Cedar Grove remained the No. 1 team in Class 3A this week despite forfeiting four victories, a mid-week ruling that came to light Friday night. The two-time defending Class 3A champion self-reported using an ineligible player in wins over Milton, Greater Atlanta Christian, Carver of Atlanta and Redan, and their record now stands officially at 1-4.
Cedar Grove must win this week against Sandy Creek to make the playoffs out of Region 5-3A and would go as the region's No. 3 seed. GAC becomes the region champion, and its region winning streak, now at 43, is restored. The ruling also gives Milton an undefeated record of 8-0.
Cedar Grove is the second team this season to remain No. 1 after a forfeit. Valdosta also stayed on top of Class 6A in September after forfeiting its opening win over Warner Robins. Valdosta has lost three games since and now stands at No. 7. Buford in 2012 won a state title after forfeiting two games, and Warner Robins in 2018 was a state runner-up after a forfeit.
Class 7A
1. (1) Grayson (9-0)
Last week: Beat Newton 37-0. Jamal Haynes threw a 79-yard TD pass to Jaden Smith on the second play from scrimmage, then scored minutes later on a punt return, and Grayson led 34-0 at halftime and clinched a region title. Next: Playoffs
2. (2) Colquitt County (7-0)
Last week: Beat Tift County 41-0. Colquitt County led only 14-0 at halftime but scored three third-quarter touchdowns. Colquitt had five sacks and held Tift County to 53 total yards. Charlie Pace rushed for 79 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries. Next: Playoffs
3. (3) Norcross (9-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Archer (6-3)
4. (4) Lowndes (7-1)
Last week: Beat Camden County 28-21. Dominique Marshall had five receptions for 184 yards and two touchdowns. Jacurri Brown passed for a career-high 240 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 110 yards. Lowndes took a 28-14 lead with 7:26 left and held on. Next: Playoffs
5. (5) East Coweta (7-1)
Last week: Game with McEachern canceled. Next: Friday vs. Newnan (9-0)
6. (6) Collins Hill (8-2)
Last week: Beat Mill Creek 28-17. Sam Horn was 25-of-36 passing for 338 yards and three touchdowns. Travis Hunter had 14 receptions for 201 yards and three touchdowns. Collins Hill clinched its first region title since 2013. Next: Playoffs
7. (7) Newnan (9-0)
Last week: Beat Campbell 34-7. Bryson Moss rushed for 121 yards and three touchdowns and caught a 20-yard TD pass. Next: Friday at East Coweta (7-1)
8. (8) Archer (6-3)
Last week: Beat Duluth 43-8. Archer intercepted two passes, one returned 65 yards for a touchdown by Andrew Spearman, and limited Lonnie Ratliff, who entered as the state’s leading passer, to 159 yards. Archer rushed for 290 yards, getting 88 from QB Vashaun Stockmann and 83 from Schmari Campbell. Next: Friday at Norcross (9-0)
9. (9) North Cobb (8-1)
Last week: Beat Marietta 28-26. QB Malachi Singleton scored on a 1-yard run for the winning touchdown with 9:03 left, and North Cobb ran off the final 7:24 on the clock. Singleton rushed for 138 yards on 30 carries and was 12-of-19 passing for 110 yards. North Cobb clinched its first region title since 2013. Next: Friday vs. North Paulding (2-7)
10. (10) Milton (8-0)
Last week: Beat Woodstock 55-21. Jordan McDonald rushed for 204 yards on 13 carries. Devin Farrell was 12-of-20 passing for 218 yards. Milton led 38-14 at halftime. Next: Friday at Cherokee (8-1)
Class 6A
1. (1) Lee County (8-1)
Last week: Beat Valdosta 41-7. Caleb McDowell rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries. Chauncey Magwood rushed for 86 yards and passed for 100. Lee County led 20-0 in the first quarter in the game that clinched Lee’s fourth consecutive region title. Next: Playoffs
2. (2) Buford (7-1)
Last week: Beat Winder-Barrow 45-7. Dylan Wittke was 8-of-10 passing for 173 yards and three touchdowns. Buford led 28-0 seconds into the second quarter. Next: Friday vs. Dacula (6-2)
3. (4) Westlake (7-1)
Last week: Beat Lovejoy 51-0. R.J. Johnson was 17-of-18 passing for 273 yards and two touchdowns. Leo Blackburn had six receptions for 132 yards and a touchdown. Westlake led 30-0 at halftime and clinched its seventh straight region title. Next: Friday vs. Tucker (3-3)
