Football Fridays at the Tavern – Cherokee County Football – Episode 9

Posted on October 15, 2020 by admin

The story this week has go to be region play as it gets underway in earnest around the county. We have a big show this week as all county teams are coming off the bye week with everyone in action. Tune in as we talk about the GAME…Sequoyah-Creekview with interviews from Coach Williams at Creekview, Coach Teter at Sequoyah and a player who starred in the rivalry, former Grizzly and current Citadel linebacker, Andy Davis. Coach Shaw also makes a cameo appearance this week. We also have a special guest, Coach John Thompson, the defensive coordinator for the Alpharetta Raiders joins us as we take a look around the regions. Don’t forget to follow Von Brown on twitter (@CederwoodTavern) and Art Mosley editor of the Turd Furgeson Report (@Turdfurgesonrpt). Thanks for listening, please feel free to comment and share.

Game Streams for Friday Night

Sequoyah vs. Creekview (Radio Broadcast) – wljaradio.com

Sequoyah vs. Creekview (Internet Stream) – https://network1sports.com/station/chaseshaffersports

Cherokee vs. Woodstock (Video Broadcast) – stevemajorsports.com 

Podcast Index

0:47 – Riverwood-River Ridge Preview

5:57 – Coach Teter Interview

13:52 – Coach Williams Interview

21:16 – Remember the Name – Andy Davis

31:37 – Sequoyah-Creekview Preview

39:21 – Coach Shaw Interview 

44:36 – Cherokee-Woodstock Preview

51:09 – Etowah-Roswell Preview 

56:58 – Coach Thomspon Interview (Alpharetta DC)

1:07:00 – A Look Around the Region

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Week 7 – Eight Greats Around the State (Georgia High School Football Previews) – Part 2

Posted on October 14, 2020 by admin

We press on with the GHSA Football season and despite a few setbacks, we’ve been fortunate to have a season this year. With region play under way, we should begin to get a better idea of the playoff picture. This is part two of our weekly Georgia High School Football Previews.

First up we take a look at a battle of Fulton County Schools as the upstart Langston Hughes Panthers host the Westlake Lions. Hughes has a lot of young players playing big minutes, but are they ready for the big time as Top-10 Westlake past them a visit. Down in Bagley, the Appling County Pirates host Benedictine. Can the Cadets bounce back this week, or will Appling stay unblemished in their final pre-region contest?

Up in Chatsworth, North Murray will look to defend their region title against the Rockmart Yellow Jackets. Will Rockmart be a party crasher or will North Murray get a stranglehold on the top spot in the region? Finally, Wesleyan continues their difficult gauntlet as they host Athens Academy. Can the Wolves outdoes the Spartans?

As always we wish all of the teams competing this week the best of luck!

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

The Skinny

Last season when we talked to coach Daniel Williams, he was excited about the youth movement at Langston Hughes. They took some lumps a year ago, but it looks like it is paying off this season. The Panthers are off to their first 4-0 start in school history. Xavier Smith has thrown for 401 yards and rushed for 443 yards and has accounted for 8 total touchdowns. CJ Lockhart leads the team in receiving, while Antonio Martin Jr. is the team’s leading rusher with 443 yards and 6-TDs. Sophomore safety Gannon Weathersby leads the team in total tackles with 47. As a team the Panthers have recorded 21.5  sacks and 6 interceptions. 

The Westlake Lions bounced back from their first loss of the season and look primed for the challenging region schedule that lies ahead. Quarterback R.J. Johnson has passed for 1021 yards and 7-TDs, while Zinah Mulbah continues to lead the way on the ground with 513 yards and 6-TDs. Corzavious Smart has also chipped in 238 rushing yards. As a team the Lions are averaging over 480 yards a game and scoring 29.7 points per game. The loser of this game has little margin for error going forward, but we still expect to see both teams qualify for the playoffs. However, this week, we like the Lions over the upstart Panthers. Westlake by10.

The Skinny

The Appling County Pirates are 4-0 for the second consecutive year. The Pirates are averaging 36 points per game. Perhaps the most impressive thing about that stat is that their doing that against competition from higher classifications. Defensively, Appling is allowing 10.2 points per game. They defensive is active and swarms to the ball. The Pirates even scored a defensive touchdown last week on their way to a big win over Wayne County. 

The Benedictine Cadets will look to regroup this week after falling to Ware County down in the Swamp last Friday. The Cadets are averaging 39.8 points per game behind the arm of Holden Geriner and on the legs of LeShon Brooks and Justin Thomas. Geriner has already surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in passing with 12-TDs. Last week it was Brooks and Thomas who provided the scoring for the Cadets, with Brooks scoring two rushing touchdowns and Thomas scoring on special teams. The Pirates should be another big test for Benedictine, but we think the Cadets bounce back this week against a stingy Appling County defense; Cadets by 8. 

