Week 11 Friday night roundups

Class AAAAAAA

Walton 25, Cherokee 21

Walton came from behind at home to eke out an important Region 4-AAAAAAA win against Cherokee, 25-21. With the win, Walton (5-4, 3-1) moved into a three-way tie atop the region with Roswell and Etowah. The Raiders took a fourth-quarter lead on a touchdown that was set up by a Marcus Allen interception. Quarterback Zak Rozsman found wide receiver Rawson MacNeill on a fade into the end zone to put the Raiders up 25-21. On Cherokee’s ensuing possession, Austin Eldred ended the drive with an interception, and the Raiders moved into field-goal range with under a minute left. With 27 seconds remaining and Conor Cummins attempting a kick that would put the Raiders up by seven points, Cherokee committed a roughing-the-kicker penalty and Walton then ran out the clock. Walton pulled to within three points of Cherokee (6-3, 2-2), 21-18, in the fourth quarter after a Rozsman touchdown run and Pearce Spurlin’s rush for the successful two-point conversion. The Raiders trailed 14-7 at halftime, getting a short Kenny Djaha rushing touchdown that was set up by a Jeb Carriere interception. Cummins hit a 27-yard field goal in the third quarter.

Collins Hill 27, Mountain View 0

Collins Hill followed last week’s 42-0 win over Discovery that clinched a playoff berth for the Eagles with its second-straight shutout, defeating host Mountain View 27-0 behind a stellar performance by sophomore quarterback Sam Horn. Collins Hill took held a 14-0 advantage at the break after a 32-yard first-quarter touchdown completion from Horn to Travis Hunter and a 15-yarder from Horn to Logan Brown late in the second. Grayson Koerner took a 25-yard trip to the end zone with 1:19 left in the third quarter for a 20-0 Eagles lead, and Horn found Hunter once more in the final frame for the game’s final tally.

Etowah 43, Lassiter 7

Etowah’s senior quarterback Dalton Miller finished the first half of the Week 11 matchup against visiting Lassiter with 226 yards and four touchdown passes to lead the Eagles to a convincing 43-7 win and improve their record to 3-1 in Region 4-AAAAAAA play. Miller bookended Remington Adams’ 19-yard rushing score with touchdown passes to Jackson Manns (2 yards) and Brock Rechsteiner (43 yards) to give Etowah a 20-0 lead at the end of the opening frame, and he found Blake Bohannon (20 yards) and Rechsteiner again (40 yards) in the second. The Eagles also added a second-quarter safety on a blocked Lassiter punt, and Etowah led 36-0 at the break. Channing Canty got Lassiter on the board with a 6-yard run early in the fourth quarter before Dawson Heck provided the final points of the game on an 8-yard touchdown run.

Lowndes 28, Colquitt County 17

Top-ranked Lowndes used 14 unanswered points in the second half to close out its perfect regular season and earn the Region 1-AAAAAAA title over visiting Colquitt County. Nyquann Washington intercepted Lowndes to set up a Jaycee Harden 9-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Walker that gave Colquitt County an early 7-0 lead. Lowndes answered right back on a Gary Osby 33-yard touchdown, then took its first lead of the game with a touchdown run by quarterback Jacurri Brown near the end of the opening quarter. Colquitt County running back Daijun Edwards capped off an 80-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter that evened it up 14-14 at the break. The Packers reclaimed the lead on their opening drive of the second half with a 41-yard field goal by Jason Gallardo. Osby put Lowndes back in front with his second rushing touchdown and then a muffed Colquitt County punt set up Brown for an 18-yard touchdown run that put the Vikings up 28-17.

North Gwinnett 48, Peachtree Ridge 10

North Gwinnett took the opening kickoff for a touchdown on a reverse, caught by Seth Anderson and pitched to D.J. Hart, and cruised to a home win to clinch the Region 6-AAAAAAA championship with a 9-1 overall record and 6-0 league record. Bulldogs quarterback J.R. Martin rushed for two touchdowns and threw for two scores, both to Josh Downs. Devin Crosby also rushed for a 43-yard touchdown in the second quarter to put North Gwinnett up 35-10 at halftime. North Gwinnett’s final touchdown came on a pass from backup quarterback Ashton Wood to Anderson in the third quarter.

