Friday night's high school football roundup
12 p.m. Thanks to Brentwood, Northside, Mount de Sales for sending game info Friday night, and Dooly County, Dodge County, Peach County, and Washington County for boxes and Northeast for partial stats on Saturday.
Send any game details and good pictures to centralgasports@gmail.com.
Class 6A
Northside 43, Tucker 21
Northside never trailed and watched a 23-7 lead cut to two. The Eagles then went on a 20-0 run for the road win. The Eagles rebounded from a pick-6 that tied it at 7, Eric Smith going 35 yards and 25 yards for scores less than five minutes apart for a 23-7 lead. Tucker picked up one touchdown in the final 1;33 of the second quarter and then with 1:35 left in the third. Smith, though, ran 66 yards for a touchdown less than a minute later. Jadin Daniels raced 78 yards for some cushion with 6:26 left and Daniel Neal sealed it with a 4-yarder at the 3:07 mark of the fourth quarter.
Northside outgained Tucker 448-218 on six more snaps. Daniels entered the game having passed for nearly 1,400 yards, but was only 1 for 5 for four yards. The Eagles held Tucker to an 8-for-22 night passing and only 59 yards on 26 rushes, and a 3-for-11 third-down effort. Daniels ran for 187 yards on 18 carries and two scores, and Smith went for 160 on 12 with three. Northside improves to 6-5, and hosts Bradwell Institute.
Class 5A
Warner Robins 27, Locust Grove 7
The Demons got off to a slow start, leading only 3-0 after one. They picked things up in the second to take a 17-0 halftime lead, scoring in the final minute of the second quarter. Warner Robins added a field goal four minutes into the third. Warner Robins improves to 9-2 and hosts Ware County.
Stockbridge 20, Veterans 14
Veterans put forth a quality effort against a major 5A program, one that hadn’t lost a first-round game since 2010 and had 14 players sign Division I scholarships. Stockbridge went up 14-0 in the first quarter, getting a scoop-and-score of 50 yards to end the quarter. Veterans kept it at 14 with a late second-quarter interception. Cyrus Zuell scored Veterans’ first touchdown, and eventually Stockbridge answered for a 20-7 lead. A 42-yard TD pass from Sebastian Verge to Cordelle Clark pulled the Warhawks within six. Late, Veterans’ defense held deep in Tiger territory and the Warhawks got the ball just past midfield with some time left. They got to the 18-yardline, but Stockbridge came up with an interception in the end zone inside the final half-minute. The Warhawks’ season ends at 8-3.
Bainbridge 40, Jones County 13
The Greyhounds scored first, on a pass from Hunter Costlow to Maleek Wooten less than five minutes into the game, and added a 30-yard field goal by Evan West a few minutes later. Bainbridge answered with a touchdown less than a minute later, and took the lead 13 seconds into the second quarter. Another West field goal pulled Jones County within 21-13 with 4:55 left in the half. It stayed that way as the teams exchanged some third-quarter turnovers. Jones County had an interception called back, and the Bearcats converted for a 28-13 lead at the 3:27 mark of the third quarter. A fumble led to another Bainbridge touchdown less than two minutes later for a 21-point lead. Jones County’s season ends at 8-3.
Class 4A
Mary Persons 59, Richmond Academy 0
The Bulldogs led 24-0 after one, and 52-0 at halftime, running 22 times for 241 yards in the first half and adding 225 passing yards en route to just short of 600 yards total offense. QB J.T. Hartage extended his school records to 25 touchdown passes and 2,322 yards, going 9-for-11 for 242 yards and four touchdowns. Desmond Williams had an 81-yard touchdown run and De’Adrek Alford to TD catches. The Bulldog defense was severe, holding Richmond Academy to less than 30 yards total offense. It was only the Bulldogs’ third-highest point total of the season, but it the second-largest margin of victory, four short of tying the 63-0 win over Pike County in 1996. Mary Persons improves to 11-0 and hosts Woodward Academy.
