In Region 1, Carver-Columbus outscored Harris County 13-6 in the second half to give Corey Joyner a 20-16 victory in his head coaching debut. … Columbus quarterback Donovan Carter led the Blue Devils to a 42-6 win over Spencer and had a big performance, completing 18-of-21 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns and also rushing for a score. … Shaw matched its win total from last season with a sound 48-0 victory over Kendrick. … Reigning Region 1 champion Americus-Sumter fell short 17-14 in double overtime to Crisp County to open the season. Panthers quarterback K.J. Harvey completed 19-of-32 passes for 206 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. … Thomasville stunned Cairo on Friday, overcoming a 14-0 deficit and clinching a 15-14 victory with a game-winning two-point conversion. … First-year Westover head coach Olten Downs and the visiting Patriots fell short 14-10 to Cook.
Region 2
Mary Persons cruised to a 42-0 win over Gainesville. Senior quarterback J.T. Hartage completed all five of his pass attempts for 108 yards, and the offense raked up 237 rushing yards off just 15 carries (15.8 yards per carry). Senior running back Quen Wilson found the end zone three times and compiled 133 yards off just five carries. … Perry held Houston County to just three points in the final three quarters and scored a 23-17 road victory over the Bears. … West Laurens junior AJ Mathis threw three of the Raiders’ four touchdown passes and the ground game accounted for four more touchdowns and 200 yards in a 56-0 blowout over East Laurens to open the season. … Paul Carroll’s head coaching debut at Howard ended in a hard-fought 34-28 loss to a solid Jones County team in the first-ever meeting between the programs. … Spalding was outscored 19-0 in the second half of its 19-13 loss to rival Griffin. … Upson-Lee surrendered 301 rushing yards and 120 passing yards off just five completions in a 31-0 loss to Veterans.
Region 3
Cross Creek sophomore Donald Cone Jr. posted 109 rushing yards off of 18 carries and ran in two touchdowns in the Razorbacks’ 41-8 win over Josey. … Richmond Academy cruised past former Class AAAA opponent Hephzibah 45-20. … Baldwin took a 7-0 lead into the half, but fell short 19-7 to Washington County, a difficult start to the Braves’ challenging non-region tour. … Burke County rushed for 404 yards, but fell short 23-22 to Benedictine. … Thomson quarterback Damekus Taylor completed 12-of-20 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown and rushed 28 times for 150 yards and two scores, but the Bulldogs came up short 32-24 to out of state North Augusta, SC.
Region 4
Druid Hills and first-year head coach Rosaria Rice matched last season’s win total by scoring a 28-9 win over Clarkston this Friday. … Eastside junior quarterback Noah Cook completed 21-of-28 passes (75 percent) for 255 yards and two touchdowns, while accounting for 103 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground. The Eagles totaled 572 yards of offense and cruised past Ola 42-17. … Hampton, a young program that is new to Class AAAA and has never registered more than one victory in a season, opened the year with a 15-7 win at Fayette County. … Salem opened the season with a 22-16 win over rival Heritage-Conyers. … Cap Burnette’s North Clayton Eagles got shutout at home 39-0 against Riverdale. … Woodward Academy’s defense got gashed by Westminster and surrendered 48 points in the final three quarters before dropping a 56-31 loss.
Region 5
Cartersville was all business in a 35-0 blowout win over Allatoona. The Purple Hurricanes exploded for 28 points in the second quarter, and iced the game with a fourth quarter touchdown. …Central-Carroll racked up 273 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in a 21-20 overtime win against South Atlanta. … Chapel Hill used a 31-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to secure a 10-7 win over Newnan. …Cedartown’s season got off to a disappointing start, falling 20-14 to rival Rockmart and marking its first loss to the Yellow Jackets in eight meetings. … LaGrange nearly came away with a victory in Chuck Gibbs head coaching debut, but fell short 10-3; senior linebacker Dexter Fitzpatrick led the Grangers with 28 total tackles (12 solo, 16 assist) during the defensive struggle.
Region 6
Senior Jeffrey Curtis had a monster game with 174 rushing yards off 22 carries and a trio of touchdowns as the Heritage-Catoosa Generals defeated Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe 41-27. … LaFayette’s first-year head coach Paul Ellis led the Ramblers to a 28-25 victory over Model. … Northwest Whitfield quarterback Ty Fisher completed 15-of-17 passes for 290 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Bruins past Coahulla Creek 34-6. … Pickens led 28-0 after the first quarter and cruised past Stone Mountain 44-6. … Gilmer fell 28-0 to Fannin County, the program’s 22nd straight loss. …. Ridgeland went into the half tied 14-14, but gave up 31 points to Calhoun in the third quarter and lost 45-21. …. Southeast Whitfield got outscored 16-7 in the final quarter and lost 31-22 to Woodland-Stockbridge
Region 7
Blessed Trinity took a 35-7 lead into the fourth quarter and defeated St. Pius 35-13. Jake Smith completed 15-of-20 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown, while Steele Chambers (2), Smith and EIlijah Green accounted for the team’s four rushing touchdowns. … Class AAAA newcomer Flowery Branch made a strong first impression, dominating East Hall 70-6. … Chestatee was trailing 49-0 at the half and got blown out by North Hall 63-7. … West Hall trailed 28-7 entering the fourth quarter and fell 35-19 to Class A’s Commerce.
Region 8
North Oconee matched its win total from last season with a 58-21 win over Putnam County. … Oconee County limited former Class AAAA rival Jefferson to just 89 rushing yards in an impressive 20-13 victory. … Former Ridgeland head coach Wesley Tankersley and a 218 yard rushing effort by the Indians led Stephens County to a 13-3 win over Franklin County. … Madison County held Cedar Shoals to just 37 passing yards and intercepted Kiyonnice Smith two times, but its own offensive miscues resulted in a 23-3 loss. … St. Pius was toppled by the defending state champs 35-13, extending the Golden Lions’ non-region losing streak to 15 games.
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