Central Georgia Sports ReportComment

Roundup: Houston County pops Warner Robins, Perry rolls, Lamar County stunned, heartbreaker for Mount de Sales, thriller for Stratford

Central Georgia Sports ReportComment
Roundup: Houston County pops Warner Robins, Perry rolls, Lamar County stunned, heartbreaker for Mount de Sales, thriller for Stratford

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.

 

Class 6A

No. 8 Houston County 28, No. 8/5A Warner Robins 8

          The only major positive for Warner Robins was that the Demons held the Bears to 50 percent of their normal scoring output. The bad news was that the Demons were held to their low season norm. Nick Jordan got Houston County going with a 1-yard run midway through the first quarter, and the Bears added to it at the 5:08 mark of the second quarter on AJ Hill Jr.’s 80-yard pass – right after a sack lost five yards - to Kale Woodburn, who had a five-yard edge on the coverage. The Demons got on the board two minutes into the third quarter on Elijah Antonio’s 51-yard TD run to pull within 14-8, but the Bears answered three minutes later on Ryan Taleb’s 13-yard run up the middle. Houston County sealed its first win over Warner Robins 2016 (63-28) on Hill’s 35-yard TD pass to Ricky Johnson with 1:52 left in the third. Hill was 27 of 38 for 317 yards and two scores with no interceptions. Woodburn caught six for 135 and Johnson eight for 96, Taleb adding 68 yards on the ground.

No. 12T Northside 29, No. 7T/3A Crisp County 10

          Not surprisingly, the Cougars gave the Eagles plenty to sweat about, leading 10-8 as Northside battled mistakes – including a red-zone fumble - and flags. A TD pass from Damien Dee to Duke McLinton finally put the Eagles back on top 15-10 in the third quarter. The two hooked up again for a 22-10, and they kept the Cougars from threatening.

Veterans 21, Northgate 9

          The Warhawks led 14-3 at halftime, and all but sealed it with Jake Maxwell’s 25-yard pass to Chandler Thomas early in the fourth quarter. Northgate scored, and had a late threat, but the Veterans’ defense bowed up on a first-and-goal at the 7 and stopped Northgate on downs.

Class 4A

Griffin 28, West Laurens 16

          West Laurens went from down 12-3 to up16-12 after three quarters only for winless Griffin to finish strong with two fourth-quarter touchdowns and conversions, both coming in the final seven minutes.

No. 3 Perry 49, Howard 0

          It took barely two minutes for the hosts to get on the board, on Elijah Nelson’s 36-yard TD run. It took six minutes until another score, a 21-yard pass from Amar Gordon Jr. to Dakarai Anderson. Jamari Stone, a defensive end turned fullback in short-yardage situations, went in from a yard out for a 21-0 lead less than two minutes into the second quarter, and the rout was on, Stone repeating the feat at the 8:35 mark of the second quarter en route to a 42-0 halftime lead.

Spalding 40, Baldwin 14

          A fumble return for a touchdown gave Baldwin a 7-6 lead, and that’s how the first quarter ended. So did the Braves chances, for the most part. Spalding led 22-7 at halftime, then scored on a 68-yard pass and pick-6 to go up 34-7. Baldwin returned a misplayed lateral for a touchdown only for Spalding to take back a fumble 70 yards on the final play of the game.

Class 3A

No. 10 Mary Persons 49, Columbus 21

          The Bulldogs showed no rust from a week off, with a pair of 21-point quarters to get going, for a 42-14 halftime lead.

No. 7T Peach County 50, Hardaway 21

          The hosts hit 50 points for the second time this season, leading 27-14 at halftime. The Trojans added one score in the third quarter and a field goal and two scores in the fourth.

Upson-Lee 56, Mt. Zion Jonesboro 0

          The Knights hit 50 for the first time since a 50-23 win over Spalding to end the 2018 regular season. It was Upson-Lee first shutout since 41-0 over Pike County midway through the 2020 season.It was the highest point total since smashing Jordan 55-10 in 2016.

Class AA

Central 27, Kendrick 21

          Central survived losing a 13-0 lead – on Torey Flowers’ run and a fumble return for score – when Kendrick scored 21 straight – one score on a fumble return - and led 21-13 at halftime. Ty’Shelton Beard took a fumble in for a Central score, but the Chargers missed the conversion. They tied it on a safety a few minutes into the fourth, and then watched Macello Williams return the free kick for a score and the lead for Central’s first win of the year.

No. 1 Fitzgerald 20, Dodge County 12

          Dodge County gave the top-ranked Purple Hurricane another battle, but Fitzgerald took advantage of turnovers and penalties. The Indians trailed 13-12 at halftime.

No. 8 Northeast 67, Southwest 27

          The Patriots put an early scare into the Raiders with a sharp passing game in the first quarter, leading 13-8 after one. The Raiders won the second quarter 16-8 for a 24-21 halftime lead. Nick Woodford went in from 15 yards out early in the second quarter for the Raiders, who got another Woodford score and conversion about seven minutes later, opening the scoring floodgates.

No. 10 Putnam County 40, Josey 0

          The War Eagles had about as much trouble as expected, leading 14-0 after one on a blocked punt return and rush TD, both by Darrell Bland Jr. en route to a 34-0 halftime lead.

