Round 2 recap

No. 8 Calvary Day (10-1) 52, No. 24 Holy Innocents' (6-6) 12:

The Cavaliers totally dominated the Bears, rolling up more than 500 yards en route to advancing to the state quarterfinals. RB Jalen Leary ran for 147 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries, and also caught a touchdown pass. QB Thomas Carver had 309 yards of total offense — 223 passing yards and a touchdown, completing 15 of 20 throws and rushing for 86 yards and a score. WR Grant Thomas caught seven passes for 136 yards. DE Sayyid Stevens recovered two fumbles, one a strip and return for a touchdown.

Next: No. 1 Athens Academy

No. 1 Athens Academy (11-0) 27, No. 16 Mount Vernon Presbyterian (8-4) 13: The Spartans shook off a slow start en route to a comfortable win over the Mustangs and a berth in the state quarterfinals for the second consecutive season. Athens Academy broke a 6-6 halftime time with touchdowns from Payton Bowles, Logan Payne and Len'Neth Whitehead, who finished with 112 yards rushing after gaining just seven in the first two quarters.
Next: No. 8 Calvary Day

Lower Left Bracket

No. 5 North Cobb Christian (10-1) 20, No. 21 Brookstone (7-5) 17:

The Eagles grabbed a big league early and hung on to advance to the state quarterfinals for the first time in the history of the program. North Cobb Christian jumped out to a 14-0 lead at the half, with Jake Watson scoring from 8 yards out on the Eagles' first possession of the game and Sharnard Banks running in from 6 yards out in the second quarter. Banks led all rushers with 104 yards on 11 carries. But North Cobb Christian then had to weather a surge by the Cougars, who made adjustments and held the Eagles out of the end zone in the second half while scoring 17 points of their own, including touchdowns on their final two drives of the game. After seeing its lead cut from 14-0 to 17-10, North Cobb Christian drained more than 7 minutes off the clock in the fourth quarter, and Trey Stephens nailed a 27-yard field goal for a 20-10 lead with 3:01 left in the game. Brookstone answered by scoring in less than 20 seconds on two plays, including a 42-yard touchdown pass from Ben Sloan to Chris Edmonds with 2:42 left in the game. Kollin Washington put the game away for North Cobb Christian with five straight rushes, including a key first down after Brookstone called its final timeout of the game. Next: No. 4 Prince Avenue Christian

No. 4 Prince Avenue Christian (11-1) 42, No. 13 Wesleyan (7-5) 27:

Sophomore QB Brock Vandagriff scored five touchdowns as the Wolverines held off Wesleyan (7-5) and moved on to the quarterfinals of the state playoffs for the fourth year in a row. Vandagriff scored on a 2-yard run with early in the second quarter, and PAC would score two more times before intermission – once on a 4-yard run by Mack Simmons and again on a 1-yard Vandagriff sneak with 1:15 remaining to make it 21-10 at the half. Wesleyan took over the third quarter, scoring 17 consecutive points, briefly taking a 27-21 lead before Vandagriff went back to work, scoring on a 16-yard run with 4:09 left in the third quarter, a 4-yard run with 2:04 left in the fourth quarter and a 6-yard run with 58 seconds left in the game. Next: No. 5 North Cobb Christian

Upper Right Bracket

No. 7 Fellowship Christian (10-1) 35, No. 23 Riverside Military (6-6) 28: 

The Paladins trailed 21-14 entering the fourth quarter but rallied to advance to Round 2. Riverside Military led 21-14 at the half and carried that lead into the final period before a shootout began. Senior QB Isaac Teasley, who put the Eagles on the board with a deep strike to Jashod Dabney in the first period, put Riverside Military ahead 28-21 with 4:51 to play on a 55-yard touchdown pass to Harrison Nash. But Fellowship Christian's Cameron Gill had touchdown receptions of 91 and 55 yards on back-to-back drives inside the final five minutes of regulation to give the Paladins the win. Teasley threw for 191 yards and two touchdowns and added another score on the ground, but the No. 23-seeded Eagles (6-6) ultimately fell short of a first-ever GHSA quarterfinal appearance with a 35-28 loss to No. 7 seed Fellowship Christian on Friday night in Roswell. Next: No. 2 Savannah Christian

