Kyle Banks of North Paulding became the first Georgia quarterback this season to surpass 2,000 yards passing when he threw for 560 - the third-highest total in state history (see Daily List) - against Harrison last week. There were enough yards to go around to receivers D.J. Owens (12 catches, 203 yards, two touchdowns), Brad Swan (11-154-2) and Justin Chauvin (6-148-1). Banks had six TD passes.
Banks, a junior, threw five TD passes as a backup last season, but this has been his year to shine. He did enough at summer camps to get an invitation to the Rising Seniors Game in December, but he is not seeing many scholarship offers yet.
"That is a mystery to me [because] he is 6-2 and has all the tools," North Paulding offensive coordinator Jeremy Edwards said. "He does have some good receivers, but he helps elevate their game with a strong arm, good decision-making, accuracy and a calm demeanor. We expected him to have a big year this year."
October's opening weekend might've been the most prolific of the season for eye-popping offense by individual players. Two quarterbacks other than Banks (Benedictine's Stevie Powers and Cherokee's Spencer Ashley) threw for more than 400 yards, and another (Dalton's Payton Velardi) threw for six touchdowns. Meanwhile, two running backs rushed for right at 400 yards.
Here are some of the top individual performances around the state last week.
Top five
*Benedictine QB Stevie Powers was 21-of-30 passing for 450 yards, and two of his receivers had more than 150 yards - Brad Stewart (nine catches for 204) and Joseph Holguin (I7-158) - in a 34-14 victory over Wayne County.
*Cherokee QB Spencer Ashley was 21-of-33 passing for 436 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-21 victory over Woodstock. It was his second consecutive game of more than 430 yards passing. Ashley went over 5,000 yards passing for his career.
*Drew RB Marquis Terry rushed for 403 yards and four touchdowns on 32 carries in a 67-43 victory over Starr's Mill.
*Landmark Christian sophomore RB Lofton Tidwell rushed for 395 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries in a 55-39 victory over Rockmart.
*North Paulding QB Kyle Banks was 37-of-44 passing for 560 yards and six touchdowns and also scored a touchdown in a 49-35 victory over Harrison.
Lines of distinction
*Coosa rushed for 413 yards behind the blocking of ST Aaron Roberts, SG Tye Sims, C Kaleb Ogles, TG Chase Corn, TT Trent Ferguson and TT Bryson Lamboy in a 42-15 victory over Chattooga. RB Justin Ware benefited most, rushing for 222 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries.
*Rome did not allow a sack for the third consecutive game and produced more than 500 yards in total offense for the second straight game behind the line of LT Zack Kadum, LG Jonathan Hood, C Andy Mathis, RG Chris Stevenson, RT Blake Bradfield and reserve OG Bernard Jackson in a 62-26 victory over River Ridge. QB Josh Perkins passed for 388 yards, and WR Jai Creamer had seven catches for 209 yards and two touchdowns.
Best of the rest
*Bainbridge freshman RB Dameon Pierce rushed for 135 yards on six carries and scored on runs of 41 and 51 yards in a 55-28 victory over Americus-Sumter.
*Calhoun OLB Will Conley, a preseason all-state pick, had five tackles for losses in a 42-10 victory over Adairsville in a game between unbeaten teams in Region 6-AAA.
*Cherokee WR Andrew Harris had 10 receptions for 207 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-21 victory over Woodstock.
*Colquitt County sophomore DB Javarious Madison intercepted two passes, returning one 27 yards to the 18-yard line, the other 56 yards to the 4, setting up 10 points in a 45-27 victory over Lowndes. Madison also had two solo tackles.
*Creekside RB Bricen Terry rushed for 176 yards on 40 carries in a 13-7 victory over Mays.
*Dacula RB/DB C.J. Mayes rushed for 125 yards and returned an interception for a touchdown in a 20-10 victory over Central Gwinnett.
*Dalton QB Payton Velardi was 16-of-20 passing for 357 yards and six touchdowns to five receivers (covering 35, 49, 50, 44, 49 and 35 yards) in a 49-27 victory over Creekview. Velardi has thrown for 1,288 yards and 17 touchdowns this season.
*Druid Hills RB Hasaan Enis rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns and caught a TD pass in a 28-7 victory over Dunwoody. It was Druid Hills' first victory over Dunwoody in seven tries.
*Fannin County RB Tyler Beaver rushed for 243 yards and two touchdowns and caught six passes for 108 yards - including the game-winning catch with nine seconds left - in a 30-23 victory over Banks County.
*Gilmer DT Jake Ingram had a team-leading 11 tackles and helped his team hold the opponent to 80 yards in total offense in a 21-7 victory over Ridgeland.
*Gordon Lee RB Hunter Teeters rushed for 205 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries in a 33-16 victory over Armuchee.
