Week 11 – Eight Greats Around the State (Georgia High School Football Previews) – Part 2

Posted on November 11, 2020 by admin

We have made it to the penultimate week of the GHSA Football regular season. This week, our Eight Greats Around the State take us from Washington to Columbus to Calhoun to Leesburg and several stops in between. There is still a lot to be determined regarding playoff seeding over the last two weeks. Without further ado, here are this week’s Georgia High School Football Previews.

Our first game takes us to Columbus, where Hardaway will host Carver. The Hawks will be looking for their first region title in quite a while. Which rushing attack will have the most success on Friday night. Or perhaps a better questions, which team will be able to control the line of scrimmage? Next up in Atlanta, Westlake will host Lovejoy with Westlake looking to secure a home playoff berth and a region title as well. But Lovejoy’s defense has been as tough as they come. Does Westlake have enough offense?

Over in Cumming, the Denmark Danes have their eyes set on their first ever region title and can do so with two wins to close out the regular season. Standing in their way this week are the Gainesville Red Elephants. Can Gainesville’s pressure defense rattle Denmark QB Aaron McLaughlin? Finally, down in Leesburg in perhaps the biggest game in the state, Lee County hosts Valdosta. The region title is on the line this week and we expect another tightly contested matchup between these two teams.

Best of luck to all of the teams competing on Friday night. As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to comment and share.

All helmet images are courtesy of the Georgia High School Helmet Project. To see all of their work, please visit: http://www.gahelmetproject.com

The Skinny

The Hardaway Hawks find themselves in position to win their first region title since 1984 if they can win their last two games of the season. But standing in front of them this week is rival Carver. Hardaway’s defense has shutout three of their opponents and is only allowing 7.3 points per game on the season. Jakeveon Upshaw has led the way with 80 total tackles, while Devontae McGill, Mykel Williams and Alexander Graham have combined for 27.5 of the teams 39.5 sacks on the year. On offense, Jordan Moultrie is the straw that stirs the drink for the Hawks. The junior running back has rushed for 832 yards and 9-TDs, while Kentavious Day has chipped in 591 yards and 6-TDs. Hardaway is averaging 39.5 points per game this season.

The Carver Columbus Tigers also enter this game undefeated overall and looking to earn their second consecutive region title and 10th in the last 14 years. Similar to Hardaway, Carver has done the bulk of their damage on the ground with running backs Jaiden Credle (527 yards, 9-TDs) and Jamari Riley (406 yards, 8-TDs) leading the way for a team that is averaging a shade over 232 rushing yards per game. But the Tigers have also gone to the air as quarterback Devin Riles is completing 69.7% of his passes for 1,014 yards and 12-TDs; his leading receiver is William Bonilla (19 receptions, 385 yards, 4-TDs). The Tigers defense has been fairly stingy this season allowing teams an average of 7.6 points per game while not allowing any opponent to score more than 14 points in any single game. They’ve also sacked opposing quarterbacks 28 teams while intercepting six passes. This series has been one of streaks, and right now Carver has won the last 11. We really like their defense and their chances to make it 12 consecutive wins over Hardaway this week. Carver by 10.

The Skinny

The Westlake Lions are in search of their seventh consecutive region title. The Lions have passed all of their tests with flying colors to this point, but they have a couple of high-profile matchups to close out their season. Westlake has won four straight entering this game and are averaging an astonishing 50.7 points per game during that win streak. Quarterback R.J. Johnson has thrown for 1,728 yards and 13-TDs. His top two receivers have been Dacari Collins (30 receptions, 558 yards, 6-TDs) and Leo Blackburn (24 receptions, 408 yards, 2-TDs) Junior running back Zina Mulbah has 665 yards and 9-TDs on the season to help pace the Westlake offense.

The Lovejoy Wildcats suffered their first setback of the season last week as they fell to the upstart Langton Hughes Panthers. The Wildcats can still win a region title, but will need to win out and need some help from the Tucker Tigers. On the season, Lovejoy is averaging 25.1 points per game while the defense is only allowing 9.8 points per game. Prior to last Saturday’s game, Lovejoy had not surrendered more than a touchdown in a game since mid-September. Michael Brooks leads the team in total tackles, while fellow linebacker Amos Barber is close behind. Perhaps the biggest playmaker on both sides of the ball is Eastern Michigan commit, Quentavious Scandrett. Lovejoy’s defense has been really good, but we think Westlake’s offense is just a little better this week. Westlake by 8. 

The Skinny

After starting 0-3 on the season, the Denmark Danes have a region title in their sight if they can win out. The Danes are on a four-game win streak entering this week’s matchup at home. Denmark’s biggest advantage will be quarterback Aaron McLaughlin. The N.C. State commit has a big-time arm and although they list him as a pro-style quarterback, he is also savvy enough to beat teams on the ground as well. He’s tough to bring down and is usually always falling forward when he does leave the pocket and runs up field. The Danes are averaging 22.2 points per game while their defense is allowing 15.8.

The Gainesville Red Elephants can still win the Region title, but they will need to win out and get a little help. Gainesville fell to West Forsyth last week and will be looking to bounce back on Friday. Quarterback Gionni Williams may not get the same press as Denmark’s QB, but he does a great job of getting the ball downfield and is also a threat to run as well. The offensive line is anchored by Ole Miss commit Cedrick Nicely. The Gainesville defense is fast and always seems to be forcing the issue. On the season the Red Elephants are averaging 32 points per game while the defense is allowing 21.3. We anticipate a closely contested ballgame, but believe McLaughlin will deliver for the Danes. Denmark by 7.

The Skinny

The Lee County Trojans are in search of their 4th consecutive region title and third consecutive win over Valdosta this Friday night. The Trojans only setback this year was to then Class 7A No. 1 Lowndes. Since that game, Lee County has reeled off five consecutive wins. Last week, Preston Simmons was the bell cow for the offense with over 150 yards and 2-TDs in the victory. Lee County is averaging 35.2 points per game on offense and 10.8 points per game on defense. However, in their two region games, the offense is averaging 23.5 points per game while the defense is allowing 10 points per game.

The Valdosta Wildcats come into this game on a three-game win streak of their own. During that span, the Wildcats have shutout two of their opponents and are allowing 4.6 points per game. The offense is averaging 28.6 points per game during that same stretch. Quarterback Amara Jones looks more and more comfortable for the Cats each week. That’s not a surprise, with receivers such as Tahj Sanders, Javonte Sherman, and Aalah Brown to throw to. The Valdosta defense has recorded 36.5 sacks and forced 11 turnovers this season. Valdosta has been playing better football since the 2nd half of the Lowndes game. They’ve closed the gap with Lee County over the last two seasons. Even though they’re on the road, We really like the Cats defense to be the difference in a close ball game. Valdosta by 3.

