Weekend Preview: Top 10 high school games in Week 1

Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Things to know: Benedictine, a four-time state champion the past 10 seasons, needs no introduction, but Rabun Gap remains a hidden football jewel to many. It’s a small international boarding school in Rabun County. Five of its players are committed to major Division I programs. They are OL Justin Hasenhuetl (Georgia Tech), TE Marshall Pritchett (North Carolina), CB Patrick Williams (Cincinnati), Antoine Deslauriers (Syracuse) and Terry Nwabuisi-Ezeala (Wake Forest). High School Football America ranks Rabun Gap as the No. 81 team in the country. Benedictine is No. 176. Benedictine has three preseason all-state players. They are DL Kameron Cody, LB Herbert Scroggins III and OL Jacobe Ward. Stephen Cannon, a junior with a few mid-major offers, is the new quarterback, taking over for Luke Kromenhoek, now at Florida State. Benedictine also plays at Buford and Archbishop Moeller of Ohio (both in HSFA’s top 100) before region play. The Benedictine-Rabun Gap game is the opener of the two-game Erk Russell Classic. Portal plays Bulloch Academy in the nightcap.

Buford at Milton

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Eagles Nest, Milton

Records, rankings: Buford (11-2 in 2023) is No. 1 in Class 6A; Milton (13-2 in 2023) is No. 1 in Class 5A.

Last meeting: Buford won 26-23 in 2019.

Things to know: These are the only Georgia teams ranked in every national poll, with Milton peaking at No. 6 (SBLive/Sports Illustrated) and Buford at No. 12 (Blue Star Media). If players’ commitments stick, this game will set a state record for the most seniors who are major Division I signees. Buford leads Milton in the category 10-9, although Milton trimmed the margin when Clemson-pledged OL Brayden Jacobs stunningly transferred from Buford to Milton two weeks ago. Milton returns 18 of 22 starters. Those include AJC Super 11 picks Luke Nickel and C.J. Wiley, the state’s leading returning passer and receiver, respectively. Buford’s comparable pair, Dylan Raiola and K.J. Bolden, have graduated. The new quarterback could be Raiola’s brother, Dayton, a junior, or transfer T.J. Wilcox, who passed for 1,861 yards at Collins Hill last season. Buford might revert to run-heavy ball control and defense this season. Seven of those major D-I commits are on defense, and that doesn’t count four-star juniors Bryce Perry-Wright and Nassir McCoy. RB Justin Baker, a Tennessee commit, could be the focus of the offense. Milton leads the series 4-1, winning twice in the 1950s and twice in the 1980s and losing in 2019.

Cedartown at Rockmart

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, The Rock, Rockmart

Records, rankings: Cedartown (8-4 in 2023) is unranked in Class 4A; Rockmart (12-3 in 2023) is No. 3 in Class 2A.

Last meeting: Cedartown won 13-12 in 2023.

Things to know: This is an inter-class Polk County rivalry at its peak. Rockmart and Cedartown have combined for seven region titles the past four years, with each reaching a state final. Rockmart was the Class 3A runner-up to Pierce County last season. The Yellow Jackets lost only one other game in 2023, and that was to Cedartown by a point after missing a 44-yard field goal in the final minute. Rockmart returns all-state receiver Tristan Anderson, who had 1,098 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, and linebacker Nick Davis, whose 50 solo tackles were more than twice the number of the second-leading tackler. Five of the six leading tacklers graduated along with the leading passer and rusher. Luke Parker, a transfer from Darlington, is the new quarterback. Cedartown is coming off an 8-4 season. The Bulldogs have seven of their eight first-team all-region players back. DL Jakoby Diamond, WR/DB Demarcus Gardner and DB/WR Tae Harris made GHSF Daily’s preseason all-state team. Harris is committed to Georgia. The new quarterback is Isaiah Johnson, a 5-11, 205-pounder who played fullback and linebacker last season with 469 rushing yards and 32 solo tackles.

