Otis Reese is one of the state's blue-chip defensive prospects, the kind one expects to rise to a big occasion. He did that last week when he made 14 tackles in Lee County's victory over Coffee. The game decided the champion of deep Region 1-AAAAAA.
For Lee County, it was the third region title in history, first since 2014, and the fourth victory over a ranked opponent this season.
Reese is the consensus No. 8 OLB prospect nationally, but he's a safety for Lee County. His head coach, Dean Fabrizio, explained why Reese is a considered a prospect at multiple defensive positions.
"He has that rare combination of being very physical and able to play in the box but also having the coverage skills to go out and cover receivers," Fabrizio said. "This combination is what makes him so unique. There aren't many kids that are 6-3, 215 pounds who are a mismatch coming off the edge but also can go out and cover the other team's best wide receiver."
Reese also is a fierce tackler, which means he also could play middle linebacker at the next level. "His physicality is also what sets him apart," Fabrizio said. "He plays at such a high level of physicality."
Reese is committed to Michigan but has visited Georgia unofficially twice in the past month, so his recruitment is not finished.
Reese's performance against Coffee last week is among GHSF Daily's Top Performances for the final week of the regular season.
Top five
*Aquinas QB/FS John Paul rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown, passed for 207 yards and two touchdowns and made five tackles in a 30-27 victory over Stratford Academy in the Region 7-A championship game. Paul rushed 21 times and completed 19 of 25 passes.
*Central Gwinnett QB Jarren Williams was 24-of-38 passing for 419 yards and six touchdowns in a 69-44 loss to Parkview. Williams, who is committed to Kentucky, finished the season with 3,105 yards passing and 28 touchdowns and only four interceptions for a 5-5 team. He threw for 7,283 yards in his career.
*Lee County DB Otis Reese had 14 tackles, two for losses, two sacks and two pass breakups in a 23-7 victory over Coffee that clinched the Region 1-AAAAAA championship.
*Mount Pisgah Christian QB Jacob Cendoya was 18-of-24 passing for 434 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 97 yards on 19 carries in a 49-42 victory over Trion. Kai Williams had seven catches for 200 yards and three touchdowns.
*North Cobb RB Christian Singleton rushed for 327 yards and two touchdowns on 37 attempts in a 28-17 victory over Kennesaw Mountain. Freshman QB Trevor Lovett was 10-of-14 passing for 111 yards and rushed for 54 yards and two touchdowns.
Best of the rest
*Adairsville QB Mason Boswell rushed for 209 yards on 27 carries in a 34-21 victory over Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe.
*Alexander sophomore WR Jalen Morgan had 13 receptions for 228 yards and two touchdowns in a 17-16 loss to Douglas County.
*Alpharetta RB Nolan Edmonds rushed for 172 yards and four touchdowns on seven carries in a 41-14 victory over Chattahoochee.
*Blessed Trinity WR/DB Ryan Davis had four catches for 170 yards and two touchdowns and intercepted a pass in a 44-21 victory over West Hall.
*Buford freshman QB Aaron McLaughlin was 19-of-26 passing for 293 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-7 region-clinching victory over Flowery Branch.
*Calhoun QB Gavin Gray was 16-of-21 passing for 358 yards and five touchdowns in a 65-23 victory over Murray County.
*Cambridge WR/FS Ridge Polk scored four touchdowns - three on receptions, the other a 55-yard punt return - in a 44-8 victory over North Atlanta. Polk had seven receptions for 109 yards and made a tackle on defense.
*Carver (Atlanta) WR/DB Quindarious Monday had four receptions for 177 yards and TD receptions of 98 and 52 yards in a 41-12 victory over Decatur. Monday also had eight tackles, one for a loss, and broke up two passes.
*Cartersville RB Rico Frye rushed for 187 yards and four touchdowns in a 52-13 victory over Troup.
*Cedar Shoals LB Rodrevious Ingram had five tackles for losses, a sack and five other tackles in a 21-3 victory over Walnut Grove. The victory secured Cedar Shoals' first playoff berth since 2008.
*Charlton County QB A.J. Bell was 17-of-24 passing for 309 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 93 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-23 victory over Lanier County. WR Raykwon Anderson had seven catches for 156 yards and three touchdowns.
