Winder-Barrow’s M.J. Dowdy has one scholarship offer, from South Florida. Others are waiting for the running back’s junior film.
The highlight reel got a boost Saturday, when Dowdy rushed for a school-record 347 yards and five touchdowns in a 57-43 victory over Habersham Central. Dowdy has rushed for 1,046 yards this season in six games. He was over 1,000 yards rushing as a sophomore, too.
“He is a powerful runner who runs behind his pads,” Winder-Barrow coach Robert Paxia said. “He has good vision and patience, which allows him to set up blockers.”
The victory improved Winder-Barrow 2-0 in region play for the first time since 2017. The Bulldoggs and Clarke Central, both 4-2 overall, are tied for first place. Winder-Barrow has never won a region championship.
Top five
*Athens Academy WR/DB Keyon Standifer had three receptions for 101 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for 26 yards on three carries, intercepted two passes, returning one 50 yards for a touchdown, and returned a kickoff 77 yards in a 47-27 victory over Oglethorpe County.
*Greenville RB Tyler Render rushed for 338 yards and two touchdowns, had 10 tackles and a sack and forced a fumble in a 37-35 victory over Mount Zion of Carroll County.
*New Hampstead QB Rashawn Truell was 38-of-68 passing for a GHSA-record 635 yards and six touchdowns in an 80-47 loss to Perry. Khamari Maxwell had 21 receptions for 302 yards and three touchdowns.
*Perry WR/DB Decorrian Daniel had two receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown, seven carries for 51 yards and a touchdown, 133 kickoff return yards with a touchdown and a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown in an 80-47 victory over New Hampstead.
*Winder-Barrow RB M.J. Dowdy rushed for a school-record 347 yards and five touchdowns on 28 carries in a 57-43 victory over Habersham Central.
Best of the rest
*Bryan County RB Anddreas McKinney rushed for 222 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries in a 44-19 victory over Claxton.
*Calhoun DL Sager Quinn had four solo tackles and three tackles for losses in a 24-0 victory over Adairsville.
*Cambridge WR Hudson Cocchiara had 10 receptions for 135 yards in a 30-21 victory over East Coweta.
*Cass QB Elijah Slocum rushed for 184 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 108 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-6 victory over Woodland of Cartersville.
*Cherokee DB Jordan Brown-Westbrook had 11 solo tackles and two tackles for losses in in a 42-25 victory over Etowah.
*Christian Heritage WR Ayden Pace had seven receptions for 137 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-7 victory over Coosa.
*Dade County RB Evan Koger rushed for 213 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries in a 21-7 victory over Armuchee.
*Darlington DE/TE Henry Ledbetter had eight tackles, four tackles for losses, two sacks, a fumble recovery and an onside kick recovery in a 21-20 victory over Pepperell.
*Dawson County RB Aden Bannister rushed for 103 yards on 17 carries in a 21-16 loss to Greater Atlanta Christian.
*Dodge County RB Duke Johnson rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries and returned a fumble for a touchdown in a 49-0 victory over Southwest.
*Douglas County QB D.J. Bordeaux was 20-of-24 passing for 324 yards and four touchdowns in a 47-14 victory over Columbia.
*East Forsyth LB Jeremiah Foote had seven solo tackles, four tackles for losses and three assists in a 14-10 victory over Flowery Branch.
*Fannin County RB Carson Callihan rushed for 172 yards and three touchdowns and had four receptions for 77 yards in a 38-6 victory over Gordon Central.
*Gordon Lee RB Peyton Groce rushed for 216 yards and three touchdowns and had two solo tackles and nine assists in a 42-28 victory over Chattooga.
*Greater Atlanta Christian WR Gabe Daniels had eight receptions for 150 yards and two touchdowns in a 21-6 victory over Dawson County.
*Habersham Central QB Paris Wilbanks was 31-of-42 passing for 466 yards and three touchdowns in a 57-43 loss to Winder-Barrow. Zeke Whittington had 13 receptions for 196 yards.
*Heritage (Ringgold) PK/P Jake Collett kicked a 49-yard field goal, averaged 42.3 yards on seven punts, two downed inside the 5-yard line and two others inside the 20, and kicked three touchbacks in a 31-21 victory over Northwest Whitfield.
*Hiram RB Dashaun Williams rushed for 137 yards and a touchdown and caught a 52-yard TD pass in a 34-13 victory over Dalton.
*Houston County LB Kam Brown had two sacks, three tackles for losses and four tackles in a 56-0 victory over Veterans.
*Jackson County QB R.J. Knapp III was 14-of-16 passing for 169 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 47 yards and a touchdown on four carries, all in the first half, in a 48-10 victory over Alcovy.
