Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Previews Week-4 (Part 1)

Posted on September 7, 2022 by admin

We have reached Week-4 in the Georgia High School Football season. We’ve had some great matchups all across the state early in the season. This week, we take a look at eight of the matchups that we found intriguing. First up we check in with the Lumpkin County Indians as they host the Temple Tigers. Both these teams look like they have already turned things around from last season. Are the Indians for real or will Temple’s Cam Vaughn run wild this Friday? Next, we stay in the northern part of the state as the Calhoun Yellow Jackets host the Cedartown Bulldogs. Will the passing attack of Calhoun be the difference or will at be the Cedartown ground game run wild?

Down in Ellaville, the Schley County Wildcats will look to bounce back after last week’s loss as they host the Bleckley County Royals. Can the Wildcats passing game get back on track on Friday or does Bleckley have enough on defense to control the skies? Finally the Oconee County Warriors will host the Jefferson Dragons. This game features two of the top linebackers in the state, who also double as running backs. Which one of these young men, (Whit Weeks – Oconee Co; Sammy Brown – Jefferson), will lead their team to victory in Northeast Georgia?

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 Lumpkin County Indians are 3-0 for the first time since 2003 and are looking to go to 4-0 for the first time since 1988. Head Coach Heath Webb has had an immediate impact on the Indians. Quarterback Cooper Scott is completing 80% of his passes for 405 yards and 2-TDs, while rushing for 126 yards and 4-TDs. Scott is joined in the backfield by junior running back Mason Sullens who leads the team with 274 yards and 7-TDs. Thirteen separate receivers have caught passes for the Indians. Lumpkin is averaging 45.6 points per game, but more impressively, the defense is allowing just 4.3 points per game and last week, recorded their first shutout since 2018.

The Temple Tigers have already exceeded their win total from 2021. We know that Temple will be looking for more this week as they travel to Dahlonega. The Tigers will lean heavily on their do everything quarterback, Cam Vaughn. Vaughn has thrown for 202 yards and a touchdown and leads the team in rushing 637 yards and 10-TDs. That’s an average 212.3 yards per game. When Vaughn does pass, look for him to target McClann Meteyar who has caught 5 passes for 105 yards. 

Both Temple and Lumpkkn have already reversed their fortunes from the 2021 season. Is Lumpkin County up to the task to shut down Temple’s Vauhgn? We don’t think Lumpkin can shut him down, but we do believe Lumpkin can outscore Temple. We like the Indians by 5. 

The Skinny

The Calhoun Yellow Jackets will be back at home this week as they scored a big win over Class 6A Creekview. The Jackets got a big performance from quarterback Trey Townsend who passed for 262 yards and two touchdowns last week. On the season Townsend has thrown for 612 yards and six TDs. He has an array of targets at receiver including Jax Bishop, Kaleb Ray, Bryant Arnold, Cam Curtis, Dustin Kerns, and sophomore tight end Emaree Winston. Running back Caden Williams has gained 216 yards on the ground and has also been a great option catching balls out of the backfield. 

The Cedartown Bulldogs also got a win over a Class 6A opponents well, as they shut out Sequoyah last week. The Cedartown ground machine keeps churning out yardage as they’ve already gained 908 rushing yards this season. They are led by Harlem Diamond (284 yards, 4-TDs) and Patrick Gardner (280 yards, 5-TDs). The Bulldogs have only attempted 20 passes this season, but with rushing stats like they currently have, why bother passing? Defensively, Eli Barrow has been stout with 33 solo tackles and a sack. 

This game features contrasting styles of offense. Calhoun might be a little more versatile, but we don’t know if that will matter. Calhoun is a really good team, but we aren’t sure the Jackets can contain the Cedartown rushing attack. We like the Bulldogs by 6 on the road. 

The Skinny

The Schley County Wildcats will look to bounce back after falling to Early County last week. The Wildcats rushing attack was stymied a bit last week as they were only able to muster 35 yards on the ground last week. The Wildcats were without Zayden Walker again who was out with an injury. Quarterback Jay Kanazawa has thrown for 456 yards and 4-TDs with Jalewis Solomon as his primary receiving target. Solomon has caught 17 passes for 216 yards. Malachi Banks has stepped in at running back and has tallied 136 yards and 2-TDs on the season.

The Bleckely County Royals are back in action this week, looking to stay undefeated. The Royals have done a good job of mixing up the run and the pass, averaging 174 yards through the air and 200 yards on the ground this season Senior quarterback Eli Mullis has thrown for 348 yards and 4-TDs while Jahvon Butler and T.J. Mays have combined to rush for 266 yards and 5-TDs. The Royals defense is allowing just 10 points per game while their offense has put up 79 points in two games.

Schley County is a dangerous team even without Zayden Walker, but he adds something special to this young group of Wildcats. We believe Bleckley County can really give Schley fits through the air this week. If Walker is back, this game will be closer, otherwise, we like Bleckley by 16.

The Skinny

Oconee County will look to extend their winning streak to three games as they host the Jefferson Dragons. In the two games since their opening week loss, Oconee County has found their rhythm on offense. Whit Weeks has joined C.J. Jones in the backfield and they’ve made for an impressive tandem at running back. In the last two weeks, the duo has combined for over 360 yards on the ground. Weeks, an LSU Commit, has also impacted the game on defense and on special teams as a kickoff returner. The Oconee County defense is only allowing 8.3 points per game this season.

The Jefferson Dragons are also winners of their last two games, looking to run their streak to three. Jefferson also sports one of the top linebackers in the state in Sammy Brown, who doubles as the team’s leading rusher. Jefferson averages 296.7 yards on the ground and 158 yards per game through the air. The aforementioned Brown leads the team with 486 yards and 8-TDs on the ground while Elijah DeWitt has caught 10 passes for 294 yards. 

This game features two of the top linebackers in the state, who also happen to double as running backs, If you needed any more drama, Jefferson’s coach, Travis Noland, is the former Oconee County head coach, while Ben Hall coaches at Jefferson from 2013-2016. Our guess is that this will be a back and forth ball game. We like Sammy Brown and Jefferson this week by 4 on the road. 

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TFR – Georgia High School Football Rankings – Week 3

Posted on September 4, 2022 by admin

It’s hard to believe but we are already one quarter of the way through the Georgia High School Football regular season. This week, there were several surprises, and we learned we don’t know as much as we thought we knew with respect to the 2022 season. Today we take a look at our ranking of the Top-10 teams in each classifications this far this season.

In Class 7A, the top three teams held serve, while Mill Creek climbs a spot after their victory over Archer. Perhaps in the biggest game in Class 7A, Buford outlasted North Cobb. Buford stays at No. 3 while North Cobb drops one spot to No. 5. Brookwood and Westlake drop from the rankings this week while Collins Hill and Valdosta are ranked at No. 9 and 10 respectively for the first time this season. Other teams to keep an eye on in Class 7A are the Lowndes Vikings, the Kennesaw Mountain Mustangs, as well as the Lambert Longhorns. And of course we don’t believe we’ve seen the last of Westlake or Brookwood.

