No. 2 ranked Gainesville (Region 7-AAAAA) put together a 41-7 statement win over Class 6A’s Westlake, shutting down multiple promising first-half drives from the host Lions en route to a 21-0 second-quarter lead, then adding a pair of Jeremiah Ware scores in the third to put the game away.
“Defensively, we did a really good job of earning the right to rush the passer on third down,” lauded third-year head coach Josh Niblett after the game, “and offensively, we had a lot of explosive plays. We were really good on first down and were able to get in some tempo.”
The Red Elephants got on the board midway through the first when sophomore quarterback Kharim Hughley found Ware to convert on 3rd-and-11, then connected with Taz Smith for a 40-yard score on the next play. Hughley hit Shane King up the middle for a long catch-and-run touchdown later in the frame, and Carmelo Boyd added a 27-yarder in the second shortly after Smith ran into Westlake territory on 2nd-and-19.
“He studies it every day,” Coach Niblett said of Hughley. “He’s locked in. He wants to know more. He has the respect of our locker room, and he’s the leader of our offense and the general of our offense. I’m proud of him.”
When asked what the win said about the Gainesville program, however, Hughley smiled and replied “That we’ve got a great defense.”
Xavier Griffin was on that side of the ball, stopping Westlake short on 4th-and-1 to set up the third scoring drive, then making a touchdown-saving tackle after Deion Thomas broke free for a nearly 80-yard run down to the 5-yard line. He also teamed up with Cash O’Callaghan for a tackle for loss on the next play, forcing Westlake to settle for a field goal attempt that bounced off the upright.
The Lions’ lone touchdown came in the final minute of the first half on a 38-yarder from Sean Smith to Travis Smith Jr. for a 21-7 margin at the break. Gainesville didn’t let up, however, growing its lead to 35-7 in the third, then adding one last score when Smith corralled a high snap on a rare Red Elephant punt and took a 90-yard trip to the end zone.
Gainesville (3-0), which plays its first four games on the road while wrapping up renovations on its stadium and athletic facility, will face Class 6A’s top-ranked Carrollton Trojans in two weeks. Westlake (1-2), meanwhile, will try to get its season back on track against visiting Therrell next Friday.
The AJC had writers at Creekview vs. Cambridge and Sprayberry vs. Kennesaw Mountain. Follow the link to Todd Holcomb’s Friday Night Wrap or see the recaps below.
Class 6A
Collins Hill 44, Cedar Grove 13
Collins Hill lost to Cedar Grove in both previous matchups but celebrated an emphatic home victory to improve to 3-0, while Cedar Grove falls to 0-2. The Eagles’ first touchdown featured Daverin Geralds out of the wildcat formation. Collins Hill extended the lead to 21-0, but Cedar Grove returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown to cut it to 21-7. Makyree Cross answered with a quarterback keeper touchdown run and Collins Hill led 35-13 heading into the fourth quarter. The Eagles tallied a safety and a late touchdown to seal the 31-point victory.
Carrollton 44, Rome 22
Class 6A No. 1 Carrollton topped Class 5A No. 7 Rome at home, led by an outstanding performance from senior quarterback JuJu Lewis, who finished 30-of-35 passing. Lewis threw for 352 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for a score for the Trojans, who led just 30-22 after three quarters. Lewis found Kimauri Farmer for two of his passing touchdowns, also finding Kiyun Cofer, Peyton Zachary and A.J. McNeil for scores. Lewis’s 5-yard touchdown rush capped the scoring in the fourth quarter. Carrollton improved to 3-0, and Rome fell to 0-1.
West Forsyth 45, Parkview 21
Host West Forsyth defeated Parkview in a non-region Class 6A matchup, improving to 2-1. The Wolverines, of Region 6, led Parkview, of Region 7, just 14-7 early in the second quarter but held a 38-7 lead midway through the third quarter. West Forsyth quarterback Max Walraven threw a 4-yard touchdown to Foster Orris and a 74-yard touchdown to Topher Delp and had a 1-yard touchdown rush. Orris also had touchdown runs of 54 yards and 1 yard, and Delp had a 28-yard touchdown rush on a reverse. Asher Mote made a 35-yard field goal for the Wolverines. Parkview fell to 0-2.
North Gwinnett 14, Colquitt County 3
In a clash of ranked Class 6A teams, No. 7 North Gwinnett traveled to No. 4 Colquitt County and stymied the Packers offense to improve to 2-0. North Gwinnett, of Region 7, held Colquitt County, of Region 1, scoreless but for a Brett Fitzgerald field goal in the second quarter. In the first quarter, the Bulldogs opened the scoring with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Hall to Nick Bookman to take a 7-0 lead. Late in the second quarter, Kalil Mazone had a short rushing touchdown for the Bulldogs for the game’s final points. Colquitt County fell to 2-1.
Milton 58, Alpharetta 0
Top-ranked Milton trounced visiting Alpharetta (0-3) by a margin of 58-0 to improve to 3-0 on the year. The Eagles got four touchdowns from TJ Lester before the midway point of the second quarter en route to a 44-0 edge at the break, then added second-half rushing scores from Walker Davis and Jaylen Morgan. Quarterback Luke Nickel threw touchdown passes to CJ Wiley and Jordan Carrasquillo in the second frame.
