By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

Classification listed first if games pit games of different classes. Rankings are from Georgia High School Football Daily composite polls

Class 5A

Northside, 2-3, at No. 8 Houston County, 5-1/1-0
          The Bears are 10-1 against county rivals since Jeremy Edwards took over, and Houston County is 5-4 against Northside since breaking a 17-game losing streak to the Eagles. The Bears won 42-14 last year.

Veterans, 0-6/0-1, at No. 4 Thomas County Central, 5-1/0-1
          Veterans’ timing could be better. Thomas County Central’s 35-23 loss last week to Lee County to open region play was its first since the 2022 quarterfinal. Head coach Justin Rogers fell to 32-2 at TCC with the loss. The Yellow Jackets won 52-0 last year.

Class 4A

No. 2 Benedictine, 3-2, at No. 6 Warner Robins, 5-1/1-0
          The last time Warner Robins was off to a 5-1 start or better was 6-0 in 2021 en route to the state championship. The last time Benedictine was off to a 3-2 start was in 2022 en route to the state championship. In the last decade, Warner Robins has been in six championship games (and won two) and Benedictine in four (and won all four). Danny Britt is 149-31 in his 14th season for a program  that has had only five head coaches since 1970 (eight for Warner Robins). The Demons won the only meeting, 31-6 in 1979. Benedictine’s defense has several playmakers to deal with.

🏈 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.

Coaches and team officials can email or text some basic game details by 2 a.m.

McDonough, 0-5, 0-4, at Jones County, 4-2/3-2
          The Warhawks have lost by an average of 27 points a game, going backwards after the 36-35 loss to North Clayton in the season opener. The Greyhounds start a run against four opponents with only one at .500 or better.

No. 11T Perry, 4-2/1-0, at Wayne County, 0-6/0-1; moved to Perry, Monday, Oct. 7, 6 p.m.
          A week after scoring 80 points, Perry plays a team that has scored 20 points all year, and no touchdowns since Aug. 23rd’s 49-7 loss to Brunswick. Ahmad Gordon ran for 186 and 3 TDs on 15 carries last week, while junior Decorrion Daniels ran for 51, had 95 yards in receptions, and ran a kickoff back 97 yards for a score.

Class AAA

Mary Persons, 0-5/0-3, at Trinity Christian, 1-4/0-5
          These records are mighty rare for both teams, albeit the Bulldogs because of forfeits for using an ineligible player. Trinity Christian is trying to avoid its first losing season since 2016, only its third since starting in 2011. Mary Persons won 23-20 last year.

No. 2 Peach County, 5-1/1-0, at Dougherty, 2-4/0-1
          The Trojans have vaulted to the top 5 in AAA after going 4-7 last year, and are in a region with no other Central Georgia teams, which hasn’t happened in awhile. Dougherty is 6-10 since going 19-6 in 2021-22. The teams haven’t played since 2009, when Peach County won its fourth straight, 41-13, to take a 4-3 lead in the series.

No. 17 Troup, 3-2/2-1, at Upson-Lee, 3-3/2-2
          Can the Knights follow up last week’s emotional and exhausting three-overtime win over Mary Persons with another clutch performance? Troup topped Mary Persons 24-17 three weeks ago. Junior Malachi Character is a doesn’t-come-off-the-field beast at RB (72.5 ypg, 5 TDs) and LB (11.7 tackles per game).

CENTRAL GEORGIA’S BEST HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COVERAGE

This week
* Roundup, coming Saturday morning
*Thursday’s roundup
* Maxwell Predictions
* Who’s going to win this week’s games
* Central Georgia state composite rankings
* Central Georgia rankings
* Monday Morning Quarterback: Notes, reviews, Loughdmouthings
* Macon Touchdown Club players of the week

Last week
* Saturday roundup
* Saturday scouting reports
* Friday roundup
* 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 rankings
* Monday Morning Quarterback: Two good weeks of football for Atlanta? Loughdmoutings galore (the wit, the wisdom, the sarcasm)
* Macon Touchdown Club players of the week

Two weeks ago
* Roundup: No trouble for Warner Robins, Peach County, Northeast, Southwest, Dublin, Jasper County, others; Thriller wins for Washington County,Putnam County, FPD; Howard, Westside with surprises
* 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
* What do the Central Georgia area rankings look like?
* Monday Morning Quarterback: Another black and blue battle in Lexington; Loughdmouthings: Falcons, silly second-guessing, county records …
* Macon Touchdown Club players of the week

Class AA

Rutland, 0-6/0-1, at No. 2 Morgan County, 6-0/1-0
          Morgan County struggled all game last week to get past Westside. The Bulldogs have won nine of their last 10 regular-season home games. The Hurricanes are in an offensive run, scoring 14 points in the last three games.

Class A/Division I

ACE Charter, 3-2/2-2, at No. 3 Dublin, 5-0/4-0
          Last week’s postponements likely hurt ACE more, since Dublin didn’t get into a physical game with the Northeast team that manhandled ACE 46-0 two weeks ago. That’s festered for the Gryphons, while the Irish prepare to face their only opponent so far with a winning record. It did give ACE extra time to work on facing Dublin’s patented and powerful Wing-T. Xavier Bostic, Willie Batts, and Micah O’Neal have teamed for 1,426 yards and 23 TDs.

