High School Sports Blog
Region 5 games take spotlight on weekend filled with byes
Oct. 23, 2020 - Norcross, Ga: A GHSA football is shown before the Georgia high school football game between Cedar Grove and GAC at Greater Atlanta Christian, Friday, October 23, 2020 in Norcross, Ga.. JASON GETZ FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION
By Seth Ellerbee
Oct 13, 2023Half of the teams in the AJC top-10 rankings will not play this -- including No. 1 Calvary Day (7-0) and No. 2 Stephens County (7-0) -- but the remaining games have heavy region implications.
And some of the most-telling region matchups involve four-team Region 5.
- Cedar Grove (2-5) began the season at No. 1 but dropped to No. 3 last week after its fifth loss to the season, this time 13-9 to Carver (Ala.). The Saints will be at home against unranked Douglass (5-2) in the team’s Region 5 opener and looking to stop the slide.
- Sandy Creek is coming off a 28-19 loss to Class 5A Harris County (6-1) and will be at home against Carver-Atlanta (2-4) in the other Region 5 opening game. Carver defeated LaGrange 28-12 to open the season, but suffered four consecutive losses -- Calhoun, Stephenson, Buford and Peach County --before last week’s 28-0 victory against Mundy’s Mill. Sandy Creek won 22-12 last season.
- In Region 2 play, Peach County (2-4) will travel to No. 4 Mary Persons (6-1, 1-0) in hopes of slowing down running back Duke Watson, a Louisville commitment. At 6-foot, 180-pounds, Watson has 1,161 yards and 21 touchdowns through seven games. Peach beat Mary Persons 35-18 last season.
- In Region 1 play, Carver-Columbus (4-2, 2-0) entered the rankings after beating then-No. 6 Thomasville 28-14 last week and will look to stay there when it travels to Crisp County (4-3, 1-1). Crisp beat Dougherty (4-3, 1-1) 38-12 in the region opener, but lost to Monroe (4-2, 1-1) 21-16 last week. No. 5 Savannah Christian (5-2, 3-1), No. 6 Lumpkin County (7-0, 3-0) and No. 10 Monroe Area (4-3, 1-1) also have bye weeks.
Class 3A schedule
1. (2) Calvary Day (7-0) does not play.
2. (3) Stephens County (7-0) does not play.
3. (1) Cedar Grove (2-5) vs. Douglass (5-2)
4. (4) Mary Persons (6-1) vs. Peach County (2-4)
5. (5) Savannah Christian (5-2) does not play.
6. (7) Lumpkin County (7-0) does not play.
7. (8) Sandy Creek (5-2) vs. Carver-Atlanta (2-4)
8. (9) Morgan County (6-1) at Hephzibah (5-2)
9. (NR) Carver-Columbus (4-3) at Crisp County (4-3)
10. (NR) Monroe Area (4-3) does not play.
