By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

Class 5A
Houston County 34, Lee County 28
The Bears led from the start and held on to clinch their first home playoff game in a decade, finally getting over the hump in one of the toughest regions in the state in any class. New blood at kicker teased at some drama, the Bears missing some PATs. But they never trailed or were tied with the Trojans. Westen Ard’s 5-yard run put Houston County up 27-14 midway through the third, and Austin Stinson took off on a 75-yard touchdown run for a 34-21 lead three minutes into the fourth quarter. The Bears’ defense kept stifling the Trojans until giving up a touchdown with about three minutes left. But Houston County shut the door right after that for its first 9-win regular season since 2015, the last time it hosted a playoff game.

Northside 36, Veterans 22
A year ago, Veterans entered this game hoping and praying to avoid a winless season. And did, with a 17-0 win. Northside, with its long and successful history, never thought it would be in the same position, but was. And did the same thing, charging out to a 30-0 halftime lead, the 30 points passing the Eagles total points scored in the last five games combined (259). Neither team is posting stats this season.

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This week
🏈 Scouting Reports: This week’s GHSA and GIAA games
🏈 Maxwell Predictions
🏈 Who’s going to win this week’s games?
🏈 Central Georgia state composite rankings
🏈 Central Georgia rankings
🏈 Monday Morning Quarterback: Will this Atlanta turkey of a season have a coaching change by Thanksgiving?; Bears are ballin’ at Mercer; Loughdmouthings
🏈 Macon Touchdown Club players of the week

Last week
🏈 Roundup: Warner Robins stuns Ware County; Jones County surprised in 2 OT; Peach County upset; West Laurens stays perfect; Northeast nears rare title; Brentwood bops rival; CFCA, Windsor hit 50
🏈 Scouting Reports: This week’s GHSA and GIAA games
🏈 Maxwell Predictions
🏈 Who’s going to win this week’s games
🏈 Central Georgia state composite rankings
🏈 Central Georgia rankings
🏈 Monday Morning Quarterback: What do we know about our main teams in Georgia, near and far? Well, it’s complicated, and entertaining; Surprises, Loughdmouthings (a readable podcast, OK?) galore
🏈 Macon Touchdown Club players of the week

Class 4A
Warner Robins 33, Perry 26
On Oct. 3, Warner Robins lost by an epic margin to Benedictine, 61-0. A wakeup call, among other things, followed, culminating on a grindout win over Perry to surprisingly push the Demons into second place and at home in the first round. The Demons led 17-13 at halftime, then 24-20, then 27-20 with 71 seconds left in the third quarter. Decorrion Daniels scored, but the conversion was stuffed and Warner Robins led 27-26 with 2:29 left in the game. Warner Robins recovered the onside kick, but had to punt. On first down, Demarquis Cooper sealed it with a pick-6 of 31 yards with 66 seconds left.

Locust Grove 19, Jones County 3
The Greyhounds’ offense again struggled, and they trailed 12-0 and the 12-3 late in the half. But Locust Grove fired a dagger by scoring on a fourth and 7 from the 22 on the last play of the half. The outright region champs held Jones County (6-4/5-4) to its lowest total since lost 7-3 to Ola in early September of 2024. This is Jones County’s first playoff-free season since 2013, Dwight Jones’ final season as head coach before giving way to Justin Rogers.

Class 3A
Baldwin 41, Howard 14
In a battle of teams completing below-expectations seasons, host Baldwin had its third-highest scoring total to finish 4-6 and 3-5. Howard gave up 40 points for the seventh time to finish 2-8 and 1-7.

Peach County 42, Monroe 34
Monroe put a little pressure on the Trojans, who led 35-14 at halftime and 42-14 after three. The Golden Tornadoes scored a few minutes into the fourth quarter and kept the Trojans out of the end zone. Monroe scored twice in a short period of time, but too late to make a final push on the Trojans, who finish second in the region and get a home game.