No. 6 Dodge County, 6-0/5-0, at Washington County, 3-3/3-2
          The Golden Hawks are looking for their first win over a ranked team since 42-20 over Bleckley County in 202, a run of 13 games. Dodge County leads the series 7-9-1, though the Golden Hawks won 27-23 last year.

No. 9 Lamar County, 4-1/1-0, at Towers, 2-2/0-1, Saturday, 1 p.m.
          Towers took it on the chin 43-8 to Jasper County two weeks ago, while Lamar County survived McNair by three. Towers has doubled last year’s win total after going 0-9-1 in 2022, and seeks its first winning season since 2009.

McNair, 2-4/0-2, at Jasper County, 4-1/1-0
          McNair gave Lamar County plenty of trouble in a 19-14 loss, outgaining the Trojans 365-268, meaning the improving Jasper County defense will have a task. The Purple Hurricanes are giving up an average of 8.6 points a game.

Putnam County, 2-4/1-1, at Utopian Academy, 0-5/0-1
          The War Eagles have been competitive despite their record, losing by 8, 14, 7, and 7, and are likely licking their chops to face a first-year program off a 65-6 loss to Social Circle.

Class A/Division II

Crawford County, 2-3/0-2, at Marion County, 1-4/0-1
          Amid a two-game losing streak, the Eagles can’t afford a loss to Marion County, whose only win is to GIAA Southland. The teams aren’t far apart, separated by Taylor County, but have only played three times.,

Glascock County, 1-4, at GMC Prep, 0-5; ppd.; New: Twiggs County, 1-4, at GMC Prep, 0-5
          The Bulldogs have scored 13 points in the last four games, while the Cobras broke into the win column on Sept. 14 against Josey, their last game.

Taylor County, 4-1/1-0, at Schley County, 3-4/2-1
          The Wildcats are down after winning two straight region titles and going 34-8 the last three seasons with a championship trip. The Vikings are on a three-game winning streak, by 32, 30, and 22 points, eyeing their second straight 5-1 start and third since 2020. Taylor County leads the series 16-8, but Schley County has cruised in the last three wins.

Twiggs County, 1-4, at Johnson County, 3-2, ppd; New: Twiggs County at GMC Prep

Wilcox County, 3-2/1-0, at Hawkinsville, 3-1/0-1
          The Red Devils have a short week, losing 36-18 to Wheeler County on Monday. Wilcox County is on a three-game winning streak, idle last week (Telfair County). The Patriots have won seven straight in the series and lead 26-17, by at least 23 points in the last six meetings.

Wilkinson County, 2-3, at Hancock Central, 2-3
          The 5-A opener for both teams pits a pair of new head coaches. Hancock Central’s wins have been by 66 and 70 points, the losses by 26, 4, and 30. The Warriors have lost three straight, falling 51-14 to ACE on Sept. 13. Wilkinson County’s Quinterrion Stanford is among the top 40 in passing in the state with 1,072 yards.

GIAA

Class AAA

Piedmont, 4-1/2-1, at George Walton, 4-3/2-1
          George Walton has won three of its last four, by at least 22 points, while Piedmont has pulled off two straight one-point wins.

Stratford, 6-1/1-0, at First Presbyterian, 6-1/1-0
          The winner only has temporary bragging rights of any kind, with Stratford facing Tattnall next week and the Vikings getting the Trojans in three weeks. Stratford rebounded from an overtime loss at Brookstone by hammering John Milledge, while the Vikings have scored 47, 28, and 45 since consecutive weeks of 6-point outings. Stratford is outscoring opponents by 22.7 points to 17.6 for FPD. Stratford QB Connor Fitzpatrick is good for 175.6 yards in total offense, while FPD counters with Major Simmons and Bennett Lake. Both defenses have playmakers who will be mighty tested.

Tattnall Square, 4-1, at Mount de Sales, 3-4/0-1
          The banged-up Cavs, off a 45-3 loss to FPD, get the physical Trojans, winners of four straight and idle last week with the game against undefeated Bulloch canceled. Tattnall has won three straight in the series (it leads 36-10) by at least 28.

Westfield, 4-2, at Strong Rock, 3-4/0-1
          The Patriots are on a three-game losing streak, giving up 56 and 49 in the last two games. Westfield’s losses are by 4 and 5, both on the road. The Hornets won 39-9-9 last week over Pinewood Christian, and look to avenge last year’s 31-26 loss in Perry. Brayden Gay is 11th (MaxPreps) in the state in both associations with 1,343 yards, completing 70.9 percent of his passes.

Class AA

Edmund Burke, 5-0, at Brentwood, 5-1
          The 2023 AA champ visits the 2021 champ, the latter owning a 26-11-2 lead in the series, though Edmund Burke took a 35-6 win last year to break a five-game losing streak to the War Eagles. Edmund Burke averages 374.6 yards a game to 396 for Brentwood, which utilizes several different weapons on offense.

3A Terrell, 4-2, at Windsor, 2-4
          The Knights are trying to right the ship after four straight losses, though they made some progress in last week’s 28-20 loss to Rock Springs Christian