How good are they?

Most teams have played three games and some have only played two, but certain teams have already separate themselves from the pack.
But just how good are they? They might be good enough to compete for a region title, but are they good enough to make it to the Georgia Dome for the semifinals? Or is a first or second round exit likely.
Here's a quick look at some of the Bi-City's contenders and their chances come November when the playoffs begin.

Carver (2-0)
The Tigers are the top ranked team in the Associated Press poll and has beaten Shaw. They also shut out Spencer, which is starting to look like a good win. But even with so many talented players, including DeRon Furr and Jarmon Forston, I have some questions.
Having seen them play both games, I have witnessed them make a lot of mistakes. In the playoffs, you are not going to win many games when you commit 14 penalties. Carver did that against Shaw in its 29-7 win.
Also, at times, the Tigers appeared tired and out of shape. I'll chalk that up to it being the early season.
The Tigers are going to win game after game until the end of October. Like everyone else, I will learn more about Carver on Oct. 27 when it plays LaGrange.
If Tigers win that game, they'll lock up the region title and have a good draw for the playoffs. They wouldn't be tested until the quarterfinals when they'd likely play the top seed from Region 6-AAA, which will likely be Carrollton.
So their chances of being in the Dome are 60 percent.

Shaw (2-1)
The Raiders still have to play LaGrange and that will determine whether they are third -- like last season -- or have the chance to finish as high as No. 1.
No matter where Shaw finishes, opposing teams aren't going to want to play them in the playoffs. With a solid defense and running backs Kyle Griswould and Bryan Willis, they are dangerous. Shaw didn't play a home game in the playoffs and made it to the state final.
Willis and Griswould give the Raiders a chance against anyone. Well, that is if Shaw doesn't turn the ball over a bunch of times like it did against Carver.
Shaw's chances of making it to the Dome 45 percent. It's hard to win quarterfinal road games. But the Raiders know how to.

Central-Phenix City (2-1)
Last week, I would have said that the Red Devils had a chance to win a couple of playoff games. Following a loss to Auburn High when they didn't stop the run, I'm not sure if the Red Devils will be able to make it out of the first round.
Plus, Central still has plenty of work to do before it can start talking about the playoffs. A win against Enterprise will get the Red Devils heading in the right direction.
Chances of making the semifinals: 3 percent.

Brookstone (2-1)
Many of the Cougars' flaws were present in last week's 34-14 loss to Dooly County. Brookstone turned it over four times. There aren't a lot of teams that can do that and win. The Cougars also struggle against very athletic teams.
The Cougars will finish first or second and their draw will determine their postseason success. If they win the region, they likely play Seminole County or Clinch County in the second round. Both teams are athletic. Brookstone lost 28-13 to Clinch County in the 2005 first round, but it was 7-0 at the half.
So their chances of making the Dome: 5 percent.

Pacelli (3-0)
I knew the Vikings were good. I just didn't know that they were this good. Stuart Wilkerson is having a great season, throwing eight touchdowns and only one interception in the first three games.
His improvement might be the difference.
Pacelli could very well be 9-0 when it play cross-town rival Brookstone for the Region 4-A championship.
A win would give them another region title and another unbeaten season. Unlike 2003 and 2004, Pacelli will try to avoid a second-round loss.
Pacelli isn't going to sneak up on anyone this season, like the Vikings may have last year.
So their chances of making the Dome: 10 percent.

Glenwood (3-1)
The Gators have one thing that will prevent them from winning the AISA Class AAA title. The one thing is Bessemer, the defending state champs.
Glenwood lost 27-0 to Bessemer a couple of weeks ago and won't beat them if they meet again.
The Gators' chances of getting to state final is pretty good, but they can't win it.
So chances of making the final are 60 percent.

What local team has the best chance of winning a state title? Is there some other team not on the radar yet that can make some noise?

Week 3 standouts

As the third week came to a close, there were a handful of players that had good performances. For some teams, it was their final game before region play begins next week. Others had a good outing against a region opponent.

So here are the leaders:

Rushing

Kyle Griswould, Shaw -- rushed for 233 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Griswould has topped the 100-yard mark in all three games.

Darren McCray, Spencer -- had touchdown runs of 71 and 58 yards in the Greenwaves' win against Columbus High.

Demarcris Wilson, Harris County -- gained 67 yards on 11 carries against Shaw.

