Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Previews Part II- Week 3

Posted on August 30, 2023 by admin

Week-3 is quickly approaching and there is a fantastic slate of games as the landscape of high school football begins to sort itself out in the early season. This is Part-II of our weekly feature where we highlight eight of the more intriguing football matchups around the state of Georgia.

The Westlake Lions will host the Cedar Grove Saints in a matchup that will feature plenty of playmakers. The Lions replaced a lot of starters from a very deep team a season ago, but they haven’t missed a beat. Will they be able to best E.J. Colson and the Saints this week, or is Cedar Grove still one of the best teams in the state? Next, down in Blakely, the Early County Bobcats will host the Schley County Wildcats. We have these as teams pegged as the Top-2 in Class A-Division I. Schley has a prolific offense, but will they be able to figure out the Early County defense this season?

Down in Fitzgerald, there’s a Top-10 matchup brewing as Northeast Macon comes calling. Both teams love to run the football. Fitzgerald will do it by committee while Northeast will lean on Nick Woodford. Will the legs of Woodford be enough to carry Northeast to victory? Finally down in middle Georgia, there’s another great battle as Perry steps up in classification again, this time, to face Jones County. Both teams have quarterbacks that can really let it fly. Will Perry’s Colter Ginn have another big outing or will it be Jones County’s Judd Anderson leading his team to victory.

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

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

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

The Skinny

The Westlake Lions are replacing a lot of talent on offense, but that hasn’t tempered expectations or slowed the young Lions down this season . First year starting quarterback Sean Smith has passed for 309 yards and 5-TDs. His top receiver has been Travis Smith Jr, who’s caught eight passes for 184 yards and 2-TDs. Meanwhile, Naeem Odeniyi leads the team in rushing with 203 yards. The Westlake defense has been downright dominant this season, forcing seven turnovers in just two games.

The Cedar Grove Saints will hav their work cut out for them this week as they visit Westlake. Junior quarterback E.J. Colson threw 5-TDs in Week two, but the Saints were bitten by the turnover bug which eventually did them in. Perhaps one of the most surprising stats about this Cedar Grove team is that the defense is allowing 41.5 points again. But you have to take that with a grain of salt as they are playing larger classification schools.

We expect this game to be high scoring as both of these teams have shown their propensity to score early and often. If the Saints can keep the turnovers down, they should find themselves in this game late. Westlake’s ball hawking defense won’t make that easy. We like the Lions by 6.

The Skinny

The Early County Bobcats opened up the season with two region wins. The Bobcats have done most of their damage on the ground with running backs Ty Stovall, Kendarius Boyd, and Charles Williams. As a team, Early is averaging 31 points per game while the defense is allowing 14 points per game. B’Anthony Wade has picked up where he left off last season causing disruption in the oppositions backfield.

The Schley County Wildcats had a week off last week. They looked sharp in week-1 rolling up 543 yards of offense and 61 points. The Wildcats are led by quarterback Jay Kanazawa with 288 yards and 3-TDs. His primary targets were Jalewis Solomon (6 receptions for 136 yards and 1-TD) and Kendall Sims 4 receptions for 72 yards and 1-TD). Meanwhile, it hs been Jeremyah Rogers leading the way on the ground with 147 yards and 2-TDs.

This game features a couple of contrasting styles, with the Bobcats looking to control the game using their rushing attack. They’ll also need another outstanding performance from their defense. It worked last season, but this year, we believe the Wildcats will have the edge. We like Schley by 5.

The Skinny

We admittedly sold the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes short after some of the talent they lost to graduation last season. But even still, they now find themselves near the top of our 2-A rankings. The strength of the Canes certainly rests in their ability to run the football. They are set up well to do just that with an offensive line anchored by Lavon Simmons, Gabe Pearce. There isn’t just one back doing the damage for the Canes as we’ve seen multiple formations and multiple backs have success for Fitzgerald.

The Northeast Macon Raiders are in a little different boat. They will most certainly rely on the legs of senior running back Nick Woodford who was spectacular last season. While we believe Woodford will be featured, don’t discount sophomore quarterback Reginald Glover who threw for over 100 yards in Week-1. If the Raiders are going to stay in this game, they’ll have to limit some a few special teams miscues and turnovers that thwarter drives in last week’s defeat.

We believe this could be one of the shortest games of the year with both teams propensity to run the ball. We beleive Fitzgerald has a little more experience with seniors that have appeared in 3 state title games. Give us the Canes by 11.

The Skinny

The Perry Panthers certainly scheduled some of the best competition in middle Georgia to start the season. While the Panthers got the short end of the stick in week-1 against Class 6A Houston County, they put up some notable numbers. Colter Ginn showed off his passing prowess as he threw for 349 yards and a touchdown. Both Dakari Anderson and Kory Pettigrew went over 100 yards receiving as the duo combined for 12 receptions for 263 yards. On the ground, it was Ahmad Gordon talking the helm and rushing for 91 yards and 3-TDs. Linebacker Jerrell Pinckney led the defense with 11 total tackles in the loss.

The Jones County Bulldogs got in the win column as they defeated Class 6A Dacula last week. This season, Jones County has used both the ground and the air to attack the opposition as they are averaging 200 yards passing and 154.5 yards rushing per game. They’ve used two quarterbacks this season in Judd Anderson and junior Devin Edmonds. The duo has combined for 365 yards and 5-TDs. And while we have seen both quarterbacks this season, expect for Anderson to get the start this week. Daniel Hawk leads the team in total tackles while defensive back Roderick Freeman has already intercepted three passes this season.

