MACON, Ga. — The high school football season is here, and the first Football Friday Night of the year is in the books. The team at 13WMAZ gathered around the table to discuss the hot topics coming out of week one and look ahead to this week. Lehgo!!!
Most surprising thing from Week 1?
Frank Malloy, The GOAT: I think two things, Peach County putting 50 points on the board against Baldwin. That is like midseason offense. The other is Bleckley County beating Dodge County by as many points as they did. That game is always close. I thought Dodge might have an advantage, but obviously, Bleckley will be strong again this year, or at least they were in week one.
Melvin (Marvin) James, Sports Director: The biggest surprise of week one was that the rumors surrounding Northeast sophomore Nick Woodford were as advertised. The 5'8 225 running back is a load to bring down. At one point, Woodford led a series as the primary quarterback or wildcat and led the Raiders to their first touchdown. I've heard so much about the kid from his Appling Middle School days, but he sat out his freshman year to an leg injury. Watching in spring drills versus Baldwin and only a half against Mary Persons has me convinced this young man has the potential to be pretty special.
Connor Hines, Sports MSJ: It's tough to ignore the program-record 70 points that ACE put up against Crawford County in Keith Hatcher's first game as head coach. It's even more impressive, given that the Gryphons didn't even play a scrimmage and still turned in that level of performance. I genuinely think it's only the first of many "firsts" that the Gryphons will experience this year, and they could add another to that list as soon as Friday night, looking for their first-ever win over GMC.
Justin Baxley, 13WMAZ Digital Content Manager: My first Football Friday Night. This might be cheating a tad, but I have covered high school football in Central Georgia for seven years at The Telegraph in Macon. I have had a lot of fun going out to games and covering some of the great players in the area. But it was special to be here and contribute on a Friday night to the show I have watched since I was a kid in Lower Bibb County.
I am looking forward to many more Friday nights here at 13WMAZ. On the field, I will throw in ACE and Crawford County combining for a whopping 123 points.
What player or team stood out to you?
Frank: I have two. Jones County, their defense, played well against Northside in the win. And in kind of a twist, I think Tattnall stood out despite the loss to Schley County–the preseason No. 1 in the GHSA, with a lot of outstanding players– because the fact that Tattnall was leading that game and was in that game against Schley bodes well for coach Abernathy and the Trojans.
Marvin: The team that stood out to me was the Jones County Greyhounds. More specifically, the tandem of Zion Ragins and Javious Bond. On a big stage, these two played like the big-time D1 recruits they are. They were impacting the game on offense, defense and special teams and looking forward to continued production from two players that will only make the Hounds more competitive.
Connor: The way that Bleckley County came out of the gate in week one against rival Dodge County told me the Royals are not only looking to repeat what they accomplished last year but take it a couple of steps further, too. Those two always match well on paper, but Bleckley made it look routine. They were excited to see what Von Lassiter's crew does this year.
Justin: Peach County gets the nod here. The Trojans are always one of the top teams in Central Georgia, but they came out on fire against an excellent Baldwin County team. Peach County had previously struggled in its scrimmage game against Colquitt County. They seemed to work out all the kinks, though, ahead of the Baldwin game.
Which was your favorite game from Week 1?
Frank: Any time two teams can score 120 points like ACE and Crawford County, that's just fun football. Especially from our perspective when we are covering a game, the more touchdowns, the better. So when you've got about 15 touchdowns in a game, I think that is pretty fun.
Marvin: My favorite game from week one, despite the scoring fireworks from ACE and Crawford County, is the Thursday night performance of the Rutland Hurricanes. The Canes came out and took care of business with some great defense. Christian Kreitzer was in the Tower's backfield all night. Then Jarvis Washington is on the Rutland backend with a sweet interception. And on offense, quarterback Marquies Lattner accounted for both touchdown scores with one in the air and one on the ground. It is good to see head coach Jamarcus Johnson and Rutland start the season with a win.
