Class 5A state championship contenders, the Stephenson Jaguars and the Creekside Seminoles, meet for the first time ever this Friday night in the week four edition of Football Fridays in Georgia on GPB. Fifth-ranked Stephenson is 2-1 on the season while defending GHSA champion and third-ranked Creekside is 3-1.

The game will feature two four-star prospects in the Jaguars’ Chauncey Rivers and Khalil Ladler plus the Seminoles’ Jayson Stanley who unfortunately will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury. Both Rivers and Stanley are committed to the Georgia Bulldogs. Rivers is the 247 Sports Composite rankings #10 DE in the nation while Stanley is the country’s #26 WR. Ladler is one of the nation’s top juniors and the #9 ranked CB in the country in the class of 2016. Ladler’s offer list includes most of the heavyweights in the Southeast such as Georgia, Georgia Tech, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, LSU, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vandy (where his brother Kenny was a standout safety).

Creekside has won 18 of their 19 games under second year Head Coach Olten Downs including the 5A state championship last season with a 52-28 victory over Tucker. It was the first state title and 15-0 season in Seminoles’ history. Creekside’s winning streak was snapped this season at 16 games after losing to Hughes 21-20. The Seminoles have since won two straight and are coming off a 41-0 rout of Druid Hills.

Stephenson is in its 19th season under Head Coach Ron Gartrell, the only coach in program history with a record of 155-57 at Stone Mountain. The Jaguars are coming off a 47-6 rout of Banneker after a 21-20 loss to perennial national power Miami Central. Stephenson has qualified for the state playoffs in 14 consecutive seasons but has not advanced beyond the second round since going 10-3 in 2006.

Other top prospects to watch Friday night: Stephenson’s 3-star WR Dexter Neal who’s committed to South Carolina, 3-star WR Nick Lundie who is committed to Nebraska and 3-star WR Isaiah Zuber who is committed to Kansas State. Top recruits for Creekside include Auburn 3-star OG commit Marquel Harrell, 3-star OT Venzell Boulware who is committed to Tennessee and 3-star safety Joshua Moon whose offers include North Carolina, Syracuse and Georgia Southern.

It will be another great Football Friday in Georgia live from Arrowhead Stadium in Fairburn. Join me, Larry Smith, Jon Nelson and Grace Olson on the game call starting at 7:30 pm. This game will air live on GPB.org and will replay in its entirety at 10:00 p.m.

Be sure to tune in!