Plenty of points to prove for local teams in week 3 football matchups

Dodge County, historically, has maintained a steady upper hand on West Laurens in the teams’ long-running football rivalry, which will be renewed for a 29th time on Friday at Memorial Stadium in one of the Heart of Georgia’s top week 3 matchups. 

But though the Indians’ pattern of success in the series (good for a 21-7 all-time record) has continued into recent seasons, that advantage has not extended to Eastman, where the Raiders were winners on four out of their last five visits – the only loss, by six, resulting from a Dodge comeback in 2017. 

That trend of strong road performances will need to continue for their 2026 squad (0-1) as it returns from an early-season bye looking to even its record. West’s second-straight battle with a member of AA’s crowded top 10 (the 10th ranked Indians, with their most complete and experienced team in some time, opened last week with a 30-13 road win over Lamar County) should shape up in similar fashion to its opener against Bleckely, in which inconsistency running the ball, and getting possessions off the runway, was a primary culprit in their slow start.  

In another of Friday’s marquee showdowns, No. 3 Dublin (2-0) welcomes fellow unbeaten Baldwin (2-0) to the Shamrock Bowl for homecoming, and a first meeting of an even more dormant rivalry whose last regular-season installment was in 1975 under respective head coaches Tom Simonton and Ken Whiddon. 

The arm of Braves quarterback Kamden Patterson (who has thrown for 640 yards and seven touchdowns, with only one interception, in two games), paired with top receivers Justin Burton and Jerrick Carswell, creates a deep passing threat the likes of which the Irish defense hasn’t reckoned with yet. But the group has measured up favorably in a couple of tests so far, and even if it gives up a few big plays, looks to have the pass rush that can get Baldwin off its pace. 

East Laurens (0-2) may have a must-win game on its hands after a winnable one slipped away in overtime last week at Southeast Bulloch. The Falcons welcome a Washington County team (0-2) that’s likely just as miffed after failing to finish out a bigger fourth quarter lead against ACE. 

Slowing down the Golden Hawks’ good-looking Wing-T run game will go along with the obvious – cutting down on penalties and turnovers – in keys to reversing this early-season slide. 

Trinity (1-2) will be out to make the most of another chance to even its record on the road in a 7 p.m. start at Augusta Prep, against a a group of Cavs (also 1-2) mostly identical to the one it faced and defeated 28-7 last year at home, with the help of two interceptions and several more fourth-down stops.

The Crusaders’ success will once again hinge on their ability to get off the field on third and fourth downs, and finish off key drives. 

For the rest of the area, week 3 will be pretty cut and dry. 

No. 4 Bleckley County (2-0, hosting Jasper County), Brentwood (1-2, welcoming Robert Toombs), Montgomery County (2-0, on the road at Lanier County) and Treutlen (1-0, at Tattnall County) all look to take care of business, while Wilkinson County (0-2, hosting Jefferson County) and Twiggs County (1-1, at Mount de Sales) will both have their hands full in the next games up.