Class 6A saw a little bit of shakeup as the Rome Wolves dropped a game on the road to Class 7A Carrollton. The Wolves are down to No. 6 this week. Northside Warner Robins also lost to rival Warner Robins on Friday dropping the Eagles to No. 9 this week. Douglas County is out of the poll this week after their loss to McEachern. That made way for the resurgent Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets. Thomas County Central is now 3-0 for the first time since 2019. Other teams that have impressed through two weeks include North Atlanta and Marist.

Over in Class 5A, the Top 3 remain unchanged, however, the Top-10 does get shaken up a bit with Jones County falling to Perry and Creekside falling to South Carolina perennial power, Dutch Fork. Those losses drop Jones County to No. 9 and Creekside to No. 8. Meanwhile, Flowery Branch’s stay was brief as they fell to Stephens County last week. That drops them out of the polls as they are replaced at No. 10 by the Winder Barrow Bulldoggs. (Yes, that’s Doggs with a Double “G”!) We haven’t forgotten about the Coffee Trojans or the Ola Mustangs.

The Top-5 in Class 4A remains unchanged this week. The only team to fall from the rankings were the Bainbridge Bearcats, who dropped a game to previously unranked 6A Thomas County Central. The Burke County Bears come in at No. 10 this week rounding out the Top-10. Other teams that we are keeping an eye out on include the Hampton Hornets, Heritage (Catoosa), the New Hampstead Phoenix and the Holy Innocents’ Bears.

Not much changed in Class 3A as all but one of the top teams won last week. We must admit we went heavy on Adairsville last week and perhaps we were a little too soon as they fell to Rabun County. Stephens County is back into the Top-10 after a short hiatus as the Indians check in at No. 10. Other teams to keep an eye out on this week are Liberty County, Savannah Christian, Morgan County and Hebron Christian.

There was a bit of shakeup in Class 2A as our No. 1 ranked team fell on Friday night. The Appling County Pirates fall from No. 1 to No. 5 this week. They are replaced at No. 1 by the Pierce County Bears. Meanwhile Northeast (Macon) and Athens Academy fall from the rankings this week. They are replaced by the Cook Hornets (No. 9) and the Thomson Bulldogs (No. 10). The Worth County Rams are 3-0 for the first time since 2004. The Ace Charter Gryphons are 3-0 for the first time in their 5 year history in the GHSA. Other teams of interest include the Brantley County Herons, the Vidalia Indians and the North Cobb Christian Eagles.

In Class A Division I, there were no new teams into the Top-10. Our previous No. 1, Brooks County fell to Class 2A Cook last week, the loss drops Brooks to No. 4. Prince Avenue Christian takes over as our top team this week. The other Top-10 team that lost this week were the Metter Tigers. Metter’s loss to Class AA Pierce County drops them to No. 10 this week. Other teams knocking on the door this week include Mount Pisgah, Whitefield Academy, Screven County, Elbert County and Trion.

Finally, Class-A Division II had a dandy of a game as our top two ranked teams battled down in Blakely. It was Early County edging Schley County by two. The win by Early puts them at No. 1 this week, while Schley drops to No. 2. In a bit of an upset the Emanuel County Institute Bulldogs went on the road to Lincolnton and got a big win against Lincoln County. That win puts the Bulldogs in at No. 8 this week, while Lincoln County Falls from the Top-10. There is certainly an argument for the Bowdon Red Devils to be in the Top-10. We’d expect to see them in the Top-10 again later on in the season. Portal and Montgomery County are also undefeated early in the season. We will be sure to watch those teams as well as their competition will increase in difficulty over the next few weeks.

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 3

Posted on September 1, 2022 by admin

Week-3 of the Georgia High School Football season is upon is. This week, all six Cherokee County teams will be in action including an intra-county matchup. First up, the Cherokee Warriors will host the Woodstock Wolverines. Both teams are looking for their first win of the season. Can Cherokee win their 5th straight in the series or will Woodstock put it together this week? Meanwhile, the Etowah Eagles look to go 3-0 for the first time since 2015. Will the upstart Eagles be able to beat a Forsyth County team who’s had their number the last two seasons?

The River Ridge Knights will host former region rival Sprayberry this Friday night. The Ridge has never beaten Sprayberry in four tries, is this the year the Knights get over the hump? The Sequoyah Chiefs will be on the ride as they travel to face the Cedartown Bulldogs. Both teams will look to establish the ground game. Will the Chiefs be clicking on all cylinders this week? Finally, the Creekview Grizzlies will host the Calhoun Yellow Jackets. Can Creekview’s defense slow down a high powered Calhoun offense on Friday 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

Last week, the Warriors lost a heartbreaker to Etowah and if you haven’t had a chance to read any write-ups or watch any of the highlights, do yourself a favor and go do it. Cherokee linebacker Kyan Simmons was up to his old bag of tricks last week, making tackles all over the field. He had help from fellow linebacker Chase Montgomery and Daniel Young. Ryane Martin Jr. also did a good job in the secondary for the Warriors defending against the deep ball. The Warriors offense looked much improved this past week in the run game with Christian Irwin leading the way while Tanner Savasir looked much more comfortable at quarterback. Credit the Cherokee offensive line for providing Savasir a clean pocket. The Warriors will need more of the same this week. We are interested to see if Cherokee can get the vertical passing game going.

The Woodstock Wolverines will also be looking for their first win of the season. Last week, the Wolverines struggled to find consistency again on offense. Woodstock was limited to just one touchdown again last week. The Wolverines have found some success on the ground with running backs Isaiah Payton and Tobias Sallee. The Woodstock defense will have to figure out how to put pressure on Cherokee’s quarterback this week. 

Cherokee seems to have figures some things out from week-1 to week-2. Expect the Wolverines to be improved this week, but the Warriors have too many weapons on offense. We like Cherokee by 24.

The Skinny

The Etowah Eagles are riding high after a big overtime victory against their county rival, Cherokee. The Eagles once again came behind from a double digit deficit and kept fighting. Xavier Mahoney stole the show on Friday night with an electric kick-off return for a touchdown then he engineered a few drives to bring the Eagles the victory. This week, look for Etowah to continue to ride on the coattails of Mahoney, and running backs Reece “Buffalo” Wehr and Johar Cacho. We know it’s early, but in two games, Etowah is averaging 28 points per game and allowing 22 points per game. We wonder how good this Eagles team could be if they wouldn’t wait to do most of their scoring in the second half. They have scored 3 points in the first have of games this season and 53 second half points.

