Top 10 high school football games this week

Bainbridge at Cairo

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, West Thomas Stadium, Cairo

Records, rankings: Bainbridge is 1-0 and No. 1 in Class AAAAA; Cairois 1-0 and No. 6 in AAAA.

Last meeting: Bainbridge won 15-7 in 2018.

Things to know: This will be the 75th meeting between these southwest Georgia rivals. Bainbridge has won four of the past five against Cairo, but the Syrupmakers still lead the series 35-32-7. Both teams had key offensive players transfer in the offseason - Bainbridge's leading rusher Caleb McDowell (964 yards) left for Lee County, and Cairo QB Ronnie Baker (803 yards passing) went to Thomasville - but both have plenty of weapons returning. Bainbridge returns RB Rashad Broadnax and QB Quayde Hawkins. Broadnax rushed for 668 yards last season and had 100 yards and three touchdowns on 10 carries in a 47-7 victory over Seminole County last week. Hawkins was 9-of-12 passing for 194 yards and two TDs in that game. He averaged 113 yards per game last season. Cairo turned the offense back over to senior QB Robert Matthew Peters, who started and threw for more than 1,000 yards as a sophomore but was limited by injuries in 2018. He ran for 156 yards, passed for 126 and had a hand in four touchdowns in a 45-21 victory against Thomasville last week. Tay Solomon, the Syrupmakers' leading rusher in 2018 with 778 yards, ran for 97 yards on 17 carries.

Central (Phenix City, Ala.) at Cedar Grove 

When, where: 8 p.m. Saturday, Lakewood Stadium, Atlanta

Records, rankings: Central is 0-1 and No. 2 in Alabama's Class 7A (MaxPreps); Cedar Grove is 1-0 and No. 2 in AAA.

Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.

Things to know: This game is part of a Saturday tripleheader at Lakewood Stadium matching Alabama and Georgia schools in the Cam Newton C1N Classic. Other games include Griffin against Fairfield (Birmingham) at 2 p.m. and Mays against Carver (Montgomery) at 5 p.m. Central went 14-0 (including a 42-18 victory against Mays) last season and won Alabama's Class 7A championship. The Red Devils had their winning streak broken last week by 2017 state champion Hoover, which rallied from a 14-0 halftime deficit and kicked a 30-yard field goal on the final play of the game to win 17-14. Central has five players ranked among the top 50 seniors in Alabama. The most notable are two four-star recruits, WR E.J. Williams (No. 4, committed to Clemson) and OT Javion Cohen (No. 15, Auburn). Cedar Grove senior Chavon Wright, who ran for 438 yards on 51 carries last year in the shadow of then-senior Robert Jones, stepped up in the Saints' 26-16 victory over Hapeville Charter last week. Wright rushed for 135 yards and two TDs on 25 carries. Junior QB Austin Smith was 10-of-15 for 175 yards and a touchdown, and Janiran Bonner had four receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown.

Fitzgerald at Irwin County 

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Indian Field, Ocilla

Records, rankings: Fitzgerald is 1-0 and No. 3 in Class AA; Irwin County is 1-0 and No. 2 in Class A public.

Last meeting: Irwin County won 16-10 in 2018.

Things to know: Irwin County beat Fitzgerald last season for the first time since 1999, breaking an 0-17-1 drought. Irwin held Fitzgerald to 175 yards of total offense. Both teams won easily last week. For Irwin, Zach Smith was 8-of-10 passing for 171 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-7 victory over Berrien. The varsity allowed only 51 yards of total offense and no points before being pulled. Irwin's all-state running back, D.J. Lundy, missed the game with a knee injury and won't return for several weeks. Fitzgerald QB Rashad Davis was 6-of-7 passing for 69 yards and rushed for 33 yards on four carries in limited work last week in a 46-3 win over Bacon County. Fitzgerald's strength is in defensive linemen Maucarie Holmes (6-2, 260), Tony Duffie (6-0, 340) and Dequavion Harper (5-11, 240). Irwin coach Buddy Nobles was a Fitzgerald assistant from 2007 to 2011, and his son Kaleb was an all-state quarterback for Fitzgerald.

Marist at Lovett 

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Martin E. Kilpatrick Stadium, Atlanta

Records, rankings: Marist is 0-0 and No. 4 in Class AAAA; Lovett is 1-0 and No. 5 in AAA.

Last meeting: Marist won 40-20 in 2018.

