TFR – GHSA Rankings – Week 6

Posted on September 25, 2022 by admin

This past Friday gave us a lot of great action around the state. As usual there were a few games that surprised us, and then there were other teams that validated their rankings. Here is a look at our Top-10 teams in each classification at the midpoint of the season.

In Class 7A, North Cobb is back in the Top-10 as they defeated Milton on Friday. North Paulding is also in the Top-10 for the first time this season. Dropping out of the poll this week are Parkview and Milton. One surprising result this weekend was Grayson losing to unranked Lowndes. Grayson falls to No. 7 this week.

Class 6A had no changes in the Top-10. And for that matter neither did Class 2A or Class A-Division II.

The Eastside Eagles are in the Top-10 for the first time this season in Class 5A. The Eagles got a big win over Flowery Branch Friday night and have now won three straight. Warner Robins drops from the Top-10 this week after a loss to Houston County.

In Class 4A we saw a little bit of shuffling in the Top-10. LaGrange falls out of the rankings with their loss to Whitewater. That made room for Wayne County to make their debut at No. 10. Meanwhile, in Class 3A, Cedar Grove suffered their second consecutive defeat to a 7A team. The Saints still top the poll this week.

Finally Class-A Division I was shaken up a little bit. Social Circle upset Lamar County and that was enough to get the Redskins into the No. 8 spot this week. Elbert County also makes their season debut as they are in at No. 9 this week. Despite losing to Rabun County, Whitefield Academy remains at No. 10 this week and rounds out the Top-10.

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

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AA

A – DIVISION I

A – DIVISION II

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Previews – Week 6 (Part II)

Posted on September 21, 2022 by admin

We have officially reached the half way point of the high school football season in Georgia. As we do each week, we are taking a look at eight intriguing matchups around the state this week. This is Part II of our Eight Greats Around the State Georgia High School Football Previews.

First up, a big matchup in Region 5-6A as the Douglas County Tigers will try to derail the Langston Hughes Panthers express. Hughes is the odds on favorite to win the region, so a win by Douglas County would be a huge upset. Meanwhile, staying in the metro area, the East Coweta Indians host the Lambert Longhorns. Both of these teams find themselves on the outside of the Top-10 rankings in Class 7A, but both have a lot to prove and should be near the top of their respective regions come playoff time.

Next we head south to Moultrie as the Colquitt County Packers host the upset minded Cedar Grove Saints. This will be the fourth consecutive Class 7A team the Saints have faced. Will they avenge last season’s loss to Colquitt? Finally down in Ocilla, the Irwin County Indians are back home as they face a very good Metter Tiger defense. Can Shane Marshall and Demarkus Lundy continue their success on the ground this week or will Kaliq Jordan and Antwan Coney have the answer for Metter.

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

The Skinny

The Douglas County Tigers bounced back from their week three loss with a win over region foe Alexander last week. The Tigers have done most of their damage through the air as they are averaging 337.5 yards passing. Junior quarterback Sire Hardaway has thrown for 1,328 yards and 9-TDs. James Johnson, Deuce Alexander and Monte Gooden have combined for 58 receptions for 1,138 yards and 8-TDs. The Tigers are averaging 40.7 points per game while the defense is allowing 26 points per game. 

The Langston Hughes Panthers are winners of their last thirteen regular season games. The Hughes offense has been red hot as they are averaging 55.2 points per game. They are also averaging 450 yards of offense per game; 253.3 yards per game through the air and 196.8 yards per game on the ground. Quarterback Prentiss “Air” Noland has thrown for 1,013 yards and 17-TDs with no interceptions. Justus Savage leads the team in rushing with 351 yards and 5-TDs. C.J. Lockhart, Jaden Barnes and Jediyah Willoughby are the top receiving targets for Noland. 

Douglas County will have their hands full trying to slow down Langston Hughes. The Tigers have the offense to keep them around, but Hughes is going to be too much to handle Friday night. We like the Panthers by two touchdowns. 

The Skinny

The East Coweta Indians are winners of four straight and are looking to make it five this week as they close out their non-region schedule. East Coweta is averaging just over 400 yards of total offense per game. Sophomore quarterback Christian Langford has thrown for 1,062 yards and 15-TDs. Langford also leads the team in rushing with 330 yards and has also added a rushing TD. Brady Tillman (24 receptions, 470 yards, 10-TDs) and Jayshon Stegall (17 receptions, 338 yards, 3-TDs) lead the Indians in receiving. Linebacker Cosby Ellis leads the team in total tackles with 44 including a team high 4 sacks. The East Coweta defense has sacked opposing quarterbacks 15 times this season.

The Lambert Longhorns are 4-0 for the third consecutive season. Lambert is also wrapping up their non-region schedule this week before a bye week. The Longhorns offense is averaging 40 points per game. Only once this season have they been held to under 40 points in a game. Quarterback James Tyre has thrown for 897 yards and 10-TDs and his not been intercepted at all this season. Brandon Jones has been his top receiver with 16 reception for 452 yards and 5-TDs. Sophomore running back Tommy Lafayette leads the team in rushing with 336 yards on the ground and 4-TDs. 

We expect for this game to be a back and forth matchup, as both teams have shown the ability to be explosive on offense. If East Coweta’s quarterback can limit his interceptions this week, we like their chances. However, something tells us Lambert will sneak out of Sharpsburg with a win this week. Longhorns by 6. 

The Skinny

The Colquitt County Packers will come out of the bye week facing another one of the top teams in the state. The Packers are averaging 38.7 points per game. They are averaging 397 yards of offense per game with an average of 159 yards through the air and 238 yards per game on the ground. Running back Charlie Pace has paced the offense with 453 yards per game on the ground and 4-TDs while quarterback Neko Fann has thrown for 636 yards and 8-TDs. He’s also rushed for 151 yards and 3-TDs. Fann has a bevy of weapons at receiver including Ny Carr, Zamari Williams, and tight end Landed Thomas. Defensively the Packers are allowing 10 points per game and have sacked opposing quarterbacks 16 times.

The Cedar Grove Saints will face their fourth consecutive Class 7A opponent this week as they travel to Moultrie. The Saints offense has been clicking all season as they are averaging 34 points per game. Sophomore quarterback E.J. Colson has now thrown for 895 yards and 7-TDs. His top receivers this season are Barry Jackson and Ricky Lee who have combined to catch 38 passes for 610 yards. The 56 points that Cedar Grove allowed last week were the most points a Cedar Grove team has allowed since September of 2008. Despite giving up the lopsided number, Cedar Grove’s defense is still allowing just 23 points per game.

