Roundup: Jones County pops Dutchtown, Westside dumped, John Milledge threatened, Kirkley & Bentley go off
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
Rankings are compiled by the Georgia High School Football Daily and are composite rankings from AJC, GPB, ScoreAtlanta, 680 The Fan, Maxwell, and MaxPreps. Information is from social media and information sent by teams (Dublin, GMC, John Milledge, Jones County, Westfield).
Class 5A
Jones County 24, No. 2 Dutchtown 7
Defense got the Greyhounds going toward the upset of the undefeated Bulldogs, Javion Clark taking an interception back 50 yards for a score with 5:22 left in the first quarter. After a defensive stand, Jones County (5-3/3-1) went up two scores on Omarion Tuckerâs 1-yard dart a little more than three minutes later. Dutchtown (6-1/2-1) got on the board with a long run with 40 seconds left in the first. Judd Anderson connected with Geo Wade for a 91-yard score four minutes into the second quarter, and the only scoring after that was Brendan Watersâ 24-yard field goal with 4:12 left in the third.
Anderson was only 9 of 20 with two interceptions, but went for 146 yards and a score. Wade caught four for 11 yards. The Greyhounds managed only 44 rushing yards, while the Bulldogs ran for 163 yards and passed for only 62. Olaâs win over Eagleâs Landing puts four teams tied with a region loss: Dutchtown, Jones County, Warner Robins, and Ola.
Class 4A
Griffin 35, Westside 14
The Bears came up with one of the nightâs upsets, hammering one-loss Westside in Macon. Griffin (2-7/2-2) led 19-7 at halftime en route to its highest point total of the season, a week after losing 50-7 to Perry. Westside fell to 5-2 and 1-2.
No. 3 Perry 35, Baldwin 0
The first points of the game came on a safety when Baldwin was pinned deep after a punt, and it was downhill from there for the homestanding Braves, suffering their first shutout since the 19-0 loss to LaGrange in the first round of last yearâs playoffs. Baldwin has lost at home by 30 to then-No. 8/3A Peach County, 41-3 to then-No. 5/5A Ware County (now No. 1), and 40-14 to Spalding, before Friday night. Perry recorded its second shutout of the year and sixth straight game holding the opposition to seven points or less on a fairly sloppy night. Demetrious Carter went in from the 5 with two minutes left in the first quarter for a 9-0 lead. Perry missed a field goal, but a few minutes later got it back on another punt and QB Armar Gordon Jr. scored on a short run. Baldwin fumbled the kickoff, and Gordon went back in less than a minute later for a 22-0 lead, where it stood at halftime.
Spalding 33, West Laurens 24
The Jaguars (5-3/3-1) solidified their hold on second in Region 2 by handling one of the Raiders (1-6/0-3) better games. The Raiders led 3-0 after a first-quarter field goal, Spalding took the lead about three minutes later. The Jags added a rushing TD and two-point conversion midway through the second quarter. Ty Cummings hit Johnny Williams for a 20-yard score to bring the Raiders within 14-10, and thatâs where it stood at halftime. Cummingsâ 5-yard score put the Raiders up 17-14 three minutes into the third quarter, the Jag answering five minutes later to take the lead back for good and adding another score a few minutes into the fourth. Williamsâ 50-yard score brought the Raiders back to within three for about three minutes before Spalding added a passing touchdown.
Class AAA
Peach County 35, Mary Persons 18
Mary Personsâ night got off to a bad start when the Bulldogs muffed the opening kickoff and Peach County (4-3/1-0) recovered, converting it into points shortly after on a short touchdown run. The Bulldogs (4-4/0-2) got a field goal to pull within 7-3 midway through the first quarter. Dylan Johnson took a short pass in the flat and scored for a 14-3 lead inside the final minute of the first quarter. Mary Persons got break when a 95-yard interception return for a touchdown was nullified by roughing the passer, Duke Watson going in a play later to bring the Bulldogs within four at the 5:35 mark of the second quarter. But Colter Ginn found Caleb Hampton down the left side for a 27-yard score and 21-10 lead a little more than two minutes later. Peach County opened the second half with a scoring drive, ending with Ginnâs TD pass to Martin for a 28-10 lead with 6:42 left in the third. The Bulldogs got within 10 on Jaise Davisâ run with 7:52 left in the game, but the Trojans sealed it almost six minutes later on Chris McMillianâs short run.
Upson-Lee 42, Jackson 21
Jackson led 7-0, for about five minutes. Then junior JaQuan Bentley got going, en route to a career night with six rushing touchdowns, setting the school mark for that and for points in a game, cracking the 300-yard mark rushing as well. Pike County watched a 7-0 lead turn into a 28-7 halftime deficit. The margin stayed at two touchdowns or more throughout the second half. Upson-Lee (4-4/2-0) won its fourth straight game, the first time thatâs happened since 2015, and jumped solidly into the playoff picture with a win over the Red Devils, who topped Mary Persons last week. Bentley went over 1,000 rushing yards for the season.
Class AA
Dodge County 35, Sumter County 7
A 21-point second quarter got the Indians going and put them in control. Up 21-7 at half, they added to the lead with a passing touchdown early in the third quarter, and scored again late in the quarter. Dodge County (3-5/2-2) won its second game in a row.
Class A/I
No. 10T Bleckley County 27, Jefferson County 7
The Royals went on the road after last weekâs loss to Dublin, and took a little awhile to get going, leading 14-7 at halftime and pulling away with a 13-0 fourth quarter. TJ Mays scored the 7-1/1-1 Royals first and last touchdowns, from 52 and 50 yards. In between. Eli Mullis connected from 42 and 43 yards to Jaden Mobley for scores.
