Central Georgia's high school football roundup, on nearly 30 GHSA & GISA games
Have breakfast with Central Georgia’s only complete roundup, awaiting you and the sun. Any update will be around noon Saturday, based on information contributions from teams.
Teams: send info to centralgasports@gmail.com by 10:30 a.m. Saturday for the noon final update
Dear coaches and teams: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE UPDATE YOUR MAXPREPS ROSTERS, so kids can accurately be credited for doing good things. Ditto schedules, results, and stats.
Class 6A
Northside (4-6/1-2) 26, Houston County (5-5/0-3) 23
Houston County scored three times in a row to take a 23-19 lead early in the fourth quarter, but Elijah Robinson hit Centavious Lowe with a 14-yard TD pass with 3:59 left in the game, and the Eagles held on for their first region win to take third place in Region 1. The score was set up by a Bears’ bungle, when a pass on a fake punt was picked off by Jadarian Jackson on Houston County’s 44. Each team had two interceptions and the Eagles lost one fumble. Houston County controlled the ball, with a time-of-possession advantage of 15 minutes and 17 more snaps. But the Eagles outgained the Bears 222-184. Houston County’s Christian Lawhorn completed 15 of 26, but for only 91 yards, to 8 of 18 for 127 for Robinson. Neither team cracked 100 yards rushing, Northside with 95 and Houston County with 93.
Class 5A
Coffee at No. 2 Warner Robins, canceled
No. 3 Ware County (7-1/2-1) 42, Veterans (4-5/0-3) 14
The Gators doubled up the Warhawks in the first half, leading 28-14 at intermission after going up 21-0 after one. The loss officially ended Veterans’ playoff hopes.
No. 10 Jones County (6-3/6-0) 49, Woodland-Stockbridge (6-3/3-3) 0
The suspense was gone before the home crowd got settled, the Greyhounds taking a 28-0 lead after a quarter. Even with the three big non-region games to open the season, Jones County’s 36.88 points per game is currently second in program history, behind the 37 points in 2014, Justin Rogers’ first years as head coach. Rogers’ other four teams are next in line, followed by last year’s Greyhounds at 30.43 points.
Class 4A
Perry (5-4/5-0) 21, Howard (2-4/0-3) 14
The Panthers scored 14 straight for a 14-7 halftime lead, and were up by another score in the fourth before Howard’s Jason Parham returned a fumble more than 50 yards for a score with 9:35 left. Howard reached the Perry 31 in the final 10 seconds, but suffered a false start and then an interception by Jakhius Jackson in the end zone on the final play. The Panthers host Baldwin next week for the outright Region 4 title.
West Laurens (4-4/3-2) 46, Rutland (1-6/0-6) 0, Thursday
Westside (4-3/2-2) 22, Spalding 14, Thursday
Westside (4-3/2-2) at Rutland (1-6/0-4), Monday, Ed DeFore
Class 3A
No. 4 Crisp County (8-1/5-1) 24, Central (5-3/5-1) 7
The Cougars led 9-0 after one, racking up a safety along the way as well as a long double pass for a touchdown. It was 17-0 in the third, Crisp County’s power run game keeping Central from getting much going on offense. The Chargers face Peach County next week, but are assured no worse than third in the region.
Jackson (4-4/3-3) 28, Mary Persons (4-5/2-4) 27
The Bulldogs – who led 14-0 at halftime - tied it with 6:57 left in the game, after a hold nullified a third-and-14 conversion. On third and 9, QB Logan Hickman floated left and unloaded, slot receiver Derek Jarrell coming down with it in the end zone. Less than three minutes later, Nakeyviean Lyons lined up a right wingback, took the handoff left and went along the line before cutting it up and then making a touchdown-clinching move inside the 20 for the lead with 4:02 left in the game. Mary Persons lost two yards on third and inches, and called time with 60 seconds left. Hickman gave it to Jaboree Goodson on a misdirection around the right side for an 8-yard touchdown with 54 seconds left to pull within one. The Bulldogs called timeout as the PAT started, and decided to go for the win. Goodson took the direct snap, went left and lateraled to Adrian Hughley going right. He then passed it to QB Hickman, who lined up as a running back, but it was broken up in the end zone. Both teams had all three timeouts left, and Jackson covered the onside kick at its 49 and took two knees to break a seven-game losing streak to the Bulldogs.
