Archive for the ‘Week12’ Category

By S. Thomas Coleman
For the AJC

Most teams would be in full panic mode if they were going into their region championship game against their main rival, which was riding a five-game winning streak, without their starting quarterback.

But Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy is not most teams. In fact, the Chargers served notice to the rest of the playoff-bound Class A private schools teams, that beating them will be a tall order, if not flat out impossible.

ELCA (9-1, 6-0) dominated Landmark Christian (7-3, 5-1) from start to finish en route to a 43-0 drubbing, Friday night at Commitment Field in McDonough, with starting quarterback Dalton Etheridge standing on the sideline nursing a high ankle sprain.

But his services wouldn’t be needed. The Chargers offensive line – seniors Tyler Petty and Jake Martin, juniors Matthew Moore and Beau Beasley, and sophomore Ryan Meneely – steamrolled the War Eagles’ front seven all night, as ELCA stayed in a shot-gun, spread offense that …

Continue reading ELCA 43, Landmark 0 »

By Score Atlanta

Darlington 31, Mt. Pisgah 14: Brad Butler had a rushing score and a 55-yard touchdown pass to Chandler Duggan for host Darlington. Duggan and Chas Williams also added rushing touchdowns and Franklin Schrum hit a 35-yard field goal for Darlington. Ryan Felice had two touchdowns — a 51-yard run and a 33-yard reception from Aaron Winchester — for Mt. Pisgah.

Fellowship Christian 56, Southwest Atlanta Christian 6: Host Fellowship Christian had three players score multiple touchdowns. Running backs Tyler Hart and Conor Linneen each scored twice. Quarterback Hunter Bryant added three scores. Quarterback Darian Bell accounted for 107 of 128 yards of total offense for Southwest Atlanta Christian.

Trion 16, Whitefield Academy 7: Despite completing just one of four passes for negative nine yards, visiting Trion escaped with a victory. Kingston Lanier led the ground game with 21 carries for 95 yards and two touchdowns. Jared Wigley added 86 yards for Trion. Richard …

Continue reading Class A roundup »

By Score Atlanta

Berkmar 24, Dacula 21: Visiting Dacula led at the end of the first half, but could not hold off Berkmar. Dacula rushed 36 times for 201 yards as Kelan Fraise rushed 26 times for Dacula, gaining 138 yards and a touchdown. Teammate C.J. Mayes rushed nine times for 49 yards and a score.

Central Gwinnett 47, Shiloh 35: Eman Westmoreland was 29-of-41 passing for 415 yards and two touchdowns and had two rushing scores for visiting Central Gwinnett. Running back Jordan Shiloh rushed 24 times for 204 yards and three touchdowns, and Justin Brownlee caught 13 passes for 258 yards and a score. With the win, Central Gwinnett locked up its first winning season (6-4) since 2006.

Duluth 35, Mountain View 14: Duluth broke open a scoreless tie with 28 points in the second quarter to cruise past Mountain View. Quarterback Thad Bell threw two touchdown passes, one to Jordan Dandridge and another to Jeffrey Joseph. Lavonte Cranford and Jordan Dooley added touchdown runs for …

Continue reading AAAAAA roundup »

By Score Atlanta

Clarkston 54, North Cobb Christian 14: Khalif Harper ran for 236 yards on 19 carries and scored five touchdowns for Clarkston. At halftime, Clarkston led just 14-7 before exploding for 20 straight points. The Fighting Angoras led 34-7 heading into the fourth quarter. Clarkston’s defense recorded a touchdown (off a fumble recovery) and a safety.

Creekview 36, Riverwood 28 (3OT): Creekview needed a 5-yard pass from Hayden Hall to Chandler Wold to force the game into overtime before outlasting host Riverwood. Hall added a 15-yard pass to Connor Dulmage and a 6-yard touchdown run in the first two overtime possessions. On the third possession, Wold scored on 2-yard run, then caught the 2-point conversion pass from Hall.

