Saye It Ain’t So: Surprising and notable results from Week 2
1. Upsets rule in 2-4A: Region play began with a bang in 2-4A as three of the five games produced upsets, according to the computer Maxwell Ratings. Woodland of Stockbridge recorded the state’s biggest upset when it beat 28-point favorite Jones County 20-16. Locust Grove beat 18-point favorite Ola 21-6, and Hampton beat 16-point favorite Stockbridge 28-27. Stockbridge, Ola and Jones County were the top three teams in the region last year (not counting forfeits after the season by Stockbridge).
2. South Cobb 28, Banneker 6: South Cobb ended a 32-game losing streak with a victory over 21-point favorite Banneker, which won last year’s matchup 34-10. The victory was South Cobb’s first since beating Wheeler 19-13 in overtime in the next-to-last game of the 2021 season. The Eagles were 0-10 the past three seasons and lost to South Forsyth in Week 1.
3. Newnan 60, East Coweta 56: Newnan ended a six-game losing streak against five-point favorite East Coweta with a victory in the highest-scoring game in the 34-game history of the series. Newnan trailed 49-24 in the third quarter. Newnan has averaged 57 points per game in victories over Greater Atlanta Christian and East Coweta after scoring 48 points total against the two teams last year.
4. Norcross 45, Mill Creek 28: Norcross beat 12-point favorite Mill Creek for just the second time in the past 10 meetings in a series that Norcross leads 10-8. The victory helped Norcross earn a spot in this week’s Class 6A top 10 and knocked Mill Creek out. Norcross, in its first season under head coach Corey Richardson, is 2-0 for the first time since 2020.
5. Riverside Prep 36, Cross Keys: Both teams carried 35-game losing streaks into Friday’s game. Riverside Prep, a GIAA member, ended its slump, winning for the first time since Sept. 3, 2021. Cross Keys, a 14-point underdog, now sits at 36 consecutive losses, the third-longest active streak in the state. Jordan has the current longest streak at 46.
Worth noting: Baldwin, a six-point underdog, ended a 14-game losing streak against of Northside of Warner Robins with an 18-13 victory. Baldwin lost to Perry 46-18 in its opener. Northside has lost 10 consecutive games, the longest losing streak in school history. … Hawkinsville ended a four-game losing streak against 10-point favorite Schley County with a 34-23 victory. Hawkinsville is 2-0 for the first time since 2016. Schley County won 47-23 last year. … Lassiter is 2-0 for the first time since 2017 after a 35-24 victory over Alexander, a nine-point favorite. Alexander won last year’s matchup 15-14. Lassiter’s 79 points through two games are more than half of the 151 it scored all last season. … Pepperell defeated 14-point favorite Adairsville 31-17, avenging a 31-14 loss from last year. Adairsville had won three consecutive games in the series, but Pepperell now holds a 14-11-1 lead since the teams started playing in 1970. … Towers is 2-0 for the first time since 2013 after a 41-0 victory over Copper Basin of Tennessee. The Titans beat Heritage of Newnan in the season opener. Towers has yet to face a GHSA opponent but gets its chance this week against Landmark Christian, which is 2-0 for the first time since 2016.