Week one of the GHSA season is complete and we were treated to some great games and some surprises. This week, we will see which teams can bounce back from adversity and also see which teams can repeat the success of Week-1. This is our weekly feature that we call Eight Greats Around the State, where we look at 8 intriguing matchups across Georgia. Part I include the following 4 matchups:
Rockmart vs Cedartown: Rockmart looks to bounce back from last week’s loss to Dalton when the Yellow Jackets host a Cedartown team that opened the season with an impressive defensive performance. The Bulldogs are closing the gap, setting the stage for a much more competitive matchup than last season.
Benedictine vs Hebron Christian: Benedictine looks to erase the memory of last week’s disappointing home loss when the defending Private School champion Hebron Christian Lions come to town Friday night. The Cadets will need a much stronger defensive effort and a productive performance from quarterback Omari Burse to pull off the upset.
Blessed Trinity vs Milton: Milton will face its toughest defensive challenge of the young season when the Eagles travel to take on a Blessed Trinity defense that dominated in Week 1. The Titans boast elite talent up front, while Milton enters the matchup riding the momentum of a dramatic victory over North Cobb.
LaGrange vs Troup: Two longtime rivals meet for the 39th time Friday night when Troup County visits LaGrange. Both teams opened the season with shutout victories, setting the stage for a defensive battle that could ultimately be decided by Troup’s powerful ground game.
As always, thank you to the Georgia Helmet Project for the artwork. You can find them here: https://www.gahelmetproject.com/ As well as the High School Football Historians Association for all of their historical data. You can find them here: https://hsfha.org/
The Skinny
The Rockmart Yellow Jackets look to bounce back this week after falling to Dalton last Friday. Rockmart’s offense put up more than 480 yards in the loss, including 366 yards on the ground. Quarterback Charlie Cannon threw for 119 yards but was intercepted twice. Gavin Green was his primary target, hauling in six passes for 45 yards.
The Jackets’ ground game was led by senior J.T. Taylor, who rushed for 112 yards, while junior Cortez Wright added 110 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensively, the Jackets were strong against the pass, allowing just 93 yards and one touchdown through the air. However, the ground game proved to be the bugaboo for the Rockmart defense, as Dalton rushed for 214 yards in the victory. D.J. Kennedy led the Jackets with nine total tackles, while linebacker Everett Adams recorded six tackles, including three tackles for loss.
The Cedartown Bulldogs got their season off to a hot start in Coach Tommy Atha’s second season at the helm. The Bulldogs churned out 386 yards of total offense in their Week 1 victory and were paced by a strong ground game.
Zeke Brown carried the ball nine times for 121 yards and a touchdown, while senior running back Jakobe Dorsey added 48 yards and two touchdowns. Senior quarterback Wyatt Mosley threw for 112 yards and three touchdowns on just eight pass attempts.
Rohan Kent made the most of his opportunities, as both of his receptions went for touchdowns.
Defensively, it was the best outing for Cedartown since Coach Atha took over a year ago, as the Bulldogs allowed just seven points in the victory.
Keys to the Game
Rockmart Yellow Jackets
- Stop the run: Rockmart must improve against the run after allowing 214 yards on the ground last week.
- Get Cannon on track: Charlie Cannon needs to find his rhythm in the passing game and avoid the turnovers that hurt the Jackets against Dalton.
- Continue running the football: Rockmart’s rushing attack was impressive last week, and J.T. Taylor and Cortez Wright will need to keep that production going.
- Win the line of scrimmage: The Jackets need to control the trenches on both sides of the football.
Cedartown Bulldogs
- Lean on the running game: With Zeke Brown and Jakobe Dorsey coming off strong performances, Cedartown should look to establish the run early.
- Make big plays through the air: Wyatt Mosley was extremely efficient in Week 1, throwing three touchdowns on just eight attempts.
- Force Rockmart into passing situations: The Bulldogs need to slow down the Jackets’ rushing attack and make Rockmart one-dimensional.
- Keep the momentum: Cedartown’s defense was outstanding in Week 1 and will need another strong performance against a talented Rockmart offense.
