New Hampstead QB sets passing record in loss to Perry

ajc.com

Credit: Stan Awtrey

Credit: Stan Awtrey

New Hampstead’s Ra’shawn Truell set a GHSA record by throwing for 635 yards in an 80-47 loss to Perry on Saturday.

Truell broke the mark of 595 set by Lee County’s Justin Walker in a 2010 game against Warner Robins. Truell completed 38 of 68 passes for six touchdowns and three interceptions. Truell had missed the previous week’s game with a knee injury.

Kamari Maxwell caught 21 passes for 302 yards (fourth best in GHSA history) and three touchdowns and Mason Brown caught nine passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns.

“Ra’Shawn had a great game,” New Hampstead coach Kyle Hochman told the Savannah Morning News. “He’s got that gunslinger style that I love and can zip the ball in there on a line. He checked off into a different play and threw one interception but came back on the next drive and checked out into a similar deep ball that he completed for a touchdown -- he’s got that mentality.”

Truell is a senior who has offers from Arkansas State and Bucknell. He has thrown for 1,027 yards and 11 touchdowns in four games. Last season he threw for 3,308 yards and 38 touchdowns.

Perry set a school record for most points scored in a game. Quarterback Cullen McDaniel completed 5 of 7 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns, one of them a 99-yarder to Decorrion Jones on the Panthers’ first offensive play, and the other to Kory Petigrew.

Ahmad Gordon rushed 15 times for 185 yards and three touchdowns. Daniels also ran for 51 yards and a touchdown. Kicker Carson Camp kicked 11 extra points and a field goal.

Perry also scored when Jackson Thompson picked up a fumble and returned it 28 yards for a scoop-and-score. Jordan Donald forced a fumble and scored and Kyle Whitfield returned an interception for a touchdown.

Marist passes another test

No. 1 Marist (5-0, 3-0 Region 5) remained unbeaten with its 47-13 win over Southwest DeKalb, a game played on Saturday morning because of the bad weather.

“I like this group,” Marist coach Alan Chadwick said. “I like the senior leadership. I like how they practice hard. I like how the coaches are preparing them and pushing them to get better.”

Quarterback Jack Euart continues to put together a strong season. The three-year starter ran 14 times for 140 yards and two touchdowns and completed 2 of 5 passese for 15 yards and one touchdown.

Kicker Drew Linnihan was a dominant force. He placed all eight kickoffs in the end zone, was 5-for-5 on extra points and 2-for-2 on field goals (24, 29 yards). Linnihan even made a nice athletic play on a punt when a snap flew over his head, forcing him to track it down and kick it – and he still booted it 43 yards.

“I told him we’ve got to win every phase of the kicking game and he did a great job,” Chadwick said.

Chadwick also singled out safeties Trace Gaynes and Owen Rice, as well as defensive lineman Anton Haven, an off-season move-in from Spalding.

Haven (6-2, 265) is the nephew of Atlanta Falcons great Jessie Tuggle. He has given the War Eagles a strong inside push to complement its outside speed. Against SWD, Haven had two solo tackles, one assist, two sacks, two tackles for loss, caused a fumble, broke up a pass and had two hurries.

Marist plays North Springs this week and faces its first major region test on Oct. 11 at rival St. Pius.

Top performers

No. 5 North Oconee quarterback Harrison Faulkner completed 14 of 19 passes for 267 yards and five touchdowns in a 49-7 win over Cedar Shoals. … No. 8 Eastside had two 100-yard performers – Jayden Barr, nine carries for 175 yards and three touchdowns and Elijah Davis, 11 carries 102 yards and two touchdowns, along with 16 tackles – in 37-7 win over Madison County.

Hudson Cocchiara caught 10 passes for 135 yards to help No. 9 Cambridge defeat East Coweta 30-21. … East Forsyth linebacker Jeremiah Foote had seven tackles, four tackles for loss and three assists in a 47-14 win over Flowery Branch. … Hiram running back Dashaun Williams ran for 137 yards and one touchdown and caught a 52-yard touchdown pass in a 34-13 win over Dalton. … Southwest DeKalb’s Samuel Turner caught five passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns in a 47-13 loss to Marist.