HSFB 2019: Who’s going to win this week’s football games?
Last week: 21-6
Season: 181-52, 77.68
Within 7 points of margin: 5 (perfect on Mount de Sales by 18); 47 for the season
Upset specials: 0-2
A note: The Sports Report policy is to max out picks at 39 points although some games could earn a predicted margin of victory in the 40s and 50s.
Games of the Week
Class 5A
Veterans (7-1/2-0) at Thomas County Central (5-3/0-2)
The Warhawks won 31-27 last year, and may need to score that many points again to keep intact the Region 1-5A championship game next week at home against Warner Robins. And Thomas County Central is capable of changing those plans.
The Sports Report pick: Veterans by 8
Ola (6-2/3-2) at Jones County (8-0/5-0)
If there was a way to channel human electricity to, well, electric electricity, everybody could charge their phones all night at The Barking Lot. At stake is the first region title that probably about 32 JC students were alive for, the third nine-win regular season in program history, and keeping alive the chance for the first perfect regular season. If the Greyhounds get off to a good start, it could get ugly.
TSR pick: Jones County by 27
Class 4A
Mary Persons (4-4/2-1) at Perry 5-3/3-0)
Perry now know this: the team that has beaten the Panthers eight straight times, with the last five by an average of 32.8 points is capable of getting beaten 52-7, by a team in the region. And the Panthers stay alive for their first region title – drum rolllll – since 1959, the sixth year of the program, according to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association, and several years before head coach Kevin Smith was born. If the home side is as full and loud as it should be – did you see the 1959 note? – then it’ll be an historic night at Herb St. John.
TSR pick: Perry by 4
Class AA
Dodge County (4-5/3-2) at Bleckley County (6-2/3-1)
Dodge County beat East Laurens by only 20 last week, a hint that the Indians might’ve been holding back. They’ll need to come up with a little something against a ranked Royals team – those three words in that order haven’t been typed in that context since the early 1990s – that is on a bit of a payback tour.
TSR pick: Bleckley County by 13
Class A
No. 25 FPD (4-4/3-1) at No. 29 Tattnall (4-4/2-2)
The Vikings can’t afford a slipup if they want an 11th game, and the Trojans are in a rare spoiler role. Will Tattnall be up for that?
TSR pick: FPD by 16
The Matchups
Class 3A
Jackson (6-2/4-0) at Peach County (7-1/4-0), 8 p.m.
Is this the week that Peach County’s starts may work up an activity-induced sweat after the six-minute mark of the third quarter? Something they pretty much haven’t done since the Sept. 20 44-13 win over Mary Persons? The last time Jackson was this good, the Red Devils lost 24-21 at home to the Trojans in 2016.
TSR pick: Peach County by 28
Pike County (3-5/1-3) at Westside (5-3/3-1), Ed DeFore
The Pirates are reeling, and pretty much have to beat Westside for the first time in four tries. The first two meetings were close, by six and nine, and then came last year’s 42-9 Westside win. This time, it’s somewhere in the middle. Probably.
TSR pick: Westside by 19
Class AA
Heard County (3-5/3-1) at Lamar County (6-2/2-2)
Could a team that started out 6-0 lose four straight and not make the playoffs? The Trojans don’t break out of a slump in this one, and …
TSR pick: Lamar County by 4
Elbert County (4-4/3-2) at Putnam County (4-4/3-2)
Class A
No. 24 Hancock Central (4-4/3-2) at No. 8 Lincoln County (6-2/4-1)
The Bulldogs are 1-21 in this series, but the streak was broken last year. Lincoln County is better this year, though.
TSR pick: Lincoln County by 19
The Games
Class 6A
Lee County (7-1/2-0) at Houston County (4-4/0-2)
TSR pick: Lee County by 29
Valdosta (7-2/2-1) at Northside (3-5/0-2)
TSR pick: Valdosta by 20
Class 4A
Spalding (1-7/0-3) at Howard (4-4/0-3)
TSR pick: Howard by 24
Upson-Lee (3-5/1-2) at West Laurens (7-1/3-0)
TSR pick: West Laurens by 25
Class 3A
Central (2-7/2-3) vs. Rutland (2-6/1-3)
TSR pick: Central by 11
Class AA
Suwannee, Fla. (5-4) at Dublin (5-0)
TSR pick: Dublin by 20
Southwest (2-6/0-4) at East Laurens (1-7/0-4)
TSR pick: Southwest by 22
Northeast (3-5/1-3) at Washington County (6-2/3-1)
TSR pick: Washington County by 24
Monticello (1-7/1-4) at Banks County (3-5/2-3)
TSR pick: Banks County by 24
Class A
No. 28 Dooly County (3-5/3-2) at No. 16 Brookstone (6-2/4-1)
TSR pick: Brookstone by 13
No. 44 Hawkinsville (1-7/1-4) at No. 43 Central Talbotton (1-7/0-5)
TSR pick: Hawkinsville by 2
No. 48 Crawford County (2-6/1-4) at No. 36 Greenville (2-6/1-4)
TSR pick: Greenville by 15
No. 25 Taylor County (4-4/2-3) at No. 5 Marion County (6-2/4-1)
TSR pick: Marion County by 14
No. 21 Macon County (5-3/4-1) at No. 24 Pacelli (5-3, 2-3)
TSR pick: Pacelli by 5
No. 41 Wilkinson County (1-7/1-3) at No. 13 Mount de Sales (8-0/4-0)
TSR pick: Mount de Sales by 28
No. 47 Twiggs County (0-8/0-4) at No. 21 Stratford (3-5/2-2)
TSR pick: Stratford by 14
Pataula Charter (2-6) at ACE (1-6)
TSR pick: Patuala Charter by 20
GISA
Frederica (4-3) at John Milledge (8-0)
TSR pick: John Milledge by 30
Trinity Christian (2-6/0-3) at Pinewood Christian (6-1/3-0)
TSR pick: Pinewood by 22
Gatewood (7-2) at Flint River (1-7/0-1)
TSR pick: Gatewood by 33
Brentwood (7-2/2-0) at Edmund Burke (6-2/2-0)
TSR pick: Brentwood by 32
GAPPS Playoffs
AAA
CFCA, bye
AA
Fullington at Georgia Christian
TSR pick: Georgia Christian by 4
John Hancock at Central Christian
TSR pick: Central Christian by 5