Parkview 61, Meadowcreek 21

Visiting Parkview clinched the Region 7-AAAAAAA championship behind a big night from senior quarterback Jordan Williams, who threw three touchdown passes to Jared Brown and another to C.J. Daniels. The Panthers also got two rushing touchdowns from Cody Brown and an interception return for a score from Quincy Bryant. Tyler Curtis had a rushing score and a touchdown reception from backup quarterback Colin Houck for Parkview’s final two touchdowns in the third quarter.

Grayson 41, Rockdale County 0

LaFayette Gurvin Jr. scored four of Grayson’s five rushing touchdowns en route to a home win over Rockdale County. The Rams, who clinched their second-straight region title, led 20-0 after one quarter, 34-0 at halftime, and by the final 41-0 margin going into the fourth quarter. Phil Mafah added a 66-yard touchdown run for Grayson, while the defensive shutout included a first-quarter interception return for a score by Grady Bryant. Gurvin finished with 57 rushing yards and quarterback C.J. Dixon passed for 99 yards on just 11 attempts.

Archer 56, South Gwinnett 23

The Archer Tigers set the tone of their 56-23 road win against South Gwinnett on their first play from scrimmage when backup quarterback Andrew Lane found Trey Messer, who had 148 yards and three touchdown receptions in the first half, on the back end of a double-pass for a 62-yard touchdown. The Comets answered with a 16-play, 90-yard drive that ended with a touchdown from Remari Hudson, but the Tigers closed out the half with five straight touchdowns to take a 42-7 lead at the break. Quarterback Carter Peevy, who finished the game 8-of-9 for 202 yards, found Messer on touchdown completions of 12 and 72 yards and threw a 22-yarder to Andrew Dyer. Peevy also added a 5-yard rushing score, and Renoldo Spivey Jr had a 78-yard kickoff return. Jiaquez Thorpe scored both of Archer’s second-half touchdowns on runs of 3 and 19 yards, and South Gwinnett got touchdowns off runs by Deon Downer and Dorian Powell. Andrew Spearman had an interception in the end zone for Archer.

Class AAAAAA

Gainesville 51, Apalachee 21

Gainesville came away with a convincing win over Apalachee with an impressive performance on the ground. A rush by Dez Brown put Gainesville on the board early in the first quarter. Apalachee’s Shaan Cook soon scored, but a rushing touchdown by JD Brooks put Gainesville up 14-7 to end the frame. Brooks then scored Gainesville’s next two touchdowns in the second quarter to give Gainesville a 28-7 lead, and the half ended with a score of 28-14 after another rushing score from Cook. Gainesville ran away with the game in the third, outscoring Apalachee 16-0. Brooks added his fourth touchdown of the game, followed by a touchdown from Gionni Williams and a team safety. The beginning of the fourth saw an Apalachee pass picked off by Yusif Ali for a touchdown, bringing the score 51-14, and Cook’s third touchdown of the night would be the last for Apalachee.

Sprayberry 27, Creekview 21

The Yellow Jackets relied on the success of their running game in Sprayberry’s narrow defeat of the Creekview Grizzlies. Following a touchdown from Creekview in the first, Sprayberry quarterback Kyle Brown claimed the lead with a pair of touchdowns to Deji Thomas and Josh Bush. Junior running back Damarion Owens gave Sprayberry its final two touchdowns of the game, the first of which came in the second quarter, and he finished the game with 180 yards on the ground.

Class AAAAA

Clarke Central 48, Johnson-Gainesville 14

Clarke Central scored 27 points in the second quarter and took a 48-0 lead into the final frame before Johnson’s freshman quarterback Jack Luttrell cut into the deficit with two rushing touchdowns. Clarke Central quarterback Isaac Ward had a huge first half, completing two touchdown passes to Nono Mack and another to Justin Hodges. Christian Bryan connected on 38 and 44-yard field goals in the second quarter and Sydney Barnett returned an interception for a touchdown. The Gladiators added to their 34-0 halftime lead with rushing touchdowns from O’Brien Barnett and Will Robinson in the third quarter.

