Here’s a quick recap of what went down Friday night, and a peek ahead to next week.
ELCA nearly pulls off a stunner
No. 1 Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy (1-1) nearly registered the upset of the night but the Chargers allowed too many big plays in a 28-21 loss to Class AAAAA No. 3 Stockbridge (2-0) – a team that last week beat the No. 2 team from Alabama’s largest classification, Central of Phenix City. All four of Stockbridge’s touchdowns were from longer than 40 yards, including a 77-yard pick-six by safety Jajuan Jackson on a throw-back pass play intended for ELCA quarterback DJ Hammond. While ELCA is well beyond being prideful about moral victories, the Chargers represented Class A football extremely well. They rolled up 258 yards rushing (junior Trevor Gear had 107 yards on 26 carries, sophomore Josh Mays had 84 yards on 16 carries, and Hammond had 57 on 13) on a defense that featured one of the state’s top linemen in end Charles Wiley. ELCA senior offensive tackle Chandler Reeves, who is committed to Clemson, had this to say afterward: “No one should ever underestimate Class A. We have the same athletes as everybody else. Our schools are just smaller. We can play with anyone.”
Defending champ Hawkinsville loses opener
The Red Devils, ranked No. 9 in the preseason, lost their opener Friday on the road at neighboring Class AA Bleckley County, 13-0. Hawkinsville won last season’s contest 41-7, en route to winning the public school title. Bleckley (1-1), which had won three straight over Hawkinsville prior to last season in the rivalry that dates back to 1977, was blown out by Dodge County (42-7) in its opener last week.
No. 7 PAC blows out No. 6 Aquinas in Augusta
Prince Avenue (1-0) scored a total of 35 points – 28 unanswered – in the second quarter and went on to stun Aquinas 42-12 in front of the Irish's home fans. It was the second loss in the last three home games for Aquinas, after falling to Mt. Paran Christian (34-14), the eventual private school champions, in last season's semifinals. PAC forced three Aquinas turnovers, including a fumble that was returned for a touchdown by Zach Ragel. The 30-point loss was the largest suffered by Aquinas since a 49-6 blowout at the hands of Lincoln County on Oct. 22, 2010, according to the Augusta Chronicle.
Smothers stars in No. 2 Marion’s opener
Lorenzo Smothers, a strong candidate amongst a crowded field this year for Class A Player of the Year, scored three touchdowns on just six touches – five carries and a kickoff return – to lead No. 2 Marion County to a 40-6 win over Miller County in the season opener for both teams. Smothers, a senior, scored on a 34-yard run in the first quarter, a 42-yard run in the second and a 68-yard kickoff return in the third.
No. 8 MPC christens new stadium with blow out win
Mt. Paran Christian (2-0) got another huge effort from Taylor Trammell, as the Eagles opened their new stadium with a 35-0 whitewashing of Whitefield Academy (0-1). Trammell, a senior who has committed to Georgia Tech for baseball, ran for 176 yards on 20 carries and scored four touchdowns in the win at MPC’s new home, the recently completed Catherine Steele Sewell Stadium in Kennesaw. In last week’s 42-35 win over Erwin of Asheville, N.C., Taylor ran for 212 yards on 33 carries and scored five touchdowns.
On tap for next week
Landmark Christian (2-0) at Pace Academy (2-0). This matchup of former region foes has big implications for both teams. For Pace, ranked No. 5 in Class AA prior to Friday's 34-3 win over Class A Our Lady of Mercy, it is a chance to further validate the Knights' highest ranking in school history. For Landmark, ranked No. 3 in Class A, a win could give the War Eagles a huge boost in the Class A power ratings, used to determine playoff teams in the state's smallest classification. The ratings take into account wins and losses of opponents, as well as their classification. Landmark has won five of the six meetings between the two schools, including a 27-21 decision last season.
Fitzgerald (1-0) at Irwin County (1-0-1). One of the state's oldest rivalries features two of its best teams. Fitzgerald advanced to the Class AA semifinals last season while Irwin County, ranked No. 4 prior to Friday's 32-14 win over Class AA Berrien County, played for the Class A public school title in 2014. The schools are located just 13 miles from each other along Highway 129, near Tifton, and have played every year since 1954. Fitzgerald leads the series 41-17-3, with the last Irwin victory coming in 1999.
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