How the new top-10 teams fared in Week 5
Class 7A
1. (1) Buford (4-0)
Last week: Beat Carver-Atlanta 44-16. Buford trailed 16-15 at halftime but outscored Carver 22-0 in the third quarter. Justice Haynes had 216 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns of 53 yards or more. Next: Friday at Marietta (1-4)
2. (2) Grayson (4-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Lowndes (2-2)
3. (3) Colquitt County (4-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Cedar Grove (3-1)
4. (4) Mill Creek (4-0)
Last week: Beat Cedar Grove 52-36. Donningtun Walters blocked a punt that Justin Content returned 10 yards for a 7-0 lead three minutes into the game, and Mill Creek never trailed. Jaiden Patterson returned a kickoff 92 yards for a 28-14 lead in the second quarter. Jacob Ulrich made a 51-yard field goal for a 31-21 lead. Cam Robinson rushed for 164 yards on 13 carries. Caleb Downs scored two touchdowns and intercepted the 17th pass of his career, a school record. Next: Friday vs. Parkview (4-0)
5. (6) Carrollton (5-0)
Last week: Beat Jenkins 48-0. Carrollton led 41-0 at halftime. Julian Lewis was 23-of-33 passing for 340 yards and five touchdowns. Bryce Hicks rushed for 119 yards. Caleb Odom had eight receptions for 106 yards and three touchdowns. Montreze Smith had 2.5 tackles for losses. Next: Friday vs. Hillgrove (2-3)
6. (7) Walton (3-1)
Last week: Beat Marietta 30-17. Ayden Jackson had four receptions for 111 yards and intercepted two passes. Jeremy Hecklinski passed for 290 yards. Makari Bodiford rushed for 146 yards and caught a 27-yard TD pass that put Walton up 17-3 late in the first half. Next: Sept. 30 vs. North Paulding (4-1)
7. (8) Parkview (4-0)
Last week: Beat St. Pius 38-21. Khyair Spain rushed for 267 yards on 17 carries. Nolan Marshal had two sacks and three tackles for losses. Next: Friday at Mill Creek (4-0)
8. (9) Valdosta (5-0)
Last week: Beat Coral Glades, Fla., 56-0. Valdosta led 49-0 at halftime. Todd Robinson rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns on three carries and was 8-of-11 passing for 134 yards and three touchdowns. Next: Friday vs. McEachern (3-2)
9. (10) Milton (2-2)
Last week: Beat Alpharetta 36-21. Milton won despite being outgained 445-229. Luke Nickel was 9-of-18 passing for 179 yards and threw a 7-yard TD pass to Wyatt Smalley for a 23-21 lead midway in the third quarter. Milton, which ran only 35 plays, scored its final touchdowns on a 60-yard punt return by Wyatt Nave and a 67-yard fumble return by Will Parton. Next: Friday at North Cobb (2-2)
10. (NR) Kennesaw Mountain (4-0)
Last week: Beat Harrison 45-23. Cayman Prangley was 18-of-24 passing for 311 yards and four touchdowns, three to Cayden Lee, who had 11 receptions for 175 yards. Prangley also rushed for 68 yards. Tyshon Jenkins rushed for 97 yards and a touchdowns. Next: Friday at South Cobb (0-4)
Out: No. 5 North Cobb (2-2)
Class 6A
1. (1) Hughes (4-0)
Last week: Beat New Manchester 65-0. Hughes led 33-0 in the first quarter. Prentis “Air” Noland was 11-of-14 passing for 166 yards and five touchdowns, each to a different receiver. Justus Savage scored three touchdowns. Next: Friday at Douglas County (3-1)
2. (3) Lee County (4-1)
Last week: Beat Lake Gibson, Fla., 51-0. Lee County led 41-0 at halftime as Ousmane Kromah scored four touchdowns and J.D. Fugerson scored two. Chris Martin threw three TD passes. Braxton Honer had 112 yards from scrimmage. Next: Sept. 30 vs. Houston County (4-0)
3. (4) Roswell (3-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Johns Creek (1-3)
4. (5) Woodward Academy (3-1)
Last week: Beat Morrow 52-0. Ben Grice opened the scoring with a 77-yard punt return, and Josiah Abdulla returned the second-half kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown in a game that was never close. Jalen Woods was 11-of-15 passing for 178 yards and three touchdowns. London Merritt had two sacks and two tackles for losses. Next: Friday at Alcovy (1-3)
5. (6) Gainesville (5-0)