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Cherokee County Football Previews – Week 11

Posted on November 11, 2020 by admin

We are down to the final two weeks of the regular season of high school football here in Georgia. However, there is still a lot to be settled with regards to playoff seeding. Here are our Week 11 Cherokee County Football Previews.

In our first game, Woodstock will host the Milton Eagles. Woodstock hopes to keep their playoff hopes alive with a victory, while a Milton win would move them one step closer to a region title. Meanwhile, the Etowah Eagles will travel to Cumming to take on the Forsyth Central Bulldogs. This is a makeup game from a COVID cancellation earlier this season. Both teams have been elimanted from post season play but are looking to end the season on a high note.

Speaking of COVID, Creekview’s game against Centennial has been canceled this week. Since we took the time to write the preview, we included it here anyway. (Welcome back Andrew Cloy!) There’s a big matchup in Johns Creek for sole possession of the No. 1 spot as Johns Creek hosts River Ridge. Johns Creek is loaded with talent, but can they turn River Ridge’s dream season into a nightmare on Friday? Finally, Sequoyah travels to Sandy Springs to take on Riverwood. Will Sequoyah be able to slow down the Riverwood passing attack?

Best of luck to all of the teams competing on Friday night. As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to comment and share.

All helmet images are courtesy of the Georgia High School Helmet Project. To see all of their work, please visit: http://www.gahelmetproject.com

The Skinny

The Woodstock Wolverines picked up their first win in three games last week as the downed neighborhood rival Etowah. In the process the Wolverines kept their playoff hopes alive. The defense scored twice in the victory. As we’ve mentioned before, the offense will need to get clicking with sophomore quarterback Dan Comeau. He’s steadily climbing up the ranks of passing yardage leaders in the county. The Wolverines are up to 20.6 points per game in scoring offense, but the defense is allowing an average of 26.8. That might not bode well against this week’s opponents.

The Milton Eagles are fresh off of a Saturday victory against long-time rival, Roswell. The Eagles jumped out to a three-score lead, but almost allowed the Hornets to get right back into the game. Milton is averaging 26.8 points per game while the defense is allowing 9.8 points. We finally had a chance to watch the Eagles play this season. Here are our takeaways. Devin Farrell throws a really good ball and he’s “slippery” when he scrambles out of the pocket. Debron Gattling is just a freshman at wide receiver, but he is going to be a big-time playmaker. Speaking of playmakers, L.T. Overton is better than advertised on the defensive side of the ball. I mean outright scary good. Jordan McDonald is pretty good running back. And let’s not forget the feisty Zack Tumminia at defensive tackle who can plug up a lot of gaps. We expect for Milton to end Woodstock’s playoff chances this week. We like the Eagles by three touchdowns. 

The Skinny

The Forsyth Central Bulldogs wind down their season with a rescheduled game that was seemingly lost earlier this season. The Bulldogs lean heavily on the run. As a team they’ve amassed 1,258 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns. Peyton Streko (304 yards, 4-TDs) and quarterback Bronson Landreth (242 yards, 2-TDs) have led the way on the ground this season. The Bulldogs have only attempted 88 passes this season. That’s more than the 67 they attempted last season, but expect a steady dose of ball contral from Central. The Bulldogs are averaging 22 points per game, but allowing 23.7 points per game.

The Etowah Eagles will be looking to end their season on a high note over the next two weeks. Running back Klivert Many is closing in on 700 yards rushing on the season for Etowah and has 6-TDs on the year to help pace the offense. Establishing the run game will be key for the Eagles this week. Etowah is only averaging 8 points per game this season, but they have been competitive throughout. Lane Cantrell continues to lead the Eagles in total tackles. If Etowah can keep this game low scoring we like their chances this week. We believe it will be lower scoring, but we like Central by a field goal at home. 

The Skinny

The Johns Creek Gladiators still have their sights set on a region title and can accomplish that goal be winning the last two games of the season. Running backs Dylan Parr and Tank Pritchett have helped to pace the Johns Creek offense. The Gladiators are averaging 20.2 points per game in the season. While they’re defense is allowing 19.7. The defense is led by linemen Cole Nelson and David Alexander while Terian Williams, John Stegenga and the aforementioned Pritchett help patrol the secondary. 

The River Ridge Knights can wrap up a region title with a win this week. River Ridge got another big game from Amehre Morrison who has gone over 100-yards rushing in all but one game this season. The junior is one of the top backs in the state with over 1,480 yards and 19-TDs on the season. But he’s not the only weapon on offense, receivers Jackson Head, Riley Caines and the versatile Andrew “Big Play” Bingham have all come up with big games for the Knights offense…and we haven’t even mentioned the ever-steady quarterback Carson Lathem. Meanwhile, the Ridge’s defense is only allowing 15.8 points per game and Brian Bradley is becoming a real problem for opposing offensive lines. But with all of that said, don’t expect for River Ridge to blow out Johns Creek this week. The Gladiators are battle tested. We think it’s very possible Johns Creek can knock of River Ridge this week. We just don’t think it’s probable. It will be close, but we like River Ridge by 4. 

The Skinny

The Centennial Knights will be looking for their first win of the season win they host the Creekview Grizzlies. The Knights have used a few quarterbacks this season including Zaire Goff, Jett Miller and Tyler Laskaris as the try to find a combination that works best. Whoever is under center this week will look to get the ball to Julian Nixon at wide receiver. The UT commit is a big and physical wide receiver that is definitely a matchup-up problem for most high school secondaries. One of the biggest problems for the Knights is that they have not been able to get into the endzone with much consistency as they are only averaging 10.5 points per game while allowing 34.8 points per game. 

The Creekview Grizzlies welcomed back on of their star receivers, Andrew Cloy and also exploded for the most points offensively this season as they downed Chattahoochee last Friday. In his return, Cloy caught three passes for 55 yards and 2-TDs. Meanwhile, Tyler Stevens churned out 222 yards and a touchdown in the win. Stevens has now gone over the century mark four times this season and has 793 yards and 6-TDs on the year. The Creekview defense is still only allowing 9.6 points per game. The Grizzlies have tallied 41.5 sacks and forced 13 turnovers. The Creekview defense against the Centennial offense makes us think that this one can get out of hand. Creekview won’t need a ton of points this week, but we think they’ll top the 38 they scored last week. We like Creekview by 30 this week.

