This week features a highly anticipated rematch between AA's No. 6-ranked Lamar County and Mary Persons, the No. 5 team from AAAA.
Mary Persons won 29-27 last year, but not without controversy.
Nor with out a formal protest to the GHSA by Lamar County, as reported by The Telegraph.
With just over a minute remaining in the third quarter, the Trojans scored a touchdown and were lining up on the field for a potentially game-tying two-point conversion attempt. However, Mary Persons principal Jim Finch was having none of it and ran onto the field before Lamar County could snap the ball. Finch, instead of waiting to give Lamar County the opportunity to tie the game, notified game officials that the school's lightning detector showed that lightening was in the area.
Per GHSA rules, the game must be delayed for 30 minutes. The re-start time was eventually pushed to after 11:30 p.m., which is past the GHSA's curfew for continuing games.
So, in essence, Mary Persons stole a win.
Lamar County lost its protest, according to Georgia High School Football Daily, with the GHSA ultimately ruling the final score would stand because the game had no bearing on region standings.
Lamar County likely has had Mary Persons circled on its calendar all offseason. Any Trojans player on last year’s team has to be motivated to make sure this year’s game isn’t close, and that Lamar County is up by a significant margin should lightning strike twice.
However, it’s fun to imagine the roles reversed on Friday, with Mary Persons attempting to tie the game on a two-point conversion, but the game is stopped because of lightning.
In any event, Mary Persons holds an all-time series lead of 30-4 against the Trojans, with Lamar County last winning in 2006.
In other top 10 games, No. 1 Benedictine returns to the field after two weeks off to play Liberty County, a team the Cadets beat 33-14 last season.
The rest of the top 10 teams – except for No. 8 Rabun County - play winless opponents.
No. 4 Macon County takes on AAAA’s Perry, a team it beat 35-6 last season.
No. 5 Pace Academy faces AAAA’s White County, a game Pace lost last year 31-17. Don’t call it an upset if Pace wins big.
No. 9 Darlington plays King’s Ridge Christian and No. 10 Dublin plays Twiggs County. Both Darlington and Dublin beat the teams it plays this week handily last season.
Rabun County takes on undefeated Jackson County of AAA. Raburn County won 34-21 last year.
Don’t be surprised if the top 10 remains in tact this week. The only exception would be if unranked Lovett beats Woodward Academy, but even if the Lions do when, they may have to depend on another top 10 team losing this week.
Lamar County might lose this week.
Top 10 teams with a bye this week: No. 2 Fitzgerald, No. 3 GAC, No. 7 Vidalia.
Historical reference: GHSFHA.org
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