Georgia News

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NationalHSFB.com

(Top 25)

11. (10) Buford

12. (11) Colquitt County

18. (19) Walton

25. (NR) Mill Creek

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@Ga96 

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Class 7A Rankings

1. (1) Buford (5-0)

Last week: Beat Marietta 30-3. Dylan Raiola was 11-of-15 passing for 229 yards and two touchdowns, both to K.J. Bolden. Buford led 23-3 at halftime. Next: Friday at Collins Hill (1-4)

2. (3) Mill Creek (5-0)

Last week: Beat Parkview 30-20. Shane Throgmartin threw a 47-yard TD pass to Trajen Greco with about two minutes left to clinch the victory. Cam Robinson rushed for 184 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. Brady Lane kicked three field goals, one from 46 yards. Next: Friday at Central Gwinnett (2-3)

3. (4) Walton (4-0)

Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. North Paulding (5-0)

4. (2) Colquitt County (5-0)

Last week: Beat Cedar Grove 50-42. Colquitt County led 36-7 late in the first half, then held on as Cedar Grove got within eight points twice in the fourth quarter. Neko Fann was 15-of-24 passing for 255 yards and two touchdowns. Ny Carr had four receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown. Next: Friday vs. Lincoln, Fla. (4-0)

5. (5) Carrollton (5-1)

Last week: Beat Hillgrove 49-0. Carrollton led 42-0 at halftime. Kimauri Farmer rushed for 132 yards on 15 carries and scored two touchdowns. Ju Ju Lewis was 9-of-17 passing for 130 yards and four touchdowns. Next: Oct. 6 vs. East Coweta (5-1)

6. (7) Newton (5-0)

Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Grayson (4-1)

7. (10) Grayson (4-1)

Last week: Beat Lowndes 40-0. Grayson led 33-0 at halftime. J.D. Davis was 21-of-25 passing for 237 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown. Next: Friday vs. Newton (5-0)

8. (6) Parkview (4-1)

Last week: Lost to Mill Creek 30-20. Trelain Maddox rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries and had two receptions for 61 yards. Jaiden Jenkins was 14-of-27 passing for 192 yards and a touchdown. Parkview was within 23-20 until the final two minutes. Next: Friday at South Gwinnett (4-1)

9. (NR) Westlake (5-1)

Last week: Beat Collins Hill 42-7. Tomir Bransford rushed for 158 yards, and Miles Davis ran for 130. Travis Smith had four receptions for 90 yards and two touchdowns. Next: Oct. 6 vs. Pebblebrook (2-4)

10. (NR) North Cobb (3-2)

Last week: Beat Milton 42-27. David Eziomume rushed for 325 yards and four touchdowns, and his TD runs of 55 and 44 yards put North Cobb up 39-24 and 35-24 in the third quarter. North Cobb led Milton 408-69 in rushing. Next: Oct. 6 vs. Walton (4-0)

Out: No. 8 Milton (3-2), No. 9 Valdosta (4-2)

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Tift County coach to resign after season

Tift County football coach Noel Dean announced Monday that he will finish the season but won’t return as the Blue Devils’ coach.

 

Dean’s announcement comes less than a week after the Tift County school board placed superintendent Adam Hathaway and high school principal Chad Stone on administrative leave for unrelated reasons, according to the Tifton Gazette. Their suspensions came in a tense meeting during which community members expressed concern about the football team and Dean, whom Hathaway hired.

 

“I hope this announcement can bring an end to the drama and distractions that have enveloped our program in recent weeks, allowing our coaches and players to regain their singular focus on the task at hand for the remainder of the season,” Dean said Monday in a statement.

 

Dean, hired in 2021, is a member of the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He won Michigan state titles in 2002, 2004 and 2009 at Lowell High.

 

Dean’s first Tift County team finished 6-5, a four-win improvement from the previous season, but Tift is 2-13 since.

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[Sportsnut]

18 hours ago, GardenStateBaller said:

Are you not sold on Newton or do you not realize the talent in that area? I understand if you are naive on this one but beware of Newton.

I think they would beat half your top 25 handily.

[GardenStateBaller]

1 minute ago, Sportsnut said:

Are you not sold on Newton or do you not realize the talent in that area? I understand if you are naive on this one but beware of Newton.

I think they would beat half your top 25 handily.

Low SOS of 27.1, no OOS games/wins, opponents have a combined record of 13-14 as of today. If they make it to the 7A semis, then I'll be a believer. 

[Sportsnut]

14 minutes ago, GardenStateBaller said:

Low SOS of 27.1, no OOS games/wins, opponents have a combined record of 13-14 as of today. If they make it to the 7A semis, then I'll be a believer. 

Friday when they travel to Grayson and come out with a win.....maybe then your view will change. It is not about who you played but about how up match up with them, position by position.

Different coaching philosophy I guess.

[GardenStateBaller]

23 minutes ago, Sportsnut said:

Friday when they travel to Grayson and come out with a win.....maybe then your view will change. It is not about who you played but about how up match up with them, position by position.

