Here are some of the top games of Week 1 of the 2018 season:
No. 2 (Private) Prince Avenue Christian vs. Mt. Vernon Presbyterian, Friday. Neither team is easing into the season. PAC is challenging itself by opening up against one of the state's most improved programs. The Mustangs have improved from 2-8 five seasons ago, to 7-5 last year and the school's first ever state playoff win. MVP is led by the Douglas brothers, juniors Austin (RB) and Justin (DB). Meanwhile, MVP is going on the road in the first week of the season to take on a team that advanced to the state semifinals last year and is 54-9 in the last five seasons with four region titles. PAC is led by sophomore QB Brock Vandagriff and senior WR/DB Christian Parrish. This is the first meeting between the two schools.
No. 3 (Private) Athens Academy vs. Savannah Christian, Friday. This is another contest featuring two perennial heavyweights. Last season, Athens Academy won its first region title since 2012 and equaled the best record in school history, 13-1, after falling in the title game to ELCA. Athens Academy is 31-6 in three seasons under Josh Alexander. This year the team will be led by seniors William McLanahan (LB), Payton Bowles (DB/RB), juniors Kurt Knisely (DB) and Len'Neth Whitehead (RB/LB), and sophomore Deion Colzie (WR/DB). Savannah Christian has seen its program dip a little the past two seasons (11-9), but the Raiders are still a formidable opponent, featuring lineman Dylan McMahon and punter Noah Chumley. This will be the first meeting between the two teams.
No. 10 (Private) Wesleyan vs. Meadowcreek, Friday. This will be one of the most interesting matchups of the weekend. Wesleyan is one of the state's top small programs. Meadowcreek, which competes in Class AAAAAAA, won seven games last season for the first time since 1990. This is the first meeting between the two.
No. 4 (Public) Mt. Zion vs. Lamar County, Friday. This one features two programs going in opposite directions. After finishing 4-6 in 2013, Mt. Zion is 35-13 since. On the flip side, since finishing 14-1 and advancing to the 2013 Class AA state finals, Lamar's win totals have declined steadily and the Trojans record over that stretch is 22-21. This is the first meeting between the two teams.
No. 6 (Public) Charlton County at (GISA) Frederica Academy, Friday. In another interesting contest, Charlton County will take advantage of GHSA rule allowing member teams to compete against teams from the GISA. Charlton will travel to St. Simons to take on Frederica Academy, which finished 7-4 in Region 2 of the GISA's highest classification (AAA) and advanced to the state semifinals.
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