The Skinny

The Riverwood Raiders will be fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive this Friday night. They will also be looking to stop a four-game skid after they won their first three games of the season. During the losing streak, Riverwood is averaging 13.5 points per game, but allowing 22.7 points per game. By now it should come as no surprise that quarterback Avery Smith will look to get the ball to his playmakers Donovan Logan and Khalil Anderson. The Raiders will operate primarily out of the shotgun and look for favorable matchups in the secondary. And when Smith can’t find those matchups, he’s a threat to scramble down field.

Much like Riverwood, the Sequoyah Chiefs are fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive. A win this week would go a really long way for Sequoyah. They’ll need to bounce back from a loss last week to compete against a talented Riverwood team. Sequoyah will need another big game from senior Jaden Mitchell and sophomore quarterback Matthew Traynor. Mitchell has now rushed for over 800 yards on the season with 8-TDs. While the Chiefs have been able to find the endzone this season, they are only averaging 18.8 points per game, while the defense is allowing 28.1 points per game. They will have to get that under control this week or they may be watching their playoff hopes slip from their grasp. This might be a good matchup for the Chiefs however, since they can key in on the quarterback. We anticipate a close game, but like the Chiefs by two this Friday. 

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Georgia High School Football Poll – Week 10

Posted on November 8, 2020 by admin

We have come down to the final two weeks of the Georgia High School Football Season. We saw some interesting game results this past week. Most region races are beginning to come into focus. This week’s Georgia High School Football reflects some those outcomes from this past week.

In Class 7A, there are no new teams entering the poll this week, but both Grayson, Colquitt County and Milton scored big wins as they vie for the No. 1 seed in their respective regions. In Class 6A, we welcome the Langston Hughes Panthers to the fray. They scored a big win over Lovejoy and make their debut at No. 9 this week.

Meanwhile, the Class 5-A top-10 remains unchanged from last week. Their were no new entries in Class 4-A either. Stephenson did tumble a few spots after their loss to Marist. However, in Class 3-A, the Richmond Academy Musketeers make their debut at No. 10. They were snubbed a few weeks ago after a big win over Thomson. They’ll have a big game with Burke County to close out the season in two weeks.

Class 2-A has been topsy-turvy all season long and this week was no different. Three teams dropped from the poll this week (Putnam County, Northeast and Bleckley County), they are replaced by Jefferson County who enters the poll for the first time this season and Lovett and Jeff Davis, who are back in the Top-10 this week, after spending a few weeks in the poll earlier this season.

In Class A-Public, there was a little bit of shuffling in the Top-10, but no new teams cracked into the poll this week. Meanwhile, in Class-A Public, Whitefield Academy, enters the Top-10 for the first time at No. 10. They have a big showdown with No. 2 ELCA this Friday.

As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to comment and share.

All helmet images are courtesy of the Georgia High School Helmet Project. To see all of their work, please visit: http://www.gahelmetproject.com

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Week 10 – Eight Greats Around the State (Georgia High School Football Previews) – Part 2

Posted on November 4, 2020 by admin

We have turned the calendar to November and with three weeks left in the regular season, it’s do or die time for many football teams across the state. This is Part – II of our Eight Greats Around the State, where we look at Eight of the more intriguing Georgia High School Football matchups.

First up is a matchup between North Fulton powers as Milton hosts Roswell. Roswell has passed all of their tests so far this season, but we aren’t sure if they’ve seen a defense like Milton’s. The winner secures a home playoff berth and becomes the favorite to win the region title. Next up, down in Thomasville, the Bulldogs host the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes. Thomasville has played a challenging schedule to prepare them for matchups like this one, but can they contain the explosive playmakers on the Canes offense?

Over in East Georgia, Lincoln County will host Washington-Wilkes in a key region matchup. The biggest question is whether Lincoln County can keep pace with Washington-Wilkes as the Tigers are averaging 45 points per game. Finally, in Atlanta, the Marist War Eagles host the Stephenson Jaguars. Marist has not surrendered a touchdown all season. Stephenson looks like the best threat in the regular season to challenge Marist. Will they pull the upset this week?

Best of luck to all of the teams competing on Friday night. As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to comment and share.

All helmet images are courtesy of the Georgia High School Helmet Project. To see all of their work, please visit: http://www.gahelmetproject.com

The Skinny

The Milton Eagles have won three straight games coming into this week’s region tilt. Milton has a ton of talent all over the field. Junior quarterback Devin Ferrell has thrown for 1,080 yards and 9-TDs. His top receivers are Adam Freas (16 receptions, 226 yards, 1-TD), Matthew Evert (13 receptions, 187 yards, 3-TDs) and freshman Debron Gatling (12 receptions, 184 yards and 2-TDs). Meanwhile, bruising running back Jordan McDonald leads the team in rushing with 461 yards and 9-TDs. Dylan Miller, A.J. Crawford and L.T. Overton lead the team in total tackles. Overton is also the team leader in sacks with 7. The last time out, the Milton defense posted a shutout.

The Roswell Hornets have now won ten consecutive regular season games dating back to last season. The Hornets have utilized a balanced attack this year, averaging 215.8 yards through the air and 209.8 yards on the ground. Junior quarterback Robbie Roper has thrown for 1,264 yards and 14-TDs. The majority of those balls have gone to senior Marquis Willis, (30 receptions, 549 yards, 5-TDs). The Hornets also have a very good 1-2 punch at running back with Ryan Hill (489 yards, 5-TDs) and Ryan Stephens (415 yards, 5-TDs). Stephens is the more physical back, while Hill possesses great quickness. Linebacker Case Barrett leads the team in total tackles while Ethan Nation has intercepted a team high seven passes. Overall, Roswell is allowing 15.5 points per game. This will be Roswell toughest test to date. We believe Milton will be a little to stout on defense. Roswell will score, but we like the Eagles to edge the Hornets by three.

The Skinny

The Thomasville Bulldogs are winners of their last three games. In that three-game stretch, the Bulldogs are averaging 43 points per game and allowing 15.6 points per game. It’s been a balanced attack for Thomasville. Quarterback Ronnie Baker has thrown for 1,243 yards and 11-TDs. Baker has also rushed for 463 yards and 7-TDs. Sophomore Ricky Fulton is the team’s leading rusher with 497 yards and 6-TDs. On defense, linebacker Ty Anderson is the team’s leading tackler with 72 total tackles while Dimitrius Myrick leads the team in sacks with 4.5. 

The Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes are 8-0 for the first time since 2009. This year, the Canes have been getting the job done on defense, allowing just 9.8 points per game. The offense features an athlete in Chance Gamble who has lined up at receiver and at quarterback and has played on special teams this season. Demarion Dixon is also a threat to break off chunk plays at receiver and is also pretty good in man-to-man coverage in the secondary. Running back Mario Clark also adds another dynamic to the Fitzgerald offense as he can change speed and direction quickly and also possesses some power as well. By our estimation the winner of this game will be in the driver’s seat for the region title. Expect for Thomasville to be tough at home, but we like the Canes to win this one by 5. 

The Skinny

The Lincoln County Red Devils find themselves in the thick of the Region 8-A Public title race. The Red Devils are winners of their last two games. They are averaging 20.6 points per game while the defense is allowing 19.8 points per game. Tevin Gartrell is the leading rusher for the Red Devils. The Red Devils will show a variety of offensive formations from shotgun, to Wing-T and quarterback Keenon Lampkin can stand in the pocket and make throws or make things happen with his legs. 

The Washington-Wilkes Tigers are 5-0 for the first time since 2013, when the Tigers went undefeated and won their last region title. The Tigers have been downright dominant in their first five games, but the next two will really determine if the Tigers are contenders or pretenders. Washington-Wilkes is averaging 45 points per game. The Tigers only attempt about 10 passes per game. Even so, Dalen Cobb has thrown for 747 yards and 10-TDs. Zaikious Jackson is the team’s leading rusher with 412 yards and 8-TDs. The aforementioned Cobb has also rushed for 298 yards and 5-TDs. Quinzaibian Jackson is the leading receiver with 9 catches for 202 yards and 3-TDs. The Tigers defense is allowing 5.4 points per game and has recorded three shutouts this season. The winner of this game will stay in contention for a region title, with a game looming against Commerce for both teams. We like the different looks that Lincoln County will give the Washington-Wilkes defense, but we believe the Tigers are a little more explosive on offense. We’ll take Washington-Wilkes by 9 on the road. 

The Skinny

Earlier this season, we wrote up a preview about the Marist War Eagles and talked about their imposing offensive line anchored by Steven Nahmias, Davis McKenna, and Ian Erickson. They have really paved the way for the offense that is now averaging 34.8 points per game. But perhaps the biggest story is the Marist defense that has shutout three of their five opponents and has not allowed a touchdown all season. That averages out to 1.2 points per game. 

The Stephenson Jaguars also come into this game undefeated. The Jaguars defense has two shutouts to their credit and have only allowed two touchdowns on the season. They are surrendering 3.5 points per game. The Jaguars offense has not been as prolific as Marist, however. They are averaging 19 points per game. Stephenson has an impressive offensive lineman of their own in George Jackson. The three-star tackle has garnered offers from SEC and ACC schools. Stephenson is talented and well-coached, but Marist is running like a well-oiled machine. We like the War Eagles to roll again this week. Marist by 18.

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Week 10 – Eight Greats Around the State (Georgia High School Football Previews) – Part 1

Posted on November 4, 2020 by admin

We have turned the calendar to November and with three weeks left in the regular season, it’s do or die time for many high school football teams across the great state of Georgia. This is Part – II of our Eight Greats Around the State, where we look at eight of the more intriguing Georgia High School Football matchups this week.

First up, in one of the biggest games in the state, and perhaps in the southeast this week, the Colquitt County Packers host the Lowndes Vikings. The winner of this game will almost certainly win Region 1-7A. Is home field advantage that big of a deal for Colquitt or will Lowndes be road warriors this week? Next up in Dawsonville, the home town Tigers will host the Cherokee Bluff Bears. Cherokee Bluff is the new kid on the block, but their head coach, Tommy Jones, is no stranger to success. Can the upstart Bears beat Dawson County on the road?

In Monroe, the Monroe Area Purple Hurricanes will host Oconee County. Oconee has answered the bell each week but can they do it one more time against an experienced Monroe Area team? Finally, in the Dairy Capital of Georgia…(also known as Eatonton), the Putnam County War Eagles will host the Jefferson County Warriors. The War Eagles have been dominant on both sides of the ball this season, but can they slow down the Warriors rushing attack?

Best of luck to all of the teams competing on Friday night. As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to comment and share.

All helmet images are courtesy of the Georgia High School Helmet Project. To see all of their work, please visit: http://www.gahelmetproject.com

The Skinny

The Colquitt County Packers enter this week’s contest undefeated and for most of this season, unchallenged. The Packers are outscoring their opponents by an average score of 47-13 on the season. Their closest game was a 14-point win over Valdosta back in late September. Quarterback Xavier Williams has thrown for 985 yards and 9-TDs. His primary targets this season have been University of Minnesota commit Lemeke Brockington (14 receptions, 342 yards, 5-TDs) and Dijmon Wheeler ( 15 receptions, 205 yards, 4-TDs). Antoine Daniels and Perhsaun Fann lead the Packers in total tackles with 29 and 27 respectively. The Packers have forced 15 turnovers on the season. 

The Lowndes Vikings survived a scare last week as they got past Tift County. The Vikings have not lost a regular season game since the end of the 2018 season. The Vikings are outscoring opponents on average of 34 to 15. Dual threat quarterback Jacurri Brown has now thrown for 769 yards and 7-TDs and rushed for 606 yards and 10-TDs. Justin Lee has added 380 yards and 5-TDs on the ground as well. The Vikings top three receivers are Domonique Marshall (19 receptions, 329 yards, 5-TDs), Jaheim James (14 receptions, 234 yards) and Chase Belcher ( 12 receptions, 333 yards, 4-TDs). T.J. Quinn and Jalon Baker lead Lowndes in total tackles, while Leon Williams leads the Vikings in sacks. Jacurri Brown and Lowndes have been really good all season, but they are heading into a hostile environment where many dreams have gone to die. This one should be close, but we like Colquitt at home by two. 

The Skinny

The Dawson County Tigers have won four consecutive games after starting the season 0-3. The Tigers are having success this season through the air with Junior quarterback Zach Holtzclaw. Last year, Holtzclaw threw for over 2,300 yards. He’s over 1,600 through the first six games this season. His leading receivers are Jaden Gibson (32 receptions, 484 yards, 6-TDs) and Dakohta Sonnichsen (21 receptions, 384 yards, 4-TDs). Isaiah Grindle leads the team in rushing with 476 yards and 4-TDs. Kade Moledor is tops for the Tigers in total tackles with 62 while Brandon Lantz has 53. The Tigers are averaging 36.4 points per game, but have given up 29.5. 

