Douglass Astros at Hapeville Charter Hornets*
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Banneker High School, College Park
Records, rankings: Douglass is 5-0 overall, 3-0 in Region 6 and No. 10; Hapeville Charter is 3-1, 2-0 and No. 2.
Last meeting: Hapeville Charter won 24-0 in 2018.
Maxwell's projection: Hapeville Charter by 22
Notes: Hapeville Charter's victory in last year's game ultimately decided the 6-AA championship, as neither team lost another region game, and the winner this week will emerge as the heavy favorite to win the 2019 title. Hapeville QB Jeremy Stephens rushed for 112 yards against the Astros in 2018, and Marcus Carroll ran for 101. Both are back. Stephens has been running less (93 yards on 15 carries) and passing more (39-for-66, 603 yards, five touchdowns). Carroll is the team's leading rusher, averaging 124 yards per game. WR Rico Powers (six catches, 123 yards) has committed to South Carolina, but he is third on the team in receiving yardage behind Nae' Saan Dickerson and Jaquez Smith. Douglass is 5-0 for the second consecutive season but ranked for the first time since 2005. The Astros get almost 80 percent of their offense from a running game led by Quintavious Lockett (68 carries, 715 yards, 11 touchdowns), De'andre Watson (52-395-9) and Quandarius Sterling (32-311-2). Watson also has passed for 399 and six touchdowns.
Hephzibah Rebels at Jefferson County Warriors*
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Warrior Field, Louisville
Records, rankings: Hephzibah is 4-0 overall, 3-0 in Region 4 and unranked; Jefferson County is 3-2, 3-0 and unranked.
Last meeting: Jefferson County won 24-0 in 2018.
Maxwell's projection: Jefferson County by 6
Notes: Hephzibah and Jefferson County are the only remaining unbeaten teams in 4-AA play, and the winner will be favored to win the region title. Hephzibah began playing football in 1954 and has never won a region title. Jefferson County, the defending champion, is 5-0 all-time against the Rebels. Hephzibah averages 168.5 yards passing and 145.8 passing. QB Marshall Chambers has passed for 580 yards, rushed for 160 and had a hand in 12 touchdowns. Javeon Harris has run for a team-best 208 yards on 33 carries. Sophomore LB Nickolas Callen leads the team with 39 total tackles, including six for losses, and has four sacks and two caused fumbles. Jefferson County lost its first two games this season against ranked opponents (Swainsboro, Washington County) but has since won three straight. QB Carlton Brown attempts only about 12 passes per game but is the leading rusher, averaging 87.5 yards per game. Azarell Jenkins, who scored on a 46-yard run against the Rebels last year, is the team's leading receiver and second-leading rusher.
*Courtesy of GHSF Daily
Bleckley County Royals at Dublin Fighting Irish
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Shamrock Bowl, Dublin
Records, rankings: Bleckley County is 4-1, 1-0 in Region 3 and unranked; Dublin is 4-0, 1-0 and No. 4.
Last meeting: Dublin won 46-15 in 2018.
Maxwell's projection: Dublin by 23
Notes: The Royals are off to a 4-1 start for the second time in three seasons under third-year coach Von Lassiter, and they're eying their first playoff berth since 2014. Their only loss, which came on Aug. 30, was 28-10 to AAAAA's Veterans, which is now 5-1. Their most impressive win came two weeks ago, when they beat A-Public's No. 4 Marion County 43-28. They're coming off a 35-20 win over Northeast-Macon last week in their Region 3 opener. Their offense is anchored by one of the country's top prospects, five-star lineman Amarius Mims, who is ranked by 247 sports as the No. 2 offensive tackle in the nation for the class of '21. They haven't beaten Dublin since 2014. The Fighting Irish are off to an incredible start, with three of their four wins coming against ranked opponents (A-Public's No. 10 Emanuel County Institute, No. 6 Swainsboro, No. 7 Brooks County). Last week, they set a program record for points scored, beating East Laurens 77-13 in their region opener. Their previous high was 70, which came in 2006 in a shutout win over Vidalia. What's most impressive is the Fighting Irish are winning despite losing starting quarterback/safety/kick returner Kendell Wade for the year with a broken leg. Junior Markelle Mitchell has filled in adequately, though last week his arm wasn't needed as Dublin rushed for 528 yards and 11 touchdowns without completing a pass, led by Macrus Adams (eight carries, 134 yards, three touchdowns), Zion Kemp (5-109-2) and T.J. Wright (3-101-1). They're led on defense by senior linebacker Romello Height, a three-star committed to Miami.
Swainsboro Tigers at Metter Tigers
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, The Jungle, Metter
Records, rankings: Swainsboro is 3-1, 0-0 in Region 2 and ranked No. 6; Metter is 4-1, 1-0 and unranked.
Last meeting: Swainsboro won 15-0.
Maxwell's projection: Swainsboro by 7
Notes: Last year, Swainsboro jumped to a 15-0 first-half lead, with highlights including a 64-yard touchdown run from Robert Allen and a sack for a safety by KJ Starnes. Allen and Starnes are now seniors, and Swainsboro is off to another solid start with its only loss coming to No. 4 Dublin (35-13), and a 27-7 win two weeks ago over then-No. 6 Washington County before heading into a bye week. In that game, Allen rushed for 125 yards on 18 carries, and Kade Youmans threw for two touchdowns and ran for two. Youmans was 15-of-28 passing for 241 yards. Cedric Seabrough had eight catches for 114 yards. Metter is looking for its first trip to the playoffs since 2015 and, led by second-year coach Rodney Garvin, it's in a good position to do so following a 14-3 win over Toombs County, avenging a 20-17 overtime loss to the Bulldogs last season that, as fate would have it, determined the fourth and final playoff spot for Region 2. Metter's win last week was sealed by a 14-minute drive that lasted 24 plays and covered 98 yards. If Metter were to win the battle of Tigers, not only would it be an upset, but it'd be the first time since 1955 that it's happened. Metter is 0-9 against Swainsboro in that span.
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