Prep Zone: AJC High School Sports

By CHIP SAYE
For the AJC

This isn’t the final week of the regular season, but it will have the feel of championship weekend across the state.

Four regions will feature head-to-head matchups between the two top teams, games from which the winner will emerge with the region crown.

In at least three other regions, the first-place team will play one of its top challengers and can secure the title by winning tonight. A loss by the leader, however, could lead to a three-way tie for first place and create some tiebreaker chaos.

Here’s a look at the regions where it’s winner-take-all:

Region 1-AAAA: Westside-Macon and Thomas County Central have crushed their region opposition this season, holding a three-game lead over third-place Hardaway with two games to play. Westside has the third-best scoring offense in Class AAAA, averaging 37.5 points per game. Thomas County Central has averaged 27.4 points since a season-opening, 13-9 loss to rival Thomasville. Give Westside the nod, and its …

Continue reading The Georgia High School Football Daily’s Weekend Predictions: Who’s winning and losing in Week Ten »

Michael Carvell returns next Friday night to chat live

It’s Week Ten of HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL. This week, AJC high schools beat writer Michael Carvell is off but he’ll return next week to blog live and take your questions about high school football and related topics.

Michael Carvell’s Video Blog: SW DeKalb super-strong

We are here to talk football, football and more football. Going to a game? Take the cellphone or PDA and let us know what’s going on at YOUR game. Got a score update, see a killer play? Keep it clean, POST IT HERE and SEND US GAME PHOTOS.

WEEK 10 SCOREBOARD: CLICK HERE to see the Week 10 results.

Here are the Week Ten games you can find stories and photos from this weekend on ajc.com…

Southwest DeKalb vs. Tucker
Roswell vs. Walton
Duluth retires Brian McCann, Nick Green baseball jerseys
North Gwinnett vs. Duluth

Don’t forget to check out these high school football gamers…

Hiram vs. Sprayberry
Brookwood vs. South Gwinnett

In the metro Atlanta roundup, …

Continue reading Free-For-All Forum: Georgia high school football Week Ten scores, updates, photos and chat – LIVE! »

Based on GHSF Daily’s projections of the playoff teams, here’s what the first round of the playoffs would look like in Class AAAA:

Statesboro at Evans
Mount Zion (Jonesboro) at Thomas County Central
Loganville at Sandy Creek
Tucker at Northwest Whitfield
Bainbridge at Griffin
Lakeside (Evans) at Brunswick
Starr’s Mill at Apalachee
Sequoyah at Marist
Stone Mountain at Hiram
Rockdale County at Villa Rica
Alcovy at Westside (Macon)
Glynn Academy at Hephzibah
Dalton at Southwest DeKalb
Banneker at Clarke Central
Richmond Academy at Ware County
Harris County at North Clayton

Continue reading Georgia High School Football Daily Spotlight: Projecting the field for the Class AAAA playoffs »

Grayson and Newnan made big splashes Tuesday in the national rankings.

Grayson, Georgia’s No. 1-ranked team in Class AAAAA, is positioned for a possible national championship as it made an unexpected jump to No. 2 from No. 6 in the RivalsHigh 100, compiled by Dallas Jackson.

Grayson leaped four teams that won last week – Don Bosco Prep of Ramsey, N.J.; Byrnes of Duncan, S.C.; Skyline of Dallas; and DeMatha of Hyattsville, Md. The No. 1 team is St. Thomas Aquinas of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“The thought was that New Jersey is very down this season, and so Don Bosco – despite the wins over Prattville and DLS – should not be the No. 2 team,” Jackson said. “Byrnes has two ‘test games’ on their schedule. One they lost to Aquinas; the other against Dorman was an unimpressive win. Texas’ best team will probably end the season above whomever wins Georgia unless they do it impressively, and right now there isn’t a clear No. 1 in Texas so I can’t justify a No. 2 team [Skyline of Dallas] …

Continue reading Georgia High School Football Daily Spotlight: RivalsHigh 100 moves Grayson to No. 2 »

Chat live on Fridays with the AJC's Michael Carvell

When watching Southwest DeKalb, you feel like you are watching an all-star team.

How loaded are the Panthers? They lost their workhorse at running back after three quarters last Friday, and put in a pair of backups who refused to let the offense skip a beat. This wasn’t against any team, but Marist, which played in last year’s state championship game and returned one of the best defenses around.