Corey Gainey, Columbus High -- had a pair of touchdown runs against Spencer.

Will Myers, Northside -- finished with 73 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries against Troup.

Passing

Caleb Horvath, Chattahoochee County -- completed 7 of 12 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns.

Cam Greathouse, Shaw -- completed 13-of-18 for 159 yards and a touchdown against Harris County.

Kyle Barr, Smiths Station -- had 80 yards and two touchdowns against Russell County.

Stuart Wilkerson, Pacelli -- tossed three touchdowns against Landmark Christian.

Receiving

Cody Hussey, Smiths Station -- had four catches for 57 yards and two touchdowns.

Octavius Staton, Chattahoochee County -- had 130 yards receiving and two touchdowns in a win against Glascock County.

This week in the polls

It's no surprise that some teams continue to remain near or top of the high school polls.
For the third consecutive week, the Columbus High volleyball team was No. 1 in the Class AAA coaches poll.
The Lady Blue Devils have continued to compete against and beat teams in bigger classifications, while dominating AAA teams. They are 8-0 against teams in their classification, including wins against Northside and Shaw on Tuesday.
They aren't the only one ranked. Harris County fell one spot to No. 9 this week despite not losing a match. The Lady Tigers are 16-1 following a pair of wins Tuesday.
The Tigers are also ranked in softball, earning the No. 9 spot. Hardaway is the highest ranked Bi-City team as the coaches have them seventh. Those two teams have yet to play, but will on Sept. 25.
The winner of that will likely earn the top spot in Region 2-AAA tournament. Harris County won the tournament last year after losing its opener.
In the football polls, the coaches and the Associated Press don't really agree on the best teams. Brookstone is No. 8 in the AP and No. 6 in the coaches, while Pacelli is No. 4 in the AP and No. 9 in the coaches.
Carver is No. 1 in the AP and No. 2 in the coaches. Shaw isn't ranked in the coaches and No. 8 in the AP.
Does it surprise you that Columbus has a top ranked team in two different sports? I knew both Carver football and Columbus volleyball were quality teams, but I didn't know if they were the best in the state.
I guess only time will tell, because unlike college football a winner will be determined on the field or court. It should be an exciting fall.

Week 2 leaders

Just like the first week, there were plenty of players that turned it solid performances during Week 2.

Many of the players did it against tough opponents. So here goes:

Rushing

Jacquise Terry, Pacelli -- had 184 rushing yards and a touchdown and 59 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Chad Klar, Harris County -- rushed for 179 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries against Jordan.

Orwin Smith, Central-Phenix City -- rushed for 157 and two touchdowns on 28 carries against Smiths Station.

Cedric Wilson, Chattahoochee County -- had 156 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Temple.

Niko Jones, Chattahoochee County -- had 142 rushing yards in the victory over Temple.

Kyle Griswould, Shaw -- rushed for 133 yards on 15 carries against Carver

Demarcris Wilson, Harris County -- gained 116 yards rushing and a touchdown on 12 carries.

Jarkuis Morgan, Carver -- rushed for 94 yards on 15 carries.

Wesley Kiggins, Brookstone -- had 87 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter against ELCA.

Bryan Willis, Shaw -- rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries.

Nick Burks, Hardaway -- had a 68-yard touchdown run against Troup.

Stephon Suddeth, Hardaway -- had a 69-yard touchdown against Troup.


Passing

Kyle Barr, Smiths Station -- completed 23-of-33 for 219 yards. He also had two interceptions.

Stuart Wilkerson, Pacelli -- completed 14-of-17 for 188 yards and three touchdowns.

Caleb Horvath, Chattahoochee County -- was 10-for-17 for 131 yards and two touchdowns against Temple.

DeRon Furr -- was 7-for-8 for 114 yards against Shaw. He had a rushing touchdown.

Receiving

Niko Hickey, Pacelli -- had four catches for 57 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a rushing touchdown.

Jarmon Fortson, Carver -- had four catches for 69 yards.

Week 3 expects to be another good one, but who was stood out in Week 2? Central's Orwin Smith would have to get my vote after rushing for two touchdowns against Smiths Station.

