Bainbridge was ranked No. 3 in Class AAAAA in preseason, and Bearcats RB Dameon Pierce, a 2,000-yard rusher in 2015, was viewed as the main offensive player-of-the-year candidate in the classification.
The two have been nearly forgotten amid Bainbridge's 1-4 start. Pierce missed the opener with an ankle injury and had only 373 yards rushing through four games.
But the Alabama-committed junior is obviously at full strength now. He had a career game with 331 yards rushing last week on a remarkable 51 attempts. Bainbridge still lost 36-34 to Rickards, the No. 6 team in Florida's Class 5A.
Bainbridge, a 13-1 semifinal team last season, might be worth keeping an eye on, though. The Bearcats' other losses are to Cairo (No. 5 in AAAA), Lee County (No. 3 in AAAAAA) and Dothan (a 2-5 team in Alabama's 6A).
Pierce's effort, the 19th 100-yard rushing game of his career, is among this week's Top Performances.
Top five
*Alexander RB Daetrich Harrington rushed for 203 yards on 23 carries and scored on runs of 71 and 55 yards in a 21-14 victory over then-No. 5 Northgate in a Region 5-AAAAAA game. Alexander is 6-0 for the first time in its 30-year history.
*Bainbridge RB Dameon Pierce rushed for 331 yards on 51 carries, both school records, in a 36-34 loss to Rickards of Tallahassee, Fla. Pierce scored four touchdowns.
*Coffee QB Max Hughes set a school record with 446 yards passing in a 56-22 victory over Warner Robins. Hughes completed 25 of 40 passes. He also rushed for 36 yards and a touchdown on two carries.
*Griffin QB Tylan Morton was 26-of-31 passing for 507 yards and seven touchdowns in a 52-49 loss to Starr's Mill.
*Lowndes QB Michael Barrett passed for 360 yards (12-of-15 with three touchdowns) and rushed for 117 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries in a 56-35 victory over Ware County.
Best of the rest
*Bremen RB/OLB Kyle Bailey rushed for 217 yards on 25 carries and had 14 tackles, five for losses, in a 28-21 loss to Sonoraville. Bailey also returned an interception 62 yards for a touchdown.
*Centennial QB Casen Conway was 20-of-28 passing for 356 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 46 yards in a 32-14 victory over Chattahoochee.
*Cherokee LB/ATH Jack Carroll had 11 tackles, one for a loss, and an interception in a 28-21 victory over Etowah. He threw a 41-yard touchdown, scored on a 7-yard run and averaged 41 yards on two punts.
*Coffee CB Jarquavious Jefferson intercepted three passes in a 56-22 victory over Warner Robins. Twin brother Marquavious Jefferson also intercepted a pass and ran it back for a touchdown. Jarquavious has six interceptions on the season. Marquavious has two.
*Cross Keys RB Kevin Ravenell rushed for 134 yards on 16 carries in a 21-16 victory over Pataula Charter. It was Cross Keys' first varsity win since Oct. 17, 2014.
*Dade County RB/LB Lee Spencer rushed for 193 yards and two touchdowns, caught two passes for 48 yards and a touchdown, had 12 tackles, three for losses, and broke up a pass in a 55-35 victory over Gordon Central.
*Dalton RB Ahmaad Tanner rushed for 216 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries in a 34-17 victory over Creekview.
*Dawson County LB Luke Martin was in on 25 tackles, two for losses, in a 45-27 victory over North Hall.
*Dunwoody WR Turner Nims had 10 receptions for 256 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-28 loss to Northview. QB Nick Pastrone was of 17-of-41 passing for 390 yards.
*Dutchtown MLB Tarian Lee had eight tackles, three for losses, and a sack in a 14-6 victory over Eagle's Landing.
*Fellowship Christian WR Ryan Reid had six receptions for 131 yards in a 49-14 victory over Walker. Reid also had an interception. He has had more than 100 yards receiving in five games in Fellowship's 6-0 start.
*Flowery Branch DE Colby Adams had 14 tackles, four sacks and another tackle for a loss in a 33-0 victory over Cedar Shoals.
*Jackson RB Antavius Grier rushed for 202 yards and four touchdowns - the last one a 72-yarder with 1:12 left - in a 31-24 victory over Westside of Macon.
*Jefferson County QB Jaden Jenkins was 14-of-20 passing for 232 yards and rushed for 68 yards on five carries in a 52-14 victory over Glenn Hills.
*Lakeside (Atlanta) RB Maxwell Guggemos rushed for 295 yards and three touchdowns on 35 carries in a 57-28 loss to Central Gwinnett.
*Mount Pisgah Christian DL Thomas McGhee had five tackles, 2.5 sacks, three tackles for losses and two fumble recoveries in a 38-0 victory over King's Ridge Christian.
*Pickens DT Alex Pittman intercepted a pass, returned a fumble for a touchdown and had six tackles, one for a loss, in a 32-7 victory over Gilmer. Twin brother Chris Pittman rushed for 152 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries.