M.L. King 21, Miller Grove 14, OT: M.L. King picked up a dramatic win at Panthersville Stadium over Miller Grove, surviving in overtime. After Roland Rivers found Demarquis Polite-Bray for a 13-yard touchdown pass in the first possession of …

Continue reading AAAAA roundup »

By Score Atlanta

Grady 33, Columbia 14: Grady wrapped up a playoff spot out of Region 6-AAAA by rolling over Columbia. A 26-0 halftime lead allowed host Grady to cruise through the second half. Kivon Taylor threw three touchdown passes to Dashawn Benton to lead Grady.

Marist 42, Carver-Atlanta 14: Visiting Marist used the legs and arm of quarterback Myles Willis to defeat Carver-Atlanta. Willis completed five of six passes for 59 yards including a touchdown throw to Greg Taboada. On the ground, Willis gained 162 yards on 16 carries and scored twice. Griffin King scored two rushing touchdowns and Steven Wallace had the other Marist score.

Riverdale 20, Locust Grove 10: Visiting Riverdale got touchdown runs from running backs Fred Ward and Ti’Keem Cooper and from quarterback Asania Aderhold. Isa Muhammad added an interception on defense to set up a Riverdale touchdown.

Sandy Creek 65, Columbus 0: Sandy Creek clinched the Region 5-AAAA title with its first shutout of the season. …

Continue reading AAAA roundup »

By Score Atlanta

Blessed Trinity 28, Cedar Grove 22: Host Blessed Trinity overcame Cedar Grove with the help of running back Milton Shelton and the leg of Marc Nolan. Shelton rushed 12 times for 130 yards and scored a touchdown. Nolan kicked three field goals for Blessed Trinity with the longest being from 46 yards out.

Buford 45, North Hall 16: Buford scored three rushing touchdowns and three receiving touchdowns against visiting North Hall Friday night. Tight ends Isaac Nauta and Korie Rogers both caught touchdowns. Nauta caught a 50-yard touchdown pass for Buford’s first score. Zavior Hoxie, Thomas Wilson and Montgomery VanGorder each rushed for a Buford touchdown.

Jackson-Atlanta 22, Chapel Hill 14: Host Jackson held off a second half charge by Chapel Hill. Shadricus Ferguson rushed for 107 yards and scored all three touchdowns for Jackson. Chapel Hill scored late and recovered its own onside kick, but turned the ball over on downs with 2:10 remaining in the game.

Continue reading AAA roundup »

By Score Atlanta

Lovett 31, Greater Atlanta Christian 30: Host Lovett clinched the Region 6-AA championship after blocking a Brandon Holzgrefe extra-point attempt late in the fourth quarter. Lovett trailed 17-7 in the second quarter before reeling off 17 straight points. Lovett quarterback Willie Candler accounted for 204 total yards and two scores while Grant Haley ran for a score and caught another. Haley totaled 145 total yards.

Westminster 36, Hapeville Charter 12: Westminster led 18-0 at the half and extended its advantage to 28-0 in a routine win over Hapeville Charter. Touchdowns were scored by Luke Johnson, Hays Meyer, Nigel Walker and by Harrison Woodward from quarterback Jake Forte on a fake field goal. Harrison Butker added two field goals for host Westminster.

Continue reading AA roundup »

The Decatur Bulldogs made St. Pius X wait for a while Friday night, but the Lions are used to that. After a slow start, the No. 7 Golden Lions rolled anyway, and their 48-0 win on the road clinched the Region 6-AAA title and a bit of school history.

Senior quarterback Jack Spear led the way with 120 passing yards and and 100 more yards on the ground while accounting for a touchdown each way. The school opened in 1958, but this is the first time that the Lions have won back-to-back region titles. SPX, in fact, has won its region in three of the past four seasons.

“We kind of knew we were going to throw some because they bring their safeties up so hard,” said Spear, who had five carries with a score in addition to completing 6-of-8 passes and throwing for a score. “This feels great, the first time in school history.”

