Podcast Interview with Lawrence Morgan of NWGA Football

Posted on October 18, 2018 by admin

Today, we shift our focus to Northwest Georgia and have a special guest, as Mr. Lawrence Morgan, the founder and curator of NWGA Football joins us to talk high school football. Lawrence has helped to spotlight some of the football talent in Northwest Georgia. He started what he thought would be a small hobby, which has now grown to include a website nwgafootball.us and a very active social media presence (Twitter: @NWGAFootball). We talk about a couple of the best players he’s seen as well as a few surprise players in the area. We also discuss best game atmospheres. Finally we take a peek look into teams out of the area that might make runs in the state tournament. Tune in as we talk football with Lawrence Morgan.

 

 

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Part II Week-10 Eight Greats Around the State

Posted on October 18, 2018 by admin

Part II of our Week-10 GHSA football preview will again feature four matchups that will either decide or go a long way in deciding region champions. The Pickens Dragons host the Ridgeland Panthers for a shot at the region 6-4A title. Ridgeland started off slow but has won five straight while Pickens looks to stay red-hot. The Dragons are 8-0 for the first time in school history. Can the Dragons knock off the defending region champs…Brookwood and Parkview will play in a game that should decide the region 7-7A champ. Parkview is undefeated this season with wins over Lowndes and Milton to name a few. Brookwood has won six straight games after dropping their week one matchup against North Gwinnett. The last two games have been decided by less than 4 points each time. Will it be close again this season…Flowery Branch lost a nail-biter last week against No. 1 Blessed Trinity. Yet there is no time to cry over spilled milk. The Marist War Eagles are waiting in the wings to take on the Falcons this week. Marist has been dominating opponents as of late. Will this be another nip and tuck game as these two jockey for playoff positioning…Finally, we head down to Savannah as Savannah Christian takes on Savannah Country Day. The Savannah Christian Raiders have learned fast under first year coach Baker Woodward. With a win, Savannah Country Day stays in contention for a region title. Which teams youth movement will be best served this Friday night…

Please feel free to share and comment. Thanks for reading!

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

GSWA – Georgia Sports Writers Association

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Pickens Dragons will host the Ridgeland Panthers for the 6-4A title on Friday night. Pickens finds themselves at 8-0 for the first time in program history. The Dragons offense is averaging 48.1 points a game through the first 8 games of the season. Quarterback CJ Streicher has been steady for Pickens, passing for 951 yards and 16-TDs and rushing for over 700 yards this season   Running back Ryan Davis (556 yards, 8-TDs) leads a host of Pickens backs that have together with Streicher rushed for over 2,700 yards this season. Zach Goss leads the team in receptions with 20 catches for 402 yards and 8-TDs. The Pickens defense is only giving up 11.6 points per game. Linebacker Hunter Herman leads the defense in total tackles with 80.

Yet, Ridgeland presents an entirely different set of challenges for Pickens than they may have faced to date. The Panthers have playmakers at all of the skill positions. Quarterback Tanner Hill his been effective getting the ball down the field to receivers such as Stephon Walker, Azavier Blackwell, and perhaps the most dangerous weapon for the Panthers, Jordan Blackwell. Jordan Blackwell leads the Panthers rushing attack as well. The Panthers faced some stiff competition early on, which may allude to some of the offensive production being down and points surrendered being a little high. Through seven games, the Panthers are yielding 24.1 pointe per game. However, over the last two games, the Panthers have outscored their opponents 118-7. We think this game should go down to the wire, as Pickens will be tested by a talented Ridgeland squad. We like the Dragons to edge the Panthers by one at home in a nail-biter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The battle of Five-Forks renews for the 37thtime as Parkview travels a mere 6 miles down the road to take on the Brookwood Broncos. The winner of this game certainly has an inside track to the region title with only three weeks left in the season. Brookwood has reeled off six consecutive victories after dropping their week one game to defending state champ, North Gwinnett. Suffice to say that Coach Jones and his staff have the Broncos playing closer to a level that folks have come to expect. The Broncos are talented but lacked experience early in the season. Brookwood is only giving up 13.1 points per game this season. Tony Ward and Anthony Gorney lead the defense in tackles with 81 and 73 respectively. Meanwhile on offense, Chris Carter and Eli Kohl lead the Broncos in rushing as the duo has combined for over 1,100 yards and 19-TDs.

On the other hand, the Parkview Panthers have scored some big wins this season, but we suspect that a win this week over rival Brookwood might be the biggest to date. Parkview’s offense is led by quarterback Jordan Williams, who has passed for over 1,300 yards with 11-TDs. Malik Washington, one of the most dynamic players in the state, leads Parkview in receiving with 44 catches for 707 yards. Sophomore Cody Brown leads the rushing attack with 770 yards and 14-TDs on 89 carries. Linebacker Kobe Wilson leads the Panthers defense in total tackles with 71. Wilson is also tied for the team lead in sacks. In terms of experience, we give the edge to Parkview this season. However, that doesn’t mean that the Panthers will run away with this game. We tend to think this game will be a very similar to the last two contests, but this week, we like Parkview by 4.

