Georgia High School Football Daily Spotlight: Week Ten’s 10 Best Matchups

Here are 10 games the GHSF Daily staff considers not-miss this weekend.

Hiram at Sprayberry
When, where: 7:30 p.m., Jim Frazier Stadium, Marietta
Records, rankings: Hiram is 8-0 overall, 4-0 in Region 7-AAAA Div. B and No. 6; Sprayberry is 6-2, 4-0 and unranked.
Last meeting: Sprayberry won 35-10 in 2008.
Three things to know:
1. The winner earns the subregion championship and a berth in the state playoffs and will play in the region championship game on Nov. 6 against Northwest Whitfield, Sequoyah or Dalton.
2. Hiram has the fourth-best offense in Class AAAA, averaging 36 points per game. But Sprayberry’s defense is No. 6 in AAAA, allowing an average of 8.1 points.
3. Sprayberry quarterback Jerick McKinnon rushed for 173 yards and had 240 yards in total offense in the Yellow Jackets’ victory against South Paulding last week.

Jefferson at North Oconee
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, North Oconee High School, Bogart
Records, rankings: Jefferson is 8-0 overall, 7-0 in Region 8-AA and No. 9; North Oconee is 7-1, 6-1 and unranked.
Last meeting: Jefferson won 17-16 in 2008.
Three things to know:
1. Jefferson has won 18 consecutive regular-season games. The only one closer than 12 points was its one-point victory against North Oconee last season.
2. North Oconee, which had averaged 35 points in the first seven games of the season, was held to 10 points and 160 yards of total offense in its loss to East Jackson last week.
3. A victory by Jefferson would set up a showdown against East Jackson for the region championship next week.

LaGrange at Carver (Columbus)
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium, Columbus
Records, rankings: LaGrange is 7-1 overall, 4-0 in Region 2-AAA and No. 7; Carver is 7-1, 4-0 and No. 4.
Last meeting: Carver won 24-0 in 2008.
Three things to know:
1. Carver can claim the region championship with a victory. LaGrange would need to beat Carver as well as Troup next week to secure the title.
2. Carver linemen Corey Crawford and David Beasley have committed to Clemson, while quarterback Devin Burns is headed to Maryland. Running back Isaiah Crowell is considered the No. 1 junior running back in the state.
3. LaGrange kicker Joe Mansour, who is committed to Kentucky, has made field goals of 57 and 59 yards this season.

Lincoln County at Wilkinson County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Wilkinson County High School, Irwinton
Records, rankings: Lincoln County is 7-1 overall, 3-0 in Region 7-A and No. 3; Wilkinson County is 7-1, 3-0 and No. 6.
Last meeting: Lincoln County won 20-0 in 2008.
Three things to know:
1. Lincoln County can clinch its seventh consecutive Region 7-A championship, and Wilkinson can claim its first since 2000.
2. Lincoln County is playing without its best player, running back A.G. Middlebrooks, lost for the season with a broken leg, and has relied more on defense this season. The team ranks fourth in Class A scoring defense.
3. Wilkinson County’s Calvin Harris threw for 202 yards and threw and ran for touchdowns in 19-7 victory over Washington-Wilkes last week.

Northside (W. Robins) at Warner Robins
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, McConnell-Talbert Stadium, Warner Robins
Records, rankings: Northside is 8-0 overall, 5-0 in Region 1-AAAAA and No. 2; Warner Robins is 5-3, 3-2 and unranked.
Last meeting: Northside won 14-0 in 2008.
Three things to know:
1. Northside trailed13-0 at halftime against 2-6 Tift County last week but scored on its first two possessions of the second half and won 27-13.
2. Warner Robins must beat Northside or No. 4 Lowndes or miss the playoffs for a third straight season.
3. Both are defensive-minded teams. Warner Robins ranks fourth in scoring defense in Class AAAAA, allowing 7.0 points. Northside is seventh, allowing 9.0.

