Private No. 8 Holy Innocents’ at Private No. 6 Wesleyan
(Preview courtesy of Georgia High School Football Daily) Holy Innocents’ is 7-1 overall, 2-0 in Region 5. Wesleyan is 6-2, 2-0. These are the two unbeaten teams in 5-A Private play. A victory would give Holy Innocents’ its second region title in three years and third overall. If Wesleyan wins, it still would need to beat Mount Vernon next week to avoid a three-way tie for first. Both teams rank among the top 10 in Class A Private in points scored and points allowed. Wesleyan averages 30.5 and gives up 10.4, while Holy Innocents’ scores 42.0 and gives up 13.5. The Holy Innocents’ defense put on a show in a 56-7 victory over Mount Vernon last week, intercepting seven passes and returning four for touchdowns (Joey Holliday, Drew Bomar, Zach Jackson and Wyatt Lybrook). Holy Innocents’ has rushed for 2,598 yards this season while attempting just 26 passes. Nehemiah High (74 carries, 483 yards) and Bomar (42-456) lead four players with at least 40 carries and 320 yards. Wesleyan is the passing team, averaging 208 yards through the air and 116 rushing. The offensive leaders are Jett Miller (1,570 yards passing), Will Tucker (501 rushing) and Thomas Cook (374 receiving).
Private No. 5 Eagles Landing Christian Academy at Whitefield Academy
ELCA is 2-6, 0-0 in Region 2. Whitefield is 6-2, 1-0. ELCA is perhaps the best 2-6 team in America. The combined record of the Chargers’ eight opponents this season is 51-14. All eight opponents are ranked or have been ranked at some point this season. ELCA’s last opponent, St. Xavier of Cincinnati, is 8-2 and the No. 2 ranked team in the state of Ohio. The Bombers beat ELCA 44-14 last week. Whitefield began the season 4-0 but has alternated between wins and losses in its last four games. The Wolfpack defeated Landmark Christian last week 42-12. Senior QB Cole Peterson took advantage of Landmark ganging up to stop junior RB/LB Caleb Lavallee (12 carries, 72 yards and 10 tackles on defense) by completing 15-of-22 passes for 290 yards and five touchdowns. Junior WR Ayden Duncanson caught seven passes for 169 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown reception. He also scored on a 55-yard touchdown run. ELCA leads the all-time series between the two schools, 7-2, including a 34-14 win last season. The winner will most likely be the champion of the three-team region. The fourth team, Our Lady of Mercy, elected to play seven-man football for the second consecutive season.
Private No. 7 Pacelli at Brookstone
Pacelli is 6-1, 1-0 in Region 4. Brookstone is 5-2, 0-1. Pacelli is coming off of a 35-7 win over Heritage-Newnan in the Vikings’ region opener. Senior QB/DB Caleb Perry ran for 74 yards and passed for 53 in the win. He is the leading passer and rusher on the team. Brookstone was blown out by top ranked Trinity Christian last week, 55-14. The Cougars had won their last three consecutive games before running into the Lions. These two Columbus-area rivals have faced each other every year since 1973. Brookwood leads the all-time series 33-16-1.
Public No. 5 Schley County at Public No. 10 Manchester
Schley is 7-1, 4-1 in Region 5. Manchester is 4-3, 3-2. Last week Schley all but locked up the No. 2 seed in the region behind Public No. 3 Macon County (8-0, 6-0), after edging No. 7 Chattahoochee County, 20-19. Sophomore QB Jay Kanazawa was 15-of-27 passing for 222 yards. His 14-yard TD pass to junior Demarkis Clark in the final two minutes was the game-winner. Freshman Zayden Walker rushed for 97 yards on 22 carries. Manchester lost last week to Macon County, 37-14. Both senior RB/DB Zae Marshall and senior RB/DB Anthony Bartholomew rushed for more than 100 yards apiece in the loss. Manchester won each of the two previous meetings between the two schools, including a 12-6 win last year.
Other games of note:
Public No. 2 Brooks County vs Turner County
Public No. 7 Chattahoochee County vs. Greenville
Public No. 8 Washinton-Wilkes at Commerce
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