*Lakeside (Atlanta) DL Makhi Williams-Lee had six solo tackles, two tackles for losses and one assist in a 14-6 victory over Tri-Cities.
*Lamar County LB Kaden Carter had 10 solo tackles and two for losses and rushed for 40 yards in a 19-16 victory over McNair.
*Lee County DB Jacori White intercepted three passes, returned an interception for a touchdown and had four solo tackles, one pass breakup and one onside kick recovery in a 35-23 victory over Thomas County Central.
*Lithonia DB Devis Dean had three tackles, two interceptions and a pass breakup in a 27-0 victory over Druid Hills.
*Lovett LB Andrew Flint had a team-leading 13 tackles in a 28-6 victory over Holy Innocents’.
*Manchester RB/LB Darius Favors rushed for 269 yards on 10 carries and scored on runs of 73 and 47 yards in a 34-7 victory over Trion. He also had 10 tackles playing linebacker.
*Marist PK Drew Linniham put all eight kickoffs into the end zone and was 5-of-5 on extra points in a 47-13 victory over Southwest DeKalb. Linniham has no return yards on his 35 kickoffs this season, 29 that were touchbacks.
*Monroe Area QB Forrest Ross rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 56 yards and two touchdowns in a 48-42 victory over East Hall.
*Morgan County QB Davis Strickland was 20-of-29 passing for 300 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-32 victory over Westside of Macon.
*Mount Vernon QB Bristan DeRocher was 23-of-28 passing for 258 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries in a 55-28 loss to Fellowship Christian.
*North Hall WR Cole Cable had eight receptions for a school-record 192 yards with touchdowns of 49, 39 and 37 yards in a 43-27 victory over Pickens.
*Northgate LB Brysen Davies had 11 solo tackles, three assists and a sack in a 23-12 victory over McIntosh.
*Rabun County RB Reid Giles rushed for 202 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries in a 50-14 victory over Providence Christian.
*Ridgeland RB Bryson Donald rushed for 197 yards and one touchdown on 23 carries and caught a 44-yard pass in a 28-23 victory over LaFayette.
*Seminole County RB/DB Devin Gale rushed for 77 yards, returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown and was in on five tackles in a 28-12 victory over Early County.
*Social Circle PK Preston Guy kicked field goals of 37, 39 and 44 yards and made three touchbacks in a 29-22 victory over Putnam County.
*Southwest DeKalb WR Samuel Turner had five receptions for 208 yards and two touchdowns in a 47-13 loss to Marist.
*Sumter County ATH Damontae Reeves rushed for 139 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries and returned a punt 47 yards for a touchdown in a 56-0 victory over Jordan.
*Upson-Lee LB Nytraevion Jones had nine solo tackles and four tackles for losses in a 22-20 victory over Mary Persons.
*Westside (Macon) RB K.D. Iverson rushed for 314 yards and four touchdowns, one an 80-yarder on the first play from scrimmage, in a 35-32 loss to Morgan County.
*Woodstock QB Graham Burmeister was 14-of-19 passing for 302 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 54 yards and a touchdown in a 28-21 victory over Creekview.
Lines of distinction
*Eastside’s offensive line of Tagen Brown, Carlton Belgrave, Walker Roberts, Gavin Gorham and Evan Martinez paved the way for 445 total yards, 343 rushing, on only 34 plays in a 37-7 victory over Madison County.
*Fellowship Christian’s offensive line of Josh Petty, Jack Perkins, Parker Acrey, Walker McClung, Ren Gilmer and Caden Lickovitch helped the Paladins finish with season highs for total yards (424) and passing yards (156) in a 56-28 victory over Mount Vernon.
*Jefferson’s offensive line of Mikey Pauley, Clifford Williamson, John Morgan Kinney, Ty Oglesby, Vince Ledbetter, Miles Price and Ashley Eckert with tight ends Jordan Robinson and Caleb Beusse and fullbacks Josh Causey and Li’Randy Martin produced 418 total yards, 302 rushing, and 23 first downs in a 49-7 victory over West Hall.
*Lee County’s offensive line of Jayden Daniels, Dylan Richardson, Carter Lawrence, Shavex Dixon and Dom Vigil with tight end Durrah Butler and fullback Alex Smith helped produce 347 total yards, 200 of it rushing, in a 35-23 victory over reigning Class 6A champion Thomas County Central.
*Wesleyan’s offensive line of Lawson Koch, Philip Liebenberg, Harris Carroll, Judson Means and Eli Rickell and tight ends Connor Roush and Matthew Wright protected for Ben Brown’s five TD passes and 292 yards in a 52-7 victory over Mount Pisgah Christian.
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