TFR 2018 3-A Playoff Preview 1 of 4

Posted on November 8, 2018 by admin

Our first set of 3-A playoff previews are listed below. This preview features matchups between Jackson-Monroe, Windsor Forest-Pierce County, Haralson County-Dawson County and Pace Academy-Monroe Area. Jackson is in the playoffs for the 5th straight year, but will travel to Albany to face Monroe, who is making their second consecutive playoff appearance…Windsor Forest has put up some big numbers offensively, but the Burke Co. Bears defense has recorded five shutouts on the season. Can Windsor Forest break through against a stingy defense…Haralson County will brig with them the Class 3-A’s top rusher this season in Traylon Sheppard as they visit Dawson County. But Dawson County as a team has put up some big numbers on the ground. Will Sheppard and Haralson be able to match the Tigers…Finally, Pace Academy will get another shot at Monroe Area as the teams faced off earlier this season. Will it be more of the same, or can Pace do something no one else has done this season, which is beat Monroe Area…

As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to contact me if there are any errors.

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

GSWA – Georgia Sports Writers Association

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Jackson Red Devils will travel to Albany to take on the Monroe Tornadoes this Friday. Jackson is averaging 23.7 points per game and are giving up 22.4 points a game on defense. The Red Devils do have two wins over playoff teams this year. Meanwhile, the Monroe Tornadoes blow into the playoffs with a.500 record. Monroe is averaging 19.6 points per game, while allowing 28.7 on defense. Monroe has had a challenging schedule and only has one win over a team that qualified for the playoffs. Jackson’s offense looks to be a little more prolific this season. We’ll take the Red Devils by a touchdown.

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

Windsor Forest will attempt to be the first team to defeat the Pierce County Bears this season. The Knights are led by quarterback Eric Phoenix, who has passed for 1,571 yards through eight games with 15-TDs. Damozzio Harris leads the team in rushing with 840 yards and 10-TDs through eight games. The Knights have put up some big numbers on offense and are averaging 35.6 points per game, while the defense is giving up 19.5 points per game. After winning in convincing fashion in the first eight games, the Peirce County Bears have won two nail-biters in the past two weeks to stay undefeated. The Bears defense has recorded five shutouts on the season.John Jones has rushed for 1,300 yards on the season with 19-TDs. Dee Bethea has chipped in 561 yards rushing, 421 yards receiving  and 15 total TDs. Windsor Forest might not have the horses this year to run with Pierce County, we like the Bears by 17.

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The state’s top rusher, Treylon Sheppard and the Haralson County Rebels will visit Dawson County to take on one Class 3-As top rushing teams. As a team Dawson County, has rushed for over 3,000 yards. Through 9-games Ahmad Kamara and Sevaughn Clark have combined to lead the Tigers with 1,627 yards and 24 rushing touchdowns. The  Tigers offense is averaging 40.4 points per game, while the defense is only giving up 11.3 points per game. Zac Baloga has recorded 10 sacks for the defense. For the Rebels, Treylon Shephard leads 3-A in rushing with 2,685 yards through nine games.   Harlason County has had a banner season. Coach Scott Peavey has coached his team to their first playoff appearance since 2010 and their best record since 2007. Treylon is a special talent, but we just don’t think he will be enough to get past Dawson County this week. We like the Tigers by two touchdowns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Pace Academy Knights will travel to Monroe looking for redemption in a rematch of an early season game against the Monroe Area Purple Hurricanes. Quarterback Jared Rayman (1,000 yards passing 8-TDs) and running back Keashawn Perryman have led the Knights on offense. Pace is averaging 27.9 points per game this season. Pace’s best win might be stopping Class-A ELCA’s 37-game winning streak back on August 24th, at the time, the longest in the state. Monroe Area has won in dominating fashion this season. They are averaging 43.1 points per game on offense and giving up 9.3 points per game on defense. The closest margin of victory was two touchdowns. Most of the offense comes on the ground from dual threat quarterback Chandler Byron (2,133 yards 30-TDs) and Jakai Thompson (896 yards, 5-TDs). We don’t see any signs of slowing down for the Canes. We like them to win the rematch again, perhaps a little closer, but we like Monroe Area by 17 this week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in 3A, Playoffs | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

TFR 2018 4-A Playoff Preview 4 of 4

Posted on November 7, 2018 by admin

Our final set of 4-A playoff previews are listed below. This preview features matchups between Thomson-Upson Lee, Henry County-Cairo, Oconee County-Troup and White County-Pickens. Thomson will visit Thomaston to take on Upton-Lee and Travon Walker. Can the Bulldogs Damekus Taylor and Bubba Murray shock the Knights…The Cairo Syrupmakers will be looking for big games from Jamarcus Vicks and Tay Solomon. Henry County is in the post season for the first time in five years; they certainly don’t want this run to be a short one…Max Johnson and the Oconee County Warriors will try to out duel the fast paced Troup Tiger offense. Can Troup rebound after a tough loss last week…And White County will get their second chance to beat North Georgia rival Pickens. But the Dragons are flying high and could be a tough out this post season…

As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to contact me if there are any errors.

