Corky Kell & Week 1 Roundup *Corrected Edition

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CORKY KELL & WEEK 1 ROUNDUP

**NOTE This is a corrected version of the newsletter we sent out earlier today that had the wrong time listed for the Buford at Milton Corky Kell game on September 6th. That game will kickoff at 8 p.m. and will be broadcasted live on PeachtreeTV.

Today, we recap Saturday's Corky Kell action and post our Week 1 Friday Night Roundup. Check out all of the Week 1 results in the lefthand column and the Class AAAAAAA Preseason All-State Team.

Please visit ScoreATL.com for more coverage and contact us at info@scoreatl.com for story ideas and information to help us make this year's newsletter great.

Monday, August 26, 2019

IN THIS ISSUE

CORKY KELL ROUNDUP

• • •

WEEK 1 FRIDAY ROUNDUP

• • •

WEEK 1 SCORES

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CLASS AAAAAAA

PRESEASON ALL-STATE

OFFENSE

QB - Harrison Bailey

(Marietta, Sr.)

RB - Cody Brown

(Parkview, Jr.)

RB - Daijun Edwards

(Colquitt County, Sr.)

WR - Josh Downs

(North Gwinnett, Sr.)

WR - Ricky White

(Marietta, Sr.)

TE - Arik Gilbert

(Marietta, Sr.)

OL - Ethan Lane

(Archer, Sr.)

OL - Micah Morris

(Camden County, Jr.)

OL - Aidan Perkins

(Brookwood, Sr.)

OL - Paul Tchio

(Milton, Sr.)

OL - Trey Zimmerman

(Roswell, Sr.)

ATH - Jordon Simmons

(McEachern, Sr.)

PK - Brock Travelstead

(North Paulding, Sr.)

DEFENSE

DL - Jamil Burroughs

(McEachern, Sr.)

DL - Jasheen Davis

(Shiloh, Sr.)

DL - Myles Murphy

(Hillgrove, Sr.)

DL - B.J. Ojulari

(Marietta, Sr.)

LB - Eli Orr

(West Forsyth, Sr.)

LB - Gary Osby

(Lowndes, Sr.)

LB - Will Troutman

(Roswell, Sr.)

LB - Kobe Wilson

(Parkview, Sr.)

DB - Ronald Clarke

(Mill Creek, Sr.)

DB - Jack Rhodes

(Milton, Sr.)

DB - Rashad Torrence

(Marietta, Sr.)

DB - Nyquann Washington

(Colquitt County, Sr.)

P - Albert Jang

(Peachtree Ridge, Sr.)

CLICK HERE FOR MORE

SCORE TRIVIA

TODAY'S QUESTION

How many new head coaches scored victories at this year's Corky Kell?

FRIDAY'S QUESTION Which two teams defeated reigning state champion Milton last season?