Grayson 53, Dorman (SC) 0
The Grayson Rams continue with their elite defense as they produce their first shutout of the season. After holding Thompson (AL) to only 7 offensive points the week before on ESPN2, the Rams followed up with an even better performance. Indiana commit Jaylen Bell had an interception returned for a touchdown, Chandler Covington had a fumble returned for a touchdown, and Makhi Brazier had a blocked punt recovery. Offensively, Grayson had their best night offensively scoring over 20 points for the first time this season. Junior quarterback Travis Burgess was 8-11 with 172 yards and three touchdowns—one to Alexander Sanchez, another to Aiden Taylor, and the other to Ty’Jae Clark. Elijah Miller rushed for 38 yards and two touchdowns. It was Dorman’s first shutout since the 2012-2013 season where they lost 14-0 to Gaffney. The Rams have now won two out-of-state games in the 2024 season and will face Mallard Creek in North Carolina next Friday night.
North Paulding 26, Harrison 23
North Paulding defeated Harrison in back-to-back matchups for the first time in series history on Friday. Harrison led 6-0 after the first quarter before North Paulding answered to go up 13-6 at the half. The Wolfpack grew the lead to 26-9 before a Harrison cut it to 26-16 late in the third quarter. The Hoyas’ final touchdown came with less than two minutes left and North Paulding ran out the clock.
Roswell 42, Walton 32
Class 5A No. 8 Roswell took down Class 6A No. 5 Walton at home to move to 2-0, dropping the Raiders to 2-1. Roswell quarterback Trey Smith rushed for a fourth-quarter touchdown for the game’s final points, and threw two touchdowns, to Wills Campbell and Synkwan Smith, earlier in the game. Synkwan Smith also rushed for two touchdowns for the Hornets. For Walton, Lucas Farrington had three rushing touchdowns.
North Cobb 27, East Coweta 20
East Coweta’s Aaron McWilliams kicked a 26-yard field goal at the end of the first quarter to give the Indians a 10-7 lead. North Cobb reclaimed a 14-10 lead at the half after intercepting East Coweta’s late drive. East Coweta punted its first possession of the second half and then quarterback Nick Grimstead gave the Warriors a 21-10 lead with a 16-yard touchdown pass. McWilliams hit a 37-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 21-13, but North Cobb answered with a touchdown that made it 27-13 with 7:55 left. The Indians brought it within 27-20 and recovered a fumble with 2:06 left, but North Cobb forced a late turnover on downs to preserve the win.
Forsyth Central 10, Flowery Branch 0
Forsyth Central took a 3-0 lead into the half and increased the lead to 10-0 with 9:00 left in the third quarter before closing out the shutout and celebrating its first win of the season. The Bulldogs will observe a bye next week before taking on Forsyth Central in its Region 6-6A opener.
Valdosta 43, Dougherty 0
No. 9 ranked Valdosta led 21-0 after the first quarter and 37-0 at the half before a running clock. The Wildcats improved to 3-0 and have outscored their first three opponents by 40.7 ppg.
Mill Creek 48, Archer 14
The sixth-ranked Hawks put together an emphatic 48-14 victory over visiting Archer, which falls to 0-3 with the loss. Daniel Smith scored from 47 and 55 yards out in the opening frame, bookending a 65-yard rushing score by Malachi Miller. Brady Lang added a 45-yard field goal in the second, and a Shane Throgmartin-to-Trey Walker connection and Gabe Hatchell-Van Drie’s touchdown run gave the Hawks a 38-7 first-half edge.
Camden County 52, West Broward F.L. 29
Florida hopefuls tend to claim their state has the better football players and Camden County disagrees. The Wildcats led 15-7 after the first quarter, 29-7 at the half and 42-14 entering the fourth quarter against visiting West Broward.
Class 5A
River Ridge 42, Allatoona 13
River Ridge defeated Allatoona for the first time in school history last year (50-29) and celebrated a 39-14 win over the Bucs to improve to 2-1. Ethan Spector tossed a 16-yard touchdown pass to Grant Hollier in the first quarter and a 52-yard strike to Nate Kress midway through the second quarter to build the Knights’ 14-0 halftime lead. Spector found Thomas Thompsen for a 46-yard touchdown to push the lead to 21-0. Allatoona cut the deficit to 21-13 early in the fourth quarter with Micah Espino’s 20-yard touchdown, but the Knights closed out the win with 21 unanswered points. Spector connected with Hollier and Thompsen in the fourth quarter to cap his five-touchdown performance and Michael Olifers iced the game with a late 60-yard touchdown to make it 42-13.
Coffee 40, Columbia County FL 13
Host Coffee led 17-13 at the end of the third quarter before scoring 23-straight to close out the win and extend its active win-streak to 18-straight games. After a scoreless first quarter, Jonah Saylor connected on a 42-yard field goal to give the Trojans a 3-0 lead. Columbia County answered and took a brief 6-3 lead, but Bray Coe ran in a 4-yard touchdown on third and goal to put Coffee back up 10-6 at the half.
