Top 10 Georgia high school football games in Week 9
Here are the 10 best Georgia high school football games of Week 9.
Calhoun at Northwest Whitfield
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Bruin Stadium, Tunnel Hill
Records, rankings: Calhoun is 4-2 overall, 2-0 in Region 7-3A and No. 3; Northwest Whitfield is 6-1, 3-0 and unranked.
Last meeting: Calhoun won 55-21 in 2024.
Things to know: Calhoun is 129-1 in region games since 2002 if one doesn’t include the 2020-23 membership in Class 4A. Calhoun returned to 3A in 2024 and won its fourth state title. This game is likely for the region championship, as all other Region 7-3A teams have region losses. Northwest Whitfield, seeking its first region title since 2000, leads the Calhoun series 4-3, but the teams’ only meeting in the past 40 years took place last season. The star of that game was Calhoun freshman Trace Hawkins, who threw five TD passes and scored two touchdowns. Justin Beasley had five receptions for 150 yards and three touchdowns. Both are back. Beasley is Class 3A’s leading receiver (43 receptions, 912 yards). Northwest Whitfield’s main character is Gavin Nuckolls, a senior quarterback who has passed for 1,616 yards and 21 touchdowns and rushed for 644 yards and nine touchdowns. He’s the only Class 3A player with more than 2,000 passing and rushing yards combined. Calhoun limited him to 127 combined yards in last season’s victory.
Carver (Columbus) at Sumter County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Finklea-Robinson Field at Alton Shell Stadium, Americus
Records, rankings: Carver is 7-0 overall, 4-0 in Region 1-2A and No. 1; Sumter County is 7-0, 4-0 and No. 7.
Last meeting: Carver won 31-0 in 2024.
Things to know: Carver has won 19 consecutive games. None of the 15 Class 2A victims have come within 21 points of beating the Tigers, whose average score this season is 50-6. (It was 47-10 in the 2024 playoffs). This season, Carver is getting things done with a freshman quarterback, Sebastian Heard, who has thrown for 1,061 yards and 11 touchdowns with five interceptions. Carver’s running backs are elite. Preseason all-state choice Jakobe Caslin has 479 rushing yards, 247 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Kelston Tarver has 840 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Zach Watts, a freshman, has 982 all-purpose yards (379 rushing, 117 receiving, 486 returning). Sumter County is 7-0 for the second straight season, but last year’s team scored a pair of one-point victories. This one is winning by an average score of 48-7. Sumter coach Will Rogers is 22-7 in his three seasons. The program was 3-24 in the previous three. Sumter County’s best player is Aaron Kearse, the leading rusher, with 493 yards and 10 touchdowns, and third-leading tackler with 23 stops, six tackles for loss with two interceptions. In the 2024 game between the two, Carver forced five turnovers and held Sumter County to 86 total yards, including minus-29 rushing.
Clinch County at Brooks County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Veterans Stadium, Quitman
Records, rankings: Clinch County is 7-0 overall, 2-0 in Region 2-A Division I and No. 2; Brooks County is 3-4, 2-0 and No. 5.
Last meeting: Brooks County won 42-12 in 2024.
Things to know: These teams’ win-loss records are better to be ignored. The Maxwell Ratings view Brooks County as a 4-point favorite. Brooks’ losses are to bigger schools, including three ranked in the top three of their classes (Worth County, Thomasville and Pierce County). Brooks’ 21-3 victory over Fitzgerald last month is probably more impressive than any of Clinch’s victories. In the 2024 game between these two, Brooks County’s Junior Burrus threw six touchdown passes, three to George Lamons. Both are back, though Lamons didn’t play last week because of a minor injury. Brooks County’s best all-around player is WR/DB Trae Stevenson, a cornerback/wide receiver committed to Georgia Tech. He has 676 all-purpose yards. Clinch is fairly balanced offensively but unpredictable. Traviian Miller, a sophomore, passed for 402 yards and eight touchdowns (both school records) against Irwin County and 284 yards and three touchdowns against Berrien. But he’s thrown for less than 60 yards in four other games and rushed for more than 100 in two others. Brooks County, a bigger school, has won four straight in this series, which it leads 16-9. This is the 16th consecutive time these teams have met when at least one was ranked. Both have been ranked in nine of those.
Columbia at Miller Grove
When, where: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, James R. Hallford Stadium, Clarkston
Records, rankings: Columbia is 1-6 overall, 1-0 in Region 6-2A and unranked; Miller Grove is 6-1, 1-0 and unranked.
Last meeting: Columbia won 34-0 in 2024.