Cedar Grove has shown the can be giant killers at times and we expect them to put a scare into Colquitt this week. However, we believe the Packers are too deep and will pull away late. Packers by two touchdowns. 

The Skinny

The Irwin County Indians return home this week as they went up to Northwest Georgia and beat Rockmart. The Indians are winners of their last three games. They are averaging 34.2. points per game with a balanced attack on offense; averaging 173.8 yards per game through the air and 169.5 yards per game on the ground. Quarterback Cody Soliday has thrown for 692 yards and 6-TDs. His top receivers are Mason Snyder and Malachi Hadden. The duo has combined for 387 receiving yards. Meanwhile Demarkus Lundy and Shane Marshall have combined for 511 rushing yards and 9 rushing TDs. 

The Metter Tigers are winners of their last two games. The Tigers have not shied away from tough competition with losses to Class AA Pierce County and one of the top teams in Class A Division I, Swainsboro. The Tigers are averaging 16.8 points per game while the defense is allowing 16 points per game. In their three victories, the Tigers are outscoring their opponents 70-29, while in their two losses they are being outscored 51-14. 

Metter has a chance to make statement this week in Class A Division-I . We believe the Tigers are close on defense, but we believe their offense will struggle a bit this week against Irwin’s defense. We like the Indians by 13. 

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Previews – Week 6 (Part I)

Posted on September 21, 2022 by admin

We have officially reached the half way point of the high school football season in Georgia. As we do each week, we are taking a look at eight intriguing matchups around the state this week. This is Part I of our Eight Greats Around the State Georgia High School Football Previews..

First up, it’s a big matchup of Gwinnett County powers, as undefeated Mill Creek hosts undefeated Parkview. Will Mill Creek’s offense continue to fly high, or while the Parkview ground game be the difference this week? Next up, is a big Region 3-3A tilt, as Calvary Day hosts Savannah Christian . It’s early in the season, but this game has the feel of a region title. Can the Savannah Christian Raiders slow down Calvary’s potent offense?

Our next two games take us back down to Region 4-4A. Up first, is Whitewater and LaGrange. Both of these teams tasted bitter defeat last week and a loss by either team would likely end their hopes of hosting a playoff game this season. Meanwhile the Starr’s Mill Panthers will host the Troup Tigers. The winner of this game should be firmly in the drivers seat for a home playoff spot and the region crown. Can Starr’s Mill keep the explosive Troup Tigers at bay this week or will Taeo Todd run wild again?

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

The Skinny

The Mill Creek Hawk’s continued their offensive onslaught last week as they put up 52 points against Class 3A Cedar Grove. The Hawks have not scored less than 33 points in a game this season and are averaging 45.2 points per game. Senior quarterback Hayden Clark has thrown for 811 yards and 6-TDs. His primary receivers have been Makhail Wood and Caleb Downs who have combined for over 33 receptions for more than 475 yards. Defensively downs leads the team in total tackles and in interceptions. The Hawks are allowing 14.2 points per game. 

The Parkview Panthers are off to their first 4-0 start since 2018. Parkview is averaging just under 40 points per game. Junior running back Kyhair Spain leads the way offensively with 771 yards rushing and 4-TDs. Mike Matthews is the leading receiver for the Panthers. Defensively, Parkview is allowing 14.2 points per game. The defensive line is anchored by run-stopping defensive end Nolan Marshall. He has a knack for creating havoc for opposing offenses.

Mill Creek has been scoring points in bunches, but Parkview has plenty of weapons as well on offense. Scoring points won’t be the issue on Friday. We do believe Caleb Downs and Makhail Wood will be the difference this week. We like Mill Creek by 9.

The Skinny

The Calvary Day Cavaliers have won 15 consecutive regular season games. Offensively, the Cavs have a balanced attack this season as they are averaging 154.7 yards per game through the air and 167 yards per game on the ground. Junior quarterback Jake Merklinger, has thrown for 423 yards and 6-TDs while running back Antonion Butts and Trevor Strowbridge have combined to rush for 260 yards and 6-TDs. Calvary Day is averaging 41.6 points per game while the defense is allowing 18 points per game. Butts and Strowbridge also lead the Cavs in total tackles. The defense has forced 6 turnovers so far this season. 

The Savannah Christian Raiders have quietly put together an impressive first half of the season. The Raiders have been doing most of their damage offensively on the ground as they are averaging an impressive 311.8 yards per game on the ground. It’s been running back by committee for Savannah Christian, with Zo Smalls leading the backfield with 465 yards and 8-TDs. Kenry Wall and Jayden Hester have also combined to rush for 481 yards and 4-TDs. Quarterback Paul Zittrauer has done enough to keep teams honest, passing for 540 yards and 7-TDs. The Raiders defense has sacked opposing quarterbacks 21 times and forced 10 turnovers. 

The Cavaliers will get another tough test this week against the upstart Raiders. Expect for Calvary Day quarterback Merklinger to figure in to the decision. We believe Savannah Christian’s defense will do enough to keep them in the game, but we like Calvary Day at home by 10.

The Skinny

The Whitewater Wildcats will be back at home this week as they try to stay in contention for a home playoff game. The Wildcats are averaging almost 300 yards of offense per game with the majority of that coming by way of the ground. They are averaging 206.8 yards per game rushing. It’s been running back by committee for the Wildcats as Xavier Clay-Turner, Logan Griffith and Braxton Mueller have combined for 497 yards and 8-TDs. Defensively, the Wildcats are led by Popo Aguirre with 45 total tackles. Whitewater has sacked opposing quarterbacks 13 times this season and are allowing 23.2 points per game. 

The LaGrange Grangers find themselves in a similar position this week as their opponent, as they also try to stay in contention for a home playoff game. The Grangers lost a heartbreaker to Starr’s Mill last week. Last week was the lowest scoring output for the Grangers this season. LaGrange is still averaging 42.7 points per game while the defense is allowing 21.7 yards per game. The big question this week as can the offense show up again and slow down Whitewater’s rushing attack.

TAs we mentioned, the Grangers will need to find a way to slow down the Wildcats ground game. That’s easier said than done. Meanwhile, Aguirre and the Wildcats will have their hands full trying to slow down Malachi Fannin-Render and Jonathan Keys for LaGrange. Expect another close game, but we like Whitewater to edge LaGrange. Wildcats by 4. 

The Skinny

The Starr’s Mill Panthers will face their second consecutive team from Troup County as the Troup Tigers pay them a visit this week. Last week, the Panthers needed overtime to edge LaGrange on the road. Sophomore quarterback Logan Inagawa has done a good job leading the team as he has shown an ability to move the ball through the air, although Starr’s Mill is a run first team. That paired alongside backs Greigh Joseph and Anderson Cardoza has made for a formidable offense that can beat defenses a few different ways. 

