How the new top-10 teams fared in Week 12
Class 7A
1. (1) Buford (10-0)
Last week: Beat Central Gwinnett 49-7. Buford led 35-0 at halftime. Justice Haynes rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns on four carries. K.J. Bolden had two receptions for 94 yards and returned the opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown. Next: Saturday vs. Peachtree Ridge (6-4)
2. (2) Colquitt County (10-0)
Last week: Beat Richmond Hill 41-14. Richmond Hill scored a touchdown on its first possession, but Colquitt County scored the next 34 points. Neko Fann was 13-of-25 passing for 177 yards and two touchdowns, both to Ny Carr. Next: Saturday vs. Pebblebrook (4-6)
3. (3) Mill Creek (9-1)
Last week: Beat Mountain View 52-28. Hayden Clark was 10-of-15 passing for 185 yards and two touchdowns. Kevin Mitchell rushed for 101 yards on 11 carries. Makhail Wood had four receptions for 107 yards. Cam Robison had 100 yards from scrimmage. Next: Saturday vs. Meadowcreek (7-3)
4. (4) Carrollton (10-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Saturday vs. Lowndes (5-5)
5. (5) North Cobb (8-2)
Last week: Beat Osborne 35-0. Nick Grimstead was 18-of-27 passing for 248 yards and made TD throws to David Eziomume and Yasin Muhammed. Ben Hall rushed for 70 yards, and Jordan Allen ran for 68. Both scored touchdowns. Next: Saturday vs. Denmark (6-4)
6. (6) Walton (8-2)
Last week: Beat Wheeler 49-10. Wheeler was within 16-10 early in the second quarter, but Walton scored touchdowns on its next three drives. Jeremy Hecklinski was 10-of-16 passing for 297 yards and four touchdowns. Hunter Teal had four receptions for 200 yards. Matthew Trayon returned a kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown. Next: Saturday vs. South Forsyth (6-4)
7. (9) Milton (7-3)
Last week: Beat Lambert 31-21. Scott Moskowitz rushed for 167 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, and his 64-yard TD run with 1:54 left clinched the victory. Luke Nickel was 8-of-14 passing for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Milton never trailed claimed its fifth consecutive region title and 28th straight region game. Next: Saturday vs. Cherokee (3-7)
8. (10) Valdosta (8-2)
Last week: Off. Next: Saturday at Westlake (7-3)
9. (7) Lambert (9-1)
Last week: Lost to Milton 31-21. James Tyre was 15-of-27 passing for 212 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 51 yards in the loss. Christian Smith had six receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown. Next: Saturday vs. Wheeler (5-5)
10. (NR) Westlake (7-3)
Last week: Beat Campbell 56-14. Avieon Terrell returned the opening kickoff 73 yards for a touchdown, and Christian Peterson returned a kickoff 92 yards for a score after Campbell’s first touchdown. Terrell’s 48-yard TD reception from R.J. Johnson gave Westlake a 42-14 lead in the second quarter. Terrell also intercepted a pass. Next: Saturday vs. Valdosta (8-2)
Out: No. 8 Grayson (8-2)
Class 6A
1. (1) Hughes (10-0)
Last week: Beat Paulding County 56-23. Prentis “Air” Noland was 16-of-26 passing for 410 yards and five touchdowns. The top receivers were Jelani Thomas (4-124-2) and Jediyah Willoughby (5-139-0). Jekail Middlebrook rushed for 136 yards and three touchdowns on seven carries. Next: Friday vs. River Ridge (6-4)
2. (2) Thomas County Central (10-0)