Who had the best performance of Week 2?
	Jacquise Terry, Pacelli
	Orwin Smith, Central
	Kyle Griswould, Shaw
	DeRon Furr, Carver
	Chad Klar, Harris County
	Stuart Wilkerson, Pacelli
	The Carver defense
pollcode.com free polls

This week's Ala. poll

Class 6A
1 Prattville (27) (1-0) 333
2 Daphne (1-0) 235
3 McGill-Toolen (1-0) 197
4 Hoover (1) (0-1) 180
5 Foley (1-0) 169
 6 Opelika (1-0) 142
7 Spain Park (1-0) 102
8 Gadsden City (1-0) 87
9 Tuscaloosa Co. (1-0) 48
10 Vestavia Hills (0-1) 32
Others receiving votes: Bob Jones (1-0) 26,
Enterprise (1-0) 13, Hueytown (1-0) 7, Huntsville
(1-0) 5, Davidson (1-0) 5, Clay-Chalkville (1-0) 4,
Florence (1-0) 2, Jeff Davis (1-0) 2, Northview (1-0)
2, Wetumpka (1-0) 1, Central-Phenix City (1-0) 1,
Homewood (0-0) 1, Pell City (1-0) 1, Oxford (1-0) 1.

Class 5A
1 St. Paul’s (20) (1-0) 306
2 J.O. Johnson (6) (1-0) 257
3 Russellville (1) (1-0) 200
4 Briarwood Chr. (1) (1-0) 194
5 Ft. Payne (1-0) 164
6 McAdory (1-0) 114
7 Jess Lanier (1-0) 113
8 Eufaula (0-1) 53
9 Vigor (1-0) 52
10 Demopolis (1-0) 35
Others receiving votes: Benjamin Russell (1-0) 24,
Athens (0-1) 16, Scottsboro (1-0) 16, Etowah (0-1) 8,
Pleasant Grove (1-0) 8, Henderson-Troy (1-0) 6,
Cullman (1-0) 5, Mortimer Jordan (0-1) 5, Greenville
(1-0) 4, Hartselle (0-1) 4, Fairfield (0-1) 3, Bibb
Co. (1-0) 2, Gardendale (1-0) 2, Muscle Shoals (1-0)
2, Albertville (1-0) 1, Chelsea (1-0) 1, UMS-Wright
(0-1) 1, Valley (0-1) 1.

Class 4A
1 North Jackson (12) (1-0) 256
2 Brooks (6) (1-0) 235
3 Alexandria (5) (1-0) 206 at Ashville
4 East Limestone (2) (1-0) 164
5 Central-Tuscaloosa (2) (1-0) 163
6 Guntersville (0-1) 146
7 Thomasville (1) (0-1) 124
8 Andalusia (0-1) 77
9 Deshler (0-1) 47
10 Beauregard (1-0) 41
Others receiving votes: Cleburne Co. (1-0) 40, Elmore
Co. (1-0) 25, W.S. Neal (1-0) 22, Ardmore (1-0) 20,
Fayette Co. (1-0) 10, Childersburg (1-0) 8, Trinity
(0-1) 5, Oak Grove (1-0), Cherokee Co. (1-0) 2,
Escambia Co. (1-0) 1, Oneonta (0-1) 1.

Class 3A
1 Pike Co. (25) (1-0) 327
2 Clay Co. (1) (1-0) 232
3 Cordova (1) (1-0) 205
4 Calera (1-0) 179
5 Geneva (1-0) 147
6 Leeds (1) (1-0) 120
7 Clarke Co. (1-0) 105
8 Winfield (1-0) 103
9 Montgomery Acad. (1-0) 59
10 Colbert Co. (0-1) 47
Others receiving votes: Gordo (1-0) 15, Colbert
Heights (1-0) 14, Vinemont (1-0) 13, Aliceville (1-0)
10, Hokes Bluff (1-0) 7, Sumiton Chr. (1-0) 5, Lincoln
(1-0) 3, Sardis (0-1) 2, Plainview (0-1) 1, Washington
Co. (1-0) 1.

Class 2A
1 Leroy (26) (1-0) 328
2 Fyffe (1) (1-0) 236
3 Houston Acad. (1-0) 206
4 Lanett (1) (1-0) 187
5 Tanner (1-0) 158
6 American Chr. (1-0) 110
7 Woodland (1-0) 96
8 Wicksburg (1-0) 70
9 Lineville (0-1) 56
10 Addison (0-1) 54
Others receiving votes: Southern Choctaw (1-0) 19,
Reeltown (1-0) 16, Section (1-0) 12, Pickens Co. (0-1)
11, Sand Rock (1-0) 10, J.P. Pennnington (1-0) 9,
Flomaton (1-0) 8, Geneva Co. (1-0) 4, Houston Co.
(1-0) 3, Cottonwood (1-0) 1, Fultondale (1-0) 1, New
Brockton (1-0) 1.

