Top 10 games of Week 9

Last meeting: Bleckley County won 35-20 in 2019.

Things to know: Bleckley County and Northeast, the only remaining unbeaten teams in 3-2A, have found region titles tough to come by, but the winner will be in the driver’s seat to get one this year. Northeast has won just one region title (2009) in its 51-year history. Bleckley County, which opened in 1977, is still seeking its first. Bleckley County likes to run the ball, with sophomore Jahvon Butler (89 carries, 648 yards, five touchdowns) and senior Chuckie Stephens (95-494-8) accounting for more than 1,100 yards. Dominic Sasser has passed for 1,059 yards and 15 touchdowns. The Royals' best-known player, however, is OT/DT Amarius Mims, the state’s consensus No. 1 senior recruit who recently committed to Georgia. Northeast, which is 4-1 for the first time since 2013, has a balanced offense that averages 168.2 yards passing and 155.8 rushing. Kalik Evans has rushed for 320 yards and five touchdowns on 48 carries, and Tyler Terry has 209 yards on 40 carries. QB Travion Solomon has passed for 843 yards and run for 172. All three are juniors.

Brunswick at Richmond Hill

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Wildcat Stadium, Richmond Hill

Records, rankings: Brunswick is 5-2 overall, 3-0 in Region 2-6A and unranked; Richmond Hill is 6-1, 3-0 and No. 5.

Last meeting: Richmond Hill won 48-13 in 2019.

Things to know: The winner of this game will be in sole possession of first place in 2-6A. One-loss Glynn Academy remains a factor as well, although the Red Terrors lost to Brunswick 24-21 three weeks ago. Richmond Hill is the defending region champion, Brunswick, which last won a region title in 2009, finished in third place last year but did win a first-round playoff game on the road. Both teams average right at 200 yards per game rushing and have 1,000-yard passers. For Brunswick, Ree Simmons has rushed for 747 yards and seven touchdowns on 115 carries. K.J. Lee is 70-of-107 passing (65.4 percent) for 1,145 yards and 11 touchdowns. Richmond Hill lost RB Jalen Rouse, the 2019 region player of the year, to graduation but is getting a big season from Ashaud Roberson, who has run for 962 yards (at least 100 in every game) and 10 touchdowns on 151 carries. Tyler Coleman is 67-of-104 passing (64.4 percent) for 1,020 and seven TDs. Brunswick leads the series 6-2, but Richmond Hill has won lopsided games the past two seasons.

Griffin at Starr’s Mill

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Panther Stadium, Fayetteville

Records, rankings: Griffin is 4-3 overall, 3-0 in Region 2-5A and unranked; Starr’s Mill is 5-1, 2-0 and No. 8.

Last meeting: Starr’s Mill won 38-35 in 2019.

Things to know: These are the only 2-5A tams without a loss in region play. Starr’s Mill has won four consecutive region titles. Griffin last won one in 2015. Starr’s Mill and Griffin have shared the same region each of the past four seasons, with Starr’s Mill winning three of the four games between them in that time. Starr’s Mill won the 2019 game when Connor Marke kicked a 50-yard field goal to break a 35-35 tie with four seconds left. Starr’s Mill remains staunchly committed to the run game. Devin Barnett, with 478 yards, leads a team that averages 234.5 rushing yards and only 6.3 passes per game. Starr’s Mill has won five straight games after an opening loss to East Coweta in overtime. Griffin has been sluggish on offense at times, averaging only a bit over 200 yards of total offense. Donovan Westmoreland, a junior outside linebacker with several Division I offers, leads the team in solo tackles (22), tackles for losses (11) and sacks (seven).

Metter at McIntosh County Academy

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, The Ship, Darien

Records, rankings: Metter is 6-0 overall, 3-0 in Region 3-A Public and No. 1; McIntosh County Academy is 4-2, 3-0 and unranked.

Last meeting: Metter won 20-13 in 2013.

