Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy coach Jonathan Gess knows his team is in for some “old-school football” when it travels to play Class 3A Pierce County Friday.
ELCA, the top-ranked team in Class A Private, will spend its second consecutive week playing up in class against two of Class 3A’s best. ELCA lost to second-ranked Crisp County last week. Pierce is ranked No. 6.
The matchup is one of two games that will highlight the Class 3A schedule. Cedar Grove, which has been sidelined by DeKalb County’s COVID restrictions, will open its season against seventh-ranked Milton of Class 7A.
“I know it’s absolutely a different type of football,” ELCA’s Gess said. “I think the coolest thing for me, when I go to those games and play schools like this, is the band. Of course, we have a band, but there are about 50 people in it, you know, but you go to these 3A schools, and they have these big bands, and it’s so loud. And it just rings of high school football the way that I remember it.”
Last week, No. 2 Crisp County defeated ELCA 34-14 at ELCA. Now it’s Pierce’s turn to play against the lower-classed five-time defending champions. But for Gess, it’s about a throw-back experience for his program.
“I think it’s going to be fun for our boys to go down to Pierce County,” Gess said. “You know, a 3A program ... that’s just country football. Everybody is there on Friday night. Yeah, our kids do not get to experience that so much. So I’m excited about that for them.”
Pierce County is coming off victories against Brunswick (31-10), Wayne County (14-0) and Claxton (42-0). But for coach Ryan Herring and the Bears, ELCA has garnered intense focus.
“Everybody has watched them play in the championship game in the past few years,” Herring said. “Unless you have been under a rock, you know they have great players, great coaches. Ans so they are not a typical A Private team. That’s a really good football team.”
Cedar Grove gets the opportunity to take the field against a ranked team in the state’s highest class.
And that is by design.
“We expect that great teams build great competition,” said Cedar Grove head coach Miguel Patrick.
And they do. Milton is coming off victories against Johns Creek (29-0) and Hapeville Charter (43-18). Now it faces the 3A defending champions.
“We want just to be able to compete,” Patrick said. “They are a top-team in 7A and we are just a 3A team, so we are just hoping to come in here and be able to compete for the simple fact that this is our first game and we are going to get those jitters and all of that out of the way. I think we have a pretty solid team this year. We are on the younger side of things, but we have some playmakers.”
That type of experience will be needed for Cedar Grove to defend its state title for the third consecutive season, and with competition like Milton right out of the gate, the Saints aren’t shying away from anyone.
“We are always up for situations like this,” Patrick said. “Our guys know that we love to play the top competition each and every year when we get to do so out of region schedule. And I think we will be up for the task. The pregame jitters and stuff will be all wrapped up by the first series or two and then we can see if we can play some real football.”
Two of the other top games -- Westminster at St. Pius and Oconee County at Thomasville -- were included in the Top 10 games by Georgia High School Football Daily and the preview is included below.
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, George B. Maloof Stadium, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Westminster is 1-0 and No. 8 in Class 3A; St. Pius is 2-0 and No. 7 in 5A.
Last meeting: Westminster won 42-14 in 2019.
Things to know: St. Pius had won four consecutive games in the series, which dates to 1959, until Westminster’s decisive 2019 victory. Westminster beat the Lions at their own game, rushing for 360 yards. Westminster opened last week with a 7-3 victory over Pace Academy. Westminster held Pace to 41 yards rushing, but the offense struggled, putting up only 158 total yards, and 52 of that came on a TD pass from John Collier to Henry Chartrand, both sophomores. Lowell Jones, Holden Staes and Ejike Adele had seven tackles for losses. St. Pius doesn’t pass much – just 2-for-8 in two games – but averages 302 yards rushing. Jack Tchienchou, a sophomore, has a team-leading 125 rushing yards. He also has six pass breakups, an interception and a forced fumble. Shug Bentley, another two-way player with 72 rushing yards, has been the leading tackler in both games.
Oconee County at Thomasville
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Veterans Memorial Stadium, Thomasville
Records, rankings: Oconee County is 3-0 and No. 3 in Class 3A; Thomasville is 2-2 and No. 5 in 2A.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Things to know: Oconee County, playing in Class 3A after finishing as the 2019 state runner-up in 4A, has allowed 14 total points in victories over higher-class teams North Oconee (27-7), Cedar Shoals (35-0) and Clarke Central (24-7). D.J. Jones rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns against Clarke Central two weeks ago. LB West Weeks had a team-leading six solo tackles and two tackles for losses in that game. Weeks was a preseason all-state selection on defense but also plays quarterback. WR Jake Johnson and OL Carsen Stocklinski also were preseason all-state picks. Thomasville has split its first four games against Class A Public No. 1 Brooks County and three solid 4A programs. Last week, the Bulldogs lost to 4A No. 7 Bainbridge 21-7. QB Ronnie Baker has passed for 620 yards and rushed for 106, second-best on the team behind sophomore Ricky Fulton’s 137. WR Ricardo Johnson, the leading receiver with 188 yards on 15 catches, and LB Ty Anderson were the Bulldogs' preseason all-state selections. Anderson is second on the team with 34 total tackles.
Top 10 Class 3A Schedule
1. (1) Cedar Grove (0-0): At Class 7A No. 7 Milton.
2. (2) Crisp County (3-0): Off.
3. (3) Oconee County (3-0): At Class 2A No. 5 Thomasville.
4. (4) Peach County (1-1): Hosts Mary Persons for a 2-AAA game.
5. (5) Greater Atlanta Christian (2-0): At Burke County.
6. (6) Pierce County (3-0): Hosts A Private No. 1 Eagle’s Landing Christian.
7. (8) White County (4-0): Off.
8. (NR) Westminster (Atlanta) (1-0): At Class 5A No. 7 St. Pius X.
9. (9) Rockmart (2-1): Hosts Sonoraville.
10. (7) Sandy Creek (1-2): Off.
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