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

Posted on September 14, 2022 by admin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Skinny

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

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

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

The Skinny

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

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

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

The Skinny

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

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

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

The Skinny

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

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

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

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TFR – GHSA Top 10 Rankings – Week 4

Posted on September 11, 2022 by admin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AAAAAAA

AAAAAA

AAAAA

AAAA

AAA

AA

A-DIVISION I

A-DIVISION II

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Cherokee County Football Previews – Week 4

Posted on September 8, 2022 by admin

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Skinny

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

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

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

The Skinny

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

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

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

The Skinny

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

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

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

The Skinny

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

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

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

The Skinny

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

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

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

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

Posted on September 7, 2022 by admin

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Skinny

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

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

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

The Skinny

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

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

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

The Skinny

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

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

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

The Skinny

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

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

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

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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)

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