Prep football: Northside hosts defending and struggling state champs; Central Ga. whiparound
There’s some crispness in the night air, and on Friday, there’ll be some serious warmth on the night field.
An interesting meeting, for a variety of reasons, has Valdosta at Northside.
The Wildcats are the defending state 6A champs, and are in danger of not making the playoffs this year. They’re 2-4 overall entering the 1-6A opener (for both teams), and broke a three-game losing streak last week with a 44-14 win over Thomas County Central (Warner Robins’ opponent this week).
When you open the season with a 45-0 loss to your cross-town and mighty hated rival, it makes for a stressful start to the school year. And it broke a three-game winning streak over the Vikings of Class 7A.
It was Valdosta’s most lopsided loss in the series history.
The Wildcats again have a dual quarterback system in place, one that seemed to find itself a bit last week, aided by some changes up front.
Northside’s offense remains in transition, but the Eagles are tough on defense, led by Kentrez Anthony, Kameron Tate and Alijah McGhee, each of whom average at least five tackles a game. Tate will be trouble, trying to add to his 11 tackles for loss, two behind Marcelle Griffin.
The Eagles are giving up 10 points a game, second in the region behind Lee County (8.1).
Dodge County (5-0, 2-0) at Dublin (4-2, 2-0)
They’re familiar with each other, these neighbors 31 miles away from each other on 117 and 441 who have played 53 times.
Dodge County is averaging 36.8 a game, Dublin 31.2. The Indians give up 17.4, the Irish 13.5.
Both have wins over higher-class teams, Dublin 32-20 over Class 3A Tattnall County and Dodge County 26-20 over Class 4A West Laurens.
Dublin’s losses are by seven at Class 5A Veterans and by 10 at Class 2A Swainsboro.
This is a lineman’s dream game, because it’s just going to be power and blocking and block-shedding all night long. Imagine a version of Georgia Tech and Navy.
Each has dispatched a prime Region 3-AA contender, Dodge County quieting Southwest 38-14 two weeks ago and Dublin holding off Bleckley County 19-6 last week.
It’s currently a six-team race in the region, with these two and Washington County, Bleckley County, Southwest and Northeast.
But Northeast is on the verge of unofficial elimination with two region losses, and games with three contenders, starting Friday with Southwest, which needs a win to avoid being on the verge of elimination itself.
Washington County (2-3, 1-0) at Bleckley County (4-2, 1-1)
The home side will be pretty purple as the Royals try to stay on the top half of the region standings against a team that started off 0-3 and has won two straight, including in overtime on the road against a Class 6A team.
Washington County is battle tested, and sure would like another crack at Class 4A Baldwin, a 34-28 winner at the House of Pain a month ago. With that, Joel Ingram fell to 0-5 against Jesse Hicks.
Bleckley County has some athletes, and some balance on offense with quarterback Zach Lassiter (74-119-8, 885, 10 TDs) and running back Nykeem Farrow (94-742/10).
There appear to be no stats in the public sphere for Washington County.
The Golden Hawks host Dodge County next week while Bleckley County visits East Laurens, which has scored only 36 points this season.
GISA vs. GHSA
Milledgeville is home to a GISA-GHSA matchup Friday when GISA powerhouse John Milledge visits a respectable GMC.
GMC is 3-3, but not playing a region schedule. John Milledge is 7-0, and has given up 22 points.
It’s a good game, and interesting, considering head coaches Steven Simpson and J.T Wall are old teammates at John Milledge.
Wall went on to play in college and was a quality transfer to Georgia in the early 2000s.
John Milledge, the defending GISA Class AAA champs, won 44-10 last year as part of the dream 14-0 season that seems set to be repeated.
Perry’s Smith tops new coaches
Kevin Smith’s impact started hours after he was hired back in February to take over at Perry, and it has continued.
The Panthers are 4-1 (entering Thursday night’s game with Central), giving Smith the best record of new head coaches in Central Georgia. The lone loss was a familiar one, handily to Peach County.
His boss at Houston County is right there, Von Lassiter’s Bleckley County Royals rolling at 4-2, with both losses respectable (to Class A then-No. 1 Clinch County and region rival Dublin).
This year’s newbies, entering Thursday’s play:
Kevin Smith, Perry, 4-1
Von Lassiter, Bleckley County, 4-2
Jesse Hicks, Baldwin, 3-2
Kagan McClain, West Laurens, 3-3
Justin Elder, Upson-Lee, 3-2
Ashley Harden, Northeast 3-2
Ryan Crawford, Houston County, 2-4
Larry Harold, Central, 1-4
John Flath, Lamar County, 0-5
Zack Harris, Twiggs County, 0-5