Week 12 – GHSA High School Football Poll

Posted on November 10, 2019 by admin

This is our final regular season GHSA Football Poll. We are feverishly working on playoff previews. We will update our Top-10 Poll after the playoffs have been completed. Thanks for reading!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Week – 12 GHSA Football Previews – Eight Greats Around the State – Part 2 of 2

Posted on November 6, 2019 by admin

As we mentioned in Part I, Friday ushers in the end of the regular high school football season in Georgia. This is Part II of our GHSA Football Previews. First up, Benedictine plays Jenkins for the Region 3 3-A title. The Cadets are looking for their 5th straight Region title. Can the Warriors dethrone the defending champs? Meanwhile, down in Camilla, two very familiar Rivals face off as Mitchell County hosts Pelham. Both teams can put up points in bunches. The scoreboard operator could be very busy this week! Next, we look at a DeKalb County battle as the Tucker Tigers face the Stephenson Jaguars. This may be a down year for the Tigers, in terms of wins, but they have put themselves in a position to win a region title. But the Jaguars won’t hand it over that easily. What we love about this game is that the battle of the bands should be as good as the game on the field. Finally, Union County hosts Rival Rabun County. This game features two of the best passers in the state, Union County’s Pierson Allison and Rabun County’s Gunner Stockton. This should also be another high-scoring contest. As always, please feel free to share and comment.

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

 

The Benedictine Cadets will be looking for their 5th consecutive region title when they face the Jenkins Warriors on Friday night. Benedictine has not lost a region game since October 17th, 2014. That’s 36 consecutive region wins. They have reeled off seven consecutive wins since starting the season 0-2. Sophomore quarterback Holden Geriner has passed for 1,155 yards and 12-TDs. Leshon Brooks Jr (646 yards, 7-TDs) and James Epps (402 yards, 9-TDs) lead the Cadets in rushing, while Trent Broadnax is the team’s leading receiver with 38 receptions for 495 yards. Jake Reese leads the Cadets in total tackles with 86.

 

Jenkins has also won their last 7 games. They are averaging 40.7 points per game, while their defense is allowing 7.4 points per game. Quarterback Patrick Blake has passed for 1,123 yards and 15-TDs. Damozzio Harris has rushed for 1,047 yards and 18-TDs. The Warriors defense has recorded 31.5 sacks. Taurus Simmons leads the way with 7 sacks. Jenkins seems to have all the tools in place to beat Benedictine this year. But it won’t be easy. We like the Warriors by 4 this week.

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Mitchell County Eagles and Pelham Hornets will battle for the 104th time down in Camilla this Friday. This game will decide the Region 1-1A champion. Mitchell County was won 9 consecutive games since their shootout loss to Brooks County back in week 1. They are averaging 52.4 points per game and only allowing 10.2 points per game. In region play, Mitchell County has only allowed 29 points all season. That’s only 3.6 points per game. Quarterback Quentavious Hunter has passed for over 1,300 yards and rushed for over 300, while De’Shaun Sherman has led the way on the ground for the Eagles. Myron Carthen Jr. and Kentrel Williams are the team’s leading receivers.

 

As impressive as Mitchell County has been, the Pelham Hornets have also put up some big numbers. They are averaging 55.5 points per game. Their defense has only allowed 18 points all season. They have shut out 6 of their 9 opponents. Quarterback Kendrick Patterson has impacted the Hornets at several positions. He has passed for 1,159 yards, rushed for 242 yards, accounted for 23-TDs; on defense, he has intercepted 4 passes; on Special teams he’s responsible for kickoffs and has made 32 of his 42 extra points. The Hornets defense has picked off 16 passes total this season. While both teams have been dominant on defense, we believe this game will be a track meet. We like the Hornets by10 in a high scoring game.

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Stephenson Jaguars and the Tucker Tigers will face off for the Region 4-6A title. Coming into the season, we thought both these teams would be undefeated in the region coming into this game, but they both have a region loss. Stephenson is averaging 31.1 points per game while the defense is allowing 7 points per game, including three shutouts. Through last week, Deondre Jackson (629 yards, 12-TDs) and Ryan Ingram (478 yards, 7-TDs) have combined to lead Stephenson in rushing. Also through last week, the Jaguars have forced 17 turnovers.

