Sophomore RB Jaiden Moore, described by Hillgrove coach Justin DeShon as a second- or third-teamer getting extra playing time because of an injury, made the most of his moment in a rivalry game Friday night.
Moore rushed for 255 yards and scored on runs of 97, 51 and 67 yards in a 30-23 victory over crosstown rival McEachern. He also caught a 34-yard pass to keep alive a drive that ended with a 20-yard field goal that put the Hawks ahead for good at 17-16 with 4:36 to play in the third quarter.
“Jaiden’s kind of been our No. 2 or No. 3 back all season,” DeShon said. “He’s a young sophomore with tons of potential. Caleb [Walters] came up with an ankle injury against Campbell last week, and we had a lot of confidence in Jaiden. We knew he had some spurt, and some things worked out tonight, and he got to showcase his talents.”
Hillgrove, a 2-8 team last year, is 8-0 for the first time since 2018. The Hawks are guaranteed a home playoff game for the first time since 2018, And a win this week against Harrison will give them their first region title since 2018.
Top five
*Brookwood RB Brayden Tyson rushed for 248 yards and three touchdowns and caught four passes for 71 yards and a touchdown in a 32-29 victory over Peachtree Ridge.
*Hillgrove RB Jaiden Moore rushed for 255 yards, caught a 34-yard pass and scored on runs of 97, 51 and 67 yards in a 30-23 victory over archrival McEachern.
*Kell RB Moonie Gipson rushed for 326 yards and six touchdowns on 31 carries in a 61-49 victory over Centennial.
*Lanier T.J. Peyton rushed for 421 yards and six touchdowns in a 59-42 loss to Roswell.
*Morgan County WR Jaylen Elder had 12 receptions for 256 yards and two touchdowns in a 36-7 victory over Jackson.
Best of the rest
*ACE Charter QB Ace Hatcher was 12-of-14 passing for 119 yards and rushed for 84 yards and four touchdowns on 18 carries in a 40-14 victory over Southwest.
*Apalachee RB Favian Williford rushed for 219 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries in a 21-10 loss to Alcovy.
*Appling County freshman QB Harrison Hickox was 8-of-15 passing for 209 yards and touchdowns to three receivers in a 42-7 victory over Tattnall County.
*Athens Academy WR/DB Keyon Standifer had five receptions for 101 yards and two touchdowns, scored two two-point conversions and blocked an extra point with 44 seconds left in a 35-34 victory over Elbert County.
*Benedictine WR Jack Ganem had five receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown in a 40-0 victory over Wayne County.
*Bethlehem Christian DE Colin Oates had six solo tackles, two tackles for losses and two pass breakups in a 35-0 victory over Piedmont Academy.
*Brooks County RB Chris Cole rushed for 235 yards and four touchdowns on 29 carries in a 39-13 victory over Lanier County.
*Callaway QB Blake Harrington was 4-of-7 passing for 227 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 86 yards and a touchdown in a 53-0 victory over Pike County.
*Calvary Day QB James Mobley was 12-of-15 passing for 280 yards and four touchdowns in a 49-7 victory over Johnson of Savannah.
*Carrollton QB Julian Lewis was 21-of-30 passing for 416 yards and six touchdowns in a 63-10 victory over East Coweta.
*Cartersville WR Brady Marchese had five receptions for 132 yards, and his 28-yard TD reception on a third-and-8 gave Cartersville a 19-14 lead midway in the third quarter in a 19-14 victory over Cedartown.
*Carver (Atlanta) WR Terrious Favors had four receptions for 140 yards and a touchdown in a 42-0 victory over Therrell.
*Carver (Columbus) LB A.J. Wilson had 10 tackles and three tackles for losses in a 31-0 victory over Sumter County.
*Central (Carrollton) LB Nate Horsley had 16 tackles and intercepted a pass in a 23-14 victory over Harris County.
*Chattahoochee WR D.J. Avery had 15 receptions for 200 yards and two touchdowns in a 55-26 loss to Gainesville.
*Coosa RB/LB D.J. Johnson returned two interceptions for touchdowns, scored a rushing touchdown and made nine solo tackles, one tackle for a loss and four assists in a 44-28 loss to Dade County.
*Creekside DT Tighe Williams had six solo tackles, three tackles for losses, two sacks and a forced fumble in a 63-7 victory over Drew.
*Dade County RB/DB Carter Christiansen had 12 tackles, broke up two passes, intercepted a pass and rushed three times for 82 yards and a touchdown in a 44-28 victory over Coosa.