FRIDAY'S ANSWER Parkview and Roswell

CORKY KELL SCORES

Thursday, Aug. 22

at BARRON STADIUM

*Calhoun 38, Ridgeland 8

*Marietta 48, Rome 14

Saturday, Aug. 24 at HALLFORD STADIUM

*Archer 41, Tucker 7

Saturday, Aug. 24, at MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM

*Kell 17, Mays 12

*Walton 21, Norcross 20

*Colquitt County 17, North Gwinnett 6

*McEachern 48, Brookwood 10

*Mill Creek 38, East Coweta 6

Friday, Sept. 6 at MILTON

* 8 p.m. Buford at Milton

Thursday, Aug. 22

Calhoun 38, Ridgeland 8

Jenkins 35, New Hampstead 12

Lithonia 51, Forest Park 0

Marietta 48, Rome 14

Opelika, AL 10, Callaway 7

Redan 26, Miller Grove 19

Shaw 48, Kendrick 14

Therrell 32, Osborne 7

Friday, Aug. 23

Abbeville High School, SC. 10, Lincoln County 7

Athens Academy 35, Savannah Christian 7

Atkinson County 34, Montgomery County 7

B.E.S.T. Academy 28, KIPP Atlanta Charter 12

Bainbridge 47, Seminole County 7

Bleckley County 48, Hawkinsville 0

Blessed Trinity 28, St. Pius X 10

Bowdon 14, Valwood 10

Brooks County 63, Mitchell County 50

Cairo 45, Thomasville 21

Camden County 47, West Forsyth 6

Cartersville 14, Allatoona 13

Cedar Shoals 18, Madison County 8

Central-Carroll 33, South Atlanta 8

Chapel Hill 31, Newnan 10

Charlton County 20, Frederica Ac. (GISA) 7

Chattooga 20, Adairsville 0

Cherokee 29, North Forsyth 14

Christian Heritage 27, Riverside Military 6

Claxton 25, Tattnall County 14

Clinch County 46, Hebron Christian 28

Coffee 38, Brunswick 21

Commerce 48, West Hall 17

Creekview 27, Cambridge 3

Crisp County 29, Americus-Sumter 14

Dacula 28, Discovery 0

Dalton 62, Ringgold 10

Darlington 17, Pepperell 7

Dawson County 27, Habersham Central 13

Decatur 51, Lakeside-DeKalb 0

Dodge County 49, Bradwell Institute 37

Dublin 21, Emanuel County Institute 0

Dutchtown 47, Langston Hughes 27

Eagles Landing Christian 55, Morrow 13

East Jackson 25, Lumpkin County 22

Etowah 37, River Ridge 10

Evans 18, Effingham County 15

Fannin County 41, Gilmer 9

Fellowship Christian 48, North Springs 19

Fitzgerald 46, Bacon County 3

Flowery Branch 50, East Hall 0

Forsyth Central 43, Chamblee 10

Fort Dorchester, SC 31, Glynn Academy 6

Gainesville 27, Mary Persons 21

George Walton Academy 37, Walnut Grove 7

Gordon Lee 21, Dade County 8

Grayson 23, James Clemens, Ala. 13

Griffin 40, Spalding 0

Hampton 15, Fayette County 13

Haralson County 28, Gordon Central 10

Harris County 28, Carver-Columbus 26

Harrison 47, Lassiter 3

Hart County 39, Elbert County 7

Hayesville, NC 35, Towns County 0

Heritage-Catoosa 17, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 16

Hillgrove 28, Douglas County 6

Hilton Head, SC. 38, Savannah 13

Houston County 34, Perry 3

Irwin County 42, Berrien 7

Jackson 34, Locust Grove 13

Jackson County 7, Banks County 0

Jeff Davis 14, Glenn Hills 6

Johns Creek 44, Fairfield Central, SC 6

Johnson-Gainesville 32, Oglethorpe County 20

Jonesboro 15, Mt. Zion-Jonesboro 12

LaFayette 18, Model 16

LaGrange 24, Heard County 9

Lamar County 27, Mt. Zion, Carroll 6

Lanier 21, Peachtree Ridge 14

Lovejoy 21, Banneker 20

Lovett 30, Greater Atlanta Christian 29

Lowndes 69, Drew 6

Manchester 44, Taylor County 20

Marion County 46, Schley County 0

Monroe 45, Jordan 7

Monroe Area 18, Apalachee 7

Montgomery Academy 50, Brookstone 14

Morgan County 38, Loganville 17

Mt. de Sales 35, Monticello 6

Mundy's Mill 40, McIntosh 7

Murray County 30, Armuchee 12

Newton 45, Alcovy 0

North Atlanta 40, Grady 19

North Cobb 34, Woodstock 7

North Hall 34, Chestatee 14

North Oconee 40, Putnam County 14

North Paulding 56, Paulding County 24

Northside-Warner Robins 46, Centennial 13

Northwest Whitfield 28, Coahulla Creek 7

Oconee County 21, Jefferson 20

Ola 58, Eastside 21

Pace Academy 7, New Manchester 6

Parkview 28, Mountain View 18

Pebblebrook 37, South Cobb 13

Pelham 32, Macon County 6

Pickens 28, Stone Mountain 18

Pierce County 49, McIntosh County Academy 7

Pike County 36, Central-Talbotton 6

Prince Avenue 54, Mt. Vernon Presbyterian 28

Providence Christian 64, Cross Keys 0

Richmond Hill 44, Grovetown 0

Riverdale 36, North Clayton 0

Riverwood 46, Chattahoochee 10

Rockdale County 23, Eagles Landing 12

Rockledge High School, FL 19, Ware County 7

Rockmart 31, Cedartown 12

Shiloh 48, Duluth 0

South Effingham 62, Long County 27

South Forsyth 34, Sprayberry 20

South Gwinnett 36, Central Gwinnett 7

Southwest DeKalb 39, Woodland-Stockbridge 7

St. Anne Pacelli 24, Landmark Christian 6

Stephens County 42, Franklin County 21

Stephenson 27, Columbia 14

Tattnall Square 55, Our Lady of Mercy 15

Terrell County 12, Chattahoochee County 6

Thomas County Central 45, Early County 20

Toombs County 14, Twiggs County 0

Towers 33, McNair 21

Trinity Christian 15, Northeast 13

Trion 26, Coosa 14

Turner County 42, Worth County 21

Union County, FL 19, Lanier County 7

Valdosta 55, Jackson-Atlanta 7

Veterans 48, Upson-Lee 13

Villa Rica 44, Campbell 7

Walker 35, Athens Christian 18

Warner Robins 24, Tift County 10

Warren County 28, Portal 12

Wesleyan 30, Meadowcreek 19

West Laurens 53, East Laurens 0

Westlake 23, Creekside 22

Westover 47, Cook 16

Wheeler 42, Lambert 19

Whitefield Academy 26, Cherokee Bluff 3

Windsor Forest 14, Jenkins County 6

Woodland-Cartersville 35, Southeast Whitfield 7

Woodward Academy 19, Westminster 0

Saturday, Aug. 26

Archer 41, Tucker 7

Baconton Charter 40, Pataula Charter 6

Burke County 55, Benedictine 42

Carver-Atlanta 32, Arabia Mountain 11

Cedar Grove 26, Hapeville Charter 16

Colquitt County 17, North Gwinnett 6

Holy Innocents' 28, Mt. Pisgah Christian 0

Kell 17, Mays 12

Lee County 28, Dougherty 0

McEachern 48, Brookwood 10

Mill Creek 38, East Coweta 6

Rabun County 34, Bremen 13

Walton 21, Norcross 20

Washington County 42, Baldwin 7

Westside-Macon 34, Southwest 16

CORKY KELL: KELL 17, MAYS 12

ATLANTA — After replacing its quarterback and several key starters from last year’s team, Kell did not skip a beat while displaying several emerging stars in its 17-12 victory over Mays in the first game of the Metro by T-Mobile Corky Kell Classic at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday.

