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DEL.ICIO.USMercy’s good but ELCA’s better
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Two streaks enter. Only one will emerge.
ELCA has taken the best shots of its only two scheduled public-school opponents and has put up 77 points. Now, the Chargers enter their Region 5-A schedule riding a three-game win streak and having scored 127 points in those three games.
Our Lady of Mercy is the region-opening foe for ELCA, and this is not your older brother’s Mercy team. Whereas ELCA has outscored the Bobcats 110-32 in three previous meetings, the Fairburn Catholic school is 3-2 in 2007 and has scored 118 points in its last three games — all wins. Mercy has not played the toughest of competition in that span, and thus ELCA has to be considered a solid favorite with quarterback Wes Carter (388 yards passing, 173 rushing last week) at the controls. Says here, Chargers bolt to win.
MOVING ON …
Stockbridge all of a sudden finds itself reeling after two straight losses. Now they face their third straight powerhouse program in Upson-Lee, which visits the Tigers Friday. At 1-2 in Region 4-AAAA, Division B, the Tigers probably have to win out — and they still have No. 6-ranked Westside-Macon on their schedule — to earn a spot in the region playoff and a chance to go to the state playoffs. They’ll have to contend with Upson-Lee’s Phillip Searcy, who rushed for 204 yards in a blowout win over Dutchtown last week. The Knights have already lost to Westside and still have Northside-Warner Robins and Baldwin to play, so this one has the feel of an elimination game. This was a shootout last year, with Upson-Lee winning 41-34. If Stockbridge quarterback Tyler Bass plays — he missed last week’s game while recovering from a concussion — it could be again. Says here, Stockbridge in a mild upset.
ACES
ELCA pitcher Hope Rush might be tempted to pull the Satchel Page trick of pulling her defenders of the field, what with the one-person wrecking crew she has been this fall. Rush has allowed just three earned runs in 177 innings of work and has struck out 316 of 624 batters faced, all while batting .459 herself with nine home runs and 34 RBIs … Ola hurler Allie Raines had a bid for a third straight no-hitter fall in the fourth inning of the Mustangs’ Region 4-AAA Tournament opener against Peach County, a game Ola won 3-2 in eight innings …
GAME OF THE WEEK
Henry County at Eagle’s Landing, 7:30 p.m. Friday
RECORDS: Henry County 4-1, 1-0 Region 4-AAA Division A; Eagle’s Landing 0-5, 0-1
COACHES: Henry County, Mike Rozier (15-50); Eagle’s Landing, Bob Stinchcomb (43-73)
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Henry County - WR/DB Chris Jackson (Sr., 6-1, 195), WR Jamal Patterson (Jr., 6-3, 205), QB Drew Little (Jr., 6-4, 240). Eagle’s Landing - LB/RB Ben Barnes (Sr., 6-2, 185), WR/DB Brock Callahan (Sr., 5-10, 170), QB Dylan Shaddix (Soph., 6-2, 200)
LAST YEAR: Eagle’s Landing won, 25-15
LAST WEEK: Henry County beat Jackson 24-14; Eagle’s Landing lost to Spalding, 28-0
THE SKINNY: On paper this one looks like a mismatch because Henry has put up 182 points in five games while Eagle’s Landing has been outscored 175-17 so far. Nonetheless, Henry has likely had this game in the back of its collective mind for a year. The Golden Eagles claimed their only win of 2006 against the Warhawks, a loss that contributed to Henry missing the state playoffs. Had they won, they might have avoided playing eventual state champion Peach County in the region playoff. The Warhawk offense is spearheaded by Little, who has more than 1,400 passing yards and has thrown just one interception in more than 150 attempts. Special teams have been a trouble spot for Henry, which gave up a punt return for a touchdown and had a punt snap recovered in the end zone for another in its win over Jackson last week.
PREDICTION: Henry County, 34-7
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