After watching many of the state’s elite Class AAAAA teams for most of the season, I’d put Southwest’s talent up against any team in Georgia. Here is a quick breakdown of the Southwest DeKalb all-stars:

Ken Malcome, RB: He is the straw that stirs the drink. He’s the team leader, and face of SWD. He’s also the state’s No. 1 tailback, and proved it with 182 yards rushing, including a 74-yard touchdown run, vs. Marist in three quarters. Malcome is strong (legs like tree trunks), fast, and powerful (loves contact). He runs strong …

Continue reading Michael Carvell’s Video Blog: Meet the Southwest DeKalb football all-stars »

My pal Chip Saye sent me a mock draw for the Class AAAAA playoffs today, and it’s pretty interesting.

Here are some highlights:

Lowndes is projected to play at Camden County in the second round, which is widely known by now. But the winner would face another juggernaut in the quaterfinals, probably either McEachern or the Region 7 champion (Peachtree Ridge or North Gwinnett).

How’s that for a stacked quarter of the draw?

No. 1 Grayson and No. 4 Newnan also share a quarter, and a coin flip would determine which would have home-field edge if they play.

The third quarter figures to have Northside, Woodstock and the Peachtree Ridge-North Gwinnett winner.

The lowest quarter has the fewest ‘big-name’ teams. Stephenson is the highest ranked and would be seeded to play the Region 6 champ, Roswell or Lassiter.

I’ll post the potential matchups in other classes later this week.

Here is AAAAA, and note that I’m not sure I agree with Chip that North Gwinnett and Lassiter are winning their …

Continue reading AAAAA playoff draw: Brutal for some »

Upon further review, West Forsyth coach Frank Helper said the referees “got it right” with a ruling on one of the state’s most controversial — and sensational — plays of the season.

Facing fourth down-and-2o with less than a minute remaining, Flowery Branch’s Connor Shaw rifled a 42-yard touchdown pass to Robby Boudreau in a 51-47 win over West Forsyth.

The last-second heroics had a huge impact on both teams: Flowery Branch (7-2), which finished at the Class AAA runner-up last year, clinched a playoff berth, while West Forsyth (4-4) was eliminated from postseason consideration.

After the game, Hepler told the Gainesville Times that he “thought (Shaw) was across the line (of scrimmage) there at the end and (the referees) didn’t call it, so that’s what we’ve got to go with.”

After reviewing the game film into the wee hours of Saturday morning, Hepler told the AJC he changed his stance. “The officials did a great job in getting the call right.

“As a coach, you always want to see …

Continue reading West Forsyth coach changes mind about controversial ending »

Continue reading Southwest DeKalb RB Ken Malcome has statement game in win over Marist »

By CHIP SAYE
For the AJC

Hiram coach Andy Dorsey could have been speaking for a lot of teams when he told Georgia High School Football Daily earlier this week, “It’s the playoffs for us from here on out.”

What makes Hiram’s situation a little different was the second part of his statement. “We’re 7-0, but the odds are still way against us to get in the playoffs,” Dorsey said.

Hiram is in Division B of Region 7-AAAA, one of a handful around the state in which the schedule is heavily loaded at the back end, one in which all, or at least most, of the games among the top teams have yet to be played.

No. 9 Hiram plays tonight at home against No. 10 Hillgrove and then plays at Sprayberry next week (Sprayberry, the defending region champion, handed Hillgrove its first loss of the season last week). Win both, and the Hornets claim the subregion championship and the state playoff berth that goes with it. Lose both, and they must win a region play-in game against the …

Continue reading The Georgia High School Football Daily’s Weekend Predictions: Who’s winning and losing in Week Nine »

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

Baldwin at Liberty County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Olvey Field, Hinesville
Records, rankings: Baldwin is 5-2 overall, 3-0 in Region 3-AAA and No. 9. Liberty County is 6-2, 3-1 and unranked.
Last meeting: Baldwin won 35-0 in 2008.
Three things to know:
1. Baldwin has won 15 consecutive region games. Its two losses are to higher-ranked non-region foes in AAA (Peach County, Carver of Columbus).
2. Liberty County, which is coming off consecutive overtime victories against West Laurens and Burke County, is one victory from clinching its second state playoff berth in the program’s history.
3. Liberty County sophomore Shadrach Thornton rushed for 137 yards in 32 carries in Liberty’s victory over Burke.

Fitzgerald at Brooks County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Veterans Stadium, Quitman
Records, rankings: Fitzgerald is 7-0 overall, 4-0 in Region 1-AA and No. 2; Brooks County is 6-1, 3-1 and No. 10.
Last …

Continue reading Georgia High School Football Daily Spotlight: Week Nine’s 10 Best Matchups »