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

GSWA – Georgia Sports Writers Association

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Upson Lee Knights will be looking to make it past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2005. The Knights feature UGA commit Travon Walker. The senior has been effective on both offense and defense this season. Sophomore quarterback Jake Davis and senior Daymon Thomas lead an offense that has scored 28.3 points per game. The Thomson Bulldogs are down a bit this season. They are averaging 22.8 points per game, but their defense is giving up 27.9 points per game. Damekus Taylor leads the Bulldogs with 997 yards rushing through 8 games. He has also scored 17-TDs. Taylor will need another big game in order to get past Upson-Lee. We don’t think that will happen this week. It will be close but we like Upson Lee by a touchdown.

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

Henry County is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2013. They will travel to Cairo to take on the Syrupmakers. Henry County Will lean on the passing of Jaylon West to help guide them this week. The Hawks are averaging 20.1 points per game on offense, but their defense is giving up 26.4 points per game. Meanwhile the Syrupmakers are on an eight game win streak. They are averaging 32.1 points per game while the defense is only surrendering 11 points per game. The Syrupmakers rely primarily on the run game. Tay Solomon and Robert Peters have combined for over 1,000 yards on the season and 17-TDs. We believe Cairo won’t have much trouble this week against Henry County. We like Cairo by three touchdowns.

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Oconee County Warriors will travel across the state to take on the Troup Tigers in LaGrange on Thursday. The Warriors are averaging 18.4 points per game but have a highly rated quarterback prospect in Max Johnson. The Warriors defense is only giving up 13.9 points a game on the season. Meanwhile, the Troup Tigers are averaging 37.4 points per game and only giving up 18.2 points per game. Quarterback Kobe Hudson has passed for 2,467 yards and 25-TDs. Jamari Thrash is the teams leading receiver. King Mwikuta is the leader of a pretty solid defensive unit. The biggest question is will there be any hangover from last week’s loss to Cartersville. If the Tigers are focused, they should take care of business. This game will probably be closer than most think, but we like Troup by 8 points.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The White County Warriors and Pickens Dragons will face off for the second time this season. Pickens got the best of their North Georgia rival back in September, so you can bet White County will be looking for some redemption. Sophomore quarterback J. Ben Haynes has passed for 1,291 yards for the Warriors. As a team, White County has rushed for over 1,400 yards on the season. The Pickens Dragons have had the best season in school history, going undefeated and winning the region title. They are averaging 46.4 points per game on the season, while the defense is only allowing 13.3 points. Dual threat quarterback C.J. Streicher leads the Dragons offense with 1,167 yards passing, 934 yards rushing, and 30 total TDs. Senior running back Robert Davis has added 697 yards and 12-TDs. The first game was decided by 7-points, but we don’t think that this one will be as close. We like the Dragons by three touchdowns.

 

 

 

 

Posted in 4A Playoffs, Playoffs | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

TFR 2018 4-A Playoff Preview 3 of 4

Posted on November 7, 2018 by admin

Our third set of 4-A playoff previews are listed below. This preview features matchups between Howard-Burke County, Hardaway-Eastside, Sandy Creek-North Oconee, and  Northwest Whitfield-Blessed Trinity. The Howard Huskies go on the road with a legitimate chance to upset the Burke Bears. This game looks like a toss-up, the winner will more than likely be the team with the most rushing yards…Eastside continues their perfect season. Hardaway will need to be flawless in order to knock of the region-4 champs…Sandy Creek travels to North Oconee in a game that should be a defensive battle…And Roswell, Blessed trinity will host Northwest Whitfield. Do the Bruins have enough on defense to slow down The Titan’s Steele Chambers…

As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to contact me if there are any errors.

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

GSWA – Georgia Sports Writers Association

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Howard Huskies will bring their run dominated attack to Waynesboro to take on the Burke County Bears. As a team, the Huskies have rushed for over 2,400 yards. They are led by Jeremiah Kelly, Javarsia Meadows and quarterback Quintan Sewell. Howard is averaging 28.8 points per game. Meanwhile, Burke County is averaging 30.6 points per game and the defense is giving up 17.4 points per game. They are also a run oriented offense, with 2,262 yards as a team on the season. Leon McGee leads the way with 813 yards and 18-TDs. This game looks like a toss-up, but we like Burke by a touchdown this week.

