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Thursday, September 18, 2008
AJC’s Georgia High School Football Predictions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If your favorite team’s football season ended right now, would you take a 9-1 record?
That will be one win more than Northside-Warner Robins will have by season’s end. One win more than Norcross, East Paulding or Valdosta. One less win than Camden County, ECI or Grayson. The exact record for Harrison, Carver-Columbus, Walton and St. Pius.
Now, how many of you smiled and how many gnashed your teeth at those statements? Load the Cannon! Start an Eagle Nation uprising! Unleash the Hoya Dawgs.
A 9-1 record last week should have me feeling pretty darn cocky and ready to take on the world, but perfection is always the goal. So, yes, I am mad that Northside got lucky and beat a Carver-Columbus team that proved it is the team to beat in Class AAA, even if it is ranked second. That limb that I crawled out on last week in calling for the end to the Northside winning streak looks pretty strong when compared to the rest of the schedule. My pick is that the Eagles lose two in the regular season, and now I can’t ever go eat at that Japanese steak house on Watson Boulevard again.
For the year, the guru of gridiron guessing is 19-7 on the young season.
• Starting in the middle: OK, now that I have alienated a huge portion of the blogging community by saying that Northside will lose two games this year, this week’s matchup with Valdosta won’t be one of them. Eagles fans got all bent out of shape when they won and dropped in the polls to No. 3 behind Camden County, and Valdosta fans blew a gasket with the Wildcats winning against Jonesboro and falling completely out of the rankings. Region 1-AAAAA fans like to say they are the SEC of high school football. If that is the case, then AAA Carver-Columbus (though very talented) would be on the par with Middle Tennessee State. I’m sorry, but Georgia or Florida isn’t supposed to beat MTSU 7-6. Take the Eagles at home, but the day of reckoning is coming.
•My Gwinnett groove: Biggest game between ranked opponents is at North Gwinnett, which plays host to Norcross. Both teams are 2-1 with what would be considered quality losses, but I give North Gwinnett the edge because they have a quality victory against Brookwood and experience in winning these tougher matchups. … I have appropriately been educated that Grayson is the home of the Rams. I think they play some celestial shooting stars this week. Baaaaaaa! Rams win, and Gwinnett still rules the universe.
•Rush to judgment: Rush Propst has the community in Colquitt County dreaming of December play dates and shifts in the power structure in Region 1-AAAAA. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Packers. The MTV Icon won’t have figured Lowndes out just yet. Still two years away from Packer domination!
•Out and about: I’m really getting on the St. Pius train. In perhaps the best game in the metro area, pick the Lions to defend their No. 4 ranking against Carver-Atlanta. … Kennesaw Mountain can’t win the big game. Tonight versus North Cobb is a big game. Pick the Warriors. … Baldwin has a chance to make some waves, but Carver-Columbus should be spoiling for a beatdown on someone. … After Mays exposed Whitewater last week, pick Carrollton at home. … Upset Special of the Week: Kell at home over Roswell.
• Check out all of Whitfield’s predictions
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