Suwanee High School Football Predictions: Week 5

I was leaving church Wednesday night when I heard the beautiful words: “Thank God for football season.”

“Amen,” I thought, as I felt a comfortably cool breeze hit me under the striking golden hues of sunset.

“That’s right,” I was still thinking. The summer heat has broken and become Chamber-of-Commerce quality. College and pro games have started, there’s a game on TV almost every night and our favorite sons are playing high-school ball every weekend in our neighborhood stadiums.

I took a deep breath to take it all in. How great it is!

“Football season is beautiful,” I said in agreement with my fellow church member.

She rolled her eyes.

The mother then rattled off what it’s like to have a young boy playing in a youth league in Gwinnett County. There’s practice three, sometimes four, nights a week. Games are every Saturday.  And, she said, if she’s lucky, football could be six days a week.

Oh wait a minute, I get it. She was being sarcastic.

“Yeah, football is great,” she said with another roll of the eyes.

Beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder.

This week’s picks

Every week, I pick high-school football games that are played in Patch coverage areas from Stone Mountain to Cumming. I was 19-6 last week, bringing my overall record to 57-15.

Are you ready for another round of picks?

North Gwinnett at Collins Hill: Impressive winners of two in a row over highly regarded out-of-state teams, North Gwinnett has the look of a strong contender to win the title in ultra-strong Region 7-AAAAA. The Bulldogs (2-1) face a Collins Hill team that is much better than its 1-2 record in this region opener for both schools. The Eagles have had their own tough early season schedule, with losses to defending state champion Brookwood and top-10 M.L. King, but may not be able to slow down North’s potent offense (76 points in its last two games). The Eagles have it in them to score an upset, but it’s not smart to pick against the Bulldogs right now. North Gwinnett 32, Collins Hill 24.

Peachtree Ridge at Meadowcreek: It’s hard to see any scenario in which Meadowcreek can win this Region 7-AAAAA opener. Peachtree Ridge (2-1) is just too good, and the Mustangs (0-3) are just no match. Peachtree Ridge 45, Meadowcreek 3.

Scott Bernarde is the Associate Regional Editor for 12 Patch sites in DeKalb, Gwinnett, Fulton and Forsyth counties.