No. 12 Lamar County 52, Temple 6
Temple teased, momentarily, trailing 7-6 late in the first. But Terry Welch blocking the PAT stifled that, and the Trojans (7-1/1-0) rolled. CJ Allen, who scored the Trojansâ first touchdown, scored twice within less than four minutes in the second quarter, on runs of 7 and 43 yards for a 21-6 lead, Tony Altman making it 28-6 at the half with a 6-yard score inside the final 20 seconds of the second quarter. Lamar County got third quarter touchdowns from Altman, Qua Hughley, and Ty Jones, and a 30-yard field goal from Chip Crawford in the fourth.
No. 2 Swainsboro 48, East Laurens 0
The Tigers (7-0/2-0) took control early en route to a 34-0 halftime lead. It was the first shutout of the season for East Laurens (1-6/0-1).
GIAA AAA Brookstone 48, Crawford County 21
Terrel Ashley scored twice to help the Eagles (2-6) tie it at 14. But Brookstone took the lead for good midway through the second quarter.
II
No. 9/I Dublin 21, No. 7 Dooly County 6
A missed PAT was the only difference in the game until early in the fourth quarter. Thatâs when Dublinâs Kameron Hampton went 34 yards for a touchdown Beau Bahm adding the point-after for a 14-6 lead with 11:01 left in the game. Quarterback Micah OâNeal went in from a yard five minutes later. Meanwhile, the Dublin (4-2) defense continued to step up, holding the Bobcats (4-3) to 186 yards in total offense and sending QB Antwaun Clayton to negative 28 yards.. The Irish ran for 262 yards, helping Dublin survive a subpar 1-for-9 third-down night. Demari Foster ran for 128 yards on 12 carries for Dublin, Hampton adding 89 on 13. Lorenzo Clayton had 107 yards on 1 carries for the Bobcats, whose lone score came on a 57-yard pass from Antwaun Clayton to Lorenzo Clayton in the final 71 seconds of the first quarter.
Hancock Central 22, GMC 21, OT
GMC tied it late to force overtime, and scored on its first try on Caleb Bushâs 15-yard run. Hancock Central (3-4/2-0) then scored, and got a speed option two-point conversion to win. The Bulldogs (2-6/1-2) got 53 rushing yards and a TD from Jessie Washington, and 102 yards passing from Tyler Saunders.
Macon County 55, Central-Talbotton 0
Central was shut out for the fifth time this season, Macon County coming within six points of what the Hawks have been giving up per game. The Bulldogs (2-5/2-2) passed the 30-point mark for the first time this season, after doing that nine times last year, including seven straight times.
No. 6 Schley County 47, Taylor County 13
The Wildcats (5-2/4-0) racked up 318 yards and five touchdowns through the air, handing the Vikings (2-5/1-3) their second-worst loss of the season. It was 26-13 at halftime.
Wilkinson County 1, GSIC 0, forfeit
GIAA
Class AAA
John Milledge 21, Stratford 7
Stratford gave John Milledge plenty of trouble before the Trojans held on for their 44th straight win. John Milledge took a 14-0 first-quarter lead, but couldnât do much more despite Stratfordâs offensive struggles and some 15-yard penalties. Stratford cut the lead in half on Billy Noblittâs 12-yard touch pass to Eli Miscall in the third. Late in the fourth, Stratford came up with a defensive stand, stopping the Trojans on fourth down, to set up a chance to tie with 4:18 left on their own 36. Stratford was on the John Milledge 43 when Noblitt turned to throw a swing pass to Keondre Glover. But it was ostensibly a lateral, traveling backward and behind Glover. Banks Eady batted the pass away, and didnât realize it was live. Tanner Humphrey did, scooping it up at the 40 and taking it in for the game-clinching score with 92 second left.
The Trojans outgained the Eagles 219-105 on the ground and 74-54 through the air. QB Briggs Eady ran for 134 yards, the JMA touchdowns coming from Jalen Butts from 2 yards out and Javian Butts from 5. Since the streak started, John Milledge had only two wins by 14 points or less, both in the first year, 2019, 21-10 over Brentwood and 28-14 over Bulloch.
Tattnall 41, Mount de Sales 13
The Trojans had 34 points on the board before the Cavs (2-5/0-2) broke the shutout late in the third quarter. Tattnall (5-3/2-0) got first-half touchdowns from Antone Johnson, Cam Person, Donovan Duncan, and Brayden Smith for a 28-0 halftime lead. Demario Wilmore and Gavin Vining added second-half scores.
Westfield 35, Heritage 0
Quarterback Hunter Kirkley ran for 115 yards and passed for 228 to lead the Hornets over previously unbeaten Heritage, and handled all of the Hornets touchdowns. He ran for scores of 1, 9, and 7 yards, and passed 31 yards to Jackson St. Clair and 44 to William Smith for touchdowns. Westfield ran 23 more plays and outgained Heritage 352-6 in total offense, also having a 21-4 first-down edge. St. Clair caught three passes for 84 yards.
AA/A
Briarwood 38, Piedmont 16
Briarwood led 19-0 within the first 16 minutes of the game, and added another score in the final two minutes of the half.
Central Fellowship 49, Trinity Christian 7
CFCA passed its average of 39 points, and held TCS to half of the Lancersâ defensive scoring average, improving to 7-0 with its third win by at least 35 points.
Gatewood 1, St. Maryâs 0, forfeit