Host Pickens (9-0) outscored Ridgeland 21-7 in the final three quarters of its 31-21 victory last night to secure the first region title (Region 6-AAAA) in school history. The Dragons got on the board with a 30-yard double-pass touchdown from Michael Burrell to Brady Moore, but Ridgeland used a Jordan Blackwell touchdown run and a Tanner Hill 47-yard touchdown toss to Torrance Roberts to go up 14-7. Jose Sanchez tacked on a 21-yard field goal that cut the deficit to 14-10 before Robert Davis ran in a 7-yard touchdown that put Pickens out in front 17-14. C.J. Streicher completed a 78-yard touchdown pass to Kaleb Ray to give the Dragons a 24-14 halftime lead, and Davis provided Pickens’ final score in the third quarter with a 13-yard run to make it 31-14. Hill tossed an 82-yard touchdown to Stephon Walker with 4:34 left for the game’s final points.
Elsewhere in the classification, Salem quarterback Daniel Scott threw two touchdown passes and the defense posted a first-half shutout before stamping a huge 22-14 win over Woodward Academy. After Willis Sheppard III opened the scoring with a nine-yard run in the first quarter, Scott hit Sheppard for a 64-yard strike to give the Seminoles a 14-0 lead at halftime. Scott also tossed a one-yard touchdown pass to Lennox Bowie in the third quarter. Banks Snellings and Tahj Gary scored on the ground for the War Eagles, with Gary’s five-yard run pulling them within six points as 3:48 remained on the clock. Gary finished with 134 yards on 22 carries.
Troup 20, Cedartown 13
After a scoreless opening quarter at Callaway Stadium, Cedartown’s Kobe Pryor ran in a 48-yard touchdown run (failed PAT), and Troup’s Kobe Hudson rushed for a 10-yard score that put the Tigers up 7-6 at the break. Hudson added another 10-yard score with 3:46 left in the the third quarter, but Troup missed the PAT this time and the lead remained 13-6. Pryor rushed for his second score just over a minute later and the teams went into the fourth tied 13-13. Hudson found Joko Willis for a go-ahead 17-yard touchdown pass with 10:32 left and the Tigers (8-0) held on to keep their perfect season alive.
Cartersville 51, Chapel Hill 0
The Purple Hurricanes struck first near the ten-minute mark with a 4-yard rushing score from Senior running back Marcus Gary. With under a minute left in the first, Cartersville sophomore safety Evan Slocum snagged an interception and returned the ball 20 yards into the end zone. Junior quarterback Tee Webb turned it on in the second, tossing a 51-yard touchdown to Junior Marquail Coaxum and a pair of touchdowns to Sophomore Devonte Ross to go up 35-0 at the half. After a scoreless third, Quante’ Jennings Jr. rushed into the end zone twice to finish the offense’s prolific night. The Purple Hurricanes defense also racked up a safety late in the fourth.
Blessed Trinity 42, Chestatee 0
A 15-yard rushing touchdown from Sophomore Carson Harof ignited Blessed Trinity’s explosive first-quarter performance. Senior Jake Smith was next to reach the end zone on a 45-yard run. A second rushing score by Harof was followed by a 32-yard touchdown run by Sophomore Englan Williams to give the Titans their fourth rushing score of the first quarter. With just under ten minutes left in the first half, Sophomore Brendan Hunt found the end zone on a 2-yard run to cap off the scoring spree. Late in the third, an interception by Junior James Bryant was returned 95 yards for the Titans sixth unanswered score of the night.
Denmark 28, White County 27
White County quarterback J Ben Haynes put the Warriors up 14-0 with a 45-yard run in the first quarter, and a 2-yard touchdown reception from tailback Jay Lepkoske in the opening minute of the second. Devin Ducille got the Danes on the board with a 7-yard touchdown run and Matt Cassandra’s 1-yard touchdown run evened it 14-14 at the half. The score held until 10:27 in the final frame when White County’s Michael Mintz rushed for a 2-yard touchdown to put the Warriors back ahead 21-14. Denmark quarterback Ben Whitlock hit Ze’Vian Capers for an 81-yard touchdown run with 3:03 left to even it back up 21-21. White County answered with a 57-yard Haynes touchdown run, but missed the PAT with 1:49 left. Whitlock threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Nick Carozza with 17.6 left for the game-winner.
St. Pius X 52, Madison County 27
St. Pius X rolled to a 35-0 advantage early in the second quarter and never led by fewer than 25 points thereafter against Madison County. The visiting Golden Lions, who enjoyed a 45-14 cushion at halftime, got three touchdowns from Jason Jones in three different ways–a 19-yard blocked punt return, a 74-yard rush, and a 40-yard reception from Connor Egan. Colby Smith tried to keep the Red Raiders within striking distance, as he threw four touchdown passes. Traveon Latimore had a 66-yard touchdown catch for Madison County, Jaylen Sims hauled one in for a 63-yard score, and Kale Anderson was on the receiving end for two of Smith’s scoring strikes.
About the Author
