There weren’t many surprises in the first round in Class AAAAAAA, but 92-61 isn’t a score you see often. [See scoring summary below.]
That was the final tally of Lowndes’ victory over Hillgrove in Class AAAAAAA on Friday night. It was the highest-scoring game in state history. Consider that 50 years ago, Lowndes scored only 78 points in its entire first varsity season of 1966.
The total yards weren’t ridiculous – Lowndes led 596-582, according to Lowndes’ scorebook – but Hillgrove quarterback Hunter Arters had a night. He was 37-of-66 passing for 503 yards and seven touchdowns. But he threw six interceptions, two run back for scores in the fourth quarter to put the final score in the stratosphere.
Lowndes quarterback Michael Barrett had a stellar night, too. He passed for 240 yards and rushed for 188 and had a hand in seven touchdowns.
‘’We’ve got an explosive offensive,’’ Barrett told the Valdosta Daily Times. “You never know when we’re going to pop.’’
The previous highest-scoring game was Douglas A&M’s 144-0 victory over Ocilla in 1922. This marked the sixth time that two teams scored 60 or more points in the same game, the first since Pierce County beat Jenkins 64-62 last season.
The only road teams to win in the first round were Woodstock at East Coweta and Pakrivew at South Forsyth.
After trailing by 27, Woodstock won 35-34. Garrett Bass threw for 356 yards, but it was a 47-yard halfback pass from Louis Hall to Noah Frith that was the winning touchdown with 2:19 left.
Parkview came from 14-0 down to beat South Forsyth 30-27. Caleb Mitchell threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Askew with 4:54 left.
Two other tight games worth noting.
Westlake’s James Miller kicked a 22-yard field goal with 3 seconds left in a 24-23 victory over Etowah.
Brookwood won a shootout with West Forsyth, prevailing 45-42 after running out the final 6:16 with a drive to the West Forsyth 6-yard line.
Highest-scoring game in Georgia high school football history:
First
L – Michael Barrett 50 run (Colton Broom kick), 11:41 [7-0]
H – Jonathan Elder 27 pass from Hunter Arters (Jason Pierce kick), 9:34 [7-7]
L – J.D. Lee 2 run (run failed), 6:30 [13-7]
L – Barrett 9 run (pass good), 5:25 [21-7]
H – Chigoziem Okonkwo 61 pass from Arters (Pierce kick), 4:44 [21-14]
L – Tyson Harris 18 pass from Barrett (Broome kick), 2:21 [28-14]
H – Deonta Coker 3 pass from Arters (Pierce kick), 0:27 [28-21]
Second
H – Arters 2 run (kick failed), 10:04 [28-27]
L – Travis Tisdale 68 run (Broome kick), 9:00 [35-27]
L – Tisdale 1 run (Broome kick), 6:41 [42-27]
L – Harris 24 pass from Barrett (run good), 6:19 [50-27]
L – Barrett 23 run (run failed), 4:09 [56-27]
H – Cameron Connally 16 pass from Arters (kick failed), 0:45 [56-33]
Third
H – Jaylen McCollough 2 run (Luis Garcia-Cano kick), 9:56 [56-40]
H – Okonkwo 23 pass from Arters (Garcia-Cano kick), 8:33 [56-47]
H – Okonkwo 8 pass from Arters (Garcia-Cano kick), 3:56 [56-54]
L – Tayvonn Kyle 42 pass from Barrett (Broome kick), 0:30 [63-54]
Fourth
L – Harris 59 pass from Barrett (Broome kick), 9:27 [70-54]
H – Connally 16 pass from Arters (Garcia-Cano good), 8:08 [70-61]
L – Tisdale 48 run (Broome kick), 6:59 [77-61]
L – Jaharie Boone 67 interception return, 6:32 (run good) [85-61]
L – Harris 34 interception return (Broome kick), 6:13 [92-61]
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