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Thursday, September 27, 2007
Changing of the guard at hand?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Norcross playing Peachtree Ridge must be a little bit what it’s like when the president-elect and the lame-duck sitting president pass each other somewhere in the corridors of the White House.
You’ve got the guy picked to become the rising chief executive and the guy who usually isn’t ready to let go of the power. And here we have Norcross, the newly anointed No. 1 in Class AAAAA, taking the same field as Peachtree Ridge, a defending co-champion. One on the rise, one on the way out.
Theoretically, yes, there’s time to reverse the election. Theoretically, Peachtree Ridge isn’t necessarily on the way out. Theoretically, there’s still time for the Lions to mount a grass-roots campaign and earn another term.
But the purpose here is much like it is on election night. On the map of high school football games, certain teams are red and certain ones are blue. And after tonight, with none of the precincts in yet, our exit polls are declaring that Peachtree Ridge will be blue.
The Lions likely will match up better with Norcross than Grayson did. Once run-oriented Grayson fell behind Norcross, in a 24-3 loss two weeks ago, it was readily apparent the Rams didn’t have the quick-strike ability to mount a serious comeback. The Lions are better equipped for that.
But, still, coming back is likely the problem they will face against a team that’s playing solid defense and has the lightning quick-strike ability to put its opponents in a hole. Norcross will hold on to the top spot and take another step toward transitioning from Peachtree Ridge’s reign.
• Harrison at Marietta: The meat portion of Marietta’s schedule commences tonight when the Blue Devils play host to Harrison. It could well be one of the best games anywhere in the state, and certainly in Cobb County.
North Cobb might be the best team in the county right now, but a penalty-prone Harrison came up only one point shy of the Warriors two weeks ago. When Bruce Cobleigh’s Hoyas are playing their game, they can go into hostile territory — like they did to open the season at Lowndes — and come away with a victory. Northcutt Stadium will be hostile territory again tonight, but the Hoyas should be able to hold on against a team that has yet to play anybody as good as Harrison.
• Roswell at Wheeler: Last year, all it took to get Roswell focused and on its way to a share of the Class AAAAA championship was an upset loss and a timeout from the No. 1 ranking. The Hornets find themselves in that position again, with a twist.
They play Wheeler, the team that knocked them down last season and one which is trying to prove they can knock them down again. Roswell hasn’t lost consecutive games in three seasons and with all the motivation they need, the Hornets won’t start now.
THE WEEKEND PREDICTIONS
FRIDAY
Winner / Loser
Adairsville / Trion
Alpharetta / Pope
Americus-Sumter / Crisp Co.
Appling Co. / Long Co.
Athens Christian / Glascock Co.
Bacon Co. / Pelham
Baldwin / Stockbridge
Benedictine / Butler
Bowdon / Heard Co.
Bradwell Institute / Beach
Brantley Co. / Jeff Davis
Bremen / Landmark Chr.
Brooks Co. / Albany
Brookwood / Shiloh
Brunswick / Wayne Co.
Buford / GAC
Callaway / Rutland
Camden Co. / Groves
Carrollton / Haralson Co.
Cartersville / Cass
Carver-Atlanta / South Atlanta
Cedar Grove / Lakeside-DeKalb
Cedar Shoals / Heritage
Cedartown / Central-Carroll
Centennial / Kell
Central Gwinnett / Berkmar
Central-Macon / Jackson
Chamblee / Blessed Trinity
Charlton Co. / Pierce Co.
Chattahoochee / Sprayberry
Cherokee / Alexander
Clarke Central / Madison Co.
Claxton / Calvary Day
Clinch Co. / Lanier Co.
Coffee / Lowndes
Cook / Randolph-Clay
Crawford Co. / Pike Co.
Creekside / Woodward Acad.
Creekview / North Oconee
Dacula / Jackson Co.
Dalton / S.E. Whitfield
Darlington / Temple
Decatur / Cross Keys
Dooly Co. / Montgomery Co.
Douglas Co. / Osborne
Dublin / East Laurens
Early Co. / Mitchell Co.
East Coweta / Paulding Co.
