No. 8 Lee County eliminates No. 9 Sprayberry for second consecutive season
The ninth-ranked Sprayberry football team, hoping to avenge a surprisingly lopsided 64-0 loss to Lee County in the 2024 quarterfinals, made a better game of it in the rematch Friday night in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs at Jim Frazier Stadium in Marietta.
Still, the outcome remained the same, as No. 8 Lee County pulled away with two touchdowns in the final 10 minutes for a 34-21 victory. It was the only first-round game out of 119 in the state that matched top-10 opponents.
Jordan Bush led the way for the Trojans, rushing 15 times for 144 yards and two touchdowns, including one on a 15-yard run with 2:34 remaining that put the game away. The teams were tied 21-21 entering the fourth quarter.
“They scared the heck out of us preparing for that game last year,” Lee County coach Dean Fabrizio said. “They had a great football team. We just were able to jump on them early, we got some turnovers, and things kinda went our way. We knew they’d be ready for us tonight coming up here, and my hats off to coach (Pete) Fominaya and that team. They’ve got a really good football team over there.”
The road won’t get easier for Lee County (8-3), which won its first-round game for the 10th consecutive season. The Trojans will travel next Friday to top-ranked Langston Hughes and could face No. 4 Gainesville in the quarterfinals.
“It’s just the draw we got,” Fabrizio said. “It’s the hand we’ve been dealt, and that’s what we’ve got to play. We’re used to playing really good teams, and we’re used to playing on the road in tough environments. That’s why we play those games, that’s why we schedule the Colquitt Countys. We’re in a tough region, and it prepares us for games like this. We’ve got a lot of respect for Langston Hughes, and we’re excited to play another week and go up there for that challenge.”
Sprayberry finished the season 9-2.
Sprayberry trailed 14-7 at halftime but tied the game on its first possession of the second half when Jaden Duckett ran 13 yards to cap off a nine-play, 64-yard touchdown drive.
Lee County answered on its next possession, scoring on a 1-yard run by Bush to restore the lead to 21-14. The lead was short-lived, however, as Sprayberry scored on the first play of its next possession on a 54-yard touchdown run by Jrue Keeling to tie the game again at 21-21.
After Keeling’s touchdown, Sprayberry had its best chance to take the lead when AJC Super 11 pick Jorden Edmonds intercepted a pass at the Sprayberry 25 and returned it 41 yards to the Lee County 34. However, the Yellow Jackets turned the ball over on downs when Duckett was stopped for a 2-yard gain on fourth-and-4 at the 30.
Lee County took the lead for good on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Marcus Snipes to Carter Blackwell with 9:14 remaining in the game. Sprayberry had two more possessions while it was within one score but got no closer than the Lee County 49-yard line. After Bush added his second touchdown run with 2:34 left to make it a 13-point game, Sprayberry threw an interception on its final possession.
Bush’s 144 yards were part of a 301-yard rushing effort by the Trojans, who went over the 300-yard mark for the third time this season. Dominique Ball added 113 yards on 18 carries. Snipes was an efficient 7-of-12 passing for 131 yards and two touchdowns.
“We’ve got a host of good running backs,” Fabrizio said. “When you’ve got that many backs and you’re able to rotate them, we’ve been able to keep them fresh all year. And when you’ve got guys like that, good things happen. We’ve got a young offensive line, and they’re getting better and better as the year goes on. To be able to come in here and run the ball like that against a really good football team is exciting.”
Duckett rushed for 55 yards on 13 carries and was 8-of-17 passing for 88 yards. Keeling rushed for 83 yards on seven carries, and Kealan Jones had four receptions for 73 yards.
Lee County — 7-7-7-13 - 34
Sprayberry — 7-0-14-0 - 21
First quarter
- L — Canton Williams 15 run (Jackson Knight kick), 9:48
- S — Jaden Duckett 4 run (Maaziah Brown kick), 5:01
Second quarter
- L — Ja’Mari Arnold 12 pass from Marcus Snipes (Knight kick), 0:14
Third quarter
- S — Duckett 13 run (Brown kick), 8:34
- L — Jordan Bush 1 run (Knight kick), 4:50
- S — Jrue Keeling 54 run (Brown kick), 4:39
Fourth quarter
- L — Carter Blackwell 7 pass from Snipes (Knight kick), 9:14
- L — Bush 15 run (kick failed), 2:34
About the Author
Chip Saye rejoined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2025, at the launch of AJC Varsity. In 2009 he helped start Georgia High School Football Daily. He previously worked for the AJC, Athens Banner-Herald, Anderson (S.C.) Independent-Mail and Gwinnett Daily News.
