There are plenty of top performances from Week 1 in the GHSA football season, and the beginning of the year was headlined by the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic which began Wednesday.
Here were some of the top performances that caught my eye from this past week. This is in no way slighting any performances not mentioned in this list.
Norcross WR Jahshaun Clarke - Norcross started the year off 1-0 in large part because of the performance of JahShuan Clarke. I think what is scary for opposing defenses is you have to stop the tandem of Clarke and Jamari Harold. Clarke was the go-to target last Friday finishing with nine catches, 143 yards and two touchdowns. The senior WR has impressed at every turn including a standout performance in the spring against Buford when he had a receiving touchdown and in the Corky Kell 7-on-7 Invitational at Georgia Tech putting on a show there. Clarke looks like he could be poised for a big season and proved it again on Friday night at Lanier.
Cedartown Safety Tae Harris - Another Mr. Georgia Football Preseason nominee and for good reason. The Clemson commit is one of the most versatile athletes in the state and is a do-it-all guy for Cedartown. Harris had a great start to the season finishing with 10 tackles, a forced fumble, a pass breakup, and a rushing touchdown in a win against Rockmart. Offensively Harris also chipped in 46 rushing yards.
Dunwoody LB Trevor Thompson - You can make the argument that Thompson should have won MVP especially after the Dunwoody defense shut out South Paulding in the second half. South Paulding was also 0-4 on fourth down. Thompson was the leading tackler with 14 tackles in the game. He also added 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and an interception. He was all over the field and made a big difference for the Wildcats on the defensive end.
Monroe Area RB Jitt Carr - Monroe Area scored 49 points against Loganville last Friday and largely because of Jitt Carr. The Purple Hurricanes leaned on Carr heavily and he came through in a big way. Carr finished with 324 rushing yards and three touchdowns. As it stands, he is one of the leading rushers in the state. After splitting time with Darrion Manuel last year, Carr looked ready for his moment and didn’t disappoint against Loganville.
Westlake WR Travis Smith Jr - Smith Jr made the ‘Mr. Georgia Football’ Preseason nominee after a great junior season finishing with 53 catches for 843 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Tennessee commit got nearly a third of his yard total last season in Week 1 against Langston Hughes. Smith Jr finished with nine catches for 267 yards and two touchdowns. Smith continues to be a mismatch nightmare for opposing defenses. He did all he could to help his team win and continues to prove he is one of the best receivers in the country.
Prince Avenue Christian RB Andrew Beard - You probably can’t have a better debut than what Andrew Beard did on Thursday Night. The heavily sought-after running back was unstoppable on the ground. Beard rushed for 187 yards and a touchdown. He averaged nine yards a carry in the win against West Forsyth. It seemed like on every play he was gaining another first down for the Wolverines. Beard was recently recognized by 247Sports as a four-star prospect and the #12 player in the state, according to their rankings.
Brookwood RB Brayden Tyson - We might have to start calling Brayden Tyson ‘Mr Spolight’ because every time there’s a big game whether it’s on TV or not he shows up. You may remember last year that Tyson rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown and won offensive player of the game in 2023 in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic against McEachern. Tyson did it again on Saturday at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. After his team trailed 23-7 in the third quarter, Tyson virtually put his team on his back and helped them trim the deficit to 23-21 after he scored a rushing touchdown. They ultimately lost but Tyson was the bellcow for the Broncos throughout the game. The four-star prospect finished with 168 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Now he didn’t win offensive player of the game but put together another stellar outing.
Houston County QB Antwann Hill - The Memphis commit has been impressive every time I’ve seen him play. It was more of the same on Saturday. The Houston County QB was a Mr. Georgia Football Preseason Nominee. Hill looked composed and threw strikes all game long. He put on a clinic and the Houston County offense used various motions, trick plays, and up-tempo throughout the game against Alpharetta. Hill led the Bears helping them score 57 points their most since 2022 when they faced the Perry Panthers. He finished with 357 passing yards on 71% completion percentage and three touchdowns. His longest play was a 77-yard strike to WR Isaiah Mitchell. This Houston County team looks like a major championship contender and with Hill at the helm, the sky’s the limit for the Bears.
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