Perry won’t be phased by playing up a classification this week. We expect plenty of fireworks as these are two of the top quarterbacks in the area in Anderson and Ginn. Ginn seems to have fit right in with the Panthers and we believe they will ride to victory on his arm. Perry by 8.

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Previews – Week 3

Posted on August 30, 2023 by admin

Week-3 is quickly approaching and there is a fantastic slate of games as the landscape of high school football begins to sort itself out in the early season. This is Part-I of our weekly feature where we highlight eight of the more intriguing football matchups around the state of Georgia.

First up the Appling County Pirates continues their challenging non-region slate of games as they host a resurgent Wayne County Yellowjacket team. Both of these teams have shown a propensity to run the football. Will the Pirates be able to slow down Matthew Fuller and the Jackets? Down in Bainbridge, the Bearcats will host another South Georgia titan as the Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets come calling. The Jackets will be bringing with them their high powered offense. Do the Cats have enough offense to match the Jackets score for score?

Down in LaGrange, a cross town battle is brewing as the Callaway Cavaliers will host the Troup Tigers. Callaway scored a big win over a 4A program last week, but Troup presents a different set of problems. Will the Cavaliers be able to slow down Troup’s electric quarterback Taeo Todd? Finally, Rome will host Carrollton in a matchup of two of the state’s top quarterbacks. Rome’s defense has been extremely stingy this season. Can they put the breaks on the Trojans fast break offense?

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

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

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

The Skinny

The Appling County Pirates got into the win column in a big way last Friday with a 41 point win over Aiken, SC. They were able to get Jamarion Williams going last week as the back posses a combination of power and speed that makes him difficult to bring down with just one defender. Junior quarterback Dayson Griffis has a couple of reliable targets at receiver in Camden Hickox and Kellen Echols that will help the Pirates keep opposing defenses off balance. The Pirates defense is allowing 16.5 points per game on the young season.

The Wayne County Yellow Jackets are 2-0 for the first time since 2019. The Jackets will look to make it back to back wins over Pirates. Expect Wayne to establish the run early and often, they are averaging over 330 yards per game on the ground. Matthew Fuller has already rushed for 552 yards and 6-TDs this season. Wayne County was able to stymie Brooks County last week defensively, as the recorded their first shutout in almost a year. The Jackets are allowing 10 points per game this season.

The Appling County offense defense will have their hands full as they have to find a way to slow down Matthew Fuller. That’s been easier said than done so far this season. We believe Appling finds a way to slow Fuller down this week. Pirates by 3.

The Skinny

The road does not get any easier for the Bainbridge Bearcats this week as they host Highway 84 rival Thomas County Central. The Bearcats offense has done most of their damage on the ground, averaging 175 yards per game rushing and 7-TDs. Keenan Phillips has racked up 290 yards and 4-TDs in the first two contests. Cam Sanders has done enough in the passing game to keep teams honest with 202 yards and 2-TDs through the air with no interceptions. Antavious Murphy has been the primary target for Sanders with 10 receptions for 157 yards. Sanders has also been active on defense, as he leads the team with 2 sacks.

Thomas County Central cruised to victory over rival Thomasville last week The offense has been powered by quarterback Jaylen Johnson who has completed 60% of his passes for 507 yards and 4-TDs. Trey Benton leads the ground game, while Tre’von Pringle is starting to emerge as a reliable receiver to go alongside Malachi Thomas, Ashton Harper and A.J. Clark out of the backfield. The Jackets have been stingy on defense this season allowing just one touchdown in 8 quarters played. Senior linebacker Tywon Christopher leads the team with 11 total tackles.

Thomas County Central broke a 5-game losing streak in the series with a win last season. Bainbridge will have to find a way to rattle Johnson at quarterback if they have any shot at knocking of a Thomas County Central team that seems poised for another region title and deep playoff run. We like the Bearcats to have have some success on offense, but not enough to outlast the Jackets. Thomas County Central by 17.

The Skinny

The Callaway Cavaliers opened their season with a big win over the Cedartown Bulldogs. Senior quarterback Deshun Coleman spearheaded the offense as he showcased his passing and scrambling abilities, accounting for 278 total yards and 3 total touchdowns. But it wasn’t just the Deshun Coleman show, as sophomore quarterback Blake Harrington showcased has passing and scrambling abilities as well. Trevon Reeves was the primary target for the quarterbacks, as he hauled in six balls for 126 yards.

The Troup Tigers offense has been on fire in the first two weeks of the season. Troup is averaging 40.5 points per game. Quarterback Taeo Todd is the straw that stirs the drink for the Tigers offense. He’s passed for 331 yards, rushed for 120 yards and has accounted for 9 of the teams touchdowns this season. Todd’s primary target has been Logan Sinkfield, who’s hauled in 7 receptions for 117 yards. Sinkfield has also rushed for 60 yards on just 4 carries. The Tigers defense has been tough early this season, allowing just 3.5 points per game. Qua Birdsong leads the team with 10 total tackles.

Troup’s offense has been explosive and conventional wisdom would say that Callaway won’t be able to keep up, but stranger things have happened in this rivalry game. The Callaway quarterbacks will make enough plays to keep this game close, but we believe Troup edges their county rival behind the explosive Taeo Todd. Tigers by 5.

The Skinny

The Rome Wolves will face their old region foe for the 10th time. The Wolves have already flexed their offensive and defensive prowess as they are averaging 45 points per game while the defense is allowing just 4 points per game. Offensively, it’s been quarterback Reece Fountain leading the way with 336 passing yards and 5-TDs on the season. He has reliable targets like D.K. Daniel, Nic Hester and B.J. Jackson. The Wolves also have a proven bruiser at running back in junior Chance Arthur who has no problem running in between the tackles and finishing runs typically falling forward. Rome’s defense has already gotten into the scoring column this young season and Justin Terrell and Trey Adams have been effective harassing opposing quarterbacks.