East Paulding / Pebblebrook
ECI / Jenkins Co.
ELCA / Social Circle
Etowah / Campbell
Evans / Effingham Co.
Fannin Co. / Oglethorpe Co.
Fayette Co. / Northgate
Fitzgerald / Dodge Co.
Flowery Branch / Chestatee
Forsyth Central / Duluth
Glenn Hills / Burke Co.
Grady / Dunwoody
Grayson / Meadowcreek
Greenbrier / Richmond Acad.
Greene Co. / Rabun Co.
Greenville / Stewart-Quitman
Griffin / North Clayton
Habersham Cent. / Winder-Barrow
Hancock Central / Monticello
Harrison / Marietta
Hart Co. / Elbert Co.
Hawkinsville / Johnson Co.
Hillgrove / East Jackson
Hiram / Morrow
Holy Innocents’ / Walker
Irwin Co. / Telfair Co.
Jefferson / Mt. Pisgah Chr.
Josey / Metter
Kendrick / Spencer
LaGrange / Hardaway
Laney / Swainsboro
Lassiter / Milton
Liberty Co. / Harlem
Lincoln Co. / Aquinas
Lovejoy / Jonesboro
Macon Co. / Lamar Co.
Manchester / Marion Co.
Marist / North Springs
Mary Persons / Southwest-Mac.
Mays / Columbia
Mill Creek / South Forsyth
M.L. King / Union Grove
Morgan Co. / Union Co.
Norcross / Peachtree Ridge
North Cobb / Kennesaw Mtn.
North Gwinnett / Collins Hill
Northeast-Macon / Ola
North Hall / Gainesville
Northwest Whitfield / Lakeview-Ft. Ogle.
Oconee Co. / Franklin Co.
Our Lady of Mercy / Mt. Zion-Carroll
Pacelli Catholic / Chattahoochee Co.
Parkview / South Gwinnett
Peach Co. / Spalding
Pepperell / Model
Perry / Henry Co.
Pickens / East Hall
Prince Ave. Chr. / Towns Co.
Putnam Co. / Dawson Co.
Ridgeland / LaFayette
Ringgold / Gordon Lee
Riverwood / Druid Hills
Rockdale Co. / Alcovy
Rome / Gordon Central
Roswell / Wheeler
Salem / Eastside
Savannah Christian / McIntosh Co. Ac.
Sav, Cntry Day / Bryan Co.
Schley Co. / Central-Talbotton
Seminole Co. / Miller Co.
Sequoyah / Chapel Hill
South Cobb / Murray Co.
South Effingham / Cross Creek
South Paulding / Woodland-Stock.
Southside / Therrell
Starr’s Mill / Banneker
Statesboro / Lakeside-Evans
St. Pius / Washington
Stephens Co. / Apalachee
Stone Mountain / Miller Grove
Terrell Co. / Calhoun Co.
Thomas Co. Cent. / Monroe
Thomasville / Berrien
Thomson / Hephzibah
Toombs Co. / Tattnall Co.
Towers / Clarkston
Tucker / S.W. DeKalb
Turner Co. / Treutlen
Upson-Lee / Jones Co.
Valdosta / Colquitt Co.
Vidalia / Bleckley Co.
Villa Rica / Sandy Creek
Walton / Northview
Ware Co. / Glynn Academy
Warner Robins / Houston Co.
Warren Co. / Twiggs Co.
Washington Co. / Richmond Hill
Washington-Wilkes / Banks Co.
West Hall / Gilmer
West Laurens / Eagle’s Landing
Wesleyan / Lovett
Westminster / North Atlanta
Westover / Taylor Co.
Westside-Augusta / S.E. Bulloch
White Co. / Johnson-Gaines.
Whitewater / Westlake
Wilcox Co. / Wheeler Co.
Wilkinson Co. / Ga. Military Coll.
Windsor Forest / Johnson-Sav.
Woodland-Cart. / Lithia Springs
Woodstock / McEachern
SATURDAY
Athens Academy / Fellowship Chr.
