Two of the classification’s remaining unbeatens meet Friday as No. 7 Monroe Area (7-0) travels to No. 2 Oconee County (7-0) for an electric region 8-3A game which should feel like a late-season playoff game.
Oconee County is perfect at 7-0 and has beaten North Oconee 35-28, Cedar Shoals 27-19, Clarke Central 21-2, Thomasville 20-6, Veterans 35-16, East Jackson 35-7 and No. 8 Hart County 35-13 on Oct. 8. Monroe Area has beaten Loganville 28-7, Walnut Grove 35-0, Morgan County 30-0, Clarkston (ff victory), Lakeside-Evan 38-10, Stephens County 34-24 and East Jackson 40-10.
Both teams are firing on all cylinders and it will be up to each to find a way to stop the other.
Monroe Area prefers to run the ball -- 287 rushing to 105 passing yards per game -- while Oconee County is more balanced -- 192 passing to 152 rushing yards per game.
Oconee County quarterback Jacob Wright is 81-of-125 passing for 1,302 yards and 15 touchdowns. His favorite targets are senior Jake Johnson (6 touchdowns), Darius Johnson Jr (5 touchdowns), Jack Ward (2 touchdowns), and Whit Weeks, Dylan Manders and CJ Jones (1 touchdown each). Jones leads the Warriors rushing attack with 141 carries for 773 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Monroe Area’s offense is led by senior Selatin Straughter Jr who is 41-of-64 passing for 736 yards and 10 touchdowns with 97 carries for 932 yards and 11 touchdowns. Alan Jones has 93 carries for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns to create Monroe Area’s two-headed rushing monster of sorts. Straughter passed to Jahlun Flud (4 touchdowns), Jeremiah Anderson (2), Jones (2), David Lalaian (1) and Zillion Hammond (1) for touchdowns.
Here is the top 10 schedule for Week 10.
1. (1) Cedar Grove (5-2) -- Friday at Westminster, 7:30 p.m. (5-3A Game)
2. (2) Oconee County (7-0) -- Friday vs. No. 7 Monroe Area, 7:30 p.m. (8-3A Game)
3. (3) Sandy Creek (7-0) -- Friday vs. Carver-Atlanta, 7:30 p.m. (5-3A Game)
4. (4) Appling County (8-0) -- Off.
5. (5) Pierce County (5-2) -- Friday at Long County, 7:30 p.m. (1-3A Game)
6. (6) Thomson (7-0) -- Friday at Harlem, 7:30 p.m. (4-3A Game)
7. (7) Monroe Area (7-0) -- Friday at No. 2 Oconee County, 7:30 p.m. (8-3A Game)
8. (8) Hart County (6-1) -- Friday vs. Stephens County, 7:30 p.m. (8-3A Game)
9. (9) Rockmart (6-1) -- Friday vs. Adairsville, 7:30 p.m. (6-3A Game)
10. (10) Ringgold (7-0) -- Friday at Coahulla Creek, 7:30 p.m. (6-3A Game)
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