Prediction
The Jackets’ run defense will have to improve this week, as Cedartown will likely look to capitalize on its ability to run the football. Meanwhile, look for Charlie Cannon to get the passing game back on track as the Jackets continue to get more comfortable under Coach Fendley. This game should certainly be much closer than last year’s matchup, but we do like Rockmart to bounce back this week.
Prediction: Rockmart by 8
The Skinny
The Benedictine Cadets were ambushed at home last week and will look to get back on track Friday night. The road doesn’t get any easier, as defending Private School champion Hebron Christian comes calling.
The Cadets were led on offense by Omari Burse, who accounted for three touchdowns in the defeat. Benedictine struggled to get the passing game going, as the Cadets were held to just 111 yards through the air.
Defensively, the Cadets will have to find a way to disrupt the passing game after surrendering 258 yards through the air last week. Benedictine will need a much stronger performance on that side of the football if they hope to knock off the defending state champions.
The Hebron Christian Lions defense set the tone last week, holding their opponent to just 97 total yards, including only seven yards rushing. The Lions forced two turnovers and sacked the opposing quarterback five times in the victory.
Beau Bennett, Ryder Cole and Marley Woods led the charge, combining for 23 total tackles. Woods was especially disruptive, recording three sacks.
Meanwhile, Bennett paced the Lions offensively with 83 yards and two touchdowns. J.J. Stowers also added two touchdowns on the ground as Hebron Christian showed its ability to control the game on both sides of the football.
Keys to the Game
Benedictine Cadets
- Shore up the run defense: The Cadets need to eliminate the big plays on the ground and force Hebron Christian to earn every yard.
- Protect Omari Burse: Benedictine must give Omari Burse time to operate and avoid allowing the Lions’ pass rush to dictate the game.
- Create turnovers: The Cadets need to find ways to give their offense extra possessions.
- Get the offense rolling early: A fast start could give Benedictine the confidence it needs after last week’s disappointing loss.
Hebron Christian Lions
- Pressure Burse: The Lions need to make Omari Burse uncomfortable in the pocket and prevent him from getting into a rhythm.
- Continue to dominate defensively: Hebron Christian was outstanding last week and will look to carry that momentum into Friday night.
- Establish the run: Beau Bennett and J.J. Stowers give the Lions a strong rushing attack that could put pressure on the Benedictine defense.
- Force turnovers: If the Lions can create extra possessions, they could put themselves in position to control the game.
Prediction
Benedictine will have to have a short memory as they look to pick up their first win of the season. The great news is they don’t have to face a pass-happy attack this week. However, the Cadets will still need to shore some things up defensively, particularly against the run. Meanwhile, Hebron Christian will need to find a way to force a few turnovers and get pressure on Omari Burse to keep him uncomfortable in the pocket. The Lions look to be in midseason form defensively, and we believe they will compete. However, the long bus ride and a Benedictine team with plenty to prove could make the difference.
Prediction: Benedictine by 3
The Skinny
The Blessed Trinity Titans made quick work of Decatur last Thursday, led by an imposing defense that boasts some of the best players in the nation, namely the Jacob brothers, D.J. and Dawson.
The duo combined for five total tackles, three tackles for loss and three sacks as the Titans completely disrupted the Decatur offense. Bishop Dameron also picked off a pass, and Blessed Trinity secured its first shutout of the young season while holding Decatur to just 93 yards of total offense.
Meanwhile, M.J. Craft motored to 134 rushing yards and two touchdowns to pace the Blessed Trinity offense, including a 71-yard touchdown run.
Ty Page and Ray Luke combined to throw for 118 yards and three touchdowns while spreading the ball around to seven different receivers. The Titans showed they have plenty of weapons on both sides of the football heading into this week’s matchup.
The Milton Eagles are coming off a back-and-forth affair with North Cobb that saw the Eagles come away with a dramatic victory.
Milton was the beneficiary of a late touchdown pass from Derrick Baker to Grant Haviland, then scored the winning points on the ensuing two-point conversion to get the Eagles into the win column.
Baker threw for 192 yards, added another 83 yards on the ground and accounted for three touchdowns on the night. Sheldon Atchison led the ground game with 96 yards on 15 carries and added a touchdown.