Jitters got the best of the Kell offense in the first quarter and both teams struggled to find a rhythm on the offensive side. But, that was expected and planned for, according to coach Brett Sloan.

“It was just jittery, sloppy,” Sloan said of the scoreless first quarter. “And (Mays) is really good on defense, guys. They’re big and fast. And any offensive mistakes are magnified when you have a team with that type of athleticism and speed out there.”

Kell struck first with a 21-yard pass from quarterback Corbin LaFrance to Jamal Hill with 7:20 left in the second quarter and Colby Kerns’ extra-point gave the Longhorns a 7-0 lead.

“We kind of figured some things out and we calmed down,” said Sloan. “Corbin really calmed down the later we went on in the game. Which I anticipated and I intentionally kind of protected him a lot early in the game. Or, at least, I was conservative with the play-calling early in the game. It’s his first game he’s started. So I didn’t want to throw him in the fire.”

Mays added a score with 1:16 left in the third quarter on a 29-yard pass from Drew Banks to Zaire Thornton but the extra point sailed wide. Kell responded just minutes into the fourth quarter on a 33-yard pass from LaFrance to freshman David Mbadinga to take a 14-6 lead.

“I just have to say, I’d like to thank my offensive line,” Mbadinga said, laughing, after a coach leaned in mid-interview to tell him to always thank his offensive line. “But it really is quite easy to run behind them when you have a line like that. You don’t have to worry about defenders coming from this way or that way, unblocked. There’s always some open field. As a freshman coming in, I knew I was going to get some kind of reps. But I didn’t know I would get this much and do this well.”

Mbadinga finished the game with 18 carries for 109 yards and the one touchdown reception for 33 yards.

“He is just different,” Sloan said of Mbadinga. “He is not intimidated by anything. That’s special. He just has it upstairs also. A lot of those young guys can’t handle things like he can. He’s been playing a lot of the All-Star games and has traveled all over the country. We are really excited to have him.”

Kell added a 20-yard field goal from Kerns with 5:56 left in the game to push the lead to 17-6 before Mays found the end zone on an 11-yard pass from Banks to Thornton but time ran out.

LaFrance was 11-of-18 passing for 162 yards and two touchdowns. Hill caught three passes for 28 yards and a touchdown. Banks was 15-of-29 passing for 194 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.

“Being in the dome for my first game, it was a good experience,” Mbadinga said. “I’ll never forget this.”

CORKY KELL: WALTON 21, NORCROSS 20

ATLANTA – Walton coach Daniel Brunner said it was all about perseverance, momentum and the will-power of his sophomore quarterback, Zak Rozsman.

That was his description after Walton overcame a 13-point deficit in the final eight minutes to win 21-20 against Norcross in the second game of the Corky Kell Classic at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“He’s a special kid, man,” Brunner said. “He is a special quarterback and is a phenomenal leader of this team. He willed us down the field and got us in the end zone. His leadership means a lot to us.”

Norcross led 20-7 after two Kellen Grave de Peralta field goals in the fourth quarter, but it was the last offensive production the Blue Devils mustered.

Walton’s comeback began with two-play drive, capped by an 82-yard pass from Rozsman to Julian Bumper, with 7:03 left in the game. Following a Norcross punt and 15-yard penalty, Walton then drove 26 yards – all runs – and scored on a 2-yard touchdown run by K.D. Stokes with 3:10 left to take the 21-20 lead.

Norcross’ final drive ended at the Walton 28-yard line, which forced Grave de Peralta to attempt a career-long 44-yard field goal. His miss sent Walton into the victory formation as time expired.

Rozsman was 9-of-18 passing for 192 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

“That was probably the craziest game I have ever experienced,” Rozsman said. “We were down, but we all stayed fine and kept our spirits up going into halftime. We knew we were in control, and we knew we were going to come back. We all just stayed together as a team and executed.”

Roszman gave Walton the first lead of the game on a 16-yard pass to Teagan Bierria with 3:15 left in the first quarter. Norcross tied the game on a 12-yard run from Kaleb Jackson with 4:06 left in the first half. The Blue Devils took a 14-7 lead on a 15-yard pass from Mason Kaplan to Jaylen Green a minute before halftime.

Walton came close to scoring on a gadget play with eight minutes left in the third quarter, but a brilliant strip of the ball by Norcross’ Tyreke Slaton prevented a touchdown. The sequence began as Rozsman passed the ball behind the line of scrimmage to Julian Bumper, who then passed to Justin McConnell, who was open on the right sideline. McConnell was met by Slaton inside the 10-yard line where he tried to cut inside and lost his footing at the same time Slaton went for the strip. The ball popped out and was recovered by Norcross in the end zone for a touchback.

“We had a couple of, kind of, gadget plays,” Brunner said of the double-pass. “Had a double-pass that should have been a touchdown that we ended up fumbling. And we had a little throw-back deal that we ended up scoring on. I think that’s why we are special. Our kids are special, not me, them. They think well, and they can do a lot for us. It makes us very versatile out here on the field.”

