Pace Academy coach Chris Slade believes he has a player who is worth 9-12 points per game to his team. And it's a player who doesn't play very much - place-kicker/punter Samuel Sloman.
"He scored nine points [actually 10] for us Friday night," Slade said. "Without him, we lose that game. I put a big emphasis on special teams every day in practice. To me, it's the most important play of the game."
That's coming from a former NFL player.
Sloman kicked a 48-yard field goal with eight seconds left in 16-14 victory over White County last week. Sloman also kicked a 52-yarder.
Here are some of the top individual performances from the week.
*Cedar Grove DT Antwuan Jackson, an AJC Super 11 pick, made eight tackles for losses, had two sacks, and caused and recovered a fumble in 35-7 victory over Miller Grove.
*Parkview QB Jack Chambers was 19-of-23 passing for 404 yards and four touchdowns in a 48-9 victory over Brookwood. Chambers also scored a touchdown.
*Pace Academy PK Samuel Sloman kicked three field goals, one a 48-yarder with eight seconds left, in 16-14 victory over White County. Sloman also made a 52-yarder. He also chased down a bad punt snap that went into the end zone and punted the ball past midfield. Sloman did miss a field-goal attempt - from 57 yards.
*Social Circle WR/S/PK/P James Corasaniti had four receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown, six tackles and two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, and scored 23 of his team's points in a 28-27 victory over Temple. He was 3-for-3 on field goals (22, 37 and 30 yards), made six touchbacks and averaged 40.0 yards per punt.
*Winder-Barrow RB CeCe Green rushed for a school-record 345 yards and two touchdowns in a 40-26 loss to Gainesville. ''I know we're lil ole Winder-Barrow, but if there's a better running back in Georgia, I'd like to see him,'' Bulldoggs coach Heath Webb said. "Just an inspiring, gutsy performance.'' Green has rushed for 668 yards and five touchdowns in three games.
Best of the rest
*Alexander RB Daetrich Harrington rushed for 217 yards on 17 carries in a 27-20 victory over Chapel Hill.
*Alpharetta QB E.J. McGill, a third-stringer who entered the game in the third quarter, was 19-of-26 passing for 367 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-39 loss to Johns Creek. WR Carlos Carriere caught 12 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns, and WR Darryl Bivens had six receptions for 145 yards and one touchdown.
*Bainbridge QB Brett McLaughlin broke a school record for completions in a game (22) and passed for 244 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-7 victory over Monroe.
*Berrien RB Devyn Harris rushed for 282 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries in a 51-21 loss to Clinch County. The 282 yards broke a school record held by Jermale Hines (2002). Chris Naylor had 167 yards rushing in the Clinch County game.
*Campbell QB Jawan Nobles rushed for 210 yards on 10 carries and passed for 101 yards and a touchdown in a 50-41 loss to Lakeside of Atlanta.
*Cartersville QB Trevor Lawrence was 24-of-33 passing for 367 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-7 victory over North Paulding. WR Terrius Callahan had seven catches for 164 yards.
*Central Gwinnett WR Major Bellamy had seven catches for 199 yards and two touchdowns in a 44-28 victory over South Gwinnett.
*Charlton County RB Andrew Lee rushed for 207 yards on 21 carries in a 37-15 victory over Bacon County.
*Christian Heritage QB Tyson Cooper rushed for 122 yards and threw for 175 in a 31-14 victory over Gordon Lee. Cooper converted a second-and-48 play with a 62-yard run. He also recovered a fumble on defense.
*Clinch County RB Shannon Young rushed for 211 yards and four touchdowns on 14 carries in a 55-21 victory over Berrien. Young, a 1,200-yard rusher last season, hadn't played a full game this season because of a high ankle sprain.
*Darlington RB Tijai Whatley rushed for 217 yards on 17 carries in 27-7 victory over King's Ridge Christian.
*Decatur RB Grant Walker rushed for 213 yards and two touchdowns in a 37-20 victory over Towers.
*Dooly County DE Antonneous Clayton had four tackles behind the line, six tackles overall, three sacks and a forced fumble in a 50-12 loss to Marion County.
