By Walter L. Johnson II

Editor’s Note: Welcome to the 2011 debut edition of “High School Football Game of the Week” in the Albany Journal, and online at thealbanyjournal.com. Each week during the season, one game involving a team within the Albany Journal coverage area will be featured in this column.

When: Friday, August 19, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Sherwood Christian Academy Sports Complex, Old Pretoria Road
2010 records: Deerfield-Windsor (13-0, defeated Tattnall Square, 38-22, to win GISA Class AAA state championship); Sherwood Christian (6-5, lost to Tattnall Square, 17-14, in the first round of the GISA Class AAA state playoffs)
All-time series record: Deerfield-Windsor leads 14-1
Last meeting: Deerfield-Windsor 28, Sherwood Christian 6 (2010)

Analysis: Goodbye, 2010, Hello, 2011, for both the Deerfield-Windsor School Knights and the Sherwood Christian Academy Eagles.

The defending GISA Class AAA state champion Knights are starting over after losing 10 seniors from the squad that won its second state title in three years to graduation. That includes replacing quarterback, safety and punter Banks Kinslow, as well as running back Davis Moore. But they do return plenty of talent for a potential repeat with the likes of Quentin Heard and Gaughf Ivey coming back for their senior seasons.

On the other hand, SCA welcomes its third new head coach in four years, as Otis Covington was named the Eagles head coach. He replaces Reginald Mitchell, who resigned during the offseason to take an assistant coach’s position at Tift County High School.

Deerfield will try to continue its dominance over its Dougherty County archrival in SCA. The Knights have won 14 of the 15 meetings they’ve played in a series that dates back to 1994. Deerfield-Windsor won the first meeting, 27-0.

Sherwood Christian’s only win in the series came in 1997, when the Eagles held off the Knights 27-21.

Additionally, it’s the GISA Region 1-AAA opener for both teams, as they hope to get the 2011 season off on the right foot.

Source: Georgia High School Football Historians Association (www.ghsfha.org)

Deerfield-Windsor’s Tripp Presley gets a key block from Alec Miller during a scrimmage game Saturday against Valwood. PHOTO BY BUBBA IVEY.