The Carrollton Trojans got a big win last week as they shut out South Paulding. The Trojans have turned to sophomore running back Kimauri Farmer who has rushed for 173 yards and 6-TDs in place of the injured Bryce Hicks. All eyes will be on sophomore quarterback Julian “Juju” Lewis. He’s completing 66% of his passes for 427 yards and 4-TDs in the young season. Eight different receivers have caught passes for the Trojans, but Caleb Odom will probably be Hicks’ primary target week in and week out.

We believe Rome will want to make this a physical slugfest and if they can utilize Chance Arthur and the run game, perhaps they can keep the explosive Carrollton offense on the sideline and control the time of possession. Points will be at a premium, but we like Carrollton by 3 on the road.

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GHSA Football Rankings – Week 3

Posted on August 27, 2023 by admin

Week two of the Georgia High School Football season is in the books and as usual, fans across the state were treated to some great football this past Friday night. Cooler weather seems to be on the forefront and we know that will be welcome by players and fans alike on the Friday nights ahead. Below you will find our rankings for each classification.

In Class 7A, Milton fell a couple of spots after a loss to Florida Top-10 Western High. Meanwhile, Westlake storms into the rankings at No. 8 this week. The Grayson Rams round out the rankings at No. 10, after a one week hiatus. No new entrants into the 6A rankings this week. Woodward Academy did drop three spots to No. 8 after a 20 point defeat at the hands of McCallie of Tennessee. Meanwhile the Class 5A rankings remain unchanged as all of the teams either won or were off.

In Class 4A, the top of the rankings remained relatively unchanged, however at the bottom of the poll, Wayne County and Stephenson jump into the rankings at No. 9 & No. 10 respectively. Similar to Class 4A, in Class 3A, the top of the rankings remained unchanged for the most part. Crisp County did drop one spot after suffering a loss to Westlake. Monroe Area makes their debut at No. 10 this week in Class 3A. However, the biggest eye opener may have been Stephens County blanking Rabun County.

There were no new entrants into the 2A ranking, however, there was a little shuffling as Cook and Rockmart swap spots at 6 and 7. Fellowship Christian and Athens Christian fall to No. 9 and No. 10 respectively. In Class A – Division I, Elbert County fell 4 spots to No. 7 after falling to Madison County. Meanwhile, Temple makes their debut at No. 10 this week.

Finally, in Class A – Division II, Macon County catapults to No. 4 this week after their 3 point win over Clinch County. The loss dropped Clinch down to No. 6 this week.

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

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

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

AAAAAAA

AAAAAA

AAAAA

AAAA

AAA

AA

A Division I

A Division II

Posted in 2023 GHSA Football Rankings | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Previews – Part II

Posted on August 23, 2023 by admin

Week two of the Georgia High School football season is quickly approaching and as usual there are great matchups all over the state. This is Part II of our weekly high school previews that we call Eight Greats Around the State.

The Perry Panthers will look to even up their series against neighboring Houston County this week as the Bears come calling. Both teams have proven leaders at quarterback but can Perry’s defense derail the high scoring Houston County offense? Over in Northwest Georgia, the Rockmart Yellow Jackets look to bounce back after a tough loss last week to rival Cedartown. They will host a very talented Cass Colonels team who is also looking to avoid an 0-2 start. Will the Cass offense get going this week after being shut out in Week-1?

Across the state in Northeast Georgia, the Stephens County Indians will host the Rabun County Wildcat. Both of these teams feature new faces at the quarterback position. But will the Indians experience at running back be the difference this week? Finally, in the Rose City rivalry, Thomas County Central will host Thomasville. Central seemingly came out of nowhere last season to many people’s amazement. Has Thomasville narrowed the gap or will Central even up the series?

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

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

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

The Skinny

Head Coach Kevin Smith has guided the Perry Panthers to the post season for five consecutive seasons, including three consecutive region titles. The Panthers lost two games last season by a combined 8 points. While Perry will certainly miss Armar Gordon at quarterback, the position is bolstered by Colter Ginn who brings an impressive resume from his time with Peach County last season. Ginn will have some talent to work with as Dakari Anderson returns. Last season, Anderson led the team with 66 receptions for 1,096 yards and 11-TDs. The Perry defense was a big part of the team’s success in 2022. Jerrell Pinckney returns to lead a defense that allowed just 10.4 points per game. 

The Houston County Bears picked up where they left off last season by putting up video game like numbers in Week-1. Last season, the Bears scored over 50 points 5 different times. Last week, they bested that total again, putting up 56 points in the win. Quarterback Antwann Hill threw for 287 yards and 4-TDs and was perfect on the night, completing all 16 of his passes. Ricky Johnson and Kale Woodburn were Hill’s primary targets as the duo combined for 215 yards and 3-TDs on 12 receptions. The Bears used 7 different running backs last week, none of them had more than 4 carries. 

This game was an absolute shootout last season. With the Panthers new signal caller, we don’t think things will be much different this season. We believe the Bears have an advantage at receiver and we believe that will be the difference. Houston County by 10.

The Skinny

The Rockmart Yellow Jackets fell just short in their game last week against Polk County rival Cedartown. They’ll be at home this week as they try to get their first win of the season. Last week, the Jackets were able to find success on the ground as they rushed for 177 yards as a team. It was a combination of quarterback J.D. Davis, Brent Washington and Anson High who paced the team with a combined 152 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, Rockmart held serve as they limited Cedartown to just 214 total yards on offense. 

