MACON, Ga. — The high school football season is underway and we have already had some instant classics on Football Friday Night. The team at 13WMAZ gathered around the table to discuss the hot topics heading into week 7. Lehgo!!!
1. Word Game: Houston County and John Milledge are (blank) so far this season.
Frank: HoCo is explosive, and JMA is dominant.
The Bears can strike from anywhere, anytime, with many different weapons. Very difficult to defend. JMA keeps rolling—55 and counting, with most of those wins by multiple touchdowns.
Marv: HoCo is impressive, and JMA is on fire! Both teams are hard to beat! The way JMA has maintained its dominance is impressive and a testament to the hard work of head coach JT Wall and his staff over the years.
HoCo is equally on fire but more impressive in handling its non-region schedule. Now, as the meat of their campaign ramps up, all eyes will be on the black and silver to see if they can maintain their "whip stick" in year two of the Jeremy Edwards era.
Connor: Unstoppable. It seems like every week is the next most significant test for HoCo, and the undefeated Bears continue to pass! This week, a win over Lee County could show us what HoCo is capable of in the state playoffs. For JMA, I don't think anyone is surprised to see the Trojans continue their winning ways, but it's about to get a whole lot more challenging as they'll finish up with four of Macon's top GIAA programs in FPD, Stratford, Tattnall and Mount de Sales.
Justin: Perfect (for now). They have been unbeatable so far. There is no reason to think they will lose any time soon unless Lee County proves too tough to take down on Friday night.
2. Which game are you most looking forward to this week?
Frank: Let's go with Mary Persons vs. Prince Avenue. MP is showing a lot of bite thus far this season, utilizing a balanced offense featuring running back Duke Watson. Prince Avenue is a Class A school, but they play much bigger and feature one of the state's top quarterbacks in Aaron Philo. It should be a fun night at Dan Pitts Stadium.
Marv: Houston County is hosting Lee County. There were only two teams that stood in the way of the Bears in region play, and that was Lee and TCC. HoCo has improved and grown tremendously this go-round under Coach Edwards and his staff. I'm eager to see these top programs clash under the lights on Friday.
Connor: A few games pop out in week 7, but I'm excited to see what happens when the Westside Seminoles host Perry on Friday night at the Ed Defore Sports Complex. Spoon Risper is intent on getting the Noles that state title while he's still in charge, and the team he has this year is special in all three phases. That said, Perry is definitely Westside's biggest challenge yet. I can't wait to see how the Panthers' strong defensive line matches up against a high-powered offensive attack on the west side of Macon.
Justin: Many eyes around the state will be glued to Houston County's showdown with Lee County. This is a measuring stick game for the Bears. A win would solidify this team as a title contender. A loss gives them time to get back on track before the playoffs.
3. What has been the most surprising thing for you this season?
Frank: We're just halfway home with many big games still to be played, but it appears the "We'll just outscore them" mantra is taking a firm hold of the high school game. That's partly due to some great skill players in Central Georgia who continually produce eye-popping plays, but you will have to shut down your opponent at some point down the road. That's why I'm big on Northeast's chances this season.
Marv: The slow starts to Warner Robins, Peach County and Northside. It's not panic button-worthy, but I'd be remiss to say I wasn't surprised that three of the top programs in the state, including Central Georgia, are a combined 5-10 after week 5. Hopefully, regional play with the Demons and Trojans can increase their record; however, Northside has the hardest road ahead in Region 1-6A, which includes Lee, TCC, HoCo and Veterans.
Connor: High school football is strong as ever in Central Georgia, but especially so when it comes to the group of receivers we get to watch every week, all of whom are already committed or will have the opportunity to commit to strong Division I programs. In Houston County alone, you've got Ricky Johnson and Kale Woodburn from HoCo, Isiah Canion at Warner Robins, Preston Bird at Veterans and Dakarai Anderson at Perry. Go outside the county, and the list gets a whole lot longer with Jones County's Zion Ragins and Wilcox County's B.J. Gibson, just to name a couple. We might be looking back on this season as one of the best ever for wide receivers in Central Georgia, and it's a privilege to watch such great talent every Friday night!
Justin: I'm not sure if it is a surprise because I knew Northeast would be good, but the win over Fitzgerald felt like a real wake-up call. This team has a legitimate shot to win the state title.
4. The music world has recently collided with football in a big way as Taylor Swift has taken the football world by storm with Travis Kelce, and Usher has been announced as the halftime performer for the Super Bowl. What is your favorite Super Bowl halftime show ever? What is your dream Super Bowl halftime performer?
Frank: The Boss, with Prince a close second. I'm a huge T Swift fan, but she has way too many favorite songs to cram into a short halftime segment, so let's go with the Stones with Springsteen and Bob Seger helping Mick out on background vocals.
Marv: The first one that comes to mind is PRINCE in 2007 and Bruno Mars in XLVIII. And my dream halftime performance would be Hall & Oates with Mint Condition.
Connor: I think it will always be hard to beat Prince in 2007. Playing Purple Rain IN THE POURING RAIN?! Come on now. It was just an iconic performance in Super Bowl history all the way around. In the true spirit of Swiftie drama this week, my dream halftime performance is, without a doubt, John Mayer. Sorry, Frank and Justin. It had to be said.
Justin: I have to go with the LA show. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar. This was just such a fun show for me personally. I have been a big fan of all of these artists. I even met Kendrick once in Atlanta. It was an important moment in music and in Super Bowl history. As for my dream Super Bowl act… Taylor Swift. If you know me, this isn't a shocker. She is my favorite artist of all time. Once she owns all her music, I fully anticipate she will rock the Super Bowl halftime show, perhaps in front of Travis Kelce.