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Flowery Branch Falcons travel to Atlanta to take on the Marist War Eagles. Last week Flowery Branch gave No. 1 ranked Blessed Trinity all they wanted. The Falcons proved they could play with the top teams in the state and will have a chance to get their first signature win in their new region this Friday. Quarterback Elijah Gainey has a big arm and can really get the ball down field. His primary target is Jalin Strown, while DJ Brown has also been productive at the wide receiver spot. Jaizen Ellingham isn’t afraid of contact running between the tackles. Perhaps the most impressive stat about the Falcons is their defense, which is only giving up 11.42 points per game and held Blessed Trinity to their lowest point output of the season.

Meanwhile, the Marist War Eagles have won 4 consecutive games after losing the Fish Bowl to St. Pius back on September 14th. Since that loss, the War Eagles have averaged 52 points per game, while only surrendering 8.5 points per game during that same stretch. Last week, the War Eagles did most of their damage on the ground.  As a team, they rushed for over 280 yards. Marist has used a committee of backs to spearhead the rushing attack. Flowery Branch will need to key in on slowing down the Marist run game if they are going to win on the road. Hopefully we will get to see Kyle Hamilton locked up on Jalin Strown. That would be a fun matchup. Nevertheless, we like for the Falcons to bounce back from an emotional loss last week and win on the road this week by a field goal.

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

The Savannah Christian Raiders will take on the Savannah Country Day Hornets on Friday night as both teams continue to vie for a the Region 3-A title. But more importantly a win by either team would improve their standings in the GHSA Class-A Private power rankings, which ultimately determines playoff seeding.  Sophomore quarterback Spencer Robicheaux has passed for 862 yards and 11-TDs this season while learning the new offense of first year head coch Baker Woodward. Receivers Omar Burroughs (314 yards, 3-TDs), Nate Moon (201 Yards, 1-TD) and Noah Chumley (199 yards, 2-TDs) lead Savannah Christian through the air. Moon, Jordan Grant, and Marquell Brown have combined to rush for over 1,600 yards and 20-TDs. While N.C. State commit Dylan McMahon anchors the offense line that paves the way for the Raiders rushing attack. On defense, Nate Moon also leads the team in total tackles with 74. Speaking of defense, the Raiders are only giving up 11.7 points a game.

On the other hand, Savannah Country Day will counter with an offense led by freshman quarterback Barry Kleinpeter. Kleinpeter has passed for 842 yards and 10-TDs. Sophomore running backs Donovan Davelaar (392 yards) and Erik Brown (372 yards) lead the team in rushing. Senior Matthew Mims leads the team in receiving with 13 catches for 298 yards and 5-TDs. The Raiders defense has been pretty stout this season, there are giving  up an average of  8.2 points per game and have shutout two of their opponents. CJ Nugara, Ash Pinckney, Andre Miller and Clay Dekle anchor the front seven for the Hornets. Nagura leads the team in total tackles while junior tackle Kareem Reedy leads the team in sacks with 5. In our opinion, Savannah Christian looks to be a little ahead of Savannah Country Day offensively this season. For that reason, we like the Raiders to win by 9 this Friday.

 

 

 

 

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TFR Week-10 Eight Greats Around the State Part I

Posted on October 17, 2018 by admin

Part I of our Week-10 GHSA football preview, we look at four games that will go a long way in determining region titles. The Valdosta Wildcats will travel to Leesburg and take on the defending state champs. Lee County hasn’t lost since Valdosta beat them in the regular season last year. Do the Wildcats have what it takes to take down the champs…We stay and South Georgia for the next game to check in with the Camden County Wildcats. Coach Sphire is in the process of turning Camden County around, but will the Wildcats have what it takes to hang with perhaps the best team in the state, regardless of classification…Dutchtown will be looking to take the inside track in region 4-5A. But defending champ Stockbridge will certainly have something to say about that. Both teams play great defense, which offense will break through in this pivotal region matchup…Finally, we head to Jefferson, as the Jefferson Dragons will host the Monroe Area Purple Hurricanes. The Dragons hope to get starting QB Colby Clark back for this game. He will certainly help, as the Dragons face a Canes team that has recorded four straight shut outs. Can the Dragons overcome the Canes defense…

Please feel free to share and comment. Thanks for reading!

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

GSWA – Georgia Sports Writers Association

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Valdosta Wildcats travel to Leesburg to take on the Lee County Trojans in a game that very well could decide the Region 1-6A title. Valdosta was the last team to beat the Trojans, a 31-28 victory last season. The Wildcats come into the game riding a three game win streak and have already secured a playoff spot. Tate Rodemaker has been on fire this season, completing 67% of his passes for over 2,300 yards and 23-TDs. His primary targets have been Alah Brown (36 receptions, 628 yards) and Jaheim Bell (29 receptions, 397 yards). Rajeaz Mosey leads Valdosta in rushing yards with 627 and touchdowns, with 3-TDs on the season.