No. 2 Savannah Christian (10-1) 14, No. 18 Hebron Christian 7 (6-6) 7:

RB/DB Jordan Grant intercepted a pass and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown to provide the winning edge for the Raiders. Sophomore QB Spencer Robicheaux completed 13 of 20 passes for 190 yards and engineered drives that bled the clock and helped preserve the win for the Pirates. Next: No. 7 Fellowship Christian

Lower Right Bracket

No. 6 Darlington (9-2) 28, No. 11 Aquinas (9-3) 12:

Tigers forced two lost fumbles and intercepted Irish quarterback J.P. Lambert three times in the second half to move on to the second round of the Class A Private state playoffs. Kolin Rogers finished with 145 yards and three touchdowns for the Tigers, who are making back-to-back trips to the state quarterfinals. Next: No. 3 Eagle's Landing Christian

No. 3 Eagle's Landing Christian (10-1) 48, No. 14 Trinity Christian (8-4) 14: Scoring three times in the first 13 minutes, ELCA quickly jumped out to a commanding 21-0 lead en route to a 48-14 victory. Keaton Mitchell ran for five touchdowns for ELCA in the second round playoff game which was played at Lakewood Stadium in Atlanta due to field conditions at the Chargers' home field in McDonough. The Lions were limited to just one offensive touchdown, scoring the other on a 40-yard interception return to get on the scoreboard with 1:13 left in the first half. Next: No. 6 Darlington

PUBLIC

Upper Left Bracket 

No. 9 Commerce (10-2) 35, No. 8 Mitchell County (8-3) 33:

The Tigers built a 21-7 halftime lead, but had to hold on tight at the end, denying Mitchell County's two-point conversion attempt late in the fourth quarter. Nate Ray threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Dorsey in the first quarter and rushed 2 yards for another score in the second quarter, while Sam Roach scored on a 2-yard run in the second quarter as well. Caleb Mason scored on a 10-yard run in the third quarter and Roach closed out the Tigers' scoring with a 2-yard run in the fourth quarter. Mitchell County scored 19 unanswered points in the final period to pull to within two. Roach led the Tigers with 91 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. Mason had 86 yards and one touchdown on 10 attempts and Ray had 30 yards in 10 rushes. Next: No. 1 Irwin County

No. 1 Irwin County (11-0) 41, No. 16 Miller County (7-4) 0:

Next: No. 9 Commerce

Lower Left Bracket

No. 6 Greene County (9-2) 37, No. 12 Chattahoochee County (8-4) 22:

Next: No. 4 Pelham

No. 4 Pelham (11-0) 40, No. 13 Emanuel County Institute (7-5) 36: 

Darrell Starling's 68-yard touchdown run late in the game helped the Hornets turn back ECI and move into the quarterfinals.  Next: No. 6 Greene County

Upper Right Bracket

No. 7 Schley County (9-2) 40, No. 10 Trion (8-4) 13:

Next: No. 2 Marion County

No. 2 Marion County (11-0) 48, No. 18 Montgomery County (8-4) 21:

The Eagles outscored Montgomery County 27-0 in the second half to move into the quarterfinals. Tied 21-21 at halftime, Marion County controlled the second half. Junior QB Trice McCannon accounted for four touchdowns. He rushed for 223 yards and three scores on 18 carries, and he completed 4 of 7 passes for 138 yards and another score with no interceptions. Senior RB Travon Mathews rushed for 140 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries. Senior WR Akem Slaughter had two catches for 34 yards and one touchdown. Senior WR/DB Josh Rodgers added one catch for 51 yards and an interception. Marion rushed for 462 yards on 30 carries, part of 600 yards in total offense. The leading tackler was senior LB Phillip Dixon with eight. Junior DE Fred Alridge had seven tackles and one sack. Next: No. 7 Schley County

Lower Right Bracket

No. 6 Clinch County (10-1) 38, No. 11 Charlton County (8-4) 14:

Next: No. 3 Mount Zion-Carroll

No. 3 Mount Zion-Carroll (10-1) 21, No. 14 Dooly County (7-5) 0:

Next: No. 6 Clinch County