High School football Review and Preview

We've GOT to get this thing sponsored. Maybe one day...... PS, starting this Monday, Score Atlanta's Official Visit is moving to Mondays from 7-9. (I hope we don't lose too many listeners with David Pollack as our lead-in...) But be sure to tune in to our first Monday show as University of Georgia Head Coach Mark Richt will join us for a segment. That's right. Week of the Okie State game and we have Mark Richt. Yeah. Sports Radio 790 The Zone this Monday!

Now then, Georgia High School Football's grand opening for the 2009 season aka the Corky Kell Classic invaded the Georgia Dome last Saturday.
I don't really care that much about the Etowah/Starr's Mill game except that apparently Etowah's QB Braden Nolan is going to try and make me pay for not picking them to make the playoffs. He had 161 yards of offense and 2 TDs. Enh. You sir are NO Synjyn Days of Hillgrove. JUST SAYING............. Etoway won, barely. You can see why I didn't pick them to go to the playoffs, but the AP put them in the preseason top 10. I disagree. Let's move on.

Things I was right about (1 game, but I can still boast that I was/am right). Rajaan Bennett of McEachern. I thought Brookwood would win the game (they didn't) but I called Bennett the best player of that region and I said the Indians would make the playoffs. Well, McEachern's QB looked comfortable in his first start and Bennett had 4 TDs (3 rush, 1 rec). He is PERFECT for this pistol offense and his 176 yards is just a foreshadow of what he'll do against a relatively down Region this season. Bennett will start to see the offers pouring in from 2nd tier SEC and 1st tier ACC schools if they know what's good for them. Hey Kentucky, Clemson, Wake, UNC, WAKE UP!

Norcross lost to Walton. WOW. I missed that one. But it was on a missed extra point and you saw Norcross rally behind their incredible Wideout. And Delino DeShields Jr was a non-factor because he had JUST transferred to the Blue Devils. Expect him to be FLOWING by the 4th game of the season. Norcross will be better than last season. MARK SBF's word! They underachieved last season, I think they'll overachieve this season and you saw that with the comeback. Too bad a missed extra point did them in.

Finally, Grayson knocked off Camden County, the defending state champ and they did it with strong Defense. In fact, Camden's only points were off of punting mis-Qs from Grayson. You know Mickey Conn will shore that up and he has maybe the best defensive front in the upper half of the state in Shawn Green (GT is getting a good one, possibly undersized for NT, maybe an UT in college), Joe Champaign and Terry Williams. Throw in his safety headed to BYU and that Defense will take them to an undefeated regular season. Ean Pemberton made things happen and got the tough yards at the end of the game. 133 yards against Camden's defense after 1951 last season. This little giant NEEDS to be on a major college roster. 4.39 speed. You're telling me Tennessee couldn't use him as PR? At the VERY LEAST, Bill Curry, get this guy! He is so powerful yet so shifty. If he was just 4 inches taller...

Alright now for the preview portion of our program....
Byrnes SC aka the No.1 team in the Country plays Central Gwinnett. Should be a blowout, especially with TSN's No.1 player Marcus Lattimore at tailback with Chas Dodd (rutgers) at QB and Corey Miller (FSU) at DE. According to my sources, Lattimore is going to make Butch Davis really happy. Byrnes will roll.

North Gwinnett (if I had kids, they'd be bulldogs!) hosts No.5 Prattville. Yep, No.5 in the country, Prattville from Alabama comes to play NGHS and I think this might be closer than people think. While I think Prattville sneaks out with a win, the OLine of the Bulldogs will keep them in it and maybe just maybe the Dogs can spring the upset. If this game was being played in late September, I'd think NGHS would have a better shot but breaking in a new QB is trouble against the Bama power.

Southwest DeKalb (No.1 in AAAA) vs ML King (No.8 in 5A). A battle of the running backs here with Malcome v Brown. I think in this battle of zonetastic coaches (Godfrey v Jarvis) that this is SWD's year and TJ Stripling makes the play to win the game.

Newnan (#10 in 5A) v LaGrange (No.4 in 3A). The Grangers coach doesn't think his team should be a preseason top ten and Newnan's defense is TOUGH. I think Ocie Salter breaks through just enough to help LaGrange pull the upset at home.

Peachtree Ridge (No.3 in AJC poll) v Harrison. Harrison returns its QB but so does PTR (where I wish, if I had kids, they could go). PTR has fine offensive weapons and a tremendous coach. Harrison cannot compete with the Gwinnett County school that seeks to return to the state championship game.

Tucker @ Brunswick. The Tigers will find out just how much they lose when they head down to the coast. Answer...a lot!

St. Pius @ Marist. Chadwick v Standard. Cole Moon and Co won this one last season (if I remember correctly) and no reason to think he and they won't again. DUDE IS ONLY A JUNIOR!

Griffin @ Dunwoody. The Bears will be a Cooper and Scales-less Dunwoody squad. Griffin will be good again this season as I predicted yesterday.

Until next Tuesday.....(Be sure to tune in for a complete wrap up this Sunday from 2-4 on 790 and for CMR Monday from 7-9.)