Three games between ranked teams highlight the opening weekend of the Class A Division II season, and one thing is clear: Top-ranked and two-time defending champion Bowdon is not hiding from anyone.
The Red Devils will play host to Class 3A-A Private No. 4 Fellowship Christian, a team that plays in the 3A classification but holds a ranking as a private school in the 3A-A Private division. The teams have played once, in 2017, with Bowdon losing 47-12.
The lopsided nature of that result could change this weekend.
Bowdon returns numerous players from the youthful team that made last year’s championship run.
The key to the season could be at quarterback. Replacing Kyler McGrinn is not easy, but the team has options. Charles Maxwell transferred from Woodward and is likely to start. Receiver Kaiden Prothro, a five-star junior, leads a talented group of preseason all-state players for the Red Devils.
In other top games:
-- No. 2 Brooks County will play at home against Class A Division I No. 2 Thomasville in the 29th meeting between the teams. Brooks will try to narrow the series margin -- Thomasville leads 17-11, including a 42-20 victory last season. Brooks County won the 2022 game 42-7. It’s noteworthy that the teams first played in 1962, with Thomasville winning 47-7. Brooks secured its first victory in the series in 1995, winning 31-19.
-- No. 4 Irwin County travels to Class A Division I No. 4 Fitzgerald for the 71st game between the storied programs. Fitzgerald has enjoyed the series more than Irwin. The Purple Hurricane have defeated Irwin County 48 times; Irwin has won 19 times, and the teams have tied three times. The inaugural edition of the matchup was played in 1954, with Irwin winning 13-0. Fitzgerald has won the past four games, including its 28-0 victory last season.
Class A Division II Top-10 schedule
1. Bowdon hosts Class 3A-A Private No. 4 Fellowship Christian
2. Brooks County at home against Class A Division I No. 2 Thomasville
3. Manchester travels to Class 4A Harris County
4. Irwin County travels to Class A Division I No. 4 Fitzgerald
5. Schley County travels to Seminole County
6. Clinch County at home against Bacon County
7. Bryan County at home against Johnson-Savannah
8. Greene County at home against Putnam County
9. Trion at home against Gordon Lee
10. Telfair County at home against Lamar County
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