John McClellan's Picks For High School Football Week 2

The weather was the top story of the opening Friday night of high school football in northwest Georgia.

The rain, thunder and lightning that started shortly before or even after the scheduled kickoff of games did not stop for several hours forcing the suspension, delay or even cancellation of opening night action. There were more than the usual share of upsets and surprises as the 2024 season got underway for most area teams.

Week 2 gets off to an early start with three Thursday night games highlighted by Adairsville-Pepperell, Model-Cass, and Berkmar-Cedartown. Armuchee, Coosa, and Unity Christian will see action on Friday night for the first time while Darlington takes on state ranked North Cobb Christian. Rome begins its season next week at Carrollton. The battle between state ranked Rockmart and Cartersville on Georgia Public Broadcasting highlights area action.

Adairsville (1-0) at Pepperell (0-1) (Thursday)

Series history: Pepperell leads 13-10-1

Last meeting: Adairsville defeated Pepperell 33-10 on Sept. 13, 2013.

The Adairsville Tigers survived a scare in their Thursday night home season opener when Allatoona missed an extra point in the game’s final minutes to preserve a 28-27 Adairsville win over the Buccaneers. The Pepperell Dragons got off to an early lead on Friday before lightning forced the teams to pause play until Saturday night resulting in a 31-28 Pepperell road loss at Pickens.

Adairsville wins by 18.

Model (1-0) at Class 5A No. 9 Cass (1-0) (Thursday)

Series history: Model leads 3-1

Last meeting: Model defeated Cass 21-20 on Sept. 13, 1991.

The Model Blue Devils found themselves embroiled in a close battle with Sonoraville before scoring in the first overtime to break the tie and emerge with a 21-14 win. The Cass Colonels, who were supposed to play Callaway in Friday night’s Corky Kell/Dave Hunter Classic game at Barron Stadium until lightning intervened, turned in the most impressive performance of the weekend in a 42-7 win over a Callaway team that was ranked fourth in the state in Class AA.

Cass wins by more than 30.

Armuchee (0-0) at Ridgeland (0-1)

Series history: Ridgeland leads 2-0

Last meeting: Ridgeland defeated Armuchee 49-13 on Aug. 31, 2007.

The Armuchee Indians, who did not play in the first week, are coming off a 4-6 season that ended with a loss to Dade County that resulted in the Indians narrowly missing the playoffs. The Ridgeland Panthers extended their losing streak to 30 games following a 19-9 loss to Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe.

Armuchee wins by 4.

Coosa (0-0) at Southeast Whitfield (0-1)

Series History: Tied 1-1

Last Meeting: Coosa defeated Southeast Whitfield 28-25 on Aug. 18, 2023.

The Coosa Eagles, who are playing their season opener under new head coach Geoff Cannon, are coming off a 3-7 season that ended with six straight losses. The Southeast Whitfield Raiders could not score on their way to a 62-0 loss to a Gordon Central team that won its first game since 2020.

Coosa wins by 8.

North Cobb Christian (1-0) at Darlington (0-1)

Series history: Darlington leads 4-2

Last meeting: Darlington defeated North Cobb Christian 35-23 on Oct. 22, 2021.

The North Cobb Christian Eagles moved up in the private school rankings following a 14-0 shutout of Providence Christian. The Darlington Tigers, in a Saturday noon game played in blistering heat, could not overcome an early deficit in a 46-27 loss to Mount Vernon.

North Cobb Christian wins by 10.

Trinity Christian of Griffin (0-0) at Unity Christian (0-0)Series history: Unity Christian leads 2-0

Last meeting: Unity Christian defeated Trinity Christian 60-8 on Sept. 2, 2022.

The Trinity Christian Lions, who are playing their season opener, reached the GAPPS Class A 8-man state championship game a year ago before losing to Vidalia Heritage Academy 68-48. The Unity Christian Lions, whose scheduled season opener with Young Americans Christian School was canceled due to lightning, are the defending GAPPS 8-man Class AA state champions after a 52-24 win over Sherwood Christian Academy in the 2023 state title game.

Unity Christian wins by 7.

Berkmar (1-0) at Cedartown (1-0) (Thursday)

Series history: First Meeting

The Berkmar Patriots, who were 3-6-1 a year ago, defeated Lakeside-DeKalb 6-0 in a weather shortened season opener. The Cedartown Bulldogs jumped out to a 7-0 lead before their game with Rockmart before their game was suspended by lightning on Friday night and finished off the 24-3 win over the Yellow Jackets after another lightning delay Saturday night.

Cedartown wins by more than 30.

