After Class 3A’s top-ranked team Cedar Grove took the lead with 1:39 remaining, junior quarterback Sean Smith placed a pass over the shoulder and into the outstretched hands of Travis Smith Jr to put Westlake on top, 46-41, en route to the No. 6 Lions’ third win of the season. Neither team ever led by more than one possession throughout a back-and-forth battle that came down to the final snap.
Saints running back Bo Walker finished the night with three touchdowns, the first of which came on a 45-yard run to put Cedar Grove on the board first. Westlake tied it up shortly after with a rushing score from Tomir Bransford, and after Cedar Grove quarterback EJ Colson reclaimed the lead on a keeper, the Lions answered with an 85-yard return from Tyler McKinstry for a 14-13 edge heading into the second.
Walker’s second touchdown capitalized on a pair of big runs from Colson that gave the Saints 1st-and-goal at the 1-yard line (the two-point try was no good), and again, Westlake responded with a touchdown — this time coming on a 49-yard pass from Smith to Zion Williams. After the Lions defense forced the Saints to punt out of their end zone, Smith found Christian Peterson with 0:50 left in the half for a 27-19 advantage.
The Saints punted on their first drive of the second half but were more successful on the following possession, getting Walker’s third score of the night and a successful two-point conversion to knot the game at 27-27. Colson got the ball back in his hands after Cedar Grove recovered a bobbled snap and threw a 37-yard flea flicker to Devin Carter to take the lead. With the momentum on their side, the Saints then recovered their onside kick attempt, but they were unable to add to their edge. The next two scores came from Westlake — a touchdown run from Bransford on a drive in which he was responsible for all 78 yards, and Naeem Odeniyi’s touchdown set up by his own 46-yard run.
The 40-34 Westlake lead stood until late in the fourth when Colson led the Saints down the field, ending the drive stretched out along the left sideline for the go-ahead score. Bransford picked up a fresh set of downs for Westlake on 4th-and-2 with just over a minute remaining, and after Smith followed his blockers 26 yards deep into Saints territory, he connected with Travis Smith for the game-winner. Cedar Grove had one last shot at the upset, but Colson’s final pass was batted down by Peterson as time expired.
The AJC had writers at Buford at North Cobb, Marietta at Roswell and Collins Hill at Brookwood. Follow the link to Todd Holcomb’s Friday Night Highlights or see the other recaps below. Recaps from Thursday are at the bottom of the file.
Class 7A
West Forsyth 17, North Forsyth 14
The Wolverines improved to 2-1 on the season with a narrow 17-14 victory over visiting North Forsyth. The Raiders were first on the board when Brady Holbrook took an Elijah Seaney pass 60 yards to the end zone, but West Forsyth accomplished all of its scoring — a Nick Nunez field goal, Foster Orris’ 2-yard run set up by Brady Allen’s fumble recovery and a 33-yard bomb from Max Walraven to Colt Muschara — in the second quarter to lead 17-7 at the break. Darron Parry’s 15-yard rushing score brought the Raiders within a field goal, but Walraven converted on 3rd-and-1 late in the fourth to run out the rest of the clock.
Grayson 41, Fort Dorchester (SC) 0
Grayson led Fort Dorchester 20-0 and never looked back. Jeff Davis scored a rushing touchdown in the first quarter and threw two touchdown passes in the second. Davis didn’t slow down in the second half, throwing for two more touchdowns and running for one in the Rams’ second victory of the year. Alex Sanchez and John Cineas each had two touchdown receptions against the Patriots.
Carrollton 33, Rome 13
Four-star junior quarterback Julian Lewis, a Southern-Cal-commit, passed for four touchdowns to lead Carrollton past Rome on the road in a game that was broadcast on WPCH as a part of the Drive for the GHSA State Title series. Lewis passed to Caleb Odom to put the Trojans up 6-0 in the second quarter. He passed to Kimauri Farmer on a screen pass to give Carrollton a 13-0 lead with 2:45 left in the first half. Farmer caught another screen pass for a touchdown to extend the lead to 19-0 with 10:57 left in the third quarter. Rome cut into the lead when DeKaylon Daniel caught a 45-yard touchdown pass from Reece Fountain. Carrollton took control of the game on a interception returned for a touchdown from Kameron McClure with 9:37 left. Fountain scored on a short run with 7:26 left in the game but Rome ran out of time. Carrollton secured the victory on a 35-yard pass from Lewis to Odom with 3:15 left.
Camden County 46, Glynn Academy 13
The Wildcats improved to 2-1 on the season with an emphatic 46-13 victory over host Glynn Academy out of Class 6A. Senior Ja’Marley Riddle had a pair of touchdown runs in the opening frame and a touchdown reception early in the second half that gave Camden County a 24-0 lead. The Wildcats return home next week to host Class 4A’s New Hampstead.
Mill Creek 42, Archer 7
Mill Creek QB Shane Throgmartin had a strong outing against Archer, finishing the night with three touchdown passes — two in the first half — to Jaiden Patterson, Trajen Greco and Colins Fon. Mill Creek’s aerial attack was bolstered by a pair of Cam Robinson rushing touchdowns in the second quarter.
In other Class 7A games – Pebblebrook led visiting Hapeville Charter 14-0 in the second half before giving up a touchdown and a safety, but Jerrick Nyantak’s end zone interception in the game’s final minute sealed the win for the 2-1 Falcons. … Berkmar scored three straight touchdowns to tie host Druid Hills 21-21 (there was no OT). … Discovery got a fumble return for a touchdown on the final play of the game for a 12-6 victory, the Titans’ first of the season. … Richmond Hill led visiting Jenkins 21-0 at the break and 28-0 heading into the final frame to improve to 2-1. … Harrison seized control early in its home opener against visiting Paulding County, leading 21-0 in the opening frame en route to a 38-7 final. Lambert held off the host Mountain View Bears throughout a back-and-forth Week 3 matchup to win 31-24. The 3-0 Longhorns will return home after their bye week to host Flowery Branch. … Peachtree Ridge handed Loganville a 40-14 loss in the Red Devils’ home opener, leading by a margin of 34-0 at the break and improving to 3-0 to match the Lions’ win total for the entire 2021 season. The Wheeler Wildcats held a 37-0 edge over visiting South Cobb at halftime before securing a 53-6 victory. … The Meadowcreek Mustangs were shut out for the second time in as many weeks, this time dropping their home opener 32-0 against visiting Campbell (2-1). The North Gwinnett Bulldogs hosted Alabama’s Gardendale this week and came away with a 50-41 victory in the high-scoring affair to improve to 2-1. … Cherokee got its first win of the season with an emphatic 49-13 road win over host Woodstock.
Class 6A
Lee County 59, Lithia Springs 12
Lee County led 42-6 at halftime and went on to win its third game of the season. The Trojans got things started when Devin Collier scored on an 85-yard kick return on the first play of the game. Weston Bryan threw two touchdown passes and ran for one in the first half while Ousmane Kromah scored two first-half rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown. Jayden Corbett intercepted a Litha Springs pass and returned it for a 20-yard touchdown early in the third quarter.
Thomas County Central 45, Bainbridge 14
Bainbridge kept things interesting against Thomas County Central, but Jackets star QB Jaylen Johnson and his team were too much for the Bearcats to overcome. Johnson had a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown in the game, and Trey Brenton added a pair of rushing scores as well. The Jackets also got touchdowns from their defense and special teams.
Douglas County 31, McEachern 0
Douglas County improved to 3-0 on the season with a 31-0 rout of host McEachern out of Class 7A. The Tigers held a narrow 3-0 lead after the opening frame before getting a trio of touchdown runs in the second and a scoop-and-score in the final moments of the half to lead 31-0 at the break. The Tigers will travel to Alexander next week for their first Class 6A matchup.
Sprayberry 38, River Ridge 33
Sprayberry led as much as 20 points in the second half and held on to improve to 3-0 for the first time since the 2016 season. The Yellow Jackets were up 31-11, but River Ridge got things going when Ethan Spencer threw a touchdown pass to Thomas Thompsen. Sprayberry answered when Jaden Duckett scored on a 1-yard run to give the Yellow Jackets a 20-point lead again. Sprayberry led 21-11 at halftime and Duckett ended the night with four rushing touchdowns.
Sequoyah 14, Cedartown 10
Trailing visiting Cedartown 10-7 late in the fourth quarter, Sequoyah quarterback Kolby Martin found Will Rajecki for the go-ahead score to secure the Chiefs’ first win of the season. Ean Marria scored the first touchdown of the game for Sequoyah, which will host Class 7A’s Cherokee in Week 4.
In other 6A games – Houston County scored 49 points in the first half en route to a 55-14 victory over West Laurens. …Evans scored 12 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to rally past Greenbrier 22-21. …Riverwood’s Jackson Davis threw a touchdown pass and ran for one in the fourth quarter to lead the Raiders over North Springs 34-27.
