The following is an excerpt from the August 21 edition of the Georgia High School Football Daily, an e-mail newsletter compiled by longtime Georgia high school football writers Todd Holcomb and Chip Saye:
Class AAAAA: Preseason All-State Team:
In early June, GHSF Daily published its tentative preseason all-state teams.
Now, having heard your critique and done a little more research, we’re ready to make it official with a few changes. Here’s Class AAAAA. GHSF Daily notes that Ed Christian now is starting on the defensive line for Lowndes, but we are keeping him at offensive line, his high school position the past two years and his projected college position.
|
Pos. |
Player | School |
Yr. |
Region |
|
QB |
Hutson Mason | Lassiter |
Sr. |
6-AAAAA |
|
RB |
Ean Pemberton | Grayson |
Sr. |
8-AAAAA |
|
RB |
Mack Brown | M.L. King |
Sr. |
2-AAAAA |
|
WR |
Jonathan Krause | South Gwinnett |
Sr. |
8-AAAAA |
|
WR |
Bradley Roby | Peachtree Ridge |
Sr. |
7-AAAAA |
|
TE |
Jay Rome | Valdosta |
Jr. |
1-AAAAA |
|
OL |
Ed Christian | Lowndes |
Sr. |
1-AAAAA |
|
OL |
Trevor McBurnett | Peachtree Ridge |
Sr. |
7-AAAAA |
|
OL |
Reid Webster | Etowah |
Sr. |
5-AAAAA |
|
OL |
David Yankey | Centennial |
Sr. |
6-AAAAA |
|
OL |
JaWuan James | North Gwinnett |
Sr. |
7-AAAAA |
|
DE |
Garrison Smith | Douglass |
Sr. |
2-AAAAA |
|
DE |
Anthony Williams | Union Grove |
Sr. |
2-AAAAA |
|
DT |
Jeffrey Whitaker | Warner Robins |
Sr. |
1-AAAAA |
|
DT |
Denzel McCoy | Northview |
Sr. |
7-AAAAA |
|
LB |
Telvin Smith | Lowndes |
Sr. |
1-AAAAA |
|
LB |
Tyrone Cornelius | Stephenson |
Sr. |
2-AAAAA |
|
LB |
Michael Taylor | Westlake |
Sr. |
4-AAAAA |
|
DB |
Alec Ogletree | Newnan |
Sr. |
4-AAAAA |
|
DB |
Brian Randolph | Kell |
Jr. |
6-AAAAA |
|
DB |
Darius Robinson | Westlake |
Sr. |
4-AAAAA |
|
DB |
Pernell Williams | Coffee |
Sr. |
1-AAAAA |
Class AAAAA: The Playoffs:
Below are GHSF Daily’s projections for the 2009 postseason. Team’s ranking is indicated.
Observations:
The bottom quarter of the draw is the weakest. The winner of Region 2-AAAAA or 6-AAAAA or a sleeper team (GHSF Daily likes Creekside in that role) could be in good shape to roll into the semifinals.
If Grayson can win Region 8-AAAAA, that’s a good quarter of the draw to be in.
The winners of Region 1 and Region 7 will meet in the quarterfinals. Will that be Lowndes and Peachtree Ridge? GHSF Daily might cover the tossing of that coin to determine which has home-field advantage. That could be big.
FIRST ROUND
#4 Camden County over Luella
#7 Northside (Warner Robins) over Westlake
#9 Etowah over South Gwinnett
#6 North Gwinnett over Lassiter
#10 Newnan over Tift County
#8 M.L. King over Johnson (Savannah)
#2 Grayson over Woodstock
Norcross over Roswell
#3 Peachtree Ridge over Walton
East Paulding over Parkview
#1 Lowndes over East Coweta
Union Grove over Bradwell Institute
Collins Hill over Kell
McEachern over Brookwood
#5 Stephenson over Windsor Forest
Creekside over Warner Robins
SECOND ROUND
#4 Camden County over #7 Northside (Warner Robins)
#6 North Gwinnett over #9 Etowah
#8 M.L. King over #10 Newnan
#2 Grayson over Norcross
#3 Peachtree Ridge over East Paulding
#4 Lowndes over Union Grove
Collins Hill over McEachern
#5 Stephenson over Creekside
QUARTERFINALS
#4 Camden County over #6 North Gwinnett
#2 Grayson over #8 M.L. King
#1 Lowndes over #3 Peachtree Ridge
#5 Stephenson over Collins Hill
SEMIFINALS
#2 Grayson over #4 Camden County
#1 Lowndes over #5 Stephenson
FINAL
#1 Lowndes over #2 Grayson
Previewing The Weekend’s Games:
Corky Kell Classic matchups
ETOWAH VS. STARR’S MILL
When, where: 11:45 a.m. Saturday, Georgia Dome
Records, rankings: Etowah (9-2 in 2008) is No. 9 in Class AAAAA; Starr’s Mill (3-7) is unranked in Class AAAA.
