There are a number of big-time match ups Friday night that will go a long way in determining region championships, as well as poll and power rating standings. Here are a few:
No. 3 (Private) Wesleyan (5-1, 2-0 in Region 5) at
No. 1 (Private) Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy (5-0, 1-0)
(Preview courtesy of Georgia High School Football Daily) ELCA and Wesleyan are among three undefeated teams in the region. The other is unranked Mount Vernon Presbyterian (5-0). ELCA won this game a year ago 34-31, then won more easily in the playoff rematch. Banks Ramsey, who threw for 375 and 220 yards last year against ELCA, is having a player-of-the-year type season. He's 66-of-92 passing (.717) for 876 yards and 13 touchdowns. He has a team-leading 294 rushing yards and a team-leading five sacks on defense and has one of the team's four interceptions. Zach Peterson has 30 catches for 325 yards and five touchdowns and is big in the return game. ELCA's strength is defense. Starters have allowed only 23 points (4.8 per game). Harrison Taylor (six sacks, four tackles for losses) and George Shockley are the leading tacklers. CB Tre Douglas is committed to Vanderbilt. On offense, Brayden Rush has thrown for 519 yards with nine touchdowns and no interceptions. Josh Mays is the leading rusher with 496 yards on 64 carries. Khaleb Hood, a star in the secondary, has returned a kickoff for a touchdown and averages 20 yards per punt return.
No. 2 (Public) Irwin County (4-1, 2-0 in Region 2) at
No. 8 (Public) Charlton County (4-0, 2-0)
(Preview courtesy of Georgia High School Football Daily) Charlton and Irwin are the lone unbeaten teams in region play, and each has knocked off another major contender as Charlton beat Turner County 35-14 last week and Irwin beat Clinch County 21-7 two weeks ago. Charlton County is getting 60 percent of its offense passing. A.J. Bell has thrown for 841 yards and 11 touchdowns. He's also the team's leading rusher with 237 yards. The second-leading rusher is a wide receiver, Raykwon Anderson, who has 161 rushing, 182 receiving. He's committed to Florida. Irwin is a run-first team. D.J. Lundy has rushed for 354 yards on 63 carries despite missing last week's game. Steven Thomas has run for 345 yards. Marlon Jackson, a 6-foot-5 defensive end, has been a playmaker on defense with four sacks, seven tackles for losses and three forced fumbles. Charlton County is ninth in scoring (33.3) and second in scoring defense (11.5) among Class A public schools. Irwin is 25th (23.0) and 11th (16.0), though against a much tougher schedule. The series between these schools is tied 19-19.
Other games of note:
No. 3 (Public) Macon County (3-2, 2-0 in Region 4-Division B) at
Class AAAAAA No. 6 Northside-Warner Robins (5-1)
No. 2 (Private) Prince Avenue Christian (5-0, 4-0 in Region 8) at
No. 5 (Public) Commerce (4-0, 3-0)
No. 7 (Private) Stratford Academy (4-0) at Mount de Sales (3-1)
No. 10 (Private) Darlington (3-2, 2-0 in Region 6-Division A) at
No. 7 (Public) Mt. Zion-Carroll (4-0, 1-0)
No. 9 (Public) Emanuel County Institute (4-1, 1-0 in Region 3-Division B) at
Montgomery County (3-1, 1-0)
