Class 7A blog: Buford is unbeaten, but not unbeatable
If North Cobb won’t count it as a moral victory, perhaps the rest of Class 7A will.
The Warriors lost to Buford on Friday night but took the No. 1-ranked Wolves down to the final minute before falling 21-14. Buford led 14-0 at halftime and North Cobb came back with two impressive TD drives to tie the game.
Until then, Buford had seem invincible in blowing away out-of-state powers Thompson of Alabama and Mallard Creek of North Carolina. Against North Cobb, which has gone 1-2 against Buford the past three seasons, all tight affairs, Justice Haynes scored on a 6-yard TD run with 42 seconds left to break a 14-14 tie.
So there’s going to a suspenseful Class 7A after all. North Cobb provided the needed reminder.
Here are other takeaways from Friday in the high class after the third week of the regular season.
*No. 2 Grayson looked sharp in beat Fort Dorchester, S.C., 28-0. The Rams limited the 2021 South Carolina semifinalist to 158 total yards and 11 first downs and became the first team to shut out the Patriots in a regular-season game since 2014. Grayson is 3-0 with no game closer than 20 points. Next is Spartanburg, another top South Carolina team, and then Lowndes.
*Collins Hill, the defending champion, got its first big test last week and passed, defeating Brookwood 16-13 after trailing 13-0. Collins Hill’s defense, underrated last season, remains one of the state’s best. Collins Hill is 2-0 and next faces Class 3A No. 1 Cedar Grove, which just beat Westlake 30-20.
*No. 7 Carrollton avenged its only regular-season 2021 loss with a 23-6 victory over Rome, which had been ranked No. 3 in Class 6A. Freshman Ju Ju Lewis passed for 229 yards. Carrollton is up from Class 6A and is 3-0.
*Mill Creek moved up to No. 3 in the rankings after a 33-0 victory over Archer. Mill Creek held Archer to 72 total yards and ran its defensive scoreless streak to seven quarters. Mill Creek, which shares a region with Buford and Collins Hill, is 3-0.
*Kennesaw Mountain is in the top 10 of the highest class for the first time after a 3-0 start and a 37-36 victory over North Paulding. Ty Roldan kicked a 25-yard field goal with 19 seconds left, Cayman Prangley was 24-of-42 passing for 294 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 90 yards on 14 carries.
About the Author
Todd Holcomb covers high school sports across the state. He rejoined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2025 and has worked with the AJC in varying capacities since 1985. He is a co-founder and editor of Georgia High School Football Daily.