Class 1A
1 Sweet Water (27) (1-0) 333
2 Brantley (1-0) 228
3 Talladega Co.-Central (1-0) 193
4 Maplesville (1) (0-0) 187
5 Hazlewood (1-0) 145
6 Ragland (1-0) 144
7 Linden (1-0) 96
8 Florala (1-0) 81
9 R.A. Hubbard (1-0) 70
10 Donoho (1-0) 63
Others receiving votes: Gaston (1-0) 11, South Lamar
(1-0) 10, Wadley (1-0) 7, Lynn (1-0) 5, McKenzie (1-0)
5, Speake (1-0) 5, Ariton (0-1) 3, Parrish (0-1) 2,
Sunshine (1-0) 2, Cedar Bluff (0-1) 1, McIntosh (0-1)
1, Pleasant Home (1-0) 1, Valley Head (1-0) 1.

AISA
1 Bessemer Acad. (28) (2-0) 336
2 Glenwood (2-0) 247
3 Fort Dale Acad. (2-0) 193
4 Southern Acad. (1-0) 177
5 Clarke Prep (2-0) 173
6 South Choctaw Acad. (2-0) 116
7 Macon-East (2-0) 107
8 Faith Acad. (0-2) 88
9 Lakeside (2-0) 47
10 Shelby Acad. (1-0) 44
Others receiving votes: Cottage Hill Chr. (2-0) 24,
Wilcox Acad. (1-1) 13, Patrician Acad. (1-1) 7, Monroe
Acad. (2-0) 6, Crenshaw Chr. (2-0) 4, Meadowview Chr.
(2-0) 4, Lowndes Acad. (1-1) 2, Autauga Acad. (2-0) 1,
Pickens Acad. (1-1) 1.

This week's Ga. prep poll

Class AAAAA
1. Roswell (9) 117
2. Norcross (2) 107
3. Peachtree Ridge 92
4. Camden County (1) 78
5. Tift County 57
6. Stephenson 53
7. North Gwinnett 50
8. Coffee 28
9. Harrison 23
10. Warner Robins 16
Others receiving votes: Valdosta, Union Grove,
Parkview, Lowndes, Etowah, North Cobb, Kennesaw,
Grayson, M.L. King

Class AAAA
1. Northside-Warner Robins (12) 120
2. Marist 104
3. Thomas County Central 81
4. Tucker 65
5. St. Pius X 58
6. Griffin 51
7. Statesboro 45
8. Rome 40
9. Baldwin 21
10.East Paulding 19
Others receiving votes: Habersham Central, Ware
County, Starr’s Mill, Southwest DeKalb, Cherokee,
Westside Macon, Northwest Whitifield, Creekside, Ware
County, Cedar Shoals.

Class AAA
1. Peach County (10) 108
2. Carver-Columbus (1) 102
 3. Shaw 81
4. Cartersville 78
 5. LaGrange (1) 72
6. Carrollton 70
7. Hart County 38
8. Cairo 32
9. Stephens County 24
10. Monroe 16
Others receiving votes: Gainesville, North Hall,
Flowery Branch, Thomson, Perry, West Laurens,
Washington County.

Class AA
1. Charlton County (7) 115
2. Buford (5) 112
3. Early County 87
4. Calhoun 79
5. Greater Atlanta Christian 60
6. Cook 48
7. Fitzgerald 37
8. Dodge County 27
tie Dublin
10. Jefferson County 26
Others receiving votes: McIntosh County,
Randolph-Clay, Washington-Wilkes, Lovett, Vidalia,
Laney, Weselyan.

Class A
1. Lincoln County (10) 117
2. Athens Academy 87
3. Wilcox County (1) 81
4. Commerce 69
5. Clinch County 54
 6. Pacelli 52
7. Warren County 49
8. Seminole County (1) 46
9. Emanuel County Institute 42
10. Eagle’s Landing Christian 12
Others receiving votes: Bowdon, Hawkinsville, Bremen,
Gordon-Lee, Social Circle, Brookstone, Trion,
Fellowship Christian, Turner County, Gordon Lee.

