MIDSTATE FOOTBALL ROUNDUP: Treutlen upends Wilcox County, Bleckley displays dominant airpower vs. WACO and more from week 6

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A closer look at week 6 high school football results of note from around the Heart of Georgia…

Treutlen 17, Wilcox Co. 12

Deciding factor: The Vikings asserted themselves at the line of scrimmage when tough yards were at stake, particularly on the third and fourth downs in the final quarter that helped them maintain control of the clock, or get Wilcox County’s offense off the field. Their 42 carries produced 195 yards, while the Treutlen defense held the Patriots (whose 117 yards passing on a 6-of-14, one-touchdown night for Deacon McDuffie had them roughly equal in the accounting of total yardage) to 128, and feature back Melvin McAdoo to 59 on nine attempts. Both offenses had one big-play breakthrough, as McDuffie threw a 69-yard touchdown pass to Jay Howard that opened the scoring late in the first quarter and Treutlen’s Peanut Tobler found the clear after breaking a tackle on a 40-yard run (as a pivotal drive came to a fourth-down crossroads) for the deciding points. Everything else – two early Viking drives that came up empty before Leo Brinson’s 29-yard field goal to cut the early Wilcox lead to 6-3, a go-ahead Treutlen touchdown by Tobler from two yards out just before the half and the Patriots’ answer on a long drive of roughly five minutes to punch it in on a 10-yard McAdoo carry – came down to cashing in opportunities in scoring range.

Pivotal moment: The last touchdown by either team took place way back in the third, the Treutlen defense had to hold its ground for about 16 more minutes to solidify the late lead. Wilcox County got down to the Treutlen 10 on its next drive, which lasted through the end of the quarter. But subsequent penalties led to a nearly 30-yard retreat back to near midfield, and a Patriot punt to start the fourth. The Vikings took down five minutes before kicking it back, then forced a quick three-and-out to regain possession. Kavion Peeples kept for a key fourth-down conversion around the 4-minute mark, but a missed field goal with 93 seconds left gave it back to Wilcox for one final chance. The Pats survived a fumble-ruled-incomplete pass early in their series, but were stopped as Treutlen’s Nyleaj Gillis sniffed out a screen on fourth-and-short to seal the game, and the Vikings’ first victory over their region rival since 2005. Though a major landmark in the rivalry, the signature win is likely to represent an even bigger achievement in the long run of this season, which – if Treutlen takes care of business – is now likely to be their first to reach the playoffs since 2009.

Game ball: Tobler ground out most of the Vikings’ rushing yardage, with 23 touches for 135, and both touchdowns.

Next: Vikings at Telfair Co., Oct. 3.

TOUGH NUT TO CRACK: Peanut Tobler totes tacklers on one of his 23 physical carries that averaged six yards. The confident runner carried for two touchdowns in the Treutlen win over Wilcox County/LOGAN REYNOLDS, GTLN

Bleckley Co. 44, Washington Co. 26

Deciding factor: The Royals put on an air show, with Brody Fleming at the controls of a dazzling 327-yard, five-touchdown display in their fourth win. Deondrez Robertson ran it eight times for 43 to lead the ground crew, though their work was light in support of Fleming and the seven skill athletes who caught passes. Octavius Tate the biggest number of both receptions (six), yards (117) and touchdowns (two). Kelvin Snead, Jahiyan Blackshear and Kix Foskey had the remaining touchdowns. Bleckley made a quick and steep ascent after getting airborne, climbing to a four-touchdown lead in the first 14 minutes of flight time, as WACO struggled to make it off the runway. The Royals’ defensive countermeasures – three tackles for loss each by Patrick Roberts and Malachi Ates and two out of four team sacks by Willy Walters – kept the Golden Hawks from getting anywhere near striking distance the rest of the night.

Pivotal moment: Ates, who led the squadron with nine tackles, made a fourth-down sack to force a turnover on downs in between Fleming’s two early strikes of 35 and 26 yards to Tate. Another WACO stall in the red zone followed just before Bleckley drove 95 yards for another TD on the 37-yard pass of Fleming to Foskey. Then Jireh Campbell, joining Kelvin Sneed Jr. with an interception, made it 28-0 on a pick-six. The Hawks finally got some airspeed on the next possession, as May hit a 59-yard touchdown pass, but Bleckley hit the afterburners, and countered right back with two unanswered before another by May put the score at 41-12 going to halftime.

Game ball: Fleming completed 17 of his 27 passes for the season-high in yardage and scores.

Next: Royals at Jefferson Co., Friday

Wheeler Co. 50, Dooly Co. 9

Deciding factor: The Bulldogs recovered from a frightful first five minutes to put up 403 yards of total offense, in a performance that – as always – relied on a physical rushing attack and the tough running of backs like Alvin Ricks and Justin Culver, who scored two touchdowns each, and Malik Madison, who rushed for one. Reco Wooten, a perfect 3-for-3 with 91 yards and touchdowns to Jah Dinkins and Jaden Bridges, sprinkled in a change of pace from QB. Dooly County threw for 131 yards, but was held to just 42 on the ground.

Pivotal moment: It started weirdly, with kickoff issues pinning Wheeler County at its own 2 for a first snap that spewed out the back of the end zone for a safety. The Bobcats’ Jamonte Taylor returned the free kick back to the same spot to set up an adventurous goal-to-go series that began with back-to-back Bulldog tackles for loss, then a delay penalty to force them into a field goal try. But after consecutive offside penalties, Dooly County brought the offense back out, and Brexton Gaston dumped it out to Taylor for a six-yard touchdown and a 9-0 lead. The Wheeler start grew even more disastrous with a fumble on the return of the ensuing kick, and the Bobcats pounced on the ball for another possession, though it ended after only a few plays as a lateral to the flat got loose and was recovered by Lane Connell. The Bulldogs restored stability to the game in just two plays, both deep shots by Wooten of about 30 yards to Ricks, then 50 to Dinkins for a touchdown to get them on the board. They’d force a missed field goal, then drive 80 to go in front for good on a short Ricks dive early in the second quarter, and it was downhill from there. Culver ran 13 times for 98 yards.

Game ball: Ricks, who had 17 carries for 150 and two touchdowns rushing, also caught a pair of passes for 30 and completed two for 12 that gave him a hand in nearly 200 yards of production.

Next: Bulldogs vs. Hawkinsville, Friday

LIKE CATS AND DOGS: A physical collision between Dooly County blocker and Wheeler County defender as the
Bobcats’ Jamonte Taylor looks to elude a Bulldog tackler on his turn upfield/WILL FITZGERALD, for the News Observer

Greene Co. 52, Twiggs Co. 34

Deciding factor: Both teams scored a season high in points, but the Cobras gave up more big plays the other way than they could produce themselves as a search for their first win wore on through this first-half finale. Both teams, oddly, wore a shade of white, though we can give them a pass on that since the rained-out game was originally set to be played before Labor Day. Twiggs, with its road jerseys against black pants, was white-hot in the early going with two quick scores as Jeremy Stanley threw touchdown passes of 59 and 20 yards to set the early pace. But Greene County answered both just as quickly, on a long run by Dicorion Alexander and 66-yard Landon Garretson connection with Kalil Dorsey to stay on serve.

Pivotal moment: The Tigers’ break point came shortly after, with two unanswered scores from close range that made up most of their margin. The swing had Twiggs playing catch-up the remainder of the game. Stanley found Courdon Parker on a fade, and another receiver from 14 away in the second half, while Harold Crawford III set up two opportunities on long carries or receptions to within the Greene County 10.

Game ball: Stanley threw for a confirmed four of the Cobras’ five touchdowns.

Next: Cobras vs. GMC, Friday

John Milledge 31, Brentwood 28

Deciding factor: A touchdown pass from Lewis Cheney to Bryce McDonel early in the last minute gave the Trojans the final word, though their multi-score lead from earlier in the game momentarily got away as Brentwood came back from two deficits of 11 to stab its way in front, 28-24, late in the fourth quarter. Cheney hit McDonel and Asa Wall (who also rushed for a first-half score) on earlier touchdown passes in response to a Brayden Tyson field goal and a 56-yard Baylor Cobb touchdown pass to Zyion Andrews to lead 21-10 at the half. An exchange of field goals in the third had JMA up 24-13 before Brentwood began to seriously chip away with a gritty drive including a Cobb keeper and a fake punt to convert fourth downs on the way to a Tyson touchdown run, and two-point conversion toss to get to a three-point game. The Eagles’ defense finally broke serve to get the ball back for one more good chance.

Pivotal moment: Tristan Robinson, who led the Brentwood ground attack with 133 yards on nine carries, broke loose on a 58-yard touchdown run for the lead with just under three minutes at the apex of the Eagles’ second-half rally. But JMA’s Cheney made some of his own magic with completions to McDonel on two separate third downs, one for 50 yards and the second for the winning set of six.

Game ball: Cobb completed six passes for 75 yards and a touchdown to Zyion Andrews, ran nine times for 57 yards and led the Brentwood defense with nine total tackles

Next: Eagles at Briarwood, Friday

Telfair Co. 24, Montgomery Co. 21

Deciding factor: The Eagles made a great run at the upset, taking leads on all three of their touchdowns (each on passes by quarterback Rilynn Dees), but couldn’t quite finish off the defending 4-Low A champions, who answered all three, and added a field goal, to escape with the region-opening win. Dees screened 38 yards to Jaquez Kelly (who caught six of his passes for 145 yards) for a first-quarter score, hit him again from 45 in the second for a lead of four (after Telfair’s 10 unanswered points) and delivered a precision-strike to Elijah McEwen from 21 yards on a fourth down for the last to go ahead a final time late in the third. McEwen was responsible for 103 total yards, as well as 11 solo tackles, one for loss.

Pivotal moment: But the Trojans once again got the last word, then a stop to ice the game. They scored on a two-yard run to finish up the long scoring drive, then ran out the clock after MoCo’s late magic ran out on a fourth down overthrow that fell incomplete.

Game ball: Dees threw 10 clutch completions out of his 24 attempts for 193 yards and the three touchdowns.

