Week 5 marked the season opener for Savannah-based Islands and Jenkins. The two Region 3 opponents squared off on Friday and Jenkins wore a No. 6 ranking heading into it. The results, however, saw Islands dominating in a 26-8 victory. Islands stormed to a 20-0 lead and held off No. 6 ranked Jenkins in the long-awaited season opener between the Region 3 opponents. Quarterback Jadon Adams ran for two touchdowns and threw touchdown passes to Langston Lewis and John Dickerson to pace the Sharks' offense. Jenkins scored with just 33 seconds left in the first half with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Blake to Khalil Marshall to make it a 20-8 margin at the break. The teams went scoreless in the third quarter, and Adams iced the game with his 47-yard touchdown pass to Dickerson with 7:45 left.
Jefferson quarterback Malaki Starks found Spencer Neese for a 33-yard touchdown pass with 26 seconds remaining to lift Jefferson to a 26-19 road win over Hart County. Starks threw for three touchdowns; his first was a 34-yard pass to Dawson Crawley in the second quarter and he completed a 47-yard strike to Neese in the third. The Dragons scored first when Jordan Perry forced Hart County quarterback Tanner Ayers to fumble and Kaden Bailey recovered and returned it 20 yards for the touchdown.
No. 3 ranked Benedictine trailed 23-20 at halftime of its 41-29 victory, despite Cadets quarterback Holden Geriner and wide receiver Trent Broadnax connecting for a pair of touchdowns and Justin Thomas adding a 12-yard score on the ground. Benedictine capitalized on a fumble recovery with a 7-yard rushing touchdown early in the second half to take a 27-23 lead. Both Justin Thomas' interception early in the fourth and a fumble recovery on the following Wayne County possession led to touchdowns by the Cadets. Wayne County scored on a 45-yard touchdown pass but the two-point conversion attempt and onside kick were both unsuccessful, sealing the comeback victory for Benedictine.
The Troup Tigers (1-3, 1-1) scored a dominant 42-0 win over Region 2 opponent Spencer to notch their first victory of the season. Anthony Ferguson and Taeo Todd each rushed for two touchdowns and AJ Tucker and Navontae Moss both ran in 2-yard scores in the second quarter to give the Tigers a 21-0 halftime lead.
Also in Class 4A, No. 4 Stephenson opened its season with a massive 35-0 win over Lithonia on Thursday, Cedartown scored a 48-14 win over Class 2A No. 6 Heard County and No. 8 Flowery Branch impressed with a 34-7 win over Hiram.
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