Week 1 Power Ratings: Johnson tops the list

After one full week of high school football, we have enough games to start the power ratings. Johnson, who I have seen, looks significantly improved over last year, and the Knights are playing with a new confidence. Betsy and I also saw the Gainesville-West Forsyth game. It looked early like West Forsyth was going to dominate and win in a blowout, however, the Red Elephant does not know how to quit and throw in the ...

Murphy: Gainesville's unexpected playoff run special for players

Friday is going to be a special night and festive atmosphere for Gainesville's football team, especially its seniors.

Murphy: Gainesville and Flowery Branch up for the test in state quarterfinals

There's probably going to be very similar feelings flowing through the locker rooms at Gainesville and Flowery Branch this week with state quarterfinal games looming against their respective classifications No. 1-ranked team Friday.

Murphy: High school reclassification likely to affect many local schools

At Friday's high school playoff games, talk about region realignment may be just as regular as a look ahead in the bracket for Flowery Branch, Gainesville and Buford fans, the only three local schools still alive in the playoffs. If projections hold true, all three of these programs will be on the move up and competing against a new group of schools in the coming years.

Week 11 power ratings: Gainesville overtakes Branch

1. Gainesville (9-1) Power rating 3.84, Average Points 44.20, Average Allowed 11.50: The Red Elephants are storming into the playoffs after finishing the regular season with a 62-7 win over a very talented Stephens County team. This is a team which can, and does, dominate on both sides of the football.

Murphy: Playoff excitement felt by all involved

Every team fortunate enough to extend its season to the postseason should be extremely proud of its accomplishment.

Week 10 Power Ratings: Falcons, Red Elephants ahead of the pack

1. Flowery Branch (9-0) Power rating 3.88, Average Points 49.11, Average Allowed 12.67: Flowery Branch is coming off a dominating win against Region 8-AAAA rival, the Salem Seminoles.

Murphy: GHSA coming down hard on transfers

The Georgia High School Association has taken a firm stand against any move deemed to be ineligible by a football player, or what we call transfers in everyday language. Twice in the current month, a pair of member schools (Dalton and Athens Christian) had to vacate wins and in both cases seriously hampering their chances of making the state playoffs.

Week 9 Power Ratings: Undefeated Falcons flying high

1. Flowery Branch (8-0), PR 3.66, Average Points 48.50, Average Allowed 13.25: Loganville gave the Falcons a good night's work and kept the game competitive through the first half last Friday, then the Falcons pulled away to remain Hall County's only undefeated team.

Murphy: Trojans still have shot at region title game

Out of all the schools in Northeast Georgia playing in a subdivided region, North Hall (4-4, 3-1 Region 8-AAA North) probably has the most riding on this Friday's game. The Trojans are one of three teams that are in the running for the North subregion title, but as a result of last Friday's loss to Franklin County (4-4, 3-1), will have to get some help to make things fall their way.

The Times High School Football Pick 'Em: Week 9

Week 9 Power Ratings: Flowery Branch still the class of Hall County

1. Flowery Branch (7-0) Power rating 3.99, Average Points 48.43, Average Allowed 12.14: Flowery Branch visited Heritage last Friday and for the first time this year, in my opinion, played a team which was almost as good as they were.

Murphy: Intense late-season matchups affect subregion outcomes

The beautiful part of this time of the high school football season is that a couple of big football games have such a drastic impact on an entire region. It happens every year and gives the best football teams the opportunity to control their own playoff fate. Huge end-of-the-season games are inevitable, regardless of whether a team is in a subdivided region or plays a straight region schedule. Last Friday, there were two games ...

The Times High School Football Pick 'Em: Week 8

Week 7 Power Ratings: Flowery Branch clicking on all cylinders

Football is a uniquely American sport. It was developed in this country, and the game itself represents the rough-and-tumble nature of the American people.