FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS: Upsets galore during the second round

In a night of shocking upsets, several ranked teams saw their seasons come to end, including No. 1 Camden County and No. 2 North Gwinnett. Chattahoochee and Colquitt County each won wild games featuring hundreds of offensive yards and scores of points.

Hillgrove (10-2) went on the road to knock off Camden County (10-2) 28-26 in the second round of the Class 5A football playoffs. Time ran out on Camden County’s final drive before the Wildcats, a heavy favorite in the game, could attempt a potential game-winning field goal.

The Hawks got the go-ahead touchdown on a Gage Henry touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. Henry finished 20-for-29 passing for 170 yards and two touchdowns. Kenyan Drake had 16 carries for 161 yards and two touchdowns. Hillgrove pushed the lead to 28-19 after a touchdown drive that was set up by a recovered onside kick.

Atlanta

Grady 39, White County 20: A 71-yard touchdown catch by Damian Swann helped pace the home team (11-1).White County’s (9-3) Cole Segraves scored his second touchdown of the night to close the gap to 26-20 in the fourth. A 10-yard run from Hoderick Lowe and 14-yard catch from Darren Dowdell iced the game.

DeKalb

Colquitt County 48, M.L. King 47: M.L. King (8-4) missed on the go-ahead two-point conversion try with 4:47 remaining in the game as visiting Colquitt County (7-5) held on to win. Tevin King rushed for 367 yards and five scores for the Packers. Lions quarterback Jonquil Dawson threw for 522 yards and six touchdowns, with five of them going to DeMarco Robinson.

Tucker 38, Hiram 22: N’Quan Magget’s productive first half helped the Tigers (12-0) to a total of 346 yards rushing and 492 yards of total offense in a rout of the visitors (9-3). Maggett scored on runs of 65 and 40 yards in the first half.

Fulton

Lovett 42, Dade County 6: The visiting Lions (9-3) led 14-0 at the half after a 15-yard scoring pass from Hunter Budd to Brooks Schoen and a 17-yard run by Budd. Zach Boden rushed 14 times for 239 yards and three second-half touchdowns. Lovett led 35-0 before Dade County (10-2) got on the board.

Carrollton 36, Westminster 19: Dustin Christian scored touchdowns on a 55-yard reception and a 31-yard run for the host Yellow Jackets (12-0). Westminster (8-4) led 19-14 after William Linginfelter hit Khamal Brown on a 5-yard touchdown pass. Calhoun sealed the win on a 15-yard fumble return in the fourth quarter.

Monroe Area 50, Woodward Academy 21: Demond Smith rushed for three touchdowns while Tre’shard Burdette ran for two for the host Hurricanes (11-1). Woodward Academy (10-2) lost despite Marcus Polk’s 186 rushing yards, including scoring runs of 74 and 75 yards. After falling behind 7-0, Monroe Area scored seven straight times.

Gwinnett

Buford 52, Callaway 14: Dominique Swope and Andre Johnson of host Buford (12-1) each rushed for two touchdowns, and the Wolves also returned a fumble and an interception for touchdowns. Callaway (8-5) did not cross midfield until roughly five minutes remained in the third.

Collins Hill 35, Roswell 24: Collins Hill (9-3) quarterback Taylor Heinicke accounted for four touchdowns — three passing, one rushing — to lead the visiting Eagles past Roswell (7-5). Heinicke hit Nick England in the third quarter for a 70-yard score. Saah Nimley opened scoring for Collins Hill with a 3-yard touchdown run in the first.

Carver, Columbus 21, Greater Atlanta Christian 7: Carver forced a DeSean Daniels fumble and recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. Isaiah Crowell rushed 17 times for 187 yards and two touchdowns to lead the host Tigers (12-0). The Spartans (9-3) scored their lone touchdown on a Kyle Scales 15-yard run.

Mill Creek 49, South Gwinnett 34: Visiting Mill Creek (7-5) defeated South Gwinnett (9-3) on the strength of quarterback John Russ’ 210 yards passing with three touchdowns and 100 yards rushing with a score. Fullback Tyler Cierski also had two rushing touchdowns for the Hawks.

Elsewhere

Dutchtown 3, Glynn Academy 0: Dutchtown (11-1) got a 54-yard field goal in the first half from senior kicker Ryan Kay. That was all the Bulldogs needed to defeat the visiting Glynn Academy (8-4). The Red Terrors had two opportunities to tie the game, but missed field goals from 35 and 44 yards out.

ELCA 35, George Walton Academy 21: Keyante Green’s scoring runs of 65 and five yards led the way for the Chargers (12-0). Alex Williams got the Chargers on the board with a 35-yard scamper. Christian Reeves caught the only passing touchdown of the night on the Bulldogs’ (10-2) defense, a 35-yarder from Aaron Spratlin.

Lowndes 38, Newnan 14: The Vikings (10-2) built a halftime lead of 21-7 on the visiting Cougars (7-5). Newnan gave up a late first-half turnover and subsequent touchdown that put the game out of reach. Running back Chris Robinson had 112 yards and a touchdown in a losing effort.

Sandy Creek 48, Americus-Sumter 0: Bruce Dukes took two interceptions to the house, and Mike Hilton recovered a block punt in the end zone as the hosts (12-0) lead 31-0 at the half. Derrick Alexander carried 13 times for 98 yards and a score. Americus-Sumter fell to 7-5.

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