*Dutchtown QB K'Lin Epps was 20-of-28 passing for 388 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-29 loss to Starr's Mill. Epps also rushed for 107 yards on 22 carries. Two of his receivers had six receptions for more than 100 yards - David Dennis (188) and D.J. Montgomery (138).
*Eagle's Landing RB Antonio Gibson returned the opening kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown, rushed for 103 yards on 14 carries and threw a 38-yard pass on his only attempt in a 17-7 victory over Jonesboro.
*Eagle's Landing Christian had three 100-yard rushers - D.J. Hammonds (5-115-2), Trevor Gear (17-154-2) and Josh Mays (17-121-3) - in a 56-6 victory over Mount Pisgah Christian.
*Elbert County QB Mecole Hardman rushed for 209 yards and four touchdowns on 27 carries and scored the winning touchdown, a 2-yard run, on the final play of the game in a 44-38 victory over Westminster. Hardman also passed for 101 yards.
*Gainesville RB/MLB Chris Byrd rushed for 194 yards and one touchdown on 37 carries and had seven solo tackles and six assists in a 40-26 victory over Winder-Barrow.
*Johns Creek freshman QB Zach Gibson was 13-of-24 passing for 213 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-39 victory over Alpharetta.
*Jordan QB Romello Kimbrough was 19-of-31 passing for 314 yards and three touchdowns and threw a 96-yard TD pass to WR D'Andre Snead in a 52-28 loss to Central of Macon. Kimbrough also rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.
*Lakeside (Atlanta) QB Will Jernigan rushed for 121 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries, caught a 54-yard TD pass and was 18-of-23 passing for 203 yards in a 50-41 victory over Campbell.
*Loganville RB Evan French rushed for 183 yards and one touchdown on 23 carries in a 46-7 victory over Heritage of Conyers.
*Lovejoy RB Zion Curtis rushed for 190 yards on 20 carries in a 17-16 loss to Hillgrove.
*Lowndes QB Austin Dixon was 11-for-13 passing for 110 yards and four touchdowns in a 63-0 victory over Rockdale County. Dixon also rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown on eight carries.
*Luella MLB Keiston Lowery had 11 solo tackles, five assists and 4.5 tackles for losses (tying a school record) in a 29-7 victory over Forest Park.
*Macon County QB Khari Lane was 21-of-25 passing for 377 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-33 loss to Perry.
*Marion County WR/DB Lorenzo Smothers returned two punts for touchdowns, scored three TDs overall, had 207 all-purpose yards and was in on seven tackles in a 50-12 victory over Dooly County.
*Miller County RB J.J. George rushed for 215 yards and two touchdowns on 42 carries in a 26-20 loss to Pelham. George also caught two passes for 24 yards and a touchdown.
*Model QB Kyler Eldridge rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 149 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-30 victory over Bremen.
*Newton RB Kurt Taylor rushed for 209 yards and one touchdown on 30 carries in a 27-7 victory over Westlake.
*Ola sophomore RB Chris Rodriguez rushed for 203 yards and two touchdowns in a 26-0 victory over McIntosh.
*Pinecrest Academy QB/LB Ryan McCarthy had 13 tackles, three for losses, a sack, two batted balls and two interceptions - both returned for touchdowns - in a 34-12 victory over Walker. McCarthy also rushed for 102 yards and two touchdowns on five carries and was 5-for-8 passing for 53 yards.
*Rabun County LB Rhodes Jones had 14 tackles, two for losses, recovered a fumble and blocked a kick in a 21-0 over Jackson County.
*Ridgeland sophomore RB Jalyn Shelton rushed for 271 yards and one touchdown in 20 carries in a 35-14 victory over Dade County. Shelton has 557 yards rushing in three games. Chris Henderson rushed for 107 yards and three touchdowns in the Dade victory.
*Rome WR Jai Creamer, a preseason all-state pick, had four catches for 133 yards and a touchdown in a 21-14 victory over Cambridge.
*Roswell QB Quantarious Neely was 12-of-23 passing for 299 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 106 yards and two touchdowns on six carries in a 52-10 victory over Lassiter. WR Jayden Comma had four catches for 195 yards and two touchdowns.
