Game preview: North Cobb at North Gwinnett
Game: North Cobb (4-0) at North Gwinnett (3-2) Previous meeting: North Gwinnett won 29-28 (Aug. 28, 2015) Series: Tied 1-1 Key Players: North Cobb — QB Malachi Singleton Malachi Singleton 6'2" | 210 lbs | QB North Cobb | 2023…
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Continue ReadingGame: North Cobb (4-0) at North Gwinnett (3-2)
Previous meeting: North Gwinnett won 29-28 (Aug. 28, 2015)
Series: Tied 1-1
Key Players: North Cobb — QB Malachi Singleton Malachi Singleton 6'2" | 210 lbs | QB North Cobb | 2023 State GA (6’2″, 210), DB Nasir Howell (6’1″, 170), DL/OLB Joshua Josephs (6’3″, 210), DL Joshua Jones (6’4″, 236), WR Christian Moss (6’3″, 180), LB Jadyn Walker (6’1″, 207)
North Gwinnett — LB Barrett Carter Barrett Carter 6'1" | 220 lbs | LB North Gwinnett | 2021 State GA (6’1″, 220), DB Jordan Hancock Jordan Hancock 6'1" | 165 lbs | DB North Gwinntett | 2021 State GA (6’1″, 170), DL Kayden McDonald Kayden McDonald 6'0" | 290 lbs | DL North Gwinnett | 2023 State GA (6’3″, 325), DB Jason Gillium (6’2″, 190), RB Brinston Williams (6’2”, 197), RB Marcus McFarlane (5’11”, 198)
Prediction: North Gwinnett 24, North Cobb 17
Preview: North Cobb took care of business last week to remain unbeaten and will now go on the road to face a program with a 39-8 record and a state title since the start of 2017.
North Cobb (4-0) will travel to North Gwinnett (3-2) this Friday for the final non-region game for both sides. The Warriors defeated Etowah 28-10 last Friday and to remain No. 6 in the 7A state rankings, while North Gwinnett is coming off back-to-back losses for the first time since 2015. The Bulldogs fell 14-13 at home to Archer last week following a 19-7 home loss to Lovejoy.
North Cobb will be looking to give North Gwinnett three straight home defeats for the first time since 2002.
The Warriors should feel confident having defeated their opponents by an average score of 31-17. Sophomore quarterback Malachi Singleton Malachi Singleton 6'2" | 210 lbs | QB North Cobb | 2023 State GA continues to progress into one of the best signal callers in the state, as he finished with 218 total yards and three total touchdowns against Etowah. Singleton is North Cobb’s leading rusher and on the season he has over 1,000 total yards — 639 passing and 367 rushing — and 12 total touchdowns.
Singleton is also completing 72 percent of his passes and senior wide receiver Christian Moss has been the main recipient. Moss finished with 11 catches for 132 yards and two scores in the Warriors’ victory over state power Buford, and on the season he leads the team with 14 receptions for 242 yards and three touchdowns.
Defensively, senior linebacker Jadyn Walker leads North Cobb in tackles (38) and tackles for loss (5) while senior linebacker Dominic Stevenson also has five tackles for loss and leads the team with three sacks. The Warriors have seven interceptions this season with three different players tied for the team lead with two apiece. Junior hybrid outside linebacker/defensive end Joshua Josephs has seen his stock rise recently, picking up offers from Ole Miss, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, North Carolina and West Virginia.
North Cobb will need to be prepared to stop the run as North Gwinnett features a pair of juniors — Brinston Williams (6’2”, 197) and Marcus McFarlane (5’11”, 198) — who have combined for 651 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. Both have drawn attention from college recruiters, but it’s on the defensive side of the ball where North Gwinnett holds most of its next-level talent.
Senior linebacker Barrett Carter Barrett Carter 6'1" | 220 lbs | LB North Gwinnett | 2021 State GA (Clemson), defensive back Jordan Hancock Jordan Hancock 6'1" | 165 lbs | DB North Gwinntett | 2021 State GA (Ohio State) and Jayson Gilliom (Furman) have already committed while sophomore defensive lineman Kayden McDonald Kayden McDonald 6'0" | 290 lbs | DL North Gwinnett | 2023 State GA (6’3”, 325) holds offers from Georgia and Tennesee early in his recruitment.
Each team on North Cobb’s schedule advanced to the playoffs a season ago. Facing a program like North Gwinnett should serve as a final measuring stick before the Warriors begin region play.