The Cass Colonels ran into a buzzsaw last week as they were shutout by Class 6A power, Rome. While the offense was held in check for most of the night, we were able to catch glimpses of how good this team can be this season as Brodie McWhorter was able to connect with Sacovie White and Devin Henderson 10 times for 93 yards. White and Henderson also led the team in rushing, but it was tough sledding all night long. Henderson also led the team in tackles and intercepted a Reece Fountain pass in the secondary. 

While Cass was held scoreless last week, we believe they have too many weapons on offense for that to happen for a second week in a row. Rockmart was tough against the run last week, so Cass might have to depend on McWhorter’s accuracy to help keep drives alive. Rockmart won this matchup last season, yet, we like Cass and their experience at receiver to be the difference. Colonels by 8.

The Skinny

The Stephens County Indians got a big win over Class 6A Habersham Central for the second year in a row. Last week it was Javin Gordon going over the century mark with 122 yards and a pair of TDs while first year starter Trip Underwood threw for 161 yards and 2-TDs to help pace the Stephens County offense. Jasec Smith was the top receiver with 4 catches for 102 yards and 2-TDs. Smith also recorded 7 tackles and had two pass deflections. The 29 points surrendered last week were more points than Stephens County allowed in any game last season. 

The Rabun County Wildcats got off to a hot start under the direction of sophomore quarterback Ty Truelove. Truelove completed 75% of his passes for 220 yards and 4-TDs. Five different receivers caught passes for the Wildcats who were led by Willie Goodwyn who had 5 receptions for 81 yards and 2-TDs, which included some very shifty moves after the catch.  Sophomore Reid Giles led the team in rushing with 86 yards on just 3 carries including one touchdown. 

Both teams were impressive in their opening week wins. It appears that both of these young teams are already playing at a high level. While Rabun looks to be primed to defend their region title later this season, we like Javin Gordon and his ability to run the ball. Stephens County breaks the drought and gets their first victory over Rabun since 1959. Indians by 4.

The Skinny

After a few mediocre seasons, head coach Justin Rogers has come in and reinvigorated the Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets program as they advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2009. The Jackets offense accounted for 488 yards of total offense with first year starting quarterback Jaylin Johnson passing for 213 yards and two touchdowns, while Trey Benton added 115 yards on the ground. Much of the credit on offense goes to Ty Brown and his offensive line mates that helped keep Johnson from duress for most of the game. Perhaps the unsung heroes of the game is the TCC defense, which allowed just 69 total yards of offense. 

The Thomasville Bulldogs also got their season off to a great start with a big win over rival Brooks County. Like their cross-town rivals, the Bulldogs racked up plenty of offense as they totaled 572 yards of total offense with sophomore quarterback Cam Hill passing for 266 yards and 1-TD while completing 76.2% of his passes. Eight different receivers caught passes, with Cole Shaw and Messiah Wilson leading the way with 4 receptions a piece. Five different backs carried the ball for Thomasville, with Lavonte Cole leading the way with 87 yards and a touchdown. The Bulldogs secondary picked off two passes in the game last week. 

Last season, Thomasville got off to a slow start before winning 8 straight games propelling them into the quarterfinals. The offense already looks like it’s clicking on all cylinders. However, the Jackets won’t just lay down. We expect a much closer game than a year ago. With two young quarterbacks that really have bright futures, we expect this to be a shootout. We believe the Jackets have the edge at the line of scrimmage this week and that should be the difference in the Rose City Rivalry. TCC by 9.

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Previews – Part I

Posted on August 23, 2023 by admin

Week two of the Georgia High School football season is quickly approaching and as usual there are great matchups all over the state. This is Part I of our weekly high school previews that we call Eight Greats Around the State.

First up, the Callaway Cavaliers host the Cedartown Bulldogs. Cedartown is fresh off of a win over their Polk County rival. Will their defense be as effective on the road or will Deshun Coleman and Callaway hold serve at home? Next up in a Southeast Georgia battle, the Camden County Wildcats host the Brunswick Pirates. Brunswick get the best of Camden last season, will Camden hold serve at home this season.

In Midtown Atlanta, the Carver Atlanta Panthers will host the Calhoun Yellow Jackets. The Panthers have been a power in Class 3A over the last few years. Can they take the sting out of a very potent Calhoun offense. Finally, the Coffee Trojans will host the Bainbridge Bearcats on Friday. Both teams have shown the ability to run the football effectively. Can Coffee hold Bainbridge at bay or will the Bainbridge ground game by the difference?

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

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

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

The Skinny

The Callaway Cavaliers will open their season with a tall task this week. Head Coach Pete Wiggins has turned the Cavaliers into a perennial power over in Hogansville and there’s no reason to think this season will be any different. The Callaway offense will be led once again this season by quarterback DeShun Coleman. Last season, Coleman threw for 1,213 yards and rushed for over 350 yards while adding 15 total touchdowns. In his previous two seasons as the starting quarterback, Coleman has led the Cavs to the semifinals and quarterfinals. JoJo Shuman is a pre-season All State selection along the offensive line. Expect for Jordan King to be the primary back for the Cavs this season. 

The Cederatown Bulldogs edged Polk County rival Cedartown last week. The Bulldogs were held to 214 yards of total offense last week. It was the combination of Tae Harris and Isaiah Johnson at running back who did the bulk of the damage for the Bulldogs as they combined for 100 yards rushing on 25 carries. First year starter Drew Ledbetter was efficient, completing 62.5% of his passes for 97 yards and a touchdown for the primarily run based offense. The aforementioned Johnson and Tadji Neal also helped pace the defense with 9 and 8 total tackles respectively while Johnson also added a sack. 