Last meeting: Etowah won 47-24 last season.
Three things to know: 1. Starr’s Mill’s loss to Etowah last year set the tone for a 3-7 season, the Panthers’ first losing season since 2003 and only the third in school history. 2. Etowah QB Braden Nolan will be stepping in for last year’s starter, James Harris, who has decided to concentrate on baseball. 3. Etowah must replace graduated RB Ryan Boykin, who rushed for 1,737 yards last season, including 277 against Starr’s Mill.
GHSF Daily prediction: Etowah 27, Starr’s Mill 14
BROOKWOOD VS. McEACHERN
When, where: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Georgia Dome
Records, rankings: Brookwood (6-5 in 2008) and McEachern (5-5) are both unranked in Class AAAAA.
Last meeting: Brookwood won 28-7 in 2002.
Three things to know: 1. McEachern, a charter member of the Corky Kell Classic, has lost three consecutive games in the event. 2. McEachern RB Rajaan Bennett, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season, faces a Brookwood defense that allowed just 8.1 points per game in region play last year. 3. Brookwood returns an experienced quarterback in junior Ben McLane; McEachern will be breaking in a new QB after losing last year’s starter, Daniel King.
GHSF Daily prediction: Brookwood 10, McEachern 7
CAMDEN COUNTY VS. GRAYSON
When, where: 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Georgia Dome
Records, rankings: Camden County (15-0 in 2008) is No. 4 in Class AAAAA; Grayson (13-1) is No. 2.
Last meeting: Camden County won 22-7 in 2007.
Three things to know: 1. Camden County returns just seven starters from last year’s state championship team. Fifteen of the Wildcats’ seniors have moved on to college football. 2. Both teams are strong on the defensive line. Camden County returns DE Matt Jackson, who led the team in tackles and sacks last season; Grayson has DT Shawn Green (committed to Georgia Tech) and DE Joseph Champaign, who led Gwinnett County with 13 sacks. 3. Camden County must find a way to stop Grayson RB Ean Pemberton, who rushed for 1,950 yards and 14 touchdowns last season.
GHSF Daily prediction: Grayson 14, Camden County 13
NORCROSS VS. WALTON
When, where: 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Georgia Dome
Records, rankings: Norcross (8-4 in 2008) and Walton (9-2) are both unranked in Class AAAAA.
Last meeting: Norcross won 17-10 in 2006.
Three things to know: 1. This will be the first game for Walton head coach Rocky Hidalgo, the longtime assistant who was promoted to replace Ed Dudley, who left for Ware County. 2. Norcross running backs Kendrix Huitt and Delino DeShields (a transfer from Woodward Academy) will be competing to replace D.J. Adams, who rushed for 1,584 yards last season. 3. Both teams will be replacing their starting quarterback, leading rusher and leading receiver from last season.
GHSF Daily prediction: Norcross 24, Walton 10
Elsewhere
BAINBRIDGE AT CAIRO
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, West Thomas Stadium
Records, rankings: Bainbridge (6-4 in 2008) is unranked in Class AAAA; Cairo (15-0) is ranked No. 5 in Class AAA.
Last meeting: Cairo won 20-19 in 2007.
Three things to know: 1. The 2008 game between the schools was canceled due to Tropical Storm Faye. Cairo, the home team this season, has offered to split the gate receipts this year to help Bainbridge, which was left with only four home games last season. 2. Cairo lost 19 of 22 starters from its Class AAA championship team. 3. Bainbridge is led by QB Rohan Gaines, who had over 1,100 yards of total offense in six starts last season.
GHSF Daily prediction:Cairo 21, Bainbridge 14
Here are GHSF Daily’s predictions for the other games this weekend (home teams marked with an asterisk):
Today
*Aiken (S.C.) over Berkmar
*Marion County over Drew
*Buford over Grovetown
Taylor County over *Georgia Military
Saturday
*East Hall over Murray County
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