4. (5) Allatoona (8-0)
Last week: Beat Lassiter 44-9. Allatoona led 30-3 at halftime in a game that clinched the Region 6 title. Elan Hall and Tyler McGuire together were 10-of-15 passing for 183 yards and three touchdowns. Troy Glenn had four receptions for 77 yards and two touchdowns. Next: Friday at Pope (4-3)
5. (6) Dacula (6-2)
Last week: Beat Central Gwinnett 20-16. Central Gwinnett took a 16-7 lead early in the fourth quarter, but Percy Williams returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown, and Kyle Efford’s 5-yard run with 7:45 left was the game-winner. Efford rushed for 224 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries. Next: Friday at Buford (7-1)
6. (8) River Ridge (8-0)
Last week: Game with Johns Creek canceled. Next: Friday vs. Cambridge (5-4)
7. (3) Valdosta (4-4)
Last week: Lost to Lee County 41-7. Valdosta scored its only touchdown on a kickoff return in the second half. Next: Playoffs
8. (9) Richmond Hill (8-2)
Last week: Beat South Effingham 55-7. Ashaud Roberson rushed for 204 yards and four touchdowns on 11 carries and caught a 38-yard pass. Tyler Coleman was 5-of-6 passing for 189 yards and two touchdowns. Next: Playoffs
9. (10) Hughes (8-1)
Last week: Beat Tucker 49-20. Hughes scored on its first possession and on Tucker’s as Jayden Browning returned an interception 58 yards. Prentiss Noland and Xavier Smith threw five TD passes between them, two each to Rodney Shelley and Terrance Love. Next: Friday vs. Morrow (1-6)
10. (7) Carrollton (5-2)
Last week: Lost to Alexander 23-22. Carrollton led 22-10 early in the second quarter but failed to score again. Donovan Hoskins rushed for 211 yards for Alexander, which outgained Carrollton 271-213. Carrollton still can clinch Region 5 with a victory this week. Next: Friday vs. Douglas County (7-2)
Class 5A
1. (1) Blessed Trinity (5-0)
Last week: Beat Cass 48-0. Justice Haynes rushed for 189 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries, and Evan Dickens rushed for 138 yards on three carries, scoring on runs of 68 and 67 yards. Blessed Trinity had 532 total yards, 468 rushing. Next: Friday vs. Woodland-Cartersville (4-3)
2. (2) Warner Robins (7-1)
Last week: Game with Coffee canceled. Next: Friday at Veterans (4-5)
3. (3) Ware County (7-1)
Last week: Beat Veterans 42-14. Dexter Carradine rushed for 181 yards on eight carries. Thomas Castellanos passed for 171 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 52 yards and three touchdowns. Next: Friday at Wayne County (3-6)
4. (4) Cartersville (8-1)
Last week: Beat Calhoun 31-14. Carlos Del Rio, a midseason transfer committed to Florida, made his first start and was 12-of-20 passing for 253 yards and rushed for 79 yards on 11 carries. Sam Phillips had five receptions for 134 yards, and Devonte Ross had five catches for 97 yards. Next: Playoffs
5. (6) Coffee (7-2)
Last week: Game with Warner Robins canceled. Next: Playoffs
6. (7) Starr's Mill (8-1)
Last week: Beat McIntosh 38-7. Brandon Mathis rushed for 134 yards, and William Yarbrough ran for 117, each on five carries, both scoring a touchdown. Mathis scored on a 73-yard run seconds into the game, and Devin Barnett scored on a 73-yard run in the second quarter. Starr’s Mill had 429 rushing yards. Next: Friday at Northside-Columbus (4-5)
7. (5) Calhoun (7-3)
Last week: Lost to Cartersville 31-14. Jerrian Hames rushed for 117 yards to maintain his Class 5A lead in that statistic, but the loss likely puts Calhoun on the road for the first round of the playoffs. Next: Playoffs
8. (8) St. Pius (7-1)
Last week: Beat Stone Mountain 39-14. St. Pius scored 30 points in the first quarter. The Golden Lions and ran only 35 plays for the game, all runs, putting up 273 yards, and never punted. FB/LB Jack Jacobellis rushed for 54 yards on five carries and had five solo tackles. DB Austin Taylor had two tackles for losses. Next: Friday vs. Decatur (6-0)
9. (9) Clarke Central (7-2)
Last week: Off. Next: Playoffs
10. (10) Jones County (6-3)
