Four of the top-ranked teams in Class 3A are off this week, but five games could have poll-changing ramifications.
Advance material for two of the best games -- Crisp County at Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy and Ware County at Thomson -- was provided by GHSFD/AJC in the capsules below.
Here’s a look at the others:
-- (UPDATE: Game cancelled due to COVID-19) No. 5 Greater Atlanta Christian will travel to Hartwell to face Hart County. The Bulldogs were ranked No. 7 entering the season before a 29-13 loss to Class 5A Wayne County. Hart lost 50-47 to No. 8 White County in Week 2 and dropped from the rankings. Greater Atlanta Christian is 2-0 after victories against Denmark (20-0) in the Corky Kell Classic and Lovett (10-3) in Week 2. GAC quarterback Deymon Fleming Jr. is 23-of-45 passing for 203 yards and two touchdowns. The key to GAC’s success has been its defense, which has accounted for nine interceptions – from six different players -- in two games.
-- No. 7 Sandy Creek will make a short ride to Class 5A Starr’s Mill looking to right the ship after a 28-6 loss to Class 7A Newnan last week. Starr’s Mill opened with a 21-20 loss to East Coweta in overtime before winning against Mt. Zion-Jonesboro, 35-0, and Union Grove, 19-14.
-- No. 8 White County is 3-0 and will travel to Class 6A Habersham Central. The Warriors have beaten Stephens County (44-6), Hart County (50-47) and Pickens (42-7). Against Pickens, quarterback J.Ben Haynes was 15-of-21 passing for 190 yards and a touchdown.
From GHSFD/AJC top 10 games list:
Ware County at Thomson
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, The Brickyard, Thomson
Records, rankings: Ware County is 2-0 and No. 4 in Class 5A; Thomson is 3-0 and No. 10 in 3A.
Last meeting: Thomson won 51-35 in the second round of the 2002 Class 4A playoffs.
Things to know: This will be just the second meeting, first in the regular season, between two schools located about 180 miles apart in eastern Georgia. For Ware County, it will also be the second of seven games in a row against teams ranked in this week’s AJC top 10s. Ware County is the only currently ranked opponent on Thomson’s schedule. Both teams' leading rusher is a junior quarterback. Ware County’s Thomas Castellanos has run for 232 yards (116 per game) and five touchdowns on 23 carries, while Thomson’s Tay Martin has run for 347 yards (115.7 per game) and five TDs on 53 carries. Thomson’s Snoop Williams has contributed 131 rushing yards, 103 of which came in a season-opening 21-14 victory over Jefferson County. Ware County is the more likely team to throw. Castellanos is 27-of-45 passing for 445 yards and three touchdowns, while Thomson has attempted just 25 passes, completing 12 for 144 yards, in three games. Ware County linebacker Michael Mincey, a preseason all-state pick, committed to Vanderbilt this week.
Crisp County at Eagle’s Landing Christian
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Commitment Field, McDonough
Records, rankings: Crisp County is 2-0 and No. 2 in Class 3A; Eagle’s Landing Christian is 2-1 and No. 1 in Class A Private.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Things to know: ELCA is the five-time defending Class A Private champion, and Crisp County was the 3A runner-up last year. Crisp has opened with shutouts of Tift County (7-0) and Houston County (12-0), schools about twice Crisp’s size. LB Chris Paul (Arkansas commit) has five tackles for losses. DB Sirad Bryant (Georgia Tech), LB Preston Lavant (Pittsburgh) and DE Nick Mercer (Georgia Southern) also are committed to Division I schools. J’Kobe Harris has four interceptions. Moving the ball has been a little tougher, as Crisp is only 10-of-26 passing and averaging 3.8 yards per rush, but QB A.J. Lofton and RB Marquis Palmer each rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season. ELCA also shut out its first two opponents, including Woodward Academy, before falling to Class 5A No. 2 Blessed Trinity 38-14. Josh Rogers has rushed for 523 yards. ELCA has attempted only 21 passes. Top defenders are LB Charis Spence (four sacks) and CB Kaleb Anthony (committed to UConn). ELCA has won 41 consecutive home games dating to 2014.
Here are what the coaches said this week during telephone interviews:
Crisp coach Brad Harber: Their recent past… and when I say recent, I mean five years in a row winning the state championship ... it is impressive. Even if it is five state championships in a row, the thing we must be careful about as a football team is not getting comfortable. We are trying to do the best job watching film and the regular prep stuff as we would any other week. We must help our players understand that this could, and I say could, could be the best-coached team that we will play until sometime in the playoffs. And that is not knocking anybody we play.
ELCA coach Jonathan Gess: When you watch film of Crisp, the first thing that jumps out is the defense. They just do not give up any yards. They are just really talented. And then, offensively, they are scary because they have so many weapons everywhere. They are led by their quarterback, but they have a great tailback and good wide receivers, and their offensive line is humongous."
Class 3A Week 4 schedule
1. (1) Cedar Grove (0-0) – Off. Will open season Oct. 1 at 7A Milton.
2. (2) Crisp County (2-0) – travels to Class A-Private No. 1 ELCA.
3. (3) Oconee County (3-0) – Off.
4. (4) Peach County (1-1) – Off.
5. (6) Greater Atlanta Christian (2-0) – Travels to Hart County (1-2).
6. (7) Pierce County (3-0) – Off.
7. (5) Sandy Creek (1-1) – Travels to Class 5A Starr’s Mill (2-1).
8. (9) White County (3-0) – Travels to Class 6A Habersham Central (2-0).
9. (10) Rockmart (1-1) – Travels to Coahulla Creek (1-1).
10. (NR) Thomson (3-0) – Travels to 5A No. 4 Ware County (2-0).
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