Quarterback Kobe Hudson and the explosive Troup offense were unstoppable in their region opener at Callaway Stadium, cruising past Chapel Hill 56-24. Hudson finished the game with six touchdown passes and a touchdown run, leading Troup to a 28-0 lead at the half and a 42-8 advantage late in the third quarter. Hudson threw two touchdown passes to Jamari Thrash and found Ja-Rell Smith on a screen that turned into an 82-yard footrace early in the second quarter. Joko Willis caught three Hudson touchdown passes (75, 55, 1). Hudson’s 14-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter put the Tigers up 48-16 and Tyree Carlisle provided Troup’s final touchdown on a 55-yard run.
Elsewhere in the classification, Marist’s Connor Cigelkse accounted for all three of his touchdowns in the third quarter, helping Marist pull away for a 41-6 win over host White County. The Warriors trailed just 7-6 in the second quarter following a pair of field goals by Grayson Clark and they were still within striking distance with a 14-6 deficit at the intermission despite Kyle Hamilton’s 67-yard touchdown run with 1:30 remaining in the first half. Marist broke it open by dominating the third quarter 24-0, as Cigelske rushed for one touchdown and threw two scoring strikes to Hamilton. The War Eagles also got a one-yard TD plunge from Lincoln Parker in the opening quarter and a 41-yard field goal by Brendan Farrell in the fourth.
North Oconee 34, Walnut Grove 12
North Oconee recovered its game-opening onside kick attempt and quarterback Kaleb Sherrer found twin brother Kyle Sherrer for a quick 25-yard touchdown to put the Titans up 7-0. The duo found the endzone again and a North Oconee field goal built the lead to 17-0. Teammate Adam Weynand increased the lead to 24-0 with a 9-yard touchdown run, but then Walnut Grove fought its way back into the game. Joc Pledger ran in an 80-yard Warriors touchdown with 4:45 left in the third quarter, but a missed PAT kept the deficit at 24-6. The Warriors scored a 52-yard touchdown through the air on a 4th and 5 call on the first snap of the final quarter, but Walnut Grove’s chance of a comeback was swiftly snapped; North Oconee returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown and used up seven minutes of clock on its following possession, which ended with a 20-yard field goal. North Oconee posted just one victory in its two previous seasons, but this year’s group is 5-1 following tonight’s road victory.
Blessed Trinity 45, West Hall 3
Host Blessed Trinity built a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and led 45-3 before a scoreless fourth. Quarterback Jake Smith completed two touchdown passes to Carson Harof and a 9-yard touchdown pass to James Bryant that put the Titans up 28-0 early in the second quarter. Steele Chambers ran in a pair of first quarter touchdowns and Englan Williams closed out the third quarter with a 29-yard touchdown run. Ethan Chauvin made a 45-yard field goal.
Denmark 61, Chestatee 47
First-year program Denmark visited Chestatee for its first-ever region game and after building a 21-0 lead in the opening quarter, had to survive back-and-forth shootout in the remaining periods. Denmark quarterback Ben Whitlock threw six touchdown passes, including five to Ze’Vian Capers. Chestatee’s quarterback Christian Charles rushed for a touchdown and threw three of his four touchdown passes to Seth Pressley. Denmark’s early 21-0 lead was built with Whitlock’s 81-yard toss to Teddy Davenport, a 24-yard touchdown pass to Capers and a Harrison Halder fumble recovery touchdown that came off a botched snap. The teams traded touchdowns and each failed a PAT in the second quarter and Denmark took a 34-13 lead into the locker room. Charles found Pressley for an 11-yard touchdown just 21 seconds into the second half and then MJ Jarrard capitalized off a Denmark turnover with a 5-yard touchdown run that brought Chestatee within 34-27 with 8:08 left in the third. Whitlock answered with his fourth touchdown pass to Capers (and fifth of the game) and freshman Dee Kunthy intercepted Charles and returned it for a Denmark touchdown to put the Danes up 48-27 heading into the fourth quarter. Chestatee’s Anthony Menjiver ran in a recovered fumble to bring the War Eagles within two scores (48-34), but Whitlock went back to Capers for the duo’s fifth touchdown and sophomore Devin Ducille added a 5-yard touchdown run to put Denmark up 61-34. Charles highlighted the final minutes with a 50-yard touchdown pass to Pressley and a 5-yard touchdown pass to MJ. Jarrard with just 19 seconds left.
Cartersville 21, Cedartown 20
Cartersville carried a 42-game regular season win-streak into Friday’s trip to Cedartown and hadn’t lost a region game since the 2011 season, but it would take a fourth quarter comeback and Cedartown’s missed PAT in the second quarter to come out on top. Cartersville’s offense got off to a strong start, taking its opening drive downfield to set up a 3-yard Harrison Allen touchdown run. Cedartown quarterback Taji Hudson scrambled in for a 21-yard touchdown to even it up 7-7, and Cartersville quarterback Tee Webb answered with his own 21-yard rushing score to put the Purple Hurricanes in front 14-7 entering the second quarter. Hudson broke loose for a 57-yard touchdown, but Cedartown missed the PAT and trailed 14-13 at the break. The Bulldogs grabbed their first lead (20-14) off an interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter, but Cartersville’s Quante Jennings broke the scoring drought and ran in the game-winning 2-yard touchdown with 7:42 left.
About the Author