The Troup Tigers have won their first four games of the season for the first time since 2018. The Tigers offense is on fire as they are averaging 37 points per game. The engine that drives the Tigers is Taeo Todd. Todd was up to his old tricks last week as he rushed for 247 yards and threw for 169 yards. He accounted for five touchdowns in the win. That brings Todds totals to 696 rushing yards, 10 rushing TDs and passed for 630 yards and 8-TDs. While Todd leads the offense, expect for the Tigers to lean on Qua Birdsong to help slow down Starr’s Mill.

The winner of this game will be in the catbird seat in the region. Starr’s Mill will have their hands full trying to slow down the Troup. If the Panthers run game can get going, they might be able to keep Taeo Todd on the sidelines which might be the best way to slow him down. We still like Troup by 4 on the road. 

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TFR – GHSA Rankings – Week 5

Posted on September 18, 2022 by admin

The Georgia High School Football Season rolls on as we approach the midpoint of the season. There were quite a few surprises across the state this week as we continue to get a clearer picture of the top teams in each classification.

Class 7A saw an upset as North Cobb fell to Class 6A Northside Warner Robins. That loss drops North Cobb out of the rankings this week. Taking their place are the Milton Eagles who are back in the Top-10 for the first time in a few weeks. Other teams just outside of our Top-10 include, Westlake, East Coweta, North Paulding, and Lambert. Some surprise undefeated teams in Class 7A to keep an eye on include Central Gwinnett, South Gwinnett, and Osborne.

Over in Class 6A, the two big upsets were Northside Warner Robins over North Cobb and Marist over Blessed Trinity. Blessed Trinity finds themselves on the outside looking in this week, but are still a team to watch. They are replaced by Marist who is back in the Top-10 at No. 10 this week. Other teams just on the periphery of the Top-10 this week include Houston County, Paulding County, and Douglas County.

There were no teams dropping out of the Top-10 in Class 5A. Dutchtown did have a big win over Region rival Warner Robins. That win puts the Bulldogs in the driver’s seat in Region 2-5A. Creekside is up two spots to No. 5, while Warner Robins drops down to No. 7.

Down in Class 4A, the best games of the week were in Region 4, as Troup defested Whitewater while Starr’s Mill defeated LaGrange. Whitewater drops to No, 8 while LaGrange drops to No. 9. Stockbridge got a big win over previously undefeated Hampton. The win by Strockbridge moves them in to our Top-10 for the first time this season. Meanwhile, Howard, Westside Macon, Heritage (Catoosa) and East Forsyth are the undefeated and unranked teams this week.,

Class 3A had some interesting matchups as a couple of Top-10 teams challenged Class 7A opponents this week. Cedar Grove fell to Class 7A Mill Creek by 16, but remains in the top spot this week. Carver-Atlanta also lost to Buford, but we still have them at No. 5 this week. Other teams of note outside of the Top-10 include Monroe, Mary Persons, Savannah Christian, Harlem and Lumpkin County.

Class 2A has all familiar faces in the Top-10. The big upset was Rockmart falling to Class A D-I Irwin County. The loss drops Rockmart to No. 7 this week. Pierce County remains in the top spot this week. Other teams of note in Class 2A include undefeated Worth County, Northeast Macon, undefeated Vidalia, undefeated North Cobb Christian and Athens Academy.

In Class A D-I, Brooks County made a statement as they defeated Class 4A Bainbridge. Even with the big win, there was no room for Brooks to move up, because every team in the Top-10 won on Friday. Of course, we already mentioned Irwin County’s win over Class 2A Rockmart. Teams of note outside of the Top-10 include undefeated Screven County, Social Circle, Temple, Elbert County and Trion.

Finally Class A D2 saw a lot of shifting after four of the ten ranked teams lost Friday night. However, even with those losses, no team dropped from the ranking this week. Early County remains in the top spot. Bowdon is all the way up to No. 4 this week. Other teams of note outside of the Top-10 include McIntosh County Academy and Portal.

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

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AA

A-DIVISION I

A-DIVISION II

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Cherokee County Football Previews – Week 5

Posted on September 15, 2022 by admin

We are quickly approaching the midpoint of the high school football season in Cherokee County. All six county teams will be in action this week and we preview all of the Cherokee County Football games this week.

First up, the Cherokee Warriors will be on the road as they visit the West Forsyth Wolverines. The Warriors will be looking to get the ground game going again, while doing their best to stop West Forsyth’s rushing attack. Meanwhile, the Creekview Grizzlies will host the Allatoona Buccaneers. Both teams picked up their first win win of the season last week. Can the Grizzlies stay hot at home or will the Buccaneers ground game wear down Creekview?

The Etowah Eagles will host the Sequoyah Chiefs this Friday. Etowah is certainly the surprise team of the county this season, as they are the only undefeated team remaining. Will the Eagles continue to fly high, or will the Chiefs ground game ground the Eagles? Finally, the Woodstock Wolverines will host the River Ridge Knights. The Wolverines have dropped the last two gams in the series against River Ridge and are looking to pick up their first win of the season. Will Woodstock catch River Ridge off guard or will the River Ridge offense have another big night.

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

The Skinny

The West Forsyth Wolverines got back into the win column last week as they defeated the Cambridge Bears. Last week the Wolverines rushed for 336 yards on the ground. On the season, they are averaging 182 yards per game on the ground and 100 yards per game through the air. Their rushing leader is Air Force commit Peyton Streko. Streko has rushed for 600 yards on 90 carries with 7-TDs. Last Friday, the Wolverines only attempted 7 passes. When they do go to the air, expect tight-end Henry Delp to be their primary target. In their first three games, Delp caught 9 passes for 105 yards. Defensively, the Wolverines have sacked opposing quarterbacks 12 times this season and are allowing 23.5 points per game.

The Cherokee Warriors will look to get back on track in their last non-region matchup of the year. The Warriors had an early lead against rival Sequoyah last week, but could not hang on late as some special teams miscues hurt Cherokee last week. Penalties were also a bugaboo for the Warriors last week as they will need to continue to get that cleaned up. Cherokee is averaging 19.5 points per game and allowing 25.5. They’ve also allowed 3 special teams touchdowns this season. So that 25.5 points might be a little misleading. If Cherokee can clean up the penalties and special teams miscues, we believe they will have a chance to get back into the win column this week.

The Wolverines have a dynamic running back in Streko. Can the Cherokee front seven do enough to shut Streko down this week? We believe they can slow him down, but not shut him down. We like the Wolverines by 6 this week.

