Top-ranked Carrollton amassed over 40 points on offense for the 10th game in a row, this time routing Region 1 No. 3-seeded Valdosta 49-13 in the second round of the Class 6A playoffs behind a four-touchdown performance from recent Colorado-commit quarterback Julian “Juju” Lewis.
Junior running back Kimauri Farmer added a trio of touchdowns on the ground, the last of which put the Trojans up 49-7 late in the third quarter. Senior AJ McNeil caught three of Lewis’ scoring strikes, including a 62-yarder set up by Carrollton’s recovery of a Valdosta fumble for a 22-0 advantage.
That turnover on the fourth Wildcat drive followed a pair of punts and a failed fourth-down conversion in the opening frame.
“We know defense wins championships,” emphasized head coach Joey King after the victory. “Those guys did a great job of keeping them off the scoreboard. I mean, that’s an explosive offense. Those guys are really, really talented and they do a really good job, so hats off to our defense for sure.”
The Wildcats (9-3) finally got on the board midway through the second on a connection from Todd Robinson to Eli Lewis after the latter extended the drive with a stunning one-handed reception. Julian Lewis drew the Wildcats offsides to secure a fresh set of downs for the second time on the following Trojan drive, however, and Farmer found the end zone moments later for a 29-7 lead.
“I thought we started off the game well,” Coach King said. “We played a really good first half, and that set us up to be in the position we were in at the end of the game.”
After a huge gain on a screen pass to Peyton Zachary, Lewis hit Zion Cooley for one more first-half score, then threw a third touchdown pass to McNeil to kick off the second half.
“We’re like a family, pretty much,” shared Lewis. “I think everybody trusts the guy next to them, and that’s what’s been getting us through to where we’re at right now.”
Carrollton will make its ninth consecutive quarterfinals appearance — and its second-straight earned with a win over Valdosta — next weekend against Hillgrove as the 12-0 Trojans look to capture their first state title since 1998.
The AJC has writers at Douglas County at North Cobb, Norcross at Grayson and Dutchtown at Milton. See Todd Holcomb’s Friday Night Wrap or see the other second round recaps below.
Class 6A
Collins Hill 28, Colquitt County 14
The fifth-ranked Eagles traveled to Moultre and outscored the top-seeded Packers 14-0 in the second half for a 28-14 victory. Collins Hill first went up 14-0 on a touchdown pass from Makyree Cross to Atticus Joseph and a Deuce Geralds rushing score. Colquitt County knotted it up before the break thanks to a blocked punt recovered on the 1-yard line, but seniors Cameron Jones and Jacari Thomas added rushing scores in the third to secure the victory.
Buford 42, Lowndes 7
Second-ranked Buford handled visiting Lowndes for a 24th quarterfinals appearance in 25 years. Justin Baker took a trio of trips to the end zone, and the Wolves got additional scores from Dylan McCoy and Jordan Allen’s 91-yard touchdown off a Dayton Riola pass. Tyriq Green also contributed a touchdown, as well as an interception.
North Gwinnett 24, Newton 10
The third-ranked Bulldogs withstood a second-half push from visiting Newton to advance to the quarterfinals for the fifth time in eight years. The Rams cut North Gwinnett’s lead to 14-10 in the third with Zion Johnson’s touchdown, then blocked a Bulldog field goal to close the frame. Ryan Hall added a second rushing touchdown — his third overall — for a 24-10 advantage in the fourth, however, and Malekhi Weedon sealed the win with his second pick of the night.
Hillgrove 30, Peachtree Ridge 14
Peachtree Ridge took a 14-6 lead over host Hillgrove early in the second before the Hawks closed the second-round matchup with 24unanswered to earn a trip to the quarterfinals. Hillgrove got its first touchdown when Jaiden Moore found the end zone with 5:23 left in the half, and its first lead with Carter Genchi’s third made field goal just before the break. Following Nick Mathious’ blocked punt, Caleb Walters added a pair of second-half rushing scores to put the game away.
West Forsyth 45, Archer 28
Orris Foster gave the Wolverines a 17-7 lead over the visiting Tigers with the first of his three touchdowns on the night, and West Forsyth maintained at least a two-score lead through the rest of the second-round matchup. The third-seeded Wolverines also got a touchdown pass from Max Walraven to Topher Delp, a field goal from Asher Mote, and rushing scores from Micah Babb and Andrew Davis, and they’ll face Douglas County in the quarterfinals.
