By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

Last week: 28-5, 84.6 percent
The season: 243-69, 77.9 percent
Within 7: 11, 76 for the season
Upsets/perfect spread: Upset special: Correct on Perry over Benedictine, Baldwin over Westside-Augusta; Perfect spreads: Ware County by 3, won 24-21;
Maximum spread prediction of 39 points

Rankings are from the Georgia High School Football Daily composite polls

Games of the week

No. 6 Perry, 7-2, 4-0, at No. 12 Warner Robins, 6-3/2-2
Hopes that this would be for the region championship were dashed a couple weeks ago, but it’s still huge: the county championship. Sorta. And momentum entering the playoffs is huge. It’s no rivalry – they haven’t played since 1965 – but it may feel like one, since who doesn’t want to beat the defending state champs to end the regular season? The guess here is the spring in the visitors’ step will be a little stronger, especially if they outdraw/outyell the home team.
TSR pick: Perry by 13

Baldwin, 4-3/4-1, at Howard, 4-3/3-2, Thursday
Howard won’t run the 3-game table left to get an automatic spot, and in a must-win mode to have a shot at one of the few at-larges, and Baldwin. Both teams struggle with discipline and consistency and penalties and composure. Both teams, under first-year head coaches, have talent. Whoever worries more about fundamental football and winning and less about everything else wins, making it all but a coin flip.
TSR pick: Baldwin by 9

No. 5 LaGrange, 7-1/6-1, at Upson-Lee, 6-3/5-2
The Knights have found some consistency with a four-game winning streak, two close games followed by two blowouts. And they have a chance at second place and a rare home game, needing a rare win over a ranked team in the same – or bigger – class. Should be – should be – a pretty full home side at Matthews for a big game and a good game.
TSR pick: LaGrange by 18

CENTRAL GEORGIA’S BEST HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COVERAGE

This week
* Central Georgia rankings
* The GHSA and GIAA football playoffs are here, and almost here. Breaking things down, it's complicated
* Monday Morning Quarterback: Georgia-Florida week? Really?; CFP sermon; area HS stat stuff; Loughdmouthings: Good games, Falcons, hotseats, HS players, new coaches/old coaches …
* Macon Touchdown Club players of the week

Last week
* Roundup, Houston County battles TCC; Perry bows up again; Northeast, Woodford pop Dodge County; Baldwin O sharp; Mary Persons stuns No. 1; FPD wins region in OT thriller
* Scouting Reports: This week’s GHSA and GIAA games
* Maxwell Predictions
* Who’s going to win this week’s games?
* Central Georgia state composite rankings
* Central Georgia’s rankings
* Macon Touchdown Club players of the week
* Monday Morning QB: A really good - not epic - win in Austin, with silliness; weekly CFB playoff sermon; Loughdmouthings: Dumb Ho orn (this week) fans, really good HS slate, Falcons are fine, but …
* The schedule

Two weeks ago
* Roundup: Perry gets the ‘upset’, HoCo blanked, Baldwin wins on the road; big nights for Upson-Lee, West Laurens, Dublin, Northeast, Stratford, Brentwood; Jasper County gets 3-OT W
* Scouting Reports: This week’s GHSA and GIAA games, coming Friday
* Maxwell Predictions
* Who’s going to win this week’s games
* Central Georgia state composite rankings
* A breakdown of the playoff pictures, the power ratings for A-AAA and others
* Central Georgia rankings
* Monday Morning Quarterback: Which Nation is the most absurd this week?; HS stat stuff, playoffs sermon; Loughdmouthings galore: stats, QB shoving, tackling, Falcons,and Jerry’s happy-for-us birthday
* Macon Touchdown Club players of the week

West Laurens, 7-1/5-1, at Westside-Augusta, 6-2/4-2
The Raiders have made a remarkable jump this year after going 3-17 the last two seasons, and they’ve been surprisingly consistent. Westside was atop the region p a very rare spot for the Patriots – and has lost two straight.
TSR pick: West Laurens by 11

No. 2 Dublin, 9-0/8-0, at No. 8 Dodge County, 8-1/7-1
No doubt the last thing Dublin wanted to see was Dodge County get handled and humbled by Northeast, because teams tend to refocus and regroup – and adjust - in a big way after such a game. The Raiders gave the Indians a little scouting report in the 17-7 loss to Dublin. A big crowd should be on hand for what should be a four-quarter slobberknocker.
TSR pick: Dublin by 11 (Upset watch)

Jasper County, 6-2/3-1 at Lamar County, 7-2/4-1
One team is used to these kinds of games, playing for a region title and hosting a hungry opponent. The other isn’t used to any of it. Can Jasper County handle a stage the program hasn’t been on in decades, since the current head coach was playing at Valdosta High.
TSR pick: Jasper County by 4 (Upset special)

Macon County, 5-4/4-1, at Taylor County, 7-2/4-1
The Bulldogs have owned the series for a decade, but the Vikings have a better record. Both, though, are in the hunt for a region title, and that’s a place Macon County is more used to being.
TSR pick: Macon County by 4

The schedule

Class 5A
No. 9 Houston County, 6-3/2-2, at No. 2 Lee County, 9-0/4-0
TSR pick: Lee County by 20

Northside, 2-7/0-4, at Veterans, 0-9/0-4
TSR pick: Northside by 12

Class 4A
Jones County, 7-2/6-2, at Locust Grove, 3-5/3-4
TSR pick: Jones County by 20

Class 3A
Mary Persons, 2-7/2-5, at Whitewater, 4-5/4-3
TSR pick: Mary Persons by 4 (Upset special 1)

No. 1 Peach County, 8-1/4-0, at Monroe, 3-6/2-2
TSR pick: Peach County by 31

🏈 Teams: Please email game information – stats (offense and defense), names, big plays, etc. – to centralgasports@gmail.com by 2 a.m. Saturday morning to be in Central Georgia’s most comprehensive game-night coverage - the most names and stats and details - for the first roundup, and by 10:30 a.m. Saturday to be added.

Class AA
Pike County, 4-5/0-4, at Rutland, 0-9/0-4
TSR pick: Pike County by 17

Westside, 4-5/2-2, at Jackson, 4-5/2-2
TSR pick: Westside by 11

Class A/Division I
Bleckley County, 2-6/1-6, at Central 0-8/0-7, Thursday
TSR pick: Bleckley County by 29

Jefferson County, 0-7/0-6, at Southwest, 2-6/2-5
TSR pick: Southwest by 23

No. 5 Northeast. 7-2/7-1, at East Laurens, 2-6/2-5
TSR pick: Northeast by 25

Washington County, 5-4/5-3, at ACE Charter, 6-3/5-3
TSR pick: ACE by 10

Class A/Division II
Chattahoochee County, 3-6/1-4, at Crawford County, 3-5/0-4
TSR pick: Crawford County by 9

GMC Prep, 0-8/0-3, at Johnson County, 6-2/3-0
TSR pick: Johnson County by 32

Hancock Central, 4-5/2-2, at Glascock County, 2-6/1-2
TSR pick: Hancock Central by 16

Hawkinsville, 6-3/3-2, at Dooly County, 0-8/0-4
TSR pick: Hawkinsville by 24

Twiggs County, 2-6/1-2, at Wilkinson County, 5-4/3-1
TSR pick: Wilkinson County by 26

GIAA
Friday

Class AAAA playoff
10. Mount de Sales, 3-7, at 7 St. Anne-Pacelli, 4-5
TSR pick: St. Anne-Pacelli by 11
Class AA (regular season)
Thomas Jefferson, 1-8/1-3, at Gatewood, 3-5, 0-3
TSR pick: Gatewood by 29