The Skinny

The Creekview Grizzlies picked up their first win of the season as they scored early and often last week to defeat North Forsyth. The Grizzlies got touchdowns from Issac Hubert (2), Austin Guest, Cal Shubert and Michael Roach in the victory. Creekview showed improvement through the air as Austin Guest completed 75% of his passes for 270 yards and 2-TDs. The aforementioned Hubert also added 110 yards on the ground. He’s accounted for must of the Grizzlies rushing yards this season with 214 total and 4-TDs. Creekview’s defense was impressive last week holding North Forsyth to their lowest point output of the season. (Prior to last week, North was averaging 30 points per game.)

The Allatoona Buccaneers also picked up their first win of the season as they defeated Hillgrove. The Buccaneers had their biggest scoring outburst combined with their best defensive performance last week. On the season, Allatoona is averaging 18.2 points per game while allowing 23.2. Last week, Jayden Ponder had a big game as he tallied 170 yards and 2-TDs in the victory. Ponder now has 572 yards rushing with 4-TDs. The Bucs have leaned more on the run than the pass this season, averaging 89.8 yards per game through the air and 159.5 yards per game on the ground. 

The ability to run the football is important to both teams. They also rely heavily on their respective defenses.  Neither team is averaging over 19 points per game, which is why we believe the first team to get to 21 points will win this game. We believe the Bucs have just enough on offense to get past the Grizzlies. Allatoona by 3.

The Skinny

The Etowah Eagles are off to their first 4-0 season since 2014. The Eagles are the talk of Cherokee County after winning two games total in the previous two seasons. Etowah is off to a fast start with bigger goals in mind than just a 4-0 start. Etowah has been getting things done on the ground this season with quarterback Xavier Mahoney and running backs Reece Wehr and Johar Cacho. Going into last week, Mahoney was the leading rusher in Class 6A. He added 105 yards to bring his total to 640 on the season. Etowah is averaging is averaging 29.7 points per game so far this season while allowing 19.7 this season.

The Sequoyah Chiefs got in the win column last week as they defeated their rival Cherokee on the road. Sequoyah was led by their special teams unit which blocked a field goal and returned it for a touchdown and also returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Jackson Hancock was a key cog for the Chiefs special teams. Meanwhile the Chiefs continued to control time of possession in their signature Wing-T offense. Expect to see more of the same this week with backs Tyler Bell, Asante Chimanda, and the aforementioned Hancock. Defensively, Ty Moores and Ean Marria have been extremely disruptive for the Chiefs this season. It will be interesting to see if they can be neutralized by the Etowah offensive line.

This game will be won in the trenches as both teams really like to run the ball, even though they go about it differently. Both teams also have dynamic playmakers in Mahoney for Etowah and Hancock for Sequoyah. We believe the one who get’s the most touches will have the biggest impact on the game. Because Mahoney plays QB for Etowah, we believe he will have more opportunities to make impact plays, and for that reason, we like Etowah by 7.

The Skinny

The Woodstock Wolverines will be back at home as they open region play against rival River Ridge. The Wolverines got some big special teams play last week and were right there in the game again until a tsunami of scoring occurred in the second quarter against Lassiter last week. The Wolverines will continue to look to get the ball into the hands of their playmakers, namely Adonis Garcia, Chase Colina and Luke Renninger at wide receiver and running back Isaiah Payton. This week, the Wolverines will again try to continue to improve and sustain drives as they look for more consistency from their offense. 

The River Ridge Knights fell last week to North Atlanta in a game which they turned the ball over five times in the loss. We can only imagine that ball security will be a big focus in practice for the Knights. Even after being held to 13 points last week, the Knights are still averaging 32 points per game. The River Ridge defense did well last week to just surrender 27 points after being put in difficult situations. Credit to linebackers Brandon Burdette, Brendan Dye and senior defensive lineman Ethan Anderson who leads the team in sacks and is extremely disruptive to opposing offenses.

Expect River Ridge to establish the run this week as Woodstock had some trouble defending it last week. For Woodstock, they’ll need to find a way to keep an attacking aggressive River Ridge defense off-balance. That’s easier said than done. We like the Knights to bounce back this week. River Ridge by four touchdowns.

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Previews – Week 5 (Part II)

Posted on September 14, 2022 by admin

It’s hard to believe that we are already approaching the midpoint of the high school football season here in Georgia. This is Part II of our Eight Greats Around the State where we preview 8 intriguing matchups this week. We went heavy on Middle Georgia with this edition, as Region 4-4A has two big matchups between four teams that we feel have a chance to take home the region crown.

First up in Warner Robins, the Demons of Warner Robins will host the Dutchtown Bulldogs. We know it’s early in the season, but this could be the defacto region title game and it’s just the first game of the season. The big question is whether the Demons will get back on track offensively or will Dutchtown outlast Warner Robins? A little further down the road in Perry, the Perry Panthers will host the Peach County Trojans. Peach is flying under the radar a bit this season, They’ve also really owned this rivalry. But the Perry Panthers look like they are poised to be a contender in Class 4A. Can Peach and Armar Gordon get past the upstart Trojans?

Our next two previews take us down to LaGrange, GA where we have two big matchups in Region 4-4A. The LaGrange Grangers will host the Starr’s Mill Panthers. The Panthers drop down a classification this season and bring with them a pretty impressive rushing attack. Can the LaGrange defense slow down the Greigh Joseph express? Finally, the Troup Tigers will host the Whitewater Wildcats. It will be interesting to see if Troup’s Tao Todd have another big game throwing and passing or while Popo Aguirre and the Wildcat’s defense have the remedy this week?

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

The Skinny

The Warner Robins Demons will be looking to bounce back from last weeks outing as they were shutout for the first times since the 2017 state championship game and the first time in the regular season since August of 2014. To be fair to the Demons, they have not shied away from tough competition as their losses have come against ranked teams from Class 7A and Class 6A. Warner Robins is averaging 9 points per game this season while allowing 20.3 points per game. 

The Dutchtown Bulldogs are 4-0 for the second time since 2019. The Bulldogs are averaging 30.2 points per game while allowing 10.5 points per game. They are averaging 285 yards per game of offense. Quarterback Josiah Jarrett has thrown for 405 yards and 4-TDs but has also thrown 5 interceptions. Meanwhile, Jamal Bing has rushed for 485 yards and 5-TDs and is averaging 6.8 yards per carry. 

We believe this game might decide the region title. We know that’s a bold statement considering this is the first week of region play in Region 2-5A. While we know Warner Robins has struggled a bit offensively, we believe they will do just enough to edge out Dutchtown this week. We like the Demons by 3 at home.

