AJC > Sports > Highschools > Blog > Archives > 2008 > September > 18 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USAJC’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
Permalink | Comments (26) | Post your comment | Categories: Weekend Predictions
Comments
By George
September 18, 2008 9:49 PM | Link to this
THERE WILL BE A RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE ON FRIDAY AT NORTH GWINNETT, EXPECT 8,000 ATTENDANCE. WILL BE THE GAME OF THE MONTH FOR SURE.
By Erin
September 18, 2008 10:29 PM | Link to this
Well, I agree that my Eagles struggled last week against a very good Carver team. I’m not even going to predict they’ll go undefeated again. But it’s still possible. Regardless, they have fought hard every step of the way and deserve the respect they’ve earned.
And don’t worry, we’ll still welcome you in Wartown! :)
By who dey?
September 18, 2008 10:31 PM | Link to this
lookout for clarkston @ dunwoody. if anyone did’t know, clarkston’s defense is ranked #1 overall in dekalb county.DON’T BELIEVE ME? do some research
By Really
September 18, 2008 11:04 PM | Link to this
Well, you really did go out on a limb there with saying northside will lose eventually. i mean, the boys in blue have won 33 in a row, they’re not going to win forever, so you’re right on that.
However, i think its a slap in the face to Carver to compare them to Middle Tennessee State(even though they did beat Maryland, who beat Cal last weekend…and they also came within a yard of beating Kentucky…who is in the SEC)
To be quite honest, you could take the top 3 teams in AAA, AAAA, and AAAAA and put them up against each other and have some really good football games. Obviously, the higher classifications are going to be deeper, but the top teams in each of those classifications are t** for tat.
p.s. obviously, AA Buford goes in that mix with the top AAA, AAAA and AAAAA teams as well.
By Joe
September 18, 2008 11:44 PM | Link to this
Hoover High School (AL) is the Georgia version of Parkview High School (GA). Both schools have struggled since having success in their respected years.
By Random
September 19, 2008 12:49 AM | Link to this
Your not in Alabama Chris… here in Atlanta we have BETTER things to do than to jackoff to what some guy whos probably a douchbag anyways…. did in highschool!
By WTF
September 19, 2008 6:32 AM | Link to this
The only thing exposed is your ignorance. Whitewater lost in the last second on an untimely turnover. What was exposed, the fact that they will play hard and be there for a chance at the end, never quitting, or hoping that you can punt to them with 2 or 3 minutes left and pray there is a mistake. I don’t think so. Maybe you should talk to some one who actually saw a great game that came down to the wire
By homet
September 19, 2008 6:59 AM | Link to this
Hey CHRIS: I was wondering where you had been? Tonight in “THE BONEYARD” McEachern comes to test our EAST RAIDERS…Everyone seems to think last weeks win over South Cobb was a one time thing!!!, some kinda accident, that the 5A AAAAA “GODS OF FOOTBALL” will realign the stars and set things straight from now on.
Well, SUPRISE - SUPRISE - SUPRISE (with apologizes to Gomer Pyle) the RAIDERS continue their plundering as the invasion thru the villages of COBB continue tonight!!!
With a GREAT big salute from the RAIDER NATION!!!! —-> LOAD THE CANNON <—-
By wildcatfan
September 19, 2008 9:17 AM | Link to this
Chris i like you but even you can’t fool yourself thinking NSWR is going to win. It will be a low scoreing game but looking at nswr last week their offense will have to step up against that valdosta defense and oh by the way nswr is 0-4 against valdosta lets go for 0-5
By Really
September 19, 2008 9:42 AM | Link to this
Hey Wildcat fan, dont forget that the last time Valdosta and Northside played was all the way back in 1994…when Valdosta was, you know, good…this Valdosta team aint the one that has beaten the Eagles the 4 previous times they have played…this aint the same Northside team either.
Just a fact for you: Northside has not lost a regular season home game to a team other than Warner Robins since 1997.
Chew on that.
By Chris Whitfield
September 19, 2008 10:02 AM | Link to this
WTF: exposed meant that Whitewater was exposed as being over-ranked. You aren’t supposed to lose to a lower-ranked team at home. Not saying it wasn’t a great game. A win over Carrollton - especially at Carrollton - would go a long way to gaining some respect.
Erin: thanks for welcoming me back to Warner Robins. Loved to eat at that place over there when I lived in middle Georgia.
homet: Don’t see you guys losing at home tonight, but you didn’t take me to task for saying you guys would end with an 8-2 record. Figured I would be the cannon fodder.
Really: Hard to disagree with anything you have said, especially about the home winning streak and Valdosta winning those games against Northside back in the old days. Jeez, I am getting old when I call the 90s the old days. Still think Northside loses two games this year.
wildcatfan: You could say the exact same thing about Valdosta’s offense after their win last week. If you love defense, then McConnell-Talbert Stadium is definitely the place to be tonight.