Last week: Beat Woodland-Stockbridge 49-0. Andrew Carner rushed for 186 yards and four touchdowns on 13 carries. Jones County led 28-0 in the first quarter. Next: Friday at Dutchtown (6-3)
Class 4A
1. (1) Marist (7-0)
Last week: Beat Miller Grove 49-0. Marist held Miller Grove to 109 total yards and maintained its record of not having allowed a touchdown this season. Marist employed 15 different rushers or receivers, led by Ian Otten, who had 58 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. Next: Friday at Mays (3-6)
2. (2) Jefferson (7-0)
Last week: Game with North Oconee canceled. Next: Friday at Madison County (3-6)
3. (3) Carver-Columbus (7-0)
Last week: Beat Hardaway 34-21. Carver led 22-0 at halftime, 28-0 in the third quarter, and held on. Jaiden Credle rushed for 138 yards, and Devin Riles passed for 126. Sophomore DL Miquon Merriweather had three tackles for losses. Next: Saturday vs. Troup (4-3)
4. (4) Benedictine (6-2)
Last week: Off. Next: Playoffs
5. (5) Flowery Branch (7-2)
Last week: Beat Chestatee 61-20. David Renard passed for 160 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 71 yards. Brody Jordan passed for 123 yards and two touchdowns. Connor Larson had 114 yards receiving. Next: Friday at East Hall (4-3)
6. (6) Bainbridge (6-3)
Last week: Beat Thomas County Central 37-14. Rashad Broadnax rushed for 151 yards and a touchdown, and his 10-yard TD reception gave Bainbridge a 28-0 lead early in the third quarter. Zion Bouie scored on an interception return. Next: Friday vs. Monroe (0-3)
7. (7) Islands (6-0)
Last week: Beat Savannah 60-0. Islands scored 27 points in the third quarter, when Roland Ferguson returned a kickoff 60 yards for a touchdown and Damonte Smith returned two fumbles for scores. Jadon Adams rushed for 88 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries. Next: Friday vs. Windsor Forest (5-1)
8. (9) Cedartown (6-2)
Last week: Beat Central-Carrollton 34-7. Cedartown recovered its opening kickoff at Central’s 1-yard line, took a 20-0 lead in the first quarter and clinched its first region title since 2001. Reece Tanner was 6-of-10 passing for 192 yards and two touchdowns. Jayden Johnson had 187 yards receiving. C.J. Washington rushed for 86 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries. Cedartown held Narada Levett, who entered as the state’s leading rusher, to 19 yards on 16 carries. Next: Friday at Heritage-Ringgold (5-4)
9. (10) Baldwin (4-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Perry (5-4)
10. (NR) Hapeville Charter (3-3)
Last week: Beat Stephenson 12-10. Xavier Carter and Nick Hunter had five solo tackles each and 3.5 sacks, and Hapeville held Stephenson to no points and two first downs in the second half. Antavious Bradley rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown. Marcus Tutt rushed for 84 yards. Bradley and Tutt scored Hapeville’s touchdowns. Next: Friday at Miller Grove (3-4)
Out: No. 8 Stephenson (4-2)
Class 3A
1. (1) Cedar Grove (1-4)
Last week: Game with Douglass canceled. Next: Friday vs. Sandy Creek (2-4)
2. (2) Oconee County (8-0)
Last week: Game with Stephens County canceled. Next: Friday at Franklin County (7-2)
3. (3) Peach County (7-1)
Last week: Beat Upson-Lee 36-7. Christian Martin was 15-of-19 passing for 252 yards and two touchdowns. Chris McMillan scored on runs of 32 and 56 yards and returned an interception 84 yards for a touchdown. Both are sophomores. Jadon Martin intercepted a pass that set up his 44-yard TD reception. Next: Friday vs. Central-Macon (5-3)
4. (4) Crisp County (8-1)
Last week: Beat Central-Macon 24-7. Marquise Palmer rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Preston Lavant had eight solo tackles, two for losses. Next: Friday vs. Pike County (1-7)
5. (5) Appling County (7-0)
Last week: Game with Brantley County canceled. Next: Friday vs. Pierce County (7-1)
6. (6) Greater Atlanta Christian (8-0)
Last week: Beat Carver-Atlanta 35-20. Deymon Fleming was 15-of-19 passing for 176 yards and four touchdowns. Will Gary had 128 yards from scrimmage, and Brooks Miller intercepted a pass and had 118 all-purpose yards. GAC overcame a 247-yard rushing effort by Carver’s Jarveous Brown and clinched Region 5 after Cedar Grove forfeited its victory over GAC. Next: Thursday at Redan (2-3)