Houston County 31, Perry 17
Houston County quarterback Antwann Hill threw two touchdown passes to Isiaah Mitchell and Harrison Ludwig booted a 27-yard field goal to build the Bears’ early 17-0 lead. Perry quarterback Cullen McDaniel found Kiel Sparks late in the third quarter to get the Panthers on the board, but Hill found Mitchell for a third touchdown pass just before the break and Perry hit a late Carson Camp field goal to make it a 24-10 game. Perry running back Ahmad Gordon scored a 1-yard touchdown midway through the final quarter to cut it to 24-17 before Hill iced the game with his fourth touchdown pass to Mitchell.
Coffee 40, Columbia County FL 13
Host Coffee led 17-13 at the end of the third quarter before scoring 23-straight to close out the win and extend its active win-streak to 18-straight games. After a scoreless first quarter, Jonah Saylor connected on a 42-yard field goal to give the Trojans a 3-0 lead. Columbia County answered and took a brief 6-3 lead, but Bray Coe ran in a 4-yard touchdown on third and goal to put Coffee back up 10-6 at the half.
Thomas County Central 63, Florida State High 28
Thomas County Central led 21-14 after the first quarter and went into the half tied 21-21 before outscoring Florida University 42-7 in the second half. The defending state champs will travel to Thomasville next Friday to take on the rival Bulldogs in a battle of 3-0 teams and the series is tied 28-28 all-time. A common opponent this season between the Yellow Jackets and Class A Division I Thomasville is Cairo. Thomas County Central defeated Cairo last week 44-14 and Thomasville served the Syrupmakers a 35-28 defeat tonight on the road.
Newnan 20, Arabia Mountain 6
The Rams rebounded from a Week 2 loss to Class 6A’s East Coweta with a well-rounded 20-6 victory over visiting Arabia Mountain. Quarterback Brodie Campbell threw touchdown passes to Porter Child and freshman John Matthews, and Jaylen Teagle scored from four yards out in the opening frame. Newnan’s defense came up with two big red-zone stops, thanks to Jeb Baggett’s interception at the 5-yard line and Josiah Smith’s forced fumble and recovery.
Evans 38, Grovetown 3
The Grovetown Warriors drop their second-consecutive game to open the season as the Evans Knights came out victorious with a 38-3 win at home. Evans improves to 2-0 after tonight’s win following a 35-28 win at home against Thomson. The Knights defense made things difficult for Grovetown, holding the Warriors to just three points throughout the contest. Evans will end its three-game homestand next week as they face Lakeside-Evans next Friday in its first region game of the season. Grovetown will look for its first win of the season next Friday at home against Thomson.
East Paulding 34 Paulding County 3
East Paulding scored 24 unanswered points to start the game to help them achieve a 3-0 start, led by their offense. QB Chantz Bouknight threw for three touchdowns on Friday night, two of them going for 60+ yards. His other touchdown came earlier in the game when Bouknight found Jaymon Harris for a 41-yard pass to Jaymon Harris to give East Paulding a 17-0 lead. East Paulding added another touchdown before Paulding County answered with a field goal. The Raiders closed the game with 10 unanswered points. The Raiders have scored 34 points in each game this season. East Paulding has won six of the last seven contests against Paulding County. The Raiders will travel to play Hiram next Friday night.
Class 4A
Blessed Trinity 23, Prince Avenue Christian 21
Blessed Trinity overcame a 21-10 deficit in the second half and took its first lead of the game with just 1:30 left on Noah Godhard’s game-winning field goal. Host Prince Avenue Christian dropped to 1-2 and lost consecutive games for the first time since 2009. The Wolverines took a 7-0 lead on a 92-yard touchdown strike from Ben Musser to Hudson Hill, but Blessed Trinity answered just two plays later on a Brooks Goodman touchdown pass to running back Ahmontae Pitts that resulted in a 67-yard Titans touchdown. Blessed Trinity fumbled deep in its territory and Brody Tolbert recovered it to set up Andrew Beard for a short 3-yard touchdown run to give Prince Avenue Christian a 14-7 lead with 9:31 left in the half. The Titans marched to the five-yard line and settled for a 22-yard Godhard field goal to chip the deficit to 14-10. Both teams were aggressive in the final minutes of the half and traded interceptions before the break. Blessed Trinity stopped the Wolverines on their first possession and were in the red zone when a Goodman screen pass was batted backward and scooped up by Kyler Giddens for a 70-yard fumble recovery touchdown to put Prince Avenue Christian up 21-10. Pitts capped a Titans scoring drive with a rushing touchdown that cut the score to 21-17 heading into the fourth. Godhard’s second field goal of the game came with 11:46 left to make it 21-20. The Titans defense held the Wolverines’ offense scoreless in the second half and Godhard’s game-winner improved Blessed Trinity’s record to 3-0.
Ware County 49, Bainbridge 7
No. 5-ranked Ware County (2-1) recovered from last week’s loss to Coffee with a dominant win over visiting Bainbridge (0-3). The Gators scored all their points in the first half, getting a pair of touchdown runs from Jamir Boyd and scoring strikes from quarterback Luke Hooks to Jasper Bolds (70 yards), Ja’Mario Rice (25 yards), Iain Watson, Mykah Patterson (30 yards) and Cole Cox (44 yards).
