Weekend Preview: Top 10 games of Week 3

Cherokee Bluff at North Hall

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, The Brickyard, Gainesville

Records, rankings: Cherokee Bluff is 2-0 and No. 8 in Class 3A; North Hall is 1-0 and No. 6 in 3A.

Last meeting: Cherokee Bluff won 38-13 in 2024.

Things to know: Both teams reached the Class 3A quarterfinals last season. They are the two highest-ranked Hall County Schools teams among the seven this season in the computer Maxwell Ratings. Cherokee Bluff won last year’s game easily on the power of two 100-yard rushers (Connor Griffin with 103 and Jackson Pirkle with 101). Pirkle is back. He has rushed for 164 yards in two wins. Malcolm Millsap has 152 receiving yards. Cooper Dean has passed for 202 yards. Cherokee Bluff’s only losses last season were to Class 3A runner-up Jefferson. Cherokee Bluff graduated 11 first-team all-region players but returned six, five who were sophomores. North Hall returned 13 of its 18 all-region players and now holds its highest AJC ranking since 2013. In the Trojans’ lone game this season, a 41-7 victory over Wesleyan, Alex Schlieman was 13-of-23 passing for 220 yards and three touchdowns. Wyatt Tumlin rushed for 221 yards on 10 carries and scored on a 99-yard run. Tumlin had never played organized football until he was a sophomore. Cole Cable, perhaps the team’s best player, had 13 TD receptions in 2024.

Colquitt County at North Gwinnett

When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, Tom Robinson Memorial Stadium, Suwanee

Records, rankings: Colquitt County is 1-0 and No. 5 in Class 6A; North Gwinnett is 0-1 and No. 8 in 6A.

Last meeting: North Gwinnett won 14-3 in 2024.

Things to know: This is the lone game this week between top-10 Class 6A teams. Colquitt County leads the series 5-3. With this game, the series will become the most commonly played in history between a South Georgia school and a Metro Atlanta school in the highest classification. Colquitt also played Brookwood and Parkview eight times each. In the 2024 game, North Gwinnett drove 93 yards for a touchdown on the opening possession, then became the first team since 2017 to hold Colquitt County without a touchdown. Brett Fitzgerald, now at Florida State, kicked a 25-yard field goal, which is significant because Colquitt County is on the verge of setting a state record for consecutive games without being shut out. Fitzgerald (the team, not the kicker) holds the record with 227 games. Colquitt stands at 223. North Gwinnett and Colquitt were off last week. North Gwinnett lost its opener to No. 3 Douglas County 21-7. Jake Godfree, an all-state linebacker and top-400 national junior prospect, had 3.5 tackles for losses and scored North Gwinnett’s touchdown. The Bulldogs are still sorting out a replacement for all-state quarterback Ryan Hall. Elam Rahman and Banks Halcomb alternated in the opener as North Gwinnett passed for only 71 yards. Colquitt County beat Benedictine 27-24. Josh Scroggins, playing his first football game, kicked a 37-yard field goal on the game’s final play. Sophomore QB Cohen Lawson was 10-of-20 passing for 205 yards. Jae Lamar, a running back committed to Georgia, was injured but is expected to play this week.

Cook at Brooks County

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Veterans Stadium, Quitman

Records, rankings: Cook is 2-0 and No. 10 in Class 2A; Brooks County is 0-1 and No. 4 in A Division II.

Last meeting: Brooks County won 45-14 in 2024.

Things to know: This is the only game between top-10 teams scheduled for South Georgia this week. Both were ranked with the same records last season when Brooks sent Cook spiraling on a five-game losing streak. Cook finished 3-8 (amended to 4-7 after a forfeit by Appling County), but five losses came against current or eventual top-10 teams that season. This year’s Cook team is inspired by the work of a freshman running back, Dawson Davis, who rushed for 106 and 110 yards in decisive victories over Berrien and Bainbridge. The 29-6 and 22-6 scores and 12 points allowed represent the best start defensively since 2012. Cook will be tested by Brooks all-state WR George Lamons, who had only three receptions in the 2024 game – but for 153 yards and three touchdowns. Lamons is a top-100 national junior prospect. QB Junior Burrus, now a senior, passed for 268 yards in the 2024 game. Brooks County lost its opener to Thomasville, the No. 3 Class A Division I team, 35-7. Missing graduated 1,000-yard rusher Chris Cole, Brooks was held to 7 rushing yards. Brooks County suffered a similar opening-game rout last year and finished as Class A Division II runner-up.

Hebron Christian at McCallie (Tenn.)

When, where: 7 p.m. Friday, Spears Stadium, Chattanooga, Tennessee

Records, rankings: Hebron Christian is 2-0 and No. 2 in Class 3A-A Private; McCallie is 1-0 and No. 59 nationally in the High School America poll.

Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Things to know: Hebron Christian in Georgia’s reigning Class 3A-A Private champion. McCallie has won Tennessee’s Division II-AAA five of the past six seasons and is ranked as Tennessee’s No. 1 team in all classes by MaxPreps. Hebron is Georgia’s No. 46 overall team in the Maxwell Ratings. McCallie has won six consecutive games against Georgia teams (2022-23 vs. Woodward Academy, 2020-21 vs. Calhoun, 2018-19 vs. West Forsyth). The most recent Georgia team to beat the Blue Tornado was Blessed Trinity’s 2017 Class 3A championship team that also defeated Cartersville in Trevor Lawrence’s last game. McCallie’s highest-rated player is Keeyshawn Tabuteau, who is committed to Vanderbilt, but another wide receiver, freshman Levi Scott III, was the star of McCallie’s 56-20 victory over Lipscomb Academy in the season opener. Scott had four receptions for 156 yards. Hebron has beaten North Atlanta 26-20 on a goal-line stand in the final minute and Fellowship Christian 45-29. Devon Caldwell (Mercer) rushed for 127 and 328 yards in those games.

Kell at Sequoyah

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Skip Pope Stadium, Canton

Records, rankings: Kell is 2-0 and No. 9 in Class 4A; Sequoyah is 2-0 and No. 9 in 5A.

Last meeting: Sequoyah won 24-21 in 2024.

Things to know: Kell leads the series 3-2. This is the first time the teams have played when both were ranked. In the 2024 game, Will Rajecki rushed for 124 yards and threw a 43-yard TD pass on a trick play to Paul Przybykel to open the second half and forge a 21-21 tie. Caleb McClure kicked a 47-yard field goal with 9:03 left that held up as the game-winner. Rajecki, committed to Memphis, went on to produce more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage last season. In two wins this year, he’s rushed for 272 yards and four touchdowns and caught six passes for 102 yards. Kolby Martin is 23-of-35 passing for 383 yards. Kell is among the classification’s most talented teams, per college evaluators. Moonie Gipson is an uncommitted top-200 national prospect. College-committed Kell players are LB/TE Brayden Rouse (Tennessee), DB Jowell Combay (Tennessee), TE Nathan Agyemang (Georgia Tech), DB Tony Forney (Missouri), DB Jalen Williams (Arizona State) and LB Michael Domanik (Charlotte). Gipson rushed for 1,683 yards last season. He has run for 317 in two wins this season. He and Sequoyah’s Rajecki were the two first-team preseason all-state running backs.

Prince Avenue Christian at Blessed Trinity

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Blessed Trinity Stadium, Roswell

Records, rankings: Prince Avenue Christian is 2-0 and No. 1 in Class 3A-A Private; Blessed Trinity is 2-0 and No. 3 in 4A.

Last meeting: Blessed Trinity won 23-21 in 2024.

Things to know: Blessed Trinity won the 2024 game on Noah Godhard’s 29-yard field goal with 1:30 left. Ahmontae Pitts, now a senior, rushed for 109 yards and caught a 77-yard TD pass. D.J. Jacobs, now a junior five-star prospect, had three tackles for losses. Pitts has rushed for 195 yards and five touchdowns on 22 carries this season in Blessed Trinity’s victories over Tri-Cities and Holy Innocents’. Blessed Trinity has passed for only 123 yards. Last year’s quarterback, Brooks Goodman, graduated early and is now at Cincinnati. Prince Avenue’s offense is well-balanced under first-year coach Jon Richt. Ben Musser has thrown for 470 yards and five touchdowns. Andrew Beard has rushed for 256 yards and four touchdowns. Both were first-team preseason all-state choices. Prince Avenue has beaten Callaway and Westside of Macon, scoring 40 or more points in each game. Prince Avenue has not lost to a team in consecutive seasons since 2018-19 (Athens Academy).

Roswell at Walton

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Raider Valley, Marietta

Records, rankings: Roswell is 1-0 and No. 6 in Class 5A; Walton is 1-1 and unranked in 6A.

Last meeting: Roswell won 42-32 in 2024.

Things to know: Roswell has a new coach, Jonathan Thompson, who found the cupboard in decent shape upon the departure of Chris Prewett, now Dalton’s coach. Thompson was Lee County's offensive coordinator in 2024 when Lee scored 543 points in the regular season, the fourth-most in GHSA history, and 717 overall, seventh-most in history. He's now mentoring Roswell dual-threat Trey Smith, who passed for 163 yards and rushed for 112 in the 2024 victory over Walton. Smith passed for 2,493 yards and rushed for 875 yards with 41 total touchdowns last season. Roswell opened with a 45-17 victory over Peachtree Ridge. Smith passed for 202 yards and rushed for 102. Nick Peal rushed for 146 yards and had 73 receiving yards. Walton lost to McEachern 50-17 but beat Lambert 27-17 last week. Walton’s quarterback is a sophomore, Christion Peacock, who has thrown for 353 yards. The leading receiver is his freshman brother, Jordan Peacock, with 13 catches for 106 yards. Walton LB Noah Lavallee is committed to Florida State. Roswell leads the series 18-17. It began in 1976, when Walton opened. They often play as region opponents as the schools are eight miles apart.