 

The Tucker Tigers are looking for their third region title in four years. The Tigers are averaging 25.8 points per game, while the defense is allowing 16.8 points per game. Going into last weeks game, Quarius Smith was the 6th leading rusher in DeKalb County with 669 yards and 9-TDs. Through 8-games, as a team, Tucker has rushed for 1,562 yards and 16-TDs. Isaiah Dunson is the team’s leading receiver. Again, through last week, Dunson had 26 receptions for 446 yards and 7-TDs. Both teams will look to assert themselves on the ground this week. We give the edge to Stephenson and their turnover-forcing defense. Jaguars by 8.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Union County Panthers will host the Rabun County Wildcats this week for the Region 8-2A title. Union County has not defeated Rabun since 2011. (A span of 5 games.) The Panthers are averaging over 500 yards of total offense per game this season. Quarterback Pierson Allison has passed for 2,361 yards and 26-TDs while Jonah Daniel has rushed for 1,254 yards and 14-TDs. Allison’s top two receivers are Sawyer Drake (56 receptions, 958 yards, 9-TDs) and Kyle Morlock (22 receptions, 534 yards, 6-TDs). John Mancuso leads the team in total tackles with 90. The Panthers are averaging 44.6 points per game on offense and allowing 14.8 points per game.

 

Meanwhile, Rabun County has performed well under first year head coach, Jaybo Shaw. The Wildcats sport a very talented young quarterback of their own in Gunner Stockton. Stockton has passed for 2,399 yards and 35 TDs. (He’s completing 70% of his passes.)  Stockton also leads the team in rushing with 660 yards and 11 rushing TDs. (We failed to mention he’s just a sophomore!) Braxton Hicks (36 receptions, 780 yards, 8-TDs) and Sam Adams (29 receptions, 454 yards, 12-TDs) lead the team in receiving. The Wildcats are averaging 48.2 points per game this season while the defense is allowing 12 points. We like everything Union County has done this season, but we think Rabun’s Stockton will be too tough to contain. We like the Wildcats by 4 this week.

 

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Week – 12 GHSA Football Previews – Eight Greats Around the State – Part 1 of 2

Posted on November 6, 2019 by admin

Friday ushers in the end of the regular high school football season in Georgia. This is Part I of our GHSA Football Previews. First up, Savannah Country Day hosts the Johnson County Trojans for the Region 3 Class A title. Country Day won the first matchup earlier in the season. Can they hold off Johnson County again? Next up, Lee County hosts Coffee. Lee County is in search of their 3rd consecutive region title. Will Coffee force a three way tie, or will Lee take the crown again? Darlington travels to Roswell to take on the Fellowship Christian Paladins. Both teams have put up big numbers offensively, but we think defense will be the factor on Friday night as these two teams battle for the Region 6 Class A title. Finally, Ware County hosts Wayne County for the Region 2-5A title. Can Wayne County make it three straight region titles? As always, please feel free to share and comment.

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Savannah Country Day Hornets and the Johnson County Trojans will face off for the second time this season. This time for the Region 3 Class A title. The Hornets won the first meeting by 3 back in September. Country Day is led by sophomore quarterback Barry Kleinpeter (1,676 yards passing, 408 rushing yards, 25-TDs), sophomore running back Davion Smith (829 rushing yards, 12-TDs) and receivers Erik Brown (28 receptions, 571 yards, 6-TDs) and Kenny Odom (26 receptions, 441 yards, 6-TDs). Country Day is averaging 33.6 points per game on offense and allowing 15.8 points per game.

 

Meanwhile, a win by Johnson County will secure their first Region title since 2010. They are off to their best season since 2013. The Trojans are averaging 35.7 points per game while their defense is allowing 13.8 points per game. If they are going to exact revenge on the Hornets, they’ll need to get freshman running back Germivy Tucker going this week. He has rushed for over 1,100 yards on the season. We believe this will be a nip and tuck battle, but we like the Hornets in this game by 5.

 

The Skinny

 

The Lee County Trojans will face the Coffee Trojans for a chance to win the Region 1-6A Title. Lee County is the defending Class 6A State Champion. The Trojans have not been as dominant as last years team, but they are still putting up some impressive numbers. They are averaging 38.2 points per game while the defense is allowing 15 points per game.

 

Meanwhile, the Coffee Trojans can force a three-way tie for first place in the Region with a win this week. Coffee has used a balanced attack this season. Quarterback A.J. Wilkerson has passed for 867 yards and 10-TDs. The team has combined to rush for almost 1,500 yards this season. Jamal Paulk is the workhorse of the group with 308 yards and 9-TDs. Jaylen Suggs leads the team with 399 yards and 6-TDs receiving. Jase Rish leads the team with 76 total tackles. Coffee is averaging 32.6 points per game while the defense is allowing 11.7 points per game, (the best in the region). With all that said, we like Lee County in a close game this week. Lee by 7.

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

Fellowship Christian and Darlington will meet for the first time in school history for the Region 6 Class A title this Friday in Roswell. The Fellowship Christina Paladins are in search of their first region title since 2016, when they made a run all the way to the state title game. The Paladins have done most of their damage on the ground, averaging almost 355 yards per game on the ground. Murphy Reeves has rushed for 1,190 yards and 14-TDs. Defensively, the Paladins are allowing 12 points per game. Freshman Kyle Elphick has 4 interceptions for a team that his picked off 11 passes this year. The smallest margin of victory this season for the Paladins was 22 points.