Last week: Beat Apalachee 55-6. Gainesville led 48-0 in the first half. Gainesville threw five TD passes, three by Baxter Wright before he was pulled in the blowout, and totaled 473 total yards. Carmelo Byrd returned an interception for a touchdown. Next: Sept. 30 at Lanier (1-3)
6. (7) Rome (3-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Allatoona (1-4)
7. (8) Thomas County Central (4-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Godby, Fla. (0-4)
8. (9) Houston County (4-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Warner Robins (1-3)
9. (10) Marist (3-2)
Last week: Beat Blessed Trinity 21-17. Eli Clarkson caught a 77-yard TD pass from Jack Euart for a 14-10 lead late in the first half, and Marist never trailed again. Blessed Trinity’s final touchdown came with 25 seconds left. Jackson Hughes rushed for 70 yards and two touchdowns. Euart was 6-of-7 passing for 132 yards and rushed for 36 yards. Next: Sept. 30 vs. Dunwoody (3-1)
10. (2) Blessed Trinity (3-1)
Last week: Lost to Marist 21-17. Blessed Trinity led 358-298 in total yards and got within 21-17 on Kiernan Davis’ 45-yard run in the final minute of the third quarter but mounted only one more serious drive, and it ended in a missed field goal. Blessed Trinity also scored on Brooks Goodman’s 66-yard pass to Cole Weaver for a 14-7 lead in the second quarter. Next: Friday vs. Sprayberry (1-3)
Class 5A
1. (1) Cartersville (5-0)
Last week: Beat Heritage-Conyers 49-0. Freshman QB Nate Russell was 11-of-14 passing for 209 yards and four touchdowns, each to a different receiver. Cartersville led 35-0 at halftime. Next: Sept. 30 vs. Calhoun (3-2)
2. (2) Ware County (3-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Bainbridge (2-3)
3. (3) Creekside (2-2)
Last week: Beat Lithia Springs 35-14. Travis Terrell rushed for 180 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries and had six receptions for 131 yards and two touchdowns. Roderick McCrary rushed for 133 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. Vinson Berry passed for 209 yards and two touchdowns. Next: Friday vs. Chapel Hill (2-2)
4. (4) Dutchtown (5-0)
Last week: Beat Warner Robins 14-7. Jamal Bing rushed for 116 yards. Dutchtown trailed 7-0 at halftime but scored two third-quarter touchdowns and stopped Warner Robins on fourth down at the 3 in the fourth quarter. Next: Sept. 30 vs. Union Grove (3-2)
5. (6) Kell (4-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Centennial (1-3)
6. (8) Loganville (5-0)
Last week: Beat Winder-Barrow 27-14. Solomon Leslie rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries and intercepted a pass. Loganville led 17-0 at halftime. Next: Friday at Heritage-Conyers (2-2)
7. (5) Coffee (3-1)
Last week: Beat Salem 65-0. Coffee led 51-0 at halftime and had 409 total yards on 33 plays. Maurice Hensley was 6-of-7 passing for 140 yards and two touchdowns. Next: Friday vs. Richmond Hill (3-2)
8. (9) Calhoun (3-2)
Last week: Beat Sonoraville 40-7. Trey Townsend was 21-of-26 passing for 331 yards and three touchdowns, each to a different receiver. Next: Sept. 30 at Cartersville (5-0)
9. (10) Jefferson (2-2)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Clarke Central (1-3)
10. (7) Warner Robins (1-3)
Last week: Lost to Dutchtown 14-7. Warner Robins failed on a fourth down at the Dutchtown 3-yard line in the fourth quarter, and the defending 5A champions were held to 10 points or less for the third time, all in losses against top-10 teams. Next: Friday at Houston County (4-0)
Class 4A
1. (1) Cedartown (4-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Dalton (2-2)
2. (2) North Oconee (3-0)
Last week: Beat Madison County 42-0. North Oconee led 21-0 in the first quarter as Khalil Barnes scored on a 32-yard reception and a 57-yard punt return. Max Wilson was 7-of-8 passing for 155 yards and rushed for 69 yards and two scores on five carries. Next: Friday at Chestatee (1-3)
3. (4) Perry (3-1)
