Three games this week in the high class are featured in GHSF Daily's top 10 games statewide. They are reprinted below. Two match teams ranked in the top 10. The main event is No. 1 Roswell vs. No. 6 Lassiter. They are among 24 Class 7A teams playing their region openers this week.
Here are the projected margins of victory for Friday's games, per the Maxwell Ratings.
Archer vs. Newton -8
Brookwood vs. Meadowcreek -41
Central Gwinnett at Berkmar -40
Collins Hill vs. Duluth -22
Etowah at Woodstock -5
Grayson vs. Shiloh -37
Marietta vs. Kennesaw Mtn. -10
McEachern vs. North Cobb -14
Mill Creek vs. Discovery -42
Newnan at Wheeler -4
North Forsyth vs. Forsyth Cent. -14
North Paulding vs. Hillgrove -8
North Springs at Cross Keys -41
Parkview at Lakeside, Atlanta -32
Peachtree Ridge vs. Mtn. View -9
Pebblebrook at Campbell -17
Roswell vs. Lassiter -23
Sequoyah vs. South Cobb -17
South Forsyth at Lambert -12
South Gwinnett vs. Rockdale Co. -33
Walton at Cherokee -6
West Forsyth at Milton -6
Westlake vs. East Coweta -1
Lassiter at Roswell
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Ray Manus Stadium, Roswell
Records, rankings: Lassiter is 5-0 overall, 0-0 in Region 4-AAAAAAA and No. 6; Roswell is 5-0, 0-0 and No. 1.
Last meeting: Roswell won 52-10 in 2015.
Watch the game: Online at ScoreATL.com
Three things to know: 1. Roswell leads the series 16-10. This is the first time they've met when both were ranked. Lassiter is 1-1 all-time against No. 1-ranked teams. The Trojans lost to No. 1 Roswell 38-7 in 2007 and beat No. 1 Brookwood 14-6 in 2011. Roswell is 21-5 as a No. 1 team. 2. Roswell RB Sheldon Evans (652 yards rushing) and QB Malik Willis (739 yards passing, 320 rushing) are offensive player-of-the-year candidates in the highest classification. DB Xavier McKinney, the team's leading tackler, could be up for similar defensive awards on a team that has allowed 16 points total in five games. He is the No. 12 safety prospect in the nation. 3. Lassiter averages 158.2 yards rushing, 146.0 passing. Mason Waters (76-445-8) is the leading rusher. QB Bradley Riopelle is 60-of-105 passing for 730 yards. Lassiter's defense is led by safeties Tyriq Hardimon (committed to California) and Derrik Allen (the consensus No. 19 prospect overall among juniors).
North Cobb at McEachern
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Walter H. Cantrell Stadium, Powder Springs
Records, rankings: North Cobb is 4-1 overall, 0-0 in Region 3-AAAAAAA and No. 9; McEachern is 4-1, 0-0 and No. 4.
Last meeting: McEachern won 35-0 in 2015.
Watch the game: On television on GPB
Three things to know: 1. North Cobb's balanced offense is led by QB Will Lovett, who is 68-of-114 passing for 979 yards and five TDs. RB C.J. Cole has rushed for 432 yards on 77 carries. Look for WR/DB Drew Tejchman, possibly the team's best all-around player, to be back at full strength after suffering an injury in early September. 2. McEachern's offense has been erratic. The Indians averaged 43.3 points in three games but were held without an offensive touchdown in the other two. QB Bailey Hockman, a Florida State commit, averages about 152 yards per game passing but has one game of 328 yards and two games with less than 65. The Indians have been outstanding on defense, however, allowing just seven points per game. 3. McEachern dominated North Cobb last year in a game that essentially determined the region championship. Senior RB Sam Jackson ran for 183 yards and three second-quarter touchdowns, and Hockman passed for 157 yards and two TDs. McEachern's defense held North Cobb to minus-5 yards rushing and 121 total yards.
East Coweta at Westlake
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Westlake Stadium, College Park
Records, rankings: East Coweta is 4-1 overall, 0-0 in Region 2-AAAAAAA and unranked; Westlake is 2-3, 0-0 and unranked.
Last meeting: East Coweta won 7-0 in 2015.
Three things to know: 1. The winner of this game would be the team to beat in the region, but that was the case last year, when East Coweta beat Westlake 7-0 on the first Friday in October but failed to close on its first region title since 2001 after tight losses to Hughes and Newnan. Westlake won region titles the past two seasons. East Coweta is the highest-rated team in the region by the Maxwell Ratings, although Maxwell rates Westlake as a 1-point favorite because of home-field advantage. 2. Westlake has failed to score offensive points in losses to Cartersville 31-0 and McEachern 6-2 but showed progress in a 24-14 victory over Lithonia in its most recent game. QB Ravaughn Burch was 16-of-17 passing for 200 yards and four touchdowns. A.J. Terrell had five catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Terrell is committed to Clemson as a cornerback. LB Jaden Hunter is committed to Georgia. 3. East Coweta averages 215.6 yards rushing per game, 120.4 passing. Devonte Brown has rushed for 475 yards on just 53 carries. Chris Reid is 39-of-62 passing for 592 yards. LB Jeremiah Gemmel (committed to North Carolina) is the leading tackler. His 74-yard TD reception, his only catch of the season, was the difference in a 20-14 victory over Arabia Mountain last week.