Class 5A
Thomas County Central 35, Rome 7
Thomas County Central avenged last year’s quarterfinal loss against Rome on Friday night in dominant fashion. The Yellow Jackets jumped out to a 28-0 lead late in the third quarter. Thomas County Central had four different players score a touchdown. AJ Clark got things started with a rushing touchdown. Christian Lawrence had a three-yard rushing touchdown. Then Jaylen Johnson added two touchdown passes, one to Rodney Dunbar and the other to JB Watkins. Clark had three rushing touchdowns on Friday night. Rome was able to get on the board thanks to a three-yard run from Braxton Anderson, but it was their only points of the night. The defending state champions were dominant throughout the night. Thomas County Central will face Hughes in the quarterfinals.
Sprayberry 35, Newnan 7
The historic year continues for Sprayberry who is in the quarterfinals for the first time since 1982. After trailing 7-0 at halftime thanks to a 22-yard Jay Teagle touchdown run, Sprayberry turned around the game after scoring on the first snap of the second half. The Yellow Jackets continued to get big plays including a 60-yard kick return for a touchdown. Jaden Duckett added a two-yard touchdown run. A key point in the game came in the fourth quarter with Newnan threatening to score on the goaline. The Yellow Jackets’ defense stood tall and forced a stop, turning Newnan over on downs. Sprayberry scored 35 unanswered second-half points and the Newnan defense didn’t have any answers for the run. The Hornets will travel to face Lee County in the quarterfinals.
Sequoyah 35, Woodward Academy 20
Sequoyah continued its playoff run after knocking off No. 1 seed Woodward Academy and advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2018. After Woodward Academy cut the deficit to one score early in the fourth quarter, Sequoyah went on a time-consuming drive that ate up 5:38 of the clock. Rajecki finished off the drive with an eight-yard touchdown to push the lead to two scores. Rajecki finished with two touchdowns on the night. The standout performer was Ean Marria. He finished with three total touchdowns (two receiving, and one rushing). He scored the Chiefs first 21 points on the night. His final score was a 25-yard receiving score. Woodward Academy trailed throughout the entirety of the game and couldn’t quite get back into it until late in the game. The War Eagles got several big plays from its stars. Blake Stewart continued his impressive junior campaign with a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Josiah Abdullah had a 52-yard receiving touchdown late in the third quarter. The Chiefs will play Coffee in the quarterfinals.
Hughes 31, Roswell 21
Hughes advanced to the quarterfinals after a two-touchdown performance from Christian Langford. One of the touchdown passes was to Texas A&M-commit Xavier Tiller who gave the Panthers its first score of the game. The other was a 57-yard strike to speedster Maurice Gleaton. After trailing 7-6 early in the game, Hughes rattled off 15 consecutive points to take control of the game. Both scores came from WR Jabari Jones. Jones had a three-yard and a seven-yard rushing touchdown. After creating a double-digit lead, Roswell simply wouldn’t go away. Both Roswell and Hughes traded scores before Hughes pulled away in the fourth quarter after a 30-yard field goal by Alex Brock with 9:38 left in the game. The defense closed it out from that point not allowing a score. For Roswell QB Trey Smith threw a 61-yard touchdown pass and finished with two touchdowns on the night. Roswell also added a rushing touchdown. The Panthers will face defending state champion Thomas County Central in the quarterfinals.
Lee County 63, East Paulding 14
Lee County continued its winning ways after scoring its third-highest point total of the season in the win over East Paulding. Lee County scored 21 unanswered points to begin the game. QB Weston Bryan was spectacular on the evening. He finished with seven total touchdowns, with two coming on the ground. He had two passing touchdowns to senior WR Jordan Houston. Mr. Georgia finalist Ousmane Kromah chipped in two receiving touchdowns, and Damarian Scott hauled in a nine-yard touchdown pass. The Trojans also got a defensive score from Justyn Tanksley who recovered a fumble and ran it in for a 35-yard touchdown. For East Paulding, senior running back Javen Parker had a 32-yard touchdown run and Chantz Bouknight had an 11-yard touchdown pass. It was a great season for East Paulding who finished with its best record since 2012 when it finished 11-1 and won a region championship. The Trojans have made the quarterfinals for the second consecutive season.
Houston County 63, Lakeside-Evans 12
Houston County led 21-3 after the first quarter and 35-5 at the half in a romp of Lakeside-Evans. Austin Stinson opened scoring on a 29-yard touchdown run. Isaiah Mitchell expanded the lead to 14-0 on a short touchdown run. William Brandenburg kicked a 32-yard field goal for Lakeside-Evans to narrow the margin to 14-3 with four minutes left in the first half. Dalen Johnson passed 46 yards to Mitchell for a touchdown to give the Bears a 21-3 lead. Antwann Hill Jr completed a 12-yard pass to MJ Mathis seven minutes before half to put Houston ahead 28-3. Johnson passed to Mitchell again on a 46-yard touchdown pass to push the lead. Johnson passed to Mitchell on an 80-yard touchdown early in the second half, giving Houston County a 42-5 advantage. Hill’s 87-yard pass to Stinson pushed the margin with five minutes left in the third quarter. Ty Jones scored on an 11-yard run for Lakeside at the end of the third quarter but the game was out of reach. Hill passed to Gavin Kurpis on a six-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter and capped scoring on an 86-yard touchdown pass to Kavon Conciauro late in the game.
