Top 10 games of Week 5

Last meeting: Charlton County won 42-0 in 2011.

Three things to know: 1. Atkinson County is 3-0 for the first time since its 11-1 finish in 1999. The Rebels haven't had a winning season since 2001 (6-5) and had been 7-52-1 over the previous six seasons. They've lost 10 straight to Charlton County dating to 1991. The man most responsible for the turnaround is head coach Kip Hall, who came from Druid Hills in 2013. He believes improvement in weight training and team pride are the biggest changes. 2. Atkinson County QB Tyree Johnson, who has gotten looks from Georgia Tech, Navy and Georgia Southern, threw for 211 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 80 yards last week in a 35-0 victory over Baconton Charter. TB M-Calin Lanier has rushed for more than 400 yards. TE Keegan Meeks had three catches for 101 yards and two touchdowns against Baconton. 3. Charlton County RB Andrew Lee has rushed for 572 yards and seven touchdowns in three games, but this is a balanced offense. QB Jimmy Nettles threw for 255 yards last week in a 28-12 victory over Bacon County, and Curt Nixon caught six passes for 93 yards and ran his second punt return for a touchdown. Charlton has forced five turnovers in two of its three games.

B.E.S.T. Academy at Lovett

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Martin E. Kilpatrick Stadium, Atlanta

Records, rankings: B.E.S.T. Academy is 2-1 overall, 0-0 in Region 6-AA and No. 7; Lovett is 2-2, 1-0 and No. 4.

Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. B.E.S.T. Academy is an all-male Atlanta city school that opened in 2007 and started varsity football in 2011. The football team made a name for itself when it took Carver of Columbus to four overtimes in a 38-34 first-round loss in the Class AAA playoffs last season. The school then dropped into AA and stunned state-ranked Callaway of AAA in the season opener. B.E.S.T. has never played against a private school, but the Lovett game is the opener of a region schedule that includes five private-school opponents. 2. B.E.S.T. Academy starts only three seniors. One is preseason all-state pick Deshawn Waller, who has rushed for 542 yards (180.7 per game). Waller played quarterback last week (11-of-20 for 208 yards) but is expected to give way to freshman Nakia Davis, who is back from an ankle injury. Another outstanding player is TE/LB Robert Tucker (6-3, 220). He leads the team in tackles with 21 (solo) and receptions with nine for 162 yards. 3. Lovett has played the toughest schedule in AA, according to the computer Maxwell Ratings, with losses to ranked teams in higher classifications (Marist, Westminster). In the 21-20 victory last week over Woodward Academy, ranked No. 6 in AAA, Wes Haley blocked an extra point in the final minute. QB Willie Candler rushed for 123 yards.

Bainbridge at Thomas County Central

When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, Jackets' Nest, Thomasville

Records, rankings: Bainbridge is 2-1 and unranked in Class AAAA; Thomas County Central is 1-1 and No. 7 in AAAA.

Last meeting: Thomas County Central won 50-23 in 2013.

Three things to know: 1. Bainbridge's offense has scored one touchdown in each of its three games, but the team has emerged with a 2-1 record. Victor Bodison's 85-yard kickoff return was the difference in an opening 12-6 victory over Early County. In a 7-6 win over Monroe last week, Dalvin Spivey blocked an extra point in the fourth quarter, then caught a 51-yard TD pass for the game winner two minutes later. Bainbridge averages 156.7 yards in total offense and allows 219.7. 2. Thomas Central DE Austin Bryant has committed to Clemson, where he would be reunited with former Central QB Adam Choice. Without Choice, Central couldn't sustain drives in a 28-10 loss to Valdosta in the opener, but overwhelmed Riverdale 42-0 (Nick Patterson rushed for 154 yards and three touchdowns) and then led Americus-Sumter 20-12 last week before bad weather postponed the finish until Sept. 25. 3. These teams have AAAAA enrollment but were placed in AAAA for football as part of the GHSA's isolation policy to save on travel time. And although they are in the same region, this is not a region or subregion game. The 10-team region is divided in half, and each team gets two crossover games with the other subregion. Bainbridge and Thomas Central didn't draw each other for a crossover, but chose to play anyway, as it is a rivalry game, played each season since 2002. Thomas Central holds a 10-2 edge in that period.

Collins Hill at North Gwinnett 

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tom Robinson Memorial Stadium, Suwanee

Records, rankings: Collins Hill is 2-1 overall, 0-0 in Region 7-AAAAAA and unranked; North Gwinnett is 2-1, 0-0 and No. 9.

Last meeting: Collins Hill won 53-28 in 2013.