The Skinny

The Perry Panthers scored a big win last week over Veterans High and will now face perennial Class 3A power Peach County. The offense is led by quarterback Armar Gordon who has thrown for 855 yards and 11-TDs. Gordon has not thrown an interception this season. His top receiver has been Dakarai Anderson. Through the first three games, Anderson had caught 17 passes for 391 yards and 5-TDs. Running back Demetrius Carter has rushed for 611 yards and 7-TDs. Defensively, De’Untae Kendrick has already intercepted three passes. He leads the defense that has intercepted seven passes on the year. 

The Peach County Trojans did it with defense last week as they held Jones County to just three points and forcing four interceptions. On the season, the Trojans are averaging 30.6 points per game while the defense is allowing 19.3. Peach might not be as highly ranked as they have been in years past, but they certainly have some players capable of making big plays including quarterback Colton Ginn and wide receiver Isaiah Mitchell. Peyton Joseph is a Power-5 type offensive lineman for the Trojans.

The Trojans have dominated this series, but this Perry team is a little different this season. While we believe Peach can hang in there for the first half, we believe the Panthers pull away in the second half. Perry by 11.

The Skinny

The LaGrange Grangers will look to go 4-0 for the second consecutive season. The LaGrange offense has put up impressive numbers through the first three games of the season, averaging 49 points per game, while the defense looks to be right on par with last season’s performance, allowing 20.6 points per game. LaGrange have a few different options at running back including, Jaylen Brown, A.J. Tucker and Malachi Fannin-Render. They have the benefit of running behind an offensive line anchored by Jycel “Maple” Mosley, an All-State preseason selection. 

The Starr’s Mill Panthers are 3-0 for the first time since 2017. While the Panthers offense has been pretty good this year, they have really been outstanding on defense, allowing just 9.6 points per game, including one shutout. Offensively, the Panthers are still a run first team, this year it’s been Greigh Joseph doing most of the damage on the ground with over 300 yards on the ground through three games. While we don’t spend a whole lot of time talking special teams, it’s certainly worth mentioning that Starr’s Mill kicker Max Prozny is one of the top place kickers in the nation. 

We expect for Starr’s Mill to use their run game to keep the explosive Lagrange offense on the sideline. The Grangers are a really good football team, but something tells us the Starr’s Mill defense will be up to the task this week. We like the Panthers by 4 on the road. 

The Skinny

The Troup Tigers are 3-0 for the second time in four years and will look to get to 4-0 for the first time since 2018. This might be as talented of a Troup team there has been in the past few years. Quarterback Tae Todd is an electric dual threat player. He has rushed for 449 yards and 8-TDs and passed for 461 yards and 5-TDs. Troup is averaging 35 points per game on the young season. Defensively, Qua Birdsong, Qua Moss and Noah Dixon lead the Tigers as they are allowing just 11.6 points per game.

The Whitewater Wildcats are 3-0 for the first time since 2016. The Wildcats have leaned heavily on the run this season, averaging 195 yards per game on the ground. Running Backs Xavier Clay-Turner and Braxton Mueller have combined to rush for 290 yards and 5-TDs. Defensively, the Wildcats are led by Popo Aguirre, Will Snellings and Blake Elsenpeter. The trio leads the team in total tackles and paces a defense allowing 16.6 points per game. 

This Whitewater defense might be the best that Troup his seen to date. Conversely, we don’t believe that Whitewater has faced a player of Tao Todd’s caliber to this point in the season. We don’t anticipate a high scoring affair, but we do like Troup and Todd Thursday night. Tigers by 6.

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Previews – Week 5 (Part I)

Posted on September 14, 2022 by admin

It’s hard to believe that we are already approaching the midpoint of the high school football season here in Georgia. This is Part I of our Eight Greats Across the State where we preview 8 intriguing matchups this week.

First up, down in Decatur, the Bainbridge Bearcats host the Brooks County Trojans. These two team’s have been at or new the top in their respective classifications for the past few years. Does Brooks County have enough depth to down the Class 4A Bearcats? Over in McDonough, the Eagle’s Landing Christian (ELCA) Chargers will host the Prince Avenue Christian Wolverines. Can ELCA slow down the Prince Avenue passing attack or will the Wolverines run the show?

Meanwhile in Polk County, the Rockmart Yellow Jackets will host the Irwin County Indians. Irwin County has already taken one class 2A Top-10 team to the wire. Will they be able to steal a win at Rockmart? Finally, in Hoschton, the Mill Creek Hawks will host the Cedar Groves Saints. Cedar Grove has already defeated two Class 7A teams. Will they be giant killers again as they try to make it three for three or while the Hawks hold serve?

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

The Skinny

The Bainbridge Bearcats will look to make it two wins in a row as they host Brooks County. The Bearcats got back to .500 last week. They’ve used a balanced attack on offense this season, averaging 124.3 yards per game through the air and 127.3 yards per game on the ground. Quarterback Cam Sanders has thrown for 389 yards and 4-TDs while Keenan Phillips has rushed for 285 yards and 4-TDs, averaging 5.4 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Antavious Murphy has been the primary receiver for the Bearcats, with 17 receptions for 254 yards and 4-TDs. The Bearcats are averaging 20.7 points per game and allowing 23.2 points per game.

The Brooks County Trojans continue their challenging non-region schedule as they travel west on Highway 84 to take on Bainbridge this week. The Trojans are also looking to win their second consecutive game this week. Brooks County is averaging a healthy 39.5 points per game this season. They have not scored less than 28 points in a contest in the 2022 season. Meanwhile the Trojans defense is only allowing 19 points per game.

Expect for Brooks County to continue to put up points in bunches this week. We don’t think they can run away from Bainbridge, but we do like Brooks on the road by 3. 

The Skinny

The ELCA Chargers are not afraid to schedule some of the toughest competition year in and year out. This week, that trend continues as they host Prince Avenue Christian. The Charger have gotten most of their offense through the air this season. They are averaging 236 yards per game through the air and 137.7 yards per game on the ground. Quarterback Charlie Gilliam has thrown for 708 yards and 6-TDs in three games. Gilliam’s top receivers have been  Colton Hood and R.J. Johnson who have combined for 28 receptions for 436 yards and 5-TDs. ELCA is averaging 28.3 points per game but allowing 38 points per game.

The Prince Avenue Christian Wolverines are looking to go 4-0 for the first time since 2018. The Wolverines are averaging 43.8 points per game while allowing 18.7. Prince Avenue is averaging 526 yards of offense per game this season. They are led by quarterback Aaron Philo who has thrown for 1,019 yards and 11-TDs. Philo also leads the team in rushing with 168 yards. Bailey Stockton and Ethan Christian who combined to catch 39 passes for 672 yards and 7-TDs.

