Here’s what to look for this weekend in Class AAAAAA:
- M.L. King will try to wake up its offense when it meets Mays in an 8 p.m. game Friday at Hallford Stadium. The Lions were held to 45 yards of total offense, threw four interceptions and were sacked six times in a 30-0 loss to Norland of Florida in their opener last weekend. The loss was one of three for DeKalb County teams Saturday at the Battle of the Borders. DeKalb’s only winner in the four-game event was Class AAAA Marist, which beat Godby of Florida 17-14 on a 19-yard field goal with eight seconds remaining.
- Defending state champion Creekside ran into one rugged defense when it lost to Hughes 21-20 last week, and it will face another on Friday when it takes on No. 7 Carver of Columbus. Carver has allowed 19 points in its first two games, and the Tigers’ defense scored two touchdowns on fumble returns and recorded a safety in a 44-13 victory over Spencer last week. Creekside trailed Hughes 21-0 late in the third quarter before rallying to pull within one point but lost when it missed the extra-point attempt after its final touchdown.
- Glynn Academy is 2-0 in Rocky Hidalgo’s first season as head coach, but the Red Terrors will face perhaps their biggest test of the season on Friday when they meet Class AAAAAA No. 2 Camden County in Kingsland. Camden County has won nine consecutive games in the series, outscoring Glynn Academy 283-22 with seven shutouts in those games. Glynn Academy put itself in the thick of the playoff race in a competitive 3-AAAAA with a 28-21 victory against rival Brunswick in its region opener last weekend.
- Top-ranked Northside of Warner Robins begins play in Region 2-AAAAA this week when it travels to Evans. The computer Maxwell Ratings project Northside as a 35-point favorite over an Evans team that went 5-5 in 2013 and just missed a playoff berth. Northside has outscored Evans 237-28 in winning the past seven games in the series, which Northside leads 18-6. The Eagles had a lopsided 38-20 victory in their opener against North Cobb, which turned around the following week and beat North Gwinnett 36-29.
- Lanier, playing in Class AAAAA this year after spending its first two full varsity seasons in AAAA, will have a chance to make its mark quickly when it faces perennial playoff team Clarke Central in its 8-AAAAA opener. The region’s playoff race suddenly appears wide open as three of the four teams that reached the postseason last season lost their season openers, including Clarke Central’s 34-14 loss to unranked Class AAA team Hart County. Lanier is 1-0 after beating Class AAAAAA Lambert 27-14.
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