If Callaway can avoid a slow start, we believe they have enough explosive options on offense to put pressure on a Cedartown team that is still breaking in new starters at key positions. Cedartown ran away with this game last season. We don’t expect a repeat. We like the experience of Coleman at quarterback for the Cavs. But something tells us Cedartown’s ground game will be the difference. Bulldogs by 6.

The Skinny

The Camden County Wildcats opened the season with a victory last week and will now host one of their oldest rivals Friday night. The Wildcats got a big night from Jaden Daily as he rushed for 140 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Mason Robinson was efficient while not throwing the ball much, he completed 80% of his passes for 118 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, the Wildcats were led by Cooper Thornhill and Kanaan Graham with 13 and 11 total tackles respectively. 

The Brunswick Pirates were off last week as we can assure they are chomping at the bit to hit the field on Friday. The Pirates return plenty of talent from last years region title team including quarterback J.R. Elkins who passed for over 1,500 yards and 19-TDs in the 2022 campaign. He will be joined in the backfield by two familiar faces in running backs Jamarius Towns and William Heck as the two juniors helped lead a ground attack that averaged 226 yards per game last year. Defensively, all eyes will be on Devin Smith as the senior linebacker has racked up plenty of preseason accolades and has been heavily recruited by Power-4 conferences. Smith led the team in sacks and tackles for loss last season. 

Camden County will have their hands full with Brunswick as they return several key pieces. The Pirates do have some holes to fill defensively due to graduation. The biggest question to be answered is whether or not Brunswick can bottle up Camden’s ground attack. We believe they can. We like the Pirates by 2 on the road. 

The Skinny

The Carver Atlanta Panthers have made deep playoff runs over the last three seasons, including a finals appearance in 2021. Last week, quarterback Adam Sheely made his debut as a starter and threw for 175 yards and a touchdown while completing 69% of his passes. Sheely spread the ball around between four different receivers with Roderick Hunter and sophomore Terrious Favors leading the way. Sheely and Amari Russell each had 40 yards rushing on the night, with Russell being the bell-cow, carrying the ball 15 times in the victory. Joshua Stone led the Panthers in tackles while Jamontez Hines recorded 5 sacks in the game last week. 

The Calhoun Yellow Jackets offense was held in check last week by Blessed Trinity. It was a long road trip for the Jackets and this week, they will venture further into Atlanta into the heart of Midtown for their game. Last week, Calhoun’s offense was held in check for most of the game as they were not able to get the ground game going as they were held to -10 yards rushing. Their run defense however was serviceable, holding Blessed Trinity to just 66 yards on the ground. They’ll need another effort like that defensively if they want a win on the road.

We can only guess that Calhoun will look to get the ground game and Caden Williams going this week. Neither team was overly effective in the ground game in Week-1. We believe the team that is able to establish the line of scrimmage on offense wins this one. We like Calhoun to bounce back on the road. Jackets by 6.

The Skinny

The Coffee Trojans racked up 458 yards of total offense last week in their win over TIft County. Senior running back Fred Brown tallied 234 yards on 27 carries and added 2-TDs. Fellow senior quarterback Maurice Hansley threw for 183 yards and 2-TDs. He completed passes to six different receivers. The Coffee defense was paced by Jyarius Carter and Jaquavious Simpkins. The Trojans seemed to pick up where they left off last season defensively allowing less than 16 points per game over the course of the 2022 season. 

The Bainbridge Bearcats scored early and often last week as they got a big win over ELCA. The Bearcats did most of their damage on the ground offensively as they racked up 258 rushing yards and 6 rushing TDs. Keenan Phillips was the workhorse  for Bainbridge with 206 yards and 3-TDs on 17 carries. The Bearcats starting QB Cam Sanders did complete 5 passes for 53 yards and a touchdown. Last season the Bainbridge offense allowed 17.4 points per game and on Friday night, they held ELCA out of the end zone and managed to score points themselves on a pick 6 by junior safety Tashun Carter. 

Both of these teams reached the quarterfinals in their respective classifications last season and we have no reason to doubt they can’t make a run again come November. However with regards to this game, we like the versatility of the Coffee offense. It should be another close ball game, but we like the Trojans by 2.

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GHSA Football Rankings – Week 2

Posted on August 20, 2023 by admin

The Georgia High School football season is off and running. There was a great slate of games across the state starting on Wednesday and commencing Saturday evening. We were treated to some great football regardless of classification. This week’s rankings are a reflection of our views on the outcomes of games in Week-1. Throughout all classifications, the No. 1 ranked team remained the same with the exception of Class 2A, where Callaway moves up to No. 1, despite having the first week off.

In Class 7A Buford remains on top while Carrollton falls 4 spots to No.6. New entrants this week include Mill Creek at No. 5 and Parkview at No. 10. In Class 6A, Langston Hughes remains atop the ranking as they defeated Carrollton on the road. There were no teams that dropped from the Top-10 in 6A, but watch out for Houston County. We wouldn’t be shocked to see them crack our rankings soon.

In Class 5A, the top two, (Ware County and Creekside), remain the same, yet there was some shakeup after that. Hiram jumps into the rankings at No. 8 this week giving Region 7 three teams in the Top-10. Class 4A saw the top 3 teams remain unchanged as Benedictine, Troup and North Oconee all held serve. Westminster makes their 2023 debut in the rankings at No. 10.

Class 3A might be deeper than any other classification other than 7A. The top four teams remain unchanged this week. Carver Atlanta is in the rankings at No. 10 this week after their big win over LaGrange. Down in Class 2A there was a major shakeup as No. 1 ranked Thompson fell to class 4A Baldwin 14-12. Appling County also dropped a game to class 5A Ware County. Callaway takes over the top spot there, even though they were off last week.