By 1bighammer
September 19, 2008 10:14 AM | Link to this
Chris, Ignore WTF…they are a part of the “We are Entitled” crowd at Whitewater. They think they are better than everyone else at everything and are entitled to win! Yes Mays exposed them, Carrollton will peal back another layer, and by the end of the regular season, they’ll have 3 losses. How do you spell overated…”W-H-I-T-E-W-A-T-E-R”!
By dgroy
September 19, 2008 10:18 AM | Link to this
Hey By who dey DeKalb County Schools don’t play football anymore, do they? And Chris Whitfield, do you even go to games or are you just writing this stuff to get your 500 words in?
By WILDCATFAN
September 19, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this
IT WILL BE A DEFENSIVE GAME BUT YOUR RIGHT THIS ISN’T THE SAME VALDOSTA TEAM. THEY HAVE THE PASSION BACK. THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN SORRY THE YEAR THEY ONLY WON 3 GAMES WAS DUE TO EVERYONE QUITING THE TEAM BC OF THE COACH. EVEN WITH THAT THEY WERE STILL IN EVERY GAME, BUT WERE FOCUS AGAIN SO EAGLES FANS GET READY TO LOSE TONIGHT ITS JUST ANOTHER GAME FOR US ITS BIG FOR YALL
By HeadEast
September 19, 2008 1:35 PM | Link to this
Thanks Chris - I’ll be happy with 8-2 and another playoff berth for the first year in AAAAA, but I’m not sure coach Reid will be. we need a little break somewhere so we can get at least one home playoff game and LOAD THE CANNON!
By itchyheart
September 19, 2008 2:19 PM | Link to this
Baldwin’s win against Carver - Columbus tonight wil not be an upset. Baldwin has proved its powerness in the last few years. Baldwin by three.
By Northside 2008
September 19, 2008 2:33 PM | Link to this
Ready Have some a Wildcats for supper Tonight!!!!!!
By george
September 19, 2008 4:22 PM | Link to this
Really, I am a big Eagles fan, but you are wrong about not losing a regular season game since 1997 to other than Warner Robins. They lost to Jonesboro and Westside in 2002. They lost to Warner Robins in 2000 and 2004. Those are the four regular season losses on the way to a 98-4 regular season record since 1998. Counting the playoffs they are 126-12 during that time. I do think they beat the Wildcats tonight however.
By george
September 19, 2008 4:27 PM | Link to this
I am a big Eagles fan, but you are wrong about not losing a regular season game since 1997 to other than Warner Robins. They lost to Jonesboro and Westside in 2002. They lost to Warner Robins in 2000 and 2004. Those are the four regular season losses on the way to a 98-4 regular season record since 1998. Counting the playoffs they are 126-12 during that time. I do think they beat the Wildcats tonight however.
By really
September 19, 2008 5:31 PM | Link to this
go back and re-read what i said George
i said the eagles have not lost a regular season game to anyone but Warner Robins at HOME since 1997. Which is very much true.
Peach County and R.E. Lee from Montgomery beat us in back-to-back home games that year
By jabyrd
September 19, 2008 9:48 PM | Link to this
It was 1996 that nshs lost it’s last home games (back-to-back). In 1997 WR was the home team when the eagles lost
By Eagle Fan
September 19, 2008 10:55 PM | Link to this
Well done Chris,
you stayed off that limb and picked Northside to win, smart move. So you say 2 loses coming which is not rocket science considering their incredible schedule. I know you think Lowndes is 1st loss but who is 2nd loss? And next time you visit that Japanese steak house on Watson Boulevard, be wary of the Ginzu knives, the cooks are Northside Fans.
By Chris Whitfield
September 20, 2008 12:15 AM | Link to this
dgroy: Actually, it is more like 578 words.
Eagle Fan: I honestly don’t think that we will see Northside’s other loss coming. I would have pegged Colquitt County, but they got it handed to them by Lowndes, so I don’t know. I honestly don’t think that Northside will lose at home, so that leaves Tift and Coffee. Maybe I am not giving enough credit to Houston County next week. That ought to generate a chuckle from Northside fans.
BTW where are all my East Paulding fans of the Voice of Reason? Someone tell me what happened. Not a lot of booming tonight, and I really thought the Raiders would win this one going away.
And why haven’t the Kennesaw Mountain fans been giving me a hard time tonight? If I was a Mustang, I would be galloping all over my back.
By D.Cash
September 22, 2008 10:44 AM | Link to this
CARVER ATLANTA wont lose anymore games and will surprise alot of people…we have the best pure athletes in 3A and we wont lose anymore games
By Richard
September 24, 2008 8:22 AM | Link to this
No body is talking about Coffee, but your will.
By Richard
September 24, 2008 8:23 AM | Link to this
Nobody is talking about Coffee.., but you will.