Rome 38, Villa Rica 6

The visiting Rome Wolves came away with a win over the Villa Rica Wildcats behind a strong performance from senior running back Ahijah Blackwell. Blackwell scored all three first-quarter Rome touchdowns on runs of 2, 3 and 8 yards, the third of which was set up by an 81-yard pass from Caleb Ellard to Adam Peterson. A 26-yard field goal from Alonzo Rodriguez gave Rome a 24-0 lead at the half. EJ Burks brought the score 31-0 with a 6-yard rush before Keenan Johnson put Villa Rica on the board with a 45-yard run. Blackwell scored his fourth touchdown of the evening with a 3-yard run. Both teams went scoreless in the fourth.

Carrollton 48, Paulding County 14

Brandon Marenco and Shyquan Johnson combined for 342 of Carrollton’s 392 rushing yards as the Trojans ran past Paulding County. Carrollton built a 13-0 lead after the first quarter and a 34-7 lead at the break and outscored Paulding County 14-7 in the second half to seal the victory. Kodee Brewer finished a team-high two touchdown runs and 44 rushing yards on just three carries, but Marenco and Johnson were the workhorses. Marenco rushed 10 times for 176 yards and a touchdown on an 8-yard scamper in the first quarter to put the Trojans up 13-0. Johnson had nine carries for 166 yards and a touchdown on a 48-yard run with 2:55 left in the game. Carrollton quarterback Myles Morris, who was 9-of-10 passing for 136 yards and two touchdowns, scored on a 10-yard run in the third quarter to put Carrollton up 41-7. Morris also passed to Ace Williamson (24 yards) and Melvin Edwards (11 yards) for touchdowns.

Whitewater 26, Fayette County 16

Whitewater kicker Evan Rogers made four field goals and Silas Rhodes rushed for two touchdowns, including a 64-yard run in the first half that gave Whitewater a 13-0 lead. Fayette County’s Owen Mikoy kicked a field goal with 2:43 left in the first half to get the Tigers on the board. The Tigers continued chipping away at the deficit in the second half, with quarterback Dustin Waters finding Joshua Thomas for a 53-yard gain before the duo connected for a 5-yard touchdown to make it 13-10. Whitewater got to the 5-yard line later in the third quarter, but the drive ended with a Rogers’ 20-yard field goal. Fayette County’s Miles Montgomery rushed for a 2-yard touchdown that tied it 16-16 and Whitewater blocked the potential go-ahead PAT. Rhodes scored on a 3-yard carry to make it 23-16 with 5:31 left to play and Rogers tacked on a 23-yard field goal with 1:49 left to make it 26-16.

Buford 49, Walnut Grove 0

Buford jumped out to a 28-0 lead in the first quarter on the road against Walnut Grove, getting touchdowns on a 31-yard Elijah Turner run, a 5-yard Gabe Ervin run, a 45-yard pass from Jarvis Evans to Julian Lewis and a 37-yard punt return for a score by Treyton Rank. Tommy Beuglas and Ashton Daniels added rushing scores in the second quarter to give the Wolves a 42-0 halftime lead, and Eli Parks scored on a 6-yard run in the third quarter for the game’s final touchdown. Buford moved to 9-0 and 4-0 in Region 8-AAAAA and will travel to Clarke Central next Friday in a game for the region title.

Kell 27, Hiram 7

Host Kell got two touchdown passes from Corbin LaFrance, one a 20-yarder to Jaylon Brown and the other a 6-yard completion to Jamal Hill. The Longhorns also got a kickoff return for a touchdown from Xavier Parris and two field goals from Colby Kerns. Hiram took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, but Kell took control with a 17-7 halftime lead.