Lee County has been running through it’s opponents this season like a hot knife through butter. The Trojans defense has only given up 23 points all season…That equates to 3.2 points per game. They have three shutouts to their credit and, according to our sources, have only giving up 65 rushing yards all season. Meanwhile the offense is averaging 39.7 points per game. Quarterback Kyle Toole has passed for over 1,200 yards and 15-TDs with no interceptions. Daveon Sanders and Chauncey Magwood lead Lee County in receptions with 19 and 18 respectively. Shaundarious Kimbrough and Preston Simmons have combined to rush for 483 yards and 11-TDs on the season. We believe that the winner of this game has the inside track to win the region. Valdosta will score more than the 3 points that Lee is surrendering. As a matter of fact, we like a high scoring affair, but we also like Lee County to edge the Wildcats by 7 points on Friday.


 

 

 

 

The Skinny

Region play finally gets under way in Region 1-7A as the Colquitt County Packers host the Camden County Wildcats.By most accounts, the Packers have been the best team in the state this season. They have yet to allow over 14 points in a game and are surrendering only 9.2 points per game. Conversely on offense, the Pack are averaging 43.3 points a game. The offense is powered by a stout offensive line that has  paved the way for Daijun Edwdards and Ty Leggett to combine for 1,129 yards and 18-TDs on the ground. Meanwhile, Jaycee Harden has passed for just over 1,100 yards and 14-TDs. Josh Hadley leads the team in receiving with 15 catches for 241 yards.

The Camden County Wildcats have had a reversal of fortunes this season. Already besting their three wins from 2017, the Wildcats are looking for a statement win under the leadership of second year coach Bob Sphire. Wildcat quarterback Logan Watson has passed for 1,269 yards and 17-TDs on the season. Shawn Hardy, Logan Berryhill and Caleb Keaton have been the primary targets. The three receivers have combined for 57 receptions and 901 yards with 11-TDs. Running backs Jamie Felix and Daryl Williams have combined for 725 yards on the ground and 9-TDs. Camden’s defense has played well this season only yielding 11.4 points per game. But this will no doubt be their toughest matchup of the season. Camden County is certainly on the right track and we believe they will make the playoffs, but we think Colquitt is just too much for the up and coming Wildcats this week. We like Colquitt by 17.


 

 

The Skinny

 

This region has come down to a round robin set of games between Jones County, Stockbridge and Dutchtown. Ducthtown has already beaten Jones County earlier in the season and now can just about clinch a region title with a win on Friday night. As mentioned back a few weeks ago, its been Arendez Fedd and Christopher Coneway that pace a Bulldogs offense that is averaging 29.5 points per game. Defensively, linebackers Kevon Glenn, Adonis Butler and lineman William Anderson will look to halt the Sotckbridge running attack. Dutchtown has been playing very good defense this season, with 3 shutouts and only surrendering 4.7 points per game.

The Stockbridge Tigers have also put together an undefeated season as they look to defend their Region 4-5A title. The Tigers are averaging 278 yards per game on the ground. The combination of quarterback Jevon McDonald and running backs Steve Bonner and Markell Ramsey have combined for 1,241 yards and 21-touchdowns. McDonald has also thrown for 724 yards. When the Tigers go to the air, lookout for Isaiah Taylor. He leads Stockbridge in receptions with 20 and receiving yards with 325. The Stockbridge defense has been pretty stout themselves, only giving up 8.1 points per game. The defense has combined for 21.5 sacks on the season as John Prince (7) and Brice Bass (5.5) lead the team in that category. Senior defensive end Kerick Reese leads the team in total tackles with 63. This has all the makings of a low scoring defensive battle. We think that favors Dutchtown. Bulldogs by 3 points this week.


 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

A claim for the Region 8-3A title will be on the line Friday night as the Jefferson Dragons will face the Monroe Area Purple Hurricanes. The Dragons have played their last two games without junior quarterback Colby Clark. Clark had passed for 402 yards and still leads the team in rushing with 485 yards. Senior  Carter Stephenson has filled in nicely over the last few weeks and on the season has passed for 241 yards with 3-TDs. As a team the Dragons have rushed for over 2,200 yards and 31-TDs this season. Defensively, Jefferson is only giving up 9.25 points per game. Their only loss this season was a week one loss to Oconee County.

Meanwhile, Monroe Area has not surrendered a touchdown in 16 quarters. Through 8 games, the Purple Hurricanes are surrendering 6.6 points per game on defense while their offense is averaging 44.1 points per game. Dual threat quarterback Chandler Byron leads the team in passing (898 yards, 12-TDs) and rushing (1,632 yards, 23-TDs) this season.  Jakia Thompson has also put up some big numbers on the ground, rushing for 758 yards and 5-TDs. Isaiah Glasper and Emmanuel Okwudili lead the receivers for Monroe Area. The two have combined for 20 receptions and 606 yards and 10-TDs. Jaquaris Booker leads the Canes in tackles with 75 total tackles. If Colby Clark is healthy, we like Jefferson, but knowing that he might not be 100%, we’ll take Monroe by a touchdown this week.