*Harris County QB Taquon Marshall rushed for 196 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries in a 52-10 victory over Northside (Columbus). Two other Harris County backs went over 120 yards with two touchdowns - Jacob Rovig (122) and Tae Crowder (124).
*Howard LB Nick Duncan had 10 tackles, a sack and a tackle for a loss in a 20-14 victory over Perry. The victory - won on a final-play 29-yard TD pass from Courvoisier King to Alphonso Stephens - allowed Howard (3-2-1) to match its school-best win total of 2013.
*Irwin County RB/DB Jakyron Young rushed for 156 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries and ran an interception back 95 yards on the game's final play in a 41-14 victory over Charlton County. LB D.J. Pollard had five tackles, 1.5 for losses, intercepted a pass and rushed for 41 yards and a touchdown on two carries.
*LaFayette QB Evan Head was 20-of-30 passing for 351 yards and four touchdowns - all to Kolbe Mosley - in a 48-28 loss to Southeast Whitfield. Mosely had six catches for 143 yards.
*Lakeside (Atlanta) RB Kelleyan Walker rushed for 175 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries and ran a punt 65 yards for a score in a 35-26 victory over Alcovy. Lakeside (3-3) has three victories in a season for the first time since 2009 (4-6).
*Loganville RB Daryl Giles rushed for 248 yards on 21 carries and scored on runs of 55 and 81 yards in a 29-22 victory over Apalachee.
*Lumpkin County RB/DB Gunner Wood rushed for 86 yards and a touchdown and made 17 tackles at safety in a 27-21 victory over Franklin County.
*McEachern sophomore WR Tyler Smith had 10 receptions for 260 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-23 victory over Marietta.
*Mount Pisgah Christian DL Shingi Chigwere had 12 tackles, two for losses, one sack and a fumble recovery in a 39-20 victory over St. Francis.
*Norcross MLB Chris Allen had 12 solo tackles - three behind the line - in a 17-10 victory over North Gwinnett, which entered ranked No. 7 in Class AAAAAA and averaging more than 40 points per game.
*Northside (Warner Robins) RB Willie Jordan rushed for 266 yards and three touchdowns on 31 carries in a 24-7 victory over Richmond Academy.
*Peach County QB Robert Allen was 18-of-22 passing for 242 yards and three touchdowns - all to freshman WR Kearis Jackson - in a 33-0 victory over Central (Macon).
*Pickens RB Shannon Brooks rushed for 246 yards and four touchdowns on 22 carries in a 35-7 victory over Northwest Whitfield. Brooks, who is committed to Minnesota, has rushed for 1,154 yards and 16 touchdowns on 100 carries in five games.
*Rabun County RB/WR/DB Charlie Woerner rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns on six carries and caught two passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns - giving him four touchdowns on eight receptions - in a 49-21 victory over Social Circle. Woerner played only the first half.
*Redan RB/WR Rodney Jones had 143 yards from scrimmage on five rushing attempts and five receptions and scored a touchdown in a 18-13 victory over Chamblee. It was Redan's first victory of the season.
*Shaw RB Sydarrian Cobb rushed for 222 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries in a 24-9 victory over Hardaway.
*South Cobb QB Kylil Carter rushed for 234 yards, passed for 210 and had a hand in five touchdowns in a 42-21 victory over Pebblebrook.
*Southeast Whitfield RB/LB Tyler Brown rushed for 187 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries, returned two kickoffs for 72 yards and made nine tackles in a 48-28 victory over LaFayette.
*St. Pius RB Dalton Wilson rushed for 225 yards and two touchdowns on 34 carries in a 34-20 victory over Columbia.
*Thomasville LB Gavin Hiers had nine solo tackles, 12 assists, two stops behind the line and a QB pressure in a 22-19 victory over then-No. 2 Fitzgerald.
*Union County QB Joseph Mancuso was 16-of-23 passing for 370 yards and five touchdowns in a 46-0 victory over Oglethorpe County. He also scored a touchdown. Mancuso has thrown for 1,496 yards in six games.
*Valdosta PK/P Brennan Goodson made field goals of 36 and 38 yards, put all four of his kickoffs in the end zone and averaged 40 yards on four punts (none returned) in a 13-10 victory over Camden County.
*Vidalia QB/DB Jordan Black rushed for 111 yards and three touchdowns on seven carries, was 3-of-3 passing for 50 yards and a touchdown and intercepted a pass. Vidalia has scored a touchdown for every 3.7 times that Black either runs the ball or completes a pass.
*Winder-Barrow RB CeCe Green rushed for 171 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries in a 24-7 victory over Flowery Branch.
*Worth County RB/LB Dontavious Buford rushed for 185 yards and a touchdown and scored on a 16-yard pass in a 49-14 victory over Dougherty.
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