This week’s Middle Georgia high school football capsules

Top Five

All games at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise indicated.

Houston County at Peach County

Game time: 8 p.m.

Series history: Peach County leads 9-1.

Last meeting: Houston County won 33-20 in 2005.

Scouting report: The Bears won their first game in the series when this senior class was about 7 years old. The Trojans are probably stronger in pass defense than Mary Persons was, and they have a better pass offense, which could make things interesting.

Mary Persons at Jackson

Series history: Mary Persons leads 54-19.

Last meeting: Mary Persons won 28-21 in double-overtime in 2015.

Scouting report: Is it a real rivalry when one team has won 74 percent of the time and not lost three straight since the early 1960s? The Bulldogs are bolstered by a quality performance against GHSA Class 6A’s No. 1 team, so avoiding a letdown is a key. On the other hand, the last Mary Persons senior class to go 4-0 against Jackson graduated in 1997.

Southwest vs. Westside

Game location: Ed DeFore Sports Complex.

Series history: Westside leads 6-0.

Last meeting: Westside won 52-28 in 2015.

Scouting report: The only time this game has been decided by single digits was in the first game of the series in 1998, which Westside won 2012. But Southwest, which is coming off back-to-back 3-7 seasons, put in a strong effort during the offseason, as evidenced by a solid scrimmage performance against Mary Persons.

Central vs. Mount de Sales

Game time/location: 5 p.m., Saturday/Five Star Stadium.

Series history: First meeting.

Scouting report: Mount de Sales turned heads last week with its 48-6 romp over Pacelli. Central, which is filling several starting positions on both sides of the ball, had a close scrimmage with FPD in which both teams broke open some big plays.

FPD vs. Howard

Game time/location: 7:30 p.m., Saturday/Five Star Stadium.

Series history: Tied at 1.

Last meeting: Howard won 38-17 in 2015.

Scouting report: Howard had several things to work on following last week’s 21-0 loss to Westside, including a 2-of-15 passing game in which several balls appeared to be overthrown. FPD opens its season with some size and experience up front and a solid scrimmage performance against Central.

Other games to watch

Henry County at Northside

Series history: Northside leads 2-0.

Last meeting: Northside won 69-0 in 2003.

Scouting report: It’s only a two-game series, but the Class 4A Warhawks have yet to score in it, a dry run that will likely be broken.

Veterans at Dublin

Series history: First meeting.

Scouting report: Dublin blocked a PAT and then converted one in overtime to beat Tattnall County, so the Irish will be confident.

Warner Robins at Locust Grove

Series history: First meeting.

Scouting report: The Demons are likely to be much sharper after last week’s blowout loss to Northside and are facing an eighth-year program, albeit one that went 9-2 last year.

Jones County at Washington County

Series history: Jones County leads 2-1.

Last meeting: Jones County won 37-13 in 1991.

Scouting report: Without quarterback Bradley Hunnicutt (ankle), Jones County is a little prone to an “upset” by a Class 2A program and a hungry one.

Rutland at Perry

Series history: Perry leads 3-1.

Last meeting: Rutland won 48-31 in 2013.

Scouting report: Mark Daniel makes his debut as Rutland’s head coach, while the man he replaced, George Collins, will be on the opposite sideline as an assistant.

Lamar County at Northeast

Game location: Thompson Stadium.

Series history: Lamar County leads 6-0.

Last meeting: Lamar County won 29-0 in 2015.

Scouting report: Bryan Love’s first game as the Lamar County head coach comes against a Northeast team (2-9 last year) that finished the 2015 regular season with three strong performances.

Savannah Country Day at Stratford

Series history: Stratford leads 2-0.

Last meeting: Stratford won 41-33 in 2015.

Scouting report: Stratford takes the field for the first time following the graduation of Quintez Cephus and O’Showen Williams.

Wilcox County at Tattnall Square

Series history: First meeting.

Scouting report: Chance Jones makes his head coaching debut with Tattnall.

Rest of the schedule

Twiggs County at Toombs County

Shaw at Upson-Lee

Wayne County at West Laurens

Baldwin at Wilkinson County

Monticello at Athens Christian

Putnam County at Hancock Central

Pacelli at Crawford County

Macon County at Dooly County

Bleckley County at Hawkinsville

GMC at Wheeler County

Valwood at Westfield, 8 p.m.

Covenant at Windsor

John Milledge at Piedmont

Monsignor Donovan at Gatewood

Brentwood at Trinity Christian

David Emanuel at CFCA

This story was originally published August 25, 2016 at 7:03 PM with the headline "This week’s Middle Georgia high school football capsules."