Stokes finished with 92 yards on 22 carries and scored a touchdown. Jalen Garner led with 10 tackles, a game-high. Norcross’ Kaplan was 9-of-15 passing for 127 yards and a touchdown.

CORKY KELL: COLQUITT 17, N. GWINNETT 6

ATLANTA — Colquitt County’s Justin Rogers settled into his new post soundly on Saturday as the state runner-up Packers defeated North Gwinnett 17-6 in the Metro by T-Mobile Corky Kell Classic in what was a rematch of the 2017 AAAAAAA title game and last year’s quarterfinals. Colquitt’s defense was impeccable and kept North Gwinnett out of the end zone all evening.

“It feels great, it’s a big relief. We’ve been wide-open for three months,” Rogers said after the long offseason and the so-called “waiting game.” “You know, kind of getting this breath … this break right here. But I’m just so proud of these young men and all the poise they showed and love for each other because this game is a tough one and they got behind each other.”

Colquitt, which was coming off one of the most publicized coaching changes in recent GHSA history, scored both of its touchdowns within three minutes of each other in the second quarter on a 5-yard run from Daijun Edwards and a 52-yard pass from Jaycee Harden to Montavious Ponder. The Bulldogs cut into the lead on a 26-yard Andrew Lim field goal with 1:17 left in the second quarter, but Colquitt responded with a 36-yard field goal from Jason Gallardo to push the lead to 17-3. The Packers held North Gwinnett to just a field goal in the third and both teams went scoreless in the fourth quarter.

Harden was 10-of-17 passing for 124 yards and a touchdown. Edwards had 19 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown.

“There’s something about that senior year and he’s a leader that’s coming back and returning for his senior year and it means a lot to him, obviously, and he showed that,” Rogers said of Harden.

The Bulldogs received the opening kickoff and played stamina-draining football for the first part of the first quarter. They gained yards in 2- and 3-yard chunks, and of the first 10 plays, only two didn’t result in a gain.

That changed when junior Bobby Ezzard caught an 8-yard pass from senior JR Martin. Ezzard turned upfield after gaining enough for a first down, but was quickly met by Colquitt junior Omarian Daniels, who jarred the ball loose, allowing teammate Biron Silas to recover the ball on his own 38-yard line.

The Packers took this momentum and did not look back. On the ensuing drive Harden completed four passes, three of which went for more than 12 yards. He and Edwards helped move their team deep into North Gwinnett territory. The Packers were facing a first-and-goal on the 5 when the first-quarter buzzer sounded. Once they returned from the brief intermission, Edwards walked into the end zone for a touchdown.

Following a Jason Gallardo PAT, Colquitt led 7-0.

“I’m proud of my O-line and the running back, so we relied on them,” Rogers said. “When we did a four-minute drive, we got a four-minute drive and that helps us win situational football.”

North Gwinnett gained just 9 net yards before punting away and allowing the Packers to strike again, which set up the 52-yard touchdown pass from Harden to Ponder.

The Bulldogs marched 71 yards down to the Colquitt County 9, but were unable to convert on three attempts and settled for a field goal.

After an eventful five straight drives across two halves without a score, Zy Brockington brought Mercedes-Benz Stadium back onto its feet with a jarring hit on Devin Crosby. Fellow Packer Nathan Bell picked up the fumble and ran it for 28 yards before being brought down. Now on the North Gwinnett 11, Colquitt County was ready to strike again. Instead of another seven points, however, the Packer offensive line allowed too much pressure into the backfield and Gallardo made his lone field-goal attempt of the day.

North Gwinnett’s J.R. Martin was 16-of-25 passing for 126 yards. Josh Downs caught nine passes for 76 yards. Devin Crosby had 21 carries for 57 yards. Barrett Carter led the Bulldogs with six tackles.

CORKY KELL: MCEACHERN 48, BROOKWOOD 10

ATLANTA—McEachern started the Franklin Stephens era off with a convincing win over Brookwood, 48-10, in the penultimate game of the Metro by T-Mobile Corky Kell Classic at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Indians held a 20-0 lead at halftime and controlled the game throughout, getting an extremely efficient performance from junior quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, who was 15-of-18 passing for 251 yards and two touchdowns to go with 57 yards rushing on eight carries. McEachern’s defense was also dominant for much of the game, notching five tackles for loss and holding Brookwood to 40 yards rushing on 28 attempts.

Stephens, who takes over the Indians program after Kyle Hockman’s move to New Hampstead, had not yet participated in the Corky Kell as a head coach but had coached as an assistant with Camden County. Nerves, he said, weren’t a factor in his first game as head coach of the historic Cobb County program.

“I wasn’t nervous,” Stephens said. “I was more excited about our guys playing out there. You know, since late March, I was thinking about all those days of practice. Football is different, you get a lot of practice in for one opportunity. I just wanted those guys to be at their best for their one opportunity today.”

McEachern, ranked No. 6 in the Score Atlanta Week 1 Top 10 for Class AAAAAAA, came out dominant. The Indians scored first with a 33-yard touchdown drive capped by a 2-yard rushing score by Christian Mason. The Indians took advantage of the short field after a Jaedon Coleman interception of Brookwood quarterback Dylan Lonergan. Mason helped set up his touchdown with a 23-yard rush to the 4-yard line.