In other Class 5A games -- Unranked Coffee knocked off No. 5 Brunswick after scoring 40 points for the fifth time this season and limited a good offensive team to just 14 points. …
Class 4A
Eastside 21, Perry 10
Jayden Barr scored two touchdowns for Eastside (11-1) in its home win over Perry (8-4). Barr returned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown and later in the first quarter took a direct snap and rushed for a touchdown to put Eastside ahead 14-0. The Eagles held a 21-7 halftime lead after Eastside quarterback Payton Shaw threw a touchdown pass to Michael Kenon in the second quarter. Ahmad Gordon also had a short rushing touchdown for a score for Perry in the second quarter. Eastside will travel to Creekside next week for the quarterfinals.
Cambridge 41, Central-Carroll 22
Host Cambridge (10-2) led 17-14 at halftime but opened a 34-14 lead early in the fourth quarter after a field goal by Leo Attard. Cambridge quarterback Weston Taylor threw touchdown passes to Josh Oblen and Craig Dandridge, and Tyler Blalock rushed for two scores as well for the Bears. Brooks Malone rushed for a touchdown for Cambridge to cap the scoring. Attard scored his first field goal in the first quarter to put Cambridge ahead 3-0. Central-Carroll finished the season 9-3. Cambridge will travel to Marist next week for the quarterfinals.
Creekside 42, Kell 35
Creekside (9-2) survived at home against Kell (7-5), as Kell scored late to cut it to a seven-point game and then regained possession but failed to threaten before time ran out. Creekside quarterback Cayden Benson threw three touchdown passes -- to Dylan Vickerson, Eric Paul Jr. and Corey Mims -- and rushed for a score. Also for the Seminoles, Tavarre Terrell rushed for two touchdowns.
Blessed Trinity 22, Jonesboro 7
Jonesboro (8-4) struck first with a touchdown pass in the first quarter, but Noah Godhard’s five made field goals helped give Blessed Trinity (10-1) the home win. The Titans took a 9-7 lead into halftime after Godhard’s three first-half field goals, and Ahmontae Pitts scored on a 5-yard rush in the third quarter to give Blessed Trinity a 16-7 lead. Godhard made two more field goals, one in the third quarter and one in the fourth. Blessed Trinity will host Benedictine next week in the quarterfinals.
Cartersville 53, Starr’s Mill 35
Cartersville (12-0) led just 39-35 after a Starr’s Mill (10-2) field goal in the fourth quarter, but the Purple Hurricanes got a touchdown pass from Andrew Purdy to Davis Waddell and a touchdown rush from Baylon Long to put the game away. Long also had scoring rushes in the first and third quarters. Nate Russell threw three touchdowns for Cartersville, finding Adarrian Taylor-Wilson for two scores and Jamauri Brice for one. Ramsey Rowell also made a field goal for the Purple Hurricanes in the third quarter.
North Oconee 35, Ware County 6
Harrison Faulkner threw four touchdown passes for host North Oconee (12-0). The Titans led 28-0 at halftime after Faulkner found Landon Roldan for three touchdowns and Khamari Brooks for one score. J.T. Doster rushed for a short touchdown in the third quarter to give North Oconee a 35-0 lead. Ware County finished the season 6-6. North Oconee will host Cartersville next week in the quarterfinals.
Marist 22, Jones County 14
Marist (12-0) trailed visiting Jones County (10-2) 14-9 early in the fourth quarter, but the War Eagles scored twice in the final quarter and forced a turnover on downs on Jones County’s final possession to take the win. Trace Gaynes rushed for a 5-yard score early in the fourth quarter to give Marist a 15-14 lead, and Chris Haertel had a 3-yard rushing score to give the War Eagles their eight-point lead. Drew Linnihan made a 26-yard field goal late in the first quarter to give Marist a 3-0 lead, and Gaynes had a 15-yard rushing score in the second quarter to put Marist ahead 9-7.