Things to know: These are the 3-A Public teams without a loss in region play. Metter won a region title last season while in Class 2A. McIntosh County Academy last won a region title in 2013. According to the Maxwell Ratings, Metter stands a 78.1 percent chance of winning this region. MCA’s chances are 21.8. This game will match Class A Public’s best defense against its leading rusher. Metter has allowed 10 points total in its six victories, four that were shutouts. The only touchdown allowed was a TD pass in the fourth quarter of a game Metter led 35-0. Metter averages only 6.7 passes per game. Aaron Collins has rushed for 516 yards, three times going over 100 in a game. MCA’s Trenton Johnson has rushed for 1,141 yards and 15 touchdowns on 144 carries (7.9 yards per carry). Neither team passes much. MCA passes less frequently than Metter, averaging only four throws. The teams have completed 24 passes combined this season.

North Gwinnett at Collins Hill

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Fahring Field, Suwanee

Records, rankings: North Gwinnett is 5-2 overall, 1-0 in Region 8-7A and No. 9; Collins Hill is 5-2, 1-0 and unranked.

Last meeting: North Gwinnett won 23-8 in 2019.

Things to know: There’s a 98 percent chance that one of these teams will win the region, according to the Maxwell Ratings, which put North Gwinnett at 70.8 percent and Collins Hill at 27.3 percent. North Gwinnett is known for defense, Collins Hill for offense. North is allowing 8.7 points per game, fewest in Class 7A, even while playing seven opponents that have been ranked at one point this season. The team features a pair of major Division I recruits, LB Barrett Carter (committed to Clemson) and CB Jordan Hancock (committed to Ohio State). Collins Hill, which gets about 70 percent of its offense passing, is led by QB Sam Horn (2,651 passing yards and 16 TD passes) and WR Travis Hunter (65 receptions for 775 yards, 11 touchdowns), who also starts at cornerback, the position for which Florida State recruited him. North Gwinnett has won four straight in this series and 21 consecutive region games.

Ola at Jones County

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Greyhound Field, Gray

Records, rankings: Ola is 6-0 overall, 3-0 in Region 4-5A and No. 7; Jones County is 3-3, 3-0 and unranked.

Last meeting: Jones County won 23-14 in 2019.

Things to know: The winner of this game will move into sole possession of first place in 4-5A and emerge as the favorite to win the region title. Jones County was the region champion and reached the semifinals last year. Ola, which opened in 2006, has never won a region title and last year reached the playoffs for just the second time. A win this week would give the Mustangs seven victories, tying the school record set last season. Ola relies on a running game led by two players averaging more than 100 yards per game – Micah Bell (59 carries, 682 yards) and Jake Hall (92-645). Both are juniors. QB Jake Hall is 50-of-79 passing for 558 yards and six TDs. Jones County opened the season ranked No. 8 but fell off the map with lopsided losses to Grayson, North Gwinnett and Veterans in its first three games. The Greyhounds have bounced back with three wins in region play, outscoring their opponents 147-36. QB John Alan Richter averages 165.8 yards passing in a balanced offense and threw three first-half TD passes in a 51-6 win over Locust Grove last week.

Parkview at Grayson

When, where: 6 p.m. Friday, Grayson Community Stadium, Loganville

Records, rankings: Parkview is 5-1 overall, 1-0 in Region 4-7A and unranked; Grayson is 6-0, 1-0 and No. 2.

Last meeting: Grayson won 49-10 in 2015.

Things to know: Parkview and Grayson are the only 1-0 teams in their region, but fourth-ranked Brookwood (6-0, 0-0) will factor heavily. Aside from the region implications, an ESPN2 audience will be curious to see what Grayson does with Jake Garcia, the Southern Cal commit who came to Valdosta, was declared ineligible, then arrived last week at Grayson, where the GHSA has stamped him good to go. Expect Deyon Cannon (54-of-97 passing for 683 yards) to remain the starter for now with heavy doses of Clemson-committed running back Phil Mafah (834 yards rushing). Parkview has an elite running back, too. Cody Brown, committed to Tennessee, has rushed for 757 yards. Jared Brown has 538 yards receiving. But Parkview, normally a good passing team, hasn’t found the right balance yet, completing fewer than half its pass attempts. Its only loss came against North Gwinnett, 21-0 last month.