Thomson 34, Upson-Lee 28
Thomson took advantage of Upson-Lee mistakes – in the Knights’ first home playoff game since 1993 - for a 27-0 lead on scoring drives of 69, 66 ,95, and 71 yards. But the Knights awakened late and rallied back to within six. They held on defense to get the ball back with just less than 90 seconds, but Thomson got a 63-yard punt to set the Knights back deep, and the visitors got a game-ending interception on the second play of the drive. and got a short punt, and the ball. Upson-Lee’s season ends at 7-4, its best since 2015.
Burke County 28, Howard 22
The Huskies were in a daunting 28-0 hole, yet patiently came back, and had a chance for the win, getting the ball back with nearly three minutes left. Howard got a first down on penalty on a fourth-and-long, and and then QB Quintan Sewell ran for first on another fourth-and-long got inside the 15 with more than a minute left, but Burke County came up with the interception to seal it. Howard’s season ends at 6-5.
Baldwin 39, Perry 22
Baldwin took the fight to Perry in a big way and all but extinguished the Panthers’ hopes early, marching out to a 21-0 lead after one on touchdowns from Shondarius King, Derrick Lewis, and Trey Trawick. The Panthers held at the 1 on one drive, thanks to a penalty wiping out a touchdown and then a missed field goal, but Perry gave it right back on an interception. Perry got a field goal, and then blocked a punt and C.J. Demicco scooped it and took it in, making it 21-0 with 2:03 left in the second quarter. But Noah Hill’s touchdown early in the third quarter made it a 17-point game. Baldwin improves to 6-5, Perry’s season ends at 6-5. Baldwin hosts Columbus.
Class 3A
Peach County 48, Ringgold 7
It was only 14-0 after one, but the Trojans kicked it up a notch quickly, getting a three-play, 65-yard drive early in the second, and then 67 yards in four plays a few minutes later to go up 28-0 with 9:44 left in the second. An 80-yard TD pass was followed less than three minutes later by a 75-yard punt return from Justin Harris for a 41-0 halftime lead. QB Jaydon Gibson was 4 for 5 for 182 yards and two scores, and Kapien Everett rushed 11 times for 98 yards and two scores. Peach County improves to 9-2 and hosts Liberty County.
Westside 32, Cook 18
Westside improves to 8-3, travels to Benedictine.
Class AA
Dublin 49, Toombs County 14
Rodriquez Martin passed for two touchdowns and ran for one and had a pick-6 for the Irish, who led 35-0 at halftime, getting a 55-yard punt return from Kendall Wade to close out the first-half scoring. Jermaine Cooley, Martin on the interception and a keeper, and Greg Jones also had first-half touchdowns.
Dublin advances with a 10-1 mark, hosts Thomasville.
Dodge County 39, Jeff Davis 21
Jeff Davis dealt the first blow, with a two first-quarter touchdowns, including a 95-yard kickoff return, and the Yellow Jackets of former Dublin assistant Lance Helton led 21-19. A halftime conversation later, Dodge County got rolling, winning the second half 20-0. Standout kicker Peyton Bush had field goals of 24 and 22 yards, and R.J. Carr scored on runs of 30 and 20 yards. Dodge County didn’t try a pass, running 38 times for 310 yards, while Jeff Davis was 3 for 6 for 51 yards in the air and 41 for 179 on the ground. Carr went for 182 yards and five touchdowns on 21 attempts. The Indians improve to 10-1, travel to Jefferson County.
Washington County 31, Vidalia 25
Washington County led from the start, thanks to Dyquan Bloodsaw’s 69-yard run. The Golden Hawks 12-6 after one and 19-12 at halftime and 31-12 after three. The Indians took a fumble back about 70 yards for a score with about six minutes left, and then did it again with about a minute to go from 62 yards out. Preston Daniels recovered the onside kick and the Golden Hawks ran the clock out. Bloodsaw rushed for 269 yards and three touchdowns. The Golden Hawks improve to 9-2, travel to Brooks County.
