FRIDAY NIGHT SCOREBOARD: Jeff Davis blocks PAT to beat East Laurens, Dublin downs Vidalia in first round

East Laurens’ season ended in gut-wrenching fashion, Dublin was customarily dominant in its playoff debut and Johnson, Dodge and Bleckley counties joined Swainsboro and Treutlen in the first-round win column as the Heart of Georgia kicked off the GHSA playoffs Friday night. Some AAAA games remain to be played at various times on Saturday, including at 7 p.m. in the SHU when West Laurens will host Westover.

Full coverage of each will follow later this weekend, but here’s a glance at the area’s results…

Jeff Davis 14, East Laurens 13

Jaiden King’s block of a crucial point-after kick broke the hearts of the Falcons, and put Jeff Davis well on its way to advancing, somewhat late in the fourth quarter of a wild one in the Pinelands. East Laurens had just moments before scored to give itself a shot to tie the game, as Bryson Hazley took Za’Norrion Ellington’s tunnel screen pass 51 yards to the end zone. King, following a Jeff Davis jump offside to preempt John Thang’s first attempt, snuck through a gap in the right side of the protection for the diving play that preserved the home team’s 1-point lead. The Jackets would run off all seven remaining minutes on the ensuing drive, picking up a key fourth and one to keep it going with under three to go, to ensure the Falcons didn’t get the ball again. Jeff Davis fullback Garrison Coleman ran for the only touchdown of a crazy first half, which would see both teams threaten several more times, but also trade three red zone turnovers (the Jackets’ Mark Durden with two interceptions), the rest of the way to the break. East tied things up on its first chance of the third quarter as Ellington broke loose on a 16-yard Houdini scramble three minutes in. The Jackets re-took the lead on a 26-yard cutback run by Jacob Laney later in the third.

Dublin 60, Vidalia 20

The Indians had a few more points up their sleeve, but still no answers for a Dublin offense that once again scored at will in the teams’ first-round rematch. Six touchdowns, a couple each on runs by V.J. Bond and Dontavious Cannon, along with a carry of Trav Bostic and pass from Ryland Yates to Will Wallace, had the Irish leading 39-7 in points, and 241-99 in total yards, going to halftime. Jamarcus Knight and Jabari Bell got in on the scoring with runs, and Yates found NaZyon Mitchell for a second TD, to extend the lead in a running-clock second half. Jah Robinson punched in Vidalia’s only first-half score. Gavin Reynolds threw to Damarion Griffin and Eric Jones broke off a run to give the Indians two more down the stretch. Highlights of an impressive Dublin defensive performance were up front, where linemen got hands on multiple passes and Domimarkeyo Walden recovered a second-quarter fumble. “It’s just good to get a win, anytime, this time of the year,” Irish head coach Roger Holmes said. Dublin draws a second-straight 2-AA rival in the second round next week, when Swainsboro will revisit the Bowl for a bonus playoff edition of Middle Georgia’s Oldest Rivalry.

Other area finals…

Johnson Co. 48, Greene Co. 0

Dodge Co. 41, Berrien 22

ECI 36, Montgomery Co. 0

Bleckley Co. 59, Jefferson Co. 14

Swainsboro 31, Screven Co. 6

Treutlen 35, Wheeler Co. 6

Rockmart 56, Washington Co. 14

Lee Co. 55, Northside 0

Cartersville 42, Perry 3

Northeast Macon 49, Thomson 28

Toombs Co. 88, Temple 0

Thomas Co. Central 56, Veterans 6

Jefferson 28, Warner Robins 14

Lithonia 34, Jones Co. 24

Randolph-Clay 44, Telfair Co. 14

Schley Co. 56, Hawkinsville 14

Westfield 59, Athens Christian 35

ACE 14, Jasper Co. 10

Schley Co. 56, Hawkinsville 14