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Conversations With Coaches: Chris Parker – Pickens Dragons

Posted on October 17, 2018 by admin

Jasper and Pickens County have historically been known for producing the best marble in the state of Georgia. Yet this fall, head football Coach Chris Parker has the North Georgia mountain community focused on the gridiron. Coach Parker and the Dragons have won their first eight games for the first time in school history. The Dragons have benefited from senior leadership this season. Coach Parker talks about his beginnings at Sequoyah High school, some of the young men who’ve stepped up for the Dragons this season and he plugs some of the great BBQ restaurants in Pickens County. Of course we talk a little about the big game this Friday. Pickens will host the Ridgeland Panthers for the Region 6-4A title and Coach Parker gives us his thoughts on the opponent and what makes this week’s game challenging. Tune in as we talk Dragons football with Coach Chris Parker.

 

 

Please remember to visit our segment sponsor http://www.yourganizeit.com Make sure you tell them you heard about them from The Turd Furgeson Report!

Please feel free to share and follow us on Twitter: @turdfurgesonrpt and on the web at https://turdfurgeson.com

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TFR Week-10 Cherokee County Football Preview

Posted on October 17, 2018 by admin

Week-10 is upon us and time is running out on the 2018 season. There are three county teams in action and all of them are on the road this week…The Sequoyah Chiefs travel to East Cobb to take on the Sprayberry Yellow Jackets. The Jackets have played most of the top region opponents tough, so don’t expect them to lie down. Will the Chiefs Wing-T work it’s magic again…The Creekview Grizzlies look to spoil the homecoming plans of Aeneas Dennis, Brysen Boone and the rest of the South Cobb Eagles. The Eagles have play makers on offense, but can they slow down the Creekview offense…Finally, both the Woodstock Wolverines and Lassiter Trojans are in need of a win this week to stay alive in the hunt for a playoff berth. Woodstock will have to go on the road to face a Trojans team that has given up points in bunches this season. Can the Wolverines capitalize…

Thanks for reading. Please feel free to share and comment.

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

GSWA – Georgia Sports Writers Association

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Sequoyah Chiefs will travel over to East Cobb to face the Sprayberry Yellow Jackets in a pivotal region game for both teams. Sprayberry is in need of a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Last week, they had a nip and tuck game with Dalton before the Catamounts put the game away. Offensively, the Jackets will look to strike with quarterback Aaron Bibbins and running backs Darnell Mundin and Myles Worthy. The Sprayberry backs are elusive and can be difficult to bring down, so sure tackling will be important for the Chiefs defense. The Jackets are averaging 18.8 points per game on offense and surrendering 24.4 points per game on defense.

The Sequoyah Chiefs are looking to stay in contention to host a home playoff game, but more importantly, they need one more win to secure a spot in the post season.  Last week, quarterback Collier Pecht passed for 73 yards and ran for 70 to help lead the Chiefs. Sophomore Jaden Mitchell has run well in the last few weeks and picked up another 69 yards on 12 carries against South Cobb.  Cole Jacobs continues to lead the Chiefs on the ground with 673 yards on the season and 8-TDs. The versatile back has also caught 8 passes for 205 yards and 3-TDs. Adam LaSelva and Grant Gibson lead the Chiefs defense in tackles, while Emmanuel Jenkins, Myles McGee, DJ King, Christian Hodgins , and D’Angelo Smith patrol the secondary.  The Sequoyah defense is only giving up 10.1 points per game while the offense is scoring 36.7 points per game. The Chiefs can’t be looking ahead this week, as this would be an important victory. If they tackle well and execute on offense, they should be in a good position to secure the victory. This game may be closer than most think…Sequoyah by 6.

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Creekview Grizzlies travel to Austell to take on the South Cobb Eagles in hopes of raining on the Eagle’s homecoming festivities. Creekview controls their own destiny;  if they win out,  they will claim their first region title in school history.  Last week, Cade Radam rushed for 127 yards as he moves ever so close to breaking the 1,000 yard mark this season. The Grizzlies defense is only giving up 10.2 points per game this season. Creekview got another dominant performance on defense last week, shutting out River Ridge. This week they will face a contrasting style of play.

South Cobb’s Aeneas Dennis is a dual threat quarterback who can beat you through the air and running the ball. Last week, the Eagles shot themselves in the and missed some opportunities to make it more of a game with Sequoyah than the score showed. Dennis’ primary target will be Brysen Boone. Desmond McDowell also provides a change of pace in the backfield for South Cobb. The Eagles have playmakers on offense to score points, but can their defense contain the Grizzly Ground-Machine and company on offense. We like the Grizzlies and their dominant offensive line to control this game. Creekview by 20.