Haviland and Deuntrey Allen each caught three passes, while Jordan Carrasquillo led the Eagles with 58 receiving yards.
Keys to the Game
Blessed Trinity Titans
- Win the line of scrimmage: The Titans’ defensive front will need to control the trenches against a physical Milton offensive line.
- Pressure Derrick Baker: Getting Derrick Baker uncomfortable in the pocket will be critical.
- Get Craft going: M.J. Craft had a breakout performance last week and will look to carry that momentum into Friday night.
- Swarm to the football: Blessed Trinity’s defense has playmakers all over the field, and its ability to rally to the football could be the difference.
Milton Eagles
- Neutralize the Jacobs brothers: Milton must find a way to slow down D.J. Jacobs and Dawson Jacobs up front.
- Protect Baker: The Eagles cannot allow Blessed Trinity’s pass rush to consistently put Derrick Baker under pressure.
- Establish the run: Sheldon Atchison and the Milton rushing attack will need to keep the Titans from simply pinning their ears back.
- Make plays in the red zone: Against a defense this talented, Milton will need to capitalize on every scoring opportunity.
Prediction
The road undoubtedly gets harder this week for the Titans, as Milton will certainly be more prolific on offense. The big question is the line of scrimmage for each team. How will Milton neutralize the attacking Blessed Trinity defense and D.J. Jacobs? But it’s not just Jacobs. The Titans swarm from everywhere on the field, and Milton will have to find a way to consistently move the football against one of the most talented defenses it will face all season.
Meanwhile, M.J. Craft had a breakout game for the Titans on offense. The question is whether he can have the same success against Blaize Battaglia and the Milton defense We believe these teams will certainly put points on the board, and look for Derrick Baker to come through in the clutch once again for Milton. He might need a little more magic on the road, but we like the Eagles to pull out a close one.
Prediction: Milton by 6
The Skinny
The LaGrange Grangers picked up an impressive win Friday night, dominating the Newnan Cougars on the road. Jadarius Render showcased his playmaking ability, recording an interception and a sack while also finding the end zone on offense with a rushing touchdown. His performance helped spark the Grangers to victory, while Deanthony Stewart added two touchdowns of his own.
The Grangers’ defense could be the developing story of this team after keeping Newnan at bay in Week 1. Robert Pipoyled the defensive effort in the victory, and LaGrange will need another strong performance on that side of the football against a Troup offense that rushed for more than 300 yards last week.
The Troup Tigers earned a shutout victory in Week 1 and did so by leaning heavily on their ground game. Javarris Warner was the workhorse for Troup, carrying the ball 25 times for 279 yards and two touchdowns. The Tigers scored six touchdowns on the ground as they controlled the game from start to finish.
Quarterback Chase Mosley completed five of 11 passes for 51 yards, while Trey Dean caught three passes for 36 yards. The Tigers’ defense was equally impressive, recording 4.5 sacks and forcing two turnovers in the shutout victory. Troup will look to carry that defensive momentum into Friday night’s rivalry matchup.
Keys to the Game
LaGrange Grangers
- Stop Javarris Warner: Slowing down the Troup workhorse will be priority No. 1 for the Grangers.
- Create turnovers: LaGrange made big plays defensively in Week 1 and will need to continue that trend.
- Win third down: The Grangers need to get off the field and prevent Troup from sustaining long drives.
- Capitalize on opportunities: LaGrange will likely have fewer possessions, making each offensive opportunity important.
Troup Tigers
- Establish the run: With Javarris Warner coming off a 279-yard performance, Troup should look to establish the ground game early.
- Control the line of scrimmage: The Tigers need to win the battle up front on both sides of the football.
- Force LaGrange into passing situations: Troup’s defensive front should look to create pressure and make the Grangers one-dimensional.
- Avoid turnovers: In a rivalry game, protecting the football could be the difference.
Prediction
Troup will look to establish the ground game on Friday, while LaGrange comes in after making several big plays defensively in Week 1. The question is whether that can continue to be a trend for the Grangers in Week 2.
If LaGrange can stop the Troup ground game, they can really make this game interesting. We believe that’s certainly possible. But we also believe the Tigers will find a way to get the ground game going when it matters most.
Prediction: Troup by 4