 

Meanwhile, the Darlington Tigers are looking for their first Region title since 2015. The Tigers play in one of the toughest sub-regions in Class A, where 5 teams are projected to make the playoffs this season. Darlington is averaging 35.3 points per game while the defense is allowing 8.3 points per game. Their offensive and defensive lines are anchored by UGA commit Tate Ratledge. Look for this game to be nip and tuck. Fellowship Christian has not played a team like Darlington this season. We believe the Tigers are a little more battle tested and that’s why we like them on the road, but it won’t be easy. We like the Tigerss by 3.

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Ware County Gators will be looking to win their first title in three years as they host Wayne County this Friday. Quarterback Thomas Castellanos leads the team in passing (623 yards, 5-TDs) and rushing (724 yards, 12-TDs). The Gators have rushed for 1,550 yards and 21-TDs as a team. James Daniels leads the team with 16 receptions for 158 yards. (The Gators don’t pass the ball much.) Ware County is averaging 23.6 points per game while the defense is allowing 20.3 points per game.

 

Wayne County would earn their third consecutive region title this week with a win over Ware. Wayne County’s only loss this season was to 6A Glynn Academy. They are averaging 38.3 points per game and have scored over 30 points in seven of their eight games this season. Defensively, the Yellow Jackets are allowing 21.1 points per game. Wayne County has won 12 consecutive region games. We believe that number gets extended to 13 this week. We like Wayne County by 13.

 

 

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Week 12 – TFR Cherokee County Football Previews Part 2 of 2

Posted on November 5, 2019 by admin

Part II of our Week-12 Cherokee County Football previews has been published. As we mentioned in Part I, this is the last week of the season. There are still two county teams still in contention in Region 6-6A. First up, the Sequoyah Chiefs host the Allatoona Buccaneers. The Chiefs can qualify for the playoffs with a win and a Creekview loss. Next up, the River Ridge Knights travel to face the Sprayberry Yellow Jackets. The Knights are out of playoff contention but can really muddy the playoff picture if they can upset the Yellow Jackets. Finally, Creekview travels to Harrison to face the Hoyas. Harrison has already wrapped up the Region title. Creekview needs a win and a Sprayberry loss to qualify for the postseason. Please make sure to get out and support these young men on Friday night. As always, thanks for reading.  Comments and discussion are always welcome!

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Sequoyah Chiefs will host the only in game played in county this Friday as they host the Allatoona Buccaneers. The Chiefs need some help to qualify for the post-season, but first they must help themselves. The Chiefs come into the game average 21 points, while the defense is allowing 18 points per game. For the Chiefs, they’ll need to establish the run game against a stingy Allatoona defense. Myles McGee and the secondary will also need to contact Bucs receiver Asante Das.

 

Meanwhile, the Allatoona Buccaneers enter this game averaging 29.6 points per game and allowing 13.7 points per game. Alex Wilson leads the way for the Bucs on the ground with 729 yards and 6-TDs. Quarterback Dante Marshall has passed for 1,367 yards and 16-TDs. The aforementioned Asante Das leads the team in receiving with 26 receptions for 855 yards and 11-TDs. The edge in special teams goes to the Bucs as senior kicker Jude Kelley is averaging over 47 yards per punt and has been perfect on PAT attempts and is 13 of 15 in field goals, with a long of 54 yards. We believe the Chiefs will certainly put up a fight on senior night, but we think Allatoona’s defense is second to only Harrison in the region. We like the Bucs by 13 this week.

 

The Skinny

 

The Sprayberry Yellow Jackets have a chance to get back to the post season for the first time since 2011 when the host the River Ridge Knights on Friday. The Yellow Jackets got a big win against Creekview last week. Damarion Owens led the way on the ground with 180 yards rushing. Interestingly enough, the Jackets are averaging 24.6 points per game, but are also allowing the same number of points.

 

The River Ridge Knights improved to 3-6 as they beat South Cobb last week 28-21. While the Knights have been eliminated from playoff contention, they can certainly play the role of spoiler as they close out their season at Sprayberry. Amehre Morrison continues to lead the county in rushing this season. The Knights will need to find a way to get him going on offense. We are sure he will get plenty of opportunities. If the Knights can’t get him going against a talented defensive front from Sprayberry, it could be a long game. We believe Sprayberry has a few more weapons on offense and that will be the difference this week. Jackets by 21.

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Harrison Hoyas have clinched the No. 1 seed in Region 6-6A, even with a loss this week against Creekview. The Hoyas are outscoring their opponents 360-82 this season. Last week, David Roberts had a big game for the Hoyas rushing for over 180 yards. Harrison has scored over 35 points in all but one game this season.