Things to know: These are the only two among 19 DeKalb County Schools teams without a region loss and the only ones controlling their destinies toward a region title. Their won-lost records disguise which team is which. The 1-6 team, Columbia, is the defending region champion and a 7-point favorite in this game, according to the Maxwell Ratings. The 6-1 team, Miller Grove, has never won seven games in a season or earned a home playoff game in its 21-year existence. But Miller Grove is a fun and up-and-coming team under fifth-year coach Melvin Brown. Thomas Winston IV has thrown for 1,639 yards, the most in DeKalb County. The Wolverines have avenged two 2024 losses decisively and are projected to finish 8-2 and host and win a playoff game, according to Maxwell. Columbia’s statistics aren’t worth pointing out, as they are what comes to little schools that dare to schedule Douglas County, Carrollton, Cartersville, Callaway and Kell before region play. The strategy worked last year and got Columbia its first region title in 43 years and a first-round playoff victory.
Gainesville at Milton
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Eagles’ Nest, Milton
Records, rankings: Gainesville is 6-1 overall, 3-0 in Region 7-5A and No. 4; Milton is 6-1, 3-0 and No. 3.
Last meeting: Milton won 42-24 in 2024.
Things to know: Milton has won 42 consecutive region games. Gainesville will be the second top-five team that Milton has faced during this streak. The other was No. 5 Roswell in 2020. (Roswell, currently ranked No. 6, also is in this region and stands 5-1 overall, 2-0 in region play.) In the 2024 Milton-Gainesville game, Milton put up 484 total yards and held Gainesville to 54 rushing yards. Gainesville’s Kharim Hughley, who is back, passed for 242 yards. Milton graduated all but a handful of starters from that 15-0 team, which had nine Power 4 Conference signees. The 2025 team might have only one P4 signee, linebacker Billy Weivoda, who is committed to Iowa. Tristan Lester, the best all-around player, is committed to Marshall. Sophomore Ben Halevi has emerged as the starting quarterback, leading Milton to four straight wins since coming off the bench to lead a comeback victory against Blessed Trinity. Halevi is 35-of-54 passing for 605 yards and seven touchdowns without an interception. Gainesville’s Hughley is committed to Clemson. A junior, he is 94-of-145 passing for 1,426 yards and 18 touchdowns. Gainesville is rich in P4 players with LB Xavier Griffin and DE Jamarion Matthews (both Alabama), DL Ayden Cain (Duke) and OL Krew Moledor (Louisville).
Mount Zion (Carroll) at Bowdon
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dwight Hochstetler Stadium/Warren P. Sewell Field, Bowdon
Records, rankings: Mount Zion is 7-1 overall, 2-0 in Region 7-A Division II and unranked; Bowdon is 5-2, 1-0 and No. 3.
Last meeting: Bowdon won 49-0 in 2024.
Things to know: Mount Zion is No. 3 on GHSF Daily’s Improvement Tracker for Class A Division II with a team that appears to be the school’s best since the back-to-back 10-win seasons of 2017-18. Mount Zion beat Bowdon 35-0 and 30-0 in those years. This is a new day, of course, as Bowdon is amid a three-year run of state titles. But Mount Zion and Bowdon, both from Carroll County, are the only teams in Region 7 without a region loss. Mount Zion beat Trion 41-17 last week, avenging a 44-0 loss from 2024. Mount Zion is predominantly a running team. Rashad Montgomery has rushed for 665 yards and 12 touchdowns. Knox Israel has passed for 595 yards and rushed for 410. Xavier Buckner has seven TD receptions. Mount Zion’s loss came against Pike County, a Class 2A school. Bowdon’s players to watch are first-year starting QB Joshua Hopkins (951 passing yards, 577 rushing yards), AJC Super 11 pick Kaiden Prothro (405 receiving yards, eight touchdowns) and two-way starter Connor Daniel (second-leading rusher with 366 yards, second-leading tackler with 35 tackles).
North Cobb at Marietta
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Northcutt Stadium, Marietta
Records, rankings: North Cobb is 4-2 overall, 2-0 in Region 5-6A and unranked; Marietta is 3-4, 3-0 and unranked.
Last meeting: North Cobb won 38-22 in 2024.
Things to know: Marietta, under first-year coach Cameron Duke, started 0-4 but put itself into region contention last week with a 41-38 overtime victory over 5-point favorite Walton. Now, Marietta and North Cobb are the region’s only teams without region losses. Marietta’s four nonregion losses were against teams with a combined 23-2 record. In the Walton victory, Jayden Whiteside threw four touchdown passes, three to Elijah Green. The duo hooked up on an 11-yard pass in the second overtime on the game’s final play. “We are starting to see the character of our team,” Duke told the Marietta Daily Journal after the third consecutive region win. Duke’s record at his previous job at Edgewater in Orlando, Florida, was 85-16. Marietta hasn’t beaten North Cobb since the 2019 state-championship season. The 2024 game was over in the third quarter, when North Cobb took a 38-7 lead. Zach Belyeu rushed for 143 yards. He’s still around, now a top-200 national junior recruit with 657 yards rushing and nine touchdowns. A preseason top-10 team, North Cobb has lost to McEachern and Cass.