The Skinny

The North Murray Mountaineers will get their toughest test of the season this Friday as teams continue to jockey for position in Region 6-3A. North Murray has won back to back games after dropping their season opener. Their offense in those games has been on fire, and on the season, they are averaging 37.3 points per game. But there are some question marks on defense as they are allowing 29.6 points per game. Dante Tidwell-Edwards has been electric in the run game, as a receiver and as a returner for the Mountaineers. Meanwhile, quarterback Seth Griffin has put up some big numbers in the first three games as well.     

The Rockmart Yellow Jackets come into town looking to knock off the defending region champs. The Jackets have won three consecutive games and are now averaging 38 points per game on offense. Dual threat quarterback Javin Whatley has thrown for 395 yards and 4-TDs and also rushed for 376 yards and 3-TDs. Lanear McCrary, Jai Penson and JoJo Haynes have combined to rush for 329 yards and 8-TDs. Rockmart’s defense is allowing 12.7 points per game. Their secondary already has six interceptions on the season and has forced a total of 10 turnovers. We like the odds of this game being a high scoring affair, despite Rockmart’s defense the past few weeks. But we think Whatley will be too tough to contain. Jackets by 12.

The Skinny

The Wesleyan Wolves will look to bounce back from their first setback of the season. Quarterback Ryan Rose has already thrown for over 1,00 yards and 8-TDs. Wyatt Hodges and Cooper Blauser continue to lead the Wolves in receiving while Griffin Caldwell has rushed for 614 yards and 7-TDs. The Wolves are averaging 28.4 points per game. Senior J.D. Chipman continues to lead Wesleyan in total tackles. The Wolves defense has forced seven turnovers this season.

Since their opening week 7-point win, no team has been with seventeen points of Athens Academy. The Spartans are averaging 39.8 points per game this season. While much of the talk for the Spartans revolves around Deion Colzie and Palmer Bush, other Spartans have contributed on offense including Jack Nasworthy, Charlie Chisolm and Ethan Connelly. The Spartans have been just as impressive on defense, allowing 10 points per game. Johnerio Holt exploded for 3.5 sacks in last week’s victory. Earlier this season, we thought Wesleyan was one of two teams who could knock off Athens Academy…But we don’t think that holds true today. We like the Spartans by 13.

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Week 7 – Eight Greats Around the State (Georgia High School Football Previews) – Part 1

Posted on October 14, 2020 by admin

We press on with the GHSA Football season and despite a fe setbacks, we’ve been fortunate to have a season this year. With region play under way, we should begin to get a better idea of the playoff picture. This is part one of our weekly Georgia High School Football Previews.

First up in a Bartow County battle, Cass hosts Cartersville. The Canes have dominated the series but can the upstart Colonels make a big splash in a top heavy region that includes the likes of Blessed Trinity and Calhoun? Meanwhile down in southwest Georgia, Thomasville hosts the resurgent Early County Bobcats. Will the Bobcats rushing attack give Thomasville fits?

Meanwhile Taylor County and Macon County will tangle in a clash of Region 5, Class A-Public Titans. Macon County leads the series, but the Vikings and quarterback Jabin Ford will be looking to turn the tide this season. Finally, the Hapeville Hornets will visit Marist in a big region game. Can the Hornets derail the War Eagles ground game?

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

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

The Skinny

The Cass Colonels might be one of the biggest surprises to people outside of White, GA. as they current sit at 5-0 this season. It’s their first 5-0 start since 2004. Freshman quarterback Devin Henderson has thrown for 802 yards and 6-TDs on the season for the Colonels who are averaging 24.8 points per game. But let’s not forget about the Cass defense who is holding up their end of the bargain. The Colonels are allowing 12.4 points per game this season. They scored three defensive touchdowns their last time out. If they stay on this pace, it will be the best scoring defense for Cass since 1983.

The streak is broken. Now what. Well, the Cartersville Purple Hurricanes still have much to play for this season. They will be on the road again this week to open region play. Prior to the Cherokee Game, the Canes offense is averaging 340.1 yards per game behind a balanced attack. Quarterback Stratton Tripp has thrown for over 800 yards and 7-TDs. But similar to Cass, it’s been the Cartersville defense that has been the most consistent, allowing only 10.4 points per game. The loser of this game will certainly have an uphill battle with regards to hosting a playoff game with games against Calhoun and Blessed Trinity left on both schedules. But on Friday night, we like Cartersville to get back on track. Canes by 12. 