Philo is one of the top underclassmen quarterbacks in the state. We aren’t sure if ELCA’s Gilliam can match Philo. We expect a lot of points in this one, but we like the Wolverines by 6. 

The Skinny

The Rockmart Yellow Jackets will look to run their win streak to three straight this week, The Yellow Jackets got a big win over Class 5A Dalton on Friday. Rockmart has done the majority of their damage on the ground this season, racking up 919 rushing yards for an average of  306.3 yards per game while only averaging 85.7 yards per game through the air. It has been running back by committee as JoJo Haynes, Cam Ferguson, Lanear McCrary and quarterback J.D. Davis have led the way on the ground. Davis has also thrown for 256 yards and 2-TDs. Rockmart is averaging 35.6 points per game while allowing 30 points per game.

The Irwin County Indians will make the nearly 4 hour road trip to Northwest Georgia for Friday’s game. They are also looking to run their win streak to three games. The Indians are a little more balanced on offense, averaging 148 yards per game through the air and 190 yards per game on the ground. Quarterback Cody Soliday has passed for 441 yards and 5-TDs while Demarkus Lundy and Shane Marshall have combined for 63 carries for 400 yards and 6-TDs. Bo Payne and Mason Snyder are the leading receiver for Irwin County. The Indians are averaging 36.3 points per game while allowing 13.6

Expect for Irwin County to be extremely competitive this week. They will need their defense to travel as they face an extremely talented group of running backs. That, combined with the long road trip is enough to convince us to go with the home team this week. Rockmart by 11.

The Skinny

The Mill Creek Hawks are coming off of their bye week looking to stay undefeated. The Hawks have been lights out on offense this season averaging 43 points per game. That comes on the heels of 231 passing yards and 174.7 yards on the ground. Quarterback Hayden Clark has thrown for 663 yards and 5-TDs with no interceptions. His top receivers this season have been Mikhail Woods (16 receptions, 263 yards, 3-TDs) and Caleb Downs (15 receptions, 155 yards). Cam Robinson has leads the Hawks in rushing with 335 yards and 5 TDs. The Mill Creek defense has been pretty good in their own right this season, allowing 19.3 points per game and have shown improvement each week.

The Cedar Grove Saints continue their tour of Class 7A as they go on the road looking to knock off their third 7A opponent this season. The Saints are averaging 33.3 points per game while the defense is allowing 13.3 points per game. You have to respect what Cedar Grove has done with their scheduling as a 3A school, competing against some of the top schools in the state in the largest classification in the state. So far it has worked out well for the Saints. Offensively, they are well balanced with key contributors at running back from Demarcus Smith and Boden Walker along with talented receivers in Barry Jackson and Rick Lee. Sophomore quarterback Elliot Colson seems to improve each time out. Perhaps the strength of this team is their defense, anchored by linebackers Keith Bass, Quinterio Lawson and lineman Adonijah Green.

There is no doubt that Cedar Grove is one of the top teams in the state, regardless of classification. However, we believe that Caleb Downs and the Mill Creek defense are up to the task this week. We like the Hawks by 8. 

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TFR – GHSA Top 10 Rankings – Week 4

Posted on September 11, 2022 by admin

We are quickly approaching the midpoint of the high school football season in Georgia. Week-4 gave us more surprises and better insight into some of the top teams in each classification.

In Class 7A, the top eight teams remained unchanged. Valdosta moves up one spot t No. 9 after their 25 point victory over Class 5A Warner Robins. They replace Collins Hill, who fell to Class 3A Cedar Grove. Kennesaw Mountain rounds out the Top-10 at No. 10, as they are ranked for the first time this season.

There was just a small amount of shuffling in Class 6A as No. 1 Lee County fell to 7A No. 1 Colquitt County. That loss drops the Trojans to No. 2 this week. Roswell drops two spots to No. 5 as they fell to Class 7A Milton. Langston Hughes checks in as the new No. 1.

Class 5A was turned upside down as five of our ranked teams lost this past Friday. Cartersville remains at No. 1, but our No. 2 ranked team, Warner Robins fell to Valdosta. The Demons fall to No. 5 this week. The Jefferson Dragons dropped two spots this week as they lost by 2 on the road at Class 3A Oconee County. Jones County and Winder-Barrow fall out of the poll this week. They are replaced by Coffee and Loganville at No. 8 and No. 10 respectively. Calhoun drops a few spots down to No. 9 this week after the fell to Class 4A No.1 Cedartown.

The Cedartown Bulldogs remain at the top spot in Class 4A this week after a big road victory at Calhoun. Meanwhile, Benedictine falls two spots to No. 5 after their loss to Ware County. The Hampton Hornets round out the Top-10 as they are in the rankings for the first time this week. They replace Pace Academy who fell to Lovett.

There is a new No. 1 team in our Class 3A poll as the Cedar Grove Saints went on the road and beat the defending Class 7A champs this past Friday. Sandy Creek, who was our No. 1 last week fell to Class 7A East Coweta. That drops the Patriots to No. 4. Carver-Columbus falls out of the rankings this week as they fell to Class 2A Northeast. That makes room for Hebron Christian to sneak in at No. 10 this week.

Down in Class 2A, the Columbia Eagles were the only Top-10 team to fall this week. Their loss to Class 5A No. 1 Cartersville drops them to No. 9 this week from No. 6.

Over in Class A Division-I, the top seven teams remain unchanged. Emanuel County Institute drops from the rankings this week as they fell to Dublin. Dublin is still on the outside looking in regarding the rankings this week. Whitefield Academy rounds out the Top-10 at No. 10 this week.

Finally in Class A Division-II, five of the top teams lost this past Friday. Johnson County might be the biggest benefactor of those losses as the Trojans are up to No. 3 this week from No. 7. Schley County is down two spots after falling to Bleckley County. Charlton County is down to No. 6 while Mt. Zion-Carroll climbs to No. 7. Wilcox County is still looking for their first win, the Patriots are down to No. 9, while Clinch County is in at No. 10 this week. The Bowdon Red Devils are back in the Top-10 with their win over Tattnall Square; they are at No. 8 this week.

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

AAAAAAA

AAAAAA

AAAAA

AAAA

AAA

AA

A-DIVISION I

A-DIVISION II

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Cherokee County Football Previews – Week 4

Posted on September 8, 2022 by admin

All six Cherokee County Football teams will be in action this week. It will be the last week of tune-up games for our 6A schools as they jump into region play next week. First up, we take a look at the only game featuring two undefeated teams as the River Ridge Knights travel to face North Atlanta. The Knights have been lighting up the scoreboard early in the season. Will they be able to slow down a potent North Atlanta offense? Meanwhile the Etowah Eagles will travel to Roswell to face Centennial. The Eagles are flying high this season. Can they continue their growth against a physical Centennial team?

