Who's No. 1 in Central Georgia high school football?

Big School

4A-5A-6A

1. Jones County

          The Greyhounds have been challenged once, and handled it against a 5A team with a winning record. Jones County is fast, and more one-dimensional than in recent years but with the potential to be more balanced.

2. Warner Robins

          Warner Robins has played a tougher schedule than Jones County, but the Demons are living a blessed life, between game-winning field goals - last time you saw three in one season total? - and opposing defenses dropping interceptions. On the other hand, Warner Robins doesn't beat itself and has balance on offense and perhaps an underrated defense.

3. Northside

          The Eagles and the region are down, and were before Valdosta surprised Lee County. Northside will ride defense into the playoffs, and then life gets tough with an offense that's not helping the defense all that much. And the defense is stout.

4. Mary Persons

          Similar to Northside and Region 1-6A, the Bulldogs and 2-4A aren't quite as good as last year, but there's more parity ... behind Mary Persons. Brian Nelson keeps saying the Bulldogs are just missing, and if they stop that, they may be a postseason surprise. They’re more balanced than people think, and have playmakers on both sides.

5. West Laurens

          The Raiders had some rebuilding to do, and are fairly close record-wise to last year’s team. The defense is still pretty good and the offense has potential. West Laurens is unlikely to make a deep playoff run, but the defense makes the Raiders a pretty good team. Howard is the quality win, and that’s an iffy quality win right now. But losses to Warner Robins and Mary Persons were closer than the score.

Scouting Report

          Howard is on deck. But the Huskies A) don't have an outright quality win , with only one victim - Class A Mount de Sales - above .500; B) didn't handle success all that well two years ago after a good start, and winning two straight close games is heady stuff for a young program that's had little success.

Small School

3A-2A-1A

1. Peach County

          The Trojans were in head coach Chad Campbell's doghouse for the first part of the season, mainly for subpar practice habits that led to inconsistency on Friday nights. Seems like they're practicing better, yes?

2. Dodge County

          The run-heavy - no doubt the team buses won't even pass on a four-lane road - Indians have been seriously challenged twice and sort of challenged a third time, by region rival Dublin, who played even with the Indians for all of four plays. Dodge County will need to unveil a passing game to avoid an earlier-than-expected playoff departure, as was the case with the 10-0 season two years ago.

3. Macon County

          Thoughts that this year's team would be as strong or stronger than last year's haven't turned into reality. They're third in the sub-region in scoring offense and scoring defense. Macon County is balanced, but the passing game hasn't quite clicked consistently, which is certainly no surprise considering the change in personnel.

4. Westside

          The Seminoles have some momentum after a rough start and should roll into the playoffs on a five-game winning streak. Westside's quality win came last week, 19-13 over Pike County in an upset and a game that should be a confidence builder for a team that perhaps should be one-win better than it is.

5. Bleckley County

          Life will get some clarification this week against region leader and primary rival Dodge County. The Royals held back in a 29-0 win over East Laurens and were off last week, so they'll be healthier and no doubt be using a game plan with some wrinkles in it.

Scouting Report

          It's a logjam with Taylor County, Stratford, Dublin, and Tattnall, to start with.

          Who's the best out of that group? Good question. Taylor County found out Dooly County isn't done yet, Stratford gets an angry Tattnall team this week, and Dublin is perhaps a 7-2 team with a 5-4 record, or a 4-5 team with a 5-4 record.