Class 4A’s ranked teams had another dominant week—finding the win column in every contest. No. 1 ranked Marist scored a 33-3 win over Arabia Mountain. Marist got rushing touchdowns from three different players as it cruised to a road win over Arabia Mountain. The War Eagles scored 33 unanswered points following an early Arabia Mountain field goal by Andre Teague and led 14-3 after one quarter, 21-3 at halftime, and also 21-3 going into the fourth. Thomas Rollauer got the scoring started with a 2-yard run and Marist recovered the ensuing pooch kick to set up Andrew Mannelly from seven yards out. Mannelly also had a 12-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, while Rollauer’s second score came on a 17-yard reception from George Parker. Lincoln Parker capped off the scoring with an 11-yard rush late in the fourth. Marist’s dominant defensive performance included an interception by Charlie Fleming.
No. 2 Jefferson, No. 3 Carver-Columbus, No. 8 Islands and No. 10 Baldwin were off this week, but No. 4 Stephenson’s defense looked sharp again in the Jaguars' 15-7 win over Mays. Stephenson is now 4-0 on the year and is allowing just 3.5 ppg.
No. 5 ranked Benedictine defeated Class 6A’s South Effingham 39-25 on Friday night and No. 6 Flowery Branch held off Cedar Shoals 27-20. The Falcons were able to hold off a late-game Cedar Shoals comeback attempt to secure the 27-20 victory. Cedar Shoals marched to the Flowery Branch 10-yard line on a potential game-tying drive, but the Falcons defense got the stop. Ryan Lusco, Baxley O’Brien, and David Renard scored touchdowns for Flowery Branch in the first half. Myles Ivey added 104 rushing yards, and Jaizen Ellingham finished with 106 yards on the ground.
No. 7 Bainbridge picked up a 35-13 win over Dade Christian (FL) and No. 9 ranked Cedartown exploded to a 50-0 lead before closing out Ridgeland 56-12 to post the program’s fifth-straight victory. UGA-commit Cedric Washington ran in a pair of touchdowns to put the Bulldogs up 15-0. Jayden Johnson contributed touchdown runs of 66 and 20 yards later in the first half and Reece Tanner rushed for an 18-yard score to build Cedartown’s 36-0 halftime advantage. Jeremiah Johnson returned a fumble 37 yards for a touchdown to make it 50-0 before Ridgeland scored back-to-back touchdowns, but Harlem Diamond returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown to provide the final margin.
Elsewhere in the classification, LaGrange’s breakthrough season continued Thursday night with a convincing 47-14 region victory over Jordan. The Grangers — who are currently scoring 35.6 ppg this season—averaged just seven points per game over their three previous seasons, and the dramatic improvements were seen once again with the team storming out to a 40-0 halftime lead over the visiting Red Jackets. Senior running back Kale Gibbs finished the night with four touchdowns, fullback Towson Partin added a 1-yard rushing score and quarterback Jaylan Brown connected with Tae Snead for a 35-yard passing touchdown. LaGrange is currently 4-1 in Region 2 and seeking to secure its first playoff berth since 2014.
Also, North Oconee scored a massive 48-7 win over East Hall. North Oconee Titans QB Bubba Chandler, who has committed to playing both football and baseball at Clemson, had rushing touchdowns of 16 and 41 yards in the first quarter, which ended with a 17-0 North Oconee lead. Rod Finch and Dominic Elder each scored a rushing touchdown in the second period, followed by a 35-yard touchdown pass from Chandler to Gavin Bloom and Eli Warrington’s blocked punt return for a touchdown to put North Oconee ahead 45-0 before the break.
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