Down in Woodstock, the Wolverines will host the Lassiter Trojans. Woodstock has shown some improvement last week against Cherokee. Will that carry over this week or will Lassiter have enough offense to down Woodstock? The Creekview Grizzlies will look to get in the win column this week against North Forsyth. Can the Grizzlies defense ground the North Forsyth passing attack? Finally, the Cherokee Warriors host county rival Sequoyah. Will the Chiefs rushing attack keep the potent Cherokee offense on the sidelines this week?

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

The Skinny

The North Atlanta Warriors are 3-0 for the second consecutive season. The Warriors are averaging 38.6 points per game while allowing just 11 with one shutout. North Atlanta has used two quarterbacks this season in Lorenza “Trey” Lennon and Ian Reynolds. Both are mobile quarterbacks that have made plays with both passing and running the ball. Randolph Smith is a big target for the quarterback tandem. Davis Merritt is another receiver that really has some speed for North Atlanta. 

The River Ridge Knights edged Sprayberry last week in a wild finish. River Ridge is looking to go to 4-0 for the third straight season. Quarterback Ethan Spector continued last week with his hot hand as he has now thrown for 662 yards and 6-TDs on the season. Spector has the luxury of several playmakers around him including one of the best receiving duos in the county of Jackson Head and Grant Hollier. Mix in two way player M.J. Ayers and Andrew Hand and this becomes an extremely difficult task to cover these receivers. And we haven’t even mentioned the emergence of freshman running back Camden Cox, who is part of a one-two punch with Daniel Fitchner. 

North Atlanta’s team speed has the potential to give River Ridge a little trouble this week. However, we believe the Knights offense will be up to the task. We expect a lot of points from both teams, but we like River Ridge in a close one…Knights by 4.

The Skinny

The Centennial Knights were off last week as they will be looking to bounce back from a loss to Roswell in Week-2 of the season. Centennial is a team that we have seen over the past couple of years take steps forward. They had several players that had been thrust into starting positions as freshmen and sophomores now, these players are juniors and seniors and have plenty of game experience. The Knights are led by quarterbacks Tyler Laskaris and Carter Wit, while junior running back Nathan Webster leads the way on the ground with 155 yards and 2-TDs. Perhaps the most imposing figure for the Knights is offensive lineman Daniel Calhoun who is one of the top offensive line prospects in the state, and he’s just a junior. 

The Etowah Eagles are 3-0 for the first time since 2015 and a win this week would make them 4-0 for the first time since 2014. The Eagle’s have certainly found some magic in quarterback Xavier Mahoney and while he’s not the only young star on this team, he certainly can be seen as one of the catalysts for their offensive explosion in 2022. Mahoney has thrown for 220 yards and 3-TDs and rushed for 417 yards and 5-TDs. Part of what makes defending Mahoney so tough is that Reece Wehr and Johar Cacho have been effective running backs between the tackles. So opposing defenses have had to pick their poison this season.

Centennial is averaging 17.5 points per game and if they are going to win, they’ll need to find a way to put more points on the board. Etowah is a little more explosive, we like the Eagles by 11.

The Skinny

The Woodstock Wolverines will be back home on Friday night as they look to pick up their first win of the season. The Wolverines are still a young team trying to figure things out. Woodstock has improved week by week. Defensively, the Wolverines did a good job in the first half of keeping the Cherokee offense at bay. Woodstock is still looking to cash in on promising drives, as they have struggled to get the ball in the end-zone, averaging just 7.3 points per game. Isaiah Payton has been a bright spot for the Wolverines. The sophomore back leads the team in rushing with 175 yards and 1-TD, while Adonis Garcia has caught 11 passes for 80 yards. 

The Lassiter Trojans were off last week. They picked up their first win of the season two weeks ago against Wheeler. Lassiter is led by dual threat quarterback Bryson Harrison. He leads the team in passing (233 yards, 1-TD) and rushing (154 yards, 1-TD). Rickardo Jackson has been Harrison’s top receiving target with 9 receptions for 109 yards and 1-TD. In their first two games, Lassiter is averaging 15 points per game and allowing 17.5

The Trojans seem to have the edge at quarterback in this matchup. The big question her is whether or not the Woodstock defense can hang in for four quarters to hold Lassiter at bay. If that happens, we believe the young Woodstock offense can make this interesting. At the end of the day, we believe Lassiter has too much experience. Trojans by 17.

The Skinny

The Creekview Grizzlies will be back at home this week as they face the North Forsyth Raiders. Last week, Creekview held Class 5A Calhoun at bay for one half, but could not get over the hump in the second half. Quarterback Austin Guest has now thrown for over 400 yards with 2-TDs on the season. Isaac Hubert took over at running back and went over the century mark and added 2-TDs in the loss. Creekview’s defense again showed it was tough against the run last week. This week, except their secondary to be challenged, as North Forsyth is a more pass oriented team.

North Forsyth got a big win over county rival West Forsyth last week. It was their second consecutive win on the season. North is averaging 30 points per game while the defense is allowing 20.6. The Raiders are averaging 144 yards per game through the air and 90 yards per game not the ground. Quarterback Wes Roberts has thrown for 700 yards and 7-TDs. Logan Curry has been the go to receiver with 17 catches for 298 yards and 1-TD. Ten different receivers have caught passes for the Raiders. Meanwhile, Karson McBrayer, Caleb Bowen and Collin Miller have combined to rush for 253 yards. 

North Forsyth has been scoring points in bunches early this season. However, the Creekview defense has been improving steadily each week. The big question is whether or not Creekview can put two halves of football together. While it won’t be easy, we believe they can. We like the Grizzlies by 3. 

The Skinny

The Cherokee Warriors got in the books with a win last week over county rival Woodstock. This week, they will look to continue their upward trajectory. Warriors quarterback Tanner Savasir seems to be coming into his own as he has passed for 538 yards and 6-TDs through the first three games. Meanwhile, he has a talented tandem of backs with him in the backfield in Christian Irwin and Malachi Echols. The duo has combined for over 200 yards on the ground and 2-TDs and are doing enough to keep opposing defenses off balance. Meanwhile Kyan Simmons continues to be a big problem for opposing offensive lines. The senior linebacker leads the county in sacks and is one of the leaders in total tackles.