Things to know: Marist leads the series 5-2. Lovett won in 2013 and 2016, both in two overtimes. Lovett won in overtime last week against Greater Atlanta Christian 30-29 in perhaps the state's most exciting opening game. Andrew Pinkston blocked two extra points, the second in overtime to seal the victory. Lovett trailed 23-7 in the fourth quarter and scored two touchdowns and two conversions to get even. Blaine McAllister, who has committed to Princeton over Division I offers, was 29-of-41 passing for 336 yards and two touchdowns. Henry Beery (7-101) and Logan Givens (5-102) each had more than 100 yards receiving. This is Marist's opener. QB Connor Cigelske passed for more than 1,300 yards and ran for more than 900 last season as a first-year starter. "Athletic, tough, throws and runs well," coach Alan Chadwick said. FB Lincoln Parker (6-0, 210) is a power runner who scored 11 touchdowns in 2018. The best all-around player LB/TE Derek McDonald (6-4, 210). Davis McKenna is the best offensive lineman, though Chadwick says sophomore OT/DT Steven Nahmias "has potential to be a great one."

Mill Creek at Dacula 

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Barron Field, Dacula

Records, rankings: Mill Creek is 1-0 and unranked in Class AAAAAAA; Dacula is 1-0 and No. 2 in AAAAAA.

Last meeting: Mill Creek won 49-21 in 2018.

Things to know: Mill Creek has won four consecutive games against its Gwinnett County rival and holds a 9-4 lead in the series that has been played every year since 2006. Mill Creek RB Chancellor Lee-Parker, who ran for 1,284 yards last year, got off to a good start this season with 152 yards rushing and one touchdown in a 38-6 victory over East Coweta last week. The Hawks rushed for 278 yards as a team, above their per-game average of 227 in 2018. QB M.J. Patterson, who attempted just two passes last season as a backup to Baxley Harris, was 4-of-6 for 44 yards and a TD. FS Ronald Clarke is a preseason all-state selection who is committed to Appalachian State. Dacula is coming off its first 11-win season and first semifinal appearance since the 2005 team went 12-2 under coach Kevin Maloof. QB Jarrett Jenkins (2,000 yards passing last year) and RB Trenton Jones (1,300 yards rushing) are among eight returning starters on offense. Jenkins was 13-of-18 passing for 226 yards and a TD in a 28-0 victory over Discovery last week, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post. Jones ran for 61 yards for the Falcons, who also got 74 yards and two touchdowns from Kyle Efford.

Oconee County at Clarke Central 

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Billy Henderson Stadium/Death Valley, Athens

Records, rankings: Oconee County is 1-0 and unranked in Class AAAA; Clarke Central is 1-0 and No. 9 in AAAAA.

Last meeting: Clarke Central won 17-10 in 2018.

Things to know: The two schools are located nine miles apart in the Athens area but have met just five times in a series that Oconee County leads 3-2. Oconee County returns eight starters on offense and five on defense from a team that made the state playoffs for a school-record-tying fifth consecutive season. Leading the way is senior QB Max Johnson, a four-star recruit who is committed to LSU. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound senior is rated the No. 25 player in Georgia and the No. 13 pro-style quarterback nationally. He threw a 26-yard touchdown pass and ran 22 yards for a score in the Warriors' 21-20 upset of Jefferson last week. DB West Weeks, OL Nick Saunders and RB Jimmy Boswell are returning all-region players. Clarke Central finished 8-5 last season and advanced to the quarterfinals, its deepest playoff run since the 2009 team reached the state final. RB O'Brien Barnett was thrust into a major role because of early injuries last season, and he responded with 1,100 all-purpose yards and 13 total touchdowns. Barnett rushed for 167 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries in a 44-36 victory over Winder-Barrow last week. QB Isaac Ward passed for 245 yards and four touchdowns.

Pace Academy at Eagle's Landing Christian 

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Commitment Field, McDonough

Records, rankings: Pace Academy is 1-0 and No. 6 in Class AAA; Eagle's Landing Christian is 1-0 and No. 1 in Class A private.

Last meeting: Pace Academy won 17-16 in 2018.

