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Week One Surprises
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Many people term last week’s Prep Football action zero week, with which I don’t agree. Regular season prep games began last week, so to me that means week one is behind us and we are now heading surprisingly into week two of the 2016 schedule this weekend. As is typically the case, there were upsets, surprises and many close games played last weekend as prep football fans got to watch their favorite teams play for the first time in many months.
Class 6-A defending champion Colquitt County dropped its first game in 31 tries when it lost to a very good Mill Creek team in the Georgia Dome 34-27. The Packers trailed 20-0 at the half but rebounded in the second half to serve notice to the new Class 7-A members that despite the fact they graduated 42 seniors and return only a handful of starters from last year’s team, they will be a factor in the all-new 7-AAAAAAA classification in 2016.
In other games of note, Northside-Warner Robins routed crosstown foe Warner Robins 55-3 in a shocking opener at McConnell-Talbert Stadium in the mid-state. In extreme South Georgia, in the Winnersville Classic in Valdosta, the Wildcats captured their 900th all-time win with an impressive 38-13 triumph over rival Lowndes. On the state’s coast, Class AA power Benedictine beat Class AAAAAA power Glynn Academy 24-7. In the Erk Russell Classic in Statesboro at Georgia Southern University’s Paulson Stadium, Tift County routed South Effingham 41-0, and Coffee rolled past Effingham County 41-13.
Other games of note across the State saw Jefferson County top Savannah Christian Prep, 40-7, Vidalia best Dodge County 24-20, Woodward Academy surprise Westminster 41-13, Norcross beat Walton 46-14 and Roswell down Buford 24-7.
There are many big games around the State this weekend and all seven Classifications will share in the fun. Defending Class A Public Champion Clinch County travels to Darien to meet McIntosh County Academy who has moved down from Class AA and is considered one of this year’s favorites in single A. Elbert County a new Class AA member plays area rival Washington-Wilkes, and Vidalia another Class AA top contender will host Class AAA Appling County.
In Class AAA, Cook takes on AAAAAAA Tift County in Tifton, while Liberty County meets crosstown rival Bradwell Institute. In Class AAAA, Thomson hosts Effingham County and Mary Persons heads into Jackson. Class AAAAA power Thomas County Central meets old foe and rival Thomasville and Wayne County plays at West Laurens.
In Class AAAAAA Houston County plays Peach County and Dalton is at Class AAA power, Calhoun.
Other top games find Coffee at Brunswick, Bacon County at Pierce County, Irwin County at Fitzgerald, Lee County at Bainbridge, Swainsboro at Emanuel County Institute and Jones County is at Washington County.