No. 3 Peach County (7-1/6-0) 36, Upson-Lee (4-5/2-4) 7
Upson-Lee was within 14-7 late in the second quarter, but Peach County scored in the final minutes for a 21-7 lead and then added another score inside the first 90 seconds of the third quarter to seal it, the Knights unable to take advantage of a few opportunities. The Trojans are a win away from their fifth straight perfect region season and fifth straight region title. The Knights still have playoff hopes, thanks to Jackson’s win over Mary Persons.
Class AA
Bleckley County (6-3/3-2) at Southwest (1-5/0-4), Ed DeFore, Thursday, cancelled
Dodge County (5-3/4-1) 35, Washington County (5-4/3-2) 16
The Indians felt fine at the House of Pain, where they won 42-7 in 2017, en route to a romp and tentatively the top seed in Region 3. Dodge County is scheduled to play Southwest next week, but it appears the Patriots’ COVID issues that led to canceling Thursday’s game against Bleckley County may erase the game with the Indians. Dodge County and Northeast are tied at 4-1, but the Indians knocked off the Raiders 35-21 last week to take the tiebreaker. Dodge County scored in the first minute of the game and then the final seconds of the second for a 14-3 halftime lead. Mikhail Carr went 40 yards four minutes into the third quarter to put the Indians up 21-3, and he put it away from four yards out inside the final 90 seconds of the third quarter.
Jeff Davis (8-1/4-1) 42, East Laurens (3-5/0-4) 21
A 29-point second quarter put the Yellow Jackets in charge after a tight 6-0 first quarter. The lead grew to 42-0 before Zack Strickland’s 6-yard run in the final minutes of the third quarter broke the shutout.
Putnam County (8-1/5-1) 49, Josey (1-7/0-6) 0
The War Eagles put it away early, storming out to a 35-0 lead halftime on four rushing touchdowns and one passing en route to their fourth shutout of the season. They clinched second place and a home playoff game for the first time since 2011.
No. 9 Northeast (6-2/4-1) 42, Jasper County/Monticello (2-7/1-4) 6
The Raiders expanded a 7-0 first-quarter lead to 28-0 at halftime. Travion Solomon’s 35-yard TD pass to Omarion Ottiman got Northeast going, and the hosts got second-quarter scoring passes from Solomon to Zion Odoms (45 yards) and Kalik Evans (91 yards) to go with Solomon’s scoring run of nearly 30 yards. The Raiders clinched their first home playoff game since 2009, and will try for their first playoff win since 2002. Shamarian Greene ran for 114 yards on21 carries for the Hurricanes.
Class A
No. 5 Dublin (8-1/7-0) 49, Telfair County (4-5/2-5) 0
The Irish followed a one-touchdown first quarter with two touchdowns in each of the next three to clinch the top seed in the region. Dublin ran for 334 yards, led by Quay Ashley’s 81 and Jiquarion Mundie’s 80. Markelle Mitchell’s two completions went for touchdowns of 17 and 44 yards to Gabriel Guyton. J.T. Wright added TD runs of 48 and 28 yards, Mundie went in from 51 and Benjamin Griffith from 36. Dublin held Telfair County to 154 yards of offense on 47 plays.
Johnson County (7-2/5-2) 27, Dooly County (3-4/3-4) 11
Dooly County battled to a 6-3 halftime deficit, but the Trojans added six in the third quarter and outscored the Bobcats 15-8 in the fourth. Dooly County QB Antwaun Clayton passed for nearly 150 yards, but Johnson County outgained the Bobcats 297-24 on the ground, the visitors hurt by five turnovers.
Hancock Central (5-0/4-0) 32, Wilkinson County (2-5/2-2) 8
With winless Crawford County next, Hancock Central unofficially sealed the program’s first region title with the home win. Barring a monumental upset, the Bulldogs will host their first GHSA playoff game.