*Southeast Whitfield DE Britt Hardy had nine tackles, three sacks, five tackles for losses and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown in a 21-12 victory over Northwest Whitfield.
*Spalding WR/DB Deaundre Alford returned an interception 103 yards for a touchdown, had three tackles and two assists, broke up a pass and had two catches and a touchdown in a 37-0 victory over Walnut Grove.
*Stephenson RB Jaylen Marson-Knight rushed for 133 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries and had three catches for 38 yards in a 47-0 victory over Banneker.
*Tattnall Square DL Christian Rogers had five tackles for losses and 1.5 sacks in a 28-22 victory over Strong Rock Christian.
*Thomson LB Billy Youngblood had 14 solo tackles, two big hits, three sacks and another tackle for a loss and graded 93 percent in a 49-14 victory over Hart County.
*Trion LB DeVonya Farmer had 11 tackles, blocked a punt, returned a kickoff 55 yards and scored a safety in a 42-7 victory over LaFayette. Farmer also rushed for 25 yards and a touchdown on three carries.
*Upson-Lee RB Quay Reviere rushed for 159 yards and a school-record-tying four touchdowns on eight carries in a 41-0 victory over Northeast (Macon). Reviere played only one half.
*Valdosta QB Seth Shuman was 22-of-27 passing for 308 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-0 victory over Thomasville. Shuman completed passes to 10 receivers.
*Veterans RB Desjuan Harris rushed for 231 yards and two touchdowns and caught two passes for 31 yards and one touchdown in a 38-21 victory over Washington County. Harris has rushed for 537 yards in three games.
*Walton WR Dominick Blaylock caught seven passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-10 victory over Etowah.
*Wheeler RB Benaiah Franklin rushed for 157 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries in a 35-7 victory over Milton.
Lines of distinction
*B.E.S.T. Academy's offensive line of LT Rickey Williams, LG Maliek Blackmon, C Dashawn Butler, RG Teion English, RT Tyler Bivins and TE Robert Tucker opened holes for 410 yards rushing and five touchdowns in a 40-20 victory over Therrell. Benefiting most was RB DeShant Hester, who rushed for 185 yards and two scores.
*Banks County's offensive line of LT Tyler Bryant, LG Zack Patrick, C Cole Jones, RG Logan Galloway and RT Jodi Poole helped the Leopards put up 441 yards in total offense with two 100-yard rushers (Clayton Dykehouse and Trevae Cain) and one 200-yard passer (Griffin Goodwin) in a 41-14 victory over East Jackson.
*Carver of Atlanta scored 52 points and had more than 300 yards of offense in just one half behind the offensive line of LT Jeremiah Abby, LG Jerrod Williams, C Michael Braswell, RG Justin Moxey and RT Michael Bentley in a 52-0 victory over previously undefeated Dunwoody. RB Gregory Payton rushed for 135 yards and three touchdowns on eight carries.
*Central of Carrollton rushed for 422 yards and five touchdowns behind the offensive line of LT Sam Sauls, LG CJ Brock, C Austin Roddy, RG Max Whitlock, RT Aaron Startup and TE Lamar Daniel in a 48-7 victory over Hardaway. RB Damarious Owensby rushed for 232 yards of those yards.
*East Laurens has rushed for 982 yards during their first 3-0 start since 2003 behind the offensive line of TE Bryce Robinson, LT P.J Wadley, LG Andrew Morris, C C.J Tyson, RG Christian Brantley, RT Jenardis Mountain and TE Zyshonne Holliman. Kevin Lovett and Michael Plummer both eclipsed 100 yards rushing for the third consecutive time in a 36-29 victory over Jenkins County last week.
*North Springs' offensive line of Amir Atwood, Riley Smith, Scott Fineberg, Charlie Deyo and Andre Elion allowed only one sack in 42 drop-back passes and paved the way for 413 yards of total offense in a 45-43 victory over River Ridge. QB Rees Viersen was 29-of-41 passing for 387 yards and five touchdowns.
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