Weekend Preview: Top 10 games of Week 3
Blessed Trinity at Prince Avenue Christian
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Brad Akins Field, Bogart
Records, rankings: Blessed Trinity is 2-0 and No. 4 in Class 4A; Prince Avenue Christian is 1-1 and No. 3 in 3A-A private.
Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.
Things to know: Two private schools with state-title aspirations meet for the first time in what features Prince Avenue Christian’s talented offensive line and run game against Blessed Trinity’s front seven and run defense. Prince Avenue’s Andrew Beard, a sophomore, has rushed for 133 and 187 yards in the opening games. He has an offer from Georgia, where an uncle, Garrison Hearst, thrived. New Prince Avenue QB Ben Musser rushed for 192 yards in the opener and was 19-of-36 passing for 177 yards in last week’s 31-21 loss to Charlotte’s Mallard Creek. Another top Prince Avenue player is DL Christian Garrett, who committed to Georgia Tech last week. Blessed Trinity is allowing 23.5 rushing yards per game in its victories over St. Pius (24-0) and Holy Innocents’ (45-7). Leading the defense are OLB David Jacobs Jr. (seven tackles for losses), DT Adrian Forbes (six TFLs), DE Lucas Allen (four TFLs) and CB Marcelous Townsend (committed to Boston College). Ahmontae Pitts has rushed for 204 yards. Brooks Goodman has thrown for 203.
Bowdon at Bremen
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Bremen Athletic Field, Bremen
Records, rankings: Bowdon is 1-1 and No. 1 in Class A Division II; Bremen is 1-0 and No. 8 in A Division I.
Last meeting: Bowdon won 42-16 in 2023.
Things to know: Bowdon is the two-time defending Class A Division II champion. Bremen was 9-3 last season and lost to eventual Class 3A champion Cedar Grove in the second round. The GHSA’s tweak of the 3.0 multiplier rule helped drop Bremen into Class A Division I this season. Bremen beat Jordan 57-6 in its opener last week. The score was 45-0 at halftime. RB Trent McPherson scored four touchdowns, and Carson Kimball passed for two and scored one. Both were all-region last season. Bowdon has lost to Fellowship Christian (36-35, leading until the final play) and beaten Macon County (56-7). New QB Charles Maxell is 25-of-37 passing for 372 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 130 yards on 13 carries. Josh Davis has rushed for 193 yards and four touchdowns. Kaiden Prothro has 10 receptions for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Dylan McGrinn is the leading tackler with 11 solo stops and three tackles for losses. In the 2023 game between these two, Bowdon had a pair of 200-yard rushers (Jordan Beasley, Kyler McGrinn), but Bremen has celebrated their graduation. These west Georgia rivals first met in 1936. Bowdon leads the series 48-29.
Carver (Columbus) at Harris County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tiger Stadium, Hamilton
Records, rankings: Carver is 2-0 and No. 3 in Class 2A; Harris County is 2-0 and unranked in 4A.
Last meeting: Harris County won 28-26 in 2019.
Things to know: Harris County is unranked despite a 2023 Class 4A quarterfinal appearance and a 2-0 start that includes victories over Manchester and Troup, two top-10 smaller-class schools. Against Manchester, Harris County trailed 8-3 in the final six minutes but scored two touchdowns, one after forcing a fumble, and won 16-8. Against Troup, in a 21-17 win, Harris County broke up a fourth-down pass in the end zone in the final seconds. Ran Ogletree rushed for 186 yards and threw a 29-yard pass. Carver, a Class 3A semifinal team last year, has beaten Whitewater (20-13) and Spencer (17-9). Kobe Caslin rushed for 167 yards in the opener and had 105 yards from scrimmage last week. LB A.J. Wilson and OL Parker Pritchett are preseason all-state. DE/WR Tristian Givens is a consensus top-100 national junior recruit.
Clarke Central at Jefferson
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Memorial Stadium, Jefferson
Records, rankings: Clarke Central is 2-0 and unranked in Class 5A; Jefferson is 1-1 and No. 2 in 3A.
Last meeting: Jefferson won 22-14 in 2023.
