Hard to believe that it’s halfway through October and we’re well past halfway in the high school football season. Here’s what to look for in Week 8.
CLASS 5A (by Brian Jones)
It’s Week 8 and these remaining games will determine who will be playing late in November and who will be sitting at home. The biggest game in Class 5A has to be No. 10 East Paulding traveling to Kennesaw to face No. 9 Harrison, which is also undefeated. This game will likely determine the champion of Region 5. … Another game that has playoff implications is Northside-Warner Robins vs. Tift County. This game will have big implications on the order of finish in Region 1. … In Region 2, there will be two games that will shake up the seeding as undefeated Union Grove will face Luella and M.L. King will take on Stephenson. All of those teams are top-four in the region. … In Region 3 Camden County looks to clinch their eighth consecutive region title as they face Johnson-Savannah, which is tied with Camden for first place in the region.
CLASS 4A (by Ricky Dimon)
There are no meetings between two top-10 squads on the schedule for this Friday and top-ranked Westside-Macon (7-0) is idle, but nonetheless it should be another interesting, fun-filled week in Class 4A. Rivals Tucker, a No. 1 team earlier this season, and Chamblee (4-2, 3-2), which just dropped out of the rankings after losing to Southwest DeKalb last week, will battle for playoff positioning in Region 6. The Tigers (5-1, 4-1) are coming off a 49-7 thrashing of North Springs. … Leading the way in that same region are the Marist War Eagles (5-1, 5-0), who face a road test against Miller Grove (3-2-1, 3-2) on Friday. The Wolverines need an upset win to maintain realistic playoff hopes. … Westside-Macon is being given a run for its money in Region 1 by Thomas County Central (5-1, 4-0), which will have its hands full with region foe Harris County (3-3, 3-1). … Statesboro (7-0, 3-0) edged out Glynn Academy 3-0 last week and will need to find some offense in a crucial Region 2 battle with Ware County (3-3, 2-0). … The Mays Raiders (6-0, 3-0) look to stay undefeated and tied with Villa Rica atop Region 5B when they take on Banneker (4-2, 2-1). Villa Rica (5-1, 3-0) should have no problem with Douglas County (2-5, 1-3). … A huge showdown in Region 7A between Rome (6-1, 4-0) and Northwest Whitfield (5-1, 3-0) will decide which team takes the outright lead in the standings. … Another region clash between undefeateds takes place in 7B, where Hillgrove (4-2, 2-0) visits Sprayberry (3-3, 2-0).
CLASS 3A (by Fletcher Proctor)
The winds of change could soon be sweeping through the Class 3A top-10 rankings after Cairo travels to take on Dougherty. The Syrupmakers are 5-0 but the Trojans of Dougherty are 4-2 and could pull off the upset. … The Baldwin Braves, led by Corico Hawkins, will have an easier row to hoe in Richmond Hills. … Cole Moon of St. Pius X will also look to lay claim to a top spot should anyone ahead of the Golden Lions fall. … Dunwoody’s senior quarterback Eric Cooper will look running back Treavor Scales’s way plenty, as Columbia is the foe this week. With No. 6 Gainesville off this week, No. 7 Flowery Branch will have a chance to join the Red Elephants at the top of the Region 7B standings at 3-0. The Falcons travel to East Hall. … Finally Carver-Columbus will try and beat Region 2 foe Shaw. Despite five losses, Shaw is only a half game back from the region’s leaders.
CLASS 2A (by Corey Mitchell)
Jefferson County will try to get back on the winning track this week after their surprise defeat to East Laurens (4-2) last Friday. The 5-1 Warriors will host the 1-5 Southeast Bulloch Yellow Jackets this Friday in this Region 3 matchup. No team in the now tightly bunched region was happier to see the Warriors’ lose than Dublin. The Fighting Irish will try to improve on their 5-1 record vs. Swainsboro this Friday. … Region 2 foes Appling County and McIntosh County Academy will try not to overlook their opponents this week prior to their clash for region supremacy on Oct. 24. The 6-0 Buccaneers of McIntosh Co. Academy will have a tough task this week hosting a solid 5-1 Tattnall County team. The Bucs are brimming with confidence after a 62-0 demolition of Jeff Davis. The 6-0 Pirates of Appling Co. will travel to face 2-4 Brantley County this Friday. The Appling defense has been the Pirates’ saving grace, allowing only 21 points thus far in region play and 35 points all season. … Region 6 frontrunners Buford (6-0) travels to the Brickyard to face the Thomson Bulldogs in a non-region tilt Friday night. The Wolves’ starters should be well rested after Coach Jess Simpson played mostly reserves in the second half of the 63-0 rout of Cross Keys last Friday. Thomson (4-2) is coming off a 20-0 loss to Washington County and has a tall order trying to post points in this matchup. … The Blessed Trinity Titans are coming off a huge 42-38 comeback win on the road against Lovett and will try to ride the momentum of that game into their clash with Cross Keys. With the Indians still reeling from their recent dose of Buford, the Titans want to play well prior to their trip to Tom Riden Stadium to face the top-ranked Wolves.
CLASS A (by Derek Wiley)
The most intriguing matchup in Class A football this week is between two undefeated teams in Region 3, No. 1-ranked and defending state champion Emanuel County Institute (6-0) against Johnson County (7-0). Not only is this a match up of two of the best teams in the class that will most likely decide the region champion, but history could be made as well. … ECI running back Washaun Ealey, a UGA commitment, is one touchdown shy of Matt Dunham’s state career record of 111 after scoring four touchdowns last week against Treutlen. Ealey has 18 touchdowns on the season along with 1204 yards. … The key to this matchup will be the ECI running game against Johnson County’s passing attack. Trojans quarterback D.J. Rozier has thrown for 792 yards with 13 touchdowns and has run for another seven touchdowns and 237 yards. There should be plenty of offense in this one. … Other games to track this Friday night are second-ranked Wilcox versus Dooly County and fourth-ranked Lincoln County versus Washington Wilkes.
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