Weekend Preview: Top 10 games of Week 12
Arabia Mountain at Tucker
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Adams Stadium, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Arabia Mountain is 8-1 overall, 4-0 in Region 4-5A and unranked; Tucker is 6-3, 4-0 and unranked.
Last meeting: Arabia Mountain won 14-13 in 2022.
Things to know: The winner will be the region champion. It would be the first title for either DeKalb County school since 2017. Tucker, which won state titles in 2008 and 2011, is on the rise again under second-year coach Wayne Jones, who had coached 30 years in North Carolina before joining Tucker’s staff in 2020. Tucker is the flashier, higher-scoring team with an average score of 40-27. Jordan McCoy has rushed for 1,475 yards and 24 touchdowns. Jamar Graham has passed for 1,316 yards. As a sophomore, Graham led Cedar Grove to the 2021 Class 3A title and passed for a finals record five touchdowns in the championship game. Tucker DE C.J. Jackson is committed to LSU. Arabia Mountain is more defensive-minded and averages just 250 total yards per game but allows only 148.8. The Rams’ average score is 27-11. They’ve won eight straight games after losing to Jackson of Atlanta 16-15 in the opener. The team’s best all-around player is probably TE/DE Daniel Ndukwe, who is committed to James Madison.
Cairo at Bainbridge
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Centennial Field, Bainbridge
Records, rankings: Cairo is 8-1 overall, 3-0 in Region 1-4A and No. 8; Bainbridge is 7-2, 3-0 and No. 3.
Last meeting: Bainbridge won 53-20 in 2022.
Things to know: The winner will be the region champion. It would be Cairo’s first title since 2018. Bainbridge is the defending champion. In the 2022 game, Bainbridge trailed 13-7 after one quarter but scored seven of the game's next eight touchdowns. Antavious Murphy had nine receptions for 174 yards and two touchdowns, and Keenan Phillips rushed for 109 yards. Both are back. Phillips has rushed for 1,198 yards. Murphy has 777 receiving yards, 1,089 all-purpose yards and 15 touchdowns. Cairo has won eight straight games since an opening 38-0 loss to Thomas County Central. K.J. Spence has rushed for 754 yards and 17 touchdowns. He ran for 288 yards and four touchdowns in Cairo’s most recent game against Westover. Juderek Gee-Simmons has passed for 946 yards and 11 touchdowns. Cairo has played the 39th-toughest schedule in Class 4A, according to the Maxwell Ratings. Bainbridge has played the eighth-toughest. Bainbridge has won the past six games in this series that dates to 1922. Bainbridge leads the series 36-35-7.
Coffee at Ware County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Memorial Stadium, Waycross
Records, rankings: Coffee is 9-0 overall, 4-0 in Region 1-5A and No. 1; Ware County is 7-2, 4-0 and No. 5.
Last meeting: Ware County won 31-6 in 2022.
Things to know: The winner will be the region champion. It would be Coffee’s first region title since 2015. Ware is the defending region and Class 5A champion. In the 2022 game, Ware County dominated the final two quarters after leading only 10-6 at halftime. R.J. Boyd rushed for 95 yards. Dae’Jeaun Dennis rushed for 79. Both are back. New QB Luke Hooks has thrown for 1,515 yards and 19 touchdowns, six to Quintin Orange. Ware County gets 57.8% of its yards passing. Coffee is almost a two-to-one rushing team in yards. Fred Brown has rushed for a school-record 1,434 yards and 16 touchdowns. Coffee has not allowed more than 14 points in any game. The teams have two common out-of-region opponents. Coffee beat Bainbridge 23-14. Bainbridge beat Ware County 35-21. Both beat Richmond Hill by 21 points. Ware County has played the 10th-toughest Class 5A schedule. Coffee has played the 40th-toughest. A victory would give Coffee its first 10-0 regular season since 1982.
Darlington at Trion
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sam R. McCain Memorial Stadium, Trion
Records, rankings: Darlington is 6-3 overall, 4-1 in Region 7-A Division I and unranked; Trion is 9-0, 5-0 and No. 2.
Last meeting: Darlington won 44-13 in 2022.
