State roundup: Lowndes, Northside-WR win

The stage is set, the waiting almost over, for one of the most anticipated games in Georgia high school football history.

Two lengthy winning streaks will be on the line next Friday when Lowndes (5-0) hosts Northside-Warner Robins (5-0) in a midseason clash of Class AAAAA powers.

The Vikings, winners of three of the last four Class AAAAA titles, are ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 2 in the nation. Northside is ranked No. 3 in Class AAAAA after winning the last two AAAA championships.

Both teams warmed up Friday night for the Region 1-AAAAA showdown in dominating - that is, familiar - fashion.

Northside (5-0) extended its winning streak to 35 games with a 31-0 road victory against Houston County (3-2). Xavier Brown led the way with 82 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Joe Scott completed 10 of 18 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown.

Lowndes won its 19th straight by beating host Tift County 28-14, as Greg Reid rushed for 194 yards - including a 99-yarder - and three touchdowns on only eight carries. Reid also returned a fumble 102 yards for a score. The Vikings have outscored their opponents 194 to 21 this season.

• Westside-Macon 30, Bainbridge 6: Julian Burnett scored on a 2-yard run and returned an interception 64 yards for another touchdown. Other Westside scores came on a 67-yard pass from Orrin McFadden to Danny Madison and a 27-yard run by Marcus Wilson. Robert Brown had 102 yards on 16 carries. The Seminoles (5-0) are ranked No. 2 in Class AAAA.

• Athens Academy 42, Prince Avenue 13: Will Daniel completed 13 of 20 passes for 246 yards and six touchdowns as the Spartans improved to 4-0. Landon Heath caught scoring passes of 20, 18, 13 and 9 yards. Also catching touchdown passes were McKay Matthews (65 yards) and Wright Shamp (34 yards).

• Cairo 21, Monroe-Albany 0: Reginald Bryant ran for 121 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown run, to lead the top-ranked Syrupmakers (5-0).

• Camden County 69, Windsor Forest 7: The No. 2-ranked Wildcats (4-0) led 49-0 at halftime over the winless Knights. Greg Baker rushed for three touchdowns. Michael Green blocked a field goal and had two interceptions, returning one of them 70 yards for a touchdown.

• Carrollton 58, Heritage-Catoosa 0: A.J. Bards passed for two touchdowns and rushed for two more for the Trojans (4-1). Louis Hudson led the rushing attack with 80 yards and a touchdown. Carrollton is ranked No. 9 in Class AAA.

• Dalton 36, Woodland-Cartersville 14: Shaquon Moore ran for 164 yards and three touchdowns to lead the No. 4-ranked Catamounts (5-0). Stryker Brown completed 8 of 13 passes for 127 yards and a score.

• Dublin 41, Toombs County 6: The Irish (3-1) built a 28-0 halftime lead and coasted. Rashard Smith rushed for 84 yards and three touchdowns and was 5 for 7 passing for 110 yards and two scores. Michael Coffey had two receptions, including one for a touchdown.

• Emanuel County Institute 52, Jenkins County 6: Buck Moody’s 27-yard touchdown run and a 4-yard scoring run by Washaun Ealey staked top-ranked ECI (5-0) to an early 16-0 lead. Ealey ran for 130 yards and three scores.

• Flowery Branch 41, Johnson-Gainesville

7: Conner Shaw completed 8 of 12 passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns for the Falcons (4-1). Rod Frazier rushed for two scores.

• Gainesville 43, West Hall 0: The host Red Elephants

improved to 5-0 as Blake Sims completed 14 of 23 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns. Devon Pierce rushed for 111 yards.

• Jefferson County 13, Vidalia 6: Barry Bostic threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Daughtery with nine seconds left as the Warriors (5-0) stayed unbeaten. Jefferson got the ball with 1:20 left and drove 55 yards for the winning score. Bostic had tied the game earlier in the quarter on a 1-yard run. Vidalia (3-1) returned a fumble 60 yards for a first-quarter touchdown.

• LaGrange 33, Shaw 10: Jamius Gunsby threw touchdown passes of 53 and 13 yards for the Grangers (4-1). Rodney Tolbert threw one scoring pass and caught another.

• Lincoln County 35, Commerce 6: A.G. Middlebrooks caught a 36-yard touchdown pass and ran for another score to lead the Red Devils (4-1).

• North Oconee 12, Banks County 7: Sean Zorning rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown as the Titans improved to 4-1.

• Northwest Whitfield 35, Murray County 12: The Bruins set the tone early, taking the opening kickoff 81 yards in 10 plays for the score.

• Thomas County Central 49, Jones County 21: Curtis Brooks rushed for 217 yards and four touchdowns, the longest a 37-yarder.

Shawn Bryant added 89 yards and two scores as the Yellow Jackets (3-1) totaled 386 yards rushing.

• Washington County 42, Liberty County 0: Georgia Tech commitment Brandon Watts threw for one touchdown and ran for another to lead the Golden Hawks (5-0).

— Compiled by Tom Barry