By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          The games expected to be close, well, weren’t.

Thanks to Brentwood, Dublin, FPD, Westfield, John Milledge, Jones County, and Tattnall for providing some game information.

          In fact, most games with Central Georgia teams weren’t all that close. Only seven out of 33 between the GHSA and GIAA were single-digit affairs. Nine had margins of 30 or more.

          Houston County, Westside, ACE, Westfield, and Trinity Christian cracked the 50-point mark, four of them getting wins. ACE, Bleckley County, Twiggs County, and John Milledge racked up shutouts.

Dublin’s Demari Foster had him a night, with 362 yards on 16 carries – two first downs worth per try – and four touchdowns. 

Class 6A

Houston County 68, Locust Grove 12

          The only good news for Locust Grove was outscoring the hosts 6-0 in the second half. Yessir, it was 68-6 at halftime. Houston County has scored at least 41 points in all four games this year, and won three games by 34, 58, and 56, although they’ve been over Class AA, Class 4A, and Class 5A. It was 41-0 after one, the Bears getting one score on a fumble return for a touchdown and otherwise scoring by ground and air. Antwann Hill Jr. was perfect on 10 pass attempts for 298 yards and five touchdowns, three to Ricky Johnson, who had 202 yards on four catches. Ryan Taleb again handled much of the ground game with 99 yards on six carries - 16.5 yards per - and a touchdown. Jailyn Nealy and Ryan Mackey returned interceptions for touchdowns.

Classification determined by home team when area teams play each other. 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 compiled from team reports, social media, and MaxPreps.

Class 5A

7A/No. 10 Valdosta 25,  5A/No. 2 Warner Robins 0

          The Demons were shut out for the first time since opening the 2014 season with a 19-0 home loss to Peach County. The Demons were ranked 7/10 in that game, the AAA Trojans 9/7. The two losses matches the total losses form the past two season, and the loss total in 2019. Warner Robins’ two losses have been by 16 and 25 points, the first time since 2016 they’ve lost two straight by double figures.

Class 4A

Howard 16, Harris County 7

          The Huskies held on for their first win outside of Bibb County since thumping Spalding 53-30 to end the 2020 season. And it’s their first win over a higher-classification team since beating 6A Effingham County 17-14 on the road in early October of 2020.

Westside 51, Rutland 7

          The Seminoles expanded their average margin of victory of 30 points by rolling past the AA Hurricanes with their second 50-point game of the season. Westside is 4-0 for the first time since 2015, when it finished 9-4 and won two playoff games.

COVERAGE
This week
Friday night’s scouting reports
Maxwell Ratings predictions and rankings
Who’s going to win this week’s games?
Notebook: Washington from Mount de Sales to ACE; still no sign of Zavion Hardy; GHSA decides on Mary Persons-Northeast
Early-season Macon Touchdown Club players of the week: ACE, Howard, Jones County, Mount de Sales, Northeast, Tattnall
Monday Morning Quarterback: Enjoy those Saturdays, for college football's greed will eliminate them, which should anger you; surprises, upsets, Loughdmouthings, Central Georgia's polls.
Last week
Friday night’s Central Georgia scouting reports
Georgia HS Football Daily visits with The Central Georgia Sports Report
This week’s Central Georgia predictions
Monday Morning Quarterback: Surprises, upsets, Loughdmouthings, polls
Last week’s roundup: Huge nights for Houston County, Northside, Putnam County, ACE, Bleckley County,Jasper County
Last week’s Central Georgia predictions

4A/4 Perry 37, Veterans 6

          The Warhawks gave Perry a game for a half, trailing 14-0 at intermission. But the Panthers got the firepower going in the second half, and missed a shutout by seconds, Veterans – which threatened throughout the second half – scoring on the final play of the game, spoiling what would’ve been Perry’s first shutout since late October of last season. Perry got an interception after a bobbled catch attempt, getting the ball on the Warhawks’ 24, but settled for a 29-yard field goal at the 10:15 mark of third quarter. Both teams muddled through the rest of the quarter until Trey Wright’s pick-6 of half the field inside the final minute put the Panthers in complete control.

Vidalia 28, West Laurens 0

          The Raiders had a rough offensive night for the second straight, following up last week’s 57-0 loss to 6A Houston County with a shutout by AA Vidalia. West Laurens hasn’t been blanked in consecutive games since falling to Northeast and Perry 18-0 and 25-0 to end the 2003 season.

Class 3A

No. 8T Peach County 35, 5A/No. 9 Jones County 3

          Jones County had a second straight week of major struggles and again paid for them against a lower-classification team, the Trojans holding the Greyhounds to their lowest point total since losing 29-0 to Buford in the 2019 5A semifinals. Peach County improved to 6-4 in its last 10 games against upper-classification teams. The Trojans took advantage of four interceptions to roll, despite four fewer first downs and three fewer yards total offense, an odd 187-184. It was 6-3 after Brendan Waters’ field goal to end the first quarter. The Trojans scored twice in the second quarter, on drives of only 49 and 17 yards, Chris McMillian rushing for 2 yards and Christian Martin hitting Caleb Hampton for 15 yards, for a 21-3 halftime lead. The one scoring drive of the third quarter was only 43 yards, McMillian going in from the 2, the Trojans getting an interception return for a touchdown five minutes into the fourth quarter.

