Week 8 preview: Northeast battles Bleckley, plus other key games

As the next week of high school football games rolls around, many teams from Bibb County will attempt to recover from rough losses.

Week 7 was a rough one for most Macon teams, as teams in good positions like Stratford and ACE lost in games that were not particularly close. Other teams with not-so-sparkling records but winnable matchups like Rutland, Howard and Tattnall suffered blowout losses.

The one exception last week was Northeast, which got a crucial win over region rival Dublin at home to remain undefeated in GHSA Region 2-A Division I and take control of the standings. The Raiders’ defense dominated en route to an arguably program-defining 20-0 victory.

FPD also got a nice win — though it was at the expense of another Macon program, Mount de Sales — and will try to take the momentum into a huge rivalry game against Stratford this week that has a good chance to decide the region championship.

With plenty more critical games just around the corner, here’s a look at what’s on the docket for Week 8 as Bibb County’s teams try to bounce back.

Northeast (5-1) @ Bleckley County (5-1)

Last meeting: Northeast won 33-30. Last week: Northeast defeated Dublin 20-0, Bleckley County defeated Jefferson County 50-0

After one of its biggest regular season wins ever over Dublin last week, Northeast gets no semblance of a break and must hit the road to face red-hot Bleckley County.

The Royals have scored at least 40 points in each of their last four games, even reaching the 50-point mark twice in that span. Quarterback Brody Fleming has already amassed 1,112 yards passing and 13 touchdowns to pair with Bleckley’s multi-pronged rushing attack, as the Royals have three rushers with more than 100 yards on the ground this year.

Bleckley County’s only loss, a 31-29 thriller it dropped against Dodge County in the early going, still featured a solid offensive performance.

If there’s a defense that can put a damper on the Royals’ rumbling offense, though, it’s Northeast’s elite unit. 

The Raiders have shut out four opponents in a row, including dealing Dublin its first goose egg since 2022. The Irish only had 216 rushing yards out of their signature Wing-T look.

Northeast’s defense has 12 interceptions and has picked off opposing quarterbacks three times in a game on three separate occasions. The defensive line, as always, has serious size, and the secondary has limited passing attacks all season.

The Raiders have looked plenty threatening on offense as well, often not needing its standout defense to pitch a shutout. Freshman quarterback Jordan Wiggins proved his mettle once more against Dublin, doing enough to get the job done and completing three touchdown passes of more than 30 yards.

Bleckley’s defense has been solid in its own right. The Royals have 11 interceptions on the year and could snag some more against the young Northeast quarterback, as good as Wiggins has been.

It will be a meeting between the two hottest programs in Region 2-A Division I thus far, and could determine the eventual region champ. If the Raiders can win, it will even the all-time series, which Bleckley leads 6-5 going into this week’s tilt.

ACE (4-2) vs. Dublin (4-2)

Last meeting: Dublin defeated ACE 48-3. Last week: ACE lost to East Laurens 28-14, Dublin lost to Northeast 20-0.

The Gryphons appeared to have some momentum following a solid first-half performance against Northeast — as much momentum as a team can have, at least, after a 29-0 loss to a region rival — but squandered it against East Laurens.

ACE lost to the Falcons on the road in a lackluster display, scoring on its first possession before being outscored 28-7 the rest of the way. It was only the second win of the season for East Laurens, which had been slumping this year aside from a win over Central three weeks prior.

The Gryphons will have a tough opponent as they attempt to rebound. Despite a loss to Northeast, Dublin still boasts a talented group of tailbacks and a solid defense. 

ACE, now 3-2 in the region, still has plenty of room for a good showing and a playoff spot, but the schedule looks more difficult. A win over Dodge County earlier in the year gives the Gryphons some hope yet, but they likely need to defeat one of Dublin or Bleckley County to have much of a shot at a top four finish.

ACE should lean heavily on its run game as it attempts to net those crucial victories. Running back Bryson Vincent has already had a stellar year in his return after an ankle injury in the season opener held him out in 2024. Head coach Keith Hatcher has praised his offensive line’s role in the rushing success as well.

It’s the passing game that has frustrated the Gryphons so. ACE can complete short looks and occasionally turn them into big plays with shifty moves, but long balls have not figured prominently into the offensive scheme. The matchup with Dublin’s Wing-T offense should feature lots of rushing attempts on both sides.

Tattnall Square (0-6) vs. Mount de Sales (1-6) 

Last meeting: Tattnall defeated Mount de Sales 31-18 last season. Last week: Tattnall lost to Calvary Christian 52-13, Mount de Sales lost to FPD 42-7.

While the Stratford-FPD battle rages nearby this Friday, the other two members of Macon’s private school “Big Four” will duke it out in a matchup with much different implications. 

The Trojans and Cavaliers both need to get back on track, though both have been a bit stronger as of late.

Mount de Sales got its first victory of the season two weeks ago when it defeated a struggling Central Fellowship in a much-needed 21-3 showing, then looked good early against FPD before giving up a late rally in an eventual blowout.

The Cavaliers had quarterback Zavion Deshazier transfer to Howard mid-season — for what it’s worth, things have not been much better for the Huskies since Deshazier’s arrival there — and have had lots of guys playing hundreds of snaps a game, leading to some seriously worn-down units by the end of games.

Tattnall’s season has played out in similar fashion. The Trojans’ game against Calvary Christian started out surprisingly well, with Tattnall getting the score to 14-13 in the second quarter. That one-point margin was as close as things got, though, and the Knights eventually ran away with a 52-13 win.

The Trojans, much like Mount de Sales, have struggled with stamina thanks to a smaller roster and problems moving the ball on offense — they’ve been shut out twice, and the 13 points Tattnall scored last week was its highest tally all season. The offensive line, usually a staple of excellence under head coach Barney Hester in his previous stint at Tattnall, has grappled with protection problems.

Both teams should come out firing on all cylinders for the rivalry matchup, especially since the Trojans are still seeking their first win of the season. Last year’s contest saw Mount de Sales play up against a stronger Tattnall team in an entertaining bout featuring lots of turnovers. The Trojans eventually won that game 31-18 with a fourth-quarter surge. They own the series against the Cavaliers 37-10 all-time.

Other games

Macon’s GHSA Class 2A teams have two of the toughest games on the slate this week. 

Rutland will host 2A No. 4 Morgan County after a demoralizing 44-0 loss to Jackson on Homecoming that, on paper, looked like it could be the Hurricanes’ first win of the year. Rutland is still seeking a victory, as it has not won a game since October of 2023.

Westside lost to that Morgan County squad last week and now must travel to another talented region team, Callaway. The Seminoles have lost five straight in stunning fashion since defeating Howard in the season opener of head coach Spoon Risper’s last season.

After a blowout loss to Dodge County last week, a banged-up Southwest travels to East Laurens for another region showdown. The Patriots have struggled since losing Chase Dupree to an injury earlier this season, though they did defeat Central two weeks ago for their second win.

The Chargers have their best shot at a win this week against Jefferson County, the only other winless team in Region 2-A Division I. The Warriors have looked stronger this season and could still prove a challenge with a variety of players able to run the ball.

Covenant Academy will travel to Douglas and take on Citizens Christian in an attempt to get back over .500, while Windsor will play Terrell Academy on the road. Central Fellowship is off this week.