The Skinny

After back-to-back losses to Top-10 teams from higher classifications, there is no time for The Thomasville Bulldogs to feel sorry for themselves. Region play starts this week and there is still much to play for. The Bulldogs have been led offensively by quarterback Ronnie Baker, who has now thrown for 753 yards and 4-TDs. Baker continues to lead the team in rushing as well with 174 yards and 4-TDs. Ricardo Johnson, Jay Cody, Taraje Felton are the top receivers for Thomasville coming into this week. The Bulldogs are averaging 19.8 points per game, but are also allowing 19.8 points per game.

The Early County Bobcats are 3-0 for the first time since 2007. The Bobcats Can really ground out yardage behind running backs LaDarius Ceaser, Jay Ealey and BraVeon George. All three backs present difficult challenges to opposing defenses, but Ealey might be the most physical of the three. However, don’t forget about quarterback Landon White, who is a threat throwing the ball as well. The Bobcats are averaging 28 points per game while the defense is allowing 13.6 points per game. We think this game will be the closest contest between the two schools since Thomasville’s one-point victory back in 2011. Early county keeps it close, but we like the Thomasville by 4.

The Skinny

The Taylor County Vikings have not started 4-0 since 2002. The Vikings are currently atop the Region alongside this week’s opponent Macon County, (and Chattahoochee County). The Vikings have been led this season by dual threat quarterback Jabin Ford who’s thrown for 327 yards and 2-TDs and also rushed for 589 yards and 13…that’s right, 13-TDs this season. Nathan Patterson has chipped in 252 yards and 2-TDs as well. As a team, the Vikings are averaging 290.5 yards per game rushing. On defense, the Vikings are only allowing 15.7 points per game. They’ve forced a total of 12 turnovers on the season.

The Macon County Bulldogs will be looking to rebound from their first loss of the season. Yet they are still unblemished in region play. The Bulldogs have used a balanced attack this season. Quarterback Jakalen Williams has thrown for 484 yards and 4-TDs while Davion Clark and Branden Cochran have combined for 395 yards and 7-TDs to lead the way on the ground. Jaden Hayes is tops on the team at receiver with 17 receptions for 292 yards and 3-TDs. The Bulldogs defense is only allowing 10.5 points per game this year, with a shutout to their credit. We know that it’s tough to win on the road, but we really like Macon County’s defense this week. Bulldogs by 4.

The Skinny

The Marist War Eagles return to play this week after consecutive bye weeks. In their first three games, Marist has outscored their opponents 111-3. The War Eagles offense has yet to be challenged. That’s largely in part due to the Marist’s offensive line, which might be the best in the state. Marist has shut out two of their three opponents. 

The Hapeville Hornets have been a perennial power in Class 2A, but made the jump to Class 4A this season. The Hornets have not started with two losses since 2016. Quarterback Rashad Render has thrown for over 490 yards and 6-TDs. Last week, Wayne Thompson led the way on the ground with 100 yards rushing. We believe the Hornets face an uphill battle this week on the road. We like Marist to stay hot, despite the layoff. War Eagles by 17.

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Cherokee County Football Previews – Week 7

Posted on October 13, 2020 by admin

We are back from the break and all teams are in action this week in Cherokee County. All important region play begins for Region 5-7A while it continues for Region 7-6A. Here is a look at this week’s games.

The Cherokee Warriors look to stay hot as Woodstock pays them a visit on Friday. Can the Wolverines continue to find success through the air or will the Warriors continue their defensive dominance? Meanwhile, the Etowah Eagles will host the Roswell Hornets to open region play. Will Etowah get into the win column this week, or is Roswell the real deal?

The battle of East Cherokee…(or is it the battle of Hickory Flat)…will take place at Skip Pope Stadium on Friday. Will this be a defensive struggle or will the offense for either team come alive this weekend. Finally, the River Ridge Knights visit the Riverwood Raiders. The Raiders have already dropped a region game and can’t afford to fall too far behind. Do they have a formula to slow down River Ridge and Amehre Morrison?

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

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

The Skinny

The Cherokee Warriors are back in the warm confines of Tommy Baker Field this week as they host county rival Woodstock. Keith Adams Jr. and the Warriors offensive line have helped to churn out a team average of 148 yards per game. Adams leads the way with 648 yards and 6-TDs on the year. Braesen Parker, Tyler Goddard and Toby Thompson lead the team in total tackles. The Cherokee defense has forced 10 turnovers this season. Speaking of defense, Cherokee is only allowing 13.6 points per game.