Class AAAA

Oconee County 35, North Oconee 7

Oconee County clinched the Region 8-AAAA championship and improved its overall record to 8-1 with a dominant road victory over previously-unbeaten North Oconee. The Warriors intercepted North Oconee three times in the first half and surged to a 28-0 lead. Jimmy Boswell scored on a 3-yard rushing touchdown and quarterback Max Johnson rushed for a 1-yard score and tossed two touchdown passes to Ben Noland (59, 38 yards). Bubba Chandler put North Oconee on the board with a 48-yard touchdown pass to Chance Cross with 2:31 left in the third quarter, but he was also intercepted for a fourth and fifth time in the second half. Johnson connected with Jake Johnson for his third passing touchdown to ice the game with just 1:47 left.

Sandy Creek 34, Cedartown 30

Cedartown took a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter after touchdowns from Kobe Pryor and Jayden Johnson, and Sandy Creek finally put points on the board when senior running back Rashad Amos scampered 3 yards into the end zone. The Bulldogs were again able to separate themselves from the Patriots, picking up a safety along with another touchdown from Johnson to DJ Frazier to make it a 23-7 game at the half. A pair of third-quarter scores from Amos kept Sandy Creek in the game, and an 85-yard pick-six by Brian Branch gave the Patriots their first lead of the game. Cedartown retook the lead in the fourth, but a 77-yard touchdown from senior quarterback Matt Williams to Amos sealed the Sandy Creek victory. Williams’ performance helped him break the Sandy Creek single-season touchdown record (26).

Burke County 37, Thomson 21

Host Burke County outscored Thomson 23-0 in the second half to defeat the rival Bulldogs for a crucial Region 3-AAAA victory. Thomson quarterback Tay Martin rushed or a touchdown and threw two touchdowns in the first half to lead the Bulldogs to a 21-14 lead at the half. Burke County quarterback Michael Johnson provided a rushing and passing score for the Bears’ first 14 points. Johnson added a 1-yard touchdown run with 5:30 left in the third quarter, but the PAT was blocked and Thomson maintained a 21-20 lead heading into the fourth. With less than nine minutes left to play, Thomson elected to attempt a fake punt from its own 35-yard line on a 4th-and-3 that failed and gifted Burke County incredible field possession. Johnson capitalized and put the Bears up front 26-21 with a 26-yard touchdown pass to John Osborn, then added a 53-yard touchdown run with 5:44 left to increase the lead to 34-21. Kicker Jacob Hickman iced the game with a 24-yard field goal with 1:05 left.

Class AAA

Lovett 48, Redan 12

Blaine McAllister accounted for four touchdowns as Lovett rolled to a road win over Redan. McAllister threw a pair of first-half scoring strikes to Collin Goldberg, connected with Charlie Hoke for a 22-yarder in the third quarter, and capped off the scoring with a six-yard keeper. The Lions led 20-0 after one quarter, 27-0 at halftime, and by the final 48-12 margin going into the fourth. Henry Beery added three rushing touchdowns, two of which came from more than 20 yards out. Roderick Jones delivered a 49-yard touchdown run for Redan’s first points before Linard Cole found the end zone from nine yards out later in the third quarter.

Westminster 17, Stone Mountain 6

Alex Bacchetta went 3-for-3 on field goals to lead Westminster past host Stone Mountain. The Wildcats struggled to pull away after seizing a quick 11-0 lead in the first quarter, but Bacchetta made it a two-possession game with the final points of the night on a 49-yard boot with eight minutes remaining. Robert Clarke rushed for a four-yard touchdown in the first quarter to pad Westminster’s early advantage. Phillip Metzheiser, Will Benton, and Wicker Croft had interceptions for the Wildcat defense. Stone Mountain quarterback Shaheim Bailey kept his team competitive with an 86-yard touchdown scamper that pulled the Pirates to within 11-6 at halftime.