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

Coach Troy Hoff has led the Eastside Eagles to their first undefeated regular season and the most wins in Newton County history. Noah Cook has passed for 1,581 yards and 23-TDs and Taylor Carter leads the ground attack with 870 yards and 11-TDs. Colby Shivers, Jamari Brown and Carter have caught a combined 70 passes this season. The Eagles are averaging 40.2 points per game while the defense is only giving up 13.2 points. The Hardaway Hawks will depend heavily on the run this week. Ja’Ron Early leads the way for the Hawks with 1,019 yards on the ground and 11-TDs. Hardaway is averaging 23.6 points per game on offense while the defense is giving up 15.6 points per game. We think there is just too much talent on the Eastside sidelines in this game. We like the Eagles by 17.

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

 

North Oconee is back into the playoffs after missing the past two years. The Titans are averaging 28.4 points per game. The defense has been more impressive, surrendering 15.9 points per game. The Sandy Creek Patriots also have similar stats. They are averaging 28.9 points per game and giving up 14.7 points per game. Comparing schedules, the Sandy Creek Patriots seem to be a little more battle tested this season. That’s enough to take Sandy Creek in a low scoring game. Patriots by 5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Blessed Trinity Titans begin their title defense at home against the Northwest Whitfield Bruins. Quarterback Jake Smith has passed for 1,219 yards and 12-TDs and Ohio State commit Steele Chambers has run for 1,078 yards and 17-TDs. The Titans are averaging 35.8 points per game while the defense is only giving up 9 points per game. The Northwest Bruins have also had success on offense, averaging 30.8 points per game. Ty Fisher has passed for 1,922 yards and 20-TDs to pace the Bruins offense. The Bruins defense has been suspect at times, on the season they are giving up 24.9 points per game. Blessed Trinity is probably the best defense that Northwest has seen this season. We think they can hold the Bruins defense in check, we like the Titans by 24.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in 4A Playoffs, Playoffs | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

TFR 2018 4-A Playoff Preview 2 of 4

Posted on November 7, 2018 by admin

Our second set of 4-A playoff previews are listed below. This preview features matchups between Columbus-Salem, Perry-Baldwin, Flowery Branch-Ridgeland, and Stephens County-Cartersville. Salem will be looking to the passing game to get past Columbus this week. Do the Blue Devils have an answer in the secondary for the Seminoles air-raid…Perry goes on the road to Baldwin, but the Panthers look like the more prolific offense this week. Can Baldwin bow up and defend home field…Flowery Branch and Ridgeland should be a great game. Flowery Branch quarterback Elijah Gainey can really sling it, but he’s got to be accurate or the Ridgeland defense will make him pay…Stephens County travels to Cartersville. The Canes have looked almost unstoppable this season. But the better not be looking past a well coached Indians team.

As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to contact me if there are any errors.

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

GSWA – Georgia Sports Writers Association

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

 

The Salem Seminoles have won seven games mainly behind the passing of Donald Wilson and the running of Omarious Burnam and Willis Sheppard. Wilson has passed for 2,293 yards while Burnam and Sheppard have combined for 979 yards and 7-TDs. Tyler Smith, Lennox Bowie and Makari Pruitt have combined for 135 receptions and 1,917 yards receiving. The offense is averaging 29.8 points per game. The Columbus Blue Devils are led by quarterback Donovan Carter who has passed for 1,183 yards and 12-TDs. They are averaging 27.5 points per game while the defense is giving up 22 points per game. Columbus will need to get pressure on Wilson this week in order to disrupt the passing game. We don’t think they’ll get enough pressure on the Salem quarterback. Expect for Seminoles to win by 11.

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Perry Panthers started off the season with four straight wins, but lost four of their last six to close out the season. The Panthers are averaging 26.4 points per game, but their defense is giving up 25.8 points. Lane Rucker has passed for 2,790 yards and 19-TDs. His primary target ahs been Davion Ross who has hauled in 58 catches for 862 yards and 5-TDs. Perry will travel to Milledgeville to face the Baldwin Braves, the No. 1 team from region 3. The Braves dropped their first five games but have turned things around the second half of the season with five straight wins. The Braves are averaging 19.8 points per game this season, but during their current win streak, that has increased to 26 points per game. The defense has also tightened up during the win streak, giving up 6.8 points per game in that same five game stretch. This game should be nip and tuck. We think that Perry, who is making their first playoff appearance in 6 years, will get the win by a field goal.

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

Flowery Branch and Ridgeland will tangle in one of the most intriguing matchups in the 4-A bracket. Jordan Blackwell has rushed for 888 yards and 11-TDs for the Ridgeland Panthers. Blackwell is tough to bring down with arm tackles and has break-away speed once he gets into the open field. The Panthers are averaging 37.1 points per game while the defense is surrendering 21.8 points per game. Flowery Branch will attack behind the big arm of quarterback Elijah Gainey. Gainey has two athletic receivers in Jalin Strown and DJ Brown. The Falcons are averaging 33.5 points per game and surrendering 12.6 points per game. We think this game will come down to how accurate Gainey will be this week. We’ll roll the dice and take Gainey this week and the Falcons by a field goal.