Both Class A Division I and Class A Division II saw plenty of shakeup this week. In Division I, Prince Avenue remains on top while Lamar County makes their debut this week at No. 10. Division II had the most turnover this week. While Schley County, Early County and Clinch County sit at No. 1, 2, & 3 respectively, the rest of the rankings were turned upside down. New entrants to the rankings this week include Manchester (No. 4), McIntosh County Academy (No. 5), Turner County (No. 8) and Johnson County (No. 9).

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

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

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

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A DIVISION II

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Eight Greats Around the State – Part II

Posted on August 16, 2023 by admin

Georgia High School Football Previews

School is back in. The days are slowly getting shorter and we approach the midpoint of August. That can only mean one thing…High School Football is back in the state of Georgia! Welcome to our weekly segment of our high school football previews that we like to call Eight Greats Around the State; where we preview 8 intriguing matchups across the state.

First up, the Rome Wolves host the Cass Colonels in the nightcap of the Corky Kell Classic at Barron Stadium. The Wolves and Reece Fountain look primed for another deep run in the state playoffs. Can the up and coming Cass Colonels shock the state and upset the perennial Northwest Georgia power? Staying in Northwest Georgia, we next go to the battle of Polk County as Cedartown will host rival Rockmart on a Thursday night. Cedertown lost a lot of talent to graduation from a state finalist team, but we wouldn’t call this a rebuilding year. Meanwhile, Rockmart and quarterback J.D. Davis will look to exact a measure of revenge and stake their claim as Polk County champs.

Down in South Georgia, Lee County will host middle Georgia power Warner Robins. Lee has plenty of experience back from a team that had a down season by their standards. Meanwhile Warner Robins and new head coach Shane Sams will look to get the Demons back to the state finals for a fourth straight season. Will Chase Reese and the Robins offense figure out how to score enough points on Lee’s vaunted defense? Finally, on a Saturday tilt, the Walton Raiders will play the Grayson Rams in the night cap of the Corky Kell Classic. Walton’s offense looks poised to put up big numbers this season behind Jeremy Hecklinski. But don’t forget about Grayson quarterback Jeff Davis as he seems primed for a big senior season for the Rams. Which standout quarterback will win this early season prime time matchup?

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

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

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

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

The Skinny

The Rome Wolves return plenty of fire power from a team that advanced to the semifinals last season. Reece Fountain returns for his senior season after throwing for 3,028 yards and 28-TDs. Fountain will have plenty of talent at receiver including D.K. Daniel who garnered the region POY award last season. Expect for Nic Hester and Toot Stallings to be primary targets for Fountain. The Wolves will have a stable of backs led by Chance Arthur and Javarius McDearmont. For all of Rome’s offensive prowess, their defense is just as good. While they will be without standouts like  Stephylon Green and Alto Moore, don’t expect too much of a fall off. Justin Terrell and Trey Adams anchor the defensive line for a team that allowed just 10.6 points per game last season. 

The Cass Colonels have steadily improved each year under head coach Steve Gates. Last year, they advanced to the second round of the state playoffs for the first time since 1983. This might be one of the Colonels more talented teams across the board. The versatile Devin Henderson will likely see action on both sides of the field. Sophomore quarterback Brodie McWhorter has seen his stock rise in the offseason and with weapons like Henderson and Sacovie White. We believe a special season could be in store for Cass. Cass also returns to talented young offensive linemen in Bear McWhorter and Kail Ellis. Meanwhile, Kaden Ellis is as disruptive as they come along the defensive line for Cass.

We like Cass and we beleive they have the talent to contend for a home playoff spot once region play comes around, Rome is a big step up in competition. We beleive Cass can keep it close for a half, but Rome is a little deeper. Wolves by 18.

The Skinny

The Cedartown Bulldogs lost a lot of their offense to graduation as their top 4 ball carriers and their quarterback have all finished their high school careers. Look for Demarcus Gardner to help fill the void in the backfield for Cedartown. Tae Harris is a big time defensive back who might also see some time on offense in the Bulldogs Wing-T alignment. All signs point to Drew Ledbetter to step into the starting role at quarterback for the Bulldogs. Meanwhile, the defense will feature the aforementioned Gardner, Harris and Tadji Neal in the secondary while Jakoby Diamond will anchor the defensive line. This is a Cedartown defense that allowed just 9.4 points per game a year ago. 

The Rockmart Yellow Jackets made a run to the quarterfinals before they fell to Fitzgerald in overtime last season. The Yellow Jackets welcome back starting quarterback J.D. Davis who completed 58% of his passes for 905 yards a year ago. While the Jackets lose most of their production on the ground last year, they do return bruising back Brent Washington who rushed for 471 yards and 10-TDs. Tristan Anderson is the team’s leading returning receiver with 8 receptions for 183 yards and a touchdown. 

Expect this game to have plenty of fireworks between Rockmart’s Davis and Washington. We believe they will help the game close, but Cedartown’s defense will be the difference. We like the Bulldogs by 5.

The Skinny

The Lee County Trojans will start their season looking to extend their playoff streak to eight straight seasons. All eyes will be on junior running back Ousmane Kromah who rushed for 1,504 yards and 20 TDs a year ago. Kromah is the physical back while Braxton Honer has shown the ability to be a good change of pace back with his speed and shiftiness. Quarterback Weston Bryan should have more command of the offense in his second year as a starter. Defensively standouts from a year ago for the Trojans include Jaydon Cory (50 total tackles), Temirez Williams (59 total tackles), Jase Angry (46 total tackles), Devin Collier (Georgia Southern commit) and Jacob White (41 total tackles).

