High school playoff predictions: Who we think will come out on top in Chattahoochee Valley
The Glenwood football team is one win away from a state championship.
The Gators (10-3) head to Troy University to face Bessemer in the AISA state championship on Friday (7 p.m. EST). The Gators lost their final regular-season game, but won convincing games over Macon-East Montgomery and Tuscaloosa Academy to reach the state title game.
That’s just one of the many big games that feature area schools this week: Carver hosts Marist Friday at Memorial Stadium in GHSA 4A action, Brookstone travels north to face 1A private power Athens Academy, and several schools face tough challenges in their respective state tournament brackets.
Here’s what you should watch for in this week’s games, along with the L-E’s staff predictions.
Bessemer 31, Glenwood 17: It’d be tough to count out the Gators in the AISA State Championship, though the Gators will be up against it this week. The Gators avenged a regular-season overtime loss to Tuscaloosa Academy last week, and now face a 10-3 Bessemer team that also won the regular-season meeting between the two teams. The difference here is, that game wasn’t exactly close: Bessemer beat Glenwood by 29 points on Sept. 13.
- When: 7 p.m. Friday
- Where: Troy, Al.
- All-time series: Bessemer leads 16-10-1
Irwin County 38, Chattahoochee County 10: Chattahoochee County traveled to Washington-Wilkes last week and upset the Tigers 12-7. Now, the Panthers travel to undefeated Irwin County, a team nobody has managed to stay within two scores of this season. This will be the first meeting between the two schools.
- When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
- Where: Irwin County
- All-time series: n/a
Athens Academy 41, Brookstone 20: Brookstone is up against it this week: Athens Academy’s undefeated 2019 season includes a 24-0 shutout of rival (and fellow 1A private power) Prince Avenue Christian, a 29-point win over Hebron and a 32-point win over George Walton Academy. There’s a way Brookstone wins this game: The Cougars must score early and drain the clock with long, time-consuming drives, something Blair Harrison’s wing-t offense specializes in. But it’ll be tough to do so against the defending 1A private runner-ups.
- When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
- Where: Slaughter Field (Athens, Ga.)
- All-time series: Athens Academy leads 6-5
Manchester 28, Johnson County 22: The first upset pick of the week goes to Manchester, on the road at Johnson County. The Blue Devils boast impressive regular-season wins over Schley County, Marion County and Pacelli, and they haven’t lost a game since October 18. Friday will serve as the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
- When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
- Where: Johnson County
- All-time series: n/a
Marion County 21, Schley County 7: It seems like forever ago, but Marion and Schley County did play this season. The Eagles won that game 14-0, and another low-scoring contest could be approaching. Schley County is one of two teams to hold Marion under 32 points this year, so it’ll be on the Wildcats’ defense to keep this one close if they’re to spring an upset.
- When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
- Where: Marion County
- All-time series: Marion County leads 13-2
Callaway 40, Fitzgerald 14: Callaway hasn’t lost since Sept. 22 and hasn’t faced much of a challenge since beating Bremen 20-14 on Oct. 4. The Cavaliers handled business against Chatooga last week — expect more of the same on Friday.
- When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
- Where: Callaway Stadium (LaGrange, Ga.)
- All-time series: Fitzgerald leads 1-0
Carver 35, Marist 30: The biggest game of Corey Joyner’s Carver head coaching tenure comes this Friday when the Tigers host Marist at Memorial Stadium. The Tigers haven’t lost since their season opener at Harris County and running back Khiari McCoy is everything but a lock for the L-E’s All-Bi-City team. That said, Marist is no pushover: a No. 2 seed in the 4A playoffs, the War Eagles make the trip to Columbus after a 20-point win over Cedartown. Their only loss of the year is a three-point loss to Blessed Trinity, the region 7-4A champions. These two schools have never played each other.
- When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
- Where: Memorial Stadium (Columbus, Ga.)
- All-time series: n/a
Central 35, Auburn 14: Another team that hasn’t lost since week one is Central-Phenix City, which now sits one win away from another Alabama 7A state championship appearance. Since beating Cedar Grove in late August, the Red Devils haven’t played a close game, and won the region with a statement 34-7 win over Auburn on Oct. 25. All signs point to another trip to Jordan-Hare Stadium for the Red Devils.
- When: 8 p.m. EST Friday
- Where: Garrett-Harrison Stadium (Phenix City, Al.)
- All-time series: Central leads 38-14-3