Calhoun / Commerce
Carver-Columbus / Columbus
Douglass / Lithonia
Jenkins / Savannah
Mundy’s Mill / Tri-Cities
Redan / Newton
Riverdale / Mt. Zion-Jones.
Shaw / Jordan
Stephenson / Luella
* — Games against out-of-state teams have been omitted
Permalink | Comments (39) | Post your comment | Categories: Darryl Maxie
Mercy math: Two could equal five
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When you’re a struggling program, you take your hope wherever you can find it. So it is with Our Lady of Mercy. Before the season, Bryan Pinabell sat down with his players and talked about setting goals. “We want to win five games,” they told him.
Of course, everyone wants to win at least five. Win five, and you’re not a loser any more, unless you make the playoffs and lose your first game. The Bobcats had not won more than two in any of their five full varsity seasons, and before they can get to five, clearly they have to get to two. Friday’s home game against Mt. Zion-Carrollton, then, presents a golden opportunity.
The Eagles have been outscored 166-30 in four games, while Mercy is coming off the best offensive performance in school history, a 35-24 victory against Towns County in which they set school marks for points, total yards and individual rushing yards (Christian Willis broke free for 294). Says here: Bobcats experience a streak.
Moving on …
While we’re on the subject of facing struggling teams, I give you Fayette County, which come Friday night will likely be 5-0 for the first time since 1981. The Tigers take on a Northgate team that won its opener against Central-Carrollton and has not scored since; Fayette has allowed just 7.3 points per game. I’m thinking Northgate will not have an answer for Brandon Boykin and Matt Daniels, who combined for 316 rushing yards and three touchdowns last week in their win over Woodward Academy …
AT THE NET
Whitewater’s volleyball team got nine kills from Brittany Woods and five digs each from Charmaine Kehoe and Casey Howett in a pair of sweeps against Fayette County and Lovejoy, improving to 18-6 overall and 6-2 in area play …
FOOTBALL GAME OF THE WEEK
Whitewater at Westlake — 7:30 p.m. Friday
RECORDS: Whitewater (2-2, 1-1 Region 2-AAAA); Westlake (3-1, 1-1)
COACHES: Whitewater, Amos McCreary (98-47); Westlake, Dallas Allen (108-62).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Whitewater — FB Collin Wooddy (Sr., 6-1.210), CB Chris Asbury (Sr., 5-9, 175), DE Thomas Richard (Jr., 6-1, 200).
LAST YEAR: Whitewater won, 17-14.
LAST WEEK: Whitewater beat Creekside 10-7; Westlake lost to Starr’s Mill 16-7.
THE SKINNY: In a game that figures to play a pivotal role in the Region 2-AAAA race, the Wildcats look to capitalize on the momentum gained from beating defending region champ Creekside. The Wildcats have struggled on offense to this point, but they have been within a touchdown every week. Last week they scored their first offensive touchdown, and a little improvement might be worth a lot with a defense that is allowing just 12 points per game. Westlake, meanwhile, opened 3-0 before losing to Starr’s Mill last week. The loser will have two early region losses and sit behind the playoff eight ball.
PREDICTION: Whitewater, 15-14.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Fayette
Sorry, Raiders, but you’re IT
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jamie Reed called last Friday night and expressed frustration. The Riverdale football coach, it seems, felt that on some level I had either jinxed his club or just provided extra motivation for North Clayton, which took a 47-28 win over the Raiders.
All this because I’d had the temerity to pick the Raiders over the Eagles. I guess he had a point. Anyhow, Reed asked that I not pick them again, which brings us to this week’s game against Mt. Zion Saturday night at Tara Stadium.
As much as I would love to oblige him — as far as I can tell, he’s a stand-up guy — I look at Mt. Zion (coached by another stand-up guy in Jarrett Laws, and I’m not talking about comedy) and see a team that has floundered on offense despite having one of the state’s top running backs — Martin Ward. Ward’s gonna get his yards, but he won’t get enough to offset the Raiders’ multiple offensive weapons.
