By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

Class 6A

Houston County 66, Tift County 7

          The Bears won their third game of the season by more than 55 points, and clinched at least fourth place in the crammed region.

Northside 58, Veterans 7

          DJ Hudson passed for 212 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Eagles, who led 37-0 at halftime and held a 392-138 total offense advantage on one less play. Hudson threw for three scores in the first half, the Eagles getting a short run from Da’veon Latimore and a pick-6 by Elijah Cotton for another score. Duke McClinton added a 64-yard punt return for a score in the the third quarter. Seven Eagles caught a pass. It was Northside’s highest point total since opening the 2016 season with a 55-3 win over Warner Robins, and biggest margin of victory since 52-0 over Grovetown to open the playoffs that same season. 

Class 5A

This week
* Scouting Reports: all GHSA and GIAA games
* So, you’re wondering about Central Georgia’s GHSA standings and playoff picture?
* Maxwell Ratings picks, Central Georgia state rankings
* MMQB: We all thought we’d seen most anything, and then Lee County … Loughdmouthngs, upsets/surprises, Central Georgia polls
* Macon Touchdown Club players of the week: CFCA, Howard, Rutland

Last week
* Roundup: Roundup: Night of a lifetime for Northside, forgettable one for Northeast & Dooly County, upset for Dodge County, scoreapalooza by Hawkinsville, John Milledge rolls
* Scouting Reports: all GHSA and GIAA games
* Maxwell Ratings picks, Central Georgia state rankings
* Who’s going to win this week’s Central Georgia high school football games
* Monday Morning Quarterback: Surprises, upsets, Loughdmouthings (Bama-Tennessee, Fromm, area 1,000-yard rushers, passers, more), Central Georgia polls
* Macon Touchdown Club players of the week: Jones County, Northeast

Warner Robins 54, Jones County 30

          What was the kind of game most expected for three quarters turned out to be more similar to recent Demons-Greyhounds meetings than expected, thanks to quarterback Chase Reese and wideout Chaz Sturn taking over. Reese went off, with 535 yards of offense. He ran 14 times for 144 yards and a score, while completing 19 of 30 – 63.3 percent – for 391 yards and four touchdowns. Sturn caught nine passes for 181 yards and a score. Isiah Canion added three catches for 108 yards and two scores for the Demons, who outgained the Greyhounds 599-340 on five more snaps.

Jones County never led, but tied the game at 24 in the second half, albeit momentarily, after trailing 24-16 at the half. Judd Anderson hit Tyler Stewart for 51 yards early in the third quarter, and Anderson caught the conversion pass from Ed Chester to tie it. The Demons went up about three minutes later on Reese-to-Canion for 30 yards. Warner Robins’ next touchdown was answered by another Anderson-to-Stewart connection for 58 yards to make it 38-30. Sturn scored on a 16-yard run late in the third to return the margin to two scores, the Demons adding a safety in the first minute of the fourth quarter.

Javious Bond returned to action and ran for 86 yards on 16 carries. But Zion Ragins, among the several Greyhounds battling injuries this season, had two catches and one rush. Anderson was 22 of 40 for 236 yards and three scores to go with three interceptions. Stewart caught five passes for 128 yards and two scores.

Class 4A

Perry 40, Spalding 7

          The Panthers had two hiccups early, missing their first two point-afters, though it didn’t matter. Perry led 19-0 at halftime, and had a shutout until 4:03 remained. A 26-yard TD pass on fourth and 10 at the 26 from Armar Gordon Jr. to Donovan Funch with just less than seven minutes left in the first got Perry going, and added an 8-yard pass from Gordon to Colby Dixon less than a minute into the second quarter. Perry clinched outright its third straight region title, and its third straight eight-win season, a program first.

Westside 41, Baldwin 20

          The visitors had a couple comebacks in them, but the hosts’ fourth quarter was too much. Westside led 13-12 entering the fourth, and it was soon tied at 20. The Seminoles went up a score, and then added six points on a fake punt for a two-score lead with 7:08 left. The Seminoles stepped into a three-way tie for fourth with Baldwin and Howard.

Class AAA

Peach County 63, Pike County 7

          The Trojans as expected sealed the region title, doing so with their biggest win of the season, and second straight win by more than 50 points. It was their biggest win since 62-0 over Pike County last October. Peach County has grabbed 10 region titles under head coach Chad Campbell, and has won at least six games every year since 1986.

Mary Persons 33, Upson-Lee 0

          In pretty much a must-win situation, Mary Persons played loose en route to its first shutout since last year’s 42-0 season-opener over Towers, and biggest win since 49-14 over Pike County a little over a year ago. Upson-Lee ended the regular season with a second straight shutout, losing 54-0 last week to Peach County.

 

Class AA

ACE 62, Southwest 28

          The suspense was gone early, the Gryphons leading 27-0 after one. Aaron Davis went nearly 80 yards to start the second-quarter scoring, Brice Whitley adding a punt return for a score as ACE cracked 50 for the fourth time this season.

Berrien 35, Dodge County 29, OT

          Dodge County scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to tie it late on Duke Johnson’s short run with about a minute left, but couldn’t score in overtime to lose a heartbreaker in which they led 15-0 after one. That turned into a 22-15 halftime deficit Berrien added to in the third.

Putnam County 27, Laney 26

          The War Eagles kept alive hopes for a second-place finish with the game-winning touchdown in the final minute to end a back-and-forth game. Putnam County led 10-0 after one, trailed 14-13 at halftime, and 26-20 after three.

Northeast 66, Jordan 0

          Northeast cracked 60 points for the second time this season, and recorded its second shutout. Unofficially, it may be the biggest win and shutout in program history. It was 33-0 after one, Nick Woodford with two touchdown runs and Orintae Curry turning in a 60-yard pick-6, Northeast adding a safety.