Last week: Beat Peach County 35-7. Dakarai Anderson had eight receptions for 118 yards and a touchdown and scored on an 11-yard run. Armar Gordon was 16-of-27 passing for 245 yards and two touchdowns. Next: Friday vs. Howard (4-0)
4. (5) Troup (4-0)
Last week: Beat Whitewater 43-33. Taeo Todd rushed for 247 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries and was 7-of-16 passing for 169 yards and three touchdowns. Qua Moss had three receptions for 112 yards and two touchdowns. Next: Friday at Starr's Mill (4-0)
5. (6) Starr's Mill (4-0)
Last week: Beat LaGrange 25-24. Greigh Joseph scored on a 3-yard run in overtime, and Andersen Cardoza ran in the conversion for the game-winner. Logan Inagawa threw a 56-yard TD pass to Bo Walker in regulation to send the game to OT. Cardoza rushed for 129 yards on 11 carries. Inagawa was 11-of-16 passing for 169 yards Next: Friday vs. Troup (4-0)
6. (8) Burke County (4-0)
Last week: Beat Oconee County 28-21. Marshall Flowers was 13-of-22 passing for 183 yards and two touchdowns, one that tied the game, the other that won it in overtime. Next: Friday at Statesboro (1-3)
7. (7) Benedictine (2-2)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Bolles, Fla. (2-2)
8. (3) Whitewater (3-1)
Last week: Lost to Troup 43-33. Logan Griffith scored on a 17-yard run for a 20-7 Whitewater lead in the second quarter and on a 40-yard run to get Whitewater within 36-30 in the fourth quarter, but the Wildcats couldn’t slow Troup, which led 507-309 in total yards. Next: Friday vs. LaGrange (3-1)
9. (9) Bainbridge (2-3)
Last week: Lost to Brooks County 26-18. Cam Sanders and Bo Smith were a combined 16-of-26 passing for 168 yards, but Bainbridge was held to minus-1 yard rushing. Next: Friday at Ware County (3-0)
10. (NR) Wayne County (3-1)
Last week: Beat Statesboro 28-7. Matthew Fuller rushed for 202 yards on 23 carries, and his 8-yard TD run with eight minutes left gave Wayne County a 14-7 lead. He then scored on a 76-yard run in the final four minutes to put the game away. Next: Friday at Jenkins (1-3)
Out: No. 10 LaGrange (3-1)
Class 3A
1. (1) Cedar Grove (3-1)
Last week: Lost to Mill Creek 52-36. Cedar Grove failed to beat a third consecutive 7A team after impressive wins over Westlake and Collins Hill. E.J. Colson was 19-of-30 passing for 315 yards and three touchdowns. Barry Jackson had nine receptions for 155 yards. Ricky Lee had four receptions for 89 yards and threw a TD pass. Next: Friday at Colquitt County (4-0)
2. (2) Carver-Atlanta (3-1)
Last week: Lost to Buford 44-16. DeAndre Buchannon returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown and a 16-15 Carver lead with 1:32 left in the first half, but Buford, the No. 1 team in 7A, scored the final 29 points. Next: Sept. 30 at Peach County (2-2)
3. (3) Calvary Day (3-0)
Last week: Beat Liberty County 48-27. Jake Merklinger was 8-of-12 passing for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Edward Coleman had four catches for 126 yards. Next: Friday vs. Savannah Christian (4-0)
4. (5) Sandy Creek (4-1)
Last week: Beat Collins Hill 33-17. Sandy Creek trailed 17-14 entering the fourth quarter but turned three straight Collins Hill turnovers into touchdowns, two on drives of two and five yards after fumbles, the other on Cameron Watts’ 25-yard interception return. Brothers Geimere Latimer and Amari Latimer, with nearly identical rushing totals, combined for 21 carries, 112 yards and four touchdowns. Next: Friday at Jackson (2-2)
5. (7) Crisp County (3-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Northside-Warner Robins (2-2)
6. (4) Oconee County (3-2)
Last week: Lost to Burke County 28-21. Oconee County led 21-14 in the fourth quarter after scoring on a fumble return but surrendered a TD pass in the final minute of regulation and another in overtime and failed to answer. Oconee was limited to 160 total yards, Next: Sept. 30 at Hebron Christian (4-0)
7. (6) Peach County (2-2)
Last week: Lost to Perry 35-7. Peach County scored its touchdown in the fourth quarter to get within 21-7 but gave up a touchdown on Perry’s next drive. Next: Friday vs. Hardaway (1-4)