Musings from Week 1

With the first week of football finally over, I saw some good, some bad and just plain-old bizarre stuff. I saw three football games during the first week – Harris County vs. LaGrange, Carver vs. Spencer and Shaw vs. Troup.

Week 2 is a BIG week, but we'll have plenty of time to break down those matchups as it gets closer to Friday. So we'll take a quick look at some of the things that happened during the first full week of football.

Rain, rain and more rain
By the time I got to Callaway Stadium at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, the rain had already started. And it only got worse.
Those optimists said the game would start not later than 7:30 p.m. – 30 minutes after the game was scheduled to start. I wasn't as nearly optimistic. I am realist. I saw the heavy rain falling and wasn't sure the game would be played.
I felt like I was at a high school baseball game in March, hoping that first pitch would take place.
The rain finally stopped, and the game started at 8:54 p.m. And Harris County probably wishes it didn't as LaGrange took advantage of four second-half turnovers and rolled to a 31-0 win.
I have now sat through my first football rain delay.

Crazy return
It's not often the player that fumbles a punt recovers it. It's even rarer when that player advances it for a positive play.
But Carver's Carlos Ross took it one step further on Friday night.
Ross fumbled a punt. He fell down. He got back up, scooped the ball and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter against Spencer on Friday night.
Ross had the time to do this being that there were no Spencer defenders within 5 yards of him.

What's that call
Early in the first quarter of the Shaw-Troup game a penalty flag was thrown, and the referee signaled the penalty by putting his hand behind his head.
I had never seen this call. After a few minutes of confusion, an official manual was found and the penalty was discovered. The penalty was an equipment violation.
If that wasn't strange enough, it was called three more times in the first half. All four times it was called against Shaw. I know the officials weren't biased being that they called an equipment violation against Troup in the third quarter.
One of the officials in the press box told me it was because the chinstraps weren't fully buckled.
Let this serve as a reminder to all coaches -- TELL YOUR PLAYERS TO BUCKLE THEIR CHINSTRAP.
At least one thing is certain, the next time the referee makes that signal I'll know the call. The only question might be whether it was a chinstrap, a mouth piece or another piece of equipment that wasn't being worn or properly worn.

Getting a win
Russell County coach Rico White has urged his players to continue working hard throughout the preseason and that it would translate to wins during the regular season.
It happened Friday night.
Yes, the Warriors needed a late fourth-quarter touchdown to beat BTW, but it's still a win.
The Warriors will try to build off that this week.

Almost there
While Russell County pulled out a win, Jordan came up a little short against Kendrick.
The Red Jackets led 6-0 in the fourth quarter before the Cherokees scored a touchdown and made the extra point to win 7-6.
It was much closer than lat year's 26-0 loss and 2005's 39-6 loss.
It appears that first-year coach Tony Graziano has Jordan headed in the right direction. Jordan's next chance for a win will come Friday against Harris County.

With that week behind us, I look forward to another crazy week this Friday.

Week 1 standouts

With the first week of the regular season over, I'll take a look at some of the players that shined in their season opener. I will recap that week's game every Sunday with the top performers.

So here goes:

Rushing
Kyle Griswould, Shaw - rushed for 191 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries against Troup.

Jacquise Terry, Pacelli - rushed for 176 and three touchdowns against Bowdon.

Derek Brown, Jordan - rushed for 142 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries against Kendrick.

Nick Burks, Hardaway - rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries against Columbus High.

Wesley Kiggins, Brookstone - rushed for 128 yards and three touchdowns against Whitefield Academy.

Bryan Willis, Shaw - rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries against Troup.

Orwin Smith, Central-Phenix City - rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries against Eufaula.

Jacorey Battle, Russell County - rushed for 83 yards and three touchdowns against B.T.W.

Who had the top rushing performance in Week 1?
	Kyle Griswould, Shaw
	Nick Burks, Hardaway
	Jacquise Terry, Pacelli
	Wesley Kiggins, Brookstone
pollcode.com free polls

Passing
Caleb Horvath, Chattahoochee County - was 18-of-26 for 212 yards and four touchdowns against Marion County. Horvath also had one interception.

Kyle Barr, Smiths Station - was 14-of-30 for 157 yards and a touchdown. Barr had two passes intercepted.

Stuart Wilkerson, Pacelli - completed 6 of 11 passes for 92 yards. Wilkerson had two passing and one rushing touchdown.