Last week: Beat Northside-Warner Robins 24-14. Down at halftime, Thomas County Central scored the only two touchdowns of the second half and won its first region title since 2016 and finished a regular season 10-0 for the first time since 2007. Sam Brown was 20-of-33 passing for 163 yards and a touchdown. Ricky Fulton rushed for 80 yards, and his 50-yard TD run with 4:22 left gave Thomas Central its final margin. T.J. Sanders caught a 31-yard TD pass and intercepted a pass. Next: Friday vs. Evans (4-6)
3. (3) Roswell (9-1)
Last week: Beat Alpharetta 38-21. Nykahi Davenport rushed for 171 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries. K.J. Smith was 17-of-24 passing for 230 yards and two touchdowns, both to Christopher Elko, who had eight receptions for 105 yards. Alpharetta’s Ben Guthrie, Class 6A’s leading passer, threw for 281 yards. The game decided the Region 7 championship. Next: Friday vs. Lanier (4-6)
4. (4) Gainesville (10-0)
Last week: Beat Jackson County 51-0. Gainesville scored touchdowns on six consecutive drives starting in the second quarter. Baxter Wright was 8-of-12 passing for 111 yards and two touchdowns and scored on a 49-yard run. Kylen Hall rushed for 88 yards and two touchdowns. Next: Friday vs. Sprayberry (4-6)
5. (5) Woodward Academy (9-1)
Last week: Beat Forest Park 42-6. Backup QB Griffin Marshall was 12-of-16 passing for 279 yards and touchdowns to four receivers. Next: Friday vs. Riverwood (2-8)
6. (6) Rome (9-1)
Last week: Beat Etowah 63-3. Reece Fountain was 20-of-24 passing for 273 yards and three touchdowns. Martel Hight had five receptions for 99 yards and two touchdowns. Grant Bullard returned interceptions 18 and 64 yards for touchdowns. Next: Friday vs. Paulding County (6-4)
7. (7) Marist (8-2)
Last week: Beat Riverwood 34-7. Marist rushed for a season-high 267 yards and four touchdowns. Casey Comerford had 11 solo tackles. Next: Friday vs. Morrow (5-5)
8. (8) Brunswick (10-0)
Last week: Beat Effingham County 30-27. Terry Mitchell had 10 receptions for 170 yards and returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown, and Jayden Drayton scored on a 4-yard run with 1:54 left for a 30-20 lead. Effingham County scored with 19 seconds left and recovered an onside kick, but Brunswick finished the game with a sack. The game decided the Region 2 title. Next: Friday vs. Houston County (8-2)
9. (9) Lee County (7-3)
Last week: Beat Tift County 46-14. Ousmane Kromah rushed for 171 yards and three touchdowns. Devin Collier and Braxton Honer combined for 125 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Next: Friday at Effingham County (7-3)
10. (10) Houston County (8-2)
Last week: Beat Veterans 70-21.Ryan Taleb rushed for 199 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries and had five catches for 62 yards and two touchdowns. A.J. Hill was 25-of-40 passing for 309 yards and four touchdowns. Next: Friday at Brunswick (10-0)
Class 5A
1. (1) Ware County (9-0)
Last week: Beat Coffee 31-6. Niko Smith was 15-of-25 passing for 207 yards and two touchdowns. R.J. Boyd rushed for 95 yards on eight carries. Dae’Jeaun Dennis rushed for 79 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. Next: Saturday vs. Jones County (6-4)
2. (2) Creekside (8-2)
Last week: Beat Banneker 48-7. Roderick McCrary rushed for 114 yards on nine carries and intercepted a pass. Vinson Berry was 11-of-17 passing for 132 yards. Next: Saturday vs. Greater Atlanta Christian (5-5)
3. (3) Cartersville (9-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Saturday vs. Clarke Central (5-5)
4. (6) Jefferson (8-2)
Last week: Beat Eastside 35-7. Sammy Brown rushed for 163 yards and four touchdowns on 15 carries. Next: Saturday vs. Cass (4-6)
5. (5) Cambridge (8-2)