Benedictine 34, Ola 14
Visiting Benedictine (7-4) fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter to Ola (11-1) but dominated from that point to move on to the quarterfinals. The Cadets got an 8-yard rushing touchdown from Stanley Smart to make it a 14-7 game at halftime, and Bubba Frazier had a 4-yard rush in the third quarter to tie the game. Later in the third quarter, Cadets quarterback Omari Burse threw a 67-yard touchdown to Frazier and then scored on a 1-yard QB sneak to put Benedictine up 28-14. In the fourth quarter, Cadets kicker Connor Ferguson iced the game with two field goals.
Class 3A
Peach County 37, Baldwin 3
DJ Hudson was 11-of-15 passing for 194 yards and three touchdowns – all to junior Zion Hudson -- to lead top-ranked Peach County into the quarterfinals. Hudson had three carries for 71 yards and two touchdowns for the Trojans.
Stephenson 41, Jenkins 7
Stephenson led 7-0 after the first quarter and 14-0 at the half before taking full control of the game with a 21-point third quarter, putting the game out of reach. The victory lifted the Jaguars to the quarterfinals for the second-consecutive season after dropping from Class 4A last season. Stephenson is one victory away from its first semifinals appearance since 2005, the team’s deepest playoff run in school history, dating to 1996.
Jefferson 42, Oconee County 6
Senior Rett Hemphill made 12 tackles, blocked an extra point, scored on a 10-yard touchdown run and returned an interception 36 yards for a touchdown to help lead the Dragons to the quarterfinals. Dalton Dye put Jefferson ahead on a 45-yard punt returned for a touchdown in the final minute of the first quarter to give the Dragons a 7-0 lead. Quarterback Gavin Markey scored on a 5-yard run to expand the lead to 14-0 for Jefferson. In the third quarter, Markey scored on another run to put Jefferson ahead 21-6. Markey added another scoring run in the third quarter to put the Dragons ahead 28-6. Jefferson led 28-6 entering the fourth quarter before Hemphill’s late-game heroics, securing the victory.
Southeast Bulloch 21, Harlem 0
Southeast Bulloch will travel to Stephenson for the quarterfinals after having little issues with Harlem in its second-round victory. Colby Smith – who capped scoring on a 91-yard touchdown run -- opened scoring on a 37-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter to put the Yellow Jackets ahead 7-0. Forest Fretwell’s 1-yard run early in the fourth quarter expanded the margin. Southeast Bulloch will make its first quarterfinals appearance since 1974, which followed back-to-back state titles in 1972 and 1973 under head coach Fred Shaver.
Cherokee Bluff 21, Luella 14
Brooks Brien passed for 131 yards and three touchdowns to push the Bears past Luella. He threw to KT Thompson (47 and 22 yards) and Malcolm Milsap (45 yards) in the victory. Cherokee Bluff led 14-7 at the half. The Bears began playing football in 2018 and has experienced the highs and lows of the sport. Head coach Tommy Jones led the Bears through a 0-10 inaugural season before rebounding to a 3-7 finish in 2019. In 2020, the Bears won the team’s first playoff game and finished with a second-round loss and a 10-2 record. In 2021, the team advanced to the second round again before losing to finish 10-1. And after its 21-14 victory against Luella, Cherokee Bluff will enter the quarterfinals for the first time in school history.
Calhoun 38, Douglass 14
Calhoun is back in the quarterfinals for the fourth time in five seasons after upending Douglass in head coach Clay Stephenson’s sixth season at the helm. The Yellow Jackets dropped down to Class 3A from Class 5A this season. While in 5A, Stephenson advanced the program to the quarterfinals in 2020 and 2022 and the 5A title game in 2021. Carlos Lopez gave Calhoun the lead on a 22-yard field goal with six minutes left in the first quarter. Emaree Winston scored on a short run late in the first quarter to expand the margin to 10-0. The Yellow Jackets expanded the lead on another short run from Winston with five minutes left in the second quarter. Douglass cut into the deficit with a 23-yard touchdown pass from John Wilson to Damarien Parrott. Just before halftime, Jake Jordan returned an interception 42 yards for a touchdown to put Calhoun ahead 24-7. Winston passed to Cross Land on a 10-yard touchdown, giving Calhoun a 31-7 advantage with six minutes left in the third quarter. The Astros defense returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter but Calhoun answered with a 39-yard pass from Land to Justin Beasley early in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.