The Cherokee Bluff Bears are not doubt the new kid on the block. The Bears are in their third year of varsity play and have already surpassed their win total for the prior two seasons combined. The Bears lean more towards the run on offense. The combination of Jayquan Smith (448 yards, 6-TDs) and Charles Tolbert ( 407 yards, 8-TDs) have led the way for Cherokee Bluff this season. Quarterback Sebastian Moss has thrown for 852 yards and 11-TDs thus far. Thirteen different receivers have caught passes for Cherokee Bluff this season. Garrett Davis leads the team in total tackles while Dakota Collins leads the team in sacks. Cherokee Bluff is allowing a paltry 4.7 points per game. The old adage says styles make fights. If that holds true, this should be a good one. The Bears have been good on defense, but Dawson County is a different animal. We like the Tigers by a touchdown at home.

The Skinny

The Monroe Area Hurricanes are winners of their last six games. Their only loss was a one-point overtime loss to Loganville in Week-1. The Purple Hurricanes are averaging 27.2 points per game and use a balanced attack. Through the first five games of the season, quarterbacks Selatian Straighter and Jeremiah Anderson have combined to throw for 848 yards and 10 TDs. Meanwhile running back Alan Jones leads the Canes in rushing yards with 583 and 1-TD in the first five games. Monroe Area is allowing 12.1 points per game. 

Meanwhile the Oconee County Warriors are in search of their second consecutive region title. Oconee County has been dominant all season, averaging 30 points per game and allowing only 7.8 points per game. In the first six games, junior quarterback Jacob Wright has thrown for 602 yards and 6 TDs, while sophomore running back C.J. Jones leads the team with 485 rushing yards and 6-TDs. Also, in the first six games, Jake Johnson is the top receiver with 13 receptions for 322 yards and 4-TDs. Justin Coleman and West Weeks lead the team in total tackles. The secondary has intercepted 11 passes on the season. Monroe Area is the last legitimate threat to Oconee County’s perfect regular season. The Canes are experienced and should put up a fight, but we expect the Warriors to wear them down in the second half. Oconee County by 16. 

The Skinny

The Putnam County War Eagles are 7-0 for the first time since 1994. They are also looking to put themselves into the driver’s seat for the Region 4-AA title with a win on Friday night. Coach Pope’s team is averaging 37.5 points per game while the defense is allowing a measly 4.2 points per game. Putnam County has three shutouts to their credit. However, their opponents are a combined 14-32 this season. Nevertheless, Putnam County has done what they needed to do to this point. Quarterback Gerald Kilgore is a dual threat quarterback that throws a very catchable ball and can also beat teams with his legs. Alongside him in the backfield is junior Cedrion Brundage. The defense is physical and really flies around. Look for both Detravius Smith and Michael Crumbley to cause disruptions along the line of scrimmage.

The Jefferson County Warriors are winners of their last four games. They are also the two-time defending 4-AA champion. The Warriors have used a combination of Kobe Heggs (270 yards, 2-TDs) Aquavious Hunter (258 yards, 3-TDs) and Isaiah Gaines (224 yards, 2-TDs) to lead the ground game. Jefferson County is not a strictly a rushing team, Mike Murray has caught 20 passes for 303 yards and 1-TD while the aforementioned Heggs has caught 13 passes for 171 yards and 4-TDs.  Nick Jordan and Quan Wilburn lead the team in sacks with 4.5 and 4 respectively. The Warriors are averaging 33.8 points per game while the defense is allowing 14.8 points per game. Putnam County seemingly has all of the momentum heading into this game, but we like the Warriors and their ground game to help hold Putnam County at bay this week. Jefferson County by 8.

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Cherokee County Football Previews – Week 10

Posted on November 3, 2020 by admin

All six Cherokee County Football teams are in action this Friday night, including three games with intra-county matchups. All matchups have playoff implications as some teams jockey for position while others fight to keep post-season hopes alive.

First up, Cherokee travels to Alpharetta. Both Cherokee and Alpharetta still have hopes of hosting a first round playoff game. Can A.J. Swann and Keith Adams, Jr. continue their productive seasons against an Alpharetta team that is growing in confidence? The other region 5-7A game features the Battle of Towne Lake. This will be the 21st meeting all time between Woodstock and Etowah. Woodstock needs a win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Can they defeat their neighborhood rival this week or will Etowah play spoiler?

In Region 7-6A, Creekview will host Chattahoochee. The Grizzlies look to solidify the No. 2 spot in the playoffs this week. Can the defense again rise to the occasion and slow down the pass-happy Cougars? Finally, the River Ridge Knights continue their historic season as they host the resurgent Sequoyah Chiefs. Two really good running backs square off in this. Will Amehre Morrison have another big game on the ground or will Sequoyah’s Jaden Mitchell shine brightest on Friday?

Best of luck to all of the teams competing on Friday night. As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to comment and share.

All helmet images are courtesy of the Georgia High School Helmet Project. To see all of their work, please visit: http://www.gahelmetproject.com

The Skinny

The Alpharetta Raiders are coming off the bye week looking for another win against a Cherokee County program. The Raiders had their biggest scoring outburst last week as they scored 45 against Woodstock. On the season, the Raiders are now averaging 24.2 points per game while allowing 21 points per game. Despite their record, the Raiders are still in position to host a home playoff game if they can win their final three games. Alpharetta’s three losses come to teams that are all or have been ranked at one point in this season.

The Cherokee Warriors got back into the win column this week with a big victory of county and region rival, Etowah. Keith Adams, Jr. continues to lead the Warriors on the ground with 1,001 yards rushing and 11-TDs. Adarrius Harshaw (30 receptions, 552 yards, 5-TDs) and Brady Bocherer (28 receptions, 365 yards, 7-TDs) are the leading receivers for the Warriors. Junior quarterback A.J. Swann has thrown for 1,610 yards and 17-TDs. The Cherokee offense is averaging 29 points per game while the defense is allowing 14.5 points per game. Senior linebacker Braesen Parker leads the team with 102 total tackles, while Tyler Goddard has recorded 80 total tackles and Toby Thompson has 75 total tackles. Sophomore Kyan Simmons leads the defense in sacks with 4. Cherokee’s offense will have another tough test against Alpharetta defense, but we believe the Warriors will have just enough with Swann and Adams to get past the Raiders this week. Warriors by 5.