Moving on …
Upset special, just because the loser will be highly upset: A coin flip tells me Lovejoy will top Jonesboro. The Wildcats, who have found the sledding more bumpy than expected — let’s just say 0-4 was seriously unforeseen — will have enough weapons to finally break through …
FOOTBALL GAME OF THE WEEK
Griffin at North Clayton — 7:30 p.m. Friday, Twelve Oaks Stadium
RECORDS: Griffin 3-1 (1-0 Region 4-AAAA Division A); North Clayton 3-1 (2-0).
COACHES: Griffin, Steve Devoursney (56-22) North Clayton, Don Shockley (80-62-1).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Griffin — DE Toby Jackson (Sr., 6-4, 245); North Clayton — DB Edward Ndem (Sr., 6-1, 190), DT Albert Carlisle (Jr., 6-0, 245), WR Daamon Cooper (Sr., 5-10, 160).
LAST YEAR: Griffin won, 36-6.
LAST WEEK: North Clayton beat Riverdale 47-28; Griffin beat Forest Park 42-17.
THE SKINNY: Both of these teams got well last week after losing two weeks ago, and the winner of this game will have the inside track to the top spot in 4-AAAA Division A. The Eagles showed some advancing maturity in their win over Riverdale, jumping to a big lead, withstanding the Raiders’ comeback attempt and pulling away late. Griffin, though, is one of the state’s elite programs, and after tripping up at Upson-Lee, the Bears appear to be back on track.
PREDICTION: Griffin, 24-14.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Clayton
Dog days hound Dutchtown
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
One really has to feel for the Dutchtown Bulldogs. They’ve scored 98 points in three games (compared with 87 all of last year), but they’re 1-2 because they’ve allowed 95 in losing their last two.
Which doesn’t bode well with the rest of their schedule: No. 1-ranked Northside-Warner Robins this week, followed by Upson-Lee, No. 2 Thomas County Central and No. 5 Westside-Macon. They close their season with No. 6 Baldwin.
All of those games except Westside are on the road. Everyone else in Region 4-AAAA Division B also has that murderer’s row of a region schedule, but when you add Thomas Central — owner of five state championships since 1992 — that takes Dutchtown to the so-called next level.
Moving on …
Eagle’s Landing Christian may have snuck up on Social Circle and Bremen (its next two opponents) last year, but the Chargers, who have twice scored 50 points in their first three games, aren’t likely to do so again. The Social Circle game Friday is ELCA’s first game at home, where it will play five of its last seven contests.
Check your defenses at the gate, boys: Henry County enters Friday’s game at Perry having scored 12 points in three games. Perry has scored 91. Says here that this’un will be a shootout. If the Warhawks can shore up their special teams, they have an excellent chance …
FOOTBALL GAME OF THE WEEK
Stockbridge at No. 6 Baldwin — 7:30 p.m. Friday, Milledgeville
RECORDS: Stockbridge 4-0 (1-0 Region 4-AAAA Division B), Baldwin 2-0 (0-0).
COACHES: Stockbridge, Steve Collins (11-13); Baldwin, Jesse Hicks (43-18).
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Stockbridge — QB Tyler Bass (Sr., 6-3, 205), OL Randy Salmon (Sr., 6-3, 290), WR/LB Vance King (Sr., 6-1, 195); Baldwin — RB Jerrico Ford; QB Wayne Williams, OL Jason Peacock, OL Jerome Saulsbury.
LAST YEAR: Baldwin won, 42-21.
LAST WEEK: Stockbridge beat Dutchtown 49-27; Baldwin’s game at Laney was suspended due to weather and will not be completed.
THE SKINNY: The Tigers have been driving bumper cars on a veritable closed course so far, now merge onto I-285 at rush hour. The Braves have won 10 games in back-to-back seasons and have made four playoff appearances in the past five years. They lost dynamic RB Darius Marshall from last year, but they still have Ford running behind Saulsbury and Peacock, both of whom top 300 pounds. Stockbridge has scored 150 points over the first four games, but Baldwin has allowed 17 in two games plus less than a half in the suspended game. The key will be the Stockbridge defense, which has two shutouts but allowed 55 points in its other two games.
PREDICTION: Baldwin, 31-28.
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