By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

Games of the week

Class 5A
4A No. 10 Warner Robins, 2-1, at 5A No. 8 Houston County, 3-0
          The Bears have gone at least 5-0 to start with in Jeremy Edwards’ first two years as head coach, and wins of 28-8 and 41-7 over Warner Robins are in that pile of good starts. The Demons lead the series 17-8-1, having lost the last two. Warner Robins’ defense will get tested by an offense that is more than QB Antwann Hill Jr. (state’s passing leader with 958 yards), and WR Isaiah Mitchell (No. 2 with 536 yards), while the Demons (no stats posted) flexed some muscles in the romp over Northside.

Class 4A
Jones County, 3-0/2-0, at Ola, 3-0/2-0
          The host Mustangs will have to deal with an offense that’s rolling again despite some quality graduations. QB Devin Edmonds is likely to pass 1,000 yards for the year - he’s third in the state with 821) in the second half, with RB Zacari Thomas and WR Jaivon Solomon (12th in state with 357 yards) adding to the weaponry on offense. Ola is off a 7-3 win, coming in the final two minutes, over a still-rebuilding ELCA group. Jones County leads the series 9-1, Ola breaking through with a 22-15 win in 2022 that Jones County avenged 48-17 last year.

Many thanks last week to ACE, Central Fellowship, Dublin, FPD, Jasper County, Northside, Perry, and Stratford for sending in postgame information and/or stats on Friday night, and to Jones County, Lamar County, and Tattnall for information on 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.

Class A/Division I

No. 8 Dodge County, 2-0/2-0 at ACE Charter, 2-0/2-0
          The test for ACE will be upgrading its physicality, especially against multi-position standout Duke Johnson, a 6-3, 210-pounder who is headed to Alabama. He passed for 1,127 yards as a freshman. The Indians (no stats posted) have opened up the offense some, and face an ACE defense that has held nine of its last 15 to 14 points or less. Conversely, Northeast and Southwest (in double OT) put up 52 points last year.

GIAA

Brookstone, 1-1, at First Presbyterian, 2-1
          The Cougars unexpectedly had last week off because of weather, while the Vikings were in Columbus getting surprisingly handled up from by St. Anne-Pacelli, which stuffed them to the point of -7 yards rushing on 31 tries, a bevy of sacks in there. Brookstone lost 46-28 in the regular season and 44-24 in the GIAA 4A final to FPD last year after sweeping the Vikings 38-30 and 34-28 in 2022.

Brentwood, 3-0, at Lake Oconee, 3-0
          The War Eagles are off to an explosive start under second-year head coach Adam Lord, already within 81 points of last year’s scoring total and at 29 percent of the program record of 520 points (13 games in 2019). Zach Denton is almost halfway to 1,000 rushing yards, and QB Baylor Cobb nearly a third of the way there. Jones Sheppard leads a balanced defense. Lake Oconee is in its third full football season after opening the school’s doors in 2007. The Titans went 7-3 last year.

The schedule

Class AAA
Baldwin, 0-2, at Cross Creek, 1-1
          The first year of head coach Kevin Patterson isn’t off to the desired start, and the Braves were off last week after an improved performance in a 13-12 loss to Northisde. New coach or not, penalties and self-inflicted problems remain a Baldwin issue. Sadur Salahuddin (no stats posted) has been a playmaker on offense for Baldwin.

Fayette County, 0-2, at No. 5 Mary Persons, 2-0
          Mary Persons handled the visitors from Canada last week, and have given up six points in two games. Fayette County has scored seven points in two games, while giving up  98 to 5A McIntosh and 42 to 4A Warner Robins.

Howard, 1-1, at West Laurens, 2-0
          The Huskies took advantage of Rutland mistakes last week, but will need to get more offensive drives going against the Raiders, who have given up eight points in two games and are eyeing their first 3-0 start since 2019.

3A No. 3 Peach County, 2-1, at AA Crisp County, 0-3
          The Trojans have won seven of the last eight in the series, including 23-0 in 2022. Crisp County, 7-5 last year, is trying to avoid its first 0-4 start since 2012. Peach County averages 40.3 points a game.

No. 13T Upson-Lee, 1-1, at Spalding, 1-1
          The Knights had a week off to stew over their 6-0 loss to Class A/II Manchester, the first non-region shutout since 31-0 to 5A Veterans top open the 2018 season. Spalding is 0-2 o the field, but got 33-17 loss to Lovejoy converted to a win because of a forfeit. The Jaguars are in transition with a new coach after Carl Kearney was arrested for murder in February.

