Mike Thomas's favorite number must be 284. That was his rushing total for Thomson in the second round of the playoffs last year against Grady, a 44-21 victory.
Thomas was subbing for all-state RB Billy Mance, who was lost to a season-ending injury. Mance rushed for 1,698 yards in 11 games.
Mance is gone on to college football (Garden City Community College), but Thomson (4-0) is ranked No. 2 in AAAA with Thomas showing his starring role in the playoffs was no fluke. Last week, Thomas rushed for 284 yards again, this time in a 38-10 victory over Pace Academy.
"Mike is faster than Billy and has better vision," Thomson coach Rob Ridings said. "Both are very physical runners."
Thomas has rushed for 655 yards and is on pace for 1,638 yards rushing in the regular season. He is being recruited by mid-major FBS and FCS schools such as Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Chattanooga and Middle Tennessee.
Thomas's latest effort made GHSF Daily's Top Performances from last week.
Top five
*Blessed Trinity RB/LB Steele Chambers rushed for 199 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries, made five tackles and intercepted two passes in a 24-12 victory over Creekview.
*Cedar Grove DB/WR Korey Hernandez returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown, caught a 29-yard TD pass and returned an interception 46 yards to the 15-yard line in a 40-0 victory over Columbia.
*Thomson RB Mike Thomas rushed for 284 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries in a 38-10 victory over Pace Academy.
*Toombs County RB Keyshawn Morgan rushed for 342 yards and six touchdowns on 30 carries in a 49-35 victory over Telfair County.
*Woodstock QB Garrett Bass was 26-of-35 passing for 356 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions in a 49-25 victory over Kennesaw Mountain. Bass rushed for 52 yards on four carries.
Best of the rest
*Appling County QB Keelan Crosby rushed for 213 yards and four touchdowns, the last a 38-yard run for a 41-31 lead with 2:17 left, in a 41-34 victory over Dodge County. He was 10-of-16 passing for 133 yards and two touchdowns.
*Athens Academy freshman LB Kurt Knisely had 12 tackles, three for losses, in a 19-12 victory over Athens Christian.
*B.E.S.T. Academy freshman MLB Giovanni Morgan had nine tackles, four for losses, recovered a fumble and returned a fumble for a touchdown in a 34-31 victory over Douglass.
*Cairo QB John Michael Owens was 24-of-40 passing for 259 yards and two touchdowns in a 17-14 victory over Bainbridge.
*Centennial LB Jacob Gregory had 12 tackles, caused a fumble and broke up a pass in a 31-30 overtime victory over Alpharetta.
*Central Gwinnett QB Jarren Williams was 26-of-44 passing for 324 yards and three touchdowns in a 43-35 overtime victory over Collins Hill. Williams rushed for 84 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries.
*Chattahoochee WR Isaac Kinsey returned a punt 63 yards for a touchdown and a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown and caught three passes for 177 yards and a touchdown in a 53-26 loss to Cambridge. On defense, Kinsey had nine solo tackles.
*Chattahoochee County RB Malic Bonner rushed for 228 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries in a 45-24 loss to Seminole County. Bonner also scored two conversions.
*Cherokee QB Nolan Donley was 25-of-35 passing for 415 yards and four touchdowns in a 50-36 victory over Lambert. WR Montrell Washington had 13 receptions for 211 yards and a touchdown. Washington also had an interception.
*Chestatee RB Nick Lyles rushed for 241 yards and five touchdowns on 17 carries in a 47-30 victory over Fannin County. Lyles has 795 rushing yards in four games.
*Dodge County RB R.J. Carr rushed for 215 yards and one touchdown in 25 carries in a 41-34 loss to Appling County.
*Forsyth Central RB Sabrian Howard rushed for 212 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries in a 63-28 victory over Meadowcreek. He also had two catches for 22 yards.
*Gordon Lee RB Drew Cobb rushed for 283 yards and five touchdowns, including a 95-yarder on the first play from scrimmage, in a 51-24 victory over Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe. Cobb had three catches for 92 yards, including a 65-yarder on the second play from scrimmage. He had four tackles.
*Grady QB Caylin Newton was 21-of-34 passing for 372 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-21 loss to Ware County.
*Greene County RB/SS Devin Wynn rushed for 187 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-19 victory over Monticello. He also had nine tackles and a sack.
*Griffin QB Tylan Morton completed 18 of 27 passes for 415 yards and a school-record five touchdowns in a 53-7 victory over Upson-Lee. Santo Dunn had 221 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns on 12 touches (six rushes, six receptions).
*Houston County QB Jake Fromm was 26-of-34 passing for 466 yards and seven touchdowns in a 58-27 victory over Veterans. Leading receivers were Jaeven West (6-158-2) and Amari Colbert (9-154-2).
*Jones County QB Brad Hunnicutt was 27-of-35 passing for 484 yards and four touchdowns in a 49-34 victory over Locust Grove.
*Kell LB/SS Solon Page 17 tackles and one stripped fumble in a 33-30 victory over Rome.