*Dodge County RB/LB Duke Johnson rushed for 97 yards and two touchdowns on four carries, scored two two-point conversions and made eight solo tackles, three assists and three tackles for losses in 43-6 victory over Jefferson County.
*Effingham County QB Tucker Perkins was 17-of-26 passing for 272 yards and four touchdowns in a 37-7 victory over Greenbrier.
*Flint River Academy RB/LB Sully Jones rushed for 109 yards and three touchdowns, caught a 48-yard pass and had three tackles for losses in a 42-0 victory over Heritage of Newnan.
*Flowery Branch freshman LB Ryland Garrison had 11 solo tackles, four tackles for losses, two sacks and five assists in a 20-17 overtime victory over Walnut Grove.
*Gilmer FS Bo Chronic had seven solo tackles and three assists and stepped in at quarterback in the first half after an injury in a 20-6 loss to Calhoun.
*Hampton QB Tristan Parks was 23-of-31 passing for 380 yards and five touchdowns in a 37-7 victory over Woodland of Stockbridge. Kamauri Dorsey had six receptions for 218 yards.
*Hapeville Charter RB Robert Henderson rushed for 208 yards on 30 carries and scored all four Hapeville touchdowns in a 25-15 victory over Lovett.
*Hart County OLB Elijah Garnett had four solo tackles, three sacks, five QB pressures, a forced fumble, a fumble return for a touchdown and an interception in a 40-10 victory over East Jackson.
*Heard County WR Zay Moreland had four receptions for 105 yards in a 27-14 victory over Bremen.
*Hebron Christian DL Sichan John had 10 tackles, four tackles for losses and a sack in a 42-0 victory over Stephens County.
*Howard RB Jacolbie Howard rushed for 71 yards and two touchdowns and threw a 61-yard pass in a 42-0 victory over Cross Creek.
*Jackson County RB Daylan Maxwell rushed for 168 yards on 27 carries in a 27-10 victory over Winder-Barrow.
*Jasper County RB Jalen Stewart rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries in a 31-29 three-overtime victory over Social Circle.
*LaGrange RB Malachi Render-Fannin rushed for 268 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries in a 49-21 victory over Troup.
*Lakeside (Evans) QB Ty Jones was 16-of-24 passing for 247 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for 203 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries and caught an 18-yard TD pass in a 61-43 loss to Brunswick.
*Lee County RB Ousmane Kromah had 74 rushing yards, 96 receiving yards and three touchdowns on nine touches in a 67-10 victory over Veterans.
*Lowndes ATH Marvis Parrish rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries and caught five passes for 108 yards and a touchdown in a 33-7 victory over Camden County.
*McIntosh County Academy QB/DB Nehemiah West was 12-of-22 passing for 196 yards and a touchdown, rushed 63 yards and made eight solo tackles and five assists in a 12-6 loss to Metter.
*Metter QB Mike Ricks was 7-of-9 passing for 102 yards, threw the game-winning TD pass and rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries in a 12-6 victory over McIntosh County Academy.
*Norcross LB Esias Tompkins had 11 tackles, two tackles for losses and two QB hurries in a 30-14 victory over Berkmar.
*North Cobb DB Cam Morris intercepted two passes and forced a fumble in a 56-10 victory over Cherokee.
*North Hall QB Smith McGarvey was 18-of-22 passing for 172 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 114 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries in a 21-16 victory over Lumpkin County.
*North Paulding DB Markelle Taylor had six solo tackles, one assist, two tackles for losses, one sack, one forced fumble and one pass breakup in a 22-14 victory over Wheeler.
*Northeast DE Amari White had six solo tackles, five assists, four tackles for losses and two sacks in a 39-0 victory over Central of Macon.
*Northwest Whitfield RB/LB Caden Ramsey, moved to running back because of injury, rushed for 118 yards on 24 carries and had two tackles, three QB pressures and two QB knockdowns in a 38-14 victory over Adairsville.
*Ola K/P Carter Spence was 2-of-2 on field goals (37 and 49 yards) and 4-of-4 on extra points and punted twice for a 48-yard average in a 34-7 victory over Union Grove.
*Peachtree Ridge DB Tristen Hill had 15 tackles (nine solo) in a 32-29 loss to Brookwood.
*Perry WR Kory Pettigrew had 14 receptions for 181 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-21 victory over Ware County.
*Richmond Hill ATH Caleb Easterling had 66 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown, made four tackles, broke up a pass and made the game-clinching interception in a 35-14 victory over Valdosta.
*Rockmart RB/LB Nate Davis rushed for 154 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries and made 10 tackles and broke up a pass in a 49-20 victory over Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe.
