Here’s a look at the top games of the weekend, plus a few others of note (all games are Friday, unless otherwise noted).
North Florida Christian (0-0) at No. 1 Eagle's Landing Christian Academy (0-0). The preseason No. 1 team will host one of Florida's top small school programs. ELCA once again will have the state's most difficult non-region schedule for the first six weeks of the season (8/28 at Stockbridge, No. 3 in AAAAA; 9/4 at Greater Atlanta Christian, No. 3 in AA; 9/11 vs. Mt. Pisgah Christian; 9/18 vs. Whitewater, 9/25 at Woodward Academy, No. 3 in AAAA). The Chargers, the 2012 private school state champs, started last season 0-6 before reeling off seven straight wins to advance to the state title game. They are led by seniors Chase Burdette (FB/LB; 6-0, 210), D.J. Hammond (QB; 6-2, 200) and Chandler Reeves (OL/DL; 6-6, 260). NFC of Tallahassee has won seven state titles in Florida's smallest classification, the last coming in 2011. This is the second meeting between the two schools. ELCA won 27-0 in 2010.
No. 3 Irwin County (0-0) at Early County (0-0). Irwin County went 11-2-1 last season, head coach Buddy Nobles' first, and advanced to the public school title game before falling to Hawkinsville (15-6). Irwin is led by senior DJ Pollard (RB/LB; 5-8, 180) and juniors Ty Hogan (DB; 5-11, 170), Zach Toler (QB; 6-1, 180) and Nathan Tucker (LB; 5-11, 200). Class AA Early County has gone 8-11-1 the last two seasons after going 9-4 in 2012. This will be the third meeting between the two schools. They tied last season, 7-7.
Christian Heritage (0-0) at No. 4 Landmark Christian (0-0). Landmark finished 8-3 last season. The War Eagles are led by one of the top athletes in Class A in senior quarterback Stockton McGwire (6-3, 190), who holds an offer from Jacksonville State. Junior RB/DB Lofton Tidwell (5-11, 210) might be the team's best player. Christian Heritage of Dalton enters its fourth year of varsity football having made the playoffs each of the past two seasons. This is the second meeting between the two schools. Landmark won, 48-13, last season.
Glenn Hills (0-0) at 6 Aquinas (0-0). After going undefeated and winning the private school title in 2013, Aquinas rolled into the private school semi finals last season undefeated before falling to eventual champion Mt. Paran Christian (34-14). Head coach James Leonard, in his third season, has taken former coach Matt Lezotte's remake of the Irish program to the next level. Aquinas is led by senior QB Liam Welch (6-2, 180), who holds offers from Liberty and Mercer. Glenn Hills is a struggling program in Class AAA. The Spartans have gone 12-38 the past five season, including 1-9 last year. This is the sixth meeting between the two Augusta-area schools. Aquinas won last season, 41-6. Prior to that, the schools hadn't met since 1975.
No. 8 Mt. Paran Christian (0-0) at Erwin, N.C. (0-0). Mt. Paran, located in Kennesaw, steamrolled to the program's first state title last season, defeating all 14 opponents by an average score of 44-12. The Eagles are led this season by seniors Allen Cater (DE; 6-4, 240), Garrett Harris (LB; 6-0, 200), John Allen Knox (TE; 6-1, 230) and Taylor Trammell (WR/RB/DB; 6-2, 205). Erwin, located in Asheville, competes in the second smallest of North Carolina's four classifications. The Warriors finished 9-2 last season. This is the first meeting between the two schools.
Other games worth checking out:
Savannah Christian (0-0) at Jenkins (0-0), Thursday
(Class AAAA) New Hampstead (0-0) at No. 10 Calvary Day (0-0)
Brookstone (0-0) at Mt. Pisgah (0-0)
Clinch County (0-0) at Calhoun County (0-0)
Darlington (0-0) at Central Catholic (Melbourne, FL) (0-0)
Trion (0-0) at Gordon Lee (0-0)
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