*Christian Heritage WR Zach Gentry had eight catches for 214 yards and two touchdowns in a 30-27 overtime victory over King's Ridge. Gentry 379 all-purpose yards. QB Matthew Neff was 19-of-38 passing for 328 yards and three touchdowns.
*Collins Hill RB Evan Anderson rushed for 219 yards and two touchdowns and returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown in a 34-12 victory over Peachtree Ridge. Anderson had 349 all-purpose yards.
*Crisp County RB Jammie Robinson rushed for 91 yards and four touchdowns and scored a fifth TD on a 56-yard reception in a 55-0 victory over Worth County.
*Dade County RB Malaki Webb rushed for 297 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries in a 28-14 victory over Armuchee. Webb also had 64 kickoff-return yards.
*Dunwoody DL Will Forth had six tackles, three for losses, and recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown in a 13-10 victory over Johns Creek. DB Jordan Battle had seven tackles and intercepted two passes, one returned 84 yards for a touchdown.
*Elbert County RB Tay Huff rushed for 140 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries in a 43-22 victory over Banks County. Huff also had three receptions for 61 yards and an 86-yard punt return for a touchdown.
*Heard County RB Aaron Beasley rushed for 113 yards on 26 carries and scored all of his team's touchdowns in a 34-20 victory over Spencer.
*Hiram RB Marcel Murray rushed for a school-record 279 yards in a 52-37 victory over Kell.
*Liberty County sophomore QB Dionte Bowens was 8-of-11 passing for 125 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 90 yards and three touchdowns in a region-winning 41-14 victory over Pierce County.
*Lovett QB Blaine McAllister was 12-of-15 passing for 163 yards and three touchdowns and scored a touchdown in a 59-19 victory over McNair.
*M.L. King sophomore QB Jacobi Haynes was 11-of-16 passing for 298 yards and four touchdowns in a 48-6 victory over Mount Zion of Jonesboro. Haynes also scored a touchdown. Antonio Kennon Jr. had three receptions for 150 yards.
*Marist FS/WR Kyle Hamilton had three receptions for 108 yards and two touchdowns and had seven tackles in a 35-7 victory over White County.
*Milton QB Jordan Yates rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns on three carries and was 9-of-11 passing for 208 yards and three touchdowns in a 49-17 victory over North Forsyth.
*Monroe Area DL Jayden Davis had 22 tackles - 11 solo, 11 assists - in a 43-7 victory over Franklin County. Davis had three tackles for losses and forced a fumble.
*Murray County RB Tucker Gregg rushed for 222 yards, two touchdowns and a two-point conversion in a 65-23 loss to Calhoun. He finished with 1,746 yards rushing for the season.
*Ola RB Chris Rodriguez rushed for 297 yards and five touchdowns on 33 carries in a 54-32 victory over Hampton.
*Parkview RB Christian Malloy rushed for 265 yards and four touchdowns in a 69-44 victory over Central Gwinnett. Malloy has 835 yards rushing in six games since returning from an ACL injury.
*Peach County PK Mitchell Fineral kicked a school-record 53-yard field goal and put nine kickoffs in the end zone in a 52-7 victory over Jackson.
*Rabun County WR/DB Cole Keener had nine catches for 112 yards and two touchdowns and intercepted two passes, broke up three passes and made three tackles on defense in a 52-7 victory over Monticello. QB Bailey Fisher was 25-of-31 passing for 338 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for 111 yards.
*Rome DE/LB Montrell Milsap had 15 tackles - five solo, five for losses and five assists - in a 62-0 victory over Woodland of Cartersville.
*St. Francis RB Sean Paradise rushed for 375 yards and four touchdowns in a 46-26 victory over Gordon Lee.
*South Forsyth sophomore WR Ze'vian Capers had seven catches for 120 yards and two touchdowns in a region-clinching 28-14 victory over West Forsyth.
*Tattnall County QB Craige Saxton had 479 total yards - 247 rushing and 232 passing - in a 56-22 victory over Appling County. Saxton scored four touchdowns on 18 rushing attempts and was 15-of-18 passing for three touchdowns and no interceptions.
*Thomson RB Tyrek Braswell rushed for 240 yards and four touchdowns on 20 carries in a 69-34 victory over Richmond Academy.