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Woodstock Wolverines will visit the Lassiter Trojans as both teams are in search of their first region win on the season. The Trojans have dropped 5 straight games since their week-2 win against Pope. Lassiter has had some problems putting points on the board this season as they are averaging 16.3 points per game. The offense is led by southpaw quarterback Mitch Storm and running back Nnamdi Orijoke. The Trojans have faced some stiff competition this season, which might explain some of the struggles they’ve faced defensively as they are giving up 37.7 points per game.

Woodstock is on a two game skid and also playing without starting QB Dean Braxton. Walker Ormsby will take the snaps for the Wolverines. He’ll have the luxury of handing the ball of to Ryan Martin. Last week, the Wolverines defense held the Cherokee Warriors to zero offensive touchdowns, but the offense could not really get going. This week if they Wolverinse can keep the turnovers down, they should be in line for their first region win. We like Woodstock by 8 on the road.

 

 

 

 

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TFR Week-9 GHSA Football Poll

Posted on October 14, 2018 by admin

Our Week-9 polls are published and listed below.

Roswell makes their debut into the Week-9 poll at No. 8 in class 7A. Down in South Georgia, all of the Region 1-A games were postponed due to the hurricane. The only top-10 matchup featured Grayson hosting Archer, which the Rams won going away. The loss dropped the Tigers to No. 9.

The only constant this season in Class 6A has been Lee County. The Trojans now sit at 7-0 after Saturday’s win over Northside Warner Robins. Allatoona is back into the poll after a big win over Hapeville Charter.

In 5A, the Carrollton Trojans were upset by the Kell Longhorns. The loss drops Carrollton all the way down to No. 10 this week.

Flowery Branch dropped 2 spots after their 1-point overtime loss to No. 1 Blessed Trinity. The Falcons will have a chance to redeem themselves next week as they travel to No. 8 ranked Marist.

There were no changes in the class 3A poll this week.

While they didn’t play this week, Washington County debuts this week at No. 10. They’ll face No. 9 Dodge County on Monday. Hapeville Charter lost for the first time this season to 6A Allatoona, but the Hornets are still the No. 1 team in 2A.

In 1-A Public, Montgomery County and Greene County are the newcomers this week in the poll. Schley County notches up one spot, as the rest of the poll remains unchanged.

There are no changes to the 1-A Private poll as all of the teams that played this week were victorious.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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TFR Week-9 Eight Greats Around the State Part II

Posted on October 11, 2018 by admin

In Part II of our Week-9 preview of GHSA football, we preview four more games involving teams at or near the top in their region. The Elbert County Blue Devils will travel to take on the red-hot Rabun County Tigers…Next we head to Central Georgia to preview the Washington County-Dodge County matchup. Dodge County will be looking to bounce back from last weeks loss while Washington County is looking to stay unbeaten…Westminster and Cedar Grove look to lay claim to sole possession of first place in a Region 5-3A…Finally, we check in down in the City of Roses as Thomasville hosts the Warner Robins Demons. The Jackets have improved their win total from last season, but will need a solid defensive performance to derail the pass-happy Demons.

Please feel free to share and comment. Thanks for reading!

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

GSWA – Georgia Sports Writers Association

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Rabun County Tigers will host the Elbert County Blues Devils this week in a pivotal Region 8-2A matchup . Elbert County is coming off of a tough one point loss to Union County two weeks ago and will have another tough test as the Tigers come calling. The Elbert County defense has been pretty stingy, giving up just over 15 points per game thus far. DJ Ardister and Shun Allen have been stalwarts for the offense. Ardister is a crafty quarterback and Allen is tough to bring down once he gets going.

Rabun County has reeled off five straight wins since their week one loss to Class AA newcomer Bremen. They are led by freshmen QB Gunner Stockton who has passed for over 1,200 yards and 13-TDs. Stockton is also a threat to run and is second on the team in rushing with 376 yards. Brison Beck leads the way on the ground with 591 yards rushing and 7-TDs. Stockton’s primary receiving targets are Austin Jones (24 receptions, 469 yards, 5-TDs) and Braxton Hicks (18 receptions, 270 yards, 4-TDs). Rabun is averaging 42.6 points per game. We don’t think they will get to 42, but we do expect them to outlast Elberton…Tigers by 13.

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Dodge County Indians will look to get back on track this week as they host the Washington County Golden Hawks. Prior to last week, the Indians had only given up 76 points on the season. There is still a lot to play for this week. RJ Carr and Erin Pitts will again be called on to lead Dodge County this week. Pitts has rushed for 547 yards and 6-TDs while Carr has rushed for 559 yards and 9-TDs.

Washington County comes in the game undefeated they are 6-0 for the first time since 2014, when they lost in the state title game. The Golden Hawks are averaging 42.6 points per game while the defense is holding opponents to 16.6 points per game. That defense is led by the likes of Dyquan Bloodsaw, Preston Daniels and Jawan Dukes. The winner of this game will more than likely have an opportunity to host at least a first round home playoff game come November. We like the War Hawks by a touchdown on the road this week.