Southwest DeKalb at Tucker
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Adams Stadium, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Southwest DeKalb is 7-1 overall, 7-0 in Region 6-AAAA and No. 3; Tucker is 7-1, 6-1 and No. 8.
Last meeting: Tucker won 10-7 in 2008.
Three things to know:
1. Southwest DeKalb would claim the region championship with a victory. A Tucker win likely creates a three-way tie for first place that would include Marist.
2. Southwest’s Ken Malcome leads DeKalb County in rushing with 1,091 yards, including 184 on 21 carries in the Panthers’ 21-7 victory against Marist last week.
3. Tucker is the top rushing team in DeKalb, averaging 259.9 yards per game. Tyrelle Poole, Devin Scott and Rendell Wilder have each rushed for more than 400 yards this season. Poole had 126 against Stone Mountain last week.

Washington County at Baldwin
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Braves Stadium, Milledgeville
Records, rankings: Washington County is 8-0 overall, 4-0 in Region 3-AAA and No. 5; Baldwin is 6-2, 4-0 and No. 9.
Last meeting: Baldwin won 14-12 in 2008.
Three things to know:
1. Montravious Gladdin of Washington County rushed for 280 yards and five touchdowns in a 44-31 victory over Burke County last week.
2. The coaches – Washington County’s Joel Ingram and Baldwin’s Jesse Hicks – are close friends and talk by phone most every week.
3. Baldwin’s defeats are against No. 2 Peach County and No. 4 Carver of Columbus.

Westminster at Buford
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tom Riden Stadium, Buford
Records, rankings: Westminster is 6-2 overall, 5-0 in Region 6-AA and No. 8; Buford is 7-1, 4-1 and No. 3.
Last meeting: Buford won 29-7 in 2008.
Three things to know:
1. Westminster would secure the region championship with a victory. A Buford win likely creates a three-way tie for first place that would include Lovett.
2. Buford’s 21-0 victory against Blessed Trinity was its fifth shutout of the season. The Wolves have the top defense in Class AA, allowing 5.3 points per game.
3. Westminster’s defense is strong, too. The Wildcats are fifth in Class AA, allowing nine points per game, and have given up just 12 points in the past four games.

Westside (Macon) at Thomas Co. Central
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jackets’ Nest, Thomasville
Records, rankings: Westside is 8-0 overall, 6-0 in Region 1-AAAA and No. 2; Thomas County Central is 7-1, 6-0 and No. 10.
Last meeting: Westside won 51-0 in 2008.
Three things to know:
1. Both head coaches recently succeeded legends and seek to clinch their first region championships. At Westside, first-year coach Sheddrick Risper replaced retiring Robert Davis, whose 353 wins rank second all-time in Georgia. At Thomas Central, Bill Shaver in 2008 was promoted to replace Ed Pilcher, who won five state titles at Central.
2. Westside’s Robert Brown is Middle Georgia’s leading rusher with 1,349 yards and 16 touchdowns.
3. Curtis Brooks scored three touchdowns in Thomas Central’s 24-7 victory over Hardaway during which Central led only 10-7 in the fourth quarter.

Woodward Academy at Jackson
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Red Devil Hill, Jackson
Records, rankings: Woodward Academy is 6-2 overall, 5-1 in Region 4-AAA and unranked; Jackson is 8-0, 6-0 and No. 8.
Last meeting: Jackson won 14-7 in 2008.
Three things to know:
1. Woodward Academy’s loss to Mary Persons has put its almost certain playoff berth in jeopardy. The War Eagles must win one of their final two games, against region-leading Jackson and second-place Woodland of Stockbridge, or hope for a Spalding loss to Mary Persons.
2. A victory would give Jackson its second consecutive Region 4-AAA championship and its fifth overall.
3. Jackson is fourth in Class AAA in victory margin, scoring an average of 34.5 while allowing 7.3, a difference of 27.2 points per game.

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