After forcing a Brookwood punt on the Broncos’ next possession, McEachern got a big play to set up an eight-play, 83-yard scoring drive on a couple of long strikes from Del Rio-Wilson. The Indians QB found star senior receiver Javon Baker for a 33-yard gain on a third-and-4 down to the Brookwood 45 and Jordan Simmons for 24 yards to the 10 three plays later. Then on second-and-goal from the 8, Del Rio-Wilson dropped back, bought time by rolling to his right, and hit Gary Simpson all alone in the end zone for the Indians’ second score. A missed PAT kept the score 13-0 at the 11:07 mark of the second quarter.

Brookwood mounted a 10-play drive in response and reached the McEachern 13 before consecutive incompletions caused the possession to stall. But the Broncos remained scoreless after missing a 30-yard field-goal attempt. The Broncos reached McEachern’s red zone on the strength of Lonergan’s 38-yard completion to Conley Davis to the 14.

The teams traded punts before McEachern embarked on a clock-killing drive to end the first half. The Indians took over at their own 8-yard line with 3:33 remaining in the second quarter and scored on another wide-open 8-yard touchdown completion from Del Rio-Wilson to Baker with 24 seconds left to give them a 20-0 lead at halftime. Baker caught five passes and finished with a game-high 142 yards receiving to go with his two touchdowns.

Brookwood gambled to start the second half, popping up the kickoff short and covering the ball at McEachern’s 32 to take possession. The Broncos hit a big third-and-12 pass play from Lonergan to Davis for 29 yards down to the McEachern 5, then Tyler Knight carried a pile into the end zone to make it 20-7 McEachern.

But McEachern would march down the field and regain control of the game. The Indians’ second eight-play, 83-yard scoring drive culminated in a 2-yard Simmons rush, set up by a 26-yard completion from Del Rio-Wilson to Dacari Collins to the Brookwood 5. Backup QBs combined for a two-point conversion as Bryce Archie hit Kris Benson for a scoring pass to make it 28-8 McEachern.

“Everything is not going to go the way you want it week in and week out, and it was one of those opportunities for our guys to learn about themselves and find out about themselves,” Stephens said of his team’s response to Brookwood’s kickoff recovery and first touchdown. “It was not a time to panic, although Brookwood knocked it in on us and that was unfortunate that we allowed that to happen. But as far as the way our guys got back in control of the game, and methodically went down the field and got back control of the game, you’re going to have to do that.”

Del Rio-Wilson had first-down rushes of 11 and 14 yards in orchestrating a drive that showcased McEachern’s toughness and offensive playmaking ability.

“We challenged them at halftime, for those guys to get open and complete the ball and I think we figured out we have some weapons on the outside, we have some weapons in the backfield and then we have Carlos, who’s a big running back,” Stephens said. “He’s running the football as a 200-something-pound kid, running the football along with all the other guys we got. It’s our job as coaches to figure out how to put it all together week in and week out. And if the good Lord will bless us with health, we have a chance to be pretty good.

Jake Cartmill added a 28-yard field goal with 5:39 remaining in the third quarter to keep Brookwood within three scores, but McEachern struck quickly on the next possession with a three-play touchdown drive. Del Rio-Wilson hit Baker on an impressive 46-yard catch and run to the Broncos 9, then Mason rushed for a 9-yard score to give the Indians a 34-10 advantage just 1:02 after Brookwood’s field goal.

A Brookwood fumble deep in its own territory led to another quick McEachern score, this time on a 2-yard rush from Sutton Smith, to make it 41-10 with 2:51 left in the third.

McEachern tacked on its final touchdown in the fourth quarter when Caleb Brown caught a 36-yard pass from Benson with 1:10 remaining.

Mason led McEachern with 59 yards on eight attempts to go with two touchdowns. Brookwood’s Eli Kohl rushed for a game-high 63 yards on 19 carries, and Davis led the Broncos with 105 yards receiving.

CORKY KELL: MILL CREEK 38, EAST COWETA 6

ATLANTA—Mill Creek finished Saturday’s Corky Kell Classic action at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a dominant win over East Coweta, 38-6, in a matchup of Class AAAAAAA programs. Josh Lovelady, a longtime assistant coach with the Hawks, won his first game as Mill Creek head coach after the move of Shannon Jarvis, the only coach the program had known, to an administrative role.

“Corky Kell is not a normal game,” Lovelady said. “You’ve got so much preparation, so many things that go into it to go in here, from the organization to getting everybody here, but it went real well. Obviously we’ll take a ‘W’ any day and represent our community. I think our kids played hard.”

The Hawks scored their first touchdown at 2:20 in the first quarter after taking advantage of an East Coweta fumble by Amaryion Moss that was recovered at the 50-yard line. On the next play after the turnover, Mill Creek’s Joshua Battle broke off a 50-yard run for a touchdown to put his team ahead 7-0.

After Mill Creek forced a punt on East Coweta’s ensuing possession, the Hawks took over at their own 48-yard line. On a second-and-3 from East Coweta’s 32, Mill Creek quarterback Thurman Harris found Romeo Pelham for a 32-yard touchdown to put the Hawks up 14-0 with 3:52 remaining in the half.