North Hall at Greater Atlanta Christian
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Spartan Stadium, Norcross
Records, rankings: North Hall is 6-0 overall, 3-0 in Region 6-3A and No. 5 in Class 3A; Greater Atlanta Christian is 5-1, 3-0 and No. 10 in 3A-A Private.
Last meeting: North Hall won 27-23 in 2024.
Things to know: The 2024 game between these two was a thriller, as GAC rallied from a 20-0 deficit to lead 23-20 but failed to handle a low snap to the punter in the final two minutes. North Hall drove 36 yards for the winning touchdown and went on to claim its first region title since 2012. This game again likely will decide the region title. North Hall is 6-0 for the first time since 2013, but unlike the Bob Christmas-coached teams of that era, the new Trojans are passing fiends under coach Sean Pender. Alex Schlieman has thrown for a Class 3A-leading 1,788 yards. Ty Kemp has 702 receiving yards. Cole Cable has 539. GAC is balanced with sophomores Michael Miller (1,122 passing yards, 479 rushing) and Pierce Wilson (492 rushing, 294 receiving) leading the way. GAC’s loss came in the opener against Class 5A opponent Newnan. Neither team has a Power 4 Conference prospect. GAC CB Denzell Watkins is committed to Army. North Hall OL Mason McGill is committed to Charlotte.
Richmond Hill at Valdosta
When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, Cleveland Field at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium, Valdosta
Records, rankings: Richmond Hill is 6-1 overall, 2-0 in Region 1-6A and unranked; Valdosta is 6-1, 1-1 and No. 9.
Last meeting: Richmond Hill won 35-14 in 2024.
Things to know: Some touted Valdosta and Lowndes, each 6-0 last week, as this region’s front-runners, headed for perhaps a Halloween Winnersville Classic of the century. But Valdosta lost to Colquitt County 18-17 last week, leaving Lowndes and Richmond Hill as the teams without region losses. Richmond Hill beat Valdosta handily last season, but Valdosta made the playoffs and Richmond Hill sat home with a 7-3 record. This year’s game matches Class 6A’s leading offense (Valdosta averages 45.3 points per game) against 6A’s sixth-leading defense (Richmond Hill allows 10.6 points). Valdosta averages 306.7 rushing yards per game. Deron Foster leads Class 6A with 978 yards. Marquis Fennell has rushed for 765. Both players have midmajor offers. Valdosta has four players committed to SEC schools. They are DE Corey Howard (Georgia), CB Jalon Copeland (Arkansas), CB Camron Brown (Mississippi State) and WR Prince Jean (Kentucky). Richmond Hill has none of that glitz, nor any major Division I recruits. It had 11 first- or second-team all-region players last season. All graduated. The team averages less than 300 yards of total offense, and only two of its 13 leading tacklers are seniors. But the team is still winning. Amire Miller has rushed for 505 yards. Jaylon Deal has 36 solo tackles.
Sequoyah at Woodstock
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Wolverine Stadium, Woodstock
Records, rankings: Sequoyah is 6-1 overall, 3-1 in Region 6-5A and No. 9; Woodstock is 5-2, 3-1 and unranked.
Last meeting: Sequoyah won 35-7 in 2024.
Things to know: These Cherokee County rivals are co-stars in the state’s best region race. Five teams stand 3-1 in region play. Sprayberry, River Ridge and Creekview are the others. (Sprayberry is at River Ridge on Friday.) Sequoyah, a Class 5A quarterfinalist last season, announced itself as the favorite when it blasted defending champion Sprayberry 63-20 on Sept. 12. All-state RB Will Rajecki scored seven touchdowns. A week later, the Chiefs lost to River Ridge 28-21, and the region hasn’t picked up all the pieces. Per the Maxwell Ratings, Woodstock is the underdog among the five, despite its victory over River Ridge, the team that beat Sequoyah, but the Wolverines are used to that. Third-year coach Dan Devine ended a 23-game losing streak in 2023, then went 7-4 in 2024, the first Woodstock winning season and playoff berth since 2017. Graham Burmeister is Class 5A’s only quarterback with more than 1,000 yards passing (1,420) and 500 rushing (557). He has 20 total touchdowns. Woodstock’s losses are to Creekview 28-21 and nonregion Etowah 38-31 in overtime. If Woodstock wins as a 24-point underdog, it could stand as the biggest victory ever for a program that has never won a region title.
About the Author
Todd Holcomb has been a contributor to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 1985. He is currently co-founder and editor of Georgia High School Football Daily.