The Sequoyah Chiefs are still in search of their first win after facing a very brutal three game stretch. The Chiefs will finally face a familiar foe this week. Sequoyah will continue to look to establish the ground game. Jackson Hancock is one of the top playmakers in the county and we can expect for the Chiefs to try to get the ball in his hands through the air and on the ground. Sequoyah has also found success with Tyler Bell and Asante Chimanda running the ball as well this season. Sequoyah’s first three opponents are averaging a combined 32.3 points per game while the Chiefs are averaging 14 points per game. 

Sequoyah has another big test as Cherokee seems to be finding their stride offensively. We believe Sequoyah will come ready to play and expect them to be competitive, but the Warriors seem to have found more consistency early in the season. We like Cherokee by 16.

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Previews Week-4 (Part 2) 

Posted on September 7, 2022 by admin

We have reached Week-4 in the Georgia High School Football season. We have some great matchups all across the state in the first three weeks. This is part of our look at eight of the matchups that we found intriguing. First up, the Ware County Gators will host the Benedictine Cadets. This game was a shootout last year, but both teams have new quarterbacks this season. Will these teams light up the scoreboard again on Friday? Up in Milton, the Milton Eagles will host rival Roswell on Friday. Milton is looking for their first win of the season, while Roswell is looking to stay undefeated. Can Roswell, break Milton’s recent string of victories over the Hornets?

Down in Moultrie, the Colquitt County Packers will host the Lee County Trojans. The Packers have never lost to the Trojans. Is this the year Lee County gets over the hump against Colquitt? Finally, the resurgent Valdosta Wildcats will host the Warner Robins Demons. The Demons certainly have the defense, but can their offense get going this week against a stout Valdosta defense?

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

The Skinny

The Ware County Gators have outscored their opponents 61-10 in their first two games of the season. Offensively, first year starter Nikao Smith has thrown for 449 yards and 4-TDs while Dae’Jeaun Dennis has rushed for 210 yards on the season. R.J. Boyd has provided a change of pace for the Gators as he scored twice in last week’s game against Baldwin. Meanwhile, Jarvis Hayes has been the go to receiver for the Gators, catching eleven passes for 255 yards and 3-TDs. 

The Benedictine Cadets will make the drive over to “the Swamp” on Friday hoping to duplicate their defensive success from a week ago as they shutout Westminster. It was the second shutout of the season for Benedictine. They have not allowed a touchdown to an opponent from Georgia. They have also not played a full four quarter game against a team from Georgia yet this season. First year starter Luke Krohmenhoek has tossed 6-TD passes thus far this season.

Last season’s contest was a high scoring affair. This season we don’t expect to see a combined 91 points between the two team’s. Ware’s Smith and Benedictine’s Kromenhoek will certainly test the opposing secondaries. We like the Cadets on the road this week. Benedictine by 7.

The Skinny

It has been eight seasons since the Milton Eagles started off the season with two losses. They are replacing a lot of talent from their 2021 roster. Milton has also had matchups against two highly ranked out of state teams. The Eagles come into the game averaging a healthy 225 yards through the air, with just 56.5 yards per game on the ground. It’s no shock that Eagles receiver Debron Gatling has been the primary target for quarterback Luke Nickel. Gatling has caught 18 passes for 209 yards and 2-TDs. Marc Anthony Essley has also caught 15 passes for 118 yards and 1-TD. Defensively, the Eagles sport a pair of Power-5 commit safeties in Robert Billings and Bryce Thornton. 

The Roswell Hornets are 3-0 for the third straight season. The Hornets enter Week-4 with a balanced attack on offense, averaging 177.7 yards per game through the air and 181 yards per game on the ground. First year starter at quarterback K.J. Smith has completed 64% of his passes for 445 yards and 5-TDs while Nykahi Davenport has gone over the century mark in each of the first three games with a total of 365 yards and 2-TDs. The Hornets have a very experienced receiving group including Dylan Williams, Chris Elko, two-way star Ethan Nation and tight end Zeke Moore. 

There are some intriguing matchups in this game. Namely each teams respective secondaries and how they will matchup against the opposing receivers. Will Ethan Nation match up against Debron Gattling? Will we see Robert billings or Bryce Thornton defend Roswell’s Williams? We believe Roswell’s balanced attack will be the difference this week. Hornets by 4. 

The Skinny

The Lee County Trojans have also been dominant on defense this far this season. The Trojans are allowing just 5.67 points per game and have recorded one shutout this season. Early in the season, Sophomore standout Ousmane Kromah has rushed for 366 yards in just two games as he and J.D. Ferguson did not play last week. Even without Kromah last week, the Trojans racked up over 230 yards in the first half of play last week.

The Colquitt County Packers will get their toughest challenge to date as they host Lee County. Colquitt’s defense has been impressive to start the season allowing just 4.3 points per game while recording two shutouts. Colquitt has already recorded 13 sacks on the season. Meanwhile, the offense has been in sync as well, averaging 35.6 points per game with a lot of that coming by way of the ground. Charlie Pace leads the team with 299 yards rushing and 2-TDs. Quarterback Neko Fann has proven to be a reliable passer in his second season as a starter. Fann has thrown for 398 yards and 7-TDs. He has a talented duo of receivers in Ny Carr and Za’ Mari Williams.

While Lee County showed their resiliency last week without two of their stars, they will definitely need them this week with against a battle tested Colquitt County team. We believe Lee keeps it close, but we like the Colquitt at home by a touchdown.

The Skinny

The Warner Robins Demons got into the win column with an overtime victory of rival Northside Warner Robins last week. The Demons offense may not be as prolific as we have seen over the last few seasons, but a lot of that has to do with the caliber of their first two opponents. Warner Robins is averaging 13.5 points per game. Quarterback Chase Reese has proved to be an elusive runner for the Demons early on and paired with Malcolm Brown should really make for an effective running attack the rest of the season. The biggest question mark is whether or not the Demons can find consistency through the air.

The Valdosta Wildcats will look to stay undefeated this week as the Warner Robins Demons come to town. Valdosta has bullied their competition in their first three games. Allowing just 15 total points or 5 points per game. The Wildcats defense is led by JaRius Curry with 18 total tackles and Eric Brantley with two sacks on the season. The Valdosta secondary has also intercepted 4 passes this season. Meanwhile, the offense is churning out 195 yards per game behind running backs Charles Williams Jr. (210 yards, 3-TDs) and Ahmad Denson (139 yards, 1-TD). The aforementioned Brantley leads the team with 5 rushing TDs, with only 6 carries to his credit.

We expect a slugfest this week as both defenses represent the strength of their respective team. Is this the week that Malcolm Brown gets going? We believe so. We like the Demons by 2.

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