The Skinny

The Woodstock Wolverines will look to get back on track this week as they face neighborhood rival, Etowah. The Wolverines are really getting their passing game in gear with sophomore quarterback Daniel Comeau. Going into the bye week, Comeau was the second leading passer in the county with 896 yards and 8-TDs. Both Wes Bruno and Sebastian Moss are in the top-3 in receptions in the county as well. The Wolverines are averaging 20.1 points per game this season. However, the defense is allowing 28.7 points per game. UGA commit David Daniel leads the Wolverines defense in total tackles with 61 while Carson Gray leads the team with 13 tackles for loss. 

Meanwhile, the Etowah Eagles are still looking to get things figured out this season. The Eagles struggled to get into the endzone last week against a tough Cherokee defense. Klivert Many is now over 500 yards on the season, with 553 yards and 4-TDs on the season. Fellow senior Brock Rechsteiner is the team’s leading receiver with 19 receptions for 308 yards. Etowah is only averaging 7.1 points per game while the defense is allowing 28.8 points per game. Etowah has been all but eliminated from an opportunity at a playoff berth, while Woodstock still has a slim chance if they win out. We expect Etowah to score a few more points this week in the rivalry game, but we like Woodstock and their super sophomore quarterback to win this game. Wolverines by 9. 

The Skinny

The Creekview Grizzlies bounced back this past week with a big victory of the Riverwood Raiders. As, they have done most of the season, the Grizzlies relied on a stingy defense and ball control on offense to help control the game. Last week it was Cole Hasty and Tyler Stevens finding paydirt for the Creekview. It was the third shutout of the season and the defense has only allowed five offensive touchdowns all season. (That’s 29 quarters of play, counting overtime.) By now you, should know their names, but Grant Anderson, Sam Minozzi and Isaac Hubert have become a real problem for opposing quarterbacks. They spend most of their time in the backfield harassing quarterbacks or stifling rushing attacks and are only allowing 8 points per game.

The Chattahoochee Cougars will try to bounce back from their loss to Sequoyah last Saturday. It’s the second consecutive loss for Chattahoochee who will need to win out to secure a post season berth. The Cougars have showed a propensity to put points on the board as they are averaging 27.6 points per game. Southpaw quarterback Jaylen Smith can beat teams with his arm and with his legs. His two top receivers are his twin brother Jahmal Smith and Jordan Palmer. They will certainly look to test the Creekview secondary. The Cougars are allowing 32 points per game on the season. The big question for Chattahoochee is whether or not the offensive line can give Smith enough time to find the mismatches in the secondary. As we love to say, that’s possible, but not probable. We like Creekview by 17 this week. 

The Skinny

The River Ridge Knights are back at home this week. Last week, the Knights got off to a slow start  before scoring 24 unanswered points in the second half to remain undefeated. River Ridge is now averaging 33.2 points per game while the defense is allowing 16.8 points per game. Amehre Morrison got back on track rushing for over 200 yards and a touchdown. By our accounts, the junior running back has now rushed for 1,367 yards and 18-TDs. Quarterback Carson Lathem also threw a pair of TD passes and rushed for another in the victory on Friday. The Knights defense gave up a late second quarter touchdown pass last week, but otherwise stood tall last week. 

The Sequoyah Chiefs, who looked like they could be headed for a winless season have turned things around in the past two weeks. The Chiefs stormed back from a 7-point deficit twice and scored the final 16 points of the game to remain in contention for a playoff berth. While Jaden Mitchell rightfully garners most of the headlines for the Chiefs offense, sophomore quarterback Matthew Traynor is showing off his leadership skills in guiding Sequoyah to comeback victories in back-to-back weeks. Sequoyah’s defense looked much improved against the pass on Saturday. Which is impressive considering the Chiefs played two games in six days. The big question this week is whether or not Sequoyah can slow down Amehre Morrison, which is much easier said than done. Meanwhile, the Knights will have their hands full slowing down the Sequoyah Wing-T. River Ridge has never beaten Sequoyah…Ever…In fact, River Ridge is only averaging 3 points per game in the series against Sequoyah. That changes this week. We like “Little Brother” by 14 over Sequoyah.

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Georgia High School Football Poll – Week 9

Posted on November 1, 2020 by admin

There were some big matchups and also some big surprises this past Friday night. This week’s Georgia High School Football Poll had some shake-ups, especially in Classes 7A and 2A. There are still some big matchups over the final three weeks of the schedule so buckle up that chinstrap!

In Class 7A, it was Collins Hill getting a big win over North Gwinnett on Friday night catapulting the Eagles to the No. 5 spot. East Coweta also jumps into the Top-10 this week. Meanwhile, Parkview dropped four spots after falling to Grayson. The Class 6A Poll remains unchanged this week.

Over in Class 5-A, Ola dropped a game to Jones County, moving them down to No. 10 this week. Otherwise there were no surprises in games played in the Top-10. The Top-10 for Class 4A and Class 3A also remains unchanged from last week as the ranked teams either held serve or were off last week.

Class 2A saw a big shake up as Northeast (Macon) defeated Bleckely County on Thursday, while Toombs County fell to Jeff Davis on Friday night. The results of those two games helped pave the way for Northeast (Macon) to debut at No. 8 this week and the undefeated Fannin County Rebels make their first ever entrance into our Top-10 poll.

The Top-10 in Class A-Public remains unchanged this week. However, there was a little shakeup in Class-A Private. Aquinas and George Walton Academy fall from the polls this week. They are replaced by Savannah Christian at No. 8 and Trinity Christian at No. 9.

As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to comment and share. Best of luck to all of the teams competing on Friday night. 

All helmet images are courtesy of the Georgia High School Helmet Project. To see all of their work, please visit: http://www.gahelmetproject.com

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Football Fridays at the Tavern – Episode 11 – Cherokee County Football Podcast

Posted on October 30, 2020 by admin

So much to get to this week in Cherokee County Football. We have recaps, previews and analysis. Oh, and what would our show be without our guests. We have two interviews we are excited to bring you this week. Coach Collins of River Ridge talks about his teams big win and the fight to stay focused. We are also joined by GPB’s Matt Stewart who does the play-by-play for the game of the week. Matt drops a ton of knowledge in a short amount of time, so buckle your seat belts! Don’t forget to follow us on twitter. Von (@cedarwoodtavern) and Art (@turdfurgesonrpt). Thanks for listening. Please feel free to share!!!