The Forsyth Central Bulldogs come in to this game looking to get back into the win column after they were stymied by their county rival last week. The Bulldogs will lean a little bit more on the run with Jayce Todaro and Justin Yeager. They two backs have combined for 287 rushing yards and 6-TDs on the young season. Camden Yeager is the leading receiver for the Bulldogs with 6 receptions for 106 yards and 1-TD on the year. Defensively, Aidan Meehan leads the team in total tackles. Forsyth Central has also recorded 4 sacks and two interceptions. 

Forsyth Central has won the last two games in this matchup, with both games being relatively low scoring. Forsyth Central will have to find a way to defend the versatile Mahoney, while Etowah’s defense will have to make sure it can shut down the Forsyth County running attack. We think the Eagles have a little more firepower offensively this season. Etowah by 8.

The Skinny

The River Ridge offense got on track last week in a big win on the road over Pope. The Knights have been using a two quarterback system, but on last Friday, it was Ethan Spector who led the charge. Spector threw for 165 yards and 3-TDs in the victory. The Knights also had two 100-yard rushers last week in Daniel Fitchner and freshman running back Camden Cox. That was something we did not see from the Knights in Week-1 as neither back rushed over 20 yards in the opener. This can be a very dangerous team with three receivers that present matchup problems. Jackson Head is a physical wide receiver that makes the difficult catches look effortless. Add in sophomore Grant Hollier who is another physical receiver and M.J. Ayers who has a knack for making big plays, this is certainly a team on the rise. 

The Sprayberry Yellow Jackets will make the short trip over to River Ridge on Friday in search of their second win of the season. Like the Knights, Sprayberry also starts a sophomore quarterback, Kemari Nix. Nix is a dual threat quarterback who has shown an ability to make plays both with his legs and his arms. He’s not one to wait around in the pocket. If things break down, he will be looking to make things happen scrambling. Darius Gaillard and Mark Manfred are two of the top receivers for this Sprayberry offense. Manfred is also a playmaker on defense. He has already recorded four interceptions on the season.

This should be the toughest test for River Ridge early in this season. If they can figure out a way to contain Nix at quarterback, we like their chances. The Ridge will also need an efficient performance from their quarterbacks, whether that is Spector or Coughlin or a combination of both. Sprayberry has never lost to River Ridge…but there is a first time for everything. We like the Ridge to outlast Sprayberry. River Ridge by 6.

The Skinny

The Cedartown Bulldogs continue to flex their muscle this season as they downed Class AA Callaway last week. It was the second victory over Class AA opponents. This week, the Bulldogs welcome Class AAAAAA Sequoyah to town. Cedartown is a run first and run often football team. In two games, Cedartown is averaging 246 yards per game on the ground with 8-TDs. Harlem Diamond and Patrick Gardner lead the team in rushing, combining for 306 yards and 4-TDs this season. Quarterback Reece Tanner has only attempted 11 passes on the season. The aforementioned Diamond is the teams leading receiver with 3 catches for 67 yards and another TD. Meanwhile, the defense is allowing 10.5 points per game. Eli Barrow has already tallied 26 solo tackles this season. The team has three sacks to their credit and one interception. 

The Sequoyah Chiefs lost a heartbreaker in overtime, but will quickly have to put that behind them as they face a tough opponent in Cedartown. The Chiefs looked a little more fluid on offense last week, mixing up formations well and really keeping Rabun Gap off balance in the first half of their game last Friday. The Chiefs used a stable of backs last week including Jackson Hancock, Tyler Bell, Asante Chimanda and Cruz Wright. The Chiefs defense has had some tough sledding in the first two weeks. Stopping the run will be the biggest key to victory for Sequoyah.

This is an intriguing matchup as both teams are in their comfort zone running the football. To date, Cedartown has been better with their execution to date. We like the Bulldogs this week, but not in another blowout. Cedartown by 10.

The Skinny

The Creekview Grizzlies come into this week’s tilt looking for some answers on offense. Through the first two games, Creekview is averaging 3 points per game. These are some of the fits and starts we expect with a young quarterback taking over the reigns. We have seen the Grizzlies ability to put some drives together, but they will need to clean up some things that will help allow them to sustain drives. Meanwhile, Creekview’s defense was up to their same old tricks this past Friday. They limited Hillgrove to just 10 total points last Friday. They are led by Air Force commit Tyler Hubert who is relentless on defense. Hubert leads the team in total tackles so far. Cole Sackman is also one of the top tacklers for the Grizzly defense. 

The Calhoun Yellow Jackets picked up their first win of the season as they beat Gardendale of Alabama last week by the slimmest of margins. (Gardendale is a member of the 6A classification in Alabama). First year starter at quarterback Trey Townsend has a bevy of weapons at wide receiver including Emaree Winston, Dustin Kerns and Bryant Arnold. But the Jackets aren’t just a “one-trick-pony” as running back Caden Williams is looking to improve on his 1,431 yards rushing from 2021. Williams is a shifty running back that doesn’t take long to find his top gear. He’s not afraid to run in between the tackles and can outrun opposing secondaries. 

This is a tough matchup for the Grizzlies. The defense will have their hands full in the secondary and they have to be sure tacklers this week. Perhaps even force two or three turnovers. If Calhoun’s Townsend has a clean pocket, it could be a long night for the home team. Creekview improves this week, but not enough to beat the Jackets. Calhoun by 9.

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Previews Week-3 (Part II)

Posted on August 31, 2022 by admin

It’s time again for us to take a look at our Eight Greats Around the State. This is Part II of our take on some of the more intriguing high school football matchups around the great State of Georgia.

Our first preview takes us out east as the Lincoln County Red Devils host the Emanuel County Institute Bulldogs. Both of these teams are favorites to win their respective regions. Will the Bulldogs be able to put a halt to the Lincoln County ground game? Meanwhile, in Atlanta, the Westlake Lions will face another Class AAA opponent this week as the Cedar Grove Saints come calling. Can Cedar Grove knock off one of the top teams in AAAAAAA or will Westlake prove too much for the Saints?

The Rabun County Wildcats will got a visit from the upstart Adairsville Tigers. The Wildcats will be facing their second Class AAA opponent in as many weeks. Will they have the same success or will Adairsville pick up a signature win? Finally, out in West Georgia, the Carrollton Trojans will host the Rome Wolves. These two former Region foes will lock horns as both sport talented players up and down their rosters. Will the young Carrollton Trojans exact some revenge from last year’s matchup or will the Rome Wolves be road warriors this Friday?

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 Lincoln County Red Devils are off to their second consecutive 2-0 start. Last week, the Red Devils were without quarterback Trey Huff, but freshmen Mekhi Wade stepped in to take the reins in Huff’s absence. Another freshmen, Kelby Glaze led the team in rushing last week with 65 yards. Glaze and fellow back Semaj Jenkins helped pace the Red Devils rushing attack. Jenkins rushed for 61 yards and scored 2-TDs in the victory last week. 

