Here’s a recap of the big stories in Class AAAAA from Week 1:
*Northside saves itself: Defending champion and No. 1-ranked Northside of Warner Robins scored two touchdowns in the game's final five minutes to escape with a 27-24 victory over Class AAAAAA North Cobb. Isaiah Nelson returned an interception 65 yards for a touchdown with 4:50 to bring the Eagles within 24-19, and Tobias Oliver threw a 20-yard TD pass to Treyvon Willis with 21.7 seconds remaining for the victory. Oliver was 11-for-22 passing for 123 yards and two touchdowns, and Willis had seven receptions for 82 yards. Desean Dinkins rushed for 93 yards on 16 carries for the Eagles, who beat North Cobb 38-20 in 2014.
*East Paulding is back: East Paulding reached the playoffs seven times in eight seasons before slumping to a 4-6 finish in 2015. Former Irwin County and Cook coach Jon Lindsey was hired to replace Chuck Goddard, and he has already made an impression as the Raiders won their opener 17-10 against Allatoona, the defending region champion which came in ranked No. 7. East Paulding plays a non-region game against North Paulding this week and has a bye on Sept. 4. Then the Raiders will face another big test against South Paulding, which went 8-3 and was second in the region last season.
*Mays' momentum carries over: Mays has been one of the state's most consistent teams over the past decade or so, winning at least seven games 10 times in the past 12 carries. But the Raiders have never had the success they had last year, when they won a school-record 12 games and reached the state championship game for the first time in program history. Mays got off to a good start again this year, beating Hughes 36-26 at the APS Classic to avenge one of its three losses last season, a 27-7 setback to a team that reached the second round of the Class AAAAAA playoffs.
*Kell loves the Corky Kell: For the fourth consecutive season, and fifth time in six years, the Kell Longhorns opened the season with a victory in the Corky Kell Classic. Preseason all-state LB/WR Bryson Armstrong returned two punts (64 and 66 yards) and a fumble (29 yards) for touchdowns, and he forced another fumble on a sack in a 35-0 win over Carrollton. Kell, which has won 28 consecutive regular-season games, will be at home Friday against Lassiter, which ended a long losing streak with an upset of Hillgrove 24-17.
*Carver loves openers: Carver of Columbus scored on a 72-yard pass from Jawon Pass to Kameron McFolley with 1:24 remaining to beat Carver of Atlanta 28-24 at the Atlanta Public Schools Football Classic at Lakewood Stadium. The victory was Carver's 17th consecutive in season-opening games, the ninth-longest such streak in state history. Northside has won 19 straight openers, the longest current streak. Mary Persons holds the state record with 30 from 1972 to 2001. Carver plays Spencer this week.