Mill Creek closed the half on another short drive, this one starting on its own 18 and beginning with a 71-yard run from Chancellor Lee-Parker. Battle finished the drive with a 10-yard run to the 1 and then found the end zone on the next play to give the Hawks their 21-0 halftime lead.

Mill Creek’s three-touchdown lead at the break was possible thanks to a ferocious defensive effort, as the Hawks held East Coweta to 4 yards rushing on 19 attempts in the first half and forced the Indians to punt four times while recovering a fumble.

“Defensively is where we really showed up, where we could go at our own pace on offense,” Lovelady said.

In the third quarter, Lee-Parker added another touchdown rush, this time on a 17-yard run to make it 28-0. Parker Wroble caught a Harris pass and streaked 60 yards for a touchdown on the first play of a Mill Creek possession.

Lovelady was pleased with his team’s ability to control the clock offensively but then get explosive plays from its main offensive weapons.

“They’ve got to be there,” Lovelady said of his playmakers. “You’ve got Parker Wroble, and both of our running backs, Josh Battle and Chancellor Lee-Parker. [Lee-Parker] ran phenomenal. He ran angry, so to speak. And that was a big difference maker.”

East Coweta scored its lone touchdown on a 71-yard run by Moss on the second play of a fourth-quarter possession, making it 35-6 with 8:53 remaining. The Hawks tacked on a 42-yard Brock Pellegrino field goal four minutes later to complete the scoring.

Lee-Parker rushed for a game-high 155 yards on 14 carries and a score and Wroble had a game-high 73 yards receiving on two catches with one touchdown. Moss led East Coweta with 121 yards rushing on eight attempts with a score.

Mill Creek outgained East Coweta 367 to 248, and the Hawks defense sacked the Indians five times and had 10 tackles for loss. Mill Creek’s Noah Faircloth had 3.5 total tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.

“I’m very excited about the way we played, fast and physical,” Lovelady said.

WEEK 1 FRIDAY NIGHT ROUNDUP

Blessed Trinity rolled to a 21-0 halftime lead and never looked back in a convincing 28-10 win over visiting St. Pius X. The Titans got three touchdown runs from Elijah Green, the last of which extended their lead to 28-10 with 11:52 remaining in the game. St. Pius X pulled to within 21-7 midway through the third quarter on a one-yard scoring plunge by Jack Graham, but they could not get any closer. Golden Lions kicker Eli Marshbank contributed a 33-yard field goal with three minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Class AAAAAAA

Etowah 37, River Ridge 10

The visiting Etowah Eagles dominated host River Ridge in the second half, closing out the game with 23 unanswered points for a 37-10 win. Remington Adams provided the first points of the night on a 66-yard run, and Etowah quarterback Dalton Miller’s 4-yard pass to Stephen Palazzo put the Eagles up 14-3 before River Ridge closed the gap before the end of the half with a 41-yard rushing touchdown by Amehre Morrison. Adams found the end zone again at the start of the third quarter with an 88-yard kickoff return, and Carson Allen’s 43-yard field goal gave Etowah a 24-10 lead heading into the final frame. Miller, who finished 15-of-22 for 159 yards, provided both touchdowns in the fourth with a 21-yard completion to Jackson Manns and a 6-yard trip to the end zone for the 37-10 final.

Hillgrove 28, Douglas County 6

T.J. Thomas scored on a 1-yard run at 9:09 in the first quarter to put Hillgrove up 7-0, and Hawks quarterback Matthew McCravy hit Jalen Royals for a touchdown in the second to give Hillgrove a 14-0 halftime lead. Hillgrove’s Tre Walker scored on a 9-yard rush in the third quarter, and Jawon Garner returned an interception for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to cap the Hawks’ scoring.

South Forsyth 34, Sprayberry 20

Host South Forsyth got four rushing touchdowns from Tre’von Green and one long rushing score from Colby Cruz to outlast Sprayberry. Sprayberry pulled to within 27-20 early in the fourth quarter before Green’s final touchdown put the game out of reach. Defensively for the War Eagles, Gavin Morris had an interception and Cameron Schurr forced a fumble that was recovered by Josh Green.

North Cobb 34, Woodstock 7

Visiting North Cobb dominated on the ground in its 34-7 victory over Woodstock, including two rushing touchdowns by quarterback Trevor Lovett. His two scores (8 yards and 63 yards) bookended a 94-yard interception return by Kendall Drake in the second, and the Warriors went up 34-0 in the fourth on additional touchdown runs by Tommieo Walker and backup quarterback Malachi Singleton. Woodstock avoided the shutout when Robbie Roper found Andrew Bartolero with a 13-yard pass with 2:50 left in the game.

South Gwinnett 36, Central Gwinnett 7

South Gwinnett got off to a sleepy start against visiting Central Gwinnett before closing the game with 36 unanswered points—including 27 in the last 6 minutes of the third quarter. The Black Knights had the only touchdown of the first half with a short rushing score by Justin Wilkins, and Daejon Reynolds intercepted South Gwinnett twice in the first two frames. DJ Johnson forced a safety with 0:33 left in the half for a score of 7-2 before the onslaught of third-quarter points by the Comets. Remari Hudson had touchdown runs of 31 and 23 yards, and Armond Anderson and Lorenzo Britt added scores as well on a blocked punt return and a short run, respectively. Hudson capped off the night with a touchdown pass to Lex Stocker in the final quarter for the 36-7 win.