Jefferson 55, Jackson County 0

The Jefferson Dragons defended home field with a dominating blowout over the Jackson County Panthers. Jefferson quarterback Colby Clark scored on the first drive of the game with a 14-yard rush, and his touchdown pass to Jordan Perry gave the Dragons a 14-0 lead to end the first quarter. A 20-point second quarter started with a 7-yard run by Kade McNally. Kadin Bailey intercepted a pass on the following Jackson County possession and returned 35 yards to the end zone, and Colby Clark found Kolton Jones with a 36-yarder to make it a 34-0 game with 3:11 remaining in the half. McNally scored his second touchdown of the game early in the third, and Rem Maxwell returned an interception for a score and a 48-0 lead headed into the fourth. Carter Stephenson scored Jefferson’s final touchdown on an 18-yard run.

Calhoun 28, Haralson County 14

Calhoun weathered an 8-0 deficit at the end of the first quarter and held the Rebels scoreless in the second half while adding two touchdowns to pull away. Haralson took an 8-0 lead after a rushing touchdown by Clay Hyatt and a two-point conversion. Calhoun cut into the lead with a rushing touchdown from Jerrian Hames in the second quarter. Minutes later, Hyatt scored on a short rushing touchdown to give Haralson a 14-7 lead after the missed point-after attempt. The Yellow Jackets tied the game with a minute remaining in the first half on a 45-yard pass from Jake Morrow to Grant Gilmer. Morrow gave Calhoun the 21-14 lead on a 3-yard pass to Cole Speer with five minutes left in the third quarter, and Hames’ 32-yard touchdown run with nine minutes left put the game out of reach.

North Murray 31, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 0

The Mountaineers (8-1) scored their eighth-straight victory and clinched their first region title in program history with a road victory over Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe. Quarterback Ladd McConkey rushed for a 39-yard touchdown in the first quarter and threw touchdown passes to Chaisen Buckner in the second quarter, Dante Edwards Tidwell in the third quarter and Landon Burrell with 8:04 left in the fourth. Owen Hannah went 4-4 on PAT’s and connected on a field goal late in the second quarter that put North Murray up 17-0.

Adairsville 18, Ringgold 3

Adairsville answered a first-quarter field goal by Ringgold with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Conner Crunkelton to Jacob Ray, then tacked on a successful 2-point conversion to grab an 8-3 lead. The host Tigers had a chance to increase the lead before the half, but unsuccessfully gambled a 4th down call at the 1-yard line and the 5-point lead held. Adairsville kicker Emanuel Lopez sent a 27-yard field goal through the uprights with 9:19 to play in the fourth, but the 11-3 edge kept Ringgold within one possession. Adairsville ate up the clock before they were forced to punt, but Lopez pinned Ringgold at the 1-yard line. Ringgold fumbled in its own end zone on the ensuing possession and Adairsville defensive lineman Garrett Ellis jumped on it for a touchdown that iced the game with under a minute left.

Pace Academy 41, Towers 14

Pace Academy never trailed against Towers, jumping out to a 16-0 lead in the first quarter and coasting to a home win. Pearson Bates opened the scoring with a field goal and Quantaves Gaskins rushed for a touchdown to pile on Pace Academy’s advantage before Towers mounted a brief charge. The Titans pulled to within 22-14 in the second quarter, but a 38-yard scoring strike from Evan Smith-Rooks to Jack Jacoby made it 28-14 at halftime. Justin Johnson rushed for two touchdowns in the third quarter to put the game out of reach and account for the final margin of victory. Sam Harris added a score on the ground for the Knights.

Peach County 49, Jackson 14

Host Peach County took a 42-7 lead into the final quarter before improving to 8-1 and a perfect 5-0 in Region 4-AAA. Noah Whittington rushed for a touchdown in the opening quarter and teammates Zion Shaw and Jaydon Gibson added second-quarter touchdown runs to push the lead to 21-0 at the half. Jackson opened the third quarter with a touchdown to get on the board, but the Trojans responded with three more touchdowns to close the frame. Gibson found Dorrian Smith for a touchdown, Noah Whittington rushed for his second touchdown of the game and Kapien Everett also rushed for a score. In addition to his touchdown catch, Smith also had two interceptions in the quarter. Everett found the end zone with 5:38 left for his second rushing touchdown of the half before a late Jackson touchdown brought the game to its final tally.