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Cartersville Hurricanes have been scoring points at a furious pace this season as they average 40 points per game. Tee Webb has done well at quarterback, passing for 2,103 yards and 25-TDs. Senior running back Marcus Gary has rushed for 859 yards and 12-TDs in nine games this season. Cartersville has been stout on defense this season, holding opponents to 6 points per game, including 4 shutouts. The Stephens County Indians have dropped three out of their last four games coming into the playoffs. They are averaging 19.8 points per game and the defense is surrendering 24.7 per game. Those numbers don’t bode well with the matchup in Cartersville looming on Friday. Cartersville should flex their muscle this week. We like the Canes by five touchdowns.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in 4A Playoffs, Playoffs | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

TFR 2018 4-A Playoff Preview 1 of 4

Posted on November 7, 2018 by admin

Our first set of 4-A playoff previews are listed below. This preview features matchups between Woodward Academy-Carver, Richmond Academy-Mary Persons, Heritage-Marist, and Cedertown-St.Pius. The Woodward Academy War Eagles are on the road against the Carver Columbus Tigers. Both teams are averaging over 35 points per game, so the scoreboard operator at Kinnett Stadium could be busy on Friday…Richmond Academy visits Mary Persons. Will the Musketeers be up to the task of stopping J.T Heritage and Quen Wilson…Heritage travels to Marist as the teams meet for the first time ever. Marist has had a week off to prepare. Has the sting of the loss to Blessed Trinity gone away…Finally, Cedartown visits St. Pius. The Cedartown defense has been pretty good this season, but can they defense bottle up Connor Even and Michael Benefield. This might be the toughest 1 vs 4 matchup in the 4-A bracket…

As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to contact me if there are any errors.

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

GSWA – Georgia Sports Writers Association

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Woodward Academy War Eagles will travel to Columbus to take on the Carver Tigers. Woodward had a little bit of a fall off this season, but they are a very talented football team. Led by Tahj Gary (1,054 yards, 11-TDs) and quarterback Mark Wright, (926 yards passing, 400 yards rushing, 18 total TDs), the War Eagles are averaging 38.5 points per game on offense. Meanwhile, Carver quarterback Jaylen Joyner has passed for 1,838 yards and 21-TDs and running back Khairi McCoy, who has rushed for 1,103 yards and 10-TDs. Carver is averaging 35.3 points on offense. The defense is giving up 19.2 points per game. Anthony Watts has intercepted 5 passes for the Tigers. If Carver can bottle up Gary, it could be a long night for Woodward, but we don’t think that’s going to happen. This one should be close, but we like Woodward to edge Carver by 6.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Richmond Academy Musketeers started out the season with six straight victories, but lost three out of their last four games to end the season. The offense has been productive, scoring 27.3 points per game while the defense is giving up a very respectable 16.7 points per game. Torri Taylor rushed for 1,001 yards on the season with 11-TDs. Meanwhile, Mary Persons continued its dominance this season, scoring 46.7 points per game on their way to an undefeated regular season. J.T. Hartage has passed for 2,097 yards and 21 TDs while Quen Wilson has rushed for 1,299 yards and 21-TDs. Mary Persons is one of the best teams in 4-A and we expect them to prove that this Friday. We like the Bulldogs by three touchdowns.

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Marist War Eagles will host the Heritage (Catoosa) Generals in first round action. Marist is averaging 33.2 points per game while the defense has been stingy as well, giving up just 10.2 points per game. The War Eagles lost a close contest to the No.1 ranked Blessed Trinity Titans by a field goal. Meanwhile, Heritage has shown they can score points in bunches as well, as they are averaging 31.7 points per game. Sophomore quarterback Nick Hanson has passed for 1,874 yards and 18-TDs while Jeffery Curtis has rushed for 1,060 yards and 14-TDs. But the Generals defense is giving up 37.6 points per game on the season. That could spell trouble for the Heritage against a disciplined Marist attack. We look for Marist to pick up the win by 17 this week.

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The St. Pius Golden Lions have won 9 consecutive games after a week one loss to No. 1 ranked Blessed Trinity. They will host the Cedartown Bulldogs in Atlanta. The Golden Lions are averaging 34.9 yards per game and are led by quarterback Connor Egan and running back Michael Benefield. St. Pius is yielding 16.1 points per game on defense. Cedartown is a dangerous team at 5-5. All of their losses this season have ben by 7 points or less, including a one-point loss to Cartersville. Their defense has kept them in most games, only giving up 15.5 points per contest. We expect this to be tightly contested as well, but like the Golden Eagles to prevail by a six points.

