The End Zone Week 2 preview: Peach County at Perry headlines Friday’s games
41NBC will have live reports from Perry during the 5, 5:30 and 6 p.m. newscasts before showing highlights from seven games during 41NBC News at 11.
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — The GHSA high school football season begins Friday, while Middle Georgia’s GIAA teams enter their second week of competition.
41NBC’s high school football highlights show, The End Zone, will cover seven games Friday night, including the Peach County-Perry rivalry as the Game of the Week.
Bill Shanks will host the show, which airs during 41NBC News at 11.
Before kickoff, 41NBC Sports Anchor Rob Schiff and Chief Meteorologist Aaron Lowery will report live from Perry’s Herb St. John Stadium throughout 41NBC News at 5, 5:30 and 6.
Game of the Week: Peach County at Perry
Peach County enters its fourth season under head coach Marquis Westbrook after finishing 10-2 last year and losing to Jenkins in the second round of the playoffs.
The Trojans are 21-4 over the past two seasons.
Perry begins Kevin Smith’s 10th season as head coach after going 4-7 last year. It was the Panthers’ only losing season during Smith’s tenure, which has also included a state championship.
Warner Robins at Veterans
Warner Robins and Veterans will meet at Freedom Field.
The Demons went 7-5 last season and reached the second round of the playoffs under head coach Shane Sams. Seven offensive starters return, including quarterback Chandler Dyson.
Warner Robins beat Veterans 26-17 last season.
The Warhawks enter their second season under head coach Steve Devoursney after finishing 2-8. Veterans returns two starters on defense.
Eagle’s Landing at Northside
Northside will open its season against Eagle’s Landing at McConnell-Talbert Stadium.
Eagle’s Landing went 6-4 last season (official record was 7-3 after Locust Grove was forced to forfeit several wins due to using an ineligible player) and beat Northside 20-14.
The Eagles are entering their second season under head coach Daniel “Boone” Williams. Northside finished 1-9 last year, its worst record in 60 years, and averaged 11.5 points per game.
Piedmont Academy at Tattnall
Piedmont Academy will travel from Monticello to face Tattnall at Barney Hester Stadium in a matchup between GIAA teams playing their second games of the season.
The Cougars are 0-1 after losing 36-8 to Edmund Burke last week.
Tattnall opened its season with a 47-7 victory over Gatewood after going 0-10 last year. The Trojans are coached by Barney Hester, who’s now in his second back at the school.
Valdosta at Jones County
Jones County will welcome Valdosta to Greyhound Field in Gray for the first meeting between the two programs.
Valdosta went 12-2 last season and enters Shelton Felton’s sixth season as head coach.
The Greyhounds finished 6-4 last year in their first season under head coach Justin Montgomery, but their official record was 7-3 after Locust Grove was forced to forfeit several wins due to using an ineligible player.
Southwest at Howard
Southwest and Howard will open their seasons against each other at 8 p.m. at Thompson Stadium in Macon as part of the Bibb County Gridiron Classic.
The Patriots begin the season under new head coach Roderick Cummings. He replaces Joe Dupree, who left to become the head coach at McDonough.
Howard enters its third season under head coach Trey Porter. The Huskies went 2-8 last season and have not reached the playoffs since 2018.
Wilkinson County at ACE
Wilkinson County will visit the Academy for Classical Education’s Perkins Field.
The Warriors begin the season under new head coach Mack McCord, who replaces Jamoski Ward after Ward left for Central.
ACE is entering its fifth season under head coach Keith Hatcher. The Gryphons finished 5-6 last year, and quarterback Ace Hatcher returns as the starter.
Additional games on The End Zone scoreboard
We’ll also track scores from these Middle Georgia matchups:
- West Forsyth vs. Houston County
- Washington County at Baldwin
- Mary Persons at Jackson
- Bleckley County at West Laurens
- Greenville vs. Central
- Dublin at Jasper County
- Johnson County at East Laurens
- Dooly County at Macon County
- Hawkinsville at Marion County
- GMC at Atkinson County
- Hancock Central at Cross Creek
- Claxton at Twiggs County
- John Milledge at Tiftarea
- Stratford at Pacelli
- Windsor at Thomas Jefferson
- Brentwood at Bulloch
- FPD at Deerfield-Windsor
- Creekside Christian at Mount de Sales
- Sherwood Christian at Central Fellowship
Week 2 will also include The End Zone’s Lineman of the Week and Band of the Week.