DeRon Furr, Carver - completed 7 of 11 passes for 71 yards in the first half. Furr had two touchdowns passes and rushing touchdown.

Receiving
Octavius Staton, Chattahoochee County - caught six passes for 100 yards and a touchdown.

Delandis Harris, Chattahoochee County - had a touchdown catches of 28 and 32 yards against Marion County.

Jarmon Fortson, Carver - had five catches for 46 yards and two touchdowns in the first half against Spencer.

Who stood out most to you? Which running back was the most electrifying? Which quarterback showed off the best arm? Which receiver displayed the best hands?

Straight from the source

It starts small and continues to build and grow. It becomes more and more distorted.
Like the child game of telephone with each person the rumor or message deviates further from the truth.
On Wednesday afternoon Shaw quarterback Cam Greathouse took a hit in practice, like every high school player does. He stumbled and landed awkwardly on his knee.
There were some thoughts around Columbus that Greathouse had suffered a serious knee injury and that he wouldn't play against Troup.
As a precaution, Greathouse went to Hughston Clinic on Thursday to have it checked, according to his father Randy Greathouse.
The MRI came back and there was no damage to the ACL, MCL, PCL or meniscus, Randy said. Randy also said Cam is going to play against Troup on Saturday night.
Like the game of telephone, it's most accurate from the first person or the person – like Randy – that knows what happened.
Everyone can look forward to watching No. 4 take plenty of snaps against Troup at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium in the Raiders’ season opener.

Kickers and punters to watch

Jeff Carrero, Smiths Station – Carrero was 21-for-21 on extra points last season. He also was 9 of 10 on field-goal tries. He also handles the Panthers’ punting duties.

Brandon Childs, Hardaway – Childs made 95 percent of his extra-point attempts last season. He also connected on four field goals, including a 42-yarder against Kendrick.

Zach Corcoran, Pacelli – Corcoran made four field goals and was 21 of 21 on extra points last season for the Vikings.

Allen Page, Brookstone – Page made 97 percent of his extra-point attempts for the Cougars in 2006.

Stuart Wilkerson, Pacelli – Wilkerson, who was the first-team All-Region 4-A punter, averaged 34 yards a punt in 2006.

Defensive backs to watch

Lamar Brown, Northside – Brown will play safety and quarterback for the Patriots this season. He made 88 tackles and had three interceptions in 2006.

Cedric Chambers, Kendrick – Chambers, who played cornerback last season, will move to free safety this season. The 5-foot-10 senior finished with 42 tackles and three interceptions last fall.

Corey Gainey, Columbus – Gainey led the Blue Devils with six interceptions last season. He also had 42 tackles.

D’Antoine Hood, Central-Phenix City – Hood is one of the best cover cornerbacks in the Bi-City. He made 30 tackles and one interception for the Red Devils in 2006.

Trevione Hudson, Hardaway – The senior defensive back made 74 tackles and had two interceptions for the Hawks.

Rico Porch, Central-Phenix City – Porch, who plays safety, led the Red Devils with five interceptions during his junior season. He also had 53 tackles.

Carlos Ross, Carver – Ross, who transferred from Northside, is one of most talented cover men in the Bi-City. He’ll likely split time between cornerback, wide receiver and running back this fall.

DeAndre Smith, Carver – Smith, who has started since his freshman season, made 63 tackles last season. He also had two interceptions and two sacks.

Bryan Willis, Shaw – Willis, who also will see some playing time at running back, made nine interceptions last season. He was a first-team all-state selection as a junior.

Carver on GPB

The Carver Tigers will be featured on this week's Prep Sports Plus on Georgia Public Broadcast.
The show will air Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 12:30 p.m. on Channel 28 in Columbus.
The segment will feature quarterback DeRon Furr and defensive back DeAndre Smith, who the Tigers are looking for leadership from.
Carver went 12-2 last season and advanced to the Class AAA playoffs before losing to Shaw, 16-14. The Tigers are ranked No. 3 in the preseason poll.

Lady Blue Devils earn top spot

The Columbus High volleyball team grabbed the top spot in this week's Class AAA coaches poll after going 4-1 over the weekend at Woodward Academy.

The Lady Blue Devils have opened the season 15-2, including wins against Kennesaw Mountain (No. 2 in AAAAA), St. Pius X (No. 3 in AAAA) and McIntosh (No. 4 in AAAA).