The Emanuel County Institute Bulldogs will look to get back on track with a lot still in front of them even after their loss to Metter last week. The Bulldogs used a stable of backs including P.J. Farnum, Cordarius Lee and “Big” Brian Steele who checks in at 6’2” 234. Both Steele and Farnum scored touchdowns for the Bulldogs last week. Quarterback Bryce Kearson showed good touch on some of his passes. He proved that the Bulldogs aren’t just a one-trick-pony, as they have the ability to pick up big yardage on the ground and through the air.

This is going to be a competitive game between two teams that have the potential to win their respective regions in Class A-D2. Because we don’t know the status of Lincoln County’s Huff, it makes this one a tough call. Either way, it’s hard to believe the Red Devils can overcome ECI’s talented backfield. We like the Bulldogs to go on the road and get the victory. ECI by8.

The Skinny

The Westlake Lions got back on track with a resounding win over the Crisp County Cougars last week. The Lions were sound in all phases of last week’s game. Quarterback R.J. Johnson is completing 67.5% of his passes for 355 yard and 5-TDs while running back Jai’Den Thomas continues to be a workhorse for the Lions. He’s carried the ball 48 times for 256 yards and 3-TDs. Meanwhile sophomore Jabari Jones has emerged as a go-to receiver, as he leads the team with 9 receptions for 183 yards and 2-TDs. Last week, Westlake’s defense did not allow a first down to Crisp County. 

The Cedar Grove Saints had their game against Edison Florida canceled last week. Cedar Grove returns plenty of talent on this year’s team which is looking to win their fifth state title in seven years. Quarterback E.J. Colson threw for 161 yards and 2-TDs in their Week-1 victory. His primary targets were Barry Jackson and Ricky Lee who combined to catch 8 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown. Boden Walker and Demarcus Smith lead the Saints in rushing with a combined 151 yards and 1-TD. Meanwhile, Quinterio Lawson, Keith Bass and Adonijah Green lead Cedar Grove in total tackles. 

You can throw classifications out the window here as there are talented young men on both sidelines. In a big game like this, we tend to look to experience at the quarterback position, and Westlake holds the edge. We like Westlake by 6 in a closely played game. 

The Skinny

The Rabun County Wildcats survived a tough test from Stephens County on Friday. It won’t get much easier as upstart Adairsville comes calling. After amassing over 530 yards of total offense in Week-1, the Wildcats managed just 185 yards of total offense against a stingy opponent. Even with that said, we understand that Rabun County is explosive with players like wide receiver Jaden Gibson and running back Lang Windham. And of course, not to mention quarterback Keegan Stover. Gibson has caught 15 passes for 311 yards and 4-TDs thus far will Stover has passed for 498 yards, with 5-TDs and no interceptions. Defensively, the Wildcats have sacked opposing quarterbacks five times in two games. 

The Adairsville Tigers got their season off to an exciting start with an overtime win last week. Adairsville quarterback Jonathan Gough only attempted 14 passes as it was running backs Chris Roper and Ethan Blome leading the way on the ground combining for 243 yards and 3 TDs. On the other side of the ball, it was senior defensive back Grayson Blecher leading the team with 13 total tackles. We suspect that the Adairsville defense will have their hands full with the pass happy attack from Rabun County. 

This should be a fun quarterback duel to watch as both quarterbacks have proved they can spin it. The question mark is whether or not Adairsville can find a way to slow down Jaden Gibson. This should be another high scoring game. We like Adairsville ground game to be the difference in a bit of an upset, we like Adairsville to edge Rabun County by 3.  

The Skinny

The Carrollton Trojans got a big win over their former region rival South Paulding last week. This week they will get another chance at a former region rival as the Rome Wolves pay them a visit. Freshman quarterback Julian Lewis has thrown over over 500 yards in the young season with 9-TDs, while Bryce Hicks leads the Trojans in rushing yardage and receptions. Takare Lipscomb and Caleb Odom have also been effective as pass catchers with a combined 15 receptions for 256 yards and 3-TDs. Defensively, the Carrollton secondary has forced seven turnovers in two games including six interceptions, while allowing just 14 points per game.

The Rome Wolves went to 2-0 last week with a shutout win over Lithonia. The Wolves are now allowing just 3 points per game on the young season. The defense is led by Stephiylan Green and hard hitting linebacker Alto Moore. This could be one of the best defenses in Class 6A tis season. Meanwhile, the offense was in sync last week as they cruised to a 35 point half time lead. Third year starter Reece Fountain tossed three touchdown passes in the victory last week, with two of those going to Martel Height.

This is certainly one of the marquee matchups across the state this week. Carrollton will definitely test Rome with their up and coming quarterback and talented group of receivers. However, the Rome defense looks to be playing on a different level. We’ll take Rome on the road. Wolves by 5.

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Previews Week-3 (Part I)

Posted on August 31, 2022 by admin

It’s time again for us to take a look at our Eight Greats Around the State. This is our take on some of the more intriguing high school football matchups around the great State of Georgia.

First up, the Jones County Greyhounds host the Perry Panthers. Both teams have quarterbacks that can air it out, but can Perry put last week’s loss behind them, or will the let Houston County beat them twice? Over in Buford, the Wolves are back home to host the North Cobb Warriors. In last season’s matchup, North Cobb late a lead slip away, can they return the favor and beat Buford on the road on Friday?

Down in Savannah, Calvary Day will host Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy. It’s shaping up to be a quarterback duel. Will Eagle’s Landing Christian bounce back after a tough loss or will Calvary Day hold serve at home? Finally, down in Blakely, the Early County Bobcats will host the Schley County Wildcats. It will be a game of contrasting styles as the run heavy Bobcats will look to ground the aerial attack of the Wildcats.

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 Jones County Greyhounds will look to keep their momentum going in Week-3 as they host Perry. Last week it was Javious Bond leading the Greyhounds in receiving and rushing yards. On the season, Bond has rushed for 201 yards and 2-TDs and caught 3 passes for 112 yards and 3-TDs. Quarterback Judd Anderson has thrown for 360 yards. Eight different receivers have caught passes for Jones County. 

The Perry Panthers will look to bounce back from a heartbreaking loss last week. The Panthers stuffed the stat sheet last week as Armar Gordon threw for 380 yards and 6-TDs while Dakarai Anderson caught 7 passes for 193 yards and 3-TDs. Running back Demetrious Carter also chipped in 135 yards on 20 carries. The 56 points that Perry scored last week where the most since 2016. 

This game might be another track meet with two teams that can light up the scoreboard. We expect Perry’s Gordon to put up more big numbers this week, but believe that Jones County has a few more weapons and should be victorious in Gray this Friday. Jones County by 8.

The Skinny

The Buford Wolves went on the road to Charlotte and defeated Mallard Creek in a game that was not even close. The Wolves are allowing 7 points per game and those points are coming well after their games have been decided. Buford quarterback Dylan Wittke has passed for 263 yards this season while Justice Haynes leads the Wolves in rushing with 166 yards. Junior receiver K.J Bolden leads the team in receiving. The starters have not had to play much in the second half, because these games have been decided by halftime. 