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

* Roundup: Rivalry nights go to Houston County, Warner Robins; Dublin starts slow, pulls away; more good D from Jasper County; FPD O quieted, JMA stunned again; Brentwood routs GHSA foe
* Scouting Reports: This week’s GHSA and GIAA games
* Maxwell Predictions
* Central Georgia state composite rankings
* Who’s going to win this week’s games?
* Central Georgia rankings
* Monday Morning Quarterback: Notes, reviews, Loughdmouthings
* Macon Touchdown Club players of the week

Class AA
A No. 6 Lamar County, 2-0, at AA Rutland 0-3
          Rutland put up some yardage last week in the loss to Howard, but couldn’t convert it into points. Lamar County is 8-2 in its last 10 games against higher-classification teams.

Class A
Haralson County, 1-2, at Putnam County, 0-3
           The War Eagles look to turn around a rough start that’s following a sluggish ending to last season when the lost three of their last four. Their last start like this was 0-5 in 2016 en route to a 1-9 mark. Haralson County is 6-17 since going 10-2 in 2021.

AA Josey, 0-2, at A Hancock Central, 1-2
          Putnam County is searching for consistency, after winning 66-0, losing 26-0, and then losing 48-44 after watching  a lead evaporate. Josey has yet to score. This season and since a 55-7 loss to Thomson last Sept. 29.

No. 4 Manchester, 1-1, at Macon County, 1-2
          Manchester has a new head coach, but has picked up from last year’s state runner-up season, including a -0 win over AAA Upson-Lee two weeks ago. Macon County had its chances last week against Lakes-Atlanta, and faces an offense with only 14 points in two games under its belt.

Taylor County, 1-1, at GMC Prep, 0-3
          GMC’s seventh first-year head coach this season is trying to avoid a second straight 0-4 start, Taylor County having last week off to regroup from its 15-0 home loss to Wheeler County.

Twiggs County, 0-3, at Wheeler County, 1-1
          The Cobras of new head coach Roderick Cummings broke into the scoring column last week against a team that went 8-4 in 2023, including a 44-0 win over Twiggs County. The last winning season for both teams was in 2016.

Washington County, 1-2/1-1, at No. 3 Dublin, 3-0/2-0
          The Irish lead the series 30-17, but lost the last meeting, 27-23 in 2019, the Golden Hawks then led by current Dublin offensive line coach Joel Ingram. Washington County has struggled to a 10-15 mark since dismissing Ingram, falling 42-9 at home last week to Northeast.

GIAA
Class AAA
GHSA A Athens Academy, 3-0, at John Milledge, 1-2
          The Trojans haven’t lost three games in a season 2011, head coach J.T. Wall’s first season, a 7-4 year. The GHSA Class A Spartans are 3-0, including a 45-22 romp over Aquinas.  They’re racking up 535.7 yards a game to 386.3 for the Trojans. Pass defenses are on alert against AA’s Hampton Johnson (276.3 ypg, top 20 in the state) and JMA’s Holt McMichael (223 ypg).

Calvary Christian, 0-3, at Tattnall Square, 2-1
          The Knights have been outscored 75-9 by Terrell County, Stratford, and Mount de Sales. The Trojans have on their last two by a 47-14 margin. This is the first meeting.

Lakeview Academy, 3-0, at Piedmont, 2-0
          Lakeview is 3-0 for the first time in its existence, which started in 2007. The Lions are led by former GMC Prep head coach Lee Coleman, in his second season. The Cougars haven’t opened 3-0 since 2020.

Mount de Sales, 2-1, at Terrell, 1-1
          The Cavs are the third straight visitor for the Eagles, who have scored three more points than they’ve allowed. This is a dated series, dormant since 1999, the last of the Cavs’ four straight wins. Bill Murdock has been at Terrell since 2005, and is 279-148-5 in his 36th season as a head coach.

GHSA A Wilkinson County, 2-1, at Stratford, 3-0
          The Warriors and new head coach Jamoski Ward go for their first 3-1 start since 2015, a season that included a 42-14 loss to visiting Stratford. QB Quinterrion Stanford has completed 61.3 percent for 547 yard, but only one more TD than pick. Stratford RB Tyler Steven is getting more than 100 rushing yards a game. The two played as region mates when Stratford was in the GHSA. Stratford leads the series 6-0, winning 18-15 in the last meeting, in 2019.

Class AA
Central Fellowship, 1-2, at Flint River, 3-0
          The Lancers got going last week, and now face the Class A defending champs, who opened the season with a 19-14 win over Gatewood.

Southland, 0-3, at Gatewood, 1-2
          After scoring only 26 points in its first two games, Gatewood woke up for a 40-0 win over Loganville Christian. Southland, 0-3 for the first time since 2020, is led by Westfield grad and former Tattnall and Stratford head coach Chance Jones.

Trinity Christian, 1-2, at Augusta Prep, 2-1
          Held to single digits eight times last year, the Crusaders are 31 points from passing their 2023 total of 108 points. The Cavaliers, 3-10 last year, are 0-2 against Trinity Christian.

8-man
Covenant at Westminster Christian