Not only have the Harris County Tigers gotten off to a 3-0 start, they’ve made a little history.
Coach Tommy Watson’s team is only the fourth from Georgia to open the season by beating three state-ranked teams. Harris County has beaten Class A Div. II No. 3 Manchester (16-8), Class 3A No. 6 Troup (21-17) and Class 2A No. 3 Carver Columbus (15-6).
The only other teams to accomplish the same feat, according to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association, are 2022 Cedar Grove, 2013 Coffee and 2013 Lovett, which holds the record with four straight wins over ranked teams.
“We met with the team on Sunday and I told them what they had done is remarkable,” Watson said. “Those three programs we beat are really, really good football programs. To play all three of those teams and come out on top, it checks the box for what we’ve been doing.”
Harris County has turned things around in three seasons under Watson, who spent formative seasons working on the Lowndes staff with Hall of Fame coach Randy McPherson. After going 2-9 in the first season, Harris County improved to 11-2, won the school’s first region title since 2014 and advanced to the third round of the playoffs.
Watson credited the school’s administration for supporting his plans to begin working with players when they entered the fifth grade and the buy-in of the parents and players for what they’re trying to accomplish.
“We’ve built this thing on toughness and physicality,” Watson said. “We just play a hard-nosed old-school type of football, but we’re going to hit you every time you touch the ball.”
The team is led by versatile senior Ran Ogletree, a senior who has offers from Georgia State and App State. He can play quarterback, wide receiver, running back and defensive back.
The offense is built around an experienced offensive line made up of center Braxton Waller (6-0, 295), guards Denver Degonia (6-1, 265) and Milton Lauofo (6-1, 282) and tackle John Spears (6-3, 270).
“I think we have the best offensive line in the state,” Watson said.
The defensive front is led by senior Joshua Jones (6-3, 280). He had two fumble recoveries in the first two games.
“He’s probably the best player in the state of Georgia that nobody has ever heard of,” Waton said.
The Tigers won’t get a chance to beat another ranked team this week. They’ll travel to Albany to face unranked Dougherty (1-2).
“They’ve got better looking players than we’ve got,” Watson said. “I tell my kids this every Friday during pregame. I don’t care if we’re playing Manchester, I don’t care if we play the Georgia Bulldogs. All we’re going to do is show up and be us and we’re going to play the way we play.”
Warner Robins wins rivalry game: The Demons beat rival Northside for the eighth straight year, the longest winning streak in the series. A 4-yard run by Travis English and a 32-yard pass from Skyler Williams to Rasean Dinkins provided a second-half cushion and Da’veon Latimore closed the scoring with a 7-yard touchdown run in the 34-12 win. The victory boosted Warner Robins back into the rankings at No. 10. Dinkins had a great night, scoring on two receptions and one run, recorded five solo tackles, intercepted two passes and broke up two others.
Eastside is Newton County champs: The No. 10-ranked Eagles earned the Newton County championship by beating Alcovy 54-9 on Friday. Eastside (3-0) had already beaten Newton 26-15. It is the first time Eastside had beaten its two county rivals in the same season since 2018.
Eastside scored 34 points in the first quarter and led 48-0 at halftime. The Eagles ran for 270 yards against Alcovy. Myles Mims rushed for 111 yards and Jayden Barr carried for 81 yards. Quarterback Payton Shaw threw for 90 yards and two touchdowns.
Mays clips rival Douglass: The Mays Raiders knocked off rival Douglass 20-19 on Saturday. Jaylen Wyatt threw a 67-yard touchdown pass – his second of the game -- to Jamarion Dowdell with seven minutes remaining and kicked the extra point that proved to be the game-winner. Douglass drove to the Mays’ 10 with three minutes left, but the Mays defense rose up and made the Astros turn it over on downs.
Top performers in Week 3: Marist QB Jack Euart ran for 144 yards and the No. 1 War Eagles beat Woodward Academy 38-0. … Stephen Cannon threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns, six of them to Joshua Washington for 140 yards and two touchdowns, in No. 3 Benedictine’s 43-14 win over Burke County. … Blessed Trinity has a kicker. The No. 4 Titans improved to 3-0 with a 23-21 win over Prince Avenue Christian, with Noah Godhard kicking three field goals – including the 29-yarder for the win -- and putting all six kickoffs into the end zone. … Cullen McDaniel threw for 313 yards and a touchdown in No. 5 Perry’s 31-17 loss to rival Houston County. …
Luke Hooks completed five passes for No. 6 Ware County in a 49-7 win over Bainbridge and all five went for touchdowns. … No. 8 Cass rode the arm of Brodie McWhorter (248 yards, two touchdowns) in a 49-0 win over Adairsville. … Cambridge routed Creekview 39-0 on the strength of QB Taylor Weston, who threw for 265 yards and three touchdowns. … Cedartown’s Tae Harris ran for 139 yards and two touchdowns, caught a 44-yard touchdown pass and returned a fumble for a touchdown in a 63-28 win over Alexander. … QB J.R. Harris threw for 304 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 73 yards and three touchdowns in a 44-21 win over Hiram. … Jaivon Solomon caught seven passes for 165 yards and one touchdown in a 28-9 win over Hampton. … Kamari Maxwell of New Hampstead caught 16 passes for 284 yards and five touchdowns in a 47-44 win over Effingham County. … Perry’s Kiel Sparks caught 15 passes for 194 yards in a 31-17 loss to Houston County. … Stockbridge quarterback Joshua Scott threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a score in a 49-42 win over Locust Grove.
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