 

 

 

Posted in 4A Playoffs, Playoffs | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

TFR 2018 5-A Playoff Preview 4 of 4

Posted on November 7, 2018 by admin

Our final set of 5-A playoff previews are listed below. This preview features matchups between Riverdale-Ware County, Locust Grove-Warner Robins, Clarke Central-Arabia Mountain, and East Paulding-Banneker. Riverdale’s defense will try to slow down Ware County’s freshman quarterback this week as they travel to Waycross…Both Warner Robins and Locust Grove have quarterbacks that can sling it around the field. Which one will have the better night on Friday and lead their team to victory…Clarke Central and Arabia are set to tangle on Saturday in what has the makings of a low-scoring defensive battle…While East Paulding travels to play the Banneker Trojans. The Trojans won their first region title and school history. Can they defeat a battle tested East Paulding squad…

As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to contact me if there are any errors.

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

GSWA – Georgia Sports Writers Association

NR – Not Ranked

 

The Skinny

 

The Riverdale Raiders will travel down to Waycross to face the Ware County Gators. Riverdale comes into the game on a two game losing streak falling to Griffin and Starr’s Mill in the closing weeks of the regular season. The Raiders offense is averaging 25.9 points per game while the defense is surrendering 21.1 points per game. Riverdale’s defense has 31 sacks on the season and has forced 7 fumbles. Ware County is led by freshman quarterback Thomas Castellanos. He has passed for 1,051 yards and rushed for 615 yards with 21 total TDs this year. Dream Gainer was back in the lineup this week and perhaps we will see him get more touches to help ease the load on offense. Ware is averaging 27.3 points per game on offense and giving up 12.5 points per game on defense. We think that the defense, led by Logan Braucht will help carry the Gators to a win in a closely contested matchup. We’ll take Ware by 6 points.

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

Both Locust Grove and Warner Robins have quarterbacks that can get it done through the air. The Locust Grove Wildcats are led by quarterback RJ McDaniel who has passed for over 1,900 yards and 25 –TDs through 9 games. Billy Ward and Christian Da-silva are the top receivers for Locust Grove. The Wildcats have proved they can score points, they’re averaging 31.1 points per game, but the defense has been shaky, yielding 34.9 points a game. That could spell trouble against the Warner Robins Demons. The Demons are averaging 39 points per game. Dylan Fromm spearheads the offense, passing from 3,087 yards through the air with 34-TDs.  Marcayall Jones has 72 receptions for 1,494 yards. We think that Warner Robins has too much offense for Locust Grove this week. We like the Demons by three touchdowns this week.

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Clarke Central Gladiators will travel to Decatur to face the Arabia Mountain Rams at Buck Godfrey Stadium on Saturday. Clarke Central is led by quarterback Isaac Ward, who has passed for 1,278 yards and 10-TDs and O’brien Barnett, who has run for 740 yards and 6-TDs. The Gladiators are averaging 22.2 points per game, but the defense is only surrendering 16.6 points per game.  Arabia Mountain is averaging 24.5 points per game and the defense is surrendering 15.9 points per game. Through nine games Bryson Williams has passed for 1,207 yards and 12-TDs while Jaylen Burke has rushed for 514 yards and 4-TDs. These two teams are very similar statistically. We believe this will be a low scoring, defensive battle. We think the Gladiators have just enough to edge the Rams on the road. We like Clarke Central by 3 points.

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Banneker Trojans won their first Region title in school history. While the Trojans offense has racked up 30.1 points per game, it has really been the defense that has shined brightest, as they are only giving up 9.4 points per game this season. Gary Benton Jr. has provided much of the spark for the Trojans offense; through 7 games he’s rushed for 877 yards and 10-TDs. Kobe Harris has added 551 yards in 9 games as well. Banneker’s opponent, the East Paulding Raiders were in a three-way tie for second place in their region and lost the tie breaker. So this is not the typical no. 4 seed one might expect. The Raiders beat Kell earlier in the season and only lost to Carrollton by 3 points. They are averaging 26 points per game on offense. We think this game will be closely contested, but we like Banneker to edge out East Paulding by a field goal.

 

 

 

Posted in 5A Playoffs, Playoffs | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

TFR 2018 5-A Playoff Preview 3 of 4

Posted on November 7, 2018 by admin

Our third set of 5-A playoff previews are listed below. This preview features matchups between Statesboro-Griffin, Harris County-Dutchtown, Lithonia-Cedar Shoals, Jackson, Atlanta- Rome. The Statesboro Blue Devils are back in the playoffs for the first time in 5 years. The Griffin Bears beat them in the first round back in 2013. Will history repeat itself…The Dutchtown defense has been dominant this season. Can Harris County overcome the injury bug and keep this game close…Lithonia and Cedar Shoals are two evenly matched teams. This might be the most competitive game in 5-A…Meanwhile, Rome defends it’s title defense as the host Jackson, Atlanta…

As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to contact me if there are any errors.