LaGrange 38, Sandy Creek 22
LaGrange might’ve entered the playoffs unranked and slightly underappreciated, but the Grangers will advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since a semifinals appearance in 2008 after upending No. 2 Sandy Creek on the road. Dylan Barber passed to Malachi Fannin to put LaGrange ahead 7-0. Cooper Metcalf kicked a 45-yard field goal to expand the lead. Fannin added a six-yard run to put LaGrange ahead 17-0 at the end of the first quarter. Barber’s pass to Julian Jones put LaGrange ahead 24-0. After a scoring play by Sandy Creek, LaGrange answered with a long touchdown run from Fannin to put the Grangers ahead 31-7 with 4:11 left in the second quarter. Leading 31-14, Fannin scored on a 25-yard run with 8:29 left in the game to put it out of reach of the second-highest ranked team in the class.
North Hall 27, Upson-Lee 20
North Hall has not been to the quarterfinals since it lost in the semifinals in 2012 under head coach Bob Christmas. But after a come-from-behind victory where it trailed 14-3 at the half, the Trojans earned a trip back to the third round. North Hall will play LaGrange in the quarterfinals in a battle of underappreciated and unranked teams.
Class 2A
Rockmart 37, Westside-Macon 30
No. 1 seed Rockmart answered an early touchdown by No. 16 seed Westside-Macon with a 32-yard strike to Tristan Anderson to make it 7-7 after the first quarter. The Yellowjackets added a 20-yard fumble recovery touchdown to start the second quarter, but missed the PAT. Westside reclaimed the lead at 14-13 following a 44-yard touchdown pass from James Neville to Syveon Hodges. Nate Davis put Rockmart back up with a 7-yard touchdown run, but then Westside’s Da’mon Foston (85 yards) and Rockmart’s Anderson (90) returned back-to-back kickoffs for touchdowns and Rockmart went into the half with a 27-21 lead. Cortez Wright gave Rockmart breathing room with a 9-yard touchdown to open the half. Westside cut into the deficit with a safety, but then Riley Gober connected on a field goal to put Rockmart up 37-23. The final score was a 12-yard touchdown pass from Neville to Tritsan Houston with a minute left.
Thomson 41, Hapeville Charter 21
No. 12 seeded Thomson took a 27-14 lead over No. 5 seed Hapeville Charter at the half and was fueled by Anthony Jeffery’s four first-half touchdowns. Hapeville Charter cut the deficit to 27-21 in the third quarter and Thomson iced the game with a late touchdown run and a Markevion Jones interception returned for a touchdown for the final score.
Burke County 49, Laney 28
No. 20 seed Laney struck early with a fumble recovery touchdown and two-point conversion, but Burke County answered with A’merre Williams’ 60-yard touchdown run that cut the deficit to 8-7 just one minute into the action. The Bears went into the half with a 21-14 lead and gained control in the third with a 30-yard touchdown by Williams and a 60-yard Sean Vandiver touchdown run to push the lead to 35-14. Chimere Strugis found Carl Holmes for a Laney touchdown to cut the deficit to 35-20 entering the fourth. Vandiver returned to the endzone with a 1-yard score in the fourth quarter and Pride answered with a 10-yard Laney touchdown. Williams capped the scoring with just three minutes left to put Burke County up 49-38. Burke County will host rival Thomson in the quarterfinals in a rematch of their 47-35 win over the Bulldogs on Nov. 8 in their regular season finale.
Morgan County 36, Sumter County 30
No. 8 seed Morgan County (11-1) advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since in 62 years (1962) with a 36-30 win over No. 9 seed Sumter County (10-2). Morgan County erased an early 8-0 deficit and grabbed its first lead just a minute before the half with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Davis Strickland to Jaylen Elder that gave the Bulldogs a 14-8 lead. Kendall Thomas scored on a 60-yard fumble recovery touchdown by Kendall Thomas early in the third quarter and reclaimed a 15-14 lead. Christian Monfort capped off an 84-yard scoring drive with a 3-yard touchdown to put Morgan County up 20-15 after a failed two-point conversion. The Panthers recovered another fumble to set up a touchdown late in the third quarter and took a 23-20 lead into the fourth. Morgan County evened the game 23-23 with a 33-yard field goal, but Sumter County answered with a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown to leave Morgan County trailing 30-23 midway through the fourth quarter. Monfort evened the game 30-30 with a 5-yard touchdown and a fumble recovery set up Morgan County for Jasper Cason’s late game-winning touchdown run before the win was sealed with an interception.
