Class AAAA or lower since 2005 (42-14 by Perry) by not being physical – Peach County physical - or tackling well. Northside has more balance than Baldwin did.

No. 4/6A Houston County at No. 5/4A Perry
Can this year’s meeting come close to matching last year’s? Perry led 14-0 after one, and a 28-3 lead was cut to 28-17 at halftime. The Bears won the third quarter 19-14, but trailed 56-49, got the ball back after a defensive stand, converted a third and long, and got a game-tying TD pass from AJ Hill to Ricky Johnson – both are back – with 10 seconds left. A fake one way to Amir Thomas and pitch to Ryan Taleb, who then passed to Johnson for the game-winning conversion put Houston County on top, stunning both sides. Anything approaching last year is highly unlikely, mainly because Perry has few defensive regulars back and Houston County has almost all of its offense back. Perry returns some offensive weapons and added Peach County QB Colter Ginn.

No. 10/AA Putnam County at Baldwin
Baldwin entered this meeting last year off a 50-20 loss at home to Peach County, and didn’t play well in losing 23-14, the War Eagles riding a freshman quarterback and the Braves still struggling on offense. Putnam County lost some playmakers, and has to slow down big-time RB Micah Welch to pull of another upset.

The schedule

Class 6A

Griffin at Veterans
The Warhawks are going for their fourth 2-0 start, all since 2018, and hope to at least match last year’s 49-31 win.

Class 5A

Dacula at No. 11 Jones County
The Greyhounds are hoping to avoid their first 0-2 start since 2020. Of course, that was a COVID year and the first two teams were Grayson and North Gwinnett, top-5 teams

Class 4A

Howard 56, Central 0, Thursday

Dodge County at West Laurens
Dodge County leads the series against its neighbor 20-7, holding on 14-12 last year. The Indians are likely itching to go after losing 10-7 in overtime to Bleckley County, despite Duke Johnson’s defensive efforts: 11 tackles, two for loss, and a sack.

Southwest at Westside, Ed DeFore, 6 p.m.
Southwest lost 42-6 last week to Howard, which beat Central 56-0 on Thursday, a week after Westside won 56-0 over Central in a game called early in the fourth quarter because of a number of fights in the Westside stands.

Class 3A

Mary Persons at Spalding
The Bulldogs pulled out a win last week despite not completing a pass. Spalding thumped 5A Eagle’s Landing 41-14, and looks to improve to 2-10 against Mary Persons and break a five-game losing streak.

Class AA

GMC Prep at ACE
GMC has major trouble with Wheeler County, and now gets a a team that all but split 400 yards in total offense while recording its fourth shutout in program history, and third in two years.

Hawkinsville at Rutland, Saturday, 6 p.m., Ed DeFore
Hawkinsville, which was the victim in breaking Rutland’s long losing streak to open the 2019 season, has a new coach, as does Rutland. The Hurricanes are eyeing their third 2-0 start all-time, and second straight. Marquies Lattner ran for 113 yards and a score in last week’s 20-6 win at Towers.

Washington County at No. 2/A-I Swainsboro
Swainsboro opened the Robert Edwards era at WACO with a 42-0 win, in Sandersville, part of the Golden Hawks’ 1-5 start. The series is tied at 19.

Class A

No. 2/II Clinch County at No. 9/II Macon County
Sloppy Macon County play led to last year’s 24-20 loss, its first to Clinch County. The Bulldogs are more balanced this year than last year, but face a quality offense.

Crawford County at Taylor County
The neighbors have played 37 times, Taylor County owning a 29-8 record and a 10-game winning streak, only three games decided by 14 points or less.

Harlem at Hancock Central
The hosts lead the series 19-8, but have lost two of the last three, getting shutout in both games.

Pike County at Jasper County
The Purple Hurricanes’ 18-6 win last year broke a four-game losing streak in the series. Class AAA. Pike County is on a seven-game losing streak overall and will try to slow down Chevy Sands and Jalen Stewart on the ground. Jasper County hasn’t been 2-0 since 1999.

Twiggs County at Portal
The Panthers rebounded from a winless season to go 4-6 last year, including a 47-0 win over Twiggs County, which hasn’t won a season opener since 24-17 over Toombs County in 2016.

Upson-Lee at No. 9/I Lamar County
Upson-Lee has lost 34 straight games to teams ranked, regardless of classification, dating back to a 12-3 win over No. 8/4 Griffin in 2007.

Wilcox County at No. 6/I Bleckley County

The Royals pulled out the OT win on Ford Childers’ field goal last week while Wilcox County was hammered 47-12 at No. 9 Lamar County. The Royals have won two straight, and trail in the series 5-4, winning 46-14 last year when both teams were ranked.

GIAA
Class AAA
Brentwood at Mount de Sales
The Cavs lead the seris 17-4, and have won nine straight, dating back to 1994.

Canton (Miss.) vs. John Milledge, Saturday, 6 p.m., at Brookstone
Some of the names have changed for John Milledge, but that’s about it. The 43-3 win over Brentwood last week was the eight win of the last nine over the War Eagles by at least 30 points. JMA beat Lamar, Miss. 48-7 last year.

Parklane (Miss.) at FPD, Saturday, 7 p.m.
FPD is reportedly to be shorthanded at the quarterback position, but the Vikings have had time to prepare for a team that has a long road trip.

Tattnall at St. Anne-Pacelli
The Trojans took GHSA Class A/II’s No. 1 to the end last year, and lost 28-21 to Schley County, which loaded up for a 61-20 win last week. Pacelli, the defending 4A champs, lost 27-23 to Tattnall last year.

Westfield at Stratford
The Hornets and the new coaching staff under Chad Campbell pulled out a huge debut win last week, topping Deerfield-Windsor in overtime. Stratford head coach Chance Jones is 1-0 against his alma mater, with the 39-17 win last year.

Class AA
Gatewood at Trinity Christian
Gatewood has won six straight in the series, scoring least 40 in each win.

Terrell at Piedmont
Piedmont will try to avenge a loss from last year for the second straight week, and go 2-0 for the first time since 2020.

8-man
Covenant at Crisp
John Hancock at Nat Greene
Windsor at Calhoun County