7. (7) Rockmart (7-1)
Last week: Game with LaFayette canceled. Next: Friday at Ringgold (5-4)
8. (8) Pierce County (7-1)
Last week: Beat Tattnall County 50-6. Jermaine Brewton was 6-of-10 passing for 190 yards and four touchdowns. D.J. Bell rushed for 133 yards and two touchdowns on four carries. Pierce had 446 total yards on 30 offensive plays and allowed 23 total yards. Next: Friday at Appling County (7-0)
9. (9) Cherokee Bluff (9-0)
Last week: Beat North Hall 41-24. Cherokee Bluff, a 3-year-old school, clinched its first region title. Sebastian Irons was 10-of-15 passing for 212 yards and two touchdowns. Shad Dabney had six receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown. Next: Friday vs. White County (6-2)
10. (10) Richmond Academy (8-1)
Last week: Beat Cross Creek 51-6. Richmond Academy led 51-0 with five minutes left in the first half and clinched its first region title since 1976. Jontavis Curry had 81 yards from scrimmage on eight touches. Next: Friday vs. Burke County (3-4)
Class 2A
1. (1) Fitzgerald (9-0)
Last week: Game with Cook canceled. Next: Playoffs
2. (3) Rabun County (9-1)
Last week: Beat Union County 63-14. Gunner Stockton passed for 380 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Adriel Clark had eight receptions for 131 yards and four touchdowns. Sutton Jones had 120 yards receiving. Next: Playoffs
3. (4) Thomasville (6-4)
Last week: Beat Berrien 68-6. Ronnie Baker was 9-of-12 passing for 229 yards and six touchdowns, all in the first half, when Thomasville took a 61-0 lead. Joe Williams had three receptions for 70 yards and two touchdowns, blocked a punt and had six tackles, also playing just the first half. Next: Playoffs
4. (5) Lovett (7-2)
Last week: Game with McNair canceled. Next: Playoffs
5. (6) Jefferson County (6-2)
Last week: Beat Westside-Augusta 42-20. Aquavious Hunter rushed for 106 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries. Jefferson County clinched Region 4. Next: Friday at Laney (4-4)
6. (7) Early County (6-2)
Last week: Beat Worth County 53-28. Ladarious Cesar rushed for 256 yards and a touchdown and returned four kickoffs for 128 yards, giving him 384 all-purpose yards. Early County had 460 yards rushing as a team. Next: Playoffs
7. (8) Fannin County (7-0)
Last week: Game with Coosa canceled. Next: Friday at Dade County (2-7)
8. (NR) Haralson County (7-1)
Last week: Beat Callaway 36-29. Clay Hyatt rushed for 178 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries and caught a 26-yard TD pass. Marc Harris rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. Riley Bell had two sacks and forced a fumble that he recovered. The victory was Haralson’s first in history over a top-five opponent. Next: Friday at Bremen (5-4)
9. (2) Callaway (6-1)
Last week: Lost to Haralson County 36-29, beat Temple 41-20. Jarvis Parks returned an interception 95 yards for a touchdown and a 34-20 lead in the fourth quarter to thwart Temple. Charlie Dixon scored touchdowns on runs of 30, 1, 56 and 33 yards. Against Haralson, Callaway got down 22-0 and got no closer than 28-22, scoring its final touchdown with six seconds left. Jalin Shephard returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Next: Friday vs. Heard County (6-3)
10. (NR) Dodge County (5-3)
Last week: Beat Washington County 35-16. Daylon Gordon rushed for 190 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries, and Mikhail Carr rushed for 91 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries. Both intercepted passes on defense, which forced four turnovers. Dodge will clinch Region 3 with a victory this week or if the game is not played, as Southwest is expected to announce a decision today after shutting down sports over COVID-19 concerns late last week. Next: Friday vs. Southwest (1-5)
Out: No. 9 Northeast (6-2), No. 10 Pace Academy (5-3)
Class A Private
1. (1) Prince Avenue Christian (7-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Athens Christian (5-4)
2. (2) Eagle's Landing Christian (6-3)