Sandy Creek at LaGrange

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Callaway Stadium, LaGrange

Records, rankings: Sandy Creek is 2-0 overall, 0-0 in Region 2-3A and No. 3; LaGrange is 2-0, 0-0 and No. 5.

Last meeting: LaGrange won 38-22 in the second round of the 2024 Class 3A playoffs.

Things to know: These teams played twice last season. Sandy Creek won 27-7 in the regular season in a game that decided the region title. LaGrange won 38-22 in the Class 3A playoffs and went on to reach the semifinals, living up to the team’s No. 3 preseason ranking. The difference in the two games was LaGrange’s Malachi Fannin-Render, who was injured in the first but rushed for 224 yards and three touchdowns in the second. He’s now at Liberty. LaGrange’s offense this season centers more around dual-threat QB Dylan Barber, who is 12-of-22 passing for 175 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 252 yards and a touchdown. He has rushed for more than 100 yards in decisive victories over Cass and Early County. Sandy Creek’s top player is Amari Latimer, who is committed to Wisconsin. He has rushed for 172 and 167 yards in victories over East Coweta and McIntosh. He rushed for 194 against LaGrange in the regular season last year but was held to 30 on nine carries in the playoffs. Sandy Creek QB Caleb Hill is 28-of-41 passing for 433 yards and three touchdowns. He has rushed for 64 yards and two touchdowns. Sandy Creek has three defensive players committed to Division I schools. They are DE Evan Harvey (Memphis), DB Dana Crenshaw (Purdue) and DB Chase Usher (Charlotte). DB Corey Hadley is a top-100 national junior prospect.

Swainsboro at Metter

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tiger Stadium/The Jungle, Metter

Records, rankings: Swainsboro is 2-0 and No. 8 in Class A Division I; Metter is 1-0 and No. 5 in A Division II.

Last meeting: Swainsboro won 37-14 in 2024.

Things to know: These southeast Georgia teams first played in 1925, and Swainsboro has won 23 of 31 meetings. Swainsboro dominated the 2024 game with 398 rushing yards and two 100-yard rushers, but the outcome did not foretell each team’s season. Metter won nine straight from there and lost to eventual champion Bowdon in the Class A Division II second round. Swainsboro finished 3-8 with five losses to top-10 teams (one overturned by forfeit for a final 4-7 ledger). Swainsboro averaged 12 wins from 2021 to 2023 and believes 2024 was an aberration. In this season's opener, Swainsboro beat then-No. 5 Dublin 15-14 with a touchdown in the final minute after trailing 14-0 midway through the fourth quarter. Swainsboro is primarily a running team with four backs with more than 50 yards rushing. Sophomore QB Joshua Gray has thrown for 242 yards, most of that on TD passes of 89 and 62 yards. Metter’s best player is all-state QB Michael Ricks, who rushed for 97 yards and passed for 101 in the opening 21-19 victory over Tattnall County. Tattnall missed a 31-yard field goal in the final minute. Ricks rushed and passed for more than 1,000 yards last season and rushed for 128 yards against Swainsboro last year.

Thompson (Ala.) at Grayson

When, where: 6 p.m. Friday, Grayson Community Stadium, Loganville

Records, rankings: Thompson is 1-0 and No. 12 nationally in the SBLive/Sports Illustrated and Blue Star Media polls; Grayson is 2-0 and No. 1 in Class 6A.

Last meeting: Grayson won 15-14 in 2024.

Things to know: Grayson is Georgia’ defending Class 6A champion and the school with the most state titles (four) in the highest class this century. Thompson has won Alabama’s highest class, 7A, five of the past six seasons. Thompson is from Alabaster, about 20 miles south of Birmingham. Grayson won the 2024 game in overtime with a two-point conversion run from the wildcat formation. Grayson led 299-183 in total yards. Thompson’s best player is junior quarterback Trent Seaborn, an uncommitted top-300 national recruit. He passed for 288 yards and three touchdowns in Thompson’s lone game, a victory over Carver of Montgomery. Grayson will have the edge in prospects, as 10 juniors and seniors have major Division I offers. Two of them, linebackers Tyler Atkinson (Texas) and Anthony Davis (Ole Miss), have not played the first two games with what are believed to be minor injuries. QB Travis Burgess (North Carolina) has thrown for 329 yards. Grayson has averaged 335 rushing yards in wins over Collins Hill and Rabun Gap. Brandon Gray has rushed for 201 yards. Ashton Turner has run for 155. Burgess has 101 rushing yards.