Key wins for MoCo, Dodge, Bleckley, Brentwood, and more of the midstate’s week 2 football results

Several first victories and confident performances to double up in the win column, plus a few heartbreaking losses, highlighted an exciting second full week of high school football in the Heart of Georgia that featured numerous single-score ballgames. Here’s a look at how last Thursday and Friday’s action turned out for other schools in the area…

Montgomery Co. 15, Wheeler Co. 14 

The pair of rivals traded two touchdowns each, but an early safety ended up making the slight difference for the Eagles as they pulled out a second-straight thriller at home. Zaden Waller and Elijah McEwen combined for the tackle, as John Miller recovered a low snap with Wheeler County backed into its own end zone, for the key points on the opening possession. Waller rushed for 107 yards, and McEwen 90 along with MoCo’s two offensive scores later in the game, the last to go in front for good late in the third quarter. The Bulldogs’ Jaden Bridges and Malik Madison scored the unanswered touchdowns in between for a lead of 14-9 early in the third quarter. McEwen also posted a team-high 18 total tackles, and three for loss, on behalf of the Eagles’ defense, which sealed it with a goal line stop as Joseph Moore’s pass on fourth down fell incomplete with 3:13 to go. 

Dodge Co. 30, Lamar Co. 13

The Indians needed two quarters to get things settled on defense, but pitched a second-half shutout after Lamar County hit big plays to answer both their early touchdowns before the break. Both came out of their goal-line package as fullbacks Peyton Butts and Keyzan Harris (taking a step back from his usual spot on the offensive line) crossed the goal line in the second quarter for their portion of a 13-all tie. Jerimiah Burns juked out two defenders to score from 20 yards off a catch in the flat from Kain Mincey, who was 15-of-22 for 161 with a single interception, Jordan Johnson broke loose for a score from 40 to finish off his 113-yard night on the ground and Isaac Murray hit a 24-yard field goal as Dodge County pulled away. 

Bleckley Co. 34, Cook 19

The Hornets threatened a late comeback, but were held in check for most of the night by the Bleckley defense, which allowed only 232 total yards. The Royals ran out to a three-score lead in the second and third quarters, but left an opening early in the final period as Cook narrowed the gap to only eight points with touchdowns on the run of Markeise Miller and a pass from Nole Register to Malcolm Merritt, with the help of a BC fumble. The visitors got the ball back with a fourth-down stop at their own 30, but Marty Beck’s interception and return quickly put Bleckley back in position to put the lead away on a final Kix Foskey rushing touchdown. The Royals’ Zyion Love rushed for a pair of scores with 118 yards on 17 carries. Brody Fleming (16 completions for 157) hit Foskey and Jason McNulty for touchdowns. McNulty, Gage Harris and Octavius Tate had five catches each. 

Brentwood 49, Gatewood 27 

The Eagles put together a big night on the ground and made the most of multiple Gatewood mistakes to finally reach the win column. Tristan Robinson rushed for 122 yards on 13 carries, and joined Baylor Cobb in scoring a pair of touchdowns. Tristan Copeland, Jacob hooks and Chase Daniel also visited the end zone as part of the 335-yard effort on the ground. Hooks added an interception, and Copeland joined J.W. Hitchcock with fumble recoveries for a hand in the three Gator turnovers that were instrumental in helping Brentwood build its 28-7 halftime lead, then maintain at least 14 points of separation down the stretch. 

ACE Charter 23, Washington Co. 20

The Golden Hawks were close to a first win of the Jay Ware era after Kade Swint’s touchdown carry, and a Kamden Reaves two-point conversion carry, had them up 20-3 with just north of six minutes to go. But ACE rallied for three touchdowns in the remaining time. It took six plays for the Gryphons to score, as a 19-yard Ace Hatcher run cut it to a 10-point game, then an onside kickoff hit the wrong way off a set of WACO hands, and they found the end zone again, via Hatcher’s 15-yard completion to Peyton Burden, in just four additional snaps. Jack Perry, who had 22 total tackles, made three for loss, intercepted a pass and forced a fumble, came up with a sack to force the Hawks to punt it back with two minutes to go. Brady Balkcom shook off a tackle to tiptoe the sideline on the last 20 of 37 yards on Hatcher’s touchdown pass to conclude an 84-yard game-winning drive. The senior QB was responsible for 296 total yards. The ACE defense forced three turnovers. WACO’s Aiden Watts was 7-of-13 for 129 yards and threw for two earlier TDs. 

Greene Co. 24, Wilkinson Co. 18

For a second straight week, the Warriors’ best offense was their defense… and this time special teams… which combined for all their scoring via fumble returns by Damareon Justice and Daverie Walker on back-to-back second quarter possessions, and Quenterrion Stanford’s return of a field goal blocked by Tyler Hogan (who had nine total tackles and three for loss) in the second half. Wilco’s attack, unable to escape its own territory for most of the night, couldn’t do much to counter the 246 yards of Greene County, which was led by Jonathan Lawrence’s 16 carries for 114 and one score, and Kaden Cummings’ eight for 96 and the other two. The Tigers’ defense, led by the two interceptions of Q.J. Robbins, had 11 tackles for loss and three sacks. 