The Lions limited the Bulldogs to 25 rushing yards on 39 carries as SPX registered its third shutout of the season.

After a scoreless first …

Continue reading St. Pius X 48, Decatur 0 »

By David Purdum / For the AJC

Josh Dobbs accounted for three touchdowns, leading Alpharetta to a big 35-32 win at Johns Creek.

Alpharetta rolls into the playoffs on a six-game winning streak and will have home-field in the first round, likely as the No. 2 seed out of Region 6-AAAAAA.

Johns Creek will be the third seed out of the region.

First-round playoff matchups will be released Monday.

Dobbs ran for two touchdowns and threw for another, but the senior quarterback’s biggest play of the game came on a third down from the Raiders’ 8-yard line.

With Alpharetta clinging to a 28-24 lead in the fourth quarter, Dobbs threw a strike to a crossing Daniel Clements, who raced 70 yards. Three plays later, Julian Macon burst in from three yards out for a touchdown that put the Raiders up 11 with nine minutes to play.

Johns Creek cut lead to three on Chase Solomon’s second touchdown run and Skye Overton’s two-point conversion with five minutes to play.

But Alpharetta was able to run out …

Continue reading Alpharetta 35, Johns Creek 32 »

Fourth-ranked Grayson broke open a tight game early in the second half and beat Region 8-AAAAAA rival Brookwood 42-13 during Senior Night Friday at Grayson Community Stadium.

The Rams intercepted two of Brookwood quarterback Zach Moon’s first three passes after halftime, and Kasey Gaines returned the second pick 43 yards for a score to put Grayson up 35-13 with 10:09 left in the third quarter.

Cory Schaeffer also intercepted Moon, who had gone 7-for-9 passing for 161 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, including a 68-yard connection with running back Jamaal Cole.

“I felt like we weathered the storm in the first half,” Grayson coach Mickey Conn said. “The turnovers gave us the momentum.”

Grayson defensive end Robert Nkemdiche, the nation’s top recruit who de-committed from Clemson earlier in the week, led the Rams with 74 yards rushing on 10 rushes to go along with three tackles, three quarterback hurries and two sacks on defense in his last regular-season home game. …

Continue reading Grayson 42, Brookwood 13 »

The Cardinals (9-1) prevailed in a shootout against the Bulldogs in a Region 4-AAAA play-in game at Southern Crescent Stadium.

Jonesboro took an early lead during a wild first quarter that began with Dutchtown recovering its own onside kick on the game’s opening play. The Cardinals got their first two touchdowns less than a minute apart, starting with Artemus Mitchell’s 51-yard run on a double reverse, followed by a fake kick and run for a two-point conversion. After Jonesboro recovered its onside kick in Dutchtown territory, Cameron Sutton scored on a 35-yard run.

The lead grew to 21 points when Mario Atkinson tossed a short pass to Sutton, who raced 29 yards down the right sideline to the end zone. Three plays later, the Bulldogs connected on a 63-yard pass from Donovahn Jones to Brandon Thomas to get on the scoreboard.

The next score came after halftime, as Dutchtown took the second-half kickoff and ground out a long drive that was capped off by William Smith’s 18-yard …

Continue reading Jonesboro 43, Dutchtown 28 »

Seeking its seventh playoff appearance in nine years, Creekside put together its one of its best overall performances of the year.

Chris Sanders McCullum caught three touchdown passes and the Seminoles converted three turnovers into touchdowns in a 42-0 win over Drew in a Region 4-AAAAA play-in game that finished with a running clock under mercy rules.

“I challenged them right before we went out on the field,” said Creekside coach Aaron Whittington. “We hadn’t had a game all year where we put it all together. They responded well to the challenge.”

The win was the sixth in the last seven games for Creekside.

Evan Berry ran for one touchdown and threw for two others, and Elliott Berry rushed for 96 yards and another score for the Seminoles.

Evan Berry completed just 4 of 12 passes, but finished with 112 passing yards and two touchdowns. McCullum finished with five catches for 142 yards.

The Seminole defense held Drew (6-4) to 75 total yards, just 18 of which came in the first …

Continue reading Creekside 42, Drew 0 »

East Paulding’s explosive running game turned out to be a little better than Allatoona’s.

Kamani Thomas and Kyler Neal combined for 242 yards and three touchdowns rushing as the Raiders beat Allatoona 25-7 to claim the Region 5-AAAAA championship in a battle of unbeaten teams Friday at East Paulding’s Boneyard.

East Paulding completed its second 10-0 regular season in school history and earned the region’s No. 1 seed for the playoffs, which begin next weekend. East Paulding will host Clarke Central, the fourth-place team from Region 8-AAAAA. Allatoona (9-1, 9-1), which lost a regular-season game for the first time since 2010, will host Heritage-Conyers in the first round.

The two running-based teams entered the highly anticipated regular-season finale ranked in the top 10 in Class AAAAA in scoring offense and scoring defense, but it was East Paulding that got the better of it on both sides of the ball.

Thomas, who has rushed for more than 1,500 yards this season, ran for 129 …

Continue reading East Paulding 25, Allatoona 7 »

Here is this week’s schedule with projected margins of victory courtesy of the Maxwell Ratings. The projected winner is on the left. The projected margin of victory is on the right. The Maxwell computer ratings take into account historical scores, weighing the more recent seasons the most heavily. Games involving out-of-state teams are not included because of lack of data on those opponents.

Friday’s games

Adairsville at Coahulla Creek -28

Americus-Sumter vs. Crisp Co. -7

Apalachee at Winder-Barrow -11

Appling Co. at Southeast Bulloch -26

Aquinas at First Presbyterian -3

Athens Academy vs. Athens Christian -22

Bacon Co. vs. Bryan Co. -14

Bainbridge vs. Lee Co. -4

Baldwin vs. Veterans -15

Banneker vs. Lithonia -9

Blessed Trinity vs. Cedar Grove -3

Bradwell Institute vs. Groves -10

Brooks Co. at Berrien -41

Brookstone at Greenville -6

Brunswick vs. Tift Co. -6

Buford vs. North Hall -9

Burke Co. vs. Wayne Co. -25

Butler vs. Hephzibah -18

Cairo vs. Dougherty -35

Calhoun at …

Continue reading Maxwell Ratings: Projected margin of victories for Week 12 games »

This is what the first round of the state playoffs would look like, based on our updated projections of the final region standings. The fields for the Class A public- and private-school playoffs will be determined by the power rankings.

Class AAAAAA

(R3 #4) Tri-Cities at (R2 #1) Lovejoy

(R4 #3) Marietta at (R1 #2) Lowndes

(R5 #4) Woodstock at (R8 #1) Parkview

(R6 #3) Alpharetta at (R7 #2) North Gwinnett

(R2 #4) Rockdale County at (R3 #1) Hughes

(R1 #3) Valdosta at (R4 #2) North Cobb

(R8 #4) Brookwood at (R5 #1) Lassiter

(R7 #3) Mill Creek at (R6 #2) Johns Creek

(R4 #4) Hillgrove at (R1 #1) Camden County

(R3 #3) East Coweta at (R2 #2) Newton

(R6 #4) Chattahoochee at (R7 #1) Norcross

(R5 #3) Milton at (R8 #2) Grayson

(R1 #4) Colquitt County at (R4 #1) McEachern

(R2 #3) Alcovy at (R3 #2) Newnan

(R7 #4) Collins Hill at (R6 #1) West Forsyth

(R8 #3) South Gwinnett at (R5 #2) Walton

Class AAAAA

(R3 #4) Glynn Academy at (R2 #1) Northside-Warner Robins

(R4 #3) Creekside at (R1 #2) …

Continue reading Projecting the playoff field: Week 12 »