Connor: 123 combined points scored in a football game? Come on now; it doesn't get much better! ACE and Crawford County put on a total show, but we also saw some outstanding individual performances in the season opener. Eagles running back Terrel Ashley is poised to have a standout senior season, grabbing three touchdowns in week one. On the other side, Gryphon's quarterback Kaleb Scarbary has weapons everywhere he looks.
Justin: Jones County vs. Northside: The Macon Touchdown Club Kickoff Classic lived up to its name on Saturday at Mercer University. These two teams delivered a great game, with Jones County prevailing in a heavyweight bout. The two teams traded haymakers before wide receiver Zion Ragins landed a knockout punch.
Week 1 overreaction
Frank: I think the Warner Robins and Northside fans are probably already thinking, "oh no." I thought Lee County would beat Warner Robins. Lee is so strong. And the Northside people are saying, "I thought we were going to be good this year, and then we lost to Jones County." Well, Jones County is going to be a good team this year. They both lost to good teams. So I don't think the Eagles and Demons fans need to get down after starting 0-1.
Marvin: My overreaction of the week was the Warner Robins loss. The Demons have dominated high school football literally for the past five seasons with five straight trips to the 5A State Title games. So naturally, a season-opening loss will draw some attention. But Lee County is as advertised. The Trojans were simply the better team Friday night. The Demons will improve on both sides of the football; it just will take a few weeks to continue to gel with chemistry. Remember, this is a team that lost their offensive line coach and both coordinators this off-season, so adjustments are being made.
Connor: Both Warner Robins and Northside lost in week 1. They're a couple of household names in Central Georgia, and both just came out of the gate slow to start. They also played some of the state's top programs in Lee County and Jones County, respectively. The Demons will benefit from an open date this Friday night, and the Eagles will surely look to clean things up and make adjustments against Peach County. Neither of these programs is in trouble, but it's easy to say they are after a sluggish first time out.
Justin: "Warner Robins is in trouble." This is easily my biggest overreaction from the first week of action. The Demons will be fine. They played one of the top teams in the state. There is no reason to hit the panic button just yet. They lost key staff members and some of their top players, but Marquis Westbrook is one of the best coaches in the state. Look for Warner Robins to get things moving in the right direction before we get into region play. This team will likely get better as the season rolls on.
Which Week 2 matchup are you looking forward to?
Frank: I think Houston County and Perry. Houston County is off to a good start under their new coach. Perry has high expectations this season. They were off last week and are now open with a big school in Houston County. Another one I am looking forward to is Stratford at Westfield. Stratford's first-year head coach Chance Jones was, of course, a star as a player at Westfield. The Jones legacy at Westfield returns to Chance's dad; the field is even named after him. So I think that is an interesting twist for the Jones family to go back down there and play Westfield.
Marvin: The game I'm looking forward to the most in week two is Houston County visiting Perry. Over the past several seasons, the Panthers have emerged as the "big dog" of the county behind Warner Robins. Head Coach Kevin Smith gas-guided the Panthers to back-to-back region titles and deep playoff runs. On the other side, the HoCo Bears are under new management, with former Demons OC Jeremy Edwards running the show as head coach. Edwards, known for his high-powered, high-scoring, uptempo offense, is gaining traction with the Bears after a week one win over Americus. I expect to see some impressive quarterback play from sophomore Antwann Hill Jr, who is already being heavily recruited and Perry's Armar Gordon Jr.
Connor: Northside at Peach County. The Eagles are coming off a sluggish start in a 27-21 loss to Jones County, and the Trojans just looked unstoppable, dropping a cool 50 points on Baldwin. However, I think Northside recovers strongly and gives Peach County a battle under the lights in Fort Valley. The matchup of Peach quarterback Colter Ginn against the ballhawks in the Northside secondary should provide some fireworks -- hoping this game delivers like we all know it can.
Justin: Howard vs. Central: Howard looked dominant in its week one win over Southwest. In another matchup against a fellow Macon school, the Huskies will look to stay hot. Howard is in a challenging region and needs all the momentum it can get to start the season. Central is coming off a loss to Westside, but the defense looked good for spurts throughout the game. This should be a fun matchup for a pair of Bibb County schools.
WHAT OTHERS ARE READING: