It was another great week in high school football in the state of Georgia including some out of state wins by Grayson and Milton showcasing the talent we have in our great state. Here are the top performances from Week 2:
Central-Carroll QB JR Harris- The sophomore phenom continues to impress and did all he could to help his team win against Oxford (AL). The Lions lost 56-46, but Harris was on fire finishing with 331 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns. When you look at the highlights, Harris continuously pushed the ball down the field and connected on long passes to his receivers Marshun Horton and Khaven Cochran. He was accurate on his throws and also showed his dual-threat ability escaping pressure and still connecting with his playmakers downfield. Harris had a great freshman campaign beating out a senior for the job in 2023, and now he is showing the potential to become one of the best quarterbacks in the country in his class.
Centennial QB Hunter Campbell- Campbell has led the Centennial Knights to a 2-0 record through the first few weeks of the season including a high-scoring victory against Duluth 39-36. In their win against Duluth, Campbell went 20-29 for 277 yards and three touchdowns, per MaxPreps. He also rushed for a touchdown. So far in the first two games, Campbell has thrown for 436 yards and five touchdowns with a quarterback rating of 133. It is the first time the Knights have started the season 2-0 since 2003 under head coach Mike Cloy when the team went 7-0. The Knights have scored 79 points in the first two games. Campbell has looked sharp through the first two games and has continued to put up great numbers.
Hughes QB Christian Langford- A team that is not being talked about enough is Langston Hughes. You may remember Hughes won their first state title in program history in 2022 under head Daniel “Boone” Williams. The Panthers have been dominant in their first two contests beating good teams in Westlake and Mays. Hughes has scored 52 points in both of the games and the offense has been lethal under Christian Langford. In week 1 against Westlake Langford didn’t throw it a low but was efficient going 6-9 for 82 yards and two touchdowns. Langford went 19-23 for 267 yards and three touchdowns in the 52-16 win against Mays. He has thrown for 349 yards and five touchdowns and has led the Panthers to a 2-0 record. Hughes is a major contender in 5A and has an opportunity to get back to the title game with Langford leading them on offense.
Milton RB TJ Lester- A player that doesn’t always get a lot of attention or love but is a constant in the Milton offense. The Eagles have been featured on GPB (against Buford) and ESPN (against American Heritage (FL). In each of those games, Lester has put on a show. In their 37-28 victory against American Heritage, Lester rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns. In the win against Buford, he nearly crossed the 100-yard mark rushing for 95 yards and a touchdown. As a junior, he ran for 744 yards and eight touchdowns for the defending state champions. Lester has improved every time he’s stepped out on the field and has shown the world what he is capable of. He is currently committed to Eastern Kentucky, but don’t be surprised if you see more programs calling after his performance in the first few games.
Coffee RB Tyrese Woodgett- Woodgett had a huge game for the defending state champions against rival Ware County. He couldn’t be stopped and rushed for a career-high 209 yards and three touchdowns. Woodgett was pivotal in helping the Trojans take a late lead in the 4th quarter on an 18-yard touchdown run with 6:34 left in the game. The senior running back already has 298 yards rushing and five touchdowns in the first two games. He has been key to helping the Trojans start 2-0.
Peach County WR Zion Hudson- Despite the loss to Perry, Hudson finished with career-highs in receiving and touchdowns against the Panthers. His stat line was five catches for 233 yards and two touchdowns. That is an average of 46.6 per catch for Hudson who was a go-to receiver for the Trojans. Hudson has already eclipsed his sophomore stats in receiving yards (227) and looks poised to outpace his 26 catches and three touchdowns in 2023.
Cedartown ATH Tae Harris- Harris has made this list for the second consecutive week after another strong performance for his Cedartown Bulldogs. In the win against Berkmar, Harris finished with seven tackles and two PBU’s. Offensively on just five carries, he rushed for 91 yards and two touchdowns. A reminder that Harris was a preseason Mr. Georgia football nominee to start the season and he hasn’t disappointed. Through the first few weeks, he has been one of the best players in the state on both sides of the ball and has been a critical piece in a 2-0 start for Cedartown.
North Cobb Christian LB/DE JD Aufderheide- Talk about a stat sheet stuffer performance for sophomore LB JD Aufderheide. In a defensive battle, Aufderheide came to play in the 14-7 win against Darlington. In the game, he had 11 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, two QB hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He was all over the field for the Eagles and showcased his versatility by being able to come down and blitz, cover in the open field, and be a great tackler in open space. You may not know this but Aufderheide is a baseball star and played in the perfect game at the Sophomore National Showcase in June. Although it is still early in his prep career, he may have to make a decision as an upperclassman about which sport he is going to choose to play at the next level because he is great at both.
Collins Hill DL Daverin “Deuce” Geralds- Geralds has been a terror through the first few games of the season. He is already Collins Hill’s all-time sack leader, a mark he set in week 1 against Grayson with four sacks and was at 28.5 sacks through 22 career games. He followed up that game with an even better performance, recording nine tackles, three tackles for loss, three sacks, and eight quarterback hurries. He also rushed for 45 yards and the game-winning touchdown on three carries in the win. For the season, he has 17 tackles, 11 QB hurries, seven tackles for loss, and seven tackles. Geralds already has half his sack total from 2023 where he recorded 14 sacks. Geralds has been one of the best players not only in the state but in the country throughout the first two games.
Other Noteworthy Performances:
Milton LB Hayden Tumminia- 14 tackles, tackles for loss, and forced fumble
Houston County QB Antwann Hill Jr- 18-26 for 342 yards and three touchdowns
Hebron Christian RB Devon Caldwell- Rushed for 157 yards and four touchdowns on 24 carries
Prince Avenue Christian RB Andrew Bear- rushed for 133 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries
Morgan County QB Davis Strickland- 15-21 for 222 yards and two touchdowns
Douglas County WR James Johnson- seven catches for 59 yards and a touchdown pass
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