Union Grove 35, McDonough 7
Union Grove defeated McDonough 35-7 in a victory that moves the Wolverines to 2-0 in region play. Union Grove started the game with a pair of first-quarter touchdowns. McDonough scored its only touchdown of the game on an 80-yard pass with 6 minutes left in the half. The Wolverines added another score before the end of the quarter, going into the breakup 21-7. The third quarter saw both defenses step up, with both teams going scoreless. With two big fourth-quarter drives, Union Grove put the game away, going up 35-7. The Wolverines will head to Woodland-Stockbridge next week, while McDonough will head to Hampton, looking for its first win of the season.
Walnut Grove 35, Apalachee 13
Walnut Grove improved to 3-0 on the year with a dominant victory over visiting Apalachee (0-3). The Warriors struck first when Jake Moss recovered in the end zone from a punt blocked by Colin Kimsey. The first of Emadd Howard’s trio of touchdowns came in the second for a 14-0 edge before Apalachee got on the board with a 62-yard Ravian Williford rushing score. Nick Pope recovered a fumble on the next Wildcat drive to set up a 28-yard scoring strike from Billy Hendrix to Cameron Selman, and Howard added two more touchdowns in the third to give the Warriors a 35-6 lead.
Starr’s Mill 35, Veterans 27
Starr’s Mill used a three-touchdown second quarter to take a 28-7 halftime lead and then held off a surging Veterans team to secure the victory at Panther Stadium. After a touchdown pass to Mouhamadou Mane put Veterans up 7-0, Starr’s Mill tied the game on a 1-yard run from Logan Inagawa. With five minutes left in the first half, Inagawa threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to put the Panthers ahead. Inagawa scored on a 10-yard touchdown run to extend the lead. Nearing the end of the first half, Inagawa completed a 21-yard pass to Lathan Hunter to give the Panthers a 28-7 lead. Starr’s Mill extended the lead to 35-7 after a 69-yard touchdown run before Veterans fell short of the comeback.
Ware County 49, Bainbridge 7
No. 5-ranked Ware County (2-1) recovered from last week’s loss to Coffee with a dominant win over visiting Bainbridge (0-3). The Gators scored all their points in the first half, getting a pair of touchdown runs from Jamir Boyd and scoring strikes from quarterback Luke Hooks to Jasper Bolds (70 yards), Ja’Mario Rice (25 yards), Iain Watson, Mykah Patterson (30 yards) and Cole Cox (44 yards).
Jones County 28, Hampton 9
The Greyhounds improved to 3-0 on the season as they took down the Hampton Hornets 28-9 to stay undefeated. The Hornets fall to 1-2 on the season. A 14-point first quarter from Jones County got the Greyhounds off to a hot start as they never looked back after the first period. Devin Edmonds threw a seven-yard touchdown in the first quarter to extend the Greyhounds early lead. A touchdown in the second quarter cut the Jones County lead as the Greyhounds took a 14-7 lead into the half after a rushing touchdown from the Hornets. Edmonds threw his second touchdown of the night after a 60-yard long ball to extend the Jones County lead to 14 points. Though Hampton was able to score a safety, but it was too late as Jones County added another touchdown in the fourth on its way to its third victory this season.
Marist 38, Woodward Academy 0
Class 4A No. 1 Marist shut out Class 5A Woodward Academy on the road in the battle of the War Eagles. Marist’s Chris Haertel had three rushing touchdowns, two from 3 yards out and one from 27 yards. Marist quarterback Jack Euart rushed 23 times for 145 yards and had a 1-yard rushing touchdown, and Joe Montembeau rushed for a 1-yard score late. Drew Linnihan made a 47-yard field goal for Marist, which only punted once in the game. Marist improved to 2-0, and Woodward Academy fell to 0-3.
Harris County 15, Carver-Columbus 6
Host Harris County defeated its third-straight top 10 opponent to improve to 3-0. The Tigers previously defeated Class A Division II Manchester (16-8) and Class 3A No. 6 Troup 21-17 before topping the Class 2A No. 3 ranked Carver Tigers. Harris County led 12-6 at the half and its final score came on Anthony Shelnutt’s late 22-yard field goal after the Tigers successfully ran out the clock.
Cambridge 39, Creekview 0
Host Cambridge humbled Creekview in a battle of 2-0 teams. Quarterback Weston Taylor found Joshua Oblen for a touchdown pass to give the Bears a 7-0 lead and then he connected with Hudson Cocchiara for a touchdown that was followed by a Taylor two-point conversion to tight end Drew Hardwick to make it 15-0. Senior Tyler Blalock scored with 1:11 left in the half and returned for his second rushing score midway through the third quarter to increase the lead to 39-0.
Eastside 54, Alcovy 9
Eastside used an explosive offense and 34 first-quarter points in their convincing win against Alcovy. Myles Mims finished with two rushing touchdowns including a 44-yarder where he broke multiple tackles on the play. QB Payton Shaw also had a good outing passing for two touchdowns each from 26 yards out one to Tyler Marks and the other to Marion Eubanks. Georgia Tech safety commit Jayden Barr finished with a 16-yard rushing touchdown. The Eagles’ defense was also strong as they didn’t allow a point until the 11:49 mark in the fourth quarter. Michael Kenon was a big part of the defensive effort having an interception returned for a touchdown to extend their lead to 27-0 early in the game. Eastside is off to their first 3-0 since the 2018 season when they made it to the quarterfinals under head coach Troy Hoff.