Different coaching philosophy I guess.

Grayson is ranked behind them so they should beat the Rams. 

[Sportsnut]

8 minutes ago, GardenStateBaller said:

Grayson is ranked behind them so they should beat the Rams. 

Not in the poll above, unless I forgot how to spell Newton....and I don't think I did. 

By the way......they are both Rams.

[GardenStateBaller]

5 hours ago, GardenStateBaller said:

@Sportsnut 

[Sportsnut]

3 hours ago, GardenStateBaller said:

@Sportsnut 

I am aware of the comp. poll. It is the only one that matters in Georgia.

I am referring to the top 25 4A-7A above, in color. Is that your poll? Newton is not ranked in that poll but Grayson is.

[Sportsnut]

5 hours ago, GardenStateBaller said:

Grayson is ranked behind them so they should beat the Rams. 

You would bet the farm, given the right odds?

[GardenStateBaller]

2 hours ago, Sportsnut said:

I am aware of the comp. poll. It is the only one that matters in Georgia.

I am referring to the top 25 4A-7A above, in color. Is that your poll? Newton is not ranked in that poll but Grayson is.

That is the ITG Next Poll. Neither team is ranked in our poll below.

[Sportsnut]

10 hours ago, GardenStateBaller said:

That is the ITG Next Poll. Neither team is ranked in our poll below.

ITG is mainly a south Georgia publication and has a knack for covering its area, not northern schools.  It does give some insight to the "name game" schools in north Georgia but not enough to truly know a team.

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Newton at Grayson

 

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Grayson Community Stadium, Loganville

Records, rankings: Newton is 5-0 overall, 0-0 in Region 4-7A and No. 6; Grayson is 4-1, 0-0 and No. 7.

Last meeting: Grayson won 26-0 in 2022.

Things to know: These are two of the three top-10 teams in Region 4-7A. No. 8 Parkview is the other. All three have first-year coaches. In this game, it’s Newton’s Josh Skelton and Grayson’s Santavious Bryant. Newton has its highest ranking since 1964, and this is Newton’s first game between top-10 teams since 2016 vs. Lowndes. Newton got here on the strength of a 27-12 victory over then-No. 8 Westlake and its defense, which is giving up a Class 7A-best 5.2 points per game. Newton’s Zion Johnson has rushed for 771 yards, second-most in Class 7A. Grayson has won four consecutive games after a season-opening loss to Walton 49-27. Grayson beat Lowndes 40-0 last week. Jeff Davis passed for 251 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 70 yards. He has thrown for 1,198 yards on the season, third-most in 7A. In the 2022 game between these two, Grayson led only 3-0 at halftime and put the game away with two fourth-quarter touchdowns. Grayson is 7-0 all-time against Newton. Newton and Grayson are two of four GHSA teams named Rams. Arabia Mountain and

[Sportsnut]

2 hours ago, GardenStateBaller said:

Newton at Grayson

 

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Grayson Community Stadium, Loganville

Records, rankings: Newton is 5-0 overall, 0-0 in Region 4-7A and No. 6; Grayson is 4-1, 0-0 and No. 7.

Last meeting: Grayson won 26-0 in 2022.

Things to know: These are two of the three top-10 teams in Region 4-7A. No. 8 Parkview is the other. All three have first-year coaches. In this game, it’s Newton’s Josh Skelton and Grayson’s Santavious Bryant. Newton has its highest ranking since 1964, and this is Newton’s first game between top-10 teams since 2016 vs. Lowndes. Newton got here on the strength of a 27-12 victory over then-No. 8 Westlake and its defense, which is giving up a Class 7A-best 5.2 points per game. Newton’s Zion Johnson has rushed for 771 yards, second-most in Class 7A. Grayson has won four consecutive games after a season-opening loss to Walton 49-27. Grayson beat Lowndes 40-0 last week. Jeff Davis passed for 251 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 70 yards. He has thrown for 1,198 yards on the season, third-most in 7A. In the 2022 game between these two, Grayson led only 3-0 at halftime and put the game away with two fourth-quarter touchdowns. Grayson is 7-0 all-time against Newton. Newton and Grayson are two of four GHSA teams named Rams. Arabia Mountain and

and Worth County.

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NationalHSFB.com

(Top 25)

11. (11) Buford

12. (12) Colquitt County

18. (18) Walton

23. (25) Mill Creek

[Sportsnut]

Varsity Football Friday 09.29.2023 12:00 AM

Newton

(6-0)

31

Grayson

(4-2)

27

FINAL

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Class 7A

1. (1) Buford (6-0)

Last week: Beat Collins Hill 43-0. K.J. Bolden scored on a 68-yard run and a 63-yard pass. Dylan Raiola was 11-of-17 passing for 276 yards and four touchdowns. Deronte Broughton had three receptions for 116 yards. Next: Oct. 13 at Mill Creek (6-0)

2. (2) Mill Creek (6-0)

Last week: Beat Central Gwinnett 47-7. Mill Creek led 40-0 at halftime. Shane Throgmartin was 8-of-9 passing for 148 yards and two touchdowns. Next: Oct. 13 vs. Buford (6-0)

