MIDSTATE FOOTBALL ROUNDUP: Brentwood defense makes statement in GIAA title game; Bleckley, Dodge fall in second round

GIAA AA Final: Brentwood 28, Southwest Georgia 6

The Eagles had plenty of the big offensive plays they’ve made all year, including one on a crafty hook-and-ladder play for the first-quarter touchdown that opened the scoring, but made their most noteworthy statement in this clash of smashmouth teams on the defensive side, giving up just one touchdown and stopping SGA three times on fourth downs in a possession-dominated game where every chance with the football was pivotal. And the Eagles repeatedly came up big when defending short yardage. 

“Our defense, man, they will get after your tail,” Brentwood head coach Adam Lord told the Georgia Trust for Local News. “They had something to prove tonight, after this season we’ve been told our offense was better than our defense. I’m real proud of them.”

But the gritty performance wasn’t without some of the offensive flash that’s also characterized the Eagles’ first state championship run – a fourth in school history – since 2021. Tristan Robinson provided a bunch of it, with a hand in two of Brentwood’s three touchdowns and a team-high 141 yards from scrimmage. 

He carried a lateral from Abe Williams – targeted by quarterback Baylor Cobb on the game’s only pass completion of two attempts – 48 yards for the night’s first touchdown, and then rushed for scores to put them ahead in the second quarter and add to a late lead in the fourth. His 49-yard run to the 2 set up the only other touchdown on a carry by Zach Denton, who had nine attempts for 56 yards, to stretch the lead to 20-6 in the third quarter. Jones Sheppard, with nine for 68, also had a portion of the 258 rushing yards that made up the bulk of Brentwood’s total 306. 

Colt Williams finished off an SGA drive to answer the Eagles’ first-quarter touchdown with a run of two yards. Brentwood held the Warriors at their own 2 before the half and at the 31 to hold off their last chance at getting back in the game in quarter 3 before a five-minute drive for the dagger touchdown. 

“They’ve got a good team. There’s a reason they’ve been ranked No. 1 all year, they’re very physical,” Lord said of SGA. “I just thought my guys had a point to prove regarding physicality. We have some weapons, my offensive line just got after it. We kind of jumped on them early, that gave us a little confidence. What a night, man, what a night.”

Check out Micah Johnston’s full recap of the game for The Albany Herald here.

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 the No. 9 Purple Hurricane 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 Fitzgerald stopped a fourth down run up the middle with a couple yards left to regain possession, and then ran out the clock on a win to advance to the quarterfinals, and a region rematch with No. 6 Worth County (whom it beat by a touchdown back in September) Friday in Sylvester. The Royals’ DeQuavis Benjamin and Kam Everett rushed for early touchdowns, with Ford Childers adding a field goal to increase their 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, and a 60-yard night, with his second touchdown to give Bleckley another late lead that wouldn’t survive. Zyion Love led the Royals on the ground with over 100 yards. 

Worth Co. 63, Dodge Co. 23

Despite making some plays of their own, the Indians didn’t have nearly enough firepower to hang with a Worth County offense that lit them up in both phases for 567 total yards in its seventh-straight win. The Rams jumped out to a 14-0 lead (making use of a turnover to get a two-for-one on its opening drive) before Dodge County briefly flipped the momentum of the game thanks to a spark from Jerimiah Burns, who returned a fifth kickoff of the season for a touchdown. The Indians then recovered a fumble on Worth County’s return of the ensuing kick, and converted it to three points on a Nolan Rogers field goal to get the game within four going to the second quarter. But the Worth County attack picked up right where it left off upon returning to the field, and rattled off four touchdowns – three on passes by Lyndon Worthy – to blow it open. Dodge leveraged some opportunities – one thanks to a Worth County turnover – into a couple of Kain Mincey touchdown passes before and after halftime to put only a small dent in the home lead. Worthy was 11-of-17 passing for 253 yards and four touchdowns. Tre’shaun Jones ran 13 times for 147 yards, and had one of Worth’s five rushing touchdowns. Khalijah Thomas, with 93, and Kaden Chester, with 74, ran for two each. D’ontae Fulton had 107 receiving yards and a touchdown to lead receivers. 

GIAA Class A Final: Edmund Burke 20, Robert Toombs 17

Head coach Andy Woodard and the Spartans won their second of back-to-back state crowns by putting the ball in the reliable hands of running back Owen Redd, who scored two of their three touchdowns and ground out the needed yardage to keep EBA in the lead and on the field to run out the clock down the stretch. The teams traded the game’s first pair of touchdowns in the final four minutes of the first half, the Spartans striking first on Marc Owen Chancey’s pass to Wyatt Carey. RTCA responded with the first of two rushing scores on the night by Christian Mixon. Redd punched one in to cap off Edmund Burke’s opening drive of the third, and the Spartans limited the Crusaders’ answer to three points on a 22-yard field goal by Hayden Meeks in the last minute of the third. Redd carried it every time on EBA’s last two possessions, a first consuming over six minutes of the fourth quarter to increase its edge to 10, and a second to put away what remained with a key fourth-down conversion after Mixon’s second touchdown to get Toombs back within three. 