Mary Persons 38, Haralson County 17

          The Bulldogs turned in a nice overall game near the Alabama border north of I-20 against a run-heavy offense. They trailed 7-0 until Duke Watson went for 95 yards and a score four minutes into the second quarter to tie it. The Bulldogs gained control with two more touchdowns for a 21-7 halftime lead, and kept going, up 35-7 heading to the fourth quarter.

Class AA

ACE Charter 57, Jordan 0

          The Gryphons matched this season’s win total with a not-unexpected romp and a slightly-unexpected margin. ACE joins Houston County, Howard, Westside, Bleckley County, John Milledge, Stratford, and Central Fellowship as the lone remaining undefeated teams in Central Georgia. ACE led 37-0 at halftime after a 24-point second quarter.

Baldwin 35, Washington County 28

          Baldwin had some control, and Washington County kept plugging in the battle of the winless. The Golden Hawks fell to 0-3 for the first time since 2017.

No. 13T Northeast 26, 3A/No. 2T Carver-Columbus 8

          Northeast rebounded mighty well from a one-point home loss to AA No. 1 Fitzgerald, getting ahead early over the stellar AAA team from Columbus. It’s Carver’s first loss to a lower-classification team since 1998 when the 4A Tigers lost 9-6 to 3A Spencer to open a 3-7 season. It’s the second straight year the Raiders have knocked off a ranked higher-classification team. They surprised 5A No. 8 Jones County 33-28 in Gray to open last season. The Raiders led 14-0 after one on a 45-yard pass from Orintae Curry to TJ Wright and 30-yard run from workhorse Nick Wooford.

A-I/No. 3 Swainsboro 35, Dodge County 0

          Swainsboro improved to 2-0 against Central Georgia teams, having hammered Washington County 42-0 two weeks ago. The Indians were handed their worst loss since 44-7 to Thomasville to end the 2020 season and first shutout since 49-0 to region foe Washington County late in the 2012 season.

No. 15 Worth County 32, Central 7

          The Chargers fell to 0-3 for the fourth time in five years, falling against a team off to its best start since 1999.

Class A

No.5 Bleckley County 17, A-II/No. 5 Schley County 0

          So much for rust after an off week. The Royals turned in a huge defensive night for their first shutout over a ranked/playoff caliber team since topping Class A No. 9/6 Hawkinsville 13-0 in the second week of the 2015 season, a year after the Red Devils won a state championship. Bleckley County finished well, doing all of its scoring in the second half. The Royals’ D bowed up and stuffed Schley County for 31 yards in lost yardage, 41 for quarterback Jay Kanazawa, held to an 11-for-27 night passing.

Dublin 41, ECI 21

          The halftime meeting was quite productive for the Irish, who went from a 14-all tie to control, with a 20-point third quarter en route to an old-school Dublin-like rushing night. The Irish racked up 528 yards on 36 carries, a bruising 14.7 yards a pop, led by a head-turning 362-yard night from Demari Foster, who scored every fourth time he got a carry. Just when ECI had hopes of a miraculous comeback after pulling within 13 with 94 seconds left, he went 70 yards 16 seconds later to seal it, adding to scores of 22, 13, and 23 yards. Jaquarius Evans added 167 yards and two scores on 12 carries. Dublin’s defense held ECI to 144 rushing yards on 44 carries, a 3.3-yard average, and a 1-for-10 evening on third downs, to 6 of 8 for Dublin.

Greene County 28, Wilkinson County 7

          The Warriors couldn’t get enough going for a second straight win, facing a team it had beaten in its last two meetings.

Hawkinsville 13, Marion County 3

          Hawkinsville escaped the group of the winless with a solid defensive effort on the road. The Red Devils last held an opponent under 10 a year ago with a 42-0 win over Baconton Charter.

No. 8 Lamar County 35, Manchester 22

          Three different Trojans – Jordan Glover, Tony Altman, and CJ Allen – scored en route to a 21-0 halftime lead. Allen had a 68-yard TD run four minutes into the third for a 22-point lead, Manchester getting within 14 after returning a fumble 51 yards, but Ty Head’s 12-yard run early in the fourth sealed it. The Trojans are 4-0 for the first time since 2019, when they won their first six, reaching No. 7 in AA, and lost their last four and missed the playoffs.

AA/No. 11 Putnam County 42, Jasper County 13

          The War Eagles cruised past their neighbors to the west in a nice rebound after last week’s 20-0 loss to AAA Oconee County, regaining some momentum heading into Region 4-AA action against Butler.

Richmond Academy 27, East Laurens 6

          The Falcons’ offensive struggles continued with their third straight one-touchdown game, albeit this one coming against a AAA team after playing a pair of Class A teams. East Laurens started out 0-3 in 2019, with seven points in three games, and then hammered Wheeler County 54-6 for its lone win of the year.