Stephens County 35, Callaway 33
Stephens County grabbed a 28-7 lead after a Javin Gordon touchdown run and forced a turnover on downs on fourth and goal before the half to maintain the margin. Gordon also completed a 65-yard touchdown pass to Brock Tankersley out of the wildcat formation on a fourth-down trick play that put the Indians up 21-7. Callaway’s first half points came on a Tyren Buggs rushing score. In the second half, Callaway forced Stephens County to punt and then Blake Harrington ran in a quarterback keeper with 5:53 left in the third to cut the deficit to 28-13. Callaway forced a three-and-out and an errant snap set up Harrington for another touchdown run that cut the deficit to 28-21 heading into the final frame. Stephens County answered with a touchdown run with 9:48 left to extend their lead to 35-21. Harrington found Xae Anderson with 6:25 left to bring Callaway back within 35-27. Callaway forced a punt that was blocked and Harrington found Bryceton Sanders for the touchdown with 4:18 left. The potential game-tying two-point try was unsuccessful and Stephens County closed out the victory. Stephens County had failed to advance to the quarterfinals in its last 14 playoff appearances and is back in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2005.
Appling County 35, Carver-Atlanta 14
No. 6 seed Appling County led 28-14 at the end of the third quarter and held off No. 11 seed Carver-Atlanta to set up a quarterfinal clash with No. 12 seed Stephens County next Friday in the first-ever meeting between the programs. The Pirates have reached the quarterfinals in four of its last five seasons.
In other Class 2A games -- Two-time defending state champion and No. 10 seed Pierce County advanced to the quarterfinals for the fifth-straight year in a tough 31-24 road win over No. 7 seed Columbia. The Bears will travel to No. 2 seed Carver-Columbus in the Elite 8. … Carver-Columbus held a 14-6 lead at the half over Ringgold and closed out a 35-14 win to also advance to the quarterfinals for the fifth-straight year.
Class A Division I
Fannin County 28, Jeff Davis 21
Fannin County advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2020 as the Rebels defeated the Jeff Davis Yellow Jackets, 28-21 in a close contest. After facing an early 14-0 deficit in the first quarter, Fannin County’s Lawson Sullivan gets the Rebels on the board with a rushing touchdown from a yard out to cut the lead down to seven in the first. After another Jeff Davis score, Fannin County answered with another rushing touchdown to cut the lead to 21-14, as the Yellow Jackets took a seven-point lead into the half. With eight minutes left in the third quarter, Sullivan gave the Rebels another spark, this time with a rushing touchdown from 62-yards out to tie the game up at 21. After a missed field goal with 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter by Jeff Davis, Sullivan found the endzone once again, this time from 40-yards out, ultimately advancing the Rebels to the quarterfinals.
Elbert County 26, Heard County 24
Elbert County advanced to the quarterfinals for the second consecutive season as the Blue Devils defeated the Heard County Braves, 26-24 in the second round. The Blue Devils got on the scoreboard first with a Jayvyn Hickman touchdown to take an early 6-0 lead after the failed extra point. Heard County answered with a 44-yard touchdown to take a 7-6 lead with 19 seconds left in the first quarter. Elbert County got back out in front with a touchdown pass from Hickman to Brady Dickerson to take a 13-7 lead with a little over eight minutes left in the first half. Heard County was able to answer with a 64-yard touchdown reception to take a 14-13 lead with just under three minutes left in the half. After the half, which saw the Braves hold a one-point lead, Heard County kicked a field goal on its first possession to take a 17-13 lead all the way into the fourth quarter. In the fourth, Dickerson’s touchdown reception in the corner of the endzone gave the Blue Devils a 20-17 game early in the final quarter. With just over two minutes left in the game, the Hickman to Dickerson connection proved to be true once more in the back of the endzone for six to take a 26-17 lead. Heard County scored on the ensuing possession on the first play of the drive to cut the lead to 26-24, but it wasn’t enough as the Blue Devils move onto the quarterfinals.
Fitzgerald 28, Bleckley County 24
Fitzgerald upended Bleckley County 28-24 in a back and forth second round matchup. Fitzgerald’s Oreian Bly scored a rushing touchdown from four yards out to take an early 7-0 lead. The Royals answered with a Kam’ryn Everett rushing touchdown from one yard out to tie the game at 7-7 in the first quarter. Bleckley took the lead in the second quarter with a 13-yard rushing touchdown from Dequavis Benjamin to take a 14-7 lead. After a Bleckley County field goal, Victor Copeland’s nine-yard touchdown pass to Quincy Deberry brought Fitzgerald back within one score to make it 17-14 going into the half. Fitzgerald’s Bly one-yard rushing touchdown with two minutes left in the third gave the Purple Hurricanes the lead back, 21-17, ahead of the fourth quarter. Bleckley County’s Benjamin found the endzone once again, thus time from one-yard out to give the Royals a late 24-21 lead with around eight minutes left in the game. With just over two minutes left, Cam Johnson gave Fitzgerald the lead back with a 14-yard rushing score to give them a 28-24 lead late in the fourth, lifting the Purple Hurricanes to the quarterfinals for the second-straight season.