GIAA AAAA Final: Bulloch 14 FPD 10

The Gators hung on to win a classic in Statesboro, as Ike Hubbard intercepted Major Simmons’ scrambling pass on a do-or-die fourth down to complete their perfect 12-0 season, and deny FPD’s hopes of a repeat. The game was scoreless after a first half dominated by defensive stands. But Bulloch’s remained a bit more stingy coming out of the break. Simmons – who foraged on the run from pressure for most of the yards that kept the Vikings in the tight game – scored to give them  the first lead of 7-0 on the opening drive of the third quarter. But the Gators would stand tall to limit the next to a Dominic Economopolous field goal to go ahead 10-7, and pick off passes to end both the last two. Shemar Jenkins scored both the Gators’ touchdowns to answer. 

For more on the game by the Macon Melody’s Micah Johnston, click here.

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 fumbled kickoff return (with the scoop of Mark Durden) and converting it with a five-yard run by Kyrice Hunt for the first of two unanswered touchdowns to start the game. Colby Beach rushed for the other to put the Jackets in front 14-0 before Fannin County got going, and began chipping away. Jeff Davis controlled the football, but the quick-hit offense of the Rebels came up with big plays for answers when needed. Carson Callihan broke multiple tackles on a long run to set up his own 4-yard touchdown run to get Fannin on the board. The Rebels responded again after Colby Beach fired a touchdown pass to Jude Worthington to go up 21-7, as Lawson Sullivan found Brayden Taylor from 30 yards for a score to make it a seven-point game at the half. Sullivan took over the game in the second half, sprinting 62 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 21s entering the fourth, and then going 40 to put Fannin County up for good just a minute in (with a missed Jeff Davis field goal in between). The Rebels kicked onside and recovered to eat up some valuable time before turning it over on downs with eight minutes left to go. Jeff Davis – forced to punt on its next-to-last possession – didn’t get it back for a final crack until forcing a Fannin punt with under a minute to go, and only made it a short distance upfield after being pinned inside their own 1, before an interception on the last play of the game. Sullivan was 6-of-8 for 99 yards passing, and rushed 12 times for 156. Callihan had 13 carries for 98. The Rebels host Northeast Macon in the quarterfinals. 

Houston Co. 63, Lakeside 12

The Bears punted once, and had a possession end via safety. Each of the remaining nine concluded with touchdowns as HoCo’s offense tore its way down the field for 603 total yards. A.J. Hill completed 12 passes for 440 of them, as well as six of the scores. Isaiah Mitchell and Austin Stinson rushed for a touchdown each, with Mitchell responsible for nine catches, 269 yards and three touchdowns as a receiver. Lakeside punted seven times against the Bears’ defense, which allowed just a touchdown and a field goal. Westen Ard had 15 total tackles, and three for loss, along with a couple of the team’s six total sacks. HoCo will visit Milton in the quarters. 

Eastside 21, Perry 10

Jayden Barr returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, and finished a drive with back-to-back runs that led to the end zone for another, in a series of three unanswered touchdowns that built up the Eagles’ first-half lead. And Eastside’s defense created too many problems for Perry from there, intercepting two passes and holding the Panthers to just 10 points on three red zone visits for the night. Their only touchdown came late in the second quarter on a short run by Ahmad Gordon. Two other trips in the second half resulted in field goal attempts, on which Carson Camp was 1-for-2. 

Click here to read more from the game by Houston Home Journal sports editor Clay Brown.

Marist 22, Jones Co. 14

The Grayhounds, on the two passing touchdowns of Devin Edmonds, held a 14-9 lead after three, but couldn’t get it to the finish line in a fourth quarter that Marist monopolized with its two drives for touchdowns – the first on a run by Trace Gaynes to re-take the lead just a moment in. After a Jones County punt, Chris Haertel’s three-yard run stretched the advantage to eight on the end of a six-minute drive that left just two minutes on the clock. The Grayhounds had their final drive halted on downs at the Marist 22. Jones County threw for 307 of its 321 total yards, while Marist rushed for 239 of its 261, with Gaynes responsible for two of its three scores. 

Peach Co. 37, Baldwin 3

The Trojans’ D.J. Hudson took Baldwin apart with his arm, completing 11 of 16 passes for 189 yards and three touchdowns to brother Zion Hudson, and his legs, with two rushing scores before halftime, in a blowout that was headed downhill from the opening Baldwin possession, which ended with a fumble on the first play. The Braves gained some offensive footing later in the half, and hit a daily double after Josh Rhodes’ 28-yard field goal with the recovery of an onside kick, but stalled out on a fourth down before two more Peach touchdowns to lead 34-3 at the break. The Trojans will host Calhoun on Friday. 