Last week: Beat North Springs 59-6. Christian Isibor rushed for 81 yards and three touchdowns on 10 carries, and Preston Clemmer threw two TD passes and scored two, on runs of 51 and 33 yards. Next: Saturday vs. Jackson-Atlanta (7-3)
6. (4) Coffee (8-2)
Last week: Lost to Ware County 31-6. Coffee was down only 10-6 at halftime but was held to 177 total yards in a game that decided the Region 1 title. Next: Saturday vs. Ola (6-4)
7. (7) Dutchtown (9-1)
Last week: Beat Ola 51-0. Jamal Bing rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, and Dutchtown held Ola to 150 total yards and clinched Region 2. Next: Saturday vs. Statesboro (3-7)
8. (8) Warner Robins (6-4)
Last week: Beat Locust Grove 52-0. Chase Reese was 12-of-16 passing for 160 yards and four touchdowns, two each to Cam Flowers and Isiah Canion. Next: Saturday vs. Jenkins (4-6)
9. (9) Calhoun (7-3)
Last week: Off. Next: Saturday vs. Eastside (6-4)
10. (10) Loganville (9-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Saturday vs. Dalton (5-5)
Class 4A
1. (1) Cedartown (10-0)
Last week: Beat Northwest Whitfield 58-13. Cedartown used 12 ball carriers to rush for 438 yards and six touchdowns. Leading rushers were Trae Harris (2-105-1), Khamarion Davis (11-93-2) and Harlem Diamond (8-82-2). Next: Friday vs. Cedar Shoals (5-5)
2. (2) North Oconee (10-0)
Last week: Beat Cherokee Bluff 42-7. Dominic Elder scored two touchdowns, and Max Wilson threw TD passes to Khalil Barnes and Brooks Thompson. J.J. Poole had six touchbacks and a 59-yard punt downed at the 2-yard line. Next: Friday vs. Sonoraville (6-4)
3. (3) Perry (9-1)
Last week: Beat West Laurens 34-0. Armar Gordon was 15-of-20 passing for 197 yards and three touchdowns, both to Dakarai Anderson, who had nine receptions for 149 yards. Next: Friday vs. Shaw (4-6)
4. (5) Benedictine (8-2)
Last week: Beat New Hampstead 45-6. Benedictine scored all its points in the first half. Za’Quan Bryan returned a punt 60 yards for a touchdown and scored on a 61-yard run. Luke Kromenhoek was 11-of-14 passing for 193 yards and four touchdowns. Next: Friday vs. Whitewater (8-2)
5. (4) Troup (9-1)
Last week: Lost to LaGrange 38-34. Taeo Todd rushed for 269 yards and passed for 187. Noah Dixon had 104 yards and two touchdowns receiving. Troup entered the game with the region title clinched but missed a chance for its first perfect regular season in history. Next: Friday vs. New Hampstead (6-4)
6. (7) Bainbridge (6-4)
Last week: Beat Cairo 53-20. Bainbridge trailed 13-7 after one quarter but scored seven of the game's next eight touchdowns. Antavious Murphy had nine receptions for 174 yards and two touchdowns. Bo Smith was 19-of-26 passing for 254 yards and three touchdowns. Javan Cox rushed for 129 yards and two touchdowns on five carries, and Keenan Phillips rushed for 109 yards on 18 carries. Next: Friday vs. Baldwin (4-6)
7. (9) Wayne County (8-2)
Last week: Beat Burke County 17-16. Wayne County let a 10-0 lead get away in the fourth quarter but won in overtime by stopping Burke County’s two-point attempt. Matthew Fuller rushed for 141 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. The game, postponed because of Hurricane Ian, was played Monday. Next: Friday vs. Trinity Christian (6-4)
8. (6) Burke County (8-2)
Last week: Beat Southeast Bulloch 17-7. Burke County bounced back from Monday’s overtime loss to Wayne County to clinch third place in the region. Charley Dorsey ran for 134 yards, and Marshall Flowers passed for 132. Dorsey rushed for 103 yards in the Wayne County game. Next: Saturday at LaGrange (8-2)
9. (10) Whitewater (8-2)
