Some observations from Friday night’s games in Class AAAAAA …
-Class AAAAAA defending champion Colquitt County shows no signs of weakening. The Packers beat Plant of Tampa 42-8 in Moultrie. Plant was ranked No. 4 in Florida's Class 7A. Colquitt QB Chase Parrish was 11-of-12 passing for 200 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, according to Wayne Gandy's story in the Moultrie Observer. The fourth quarter was played with a running clock.
-Grayson, ranked No. 4, opened its season with a 34-0 victory over Gainesville, the No. 7 team in AAAAA. Grayson beat Gainesville handily last season too, 39-0. But the victory affirmed that the Rams should be viewed as a challenger to the Big 3 as someone called them this week – Colquitt County, Archer, McEachern.
-Lassiter, 1-9 last season, is now 2-0 after a 27-9 victory over AAAAA No. 4 Kell. Lassiter also scored a major upset last week, beating defending Region 4-AAAAAA champion Hillgrove.
-No. 10 Norcross (2-0) and defending Region 7-AAAAAA champion North Gwinnett (1-1) each came back late to win, Norcross 17-13 over Brookwood and North 29-28 over North Cobb. This is the same North Cobb that lost 27-24 last week to AAAAA No. 1 Northside-Warner Robins. The Warriors are most competitive than expected after the graduation of former all-state QB Tyler Queen, now at Auburn.
-Walton beat Marietta 40-0. Marietta is mediocre, but there’s little doubt that Walton means business after the 2-8 forfeit-marred mess of 2014. The Raiders are a team that could win Region 5, although Roswell is the one to beat. Roswell beat Centennial 52-0.
-Two teams that won region titles last season played under the radar Friday. Alpharetta (R6) beat Milton (R5) 24-21. Alpharetta has gone 11-1 (losing to McEachern) since its 17-10 loss to Milton in the 2014 opener.
-AAAA No. 1 Buford won its 42nd straight game in a 77-0 victory over Berkmar. What does that have to do with AAAAA? Buford will play McEachern, ranked No. 2 in AAAAAA, next week.
