Ron Seibel: With season halfway home, it’s time to take stock

Can the high school football regular season be half over already? Weren’t we all just sweating through the heat and humidity of August?

Six weeks have gone by in the GHSA season. Six more remain, including this weekend’s slate of games. Just about all of the non-region games have been accounted for. Now it’s time for region play to kick into high gear.

So what have we learned?

DOMINATION IN CLASS AAAAA

Middle Georgia’s Class AAAAA teams -- Houston County, Jones County, Northside and Warner Robins -- are unbeaten against all other opponents. Granted, Jones County and Warner Robins took losses against Northside and Houston County, but there haven’t been any losses to teams from the other side of Region 2-AAAAA or setbacks to non-region foes. In the past, teams from the Augusta area have snagged a win here or there against the Middle Georgia power foursome. That hasn’t happened so far.

MARY PERSONS RESTOCKED

Despite losing most of its starters from last year, Mary Persons has put together quite an impressive 5-0 start. Granted, there have been close games (double-overtime against Jackson, a nailbiter against LaGrange), but the Bulldogs enter the second half of the season in a strong spot. They will be tested in Region 2-AAAA play, as four of the five teams remaining on their schedule have winning records.

BIBB COUNTY MAKING THINGS INTERESTING

In a county where football success has been elusive for the most part, four of the six public school teams are at .500 or better at this point. Westside still holds the balance of power at 5-0, but Central came within an overtime field goal of becoming the first Bibb County team to defeat the Seminoles. Central was also strong in defeat in a one-point loss to a much improved Howard squad (4-1) that just suffered its first loss last week to West Laurens. At 2-2, Southwest is showing some positive signs, with freshman quarterback Jordan Slocum putting forth a strong effort.

SMALL SCHOOL ROLLER COASTER

Things could get mighty interesting in Region 7A-A, where no team has broken away from the pack at midseason. Granted, no sub-region games have been played yet, but with previously winless Twiggs County defeating a Hancock Central squad that beat Tattnall Square handily the week before, anything can happen.

There’s still a lot of football to be played, and it’s way too early to project playoff possibilities at this point. But the races should start to take shape in the next week or two, and there surely will be an October surprise or two.

It has been a fun season so far. Let’s see what happens in the second half.

Contact Ron Seibel at 744-4222 or rseibel@macon.com

This story was originally published October 1, 2015 at 4:30 PM with the headline "Ron Seibel: With season halfway home, it’s time to take stock ."