Things to know: Pace Academy last season ended ELCA's 37-game winning streak, tied for eighth-longest in GHSA history. Pace trailed 16-0 in the first half but held ELCA to one first down and 14 yards of total offense in the second. ELCA gambled and lost on a fourth-and-2 play on its 29-yard line in the third quarter, and Pace gambled and won by going for two and the win in the fourth quarter. ELCA went on to win the Class A private-school championship for the fourth consecutive season. ELCA opened the 2019 season with a 55-13 victory over Morrow. Keaton Mitchell, a 2,000-yard rusher last season, ran for 145 yards. Gabe Wright, replacing three-year starter Brayden Rush at quarterback, was 16-of-20 passing for 223 yards and four touchdowns. Pace won 7-6 against New Manchester, a team it beat 31-0 last season. Pace scored its touchdown on a 10-yard drive following a blocked punt in the first quarter. New Manchester missed an extra point. Pace's best players are WR Jayden Thomas (four-star recruit) and CB Mibiti Williams (committed to Navy).

Peach County at Northside (Warner Robins) 

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, McConnell-Talbert Stadium, Warner Robins

Records, rankings: Peach County is 0-0 and No. 1 in Class AAA; Northside is 1-0 and No. 4 in AAAAAA.

Last meeting: Peach County won 27-24 in 2018.

Things to know: These middle Georgia rivals, located about 20 miles apart, had not played each other in 13 years until Peach County's victory in 2018 that ended an eight-game losing streak in the series, which Northside leads 11-4. Peach County QB Jaydon Gibson passed for 140 yards, rushed for 95 yards and accounted for three touchdowns against the Eagles last season. He is one of four players selected for the Class AAA preseason all-state team. LB Sergio Allen is the most highly recruited. The AJC Super 11 selection, who is committed to Clemson, is the No. 8 ILB prospect nationally and the No. 19 player in Georgia. Other preseason all-state picks were offensive linemen Terrence Ferguson and Octavious King. Northside's Mason Ford, in his first year as the starting quarterback, rushed for 178 yards, passed for 76 yards and had a hand in four touchdowns in the Eagles' 46-13 victory over Centennial last week. Mason was the only player in 1-AAAAAA to rush for more than 100 yards on opening weekend. Northside's Jaylen Cephus had 55 yards rushing and a touchdown on four carries and caught three passes for 49 yards. DeAndre McKenzie ran for 52 yards on 10 carries.

St. Joseph's Prep (Pa.) at Marietta 

When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, Northcutt Stadium, Marietta

Records, rankings: St. Joseph's is 0-0 and No. 1 in Pennsylvania (MaxPreps); Marietta is 1-0 and No. 1 in AAAAAAA. Both teams are in the top 10 in at least one national poll.

Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.

Things to know: These top-25 nationally ranked programs have the marquee players and stylish offenses that draw TV cameras. St. Joseph's Prep, the reigning Class 6A champion of Pennsylvania and alma mater of Georgia star D'Andre Swift, has a quarterback, Kyle McCord, who is committed to Ohio State. His top receiver is Marvin Harrison Jr., son of the Pro Football Hall of Famer. Linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is the son of the former four-time Pro Bowl linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles. The three are juniors. Marietta has a greater quantity of major Division I recruits, according to 247Sports, with nine three-star recruits in the senior class alone. Among them are QB Harrison Bailey (366 yards passing last week in a win over Rome, committed to Tennessee), WR/TE Arik Gilbert (205 yards receiving), RB Kimani Vidal (110 rushing, 56 receiving), OL/DL B.J. Ojulari (committed to Tennessee), DB Rashad Torrence (committed to Florida) and OL Jake Wray (committed to Colorado).

Stephenson at Southwest DeKalb 

When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, James R. Hallford Stadium, Clarkston

Records, rankings: Stephenson is 1-0 and No. 9 in AAAAAA; Southwest DeKalb is 1-0 and unranked in AAAAA.

Last meeting: Southwest DeKalb won 21-14 in 2018.

Things to know: Southwest DeKalb broke a seven-game losing streak against Stephenson with the overtime win last season. Both teams went on to win region titles. It was Southwest DeKalb's first since 2009, Stephenson's first since 2015. Southwest DeKalb's Rion Davis, a 6-5 quarterback who threw the winning TD pass in overtime last season, opened the 2019 campaign by throwing for 226 yards and five touchdowns, two each to Tommy Wright (Appalachian State commit) and Aquil Muhammad (finished with five catches, 148 yards). Southwest DeKalb allowed only 74 yards of total offense to Woodland of Stockbridge in the 39-7 victory. Stephenson opened with a 27-14 win over Columbia. RB Deondre Jackson, who is committed to Texas A&M, rushed for 149 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries. He had 52 receiving yards. Jackson missed all but two games last season with an injury after rushing for 813 yards as a sophomore.

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