Northeast 21, Lamar County 10
Northeast advanced to the quarterfinals for just the second time in four seasons, after the Raiders took down the Lamar County Trojans, 21-10 in the second round matchup. The Raiders struck first with a one-yard rushing score from Nick Woodford to take an early 7-0 lead. Ten consecutive points from the Trojans gave Lamar County a 10-7 lead in the second quarter as they took the three-point lead into the half. While the Trojans held the lead for the entire third quarter, Northeast’s Reginald Glover found Zahkie Denson for a 26-yard strike to give the Raiders the four-point lead in the fourth. With just over three minutes left in the game, Woodford found the end zone again for the Raiders, this time from 13-yards out to give Lamar County an 11-point lead, ultimately deciding the game.
In other Class A Division I games -- The home teams went 7-1 on the night in the Class A-Division I second round. … Worth County advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since 1997 after they defeated the Dodge County Indians by 40-points in the second round, 63-23. … Toombs County advanced to the quarterfinals for the second-consecutive season as the Bulldogs defeated the Commerce Tigers, 49-21. This is the first time since the 1994 and 1995 season where Toombs County advanced to the quarterfinals for the second season in a row. … Thomasville advanced to the quarterfinals for the third time in five seasons and the first time since 2022 as they defeated Temple, 42-10. This is the fifth time in six seasons that Thomasville has made it out of the second round. … Dublin kept its perfect season intact as the undefeated, 12-0 Fighting Irish defeated Jasper County, 42-7. This is the first time since 2018 the Fighting Irish have made the quarterfinals and the 16th time they have made it there in program history.
Class A Division II
Bowdon 42, Metter 14
Leading 14-7 with less than a minute left in the first half, Charles Maxell III scored on a 15-yard run to expand Bowdon’s lead to 21-7 after Javarius Glenn’s point-after try. Nathan Bhony scored on a short run with six minutes left in the third quarter. Bhony added a 55-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter to put two-time defending champion Bowdon ahead 35-7. Bhony scored again on a 10-yard run late in the game to cap scoring.
Trion 17, Telfair County 6
Logan Stokes gave Trion a 7-0 lead after a five-yard run with three minutes left in the first quarter. The Bulldogs expanded the margin with a field goal late in the first half to lead 10-0 at the break. Stokes added a short touchdown run to cap Trion’s scoring. Telfair got on the board with four minutes left in the game on an eight-yard touchdown pass before failing to convert the ensuing two-point conversion.
Brooks County 12, Miller County 10
It might’ve been ugly, but a victory is a victory, and the Trojans defense is to thank. With the game tied at 10-10, Brooks County forced a safety with two minutes left in the game to advance. Brooks County trailed 3-0 after the first quarter and tied the game a 3-3 at the half following a field goal early in the second quarter. Brooks took a 10-3 lead following a rushing touchdown early in the fourth quarter but Miller County responded with a rushing touchdown with six minutes left in the game to tied the contest at 10-10. Junior Burrus was 12-of-17 passing for 154 yards and senior Chris Cole had 28 carries for 113 yards in the victory. Rafael Mojica was 1-of-1 on point-after tries and 1-of-2 on field goals for Brooks County.
Lincoln County 49, Mitchell County 7
Jonathan Norman opened scoring with a seven-yard run. Mekhi Wade passed to Aiden Jones to expand the margin. Norman added a 14-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter to put Lincoln ahead 21-0. Norman expanded the lead to 35-0 at the half on runs of 14 and 44 yards. Wade added an 11-yard run to push the margin. Drew Huff’s five-yard run with 3 minutes left in the third quarter pushed the lead to 49-0.
Irwin County 28, Early County 20
After holding a 7-6 lead at the half, perennial playoff power Irwin County scored 14-unanswered points to take a 21-12 advantage after scoring a touchdown with less than a minute left in the game. Since 2013′s semifinals loss, the Indians have been to the state championship game seven times and won two. From 2017 to 2021, Irwin advanced to the state title matchup each season, winning in 2019 in head coach Buddy Nobles last season before succumbing to cancer. In 2020, current head coach Casey Soliday defended that title, the program’s third title. Irwin will play Trion in the quarterfinals.
Jenkins County 35, Macon County 21
Jenkins County trailed 13-0 after the first quarter and 21-7 at the half before holding the Bulldogs scoreless in the second half. Its 28-unanswered points in the second half propelled the program to its first quarterfinals appearance since a state finals loss in 1960 under head coach Larry Calhoun. In 2017, head coach Charley Waters earned the team its first playoff victory since 1960, his last season at Jenkins before returning in 2022. Last year, Jenkins lost in the second round. The Eagles will play Brooks County in the quarterfinals.