Warner Robins 21, Northeast Macon 20

The Raiders had Robins down late after the last of their three unanswered touchdowns on a 25-yard completion from Jordan Wiggins to Jacory Sherman. But a long kickoff return positioned the Demons to answer with a touchdown run to tie by Antavious Hawkins, then re-take the lead on an extra point with 16 seconds to go. Turnovers played a pivotal role, as Robins recorded two interceptions among its repeated key stops in the first half, and Northeast converted a Demon fumble into a second of its earlier touchdowns in the comeback. Wiggins rushed for 105 yards and one touchdown, and threw 18 completions for 207 and the other two. He was involved in all but 15 yards from scrimmage of their 327. 

Swainsboro 28, ECI 21 

Ja’Bios Smith rushed for a touchdown to put the Tigers up 28-14 early in the fourth quarter. ECI answered as Davis Johnson (7-of-15 for 115 yards) hit Terrance Weaver on his second touchdown pass of the night to narrow the Swainsboro lead to the final seven, and the Bulldogs forced a punt to get the ball back. But an interception by Jayvion Sherrod in the last few minutes would clinch Thursday’s first career win for new Swainsboro head coach Dwight Smith. the Tigers’ Joshua Gray completed 10 passes for 121 yards, and two touchdowns of his own to Kyle Johnson, who accounted for 163 yards from scrimmage. 

Toombs Co. 44, Vidalia 6

The Bulldogs pulled away with 34 unanswered points in the second and third quarters to build on their lead of 3-0 after one. Joseph Owens was 11-of-16 passing for 224 yards, Donterrius Mincey rushed for four touchdowns on 22 carries for 207 and Brandon Stephens caught seven passes for 193 to lead their second-straight 500-yard game. Alex Scott had nine total tackles, one for loss and a sack to help the Toombs defense limit Vidalia to 79 total yards, and a fourth-quarter rushing touchdown by Ja’Marion Lanier. 

FPD 21, Westfield 13

The Vikings’ four interceptions (two by Harris Everitt, and one each by Cason Chatfield and Fisher Stokes) killed most of the Hornets’ progress despite a several-yard advantage in total output, and 269 in total production from their quarterback Brock Johnson. Two rushing touchdowns by Everitt, and one by Cash Walker, produced the late FPD lead that was sealed as Jayden Cannon’s pressure forced the final pick late in the game. Johnson threw to Win Hoots for a Westfield TD, and Stone St. Clair ran for the other. 

Peach Co. 42, Jones Co. 19

The Grayhounds’ Jonathan Hurley threw for 145 yards and a touchdown on 16 completions, but was intercepted twice by Peach County’s Ace Blunt. That was enough to keep Jones County at bay in another offensive rampage by the Trojans, whose Zion Ellison rushed for 108 yards and two scores, and Ashton Barton for 91 and three. Peach scored three times in the second quarter to build a 28-7 halftime lead.

Baldwin 35, Hephzibah 26

The Rebels held Kamden Patterson to 41 yards on the ground, but the Baldwin QB threw for 307 and two touchdowns in another fine performance that helped the Braves improve to 2-0. Jerlioundus Armstrong rushed for two scores, and caught a 66-yard Patterson pass for another. Hephzibah, whose Reante Byrd carried 19 times for 141 yards and a touchdown and Trust Mack had 203 total yards and a hand in a pair of other scores, kept it interesting late with two fourth-quarter touchdowns. 

Last week’s local coverage…

• Dublin aces stiff test against AAAAA Perry to take record to 2-0

• Fumbles frustrate East Laurens efforts at Southeast Bulloch as first win escapes in OT

• Fourth-down frustrations, Edmund Burke’s big plays get best of Trinity in tough loss

• Scott scores four more TDs as Johnson County shuts out Warren County in Thursday-nighter

Other week 2 results… 

Twiggs Co. 34, Central-Talbotton 12

Mays 23, Northside 9

Jeff Davis 42, Clinch Co. 7

Central Macon 42, Jordan 0

Westside Macon 40, Rutland 23

Crisp Co. 50, Dooly Co. 0

Bulloch 48, Tattnall Square 14

John Milledge 49, Piedmont 7

Rabun Co. 27, Metter 23

Mitchell Co. 30, Hawkinsville 26

Veterans 35, Trinity-Sharpsburg 31

GMC 49, Crawford Co. 12

Jasper Co. 32, Mary Persons 22

Jefferson Co. 43, Cross Creek 7

Macon Co. 46, Wilcox Co. 0

Valdosta 56, Howard 6

Mount de Sales 21, Pinewood 6

Sherwood 28, Robert Toombs 18

Southland 49, Central Fellowship 21

Windsor 41, Augusta Prep 7