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Cedar Grove Saints will travel to Westminster to take on the host Westminster Wildcats. Both Cedar Grove and Westminster are the only remaining unbeatens in region 5-3A. Most of the attention for Cedar Grove has gone to Jadon Haselwood, and deservedly so. Haselwood is by many accounts the top recruit in the state. But the Saints defense has also been a nice story this season. They have recorded 4 shutouts and are giving up an average of 8.7 points per game. Their only loss was to 7A McEachern.

Westminster started the season with two big wins over Woodward Academy and Greater Atlanta Christian. Then dropped their next two games to a couple of 4A powers. The Wildcats are back in track with consecutive wins but have a tall task in front of them on Friday night. The Wildcats are averaging 26 points per game, but can they keep up with the scoring of Cedar Grove. We think it will take more than 26 points for Westminster to get the win this week. But we just don’t think they’ll get there against the Saints. We like Cedar Grove by three touchdowns.

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets will host one of the Warner Robins Demons on Friday night. Coach Ashley Henderson has reversed some of the Yellow Jackets misfortunes from last season. The team has already bested last year’s 3 wins as they sit at 5-1 coming into this week. Quarterback Adam Tedder has passed for 655 yards and 9-TDs, while senior running back Quay Edwards has rushed for 483 yards and 6-TDs. Dee Wyche leads the receivers with 20 receptions and 254 yards. The Jackets defense is only giving up 14.3 points per game.

Warner Robins has been scoring points in bunches this season. In their six wins, they are averaging 38.2 points per game. As expected most of the damage has been done through the air with QB Dylan Fromm passing for 2,272 yards and 25-TDs. Fromm’s top target this season has been Marcayll Jones. Jones has 47 receptions and 1,084 yards. Jahlen Rutherford leads the team in rushing yards with 606. The Demons defense is giving up an average of 25.5 points per game, so perhaps this game might be a little higher scoring than one would expect; especially with the improvements of TCC this season. We still believe that Warner Robins is the class of this region. We like the Demons by a touchdown on the road this week.

 

 

 

 

 

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TFR Week-9 Eight Greats Around the State Part I

Posted on October 11, 2018 by admin

In Part I of our Week-9 preview of GHSA football, we preview four clashes of titans involving teams at or near the top in their region. We start in North Georgia as the Flowery Branch Falcons host the defending state champion Blessed Trinity Titans. Can region newcomer Flowery Branch upset the defending state champs…Next we head to South Georgia as the Valdosta Wildcats look to go to 2-0 in region play. Meanwhile, Coffee is looking to bounce back after a tough loss to Northside last week…We stay in Region1-6A to preview the Lee County Trojans as they travel to Warner Robins to take on the Northside Eagles. This might be the toughest region in class 6-A. Can Lee County keep it rolling along as they start region play this week…Finally, we head over to Gwinnett County to preview the game between two of the best teams in the state. There are several young men who will be playing on Saturdays in the near future that will be on the field Thursday night. Can Grayson avenge last seasons 6-3 loss…

Please feel free to share and comment. Thanks for reading!

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

GSWA – Georgia Sports Writers Association

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Flowery Branch Falcons will host the Blessed Trinity Titans in the team’s first ever meeting. Blessed Trinity is the defending state champion and has been playing well all season. Their closest margin of victory has been 22 points. In four of their wins, they have held their opponent to one touchdown or less. Steele Chambers has been getting most of the work at running back. He is averaging 9.3 yards per carry, with 632 yards and 15-TDs on the season. Senior quarterback Jake Smith has passed for 883 yards, 6-TDs and no interceptions. His primary target is Ryan Davis, who has caught 21 balls for 346 yards. Defensively, JD Bertrand and Chambers lead the team in tackles.

Flowery Branch got off to a great start and with four games to play, they find themselves with an identical record with Blessed Trinity. The Falcons have had a couple of high scoring performances on offense, scoring 70 points in week one and 69 points last week. Quarterback Elijah Gainey leads the Falcons passing attack. Last week, Gainey passed for 341 yards and 5-TDs. Gainey will need another big performance this week if he and the Falcons are going to upset Blessed Trinity. We think the Falcons will give the Titans some trouble this week, but we like the Titans to hold off the Falcons, Titans by 11.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Valdosta Wildcats will host the Coffee Trojans on homecoming week. Valdosta quarterback Tate Rodemaker is quickly approaching the 2,000-yard mark on the season. He has also tossed 20-TDs. His primary targets have been sophomore Aalah Brown (29 receptions, 496 yards), Jaheim Bell (23 receptions, 270 yards) and Devonta Berrian (20 receptions, 270 yards). Rajaez Mosley leads the Wildcats in rushing with 494 yards. He has also caught 11 balls out of the backfield.

