It’s never easy picking just 10 intriguing matchups each football weekend, but here is our best attempt for Friday (includes CoachesAid.com rankings):
Stephenson (6-0, No. 6 in AAAAA) at M.L. King (6-0, No. 7): M.L. King RB Mack Brown, who has committed to Florida, is healthy and will be a test for the Stephenson defense, which has given up only 33 points this season and no more than 13 in one game. The Jaguars have won their past two games by a combined 89-13. Both Stephenson and M.L. King must play undefeated Union Grove. ESPNU will broadcast this game at 6 p.m. from Clarkston’s Hallford Stadium.
Collins Hill (6-0) at Peachtree Ridge (5-1, No. 8 in AAAAA): The No. 1 priority for Peachtree Ridge is stopping RB Charles Perkins, who has 1,133 yards and 12 TDs. Defense is the Lions’ strength. They have three shutouts, held Mill Creek to 42 yards rushing last week and other than a 51-17 loss at Lowndes have allowed 20 points all season. Peachtree Ridge is No. 77 in the RivalsHigh 100.
Newnan (6-0, No. 5 in AAAAA) at Westlake (5-1): Will Westlake’s explosive offense be able to break through against Newnan’s tough defense? Westlake is averaging 37.8 points and hasn’t scored less than 27 since a season-opening loss to Banneker. Newnan has three shutouts and is allowing an average of 4.6 points. Defensively, Westlake is led by CB Darius Robinson (Clemson) and LB Michael Taylor (Tennessee).
Apalachee (6-0, No. 6 in AAAA) at Loganville (4-2): Don’t expect too much passing in this one. Apalachee is riding workhorse RB Jon Lee, who has 676 yards and seven TDs this season, but he shares time with three other backs. Loganville’s star is highly recruited Storm Johnson, who had 177 yards and three TDs in last week’s win over Madison County. Apalachee is the only 8-AAAA team with less than two region losses.
Dublin (5-1) at Swainsboro (5-1): Dublin must stop Swainsboro QB Malcolm Eady, who is a threat with his arm (741 yards passing) and his feet (485 yards rushing). Behind Ealy, the Tigers are averaging 32 points a game. The Irish, who lost to Vidalia last week, are winning without their usual trademark defense, but still must face undefeated Jefferson County in the last regular-season game.
Emanuel County Institute (5-1, No. 10 in A) at Johnson County (7-0, No. 4): ECI, which won the Class A title in 2007 and finished second last year, has been on a roll since losing to Savannah Christian on Sept. 4. The Bulldogs knocked off previously undefeated Treutlen last week and are averaging 36.2 points in the past four games. Johnson County revolves around QB D.J. Rozier, who has thrown for 1,288 yards and 16 TDs, and his favorite WR, Zack Walker, who has 56 catches for 935 yards and 10 TDs.
Marion County (6-0) at Brookstone (4-2): Behind Bill Montgomery, who ran a successful program at Taylor County earlier this decade, Marion County has already met the school record for wins in a season, but now must face the bulk of the schedule. Three of its four remaining opponents, starting with Friday’s game against Brookstone, are over .500. Brookstone has turned its season around after consecutive losses to Greenville and Chattahoochee County and will be favored in its final three games.
Wesleyan (7-0, No. 1 in A) at Commerce (3-3): Commerce has won two straight since a poor start, and the duo of QB Cody Streetman and RB Deon Brock will test the Wesleyan defense, which has been dominant in allowing only two TDs this season. The defending Class A champs counter with QB Conor Welton, who threw three TD passes in last week’s 56-7 win over Prince County, and RB Kyle Karempelis, who had 116 yards rushing and two TDs last week.
Lincoln County (5-1, No. 5 in A) at Washington-Wilkes (4-2, 1-0): The “Highway 378 War” has been fought 71 times, with Lincoln County holding a 33-32-6 advantage between these teams just 18 miles apart. These games almost are always close, as evidenced by Washington-Wilkes holding a 966-914 scoring advantage in the series. Tavious McGahee is getting the bulk of the carries for Lincoln County since A.G. Middlebrooks was lost for the season with a broken leg.
Miller County (5-1) at Seminole County (6-1): Seminole County RBs Chris Brown and Barren Rambo will test the Miller County defense, which has consecutive shutouts and allowed just 21 points in its five victories. Brown had 149 yards and a 93-yard TD run and Rambo had 123 yards and two TDs in a 28-6 victory over Terrell County. Miller County was off last week.
The games you need to see.
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