The Woodstock Wolverines will be looking to defeat their county rival for the first time in three years. Woodstock’s Don Comeau has seemed to find comfort in Coach Budde’s offense. The sophomore has thrown for 477 yards and 5-TDs in his two starts. The Wolverines are averaging 24 points per game. However, it has been feast or famine for the Woodstock. In their two wins, they are averaging 44.5 points per game, but in their three losses, they are only averaging 11 points per game. Cherokee hasn’t exactly been lighting up the scoreboard the past three weeks either, but we think their defense can keep the Wolverines at bay this week. We like the Warriors by 11.

The Skinny

The Etowah Eagles will face a familiar foe as the Roswell Hornets visit Eagle Mountain on Friday. Etowah will look to get back on track behind their leading receiver Brock Rechsteiner (8 receptions, 133 yards) and running back Klivert Many (273 yards, 2-TDs). The Eagles certainly know the task at hand. They’ve got to stick the ball into the endzone with more consistency. Defensively, Austin Skinner is the team’s leader in sacks with 3. 

The Roswell Hornets are 4-0 for the second time in three years. Junior quarterback Robbie Roper has thrown for 927 yards and 10-TDs. Junior running backs Ryan Stephens and Ryan Hill have combined for 567 yards and 7-TDs. Marquis Willis has been the primary target for Roper with 21 receptions for 401 yards and 3-TDs, while Michael Fitzgerald has caught 15 passes for 296 yards and 4-TDs. Roswell is averaging 35.7 points per game so far this season. We believe Etowah will hold Roswell under their average of 35 points per game, but we aren’t sure if they’ll be able to score enough to keep pace. We like Roswell by 11. 

The Skinny

The Sequoyah Chiefs will be back home at Skip Pope Stadium this Friday night. The Chiefs have used two quarterbacks early in the season. Junior Conner Gelatt  has completed 71.4% of his passes while sophomore Matthew Traynor has thrown for a team high 251 yards and 4-TDs. While the quarterback position might still be unsettled, most everyone knows that Jaden Mitchell is the workhours for the Chiefs. The senior has rushed for 337 yards and 3-TDs and has also caught a team high 9-passes; showing his versatility in multiple facets of the game. Joseph Silva, Jack Blackmon and Jonah Haney lead the team in total tackles. In their last two outings, the Chiefs defense is trending in the right direction, allowing an average of 14.5 points per game. 

The Creekview Grizzlies defense has allowed a total of two offensive touchdowns all season. Last time out, they got their first shutout of the season. Grant Anderson and Isaac Hubert are among the county’s top sack leaders with 6 and 4.5 respectively. Sam Minozzi is not far behind with four sacks of his own. Offensively, Tyler Stevens and Brody Rhodes have been the big threats to opposing defenses. Rhodes has rushed for almost 250 yards and thrown for over 520 yards while Stevens has rushed for 358 yards. A lot of times we’d expect opposing teams to have trouble with Sequoyah’s Wing-T, but the Grizzlies have had an extra week to prepare. We think it will be a defensive battle early, but we like Creekview by 10.    

The Skinny

The Riverwood Raiders will look to get back on track this week after dropping a region game to Johns Creek. Despite the loss last week, Riverwood is still averaging 39.5 points per game, while the defense is only giving up 15 points per game. Quarterback Avery Smith is listed as a pro-style quarterback, but the junior can beat you with both his arm and his legs. His main target this season has been Donovan Logan. Logan is tough to bring down in the open field. Expect for Riverwood’s passing attack to give River Ridge some fits on Friday.

The River Ridge Knights are 4-0 for the first time since 2011 and have now won four consecutive games for only the second time in school history. The Knights offense is powered by junior running back Amehre Morrison with 827 yards rushing and 12-TDs. Quarterback Carson Lathem has thrown for 580 yards and 7-TDs, with Jackson Head and Riley Caines as the top two receivers for the Knights. Hunter Deriso and Brian Bradley lead the team in sacks with three each. They will both be instrumental this week in getting a pass rush on the Riverwood quarterback to disrupt the passing game. We believe the Knights will pass this test. We like them by 9 this week over Riverwood.

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Georgia High School Football Poll Week-6

Posted on October 11, 2020 by admin

We have reached the halfway point of the season for most teams across the state. We are starting to get a clearer picture in our Georgia High School Football Poll. Region play is getting underway, so the coming weeks will give us a clearer understanding of the playoff picture.

In Class 7A North Gwinnett is back in the Top-10 after a win over North Cobb as they check in at No. 7. Norcross is up to No. 6, while Cherokee makes their debut this week at No. 10. However, there are a few other teams just on the cusp of the Top-10 with impressive victories this season including East Coweta, Hillgrove and Roswell. We wouldn’t be shocked to see one of those three enter at some point this season.