Coffee will be looking to bounce back after dropping the first region game of the season. The Trojans defense was on a roll until they gave up 30 points to Northside last week. Before last week, Coffee had only given up 33 points all season. AJ Wilkerson has thrown for 803 yards and rushed for 234 yards on the season. The sophomore signal caller has accounted for 12-TDs as well. Josiah Killiebrew leads the Trojans on the ground with 452 yards rushing and 6-TDs. Antonio Dawson has also run for 282 yards and 4-TDs. Sophomore Kenneth Davis leads the team in receptions (16), receiving yards (209) and receiving touchdowns (4). Quinton Flowers is all over the field on defense; he leads the team with 67 total tackles. Fellow linebacker Timothy Landers is second on the team in tackles with 59. With think that this game could develop into a shoot-out. We like the Trojans to go into Valdosta and steal a win this week. Coffee by 2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

Lee County will travel up to Warner Robins this week as they take on region rival Northside. The Lee County Trojans have only given up 16 points total in six games this season. For all of the non “math-letes” That’s an average of 2.6 points per game. The defense has three shutouts to their credit. Quarterback Kyle Toole has passed for 1,064 yards and 14-TDs with no interceptions. Senior RB Shaundarious Kimbrough and sophomore Preston Simmons lead the Trojan run game with a combined 394 yards rushing and 10-TDs on the season. Lee County has several weapons at receiver including Daveon Sanders, Chauncey Magwood, Artavious Warren, Jeremiah Engram and James Hopson.

Northside picked up a big win against Coffee last week. Quarterback Jadin Daniels had a great week against Coffee. On the season the dual threat QB has passed for 865 yards and rushed for a team leading 790 yards. He has accounted for 17-TDs. Eric Smith has helped bolster the running attack chipping in 484 yards and 6-TDs thus far. Senior defensive backs Kentrez Anthony and Tubby McCall combined to pick off 9 passes on the season. We think they will get their chance to add to those totals this week against Lee County. But we believe that Lee finds a way to win. Lee County Trojans by 9.

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Archer Tigers and Grayson Rams will meet on Thursday in a game that should determine the region champion. Archer won a defensive battle last season to lay claim to the region crown. The Tigers have bounced back in a big way since their week 1 loss to Milton. The Archer defense is only giving up 12.6 points per game. They have two shutouts to their credit. Archer’s offense has been clicking on all cylinders as of late. In their 5-game win streak, they are averaging 43.6 points per game.

The Grayson Rams have played a challenging schedule this season. Their two losses came at the hands of Bergen Catholic out of New Jersey and against Colquitt County almost a month ago. Jonathan Halyard leads the Rams in rushing with 602 yards and 5-TDs. J’Kori Jones has passed for 1,118 yards and 10-TDs. The Rams have a plethora of receivers including Ryan King, Kenyon Jackson, Josh Stinson, and Jamal Haynes. Owen Pappoe, one of many top recruits nationally on this Grayson team, leads the Rams in tackles. Kevin Harris leads the team in sacks with 8. The Grayson defense is giving up 19.5 points per game. This has all of the makings of another low scoring defensive battle. We like the Rams this year by a field goal.

 

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TFR Week-9 Cherokee County Football Preview

Posted on October 10, 2018 by admin

As we move into week-9 and the last third of the regular season, county teams are jockeying for playoff seeding and to keep post-season hopes alive. Etowah got a big win last week against neighborhood rival Woodstock, but this week, the face the high-flying Walton Raiders. The Raiders are ranked No, 2 in class 7A and by all accounts are the favorite to win the region. Can Etowah pull the upset…After a week off, the Creekview Grizzlies will visit the River Ridge Knights. Will the Grizzlies have any rust from the off week and can River Ridge catch the Grizzlies napping this week…The Sequoyah Chiefs secondary will be tested as South Cobb and dual threat QB Aeneas Dennis come to town. The Chiefs are looking for a win to keep pace with Allatoona and Harrison in their tightly contested region…Finally, Woodstock will travel to Tommy Baker field to take on the Cherokee Warriors. Both teams need this win, but Woodstock can ill-afford to drop to 0-2 in region play with games against Roswell and Walton still to come…

Thanks for reading. Please feel free to share and comment.

 

Key: 

TFR – Turd Ferguson Report

GSWA – Georgia Sports Writers Association

NR – Not Ranked

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Etowah Eagles will travel to Raider Valley to take on the No. 2 ranked team in the state, the Walton Raiders. The Raiders played without Austin Kirksey last week and outlasted rival Lassiter. Walton boasts plenty of star power, including running back DJ Soyoye and receivers Dominick Blaylock and Kendall Alford. We expect that Kirksey will be back this week and will be looking to add to his 941 yards and 6-TDs. The Raiders are only giving up 20.6 points per game and have picked up wins against Mill Creek and defending 7A state champion, North Gwinnett.

Etowah got a big game from Nick Maddox last week against region rival Woodstock. Maddox rushed for 184 yards including the game winning touchdown with under two minutes to play last week. The Etowah offense has had some fits and starts this year and are only averaging 17.4 points a game. They’ll need to put more points on the board against a very explosive Walton team this week and play a mistake free ball game. Even then, we think that Walton will outscore the Eagles. If Kirksey is back this week, it just makes it that much more challenging for the Eagles. We like Walton by 20-points this week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

The Creekview Grizzlies had a week to rest after a hard-fought win last time out against rival Sequoyah. The Grizzlies garner the highest ranking for any Cherokee County football team, coming in at No. 2 in all major publications around the state. The Grizzlies defense will have to stop the run oriented River Ridge attack. Andy Davis has been great in run support from his safety position this season. The rest of the Grizzly defense is pretty darn good as well. Expect to hear the names of Potts, Schwartz, Rocks, Hanaford to name a few when Creekview is on defense. There is no surprise that the Grizzlies offense all starts up front with a very talented offensive line including names like Clenney, Taranto, Williams, and Pendley. These road-graders pave the way for Cade Radam who has 830 yards this season.

