Metro high school football roundup

By Staff Reports

For the AJC

Lassiter 62, North Forsyth 37: Hutson Mason started slowly, but still threw for 443 yards and seven touchdowns for Lassiter in a 62-37 win over North Forsyth in the first round of the Class AAAAA playoffs.

On Lassiter’s first two possessions, Mason threw six incompletions and one interception, and was sacked once.

Trailing 14-0 midway through the first quarter, however, Mason completed nine of his next 11 throws for 212 yards and three touchdowns and the Trojans were on their way. Lassiter led 42-14 by halftime. Mason completed 20 of 32 passes for the game.

ADAM LAZARUS

Peachtree Ridge 14, Kell 7: Brandon Stanley scored two touchdowns in the final 3:13 as Peachtree Ridge overcame mistakes to beat Kell in the first round of the Class AAAAA playoffs.

Stanley, who had 120 yards on 24 carries, scored on runs of 12 and 5 yards as the Lions averted the upset. Peachtree Ridge lost three fumbles, including one which Kell turned into a 7-0 lead on a 5-yard run by Kyle Morris. Peachtree Ridge also fumbled on a fourth-and-goal situation earlier in the fourth period. After Stanley’s first touchdown to tie the game, Kell fumbled the ensuing kickoff at its own 33, setting up Peachtree Ridge’s winning drive.

ERIC BRUCE

North Gwinnett 52, Centennial 21: Cordero Dixon ran the opening kickoff back 98 yards for a touchdown, then North Gwinnett reeled off 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to put away a gritty Centennial team in the first round of the AAAAA playoffs.

Raahmil Brantley ran for two first-half scores and Alex Forrester returned a blocked punt 25 yards for a touchdown as the Bulldogs (11-0) rolled to a 28-7 halftime lead, but Centennial (5-6) got third-quarter touchdown runs from Zietriek Smith and Scott Laffler.

STEVE SHELNUTT

Newnan 28, Valdosta 9: Lyndell Arnold threw two touchdown passes and scored on a quarterback sneak as Newnan defeated Valdosta in a Class AAAAA first-rounder. Valdosta took a 9-7 lead after two quarters on Zach Wang’s 40-yard field goal in the final seconds of the first half. The game turned on a bad snap to Valdosta’s punter, giving Newnan the ball at the Valdosta 2-yard line. Arnold scored from the 1 on third down for a 14-9 lead.

Arnold’s 19-yard pass to Jamal Ransby made it 21-9 late in the third quarter. Nick Hill clinched it with his 53-yard run for the final margin with 4:44 left. Arnold also threw an 8-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter to Xander Ogletree. Valdosta’s Malcolm Mitchell returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown.

TODD HOLCOMB

Stephenson 44, Bradwell Institute 0: Stephenson (11-0) continued its season of defensive dominance and Bradwell Institute had no answer for Jaguars’ running back Raymond Sanders in the first round of the AAAAA playoffs at Hallford Stadium.

Stephenson’s defense allowed 108 yards for the game but only 28 in the first half. Sanders sat out the second half after 11 carries for 172 yards and two rushing touchdowns in the first half. Stephenson’s Nathan Benford returned the second-half opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown as well.

BAILEY WEBB

Colquitt County 10, Westlake 0: Defensive pressure was the theme of the night in Colquitt County’s 10-point win in the opening round of the Class AAAAA playoffs. Westlake crossed midfield once in the second half and failed to convert on a critical fourth-and-9 from the Packers’ 30 with five minutes remaining in the game. Colquitt County’s Tevin King rushed 12 times for 141 yards.

RORY SHARROCK

St. Pius 34, Franklin Co. 0: A potent ground attack led by George Kennedy and a suffocating defense helped fourth-ranked St. Pius (11-0) cruise to an easy victory over Franklin County (5-6) in a Class AAA first-rounder.

Kennedy rushed for a game-high 100 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries, his first touchdown coming on a 54-yard run with 2:21 remaining in the first quarter to push St. Pius out to an early 14-0 advantage. Stephen Wendel, Cole Moon and Cleve Kellogg added touchdowns for St. Pius. The Golden Lions’ defense held Franklin County to 130 yards of total offense.

MICHAEL PADEN

Buford 24, Pepperell 0: Buford began its quest for a third straight Class AA championship in familiar fashion as Jessel Curry rushed for 124 yards and two touchdowns in the Wolves’ win over Pepperell.

Following David Petroni’s 26-yard field goal on the first Buford drive, Curry sped off the left side and ran 49 yards for his first touchdown and a 10-0 Wolves lead late in the first quarter. Pepperell threatened late in the second quarter, but Buford linebacker Nathan Staub stuffed Pepperell’s Janier Ferguson on fourth down at the 1-yard line to preserve the Wolves advantage at the half.

Pepperell threatened again late in the third quarter, but Buford’s Eric Barr intercepted Kyle Shiflett’s pass at the goal line.

DAVID BROCK

Holy Innocents’ 34, Social Circle 7: Senior running back Wills Aitkens had 202 all-purpose yards and scored three touchdowns to propel the Golden Bears to their first-ever home postseason win in the first round of the Class A playoffs.

Aitkens’ touchdown runs covered 5 and 45 yards in the first half and he added a 35-yard punt return in the second half as Holy Innocents’ (10-1) pulled away from a seven-point halftime lead. Aitkens finished with 138 rushing yards on 11 carries.

Jeremy Wyatt kept things close for the Redskins (4-7) in the first half by returning an interception 56 yards, leading up to his 1-yard touchdown run.

DAVE PAUL