FROM THE AJC.COM HIGH SCHOOL BLOGS
The ajc.com high school bloggers include Todd Holcomb (Class AAAAAA), Chip Saye (AAAAA), David Purdum (AAAA), Stan Awtrey (AAA), Adam Krohn (AA) and S. Thomas Coleman (A).
What to look for this weekend in high school football:
Class AAAAAA
No. 2 Lovejoy plays at No. 4 Colquitt County on Friday in the headliner game in AAAAAA. Colquitt County won last year’s game 14-7 after a scoreless first half. Both teams made the semifinals or better last season, each losing to Norcross.
Lovejoy sat three defensive starters — linebacker DeMarquis Gates, nose tackle Chris Ellis and linebacker Randy Anyanwu — because of injuries last week in a 41-12 victory against Mundy’s Mill. Lovejoy coach Al Hughes hasn’t said whether the three players will return this week. Gates, a preseason all-state player who committed to Ole Miss, would be missed.
- Norcross' opening game was a disastrous 55-0 loss to Miami's Booker T. Washington. Now the defending state champions travel to Parkview, which lost 28-14 last week to Peachtree Ridge. Myles Autry ran for 71 yards and returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown to lead Norcross to a 20-0 victory last season.
- Valdosta's low point a year ago was losing to Brooks County, a AA powerhouse, when the Wildcats threw incomplete four consecutive times at the goal line in the final minute. Brooks County travels to Valdosta on Friday.
- No. 8 Mill Creek is at home against Brookwood. In 2012, these Gwinnett County schools played twice, with Brookwood winning 31-21 in the regular season and Mill Creek winning 56-21 in the playoffs to reach the quarterfinals.
Class AAAAA
- Region play gets underway in 6-AAAAA, and the pressure is on Southwest DeKalb more than any team in the region. The Panthers, under new coach Michael Tanks, lost 17-10 in their opener against a Pebblebrook team that was 0-10 last season. The task will be even tougher this week against fifth-ranked M.L. King.
- Allatoona and North Paulding are the new favorites in 5-AAAAA after North Paulding knocked off 2012 champ East Paulding 27-13 last week. Allatoona, which finished in second place last season, was impressive in a 50-0 victory against Woodland-Cartersville last week.
- Region 7-AAAAA will look to bounce back from a rough start. The region is 4-9 overall after two weeks. Sixth-ranked Kell, the region favorite, opened with a 26-16 victory against Chattahoochee in the Corky Kell Classic.
Class AAAA
Under-the-radar game: No. 6 Monroe Area travels to Winder-Barrow on Friday. The Purple Hurricanes blasted the Bulldoggs 58-14 last season, but Monroe Area coach Matt Fligg says Winder-Barrow is a completely different team this year. "They beat Gainesville in passing league over the summer," said Fligg. "I've warned my kids that this won't be the same as last season."
Keep an eye out: Chamblee's defense shut out Dunwoody in its opener. Druid Hills scored 47 points in Week 1 victory against Clarkston. Chamblee and Druid Hills meet Friday night at North DeKalb Stadium. Chamblee has won three consecutive games in the series. Keep an eye on Chamblee junior running back Xavier Shugers. A transfer from Tucker, Shugers rushed for 163 yards and two touchdowns against Dunwoody.
Losing streak: The Columbus Blue Devils own the longest losing streak in AAAA at 18 games. The Blue Devils host Hardaway on Friday. Columbus has lost five consecutive games to Hardaway by an average score of 32-7.
Late start: No. 3 Burke County opens region play at Hephzibah. Burke County's opening game against Thomson was cancelled in the first half because of lightning, but not before Super 11 quarterback Donquell Green put up 235 yards of offense in the first quarter. The Bears, who were off last week, have never lost to Hephzibah, shutting out the Rebels in eight of 13 meetings
Class AAA
A year ago Gainesville emerged with a 19-15 victory at Buford. Both teams ended up winning state championships — Gainesville in Class AAAAA, Buford in Class AAA. They meet in Gainesville on Friday.
