Another week of high school football is in the books and here are some top performers from Week 5 who had a big impact on their teams.
Prince Avenue Christian RB Andrew Beard- The sophomore phenom continues to have a breakout season and put up big numbers on Friday night in a 55-7 win against Johns Creek. Beard had 344 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns. He had 180 rushing yards, 82 receiving yards, and 82 punt return yards. Beard has now rushed for 513 yards and six touchdowns on just 65 carries this season. He continues to make big plays when the ball is in his hands and has established himself as one of the top backs in the state of Georgia regardless of class. He makes Prince Avenue Christian a complete offense that can beat you on the ground and through the air.
Roswell QB Trey Smith- Smith was 16-of-25 for 249 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 162 yards and two touchdowns on only nine carries. Smith had a critical 64-yard touchdown run with 2:51 left in the fourth quarter to give the Hornets the lead after the score was tied 35-35. Friday marked the second consecutive game that Smith threw for more than 200 yards and he is starting to find his groove in the offense. He has led Roswell to a 3-1 record and a top 10 ranking in the Score Atlanta poll.
North Cobb Christian QB Teddy Jarrard- North Cobb Christian is off to another stellar start and won a six-overtime thriller against Ringgold on Friday night. Jarrard was electric for the Eagles going 28-of-40 for 274 yards and four touchdowns on a 63.4% completion rate. He threw the game-winning two-point conversion to DJ Huggins in the back of the endzone to seal the victory and the second 5-0 start for head coach Matt Jones. Jarrard continues to improve as the season goes on and has thrown eight touchdowns in the past three games and has thrown for 200 yards in each of those contests. He has established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the class of 2027 and led the Eagles to their first-ever region title as a true freshman in 2023.
LaGrange RB Malachi Render-Fannin- LaGrange is beginning to find its footing, winning two of the last three games. Render-Fannin has been a large reason why. In the team’s 42-3 victory against Fayette County, Render-Fannin rushed for 165 yards and three touchdowns. He also made his impact felt on special teams by returning an 88-yard punt for a touchdown. Render-Fannin has been a key figure on offense for the Grangers.
Rabun County RB Reid Giles- Giles rushed for 209 yards on 28 carries in a 24-21 victory against Bremen on Friday. He is having a great season for the Tigers and has rushed for 513 rushing yards and five touchdowns. He is averaging 128.3 yards per game. Rabun County is 3-1 on the season and Giles has led the rushing attack.
Savannah Christian RB Zo Smalls- For the second week in a row, Zo Smalls makes the top performers list. Smalls rushed for 234 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries in a 28-7 win over Fellowship Christian. Smalls now has 847 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns this season. He has been a bell cow for the Raiders and a key part of the offense in 2024. Savannah Christian is 5-0 and has leaned on Smalls and the rushing attack this season.
North Gwinnett RB Tommy Lafayette- It was another strong performance for LaFayette as he rushed for 32 carries for 198 yards and four touchdowns. He had a strong debut in week 1 against McEachern in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic rushing for 79 yards and a touchdown before going down with an injury. He continues to be a key playmaker for the Bulldogs this season and gives them balance offensively. LaFayette now has 475 rushing yards and nine touchdowns to start the season. North Gwinnett is a state title contender in 6A and has one of the more talented teams in the peach state.
Trion QB Kade Smith- Trion is off to its second consecutive 5-0 start and the offense has been prolific in the early going scoring 175 points through five games. Smith has been delivering and he did it again in a 50-21 win against LaFayette. Smith was 17-of-21 passing for 304 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for three touchdowns on seven carries for 51 yards. Smith is a dual-threat quarterback that can win in the pocket and in the open field. He is having a strong season for Trion and continues to be one of the best passers in Class A Division II.
Norcross WR Jahsaun Sauce Clarke- After an injury to starting quarterback Dillon Muhammad, Jahsaun Clarke stepped in and had a big game showcasing he is more than a wide receiver but a true athlete on the field. Clarke rushed for 226 yards and two touchdowns. He also was 2-of-2 through the air for 22 yards and two touchdowns and led Norcross to a 35-21 victory. Clarke now has 446 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns (226 rushing, 220 receiving). He is the leading receiver for the Blue Devils in catches (17), yards (220), and yards per game (55). He continues to be a major playmaker for the Norcross Blue Devils, and a big play waiting to happen.
Coffee RB Tyrese Woodgett- Coffee picked up a 27-14 win against Gadsden County (FL) and Woodgett had a big performance. When they trailed early 7-3, Woodgett’s 28-yard receiving touchdown gave Coffee their first lead of the game, and the Trojans held a 10-7 lead. Woodgett followed that up giving the Trojans much-needed breathing room in the fourth quarter with an 80-yard rushing touchdown. He finished with 278 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries, and he also had a receiving touchdown. Woodgett has rushed for 684 yards and nine touchdowns this season and 6.2 yards per carry. He is the sixth-leading rusher in the state of Georgia and continues to climb up the leaderboard each week. Woodgett makes Coffee a team to watch in 5A this season.
Rome QB Zach Parker- Now, we don’t often mention a middle school player in top performers but I had to highlight Parker after another great performance. Parker went 8-10 for 246 yards and four touchdowns. Rome is rated as a top-three team per Born to Compete, a partner with Score Atlanta. Parker is getting a lot of buzz out of the Rome area for his ability and how sharp he is as a passer. He is one to continue to watch and monitor as the years go on and could be the next great Rome QB when he makes it to high school.
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