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Monday, April 7, 2008
Hottest high school football games coming in 2008
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The GHSA has not released football schedules for 2008, but most schools are set for the fall. I can’t recall a year with so many intriguing early season matchups. I’ve highlighted 10 nuggets about the 2008 schedule.
Days and games to mark on your calendar
The Corky Kell Classic: The four games that open the season on Aug. 23 are pretty typical: Norcross vs. Camden County, McEachern vs. Grayson, Starr’s Mill vs. Etowah and Brookwood vs. Walton. You’ve got four of Class AAAAA’s reigning region champions going head-to-head in Norcross (Region 7), Camden (3), Walton (6) and Brookwood (8). Norcross and Camden have never played each other. It has been almost 20 years for Brookwood and Walton, two schools that are similar in many ways, most notably their excellence in all sports.
North Gwinnett doubleheader, Aug. 29: Does this event have a name? Byrnes High — which has won five state titles in six seasons in South Carolina — plays the host team, while Central Gwinnett plays Mainland of Daytona Beach, which went 8-4 last season.
Peachtree Ridge: The Lions are cashing in on their new status as a state power by lining up a date at home against Harrison (Aug. 29) and one on the road against Lowndes (Sept. 5).
Tucker at Brunswick, Aug. 29: For the first time in two seasons, Tucker gets to venture outside its region. Brunswick has made the playoffs the past three seasons.
Buford vs. Mansfield Timberview at Texas Stadium on Aug. 30: The only thing I can’t figure is how Buford was asking to be put in a new region to cut down on travel. Now, the Wolves are going to Dallas. Not that I blame them. The good thing for Buford is that it’s an 11 a.m. start. Buford is used to that because of the Georgia Dome semifinals and thus should cruise while Mansfield is still snoozing. Mansfield, from Arlington, Texas, was 9-4 last season.
Camden vs. Columbia (Fla.) and Charlton County vs. First Coast (Fla.), Sept. 6: This doubleheader at Camden features region champions from Florida and Georgia.
Camden at Hoover High of Alabama, Sept. 12: This game matches state powers from Georgia and Alabama. Hoover is the team made famous by the MTV series “Two-A-Days.” Camden has won more games than any other school over the past five years in Georgia’s highest class. I assume that Hoover can say the same for itself in Alabama.
Northside-Warner Robins at Carver-Columbus, Sept. 12: It’s the Class AAAA champions vs. the Class AAA champions. Northside’s schedule is the best in the state. Carver lost QB DeRon Furr (Auburn) and WR Jarmon Fortson (FSU), but returns 11 starters and LB Jarvis Jones.
Stephens County at LaGrange, Sept. 12: East vs. West Georgia, state powers in Class AAA going at it.
Northside-Warner Robins at Lowndes, Oct. 3: I’m not sure when the last time the defending champions of the highest two classifications have met the following season. Perhaps never. I’ll have to research that. Lowndes returns Greg Reid (Florida commit), while Northside is led by recent Georgia commit Abry Jones.
Kick off the debate: If Todd’s missed something good, let him know. Or if you’ve got a question about a team’s schedule, he’ll try to find it.
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