FRIDAY NIGHT SCOREBOARD: Nov. 8, 2024

Gatewood overcame a double-digit first half deficit to end the season of the Trinity Crusaders in the GIAA quarterfinals, while East Laurens suffered a devastating loss to Southwest in its regular-season finale, as Laurens County teams hit the road in week 12. Telfair County also pulled out an exciting win over Wilcox County to claim the region 4-Low A title in McRae.

Read more on these games, and the rest of the Heart of Georgia’s Friday-night action, in next week’s print editions and later this weekend here at courierheraldtoday.com/sports.

Gatewood 34, Trinity 23

The Crusaders were cruising midway through their opening game of the GIAA AA playoffs against Gatewood, but the Gators made the better halftime adjustments and scored 28 unanswered points in the second half to end Trinity’s season. The Crusaders scored the first 20 points of the game on a Ben Castro-Poveda touchdown pass to Asher Evans, a blocked punt for a score and pair of Wade Register field goals. Trinity survived a fumble, forcing a turnover on downs to get the ball back after a Gatewood touchdown, and another Register field goal just before the intermission increased its lead to 23-6. But the second half script was completely flipped as the Gators outgained Trinity 327-45 to win going away. Hunter Johnson ran for two, and Ames Johnson passed and rushed for one each of the four unanswered Gatewood touchdowns. 

– Jeremy Payne

Southwest Macon 20, East Laurens 7 

Struggles sustaining drives prevented the Falcons from making up any more than seven points of a 20-0 gap that Southwest opened in the game’s first 15 minutes. Christian HIll finished off an early Patriot scoring drive before Steve Robinson hit Jamarea Watkins on a long completion, and broke a 41-yard run to add two touchdowns within a three-minute span to open the second quarter. East Laurens was unable to seize any window of opportunity that came along except for one that followed a stop on downs in the final minute of the first half. Ty Snead led the four-play sequence, ending with a long, winding scramble for a 21-yard touchdown pass to the lunging Bryson Hazley with no time left. The two-score deficit remained as Snead was knocked from the game with an injury after taking a low hit near the sideline early in the fourth quarter. A late glimmer of hope emerged with a little over two minutes to go as Jaden Griffin returned a punt over 90 yards for an apparent touchdown. But the play was called back on an illegal block, forcing the Falcons to drive the full distance and exhaust their remaining time before an interception ended the game. 

Telfair Co. 30, Wilcox Co. 28 

Bradyn Cook rushed over 200 yards, and for touchdowns of 88 and 30 yards to bookend the Trojans’ scoring, one in the first four minutes of the second quarter and the next in the final three of the fourth to put Telfair back on top after Wilcox scored to grab a late lead just moments earlier. Melvin McAdoo busted loose from 31 yards for the go-ahead touchdown to give the Patriots a 28-24 lead, but Telfair drove 65 yards in only two plays to answer. The Trojans forced a McAdoo fumble to set back Wilcox County’s hopes of a game-winning drive by about a minute. The Pats got the ball back, but were left with too little time. A last-chance Hail Mary to the end zone was batted down, and Telfair hung on to win its first region championship since 1993. 

Other area finals… 

Johnson Co. 21, Twiggs Co. 0 

Brentwood 49, Rock Springs Christian 14

Wheeler Co. 42, Treutlen 29 

Montgomery Co. 34, Dooly Co. 22 

Jeff Davis 34, Berrien 6

Metter 28, ECI 10 

Toombs Co. 44, Swainsboro 8 

Westfield 15, Terrell 6

Bethlehem Christian 21, Tattnall Square 14 

Brookstone 33, Stratford 28

Southwest Georgia 44, Central Fellowship 7

Tiftarea 35, John Milledge 21

FPD 28, Strong Rock Christian 13

Glascock Co. 50, GMC 14