Three things to know: 1. North Gwinnett was 7-0 and ranked No. 1 when Collins Hill beat the Bulldogs last season. Both teams graduated their leading passer, rusher and receiver. That includes Gwinnett County's two leading passers in 2013 - Collins Hill's Tyler Herman (2,968 yards) and North's Hayden Sphire (2,639). 2. Collins Hill has been more successful passing than rushing so far. New QB Monty Horn is 50-of-80 passing for 618 yards and four touchdowns. Canyon Slade has 22 catches for 308 yards and two touchdowns. The defense is led by DE Tomon Fox (recruited hard by Georgia Tech) and DT Miles Fox (four sacks, committed to Old Dominion). They are not related. 3. North Gwinnett QB John Urzua played much of the second half in the 2013 Collins Hill game after Sphire was injured, and that was the first significant playing time of his high school career. He was 14-of-29 passing for 175 yards. This season, he is 71-of-100 passing for 919 yards and 10 touchdowns. North has four major-college prospects - OT Mitch Hyatt (committed to Clemson), WR Daniel Imatorbhebhe (Missouri), WR Almozo Brown (Minnesota) and DE Anree Saint-Amour (Michigan State and Ohio State lead).

Hawkinsville at Brookstone 

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Rex Knight Stadium, Columbus

Records, rankings: Hawkinsville is 3-0 overall, 1-0 in Region 4-A and No. 8; Brookstone is 2-0, 0-0 and No. 6.

Last meeting: Brookstone won 19-14 in 2013.

Three things to know: 1. Hawkinsville rushed 43 times for 309 yards and attempted seven passes (completing one) in a 21-0 victory against Taylor County last week. Reginald McDonald is the leading rusher for the season with 203 yards on 34 carries. QB Dakota Sloan is 8-for-18 passing for 153 yards and has rushed for 99 yards on 22 carries. He also has 1.5 sacks and an interception on defense and has averaged 39.3 yards on 12 punts. 2. Brookstone rushes for almost 300 yards per game and has two players averaging more than 100. Junior Sam Ndem has 297 yards and five touchdowns on 30 carries, and junior Prather Hudson has 221 yards and a TD on 31 carries. Sophomore QB Jay Roberts is 19-for-38 passing for 224 yards and three touchdowns. 3. Hawkinsville and Brookstone have been a big part of the resurgence of Region 4-A. From 2008 to 2011, the region never advanced a team out of the second round of the playoffs. In 2012, Dooly County broke through to the semifinals, and in 2013, three 4-A teams made the Class A quarterfinals. This season, five 4-A teams have held a Top 10 ranking in at least one poll. The region's non-region record is 13-1-1.

Houston County at Warner Robins 

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, McConnell-Talbert Stadium, Warner Robins

Records, rankings: Houston County is 3-0 overall, 2-0 in Region 2-AAAAA and No. 10; Warner Robins is 2-1, 2-0 and unranked.

Last meeting: Houston County won 27-23 in 2013.

Three things to know: 1. Houston County is averaging 43 points per game, second-best in Class AAAAA behind only region rival Jones County, and the Bears have gotten big nights from their passing and running games. QB Jake Fromm passed for 433 yards and five touchdowns in a 46-27 season-opening victory against Veterans, and RB Kenny Gantt rushed for 231 yards and three TDs and returned a kickoff 85 yards for a score in a 42-28 win over Richmond Academy last week. 2. Warner Robins appears to have settled on a quarterback after opening the season with a 19-0 loss to Peach County. Ivan Corbin has started the past two games. He was 6-for-9 passing for 110 yards and in three quarters of a 44-6 victory over Greenbrier, then threw for 154 yards in a 49-7 win over Cross Creek last week. 3. This is one of two games (Northside vs. Jones County is the other) tonight matching the only remaining 2-AAAAA teams that are undefeated in region play, with the winners on track to meet for the region championship. Only twice in the past 26 years - 2002 and 2008 - have Northside and Warner Robins both failed to win a region title in the same season.

McEachern at Lovejoy 

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Twelve Oaks Stadium, Hampton

Records, rankings: McEachern is 1-2 and No. 10 in Class AAAAAA; Lovejoy is 3-0 and No. 5 in AAAAAA.

Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. McEachern is beginning to get its running game back together after losing star RB Taj Griffin (committed to Oregon) to a season-ending injury in the opener against North Gwinnett. The Indians were held to 58 yards in a loss to Buford but rushed for 227 yards in a 35-21 victory against Peachtree Ridge last week. Michael Nwagbara had 26 carries for 137 yards and a touchdown against the Lions, according to the Marietta Daily Journal. 2. Lovejoy scored 10 points in the final five minutes, kicking the game-winning field goal with 10 seconds remaining, in a 27-24 victory last week against Hillgrove. AJC Super 11 WR Preston Williams (committed to Tennessee) had six catches for 163 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown reception with 4:17 remaining that tied the game 24-24. 3. McEachern's schedule is rated the toughest in the state by the computer Maxwell Ratings. This will be the Indians' fourth non-region game against a team in the top 19 of Maxwell's all-classification rankings. Lovejoy's schedule is rated 73rd-toughest, but that's in part because of playing in a region that's ranked sixth of eight in AAAAAA.

Northside (W. Robins) at Jones County 

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Greyhound Field, Gray

Records, rankings: Northside is 3-0 overall, 2-0 in Region 2-AAAAA and No. 1; Jones County is 3-0, 2-0 and unranked.

Last meeting: Northside won 49-21 in 2013.

Three things to know: 1. Jones County averages a Class AAAAA-best 50.3 points per game behind a balanced offense (233.7 yards passing, 182 yards rushing). Sophomore QB Bradley Hunnicutt threw for 234 yards and had touchdown passes of 57, 37 and 45 yards in a 43-6 victory against Greenbrier last week. He is 34-for-51 for 616 yards and five TDs for the season. Junior RB Reggie Lewis is the leading rusher with 179 yards, including 82 against Greenbrier. 2. Northside has scored 38 points in each of its three games and is sixth in AAAAA in scoring average. The Eagles are much more dependent on the run. In a 38-7 victory against Lakeside of Evans last week, they had 365 rushing yards on 45 carries while attempting just four passes, according to the Macon Telegraph. Willie Jordan is the leader for the season with 381 yards rushing, including 158 and four touchdowns against Lakeside. 3. Jones County is 3-0 for the first time since 1999. Northside is 3-0 for the 12th consecutive season. Northside has won all five meetings between the teams. In the past four since 2006, the Eagles have outscored the Greyhounds 178-21.

Stephenson at Creekside 

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Arrowhead Stadium, Fairburn

Records, rankings: Stephenson is 2-1 and No. 3 in Class AAAAA; Creekside is 3-1 and No. 4 in AAAAA.

Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. Stephenson is a run-first team that has rushed 106 times and attempted just 28 passes in its first three games. Twelve players have at least one carry for the Jaguars, who average 236.3 yards rushing. The leaders have been Ivonte Patterson (28 carries, 230 yards, six touchdowns) and Cortese Logan (27-178-1). QB Dewann Ford is 15-for-28 passing for 186 yards and three TDs. 2. After playing tight contests in its first three games, Creekside finally got a breather last week in a 41-0 victory against Druid Hills. The Seminoles' defensive effort was led by DB Joshua Moon, who had 12 tackles and a sack and returned a punt for a touchdown. Creekside has at least one shutout for 19 consecutive seasons, the third-longest streak in the state. 3. This is a meeting between the top team in each subregion of Region 6-AAAAA. Because of reclassification, Creekside (moved from Region 4) essentially replaced Tucker (now in AAAAAA) in the region, which is among the state's toughest. Tucker beat Stephenson 31-28 in the regular season last year and lost to Creekside 52-28 in the state championship game.

Washington County at Burke County 

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Bear Den, Waynesboro

Records, rankings: Washington County is 3-0 and No. 1 in Class AAA; Burke County is 2-2 and No. 5 in AAAA.

Last meeting: Burke County won 28-20 in 2011.

Three things to know: 1. There might never be another Donquell "Gator" Green, the former Burke County quarterback who ran for 1,827 yards and passed for 1,399 last season. But Caleb "Scoot" Roberson is doing what he can. The junior has rushed for 468 yards (117 per game) and is 28-of-54 passing for 438 yards and two touchdowns. Burke's chief tackler is LB Barqee Williams, a returning first-team all-region player. 2. Washington County QB/DB A.J. Gray (522 yards passing, 263 rushing) is the leader of GHSF Daily's Player of the Year Watch, but the Golden Hawks have other weapons. LB Will Coneway (committed to Mercer) has 34 tackles, five for losses, and a forced fumble. LB Logan Hunt (Georgia Southern) has 18 tackles, four sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery for a touchdown, plus 12 catches for 294 yards on offense. 3. This is likely the best chance of either team losing for the rest of the regular season. Washington County is 25 points better than its top region 3-AAA rival, Laney, according to the Maxwell Ratings. Burke is 10 points better than Thomson, its best 3-AAAA rival, according to Maxwell.

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