Class 5A
Villa Rica 24, Northgate 23
Villa Rica jumped to a 14-3 lead in the first half and held on to win its first game of the year. The Wildcats got rushing touchdowns from Jaiden Terry and Zhay’lyn Bell in the second quarter. Bell scored again in the fourth quarter to give Villa Rica the 24-17 lead, but Northgate answered when Clifford Polk scored on a 28-year run with a minute left in the game. The Vikings missed the extra point, and Villa Rica secured the victory.
Ware County 48, Baldwin 20
Top-ranked Ware County led visiting Baldwin by as much as 48-6 en route to the Gators’ third win of the season. Junior quarterback Luke Hooks connected with Quinton Orange for a pair of touchdown completions, and the Gators got two rushing scores from Dae’Jeaun Dennis and another from RJ Boyd. Will Bates added field goals in the first and third quarters, and Nazyah Adamson provided the remaining Ware County touchdown on a pick-six in the second. Nick Simmons contributed a first-quarter interception as well.
Warner Robins 39, Northside-Warner Robbins 35
Warner Robins rallied from being down 21-5 at halftime to win the seventh consecutive game in this series. Jhayden Jones threw three touchdown passes in the third quarter, and the Demons blocked a punt which was returned for an 80-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter to lead the game 31-28. Northside regained the lead late in the fourth quarter when Damien Lee threw a touchdown pass to Jaxson Rowe. But Warner Robins earned the victory when Jeremiah Jackson scored on a 6-yard touchdown run with less than two minutes left in the contest.
Greater Atlanta Christian 17, Pace Academy 14
Greater Atlanta’s Gianlucca Tiberia put the Spartans up early with a 6-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and Spartans QB Jack Stanton — who broke the school record for passing yards in a game with 392 last week — connected with Xavier Daisy early in the second quarter for a 14-0 lead on the road. GAC added a field goal early in the second half to go up 17-0 before Pace rallied with 14 unanswered points, but a goal-line stand from the Spartans defense followed by a 4th-down conversion on offense pushed GAC to 3-0 on the season.
Cartersville 37, Allatoona 0
Senior running back Khristian Lando ran for three touchdowns in the first half to lead the Purple Hurricanes past Allatoona. He scored on a 2-yard touchdown with 5:06 left in the first quarter. Lando scored twice within 10 seconds to extend the Cartersville lead to 35-0 at the half. With 35 seconds left in the second quarter, Lando scored on a 3-yard run and then after a turnover from Allatoona, he scored on a five-yard run. Richard Houston added a 2-yard touchdown run and Nate Russell passed to Ja’Mauri Brice for a touchdown for Cartersville.
In other 5A games – Ola notched a 30-0 lead in the first half to get past Jackson 44-7 and earn its third win of the season. … Arabia Mountain trailed Stephenson 16-13 late in the third quarter, but the Rams rallied in the fourth quarter to earn a 27-22 win. …Hiram led East Paulding 21-17 after the first half and held on to win 52-49. Both teams scored 21 points each in the fourth quarter.
Class 4A
Benedictine 27, Westminster 14
Benedictine’s first score came on a run-and-toss from FSU-commit Luke Kromenhoek to Landon Bryant, who made the catch while falling out of the end zone after securing the ball and tapping his toes. An 8-yard touchdown run by Benedictine’s fullback Ack Edwards then put the Cadets in front 17-0 in the first quarter, but Westminster responded with a touchdown before and after halftime, cutting the lead to 3 before the final period. A Benedictine field goal, defensive stop, and an 81-yard drive capped by a Kromenhoek QB sneak put the Cadets ahead 27-14 late in the fourth, and Bryce Baker intercepted the ball in the end zone to put the game away and secure a 3-0 start for the Cadets.
Troup 21, Callaway 13
Troup led 14-7 at halftime and held on to win its third game of the season. Taeo Todd threw two touchdown passes in the second quarter and another early in the fourth quarter against the No. 4-ranked team in Class 2A. Callaway tied the game 7-7 in the second quarter when Johnathan Freeman intercepted a Logan Sinkfield pass and returned it for a touchdown. In the third quarter, DeShun Coleman scored on a long touchdown run to cut Troup’s lead 14-13.
Cairo 24, Thomasville 3
Friday’s rivalry game for the Syrup Pitcher between Cairo and Thomasville was also the 500th radio broadcast for Michael Best, the Voice of the Syrupmakers. After a slow start, Cairo got on the board late in the second quarter with a 2-yard touchdown run from Keshen Spence. Spence also scored the game’s only other offensive touchdown on a wildcat run from the 1-yard line late in the third. A pick-six by Cairo’s Melik Williams on a broken play with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter sealed the win for the Syrupmakers.
In other Class 4A games – Whitewater led Griffin 27-0 going into the fourth quarter before surrendering its first points on the way to a 34-7 win. … Perry got multiple defensive scores along with a strong showing on offense to dominate Jones County in a 54-21 victory.. … New Hampstead started the fourth quarter with a 42-13 edge over Bradwell Institute before securing the 42-25 victory. … Starr’s Mill led 13-0 at the start of the fourth quarter and remained aggressive to secure a 28-7 win over Luella. … Central-Carrollton led 28-7 in the third quarter and didn’t let up, coming away with a 42-7 victory over visiting Hampton.
Class 3A
Monroe Area 50, Eagle’s Landing 12
Khaleed Latimore ran the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown to give Monroe Area a lead it would not relinquish against Eagle’s Landing. Darrion Manuel scored four touchdowns on runs of 60 yards, 20 yards and two short runs while catching a 60-yard pass from Dylan Hamby for a touchdown. Hamilton Shinn added a 10-yard touchdown run for Monroe Area. The Monroe Area defense forced a safety in the romp. Eagle’s Landing found scoring on a 40-yard run from Zakiyah Brookshire and a 60-yard run from Archibald.
Stephens County 32, Flowery Branch 7
Flowery Branch scored on a 70-yard run from Malik Dryden to open scoring but then it was all Stephens County. Javin Gordon scored on a 33-yard run with 8:30 left in the first quarter. Luke Waters kicked a 38-yard field goal to put Stephens up 10-7. Josh Oliver passed to Jeremiah Ware for 32 yards on a drive capped by a 2-yard run from Gordon to extend the lead to 17-7. Waters kicked a 31-yard field goal with 2:47 left in the first half put Stephens up 20-7. Davon Swinton returned an interception for a touchdown to give Stephens a 27-7 lead with 7:42 left in the third quarter. Omari Foster scored on a 40-yard run with 11 seconds left in the third quarter to bring the score to its final tally.
In other 3A games – Wesleyan overcame a 7-0 halftime deficit with a field goal with eight minutes left in the third quarter and a touchdown pass with six minutes left in the game to beat North Cobb Christian 9-7. … Upson-Lee led 6-0 after the first quarter and 20-0 at the half in a romp of Worth County 41-7. … A 23-yard field goal from Justin Hicks with less than a minute left in the third quarter lifted Windsor Forest past Johnson-Savannah 10-7. … Fannin County relied on a fourth quarter field goal to move past Pickens 3-0. …
Class 2A
South Atlanta 24, Heard County 21
South Atlanta’s Elijah Hunter had three rushing touchdowns — including a 55-yarder — along with a successful two-point conversion attempt to propel his team to victory on the road Friday night. Heard County QB Ethan Tisdale had a pair of touchdown passes to cut the deficit to three points late in the game, but the Braves ran out of time to complete the comeback.
Model 27, Woodland-Cartersville 21
Model is 2-0 for the first time since 2016 after coming back from a 21-6 second-half deficit to take a 27-21 victory over visiting Woodland. The Wildcats took a 21-6 lead on a 3-yard TD run by Devin Teasley early in the third quarter, but Model responded with an 11-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in a 1-yard touchdown run by Gage McWhorter. The PAT made it 21-13 with 4:38 left in the quarter. Woodland went for a fourth-and-short play inside their own 21 on their next drive, but the Blue Devils stopped them short. Model’s Keith Sprayberry threw a 20-yard touchdown to Amir Pinkard on the next play, and the 2-point conversion tied it at 21-21. Midway through the fourth quarter, Model put together a 10-play, 58-yard drive, with Collin Watson scoring on a 3-yard touchdown run for a 27-21 lead. The Blue Devils shut down Woodland on their final two drives to preserve the win. Model took a 6-0 lead in the first quarter on a five-yard fumble return by Amir Pinkard, but Woodland got touchdowns from Devin Teasley and Jay Walker to take a 14-6 halftime lead.
