Prep Zone

By devil lover

September 18, 2007 11:05 AM | Link to this

norcross had an excellent game against grayson but i don’t think that grayson played their best game. they are probaly a much better team and time will tell. thye should make it to the playoffs.

norcross has two more major challenges ahead-peachtree ridge and north gwinnett at home the final game of the season. norcross should finish with no more than one lost and be in the playsoff. if they win their region they will have a good opportunity to go all the way.

all of the teams you mentioned are capable but it will come down to which teams wants to win the most in a single elimination tournament. and of course home field advantage will play a big part in the final outcome.

By devil lover

September 18, 2007 11:14 AM | Link to this

also, i think the regular season record should end up meaning more than it does now.

in other words, someone who wins all of their regular season games should not have to play against a team in the play offs who has lost three games during the regular season. there are two many teams going to the play offs. the play offs should be reserved to the very best teams and probably should be no more than two schools per region.

By GaBred

September 18, 2007 11:46 AM | Link to this

One game doesn’t make or break a season. In ‘87, my SWD team had just taken a lose to neighborhood rival Columbia early in the season suffering our 2nd lose of the season (our first to evetual AAAchamps Lakeside) and many outside of PantherNation felt that our armour was tarnishing. Contrarily our next lost would be in the state semi-finals 14-7 to Andre Hasting’s Morrow team. Although not state champions, I still regard that season 11-3 as a successful one.

By T.J.

September 18, 2007 1:31 PM | Link to this

Grayson was missing 3 starters going into Norcross. All starters, CB, RB, and Kicker. And it would have made a big difference. They will be back once they get healthy.

By devil lover

September 18, 2007 2:35 PM | Link to this

norcross had a very productive game against grayson beating them 24-3. however grayson is a better team than how they played friday night.

norcross has two more major games with peachtree ridge and north gwinnett at home the last game of the season. norcross while they have a chance to go undefeated will probably loss at least one game which will put them into the play offs.

it is a long season so every team listed has a good chance of being in the play offs especially since I believe 3 teams from each region will qualify for the play offs.

i wish the regular season results could mean more than it currently does. too many teams qualify for the play offs under the current structure. i don’t think that a team who goes undeated should have to end up possibly playing a team in the play offs that lost three games during the regular season.

so to make the regular season games mean more i think that only two teams from each region should qualify for the play offs.

By NORCOSS GRAD

September 18, 2007 3:13 PM | Link to this

Norcross will be there in the end. They have to many horses in the stable not to take the next step. I think they will be like the University of Florida and hold both the basketball and football state titles at the same time.

By millcreek fan

September 18, 2007 4:42 PM | Link to this

I dont know, but i am predicting mill creek to go 6 and 4 this season.

By DD

September 18, 2007 6:52 PM | Link to this

What about thr hype over the Carrollton and Westminster game? Did Carrollton make a statement?

By SW

September 18, 2007 10:09 PM | Link to this

One game does make the season if it’s the playoffs, you’re down by 9 or more, and the clock reads 0:01….otherwise, enjoy the roller-coaster…..

By Alex

September 18, 2007 10:16 PM | Link to this

What’s interesting about Region 7-AAAAA this year is the small group of dominate teams. In years past you would have Peachtree Ridge, North Gwinnett, Norcross, South Forsyth, and Collins Hill all beating each other up for play-off spots, and right now you really only have North Gwinnett, Norcross, and Peachtree Ridge, of which only two remain undefeated. As for the topic of one game making the difference. Yes and no. No if you loose a game it doesn’t mean your done. Especially early in the season during non-region play, a lose means very little in the sense of making it to the post season. But one game can make the difference in post season seeding, and that can determine how far you make it in the playoffs. Take Norcross’ first playoff bid during the 2005 season. Had they one in those close losses to North Gwinnett and/ or Collins Hill and they wouldn’t have had to face off against Number 1 seeded Brookwood in the first round of playoffs.

By mikefresh

September 19, 2007 6:29 AM | Link to this

man mill creek fan ya’ll are not going 6-4 you guys let winder barrow beat you so how can you be any good

By Warrior Woman

September 19, 2007 8:52 AM | Link to this

North Cobb has made several “statements” this year. Besides the first win over Harrison in a decade, the Warriors dominated Kell and South Cobb. Both the offense and defense look more mature and capable this year. The Matt Roark - Calvin Middleton combination on offense, along with a strong defensive line, should carry the Warriors far.

