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.
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