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

GSWA – Georgia Sports Writers Association

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Statesboro Blue Devils are back in the post season for the first time in five years. The irony is that they will face the team that eliminated them from the playoffs back in 2013, the Griffin Bears. Statesboro is averaging 15.9 points per game on offense. While the Blue Devils are below .500, they do have what it takes to compete with the best in the state, as they fell to Wayne County by 1 earlier in the season. The Griffin Bears aren’t necessarily lighting the world on fire with their offense, averaging 25.6 points per game, but their defense has been pretty good, surrendering 16.8 points per game. We think the Griffin defense will be able to stymie the Blue Devils this week. We like the Bears by 10 points.

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Dutchtown Bulldogs went through a tough region schedule and came out undefeated. Like Southwest DeKalb, defense has been their calling card. The Bulldogs are surrendering 5.7 points per game. That includes four shutouts. The offense is only averaging 29.7 points per game, but that’s not a big deal when your defense is as good as theirs. Harris County has been fighting the injury bug all season. Cal’von Harris has rushed for 827 yards and 6-TDs in eight games this season. Harris was an all-state selection last season. Talique Williams has also chipped in over 500 yards on the ground. If the Tigers can’t get the run game going, it could be a long night. We think this is a big night for Dutchtown. We like the Bulldogs by 24 points.

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Lithonia Bulldogs and Cedar Shoals Jaguars will face off for the first time since 1995 and only the 3rd time overall. The Bulldogs come into the game averaging 20.5 points per game on offense and surrendering 18.5 points on defense. The Jaguars are fairing a little better on offense, averaging 24.6 points per game and surrendering 14.4 points per game. Running backs Osiris Walker and Devontaye Bankston have combined for 1,495 yards and 15-TDs on the season. We think that tandem will help lead Cedar Shoals to a first round victory this week. We like them by 8 over the Bulldogs.

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

 

Maynard Jackson High is back into the playoffs after a one year hiatus. The Jaguars are averaging a respectable 28 points per game and their defense has been pretty good, surrendering 16.1 points per game. Through 8 games, quarterback Charles Daniel has passed for 1,429 yards and 12-TDs, but he’s also rushed for over 750 yards in that same time period. Dequantteous Watts and Cario Googer lead the Jaguars secondary with 11 interceptions between the two defensive backs. Those are some great stats, but they are playing the Rome Wolves. Rome is averaging 53.1 points per game on offense and only surrendering 14.7 points per game on defense.  Jamious Girffin has rushed for 2,024 yards and 31-TDs this season. We could go on and on about Rome, but we should probably save some material. We like Rome big this week; call it four touchdowns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in 5A Playoffs, Playoffs | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

TFR 2018 5-A Playoff Preview 2 of 4

Posted on November 7, 2018 by admin

Our second set of 5-A playoff previews are listed below. This preview features matchups between Veterans-Stockbridge, New Hampstead-Starr’s Mill, Carrollton-Riverwood, and Loganville-Southwest Dekalb. The Stockbridge Tigers might not have all the star power from last season, but they are still one of the top teams in the state. Can Veterans and Cyrus Zuell pull off the upset…Starr’s Mill looks to run past New Hampstead. The Panthers have one of the best running attacks in class 5-A…Carrollton features a pair of the best young linebackers in the state. will they be able to slow down Riverwood… While Southwest Dekalb looks to stay unbeaten this season as Loganville tries to pull the upset…

As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to contact me if there are any errors.

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

GSWA – Georgia Sports Writers Association

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Veterans Warhawks and Stockbridge Tigers will face off Friday in a battle of teams that are run-oriented. Veterans will lean on running back Cyrus Zuell (1,126 yards, 13-TDs) and Quarterback Sebastian Verger (569 yards rushing). Veterans is averaging a healthy 28 points per game. For Stockbridge, Jevon McDonald is the straw that stirs the drink as the junior quarterback has passed for 1,089 yards and rushed for 784 yards. The Tigers defense might be the difference in this game; they are only surrendering 10.9 points per game. We like Stockbridge by 11 this week.