 

Meanwhile the Creekview Grizzlies need a win and then some help, (mainly a Sprayberry loss), to get into the post season. Creekview is averaging 26.1 points per game while the defense is allowing 18.8 points per game. The Grizzlies will have to have one of their best defensive performances of the season if they are going to pull the upset. They certainly have the weapons on offense to put some points on the board. Even then, we like Harrison this week as they just have too much firepower on offense. Hoyas by 17.

 

 

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Week 12 – TFR Cherokee County Football Previews Part 1 of 2

Posted on November 5, 2019 by admin

Part I of our Week 12 Cherokee County Football Previews feature the Region 4-7A matchups. This is the final week of the regular season. Our first preview features Lassiter vs. Cherokee. The Warriors missed an opportunity to compete for a region title, but a win this week at Lassiter might improve their playoff seeding, pending other results around the region. Next up, Etowah travels to Roswell to face the Hornets. The Eagles can win the region with a win and a Walton loss. Roswell can win the region outright with a victory. Our final game features the Woodstock Wolverines facing the Walton Raiders. Woodstock is looking to end their season on a high note, while Walton can win the region with a win and a Roswell loss. Please make sure to get out and support these young men on Friday night. As always, thanks for reading.  Comments and discussion are always welcome!

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

NR – Not Ranked

The Skinny

 

The Lassiter Trojans will host the Cherokee Warriors this week. It’s been a long tough season for the Trojans. They have struggled most of the year getting the young offense going. Running back Shai Valencia and Wide Receiver Matthew Grachen have provided most of the offense for the Trojans. The Trojans are averaging 5.5 points per game while opposing offenses are averaging 29.8 points per game.

 

Meanwhile, barring an upset or two, the best finish the Cherokee Warriors can have this season is the No. 3 seed. But in order to do that, they’ll need to take care of business against Lassiter this week. The Warriors are averaging 21.2 points per game this season while the defense is allowing 13.5. Cherokee is 6-1 when the defense forces a turnover. Not much more needs to be said other than we like the Warriors big this week. Cherokee by 24.

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

This matchup has major playoff implications. The Roswell Hornets would win the Region with a win this week. The Hornets downed Woodstock last week, and are still the best defensive team in the region. Roswell is allowing 9.5 points per game. Offensively, the Hornets are now averaging 29.5 points per game.

 

Meanwhile, the Etowah Eagles can claim the Region title with a win and a loss by Walton. Etowah’s Dalton Miller is one of the top passers in the state and has thrown for 2,197 yards this season. Miller’s top receiver is Jackson Manns. The Eagles are averaging 29.4 points per game while their defense is allowing 25.7 points per game. We believe this could be a low scoring battle. We like the Hornets at home by a field goal.

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Walton Raiders can clinch a home playoff game with a win this week. They can also win the region with a win and a Roswell loss. Last week, we said we wouldn’t be against sophomore quarterback Zak Rozsman, and he didn’t disappoint as he helped lead the Raiders to a win, tossing the game winning TD last Friday. The Walton offense is averaging 20.2 points per game, while the defense is allowing 17.6 points per game. Walton has won 8 of the last 9 games in the series.

 

Meanwhile, Woodstock can certainly play spoiler and perhaps ruin Walton’s hopes of hosting a home playoff game. The Wolverines could not get much going against Roswell last week. As we mentioned last week, the Wolverines are playing better football late in the season, but they still can’t seem to get over the hump. On the season, the Wolverines are averaging 15.8 points per game, while they are allowing 25.5 points per game. The biggest question is  whether or not the Wolverines defensive backs create problems for Rozsman and the Raiders passing game. If they can they should make this game interesting. However, we believe the Raiders are up tot the task this week. We like Walton by 14.

 

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Week 11 – GHSA High School Football Poll

Posted on November 3, 2019 by admin

Our Week-11 GHSA High School Football Poll has been published. In 7A, Lowndes got a big win against rival Colquitt County and stays at No. 1 this week. Marietta’s big win over Hillgrove drops the Hawks from our poll making room for the Milton Eagles at No. 10.

In 6A, it was Dacula getting a big win over Lanier to claim the Region 8-6A title. The Falcons are up to No. 4 this week while the loss drops the Longhorns to No. 10. In 5A, Starr’s Mill edged Riverdale Saturday night. That loss drops the Raiders from the Top-10. The Veterans War Hawks makes their debut at No. 10.

In 4A, Oconee County won the battle of Hog Mountain. The win knocks their rival North Oconee out of the Top-10. Blessed Trinity may have scored the biggest win of the week, knocking off Marist in overtime. The win moves the Titans up to No. 3 while Marist falls to No. 4. West Laurens is back in our Top 10 at No. 9 this week. They have a big showdown with Perry this week for the Region crown.

There were no new teams jumping into the 3A poll. However, Pierce County defeated Appling County in a Top-10 battle. Appling falls to No. 10 this week. In 2A the Swainsboro Tigers lost to the Jeff Davis Yellow Jackets. The loss drops the Tigers from the Top-10 while Metter makes their debut at No. 10 in the poll this week.

