By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

Rankings are from Georgia High School Football Daily final regular-season composite polls. GIAA championship scouting reports will post Saturday.

🏈 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.

GHSA

Quarterfinal

Class 5A

2/4 No. 10T Houston County, 8-4 at 7/1 No. 1 Milton, 12-0
          The Bears are the only fourth seed left in the playoffs, an impressive accomplishment in any classification. And the reward is taking a team that is the consensus best team in the state, as per a variety of national rankings. Milton has beaten Woodstock and Dutchtown by 42-7 and 41-3, while the Bears have hammered Clarke Central and Lakeside-Evans 69-48 and 63-12. Milton is the only team in Region 7 left, while everybody in Region 2 is still playing.
          The Eagles have beaten four AJC-ranked teams, by three, 14, 18, and 15, while the Bears are 1-4, losing by 10, 14, 10, and 15. Milton won the 7A title in 2023, and Houston County is looking for its first semifinal trip since 1993, the program’s third season. Milton, which opened the season with 18 starters back, is led by third-year head coach Ben Reaves Jr., 35-6 as a head coach. He’s the son of Ben Reaves, who went 32-31 in six seasons at Putnam County (2007-12).
          The Eagles face one of the state’s most prolific offenses, with QB Antwann Hill (240-369-5, 44 TDs, 65.0 percent) and WRs Isaiah Mitchell (90-1,661/19) and M.J. Mathis (59-961/11). Milton counters with two of the AJC’s Super 11 players, QB Luke Nickel (160-243-7, 31 TDs, 65.8 percent) and WR CJ Wiley (49-855/10), one of two receivers with at least 40 catches and three with 600 yards.
          Houston County has 45 sacks but only seven interceptions. Milton counters with 36 and seven. The Eagles have 2,163 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns to 1,695 and 26 for the Bears, giving them an advantage on the ground. Milton’s last loss was on Sept. 22, 2023, against unranked North Cobb, 42-27.

The Sports Report scouting report/prediction: Defense and the run game clearly favor Milton, and it usually favors the Bears’ opposition, especially in the playoffs. They lost 27-7 last year and 49-35 two years ago. There’s obviously plenty of talent and college prospects and commits, but fundamentals and patience will be keys, and that edge goes to Milton by 14.
Maxwell Ratings prediction: Milton over Houston County by 22.

Class 3A
No. 6 Calhoun, 9-3/No. 7, at No. 3 Peach County, 11-1/No. 1
          They meet again, with memories and perceptions still fresh from the legendary meeting in the 2017 championship, and controversial officiating in Calhoun’s 10-6 win. Peach County won a year later 22-7 in the semis, topping the No. 1 Yellow Jackets. The Trojans won 35-0 in the 2019 second round. Calhoun has beaten Spalding and Douglass-Atlanta 31-6 and 31-14.
          Both are rebounding are odd off years. Calhoun is in its fourth quarterfinal in the last five years, missing the playoffs last year, something that last happened in 1999, followed by three state titles in seven years. Head coach Clay Stephenson is 55-20 since taking over for Hal Lamb (234-37 in 20 seasons, three state titles). Marquis Westbrook turned around Peach County after a 4-7 season, the Trojans’ first losing season since 1986. The Trojans are trying to get over a quarterfinal hump, which they haven’t surpassed since losing in the 2018 championship.
          Calhoun, 1-1 against ranked teams this year and the only team left from Region 7, has held five of its last seven opponents to 14 points or less. The Trojans are balanced, running 62 percent of the time, with the yardage breakdown 51-49 rushing, and both modes of travel getting 36 touchdowns. Ashton Barton has 1,279 rushing yards and 16 scores.

The Sports Report prediction: The Trojans are rolling, the way Westbrook teams tend to do. The balance on offense and the consistency are impressive. It’ll take some pressure off the officials. Peach County by 17.
Maxwell Ratings prediction: Peach County over Calhoun by 10.

CENTRAL GEORGIA’S BEST HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COVERAGE

 Last week
* GIAA AAAA final: Bulloch 14, FPD 10
*GIAA AA final: Brentwood 28, Southwest Georgia 6
* Roundup: Houston County, Peach County, Dublin roll; heartbreaking near misses for Jones County, Westside, Bleckley County; Woodford leads Northeast
* GIAA AAAA finals preview, FPD-Bulloch
* GIAA AA finals preview, Brentwood-Southwest Georgia
* Scouting Reports/predictions, GHSA
* Scouting Reports: This week’s GHSA games
* Maxwell Predictions
* Who’s going to win this week’s games, Thursday
* Monday Morning Quarterback: Watch big Willie’s run; a Friday night of some surprises; go watch Mercer; Loughdmouthings: Watch a HS game; ranking whines, flubbin’ Falcons …
* Macon Touchdown Club players of the week
* GHSA, GIAA playoff schedule

Two weeks ago
* Saturday’s scores
* Roundup: FPD, Brentwood head to GIAA title games; big nights for Houston County, Jones County; Bleckley County surprises, Jasper County ends drought, Baldwin survives penalties
* 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 QB: Kennesaw State colossal screw up; CFP sermon; Loughdmouthings-UGA’s slump, Beck’s slump, Tech’s Canes pain, ripping a backup? …
* Macon Touchdown Club players of the week
* GHSA playoffs are set: Who’s at home? What Central Georgia teams play each other? Who’s seeded where?