*Landmark Christian QB/DB Joey Blount rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns on four carries and was 10-of-12 passing for 108 yards and a touchdown in a 44-6 victory over Brookstone. He also intercepted a pass.
*Liberty County QB Jaalon Frazier was 12-of-25 passing for 205 yards and three touchdowns in a 32-21 victory over Jenkins. He also rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries and scored a conversion.
*Luella OLB Brisan Myrick had 12 tackles, two for losses, two forced fumbles, one recovery and an interception in a 19-11 victory over Mcintosh.
*Mill Creek PK Brenton King kicked a 56-yard field, made four of four extra points and put six of six kickoffs in the end zone in a 31-10 victory over Archer.
*Model QB/LB Kyler Eldridge rushed for 194 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries and was 16-of-25 passing for 176 yards and a touchdown in a 34-27 victory over Northwest Whitfield. On defense, Eldridge had 12 tackles and deflected a pass. He played 143 plays.
*Mount Pisgah Christian QB Jacob Cendoya was 12-of-22 passing for 215 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries in a 42-21 victory over Walker.
*Mount Zion RB Jace Jordan rushed for 163 yards on eight carries and scored four touchdowns - two on runs (69, 5 yards), one on a reception (75) and another on a kickoff (85) - in a 38-33 victory over Coosa.
*Murray County QB/DB Dominick Genitempo rushed for 179 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries and was 16-of-21 passing for 192 yards and two touchdowns in 26-14 victory over Christian Heritage. Genitempo had six tackles, one for a loss.
*Rabun County QB Bailey Fisher was 21-of-28 passing for 370 yards and six touchdowns in a 49-7 victory over White County.
*Richmond Hill WR/DB Sam James had four receptions for 119 yards and a touchdown, seven tackles and a forced fumble in a 24-17 victory over Pierce County.
*Roswell RB Sheldon Evans rushed for 231 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 22-yard TD pass in a 34-3 victory over Colquitt County.
*Seminole County QB Trayvon Sims was 7-of-9 passing for 173 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries in a 45-24 victory over Chattahoochee County.
*South Forsyth QB Davis Shanley was 8-of-9 passing for 165 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 126 yards and three touchdowns on 10 carries in a 39-20 victory over South Gwinnett.
*Spalding QB Naricuss Driver rushed for 119 yards and three touchdowns and caught a 40-yard pass in a 32-26 victory over Lovejoy. Driver was 6-of-10 passing for 116 yards.
*Stephenson RB Jaylen Marson-Knight rushed for 187 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries in a 21-0 victory over Southwest DeKalb.
*Twiggs County FB Ja'mon Height rushed for 281 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries in a 23-6 victory over Northeast.
*Walnut Grove LB Robert Sease had nine first hits and eight assists in a 34-7 victory over Monroe Area, which was held to 21 rushing yards on 20 carries.
*West Forsyth RB/LB Grant Torgerson, playing after missing two games with mononucleosis, scored five touchdowns, rushed for 54 yards on eight carries, made nine tackles and a sack and forced a fumble in a 56-35 victory over Hillgrove.
*Westover sophomore RB Johnathon Mock rushed for 190 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries in a 28-13 victory over Dougherty.
*Wheeler County QB Torrence Parker rushed for 181 yards and two touchdowns and was 4-of-5 passing for 56 yards and a touchdown in a 27-6 victory over Montgomery County. On defense, Parker had five tackles, three assists, two interceptions and another tip that led to an interception.
Lines of distinction
*Brunswick's offensive line of LT D'Antne Demery, LG Jabori Williams, C Ty Hinson, RG John Cano, RT Warren McClendon, TE Wiley Golden and UT Ian Kirkland paved the way for 412 yards of total offense - 219 rushing, 193 passing - in a 33-17 victory over Wayne County. Bainbridge has allowed only two sacks this season.
*Chestatee's offensive line of LT Chance Morrison, LG Skyler Gooch, C Barron King, RG Seth Sertain and RT Gavin London helped their team put up 618 yards of total offense in 68 plays with 24 knockdown blocks in a 47-30 win over Fannin County. Chestatee had 300 yards passing and 318 rushing.
*Darlington's offensive line of TE Jacob Hunt, T Tigger Frix, G William Groover, C Burch Givens, G Burt Michael Tidwell, T Garrett Miller and TE Elijah Ball opened holes for 323 yards rushing in a 28-14 victory over 10th-ranked Heard County of AA.
*Fitzgerald's offensive line of LT Carl Smith, LG Kyle Burkhart, LG Chandler Hough, LG Dartavious Brantley, C Kobe Burch, RG Jason Poe, RT David Echeverria and TE Lecitus Smith led the way to 581 yards of total offense in a 70-42 victory over Macon County. Fitzgerald scored its most points since 1933.
*Johnson County's offensive line of LT Morgan Jackson, LG Jaylon Hines, C Duren Wood, RG Kyle Carmichael and RT Austin Bailey made room for 406 yards rushing and five touchdowns in a 40-33 victory over Wilkinson County. RB Malik Pierce had 219 yards rushing.
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