The Class-A Public poll remains unchanged, while in A-Private, Mount de Sales Academy is in at No. 10 after North Cobb Christian’s loss to Darlington dropped them from the poll this week.

Polls are fun and can provide for spirited and healthy conversations and debates. We welcome any and all poll feedback.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in 2019 Top - 10 Polls | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Week 11 – TFR Cherokee County Football Previews Part 2 of 2

Posted on October 31, 2019 by admin

Part two of our Cherokee County Football previews has been published below. There are two county teams still in contention on Region 6-6A. First up, the Sequoyah Chiefs travel to Harrison to take on one of the top teams in the state. Sequoyah needs to win out to make the playoffs. Can they shock the State and the Hoyas this week? Next up, River Ridge and South Cobb will face off as they both look to close out their season on a high note. Finally, Creekview hosts Sprayberry. The Grizzlies can clinch a playoff spot with a win this week and a Sequoyah loss. Please make sure to get out and support these young men on Friday night. As always, thanks for reading.  Comments and discussion are always welcome!

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Harrison Hoyas will host the Sequoyah Chiefs for a chance to officially secure the region title. Most of the Hoyas games have not even been close this season, with the lone scare, (a 4-point victory), coming at the hands of the Allatoona Buccaneers. The Hoyas defense has shut out two of their opponents and is only allowing 9.3 points per game. Meanwhile, their offense, led by quarterback Gavin Hall, is averaging 39.7 points per game. The Hoyas were off last week and should be well rested to defend against the Chiefs rushing attack.

Sequoyah’s Jaden Mitchell got going last week with two long scoring runs. Mitchell has now rushed for 721 yards and 5-TDs. Riley Gutmann and Aidan Moore have added 401 yards and 3-TDs on the ground. Miles McGee leads the Chiefs in receiving with 334 yards and 2-TDs. Defensively, Christian Kirby (48 tackles), Christian Hodgins (47 tackles) and Grant Gibson (44 tackles) lead the team in total tackles. A win by the Chiefs will keep them in playoff contention. We believe it’s possible, but unfortunately for my Chiefs, not probable. We like the Hoyas by 16.

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The River Ridge Knights play their last home game of the season as they host the South Cobb Eagles. The Knights were off last week and certainly seem to be playing much better defensively. They held Sequoyah to one offensive touchdown and were on the cusp of a potential game-tying touchdown two weeks ago before an untimely turnover sealed their fate. Look for the Knights to establish Amehre Morrison on the ground. He has rushed for 737 yards and caught 26 passes for 321 yard and 5-TDs this season.

 

South Cobb closes out their season this week. It has been a tough road for the Eagles. Their schedule included 4 Top-10 teams, three of them in Region 6-6A. The Eagles are averaging 13.1 points per game, but their defense is allowing 40.4 points per game. We believe the Knights should have plenty of opportunities to get into the end zone. And we believe they will capitalize on them as well. We like River Ridge by 23.

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

While there are still plenty of variables for seeding in Region 6-6A, the Creekview Grizzlies can secure a playoff berth with a win Friday against Sprayberry and a Sequoyah loss. Last time out, the Grizzlies blanked South Cobb. It was their first shutout of the season. Brody Rhodes has now passed for 1,274 yards, rushed for 395 yards and accounted for 16-TDs. Ethan Dirrim has 43 receptions for 666 yards and 12 Total TDs. The Grizzlies defense is now up to 39.5 sacks as a team. Isaac Hubert and Nick Weeks lead the way in that category with 8.5 and 7 sacks respectively.

 

The Sprayberry Yellow Jackets are looking to bounce back and further muddy the waters in the playoff race. A week after a stellar defensive performance against Dalton, the Jackets could not contain the Chiefs rushing attack. In order for Sprayberry to have a chance to knock off Creekview, they must find a way to get Josh Bush and Damarion Owens going on offense. We believe that Sprayberry will get some things going this week, but Creekview’s defense will be the difference. We like the Grizzlies by 10.

 

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Week 11 – TFR Cherokee County Football Previews Part 1 of 2

Posted on October 31, 2019 by admin

Part one of our Cherokee County Football Previews feature the Region 4-7A matchups. Up first, Etowah hosts Lassiter as the Eagles look to bounce back after a loss two weeks ago. Lassiter can certainly play spoiler this week to the Eagles. Next up, the Cherokee Warriors travel to face the Walton Raiders. These teams are part of a four-way tie for first place the region. This game features two talented quarterbacks, Cherokee’s A.J. Swann and Walton’s Zak Rozsman. Which one of these signal callers will guide there team to victory? Finally, the Woodstock Wolverines will host the Roswell Hornets. Woodstock has been improved over the second half of the season, but can they put points on the board against a very strong Roswell defense? Please make sure to get out and support these young men on Friday night. As always, thanks for reading.  Comments and discussion are always welcome!

