HS football: Top 10 games of the week

Records, rankings: Brooks County is 2-0 and No. 5 in Class AA; Valdosta is 1-0 and unranked in AAAAAA.

Last meeting: Brooks County won 28-24 in 2012.

Three things to know: 1. The 2012 game was one of the season's biggest upsets. Brooks County won 28-24 as Deric Herring caught a 4-yard TD pass for a 28-24 lead with 2:40 left, then broke up Valdosta's fourth-down pass in the end zone to clinch the victory. Valdosta had first-and-goal from the 9 on its final possession, but Brooks defended four passes, all incomplete. 2. Herring and QB Malkom Parrish, both preseason all-state players, return for Brooks. Parrish, who has committed to Georgia as a cornerback, has averaged only 117 yards passing and 63.5 rushing in his first two games but scored four touchdowns in the 48-14 rout of Monroe last week. There was a running clock in the fourth quarter. 3. Valdosta has two all-state candidates at running back in Nelson Herring and Malcolm Joseph. Herring rushed for 227 yards on eight carries in a 28-24 victory over Thomas County Central last week. Joseph, recently committed to Georgia State, rushed for 67 yards and returned a kickoff for a touchdown.

Buford at Gainesville

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, City Park Stadium/Bobby Gruhn Field, Gainesville

Records, rankings: Buford is 1-0 and No. 1 in Class AAA; Gainesville is 1-0 and No. 1 in AAAAA.

Last meeting: Gainesville won 19-15 in 2012.

Three things to know: 1. Six Buford players scored touchdowns in a 46-7 victory over Elbert County last week. The Wolves got rushing touchdowns from Joshua Thomas (14 yards), Donte' Gordon (5), Thomas Wilson (6) and Evyn Cooper (52 yards), and Issac Nauta and Steven Reese caught TD passes, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post. 2. Gainesville QB Deshaun Watson, the state's career passing leader, threw for 383 yards and four touchdowns in the Red Elephants' 58-28 victory against West Forsyth last week. That leaves him 257 yards (unofficially) from becoming the first 10,000-yard passer in state history. 3. Gainesville's victory in last year's meeting was Buford's first home loss since the 2006 state quarterfinals, breaking the Wolves' 43-game home winning streak, and the first home regular-season loss since 2000. Watson threw four interceptions in the game but also had three TD passes and 296 yards of total offense. It was Gainesville's first victory over Buford in five tries.

Charlton County at Ware County

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Memorial Stadium, Waycross

Records, rankings: Charlton County is 1-0 and unranked in Class A; Ware County is 0-1 and unranked in AAAAA.

Last meeting: Ware County won 31-0 in 2012.

Three things to know: 1. Charlton County QB Trae Harrington passed for 360 yards and five touchdowns in a 34-6 victory over Brantley County last week. Curt Dixon had eight receptions for 208 yards and three touchdowns. Harrington passed or ran for 64 of Charlton's 66 offensive plays. 2. Ware County committed six turnovers, two on kickoff returns, in a 38-13 loss at Coffee last week. Afterward, Ware coach Ed Dudley called a Labor Day practice and declared "we're going to re-start this season starting Monday." Ware also lost its 2012 opener to Coffee (albeit only 21-14) and still reached the Class AAAAA final. 3. Ware and Charlton are natural geographical rivalries, each claiming large shares of the Okefenokee Swamp, but their 2012 game was the first meeting since 1989, the season before Rich McWhorter became head coach at Charlton. Ware held Charlton to fewer than 100 yards in total offense in a 31-0 victory.

George Walton Academy at Aquinas

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aquinas Stadium, Augusta

Records, rankings: George Walton Academy is 1-0 and No. 4 in Class A; Aquinas is 1-0 and No. 7 in A.

Last meeting: These teams played each other twice in 2012. George Walton won 38-12 in the first round of the Class A private-school playoffs; Aquinas won 28-21 in overtime in the regular season.

