Top Class 3A teams play to form as storms produce unique schedules

And just when we thought that the high school schedules would get back on track after Hurricane Helene, well, it looks like some teams in Southeast Georgia could be affected again with the formation of Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm, forecast to impact the west coast of Florida mid-week.

For now, though, it’s worth noting there is a unique Monday game to open Week 9′s schedule. No. 7 Cairo plays Bainbridge in a key Region 1 game after the Syrupmakers defeated Leon (Fla.) 35-7 Friday. The game was scheduled as a makeup game because of Helene.

Otherwise, the Top-10 in Class 3A played to form last weekend with one exception: No. 10 Whitewater lost to No. 6 LaGrange 42-14. That allowed No. 10 Harlem (4-0) to enter the rankings.

In other key games:

• Sophomore quarterback Caleb Hill was 15-of-20 passing for 176 yards and five touchdowns to lead top-ranked Sandy Creek past Spalding, 39-18. Hill passed for touchdowns to Dalen Penson (2), and one each to Amari Latimer, Rylan White and Corey Hadley Jr.
• After trailing 7-0 at the end of the first quarter, No. 3 Jefferson defeated Monroe Area 38-14 behind quarterback Gavin Markey, who accounted for four touchdowns. Markey scored on two touchdown runs and completed touchdown passes to Dalton Dye and R.J. Hinton.
• No. 2 Peach County led 21-0 after the first quarter and 42-0 entering the fourth quarter in a 49-14 victory against Dougherty. The Trojans lead the Region 1 standings (2-0) ahead of Cairo (1-0) and Monroe (1-0).
• No. 4 Cherokee Bluff defeated West Hall 41-14 behind senior quarterback Brooks Brien, who was 16-of-25 passing for 278 yards and two touchdowns, both to K.T. Thompson. Brien ran for one touchdown, and Jackson Pirkle and Thompson added rushing touchdowns.
• Fifth-ranked Douglass led 36-0 after the first quarter in its 57-0 victory against Riverdale. The victory gave Douglass a 2-0 record in Region 5 and left the program tied with Luella (2-0) and leading Mt. Zion (3-1) and Stephenson (3-1).

Class 3A Top-10 results

1. (1) Sandy Creek (6-0) beat Spalding 38-18.

2. (2) Peach County (6-1) beat Dougherty 49-14.

3. (3) Jefferson (5-2) beat Monroe Area 38-14.

4. (4) Cherokee Bluff (6-0) beat West Hall 41-14.

5. (5) Douglass (4-2) beat Riverdale 57-0.

6. (6) LaGrange (5-2) beat then-No. 10 Whitewater 42-14.