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Etowah Eagles host the Lassiter Trojans this week as they continue to jockey for position in Region 4-7A. Etowah was off last week and will look to regroup after a loss against Walton. The Eagles have several weapons on offense including the county’s leading passer Dalton Miller (1,971 passing yards). Miller’s top receiver is Jackson Manns (668 yards). Remington Adams, Klivert Many, and Nick Maddox are all threats in the run game. The Eagles offense is averaging 27.7 points per game, while their defense is allowing 28.1 points per game.

 

It has been a long season for the Lassiter Trojans. They really haven’t been able to get much going on offense this season. Last week, their touchdown came from special teams. The Trojans are averaging 5.3 points per game while they are surrendering 28.2 points per game. Lassiter is probably a little outmanned this week. We like Etowah by 24.

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Walton Raiders host the Cherokee Warriors this Friday night. Both teams are sitting in a four-way tie for 1st place. We won’t even begin to try to breakdown the scenarios here, but we do know that a win this week would almost guaranty a home playoff game for either team. Last week, Kenny Djaha was the workhouse for Walton as he rushed for 150 yards. Djaha, Julian Bumper and K.D. Stokes have made for a formidable rushing attack for the Raiders. Quarterback Zak Rozsman had the Raiders only score last week, but he has shown in recent weeks that he can make several throws. Teagan Bierra is one of his top targets.

 

The Cherokee Warriors would more than likely claim their first region title since 2002 with a win on Friday night and at minimum, clinch a home playoff game if they win out. The Warriors were off last week after a win against county foe, Woodstock. Keith Adams, Jr. had a big game last time out as he rushed for 135 yards and 1-TD in the win. On the season, he has rushed for 709 yards and 6-TDs. We’ve said it before, but the telltale sign for a Cherokee victory has ben their ability to turn teams over. In every victory this season, they’ve forced multiple turnovers…in both losses, they’ve not forced any. The Warriors haven’t won at Walton since 2002. We expect a defensive struggle, but something tells us not to bet against Zak Rozsman. With that said…Raiders by 2.

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Woodstock Wolverines got a big Region win last week as they try to keep pace with the other four teams ahead of them in the standings. This week they’ll host the Roswell Hornets in a must win game if they want to keep any playoff hopes alive. The Wolverines seemed to have turned the corner over the last four games and while they’ve gone .500 during that stretch, they’ve been competitive and had a chance to win those two games they lost. They led in both of those games at one point.

 

Meanwhile, the Roswell Hornets come into this game needing a win to keep pace with Walton, Cherokee and Etowah. The Hornets scored a big overtime win last week against Walton. Roswell has used a balanced attack this season en route to averaging 27.7 points per game. Ethan Roberts has passed for 989 yards and 10-TDs, while Nnamdi Orijoke and Savion McCrary have combined for 711 yards and 11-TDs on the ground. Marquis Willis (26 receptions, 349 yards, 3-TDs) and John Copenhaver (32 receptions, 246 yards, 1-TD) lead the team in receiving. The Hornets Defense is allowing only 8.5 points per game with three shutouts. The defense has also recorded 32 sacks. Caden Bondurant is responsible for 9 of those. With Woodstock’s propensity to throw the ball, the Hornets will be looking to add to those sack numbers. Roswell’s defense is pretty darn good. And that’s why we like the Hornets this week by 16.

 

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Week – 11 GHSA Football Previews – Eight Greats Around the State – Part 2 of 2

Posted on October 31, 2019 by admin

This is Part II of our GHSA Football Previews called Eight Greats Around The State. Several games this week will help determine playoff seeding. Our first preview features the two top teams in Region 8-6A as Lanier hosts Dacula. Both teams are highly rated in Class 6A. Can Lanier breakthrough and finally get a win against the Falcons. Next up, The Battle of Hog Mountain will take place in Bogart as North Oconee hosts Oconee County for the 8-4A region title. This game features a great quarterback duel between North Oconee’s Bubba Chandler and Oconee County’s Max Johnson. In Class A Region 6, North Cobb Christian hosts the Darlington Tigers. Darlington has already secured the sub region title, but a perfect record is on the line this week. North Cobb Christian won this tilt last season; can Darlington return the favor? Finally, in Region 7-4A, Marist hosts Blessed Trinity. Blessed Trinity has had Marists’number in the series. The winner of this game will earn the region title. Can the Ware Eagles slow down the Blessed trinity dynamic duo at running back. Or will Connor Cigelske lead the War Eagles to victory?  As always, please feel free to share and comment.