Rockmart (0-1) at Class 5A No. 3 Cartersville (1-0)

Series History: Cartersville leads 37-29-4

Last Meeting: Cartersville defeated Rockmart 41-0 on Sept. 13, 2013.

The Rockmart Yellow Jackets sat through lengthy lightning delays Friday and Saturday nights before falling short in a 24-7 loss to Cedartown. The Cartersville Purple Hurricanes were one of the few northwest Georgia teams that did not have to deal with opening weekend weather issues as they shut out Columbia 40-0 on Thursday night.

Cartersville wins by 12.

Trion (1-0) at Dade County (0-1)

Series history: Trion leads 12-2

Last meeting: Trion defeated Dade County 28-21 on Sept. 29, 2023.

The Trion Bulldogs found themselves in a closer-than-expected first half battle before pulling away in the second half to defeat longtime rival Gordon Lee 30-6. The Dade County Wolverines, who also played on Thursday night, ended the evening with a 23-13 loss to Ringgold.

Trion wins by 17.

Woodstock (1-0) at Woodland (1-0) (Thursday)

Series history: First meeting

The Woodstock Wolverines, who entered this season with a 2-28 record over the past three years, dominated crosstown rival Etowah 24-7. The Woodland Wildcats battled back and forth with Woodland of Stockbridge Friday night before pulling out a 38-35 victory on the road.

Woodstock wins by 7.

Pickens (1-0) at Sonoraville (0-1)

Series history: Pickens leads 3-1

Last meeting: Pickens defeated Sonoraville 38-21 on Aug. 18, 2023.

The Pickens Dragons, in another contest that started Friday night before lightning intervened, survived one of the closest games of the weekend in defeating Pepperell 31-28. The Sonoraville Phoenix scored late in the fourth quarter to tie their game with Model before losing 21-14 in overtime.

Sonoraville wins by 16.

Coahulla Creek (0-1) at Chattooga (1-0)

Series history: Tied 1-1

Last meeting: Chattooga defeated Coahulla Creek 17-14 on Sept. 8, 2023.

The Coahulla Creek Colts were unable to put points on the scoreboard in a 35-0 neighborhood loss to Northwest Whitfield. The Chattooga Indians, who are coming off uncharacteristic back-to-back 2-8 seasons, shut out LaFayette 30-0.

Coahulla Creek wins by 7.

Butler (0-0) at Gordon Central (1-0)

Series history: First Meeting

The Butler Bulldogs out of Augusta, who were 3-6 a year ago and who last reached the playoffs in 2017, are playing their first game of the 2024 season. The Gordon Central Warriors set a new school scoring record and broke a 31-game winless streak in a dominating 62-0 shutout of Southeast Whitfield.

Butler wins by 19.

Additional games

Alexander (0-1) over Lassiter (1-0) by 12; New Manchester (1-0) over Discovery (0-1) by more than 30; South Paulding (0-1) over Allatoona (0-1) by 9; Northgate (0-1) over Villa Rica (0-1) by 12; Alabama Class 6A No. 6 Oxford (Ala.) (0-0) over Central of Carrollton (1-0) by 7; North Oconee (1-0) over Dalton by 13; Class 5A No. 10 Eastside (1-0) over Hiram (0-1) by 10; Union County (0-0) over Gilmer (0-1) by 5; Heritage (1-0) over Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe (1-0) by more than 30; Gordon Lee (0-1) over LaFayette (0-1) by 1; Northwest Whitfield (1-0) over North Murray (1-0) by 2; Ringgold (1-0, 0-0) over Murray County (0-1, 0-0) by more than 30; Bremen (0-0) over Jordan (0-0) by more than 30; Haralson County (1-0) over Pike County (1-0) by 13; Heard County (1-0) over South Atlanta (0-1) by 4; Temple (1-0) over Clarkson (0-1) by more than 30; Christian Heritage (0-1) over Cherokee Christian (0-0) by 14; Class A Division I No. 4 Rabun County (1-0) over Fannin County (1-0) by 11; Class A Division II No. 1 Bowdon (0-1) over Macon County (1-0) by 21; Greenville (1-0) over Columbus (0-1) by 7; Class A Division II No. 4 Manchester (0-1) over Upson-Lee (1-0) by 3; Ranburne (Ala.) (0-0) over Mt. Zion (1-0) by 7; Class 6A No. 2 Carrollton (1-0) over Columbia (0-1) by more than 30; North Atlanta (0-1) over Paulding County (1-0) by 22; North Paulding (1-0) over East Paulding (0-0) by 19.