3. (3) Walton (5-0)

Last week: Beat North Paulding 44-24. Jeremy Hecklinski was 23-of-43 passing for 375 yards and four touchdowns. Cameron Loyd had seven receptions for 147 yards and a touchdown. Hunter Teal had seven receptions for 122 yards and two touchdowns. Walton led only 17-14 at halftime after allowing TD passes of 83 and 50 yards. Next: Friday at North Cobb (3-2)

4. (4) Colquitt County (6-0)

Last week: Beat Lincoln, Fla., 56-16. Colquitt County led 49-9 at halftime against MaxPreps’ No. 29 team overall team in Florida. Neko Fann passed for 246 yards. Ny Carr had two TD receptions, giving him a school-record 34 for his career. Jah’Boris Fuller returned a punt for a touchdown. Next: Oct. 13 at Camden County (5-1)

5. (6) Newton (6-0)

Last week: Beat Grayson 31-27. Newton came from 27-10 down in the fourth quarter to win as Deron Benson threw a 32-yard TD pass to Keon Davis with 2:47 left for the game-winner. Marcus Calwise threw a 79-yard halfback pass to Malik Brightwell for the first score in the comeback. Benson was 19-of-41 passing for 283 yards and two touchdowns. Zion Johnson rushed for 116 yards. Marcus Calwise (120) and Malik Brightwell (1-2) each had more than 100 yards receiving. Next: Oct. 13 at Brookwood (3-3)

6. (5) Carrollton (5-1)

Last week: Off. Next: Friday at East Coweta (5-1)

7. (8) Parkview (5-1)

Last week: Beat South Gwinnett 34-20. Mike Matthews had seven receptions for 136 yards and three touchdowns, one a 72-yarder that gave Parkview a 20-0 lead in the second quarter. Parkview quarterbacks Jaiden Jenkins and Cooper Frank threw five TD passes. Next: Oct. 13 vs. Archer (3-3)

8. (7) Grayson (4-2)

Last week: Lost to Newton 31-27. Grayson failed to hold a 27-10 lead in the fourth quarter and passed incomplete into the end zone from the Newton 10 in the final minute. Elijah Miller rushed for 104 yards. Next: Oct. 13 vs. South Gwinnett (4-2)

9. (9) Westlake (5-1)

Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Pebblebrook (2-4)

10. (10) North Cobb (3-2)

Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Walton (5-0)

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GHSA approves private playoffs, NIL

The GHSA’s executive committee on Monday approved NIL deals for high school athletes and a plan that will have private schools in classes 3A, 2A and A competing in private-only state playoffs beginning in 2024-25. Both were expected.

The NIL plan passed 66-9

NIL deals cannot be linked to a specific achievement or performance, and athletes won’t be allowed to use their schools’ name, logos or uniforms or other intellectual property.

Schools or school representatives may not use NIL deals to entice an athlete to enroll.

The 3A/A private division plan, passed 53-18-4, would keep public and private schools together during region play in the regular season but separate them for the playoffs and seed teams bases on an undefined power rating.

The GHSA had agreed earlier this year to reduce the number of classifications to seven from eight, but the 3A/A private division will bring the number of state champions in fully classified sports back to eight.

There will be public champions in 3A, 2A, A Division I and A Division II. Larger private schools will continue to compete with public schools in 4A, 5A and 6A.

Another proposal approved Monday is one that will keep private schools out of Class A Division II, which will comprise the smallest 50 football-playing schools.

The highest class, which will be 6A, will have the largest 14% of GHSA members, which could come to more than 60. There are only 45 schools in the current 7A

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Lowndes at Valdosta

 

When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, Cleveland Field at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium

Records, rankings: Lowndes is 3-2 overall, 0-0 in Region 1-7A and unranked; Valdosta is 4-2, 0-0 and unranked.

Last meeting: Valdosta won 13-6 in 2022.

Things to watch: This will be these teams’ first meeting since 2015, and only the fourth in history, in which neither team is ranked in some poll. Valdosta leads the storied rivalry 38-23, played since 1968, and ended a five-game losing streak against Lowndes last season before a crowd of more than 10,000 at Martin Stadium. Ahmad Denson scored on an 80-yard run late in the first quarter for a 13-3 lead. Both teams had fewer than 200 total yards. This season, both teams have lost twice. Valdosta has lost to Massillon (Ohio) and McEachern. Lowndes has lost to East Coweta and Grayson. Valdosta’s most exciting player is Prince Jean (320 yards rushing, 317 receiving and 118 passing). Eric Brantley, a defensive lineman committed to Colorado, has 22 tackles for losses. Lowndes’ top offensive weapons are Jacarre Fleming (432 yards rushing) and Marvis Parrish (485 passing). Although the championship of each other is what’s most important, a region victory is significant. Although just a five-team region that qualifies four playoff teams, the computer Maxwell Ratings currently have Lowndes as the fifth-highest-rated team. The Vikings haven’t missed the playoffs since 2014.