FRIDAY NIGHT SCOREBOARD: Road teams reign in week 3 upsets

There were plenty of crazy turns and unexpected developments between rollercoaster games and shocking upsets across the Heart of Georgia in week 3. Here’s a glance at Friday’s local high school football results, and your area scoreboard.

Full coverage to follow early next week online and in upcoming print editions.

West Laurens 30, Dodge Co. 29

The Raiders scored 23 points unanswered, then held fast on downs twice deep in the fourth quarter to finish off a wild comeback. Their final lead hinged on a 46-yard scoring march, after a first of what would be three consecutive fourth-down stands in the fourth quarter, that came to a fourth and goal. After a night of bounces that seemed to have favored Dodge, a stroke of fortune came the Raiders’ way as Dodge stopped its run shy of the goal line, but incidentally knocked the ball loose for Jonathan Toney to recover in the end zone, putting West Laurens on top for the first time all night with five minutes to go. A Duggan Malone field goal and touchdown pass to Jaden Stanley, a rushing score by Braylen Robinson and a 70-yard punt return TD by Kingston O’Neal made up the earlier portion of their rebound from a worst-case start, as the Indians scored four touchdowns – a pass from Kain Mincey to Jerimiah Burns, a Jauriel Bray pick-six, an 81-yard Aamaury Fountain kickoff return, within the first quarter and a half and (for a second-straight week) a run by offensive lineman Keyzan Harris – to build an early lead of 29-7. But Dodge would be shut out from that point on.

Baldwin 20, Dublin 14

The Irish had an early two-touchdown lead after runs by Dontavius Cannon and Trav Bostic in each opening quarter, but Baldwin hit a huge play for a touchdown late in the second quarter, and converted a fumble into a game-tying score midway through the third. The defenses traded blows from there, and Dublin survived a couple of turnovers to keep the 14-14 tie intact until the Braves’ Kamden Patterson hit a 68-yard bomb to Jerlioundus Armstrong in the final minutes to go on top. A turnover on downs sealed the game.

Trinity 28, Augusta Prep 21

Tayt Evans and Will-J Harris (back from a knee injury scare last week against Edmund Burke) both rushed for triple digits and a major chunk of the Crusaders’ 307 yards on the ground. For a second-straight road game, the fourth quarter got interesting. This time, Trinity and the Cavs traded two touchdowns each, with APDS responding to Harris’ score or the lead with a Carter Chavous kickoff return to even it right back up. Sam Owens scored from 30 yards to cap off the game-winning drive with roughly three minutes to go.

Washington Co. 16, East Laurens 14

A couple of two-point conversions made the difference for the Golden Hawks, after second-quarter touchdowns. East Laurens bookended the pair with scores via passes from Skyler Snead, the last to Bryson Hazley, but couldn’t find the end zone again in the second half as a couple of late threats came up empty on a punt, or downs.

Other area finals…

Bleckley Co. 35, Jasper Co. 7

Montgomery Co. 26, Lanier Co. 6

Treutlen 41, Tattnall Co. 12

Vidalia 28, Bacon Co. 14

Jeff Davis 40, Metter 0

Toombs Co. 49, Swainsboro 21

Wilkinson Co. 25, Jefferson Co. 12

Northside 32, Warner Robins 10

Perry 42, Howard 7

Houston Co. 45, Jones Co. 14

Statesboro 25, ECI 12

Westfield 40, Southwest Georgia 8

Stratford 38, Brookstone 0

John Milledge 35, Bulloch 23

Athens Christian 21, Tattnall Square 14

Peach Co. 30, Jefferson 23

McIntosh Co. academy 19, GMC 0

Telfair Co. 23, Atkinson Co. 9

Brentwood 42, Robert Toombs 8

ARC 35, Westside Macon 7

Schley Co. 27, Hawkinsville 19

ACE 35, Southwest Macon 14

Portal 21, Jenkins Co. 14