Columbus has also beaten Blessed Trinity, the 2006 AAA state champions, and Sandy Creek, a semifinalist.

Their only two losses have come against Northview (7-0, No. 1 in AAAAA) and Starr's Mills (12-0, No. 1 in AAAA).

Harris County is ranked No. 8 in the poll. Hardaway could be another solid week away from being ranked. The Lady Hawks are 8-1 this season.

Linebackers to watch

Markieth Cliatt, Central-Phenix City – Cliatt will be one of the leaders on the Red Devils’ defense this season. He had 85 tackles as a junior in 2006.

Chris Drew, Northside – Surrounded by some younger players, the Patriots are looking for some big things from Drew. He is one of Northside’s top returning tacklers.

Cody Dykes, Glenwood – Dykes is the heart and soul of the Gators’ defense. He made 53 stops as a junior.

Jarivs Jones, Carver – Jones, who played tight end last season, is making the switch to defense this fall. It might take him a few games to adjust, but he could develop into Tigers’
leader on defense.

Lester Jones, Chattahoochee County – Jones, who played at Shaw as a freshman, has developed into a playmaker. He made 110 tackles last season for the Panthers.

James McGee, Hardaway – McGee, who started at middle linebacker for the Hawks last season, finished with 110 tackles.

Ritchee Schott, Pacelli – Schott is a hard-nosed defender that has gotten bigger and stronger during the offseason. The Vikings will rely on him to make plays.

Notes from the GHSA meeting

There wasn't a lot that was decided at the Georgia High School Association executive meeting on Monday.
But there were some noteworthy things brought up.

MOVING THE BASEBALL SEASON
Even before the baseball committee met on Sunday a proposal to move the baseball season was withdrawn. But according to GHSA executive director Ralph Swearngin that proposal called for the season to end the second week of May.
According to the current schedule, the state championship games are scheduled for the first week in June.
Swearngin said the proposal included starting the season one week earlier and shrinking the length of the regular season by one week.
Swearngin said the baseball coaches planned to take a proposal to the Georgia Dugout Club and an updated proposal could be submitted at the March meeting.
The Alabama High School Athletic Association's baseball season ends the middle of May.

RECLASSIFICATION
After the full-time equivalent counts from the fall are received at the GHSA office, they will average the fall and last spring to begin the reclassification process.
Swearngin said he hopes by late October or early November to have teams put into regions. In December, the GHSA will hear appeals from schools that want to be in a different region.
The GHSA will then schedule a called executive committee meeting to approve the regions for the next two seasons.

CHEERLEADING
The cheerleading committee denied a proposal to change Class A from region competitions to a statewide sectional competition.
Cheerleading chairman and Bleckley County coach Sam Barrs told the executive committee it wouldn't work being that it would turn it into a semi-final competition and that it wasn't feasible with the travel.
Class A will still have eight region competitions, and the top two teams will advance to the state competition.

Defensive lineman to watch

Maurice Crawford, Glenwood – Crawford had an immediate impact for the Gators, recording three sacks and recovering a fumble in their opener against Springwood.

Jervelous Drisdom, Carver – Drisdom showed flashes brilliance last season, recording three sacks and forcing two fumbles.

Juan Pickett, Shaw – Pickett is another talented Shaw defensive lineman. As a junior, Pickett had 53 tackles, including two sacks. He also had two fumble recoveries.

Caleb Maggart, Smiths Station – Maggart is one of the leaders of the Panthers’ defense. He uses his speed and strength to slow down opposing running backs.

Marlin Sims, Central-Phenix City – If Sims can stay healthy, he’ll be am important cog in the middle of the Red Devils’ defense.

Brian Williams, Shaw – The Shaw defensive tackle finished with 47 tackles and had two sacks as a junior.

offensive lineman to watch

Keith Carey, Kendrick – After splitting time at center and tackle as a sophomore, Carey was the center last season. He’ll anchor that line again this season.

Maurice Crawford, Glenwood – Crawford, who transferred from Russell County, will play guard and defensive end for the Gators. He was named their most outstanding lineman during the spring.

Chris Griggs, Central-Phenix City – Griggs, who started last season, will be the leader of a young offensive line.

John and Jack Martin, Brookstone – The Martin brothers are the starting guards for the Cougars, and they create plenty of running space for the backs.