8. (8) Dougherty (5-0)
Last week: Beat Terrell County 46-6. Jacob Stallworth had 131 yards from scrimmage on 12 touches and scored four touchdowns. Kameron Davis was 20-of-27 passing for 244 yards and four touchdowns. Larry Lane had seven receptions for 107 yards. Next: Sept. 30 vs. Crisp County (3-1)
9. (9) Stephens County (4-1)
Last week: Beat White County 53-14. Ben Stowe passed for 213 yards and three touchdowns, each to Cam’ron Lacy. Javin Gordon rushed for 56 yards and four touchdowns. Next: Sept. 30 at Monroe Area (2-3)
10. (10) Mary Persons (3-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Columbus (2-2)
Class 2A
1. (1) Fitzgerald (4-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Dodge County (1-3)
2. (2) Pierce County (4-0)
Last week: Beat Charlton County 48-13. D.J. Bell rushed for 226 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 86 yards, completing five of six passes. Jaquez White had 245 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns on four rushes and four receptions. Next: Friday vs. Brantley County (3-1)
3. (3) South Atlanta (3-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Therrell (3-1)
4. (5) Cook (3-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Jeff Davis (0-4)
5. (7) Thomson (2-1)
Last week: Game with Laney suspended. Thomson led 15-14 when the game was stopped because of gunshots heard outside Laney’s stadium. The game is tentatively scheduled to resume Oct. 14. Next: Friday vs. Washington County (1-3)
6. (4) Eagle's Landing Christian (1-3)
Last week: Lost to Prince Avenue Christian 30-15. ELCA trailed only 13-7 at halftime but didn’t score again until the game was decided. ELCA was held to 239 total yards. Next: Friday at Landmark Christian (2-2)
7. (8) Putnam County (3-1)
Last week: Beat Butler 44-0. Tamarion Peterson rushed for 111 yards, and Jalon Kilgore returned the second-half kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown. Next: Friday vs. Josey (2-2)
8. (9) Columbia (3-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. McNair (2-2)
9. (10) Northeast (2-2)
Last week: Beat ACE Charter 47-21. Sophomore RB Nick Woodford rushed for 257 yards on 27 carries and had 79 yards receiving, and freshman QB Reginald Glover rushed for 102 yards on 15 carries and was 13-of-17 passing for 142 yards and two touchdowns. Next: Friday vs. Southwest (1-3)
10. (6) Rockmart (2-2)
Last week: Lost to Irwin County 28-14. Rockmart never led and was held to 208 total yards. J.D. Davis threw two TD passes to Zyion McCrary. Next: Sept. 30 vs. Model (2-2)
Class A Division I
1. (1) Prince Avenue Christian (4-0)
Last week: Beat Eagle's Landing Christian 30-15. Aaron Philo was 14-of-24 passing for 280 yards. Josh Britt had four receptions for 108 yards. Bailey Stockton caught five passes for 81 yards and had nine tackles. Prince Avenue led 30-7 with three minutes left. Next: Sept. 30 vs. Mary Persons (3-1)
2. (2) Swainsboro (5-0)
Last week: Beat Emanuel County Institute 42-12. Qin Brown rushed for 185 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. Demello Jones scored on a 17-yard run and a 68-yard pass, his only two touches. Swainsboro held ECI to 159 yards. Next: Sept. 30 at Irwin County (3-1)
3. (3) Rabun County (4-0)
Last week: Beat Heard County 42-13. Keegan Stover was 15-of-23 passing for 286 yards and three touchdowns. Jaden Gibson had 150 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Next: Friday vs. Whitefield Academy (4-0)
4. (4) Bleckley County (4-0)
Last week: Beat West Laurens 33-0. Eli Mullis passed for 251 yards and three touchdowns. Jahvon Butler rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown. Markeze Brown had three receptions for 91 yards and two touchdowns. Next: Friday at Pelham (2-3)
5. (6) Brooks County (4-1)
Last week: Beat Bainbridge 26-18. Jamal Sanders rushed for 113 yards and a touchdowns, threw a TD pass and returned a punt 99 yards for a score in the final seconds of the first half for a 19-7 lead. Chris Cole rushed for 87 yards. Next: Sept. 30 vs. Pike Liberal Arts, Ala. (0-4)