Centennial 17, Johns Creek 13
The Centennial Knights moved to 2-0 on the young season tonight as they defeated Johns Creek, 17-13, knocking the Gladiators to 0-2 on the season. The Knights began the scoring with a touchdown with a little under five minutes left in the first quarter as they led 8-0 after a two-point conversion. Johns Creek answered with a touchdown of its own to cut the lead to 8-6 as the game headed into the half. Johns Creek took its first lead of the back-and-forth affairs at the start of the third quarter with another touchdown to take a 13-8 lead into the final period. The fourth quarter was all Knights as Centennial scored nine points in the period, including a touchdown with 3:12 left in the quarter to win the matchup 17-13.
Drew 47, South Cobb 7
Drew is 3-0 for the first time in the school’s 16-year history and the Titans have already matched their total wins from the last two seasons combined. The visiting Titans opened up a 27-0 halftime lead and led 34-7 heading into the fourth quarter. Drew will be on a bye next week before it opens its Region 4-4A schedule at Midtown.
Ola 7, ELCA 3
Ola defeated Eagles Landing Christian after sophomore QB Caden Worley threw a game-winning touchdown pass with less than two minutes left in the game. In a defensive battle, Ola put together another great defensive performance. Senior safety Macklin Sanders was constantly around the football and finished with 15 tackles on Friday night and LB Skylar Spence were both the leading tacklers for the Mustangs. It’s the second consecutive year Ola has started the year 3-0 and has held their opponents to a total of six points through three games including a 51-0 shutout against Locust Grove.
Benedictine 43, Burke County 14
Benedictine picked up its first win of the season after tough losses to Rabun Gap and Buford to start the season. Sophomore Erron Mallard iced the game with a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown with 2:31 left to stamp the 43-14 victory. Both Benedictine (4A) and Burke County (2A) were ranked No. 4 in their respective classifications.
Cartersville 24, Hapeville Charter 0
Cartersville advanced to 3-0 for the 10th straight year as the Purple Hurricanes defeated Hapeville Charter 24-0. Cartersville’s defense continued its dominance, shutting out its second opponent of the season and holding its third straight opponent under a touchdown. The offense had its worst performance of the season but was still able to be dynamic. Hapeville’s offense struggled again, failing to score a touchdown for the second straight game. Cartersville will head on the road to play rival Calhoun next week, while Hapeville has the week off.
Warner Robins 34, Northside-Warner Robins 12
Visiting Warner Robins of Region 1-4A took its eighth-straight win in the rivalry series over Northside-Warner Robins of Region 2-5A. Warner Robins quarterback Skyler Williams threw touchdown passes of 32 and 28 yards to Rasean Dinkins and 6 yards to Daymond Batts. Dinkins also had a 7-yard rushing touchdown and Travis English Jr. rushed for a 4-yard score for the Demons, who moved to 2-1 with the win while Northside fell to 2-1.
Class 3A
Gilmer 35 Pickens 34 OT
Gilmer won a nail-biter after they stopped Pickens’ two-point conversion in overtime in a thrilling finish. Douglas Callihan had the game-winning touchdown from the one-yard line in overtime. Gilmer jumped out to an early 21-7 lead including a 35-yard touchdown pass from Issac Rellinger to Douglas Callihan. Rellinger had two touchdowns, scoring one on the ground and the other on a pass. Pickens scored 14 unanswered points led by McCord Purdy who finished with two touchdowns on the evening. After Pickens tied things up, each team traded scores and the game came down to the end. With less than a minute left, Gilmer missed the potential game-winning field goal in regulation. Junior running back Landon Poole also rushed for two touchdowns and scored the touchdown in overtime for the Dragons before the failed two-point conversion. Gilmer handed Pickens its first loss of the season and has now won the last two games in the rivalry after Pickens won eight consecutive games in the series.
Calhoun 28, Westminster 20
Host Calhoun, ranked No. 7 in Class 3A, held on against Class 4A Westminster after Westminster scored twice in the fourth quarter to make it a one-possession game but failed to threaten on its final drive. Calhoun held a 14-7 halftime lead after a touchdown rush from quarterback Cross Land and a touchdown pass from Land to Justin Beasley. The Yellow Jackets extended their lead to 21-7 in the third quarter with a touchdown pass from Trace Hawkins to Emaree Winston, and led 28-7 in the fourth after a touchdown run from Hunter White. Calhoun improved to 1-1, and Westminster fell to 1-2.
Jefferson 42, Clarke Central 14
Junior running back Dallas Russell plowed his way into the endzone on a 3-yard run to give Jefferson a 7-0 lead and returned to the end zone early in the start of the fourth quarter as the Dragons were running away with the win. Dalton Dye hauled in a touchdown reception and Taylor McCall finished 2-of-2 on field goal attempts and a perfect 6-of-6 on PAT’s. Quarterback Gavin Markey also added a rushing score and senior linebacker Rett Hemphill followed a 59-yard run with a 1-yard score on the next snap to help build the Dragons’ 28-14 lead in the third quarter.