The Warner Robins Demons started off 2022 slow and then reeled off 9 straight wins before falling in the state title game. The Demons will have a new head coach as the Shane Sams era begins in 2023. Warner Robins has made the state title game for the last three seasons. Quarterback Chase Reese will look to improve on his 1,517 yards and 17-TDs from a year ago. His primary targets include Isiah Canion and Cam Flowers. William “Trey” Gunnings should get the bulk of the carries in the Demons backfield. On the defense side of the ball, Isaiah Gibson will make things difficult on opposing offenses. The junior is the team’s sack leader fro a year ago and has picked up offers from schools such as USC and Auburn. 

This Trojans are generally tough at home and should be improved with the maturation of Bryan at quarterback and the steady Kromah in the backfield. The Demons however seem to have a little more star power at quarterback and receiver. We believe that will be the difference in a close matchup. Warner Robins by 2. 

The Skinny

The Walton Raiders will look to extend their state playoff streak to seven consecutive years as they travel to Atlanta to participate in the Corky Kell Classic. The Raider put up big numbers last season on offense, averaging 37.8 points per game. They will return their signal caller, Jeremy Hecklinski, who threw for 3,520 yards and 37-TDs. They also return all of their top receivers from a year ago including Cameron Loyd (50 receptions, 851 yards, 9-TDs), Wyatt Sonderman (42 receptions, 744 yards, 11-TDs) and tight end Hunter Teal (50 receptions, 970 yards, 4-TDs). Senior running back Makari Bodiford will look to build on his junior season when he rushed for 1,582 yards and 20-TDs. The Raiders will also welcome offensive lineman Daniel Calhoun who committed to Georgia earlier this summer. The physical offensive tackle should help ensure another 1,000 yard rushing season for Bodiford. 

The Grayson Rams will have a new head coach for the 2023 season as Santavious Bryant takes over. Coach Bryant will inherit an offense that averaged 31 points per game and returns their starting quarterback Jeff Davis who threw for 2,242 yards and 15-TDs last season. John Cineas and Kylan Fox are the teams top returning receivers while Dylan Elder and Amari Alston should get the bulk of the carries at running back. Defensively, the Rams will lean on lineman Nasir Smith and defensive backs Jaylen Bell and Myles Woods. They are key pieces from a defense that allowed 13.3 points per game last season. 

There is plenty of star power across the board in this game including a great quarterback battle between Hecklisnki of Walton and Davis of Grayson.  By our account, Walton is 27-31 against teams from Gwinnett County all time. We believe coach Bryant will have his Rams playing at a high level and should make a push for a region title. But on Saturday, we like the Raiders in a shootout. Walton by 3. 

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Eight Greats Around the State – Part I

Posted on August 16, 2023 by admin

Georgia High School Football Previews

School is back in. The days are slowly getting shorter as we approach the midpoint of August. That can only mean one thing…High School Football is back in the state of Georgia! Welcome to our weekly segment of our high school football previews that we like to call Eight Greats Around the State; where we preview 8 intriguing matchups across the state.

This week we start with a matchup of former region rivals as Calhoun travels to Roswell to take on Blessed Trinity. New head coach Ed Dudley and his Titans will have their hands full trying to contain the explosive Yellow Jackets and Caden Williams. Meanwhile over in Carrollton, the Trojans will host the Langston Hughes Panthers in a battle of the state’s top quarterbacks. Will Juju Lewis and Carrollton out-duel Prentiss “Air” Noland and the defending Class 6A Champs?

Down in Ocilla, the Irwin County Indians will host the Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes. Both teams will be replacing a lot of talent lost to graduation. Will Shane Marshall be able to run wild for Irwin County or will it be Diondre Paschal and his Canes teammates that will have success on Friday? Finally in Northeast Georgia, the Hart County Bulldogs will host the Elbert County Blue Devils. Will running back Nori Moore be enough to steady the young Hart County offense or will Jayvyn Hickman and the Blue Devils find success through the air?

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

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

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

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

The Skinny

The Ed Dudley era begins this Friday night as the Blessed Trinity Titans host the Calhoun Yellow Jackets. The Titans return all region quarterback Brooks Goodman, who passed for 1,185 yards and 14-TDs last season. Expect for Zyon McKenzie and Bryce Lewis to be top targets for Goodman. The ground game lost most of its production to graduation, Kamernon Betts and Dylan Terrico could be players that the Titans look towards to pace the ground attack. The defense will be anchored by Adrian Forbes and Paul Harrington, while all-region selection Spencer Kramer will help lead the secondary. D.J. Jacobs will look to see his first high school action as the freshmen has already been turning heads at linebacker and defensive end. 

The Calhoun Yellow Jackets have an impressive 23 year streak of making the post season. During that time, Calhoun has won three state titles and most recently played for a state title in 2021. The Jackets offense returns pre-season All-State selection Trey Townsend (QB)  and Caden Williams (RB). Townsend loses some of his top targets from a year ago, but expect for tight end Emaree Winston and receiver Bryant Arnold to pick up the slack. Kristyane Gregory (DL) and Christian Smith  (LB) will lead the Jackets defensively. 

This should be a fun matchup, with two talented QBs. There will be a lot of pressure on the Titans defense to find a way to slow down Townsend and Williams. We like the home field advantage for the Titans, but the explosiveness and experience of Caden Williams could be the difference. Calhoun by 3. 