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The New Hampstead Phoenix and Starr’s Mill Panthers will face off Friday in first round action. The visiting Phoenix have a pretty balanced attack. The team has passed for 1,228 yards and rushed for 1,383 yards. Quarterback Deyandre Ruffin and running back Dontre Wallace account for most of the offensive production. The Phoenix are averaging 23.9 points per game. On the other hand, the Starr’s Mill Panthers are averaging 320.7 yards on the ground this season. Kalen Sims leads the way with over 1,400 yards rushing this season. Sean King is the leading receiver for the team. In 8 games, King has 11 receptions for 214 yards. The Starr’s Mill defense has been somewhat suspect , giving up 23.1 points per game, but we don’t think that will be a problem this week. We like the Panthers to win big, let’s call it three touchdowns this week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Carrollton Trojans will visit a resurgent Riverwood team this Friday in Sandy Springs. The Trojans will bring with them their offense that’s averaging 39.8 points per game and a defense that is surrendering 18 points per game. They will also bring along with them two of the best young linebackers in the state in Kevin Swint and Chaz Chambliss. Quarterback Kashif Taylor did not play last week, so that might be something worth keeping an eye on. Riverwood has ben led by quarterback Aaron Graham (1,590 yards passing, 578 yards rushing, 23 total TDs) and Reese White (1,600 yards 18-TDs). Larry Thomas has recorded 10 sacks on the season. So is the Carrollton defense good enough to slow down the Riverwood offense; we certainly think so. We like Trojans by 13 points this week.

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Southwest DeKalb (SWD) Panthers went through the season challenged, but unscathed as they finished with an undefeated record. The big story this year has been the SWD defense, which is giving up 6.9 points per game. That includes four shutouts That defense is led by linebacker Derico Smith and Joshua Tate. Tate has recorded 19 sacks on the season. If the Red Devils are going to pull off the upset this week, they will have to find their rhythm this week. The offense is only averaging 18.9 points per game, while the defense is surrendering 29.9 points per game. The Red Devils do have some playmakers including receivers Jackson Daniel, D’errius Hart and athlete Josiah Wright. We just don’t think they’ll be able to make enough plays this week to get past Southwest. We like the Panthers by two scores this week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in 5A Playoffs, Playoffs | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

TFR 2018 5-A Playoff Preview 1 of 4

Posted on November 7, 2018 by admin

Our first set of 5-A playoff previews are listed below. This preview features matchups between Jones County-Bainbridge, Jonesboro-Wayne County, Carver, Atlanta-Kell, and Miller Grove-Buford. Jones County travels to Southwest Georgia to face a young but talented Bainbridge squad. Can the Bainbridge Bearcats slow down the Jones County air-raid…The Wayne County Yellow Jackets looked prime for another deep playoff run. Does Jonesboro have any threat that can slow down the Jackets…Kell has put together another great season. Looming large is a second round matchup against Buford, but first they’ve got to take care of Carver Atlanta. The Panthers Deante Maxwell and company may have something to say about that…Finally Buford looks primed for another deep run. Is there any chance for Miller Grove…

As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to contact me if there are any errors.

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

GSWA – Georgia Sports Writers Association

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Bainbridge Bearcats may have one of the toughest first round draws in 5-A as they host the Jones County Greyhounds. Jones County’s two losses were to Stockbridge and Dutchtown, both of whom are ranked in the top-10 and both losses by just one score. Hunter Costlow has thrown for over 2,400 yards and 30-TDs. Jontavis Robinson and Maleek Wooten have combined for over 1,500 yards receiving and 18-TDs. The Hounds defense is giving up 16 points per game. Jadarian Boykin has 12 sacks for the Jones County defense. Bainbridge will look to sophomores Rashad Broadnax and Caleb McDowell for a lot of their offense; the duo has combined for over 1,100 yards rushing on the season. Defensively for the Bearcats, Roman Harrison and Anthony Brooks have combined for 14 sacks on the season. These two will need to get pressure on Costlow or it could be a long night. We think Bainbridge is a year away with a lot of youth on offense. We like Jones County by a touchdown on the road.

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Jonesboro Cardinals will travel to Jesup to take on the Wayne County Yellow Jackets. The Cardinals have struggled a bit on offense this season, but they are riding a two game win streak heading into the playoffs. The Cardinals are averaging 13.7 points per game, while their defense is surrendering 22.3 points per game. Wayne County has leaned on running back MJ Fuller and quarterback Shamar Taylor this season for most of their production and we don’t expect anything to change Friday night. We think that Wyane will exceed their 33.4 point per game average. This one could be a blowout. We like Wayne County by four touchdowns.

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

Coach Darren Myles and his Carver Atlanta Panthers will make the trek to East Cobb to take on the Kell Longhorns. The Panthers have been up and down this season. They are averaging 23.9 points per game this year. Quarterback Deante Maxwell has passed for 1,633 yards and 13-TDs while Joquavious Marks has rushed for over 1,400 yards. Tony Jones has also chipped in over 800 yards on the ground. Kell’s offense is powered by senior quarterback Evan Conley. Last week, Conley passed for 263 yards and 4-TDs in a tune-up game. Kell is averaging 36.8 points per game. We think they get close to that number this week and take down the Panthers. Kell wins by 17 this week.

