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

Games of the week

Class 4A
Union Grove, 3-1, 3-0, at Jones County, 3-1/2-1
          The state’s No. 4 passer in yardage (according to information input to MaxPreps) faces the state’s leader in sacks, Jones County’s Devin Edmonds vs. Union Grove’s David Parson. The Greyhounds get 101 more yards a game, but the Wolverines are good for 5.3 sacks each week. Jones County has more weapons on offense and defense, weapons anxious to rinse out the taste of last week’s 7-3 loss.

Class 3A
No. 17 Troup, 1-2/1-0, at No. 5 Mary Persons, 3-0/1-0

          The balanced Bulldogs run for 187 yards a game and pass for 161, while the Tigers are more run-heavy at 215 yards a game, to only 65 through the air. Mary Persons DE Jaylen Stokes had 11 tackles and 5 TFLs in the 55-0 win over Fayette County, which was stuffed for minus 41 yards. Troup’s losses are to Harris County and Whitewater, by 4 and 18. This is the first meeting since the 1950s, when Mary Persons won 26-0 and 19-0 in 1956-57

Class A
Vidalia, 3-1, at No. 8T Dodge County, 3-0
          The battle: Vidalia has given up 33 points, and Dodge County has scored 94 points. Phillip Brown is trying to become the first Dodge County coach to go 4-0 in his first season in Eastman since Bill Screws’ team was 4-0-1 in 1960, going 5-0-1 en route to a 7-2-1 season. The Indians face Duke Johnson, who had 4 touchdowns and more than 20 tackles in the win over ACE. Vidalia leads the series 7-6, and they haven’t played each other since Dodge County’s 14-13 win in 2017. Eight of the games have been decided by 2 touchdowns or less.

Many thanks to ACE, Central Fellowship, Dublin, FPD, Jones County, Stratford, and Tattnall on Friday for sending in postgame information and/or stats, and Upson-Lee and Lamar County for information afterward.

🏈 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.

GIAA
Gatewood, 2-2, at Mount de Sales, 2-2
          Both teams have scored 82 points, but the Gators’ defense has been a little stingier. The Cavs outgained the Gators by almost 100 yards a game, led by versatile quarterback Zavion Deshazier, who is good for 89 yards rushing and 128 yards passing a game. Ames Johnson is Gatewood’s dual-threat QB, with 71 and 86 yards. They both topped Loganville Christian, Gatewood 40-0 and Mount de Sales 47-35.

The Schedule

Class 6A

No. 8 Houston County, 3-1, at 6A Tift County, 2-2
          Antwann Hill is second in the state – by 14 yards, according to information input to MaxPreps – with 1,228 yards passing, and Isaiah Mitchell is fourth with 595 yards. Tift County has lost the last two meetings 26-14 and 66-7 after winning seven straight in the series. The Blue Devils are led by former Bainbridge head coach Jeff Littleton.

No. 15 Northside, 2-1, at AA No. 6 Burke County, 3-1
          The Eagles better be able to block freshman Qua Morris, who racked up 7 solo tackles and 5 assists, one stop for a safety, in a 50-12 win over Warren County. Northside’s last loss to a lower-classification team not named Peach County or Warner Robins was to 3A Crisp County last year, a loss with lingering effects from punishments following a postgame skirmish. That was a three-class difference, 6A and 3A, as is this matchup, 5A and AA. Class 6A No. 5 Northside played Class A No. 4 Macon County in 2017, winning 23-0.

4A No. 6 Perry, 2-1, at Veterans, 0-3
          Veterans faces its fourth straight lower-classification team – with two other 4As and one in 5A – and the best team in the bunch. The Warhawks lost 49-41 last year, their most competitive loss, coming before then-QB Jake Maxwell went out with an injury as part of a health-challenged season. The series is tied at 7, Perry winning three straight, by 8, 31, and 20.