Game Streams this week:

Etowah vs. Cherokee (Video Stream): stevemajorsports.com/live

River Ridge vs. Centennial (Radio Broadcast/Stream): WLJA Radio 101.1FM; wljaradio.com

Sequoyah @ Chattahochee (Audio Stream): https://network1sports.com/station/chaseshaffersports

After you finish with the listening to our podcast, you might want to check out this podcast episode from Adam Krohn with the AJC about the Jeff Garcia to Grayson transfer: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/41668168

Podcast Index:

0:20 – Intro

1:20 – Reapers

4:40 – Flashback: Mitch Miller

8:00 – The Apology

15:17 – Matt Stewart, Voice of GPB Football

36:27 – Game recaps

43:46 – Etowah/Cherokee Preview

48:21 – Sequoyah/Chattahoochee Preview

53:19 – Creekview/Riverwood Preview

57:25 – Coach Collins

1:06:30 – River Ridge/Centennial Preview

1:11:50 – Around the Regions

1:12:28 – Region 7-6A Playoff Outlook

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Week 9 – Eight Greats Around the State (Georgia High School Football Previews) – Part 2

Posted on October 28, 2020 by admin

We have entered the final third of the high school football season here in Georgia. This week in Part-2 of our Georgia High School Football Previews, we take a look at some key region matchups that will help determine region seedings for the playoffs.

Down in the City of Roses, Thomasville hosts the Cook Hornets. Thomasville has dominated this series, but Cook comes in riding a four game win streak. Will Cook’s quarterback Tony Blanding out-duel Thomasville’s Ricky Fulton this week?

There’s a big clash on Friday in Warner Robins as the Demons host the Ware County Gators. No one has been able to slow down Ware quarterback Tommy Castellanos. Can the Demons dial up the right defense on Friday to beat the Gators? Finally, up in Suwanee, the North Gwinnett Bulldogs visit the Collins Hill Eagles. The North Gwinnett defense has been pretty good all year, but can they ground the Eagles passing duo of quarterback Seth Horn and receiver Travis Hunter?

We were originally set to preview Cartersville and Blessed Trinity, but that game has been cancelled due to COVID concerns.

As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to comment and share. Best of luck to all of the teams competing on Friday night. 

All helmet images are courtesy of the Georgia High School Helmet Project. To see all of their work, please visit: http://www.gahelmetproject.com

The Skinny

Thomasville has opened up region play with two straight wins, but will start a very difficult stretch in Region 1-AA. Coach Grage and his Bulldogs come into this game with a balanced attack on offense, averaging 164.4 passing yards and 147.4 receiving yards. Quarterback Ronnie Baker has thrown for 1,144 yards and 9-TDs. His top receivers are Ricardo Johnson and Taraje Felton. The duo has combined for 45 receptions and 507 yards and 4-TDs. Ricky Fulton leads Thomasville in rushing with 377 yards and 4-TDs. Ty Anderson leads the team in total tackles. As a team, Thomasville has forced 19 turnovers on the season. 

The Cook Hornets have reeled off four consecutive wins for the first time since 2015. Cook is averaging 25.7 points per game. While we don’t have stats for the Hornets, we know that Jamarion Walker is a physical running back with a low center of gravity and has the ability to punish defenders. Quarterback Tony Blanding has played well for Cook, as he’s shown scrambling ability and more importantly his ability to make good decision finding open Hornets receivers. Cook is allowing 19.5 points per game. The winner of this game should be in line to host a first round playoff game. Both teams have played well of late, but we believe Thomasville is ahead of Cook at this point in the season. We like the Bulldogs by 16 at home. 

The Skinny

The Warner Robins Demons are back in action this week after the bye. The Demons begin a very tough four game stretch as Region 1-5A might be the toughest in the state. Warner Robins comes into the game averaging 34.6 points per game. Quarterback Jalen Addie has thrown for 919 yards and 7-TDs and has also run for 430 yards and 7-TDs. Jahlen Rutherford has also added 396 yards and 4-TDs on the ground. Armon Porter (15 receptions, 412 yards, 5-TDs) and Daveon Walker (17 receptions, 331 yards, 1-TD) lead the team in receiving. The Warner Robins defense is allowing 13.7 points per game and is led by Demarcious Robinson and Jay Carter, both with 42 tackles on the season. 

The Ware County Gators continue to roll along. They passed their first region test by beating Coffee last week. The Offense is averaging 36.8 points per game behind quarterback Tommy Castellanos. Castellanos has thrown for  1,578 yards and 14-TDs while rushing for 577 yards and 11-TDs. Raiden Kennedy leads the team in receiving yards and TDs with 331 and 5, but several Gator receivers have 10+ catches on the season. The Gators defense is allowing 18.6 points per game on the season. We believe this game will be a high scoring contest. I just seems like being able to slow down Castellanos is turning into mission impossible. Warner Robins keeps it close, but we like the Gators by 5. 

The Skinny

The North Gwinnett Bulldogs have won back-to-back games after dropping two straight. The Bulldogs are averaging 23.8 points per game. Most of the North Gwinnett offense has come on the ground on the strength of Marcus McFarlane and his 503 yards and 3-TDs. Seth Anderson and Bobby Ezzard are a formidable receiving duo with a combined 37 receptions for 439 yards and 3-TDs. Defensively, the Bulldogs are allowing 8.7 points per game. Jayson Hodges leads the team in total tackles while Hunter Rizer leads the team in sacks. 

The Collins Hill Eagles have done most of their damage offensively through the air. Junior quarterback Sam Horn has thrown for 1,651 yards and 16-TDs through seven games. Travis Hunter has caught 65 passes for 775 yards and 11-TDs. Running back Spencer Anderson leads the team in rushing with 345 yards and 7-TDs. James Smith leads the team in total tackles and also leads the team in sacks with 7. The aforementioned Hunter also leads the team in interceptions with 3. The Eagles are averaging 29.1 points per game while the defense is allowing 18.8 points per game. So the question is can the Bulldogs get enough pressure on Sam Horn to disrupt the potent passing attack. And Jordan Hancock vs. Travis Hunter should be a great matchup. We like the Bulldogs on the road by three.

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Week 9 – Eight Greats Around the State (Georgia High School Football Previews) – Part 1

Posted on October 28, 2020 by admin

We begin to make our way to the final stretch of the high school football season in Georgia. This is Part-1 of some of the more intriguing matchups around the state that we call Eight Greats Around the States. Here are the first set of games in our weekly Georgia High School Football Previews.