Lumpkin County 28, Hart County 25
Lumpkin County responded to a tough 31-20 loss to Cherokee Bluff in its season opener and came off the bye with a strong second half to defeat Hart County. The Bulldogs led 17-14 early in the fourth quarter after a 9-yard touchdown run by Kurston Curry. Lumpkin County quarterback Cal Faulkner ran in the game-winning touchdown from 32 yards out with 2:07 left and the Indians defense forced a turnover on downs with 1:25 left to ice the victory.
Southeast Bulloch 43, Islands 7
Southeast Bulloch defeated the Islands Sharks by a convincing score of 43-7 to improve to 2-0 on the season. The Yellow Jackets scored 16 points in the first quarter including a safety within the first two minutes of the game. The other 14 points came from rushing touchdowns from running backs Colby Smith and Deontae Mikell. Southeast Bulloch took a 30-0 lead into the half as the Yellow Jackets scored two touchdowns in the period including a pick-six from Chase Douglas and a rushing touchdown. Southeast Bulloch out-scored the Sharks 13-7 in the second half to stay undefeated on the season.
East Hall 55, Johnson-Gainesville 0
East Hall avenged last year’s loss to Johnson-Gainesville to move to 3-0 for the first time since 1990. The Vikings dominated from start to finish, leading 28-0 early in the second quarter and extending their lead to 41-0 by halftime. The Vikings put in the second-stringers for the second half, who finished the shutout and added two more scores, concluding the game with a 55-0 victory. East Hall travels to the Brickyard next week to face North Hall, while Johnson hosts rival West Hall in the Battle of Oakwood.
Northwest Whitfield 12, Dalton 0
Northwest Whitfield allowed just 120 yards of total offense to defeat Dalton and improve to 3-0 on the year. The host Bruins began scoring in the second quarter when Gavin Nuckolls threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Will Wade. The halftime score was 6-0, but Northwest Whitfield added to the lead when Cameron Collins scored on a 14-yard run late in the third. The win was big for the Bruins as it was the first victory against Dalton since 2004.
Peach County 42, Berkmar 7
Fourth-ranked Peach County improved to 2-1 on the year with a victory win over Berkmar. The Trojans led 21-0 in the first quarter of their home opener and 35-7 at halftime before adding a second-half score for insurance. They will travel to Crisp County next weekend.
Class 2A
Hardaway 19, Greenville 12
The Hardaway Golden Hawks get their first taste of victory on the season as they take down undefeated Greenville 19-12 on the road. After two one-possession losses in the first two weeks, the Golden Eagles come out victorious, winning by a single possession of their own. Greenville drops its first game of the season after outscoring its opponents 62-16 in the first two games of the year. Hardaway will begin region play next week as they take on the Shaw Raiders. Greenville will continue its six-game homestand as they welcome Pike County next week.
South Atlanta 16, Washington 0
South Atlanta took a 7-0 lead into the half and expanded the margin with a safety in the third quarter and a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Hebron 24, University Christian 12
Hebron Christian continues its great start to the season as the Lions defeated University Christian (FL) 24-12. Hebron got the scoring started in the first quarter, taking a 7-0 lead. University Christian closed the gap to 7-6 early in the second quarter. The Lions extended their lead before halftime to 14-6. Hebron further extended their lead early in the third quarter with a field goal, making it 17-6. University Christian cut the lead to 17-12, but the Lions scored for the final time late in the third quarter, extending their lead to 24-12. The fourth quarter saw both defenses step up, finishing the game with a final score of 24-12. The Lions will have next week off before heading to North Carolina to play Christ School.
Ringgold 17, Heritage-Catoosa 14
Ringgold edged out rival Heritage-Catoosa for the second straight year and advanced to 3-0 for the first time since 2021. The first quarter was a defensive battle with neither team scoring. Ringgold struck first early in the second quarter with a 10-yard rushing touchdown. The Tigers added to their lead with a 17-yard field goal with 30 seconds left in the half. Ringgold further extended their lead with a 25-yard fumble return for a touchdown. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Heritage answered with a 71-yard passing touchdown. Heritage then cut the lead to three with 3:21 remaining in the third quarter on a 51-yard pass. With a minute and 40 seconds left in the game, Heritage attempted a long 56-yard field goal to tie the game; however, the field goal was no good, and the Tigers closed out the game with a 17-14 win. Next week, Ringgold will host Rockmart, while Heritage will travel to Gordon Lee.
Opelika (AL) 48, Callaway 13
No. 8-ranked Callaway is still winless following a 48-13 routing at the hands of the Opelika Bulldogs of Alabama. A trio of touchdowns gave Opelika a 21-0 edge less than six minutes into the game, and Ashton Smoak added a scoring strike to Brodie Jones before Callaway got on the board in the second. The Cavaliers nearly scored again but were stopped at the 6-yard line as the half came to a close. Jamari Miller, who hauled in a first-quarter touchdown pass, returned the second-half kickoff for a score, then caught another later in the frame.
Jenkins 58, Groves 0
The Jenkins Warriors got their first win of the season as they take down Groves 58-0 in their second game of the season. After a 28-0 loss last week to West Laurens, the Rebels were unsuccessful in scoring their first points of the season as the Warriors held them scoreless for the second week in a row. Groves will look to right the ship next week as they are slotted to play Long County at home while Jenkins looks to use the momentum from tonight’s victory and keep it going. As they travel to Liberty County next week.
