Central Georgia Sports ReportComment

Central Georgia high school football scouting reports

Central Georgia Sports ReportComment
Central Georgia high school football scouting reports

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

Class 6A

Northside, 1-0, at 5A Mays, 1-0
          Northside head coach Boone Williams is familiar with Mays, going 4-1 as head coach at Hughes. The Eagles and Raiders have never met. Mays is trying to rebound from its first losing season since 2021, and the Eagles are trying to do the same after an epic – but competitive – 1-9 season.

Veterans, 0-1, at 2A Trinity Christian, 0-1
          This is the first meeting between the teams, Trinity Christian looking to avoid its first 0-2 start since 2022. The Lions are off a 26-20 upset loss to Fellowship Christian. Veterans turned in three solid quarters against Warner Robins, but gave up the lead in the fourth quarter.

Class 5A

No. 5 4A Peach County, 1-0, at Jones County, 0-1
          The teams have split in 2022 and 2023 after not playing since 1997, Peach County holding a 16-4 series lead. The Greyhounds surrendered the most points at home since a 51-13 loss to Grayson to open the 2020 season in last week’s 52-14 loss to Valdosta. Peach County beat Perry 63-14, the most points by the Trojans since a 63-7 win over Pike County in 2022.

No. 6 3A Northeast, 1-0, at No. 8 Warner Robins, 1-0
          Warner Robins hasn’t gone 2-0 since 2021, and Northeast is going after its first win over a ranked higher-classification team since the AA Raiders beat 3A No. 9 Carver-Columbus in 2023. Class AA Northeast stunned 5A Jones County 33-28 in 2021. Warner Robins’ last loss to a team two or more classes smaller since the 5A Demons’ 20-19 loss to 3A Peach County in 2016. The Demons trailed Veterans 17-7 before storming back for a 34-23 win, while the Raiders hammered Westside 39-0. Neither team has posted stats on MaxPreps.

Class 4A

3A Hephzibah at Baldwin, 1-0
          The Braves are off an impressive 47-20 win over Washington County, getting a career night from quarterback Kamden Patterson, who completed 17 of 23 for 333 yards and 5 scores while running 7 times for 145 yards and another score. Corey Myrick Jr. had 11 tackles and Patterson 10. Hephzibah is 0-11 since winning the series’ first game, in 1958. Baldwin won 27-25 last year, after rolling 57-0 in 2024.

Howard, 1-0, at 7A Valdosta, 1-0
          The Huskies go from being a favorite against a local team to a massive underdog against a state power. This is Howard’s most notable opponent in its 18-year history. Northside is next on that list, the Eagles winning 28-7 in 2020. Zavion DeShazier threw for 140 yards and 3 scores, with Tay’Shawn Poole catching 4 passes for 90 yards and 2 scores.

3A Rutland, 1-0 vs. Westside, 0-1 (Ed DeFore)
          The Hurricanes broke the 21-game losing streak in style last week, 54-6 over Crawford County. Westside was on a record-setting end of a 39-0 loss to Northeast. Rutland had Westside all but beat a year ago at Ed DeFore, but fumbled inside the 10 inside the final minute of a 16-14 loss.

Class 3A

ACE, 1-0, at Washington County, 0-1
          The Gryphons racked up another big game in routing Wilkinson County 45-13, while Washington County fell 47-20 to Baldwin. Ace Hatcher ran for 145 yards and a score on 10 carries for the Gryphons, and WACO will have to deal with the trio of William Winters, Will Dixon, and Huck Thompson, who teamed for 35 tackles.

2A Dodge County at Lamar County, 1-0
          It’s a nice early showdown in Barnesville, the Trojans topping 3A Upson-Lee 24-3 in a game called early in the third quarter after a late start. The Indians lead the series 6-0, winning 21-6 in the last meeting, in 2021. Lamar County head coach is 45-13 in his fifth season. Carson Howell ran for 58 yards on 2 carries in the short game against the Knights.