In other Class 2A Games – The Southwest Patriots got their first victory of the season with a 54-7 win against Pike County. … Brantley County came out on top of a defensive battle on its home turf for a 17-6 win over Beach. … Pierce County maintained control throughout its 47-10 win over Metter. … Vidalia and Pinewood traded scores all night, but the Indians’ go-ahead touchdown in the fourth gave Vidalia the 29-22 win. … The Thomson Bulldogs were dominant throughout their 38-0 victory over Grovetown Friday night. … McNair led 22-0 at halftime before narrowly escaping a North Clayton comeback for a 28-22 road win. … After Fannin County’s 52-28 victory over Pickens, head coach Chad Cheatham credited the victory to his team’s discipline and chemistry in a postgame interview. … Model climbed out of a 21-6 hole with big plays on defense and special teams to steal a 27-21 win and its first 2-0 start since 2016. … East Jackson improved to 3-0 on the season with a 42-7 win over West Hall.
Class A Division I
Prince Ave 52, Athens Academy 21
Georgia Tech-commit Aaron Philo had a hand in six touchdowns to lead top-ranked Prince Avenue to a 3-0 record after ousting local-rival Athens Academy. The Wolverines led 42-7 at the half. Philo passed for four touchdowns in the second quarter.
Dublin 33, Lamar County 28
The No. 7-ranked Fighting Irish improved to 2-0 on the season with a 33-28 victory over visiting Lamar County out of Region 4. Dublin led 13-0 after Demari Foster’s 45-yard scoop-and-score and Micah O’Neal’s touchdown run following Kelwaun Gilmore’s fumble recovery. Jordan Glover put the Trojans on the board in the second quarter with a 73-yard rushing score, but a 44-yard touchdown completion from O’Neal to Martravius O’Neal and a successful two-point try put Dublin on top 21-7. Malachi O’Neal added a score in the third, which Ty Head answered for the Trojans. Lamar County got back within a touchdown with Kaden Carter’s rushing score, but O’Neal found Foster for a final Dublin touchdown to put the game away.
Elbert County 21, Harlem 20
Trailing 20-0 at the half, Elbert County quarterback Braydon Scarborough passed to Eli Harris for a 16-yard touchdown to get on the board. Scarborough scored on a 1-yard run with four minutes left in the game to cut into the lead 20-14. Jacari Bennett tied the game with a 4-yard run with less than a minute left and Brandon Horne’s extra-point put the game away. Harlem scored 13 points in the first quarter and added a rushing touchdown with a minute left in the second quarter but could manage no more offensive production.
Class A Division II
Aquinas 19, Savannah Country Day 17
After trailing 19-7 with 5:57 left in the third quarter, Savannah Country Day missed a 42-yard field goal as time expired, securing the victory for Aquinas.
Recaps from Thursday
Class 6A
Lakeside-DeKalb 24, Forest Park 0
Junior quarterback Kyle Davis was 5-of-7 passing for 56 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for one touchdown to lead Lakeside over Forest Park. Senior Roman Douthit and junior Daniel Arzabe each caught a touchdown pass for the Vikings.
Mundy’s Mill 41, Riverdale 2
Mundy’s Mill enjoyed a 21-2 at the half in a romp of Riverdale. The Tigers added a touchdown in the third quarter and put the game away with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Antonion Hardrick to Tavarius Clements with five minutes left in the game.
Class 5A
Winder-Barrow 56, Salem 6
Winder-Barrow relied on a rushing touchdown from five different players to overwhelm Salem. Junior quarterback Evan Lynn was 7-of-15 passing for 157 yards and three touchdowns. The Bulldoggs got rushing scores from Xavier McCoy, Demetrius Dowdy, Kenyan Glasper, Brandon Gomez and Jacob Williams. JJ Carlyle had two receptions for 52 yards and two touchdowns while Jon-Michel Avera had one 35-yard touchdown reception.
Midtown 30, Northview 12
A touchdown pass from Ezekiel Teffere to Kentrell White with one minute left put the game away for Midtown. Trailing 12-0 at halftime, Midtown moved to 2-1 on the season after tying the game 12-12 in the third quarter and outscoring Northview 18-0 in the fourth quarter.
Class 2A
Columbia 12, Washington 8
Columbia scored 12 points in the fourth quarter to complete the come-from-behind victory over Washington.
Class A Division II
Washington-Wilkes 48, Glenn Hills 0
Washington-Wilkes scored four unanswered touchdowns in the first quarter to overwhelm Glenn Hills. The Tigers added two touchdowns in the second quarter and another in the third quarter to put the game away.
Loading ...