Spencer 28, Rutland 21

          Rutland trailed early only to tie it in the second quarter and fall behind 21-14 at halftime. The Hurricanes tied it five minutes into the third quarter, but Spencer followed with the lead score, and held on.

Thomson 54, Washington County 14

          The Region 4 opener was all but over by halftime, Thomson leading 21-7 after one and 40-7 at the break. Tre Jefferies went for 182 rushing yards and three TDs for Thomson. WACO QB Morgan Jones was 12 of 16 for 132 yards and DJay Braswell ran for 78 yards.

Class A

I

No. 5 Bleckley County 63, Pelham 7

          The 5-0 Royals handled any suspense early with a 15-0 lead after one, opening up a 35-7 halftime lead. Jahvon Butler got it going with a 13-yard score midway through the first, Austin Johnson adding a short run late in the quarter. Butler scored again, and the Royals were quiet until Eli Mullis hit Zane Lassiter for a score in the final couple minutes, Mullis then recovering a fumble to set up another Butler plunge inside the final minute of the half.

Crawford County 44, Twiggs County 20

          The Eagles went on the road and rolled, cracking 40 points for the second straight game.

No. 12T Mt. Zion Carroll 21, Jasper County 0

          Jasper County battled a ranked team on the road, trailing only 14-0 at halftime, the Eagles finally clinching it with a fourth quarter score.

Social Circle 39, No. 8 Lamar County 7

          An expected battle wasn’t one, the hosts leading 14-0 early in the second quarter and exploding for a 29-7 halftime lead, sealing it with a  TD pass with 4:51 left in the third.

II

No. 8T Dooly County 46, Turner County 34

          The Bobcats returned from a week off to win a shootout.

No. 6 Schley County 28, Macon County 7

          Schley County led 7-0 after one, and the teams battled for the next two quarters before the visitors outscored Macon County 21-7 in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats racked up 301 yards in total offense in the defensive game, also getting a pick-6.

Taylor County 49, Central, Talbotton 0

          The Vikings put it away early, storming out to a 41-0 halftime lead with 27 second-quarter points.

No. 7 Washington-Wilkes 27, Hancock Central 0

Wilkinson County 23, Portal 13

          After a scoreless first half, the teams traded touchdowns until Wilkinson County scored on the ground for the lead, missing the PAT. But the Warriors got two back a few minutes into the fourth quarter with a safety, then quickly added another touchdown and a two-point conversion for a 23-7 lead with about nine minutes left in the game.

 

GIAA

Class AAA

John Milledge 56, Brookwood 7

          A close game for about 16 minutes became a normal John Milledge evening. The Trojans led 7-0 after one, then outscored Brookwood 21-7 in the second quarter for a 28-7 halftime lead, blowing it open in the second quarter. Jalen Butts scored on runs of 26 and 19, adding a 52-yard interception return for a score. Javian Butts had TD runs of 5 and 4 yards, Briggs Eady adding a TD run and a TD pass (to Baylen Zielinski), Bud Veal going in from 11. The Trojans ran for 483 yards, led by Javian Butts’ 154 yards. Eady passed for 128. Brookstone threw for 373 yards but was held to -6 on the ground.

Mt. Pisgah Christian GHSA A 35, FPD 28

          The Vikings tried to play comeback at George Anderson, Mt. Pisgah leading 21-7 at halftime, FPD cutting into it on Griffin Green’s third-quarter 4-yard run. The visitors led 28-21 after Green’s 3-yarder with 6:33 left, went up by another score – a kickoff return – after that score, Jakhari Williams bringing the Vikings back within seven with a 25-yard run with 3:20 left in the game. But that Vikings couldn’t manage the tying score. Williams ran for 231 yards on 25 tries and completed eight passes for 88 yards for the injury-plagued Vikings, who were outgained in total offense 374-332.

Pinewood Christian 46, Mount de Sales 45

          The Cavs seemed in good shape, really good shape, after Carson Craig’s 100-yard pick-6 and ensuing PAT put Mount de Sales up 45-38 with 1:24 left in the game. But Pinewood got a 6-yard run with 21 seconds left to win it. Mount de Sales trailed from the start, and 22-7 at halftime, before tying it at 30 with 9:32 left in the game on Jonathan Greene’s 6-yard run.

Stratford 37, Brookstone 34

          The Eagles survived a back-and-forth battle on the road, thanks to Stebin Horne’s game-winning field goal in the final seconds, after Brookstone tied it with 37 seconds to go. The game was tied at 7, 14, 28, and 34.

Class AA/A

Brentwood 41, George Walton 26

          The War Eagles outgained George Walton 465-299, and had 11 more first downs, and led only 14-13 at halftime. Brentwood won the second half 27-13. Wells Muller went off for 246 yards and four touchdowns on 26 carries, while Drew Carter and Harlan Scott added 90 and 99 yards. Brentwood did it all the ground, not trying a pass. Calan Fortunat went for 177 yards on 11 carries for George Walton.

Briarwood 50, Trinity Christian 3

CFCA 55, Piedmont 14

          The Lancers cruised en route to improving to 5-0.

St. Anne-Pacelli 42, Gatewood 7

Southwest Georgia 34, Fullington 20