Three games tonight in Class 7A likely will decide region titles.
Those are Colquitt County at Lowndes in Region 1, Brookwood at Grayson in Region 4 and Milton at Roswell in Region 5.
All three are nearly tossups. According to the Maxwell Ratings, Lowndes is favored by five, Brookwood by one and Roswell by three.
Here are previews of each.
Brookwood at Grayson
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Grayson Community Stadium, Loganville
Records, rankings: Brookwood is 5-2 overall, 1-0 in Region 4-7A and unranked; Grayson is 6-2, 2-0 and No. 9.
Last meeting: Grayson won 58-17 in 2020.
Watch the game: On television on GPB.
Things to know: These are the only Region 4-7A teams without region losses. Grayson has won 19 consecutive region games and three straight region titles. Brookwood is chasing its second region title in 10 years, first since 2017. Rebuilding with a young core after its 2020 championship season, Grayson is a run-first, defensive-minded team in contrast to Brookwood. Grayson employs two good running backs, Joe Taylor (643 yards rushing) and Dylan Elder (504), plus Joseph Stone Jr. (499), a dual-threat quarterback. Brookwood gets two-thirds of its yards passing. Dylan Lonergan, a top-100 national prospect among juniors, has thrown for 2,031 yards and 18 touchdowns and has good wheels (338 rushing yards). Brookwood’s average score is 34-21. Grayson’s is 23-16. Though Grayson is ranked by GHSF Daily, Brookwood has the higher composite ranking at No. 7, including a high of No. 4 in the computer Maxwell Ratings. Brookwood has lost to Collins Hill and North Paulding. Grayson has lost to Creekside and Mill Creek.
Colquitt County at Lowndes
When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, Martin Stadium, Valdosta
Records, rankings: Colquitt County is 7-1 overall,1-0 in Region 1-7A and No. 5; Lowndes is 6-1, 1-0 and No. 7.
Last meeting: Colquitt County won 40-10 in 2020.
Watch the game: Online at NFHS Network.
Things to know: These are the only Region 1-7A teams without region losses. One or the other has won the region title every year since 2014, with Lowndes winning in 2017 and 2019 and Colquitt winning the other five. Colquitt has won six of the past eight meetings in the series. The 2020 blowout was a surprise as both entered undefeated with top-three rankings. Colquitt held Lowndes to 153 total yards. This season, Colquitt averages 40.5 points per game, second best in class, while Lowndes averages 34.6, the 10th-best. Both teams allow more than 20 points per game. Colquitt has won five straight games since an August loss to Westlake and beat Camden County in overtime last week. Lowndes has lost to Walton in overtime and Lee County by three points. Colquitt County has the region’s leading rusher (Charlie Pace, 864 yards), passer (Neko Fann, 1,521 yards) and receiver (Ny Carr, 562 yards). Lowndes is more dependent on a single player, QB Jacurri Brown, a four-year starter with 1,278 yards passing and 566 rushing this season. Lowndes has won 23 straight home games.
Milton at Roswell
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Ray Manus Stadium, Roswell
Records, rankings: Milton is 6-1 overall, 2-0 in Region 5-7A and No. 4; Roswell is 6-1, 2-0 and No. 8.
Last meeting: Milton won 20-14 in 2020.
Watch the game: Online at NFHS Network.
Things to know: Milton and Roswell are the two remaining unbeaten teams in 5-7A, and the winner will emerge as the likely region champion. Milton has won three consecutive region titles. Roswell is 38-27-1 against its north Fulton County rival in a series that began in 1950. Milton led 20-0 at halftime of last year’s game and held on for a six-point win. Milton’s Jordan McDonald ran for 120 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries. He’s back this year and leads the Eagles with 524 yards rushing on 73 carries. QB Devin Farrell (committed to Virginia Tech) has passed for 1,186 yards, rushed for 347 yards and accounted for 20 touchdowns. DL Lebbeus “L.T.” Overton is the No. 2 junior prospect nationally in the 247Sports Composite rankings. Roswell QB Robbie Roper is 85-of-122 passing for 1,619 yards (269.8 per game) and 20 touchdowns. He also has run for 255. The leading rushers are Ryan Hill (57 carries, 331 yards) and Nykahi Davenport (57-322). Milton (39.9 points per game) and Roswell (35.1) are among the 10 highest-scoring teams in Class 7A.
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