High School Football

I was out of town the last few days so my normal Monday or Tuesday blog comes out on Thursday this week.
I think I will talk about, hmmmm, maybe high school football if that's ok with everyone.


I wanted to take a minute and talk about the length of a high school football game these days. For the last six years I don't think I have ever had much of a problem making a deadline of 11:15. Sure once in awhile, I would have a long game and I would write in a parking lot , but this year it has been every single weekend scrambling to get stories in. I mean I am 53 years old, and I like to write my story from the comfort of my house, drinking some old man beverage like hot cocoa, coffee, or Jack and coke. But this year , that just has not happened.
And I wondered why


Well, it should not take long for anyone to figure out. Macon Georgia has gone pass happy.


Barney Hester even throws the damn ball.


Lets look at the Macon High schools.
Central- Derrick Evans over 1400 yards passing
Howard- Courvoisier King  over 1400 yards passing
Westside- Savion Knowlton close to 1200 yards passing
Southwest- Jordan Slocum- don't know the yards but they throw it a lot
FPD- Will McCormick- over 600 yards passing
Tattnall- ditched the running game and they are running the spread now
So, looking at the big picture, running games kill the clock, and when teams are passing, that's means lots of incompletions (yes Derrick , that means you too) and what do incompletions do? THEY STOP THE CLOCK which duh, makes games last forever.( I wont even talk about the officiating, that's for another story)


We are nearing playoff time and it is do or die for some Macon teams, while others are looking like they are in. Westside is probably in , but needs to finish strong, and they play a much improved Spencer team this weekend in Columbus. They close with Peach County, which may decide the region champ. But don't overlook Jackson, who will be involved in the best game in Macon this weekend when they hook up with Central. I think the Chargers are in, but they don't want to come in at a #4 seed. Central needs to win this weekend, which will not be easy, considering Jackson beat Peach a week ago.
Howard is also a school that must win this weekend. As good as the Huskies have been , they are 1-2 in the region and have Upson Lee, Veterans, and Baldwin left. They probably have to win two of those to  get in.
I think Southwest is in a hopeless position right now after the loss to Central. They would have to win out to have a chance.
The private school league has not been kind to Macon schools this season. So far only Stratford is a playoff team and they are only ranked 11th. That would give them a very difficult matchup in the first round.  They will beat Mount de Sales this weekend, and I think they have Wilkinson left ,and then probably a game for a region championship. The Eagles are clicking right now, and I believe they will win out in the regular season and maybe slip up into the top five by the end of the season.
FPD is sitting 18th I think and they face a must win game against Wilkinson this weekend at Wilkinson. Did I say MUST win, they lose and the season is probably going to be a playoff less season.
Tattnall Square still has a chance to turn things around and it has to start this weekend with a home game against Twiggs. If the Trojans lose that game, they are done.
I gotta give some space to Covenant. The Rams are undefeated and have maybe the only test of the season this week when they play Calvary, a team that is also undefeated. Look at  the schedules and it shows this could be a good game but look closer and see that both teams have played Thomas Jefferson. Calvary beat TJA by two points while Covenant beat them 49-6. Khristian Tate runs for as many yards as Chris Oxford lets him run for and Covenant wins easily.


MY quickie top 15 players
1-Derrick Evans- somebody gotta do something special to knock him out of the one spot.
2-Steve Dolphus- In honor of him signing with Georgia Tech this week
3-Gerimie Mitchell- Darren Sproles of Macon
4-Chandler King- dominating defensive end for Central-has to have a great game this week
5-Savion Knowlton- having a huge first year as Westsides signal caller
6-Coirvoisier King- Has to lead Howard into the playoffs- they wont get there without him
7-Quintez Cephus- ok Wisconsin wants him, need I say more, stock is flying high
8-OShowen Williams- Best running back in the city
9-Kristian Tate- I want to rate him higher, I really do
10-Alphonzo Stephens- Howard WR  has 732 yards receiving
11-Daniel Weaver- FPD WR- best kept secret in Macon
12-Ivory Childers- Big play Central WR- could be way higher
13-Justin Slocum- SW- He is really good, but injuries to his qb have hurt him
14-Kareem Warren- Westside 52 tackles 6 sacks, 26 tackles for loss impressed me
15- Antonio Sanders- Central rb slowed by ankle injury- time to go against Jackson


honorable mention
Will McCormick-FPD
Tres Hattaway- MDS
Ladarion Womack-Rutland
Donta Pate-Westside
Sean Walker-Howard
Dontrez Johnson-FPD
Sim Patrick-Stratford
Aubrien Kemp-Tattnall
Jordan Slocum-SW
Ahmad Barron-Tattnall