The North Cobb Warriors will come calling for the Wolves this week. The Warriors were off last week. North Cobb has one of the more impressive offensive lines in Cobb County with Marselle Felton and Robert Grigsby helping pave the way. They rushed for over 200 yards in their Week-1 victory over Westlake. Quarterback Malachi Singleton is the top-rated dual threat quarterback in the state. He only passed for 92 yards in his first outing, but rushed for 110 yards. He also has a coupe of talented running backs in the backfield with him in David Mbadinga and Ben Hall.

The road gets tougher for Buford this week, as North Cobb will be a more formidable opponent. We expect for the Buford defense to surrender more than seven points this week. However, Buford will still be stingy. We like the Wolves by 10 in a big win over the Warriors this week.

The Skinny

Calvary Day (Savannah) is certainly a program on the rise. They have a highly touted quarterback in junior Jake Mercklinger. Last season, he threw for over 2,500 yards while completing 70% of his passes. He’s not quite off to a torrid pace yet through one game, but he did throw for 161 yards and 3-TDs with no interceptions. Five different Calvary Day receivers caught passes in Week-1 while A.J. Butts led the team in rushing with 58 yards on just 5 carries. The Cavaliers used eight different ball carriers in their Week-1 victory.

The Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy (ELCA) Chargers will visit Calvary Day looking to bounce back from a loss against Class 6A, Blessed Trinity. Running back Brandon Hood looks to be well on his way to a 1,000 yard season as he’s rushed for 357 yards on 49 carries in the first two games this year. He has certainly been a workhorse for the Chargers. ELCA also has a highly touted quarterback of their own in Charlie Gilliam, who is a Wake Forest commit.

This could be another game where the scoreboard operator is busy. We expect for an entertaining matchup between these two veteran quarterbacks. We believe the ELCA ground game might be the difference however, as Hood is tough to stop once he gets to the second level. We like ELCA by 9 on the road. 

The Skinny

The Early County Bobcats have raced off to a 2-0 start as they have already notched two region wins. The Bobcats defense has been pretty stingy allowing 7 points per game. Early County is a run first and run often team. They are led by running back Charlie Williams who has already tallied five touchdowns in two games while quarterback J.D. Holmes has also added 2-TDs on the season. We know it’s early,(no pun intended), in the season, but the Bobcats are already averaging 39.5 points per game.

The Schley County Wildcats will take their high flying passing attack on the road this week as they make the trip from Ellaville to Blakely. Schley County quarterback Jay Kanazawa threw for 266 yards and 2-TDs in their week-1 matchup. His primary target is Jaylewis Solomon, who caught 9 passes for 121 yards. We did not see Zayden Walker run the ball in Week-1 as Malachi Banks had the lion share of the carries, rushing for 116 yards on 12 carries.

Two things we’d like to see from Early County: #1 control the clock and #2 pressure Schley’s Kanazawa. If Early County cannot get any pressure on the Schley County quarterback, Early could get carved up like a Thanksgiving Turkey. We like the Bobcats to keep it close, but we believe Schley is the top dog in this classification. Wildcats by 11.

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TFR Georgia High School Football Rankings – Week 2

Posted on August 28, 2022 by admin

Week-2 of thee Georgia High School Football season is in the books and slowly but surely we are learning who looks to be top contenders and which teams still have work to do. Today we take a look at our ranking of the Top-10 teams in each classifications.

Class 7A had a Top-10 matchup in which Walton went on the road and defeated Brookwood soundly. The win has Walton up one sport this week while Brookwood falls from No. 2 to No. 9. The Carrollton Trojans are in the rankings for the fist time this season after beating a veteran South Paulding team; Carrollton checks in at No. 10. Other teams in 7A that are knocking on the door of the Top-10 include, North Gwinnett, Lambert, Valdosta, Kennesaw Mountain and North Paulding. Also of note, the Osborne Cardinals are 2-0 for the first time since 2001.

Class 6A saw Woodward Academy War Eagles fall four spots after losing to McCallie out of Tennessee. Meanwhile, Douglas County enters the poll for the first time this week at No. 10. At this point in the season, the Top-3 teams (Lee Co., Hughes, Rome), all seem to be head and shoulders above the rest in this class, but the season is still young. Other teams to take note of this week are Thomas County Central, Houston County, River Ridge, North Atlanta and Paulding County.

In Class 5A, our Top-8 teams remained unchanged from a week ago. The Kell Longhorns climb one spot to No. 9, while the Flowery Branch Falcons find themselves ranked for the first time this season at No. 10. The Falcons shut out St. Pius in Week-2. Other teams to note in Class 5A are Dalton, Ola and Coffee.

Down in Class 4A there was a bit of shuffling all over the Top-10. However, the Cedartown Bulldogs remain our top team. Cedartown defending home turf as they defeated our then No. 2 team in AA the Callaway Cavaliers 47-7. Both Perry and Benedictine lost last week, but remain in the Top-5. LaGrange, (No. 9) and Pace Academy (No. 10) make their first appearance in the rankings this week.

Our Class 3A poll saw plenty of movement as well, Crisp County fell a couple of spots after a loss to a highly ranked Class 7A Westlake team. Perhaps we were “sleeping” on Carver-Atlanta, a finalist last season, but their big win over Riverdale on Saturday brings them into the poll at No. 6 this week. Oconee County also cracks into the Top-10 after a big win over Clarke Central. A few other teams sit undefeated at 2-0 that folks should keep an eye out for include Hebron Christian, Savannah Christian and Savannah Country Day. Don’t look now but Gilmer County and Lumpkin County also sit at 2-0. It’s the first time Gilmer has been 2-0 since 2014 and the first time Lumpkin has been 2-0 since 2011.

Appling County tops our Class 2A poll this week after our previous No. 1, Callaway fell to Class 4A No. 1 Cedartown. ELCA also falls three spots after losing to Class 6A Blessed Trinity. Meanwhile The Northeast Macon Raiders make their first appearance in the poll this season checkin in at No. 10 this week. Other teams to note in the class include North Cobb Christian, Vidalia and Toombs County

Class A Division-I saw now change in the rankings this week. Teams outside of the Top-10 that have caught our attention include Trion, Elbert County, Mt. Pisgah, St. Francis, and Whitefield Academy.

Last, but certainly not least, Class A Division-II. The Top-3 remained unchanged, but after that, things really get turned upside down. Four new teams round out spots 7-10 this week. They include, Clinch County (No. 7), Johnson County (No. 8), Aquinas (No. 9) and Mt. Zion Carroll (No. 10). Other teams to watch include Bowdon and Montgomery County. There is also a big matchup this week in Class A Division-II, as No. 1 Schley County will visit No. 2 Early County.