Three things to know: 1. George Walton Academy's Stanley Williams is considered one of the nation's top all-purpose running backs after rushing for 1,948 yards and 24 touchdowns on 182 carries in 2012. He had 232 yards and two TDs on 22 carries in a 36-10 victory against First Presbyterian last week, and his 63-yard TD run in the third quarter broke open what was a 7-3 game. 2. Aquinas coach James Leonard, at 26 believed to be the youngest head coach in the GHSA, had a successful debut when the Fighting Irish beat East Laurens 52-14 two weeks ago. Ruben Garnett rushed for 109 yards and Liam Welch threw three touchdown passes. 3. George Walton Academy reached the state semifinals last season for the first time since moving from the GISA before the 2010 season. Aquinas was 17-7 the past two seasons, its best two-year stretch since the school began playing football in 1957.

Lincoln County at Washington-Wilkes

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tiger Stadium, Washington

Records, rankings: Lincoln County is 1-0 and No. 3 in Class A; Washington-Wilkes is 1-0 and No. 9 in AA.

Last meeting: Washington-Wilkes won 21-6 in 2012.

Three things to know: 1. Lincoln County's Mike McIntire, who rushed for 1,358 yards and 18 touchdowns last season, got off to another good start in 2013. He ran for 146 yards and three touchdowns in the Red Devils' 41-0 victory against McCormick, S.C., two weeks ago. 2. Washington-Wilkes averaged 45.7 points in its 10 victories last season and 3.5 points in its two losses. The losses came against Class AA champion Jefferson (31-0) and runner-up Calhoun (34-7). The Tigers opened the 2013 season with a 58-point night against Calhoun Falls, S.C. Sophomore QB Deandre Harris passed for 153 yards and four touchdowns, and TB Quay Blackburn rushed for 109 yards on seven carries. 3. Washington-Wilkes' victory in 2012 snapped a five-game losing streak in the series, which dates to 1922 when predecessor schools Washington and Lincolnton played to a 7-7 tie. Lincoln County, which leads the series 36-33-6, has been dominant recently, winning nine of the past 11 meetings and 27 of the past 38.

Lovejoy at Colquitt County

When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Memorial Stadium, Moultrie

Records, rankings: Lovejoy is 1-0 and No. 2 in Class AAAAAA; Colquitt County is 1-1 and No. 4 in AAAAAA.

Last meeting: Colquitt County won 14-7 in 2012.

Three things to know: 1. The 2012 game, won 14-7 by Colquitt County, was scoreless in the first half. Colquitt reverted to trickery, scoring on a 53-yard reverse and a 14-yard tackle-eligible pass for a 14-0 lead. Both teams went on to reach the state semifinals or better, each losing to eventual champion Norcross. 2. Lovejoy sat three defensive starters because of injuries last week in a 41-12 victory over Mundy's Mill. They were LB DeMarquis Gates, NT Chris Ellis and LB Randy Anyanwu. Gates, a preseason all-state player who is committed to Ole Miss, is not expected to play this week. 3. Colquitt's top defensive player, DE Jamiyus Pittman, also is committed to Ole Miss. Colquitt is more concerned about its offense. The Packers were held to 76 yards rushing on 43 attempts against Hoover, Ala., in a 24-10 loss.

Marist at Thomas County Central

When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, Jackets' Nest, Thomasville

Records, rankings: Marist is 1-0 and No. 4 in Class AAAA; Thomas County Central is 1-1 and No. 7 in AAAAA.

Last meeting: Thomas County Central won 21-17 in 2012.