Coffee at Bainbridge

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Centennial Field, Bainbridge

Records, rankings: Coffee (15-0 in 2023) is No. 8 in Class 5A; Bainbridge (9-3 in 2023) is No. 5 in Class 3A.

Last meeting: Coffee won 23-14 in 2023.

Things to know: After a 20-year break, these schools began playing each other annually in 2020, and those five games, including this one, have always matched top-10 teams. Coffee is 3-1 in the renewed series. In the 2023 game, Bainbridge was within 16-14 midway in the fourth quarter until Coffee scored on a 12-play, 75-yard drive. Bainbridge was 9-0 last season when not playing eventual state champions (also lost to Perry and Thomas County Central). Bainbridge graduated 17 players that garnered all-region honors. The Bearcats’ top returner is LB Braylon Phillips, a preseason all-state pick. They suffered big losses in offensive production. The new quarterback is junior Brooks Hines. Coffee lost Fred Brown (2,488 rushing yards) and Maurice Hansley (1,551 passing) but returns a good nucleus, including four starting offensive linemen. Senior linebackers Jyarius Carter, Chris Reed and Mykevius Smith combined for 48 tackles for losses last year on a defense that never allowed more than two touchdowns in a game.

Fellowship Christian at Bowdon

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Warren P. Sewell Field, Bowdon

Records, rankings: Fellowship Christian (10-3 in 2023) is No. 4 in Class 3A-A private; Bowdon (13-2 in 2023) is No. 1 in Class A Division II.

Last meeting: Fellowship Christian won 47-12 in 2017.

Things to know: Bowdon is the two-time Class A Division II champion. Fellowship reached the Class 2A quarterfinals last season. Both had young teams. Bowdon returns most of its starters, which is unlike 2023, when the Red Devils won the title despite replacing 17 regulars. The key loss this season QB Kyler McGrinn, who had nearly 2,000 yards both rushing and passing a year ago. Charles Maxwell, a Woodward Academy transfer, is the likely successor. Bowdon has four preseason all-state players, led by Georgia Power 100 WR Kaiden Prothro, a five-star junior prospect. Fellowship brings back QB Jonathan Granby, who passed for 1,773 yards, and RB C.J. Givers, who rushed for 1,471. Both are juniors. OL/DL Josh Petty (committed to Georgia Tech on Monday) and WR/DB Evan Haynes (North Carolina) are preseason all-state players. Seven of the top eight tacklers are back. This is a non-region game that means more to Fellowship because the Paladins are a Class 3A-A private team that will be seeded in the playoffs based on its won-lost record and that of its opponents. Bowdon’s class has no private-school teams and won’t use the GHSA’s new Post Season Ranking Formula.

Jefferson at Marist

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Hughes Spalding Stadium, Atlanta

Records, rankings: Jefferson (13-1 in 2023) is No. 1 in Class 3A; Marist (12-2 in 2023) is No. 3 in Class 4A.

Last meeting: Marist won 30-14 in the 2020 Class 4A championship game.

Things to know: These are 2023 semifinalists – Marist in Class 6A, Jefferson in 5A – that are playing two classes lower this season. Jefferson graduated AJC all-class player of the year Sammy Brown to Clemson while returning six starters on both sides. One is QB Gavin Markey, a 2023 GACA all-state pick who holds multiple small-college offers. He had 24 TD passes last season. DL Kelan Butler, a Power 4 Conference recruit, and PK Taylor McCall made GHSF Daily’s preseason all-state list. Another standout is OLB/S Rett Hemphill, who had more solo tackles than Brown last season. Marist was the best 2023 team assigned to Class 4A this season, according to the computer Maxwell Ratings. But the War Eagles graduated all seven of their first-team all-region players and 16 of their 22 starters. Among the six returning is QB Jack Euart, a three-year starter. Others are OL Austin Sperry, DB Trace Gaynes and LB Noah Gerrick, who got all-region recognition. Marist also returns the tradition of eight straight quarterfinal-or-better finishes and a 2020 Class 4A title.

