By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com

Last week
22-7, 75.86 percent
For the season
133-48, 73.48 percent
Within 7 of the spread
5 of 29; Season: 35 of 181, 19.3 percent; Perfect spread: None
Maximum spread to use is 39 points; Rankings are from Georgia HS Football Daily’s composite polls

Games of note

Tift County, 3-2/0-1, at Houston County 2-2
Tift County isn’t lighting up scoreboards like Houston County is, but the Bears are in the bottom 25 in the state in points allowed. Can the Blue Devils do something? Can the Bears’ D hunker down and bow up? This game hasn’t been close in recent years, but could be this time.
TSR pick: Houston County by 17

No. 8T Mary Persons, 3-2/1-1, at No. 2T Peach County, 5-0/2-0
Is Mary Persons bummed after losing on the game’s final play to Troup, which is ranked right next to Peach County? Or are the Bulldogs peeved and focused more than ever after losing on the game’s final play to Troup? Peach County has been challenged once this year, at home by a respectable 5A team. Mary Persons will need near perfection and some help from the Trojans.
TSR pick: Peach County by 24

No. 7 Bleckley County, 4-1/0-1, at No. 11T Swainsboro, 2-3/1-0
It’s likely been a good week of practice in Cochran after falling at home to Dublin. It better be, because Swainsboro is pretty good, too. The Tigers have averaged 10.2 wins the last five seasons. This will be a monster game.
TSR pick: Bleckley County by 9 (Upset watch)

No. 3 Taylor County, 5-0/1-0, at No. 4T Macon County, 4-0
How truly good is either team? Taylor County has, as per Maxwell Ratings, an edge with a tougher strength of schedule. Macon County has the strong run game, with RB Noah Parker getting 166,8 yards a game on the ground. Taylor County’s Zay Dozier is one of the top defensive line prospects in the country (who, for some reason, only has two games worth of stats on MaxPreps).
TSR pick: Taylor County by 2

Brentwood, 5-2/2-0, at Edmund Burke, 6-0/1-0
The War Eagles certainly know that they have to tackle Edmund Burke QB Noah Hickman and RB Sam Hickman. Tackle, as in with proper fundamentals. Do that and force the Spartans to the air, and the visitors may roll. If not, this goes down to the final minutes.
TSR pick: Brentwood by 13

The schedule

GHSA

Veterans, 4-1/1-0, at No. 1 Thomas County Central, 5-0/1-0
TSR pick: Thomas County Central by 39

Class 5A

Locust Grove, 1-5/0-2, at Warner Robins, 4-2/2-0
TSR pick: Warner Robins by 17

Union Grove, 1-4/0-1, at No. 13T Jones County, 3-3/2-0
TSR pick: Jones County by 36

Class 4A

Howard/3-2/2-0, at Spalding, 3-2/0-2, Thursday
TSR pick: Howard by 2

Upson-Lee, 0-5/0-2, at No. 13 Baldwin, 4-1/1-1
TSR pick: Baldwin by 31

Westside, 2-3/0-2 at No. 2T Troup, 5-0, 2-0 (Thursday)
TSR pick: Troup by 35

West Laurens, 2-3/1-0, at New Hampstead, 1-4/0-1
TSR pick: West Laurens by 13

Class 3A

Central, 3-2/1-1, at Pike County, 3-2/2-0
TSR pick: Pike County by 12

No. 17 Lamar County, 3-2/1-1, at Southwest, 0-5/0-2
TSR pick: Lamar County by 29

No. 4 Northeast, 4-1/2-0, at Rutland, 2-3/0-2 (Ed DeFore), Thursday
TSR pick: Northeast by 29

Class AA

East Laurens, 1-4/0-1, at No. 15 ACE, 5-0/1-0
TSR pick: ACE by 24

Josey, 1-4/0-2, at No. 13T Jasper County, 3-2/2-0
TSR pick: Jasper County by 30

Putnam County, 4-1/1-1, at Jefferson County, 2-3/1-1
TSR pick: Putnam County by 29

Vidalia, 2-3/0-1, at No. 13T Dodge County, 2-2
TSR pick: Dodge County by 17

Class A

No. 14 Schley County, 4-1/1-0, at Crawford County, 0-5/0-1
TSR pick: Schley County by 28

Hawkinsville, 2-3/1-0, at Wheeler County, 1-3
TSR pick: Wheeler County by 10 (Upset watch)

Glascock County, 1-4/0-1, at Twiggs County, 1-4/0-1
TSR pick: Glascock County by 14

No. 1 Johnson County, 5-/1-0, at Wilkinson County, 2-3/1-0
TSR pick: Johnson County by 38

GIAA

Frederica, 2-4, at Stratford, 5-1
TSR pick: Stratford by 30

FPD 4-3/0-1, at John Milledge, 6-0
TSR pick: John Milledge by 23

Tiftarea, 3-3, at Westfield 3-3
TSR pick: Westfield by 14

Terrell, 1-3, at Central Fellowship, 0-5
TSR pick: Terrell by 21

Gatewood, 3-3, at Flint River, 3-2
TSR pick: Gatewood by 11

Piedmont, 1-3, at St. Andrews, 1-4
TSR pick: Piedmont by 24

Trinity Christian, 2-4, at Windsor, 4-1
TSR pick: Windsor by 19

Idle: Northside, Perry, Dublin, GMC, Mount de Sales, Tattnall