By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

           Confidence?

          The season before games are played is the season of confidence, and that was the case on occasion Thursday night at a football media gathering of Bibb County public high schools at the district’s Professional Learning Center on Riverside Drive.

          The goals for Howard’s Nate Campbell was simple.

          “To play some games in November, and win those games.”

          Big Northeast tackle Malachi Hancock went a little further.

          “To win region, go all the way (in) state, go 15-0 this year. We’re gonna go 15-0 and win the state title.

          Rutland’s Marquis Lattner skipped right past goals.

          “We’re making the playoffs.”

          That’s not, moderator Jeremy Timmerman noted, a prediction, that’s a guarantee. Lattner backpedaled, but only a little.

          “A prediction.”

          Southwest head coach Joe Dupree liked the mindset, so he stuck with it.

          “It’s been four or five years (since making the playoffs). We will be making the playoffs this year as well. … We’re making the playoffs this year.”

          The first test of the confidence comes next week with scrimmages.

          Half of the teams open the season on Thursday, August 17, with Rutland at Towers, and Howard taking on Southwest. Westside and Central battle each other a day later, with Northeast going against Mary Persons that Saturday at Mercer as part of the Macon Touchdown Club Middle Georgia Kickoff Classic.

          New head coaches Jarrett Laws at Central and Anthony Williams at Rutland were introduced. Central was only 3-8, but made the playoffs, while Rutland went 5-5 and missed out, both part of Region 2-AA.

          Rutland is on its fourth head coach since 2018, battling to break through for its first postseason trip since 2013, and third since the program started in 2003.

          The county’s public schools are looking to build on last year, which was in some ways above average.

          Three of the six managed non-losing seasons, and the six went 32-32 overall. Two went to the playoffs, Central squeaking in amid a weak Class AA region, the Chargers and Westside losing in the first round by a combined 58-14.

          Howard head coach Paul Carroll had one player in 2022 who had been with the program a full four years. He starts this season with six who hope to help the Huskies to their second straight non-losing season since 2018-19 (6-5, 5-5).

          On the other hand, the six went 1-7 against ranked opponents and were outscored 314-100 in those games. In the last five years, the county’s public schools are 10-47 against top-10 teams.

          Northeast is carrying the overall banner, the only team with three straight winning seasons, three straight years with a playoff win – first time among county public schools in two decades - and a 9-8 record against ranked teams.

          Still, Macon-Bibb hasn’t won an outright region title since 2012 (Westside), or shared one – and been seeded second for the playoffs – since the COVID year of 2020 (Northeast). And it’s been quiet in that category in between.

          But Howard has improved numbers, Southwest returns eight starters on offense and eight on defense and is likely to have its most explosive offense in a very long time, Westside returns firepower on offense and is boosted by a huge offensive line and solid secondary.

          Northeast is the first Macon-Bibb team to win at least eight games three seasons in a row since Westside from 2008-10, Robert Davis’ final year and Risper’s first two.

          Northeast appears to have everything in place to keep its streak alive and may break one or two more. One reason is the return of running back Nick Woodford, who had one of the best seasons in the state last year with 2,728 yards rushing – good for second among all rushers in all classifications, and the 14th best year in state history, according to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association website - and a staggering state-leading 40 rushing touchdowns.

          And, well, he wasn’t really in good shape, after a leg injury kept him off the field in 2021.

          “They’re going to improve, because I’m in better shape than I was last year,” Woodford said. “I don’t have to start the year trying to get in shape, during the season as well.”

He played last year at between 225 and 240 pounds, and now checks in around 195. So, if he had a record season for a Bibb County back and wasn’t in shape, how many yards can we expect in 2023?

          “How many you want?” Woodford said with a big smile, teammates almost holding their breath while he thought about it. “I would say 3,200.”

          Dupree was paying attention, when talking about a priority for 2023.

          “We’ve got to definitely be able to stop the run this year,” he said, “especially with Nick trying to get 3,200 yards.”