Clinch County 28, Johnson County 6
Clinch County will make its third-straight quarterfinals appearance after outlasting Johnson County in the second round. The campus at East Laurens played host to the game due to the damage suffered from Hurricane Helene. The Panthers have won eight state championships, all since 1988, and won three titles in four seasons from 2015 to 2018 under head coach Jim Dickerson, who returned to the helm this season. In Don Tison’s tenure, from 2019 to 2023, Clinch advanced to the quarterfinals in 2022 and 2023 and the semifinals in 2019 and 2020.
In other Class A Division II games -- Manchester is back in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive season as the state runners-up Blue Devils try to return to the championship game in Demonta Prather’s first season at the helm. After its 26-14 victory against Wilcox County, Manchester will face undefeated Lincoln County in the quarterfinals. …
Class 1A-3A Private
Wesleyan 22, Christian Heritage 15
Wesleyan is back in the quarterfinals with a 22-15 win over Christian Heritage. Christian Heritage started the scoring after a scoreless first quarter with a 15-yard pass. With 1 minute left in the half, Ben Brown threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to go into halftime with an 8-6 score. Christian Heritage answered with 7:44 left in the third on a 1-yard touchdown run. Soon after, Ben Brown found Brice Gillis for a 10-yard touchdown to cut the lead to three. Halfway through the fourth, the Wolves took the lead on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Ben Brown to Wes Vail, making it 19-15. They added three more on a 35-yard field goal with two minutes left in the game, a lead they held for the rest of the game.
Hebron Christian 28, Lovett 14
Hebron Christian will make its first-ever quarterfinals appearance with a 28-14 victory against Lovett. Hebron opened scoring with a rushing touchdown by Devon Caldwell. Soon after, Thomas Stallworth found Noah Hill to extend the Lions’ lead to 14-0. Hebron added another touchdown on a Stallworth run to take a 21-0 lead into halftime. The third quarter was scoreless, but early in the fourth, Lovett cut the lead to 21-7. Hebron quickly answered with Stallworth’s second passing touchdown of the night. Lovett scored one more time with less than three minutes left in the game. Hebron intercepted a Lovett pass with 52 seconds left to put the game out of reach. Hebron will face off against Aquinas next week in search of the Lions first semifinals appearance.
Savannah Christian 31, Savannah Country Day 3
Top-ranked Savannah Christian advances to its third straight quarterfinals with a 31-3 win over region rival Savannah Country Day. Savannah Christian got the scoring started with 7:40 left in the first quarter on a 22-yard field goal. The Raiders extended their lead early in the second quarter on a four-yard Jaden Miles touchdown run. After halftime, Savannah Christian added a 39-yard touchdown pass from Blaise Thomas to Kenry Wall to go up 17-0. Savannah Country Day scored their first points of the night on a 28-yard field goal to cut the lead to 17-3. Miles scored his second touchdown of the night on a 13-yard run with 11:53 left in the game. Athen Hudspeth scored the final points of the game, returning a fumble 95 yards to extend the lead to 31-3. Next week, the Raiders will face off against North Cobb Christian.
Fellowship Christian 35, King’s Ridge Christian 7
Fellowship Christian makes its seventh straight quarterfinals appearance with a 35-7 win over King’s Ridge Christian. The Paladins started the scoring with a CJ Givers rushing touchdown with 7:10 left in the first quarter. Evan Haynes extended Fellowship Christian’s lead to two touchdowns with a 17-yard run. Givers ran for his second touchdown of the night with less than a minute left in the half. Early in the third quarter, Givers scored his third touchdown of the game, giving the Paladins a 28-0 lead. Soon after, the Tigers cut the lead to 28-7. Fellowship scored one final time with 2:37 left to secure the 35-7 victory. Next week, the Paladins will host Wesleyan.
In other Class 1A-3A Private games -- Aquinas won its first second-round game since the 2015 season, beating Athens Academy 31-20 and ending the Spartans’ undefeated season. The Fighting Irish will travel to Dacula next week to face Hebron Christian. … Prince Avenue Christian’s quest for its third straight state title continued with a 62-14 win over Providence Christian. … Calvary Day advanced to the third week of the playoffs for the fifth straight season, beating Mt. Paran Christian 48-7. The Cavaliers will host Prince Avenue Christian next week in a matchup of top-five teams. … North Cobb Christian made it past the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2018, and only the second time ever, with a 40-6 win over Whitefield Academy. Next week, the Eagles will travel to Savannah to face top-ranked Savannah Christian.
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