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 1

A- DIVISION 2

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Cherokee County Football Previews – Week 2

Posted on August 25, 2022 by admin

We move into Week-2 of the high school football season in Cherokee County as all six county teams will be in action again this Friday night. The Woodstock Wolverines and the Hiram Hornets will square off in Woodstock. Both teams are looking for their first win of the season. Who will be able to put their Week-1 loss behind them and get back on the right track? Over in Hickory Flat, the Sequoyah Chiefs will welcome in the Rabun Gap Eagles for a matchup that will future a clash of differing offensive styles. Can the Chiefs get the ground game going again, or will Rabun Gap control the skies with their passing game?

The Creekview Grizzlies will travel to Powder Springs to take on the Hillgrove Hawks in a non-region tilt. It’s a battle of sophomore quarterbacks. Will it be Creekview’s Austin Guest or Hillgrove’s Toryn Wilkins that leads their team to victory? The River Ridge Knights will take their two quarterback system on the road to face the Pope Greyhounds. River Ridge is riding high after their Week-1 win. Will Pope show signs of preseason rust or will they be fresh and ready for a tussle with the Knights? Finally, the Etowah Eagles host the Cherokee Warriors in the County’s longest standing rivalry game. The Eagles are 1-0 and looking to defeat their county rival for the first time in three years. Can Cherokee bounce back this week, or are these Etowah Eagles the real deal?

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 Woodstock Wolverines will look to bounce back after dropping a game to the vastly improved Osborne Cardinals last week. The Wolverines will look to make improvements on the ground and through the air. If Woodstock is going to rebound, they will have to take better care of the ball as they turned it over three times last week. Developing consistency on offense is a theme for most teams in Cherokee County this season and Woodstock is no exception. Coach Hoff will have to regroup quickly as they take steps to improve prior to region play.

The Hiram Hornets also lost their first game of the season to Paulding County. Hiram will be looking for a breakthrough as they have struggled to find the win column as well over the last two seasons. The Hornets have been able to put points on the board averaging 19 points per game in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons, but their defense has surrendered 33 and 40 points per game respectively in the previous two seasons. Hiram graduated their top passer and running back from a year ago. They do however return their top four receivers from the 2021 season. Expect for Samir Wiley to take over under center while Jamarion Whatley should get the bulk of the carries for the Hornets. 

Woodstock’s secondary will be tested again as Hiram’s Wiley is an athletic passer with very capable receivers. If the Wolverines can’t get any rhythm on offense, it could spell a long night for Wooodstock. We like the Hornets by 17. 

The Skinny

The Sequoyah Chiefs will look for their first win of the season as they invite the Rabun Gap Eagle’s to Hickory Flat this week. The Chiefs were stymied offensively by Lambert last week and will look to get the offense in sync in Week-2. Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but the Chiefs will certainly need some consistency on offense. As we mentioned previously, and we will certainly mention again in these previews, the offense will need to sustain a few drives to help keep their defense off the field. Bright spots for the Chiefs last week include Jaxon Nesbitt who threw for over 200 yards and a TD, Jackson Hancock and Bretton Darling in the secondary. 

Rabun Gap will be looking for their first win of the season as they come calling. The Eagles play in the North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association. Rabun Gap advanced to the finals of the NCISAA Division I playoffs last season and graduated  several seniors. The Eagles do bring in a new starting quarterback, Gavin Owens, who is projected to be a Power-5 quarterback in a couple of years when his high school playing days are over. Rabun Gap struggled to run the ball a bit last week. It will be interesting to see if they make that a point of emphasis coming into this week.

For our friends in Hickory Flat, do not be deceived by this small Northeast Georgia private school. There is plenty of talent on the Rabun Gap Roster. We will see if the Sequoyah offense can turn some of their drives in to points this week. We believe Sequoyah will be able to move the ball, but will Like Rabun Gap by 10.

The Skinny

The Hillgrove Hawks will face their second consecutive Cherokee County opponent as they will be at home this week in Powder Springs. Like the Grizzlies, the Hawks are replacing several starters at key positions. Last week, Hillgrove struggled early with penalties and turnovers. Expect ball security to be a point of emphasis. Hillgrove did manage to find the end zone twice in their opener. We expect quarterback Toryn Wilkins to become more efficient as he gets comfortable running the offense. 

It’s not often that we see the Creekview Grizzlies get shutout. But perhaps more surprising is the fact that the defense allowed 28 points in Week-1. But not all is doom and gloom in Grizzly County. Quarterback, Austin Guest showed some great play making ability to extend some drives, but ultimately some untimely penalties and a stingy Cambridge defense denied the Grizzlies any access to pay-dirt. We expect Creekview to continue to improve as Guest gets more comfortable under center. We will also see how the running game improves this week. That has been a staple for Creekview and expect first year starter Nigel Agyemang to improve week by week as he gets comfortable in the backfield.  

Both of these teams find themselves in similar positions looking for some confidence and consistency before they get into region play. We believe the Creekview defense gets back on track this week and helps hold Hillgrove at bay. Grizzlies by 10.

The Skinny

The Pope Greyhounds were off last week and will play their season opener this week as they host the River Ridge Knights. Pope is coming off oa season in which they qualified for the post season for the first time in three years. They return quarterback Patrick Lowe who threw for over 1,800 yards and 14-TDs. However, his supporting cast at the offensive skill positions will have to be replaced as Pope loses their top running back and their three top receivers from last season to graduation. Sosuke Watanabe is the teams most experienced receiver coming back while Kris Hayes has the most experience in the backfield for Pope. They Greyhounds averaged 23 points per game last season. It will be interesting to watch and see if they can duplicate those efforts this season.

The River Ridge Knights used their two quarterback system as both Ethan Spector and Isaiah Coughlan to help guide their offense last Friday. This comes as no surprise as we saw both of these quarterbacks get snaps in the fall scrimmage and Coach Collins even eluded to the fact that both young men would play. The River Ridge faithful should be happy to see Grant Hollier on the sidelines. He’s a young receiver that can help stretch the field for the Knights. Combining Hollier with Jackson Head certainly creates a potentially potent receiving duo for the Ridge. A promising sign for River Ridge was that the defense only allowed one offensive touchdown in last week’s game. 

We expect Pope to present a stiffer test for River Ridge, even without having played in Week-1. If River Ridge can put pressure on the Greyhounds Lowe, we like their chances. This game will be closer than Week-1 for the Ridge, but we like them to edge Pope. Knights by 4.  

The Skinny

The Etowah Eagles wasted no time getting their first win of the season as they downed Lassiter last week. It was their first season opening win in three tries. Last week, the Eagles won with Xavier Mahoney and Jack Strickland splitting time at QB, while Reece “ Buffalo” Wehr had a great outing at running back to help pace the Eagles. Etowah held Lassiter scoreless in the second half to complete their comeback victory. This week, they defense will look for another lock down performance. Meanwhile, if this combination of Strickland, Mahoney, Wehr and Cacho can stay consistent, Etowah might be challenging for a playoff spot come region play.