Washington-Wilkes 14, GMC Prep 2

          GMC avoided its first shutout since ending the 2020 season with a 56-0 playoff loss to Gordon Lee, but is 0-4 for the first time since 2009.

Twiggs County 48, Central, Talbotton 0

          The Cobras have scored more points in their last two games – 109 – than they did in 2019, 2018, 2017 – totaling 136 in those three years – and racked up consecutive shutouts for the first time 2009 when they beat Hawkinsville, Telfair County, and Calhoun Falls, S.C. 39-0, 43-0, and 48-0.

GIAA

Class AAA

GHSA A-II/No. 4 Bowdon 48, Tattnall 35

          A wild game that went back and forth finally went in the direction of Bowdon, coached by Rick Fendley, son of the late Richard Fendley, a longtime football and track coach at Warner Robins. It was tied at 7 in the first, then at 28 at halftime, Bowdon going up 34-28 at the 7:24 mark of the third. The visitors kept the one-score margin until less than six minutes remained in the game. Bowdon ran 55 plays for 500 yards, 9.1 yards a snap, while Tattnall racked up 370 on 47, 7.9 yards a try.

John Milledge 48, George Walton 0

          The Trojans recorded their first shutout of the year and biggest margin of victory since 61-0 over Creekside Christian last October. The clock was ready to run early, John Milledge leading 41-0 at halftime with five different Trojans scoring. Baylen Zielinski and Bud Veal caught 11-yard passes from Briggs Easy, while Bud Veal had a 28-yard interception return. Jalen Butts and Javian Butts added runs, and Veal caught a scoring pass from Kolt McMichael. George Walton managed only three first downs and 30 yards of offense. Eady passed for 13 yards, Veal catching 64 yards worth of passes.

GHSA A Laney 26, FPD 14

          The Vikings had chances en route to their first two-game losing streak since, well, last year at this point (to Brookstone and Aquinas). FPD watched its 7-6 lead after one slip away when Laney scored at the 7:40 mark of the second quarter to go ahead, and then add two scores about five minutes apart in the third quarter, the Vikings getting a last-minute touchdown on Jakhari Williams’ pass to Griffn Green. He passed to Carter Hays for 81 yards for the Vikings’ first touchdown. Laney’s CJ Holmes went for 219 yards on 24 carries, adding the lone receptions of the night, four for  62 yards and a touchdown. Green was held to 17 yards on nine carries for FPD. Williams passed for 157 yards (14 of 25) and ran for 74 on 15 tries.

St. Anne-Pacelli 38, Mount de Sales 0

           A hot Pacelli team won its second straight game by more than 35 points, handing the Cavs their first shutout since 35-0 to FPD in late October of 2020.

Stratford 42, Brookwood 20

          The Eagles have repeated last year’s 3-0 start with all three wins by double figures. A 14-0 third quarter sealed it for Stratford, which led 14-0 and maintained the lead – which dropped to one in the second quarter – the rest of the way.

Westfield 63, Tiftarea 34

          The Hornets had a surprisingly easy time with a competitive – but winless nonetheless – Tiftarea group, which had lost three games by 22, 7, and 4, Westfield almost covering that total in a night. Hunter Kirkley had another monster night. The Hornets quarterback completed 6 of 9 passes for 167 yards and a score, and rambled 18 times for 213 yards and a staggering six touchdowns, scoring on runs of 8, 22, 36, 12, 7, and 2 yards (87 yards of TD runs). Cameron Kalmbach added 117 rushing yards on five carries with two scores. Tiftarea got within 28-14 midway through the second quarter, but Westfield led 42-20 at halftime and upped it to 56-20 four minutes into the third quarter.

Class AA/A

Augusta Prep 36, Piedmont 29

          Augusta Prep got into the win column for the first time, passing its point total from the first two games by 3. Piedmont is off to an 0-3 start after going 7-3 in the AA regular season and then reaching the Class A playoff finals last year.

Bulloch 57, Trinity Christian 55

          The Crusaders lost a shootout in heartbreaking fashion after winning one earlier this year, 41-40 over Piedmont. So far, the average TCS game has 83 points.

Central Fellowship 41, GHSA A Crawford County 14

          CFCA, in its first year back in the GISA, er, GIAA and after winning a GAPPS state title, handled the Eagles a thumping, leading 28-0 at halftime.

Thomas Jefferson 20, Brentwood 12

          The defending GISA AA state champs are 1-3 for the first time since 2018, when they rallied to finish 8-5 and lose by two in the quarterfinals. The defensive battle went the hosts’ way when Beants Hunt went in from a yard out 46 seconds into the fourth quarter, adding a PAT pass. Thomas Jefferson led 12-0 before Brentwood got second-quarter scores from Bryce Williford from a yard and Wells Muller from 77 yards. Muller finished with 138 yards on 13 carries, the War Eagles held to 104 fewer yards in total offense, giving up 313 on the ground. TJ had 11 more first downs and was 7 for 11 on third downs to 3 of 8 for Brentwood.

Southland 35, Gatewood 33

          The Gators suffered their first loss in a thriller to 3A Southland, which has two wins over GHSA Class A teams.