Here’s a look at some of the weekend’s top match ups:
No. 5 (Public) Mt. Zion-Carroll (6-0, 3-0 in Region 6-Division A) at No. 8 (Public) Bowdon (5-2, 3-1) When Manchester head coach Evan Hochstetler said earlier this week that there is really good football being played in west Georgia, this is what he was talking about. Mt. Zion, off to its best start in school history, is in the hunt for its first region championship since 1996. Bowdon already has a loss in the sub region (28-7, to Darlington) and must win to keep its region title hopes alive. Both teams do the majority of their offensive damage on the ground out of the wing-T. Both exhibited that in wins last week. Mt. Zion rolled up more than 350 yards rushing in a 42-7 win over Gordon Lee, as Jace Jordan led the way with 240 yards on 13 carries and three touchdowns. Bowdon QB Cason Parmer attempted just five passes in the Red Devils' 43-14 win over Christian Heritage. Three of them went for touchdowns. Bowdon has totally dominated the series, which dates back to 1964, winning 29 of the 30 meetings. The Eagles' lone win came in their region title-winning season of 1996. Since then Bowdon has won 13 straight, including a 54-7 drubbing the last time the teams faced each other in 2011. But that was the year before Keith Holloway took over at Mt. Zion. In the five years prior to his arrival, the Eagles were a combined 7-43. Now in the midst of Holloway's fifth season, Mt. Zion is 32-18 since he took over.
No. 6 (Public) Twiggs County (5-1, 2-0 in Region 7-Division A) at No. 10 (Private) Tattnall Square (6-0, 2-0) This could easily be the best game on the slate. The winner will claim sole possession of first place in the sub region. Twiggs has already vanquished the two teams immediately below them and Tattnall in the standings over the last two weeks – First Presbyterian Day (29-17) and Stratford Academy (21-0). Tattnall has yet to play either of the two. Both rely on their running games. Twiggs is paced by 5-10, 225-pound battering ram Ja'mon Height, who ran for 165 yards on 24 carries in the win over Stratford. Tattnall, ranked for the first time since joining the Georgia High Schools Association in 2014, attempted just three, passes in its 55-10 win over Mount de Sales last week. The Trojans completed all three for 93 yards. The teams have split the two games they have played. Tattnall won 37-26 in 2014, Twiggs won 22-20 last season.
No. 1 (Private) Clinch County (5-1, 3-0 in Region 2) at Turner County (4-2, 3-0)
(Preview courtesy of Georgia High School Football Daily) Clinch County and Turner County are the only unbeaten teams in 2-A play, and every other team in the region besides third-place Irwin County (2-1) has at least two losses. Clinch County already has beaten Irwin County and would have a clear path to the region title with a win this week. Turner County plays Irwin on Nov. 4. Clinch County is a running team that averages 216.7 yards rushing and 37 carries per game. The main runners are QB Charles McClelland (73 carries, 591 yards, nine TDs), RB Shannon Young (50-221-5) and QB Trezman Marshall (29-189-4). The Panthers have attempted just 42 passes, completing 15, but eight went for touchdowns. Marshall, a sophomore, also leads the team in tackles with 32. Turner County is averaging 34.3 points and giving up 29.8. The Rebels get about 62 percent of their offense from a passing game led by QB Tyler Moore, who has completed 47 of 87 attempts for 1,032 yards and 11 touchdowns. Jaden Green is the leading rusher with 290 yards and five TDs on 50 carries. Clinch County won last year's game, 30-16.
Other games of note:
No. 4 (Private) Prince Avenue Christian (7-0, 6-0 in Region 8) at Hebron Christian (4-2, 3-2)
No. 9 (Private) Darlington (5-2,3-1 in Region 6-Division A) at Trion (4-2, 2-1)
No. 4 (Public) Manchester (7-0, 4-0 in Region 4-Division A) at Brookstone (3-3, 2-1)
Warren County (3-3, 0-2 in Region 7-Division B) at No. 7 (Public) Lincoln County (4-1-1, 2-0)
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