A game between two of Region 5's top teams will highlight the Class AAA weekend when No. 2 Cedar Grove (2-2, 0-0) travels to No. 8 Lovett (3-1, 0-0) Friday for the 12th meeting between the schools. Lovett leads 6-5 in the series, but Cedar Grove has won the last four.
The defending-champion Saints won the last two 5-AAA titles, with Lovett finishing second. This game could go a long way toward determining the 2019 region title.
Both teams did not play last weekend. Cedar Grove is looking to right the ship after its 29-7 loss to Class AAAAAAA No. 3 McEachern on Sept. 14. Lovett beat Class AAAA Mary Persons, 29-27, in Forsyth.
Cedar Grove is led by Austin Smith, who is 48-of-92 passing for 505 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions. Smith has 27 carries for 46 yards and two touchdowns. Janiran Bonner leads receivers with 18 receptions for 280 yards and four touchdowns. Chavon Wright has 72 carries for 426 yards and three touchdowns.
Lovett's three-star quarterback Blaine McAllister, a 6-foot-3, 201-pound Princeton commitment, leads the Lions offense. Senior Henry Beery, a 5-11, 175-pound back, led Lovett in receiving and rushing yards through three games.
In another big AAA game, No. 7 Crisp County (3-2, 0-0) will play Class AAAAA No. 3 Bainbridge (4-0, 0-0) in Cordele, the sixth time this season Crisp has played a higher-classification program. Crisp has beaten AAAAAAA programs Tift County (27-14) and South Gwinnett (24-21) in the last two weeks. Crisp and Bainbridge have met 28 times with Bainbridge leading the series 17-10 with one tie. Last year, Crisp won 23-0.
Sophomore quarterback Jack Carter is 36-of-65 passing for 461 yards and two touchdowns. Junior A.J. Lofton is 17-of-28 passing for 243 yards and two touchdowns. Marquise Palmer, a sophomore back, has 77 carries for 399 yards and five touchdowns. Lofton has 47 carries for 193 yards and one touchdown. Receiver Sirad Bryant has 16 catches for 285 yards and a touchdown.
Class AAA top-10 schedule
(all games Friday)
1. Peach County (3-1) is at home against Kendrick in a Region 4 game.
2. Cedar Grove (2-2) is at No. 8 Lovett for a Region 5 game.
3. Pierce County (4-0) is at home against Class AAAAA South Effingham.
4. Greater Atlanta Christian (3-1) is at East Hall for a Region 7 game.
5. Hart County (4-0) is at home against Jackson County for a Region 8 game.
6. Appling County (4-0) is at home against Class AAAAA Wayne County.
7. Crisp County (3-2) is at home against Class AAAAA No. 3 Bainbridge.
8. Lovett (3-1) is at home against No. 2 Cedar Grove for a Region 5 game.
9. Liberty County (1-0) is at home against Class AAAAAA Richmond Hill.
10. Jefferson (2-1) is at East Jackson for a Region 8 game.
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