Class AA

Callaway 51, Jordan 0

No. 2 ranked Callaway (9-1) closed out its regular season against Jordan Thursday night at Columbus Memorial Stadium and secured the Region 5-AA championship with its ninth-straight victory. Running back Charlie Dixon rushed for touchdowns of 30 and 32 yards to give the Cavaliers an early 14-0 lead. Demetrius Coleman threw a screen pass to offensive lineman and Auburn-commit Tate Johnson in the final minute of the opening quarter, and the 315-pound senior took it 16 yards for the touchdown and a 21-0 Cavaliers advantage. Coleman extended the lead with a 20-yard touchdown to Antinez Blount, and Keshawn Suggs returned a fumble 10 yards for a touchdown to make it 35-0. Coleman connected with Jacob Freeman for his third touchdown of the first half before Freeman ran in a 65-yard score to give Callaway a commanding 49-0 lead at the half. The Cavaliers added a third-quarter safety before closing out the victory with a running clock.

Class A

Irwin County 52, Atkinson County 0

No. 1 ranked Irwin County (8-0) jumped to a 39-0 halftime lead before closing out its fourth-straight shutout. The Indians have now outscored their opponents 301-22 this season. Jamorri Colson, Kam Ward and twins Garland and Gabriel Benyard each rushed for touchdowns in the first quarter to grow a 25-0 lead. An Eric Anderson rushing touchdown and Colson’s second trip to the end zone pushed the lead to 39-0, and sophomore running backs Bernard Herring and Matthew Payne added Irwin County’s seventh and eighth rushing scores of the game in the second half to mark the final tally.

Prince Avenue Christian 41, George Walton Academy 13

Prince Avenue Christian opened up a 33-0 lead with 2:47 left in the third quarter before host George Walton Academy got on the board. Junior quarterback Brock Vandagriff threw two touchdown passes to Zac Dyer in the first half, and McKay Melnick rushed for a pair of touchdowns to put the Wolverines up 27-0 at the break. Tyler Payne’s touchdown run pushed the lead to 33-0 before the Bulldogs chipped away at it with touchdown runs at the end of the third quarter and with 6:05 left in the fourth. Prince Avenue Christian’s final points came on a Vandagriff touchdown pass to Landon Owens with just 2:52 left.

Wesleyan 45, Strong Rock Christian 13

Wesleyan scored 45 unanswered points following a 13-0 deficit at the end of the first quarter to overcome visiting Strong Rock Christian. Wolves quarterback J.C. French threw five touchdown passes and rushed for another score to lead the emphatic comeback. Cooper Blauser and Micah Smith had two touchdown receptions apiece, while Vance Nicklaus hauled in French’s other scoring strike. Javy Martinez added a field goal to extend Wesleyan’s 21-13 halftime lead. Mitchell Badciong had an interception that set up the Wolves’ go-ahead touchdown in the second quarter.

Athens Academy 27, Hebron Christian 0

No.1 Athens Academy improved to 9-0 with a blowout win over No. 9 Hebron Christian. The bulk of the scoring took place in the first quarter, with three Athens Academy touchdowns. Trey Willis started off the scoring with a 19-yard rush, but the attempted two-point conversion was no good. Kurt Knisely had a 1-yard rushing touchdown with a minute left to go in the quarter, and Deion Colzie picked off a pass on the following Hebron possession and returned it 12 yards for a touchdown, bringing the score 20-0 to end the frame. Palmer Bush added a 1-yard rushing score in the second quarter.

Fellowship Christian 31, Whitefield Academy 9

Fellowship did all of its scoring on the ground on Friday and Murphy Reeves led the way with two touchdowns. Reeves carried the ball 21 times and finished with a team-high 219 rushing yards and scored on runs of 3 and 18 yards. His 18-yarder in the second quarter followed a 30-yard touchdown run by Josh Cole, and Jayven Hall scored on a 7-yard run in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach. Kicker Matt Rodgers was 4-for-4 on point-after attempts and added a 43-yard field goal in the victory. Fellowship did not have any completed passed but finished with 441 rushing yards in 67 plays while holding Whitefield to 193 yards of offense.