Evans, Grovetown should roll; Harlem will struggle against Thomson

Last week: 3-1

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Total for year: 17-8

Evans (4-1) at Greenbrier (1-4)

Last week: Evans beat South Effingham 37-12; Greenbrier lost to Lakeside 21-0.

All-time: Evans leads 6-4, including three consecutive wins.

Last meeting: Evans won 28-7 last season.

Evans has scored 25.6 points per game and allowed 14.4. Greenbrier has scored 16.4 and allowed 26.8.

Greenbrier gave a valiant effort last week against Lakeside before turnovers and a tired defense did them in. The Wolfpack will need to play mistake-free football to have a chance against the Knights.

Evans 27, Greenbrier 10

Grovetown (2-3) at Westside (1-4)

Last week: Grovetown beat Harlem 31-10; Westside lost to Josey 34-7.

All-time: This is their first meeting.

Grovetown has scored 25.4 points per game and allowed 17. Westside has scored 9.4 and allowed 42.

Grovetown could easily be 5-0. The Warriors had leads against Greenbrier, Evans and Butler, but come up short.

The story is much different for Westside. The Patriots have struggled mightily in 2010 and been outscored 106-7 in their past two games. The Warriors should have no trouble here.

Grovetown 38, Westside 7

Harlem (1-4) vs. Thomson (4-1)

Last week: Thomson beat Richmond Academy 28-14; Harlem fell to Grovetown 31-10.

All-time: Thomson leads the series 12-4-1 and have won the past seven meetings. Harlem last won in 1978, by a score of 13-6.

Last meeting: Thomson won 35-7 in 2007.

Thomson has scored 23.4 points per game and allowed 11. Harlem has scored 6.2 and allowed 28.2.

"The Battle of the Bulldogs" certainly favors Thomson. Harlem jumped out to a 10-0 lead last week but gave up 31 unanswered points to lose to Grovetown. Thomson has already doubled its win total from a year ago and should get the win here.

Thomson 30, Harlem 10

Lakeside (2-4) vs. Effingham County (3-3)

Last week: Lakeside blanked Greenbrier 21-0; Effingham County lost to Statesboro 28-14.

All-time: Effingham County leads 3-1.

Last meeting: Effingham County won 7-0 in 2007.

Lakeside has scored 17.3 points per game and allowed 17.8. Effingham County has scored 18 and allowed 20.3.

The Panthers are a darn good 2-4 team. They had heartbreaking, last-second losses to Thomson and Statesboro and also hung tough with Northside-Warner Robins for three quarters. Not bad considering they are playing without Mark Weidenaar and Kendal Parker.

Parker tried to go against Greenbrier, but his leg hasn't healed enough.

These two teams are pretty even, but I give a slight edge to the Panthers.

Lakeside 20,

Effingham County 13

Augusta Christian (3-3) vs. Heathwood Hall

Last week: Augusta Christian lost to Wilson Hall 25-0; Heathwood Hall lost to Laurence Manning 27-14.

Last meeting: Heathwood Hall won 27-20 last year.

Augusta Christian has scored 23.7 points per game and allowed 25.5; Laurence Manning has scored 13.8 and allowed 36.2.

The Lions had their two-game winning streak snapped last week against Wilson Hall. They will need to play a solid game, but they should be able to get past a struggling Heathwood squad.

Augusta Christian 31, Heathwood Hall 20