Three things to know: 1. Marist QB Chase Martenson, who is succeeding all-state player Myles Willis, rushed for 103 yards on 18 carries in a 29-18 victory over Clarke Central last week. He was 0-for-3 passing. Running backs Marcus Miller (125 yards) and Griffin King (117) also surpassed 100 yards rushing. 2. In the teams' 2012 meeting, Deondre Cooksey rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns, one a 2-yard run that gave Central the final margin with 7:25 left in a game of six lead changes or ties. QB Adam Choice, a 1,600-yard rusher last season, was held to 16 yards on 11 carries as Marist keyed on the quarterback. Thomas Central leads the series 6-1, with four of the games taking place in state semifinals. 3. Thomas Central is averaging 310.5 yards rushing and 50.5 passing in two games. Choice has rushed for 331 yards and is on pace to surpass 1,500 yards rushing for the third consecutive year.

Norcross at Parkview

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Big Orange Jungle, Lilburn

Records, rankings: Norcross is 0-1 and No. 6 in Class AAAAAA; Parkview is 0-1 and unranked in AAAAAA.

Last meeting: Norcross won 20-0 in 2012.

Three things to know: 1. Norcross' opening game was a disastrous 55-0 loss to Miami's Booker T. Washington, a team with a No. 1 national ranking. But no one is writing off a team that is defending a state title with 11 seniors holding Division I scholarship offers. 2. Parkview lost its opener 28-14 after Peachtree Ridge returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Parkview got good performances from RB/LB Justis Rosser (97 yards rushing, two touchdowns) and PK/P Eric Autry (3-for-3 on touchbacks and a 42.2 punting averaging, dropping four of six punts inside the 15-yard line). 3. Last season's Parkview-Norcross game was televised on a Thursday night. Neither team was ranked, but both would finish in the Top 10. Norcross won despite a limited role by all-state RB Alvin Kamara (ankle sprain, 25 yards). Myles Autry, now a senior, rushed for 71 yards and returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown, and Parkview was limited to 102 yards of total offense.

Prince Avenue Christian at Savannah Christian

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Garden City Stadium, Garden City

Records, rankings: Prince Avenue Christian is 1-0 and No. 2 in Class A; Savannah Christian is 0-0-1 and No. 9 in A.

Last meeting: Prince Avenue Christian won 28-12 in 2012.

Three things to know: 1. Jeff Herron, in his first season at Prince Avenue Christian after spending 13 seasons at Camden County, is 124-8 in regular-season games since the start of the 2000 season. He is 69-1 all-time against Savannah schools. 2. Logan Tovar kicked a career-best 42-yard field goal on the final play of the game to help Savannah Christian salvage a 6-6 tie against Jenkins in the opener two weeks ago. He also kicked a 27-yarder in the first quarter. In 2012, Tovar missed an extra point that proved costly in a 21-20 loss to Jenkins. Savannah Christian held Jenkins to 53 yards rushing and 120 total yards. 3. Prince Avenue and Savannah Christian both had their seasons ended by eventual private-school champion Eagle's Landing Christian last year. Seventh-seeded Savannah Christian lost to ELCA 42-7 in the second round, and ninth-seeded Prince Avenue reached the championship game before losing 33-0.

Washington County at Emanuel County Institute

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Rountree Stadium, Twin City

Records, rankings: Washington County is 1-0 and No. 6 in Class AAA; Emanuel County Institute is 0-1 and unranked in A.

Last meeting: Washington County won 48-22 in 2012.

Three things to know: 1. Washington County's Danyale Wicker rushed for 143 yards and scored three touchdowns, one on a 92-yard kickoff return, in a 56-7 victory over Grovetown last week. It was the fifth time in the past 13 games that Washington County scored at least 51 points. 2. Emanuel County Institute's Michael Sutton rushed for 147 yards and a touchdown and James Brown had 107 yards and two TDs, but the Bulldogs lost their opener 21-20 against Metter two weeks ago in the Erk Russell Classic. The loss snapped ECI's eight-game winning streak in the series, which is tied 37-37-1. 3. ECI (public) and Eagle's Landing Christian (private) won the two Class A championships last year, and both suffered their only losses of the season against Washington County. Eagle's Landing Christian lost 24-19 in the season-opening game, and ECI lost two weeks later. This year's ELCA-Washington County game was stopped in the first half and eventually canceled because of bad weather.