Jordan, 0-1, at Central, 1-0
          Having exorcised its own 22-game losing streak, Central faces a team in much worse straits. Jordan has lost 55 in a row, many of them forfeits, and two of them to Central, 34-14 and 63-0 in 2022 and 2023

Class AA

Cook, 1-0, at Bleckley County, 1-0
          Von Lassiter improved to 9-1 in openers at Bleckley County with the convincing win over 4A West Laurens, improving the Royals to 11-13-1 against the Raiders. The Hornets are 10-13 since going 11-3 in 2023. This is the first meeting. Dawson Davis went for 124 yards in Cook’s overtime win over Swainsboro, the Hornets taking a 330-202 advantage on offense. Cook faces a more balanced offense led by all-state quarterback Brody Fleming, an efficient 9-for-12 for 89 yards and a score last week. Zyrion Love ran for 144 yards on 19 carries in the win over West Laurens, Willy Walters leading the defense with 9 tackles.

East Laurens, 0-1, at 4A Southeast Bulloch, 0-1
          Both offenses are ready to stretch, especially that of the Falcons, who barely cracked 100 yards in last week’s loss to Johnson County. East Laurens leads the series 7-3, but the teams haven’t played since 2011.

No. 12 4A Mary Persons, 1-0, at Jasper County, 0-1
          Teams that had very opposite openers meet for the 50th time, first since Mary Persons won 42-0 in 2001. That kept alive an 18-game winning streak in the series, which included 11 shutouts. Jasper County and new head coach Dondrial Pinkins lost 32-0 at home to Dublin, while Mary Persons pulled away from rival Jackson 52-31. QB Jordan Singleton was 23 of 33 for 347 yards and 3 scores, adding 109 on the ground for Mary Persons.

5A Perry, 0-1 at No. 4T Dublin, 1-0
          Teams that had very opposite openers meet for the 32nd time, first since Perry’s 14-0 win in 2003. That was Roger Holmes’ second year with the Irish. Perry head coach Chuck Connley last four years, as did successor Andy Scott, one more year than Stacey Harden, succeeded for two years by Erik Soliday and then Carl Dixon, all before incumbent Kevin Smith. The Panthers last bad start was 0-3 in 2020, but they finished 8-5. The 63 points allowed last week was only the second 50-plus game against Perry since Smith’s arrival. Dublin had its best season-opening win score-wise since 64-0 over Wilkinson County in 2023.

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Putnam County, 1-0, at Hancock Central, 1-0

          It’s the 43rd meeting between the neighbors, with Putnam County leading 33-9. They haven’t played since 2017, a 14-8 Putnam County win a year after Hancock Central’s 14-7 victory. The Bulldogs are trying to go 2-0 for the first time since 2020. Putnam County got 109 rushing yards from Kumari Thomas last week.

Class A

GMC Prep, 0-1, at Crawford County, 0-1
          The Bulldogs lost their fifth straight opener, while the Eagles fell for the ninth consecutive time in Game 1. Crawford County leads the series 6-4, winning 28-7 last year.

No. 8T Macon County, 1-0, at Wilcox County, 0-1
          The Spoon Risper era got off to a rousing start with Macon County’s 36-0 win over Dooly County. The Patriots have had seven straight winning seasons, including a 7-5 mark after starting the 2024 season 0-2. They’ve lost six straight to Macon County, but the teams haven’t played since 1995. The Patriots fell from top 10s while the Bulldogs crept in. Georgia commit Jakeyveon Parker went for 161 yards on the ground for Macon County, while Kha’madj Mitchell passed for 174.

Mitchell County at No. 14 Hawkinsville, 1-0
          The Red Devils were efficient in beating Marion County 25-6, Samir Whitehead leading the ground game with 77 yards and a TD rush and catch. The teams haven’t played since the Red Devils’ 17-12 win in the 203 playoffs.

