High school football note: Jones County's Ross likely done for the year, Peach County's Gibson is done for the year
It was clear when Teldrick Ross went down, by his reaction, that Jones County might have to make a serious adjustment for the rest of the playoffs.
And the Greyhounds will.
Ross is out indefinitely with a lower leg injury suffered in the third quarter of Friday's 32-8 win over Griffin in the first round of the GHSA Class 5A playoffs.
"It's a hairline fracture,” head coach Justin Rogers said of the ankle injury. “He's in a cast and he'll be out."
Rogers said there is a chance Ross could return if the Greyhounds make the championship game on Dec. 8.
Jones County, 10-1, travels to Wayne County, champ of Region 2 and 9-1 after beating Thomas County Central 28-0 Friday night. The winner faces either Flowery Branch or Carver-Atlanta, and Jones County would travel to Carver or flip a coin with Flowery Branch.
Sophomore Hunter Costlow will take over for Ross, and that means the Greyhounds will return to more of the passing offense of the past few seasons with then-quarterback Bradley Hunnicutt.
Costlow is 12 of 23 for 201 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in five games.
"We'll go back to doing some (more passing) stuff," Rogers said. "We carry it, we just don't do much of it. We'll go back to a lot of that old stuff, a lot of (run-pass option) stuff."
The Greyhounds were in control of the game and went on to score another touchdown on their next drive with senior running back Drake Bolus behind center in the shotgun. Jones County drove 76 yards on eight plays for a touchdown and 30-8 lead late in the third quarter.
They went three-and-out on two fourth-quarter possessions as their defense continued to stuff Griffin.
Ross has 1,026 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns, while having passed for 1,095 yards, completing 66.4 percent of his passes.
Rogers said the Greyhounds will be in a passing formation much more often, but will use Bolus - who can throw the ball, but hasn't in a game this season - behind center a fair amount.
Bolus has 1,196 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns, and is also Jones County's top receiver with 22 catches for 339 yards and four scores.
He'll become even more integral, which is fine with Rogers.
"We'll certainly keep a package in with Drake as well," said Rogers. "He gives you everything that Teldrick gave you as far as the read option, and things like that. He can run everything Teldrick can run. He's been doing it for four weeks now.
"He is super smart. His football IQ's nuts. I've had that joker everywhere: wide receiver, quarterback, running back. He's like a coach on the field."
Ready for a rematch
For the fifth time, Northside and Tucker will go at it in the playoffs.
The Tigers won 22-7 last year at "home" in the semifinals. Northside won 23--20 in the 2012 quarterfinals, a year after losing 17-16 in the semis.
The two first played in 2007's semifinals, a 31-28 Northside win that preceded the Eagles' 20-14 win over Ware County for the state title to finish the perfect season.
Peach County adjusts
It's hard to tell that Peach County is without perhaps its best player.
Running back Chris Gibson's season ended on Oct. 27 with a torn ACL during the Trojans' 49-21 win over Pike County to clinch the Region 4-AAA title.
They responded by hammering a decent Jackson team 52-7 a week later and continued rolling with last Friday's 45-0 win over Savannah in the first round of the playoffs.
"He's probably been our best player," head coach Chad Campbell said of the 5-foot-6, 185-pound senior. "Had 24 touchdowns through 8 1/2 games, you know? That's a lot to overcome.
"He's just a winner, man. He's kind of the heart and soul of the offense."
Trevon Woolfolk had 171 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries in the Savannah win to earn team offensive player of the week honors.
"He's carrying more of the load, but we've got a couple others that'll touch it some, too," Campbell said. "We won't do 'Wildcat.' (Gibson) was our 'Wildcat.'"
Peach County hosts 5-5 Pierce County on Friday in the second round.