Rockmart 37, Westside, Macon 30

This one had something for everybody, with a safety, a blocked punt and PAT, a scoop-and-score and back-to-back kickoff return touchdowns… all in the first half. The Seminoles went back and forth with Rockmart, but couldn’t overcome but one score of a late 13-point deficit that was cut to seven by James Neville’s touchdown pass to Tristan Houston. They got a great opportunity to tie or win it after taking over within scoring range via botched snap on a Rockmart punt with half a minute to go. But two great shots at a third touchdown for Neville fell incomplete, and the Seminoles fell just short. Rockmart’s Luke Parker was 7-of-9 passing for 112 yards and a touchdown to Tristan Anderson. Luke Clay had the scoop and Anderson the kickoff runback for the Jackets’ non-offensive scores. The Seminoles’ Tristan – Tristan Houston – likewise caught a touchdown pass and housed a kickoff. 

Read more about this game from the Macon Melody here.

Northeast Macon 21, Lamar Co. 10

The Raiders are winners of 10 games for the first time ever, and in the quarterfinals for just the second (their first in 2020, when they were edged out in triple-OT by Swainsboro), after battling past some early roadblocks to pull in front, and away, on a pair of second-half touchdowns. Nick Woodford ran for two of their three on 19 carries for 159 yards, his last with some gymnastics to keep from going down on a play everyone else thought was over that took him to the end zone from 13 yards away to up the Northeast lead to 21-10 and ice the game. Lamar County’s Kaden Carter rushed for 105 yards on 17 touches, and the touchdown to tie the early score for the Trojans near halftime. They’d take a lead to halftime on a 36-yard field goal a few minutes later. Reginald Glover threw to Zahkie Denson on a jump-ball for the 29-yard touchdown that put the Raiders back up after a slight deficit early in the fourth period. Northeast now takes on top seed Fannin County Friday for a chance to reach the semis. 

Read more from the game by the Macon Melody’s Michael A. Lough here.

Toombs Co. 49, Commerce 21

The Bulldogs flexed their offensive muscle, and a good bit of defensive strength as well, to withstand a second-round challenge from the seventh-ranked Tigers. Their 458 total yards, including hundred-yard performances rushing and passing from quarterback T.J. Stanley as well as on the ground from tailback Dabvn Wadley, helped them run away from an opponent that stuck around. Jaiden Daniels rushed for Commerce’s only first half touchdown (to cut into Toombs’ two-touchdown lead after a couple of drives) and ran back an interception 59 yards for a touchdown to briefly make it a two-score game on the Bulldogs’ first possession of the second half. But a Justin Powell rushing touchdown for the first set of 14 unanswered points to follow was the beginning of the end for the Tigers. Stanley was 8-of-12 passing for 174 yards, and a touchdown each to Lagonza Hayward, Justice Wilds and Gavin Fletcher. He took 10 carries for 102 yards. Wadley rushed for 109 yards on 12 carries, and scored a couple touchdowns. Hayden Roy had three tackles for loss and forced a fumble. The Bulldogs will welcome Elbert County to Booster Stadium this Friday. 

Trion 17, Telfair Co. 6

Jabari Zanders found Bentavius Livingston on an eight-yard pass for the Trojans’ only touchdown, but not until the four-minute mark of the fourth quarter, when Trion had already built an insurmountable lead on the two rushing touchdowns of Logan Stokes, and field goal by Andy Ramirez. Telfair’s repeated frustrations on offense included two Bulldog interceptions, a fumble and one turnover on downs. 

In case you missed it…

• Dublin defeats Jasper County, advances to quarterfinals for first time in five seasons

• Special teams miscues, penalties spoil solid night on defense as Johnson County falls to Clinch in round 2

More coverage from across the Georgia Trust for Local News…

MACON MELODY:

• FPD can’t secure second-straight state title, falls to Bulloch

• Second-half surge fuels Northeast win over Lamar County

• After wild first half, Westside comeback falls just short in round 2 loss to Rockmart

HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL:

• Red zone struggles doom Perry in second-round loss to Eastside (PHOTOS)

ALBANY HERALD:

• SGA struggles to build momentum, falls to Brentwood in state championship game (PHOTOS)

• Lee County, Worth County roll into Elite Eight with big wins

• Late heroics lift Deerfield-Windsor past Valwood for GIAA state title (PHOTOS)

Other midstate finals… 

Bowdon 42, Metter 14

Jenkins Co. 35, Macon Co. 21

Manchester 26, Wilcox Co. 14

GIAA AAA Final: Deerfield-Windsor 19, Valwood 15