Tori Mobley, Carver – The 6-foot-2 tackle does a good job of giving quarterback DeRon Furr the opportunity to throw the ball.

Jarvis Pitts, Shaw – Pitts, who was an all-state selection last season, will be the leader of the Raiders’ offensive line. The Raiders rushed for more than 3,000 yards last season.

Anthony Worthen, Kendrick – The Cherokees guard will be a four-year starter, and he will attempt to keep the Kendrick quarterback protected.

Receivers to watch

Jarmon Fortson, Carver – Fortson, who has offers from Louisville, South Carolina and Auburn, had 39 catches for 702 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior.

Delandis Harris, Chattahoochee County – Harris is one the Panthers’ talented playmakers. He had 736 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns last season.

Octavius Staton, Chattahoochee County – Staton is Chattahoochee County’s most versatile player. He had 1,336 total yards and scored 13 touchdowns as a junior.

Chris Walls, Pacelli – With the loss of Mark LeGree, Walls is going to have a bigger role with the Vikings in 2007. He had 180 receiving yards and two touchdowns as the third receiver last year.

Jacovi White, Chattahoochee County – White, a 6-foot-2 receiver, amassed 836 yards of offense, while scoring 10 touchdowns last season.

Arthur Williams, Glenwood – Williams will likely be the favorite target of his brother Branden Williams. The younger Williams had more than 400 yards receiving at Russell County last season.

There is little doubt who is the best receiver. The only question will be whether Carver can get Jarmon Fortson the ball enough.

Quarterbacks to watch

Kyle Barr, Smiths Station – Barr passed for 2,099 yards in the Panthers’ quick-passing offense. He also had nine touchdowns as a junior.

DeRon Furr, Carver – Furr is the top dual-threat quarterback in the Bi-City. He threw for 1,175 yards and 10 touchdowns, while rushing for 645 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior.

Cam Greathouse, Shaw – Greathouse, who has led the Raiders to back-to-back trips to the Georgia Dome, threw 21 touchdowns as a junior. He finished with 1,272 passing yards.

Caleb Horvath, Chattahoochee County – Horvath, who has started since his freshman season, passed for 2,204 yards and 23 touchdowns as a sophomore.

Chad Klar, Harris County – Klar was a viable running threat last season, rushing for 805 yards and nine touchdowns. He also had 515 passing yards and seven touchdowns.

Stuart Wilkerson, Pacelli – Wilkerson had 1,630 passing yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2006.

Branden Williams, Glenwood – Williams put up some good numbers for Russell County last season, throwing for 2,100 yards and 14 touchdowns.

There are a lot of talented quarterbacks in the Bi-City this season. Glenwood's Branden Williams will put the best numbers. Carver's DeRon Furr is the best athlete. Shaw's Cam Greathouse will have the best season.

Running backs to watch

We are going to take a look at a different position every day for the next week leading up to the start of the high school season.
Our first day look was at running backs.

Nick Burks, Hardaway – Burks led the Hawks in rushing last season with 601 yards. He is the only returning starter in the offensive backfield.

Malcolm Chinn, Carver – Chinn was third on the team in rushing last season, finishing with 561 yards. He also scored eight touchdowns.

Kyle Griswould, Shaw – With the graduation of Aresnio Williams and Gavin Scott, the speedy Griswould is going to carry the load. He had 718 yards of offense and six receiving touchdowns as a sophomore.

Wesley Kiggins, Brookstone – Kiggins rushed for 1,320 yards and 19 touchdowns as a junior. He also had a receiving touchdown.

Jarkuis Morgan, Carver – While sharing carries with a handful of other backs, Morgan rushed for 545 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore.

Tavaris Owens, Columbus – Owens, who gained 422 yards as a junior, has gotten bigger and stronger. He scored seven touchdowns for the Blue Devils in 2006.

Orwin Smith, Central-Phenix City – The junior will receive a bulk of the carries for the Red Devils. Smith, who was seldom used in 2006, has the combination of power and speed.

Jacquise Terry, Pacelli – Terry had 1,045 yards and nine touchdowns during his junior season. He was also a viable receiving option, catching 19 passes for 250 yards.

Chris Whitehorn, Smiths Station – Despite playing in a pass-first offense, Whitehorn gained 456 yards and scored seven touchdowns as a sophomore.

And by year's end the best running back will be........... Shaw's Kyle Griswould.