Two-time defending state champion Blessed Trinity will get a chance to avenge its 13-10 loss to undefeated Woodward Academy in the regular season this upcoming Friday in the semifinals, while Oconee County takes on the red-hot Sandy Creek Patriots, Class AAAA’s highest scoring team. Here’s a look back at how the quarterfinals played out.
Sandy Creek 41, Madison County 7
The Sandy Creek Patriots are advancing to the semifinals after a dominating win over the visiting Madison County Red Raiders. Sandy Creek held a 14-0 lead after the first thanks to touchdown passes from Matthew Williams to Dealo Parson and Ahmad Jackson. Rashad Amos ran it to the end zone in the second quarter for his 51st rushing touchdown, setting the record for most career rushing touchdowns in program history. Williams threw his third touchdown pass of the night to Miles Thornton for a 28-0 lead at the break. Sandy Creek lead 41-0 after the third with a touchdown apiece from Parson and Jackson, and Madison County scored its only touchdown of the night in the fourth quarter with Colby Smith’s completion to Martavian Cooper. Sandy Creek will play Oconee County next week.
Oconee County 17, Marist 7
Oconee County quarterback Max Johnson got the Warriors on the board with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Jake Johnson just 1:20 into the game, and the 7-0 lead held until Marist evened it up on a 51-yard touchdown pass from Connor Cigelsky to Chandler Heath with 4:35 left in the third quarter. Max connected with Jake for a 33-yard touchdown on a clutch 3rd-and-18 call with 10:10 left in the game to give Oconee County the lead. Kicker Ben Johnson connected on a field goal with 2:24 remaining to make it a two-possession game, and Liam Lewis cemented the victory with a game-clinching interception. Oconee County extended its winning streak to 11 games, and the Warriors will host Sandy Creek next Friday in the program’s first semifinal game since its 1999 state championship season.
Blessed Trinity 31, West Laurens 0
The Blessed Trinity Titans managed to shut out quarterfinals opponent West Laurens en route to a Class AAAA semifinals appearance. Senior Aaron Werkheiser gave the Titans their first points of the game with a 34-yard field goal in the first before a 15-yard rushing touchdown by Freshman Justice Haynes, and a pair of second-quarter rushing touchdowns from Elijah Green extended the Blessed Trinity lead to 24-0 at the half. Junior quarterback Duncan Reavis put the game away in the third when he found tight end James Bryant for a 45-yard score. The Titans will now face off against Woodward Academy in the semifinals.
Woodward Academy 31, Cartersville 28
Mike Wright passed for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to secure the Woodward comeback after the War Eagles trailed 14-0 after the first quarter and 21-7 at the break. Cartersville built its lead on a 65-yard pass from Dee Webb to Devonte Ross and a 10-yard touchdown run from Quante Jennings Jr. before Woodward got on the board with 3:29 left in the first half on a 53-yard touchdown pass from Wright to Jacorrei Turner. Cartersville responded with a 32-yard interception return by Amarai Orr before the break, and Wright’s 2-yard touchdown run with 8:04 in the third quarter made it a 21-14 game. Webb connected with Sam Phillips on a 32-yard touchdown pass with 6:38 left in the third quarter to put the Hurricanes up 28-14, but it was the last time the Cartersville offense found the end zone. James Mayfield, who was a perfect 3-for-3 on point-after attempts, kicked a 26-yard field goal with 3:20 left in the third quarter to get Woodward within two scores (28-17). Wright then found his brother, Alan, on a 13-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown pass and D.A. Allen for the go-ahead score with 1:01 left on the clock. Woodward is in the semifinals for the first time since 2015.
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