Here is a look at some of the top games this weekend:
No. 2 (Private) Prince Avenue Christian (3-0) vs. Providence Christian (2-0). Prince Avenue is one of the few teams in the state that has played every week of the season thus far. The Wolverines have won their first three games of the season for the fourth consecutive year and are led by one of the state's most prolific backfield tandems in sophomore quarterback Brock Vandagriff and senior running back Christian Parrish, who also plays receiver and defensive back. Providence is 2-0 for the first time in the Lilburn school's five seasons of varsity football. In fact, this season the Storm has already equaled the program's all-time win total (2). Providence will see how much it has improved in this the third season under Parker Conley. In four meetings, PAC has outscored Providence by a combined total of 238-10 with three shutouts, including a 49-0 decision last season.
No. 3 (Public) Mount Zion-Carroll (2-0) at Class AA Temple (1-1). Last season, Mt. Zion proved that it was a program that was no longer a doormat and instead should be taken seriously as a state title contender, after the Eagles pushed eventual public school champion Clinch County to the brink before falling 23-20 in the semi-finals. Brad Gordon in his first season as head coach led Mt. Zion to its first 10-win season ever, and has the Eagles 2-0 for the third consecutive season. Gordon took over for Keith Holloway, who pulled the program out of the doldrums, going 33-17 in five seasons from 2012-2016. In the previous five seasons, the Eagles were 7-43. But they traditionally have had success against west-Georgia rival Temple. Mt. Zion is 15-9 all-time against the Tigers, including a 32-2 win the last time the teams met in 2015. The Eagles are led by seniors Iaan Cousin and Tyriese Farley, both WR/DBs.
No. 9 (Private) George Walton Academy (2-0) vs. Hebron Christian (1-1). GWA notched one of the state's most shocking wins last week, dominating then-No. 10 (private) Stratford Academy of Macon, 35-0. The week prior, the Bulldogs had blanked Walnut Grove, 16-0. Hebron Christian, coached by former NFL great Jeff Saturday, nearly upset defending public champion Clinch County in Week 1, losing 24-17, but bounced back the next week scoring 30-unanswered points in a 38-14 win over Holy Innocents. GWA has won seven of the eight meetings between the schools, including a 21-14 win last season.
No. 9 (Public) Marion County (2-0) at Pacelli (1-1). Marion is 10-0 all-time against the Vikings, including two blowouts the last two seasons – 56-14 in 2016 and 61-6 last season. Pacelli has already won one more game than it did all last season when the team went 0-10.
Other games of note:
No. 1 (Public) Clinch County (2-0) vs. No. 6 (Public) Dooly County (1-1)
No. 3 (Private) Athens Academy (2-0) at Class AAA Cherokee Bluff
No. 6 (Private) Savannah Country Day (2-0) at Class AA Bryan County (1-1)
No. 10 (Public) Trion (2-0) at Class AA Armuchee (1-1)
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