Class 4A Blog: Week 9 Takeaways

All seven ranked teams that were active Week 9 scored big victories (Carver-Columbus, Benedictine, Baldwin, Perry, Marist, Cedartown, North Oconee) as Thomas County Central, Spalding and No. 1 Jefferson were off on their byes so there will not be any major shifts in the polls. There still were several major results that will shake up the region standings. Among the most significant winners were New Hampstead opening Region 3 play with a 32-9 win over Islands, Mays topping Stephenson 24-14 in Region 6, Northwest Whitfield defeating Heritage-Catoosa 22-15 in Region 7 and Flowery Branch earning its first Region 8 victory with a 34-14 win over Cedar Shoals.

As for the rest of the classification, Central-Carroll picked up a big 20-17 win over Pickens. The Lions rallied back from a 10-0 deficit to stun host Pickens. Jose Sanchez made a 38-yard field goal and Sam Streicher found Isaiah Williams from 24 yards out to put the Dragons up 10-0. Central-Carroll got on the board with Vicari Swain’s 95-yard interception return for a touchdown and Pickens took a 10-7 lead into the half. Devon Powell gave the Lions their first lead with a 3-yard touchdown run and the 13-10 margin held heading into the final quarter. Streicher hit Devin Hand for a 17-yard touchdown to put Pickens up 17-13 with 8:07 remaining and then Powell scored on a 4th and goal from the 1-yard line to give Central-Carroll a 20-17 lead. Pickens had a chance to tie it up, but missed a field goal with 11 seconds left.

North Oconee improved to 4-0 in Region 8 with a 56-0 win over East Hall. The Titans got a touchdown from junior Khalil Barnes on the second play from scrimmage, and quarterback Max Wilson hit Thomas Eckert for a 12-yard score on the following North Oconee drive. Wilson scored again off a 12-yard rush before senior Rodrick Finch broke free for a 28-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 28-0. The Titans scored once more in the first off a 1-yard rush by Dominic Elder for a 35-0 lead heading into the second, where Mack Brice added a score on the ground. North Oconee scored twice in the second half en route to its shutout over East Hall, including a touchdown from freshman Justin Curtis.

No. 3 ranked Benedictine—who previously defeated Ware County--picked up another massive victory outside of the classification and extended its win streak to six games with an emphatic 56-7 victory over host South Effingham out of Class 6A. The Cadets led 28-0 at the end of the opening frame following rushing scores by quarterback Holden Geriner (18 yards), Justin Thomas (61 yards) and Za’Quan Bryan, along with a 45-yard pick-six by Thomas. South Effingham scored seconds into the second quarter, but Benedictine extended its lead to 49-7 before the break with a 32-yarder from Geriner to Luke Kromenhoek, a touchdown run by Kromenhoek and Thomas Blackshear’s score on a recovered blocked punt. Kromenhoek added a third score in the fourth for the game’s final tally.

Flowery Branch shone in its 34-14 win over Cedar Shoals after opening Region 8 with tough losses to Jefferson and North Oconee. Marco Valasquez opened and closed the scoring with field goals for the Falcons, and Myles Ivey’s touchdown run and a 25-yard completion from David Renard to Seth Larson on 4th-and-16 gave the Falcons a 17-0 lead with 0:41 left in the first half. Cedar Shoals managed to get on the board with a pass from running back Jerdavian Colbert to Malik Armstrong in the final seconds before the break, but Malik Dryden opened the second half with a touchdown run for a 24-7 Flowery Branch edge. Colbert again made it a 10-point game with a 62-yard trip to the end zone off a screen pass before Nick Linkowski’s pick-six and Valasquez’ second field goal in the fourth.

No. 2 ranked Marist dominated Arabia Mountain 38-0 to remain unbeaten in Region 6—joining Mays as the only other team in the region yet to lose a game. Marist jumped out to a 24-0 lead in the first quarter following touchdown runs by Will Gerrick and Eli Clarkston, an interception Colin Hare returned for a touchdown and a Dawson Jones field goal. Quarterback Champ Davis hit Chandler Heath for a diving 31-yard touchdown pass that pushed the lead to 31-0 and Cooper Felty closed out the first half with an interception. Marist’s final points were scored on a Walker Richens touchdown run midway through the third quarter.

In Northwest Whitfield’s 22-15 win over Heritage-Catoosa, the Bruins earned the victory in the final seconds. Heritage-Catoosa took a 15-14 lead with 27 seconds left to play on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Kaden Swope to JC Armour. Northwest Whitfield answered with a 60-yard touchdown from Owen Brooker to Ray Morrison with just 5.3 seconds left for the game-winning score.

No. 5 ranked Cedartown cruised past Ridgeland as well. Harlem Diamond’s three-touchdown performance propelled Cedartown to a home win at Ayers Field on Friday night over visiting Ridgeland. Diamond scored on runs of 51, 1, and 44 yards, and Cedartown QB Reece Tanner connected with TE Demarieo “Demo” Sims for a 25-yard touchdown pass early. Touchdown runs from Khamarion Davis (33 yards) and Jaquaveon Price (6 yards) also contributed to the Bulldogs’ win, and the defense secured a safety as well.

REGION 1

Bainbridge (4-3, 2-0) 35, Dade Christian FL 12

Cairo (3-3, 1-1) (BYE)

Dougherty (6-1, 1-1) 44, Randolph-Clay 0

Monroe (2-5, 0-2) (BYE)

#8 Thomas County Central (5-2, 2-0) (BYE)

Hapeville Charter 20, Westover (2-5, 0-2)

REGION 2

*#4 Carver-Columbus (6-1, 5-0) 36, Troup (6-2, 5-1) 0

Columbus (2-5, 2-3) (BYE)

*LaGrange (4-1, 2-1) vs. Jordan (CANCELLED)

*Spencer (3-5, 2-4) 24, Kendrick (0-7, 0-5) 6