*Seckinger RB Jaimen Williams rushed for 118 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 14-yard pass in a 38-14 victory over Johns Creek.
*Shiloh RB Marlin Mathis rushed for 208 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries in a 40-33 victory over Arabia Mountain.
*Sequoyah RB Will Rajecki rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, caught four passes for 69 yards and a touchdown and had 56 return yards in a 38-35 victory over River Ridge.
*Sonoraville LB Corben Dixon had 15 solo tackles and five assists in a 20-14 loss to Ringgold.
*Southeast Bulloch RB Jayden Murphy rushed for 174 yards, caught a 24-yard pass and scored two touchdowns in a 28-19 victory over Liberty County.
*Statesboro freshman QB Beckham Jarrard was 22-of-30 passing for 214 yards and a touchdown, rushed for 26 yards and caught a 15-yard pass in a 21-13 victory over Evans.
*Strong Rock Christian ATH Landon Stancil had four receptions for 159 yard and three touchdowns, three rushes for 109 yards and a touchdown, four tackles and an interception in a 42-7 victory over Calvary Christian.
*Swainsboro QB Bryson Tarver rushed for 224 yards and four touchdowns on 15 carries in a 32-21 victory over Vidalia.
*Tattnall Square WR Ty Hunnicutt had nine receptions for 232 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-17 victory over John Milledge Academy.
*Tift County QB Damieon “Pokie” Dixon was 20-of-25 passing for 326 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 58 yards on five carries in a 35-17 loss to Colquitt County.
*Toombs County RB Dabvn Wadley rushed for 194 yards and two touchdowns in a 33-21 victory over Savannah Country Day.
*Tucker QB Jace German was 19-of-26 passing for 270 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 78 yards and a touchdown in a 33-9 victory over North Springs.
*Walton DL Hayden Halpaus had two tackles for losses, two solo tackles, two assists, a sack and a fumble recovery in a 42-7 victory over Etowah.
*West Laurens RB Ty Cummings rushed for 181 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries and returned a kickoff 65 yards in a 56-28 victory over Hephzibah.
*Whitefield Academy RB Mason Hollingsworth rushed for 209 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries in a 34-0 victory over Landmark Christian.
*Wilkinson County QB Quinterrion Stanford was 12-of-13 passing for 201 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 42 yards and a touchdown in a 34-32 victory over Glascock County.
*Worth County QB Lyndon Worthy was 24-of-27 passing for 381 yards and six touchdowns, three to D’ontae Fulton, who had 11 receptions for 198 yards, in a 54-24 victory over Bacon County.
Lines of distinction
*Brunswick’s offensive line of left tackle Chase Richardson, left guard Aiden Watford, center Garrett Wiggins, right guards Chris Wingster and Desmon Smith and right tackle Kasi’yah Charlton paved the way for 707 total yards, 425 rushing, in a 61-34 victory against previously unbeaten Lakeside of Evans.
*Early County’s offensive line of Kanye Cooper, Christian Levatte, Ry’Quavius Cratic, Jacob McKie, Cornell Hayes and Javion Eaford paved the way for 325 rushing yards and four touchdowns in a 36-22 victory over Pelham. The victory moved Early County into second place in Region 1-A Division II with a chance to clinch the title with a victory over Mitchell County this week.
*Kell’s offensive line of Jared Miller, David Torres, Chase Lewandowski, Keenan Thompson, Vincent Consolino, David Ornelas, Kayden Jacobo and Brodey Bedwell with tight ends Brayden Rouse, Kason Fox, Bryce Shelton dominated the trenches in producing 706 total yards – 422 rushing, 284 passing – in a 61-49 victory over Centennial.
*LaGrange’s offensive line of Frederick Vaughn, Clanton Reisinger, Noah Stargill, Yazirick Dorsey, Carson Shattuck, Ivan Gomez, Jett Napier, Cam Kissun and Ayden Johnson cleared space for 475 total yards, 361 rushing, in a 49-21 victory over Troup.
*Lincoln County’s offensive line of Jessiah Zellars, Charles Jean-Charles, Tripp Keener, Spencer Stewart and Walter Keen cleared the path for 374 rushing yards and two 100-yard rushers – Jonathan Norman (108) and Kelby Glaze (103) – in a 34-3 victory over Lake Oconee Academy.
*South Gwinnett’s offensive line of Tyquan Smith, Michael Anderson, Kaleen Taite, Donate Lewis and Damario Brown paved the way for 522 total yards, 407 rushing, and produced two 100-yard rushers – Xavier Butler (166) and Eric Ramey (148) – in a 56-32 victory over Archer.
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