*Toombs County RB Keshawn Morgan rushed for 177 yards and five touchdowns on 24 carries in a 32-22 victory over Swainsboro.
*Upson-Lee RB Daymon Thomas rushed for 143 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries and caught a 38-yard TD pass in a 52-48 loss to Spalding. QB Cameron Traylor threw a school-record four TD passes, three to WR Kenny Richardson.
*Valdosta LB Zakoby McClain had 12 tackles, two for losses, an assist and a forced fumble in a 51-20 victory over Houston County.
*Walker QB Joseph Vose was 16-of-19 passing for 125 yards and rushed for 138 yards on 24 carries in a 28-21 victory over North Cobb Christian. Vose passed for two touchdowns and scored two touchdowns.
*Warner Robins QB Dylan Fromm was 28-of-35 passing for 310 yards and three touchdowns in a region-clinching 35-6 victory over Bainbridge.
*Wayne County WR Ashby Cribb had 12 receptions for 154 yards and two touchdowns in a 44-14 victory over Statesboro.
*Westminster QB Ward Croft was 15-of-18 passing for 204 yards and two touchdowns, both to Malcolm Strickland, in a 38-0 victory over Stone Mountain.
*Wilcox County RB Desmond Tisdol rushed for 292 yards and four touchdowns on 24 carries in a 29-28 loss to Atkinson County.
Lines of distinction
*Dade County's offensive line of Noah Brown, Gavin Tierce, Austin Riley, Michael Greene and Tyler King blocked for 471 rushing yards in a 28-14 victory over Armuchee. They helped Malaki Webb rush for 297 yards and two touchdowns and RB Lee Spencer rush for 107 yards and two touchdowns.
*Effingham County's offensive line of Michael Richard, Chandler Hinely, Carson Hunt, Casey Ulmer, Blake Snowden and Samari Westbrook helped the Rebels roll to 461 yards rushing - 405 in the second half - in a 40-26 victory over 10th-ranked Richmond Hill. The score was 6-6 at halftime. RB Zebrandon Grant rushed for 244 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries and had another 38 yards receiving. RB Toot Johnson rushed for 178 yards and scored three touchdowns.
*Lincoln County's offensive line of Kolbi Ferguson, Travon Leverett, Levion Lockhart, Tyrece Cullars and Marquis Blackmon and tight ends Jayden Robinson and Tyson Zellars opened holes for 424 yards rushing in a 45-35 victory over First Presbyterian. Three Red Devils went over 100 yards - QB Javon Reid (12-154-1), RB Jamal Norman (24-156-3) and Gerard Hearst (13-110-1).
*North Paulding's offensive line of Dainon Creagh, Reid Wilson, Bill Roper, Ben Johnson, Chesley Landrum and Preston Conable helped their team put up 222 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns on 32 carries in a 49-14 victory over Marietta.
*Oglethorpe County's offensive line of Ethan Burgess, Cam Bindhamer, Julian Love, Ben Mathis and John Wingfield helped their team put up 493 yards of total offense and break a 21-game losing streak in a 36-34 victory over Pinecrest Academy. Oglethorpe County was a 26-point underdog in the game, according to the Maxwell Ratings. George Gresham rushed for 246 yards and scored three touchdowns.
*Our Lady of Mercy's offensive line of Jalen Moore, Adrain Andrews, Tim Summers, Jerrell Smith and Darren Jackson were the catalysts for 401 yards rushing and 498 total yards in a 42-28 victory over Holy Innocents'. Caleb Pressley rushed for 268 yards and four touchdowns.
*Pope's offensive line of Connor Patterson, Gurwinder Singh, Grant Schmidt, Cody Olszewski, Grayson York, Ben Fairchild and Reese Mullins with fullbacks Harrison Gibbs and Dante Ford led the way to 511 rushing yards, 543 total, in a 47-22 victory over Northview.
*Whitewater's offensive line of Jake Burns, Parker Pridgen, Grayson Bullard, Zach Outhavong and Miles Langston paved the way for 617 yards of total offense - 231 rushing, 386 passing - in a 59-34 victory over McIntosh. Sophomore QB Maddox Mueller was 4-of-6 passing for 157 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns on six carries. Sophomore RB Miles Montgomery rushed for 139 yards and three touchdowns on five carries. WR Jamal Jenkins has two catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns.
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