Here are the top games on the slate in the second-to-last weekend of the regular season:
No. 1 Aquinas (8-0, 5-0 in Region 7, Division B) at Lincoln County (6-2, 5-0). The winner of this one will be the sub region champion and face No. 7 Tattnall Square (8-0, 7-0) next week for the region title. Aquinas, the defending Class A private school champion, has won 22 consecutive games after going undefeated last season. Prior to last season's 42-14 win, the Irish had lost 32 straight games to Lincoln County in the series between the two Augusta-area schools that dates back to 1970. Aquinas is led by all-state RB/DB Ruben Garnett, who has piled up 1,555 all-purpose yards and scored 23 touchdowns to pace the region's top offense at 40 points per game. On defense, the Irish are paced by senior linebacker Griffin Scott, who has 70 tackles and junior defensive end William Scott, who has 13 sacks on the year. The Red Devils are in their first season since 1971 without legendary head coach Larry Campbell, who retired as the state's all-time leader in wins with 477. Longtime defensive coordinator Kevin Banks has taken over the program and led Lincoln County to five consecutive wins after a 1-2 start. The Red Devils have the region's stingiest defense, yielding just 15 points per game. Senior RB/DB Jamar Norman is the team's most productive offensive player with nearly 1,000 all-purpose yards.
No. 3 Mt. Paran Christian (8-0, 3-0 in Region 6, Division A) at Mt. Zion-Carroll (6-2, 3-0). This private school-public school match up will decide the sub region champion. The winner will most likely face Mt. Pisgah Christian next week for the Region 6 title. Mt. Paran is in search of its first region title in school history. Mt. Zion last won a region crown in 1996. Mt. Paran is one of the state's most explosive teams offensively, averaging 46 points per game. Mt. Paran features multiple game-breaking players including RB/DB Dorian Walker and WR/DB Emoni Williams, both seniors, and junior WR/DB Taylor Trammell. Mt. Zion has won more games in the first three seasons under head coach Keith Holloway (16) than it had in nine previous seasons combined. Mt. Paran has won four of the five meetings between the schools, including a 35-14 victory the last time the teams met in 2012.
Other games of note:
Mitchell County (4-4, 3-0 in Region 1) at Calhoun County (6-2, 3-0)
-- With Region 1 having a down year, just one team will qualify for the state playoffs in the all-public school league. Both teams are averaging 25 points per game, but Calhoun is giving up just 17 while the Eagles are yielding 23. Calhoun County has won just one region title in the program’s 44-year history, in 1993, which was also the last time the Cougars won more than six games in a season (8-3). The last time Calhoun County made the state playoffs was 2011 (4-7) but the last time the Cougars finished with a winning record and made the playoffs was 2002 (6-5). Mitchell County last won a region title in 2010. The Eagles have never lost to Calhoun County in 12 all-time meetings, one (1981) when the school was known as Mitchell-Baker High School. Mitchell County won last year, 20-2.
No. 10 Clinch County (5-3, 4-1 in Region 2) at No. 8 Charlton County (7-1, 4-1 in Region 2)
Preview Courtesy of Georgia High School Football Daily
-- 1. Both teams trail Irwin County (6-1-1, 5-0) in Region 2, but Charlton is second in the Class A public-school power rankings, and Clinch is No. 12. Clinch has not won a game at Charlton since 1993. 2. Clinch County has scored 46, 42 and 59 points in the past three games and accumulated 621, 406, and 640 total yards, almost all on the ground behind RB Shannon Young (830 yards on the season) and QB Octavis Johnson (890), a South Carolina commitment. DE Chauncey Manac (seven sacks) is committed to Georgia. LB Marcus Hodges (5-8, 190) leads in tackles (69). 3. Charlton County RB Andrew Lee has 1,050 of his team's 1,439 rushing yards and has 15 touchdowns. QB Jimmy Nettles is 73-of-150 passing for seven touchdowns, but has thrown nine interceptions. Curtis Nixon has 32 catches for 460 yards, and he averages 27.8 yards on kickoff returns and 18.4 on punt returns (two touchdowns). On defense, Tevis Dasher has five interceptions and four fumble recoveries.
Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy (2-6, 2-0 in Region 5) at Our Lady of Mercy (6-2, 2-0)
-- After losing its first six games to teams with a combined record of 40-8, ELCA is on the verge of winning its fifth consecutive region championship, after knocking off rival Landmark Christian last week (35-28). The Chargers are tied with Brookstone for the 16th and final state playoff spot in the private school power ratings. A loss to OLM could douse ELCA's region title and playoff hopes. OLM has never defeated the Chargers in 11 meetings, losing by an average score of 44-9. OLM is led by senior QB/K Jameson Vest. The Toledo commit is close to rushing (904) and passing (812) for 1,000 yards, and has 38 touchbacks on 44 kickoffs. ELCA is paced by senior ATH Jordan Scott and DE Nick Dawson, both Division I recruits.
Pacelli (6-2, 4-2 in Region 4) at No. 5 Hawkinsville (8-1, 6-1)
-- With the region title already locked up by defending public school champion No. 2 Marion County, this one is for all-important power rating points and seeding in the private and public school playoffs. Pacelli is No. 7 in the private school ratings, Hawkinsville is No. 4 on the public school side. A win would most likely guarantee a spot in the top eight, and a home game in the first round of the state playoffs. Hawkinsville has won all six previous meetings between the two schools, including a 21-14 win last season.
Atkinson County (5-3, 2-3 in Region 2) at No. 6 Irwin County (6-1-1, 5-0)
-- Irwin County can lock up its first region championship since 1998 with a win, and has defeated the Rebels five out of the last six times the schools have met, including a 56-0 victory last season. Atkinson County, No. 13 in the public school power ratings, is attempting to make the state playoffs for the first time since 2007, and finish with at least six wins for the first time since 2003.
No. 9 Savannah Christian (7-1, 4-1 in Region 3, Division A) at Claxton (6-2, 4-1)
-- No. 4 Calvary Day has already locked up the sub region title, so the Raiders and Tigers are competing for bragging rights and power rating points. Savannah Christian is No. 6 in the private power ratings while Claxton is No. 6 on the public school side. Savannah Christian leads the all-time series 11-6 and had won 11 of 12 before Claxton pulled the upset last season, 28-21.
No. 7 Tattnall Square (8-0, 7-0 in Region 7, Division B) at Mount de Sales (3-5, 2-4)
-- In its first season in the Georgia High School Association, Tattnall Square has locked up the sub region title and will face either No. 1 Aquinas or Lincoln County next week to decide the Region 7 champion. The Cavaliers have no shot to make the private school playoffs, so a win over Tattnall Square would be strictly for bragging rights. However, the Trojans dominated the series against their Macon-area rivals while both competed in the Georgia Independent Schools Association, 29-7, including the last 17 consecutive meetings. Last year Tattnall Square won 28-10.
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