Taylor County, 1-0 at Mt. Zion-Carroll
          The transition to new head coach – promoted from assistant – Jess DeVoursney was a good one with the Vikings’ 28-17 win over 3A Pike County. It’s the Vikings’ first win over a higher-classification team since beating AA Crawford County 19-6 in 2009. The Eagles are off an 8-4 season.

Twiggs County, 0-1 at Central-Talbotton, 1-0
          The Cobras have lost 15 straight, and the Hawks broke a 17-game losing streak last week against Cross Keys, with its first shutout since the end of the 2017 season. The Hawks won 14-6 in 2023, their first win in the four-game series. Mitchell County is breaking in a new head coach after going 5-5 last year.

Wilkinson County, 0-1, at Greene County, 0-1
          The debut of new Wilkinson County head coach Mack McCord was a rough one, the Warriors falling 45-13 to ACE Charter. Greene County fell to 2-9 aftera an 18-5 two-year run. The Tigers lead the series 10-5, winning 41-6 in 2023.

GIAA

Bulloch, 2-0, at Tattnall Square, 2-0
          An 0-10 record makes the 2-0 start seem like new territory, but it’s been since 2021 that Tattnall started 2-0. Or 3-0. But the Trojans are facing a team that won 52-13 in last year’s meeting, and stormed back last week to beat defending AA champ Brentwood. The Gators won the 2024 4A title, nipping FPD 14-10.

Mount de Sales, 2-0, at Pinewood, 0-2
          It hasn’t been that long ago that MdS was 2-0, just four years ago. But a 9-game losing streak followed. The last 3-0 start? Back in 2019 when the Cavs went undefeated in the regular season and lost to Hebron Christian in the GHSA first round. The Patriots went 5-7 last year, four years after reaching the state final.

Westfield, 2-0 at FPD, 1-1
          The Vikings will need the offense to pick up to avoid the first 1-2 start since 2022. The 34 points after two games are the fewest since 2019, when FPD was in the GHSA. Westfield has ridden the passing game of Brock Johnson and some special teams play to a 2-0 start. Both teams have some sharpening to do, but this will come down to the final few minutes.

CFCA, 0-2, at Southland, 0-1
          The Lancers will hop on the road to face former Tattnall and Stratford head coach and Westfield grad Chance Jones, who is 11-14 in his third season with the Raiders. They lead the series 5-0, eking out a 20-12 win in last year’s quarterfinal. Neither team has posted stats on MaxPreps.

Gatewood, 0-2, at Brentwood, 0-2
          It’s mighty, mighty rare for these two to both be off to an 0-2 start. Brentwood’s last such beginning was 2022, while this is the Gators’ third straight 0-2 start. Brentwood leads the series 22-15, and has won 5 of the last 6 meetings. Gatewood will try to keep Bayley Cobb and Tristan Robinson in check on offense, which few teams have done. Brentwood has to rebound from letting a 19-point lead slip away in last week’s loss.

John Milledge, 2-0, at Piedmont, 0-2
          The good news for Piedmont? John Milledge’s passing game is off to a slow start. And that’s about it. The Trojans are getting nearly 300 yards a game on the ground, and have more weapons than athlete Asa Wall. JMA won 56-0 last year, its fifth straight win this century in the series, which was dormant from 1989-2014.

Edmund Burke, 2-0, at Trinity Christian, 1-1
          The Spartans won a pair of state titles before going 7-5 last year and reaching the final. The Crusaders lead the series 16-8, including a gutty 3-0 win last year to break a 3-game series losing streak.

Windsor, 1-1, at Augusta Prep, 1-1
          Augusta Prep is looking for its first winning season since 2017. Windsor picked up a nice win last week at Thomas Jefferson. Versatile QB Heath Woodard is completing 57.1 percent of his passes, and Jaquan Lewis is averaging 109 yards a game on the ground. Standout LB Hunter McGreggor is off to a normal start, with 15.5 tackles a game.

 

Idle: Houston County, West Laurens, Southwest, Stratford