The Cherokee Warriors took one on the chin against Cartersville last Friday. The Warriors could not really get much consistency on offense and the defense was on the field a little more than they would like. There certainly were some bright spots from the Warriors as the pass rush Was effective, especially from J.D. Burn and Kyan Simmons. The young Cherokee offense will need to find some rhythm this week and take some steps forward. Cherokee is only returning two starters on offense and has a new offensive coordinator. 

The County’s oldest rivalry game will have its 39th installment on Friday. Last season, the Eagles took the Warriors to the brink before falling to some late game heroics by the Cherokee. Etowah looks to be the team playing with a little more confidence. We believe their experience on the offense line is the difference in this one. Eagles by 6.

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

Posted on August 24, 2022 by admin

This is Part II of our weekly previews of Eight of the more intriguing high school football matchups across the State of Georgia. Our first matchup features Cass as they host the Rockmart Yellow Jackets. Both teams are coming off losses last week. Is Cass ready to step onto the big stage with a win over Rockmart, or will the Yellow Jackets reassert their dominance in this series? Meanwhile, the Blessed Trinity Titans will host Eagle’s Landing Christian. The Titans avenged losses last season to Calhoun and will look to continue their mastery of Eagle’s Landing Christian. Will the Charges figure out the Blessed Trinity riddle?

Over in Polk County, Cedertown, fresh off a big win over their region rival will host another tough Class AA opponent as Callaway comes calling. Will the Callaway Cavaliers have a hangover from last week’s heartbreaking loss, or will they break through for their first win of the season? Finally, over in Northeast Georgia, the Rabun County Wildcats will host the Stephens County Indians. Rabun County countinues to fly high with their passing game. Will Stephens County be able to slow down the Tigers?

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 Cass Colonials may have put a lot of teams on notice as they took Class 7A Kennesaw Mountain to the brink last week before falling by one. We already knew that Devin Henderson is a star in the making for the Colonels. Henderson threw for 113 yards and a pair of touchdowns and also rushed for 87 yards and another touchdown. Mac Nelson led the way on the ground with 87 yards and a touchdown. Cass is an up and coming team. We believe they are one confidence building win away from really making a splash in Class 5A.

The Rockmart Yellow Jackets will also be looking for their first win of the season after falling to their Polk County rivals last week. The Yellow Jackets scored only one offensive touchdown last Friday night. It’s certainly not for a lack of talent. Expect for players like Cam Fergusaon, JoJo Haynes, Dennis Sims and QB J.D. Davis to have plenty of opportunities to point some points on the board. Davis presents some problems with his ability to run especially if Cass focuses too intently on stopping Haynes and Ferguson in the backfield.

Rockmart has not started 0-2 since the 2008 season. In fact, Rockmart has been resilient the last two seasons, when they lost their opener. We believe Rockmart bounces back and escapes White with a slim 2 point victory. 

The Skinny

The Blessed Trinity Titans went up to Calhoun and avenged last year’s losses to the Yellow Jackets. There were several question marks for the Titans heading into the 2022 season with the departure of their leading rusher and passer from a year ago. Sophomore quarterback Brooks Goodman filled in some big shoes, but he had help from Kieran Davis alongside him in the backfield who rushed for 112yards on 23 carries. 

The Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy (ELCA) Chargers outlasted Brentwood Academy last Friday. Quarterback Charlie Gilliam threw for over 300 yards with a pair of TDs while Brandon Hood rushed for 235 yards on 32 carries along with three touchdowns in the victory. Hood has a combination of power and speed that makes him difficult to contain. We can’t forget about the impressive offense line he runs behind which is anchored by Zechariah Owens and D.J. Chester. 

As with most games, the team that controls the line of scrimmage will come out victorious in this one. We believe ELCA has the edge here, along with an experienced quarterback. We like the Chargers to get over the hump against Blessed Trinity. ELCA by 4.

The Skinny

The Cedartown Bulldogs started off their season with a big win over their Polk County rival last week. We’ve become accustomed to the Bulldogs ground game and it was on display again last week, as they racked up 232 rushing yards with Patrick Gardner and Harlem Diamond leading the way with a combined 156 yards. The Bulldogs only attempted three passes in the game. Linebacker Eli Barrow recorded a team high 21 total tackles in the victory. The Bulldogs will look to grind out more yards this week against another top team in Class AA comes to visit.

The Callaway Cavaliers lost a heartbreaker in Week-1 to Alabama Class-7A Opelika last week. The Cavs couldn’t hold off Opelika late in the game. Callaway remains our top team in Class AA. We believe that this is another special group down in Hogansville. They sport a pair of impressing running backs in Quay Whitfield and Jordan King. Throw in an experienced quarterback in Dashun Coleman the Cavs have plenty of weapons on offense to give the Cedartown defense fits. 

Can the Cedartown Bulldogs run game find success against Elijah Gunn and the Cavs defensive line? That’s easier said than done. We believe the Cavs head into Cedartown and pull an upset this week. Callaway by 2. 

The Skinny

The Rabun County Wildcats picked up right where they left off last season putting up 49 points in their opener. Quarterback Keegan Stover had a great debut with his new team throwing for 368 yards and 4-TDs. Jaden Gibson was seemingly unguardable, catching eight passes for 273 yards while Riley Stewart added six receptions for 60 yards. Lang Windham chipped in 58 yards on the ground. We don’t expect for the Wildcats to deviate from the game plan this week, although their opponents secondary might provide a stiffer challenge than their week-1 foe.

The Stephens County Indians used a little more balanced attack in their week one victory over Habersham Central. Quarterback Ben Stowe threw for 116 yards and a touchdown while T.J. Everett and Javin Gordon combined for 129 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Cam’ron Lacy caught 7 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown in the victory. Defensive End Aidan Butts was wreaking havoc in the backfield last week as he recorded four sacks. The Indians will certainly need another performance like that this week if they plan to take down the Wildcats this week.

Stephens County might lean heavy on the ground game to keep the Keegan Stover led Wildcats offense on the sideline. The Indians defense should be a tougher test for Rabun County, but we believe the Stover to Gibson connection will be too lethal this week. We like Rabun County by 10.

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

Posted on August 24, 2022 by admin

Welcome back to our weekly Georgia High School Football Previews where we take a look at eight of the more intriguing matchups across the State. First up this week, we go down to South Georgia as Emanuel County Institute hosts the Metter Tigers. Both of these teams run the football well, but will P.J. Farnum be enough firepower for ECI or will the duo of Coney and Jordan rule the day for Metter? In Metro Atlanta, the Westlake Lions look to bounce back after a heartbreaking week-1 loss. They’ll host the Crisp County Cougars. Does Crisp have the depth to keep up with a talented West Lake team?