Whitewater 51, Mary Persons 46
The Bulldogs lost a wild one in a battle of teams tied at 3-4 in region play and on the playoff bubble. Mary Persons finishes 5-5 and 3-5, the Bulldogs failing to reach the postseason for the second straight year, which hasn’t happened since 2009-10 when they went 7-3 and 6-4 under Rodney Walker. Whitewater led 14-13 at halftime, the Bulldogs missing a field goal late in the second quarter. The Wildcats returned the second-half kickoff for a touchdown and added the conversion for a 22-13 lead. Whitewater outscored Mary Persons 21-20 in the third, the Bulldogs unable to get closer than two, pulling within 43-40 midway through the fourth. The teams each scored in the final two minutes.

Class AA
Pike County 28, Rutland 16
Rutland led early, and Pike County tied it for awhile before easing ahead and sending the Hurricanes to their second straight winless season.

Jackson 42, Westside 13
Westside head coach Spoon Risper’s final home game was a little worse than expected against a team tied with the Seminoles at 2-2 in region play. The Seminoles were on the bubble, but losing by 29 points to a team even with them in the standings might be enough to end their season (3-7/2-3).

Class A/Division I
Washington County 27, ACE 21
The Golden Hawks (5-5/5-4) trailed, led, and were tied with ACE (5-5/4-5) at 21. Washington County took the lead with 1:26 left on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Mack May to Malik Carswell. The PAT was blocked, but ACE couldn’t mount a final rally. Brayden Vincent scored twice for the Gryphons, along with Noah Syme. WACO outgained ACE 211-194 on the ground and 138-75 through the air. Vincent finished with 116 yards on 12 carries.

Dublin 22, Dodge County 16 (For more, click here)
Jamarcus Knight’s second score of the night was much more routine than his first, but it was bigger, putting Dublin up by a touchdown with just less than nine minutes left in the game. A Dodge County win would’ve given Northeast the outright region title and possibly put Dublin on the road in the first round. But the Irish got the lead and the defense held it. Dublin outrushed Dodge County 190-68, while the Indians outpassed the Irish 121-6. Total offense: Dublin 196, Dodge County 189. Dontaviouis Cannon went for 101 yards on 19 carries for Dublin, while Dodge County’s Kain Mincey was 13 of 23 for 116 yards and 2 touchdowns with 1 pick.

Northeast 29, East Laurens 8 (Click here for full story)

Southwest 27, Jefferson County 12
The Patriots went to bed technically alive for a playoff spot at 3-7/2-7, but a longshot. Southwest and Jefferson County finish tied at 2-7 in region play.

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Lamar County 20, Jasper County 7
Lamar County led the defensive battle of undefeateds from the start, going up early on Kenyae Barnes’ 8-yard run late in the first quarter. The Trojans (10-0/6-0) added Jayden Hillman’s 13-yarder in the third quarter before Jasper County (9-1/5-1) answered with a rushing touchdown with 3:34 left in the game. The Trojans clinched their third region title in four years – all under head coach Travis Ellington – with Kaden Carter’s 5-yard run with 91 seconds left. Lamar County won despite managing only 81 passing yards and 99 rushing yards.

Class A/Division II
Hawkinsville 33, Dooly County 14
The Red Devils led from the start and pulled away to get the second seed and a first-round home game. Up 14-6 at halftime, they got a rushing touchdown midway through the third and sealed it with another score on the ground in the final minute of the third.

Glascock County 41, Hancock Central 22
The battle for the final playoff spot went to the visitors, who had their third-highest point total of the year.

Johnson County 42, GMC 3 (For more, click here)
Macon County 21, Taylor County 19
The Bulldogs made for quite the jam in 6-A, tying Taylor County and Schley County at 5-1 with the win. Taylor County got the first lead, but Macon County’s defense kept the Vikings from expanding on it, and it was 6-0 at halftime. The Bulldogs’ pressure forced a fumble deep in Taylor County territory that was recovered by Macon County in the end zone. Macon County took a 21-12 lead only for Taylor County to fumble on the kickoff, recover it and take it in for the touchdown and pull within two. But the Bulldogs held on to, because of scoring math, get the top seed..

Wilkinson County 43, Twiggs County 30

GIAA Playoffs
Class AAA
Piedmont 27, Lakeview 21
Class AA
Gatewood 47, Heritage 3
Windsor 35, Augusta Prep 8 (Click here for full story)