Wide receivers took the spotlight during the first round of the state high school football playoffs, and they took it in record-setting stride.
In Lovejoy, junior Preston Williams caught seven passes for 275 yards and four touchdowns. He also intercepted a pass and made a touchdown-saving tackle. He returned a kickoff 37 yards to set up the game-winning touchdown — which he caught on a Hail Mary pass to beat Marietta 27-23.
In Jesup, Wayne County senior Krenwick Sanders caught six touchdown passes in a 49-34 victory over Monroe. They covered 60, 71, 20, 47 and 52 yards in the first half, 29 yards in the second.
And there were other top performers:
- Mundy's Mill RB Rodney Smith rushed for 348 yards and four touchdowns in a 33-13 victory against Houston County.
- Peachtree Ridge RB Jordan Ellis rushed for 263 yards and six touchdowns — 250 yards and five touchdowns in the first half — on 23 carries in a 59-20 victory against Lassiter.
- Ringgold QB Slade Dale rushed for 164 yards and passed for 220 and had a hand in seven touchdowns — four rushing, three passing — in a 55-54 victory over North Hall. It was Ringgold's first playoff victory.
- Banneker WR Quandarius Lee had 297 all-purpose yards on 15 touches and scored four touchdowns, three receiving and one rushing, in a 68-39 loss to Monroe Area. He completed a 36-yard pass.
- Blessed Trinity RB Chad Manthey rushed for 228 yards on 27 carries in a 41-14 victory over Jackson County.
- Brookwood RB Jesse Brown rushed for 239 yards and four touchdowns, three of more than 50 yards, in a 35-16 victory against Lambert.
- Carrollton DL Brandon Walton had two sacks for 14 yards in losses and returned an interception 31 yards in a 52-10 victory against Northwest Whitfield.
- Cedar Grove LB Bryson Allen-Williams made 23 tackles in a 22-14, four-overtime victory against Elbert County.
- Creekside RB Bricen Terry rushed for 187 yards and 22 yards and three touchdowns in a 27-14 victory against Lakeside-Evans.
- Heard County RB Duranta Dunson rushed for 200 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries and had 13 tackles in a 27-14 victory over Pepperell. Dunson has rushed for 1,730 yards on the season, 4,588 in his career.
- Hughes DE D'Andre Walker had 14 tackles, four for losses, two sacks and a forced fumble in a 34-20 victory over Valdosta. Teammate Keion Davis rushed for 202 yards and intercepted a pass.
- Lamar County RB/DB Lawrence Austin rushed for 183 yards and four touchdowns on eight carries in a 58-15 victory over Metter. Austin also intercepted a pass and made four tackles.
- Lee County DB Nui Misajon had 2.5 sacks, two other tackles for losses, two pressures and a forced fumble in a 28-6 victory over Effingham County.
- Mays RB Randrecous Davis, making his first start in the backfield, rushed for 156 yards on 23 carries in a 14-10 victory against Clarke Central.
- North Hall RB Zac Little rushed for 267 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries in a 55-54 loss to Ringgold.
- Richmond Hill QB Nick Fitzgerald rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns and was 3-of-3 passing in a 13-7 victory against Thomas County Central.
- St. Pius RB/LB Dalton Wilson rushed for 138 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries and had two sacks for 18 yards in losses in a 31-21 victory over Hart County.
- Thomasville RB Mario Cherry rushed for 252 yards and three touchdowns — two of more than 60 yards — on 16 carries in a 45-20 victory over Westside-Augusta.
- Ware County DB Zay Ealey had nine tackles and returned an interception 72 yards for a touchdown in a 49-7 victory over Bainbridge.
- Westover RB Shannon Saunders rushed for 213 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries in a 27-7 victory over Liberty County. DL Brenton Wimbley had six tackles and a sack, his 20th of the season, and Westover held Liberty County to 126 yards of offense.
- White County RB Dalton Whitfield rushed for 237 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries in a 52-28 victory against Adairsville.
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