Private No. 1 Trinity continues to roll
The Lions are roaring. Loudly. Trinity Christian hit the 50-point mark for the fifth time in five games with a 51-0 throttling of Landmark Christian. The Lions have already scored 276 points, more than half of the 407 they scored last season, which is the second largest total in program history (second to the 634 they scored in 2017, their final season in the Georgia Independent Schools Association) and the most they have tallied since joining the GHSA. Senior QB David Dallas completed 13 of 20 pases for 187 yards and two touchdowns, while senior RB Dominick Cosper ran for 179 yards and three touchdowns on just 11 carries. Defensively, seniors Jimbo Batchelor and Joshua Dallas had interceptions, while junior Ryan Earl blocked two punts. Trinity will take a week off to prepare for a trip to No. 3 Eagle’s Landing Christian on Oct. 1.
Private No. 2 ELCA drops another one
Eagle’s Landing Christian fell to 1-3 but remained in the top two in the polls after a 24-21 loss to Class 5A No. 9 Blessed Trinity. The Charger defense was worn down by another much larger school as Titan junior RB Justice Haynes averaged more than 10 yards every time he ran the ball from scrimmage, rolling up 356 yards on 34 carries, three of which went for touchdowns, including a 95-yarder. But, as they have done in every game thus far, the Chargers fought valiantly, and led 21-0 after the first quarter. Sophomore RB Brandon Hood ran for 141 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries and had 113 yards on five kickoff returns. Junior WR Jacque Holley had two carries for 24 yards and six receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown. All four of ELCA’s opponents this season were ranked in the top 10 and are from classifications at least as large as 3A (Crisp County).
Private No. 3 Calvary Day escapes
The Cavaliers got all they could handle from First Presbyterian but outscored the Vikings 14-7 in the decisive fourth quarter to take a 28-21 win on the road in Macon. Sophomore QB Jake Merklinger scored the game-winning touchdown on a 13-yard run in the game’s final minute. He was efficient throwing the ball, completing 27 of 34 passes for 238 yards and a touchdown, but FPD didn’t yield any big play opportunities. The Viking defense also held hard running freshman RB Donovan Johnson under 100 yards (11 carries for 98 yards) and kept him out of the end zone for the first time this season.
Irwin, Brooks County get ready for showdown
Public Nos. 1 and 2 Irwin County (2-2) and Brooks County (2-1) prepared in much different ways for their big showdown in Ocilla on Friday. Irwin went on the road to Tifton and gave the Class 7A Blue Devils all they could handle but eventually fell, 16-14. Junior RB Demarkus Lundy ran for 17 times for 113 yards and a touchdown in the loss. Meanwhile, Brooks delivered a 43-0 beat down to Mitchell County as senior RB Omari Arnold ran for 119 yards and three touchdowns on XX carries, and returned punts 59 and 30 yards for scores. He has offers from Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern, East Carolina, Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State, according to 247Sports.
Charlton County back in Top 10
Charlton County made it back into the Public Top 10 for the first time in a year, after a 28-14 win over Tiftarea Academy, which competes in the largest classification, 3A, of the GISA. Junior RBs Jaylen Lilley and Jaylen King did all the damage as Lilley ran for 125 yards and two touchdowns, while King ran for 100 yards and two touchdowns as well. The last time Charlton was ranked in the top 10 was the week of September 21, 2020, when it was 2-0 at the time. But after falling that week to McIntosh County Academy (29-21), Charlton went on to lose five of its last seven games and finished 4-6.
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