Hawkinsville (3-6/3-5) 36, Treutlen (1-8/0-7) 0
The Red Devils recorded their first shutout since 41-0 over Pacelli on Nov. 3, 2017, and biggest win since then. Hawkinsville broke a five-game losing streak, three of the losses by 10 points or less.
Mount de Sales (5-4/3-1) 26, Deerfield-Windsor (2-7/0-4) 22
The Knights made the Cavs sweat, countering scores and taking a 22-19 lead with 8:09 left in the game. Just less than three minutes later, A’khori Jones put the Cavs on top with a 36-yard touchdown run. John Wagner added the PAT with 5:19 left, and MdS held on. Jones scored on a 44-yard and 12-yard TD pass from Fernando Washington, who ran one in from 61 yards. Washington had 119 yards on 11 carries, Jones 107 on 2o.
Stratford (6-2/3-1) 21, FPD (5-4/3-1) 18
The Eagles helped force a three-way tie – Mount de Sales helped, too – by pushing the Vikings back deep late with a punt, and then picking off a pass in the final minute to seal it. The Vikings, who had trouble with Stratford’s wing-T all night, pulled within 21-18 at the 4:04 mark of the fourth quarter on Parker Ingram’s 5-yard run and Barrett Barkley’s conversion run. Stratford expanded a 14-10 halftime lead on Lawson Cole’s short TD pass to Jack Miscall with 5:29 left in the third.
Tattnall (4-5/2-2) 49, Strong Rock (4-5/1-3) 14
Tattnall returned to its early-season form, leading 14-0 after one and 28-7 at halftime, continuing the blowout with two more third-quarter touchdowns.
Taylor County (6-2/5-2) 26, Marion County (3-4/2-3) 20
The hosts led 20-6 at halftime, getting a 35-yard touchdown pass from Jabin Ford to Braylan Jowers with 6.6 seconds. Taylor County missed the PAT, but avoided that mattering, despite 132 yards rushing from Jamal Sampson. Marion County scored seconds into the fourth quarter to pull within eight, Jikevion Towns recovering a Ford countering almost six minutes later from the 8 before another missed PAT. The Eagles pulled within a score with 45 seconds left, and then recovered the onside kick on the Vikings’ 30. But the Eagles threw four incomplete passes, using only 20 seconds.
Warren County (6-2/3-1) 44, ACE (2-6/1-3) 13
ACE fell from the playoff race while the Screaming Devils all but sealed second place.
GISA
John Milledge (7-0/2-0) 50, Creekside Christian (5-3/0-2) 7
Patrick McDonel returned an interception 55 yards for the Trojans’ first points, and the rout was on. Taylor Dixon followed with a 45-yard punt return, and Tommy Collier a field goal for 17 points before the offense got on the board. McDonel had a 23-yard run, Grayson Hopkins a 25-yarder before throwing two TD passes to Lane Stanley, Collier chipping in another field goal (29 yards) in the mix. Landen Burney had 86 of the Trojans’ 171 rushing yards.
Gatewood (8-1, 1-0) 42, Piedmont (6-3/0-2) 21
The defending AA champs had little trouble in getting their fifth straight win, and cracking 40 points for the third time this season and ninth time in the past two. The Gators visit Brentwood for the region title.
Brentwood (7-1) 47, Trinity Christian (0-7) 19
Thomas Denton went off for 246 yards on 13 carries with two touchdowns to lead Brentwood, which ran 39 times for 399 yards and six scores. Ben Tarbutton added 79 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Trinity Christina used seven runners to get 144 yards on the ground. The lead was 20-7 at halftime, but the War Eagles followed a Denton 43-yard TD run with a Tarbutton pick-6 on Trinity’s first play from scrimmage after that, Tarbutton adding a 5-yard score four minutes later.
Westfield (6-1-1/2-0) 48, Bethlehem Christian (1-7/0-2) 24
The Hornets had a battle in the first half, leading 21-14 at the break. Not so much in the second half, thanks to a 21-7 third quarter on two Porter Faulk TD runs and a 21-yarder from Gavin Vining. Faulk score four times on 14 carries en route to 182 yards. Vining had three touchdowns and 204 yards on 22 tries. Westfield outgained Bethlehem Christian 472-306 on 10 more plays.