Wheeler 42, Lambert 14

Wheeler senior JD Thomas made his veteran presence felt early and often in the first half of the Wildcats dominant win Friday night. Thomas took the game’s opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown, then followed it up with two more rushing scores and a receiving touchdown in the first half. The Wildcats scored on their first six possessions of the game, with four of the drives totaling three plays or less. Wheeler’s rushing attack accounted for 283 of the team’s 374 yards of total offense. The game was senior Deonte Richardson’s first at running back (after transitioning to the position during the offseason), though his statline would indicate otherwise—Richardson finished with a game-high 162 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. The 42-14 victory was also Wildcats coach Brian Love’s first game and first win in his tenure.

Parkview 28, Mountain View 18

The Parkview Panthers opened the season with a 28-18 victory on the road against Mountain View. CJ Daniels, who committed to Liberty earlier on Friday, caught touchdown passes from Parkview quarterback Jordan Williams in each of the game’s four quarters to keep the Panthers out front, despite two third-quarter touchdowns by Mountain View that got the Bears within a field goal.

Class AAAAAA

Harrison 47, Lassiter 3

The Harrison Hoyas kicked off their season with an emphatic 47-3 victory over the visiting Lassiter Trojans. Lassiter’s defense looked up to the task early on, holding Harrison to its second field goal of the game after the Hoyas came up with a fresh set of downs early in the second frame at the Trojan 9-yardline, but the home team blew open the 6-0 lead with four touchdowns in the final 5:45 of the half to go up 34-0. The Hoyas put up the only points of the third quarter, and quarterback Justin Lewis capped off the impressive performance by the Hoya offense with a 57-yard pass to Daylin Rice early in the fourth. A 29-yard field goal by Braden Ralston saved Lassiter from the shutout with 1:05 left on the clock.

Dalton 62, Ringgold 10

Dalton senior running back Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 420 yards and eight touchdowns in three quarters as the Catamounts routed host Ringgold. Gibbs, a Georgia Tech commit, had three touchdown runs of 50+ yards (58, 56, 54). He scored his first four touchdowns in the first half, compiling 270 yards in the first two frames, and scored his next four in the third quarter before leaving the game. Dalton’s only other touchdown came on a 5-yard pass from Landon Allen to Hunter Noland.

Northside Warner-Robins 46, Centennial 13

Northside quarterback Mason Ford scored three rushing touchdowns of 3, 37, and 54 yards during Friday’s home opener against visiting Centennial. While the final score made the game appear one-sided, three consecutive lost fumbles by Northside enabled Centennial to make the score 18-13 in the third quarter. Ford’s two long touchdown runs came after the fumbles were over—one in the final seconds of the third quarter and the second in the opening minutes of the fourth. Jaylen Glover, Elijah Robertson and Zikhyree Hill all scored rushing touchdowns for Northside as well.

Lanier 21, Peachtree Ridge 7

Peachtree Ridge got on the board first with a fumble recovery in the Lanier end zone by Malachi Smith during the opening period. Lanier responded with a 77-yard touchdown catch by Taj Barnes to tie the score at 7-7 going into halftime. Peachtree Ridge struck first again in the second half, but the Lions didn’t have the lead for long as Lanier responded with a touchdown of its own to end the third quarter. Lanier scored another touchdown early on in the fourth and was able to keep Peachtree Ridge out of the end zone for the rest of the evening to hold on for a 21-14 win at home.

Creekview 27, Cambridge 3

Creekview was dominant start-to-finish in its season opener on the road against Cambridge. The Grizzlies defense only gave up 22 yards (18 on one play) in the first half and allowed just four first downs on the evening. More impressively, the Grizzlies held Cambridge to -1 yard rushing on 21 carries throughout the entire game. Creekview DL Nick Weeks had four sacks in the first half as well, and quarterback Brody Rhodes threw three touchdown passes (but also threw two interceptions). The game was Trevor Williams’s first game and first win as the Creekview’s head coach.

Class AAAAA

Ola 58, Eastside 21

Ola had three players score two touchdowns each in its home win. The Mustangs did not punt in the game and led 34-21 at halftime. Quarterback Hunter Kautz, running back Karl Kennedy and wide receiver Kas Stephens each scored twice for the Mustangs, and Kautz threw two touchdown passes as well. Chase Folser added a field goal for Ola.

Class AAAA

Woodward 19, Westminster 0

Woodward dominated defensively but also racked up 302 yards of total offense in a shutout of visiting Westminster. Both of the War Eagles’ touchdowns came on passes from Mike Wright to Hunter Sellers, one from 20 yards out in the second quarter before a 28-yarder capped off the night’s scoring with 4:45 left in the game. Lee Johnson kicked a 37-yard field goal in the first quarter and James Mayfield connected from 36 yards away early in the fourth. Wright completed 11 of 24 attempts for 180 yards and two touchdowns.

Cartersville 14, Allatoona 13

Sam Phillips caught a 59-yard touchdown pass from Tee Webb to give visiting Cartersville a 14-13 lead late in the fourth quarter. On the ensuing Allatoona possession, Cartersville’s Devonte Ross forced an Allatoona receiver to fumble, and the Purple Hurricane recovered to seal the win. Allatoona led 6-0 at halftime after a 54-yard field goal and a 43-yard field from Jude Kelly. Cartersville took a 7-6 lead in the third quarter on a 98-yard run from Quante Jennings, then Allatoona regained the lead, 13-7, late in the third with a short touchdown run.