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Lanier Longhorns are looking for their first win over the Dacula Falcons and their first region title since 2015. Taj Barnes has led the way on the ground for the Longhorns as he’s rushed for 1,108 yards and 13-TDs. Quarterback Andrew Blackford has passed for 1,022 yards and 15-TDs. Cole Thornton has been his primary target with 25 receptions, 478 yards, and 9-TDs. The Longhorns offense is averaging 32.2 points per game while their defense is allowing 11.7 points per game. The Lanier defense has 29 sacks on the season; Phillip Webb leads the way with 10.

 

The Dacula Falcons are one of the top ranked teams in the state and with a win this week, they will almost certainly lay claim to their 4th consecutive region title. Trenton Jones and Kyle Efford have combined for 1,224 yards rushing and 16-TDs. Quarterback Jarrett Jenkins has passed for 1,395 yards and 10-TDs. Konata Mumpfield leads the team in receiving (26 receptions, 414 yards, 6-TDs) and interceptions (3). The Dacula defense is allowing 9.9 points per game. They’ve shut out four opponents and have not allowed a touchdown in 11 quarters. This game should be closer than the previous three, but we still like the Falcons by 6.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The North Oconee Titans will host the Oconee County Warriors for the Region 8-4A title. The Titans are off to their best start since 2011. They are averaging 38.3 points per game this season. Entering last week’s game, Bubba Chandler has passed for over 1,300 yards. The UGA baseball commit has put up some bug numbers this season. The Titans area allowing 11.5 points per game and have one shutout to their credit.

 

Meanwhile, the Oconee County Warriors are looking for their first region title since 2015. The Warriors are averaging 28.5 points per game and are led by LSU QB commit, Max Johnson. Ben Noland and Jake Johnson are his two top receivers while Jimmy Boswell and Darius Norman are the teams leading rushers. The Oconee County Defense is allowing 12.6 points per game. We like for Bubba to outduel Max this week. Titans by 9.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Darlington Tigers have already clinched the sub-region title. The Tigers are outscoring their opponents this season 297-69. They have three shutouts to their credit. Griffin Brewster was very efficient last week completing 10 of his 12 pass attempts for 147 yards and a touchdown. Running back Kolin Rogers has rushed for over 1,000 yards on the season and has the benefit of running behind an OL anchored by Tate Ratledge and Cade Brock.

 

While North Cobb Christian can’t derail the Tigers sub region title, they can derail their perfect season. Last week, the Eagles were edged by Christian Heritage on a blocked PAT. The Eagles two losses have come at a combined 7 points. Defensively, North Cobb is allowing 11.2 points per game. The big question is whether or not the Eagles can get the ground game moving against Darlington. Last week, the Eagles fumbled the ball three times, so they’ll certainly have to make ball security a priority this weekend if they are going to pull the upset. Even if North Cobb doesn’t turn it over, we still like Darlington to win this one by 10 this week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Marist War Eagles will host the Blessed Trinity Titans this week. A War Eagle victory would secure their first region title in two years. The Marist defense has been stifling this season, allowing only 6.8 points per game. They’ve shut out four of their opponents this season. Connor Cigelske had another big game last week as he rushed for 171 yards and passed for 112 yards with 4 total TDs. The Marist defense also forced two turnovers last week in the victory.

 

The Blessed Trinity Titans are also in search of their second consecutive region title. With a win this week and next, the Titans will have done just that. Similar to the Marist, the Titans have relied heavily on the run. Freshman Justice Haynes has led the way on the ground this season. But the Titans also have a healthy Elijah Green in the backfield as well, which makes for a very dangerous combination for opposing defenses. The Titans offense is averaging 29.6 points per game while their defense is allowing only 14.7 points per game. The largest margin of victory in this series is 9 points. We think this is another defensive battle, but we like Marist by a field goal this week

 

 

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Week – 11 GHSA Football Previews – Eight Greats Around the State – Part 1 of 2

Posted on October 31, 2019 by admin

This is Part I of our GHSA Football Previews called Eight Greats Around The State. Several games this week will help determine playoff seeding. Our first preview features a big show down in Region 2-3A as the Pierce County Bears host the Appling County Pirates. Pierce is looking for their second consecutive region title, but Coach Tomberlin has the Pirates playing well. So, who’s rushing attack will reign supreme Friday night? In Region 3-5A, the Riverdale Raiders host the Starr’s Mill Panthers. The Raiders only loss is a 13-point setback to highly ranked Carrollton. But Starr’s Mill has won the last three region titles and looks like they aren’t quite ready to release their stranglehold on the region. Another big game for seeding takes place in Region 3-7A as Marietta takes on Hillgrove. Both of these teams were edged by McEachern, but a win this week by either team would help secure at least a first round home playoff game. Finally, Region 1-7A comes down to a matchup between Lowndes and Colquitt County. Since 2014 Colquitt has won the region all but one time and that was in 2017, when the Vikings claimed the Region title. Will the Packers air assault or the Vikings ground game rule the night in this matchup?  As always, please feel free to share and comment.