Over in Dallas, the South Paulding Spartans will host former region foe, Carrollton. Is this South Paulding team ready for a statement win, or will Julian “JuJu” Lewis and Carrollton continue to put up video game like numbers? Finally, over in Snellville, the Brookwood Broncos host the Walton Raiders. Brookwood is riding high after a big week-1 victory while Walton is smarting from their heartbreaking defeat. Can Walton regroup on the road?

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

The Skinny

The Emanuel County Institute Bulldogs are off last week and will certainly not open the season off with a cupcake. The Bulldogs will look to pick up where they left off last season with key returners P.J. Farnum at running back and Bryce Kearson at quarterback. Farnum is a back with great vision and has the ability to change speed and direction on a dime. He’s certainly an electric back and one that will make it challenging to defend. The Bulldogs will be looking to improve on their 9-3 season from a year ago that saw them advance to the 2nd round of the playoffs.

The Metter Tigers lost their first regular season game in over two seasons. Metter has been an explosive team over the last two seasons, averaging over 35 points per game, so we expect for the Tigers to bounce back this week. Look for Antwan Coney and Kaliq Jordan to have more success running the ball this week. Defensively, Metter will have their hands full trying to tackle the Bulldogs Farnum.

Metter won this game going away last season. We believe this year’s matchup will be more competitive. In the end, it’s too much Coney and Jordan for the Tigers. Metter by 11.

The Skinny

The Westlake Lions will look to bounce back this week as they host one of the top teams in Class AAA, the Crisp County Cougars. Westlake was led last week by Jai’Den Thomas with over 140 yards on the ground. What we learned about Westlake is that they can certainly compete in the State’s largest classification after moving up from Class 6-A this season. The Westlake defense showed they will be a force to be reckoned with, holding North Cobb to 21 points. That’s a number well below North Cobb’s average last season. 

The Crisp County Cougars got their season off with win under first year head coach Lawrance Smith, as they defeated neighboring Dooly County. Senior running back Semaj Chatfield did most of the damage on the ground with 28 carries for 103 yards. The Cougars defense kept Dooly in check for most of the night. They will certainly need that defense to travel to Atlanta this week as they face an offense that will be more potent than the one they saw in Week-1.

Crisp County is no stranger to playing at a high level. However, Westlake is too deep this week. We like the Lions by 16 at home. 

The Skinny

The South Paulding Spartans have plenty of high expectations this season, with one of the top offensive linemen in the state and an experienced backfield returning this season. Jamarion Wilcox was the workhouse for the Spartans, rushing for 236 yards including an 86 yard TD run, while quarterback Kasen Wiseman threw for 176 yards in the victory. Wiseman showed some craftiness escaping pressure and keeping his eyes down field completing passes to help keep drives alive. Weisman and Wilcox will need a similar type outing as they host former region foe Carrollton on Friday.

The Carrollton Trojans absolutely lit up the scoreboard last week, putting up 69 points last Friday night. It was a great debut for freshman quarterback Julian Lewis, who threw for 286 yards and 5-TDs. Junior running back Bryce Hicks rushed for 135 yard for the Trojans offense. Six different Carrollton receivers caught passes last week. The Carrollton defense held Gadsden City to just one touchdown, which they didn’t yield until the last two minutes of the game. The Trojans also scored four defensive touchdowns, including three interceptions returned for a touchdown. 

We don’t believe Carrollton can duplicate the defensive success that they had last week. South Paulding has enough experience to make this matchup much closer than the team’s two previous meetings. Carrollton has outscored South Pualding 81-34. Spartans keep it close for three quarters, but we like the Trojans by 10.

The Skinny

The Brookwood Broncos got their season off on the right foot with a big win on a gutsy play late in the game as quarterback Dylan Lonergan showed his ability to make things happen with his feet as well as his arm. Lonergan threw for 186 yards and 2-TDs while completing passes to five different Bronco receivers. The Brookwood offense racked up 341 yards of offense on Saturday. Senior linebacker Malcolm McCain led the defense with 8 total tackles, but the Broncos allowed 326 yards to Norcross. 

The Walton Raiders lost a heartbreaker in Week-1 to another very talented Gwinnett County Team. What we learned from Walton is that they do belong in the conversation as one of the top teams in the state. Quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski threw for 425 yards and 4-TDs with Cam Lloyd as his top target, catching six passes for 196 yards and 2-TDs. Makari Bodiford also had a great debut for his new team, rushing for 144 yards and 2-TDs. The Walton defense however surrendered 478 yards of total offense last week. That will have to improve this week if they want to go on the road and get a victory. 

Brookwood is riding high after their victory in Week-1. We think the key however, is how Walton responds to a heart breaking loss. If they can find a way to score points like they did in Week-1, we believe they can win a shootout against Brookwood. We like Walton to pull the upset over the Brookwood. Walton by 3. 

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TFR – Georgia High School Football Rankings – Week 1

Posted on August 21, 2022 by admin

Week-1 of the Georgia High School football season is under our belt and we had some surprises as we try to feel out new regions, new head coaches and a state full of great football talent on display. This is Week-1 of our Georgia High School Football rankings.

Class 7A sees Milton slipping from the Top-10 with Parkview replacing them at No. 10. Despite losses by Westlake, Walton and Norcross, these teams didn’t falter in the poll this week. They all fell to higher ranked teams in our Class 7A poll by no more than 4 points in each game.

Class 6A has two new teams joining the fray this week as Blessed Trinity and Gainesville come in at No. 9 & 10 respectively. We might be jumping on the Gainesville bandwagon early, but their win over Marist this past Friday was impressive. Northside Warner Robins drops two spots after falling to Jones County. While we don’t have them ranked this week, the South Paulding Spartans are knocking on the door. (They have a big matchup with Carrollton this coming Friday.)

Over in Class 5A, Cartersville and Warner Robins flip places as the Canes take over the top spot after an impressive 35-0 on Friday. Warner Robins fell to the No. 1 team in Class 6A, Lee County. Clarke Central and Kell make their debut in the poll this week. Meanwhile, Class 4A has three new teams in the top-10 This week, Westminster (No. 8), Riverdale (No. 9) and Starr’s Mill (No. 10). In Class 3A, Adairsville cracks into the poll at No. 10 this week.

The Top-5 in Class 2A remains unchanged despite losses by the No. 1 and No. 5 teams. Callaway lost to Alabama 7A top-10 Opelika while No. 5 Rockmart fell to Class 4A No. 1, Cedartown. Defending Class 2A state champ, Fitzgerald is in the poll this week at No. 9 while Columbia is in at No. 10 after they went on the road and beat Class 7A Camden County down in St. Mary’s.

There was not a lot of shake up in our Class A-D1 rankings, as Lamar County makes an appearance at No. 10. Meanwhile, in Class A-D2, Schley County takes over the top spot as Wilcox County fell to Lamar County. We didn’t see big wins coming in Week-1 for Charlton County and Bowdon, but they happened, and those victories propelled the two teams to No. 7 and 8 respectively.

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

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CLASS A – DIVISION-1

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