In Class 6A, Carrollton finds it way back into the poll with an impressive win over Rome last Friday. Lee County takes over the top spot after Valdosta fell to Lowndes. Down in Class 5A, Blessed Trinity takes claim to the No. 1 ranking after a Warner Robins loss, but there were no new entrants this week.

There was a little shuffling in Class 4A, but no-one dropped from the poll. Jefferson did assert it’s dominance over Flowery Branch, dropping the Falcons down to No. 8 this week. Over in our 3A poll, we welcome back Appling County and welcome Thomson this week at No. 7 and 8 respectively. Hart County remains in the poll at No. 9 despite their 1-3 record.

Meanwhile, our Top-5 in Class 2A remains unchanged. Toombs County finds their way into the rankings for the first time this season; they check in at No. 10. Meanwhile in Class A-Public, Irwin County lays claim to the No. 1 spot with a big win over Brooks County. Finally down in Class A-private, the Holy Innocents’ Bears are back in the Top-10 at No. 10 this week.

As always, thank you for reading. We appreciate all feedback and comments.

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

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Football Fridays at the Tavern – Cherokee County Football – Episode 8

Posted on October 9, 2020 by admin

We are at the halfway point of the high school football season. This week, Von and I talk about Cherokee County Football and recap the six county teams and the direction that we think they are headed as we start the second half of the season. We also hear from the coaches, as Coach Shaw of Cherokee and Coach Collins of River Ridge spend some time with us to talk about their team’s success and what they have to do in the second half to continue to be successful. Don’t forget to follow Von Brown on twitter (@CederwoodTavern) and Art Mosley editor of the Turd Furgeson Report (@Turdfurgesonrpt). Thanks for listening, please feel free to comment and share.

Podcast Index

1:03 – Overall Season in Review

4:07 – Cherokee Recap

10:52 – Coach Shaw Interview

22:55 – Cherokee Moving Forward

25:12 – Etowah Recap

31:12- Woodstock Recap

35:52- Coach Collins Interview

41:30 – River Ridge Recap

51:02 – Sequoyah Recap

57:50 – Creekview Recap

1:04:02 –  Look Around the Regions

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Week 6 – Eight Greats Around the State (Georgia High School Football Previews) – Part 2

Posted on October 7, 2020 by admin

Week 6 marks the midway point of the high school football season in Georgia. Several teams have begun or will begin the all important region play this week. Here is Part II of our Eight Greats Around the State.

First up, in Quitman, the Brooks County Trojans and Irwin County Indians will tangle. Irwin County is the defending Class A Public Champs while Brooks County played for the 2A state title last year. Now both teams are in the same region in Class A Public. There’s still plenty of season left, but we believe whoever wins this game will have an inside track to the region title.

Next up in Waycross, Ware County will host Benedictine as these two teams meet for the first time. Can Benedictine slow down Thomas Castellanos and the Gators? Over in Athens, the Athens Academy Spartans are sure to get the best from Hebron Christian Lions. Can Hebron slow down Deion Colzie and Palmer Bush and pull the upset?

Finally, Flowery Branch will host Jefferson. This is another game that could determine the region title. We know it’s odd to say that so early in region play, but both teams are playing at the top of their game. Will the Jefferson ground game continue to run wild this week?

We wish all of the teams competing this weekend the best of luck. As always thanks for reading and please feel free to comment and share.

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

The Skinny

The Brooks County Trojans are undefeated with an offense that is averaging 33.5 points per game. Ni’Tavion Burrus has thrown for 544 yards and 8-TDs; he’s also rushed for 224 yards and 4-TDs. Meanwhile, Omari Arnold has rushed for 438 yards and 4-TDs. Willie Brown, Joaquinn Dawson and Arnold are the top receivers for the Trojans combining for 26 receptions for 466 yards and 7-TDs. Camron Priest leads the team in total tackles and tackles for loss (28 and 10). He’s also tied for the team lead in sacks with J’Shawn Baker, both with 4.5 sacks. Brooks County is allowing 23 points per game this season.

Irwin County got back to their winning ways after dropping their first two games of the season. They’ve now won two consecutive games with the latest being a win over neighboring Class 7A, Tift County.  The Indians scored on both offense and defense en route to last week’s wins. Kam Ward shined in both sides of the ball at running back (1 rushing TD and at linebacker (3 interceptions, 1-TD). Ward is a physical back who is rarely stopped with arm tackles.  Cody Soliday is continuing to improve at quarterback and having receivers such as Gabriel and Garland Benyard certainly makes us think he will continue that trajectory. The Indians certainly have the experience, but then again, so do the Trojans. We like Brooks County by 4 this week and to grab the inside track to the Region 2 title.

