As Pace Academy head coach Chris Slade removed his headset following his team's victory against Eagle's Landing Christian last week, his first thought probably wasn't the Monroe Area Purple Hurricanes. The Knights had just erased a 16-0 first-half deficit and held ELCA to a single first down and 14 total yards of offense in the second-half to take a monumental victory.
The victory snapped the state's longest winning-streak (37) held by ELCA and moved Pace from an unranked bubble team to the sixth-ranked team in AAA. But as the dawn broke Monday morning, the focus shifted.
"We just want to make sure that the ELCA game is behind us," Slade said. "It was a good win for the program, but that win is not going to help us this week. My focus this week is to get the guys regrouped, focused in and make sure they don't start swimming in the press clippings and looking at rankings."
It was a big victory for the program and the classification. But Pace is facing an even bigger challenge Friday against an unranked Monroe Area team that is looking for its chance to move into the rankings.
"That's a team that looks very good on film, and that quarterback is excellent," said Slade of Monroe Area's senior quarterback Chandler Byron. "He's a dual-threat (player) who can run the ball and throws it well. He's scrappy. I have a lot of respect for coach (Kevin) Reach and his program and what he's done. They're scrappy and will get after you. Actually, they played Calhoun in the playoffs after we played them, and they played Calhoun a lot tougher than we did.
Monroe Area fell to Calhoun 28-20 in the second round of the playoffs last season. This season, the Purple Hurricanes have won against two higher-classed opponents --- Apalachee (35-7) in its opener and Loganville (52-24) last week. Against Apalachee, Monroe Area quarterback Byron rushed for three touchdowns (13, 11 and 5 yards) and passed to Emanual Okwudili (6 yards) for a touchdown.
"They can't let everyone tell them how good they are," said Slade of his team. "Because it's only two games. If we go to Monroe Area and lay an egg, it will be all for not. My main focus right now is to keep the kids grounded to try to stop a really good Monroe Area."
Here's a look at the other Top-10 teams:
1. (No. 1 last week) Calhoun (1-0) vs. Therrell: Calhoun will play against Therrell at home after defeating Ridgeland 45-21 in the Corky Kell Classic on Aug. 16. It will mark the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Class AA Therrell opened with a 38-34 victory against Osborne on the road before falling to Jackson-Atlanta 61-6 at home.
2. (2) Cedar Grove (2-0) vs. Columbia: Cedar Grove will finally arrive home after two consecutive weeks on the road against Columbia on Friday. Cedar Grove has outscored Columbia 73-0 in the past two meetings. In 2014, Columbia defeated the Saints 22-0. Cedar Grove holds a 11-6 margin in the series, which dates to 1994.
3. (4) Peach County (1-0) at Class AAAAAA No. 1 Lee County: Peach County continues its mission to see where it matches up with some of the best teams in the state when it travels to Lee County on Friday. The Trojans defeated Class AAAAAA Northside-Warner Robins 27-24 last week at Mercer in Macon. Lee County, the defending Class AAAAAA champions, has never faced Peach County. In last week's victory, Peach's Jaydon Gibson passed for 140 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 95 yards and a score. His 6-yard run with 9:51 left in the game gave the Trojans a 27-17 lead. Lee County is coming off a 35-3 victory over Dr. Phillips (Orlando) following its opening victory over Dougherty (47-6).
4. (6) Westminster (2-0) at Class AAAA No. 5 St. Pius X: After moving past high-classed Woodward (AAAA)in Week 1 and Greater Atlanta Christian in a thriller last week, Westminster is making the statement that it belongs at the top of Class AAA. Standing in its way is Class AAAA's fifth-ranked St. Pius. Pius started sloppy with a 35-13 loss to top-ranked Blessed Trinity (AAAA) before righting the ship against Dunwoody, 45-21. The series between these two storied programs is, well, storied. Dating to 1959, Westminster owns the longest winning streak (11) from 1977 through 1991. The programs have not faced each other since 2013. St. Pius has won the last three meetings (2011-13).
5. (5) Benedictine (1-0): Will rest before traveling to Class AAAA No. 1 Blessed Trinity on Sept. 7.
6. (NR) Pace Academy (2-0) at Monroe Area (2-0): Traveling to Monroe Area (see above).
7. (3) Greater Atlanta Christian (1-1) – Resting before traveling to Prestonwood Christian in Plano, Texas, on Sept. 7.
8. (7) Lovett (0-2) vs. Class AA B.E.S.T.: Lovett opened its season with a promising loss, if there ever was one. The Lions lost to Greater Atlanta Christian 24-21. Last week, it lost to Marist. Lovett has faced BEST four times during the past four seasons, winning all of them.
9. (8) Liberty County (1-0) at Class AAAAA Statesboro: Liberty's 40-17 thrashing of Class AAAAAA Bradwell Institute in its opener was fueled by Kris Coleman's stellar performance. The 5-foot-7, 153-pounder rushed for 351 yards and five touchdowns and had two receptions for 29 yards. Statesboro will have to do its best to contain the mighty little power from Hinesville. Statesboro holds the lead in the series (7-3), which dates to 1994. But Liberty has won the last two, including 36-34 last year. Statesboro opened with a 7-3 victory against Greenbrier last week.
10. (9) Jefferson (0-1) at Class AAAA West Hall: Jefferson, which dropped down to AAA this season, lost 20-13 to Oconee County in its opener. The Dragons rested last week to prepare for their first-ever meeting with West Hall.
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