Top 10 games of Week 3

Baldwin at Peach County

When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, Anderson Stadium, Fort Valley

Records, rankings: Baldwin is 1-0 and No. 10 in Class AAAA; Peach County is 1-0 and No. 1 in AAA.

Last meeting: Peach County won 17-14 in 2011.

Three things to know:1. Peach County struggled a bit with unranked Perry last week, winning 21-14. WR Demarcus Robinson, an Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super 11 choice, scored all three touchdowns, one on a 95-yard reception, another on an interception return. 2. In Baldwin’s 33-14 victory over Jefferson County, the offensive stars were sophomores Tajhea Chambers (194 yards passing, 52 rushing) and Kentavious Thomas (78 yards rushing two touchdowns). 3. Peach County beat Baldwin each of the past three seasons when they were Region 2-AAA rivals. They now are in different classifications. All seven of Baldwin’s regular-season losses since 2007 are against programs that have reached state finals during that period.

Brooks County at Valdosta

When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, Cleveland Field at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium, Valdosta

Records, rankings: Brooks County is 2-0 and No. 3 in Class AA; Valdosta is 1-0 and No. 9 in AAAAAA.

Last meeting: Valdosta won 20-11 in 2011.

Three things to know: 1. Brooks County is a young team that many view as a strong state contender in 2013 if not already. QB Malcolm Parrish (404 passing yards, 216 rushing), who stands 10th on GHSF Daily’s POY Watch, is a junior, as are all-state candidates Derrick Herring in the secondary and Jacarrie Watkins and Bobby Christian on the lines. The top senior is probably LB Brandon Golden. 2. Valdosta coach Rance Gillespie is known for his passing offenses at Peach County, Georgia Southern and now Valdosta, but his team rushed for 306 yards in the opener against North Augusta (S.C.), getting 140 from Nelson Herring and 135 from Malcolm Joseph. 3. Brooks is the county west of Valdosta. Though a AA school, Brooks has played five of the seven 1-AAAAAA teams over the years and is 0-6 all-time against the Wildcats. Brooks handily defeated Tift County in 2008 and 2009.

Calhoun at Dalton

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Harmon Field at Bill Chappell Stadium, Dalton

Records, rankings: Calhoun is 1-0 and No. 1 in Class AA; Dalton is 1-0 and unranked in AAAA.

Last meeting: Calhoun won 24-14 in 2011.

Three things to know: 1. Calhoun quarterback Taylor Lamb was 27-for-42 passing for 280 yards and two touchdowns and led the Yellow Jackets 68 yards in 54 seconds for the winning score in a 42-35 victory against Ridgeland last week. Lamb passed for 220 yards and a TD last year against Dalton, helping the team rally from an early 14-0 deficit. 2. Dalton sophomore Kelvis Rhodes rushed for 170 yards on 22 carries and had touchdown runs of 56 and 4 yards in a 21-19 victory against Ringgold on Aug. 24, according to the Dalton Daily Citizen. Dalton was outgained in that game 346-259 and had the ball for less than 19 minutes. 3. Dalton leads 34-6-1 in the series that dates to 1925 and won 21 consecutive meetings between 1946 and 1986, but Calhoun has won four of the past five, including three in a row.

ECI at Washington County

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, House of Pain, Sandersville

Records, rankings: Emanuel County Institute is 1-0 and No. 8 in Class A; Washington County is 2-0 and No. 8 in AAA.

Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. ECI held Metter to five first downs in a 42-7 opening victory, but ECI is probably best known for its backfield of QB Caleb Pressey (a three-year starter), RB Greg Purcell and RB Renaldo Williams. Purcell had 10 sacks last season but appears more likely to be a backfield workhorse in 2012. 2. Washington County has three preseason all-state players in QB William Walker (267 yards passing, 100 rushing), OL Michael Shelby and P J.W. May. 3. ECI played Sandersville High in the 1950s, losing all three meetings, but this is the first game between these schools since Sandersville and Tennille merged to form Washington County in 1959. The schools are about 55 miles apart.

Gainesville at Buford

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tom Riden Stadium, Buford

Records, rankings: Gainesville is 0-1 and No. 9 in Class AAAAA; Buford is 1-0 and No. 2 in AAA.

Last meeting: Buford won 49-0 in 2011.

Three things to know: 1. Gainesville QB Deshaun Watson was 29-of-45 passing for 304 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 60 yards and two touchdowns last week, but he was intercepted four times. Gainesville lost 32-30 in a game in which the Red Elephants never threatened to take the lead in the second half. 2. Buford returned only three of 22 starters from its 14-1 team of 2011. It showed mostly on offense in the 14-3 victory over Elbert County, as Buford failed to surpass 30 points in an opening game for the first time since 1999. But Buford held all-state RB Tyshon Dye to 66 yards rushing. 3. Buford is 4-0 all-time against Gainesville in a series that began in 2004. Another loss to Buford would give Gainesville its first 0-2 start since 1999, before Bruce Miller became head coach.

Landmark Christian at Wilkinson County

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Death Valley, Irwinton

Records, rankings: Landmark Christian is 1-1 and No. 9 in Class A; Wilkinson County is 0-1 and No. 4 in A.

Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. Landmark Christian has not played a public school since 2009, even during its run to the finals in 2011. Yet this could be the best game of the 2012 season between Class A private and public schools, although Clinch County at No. 3 Eagle’s Landing Christian on Friday is another. The only other public-private game this season between currently ranked teams is No. 1 Lincoln County vs. No. 6 Aquinas, which is a mandatory region game. Class A will hold separate public and private state playoffs this season for the first time. 2. Landmark blew a 21-0 lead to Calvary Day and lost 28-21 in its opener. Preseason all-state WR Josh Nobles and QB Cole Higbie are the focus of the offense. 3. Wilkinson QB David Whipple threw for 203 yards and was his team’s leading rusher with 57 yards in the 43-39 loss last week to Wilcox County, which put up 546 yards of total offense. It was the first time in Wilkinson history (1957-) that the team has lost when scoring six touchdowns. Wilkinson has gone two whole seasons (1964, 1987) without scoring 39 points over the full 10 games.

Lovejoy at Colquitt County

When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Memorial Stadium, Moultrie

Records, rankings: Lovejoy is 1-0 and No. 8 in Class AAAAAA; Colquitt County is 1-1 and No. 7 in AAAAAA.

Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. Lovejoy RB Travis Custis had 101 total yards in a 44-6 victory against Mundy’s Mill last week. Custis rushed for 1,839 yards and 30 touchdowns and was named first-team all-state last season in leading the Wildcats to the Class AAAA championship game. 2. Colquitt County has used two quarterbacks in its first two games. In a 35-33 victory over Thomas County Central last week, Cole Segraves was 9-for-15 for 99 yards, and Daniel Mobley was 7-for-11 for 85 yards. 3. Lovejoy and Colquitt have never met in a regular-season or postseason game, but they got a look at each other over the summer at the National Select 7-on-7 Championships. Lovejoy won that matchup 28-2. “They mauled us,” Colquitt coach Rush Propst told the Moultrie Observer. “They were by far the most talented team out there.”

North Oconee at St. Pius

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, George B. Maloof Stadium, Atlanta

Records, rankings: North Oconee is 0-0 and No. 5 in Class AAA; St. Pius is 1-0 and No. 4 in AAA.

Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. North Oconee, playing its first game this season, has a couple of potent offensive weapons in senior QB Nick Colvin and sophomore RB Kawon Bryant. Last year, Colvin caught five touchdown passes, threw five TD passes, rushed for eight scores and had kickoff and punt returns for TDs, according to the Athens Banner-Herald. Bryant rushed for 1,026 yards and 15 touchdowns. 2. St. Pius is breaking in a new starting quarterback and four new starters on the offensive line, but the Golden Lions still managed to get their trademark running game going in a 21-3 victory against Westminster last week. St. Pius had 308 yards rushing (344 total), led by Ryan Braswell’s 141 yards and two touchdowns. 3. North Oconee, now in its ninth season, broke the school record for victories in a season in 2011, going 11-1 and reaching the second round of the Class AA playoffs. St. Pius tied the school record for victories, going 12-1 and reach the AAA quarterfinals.

Sandy Creek at Newnan

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Drake Stadium, Newnan

Records, rankings: Sandy Creek is 1-0 and No. 1 in Class AAAA; Newnan is 2-0 and unranked in AAAAAA.

Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. Sandy Creek’s balanced offense rolled up 460 yards (246 passing, 214 rushing) in a 52-6 victory against Banneker last week. QB Cole Garvin passed for 217 yards and four touchdowns, Demarre Kitt had five receptions for 188 yards and two TDs, and Eric Swinney had 89 yards rushing on seven carries. 2. Tray Matthews, who has committed to Georgia as a defensive back, has become one of Newnan’s main offensive threats. In two games, he has caught 11 passes for 236 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 51 yards and two TDs on eight carries. In a 24-21 victory against LaGrange last week, he had TD receptions of 65, 15 and 58 yards. 3. Coach Chip Walker’s first three Sandy Creek teams (2005-07) went 21-13. Since then, the Patriots are 53-3 with consecutive state titles in 2009 and 2010. Newnan’s Mike McDonald is 28-12 in his fourth season with the Cougars, leading each of his previous three teams to at least the second round of the playoffs.

Thomas County Central at Marist

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Hughes Spalding Stadium, Atlanta

Records, rankings: Thomas County Central is 1-1 in No. 8 in Class AAAAA; Marist is 1-0 and No. 2 in AAAA.

Last meeting: Marist won 35-21 in the 2003 Class AAAA semifinals.

Three things to know: 1. Thomas County Central has had a 100-yard rusher in each of its first two games. Deondre Cooksey ran for 110 in a 41-7 victory against Thomasville in the opener, and QB Adam Choice rushed for 133 yards (and passed for 153) in a 35-33 loss to Colquitt County last week. 2. Marist QB Myles Willis (committed to Boston College) rushed for 159 yards and two touchdowns and threw a 27-yard TD pass to Gray King in a 30-13 victory against Clarke Central last week. Marist’s Alan Chadwick became the 11th coach to collect 300 wins in Georgia. 3. Thomas County and Marist played some classics in their six meetings from 1996 through 2003, with TCC winning five times. Three of the games were decided by one point (including one in overtime), and the most-lopsided game was an 18-point TCC victory. This will be the first time the teams have met on either’s home field, as the previous six were played at the Georgia Dome or Brookwood in the state semifinals or Corky Kell Classic.

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