The Skinny

The Ware County Gators are 4-0 for the first time since 2015. The Gators were on the good side of a come from behind victory last week to stay undefeated. Quarterback Thomas Castellanos was up to his old tricks, passing for 296 and 3-TDs while rushing for 166 yards and a touchdown. Ware County is averaging 267 yards through the air and 161 yards on the ground this season. The defense is allowing 19.2 points per game this season.

The Benedictine Cadets will roll into Waycross with an unblemished record of their own. The Cadets are averaging 43.6 points per game behind a balanced offensive attack, (averaging 209 yards passing and 211 yards rushing). Holden Geriner has passed for 942 yards and 12-TDs and no interceptions, completing 68.5 percent of his passes. Trent Broadnax (22 receptions, 430 yards, 9-TDs) and Zaquan Bryan (14 receptions, 325 yards, 3-TDs) are the top two receivers. LeShon Brooks and Justin Thomas lead the way on the ground with a combined 742 yards and 9-TDs. Holden Sapp leads the team in total tackles (53), tackles for loss (11.5) and sacks (8.5). As a team, the Cadets have amassed 18 sacks on the season. They’ve also forced 8 turnovers. This game is shaping up to be a real dogfight, but we like Ware to edge Benedictine by 5.

The Skinny

The Athens Academy Spartans have not lost a regular season game since 2017. (That’s a span of 34 consecutive regular season games.) The Spartans look poised to make another deep run. They are averaging 41 points per game on offense. Palmer Bush was threw three touchdown passes last week and seven different Spartans found pay dirt in the victory. All eyes on Deion Colzie as the Spartans receiver just recommitted to Notre Dame. But let’s not forget about the Athens Academy defense that is surrendering only 10.7 points per game. 

Hebron Christian also has a few high-level offensive players on their roster, quarterback Colton Gauthier is a South Carolina commit. The senior has thrown for 788 yards and 7-TDs through three games. Demetrius Rogers leads the team in rushing with 116 yards while Jack Lutrell (19 receptions, 317 yards, 1-TD) and Jaiden Avery Stowers (9 receptions, 257 yards, 4-TDs) lead the team in receiving. Hebron Christian has bounced back from a week-1 setback and the defense has played well in their last two outings, but we don’t know if they can slow down Colzie Bush and the rest of the Spartans. We like Athens Academy by 17 this week.

The Skinny

The Flowery Branch Falcons are winners of their last three games. The Flowery Branch offense is averaging 34 points per game. Quarterback David Renard has thrown for 1,280 yards and 7-TDs on the season. Connor Larson, Baxley O’Brien and Sal Sengson lead the team in receiving. Meanwhile Jaizen Ellingham and Myles Ivey make for a strong tandem in the backfield. Ellingham had two rushing touchdowns in last week’s victory. On defense the Falcons are allowing 27 points per game. 

The Jefferson Dragons continued their winning ways last week. As a team the Dragons have churned out 1,345 rushing yards. They are led by junior quarterback Malaki Starks, who’s rushed for 513 yards and 7-TDs. We’ve mentioned this before but the Dragons have only attempted 25 passes through four games. Kolton Jones, Jordan Perry and Reese Johnson are the other top backs for Jefferson. Spencer Neese leads the team in receptions, receiving yards and TDs. Jefferson’s defense is holding teams to 11.7 points per game. No surprise to see Paxton Corkery and the aforementioned Starks at the top of the tackling leaders for the team. Corkery also leads the team in sacks (3). The Dragons have forced seven turnovers. The winner of this game is our favorite to win the region. Yes, we said it, even if this is the first region game for both teams. We hope the scoreboard operator is ready, both these teams can score in bunches…But we like Jefferson by 4 on the road.

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Week 6 – Eight Greats Around the State (Georgia High School Football Previews) – Part 1

Posted on October 7, 2020 by admin

Week 6 marks the midway point of the high school football season in Georgia. While it seems like the season just got underway, several teams have begun or will begin the all important region play this week Here is Part I of our Eight Greats Around the State.

First up, Rome travels to Carrollton in a game that features perhaps the two favorites to win Region 5. Can Rome get a win down in Grisham Stadium or will Carrollton defeat the Wolves for the second consecutive season?

Down in Valdosta, the Winnersville Classic will be played at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium. Is there any way for Valdosta to derail Jacurri Brown and the Vikings this season? Meanwhile, in Leesburg, the Lee County Trojans will host the Warner Robins Demons. Lee County has not lost a regular season home game since October of 2016. Are the Demons a threat to end that streak this week?