Things to know: In the 2023 game, Jefferson made a fourth-down stop at its 4-yard line late in the fourth quarter. Sammy Brown, now at Clemson, had more than 200 yards from scrimmage. Jefferson went on to reach the Class 5A semifinals. This season, Jefferson bounced back from an opening loss to Marist (23-7) to beat Jackson County (38-3). Jefferson’s Grant Markey has thrown for 203 yards and rushed for 93 in two games. DL Kelan Butler was preseason all-state. Rett Hemphill and sophomore Max Brown, brother of Sammy, are an outstanding linebacker duo. Clarke Central is coming off a remarkable 37-36 victory over Oconee County after trailing 24-0 in the first half. Arizona transfer QB Hezekiah Millender, who committed to Boise State last week, is 20-of-31 passing for 392 yards and seven touchdowns while rushing for 186 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Preseason all-state RB Corey Watkins Jr. has rushed for 108 yards and three touchdowns.
Gainesville at Westlake
When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, Westlake Stadium, College Park
Records, rankings: Westlake is 1-1 and unranked in Class 6A; Gainesville is 2-0 and No. 2 in 5A.
Last meeting: Gainesville won 27-20 in the second round of the 2005 Class 3A playoffs.
Things to know: Gainesville has beaten Marietta (41-3) and Moody, Ala. (31-7), overmatching pretty good opponents. Westlake should be a better test despite its opening loss to Hughes 52-21. The Lions’ defense showed progress with a 23-7 victory over Class 3A top-10 team Douglass. Westlake’s marquee players are WR Travis Smith (Tennessee) and OL Juan Gaston (Georgia). Smith has 12 receptions for 261 yards. Gainesville’s most outstanding player has been Xavier Griffin, a Southern Cal-committed linebacker who has four sacks and seven tackles for losses. Also outstanding is OL Alex Payne (North Carolina). QB Kharim Hughley has passed for 218 and 246 yards in his two games. Carmelo Byrd has rushed for 114 and 111 yards. Shane King has had 101 and 127 yards receiving. Gainesville is playing its first four games, and seven of 10 this regular season, on the road while its home stadium is renovated.
Houston County at Perry
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Herb St. John Stadium, Perry
Records, rankings: Houston County is 2-0 and No. 9 in Class 5A; Perry is 2-0 and No. 2 in 4A.
Last meeting: Houston County won 42-35 in 2023.
Things to know: In the high-scoring 2023 game, A.J. Hill threw a 19-yard TD pass to Ricky Johnson with 40 seconds left for the game-winner. The 2022 game was wilder, with Houston County winning 57-56. Expect more of the same as Houston County is averaging 50.5 points while Perry is averaging 43.0. For Houston County, Hill is back and averaging 399 passing yards per game. Isaiah Mitchell has 344 yards receiving. Javien Durham has supassed 100 yards rushing in both games. For Perry, Ahmad Gordon is back. After rushing for 1,811 yards last season, he has 303 this season. Cullen McDaniel is completing 72.1% of his passes for 301 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. Houston County could become the first to win three straight in this series, which it leads 7-5.
Marist at Woodward Academy
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Graham Hixon Field at Colquitt Stadium, College Park
Records, rankings: Marist is 1-0 and No. 1 in Class 4A; Woodward Academy is 0-2 and No. 10 in 5A.
Last meeting: Marist won 17-10 in 2023.
Things to know: Marist won the 2023 game in overtime. Woodward led 294-193 in total yards but lost three fumbles, one in Marist's red zone in the final minute of regulation. This is the eighth straight time these schools have met with both ranked. Both were in Class 6A last season, Woodward as the runner-up, Marist as a semifinalist. Marist, now in Class 4A, is ranked No. 1 despite graduating 16 of 22 starters and all seven that made first-team all-region. The War Eagles beat Jefferson, then No. 1 in Class 3A, 23-7 in an Aug. 16 opener. Marist held Jefferson to 132 total yards with no run longer than nine yards. Jack Euart ran for 86 of Marist’s 269 rushing yards. Trace Gaynes had eight tackles and a fumble recovery and 82 yards from scrimmage on 10 touches. Woodward has lost to Carrollton (24-14) and Collins Hill (21-14), a pair of top-10 Class 6A teams. Landon Walker has thrown for 307 yards and rushed for 80. Notre Dame commit Jerome Bettis Jr. is the leading receiver and fifth-leading tackler.