Things to know: Trion can win its first region championship since 2003 with a victory but must break a nine-game losing streak against Darlington, the defending champion. The last coach to win a region title at Trion, Mark Loudermilk, is now Darlington’s offensive line coach. Trion also can achieve its first 10-0 regular season since the 1974 Class B championship season. In the 2022 game between these two, Darlington’s D’Marion Floyd rushed for 175 yards and three touchdowns, recovered a kickoff and forced a fumble in a runaway victory. He’s back as a senior and remains the offensive focal point, but QB Luke Parker got his first varsity start in the most recent game and threw five TD passes in a 49-7 victory over Armuchee. Trion is averaging 44.2 points per game, which ranks second in Class A Division I. Trion’s Toby Maddux has rushed for 1,385 yards and 25 touchdowns, at least two in every game. Kade Smith has thrown for 1,377 yards and 17 touchdowns and is a good runner. Ethan Willingham has 556 receiving yards.
Grayson at Parkview
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Big Orange Jungle, Lilburn
Records, rankings: Grayson is 7-2 overall, 3-1 in Region 4-7A and No. 8; Parkview is 7-2, 3-1 and No. 7.
Last meeting: Parkview won 28-21 in 2022.
Things to know: Grayson will win the region with a victory. The Rams have won three straight games after losing to then-No. 6 Newton 31-27 in their region opener Sept. 29. Parkview will win the region with a victory if Newton (7-2, 2-2) beats Archer (5-4, 3-1) on Friday. In the 2022 game between these two, Parkview broke a five-game losing streak in the series. Khyair Spain rushed for 215 yards. He’s been injured this season. Also out is Georgia Tech-committed RB Trelain Maddox. Parkview’s Jaiden Jenkins has passed for 1,220 yards and become more central to the offense in their absence. WR/DB Mike Matthews (Tennessee) and DB Jalyn Crawford (Auburn) are other top Parkview players. Grayson is an outstanding passing team. Jeff Davis has thrown for 2,051 yards and 25 touchdowns with only one interception. Other top Grayson players are TE Kylan Fox and OL Waltclaire Flynn, both committed to Central Florida. Both teams have new coaches. Santavious Bryant is a former Grayson assistant who spent last season at Gainesville. Joe Sturdivant is a former Parkview player who most recently was head coach at Providence Christian.
Jefferson at Eastside
When, where: 7:30 p.m. today, Homer Sharp Stadium, Covington
Records, rankings: Jefferson is 9-0 overall, 5-0 in Region 8-5A and No. 3; Eastside is 7-2, 5-0 and unranked.
Last meeting: Jefferson won 35-7 in 2022.
Things to know: The winner will be the region champion. It would be Eastside’s first title since 2018. Jefferson is the defending champion. Eastside, ranked No. 13 in the Maxwell Ratings’ Class 5A rankings, is one of the state’s more consistently solid but under-the-radar programs. The Eagles haven’t had a losing season since 2005. While Jefferson has won three region titles since Eastside’s most recent one, Eastside trails only 6-5 in state-playoff victories in that time. Eastside is bland but effective on offense. Jayden Barr has 968 all-purpose yards and 17 touchdowns. Payton Shaw, a sophomore quarterback, has thrown for 837 yards. Anquez Cobb has rushed for 658 yards. Jaquez Cobb is the leading tackler. Jefferson is similarly a more run-based team. Clemson-committed RB/LB Sammy Brown has rushed for 1,269 yards and 21 touchdowns. Gavin Markey has thrown for 953 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Jenkins County at Portal
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Portal Athletic Complex, Portal
Records, rankings: Jenkins County is 9-0 overall, 3-0 in Region 3-A Division I and No. 6; Portal is 6-3, 3-0 and unranked.
Last meeting: Jenkins County won 18-6 in 2022.
Things to know: The winner will be the region champion. Jenkins County hasn’t won a region title since 1960. Portal has never won a region title. Jenkins County has won nine straight games against Portal. Jenkins County’s Robtravious Coney has rushed for 1,076 yards and 19 touchdowns. QB Christian Wilson has rushed for more than 100 yards in a game twice. Jenkins County has completed only 13 passes. Portal, winless two seasons ago, has its most victories since 2011. Though unranked by GHSF Daily, the Panthers are ranked No. 10 in Class A Division II by the Maxwell Ratings and MaxPreps. The Panthers have a balanced offense. QB Elijah Coleman has passed for 1,011 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushed for 813 yards and 12 touchdowns. Amir Jackson, a top-100 national prospect committed to Florida as a tight end, has 748 all-purpose yards. Both teams are in the top 10 of points and points allowed in Class A Division II. Jenkins County’s average score is 42-13. Portal’s is 32-15. Portal has four shutouts.