6. (5) Irwin County (3-1)
Last week: Beat Rockmart 28-14. Cody Soliday was 10-of-15 passing for 251 yards, and his 54-yard TD pass to Mason Snyder midway in the fourth quarter gave Irwin County a 28-14 lead. Snyder had five receptions for 156 yards. Rockmart was 1-for-10 in third- and fourth-down plays. Next: Friday vs. Metter (3-2)
7. (7) Whitefield Academy (4-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Rabun County (4-0)
8. (8) Lamar County (5-0)
Last week: Beat Jackson 42-16. Antonio Altman rushed for 133 yards, and C.J. Allen rushed for 123 and caught Lamar County’s only attempted pass for 33 yards. Next: Friday at Social Circle (3-1)
9. (9) Darlington (4-0)
Last week: Beat Northwest Whitfield 41-33. Slade Clevinger blocked an extra point to keep Darlington ahead 34-33 in the fourth quarter, then intercepted a pass to seal the victory after Northwest Whitfield appeared to concede a touchdown to allow a potential tying rally. Darlington led 27-7 at halftime. Bowden Owens scored three touchdowns. Next: Friday at Dade County (3-1)
10. (10) Elbert County (4-0)
Last week: Beat Washington-Wilkes 32-20. Quan Moss rushed for 214 yards, and Jayvyn Hickman passed for 191 yards and three touchdowns, one a 5-yarder to Trustin Allen that gave Elbert a 29-20 lead late in the third quarter. Next: Friday at Jefferson County (1-3)
Class A Division II
1. (1) Early County (5-0)
Last week: Beat Baconton Charter 40-6. Eddie Stapleton rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Tiderro Steele rushed for 106 yards on nine carries. Kendarious Boyd rushed for 91 yards and two touchdowns on two carries. Early’s starters were pulled late in the first half. Next: Friday at Mitchell County (1-3)
2. (2) Clinch County (4-1)
Last week: Beat Bacon County 55-13. Clinch County led 34-0 midway in the second quarter. Keegan Clayton rushed for 74 yards on seven carries and passed for 119 yards and two touchdowns. Next: Friday at Frederica Academy (1-3)
3. (3) Bowdon (3-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Temple (3-2)
4. (4) Johnson County (3-0)
Last week: Beat East Laurens 34-6. Germivy Tucker rushed for 223 yards on 23 carries. Johnson County led only 6-0 at halftime but scored three third-quarter touchdowns. Next: Friday vs. Emanuel County Institute (1-3)
5. (5) Washington-Wilkes (3-1)
Last week: Lost to Elbert County 32-20. Washington-Wilkes was held to 98 total yards but stayed in the game with TD returns of an interception (57 yards by Bryson Porter) and a kickoff (57 yard by Tamari Curry). Next: Friday at Hancock Central (1-3)
6. (7) Charlton County (3-2)
Last week: Lost to Pierce County 48-13. Charlton County led 7-0 but was held to 132 total yards and couldn’t keep up against Class 2A’s No. 2 team. Next: Sept. 30 at Dublin (2-2)
7. (8) Schley County (2-2)
Last week: Beat Central-Talbotton 63-0. Schley County led 49-0 at halftime and finished with six TD passes, three from Jay Kanazawa, two by freshman Jake Little and one by freshman Blake Weldon. Next: Friday at Macon County (1-3)
8. (9) Dooly County (1-2)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Turner County (1-4)
9. (6) Aquinas (3-1)
Last week: Lost to Harlem 27-20. Clark Jackson rushed for 150 yards on 22 carries and had 10 receptions for 117 yards and two touchdowns, accounting for 267 of Aquinas’ 378 total yards. Jim Franklin was 20-of-30 passing for 191 yards and three touchdowns. Aquinas drove to the Harlem 12-yard line late but was intercepted in the end zone. Next: Friday vs. Greenbrier (0-4)
10. (NR) McIntosh County Academy (3-1)
Last week: Beat Lanier County 18-10. Demonte Stokes rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown on six carries, and Jaylen Dallas returned a fumble for a score as McIntosh County Academy rallied from a 10-0 second-half deficit. Next: Friday vs. Bradwell Institute (0-4)
Out: No. 10 Mount Zion-Carroll (3-1)