North Cobb Christian 48, Coahulla Creek 0
Teddy Jarrard threw four touchdown passes in three quarters to lead North Cobb Christian over Coahulla Creek. Jarrad finished with 204 passing yards, and two touchdown passes went to Brodie Archie who also had four receptions for 66 yards. Carson Bruce had the other two touchdown passes, and North Cobb Christian’s other scores came via rushing touchdowns from Connor Bazarsky, Denim Stevens and Christian Duffy. Defensively, the Eagles forced three turnovers and held Coahulla Creek to six first downs.
Class A Division I
ACE Charter 45, Jefferson County 0
Brice Whitley had five receptions for 82 yards and two touchdowns to help ACE Charter to a 45-0 victory over Jefferson County. The 5-foot-11 senior athlete, who features all over the field, has 10 catches for 179 yards and four touchdowns through two games. The victory moved the Gryphons to 2-0 entering a rest week before facing Dodge County in a key Region 2 matchup.
Armuchee 41, Cherokee Christian 18
Armuchee scored three unanswered touchdowns in the second half to get past Cherokee Christian. The Indians jumped to a 20-6 lead in the first half after Kaden Buffington scored two rushing touchdowns in the first quarter and Devyn Davis scored on a 22-yard run in the second. The halftime score was 20-12, and Cherokee Christian cut its deficit to two when Caleb Blakeney threw a 76-yard touchdown pass in the third. Armuchee then took over as Jakson Hightower scored two rushing touchdowns in the third, and Caden Atkins scored on a 47-yard run in the fourth.
Model 23, Coosa 13
Model rallied from a halftime deficit to beat Coosa and improve to 2-1 on the year. The halftime score was 9-6 Coosa, but Model scored a rushing touchdown in the third quarter and a passing touchdown in the fourth to take the lead and put the game away. This was the 60th meeting between the two schools, and Model has won the last four games.
Commerce 24, Luella 14
Commerce scored 17 unanswered points in the second half to beat Luella to earn their first win of the year. Luella led 14-7 and halftime, but Commerce rallied to take the lead late in the third quarter. The Tigers put the game away when Tysean Wiggins scored on a two-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter. This was the first time Commerce and Luella faced each other.
Gordon Central 37, Josey 0
The Warriors improved to 2-1 on the season as they shut out Josey 37-0 as the Eagles moved to 0-2. Gordon Central took a 16-0 lead into the half as the Warriors got started early with a first quarter touchdown seven minutes into the matchup in the first quarter. The Warriors followed it up with a passing touchdown late in the first half but missed the two-point conversion. The Warriors added 21 points in the second half to close out their shutout over Josey as Gordon Central gets back in the win column after losing last week to Butler.
Fannin County 42 Union County 7
No. 8 Fannin County leaned on QB Lawson Sullivan and RB Carson Callihan to move to 3-0 for the first time since 2020. Through the first two games, Sullivan accounted for 546 total yards and six touchdowns. He was once again a big playmaker for the Rebels and put together a great performance. One of his best plays came on an electric 91-yard scamper where he made multiple defenders miss and outran the defense. Sullivan finished with four total touchdowns including three on the ground and one through the air. Callihan added two rushing touchdowns to bring his season total to five for the season. The duo has left their mark through the first three games and has been tough to stop early this season. Fannin County will travel to face Coosa next Friday night.
Bleckley County 42, East Laurens 6
The Royals (2-1) got their season back on track with a comfortable victory over host East Laurens. Leading 14-6 after the opening frame, Bleckley County added touchdown runs from Dequavis Benjamin and Deondrez Robertson in the second, as well as a 7-yard scoring strike from Kam’ryn Everett to Tyrek Mack for a 35-6 edge at the break.
Fitzgerald 25, Crisp County 7
Fitzgerald jumped to a 14-0 lead against Crisp County in the first quarter and never looked back. The Purple Hurricane scored a rushing touchdown to start the game and followed that up with a punt-return TD. Crisp County answered with a kickoff return for a touchdown on the ensuing drive, and the halftime score was 17-7. Fitzgerald locked down on defense and put the game away in the fourth quarter when Cam Johson scored on a seven-yard run.
King’s Ridge 62, Heritage School-Newnan 7
The Tigers led 21-0 after the first quarter and 42-0 at the half in a romp of Heritage. King’s Ridge extended the lead with a 7-0 effort in the third quarter and outscored Heritage 13-7 in the fourth quarter to put the game very, very far out of reach.
Lamar County 19, Jackson 10
The Lamar County Trojans stayed perfect on the season as they defeated the Jackson Red Devils, 19-10. After a Jackson field goal, Lamar County answered with a nine-yard rushing touchdown from Jahnizae Few to take an early 7-3 lead. After a Trojans field goal, Lamar County’s Kaden Carter returned a Jackson-fumble 104-yards for a touchdown to take a 17-3 lead late first half to take a two-score lead at the half. Jackson outscored the Trojans 7-2 in the second half, but Lamar County held on, securing a 19-10 victory moving to 2-0 on the young season.
Class A Division II
Bowdon 37, Bremen 17
Two-time defending state champion Bowdon defeated Class A Div. 1′s No. 8 Bremen after a long weather delay. The Red Devils led 30-7 at the half. Bremen quarterback Carson Kimball left the game with an injury and was taken off the field in an ambulance.