The Skinny

The Carrollton Trojans will start their 2023 campaign looking to get back to the state finals. They return a bevy of talent from their 2022 team including sophomore quarterback Julian “Juju” Lewis, who threw for 4,118 yard and 48 TDs. Lewis will return four of his top 6 receivers from a year ago including Caleb Odom, Jordan White and the versatile Bryce Hicks. Hicks is also the teams top running back from a year ago. He will look to pick up where he left off last year after rushing for over 1,600 yards with 22-TDs. Defensively, Carrollton will be led by linebackers Brody Bradburn, Montreze Smith and Jacob Levy.

The Langston Hughes Panthers fresh off their state championship run from a year ago will waste no time jumping in to the fire in 2023. The Panthers have a star quarterback of their own in Ohio State commit Prentiss “Air” Noland. The southpaw threw for 4,095 yards and 55-TDs last season. Noland will have a young receiving group this season as four of his top five targets from a year ago have graduated. Justus Savage will return in the backfield after rushing for over 1,000 yards a year ago. Ameir Glenn returns to lead the defense that allowed 11.8 points per game a year ago.

This game features some of the best talent in the state. Expect for Hughes to be game to stay with the Trojans for the first three quarters. We believe Carrollton’s depth at receiver will be too much for Hughes in the end. We like the Carrollton by 8.

The Skinny

Irwin County is in the midst of a historic run in which they have reached the semifinals in 9 out of the last 10 seasons. This year, the Indians will have to replace some standouts as they say goodbye to players like two way star Demarkus Lundy and quarterback Cody Soliday. The Indians do return experience in the backfield in Shane Marshall. The rising junior rushed for 845 yards and 14-TDs a year ago. Having Marshall’s experience should take some of the pressure off of first year starter Luke Snyder at quarterback. Defensively, the Irwin welcomes back All-State lineman Michael Joiner who will spearhead a unit that allowed only 11 points per game last season.

Fitzgerald is in the midst of an impressive run themselves, as they made the state playoffs for the 23rd consecutive season last year. During that stretch the Purple Hurricanes have won one state title and appeared in the finals six times, included three appearances in the last three years. The Canes return Diondre Paschal in the backfield and we expect the bruising back to pick up where he left off last season. Pashcal will have some familiar faces to run behind as Christian Riggins and Gabe Pearce return to anchor the line of scrimmage. 

We expect for both teams to try to impose their will along the line of scrimmage. Irwin will keep this one close at home, but we like Paschal and the Canes on the road by 6. 

The Skinny

The Hart County Bulldogs will look to get back to the playoffs after missing out last season. Offensively, they will lean pre-season all-state selection and senior running back Nori Moore who tallied over 1,800 yards from scrimmage last season. Moore is an explosive back with big play potential every time he touches the ball. The Bulldogs will be breaking in a new quarterback as Jashon Gaines moves over from receiver to take over the quarterbacking duties. Defensively, the Bulldogs will look to All-Region performers Trevion Jones and Trey Fouch to set the table for a defense that allowed 21 points per game a year ago.

The Elbert county Blue Devils will look to build on their success from last season. The Bulldogs will have the luxury of returning All-Region quarterback Jayvyn Hickman, who threw for over 1,700 yards ain 2022. He will have two of his top targets from a year ago returning in Ty’Rikkis Jones (36 receptions, 436 yards, 4-TDs) and Eli Harris (21 receptions, 345 yards, 2-TDs). Jacarri Barnett looks to be the heir apparent at running back to replace Qua Moss. 

Both of these teams return plenty of star power to light up the scoreboard all season long. Our biggest question for Hart County is will Moore be able to carry the offense until Gains can grow into the quarterback spot. We believe this game will be close again, but we like Elbert on the road in a mild upset. Blue Devils by 2.

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GHSA Football Rankings – Week 1

Posted on August 13, 2023 by admin

We are less than a week away from the start of the regular season. Today, we release our GHSA Top-10 Football Poll in each classification. Polls are fun and can provide for spirited and healthy conversations and debates. We welcome any and all poll feedback.

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2022 GHSA A Division-I Playoff Previews

Posted on November 11, 2022 by admin

Class A Division I Playoffs at a Glance

Region Champions: Irwin County, Swainsboro, Metter, Lamar County, Prince Avenue Christian. St. Francis, Darlington, Rabun County

Best First Round Matchup: Trion vs Commerce 

Round 1 Upset Alert: Metter (vs.Temple)

Toughest Road to the Title for a Region Champ: Metter

Our Final Four Picks: Irwin County; Rabun County; Prince Avenue Christian; Brooks County

The Dark Horse: Commerce

Our State Champion: Prince Avenue Christian

This is looks like one of the deepest Class A playoff brackets that we have seen in a long while. Defending Class A Public Champion Brooks County will have their work cut out for them from the start. If the Trojans get past Bleckley County in the first round, a very explosive Lamar County team should be waiting for them. And then there is the potential to face a Commerce team that is playing really good ball with a stable of talented running backs. Of course we expect for Irwin County will certainly be a threat to win the title. They have been there and done that recently, with regards to wining in the playoffs. We like Irwin County and their ability to run the ball and play lights out defense.

Rabun County drops down to Class A DI this season and will look to finally get ofer the hump and make it into the finals for the first time in school history. We expect the Swainsboro Tigers to also have something to say about that as they seem primed to make a serious run this year under the guidance of Coach Scott Roberts. If the brackets fall the way that we believe, we could see a Swainsboro-Rabun quarterfinal game. 

If we could be anywhere in the state this week for a Class A D-1 game, we’d likely be at Sam R. McCain stadium to watch the Trion-Commerce game. Trion has not Beaton Commerce in seven tries. We believe the Prince Avenue with their pass-happy offense, led by quarterback Aaron Philo will hoist the crown in Atlanta come mid December.  

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

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

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

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