FOOTBALL IS HERE!: Who's going to win this week's high school football games?
Last year: 242-72, 77.1 pct.
Within 7 points of margin: 71
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
Veterans at Northside
Longtime Northsiders will be rubbing their eyes at an offensive scheme many have called for and not seen: balance. The under-new-leadership Eagles have undergone assorted changes, and will certainly be amped to show off all sorts of new things and ideas. Veterans has established itself as a quality and consistent program in short order under Milan Turner, and a season-opening win over a bigger – in different ways – program would certainly enhance that rep.
TSR pick: Northside by 5
Warner Robins at Valdosta
Oh, that this game was initially set for Mercer and is now so far away is painful. Two of the state’s power programs and owners of some national cred? One off three straight Class 5A championship games and the other having grabbed non-footballish offseason headlines after firing a state championship coach – twice – and hiring an attention-getting and attention-seeking coach with a track record – good and bad – at reportedly his dream job? Kinda tasty. Valdosta may have more talent, and home game is a big advantage – the Demons don’t have much of a home-field boost, and certainly wouldn’t have dominated the Five Star Stadium seating – but Warner Robins can get it, on both sides of the ball. No doubt the Demons will have the state pulling for them.
TSR pick: Warner Robins by 4
Perry at Houston County
A nifty question-mark game. Can Perry flip the script from last year’s 34-3 loss? That was a surprise, both parts of the score. How quickly can the rare “new” QB at Houston County get the offense going? The Bears return a good chunk of players, and are a little more ground-oriented.
TSR pick: Houston County by 11
West Laurens at Bleckley County
The Raiders may have taken the biggest hit from graduation in Central Georgia, losing 18 starters, and a bunch of big-boy players, especially on defense. New QB Bradley Wilson is a playmaker, and he’ll have some weapons. Bleckley County has some skill back on offense in hopes of taking advantage of the stellar defenders the Raiders lost. Both have had some COVID time off. The Raiders are technically rebuilding, certainly more than the Royals, but have become a pretty good program.
TSR pick: West Laurens by 8
Dodge County at Toombs County (Sat.)
The Indians come right in off a rushed re-acclimation period to start Ken Cofer’s second season. The first one was a bit of a roller coaster ride, especially on defense. Dodge County’s 31.3 points allowed a game was the worst since, well, OK, worst in program history, and the Indians have been playing a good while. They have some talent back on D, as well as standout RB Daylon Gordon. The O better go: Toombs County had five shutouts last year.
TSR pick: Dodge County by 3
The Games
Clinch County at Macon County
TSR pick: Clinch County by 19
GMC at Creekside Christian
TSR pick: GMC by 5
Grayson at Jones County
TSR pick: Grayson by 22
Jasper County/Monticello at Mount de Sales
TSR pick: Mount de Sales by 18
LaGrange at Upson-Lee
TSR pick: Upson-Lee by 4
Pike County at Lamar County
TSR pick: Lamar County by 2
Taylor County at Crawford County
TSR pick: Taylor County by 24
GISA
Community Christian at Piedmont
TSR pick: Piedmont by 1
Edmund Burke at Trinity Christian
TSR pick: Edmund Burke by 3
Saturday
ACE at FPD
TSR pick: FPD by 39
Maxwell picks
Clinch County over Macon County by 24
Dodge County over Toombs County by 7
First Presbyterian over ACE by 42
Grayson over Jones County by 16
Houston County over Perry by 9
Mount de Sales over Jasper County/Monticello by 13
Northside over Veterans by 7
Pike County over Lamar County by 1
Taylor County over Crawford County by 22
Upson-Lee over LaGrange by 11
Warner Robins over Valdosta by 2
West Laurens over Bleckley County by 14