In the preseason, we had a chance to talk to coach Wynn about his biggest challenge this season, he said we just can’t beat ourselves. That seems to happen from time to time this season for the youthful Knights. The team is improving each week. The Knights have had growing success on the ground with Chico Ward and freshman Amehre Morrison. This is a tall task for River Ridge to pull the upset. We like the Grizzlies by 24.

 

 

 

 

 

The Skinny

 

 

The Sequoyah Chiefs got back on track last week with a win against county and region rival River Ridge. The Chiefs played sound defensively last week and they will need more of that type of play this week as they host an athletic South Cobb football team. We know the usual suspects for Sequoyah, but the Chiefs have been getting some great play from Christian Hodgins, Connor Johnston, DJ King, Myles McGee and D’Angelo Smith. The running game and passing game were effective for the Chiefs last week against county foe River Ridge. We expect that South Cobb will see a steady dose of Cole Jacobs, DJ King and Jackson Smith.

South Cobb will counter with dual threat quarterback Aeneas Dennis. Last week against Dalton, Dennis passed for 196 yards and rushed for 124 yards. Bryson Boone is the Eagles big play wide receiver, while Desmond McDowell leads South Cobb’s ground attack. Defensively, the Eagles are surrendering just over 33 points a game. So if they are going to pull the upset this week, they’ll need to force some turnovers and get Dennis, Boone and McDowell going offensively. We think it’s certainly possible, but not probable…Chiefs by three touchdowns.

 

 

 


The Skinny

 

The Woodstock Wolverines travels to Tommy Baker field in search of their first region win as they take on the Cherokee Warriors. Woodstock welcomed back Ryan Martin last week, but will be playing with a new signal caller, Walker Ormsby the rest of the way. Last week, Martin rushed for 100 yards while Ormsby passed for 212 yards and 3-TDs. Sebastian Moss had a breakout game last week and is an additional weapon for Ormsby and the Wolverines. The Wolverines will need to tighten up a bit on defense as they face a much-improved Cherokee team this week.

The Warriors would put themselves in a very good position to make the post season this year with a win on Friday night. Much of Cherokee’s success can be attributed to their defense which flies all over the place. Guys like McKinley Hunter, Kerwin Majano, Grant Hornbuckle and Grant Mogelnicki are routinely making plays for the Warriors defense. Offensively, the Warriors are led by quarterback Landon Ergle; who has passed for over 1,000 yards this season. Mogelnicki and Garret Miles have combined to make a formidable duo in the backfield. In their 3 wins, the Warriors defense surrendered 22.6 points per game. In their 4 losses, the Warriors gave up 31 points per game. Needless to say, if Cherokee is going to win, they’ll need a stout defensive performance. We think that the Warriors bounce back this week and beat Woodstock by 4 points.

 

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TFR Week-8 GHSA Football Poll

Posted on October 7, 2018 by admin

Our Week-8 polls have been published and are listed below.

North Cobb and Camden County make their debut in the TFR 7A top-10, each coming in at No. 9 & 10 respectively. The remainder of the top-10 remains unchanged.

There was more shake up in the top-10 in 6A as both Coffee and Harrison were upset this week. That paves the way for Creekview, Stephenson, and Douglas County to move into the top-4 this week. Northside, Warner Robins re-enters the poll after their big win on Friday night. Lee County remains atop the poll.

In 5A, the Dutchtown Bulldogs had a statement win as they beat Jones County this week. The Bulldogs are up to No. 7 this week, while Jones County drops to No. 9

The Pickens County Dragons enter the top-10 for the first time this season in the Class 4A poll. The Dragons are undefeated at 7-0 this season. The remainder of the top-10 remains the same.

Greater Atlanta Christian got another big win this week as they defeated Dawson County by 3-points. The Spartans and the Tigers swap places. That was the only change in the 3A poll this week.

In Class 2A, Brooks County and Dublin had decisive wins against region foes. Brooks jumps from No. 7 to No. 4 while Dublin jumps five spots to No. 5 this week. Hapeville Charter remains at No. 1 The Hornets have yet to give up a touchdown this season.

In 1-A Public, the Trion Bulldogs are back in at No. 10 The Bulldogs got a big win at home against Christian Heritage. The remainder of the top-10 remains the same.

In Class A-Private Athens Savannah Christian is back in the poll this week after a big win against rival Calvary Day. Athens Academy got another big win on the road as they took down then No. 8 George Walton Academy by 7.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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