Who's going to win this week's Central Georgia GHSA and GISA high school football games?
Last week: 20-4
Season: 202-63, 76.23 pct.
Within 7 points of margin: 9, 58 for the season
Upset specials: none
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.
Class 5A
No. 10 Jones County (6-3/6-0) at Dutchtown (6-3/5-1)
There are five teams in 5A who have won at least six straight games. Jones County is one of them. Even on the road, the Greyhounds will have just too much, although expect a sluggish start.
TSR pick: Jones County by 20
No. 2 Warner Robins (7-1/2-0) at Veterans (4-5/0-3)
It’s been a brutal second half of the season for Veterans, which went from legit region contender and a tough get in the playoffs to sitting home. Can the Warhawks muster up their September level of football and pull off a huge upset over a team playing “only” for an outright region title?
TSR pick: Warner Robins by 24
Class 4A
No. 9 Baldwin (4-0/4-0) at Perry (5-4/5-0)
The game of the night pits two athletic teams with a nice share of playmakers: QBs Derrick Lewis of Baldwin and Lane Rucker of Perry, DB Javon Bullard of Baldwin and Camerin Marshall of Perry, to name but a few. The Braves have survived mistakes to get quality wins against West Laurens and Westside. In the end, Perry makes one or two fewer mistakes, or takes advantage of one or two.
TSR pick: Perry by 6
Howard (2-4/0-3) at Spalding (1-8/1-4)
TSR pick: Howard by 14
West Laurens (4-4/3-2) at Westside (5-3/3-2)
TSR pick: West Laurens by 4
Class 3A
Americus-Sumter (1-7/1-5) at Mary Persons (4-5/2-4), canceled Friday morning
TSR pick: Mary Persons by 19
Jackson (4-4/3-3) at Upson-Lee (4-5/2-4)
TSR pick: Upson-Lee by 5
Class AA
Northeast (6-2/4-1) at Lamar County (4-5/2-3)
Simply because Northeast has locked down the No. 2 spot doesn’t mean the Raiders can take the night off. Bad habits come from that kind of thing, and Lamar County is more than capable of sending the Raiders into a playoff with a loss. Northeast needs confidence and momentum.
TSR pick: Northeast by 4 (upset alert)
Putnam County (8-1/5-1) at Butler (4-4/2-4)
TSR pick: Putnam County by 20
Toombs County (6-3/2-2) at East Laurens (3-5/0-4)
TSR pick: Toombs County by 23
Washington County (5-4/3-2) at Jasper County/Monticello (2-7/1-4)
TSR pick: Washington County by 24
Class A
ACE (2-6/1-3) at GMC (5-4/2-2)
TSR: GMC by 18
No. 8 Chattahoochee County (8-0/6-0) at No. 6 Macon County (7-1/6-0)
The Panthers have given up 27 points in six region games, the Bulldogs 73. Chattahoochee County has scored 199 points in six region games, Macon County 279. And only 50 miles separate the two.
TSR pick: Macon County by 10
Crawford County (0-9/0-4) at Hancock Central (5-0/4-0)
TSR pick: Hancock Central by 30
Deerfield-Windsor (2-7/0-4) at Stratford (6-2/3-1)
TSR pick: Stratford by 25
No. 2 Dublin (8-1/7-0) at Montgomery County (6-3/4-3)
TSR pick: Dublin by 29
FPD (5-4/3-1) at Strong Rock (4-5/1-3)
TSR pick: FPD by 11
Johnson County (7-2/5-2) at Hawkinsville (3-6/2-5)
TSR pick: Johnson County by 23
Telfair County (4-5/2-5) at Dooly County (3-4/3-4)
TSR pick: Dooly County by 7
Warren County (6-2/3-1) at Wilkinson County (2-5/2-2)
TSR pick: Warren County by 24
GISA
Frederica (5-3/1-1) at Trinity Christian (0-8/0-3)
TSR pick: Frederica by 30
Gatewood (8-1/1-0) at Brentwood (7-1/1-0)
TSR pick: Gatewood by 7
Westfield (6-1-1/2-0) at John Milledge (7-0/2-0)
One of the surprise teams of the season against the GISA’s most dominant team of the past few seasons. In reality, the question is how close can Westfield keep it. And can the Hornets take one on the chin but remain on a roll entering the playoffs?
TSR pick: John Milledge by 31