Friday recap: Thomas Central, Kell, Roswell, Cairo beat top-10 foes

Thomas County Central and Kell clinched region championships with victories over top-10 opponents Friday night, while Roswell and Cairo beat top-three teams as underdogs to put themselves one victory from region titles.

Harrison, Athens Academy and Warner Robins were among others who experienced good outcomes in the next-to-last week of the regular season, when several champions were decided.

At the head of the news, Roswell and Thomas County Central provided some clarity in Class 5A with their impressive wins.

Roswell, ranked No. 6, beat No. 3 Gainesville 37-35 and can now win Region 7 with a victory over No. 5 Milton (7-2, 4-1) next week.

Roswell (8-1, 5-0) had beaten Gainesville 48-45 in a similar shootout last season but was a 10-point under in the Maxwell Ratings this time because Gainesville (8-2, 5-1) defeated defending 5A champion Milton earlier this month. It’s not over, though, as Milton can force a three-way tie by beating Roswell in a game between north Fulton County arch rivals.

There’s no suspense in Class 5A’s Region 3, however, as No. 2 Thomas County Central beat No. 4 Houston County 31-7 and claimed the championship outright. It’s Thomas Central’s third title in coach Justin Rogers’ four seasons.

In Class 4A, No. 9 Kell beat No. 10 Cambridge 45-18 to win Region 6. It is Kell’s second region title in three seasons. Blessed Trinity won this region in 2024.

Cairo, unranked in Class 3A, beat No. 2 Peach County 38-31. Peach entered 8-0, and Cairo 6-2, and Cairo won as an 8-point underdog. Cairo can win its first region championship since 2018 with a victory over unranked Westover (6-2, 3-1) next week.

Another unranked team that beat a top-10 opponent Friday was Harrison, a 30-23 winner over No. 10 Hillgrove in Class 6A. That gave Harrison (8-1, 5-1) the No. 2 seed in Region 3 behind No. 5 McEachern (9-0, 5-0), which clinched the region with a 56-18 victory over South Cobb.

Unranked Warner Robins, a 22-point underdog, beat No. 5 Ware County 48-44 in Class 4A. That clinched Region 1 for No. 4 Benedictine (6-2, 4-0).

Several other teams clinched region championships, perhaps none more excitingly than Athens Academy, which beat Rabun County 49-46 to win Region 8-A Division I. Athens Academy, ranked No. 7 in Class 3A-A Private, trailed 43-29 in the third quarter against its unranked opponent.

North Gwinnett won Region 7-6A with a 44-6 victory over Norcross. The North Gwinnett-Norcross series is now 15-15.

No. 8 Rome of Class 5A beat New Manchester 38-7 to win Region 5. Both teams entered region play 5-0.

No. 7 Central of Carrollton of Class 4A beat Griffin 56-21 to win Region 3. Both entered region play 4-0.

Other teams that clinched region titles Friday included Calhoun, Cartersville, Carver-Atlanta, Carver-Columbus, Creekside, Jenkins, Marist, North Hall and North Oconee.

No. 2 Fellowship Christian of 3A-A Private beat Wesleyan 41-14 to win subregion B of Region 1. Fellowship advanced to next Friday’s region-title game against No. 9 Whitefield Academy.

A few other games matched top-10 teams.