First, down in Leesburg, the Lee County Trojans will host the Houston County Bears. Houston County has been winning with solid defensive efforts, but they’re up against one of the more explosive offenses on their schedule. Can they slow down Lee or will the Trojans assert their will? Next up, down in southeast Georgia, the Richmond Hill Wildcats host the Brunswick Pirates. By our accounts, the winner of this game will be in the drivers seat for the region title. Can Richmond Hill continue take care of business at home against the Pirates?

In Dalton, the Christian Heritage Lions will host the Darlington Tigers. Christian Heritage has never beaten Darlington. Is this the year the Lions get over the hump? Finally, in Gwinnett County, a battle of top-5 opponents takes place as Grayson hosts Parkview. Which backfield will have the bigger night…Grayson with Phil Mafah or Parkview with the duo of Cody Brown and Tyler Curtis. The winner of this one should be in line to at least host a first round playoff game, with Brookwood still looming on the schedule for both teams.

As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to comment and share. Best of luck to all of the teams competing on Friday night. 

All helmet images are courtesy of the Georgia High School Helmet Project. To see all of their work, please visit: http://www.gahelmetproject.com

The Skinny

The Lee County Trojans were off last week and will open up region play at home. The Trojans have won three straight games after their only setback of the season to Lowndes. Athlete Chauncey Magwood and running back Caleb McDowell lead the Trojans offense. Magwood has spent time at quarterback and receiver for Lee County. The offense is averaging 39.1 points per game. Lee County’s defense has been pretty darn good this season as well, allowing 11.1 points per game. They have two shutouts to their credit. Baron Hopson and hard-hitting Jaron Willis have helped to lead the way for the Trojans defense.

Houston County has won their last two games entering their Region-1 opener. Like Lee County, the Bears were also off last week. Houston County has not been an offensive juggernaut, averaging only 13.5 points per game. In the first six games of the season, running back Tyler Williams had rushed for 438 yards and 2-TDs. The Bears have only thrown for 138 yards in their first six games as well. But the Bears defense has done their part to keep the team in games. They are allowing 14.4 points per game. Jayson Hodges, Hunter Rizer and Jayleem Santos are tops on the team in total tackles. It will take a herculean effort from the Houston defense to slow down Lee County. Even if Chauncey Magwood has to spell Smith Pinson at quarterback, we like Lee County to win the opener. Call it Trojans by 17. 

The Skinny

The Richmond Hill Wildcats look to be on a march to their second consecutive region title. The Wildcats are winners of their last five games and their only loss was to a highly ranked Ware County team. Richmond Hill is averaging 36.2 points per game. Senior quarterback Tyler Coleman has thrown for 1,020 yards and 7-TDs to help lead their offense. Aushaud Roberson is slowly creeping up on the 1,000-yard mark on the year. He sits at 962 yards and 10-TDs on the season. Defensively Nathan Vickers and John Mastrorilli are tied for the team lead in total tackles. Vickers also leads the team in sacks. The Wildcats have forced 13 turnovers and are allowing 14.4 points per game.

The Brunswick Pirates also have their sights on a region 2-6A title. The Pirates have won their last four games and Richmond Hill is the biggest test left on their schedule. The Pirates are averaging 26.8 points per game. Quarterback K.J. Lee has thrown for 1,145 yards and 11-TDs. His top receivers are Tyrease Jones (22 receptions, 473 yards, 8-TDs) and Xavier Bean (26 receptions, 318 yards, 2-TDs). Ree Simmons has rushed for 747 yards. As a team, Brunswick has rushed for 1,413 yards on the season. The Pirates are allowing 16.4 points per game. Cameron Crump and Zane Rosenbaum lead the team in total tackles. We expect this game to be close in the first half, but believe the Wildcats will lean on the legs of Aushaud Roberson to get the victory and pull away in the second half. Wildcats by 11.

The Skinny

The Christian Heritage Lions are looking to get their first victory against Darlington. The Lions are led by a trio of juniors in the backfield, running backs Solomon Locke (572 yards, 4-TDs), Gage Leonard (399 yards, 9-TDs) and quarterback Christian Thomas (853 passing yards, 8-TDs). Senior Evan Lester is tops on the team in receiving with 21 catches for 345 yards and 2-TDs. Senior linebacker Ben Hermann leads the team in total tackles. Defensively, Christian Heritage is allowing 13.3 points per game and has shutout two of their opponents this season. 

The Darlington Tigers have been involved in a couple of close contests in their last two games. The Tigers are averaging 28.5 points per game this season while the defense is allowing 15.2 points per game. Quarterback Patrick Shelley spearheads the Darlington offense and can beat teams both throwing and running the ball. Harrison Allen is the team’s leading rusher. Entering last week’s game, Allen had rushed for 693 yards. Kicker Brinson Sumner is a perfect 10 of 10 on field goals this season with a long of 42 and is averaging over 40 yards per punt. Darlington has been able to keep Christian Heritage at bay over the last few years, but we believe the Lions have enough offense to best the Tigers this week. We like Christian Heritage by 8 this week at home. 

The Skinny

The Grayson Rams begin a two game stretch that will determine the region champion. The Rams are 6-0 for the first time in three years. The offense is averaging 37 points per game. Phil Mafah helps power the ground game with 834 yards and 13-TDs through six games. Meanwhile, Jamal Haynes (22 catches 318 yards, 3-TDs) and Jaden Smith (18 catches, 294 yards, 4-TDs) lead the team in receiving. Perhaps the biggest story for Grayson in the last couple of weeks is the arrival of quarterback Jake Garcia. What we have read is that he is eligible, but we don’t know if or how much game time he will see. We almost forgot about the Rams defense. They are only allowing 11.3 points per game and have sacked opposing quarterbacks 25.5 times. They’ve also forced 14 turnovers. 

Parkview has won four consecutive games entering Friday’s contest. Parkview features a couple of talented senior running backs in Cody Brown and Tyler Curtis. Brown has rushed for 757 yards and 7-TDs while Curtis has added 527 yards and 8-TDs. Jared Brown is the Panthers top receiving threat with 26 catches for 538 yards and 8-TDs. Parkview is averaging 33 points per game on offense while the defense is allowing 17.5 points per game. It is likely to see Grayson load the box to prevent Brown and Curtis for getting loose and forcing young quarterback Colin Houck into winning the game with his arm for Parkview. We think Brown and Curtis are really good backs, but we like Grayson to prevail on the strength of their defense. Rams by a touchdown.

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