Morgan County at Harlem
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Bulldog Stadium, Harlem
Records, rankings: Morgan County is 8-1 overall, 4-0 in Region 4-3A and No. 7; Harlem is 7-2, 4-0 and unranked.
Last meeting: Harlem won 34-17 in 2022.
Things to know: As it was a year ago, this game is for the region title. It would be Morgan County’s first title since 2017. Harlem last season claimed its first region title since 1974. Harlem is a contender again despite graduating its leading passer, rusher, receiver and tackler. Ethan Evangelista has passed for 1,678 yards and 21 touchdowns and rushed for 476 yards and 10 touchdowns. Elijah Evangelista has 43 receptions for 625 yards and seven touchdowns. Harlem has lost only to Elbert County 21-20 and to South Carolina’s Midland Valley 42-35. Harlem’s average score is 38-19. Morgan County’s loss came to Greene County 24-14. Its best victory was over Monroe Area, ranked No. 7 in Class 3A at the time. Morgan County’s average score is 38-9. Jaydon Dorsey has rushed for 1,102 yards and 14 touchdowns in an offense that is two-thirds tilted toward the run. Neither team has played a schedule among the top 35 in Class 3A, according to the Maxwell Ratings.
North Murray at Rockmart
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, The Rock, Rockmart
Records, rankings: North Murray is 7-2 overall, 5-0 in Region 7-2A and unranked; Rockmart is 7-2, 5-0 and No. 6.
Last meeting: Rockmart won 66-34 in 2022.
Things to know: The winner will be the region champion. Rockmart can win its 50th consecutive region game and seventh straight region title. Rockmart went 29 years without a title until starting this run in 2017 under coach Biff Parson, who is 78-17 in his eight seasons. The Yellow Jackets made the 2022 quarterfinals, losing to Fitgerald in overtime. This Rockmart team’s best player is probably RB/LB Brent Washington, who has rushed for 556 yards and is one of the leading tacklers. Rockmart is more passing proficient than usual. Tristan Anderson, with 764 yards, is one of Class 2A’s top receivers. North Murray is an offensive juggernaut. The Mountaineers average 449 yards and 37.8 points per game. They have a 2,000-yard passer (Skyler Williams), 1,000-yard rusher (Williams) and 1,000-yard receiver (Judson Petty). Petty also has rushed for 442 yards and is a two-way starter with 41 solo tackles. If North Murray scores the upset, it would be the program’s second region title, first since 2019.
Troup at LaGrange
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Callaway Stadium, LaGrange
Records, rankings: Troup is 8-1 overall, 5-1 in Region 4-4A and No. 9; LaGrange is 7-2, 5-1 and unranked.
Last meeting: LaGrange won 38-34 in 2022.
Things to know: These county rivals are playing for the region’s No. 2 seed unless Whitewater (5-4, 3-3) upsets Starr’s Mill (6-3, 3-1), which would give the Troup-LaGrange winner the title. The difference between No. 2 and No. 3 is home field for the first round of the playoffs and the all-important championship of each other. The schools are four miles apart and share their home stadium. Troup was Class 4A’s No. 3 team in preseason but lost all-state QB Taeo Todd to injury and fell to Starr’s Mill 20-18 on Sept. 22. The Tigers have responded with four straight region wins, the big one a 28-14 decision over fourth-place Trinity Christian last week. Troup remains armed with Division I commits Noah Dixon (committed to Clemson) and LB Qua Birdsong (Central Florida). Logan Sinkfield, who has several mid-major offers, has moved to quarterback and has 587 yards rushing and 628 passing, numbers not unlike Todd’s. LaGrange, a dynasty some 20 years ago with three state titles in one four-year term, is 32-12 in four seasons under Matt Napier (brother of Florida coach Billy Napier). That’s after going 6-34 the previous four seasons. LaGrange has a balanced offense. Malachi Kemp has thrown for 1,515 yards and 13 touchdowns. LaGrange allows only 66.2 yards rushing per game.