Buford was dominant in last week’s 46-7 victory against Elbert County. The Wolves used their typical carousel of backs and took advantage of the blocking prowess of Shane Robinson (grade of 90 percent, 11 knockdowns) and Nick Polino (87 percent, seven knockdowns). Evyn Cooper led the Wolves with 93 yards.
But the onus for the Wolves will be finding a way to slow Gainesville quarterback Deshaun Watson, who threw for 362 yards and four touchdowns in last week’s 58-28 victory against West Hall. The Buford defense will need a big night from Clemson commitment Korie Rogers at linebacker and Joshua Thomas and Ryan Coleman.
Here are three other offensive players to watch Friday night:
Danyale Wicker, Washington County: No. 6-ranked Washington County will unleash Wicker when the Golden Hawks travel to play Class A Emanuel County Institute. Wicker ran for 143 yards and scored three touchdowns last week in the victory against Grovetown. The undersized Wicker (5-foot-5, 150 pounds) is elusive.
Deion Sellers, Cedar Grove: The Saints are trying to prove there's life after quarterback Johnathan McCrary, who graduated and signed with Vandy. Sellers (5-8, 175) ran 23 times for 201 yards and two touchdowns in last week's victory against Columbia.
Kawon Bryant, North Oconee: The junior was hobbled by an ankle injury in the early part of last year, but rushed for 1,200 yards. He'll have his hands full against a tough St. Pius defense.
Class AA
- The No. 1-ranked Calhoun Yellow Jackets will host one of their classic North Georgia rivals, the unranked Dalton Catamounts of AAAA. The Jackets are coming off a 37-0 victory against the Ridgeland Panthers, who at the time were No. 4 in AAAA. The Catamounts lost to Ringgold 33-27 and are looking to avoid an 0-2 start for the second time in three seasons. The Jackets have won the past four games between the two.
- A battle of private schools with elite football programs will take place between No. 6 Lovett and host Marist, ranked No. 4 in AAAA. It's the second week in a row Lovett (2-0) has faced a Top 10 team, having defeated then-No. 7 Blessed Trinity of AAA 14-3 last week. Marist defeated Clarke Central 29-18 in its season opener.
- Other top 10 matchups to watch: No. 3 Jefferson (1-0) travels to Jackson County (0-1); No. 4 Greater Atlanta Christian hosts Apalachee (0-1); No. 7 Vidalia (0-1), coming off a bye, travels to McIntosh County Academy (0-1); No. 8 Fitzgerald — also coming off a bye — visits Irwin County (1-0); No. 9 Washington-Wilkes (1-0) visits Lincoln County (1-0), ranked No. 3 in AAA; No. 10 Benedictine (1-0) travels to Long County (1-0).
Class A
No. 1 Eagle's Landing Christian Academy (1-0) at Clinch County (1-1): This will be a great early-season barometer for both teams. Last season ELCA thumped the Panthers 47-20, after leading by five touchdowns at the half. That game was two years removed from an epic battle between the two in the 2010 state quarterfinals, which was won by Clinch County, the eventual Class A state champs 34-27. Now comes the rubber match between the two. ELCA, the defending Class A private-school champion, is coming off a 27-7 victory against Alabama private school-power Briarwood Christian and is led by senior dual-threat quarterback Dalton Etheridge. Clinch County looks as if it might be back on course after one of its worst seasons ever last year. The Panthers competed well two weeks ago in a 26-14 loss to AA No. 5 Brooks County, and defeated Mitchell County last week 22-14.
No. 4 George Walton Academy (1-0) at No. 7 Aquinas (1-0): George Walton Academy is considered one of the top challengers to Eagle's Landing Christian. The Bulldogs are led by preseason all-state running back Stanley Williams, who has committed to Kentucky. Aquinas does not appear to be suffering a letdown after the departure of all-state linebacker/running back Brendan Douglas (now at Georgia) and former coach Matt LaZotte.
No. 3 Lincoln County (1-0) at No. 9 Washington-Wilkes (1-0): It's the 76th edition of the Highway 378 War. Lincoln County leads the series 37-32-6 and has dominated recently, winning eight of the past 10 matchups. But the Tigers won last year's game 21-6, their first victory in the series since 2006
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