Finally, the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes will host the Pierce County Bears. Pierce County was in a dogfight last week. It certainly doesn’t get any easier for them down in Fitzgerald on Friday.

Best of luck to all of the teams competing on Friday night. As always, we welcome any comments or feedback.

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

The Skinny

The Carrollton Trojans broke a string of three consecutive losses to Rome last season. The old region foes find themselves together again after both teams jumped up to Class 6A. Carrollton beat Dalton last week. The Trojans were up big before Dalton attempted to mount a rally with under 4 minutes in the game. James McCauley has passed for 262 yards and 3-TDs while Christian Lett and Keyshawn Ridley have combined for 256 yards and 5-TDs to lead the rushing attack. As mentioned before, the Trojans had limited Dalton to 10 points, until the final four minutes of the game. 

The Rome Wolves got Region play off to a good start with a win over South Paulding. Rome had an extremely challenging first three weeks of their schedule with opponents such as Rockmart, Cherokee, and Collins Hill. Rome’s offense will be powered by running back E.J. Lackey, quarterback Caleb Ellard and receiver Jay Wise. Coming into the game last Friday night, Lackey and Freshman Caden Williams had combined for 444 rushing yards, with Lackey responsible for the bulk of them. Jameion Leath leads the Wolves in total tackles and tackles for loss. While some of the star power might be missing on both sides of the ball, this game should go a long way in determining the region champion. Carrollton will be tough to beat at home and James McCauley seems to be settling in at quarterback, but we like Rome in a low scoring defensive battle this week. Wolves by 6.

The Valdosta Wildcats will host the Winnersville Classic this season and will do so with out quarterback Jake Garcia who was ruled ineligible by the GHSA. Amari Jones has stepped in to take the reigns at quarterback and has passed for 360 yards and 4-TDs in his two appearances this season.  Tajh Sanders will join Jones in the backfield. Sanders is also a receiving threat and compliments receivers Aalah Brown and Javonte Sherman. The Valdosta defense is allowing 18.6 points per game. Jaylen Alderman and Ty’li Lewis are among the team leaders in tackles. Lewis also leads the ‘Cats in sacks with 4.

Meanwhile, the Lowndes Vikings have put up some dominant performances under new coach Jamey DuBose. The Vikings are averaging 38.7 points per game and are led by dual threat quarterback, Jacurri Brown.  The Junior signal caller has thrown for 467 yards and 4-TDs  and rushed for 346 yards and 7-TDs. Israel Mitchell (162 yards, 2-TDs) and Justin Lee (295 yards, 5-TDs) usually get the lions share of the carries outside of Brown. Chase Belcher and Dominique Marshall are the top receiving threats for Lowndes. They have combined for 23 receptions, for 507 yards and 6-TDs. Jalon Baker, T.J. Quinn and Matthew Trimble are tops in tackles on a team that allows only 14.2 points per game. Leon Williams has 6 sacks on the season and Tylar Belcher leads the team in interceptions with 3. Last year, Valdosta was shut out for only the 6th time in the series. We believe the ‘Cats will get on the scoreboard this week, but we still like Lowndes big this Friday…Vikings by 20.

The Skinny

The Skinny

Last Week, the Lee County Trojans got back to their winning ways with a big win over Lithia Springs.  The Trojans are averaging 44.6 points per game on offense. Smith Pinson led the way at quarterback last week, but we’ve also seen Chauncey Magwood take snaps there as well. The Lee defense is allowing 11 points per game and have shutout two of their four opponents. Last week, they held Lithia Springs to 62 total rushing yards and intercepted two passes. 

The Warner Robins Demons have reeled off three consecutive wins and may have begun to hit their stride. The Demons are averaging 39.5 points per game this season. Quarterback Jalen Addie has passed for 695 yards and 7-TDs and rushed for 300 yards and 4-TDs. Meanwhile, Jahlen Rutherford and Malcom Brown have combined to carry the rest of the load on the ground for Warner Robins.  Daveon Walker and Armon Porter are the team’s leading receivers.  On the opposite side of the ball, the defense is allowing 11.2 points per game. Jay Carter and Vic Burley are tops on the team in tackles. Entering the Houston County game last Friday, Warner Robins had sacked opposing quarterbacks 19 times and forced 6 turnovers. We believe Warner Robins can certainly keep pace with Lee County, but we will take the Trojans at home. Points may be at a premium. Trojans by 4.

The Skinny

The Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes are 4-0 for the first time since 2016. The ‘Canes are averaging 24.5 points per game and are led by Mario Clark who leads the team in rushing with 328 yards and accounted for both touchdowns their last time out.  Defensively, Fitzgerland is only allowing 10.2 points per game and only surrendered 71 yards rushing to Jefferson County.  