Crawford County 24, Kendrick 7
Perce Belvin had 14 carries for 94 yards and two touchdowns to lead Crawford. Quarterback Isaac Meadows was 8-of-15 passing for 83 yards and had seven carries for 41 yards and a touchdown for the Eagles.
Lake Oconee Academy 48, Hancock Central 44
Lake Oconee Academy wins a shootout with the Hancock Central Bulldogs to start the season 3-0 for the first time in school history. The Bulldogs appeared to be in control in the first half, going into halftime up 28-14. In the third quarter, the Titans cut the lead to 36-28. Lake Oconee Academy took over in the fourth quarter, outscoring Hancock Central 20-8 in the final period and coming away with a 48-44 win. Next week, the Titans will host the Brentwood School, while the Bulldogs will host Josey.
Clinch County 33, Miller County 22
Clinch County defeated Miller County in the 25th meeting between the two schools. Miller County led 19-12 at halftime, but Clinch rallied in the second half to win their third game of the year. Dating back to last season, the Panthers have won 13 of their previous 14 games. With the win on Friday night, Clinch County has defeated Miller County in the previous five matchups.
Chiles (Fla.) 55, Pelham 27
Pelham led Chiles (Fla.) 7-0 in the first quarter but could not hold on as Chiles scored three unanswered touchdowns to lead 21-7 at halftime. Chiles would not slow down in the second half, scoring 34 points in the fourth. This was the first time in school history that Pelham faced Chiles. The Hornets are now 0-2 on the year and have lost the last three games dating back to last season.
Brooks County 45, Cook 14
First-year head coach Josh McFather earned his first win with the Trojans as Brooks County improved to 1-1 with a 45-14 win over Class 2A No. 5 ranked Cook. Brooks County fell to Thomasville in its season opener and went on the road to serve Cook (2-1) its first loss of the year.
Randolph-Clay 30, Columbus 8
Randolph-Clay and Columbus faced off for the first time since 1999 and the Red Devils earned their first-ever win over the Blue Devils in the process to improve to 1-1 on the year. Randolph-Clay was defeated 22-0 in last week’s opener against Alabama’s Cottonwood and found their first points of the season early as they built a 16-0 lead in the opening quarter. Randolph-Clay led 24-0 at the end of the third quarter before Columbus got on the board late in the final frame and answered with a rushing touchdown to make it 30-8 with less than a minute left.
Briarwood Academy 44, Glascock Academy 16
The Panthers of Glascock County dropped their second game in three weeks as the Buccaneers of Briarwood Academy take them down 44-16. Briarwood improves to 2-0 on the season with wins against Central Fellowship Christian and tonight’s victory against Glascock County. The Panthers fall to 1-2, after tonight’s loss and will travel back home to face Edmund Burke Academy in an attempt to get their record back to .500 on the season. Briarwood will travel to face the St. Andrew’s School next week to keep its winning streak alive.
Greene County 25, Haralson County 3
The Greene County Tigers stay a perfect 3-0 on the season as they take down Haralson County 25-3. This is the Tigers third-consecutive game scoring over 25-points and their second week in a row holding their opponents to less than three points after they shut out Twiggs County last week. The Tigers will have a showdown next week as they travel to Morgan County while Haralson County will also go on the road to face Putnam County.
Irwin County 60, Schley County 35
The Irwin County Indians scored over 50-points for the second straight week as the Indians defeated Schley County, 60-35. Minnesota-commit, Irwin County running back Shane Marshall, tallied 185 yards and four touchdowns on the ground along with Irwin County linebacker, 5-Star Georgia-commit Zayden Walker’s seven total tackles, two tackles for loss, and an interception on defense. On offense Walker totaled 33 yards through the air on four catches. The Indians offense was explosive as ever, scoring over 50-points for the second time this season, only through three games. In a chippy game that saw a few ejections in the third quarter, Irwin County was able to pull away late with multiple late rushing touchdowns to win by 25 against Schley County.
Lakeview Academy 42, Towns County 0
For the first time in team history, Lakeview Academy starts the season 3-0 after defeating Towns County 48-0 in Gainesville. The game started off slow, with the Lions up 7-0 after the first quarter. Lakeview took control of the game in the second quarter, scoring 21 points and ending the half up 28-0. The second half was more of the same, as Lakeview’s defense continued to clamp down on the Indian offense, scoring 14 more points by the end of the game. Lakeview will face Piedmont Academy next week in its first district game, while Towns County travels to Ware Shoals (SC), looking to rebound from its first loss of the season.
Brentwood School 41, Georgia Military Prep 0
The Bulldogs are still looking for their first win of the season after being shut out by Brentwood. The District 4-AA-A War Eagles got first-quarter touchdowns from Tristan Robinson and Baylor Cobb and another from Robinson in the second, along with a 50-yarder from Cobb to Quez Collins and a rushing score from Zach Denton. Jacob Hooks provided the game’s final points in the fourth.
Washington-Wilkes 20, Oglethorpe County 17
A 25-yard field goal from Emilian Aburto with less than a minute left in the game proved the difference for Washington-Wilkes over Oglethorpe County. Oglethorpe led 9-7 at the half.
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