Class 3A

Baldwin, 1-2/1-0, at Harlem, 2-0/0-0
          The Braves broke out last week with a 51-22 romp over Cross Creek for their first win of the year, and first for new head coach Kevin Patterson. Harlem averages 322 yards a game, led by Malik Tyler, who gets 124 yards a game on the ground.

Richmond Academy, 0-3/0-1, at Howard, 1-2/0-1 (Ed DeFore)
          The Musketeers are struggling, being outscored 85-28 through two games. Howard has a losing record, but has put up 12 points than it’s given up. The Huskies are off a tough 28-27 loss at West Laurens last week.

No. 12T Upson-Lee, 2-1/1-0, at No. 1 Sandy Creek, 3-0/1-0
          There might be some offense. Upson-Lee QB Niko Wells was 7 of 11 for 164 yards in last week’s 16-13 win over favored Spalding. Sandy Creek RB Amari Latimer ran 25 times for 194 yards and 2 in a 20-point win over LaGrange. U-L’s Amari Fletcher is off a 10-tackle game.

West Laurens, 3-0/1-0, at Cross Creek, 1-2/0-1
          There are some offensive weapons to deal with. Cross Creek’s Cam Nixon caught 7 passes for 179 yards and 2 scores against Baldwin, and West Laurens Ty Cummings ran for 3 scores and 223 yards on 17 carries ias the Raiders held on to beat Howard 28-27.

This week
* Central Georgia state composite rankings
* Central Georgia rankings
* Monday Morning Quarterback: Suddenly, we saw Ridder and Smith …; Notable numbers, on campus, Loughdmouthings
* Macon Touchdown Club players of the week

Last week
* Roundup: Houston County & Warner Robins provide fireworks; FPD-Brookstone in championship rematch; ACE and Dodge County in battle; Lamar County enjoys Macon visit
* Thursday’s 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: Notes, reviews, Loughdmouthings
* Macon Touchdown Club players of the week

Class A

ACE Charter, 2-1, at Wilkinson County, 2-2
          The Warriors welcome a team off a solid effort in losing to top-10 Dodge County, keyed by Brice Whitley, who caught 6 passes for 82 yards and took a kickoff return back 88 yards. Wilkinson County QB Quenterrion Stanford threw for more than 200 yards against Stratford last week. The series is tied at 1 (2020-21), but ACE has gone 21-15 since then, Wilkinson County 15-16.

Hancock Central, 2-2, at Warren County, 2-2
          The rivalry is resumed, for the 43rd time. Warren County leads it 24-16-2, and the teams have split the last 6 meetings, Hancock Central winning 18-14 last year. The Bulldogs have scored 186 points, four more than last year and 56 more than in 2021. They haven’t cracked 300 points since 302 in eight games in 2020, the only time it’s happened.

Jasper County, 2-1, at AA Jackson, 1-2
          The Hurricanes haven’t been 3-1 2003, and eye a win over a higher-classification team for the third straight year. DL TyMir Thornton racked up 6 sacks, 3 more TFLs in a win two weeks ago over Wilkinson County.

AA Josey, 0-3, at Twiggs County, 0-4
          The winner assures avoiding a winless season, which both have experienced fairly recently. Josey went 0-10 in 2018-19, and 1-9 last year, while Twiggs County was 0-9 last year, and was blanked in 2017-18. The Cobras are on a 20-game losing streak, the Eagles 12 straight.

Macon County, 1-3, at Crawford County, 2-1
          The 2-1 start is Crawford County’s best since 2-1 in 2018, but that turned into a 3-7 season. The Eagles were last 3-1 in 2016, finishing 5-4. The Bulldogs are trying to avoid a 1-4 start for the first time since 2022, and second time since 2011. Macon County leads the series 19-3 and has won seven straight, giving up only 13 points in those seven wins and keeping Crawford County out of the end zone in four straight games and in six of the seven. The Eagles’ last won in 2009, 34-27.