Ware County at Appling County

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jimmy Swain Stadium, Baxley

Records, rankings: Ware County (8-4 in 2023) is No. 7 in Class 4A; Appling County (9-3 in 2023) is No. 2 in Class 2A.

Last meeting: Ware County won 20-17 in 2023.

Things to know: In the 2023 game, Appling County scored a touchdown in the final two minutes to get within three points but didn’t get the ball back. Ware County’s R.J. Boyd, who has committed to N.C. State, rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns. He’s back along with QB Luke Hooks, who passed for 1,867 yards and 22 touchdowns for the season. Four of Ware’s top tacklers return, and they include preseason all-state DE/OLB Jamar Birden. Appling graduated eight of its 13 first-team all-region players. The Pirates should be especially good at the skill spots with QB Dayson Griffson, a preseason all-state pick, and receivers Kellen Echols and Kemoni Ryals. Both teams have outstanding kicking specialists – Ware’s William Bates and Appling’s Alan Ramirez. Both schools lost 2023 second-round playoff games to lower-ranked teams last season. The 2023 Ware-Appling game was the schools’ only previous meeting in more than 30 years, though the series, which Ware County leads 19-16, dates to the 1950s.

Warner Robins at Lee County

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Trojan Field, Leesburg

Records, rankings: Warner Robins (9-4 in 2023) is No. 9 in Class 4A; Lee County (10-3 in 2023) is No. 4 in Class 5A.

Last meeting: Lee County won 26-19 in 2023.

Things to know: Both teams made state quarterfinals last season. In their 2023 game, Lee County won after trailing 16-7 at halftime. Ousmane Kromah rushed for 168 yards and scored on late runs of 36 and 25 yards. Kromah, an AJC Super 11 player, is back along with starting quarterback Weston Bryan (1,697 yards passing, 20 touchdowns) and first-team all-region offensive linemen Jace Molden and Dylan Richardson. Lee County’s seven leading tacklers graduated. DB Lasiah Jackson is a consensus top-200 junior prospect. Warner Robins graduated eight of its 10 first-team all-region players and one of the state’s premier QB-WR combos (Judd Anderson to Miami and Isiah Canion to Georgia Tech). The new quarterback is Skyler Williams, a transfer who passed for 2,511 yards at North Murray last season. DL Isaiah Gibson and DB/WR Rasean Dinkins are Georgia Power 100 players. Gibson, a Georgia commit, made AJC Super 11. This series is tied 3-3. This is the teams’ fifth meeting in five years with both teams ranked. Lee County has won 14 straight season openers.

Westlake at Hughes

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

Records, rankings: Westlake (9-3 in 2023) is No. 9 in Class 6A; Hughes (9-3 in 2023) is No. 6 in Class 5A.

Last meeting: Hughes won 31-24 in 2021.

Things to know: These south Fulton County rivals are eight miles apart, and they are some of the state’s richest training grounds for major college talent, each with about a dozen top-400 national recruits the past decade. This game features three of the Georgia Power’s 100 offensive linemen. They are Westlake’s Juan Gaston (committed to Georgia) and Hughes’ Dontrell Glover (Georgia) and Tavaris Dice (Auburn). RB Carsyn Baker (6-2, 200 pounds, with 10.65 track speed) and TE Xavier Tiller are juniors stepping into bigger roles. They are Hughes’ other top-400 national players. Star QB Air Noland is now at Ohio State. The new quarterback is Christian Langford, who passed for 2,066 yards two years ago at East Coweta and contended to become Buford’s starter last year until Dylan Raiola transferred in. Westlake returns its leading passer (Sean Smith), rusher (Tomir Bransford) and receiver (Travis Smith Jr.) but lost nine of its defensive starters. Smith, who is committed to Tennessee, and Deion Thomas are top-400 national players at receiver. Westlake is under a new coach, Morris Mitchell, promoted from defensive coordinator to replace Rico Zackery, who was hired onto East Carolina’s staff.

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