FRIDAY NIGHT SCOREBOARD: Nov. 22, 2024

Aside from a big round 2 win for Dublin over Jasper County, it was heartbreakers all around in the Heart of Georgia’s round 2 GHSA playoff action, which saw Johnson County, Bleckley County, Jeff Davis and others come up just short in close finishes to back-and-forth games. Edmund Burke claimed a second-straight state title in the first night of the GIAA finals in Statesboro, which were set to see Brentwood go up against Southwest Georgia Academy to kick off day 2 at Paulson Stadium on Saturday.

Pick up next week’s print editions, and check back later this weekend at courierheraldtoday.com/sports for full coverage of this week’s area games.

Dublin 42, Jasper Co. 7

The Hurricanes made the opening statement, with a touchdown to follow up the recovery of a surprise onside kick. But Dublin quickly restored order, with a roughly three-minute drive to equalize on the five-yard run of Azontae Walker, and had control of the game the rest of the night. The line of scrimmage was a closely-contested battleground, but the Irish offense made the plays it needed to break things open with another touchdown before the end of a quarter, and two in the second to go up 28-7 by the break. Micah O’Neal hit Willie Batts on a touchdown pass for the go-ahead, and broke loose off a read for a 32-yard score to pad the advantage. Batts rushed for the fourth of the night with 11 seconds remaining to halftime. Dublin tacked on two more after the break to pull away, and into the quarterfinals for the first time since its state title run of 2019. The Irish will host Thomasville next Friday.

Clinch Co. 28, Johnson Co. 6

The Trojans came to play on defense, and spoiled a pair of Clinch drives to the red zone in the first half with a turnover on downs and an interception, and threatened to get a scoreless game to halftime after their lone chance at points also failed on downs a bit inside of 30 yards out. Disaster struck in the final few minutes as JoCo attempted to punt the ball away from inside its own 20. Back-to-back illegal procedure penalties forced a third re-try at the kick, which the Panthers blocked and recovered for a devastating touchdown – and a 7-0 lead at the half. Clinch seized the momentum, and punched in a pair of touchdowns via keepers by quarterback Aaron Bryant in the third quarter to take control. JoCo responded with its only touchdown of the night on a roughly 50-yard scoop-and-score by Dewayne Abrams.

Fannin Co. 28, Jeff Davis 21

The Jackets came up a touch short, but had the No. 1 seed feeling some pressure after recovering a muffed kickoff and converting it for the first of two unanswered touchdowns to grab an early 14-0 lead. Jeff Davis controlled the football, but the quick-hit offense of Fannin County kept the home team in the game with two quick scoring drives for desperately-needed answers, the last to a Colby Beach touchdown pass that made it 21-14 Jackets going to the break. Rebel quarterback Lawson Sullivan took over the football game in the second half, rushing for two unanswered touchdowns that tied the game at 21s entering the fourth, and put Fannin County up for good early in the final period.

Fitzgerald 28, Bleckley Co. 24

Cam Johnson went around left end for a touchdown run to close out the 56-yard scoring drive that put Fitzgerald back on top with a little under three minutes to go as the lead changed hands for a fourth and final time in a back-and-forth battle. Bleckley County, in need of an answer, had its ensuing drive stall after a series, as the Hurricane stopped a run up the middle with a couple yards left to regain possession, and ultimately run out the clock. DeQuavis Benjamin and Kam Everett rushed for early touchdowns, with Ford Childers adding a field goal to increase the Royals’ first-half lead to 17-7, in a confident start. But Fitzgerald, led by a pair of rushing touchdowns from Oreian Bly, came up with 14 unanswered points to jump back in front by the end of the third. Benjamin capped off the early-fourth quarter drive with his second touchdown to give Bleckley the late lead.

Worth Co. 63, Dodge Co. 23

Kaden Chester rushed for two of his three touchdowns, the second to convert a Dodge fumble, as Worth County jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first 11 minutes of action. The Indians got a spark on the ensuing kickoff, that Jerimiah Burns ran back for a fifth touchdown of the season, then recovered a fumble on the following kick to set up a Nolan Rogers field goal that got the game within four. But the Rams, once quarterback Lyndon Worthy found his sweet spot, couldn’t be kept out of big plays or the end zone. Worth rattled off four touchdowns to open a 42-17 lead by the half, and survived a few early second-half hiccups to run away with it from there. Worth County and Fitzgerald will collide for a second time in the quarterfinals.

GIAA Class A state title game: Edmund Burke 20, Robert Toombs 17

Owen Redd scored two touchdowns in the second half to keep the Spartans on top, though neither team went long without answering the other’s go-ahead points after a trade of touchdowns to open the scoring in the last three minutes of the first half. A key fourth-down stop early, and a drive to run out the clock late, helped Edmund Burke – led by a pair of Dublin natives in head coach Andy Woodard and defensive coordinator Buddy Woodard – over the finish line to their second-straight state championship.

Other area finals…

Marist 22, Jones Co. 14

Eastside 21, Perry 10

Bowdon 42, Metter 14

Rockmart 37, Westside Macon 30

Peach Co. 37, Baldwin 3

Trion 17, Telfair Co. 6

Jenkins Co. 35, Macon Co. 21

Northeast Macon 21, Lamar Co. 10

Toombs Co. 49, Commerce 21

Houston Co. 63, Lakeside-Evans 12

GIAA Class AAA Final: Valwood 41, Deerfield-Windsor 26