North Gwinnett at Colquitt County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium, Moultrie
Records, rankings: North Gwinnett is 2-0 and No. 7 in Class 6A; Colquitt County is 2-0 and No. 4 in 6A.
Last meeting: Colquitt County won 52-17 in the 2022 Class 7A quarterfinals.
Things to know: North Gwinnett opened with a 39-17 victory over McEachern on Aug. 17. Ryan Hall, a Georgia Power 100 quarterback and future Georgia Tech baseball pitcher, was 8-of-15 passing for 127 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 70 yards. North Gwinnett has a handful of major Division I recruits on defense. They are DL Braxton Kyle (Rutgers), LB/DE Cole Funderburk (Wake Forest), CB Chauncey “C.J.” Davis (junior with recent Michigan, Florida State offers), DB Chandler Jordan and LB Jake Godfree. Colquitt County is 2-0 with a freshman quarterback, Carson Lawson, who is 14-of-20 passing for 215 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Day’Shawn Brown, who has rushed for 1,470 yards in his career, is the offensive focal point. Jahboris Fuller has returned a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns. Brett Fitzgerald is Class 6A’s best place-kicker. OL Khalil Collins (South Florida) and DL Amari Wilson (East Carolina) are Colquitt County’s most prominent recruits after the 2023 team graduated two AJC Super 11 picks (TE Landen Thomas, WR Ny Carr). Colquitt County leads this series 5-2, all games played since 2011, but North Gwinnett won the most memorable one, a 19-17 victory with a last-play field goal in the 2017 Class 7A final.
Rome at Carrollton
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Grisham Stadium, Carrollton
Records, rankings: Rome is 0-0 and No. 7 in Class 5A; Carrollton is 2-0 and No. 1 in 6A.
Last meeting: Carrollton won 33-13 in 2023.
Things to know: Rome is opening its season after an Aug. 8 rollover bus crash led to the cancellation of the original Aug. 16 opener against Creekside. Coach John Reid said all players are healthy now but that a coach, Jason King, is still recovering. Rome is moving ahead without first-team all-state QB Reece Fountain, now at East Tennessee State. The new quarterback is Moss Tant, a 6-foot-3 junior. Running backs Javarius McDearmont and Chance Arthur, who made all-region last season, are back. Rome LB Jaedon Harmon (Tennessee) and DB Rae Sykes (Boston College) are defensive standouts. Carrollton is No. 1 this week for the first time since 2019 and first time ever in the highest class. Six Trojans are top-400 national prospects in their classes. They include QB Julian Lewis (seven TD passes in two games) and WR Ryan Mosely (four TD receptions). In the 2023 game, Carrollton took a 19-0 lead in the first quarter, though Rome fought back behind Fountain's 337 passing yards.
Walton at Roswell
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Ray Manus Stadium, Roswell
Records, rankings: Walton is 2-0 and No. 5 in Class 6A; Roswell is 1-0 and No. 8 in 5A.
Last meeting: Walton won 31-19 in 2021.
Things to know: Walton graduated four Power 4 Conference signees from its 14-1 Class 7A runner-up team. Walton has beaten Brookwood (30-21) and Lambert (41-10) to open 2024. Kaeden Gilstrap, taking over for all-state QB Jeremy Hecklinski (Wake Forest), is 19-of-47 passing for 388 yards and five touchdowns and has a team-leading 115 rushing yards. WR Christian Ward, a top-400 national senior prospect, has seven receptions for 178 yards. Preseason all-state RB Lucas Farrington has 79 yards rushing, 83 receiving. Roswell beat Peachtree Ridge 21-6 in its Aug. 16 opener. Roswell scored its points in the first half. Synkwan Smith rushed for 87 yards and caught a 15-yard pass. Smith (Pittsburgh) is one of three Roswell players committed to major Division I schools. The others are DE/LB Kobby Sakyi-Prah (South Carolina) and OL Andrew Stargel (Central Florida). Linebackers Tyler Harrison and Ryder Duffy had two sacks apiece in the opener. Duffy made preseason all-state and committed to Elon this month. This series is tied 17-17. The teams first played each other in 1976, the year Walton opened.