 

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

We’ve been catching a little flack about our No. 1 Ranking for Pierce County. But all the Bears have done this season is win. Certainly the most difficult part of their schedule is in front of them, and the Appling County Pirates should present a stiff test. The Bears are averaging 43.2 points per game and are allowing 10.2 points per game. L.J. Newton has rushed for 665 yards and 10-TDs. Quarterback Jermaine Brewton has passed for 977 yards and 9-TDs and has added 295 yards and 4-TDs rushing.

 

The Appling County Pirates are off to their best start since 2011. Coach Rick Tomberlin has the Pirates in a position to compete for a region title if they can win their last two games. As a team, Appling County has racked up 2,284 yards rushing. Sharrod Roberts (536 yards, 7-TDs) and R.J. Conaway (465 yards, 6-TDs) lead the ground attack. Keyshawn Walker and Matthew Nails have combined for 14 receptions for 311 yards and 4-TDs. The Pirates are only allowing 10.3 points per game this season and have two shutouts. We believe Pierce survives a scare from Appling this week. Bears by 2.

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Riverdale Raiders are off to another great start in region play, but this week begins a two game stretch that will determine if the Raiders can capture their first region title since 1998. Quarterback Avaun Rucker has passed for 1,063 yards and 13-TDs. His leading receiver has been Derwin Burgess with 22 receptions for 386 yards and 5-TDs. Meanwhile, Phalon Daniels (741 yards, 8-TDs) and Malik Harris (575 yards, 11-TDs) lead the Raiders ground game. As a team they’ve rushed for 1,867 yards. The defense is allowing 16.1 points per game, but perhaps most impressive are the 15 interceptions they’ve made. Sophomore Larrence George leads the team with 3 picks.

 

The Starr’s Mill Panthers have won the last three region titles, but will need to win out in order to claim their 4th consecutive title. The Panthers will look to get their ground game going this week. Kalen Sims (784 yards, 4-TDs) and Ben Bodne (646 yards, 12-TDs) lead the way for the Panthers who have rushed for 2,071 yards as a team. Starr’s Mill has only passed for 331 yards this season. The Starr’s Mill defense is allowing 12.8 points per game and has two shutouts to their credit. This game should be much closer than last hears 23-point Starr’s Mill victory…but we still like the Panthers by 8 this week.

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

As it stands right now, this game does not have region title implications, assuming McEachern remains undefeated. However, a home playoff game could be at stake when the Marietta Blue Devils host the Hillgrove Hawks this Friday. The Blue Devils have a star-studded offense that is led by quarterback Harrison Bailey (2,314 yards passing, 23-TDs), tight end Arik Gilbert (48 receptions, 925 yards 8-TDs), receiver Ricky White (46 receptions, 677 yards, 8-TDs) and running back Kimani Vidal (734 yards, 15-TDs). The defense is allowing 20.2 points per game. B.J. Ojulari leads the way on defense with 75 total tackles and 12 sacks.

 

The Hillgrove Hawks were perhaps robbed of a go-ahead touchdown against McEachern early in October, but there is no time to cry over spilled milk. Outside of the McEachern game, the Hawks have dominated most of their opponents, save for an overtime win against a gritty Etowah team. Hillgrove is averaging 33.6 points per game on offense, while the defense is allowing 13.2 points per game. Even with two high scoring offenses, we believe points will be at a premium this week. We like the Blue Devils at home by a field goal.

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

Lowndes will host Colquitt County with the Region 1-7A title on the line. Lowndes has dominated their opponents this season outscoring them 368-71. Their closest margin of victory was 24 points. Most of the Vikings offense comes by way of the ground game, as they’ve rushed for 2,478 yards as a team. Sophomore quarterback Jacurri Brown leads the team in passing (715 yards 5-TDs) and rushing (901 yards 11-TDs). Israel Mitchell, Justin Lee and Gary Osby have combined to rush for 1,325 yards and 24-TDs. The Lowndes defense has racked up 31.5 sacks, led by Thomas Davis with 7; meanwhile the secondary has intercepted 9 passes this season.

The Colquitt County Packers only blemish was a one-point loss to Valdosta back in mid-September. The Packers are a little more balanced than the Vikings, but definitely have leaned more on the passing game. Jaycee Harden has thrown for 2,504 yards and 32-TDs. His leading receivers are Lemeke Brockington (38 receptions, 695 yards, 11-TDs), Tyler Walker (37 receptions, 485 yards, 3-TDs), and Tahj Sanders (31 receptions, 493 yards, 7-TDs). Daijun Edwards leads the team in rushing with 777 yards and 9-TDs.  The Packers defense is allowing 12.2 points per game. We believe this will be a back and forth battle, and much closer than last years game, but we like Lowndes to edge the Packers by a touchdown.

 

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