LaGrange 24, Heard County 9

Visiting LaGrange scored 24 unanswered points after Heard County built a 9-0 lead in the opening quarter. The Grangers got on the board with a Kaleb Ceja 25-yard field goal and then took a 10-9 lead with 1:45 left in the half on a Charles Crawford 20-yard touchdown pass to Logan Karcher. Kaleb Gibbs grew the lead to 17-9 with a 47-yard rushing score late in the third quarter, before Crawford added a 36-yard touchdown run in the final frame.

Gainesville 27, Mary Persons 21

Gainesville came back from a 14-3 deficit to upend visiting (and 7th-ranked) Mary Persons, 27-21. The Bulldogs opened up a 14-3 lead on the Red Elephants in the second quarter before Gainesville mounted a comeback. Gionni Williams threw two touchdown passes, one to Lenny Chatman from 67 yards out and then a 34-yard strike to DJ Miller. Rico Harden scored twice for Mary Persons, once on a 71-yard run early, and a 78-yard kickoff return to make it 27-21 in the fourth. Gainesville, who has the third-most wins in the state history, also blocked a 49-yard Mary Persons field goal.

Class AAA

Pace Academy 7, New Manchester 6

Pace Academy held on late to win a defensive struggle against host New Manchester. The Knights scored their touchdown in the first quarter after a blocked punt by Connor Husk set them up inside the Jaguars’ 10-yard line. Justin Johnson punched it in the endzone before Pearson Bates tacked on what proved to be a crucial extra point. New Manchester missed the extra point following its second-quarter touchdown and the resulting 7-6 score held up throughout the second half. The Jaguars turned the ball over on downs in Pace Academy territory with 1:03 remaining to end the night.

Hart County 39, Elbert County 7

Host Hart County jumped out to a 19-0 lead at the half. Quarterback Luke Lee threw touchdown passes to Cane Berrong and Preston Mewborn, and Quinn Moore scored off a blocked punt. The Bulldogs lead grew to 27-0 after Montae Maxwell returned the opening kickoff of the second half for a touchdown and then Lee found Mewborn for the duo’s second touchdown connection later in the quarter. Malachi Thomas ran in Hart County’s final touchdown to make it 39-0 in the final frame before Elbert County’s late score prevented the shutout.

Lovett 30, Greater Atlanta Christian 29

Blaine McAllister threw a 16-yard scoring strike to Ritter Windom to get overtime started and host Lovett blocked Greater Atlanta Christian’s extra point following a touchdown on the next possession to survive a wild one. The Lions dominated the fourth quarter 16-0 to erase a 23-7 deficit and force the extra frame. McAllister and fellow quarterback Jackson Hardy traded touchdown runs en route to a 7-7 halftime deadlock before the Spartans seemingly took control in the third quarter thanks in part to fumble return to the end zone by Tyler Bride.

Class AA

Screven County 44, Bluffton (SC) 41 OT

Screven County’s Gary Hawkins rushed for a pair of first-quarter touchdowns to give the Gamecocks an early 12-0 lead. Host Bluffton answered and the game was eventually tied 34-34 early in the fourth quarter. Hawkins ran in his fourth touchdown of the game to put Screven County back in front 41-34 with just a minute left in regulation, but the Bobcats forced overtime with just five seconds left on a touchdown pass from Lee Kirkland to Kylan Simmons. Screven County clinched the victory with a field goal in OT.

Class A

Wesleyan 30, Meadowcreek 19

Wesleyan used touchdowns from four different players and excelled in all three phases of the game to defeat visiting Meadowcreek. The Wolves got touchdown runs from Griffin Caldwell, J.C. French, and Wyatt Hodges in addition to a field goal by Javy Martinez. Defensively, Josh Aspinwall returned an interception for a score midway through the third quarter to extend his team’s 10-7 halftime advantage to 17-7. Quincy Bonner led the Mustangs with three touchdowns, two on the ground plus a 19-yard pass to Joe Jenkins.

Athens Academy 35, Savannah Christian 7

Visiting Athens Academy led 14-0 after the opening quarter and 35-0 with 10:36 left in the third quarter. Running back Len’Neth Whitehead took nine carries for a game-high 125 yards (13.9 yards per carry) and four touchdowns. Spartans quarterback Palmer Bush went 3-of-5 passing for 43 yards and rushed for an 18-yard touchdown that grew Athens Academy’s lead to 21-0 with 9:32 left in the first half.

Prince Avenue Christian 54, Mount Vernon Presbyterian 28

The 3rd-ranked in Class A Private School Prince Avenue Wolverines raced out to a 21-0 lead against Mount Vernon and never looked back in a 54-28 romp over the Mustangs. In the third quarter, Wolverine quarterback and Oklahoma commit Brock Vandagriff had a hand in three touchdowns, once on a keeper, and two tosses to Zac Dyer—one on a fourth down and the other right after a recovered kickoff. Vandagriff had another scoring pass early in the fourth, hitting Trey Stiles in the end zone.

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