Class A/Division I

No. 8 Northeast, 10-2/No. 5 at No. 1 Fannin County, 12-0/No. 4
          Fannin County’s resume is mighty similar to Northeast’s. Head coach Chad Cheatham took over in 2018, as did Jeremy Wiggins. The Rebels didn’t make the playoffs in 2017, but have advanced every year since. The Raiders didn’t make the playoffs in 2017, and have made it every year except 2019, a 5-5 season. Cheatham is 54-26 in his seventh season, Wiggins is 52-28 in his seventh season. Cheatham is Fannin County’s winningest coach with those 54 wins, taking first by eight wins. Wiggins is second on Northeast’s list, 13 behind Bruce Mullen.
          Fannin County has topped Vidalia and Jeff Davis 41-7 and 28-21, tying the school record for wins in the latter win, while Northeast has handled Swainsboro and Lamar County, 46-7 and 21-10 for its first 10-win season in history.
          The Rebels know good running backs. Rabun County’s Reid Giles is fifth in Class A/Division I with 1,348 yards and Gordon Lee’s Peyton Groce is 13th with 1,168 yards. Giles had 86 yard on 19 carries in a late August 28-7 loss, and Groce went for 168 on 21 on Nov. 1. They’ve also faced the state’s leading rusher, back on Oct. 4. Zayden Cook of Chattooga, a 5-11, 195-pounder, went for 258 yards on 34 carries, but was kept out of the end zone in Fannin County’s 35-7 win. Northeast’s Nick Woodford is about two inches shorter and five pounds heavier, and his 1,794 yards are second in A/I, behind Cook and 69 yards ahead of Callihan in one less game. Northeast QB Reginald Glover is 18th in the class with 1,098 yards and 12 touchdowns.
          Fannin County QB Lawson Sullivan has completed 59.5 percent of his passes with 15 scores and four picks, and has rushed for 1,473 yards, meaning both teams have RB-QB rushing monsters. Carson Callihan has 1,725 yards rushing for Fannin County.

The Sports Report prediction: The Maxwell Ratings give Northeast the edge in schedule strength, by 10 spots among A/I teams, and the rankings are even. The ride of three-plus hours, Northeast’s longest since before Jeremy Wiggins arrived, is, yes, an issue, coming after a sluggish turkey day. The Raiders will need a boost from the passing game, even in cold weather, because Fannin County has faced elite backs and won. What happens on PATs and conversions favors Fannin County. Nevertheless: Northeast by 3.

Maxwell Ratings prediction: Fannin County over Northeast by 1.

No. 7 Thomasville, 10-2/No. 3, at No. 2 Dublin, 12-0/No. 2
          Don’t be surprised if there’s overtime, with two teams that are loaded with playoff tradition. In the last decade, the Bulldogs have reached six quarterfinals, a semifinal, and final, while the Irish have three quarterfinals and a state championship. Ironically, neither team made the 2015 playoffs.
Thomasville has beaten Bacon County and Temple 48-6 and 42-10, Dublin countering with romps of 63-6 and 42-7 over Gordon Central and Jasper County.  Thomasville’s losses are to 5A quarterfinalist Thomas County Central (48-10 and region mate and quarterfinalist Worth County (28-27). Three Region 1 teams of the five that made the playoffs are alive, with two of the seven from Region 2 still standing.

          Thomasville has much more balance than Dublin, which has 34 percent of the passing yards and 47 percent of the passing touchdowns. Thomasville QB Cam Hill has completed 61.2 percent for 19 TDs and 6 INTs, and adds 537 rushing yards and 4 scores. He was a sizzling 13 of 15 for 228 yards and three scores last week. Thomasville gets less than half on the ground as Dublin, 374.3 to 180.9, both teams using multiple rushers. Xavier Bostic and Willie Batts are both over 1,000 yards, and team with Trav Bostic and QB Micah O’Neal for 62 rushing touchdowns.
          Dublin leads the series 5-4, the last meeting coming in the 2019 semifinals, a 55-45 Irish win in Thomasville.
          The Bulldogs have been inconsistent stopping the run, but find ways to win, including last week in a 42-10 win over Temple, which averaged 272 yards a game on the ground. Thomasville has held five straight opponents to 10 points o r less, with two shutouts. One quality win was 23-8 over Fitzgerald, which is still alive after nipping Bleckley County.

The Sports Report prediction: Not being all that great at stopping the run doesn’t bode well for Thomasville, but it hasn’t been an issue so far, meaning the Bulldogs may have the speed to keep offenses between the 20s and unable to convert yards into points. The only real roadblock that might get in Dublin’s way is getting behind early and for awhile. In three of their last four playoff losses, they’ve failed to crack 10 points. That’s unlikely to be repeated, but if the passing game – which is more than just QB O’Neal – is needed, can it come through? Dublin by 2.

Maxwell Ratings prediction: Thomasville over Dublin by 3