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Buford Wolves host the Miller Grove Wolverines as the Wolves look to get back to their winning ways in the post season. The Wolves are averaging 44.3 points per game, while their defense is only giving up 12.4 points per game. Meanwhile, Miller Grove is averaging 12.4 points per game while their defense is giving up 21.5 points per game. This game could get out of hand in a hurry. We won’t be shocked if Buford wins by six touchdowns this week.

 

 

 

 

Posted in 5A Playoffs | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

TFR 2018 6-A Playoff Preview 4 of 4

Posted on November 6, 2018 by admin

Our final set of 6-A playoff previews are listed below. The matchups include Lakeside, Evans-Effingham County, Mundy’s Mill-Lee County, Habersham Central-Douglas County, and Pope-Creekview. Lakeside Evans travels to Effingham County in hopes of slowing down the Rebels tandem of sophomore running backs…Meanwhile, Mundy’s Mill will take on Lee County in a true David versus Goliath match-up. Lee is the overwhelming favorite to repeat as state champs…Tre’ Luttrell and the Raiders from Mt. Airy travel to Douglas County to face one of the best defenses in 6-A. Can Douglas contain Luttrell…Finally, one of the best rushing teams in 6-A faces off against one of the best running backs in 6-A as Pope brings their 2,900+ yards of rushing offense into the Grizzly Den to see if they can derail Cade Radam and the Grizzlies…

As always, thanks for reading. Please feel free to contact me if there are any errors.

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

GSWA – Georgia Sports Writers Association

NR – Not Ranked

 

**The GSWA ratings used were from the week of 10/29. The newest poll was not available at the time of publication.

 

The Skinny

 

The Lakeside Evans Panthers will travel to Springfield to take on the Effingham County Rebels. Lakeside is averaging 18.9 points per game while the defense is giving up 15.7 points per game. Their opponent, Effingham County has fared a little better on offense, scoring 24.5 points per game. A pair of sophomore running backs, Desmond House and Ashaud Roberson have combined for over 1,000 yards on the season. The Rebels defense is giving up 16.9 points per game. Both teams beat their common opponent, Evans earlier this season. This game is a toss-up, but we will take the Rebels by 3 at home.


 

 

The Skinny

 

The Lee County Trojans have looked almost invincible this season. The Trojans offense is averaging 42.4 points per game, led by Kyle Toole, who has passed for over 1,700 yards on the season. Chauncey Magwood and Daveon Sanders have been two of his top targets. Yet the biggest story for the Trojans has been the defense, which is giving up an average of 3.7 points per game. (That’s no misprint!) Mundy’s Mill does not have a win against a ranked opponent this season, but almost upset the Tucker Tigers back in September. Mundy’s Mill is averaging 26 points per game this season. Raheem Gaines has rushed for 1,290 yards and 6-TDs on the season for the Tigers. It will be interesting to see how he fares against a Lee County defense that a one point was giving up just under seven, yes seven rushing yards per game. We like Lee County big this week by four touchdowns.


 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Habersham Central Raiders are back into the post-season for the first time in seven years. The Raiders have benefited from the addition of dual threat quarterback Tre’ Luttrell. Lutrell has passed for over 1,800 yards and rushed for over 575 yards on the season. Donovan Curry has been his primary receiver with over 40 receptions on the season. The Raiders are averaging a healthy 29.5 points per game but the defense has been the bugaboo for the Raiders giving up 30.5 points per game.  Meanwhile, Douglas County’s calling card has been their defense. They are giving up an average of 12.7 points per game this season. Mataio Soli has recorded well over 20 sacks on the season. As a team the Tigers have recorded over 40 sacks. We think the defense will do just enough to keep Luttrell in check this week. We like Douglas County by a field goal.


 

 

The Skinny

 

Coach Adam Carter has come to Creekview and in his first season led the Grizzlies to their first region title and first undefeated season in school history. The Grizzlies are powered by a physical offensive line anchored by tackles John Williams and Nick Pendley. Cade Radam has been a workhorse this season for the Grizzlies as he’s rushed for 1,531 yards and 18-TDs. The Grizzlies defense has been stout as well this season, only surrendering 12.5 points per game. The Pope Greyhounds generate most of their offense on the ground. Joseph Stellmach has rushed for 1,064 yards for a team that has rushed for almost 3,000 yards this season. Ryan Stuetzer has seven interceptions on the season. We think that the Creekview defense will be able to slow down the Pope ground game this week and win this one big, Grizzlies by three touchdowns.


Posted in 6A Playoffs, Playoffs | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment