State scores: Ealey breaks state record in ECI win

Twin City — Emanuel County Institute running back Washaun Ealey broke the state record for career touchdowns Friday night with a 1-yard run in the third quarter during ECI’s 35-12 victory against Johnson County.

The touchdown, Ealey’s second of the game, gave the senior 112 for his career. He moved to No. 113 in the fourth quarter on a 37-yard run.

Ealey, the AJC’s player of the year last season and a 2008 Super 11 selection who has committed to Georgia, scored ECI’s first touchdown on a 3-yard run in the first quarter. ECI, ranked No. 1 in Class A, moved to 7-0. Johnson County dropped to 7-1.

— Todd Holcomb

• Rome 24, Northwest Whitfield 6: The fireworks happened early as the No. 6-ranked Wolves won the showdown for the lead in Region 7-AAAA, Div. A. P.J. Green, Rome’s bruising 5-foot-9, 235-pound fullback, ran for a 50-yard touchdown on the second play from scrimmage and added a 2-yard scoring run after an interception for a 14-0 lead late in the first quarter.

Northwest Whitfield (5-2, 3-1) rallied behind quarterback Dean Haynes, who scored from 14 yards with 7:48 left before halftime. Rome (7-1, 5-0) countered with a 36-yard field goal to lead 17-6 at intermission.

The speedy Rome defense shut down the Bruins in the second half, and Green scored again on a 3-yard run with 3:03 left.

• Lincoln County 14, Washington-Wilkes 6: A.G. Middlebrooks ran for a 55-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter as the No. 6-ranked Red Devils (6-1) prevailed. Middlebrooks also scored from the 3. Lincoln County edged ahead in the heated rivalry that had stood at 32-32-6 entering the game.

• Athens Academy 38, Athens Christian 6: Will Daniel completed only four of six passes, but three of them went for scores, including 52- and 33-yarders to McKay Matthews. James Colquitt added 143 yards rushing for the No. 4-ranked Spartans (7-0).

• Appling County 53, Brantley County 14 : Javon James rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns, and Kedrick Stearman added a rushing score as the No. 3-ranked Pirates (7-0) dominated their Region 2-AA rival.

• Brooks County 40, Berrien County 14: Martez Christopher ran for 225 yards on 10 carries in the first half as the Trojans (6-1) rolled to the victory.

• Brookstone 19, Marion County 14: John Spencer provided the winning margin on a 3-yard run early in the fourth quarter. Milton McCluskey added 130 yards rushing, including a 56-yard touchdown run, as the No. 7-ranked Cougars (7-0) survived a Region 4-A scare. Marion County fell to 6-1.

• Camden 78, Johnson-Savannah 6: Greg Baker rushed for three touchdowns, and Danny Valdez and Andre Johnson had two each to pace the No. 2-ranked Wildcats (7-0).

• Carver-Columbus 32, Shaw 6: Isaiah Crowell ran for 53- and 39-yard touchdowns, and Jarkuis Morgan had a 44-yard scoring run for the Tigers (5-2).

• Claxton 34, Bryan County 8: JaMalcolm Morgan rushed for 246 yards and three touchdowns, and teammate Aurice Brown added 136 yards and two scores as the Tigers improved to 5-2.

• Fitzgerald 21, Early County 6: Trenton Pruitt caught a 9-yard scoring pass from Brad Taylor and added a 34-yard rushing touchdown for the No. 2-ranked Purple Hurricane (7-0). Early (0-7) stayed winless.

• Lafayette 28, Ringgold 26: Josh Morgan threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Justin Gilbreath with four minutes left to lead the Ramblers (5-2).

• LaGrange 47, Northside-Columbus 14: Darren Harrison led the rout by taking the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. The No. 7-ranked Grangers improved to 7-0.

• North Oconee 16, Dawson County 7: Brandon Whitlock returned a kickoff 95 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown, and James Pinkerton kicked field goals of 37, 35 and 26 yards to pace the Titans (5-1).

• Peach County 42, Westover 0: LeBrandon Johnson and Travis Richmond both scored two touchdowns for the 10th-ranked Trojans (5-2).

• Pepperell 48, Rockmart 14: Brandon Whitaker rushed for three touchdowns and caught a 30-yard pass from Jonathan Waters for another to lead the Dragons (7-0).

• Statesboro 24, Ware County 7: The No. 4-ranked Blue Devils improved to 8-0 behind Lamar Stimage, who rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns.

• Thomas County Central 20, Harris County 19: Taylor Payne passed for 185 yards and two touchdowns, and Shaun Bryant rushed for 142 yards and scored twice for the No. 6-ranked Yellow Jackets (6-1). A fourth-quarter interception by Chris Shiver clinched the victory. The Yellow Jackets held Harris County (3-4) to 126 yards of total offense.

• Warner Robins 24, Houston County 7: Dominique Primus rushed for 114 yards and a touchdown to lead the Demons (4-3).

• Washington County 51, West Laurens 0: Keith Swint ran for 165 yards and three touchdowns — all in the first half — as the No. 4-ranked Golden Hawks (7-0) coasted at home.

— Compiled by Tom Barry