Last week: Beat Whitefield Academy 34-14. Philip Massengale rushed for 105 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. Jason Reynolds returned a fumble 21 yards for a touchdown. Next: Friday at Landmark Christian (1-8)
3. (3) Fellowship Christian (8-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Playoffs
4. (4) Athens Academy (8-1)
Last week: Beat George Walton Academy 56-31. Tre Hawkins rushed for 186 yards and two touchdowns playing only one half. Palmer Bush was 9-of-11 passing for 134 yards and two touchdowns, both to Deion Colzie. Next: Playoffs
5. (5) Wesleyan (7-2)
Last week: Beat Holy Innocents’ 20-13. Griffin Caldwell rushed for 162 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. Wyatt Hodges and Tanner Bivins had four tackles for losses apiece. Cooper Blauser, a preseason all-state pick, returned from injury and had six catches for 56 yards. Next: Friday vs. Mount Vernon (5-3)
6. (6) Christian Heritage (6-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. North Cobb Christian (7-1)
7. (7) North Cobb Christian (7-1)
Last week: Game with Mount Paran Christian canceled. Next: Friday at Christian Heritage (6-1)
8. (8) Trinity Christian (6-2)
Last week: Game with Heritage-Newnan canceled. Next: Friday at Pacelli (6-2)
9. (9) Savannah Christian (8-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Savannah Country Day (3-4)
10. (10) George Walton Academy (6-2)
Last week: Lost to Athens Academy 56-31. Gavin Hall was 12-of-21 passing for 207 yards and two touchdowns in the defeat. Next: Friday at Loganville Christian (2-5)
Class A Public
1. (1) Metter (9-0)
Last week: Beat Claxton 46-0. Aaron Collins rushed for 121 yards and three touchdowns, and Danny Cheely ran for 119 on five carries. Metter rushed for 387 yards and attempted only one pass, which was intercepted. Next: Friday at Emanuel County Institute (4-4)
2. (5) Dublin (8-1)
Last week: Beat Telfair County 49-0. Marquaveon Ashley (81 yards), Jiquarion Mundie (80) and J.T. Wright (79) gave balance to Dublin’s 334 rushing yards with five touchdowns. Markell Mitchell completed two passes, and they went for touchdowns of 17 yards and 44 yards to Gabriel Guyton. Next: Friday at Montgomery County (6-3)
3. (3) Brooks County (8-1)
Last week: Beat Turner County 47-18. Omari Arnold rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries. Brooks County had 460 yards of total offense on 34 plays. Next: Tuesday at Charlton County (4-4)
4. (4) Commerce (8-1)
Last week: Beat Washington-Wilkes 28-17. Commerce scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns after trailing 17-14 at halftime. Sammy Brown rushed for 107 yards and Elijah Burns ran for 88. Next: Friday vs. Lincoln County (5-3)
5. (2) Irwin County (6-3)
Last week: Lost to Clinch County 13-0. Irwin was held to 136 total yards and five first downs and shut out for the first time since 2012 (Fitzgerald). Irwin still can clinch Region 2 with a victory this week. Next: Friday at Turner County (6-3)
6. (6) Macon County (7-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Chattahoochee County (8-0)
7. (7) Pelham (5-1)
Last week: Beat Seminole County 48-6. Brantley Shiver threw five TD passes, two each to Jeray Randall and Cameron Bailey. Shiver was 20-of-29 passing for 280 yards. Next: Playoffs
8. (9) Chattahoochee County (8-0)
Last week: Beat Greenville 40-13. Carlos Dunovant had more than 100 yards receiving and two touchdowns and intercepted a pass. Next: Friday at Macon County (7-1)
9. (8) Washington-Wilkes (6-1)
Last week: Lost to Commerce 28-17. Washington-Wilkes took a 17-14 lead on Eduardo Sandoval’s 20-yard field goal on the final play of the first half but surrendered the lead in the fourth quarter. Next: Friday vs. Towns County (3-5)
10. (NR) Clinch County (5-3)
Last week: Beat Irwin County 13-0. Clinch County scored 13 points in the final 13 seconds to win 13-0 on Friday the 13th. Marquavious Grady scored on a 5-yard run for the first score, and Jalen Prester returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown on the game’s final play. Grady rushed for 142 yards on 34 carries. Clinch finished with 186 total yards, all rushing. Next: Friday at Lanier County (3-5)
Out: No. 10 Wilcox County (7-2)