Montgomery County, 2-1, at Taylor County, 2-1
          The Vikings won 28-21 last year as part of a 5-1 start, the Eagles going on to complete a winless season, with the loss to Taylor County its only winning defeat. Montgomery County hasn’t been 3-1 or better since a 5-1 start in 2021.

AA Rutland, 0-4, at Hawkinsville, 2-1
          The Red Devils are looking for their second straight 3-1 start, and are off a 41-16 win over Lanier County. Rutland ran into the Lamar Count buzzsaw and suffered its worst loss since 73-14 to fourth-ranked Peach County in 2018. The series is tied at 2, the Red Devils winning 34-20 last year, following Rutland’s 35-29 victory in 2022.

GIAA

Class AAA
Bulloch, 4-0, at John Milledge, 1-3
          The Trojans were down 47-0 at halftime last week against Athens Academy, and were held to less than 100 yards in total offense. Bulloch, a 24-22 loser to Brookstone in last year’s 4A semi for its first loss of the year, has outscored its last two opponents 70-7.

FPD, 3-1, at Pinewood Christian, 1-3
          The Vikings have scored 10 points or less in 3 games. Pinewood beat Thomas Jefferson 38-0 last week for its first win, a week after falling 48-7 at Stratford. FPD, which won 28-14 last year, should be closer to full strength this week.

Piedmont, 2-1/0-1, at Loganville Christian, 0-4/0-1
          The Cougars are ready to get back at it after falling 28-20 at home to Lakeview last week. The Lions are getting outscored 35.5-18.5 a game, losing 27-13 to Athens Christian. The teams haven’t played since 2017, Piedmont leading 2-1.

Stratford, 4-0, at Frederica, 1-3
          Stratford gave up 230 yards passing to Wilkinson County, but held the Warriors to negative rushing yards. The Eagles and first-year head coach Paul Carroll are looking for the program’s first 5-0 start since 2017, when they were 9-0 in GHSA competition before falling 30-27 to Aquinas in the regular-season final. This is the first meeting.

Tattnall Square, 3-1, at Strong Rock Christian, 3-1
          The Patriots are 3-1 for the second straight year, going 8-4 last year, the program’s first winning  seasons since starting in 2007. They’ve given up 6 points in the last two games after coughing up 67 in the first two. Tattnall’s defense is picking up, allowing 20 points in the last 3 games. LB Thomas Union had 12 tackles, a sack and a TFL two weeks ago.

Tiftarea, 4-0, at Westfield, 2-1
          Here’s a battle of head coaching veterans. Tiftarea’s Erik Soliday is 226-174-3, in his 36th season, including two at Perry. Westfield’s Chad Campbell is 175-45, in his 18th season. Campbell is 3-0 against Soliday, winning 37-35 last year and going 2-0 when they were at Peach County and Perry.

Class AA

Brentwood, 3-1, at Thomas Jefferson, 0-4
          Brentwood has spent the week stewing about the 35-34 loss to GHSA Class A Lake Oconee, the most points in a loss since 2018’s 36-34 playoff loss to Memorial Day. The War Eagles lead the series 19-10, winning 34-16 last year.

Central Fellowship, 1-3/0-1, at Rock Springs, 4-0
          Rock Springs has given up only 19 points in 2 games, 13 coming last week against GHSA Central-Talbotton. The Lancers, who outscored Rock Springs 47-0 in the 2022-23 meetings, have put up only 38 points in 4 games.

Trinity Christian, 2-2, at Windsor, 2-1
          Both teams have been able to score, Windsor averaging x points a  game and Trinity Christian at 29.3. The teams haven’t played since 2007, a 27-8 TCS win. Veteran Crusaders boss Bruce Lane is 9-2 against the Knights, the last win a 54-0 win in 2002 when Windsor head coach Dylan Bass was about 5 years old.

8-man
Westminster at Covenant