Swainsboro 23, Northeast 7
The Raiders led 7-0 after one on Jacoby Hill’s 3-yard run, and it was tied at halftime. Swainsboro trudged ahead with 24-yard fumble return for a touchdown and the lead with about nine minutes left in the third. The Raiders then turned it over, and a possession later, the Tigers scored on a 27-yard pass for a 20-7 lead midway through the third, adding a field goal in the fourth quarter. Hill ran for 120 yards on 13 carries, QB Nolan Ussery adding 68 on seven while struggling through a 6-for-17 passing night. Northeast’s season ends at 4-7.
Heard County 63, Monticello 22
Monticello’s season ends at 5-6.
Class A Public
No. 14 Dooly County 28, No. 19 Hancock Central 14
Dooly County focused the ground game amid muddy conditions, surviving two interceptions. Backup QB Reggie Smith completed two passes, both for touchdowns while Bo Lawson struggled through a 5-for-11 night for 56 yards and two picks. He countered that with 10 carries for 112 yards and a score, Smith going for 103 and one on 15 carries. Dooly County rushed for 273 yards on 33 carries. The defense was led by Zepha Hill’s 10 tackles. Dooly County improves to 7-4 and travels to Mt. Zion. Hancock Central’s season ends at 6-5.
No. 12 Chattahoochee County 22, No. 21 Macon County 14
Macon County’s season ends at 5-6.
No. 11 Charlton County 38, No. 22 Taylor County 0
Taylor County’s season ends at 5-6.
Class A Private
No. 24 Holy Innocents’ 44, No. 9 Mount de Sales 21
It was 14-all when Holy Innocents’ reeled off two touchdowns and a field goal for a 31-14 halftime lead. The Cavs got a 31-yard rushing score from Jaden Wilson two minutes into the third quarter to pull within 31-21, but the visitors answered a little more than five minutes later with another score, adding some icing with 5:08 left in the game. The 6-5 Golden Bears went 0 for 2 passing, but rushed 57 times for 414 yards and six touchdowns. They held the Cavs to 265 yards total offense, and QB Dexter Williams to 77 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries. He was 10 for 20 passing for 117 yards and a score, but three interceptions. Mount de Sales’ season ends at 9-2, its best since going 10-2 in 2010.
No. 13 Wesleyan 10, No. 20 Tattnall 8
Wesleyan took the lead with 9:39 left in the first and Tattnall answered seven minutes later, but missed the PAT. The Wolves added a field goal for a 10-6 halftime lead. And the teams traded fairly short possessions the rest of the game. A holding penalty killed what would’ve been the game-winning TD for Tattnall with 1:43 left, and the Trojans couldn’t punch it in after that. The Wolves took a safety right after that, but the Trojans couldn’t mount one more drive. The Trojans’ season ends at 6-5.
No. 11 Aquinas 30, No. 22 Stratford 14
The rematch a week after the Eagles’ 17-14 win at Aquinas was a rerun for awhile, Stratford leading 14-0 on touchdowns by Waldon Davis and John Morgan Stanley. Aquinas scored with 3:24 left in the second quarter, and grabbed the momentum with two field goals after that for a 17-14 halftime lead. They added another one with at the 7:30 mark of the third, and another one four minutes into the fourth, finally scoring a touchdown with 4:27 left. was close. Stratford’s season ends at 5-6.
GISA
Class AAA
Southland 35, Westfield 7
The Hornets’ season ends at 4-7.
Trinity Christian 7, Loganville Christian 6
Trinity Christian improves to 7-4, travels to Tiftarea.
Class AA
Brentwood 41, Westwood 7
Brentwood wasn’t challenged much, darting out to a 34-0 halftime lead on three Chase Everett touchdown runs of 76, 12, and 45 yards, Jay Musselwhite and Colby Johnson and TD runs of 1 and 8 yards. Everett added a 21-yarder in the third quarter. Everett racked up 201 yards on eight carries, Johnson 54 on five. Eight War Eagles got at least two carries, the defense led by Thomas Denton and Cameron Waddell. Brentwood, which had 12 more first downs and a 373-55 total offense advantage, advances with an 8-4 record.
St. Andrews 28, Piedmont 0
Piedmont’s season ends at 3-7-1.