High School Football Predictions

Every week, I pick high school football games that are played in Patch coverage areas from Cumming to Stone Mountain.

Check out this week's predictions, then let us know how you think your team will fare in the comment box below ... if you dare.

Last week’s best picks: Chattahoochee 37, Sequoyah 10 (actual score, Chattahoochee 31, Sequoyah 12); North Gwinnett 35, Mountain View 17 (actual score, North Gwinnett 35, Mountain View 7).

Last week’s worst picks: Norcross 28, Peachtree Ridge 24 (actual score, Peachtree Ridge 41, Norcross 14); Mt. Pisgah 24, Lovett 17 (actual score, Lovett 32, Mt. Pisgah 14).

Last week's record: 19-4. Overall record: 143-40-1.

Are you ready for another round of picks?

at : The annual Battle of Five Forks-Trickum (named after the thoroughfare that connects the two communities) is one of metro Atlanta’s greatest high school rivalries. It’s a big game, even when neither team is very good. Of course, that’s seldom the case, as Parkview and Brookwood, with six state championships between them, are often playing for more than bragging rights in this game. This time the two teams are in a three-way tie for second place in Region 8-AAAAA (along with Dacula) with 4-1 league records. Brookwood, the defending state champ, is 5-2 and winners of four straight games. Parkview, which played even with region leader Grayson except for about eight minutes in last week’s 36-0 loss, is 4-3 after an 0-2 start. This has the makings of another great Brookwood-Parkview game. Both play great defense and are reliant on an effective running game. The quarterbacks don’t make mistakes and the coaching staffs are stellar at keeping their players focused on assignments one play at a time. Something tells me the unexpected will determine the outcome, and it may come down to the wire. Sorry, but this is a coin flip … flip … Parkview 21, Brookwood 20.

at : Homecoming at Berkmar matches two teams at the bottom the Region 8-AAAAA standings. Shiloh is 1-7 overall, 1-5 in the region; Berkmar is 1-6, 0-5. Both have a five-game losing streak. There is talent on both squads, but it is inexperienced and prone to make mistakes. Shiloh has been shut out in three of its last four games. Berkmar has lost by an average of 41 points per game. Shiloh 24, Berkmar 20.

South Gwinnett at Grayson: First-place Grayson (7-0 overall, 5-0 in Region 8-AAAAA) is a tough out. Ask Parkview, which played with the Rams for most of the game last week, but still lost 36-0. The Rams are adept at capitalizing on mistakes. If the Comets (2-6, 2-4) hope to hang with the Rams they’ll have to play mistake-free. And that may not be enough. Grayson 28, South Gwinnett 17.

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

It’s Football Season on Patch

Come back to Patch during the week for more info on your local football teams. Thursdays — See if we think your team has what it takes to win in our weekly football predictions. Fridays — Get local football scores, updated throughout the evening. Weekends — Read about how your favorite team fared Friday night.  Tuesdays — Find out who turned in the best game performances in our Football Honor Roll.