The Pierce County Bears have now won 24 consecutive regular season games. Senior quarterback Jermaine Brewton is completing 72.5% of his passes for 495 yards and 7-TDs while sophomore D.J. Bell leads the team in rushing with 511 yards and 5-TDs. Leading receivers for the Bears are Luke Bennett and Maleek Chandel. Pierce County is averaging 26.7 points per game. Perhaps the biggest story is the defense, which is allowing a paltry 5.7 points per game and has recorded two shutouts. Spencer Woodcock continues to lead the team in total tackles while Seth Foster leads the team in tackles for loss with 14. Foster and Austin Jernigan are tied for the team lead in sacks with 4.5. As a team, Pierce County has sacked opposing quarterbacks 20 times and forced 6 turnovers. We expect Fitzgerald to be a force in Class 2A, but we really like the Bears defense. Pierce County by 9.

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Georgia High School Football Poll Week-5

Posted on October 4, 2020 by admin

Here is our Georgia High School Football Poll for each classification in the state. We have are quickly approaching mid-season, so we should start to get a better idea of where teams stand in relations to each other.

In Class 7A, Norcross makes their first appearance in the Top-10 as they look to be experiencing a resurgence this season. Milton dropped to 10 after a loss to Class 3A No. 1, Cedar Grove. There was little movement in Class 6A. Westlake drops a few spots after falling to Hillgrove (Class 7A).

The Ola Mustangs and the Cass Colonels make their first appearance in the history of our polls in Class 5A. The Mustangs are in at No. 8 while Cass is No. 10. Can both teams sustain their newfound success? Meanwhile in Class 4A, the Islands Sharks are ranked No. 10 after a big win over Jenkins.

Down in Class 3A, Westminster makes their debut after back to back victories over ranked opponents. Cedar Grove is back atop the 3A poll after a win over 7A Milton. In Class 2A, The Early County Bobcats are in the poll at No. 10 this week.

Class A-Public has almost been unpredictable this season. Both Macon County and Gordon-Lee crack the poll at No. 7 and No. 10 respectively. Of note in Class A-Public, Irwin County, (the defending Class A Public State Champs), beat Class 7A Tift County.

Finally in Class A-Private, Prince Avenue Christian avenged last year’s loss to Wesleyan and jumps to the No. 2 spot this week. There were no new entrants into the poll, but it really looks like the Top-4 in this class are starting to separate themselves from the pack.

As always, thank you for reading. We welcome any and all poll feedback. 

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

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Football Fridays at the Tavern – Episode 7

Posted on October 2, 2020 by admin

We are approaching the halfway point of the high school football season in Cherokee County. We have a huge show as all six county teams are in action this week. We will look back on the Week-4 games and preview the Week-5 games. We bring back the “Remember the Name” Segment, with a special guest, Mike Miller, who will share the story of his brother, Mitch Miller, one of the mightiest Chiefs of them all. You don’t want to miss that. We also hear from the coaches, as Coach Buddy of Woodstock and Coach Collins of River Ridge spend some time with us to talk about their team’s and their upcoming matchup on Friday. Don’t forget to follow Von Brown on twitter (@CederwoodTavern) and Art Mosley editor of the Turd Furgeson Report (@Turdfurgesonrpt). Thanks for listening, please feel free to comment and share.

Fact Checks

*This week we learn that Art can’t do simple math…28+18 is actually 46, not 36. One day he will figure it out.

**Also, the Head Coach for North Cobb is Coach Shane Queen. Not McQueen. (Art must have been thinking of Lightening McQueen…)

Game Streams for Friday Night

Cherokee vs. Cartersville (Radio Broadcast) – wljaradio.com

Cherokee vs. Cartersville (Video Broadcast) – stevemajorsports.com

Johns Creek vs. Sequoyah (Radio Broadcast) – https://network1sports.com/station/chaseshaffersports

North Cobb vs. Etowah (Radio Broadcast) –northcobbfootball.com

Calhoun vs. Woodstock – calhountdclub.com/listen

Podcast Index

1:34 – Week 3 Recap

13:05 – Remember the Name – Mitch Miller

32:06 – Etowah-North Cobb Preview

36:09 – Coach Budde Interview

44:16- Woodstock-Calhoun Preview

50:03 – Cherokee-Cartersville Preview

58:04 – Sequoyah-Johns Creek Preview

1:02:00 – Creekview-Cambridge Preview 

1:08:00 – Public Service Announcement 

1:08:10 – Coach Collins Interview

1:18:15 – River Ridge-Chattahoochee Preview

1:24:58 – A Look Around the Region

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