Rutland 39, Kendrick 14

          The Hurricanes kept the playoff hopes alive with a road win, going from a 6-6 tie to a 26-14 halftime lead. Rutland (5-4/3-3) matched its best win total since going 6-5 in 2013. It passed its win total from the last five seasons, a combined 4-42, and has three region wins, passing its total from the last seven seasons (2-32).

Spencer 33, Central 14

          The Chargers stayed with the Region 2 leader, trailing only 20-14 through three quarters. But Spencer woke up to avoid the upset with two fourth-quarter touchdowns. The loss eliminated Central from playoff contention.

Washington County 36, Josey 6

          A 6-0 first-quarter deficit awakened the Golden Hawks, who scored 22 in the second quarter and cruised from there for their third straight win, all by at least 30 points. The Golden Hawks had already qualified for the playoffs and are set at the No. 4 spot in Region 4.

Class A/I

Dublin 70, East Laurens 0

          The last time Dublin hit 70? In late September of 2019, 77-13 over East Laurens. It’s the Irish’s biggest shutout since 70-0 over Vidalia in late October of 2006, the year Dublin tied Charlton County for the Class AA title. The lead was 29-0 after one and 50-0 at halftime. Demari Foster ran for 117 yards and as core on eight carries, Jaquarius Evans going for 116 and four on seven tries. Kameron Hampton added 90 yards on eight carries as Dublin outgained East Laurens 526-129. The Irish were perfect on five third-down tries. Dublin hosts No. 2 Swainsboro next week for the region title.

Lamar County over Crawford County, 36-14

          The visitors came ready to play, scoring on a 68-yard touchdown pass 10 seconds into the game for a 7-0 lead. Lamar County took the lead a minute later on CJ Allen’s 14-yard run and Tony Altman’s conversion run. Jordan Glover went in from 7 yards more than three minutes later, and the Trojans led 14-7 after one. A Ty Jones 4-yard run and Allen from 49 put Lamar County up 28-7 at halftime.

Prince Avenue over Jasper County 62-6

          The top-ranked team in Class A/Division I played like it with a season high in points and margin of victory. It was the Hurricanes’ second-worst loss by a point. They can clinch their best regular season since 2018 with a win against Oglethorpe County.

Swainsboro over Bleckley County 28-21

          The hosts clinched a home playoff game and the visitors clinched third place, Bleckley County battling No. 2 Swainsboro for four quarters in its regular-season finale.

II

Johnson County over Twiggs County 61-7

          It was a five-point game in the first quarter, but only for seconds. Twiggs County threw a touchdown pass to pull within 12-7, but Johnson County returned the kickoff for a touchdown, and added another a few minutes later for a 26-7 first-quarter lead.

Telfair County 32, Dooly County 17

          Telfair County clinched a home game, and with Wheeler County’s loss to Treutlen, put Dooly County in a bit of a crunch at 2-2, with still-alive Hawkinsville left. The Bobcats have lost three straight, all by double figures. Telfair County led 13-3 at halftime,

         

Macon County 35, Taylor County 20

          The third straight win for Macon County clinched a playoff spot for the 11th straight year, but the Bulldogs need a win over Marion County to avoid their first losing regular season since 2012.

Wilkinson County 12, Hancock Central 8

          The Warriors pulled off the upset over the region co-leader in winning their fifth game, which hasn’t happened since 2015. The Bulldogs were held to single digits for the third game this season, all losses.

Wilcox County 46, Hawkinsville 6

          The Patriots cracked 40 points for the sixth straight week in handing the Red Devils their worst loss of the season.

 

GIAA

Class AAA

John Milledge 55, Mount de Sales 7

          The Cavs were the fifth team to watch the Trojans march past the 50-point mark this season, and for the second week in a row. Briggs Eady had a hand in John Milledge’s first four touchdowns, with a 25-yard run, and passes of 33, 20, and 85 yards to Javian Butts, Bud Veal and Brody Waddell. Eady passed for 191 yards, and Javian Butts ran for 135 yards, including a 60-yard rush. Carsyn Baker added two touchdown runs. The Trojans had a 497-119 advantage in total offense.

Tattnall 42, FPD 28

          The Trojans cracked the 40-point mark for the fourth time this season while the Vikings had their second biggest margin of defeat this year. A 21-point third quarter was the difference, Tattnall’s defense throwing a second-half shutout after FPD took a 28-21 halftime lead. Donovan Duncan threw TD passes to Brayden Smith for 26 and 30 yards in that third quarter, Antone Johnson starting it with a 8-yard run for the first of three scores in barely seven minutes. Johnson went for 118 yards on 11 carries for the Trojans, who ran for 283 yards on 35 attempts. FPD quarterback Jakhari Williams was 18 of 30 for 292 yards and four touchdowns to go with two interceptions, with Carter Hays catching 178 yards worth, and all four passing touchdowns. But the Vikings were held to 74 yards rushing. 

AA/A

Brentwood 58, Trinity Christian 16

          Brentwood scored the most points since it rolled to a 62-6 win over Robert Toombs in late October of 2020. The War Eagles outgained the Crusaders 448-136, all on the ground. Brentwood had 14 more first downs, and didn’t try  a pass. Zach Denton had another big night, with 150 yards and two TDs on nine carris. Wess Muller had 117 and two on nine rushes, Harlan Scott adding 91 yards on five carries with two scores. Abe Williams led the defense. Jim Coleman had 78 yards – after 25 yards in losses – on nine carries.

Piedmont 42, Gatewood 28

          The Cougars tied their season high in points in breaking a two-game losing streak.