Marist will host St. Pius Friday night in the 54th all-time meeting between the schools. Last season, Marist defeated the Golden Lions 17-14 during the regular season and stamped a 35-14 win in the Class AAAA state semifinals to move the all-time series 33-17 in its favor. This year’s Marist team is off to a dominant 3-0 start with wins over Lovett (40-20), Baylor (33-14) and Westminster (24-7) and its matchup with St. Pius will be the War Eagles’ first game played within the classification this year. St. Pius dropped its opener 35-13 to Blessed Trinity, but has posted 3-straight victories, including a 35-9 win over Westminster.
Mary Persons vs. Peach County
Mary Persons is one of the top teams in Class AAAA and its offensive production so far this season (52.5) has made the Bulldogs state’s highest scoring teams. When it comes to playing Peach County, the opposing Trojans have been successful in throttling down the Mary Persons offense. Heading into Friday, Mary Persons has lost seven straight matchups to Peach County, including last September’s 35-14 defeat.
Thomson at Greater Atlanta Christian
Thomson has taken on a challenging non-region slate so far and has been unable to rise to the occasion as last week’s 42-21 loss to Clarke Central dropped the Bulldogs to 1-2. Thomson’s first three games, however, have all been played on the road. Finally getting to play at home could flip the switch and get this team going. Class AAA Greater Atlanta Christian (1-2) will also be motivated entering in this matchup as it looks to avoid a third-straight loss for the first time since the 2009 season.
Troup vs. Callaway
This cross-classification battle features two unbeaten teams, but Troup should be heavily favored against the Class AA Cavaliers. Callaway’s two most recent wins (LaGrange and Cross Keys) contain a combined 64-0 scoring advantage, but it has not gone up against a team with the level of athleticism and talent that is found on the Troup roster. Troup has outscored its three opponents 132-20 this season and the Tigers will likely pick up another big win to validate their top 5 status in the polls.
Denmark vs. Dawson County
First-year program Denmark has been outstanding so far this season and its 7-3 win over Forsyth Central last Friday night was the first signature win in the program’s history. Topping Cherokee Bluff 43-0 Week 1 and then winning a 39-32 shootout over North Springs were one thing, but grinding out a 7-3 win on the road against a Class AAAAAAA program last weekend and using well-executed clock management and clutch defense to win it is another thing. That is a valuable trait for any team, especially one in the midst of its first-ever season of competition. Dawson County is one of the better programs in Class AAA. Expect both a four quarter battle, and another opportunity for the Danes to improve and gain valuable experience before the Region 7 action picks up.