*Rabun County MLB Gavyn Jones had three tackles for losses and recovered a fumble in a 46-3 victory over Banks County.
*Richmond Hill QB Kasey Green was 14-of-21 passing for 286 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-7 victory over South Effingham. Richmond Hill improved to 5-0.
*Riverdale WR Keenan Thomas had nine receptions for 153 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-14 victory over Fayette County.
*Rockmart RB/SS Markus Smith rushed for 148 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries and forced a fumble and intercepted a pass on defense in a 17-10 victory over Chattooga.
*Stratford Academy RB Russell Mole rushed for 210 yards and four touchdowns on 12 carries in a 41-14 victory over Mount de Sales.
*Strong Rock Christian RB Matthew Gaudry rushed for 204 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-0 victory over Fulton Leadership Academy.
*Telfair County QB Ian Blankenship was 8-of-11 passing for 183 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 145 yards and three touchdowns in a 48-14 victory over Wilcox County.
*Thomson QB Mills Ridings was 4-for-4 for 147 yards and three touchdowns while playing only the first quarter of a 73-8 victory over Clarkston.
*Tift County RB Brenton Jones had 125 yards rushing on 23 carries and 145 yards receiving on four catches in a 35-28 victory over Fitzgerald. He scored two touchdowns.
*Toombs County RB/DB Keyshawn Morgan rushed for 196 yards and two touchdowns and returned an interception 58 yards for a touchdown in a 49-0 victory over Jeff Davis.
*Twiggs County RB Ja'mon Height rushed for 223 yards on 23 carries in a 29-17 victory over First Presbyterian. His 52-yard TD run in the fourth quarter sealed the win.
*Union County QB Cole Wright was 23-of-31 passing for 300 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 175 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries in a 51-46 victory over East Hall.
*Vidalia WB/CB Deon Green blocked a punt and an extra point, rushed for 49 yards on seven carries and had four tackles in a 31-13 victory over Bacon County.
*Walnut Grove DB/WR Mikael Baker intercepted a school-record three passes and had seven receptions for 143 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-0 victory over Johnson of Gainesville.
*Wesleyan QB Banks Ramsey was 24-of-39 passing for 349 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-31 loss to No. 1 Eagle's Landing Christian. Ramsey also scored two touchdowns. WR Harrison Cook had 12 catches for 177 yards.
*Winder-Barrow RB/LB Nate Millwood had 12 tackles, three for losses, a sack and an interception that sealed the 28-21 victory over Apalachee. Millwood also rushed for 70 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries.
Lines of distinction
*Central Gwinnett's offensive line of Tim Wilkins, Brandon Joseph, Jakob Lindblad, Tyrel Earl and Jalen King helped the Knights put up 503 yards in total offense (189 rushing, 314 passing) in a 57-28 victory over Lakeside of Atlanta. Jarren Williams passed for 314 yards and five touchdowns, and Josh Samuel rushed for 154 yards and scored two touchdowns.
*Dade County's offensive line of TE Tyler Thapa, OT Brandon Bell, OT Austin Riley, OT Michael Greene, OG Jacob Anderson, OG Noah Brown, OG Jayden Folds and C Tristan Dawson paved the way for 508 yards of total offense, including 451 rushing on 44 attempts, in a 55-35 victory over Gordon Central. Dade had its second-highest rushing total and second-most points scored in school history.
*Lowndes' offensive line of RT Tucker Barnes, RG Hunner Finley, C Daniel Corbitt, LG Danny Corbett and LT Jalen Goss led the way to a school-record 605 yards of total offense in a 56-35 victory over Ware County.
*Mill Creek's offensive line of QT John Harris , QG Colin Janowski, C Tyler Fannin, SG Nick Campbell and ST Jack Franklin led the way to 435 yards of total offense (230 rushing, 205 passing) on 51 plays in a 44-17 victory over North Gwinnett. Each lineman finished with a winning grade, and they had 20 pancake blocks.
*Starr's Mill's offensive line of C Andrew Loftis, G Eric Donevant, G Justin Sanders, T Matthew Hill, T Ryan Fogg, T Andrew Fierbaugh and TE Charlie Mizzell opened holes for 415 yards rushing and six touchdowns on 52 carries in a 52-49 victory over No. 5 Griffin in a Region 3-AAAAA upset. Four running backs gained more than 85 yards. Starr's Mill also had 109 yards passing.
*Villa Rica's offensive line of TE Paul Grace, LT Ryan McLarty, LG Tyler Cohran, C Austin Bonds, RG Tykell Cox and RT Corbin Johnson blocked for two 100-yard rushers in a 42-38 victory over Paulding County. Elijah Fluker rushed for 139 yards and five touchdowns. Phillip Zachery rushed for 128 and one. The Wildcats had 337 yards rushing as a team.
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