Most 2A teams took the field opening week, and each region yielded mixed results, with the exception of Region 8. Consisting of six teams, 8-2A is the only in the classification to have all teams win their Week 1 matchups. Most of the games weren’t even close.
No. 5 Fellowship Christian beat Mount Pisgah 38-3 at home as part of the Kell-Hunter Classic. The Paladins reached the semifinals last year (10-4). Athens Academy beat Dade County 42-7, earning a spot in the rankings at No. 9 as a result. The Spartans went 8-3 last year.
In a region crossover game, Union County beat Region 7′s Fannin County 52-10. The Panthers are trending upward, coming off an 8-4 season after going 7-13 the previous two seasons. Banks County beat Johnson-Gainesville 53-7. The Leopards are coming off their first non-losing season (5-5) since 2016. East Jackson beat Oglethorpe County 14-7. The Eagles (5-6 last year) are coming off their first playoff appearance since 2009.
Providence Christian joined Fellowship Christian in winning their coach’s debut, with the Storm beating St. Francis 53-15. John Russ was named coach ahead of the season after Joe Sturdivant left to coach his alma mater, Parkview.
Paladins coach John Thompson, who took over for Tim McFarlin at Fellowship Christian, thinks 8-2A will be competitive.
“I believe our league will surprise a lot of people with the talent and coaching,” Thompson said. “There are a lot of real tough and talented guys up here. It’s going to be a dogfight when we start playing each other.”
Fitzgerald shuts out Irwin County
The Fitzgerald Purple Hurricane are coming off a 14-1 season after reaching the title game a third straight year and entered the season ranked No. 1 as a result. On Friday, they showed why by dominating crosstown rival and A Division I No. 3 Irwin County 28-0. It’s the fourth year in a row the Cane have beaten Irwin County and the first time they’ve shut them out since 2012.
It was a ground and pound game for the Cane, who passed for minus-4 yards but rushed for 187, led by Tyler Williams (17 carries, 79 yards), Bill Boone (17-67) and Carter Pace (6-60). Williams had touchdown runs of 44 and 34 yards. Boone scored on a 1-yard touchdown and Diondre Paschal scored on a 3-yard run.
The Cane defense held Irwin County to 72 yards of offense (59 rushing, 13 passing) and recovered four fumbles.
“It’s always great to win the opener, and even better to beat your rival,” Cane coach Tucker Pruitt said. “Defense played lights out. We have got a lot of things to work on moving forward but it was an awesome start to the season.”
Appling County nearly upsets Ware County
The No. 2 Appling County Pirates were 19-point underdogs heading into their matchup at Ware County, the defending champions of 5A, where they are still ranked No. 1. The Pirates lost 20-17 despite more rushing yards (174-152) and passing yards (83-59) than the Gators and a better third-down conversion rate (5-of-14 to 1-of-11). The Pirates also won time of possession at 30:57 to 17:03.
The difference in the outcome was turnover differential. Though each team threw an interception, the Pirates lost two fumbles, one of which was returned for a Ware County touchdown.
“We do our job and the little 2A school might’ve won by two scores,” Pirates coach Jordan Mullis said. “We don’t make excuses, and we don’t create a (weak) schedule.”
The Pirates went 11-2 last year and reached the semifinals a second year in a row.
Elsewhere
- After opening last season 0-9 and winning the finale against Sumter County 21-19, the Jeff Davis Yellow Jackets are on a two-game win streak, winning their season opener 23-20 over Charlton County. The Jackets are trying to return to 2017-21 form, when they had a winning record every season, went 39-16 and won two playoff games.
- Dodge County hung tough with A Division 1 No. 7 Bleckley County, losing 10-7. The Indians eye a postseason return after going 4-6 last season and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2011.
- ACE Charter beat Crawford County 53-0. The Gryphons look to best last year, their first winning season (8-3), and win their first playoff game. They are in coach Keith Hatcher’s second year with the program.
- Rutland beat Towers 26-6. The Hurricanes are coming off their first non-losing season (5-5) since 2013, the last time they made the playoffs. The Canes are led by first-year coach Anthony Williams.
- South Atlanta and its former coach, Michael Woolridge, lost their debuts. The Hornets and first-year coach Jeff Franklin lost 20-6 to Southwest DeKalb. Woolridge left after last season for Pebblebrook, which lost 42-27 to South Gwinnett. Woolridge was 22-3 at South Atlanta over two seasons, both of which ended with region titles and quarterfinals finishes.
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