Next: Eagles vs. Dooly Co., Friday

Best of the rest…

Warner Robins 27, Veterans 17: David Drake hit a 45-yard field goal to give the opportune Warhawks a 17-15 lead with seven minutes to play in the fourth quarter. But Warner Robins responded with a five-minute, 53-yard drive to re-take the lead on a touchdown run by Jaden Hill with 90 seconds remaining. Veterans was only on the fringe of striking range when Jamarcus Allen picked off its final pass at the 1 and returned it 99 yards for an add-on touchdown.

For more from this game, check out Clay Brown’s recap in the Houston Home Journal.

99 PROBLEMS, BUT SCORING AIN’T ONE: Jamarcus Allen (7) pulls down an interception at the buzzer before returning it 99 yards for a touchdown in Warner Robins’ 27-17 win over Veterans/CLAY BROWN, Houston Home Journal

Westfield 33, FPD 22: Brock Johnson was 13-of-17 for 125 yards passing, but rushed 11 times and 65 yards for three of the four offensive touchdowns that gave the Hornets an upper hand in this clash of GIAA titans. Westfield led for the majority, relinquishing its advantage only briefly as Major Simmons put FPD in front with a touchdown carry early in the third quarter. But two more Johnson TDs, and a fumble recovery in the end zone off a bad snap by Cameron Staines, made it all Hornets the rest of the way. Simmons rushed for 59 and threw for 93.

Hephzibah 56, Howard 34: The Huskies opened in a four-touchdown hole before they could get in the game. Hephzibah had 115 yards and three rushing touchdowns by Reante Byrd in its first five plays, and a pick-six by Dextavion Reese put them up 27-0 before the four-minute mark of the first quarter. Howard’s Zavion Deshazier rushed for two touchdowns, Tayshawn Poole for one and the two hooked up on a second-half pass for a score, but the Huskies only got as close as 13 points. Hephzibah ran 44 rushing plays for 322 yards. Byrd had 197 on 22 of them.

Click here to read more from the game by the Macon Melody’s Micah Johnston.

A BYRD IN HAND: Howard outside linebackers Billy Roquemore (48) and Milton Ivery (32), along with free safety Tashawn Poole (5), take down Hephzibah running back Reante Byrd (2). They managed to catch him on this play, but the Huskies couldn’t keep enough contain on the Rebels’ top athlete, who scored three touchdowns in the first quarter and rushed for over 150 yards/JESSICA GRATIGNY, for the Macon Melody

Westside, Augusta 20, Aquinas 14: The Patriots’ defense, led by interceptions from Elliott Jackson and De’Antre Charles, held Aquinas in check for three quarters, and enough of the fourth to survive an Irish comeback effort that chipped away two of the three touchdowns that made up their early lead. Tamari Curry (29 carries for 173 yards) ran for the first score, and caught a pass from Jaylen Stone for the last (after a fourth-down trick play sprung Josh Crawford to the end zone in the middle) to contribute to a 20-0 lead midway through quarter 3. The Irish scored on two of three good threats in the final 12, as Turner Stevenson (16-of-34 for 271 yards) threw for a pair of touchdowns, one to the prolific Jack Rhodes (who caught eight passes for 170 yards), but were stonewalled on a last chance to tie or take the lead late.

Northeast Macon 29, ACE Charter 0: The Raiders aced their biggest region test so far, forcing five turnovers (three interceptions and two fumbles) to keep ACE frustrated on multiple plus drives that didn’t come to fruition. But the Gryphons intercepted a pass early and held their own in the defensive struggle, committing a turnover that led to Northeast’s only touchdown out of 10 points in the first half. Things snowballed after a Jordan Wiggins touchdown pass to Tavares Tinsley, off an interception early in the third quarter, then a fumble on the end of a fake punt conversion. Wiggins was 21-for-29 passing for 311 yards and three touchdowns.

Read more from the game by Micah Johnston in the Macon Melody.

TOO TOUGH TO CONTAIN: Northeast senior gadget/receiver Reginald Glover (5) escapes an arm tackle attempt by ACE sophomore defensive end Kaleb Robinson (99). The Gryphons’ defense had an early grasp on the game, but the Raiders would slip out of reach in the second half of Friday’s unbeaten matchup/MARK S. POWELL, for the Macon Melody

Swainsboro 21, Crisp Co. 14: Ashton McCastle had the recovery of Christian Tarver’s blocked punt for a touchdown that made the difference as the Tigers – in a second-straight game – came back from an extra point down to add to their undefeated record. Kyle Johnson and Ja’Bios Smith had the Swainsboro rushing touchdowns that went tit-for-tat with those of Zion Mabry (carrying 25 times for 118) and Hagan Slimp (who accumulated 145 total).

Other week 6 finals…

Peach Co. 19, Northside 6

ECI 30, Bryan Co. 12

Jeff Davis 31, Brantley Co. 0

Lamar Co. 27, Westside 14

Southwest 36, Central 0

Briarwood 34, Windsor 15

MdS 21, CFCA 3

Stratford 41, Brookstone 14