For the first time this season, the top 10 teams in AA went undefeated on Friday night. It wasn't the most challenging schedule, with only two top-10 teams going against opponents with winning records, and there were a couple of close calls. Notably, No. 6 Lamar County scraped past Bleckley County 21-19 in the Region 4-AA opener for both teams. The Trojans needed a pair of interception returns for touchdowns to escape with the win. Some highlights here.
Big day for Abernathy
Hours after announcing his commitment to the University of Tennessee — likely to play defensive back — Greater Atlanta Christian's Micah Abernathy put on a show in the top-ranked Spartans' 37-7 win over Pace Academy. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound senior ran for 157 yards, including 124 in the first half, and returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown in the win.
Something’s brewing in the mountains
You won’t find either team in the top 10 — in fact, neither Rabun County or Union County have cracked the rankings since 1998, but one of the biggest games in AA next week will be played in farthest reaches of North Georgia as Region 8-AA frontrunner status is on the line.
The region hasn’t made much of an impact in the playoffs lately, but Union County (7-0) has AA’s highest scoring offense, and Rabun County (5-2) has improved each year under Lee Shaw, who led Flowery Branch to prominence before leaving for his alma mater after the 2011 season.
Both teams have cruised to 3-0 region records, with Union County defeating Greene County in its toughest test of the season on Friday, 42-27, while Rabun beat Oglethorpe County, 49-7.
Both teams have yet to face preseason favorite and defending champ Washington-Wilkes, but the Tigers continue to look vulnerable. A week after falling to Greene County 16-7, they barely got past Riverside Military Academy with a 13-10 win on Friday.
And in case you’re interested: Rabun County was last ranked when it finished the 1998 season at No. 6. Union County last appeared in the top 10 late in the 1985 season.
Wesleyan defense makes a stand
Wesleyan turned in one of the most surprising results of the week with a 17-0 win over B.E.S.T. Academy (3-4, 1-3 Region 6-AA). That the Wolves won wasn’t shocking. That they shut down one of the state’s top running backs was.
B.E.S.T. Academy's Deshawn Waller entered the game averaging 186 rushing yards per game and 9 yards per carry, but was limited to 39 yards on the ground by Wesleyan, which yielded only 58 yards of total offense, according to the Gwinnett Daily Post.
It was the second week in a row the Wolves (5-2, 3-1) held their opponent to fewer than 50 rushing yards, though that wasn’t enough to secure a win last week, as Wesleyan fell 12-9 to Hapeville Charter.
The win over fellow playoff contender B.E.S.T. does wonders for Wesleyan’s postseason chances, though, despite the fact that region games vs. No. 3 Lovett and No. 1 Greater Atlanta Christian remain.
The Wolves are off next week before hosting Lovett on Oct. 24.
Big-play duo from Benedictine strikes again
The connection of Benedictine quarterback Stevie Powers and receiver Brad Stewart continued to stake its claim as one of the most dangerous in AA in Friday's 42-0 win over Jeff Davis. Powers completed 14 of 20 for 341 yards and four touchdowns, with Stewart hauling in seven catches for 205 yards and two scores for the fourth-ranked Cadets, according to the Savannah Morning News. Unofficially, that puts Powers at 1,538 yards and 13 TDs, and Stewart at 34 catches for 687 yards and seven TDs.
The Cadets (5-1, 3-0) face their toughest test since a 24-21 heartbreaker against No. 1 Greater Atlanta Christian in the season opener next week, when they face No. 2 Vidalia (6-0, 3-0) in a game that will likely decide the Region 2-AA championship.
Vidalia has given up only 23 points all season and has posted four consecutive shutouts. Benedictine is averaging 45 points per game during its five-game winning streak.
Popcorn. Ready.
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How the Top Ten Fared
1. GAC (7-0) def. Pace Academy, 37-7
2. Vidalia (6-0) OFF
3. Lovett (5-2) def. Hapeville Charter, 48-6
4. Benedictine (5-1) def. Jeff Davis, 42-0
5. Brooks County (5-2) def. Seminole County 42-13
6. Lamar County (4-1-1) def. Bleckley County, 21-19
7. Thomasville (4-3) def. Pelham, 29-18
8. Fitzgerald (5-1) OFF
9. Darlington (6-1) def. Dade County, 23-0
10. Screven County (7-0) def. East Laurens, 28-21
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