Wayne Grandy
MOULTRIE – Last year, after being upset by Brooks County, Tift County took out its frustration on Cook High, winning 51-7.
The Blue Devils would certainly like to knock off the Hornets on Friday at Brodie Field and will be gratified, no matter what the score.
Tift will take an 0-2 record into its meeting with Cook, and the Blue Devils have scored just two touchdowns while being outscored by Roswell and Brooks County by a combined 69-14.
The Blue Devils lost a number of outstanding seniors from the 2008 team and its inexperience on defense showed in a season-opening 42-7 loss at Roswell.
At home last Friday, Tift lost for the second straight year to Region 1-AA’s Brooks County, falling to the Trojans 27-7.
Tift County will try to rebound behind the leadership of senior quarterback Malcolm Dixon, who has completed 18-of-30 passes for 150 yards in the first two games.
Cook will head to Tifton with a 1-1 record after beating Pierce County 27-17 in its opener, but falling to Region 2-AAAA’s Brunswick Pirates 16-10 last Friday.
The Hornets are throwing the football out of the spread offense installed by Mac Thompson, a former assistant coach under Colquitt County’s Rush Propst at Hoover (Ala.) High.
In other games Friday featuring Region 1-AAAAA teams, it will be Coffee (1-1) at Shaw (0-2); Houston County (2-0) at Bradwell Institute (2-0); Jonesboro (1-0) at Valdosta (2-0); Lowndes (2-0) at Ware County (1-1) and Carver-Columbus (2-0) at Northside (1-0).
On Saturday, Warner Robins (1-1) will play host to Beach (0-1).
Coffee at Shaw: The Trojans got back on track after a disappointing season-opening loss to Ware County by easing past Pierce County 30-6 last Friday.
After winning their first six games to open the 2008 season, Coffee let a 13-0 halftime lead slip away in a 17-13 defeat at the hands of the Gators.
Coffee has been relying on the rushing of sophomore Tony Clark in the first two games.
Shaw is 0-2 after falling to Central of Phenix City, Ala., 49-0 and losing to Sandy Creek 48-7.
Houston County at Bradwell Institute: Coach Greg Robinson’s Bears have Region 1-AAAAA’s leading rusher in Robert Williams and hope to set him loose against Bradwell on Friday in Hinesville.
In the Bears’ 34-14 win over Groves and the 28-20 victory over Fayette County, Williams has combined to rush for 442 yards.
Against Fayette County last Friday, Williams had 254 yards on the ground, including a 65-yard run, and scored three touchdowns.
Bradwell also is unbeaten, having knocked off Glynn Academy 27-20 and Wayne County 21-6.
Jonesboro at Valdosta: The Wildcats have rolled up big scores against a pair of Region 3-AAAAA opponents, defeating Jenkins 47-0 and Windsor Forest 55-6.
Valdosta is getting fine work at quarterback from first-year starter DaShay March.
Jonesboro will take a 1-0 record to Bazemore-Hyder Stadium after beating Morrow 28-13 last week in its opener.
The Cardinals gave the Wildcats a scrap last year before falling 14-10.
Lowndes at Ware County: As if they were highly regarded enough, the Vikings got everyone’s attention last week with their 51-17 pounding of defending state runner-up Peachtree Ridge.
The Vikings, obviously on putting last year’s state quarterfinal loss to Grayson behind them, has rolled up 126 points in its first two games.
The Gators opened with come-from-behind win over Coffee, but lost to Burke County 19-14 last week.
Carver-Columbus at Northside: The Eagles opened with a 42-10 victory over Perry, but had last week off.
They were probably pleased to have had the extra time to prepare for Dell McGee’s Tigers.
Carver is 2-0, opening with lopsided wins over Spencer (34-6) and Tri-Cities (39-13).
The Tigers have been one of Class AAA top teams over the last three seasons.
After going 3-7 in 2005, Carver has reeled off 12-2, 15-0 and 11-3 records.
Northside went to Columbus last year and escaped with a 7-6 victory.
The Eagles will play their final non-Region 1-AAAAA game on Saturday, Oct. 15, when they play host to Region 3-AAAA’s Grovetown.
Beach at Warner Robins: The Demons ran up against nationally ranked Grayson on the road last Friday and were shut out 10-0.
But Warner Robins is expected to contend for a state playoff berth and took a step in that direction with a 44-6 win over Wheeler in the season-opener.
And the Demons will have an extra day to get ready for Beach, which opened with a 21-0 loss to Liberty County last week.
Warner Robins contributed to the Bulldogs 1-9 record in 2008 with a 37-6 victory.