By Coach-E-Mon

September 19, 2007 12:04 PM | Link to this

Just like GaBred’s SWD team, after 14 straight wins against Milton, ‘97 or ‘98 Roswell was defeated by them early in the season but later went deep into the playoffs. The Gwinnett, Dekalb, Cobb and North Fulton County schools have such good programs an intense rivalries (not to say that other systems don’t) but on any given day the under dog may come out victorious

By RP

September 19, 2007 12:49 PM | Link to this

How ‘bout Upson-lee Knights Beatin the Griffin Bears

By spiderman

September 19, 2007 3:41 PM | Link to this

There isn’t too many teams in GA that can compete with or against Norcross, everybody knows that. Too big, Too fast, Too good,…

Maloof should take his team into FL or AL and play one of their top teams. Nocross just can score at will with big plays. its unbelieveable

By Canis Athenas

September 19, 2007 9:01 PM | Link to this

Some would say that Brookwood is a sure footed kicker away from being 3-0. They’ll be in the playoffs, but we know that “Achilee’s heel” could very well be their undoing sometime in the playoffs …. unfortunately. I hope he’s got his foot grove back.

By bcf

September 20, 2007 1:14 AM | Link to this

Spiderman,

I hope you were being sarcastic about Norcross. They still haven’t won a State Championship and were beaten pretty soundly in the playoffs last season.

They might win the State Championship yet, but Roswell and Peachtree Ridge are the defending State Champs for now much to the chagrin of this TC Blue Devil fan from SGA.

By Football fan

September 20, 2007 7:35 AM | Link to this

In reply to warrior woman, I am not a Harrison or North Cobb fan but was at the game as a fan of high school football. Anyone who saw that game knows NC did not dominate Harrrison and in fact were outplayed most of the night. One ref was constantly throwing flags for holding throughout the game and on one case appeared to throw it after the Hoya player crossed the goal line. The Hoyas missed a field goal, an extra point and had an extra blocked where, if I recall correctly, the NC defense plowed over the Harrison center on the last extra point which is not permitted as far as I know. Did they make a statment, no way although the scoreboard says they did and I guess that is all that matters.

By football expert

September 20, 2007 8:25 AM | Link to this

The Ridge, as they refer to themselves, is the most over rated team in high school football. I amnot sure what colleges see in the several D1 commitments on defense. At grayson they looked average and ARE average. One of them was a real poor sport at grayson. He did not go through and shake hands of the grayson players. That is pure unsportsman-like. No one cared that you stared at the scoreboard. You know who you are and that was pitiful. You are not bigger than the game to act like that at a high school game. get over yourself. The Ridge kissed their sister last year tying for the state championship. That says that neither team was worthy of the top prize.

By momma

September 20, 2007 11:49 AM | Link to this

The North Cobb-Harrison game wasn’t a tough loss physically as the Harrison team dominated the game, but didn’t get a chance with the ref’s and the kickers. It was a mentally challenged game that was won but the score and the win remains the same. Sad for the kids as always and until the ref’s are held accountable in all sports nothing will ever be done. The Harrison kickers however can be worked on as that was unusual for them. Let’s just see where North Cobb ends up in the end, it’s just too early to tell.

By Warrior Mom

September 20, 2007 4:24 PM | Link to this

I don’t think that anyone said the North Cobb dominated Harrison. I was at the game, too. Both teams had equal chance to win the game. Unfortunately, this year Harrison came up short and the refs had nothing to do with the outcome. Both teams could have played better on both sides of the ball; and both teams blew opportunities to score. If you play football long enough, you know that you have to play that much harder to win; because at every game you better factor in that one missed call by the ref, that one fumble, that one interception or that missed extra point that your kicker never misses. Harrison was the #6 team in the state and had a 10-year winning streak; it was up to them to come out, make a statement and dominate the game – but they didn’t.

By Football fan

September 20, 2007 5:58 PM | Link to this

The great thing about opinions is everyone has one; just that some are based on emotion and others on fact.

By football

September 20, 2007 11:42 PM | Link to this

The best team in 5A is the 5th rank Stephenson High Jaguars. This is a program for the last seven years should have won 3 state titles. The Jaguars lack a great coaching staff when it is needed.

By Gwinnett Dad

September 21, 2007 6:12 AM | Link to this

A bus ride of 250 miles often negatively impacts a high school football team. We at Brookwood got thumped for the State Championship in 2005 by Lowndes in Valdosta, thus we know how Valdosta felt to get thumped last weekend by Brookwood at Brookwood. Kenny Miles had a wonderful game behind a fine offensive line, and our defense excelled against the run, which was Valdosta’s strength. However, Brookwood isn’t as good as the score indicates, nor is Valdosta as bad. Until the Brookwood team learns that a tight end can actually catch a football, until Brookwood actually decides to incorporate deception and misdirection, our offense will stagnate whenever we play somebody just as strong as we are. And, for sure, there are teams that are just as strong as we are, or strong enough, to stop an extremely predictable running attack. Brookwood resembles the Cleveland Browns in the era of Paul Brown, who said, “Here’s our fullback, we’re going right, now stop us!” However, even Paul Brown knew how to throw to a tight end, which Coach Crews has never figured out how to do more than once or twice a season. Every AAAAA football coach down to the water girls already knows that, so that’s two less offensive players to cover during a pass play. And you wonder why Brookwood can’t throw?