Sprayberry at Allatoona

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Buccaneer Stadium, Acworth

Records, rankings: Sprayberry is 4-2 overall, 4-0 in Region 6-6A and unranked; Allatoona is 5-0, 4-0 and No. 7.

Last meeting: Allatoona won 38-21 in 2019.

Things to know: This game matches teams leading Class 6A in points per game (Sprayberry at 42.5) and fewest points allowed (Allatoona at 4.6). These two, plus Kell (3-2, 3-0), are the leaders in the region. Allatoona, the 2019 Class 6A runner-up to Harrison, is given a 54.7 percent chance to win the title by the computer Maxwell Ratings. Sprayberry, seeking its first region title since 2008, is given a 20.8 percent shot. Allatoona graduated eight of its 10 all-region players, including WR Asante Das, who had 292 receiving yards against Sprayberry last year. But the Buccaneers have retained their non-flashy winning ways. Sophomore RB Jayden Ponder has rushed for a team-leading 453 yards. He went for 151 last month against Kennesaw Mountain. Allatoona’s leading tackler also is a sophomore, linebacker Vinnie Canosa. Sprayberry relies on Damarion Owens, who has rushed for 694 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 9.4 yards per carry. Blowouts have limited his second-half participation, as he has 61 fewer carries compared to this point a year ago, when he finished with 1,687 yards in 11 games.

Walton at North Cobb

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Emory Sewell Stadium, Kennesaw

Records, rankings: Walton is 3-3 overall, 1-0 in Region 3-7A and unranked; North Cobb is 5-1, 1-0 and unranked.

Last meeting: Walton won 28-14 in the first round of the 2017 Class 7A playoffs.

Things to know: Walton, North Cobb and defending Class 7A champion Marietta were the winners during the first weekend of region play in 3-7A, so the winner of this game will retain at least a share of first place. Walton QB Zak Rozsman has passed for 872 yards and rushed for 201. He had 163 passing yards, 52 rushing yards and a combined three touchdowns in a 24-15 victory over Hillgrove last week that ended the Raiders' three-game losing streak. Braylen Stokes is the leading rusher with 435 yards and six touchdowns on 75 carries. Kenny Djaha has run for 228 yards but has been limited to three games because of an injury. North Cobb’s offense relies almost exclusively on QB Malachi Singleton (710 yards passing, 362 yards rushing), RB Cam Cunningham (213 yards rushing) and WR Christian Moss (447 yards receiving). Singleton was unable to play in a 33-14 victory over Harrison last week, but former starter Trevor Lovett filled in nicely, passing for 259 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 97 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries.

Ware County at Warner Robins

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, McConnell-Talbert Stadium, Warner Robins

Records, rankings: Ware County is 6-0 overall, 1-0 in Region 1-5A and No. 1; Warner Robins is 5-1, 0-0 and No. 3.

Last meeting: Warner Robins won 35-0 in the second round of the 2018 Class 5A playoffs.

Things to know: Ware County and Warner Robins are the two highest-rated teams from a region that has all five of its teams among the top 10 in at least two statewide polls. Warner Robins is the favorite, according to the computer Maxwell Ratings, which give the Demons a 56.3 percent chance of winning the title. Both teams won region titles last year (Ware County moved from Region 2 during reclassification). Both teams are led by quarterbacks who will figure prominently in player of the year conversations. Ware junior Thomas Castellanos has passed for 1,578 yards, rushed for 577 yards and had a hand in 25 touchdowns. He spreads the ball around to six receivers with between 12 and 16 catches, led by Raiden Kennedy with 331 yards and five TDs on 12 receptions. Warner Robins senior Jalen Addie has passed for 919 yards and seven touchdowns and rushed for a 430 yards and seven TDs. Jahlen Rutherford and Malcom Brown add a combined 127 yards rushing per game. Warner Robins is 2-0 all-time against Ware County, with both wins coming in the playoffs.

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