Last week: Beat Starr's Mill 14-6. Braxton Mueller scored on a 37-yard run with four minutes left for the final margin in a game that decided the final playoff berth in Region 4. Logan Griffith scored Whitewater’s other touchdown on a 50-yard run in the third quarter. Whitewater led in total yards 215-203. Next: Friday at Benedictine (8-2)
10. (NR) LaGrange (8-2)
Last week: Beat Troup 38-34. With LaGrange down 34-31 with 2:41 left, Parker Shattuck intercepted a screen pass and returned it inside the Troup 5-yard line, and A.J. Tucker scored the winning touchdown on a 14-yard run. Tucker ran for 138 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, and Jaylan Brown ran for 108 yards and a touchdown on six carries. Brown’s 59-yard touchdown run with three minutes left got LaGrange within three points. LaGrange needed a victory to make the playoffs and ended up with the No. 2 seed. Next: Saturday vs. Burke County (8-2)
Out: No. 8 Starr's Mill (7-3)
Class 3A
1. (1) Cedar Grove (7-2)
Last week: Beat Carver-Atlanta 21-2. Chase Kerns’ three sacks, four tackles for losses and two forced fumbles led a dominant defensive performance as Cedar Grove held Carver to less than 100 yards. Next: Saturday vs. Bremen (5-5)
2. (2) Calvary Day (9-0)
Last week: Beat Beach 49-3. Jake Merklinger threw five touchdown passes and was 9-of-14 for 188 yards. A.J. Butts rushed for 113 yards on six carries. Next: Saturday vs. Salem (2-8)
3. (3) Sandy Creek (8-2)
Last week: Beat Douglass 56-12. Geimere Latimer passed for 139 yards and two touchdowns, and Amari Latimer rushed for 98 yards. Next: Saturday vs. Coahulla Creek (7-3)
4. (4) Carver-Atlanta (6-3)
Last week: Lost to Cedar Grove 21-2. Carver trailed only 7-2 entering the fourth quarter but was limited to 76 total yards and six first downs. Next: Saturday at Ringgold (7-3)
5. (5) Peach County (7-3)
Last week: Beat Jackson 49-14. Colter Ginn passed for 195 yards and two touchdowns. Isaiah Mitchell had two catches for 78 yards and a touchdown and returned an interception 65 yards for a score. Chris McMillian (110 yards) and Robert Jones (85 yards) were the rushing leaders. Next: Saturday vs. Crisp County (5-5)
6. (6) Thomasville (7-3)
Last week: Off. Next: Saturday vs. Jackson (5-5)
7. (7) Stephens County (8-2)
Last week: Lost to Hebron Christian 25-21. Cam’ron Lacy returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown and a 21-12 lead in the third quarter, but Stephens County’s offense stalled after that. Lacy also caught an 87-yard TD pass from Ben Stowe in the second quarter. Stephens County had the region title clinched, so the loss had no impact on its playoff seeding. Next: Saturday vs. Wesleyan (4-6)
8. (8) Carver-Columbus (7-2)
Last week: Off. Next: Saturday vs. Upson-Lee (4-6)
9. (9) Oconee County (6-4)
Last week: Beat Franklin County 49-0. C.J. Jones rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown on eight carries. Oconee County led 42-0 at halftime. Next: Saturday at Lumpkin County (8-2)
10. (10) Adairsville (9-1)
Last week: Beat Coahulla Creek 48-33. Adairsville had three 100-yard rushers – Ethan Blome (216), Chris Roper (154) and Jonathan Gough (107). Gough was 6-of-7 for 73 yards passing. Next: Saturday vs. Douglass (3-7)
Class 2A
1. (1) Fitzgerald (10-0)
Last week: Beat Berrien 34-20. Fitzgerald led only 14-10 at halftime but outscored Berrien 13-0 in the third quarter. Sultan Cooper was 11-of-13 passing for 221 yards. Next: Friday vs. Central-Macon (3-7)
2. (2) South Atlanta (9-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Landmark Christian (5-5)
3. (3) Appling County (8-1)
Last week: Beat Brantley County 42-0. Dayson Griffis was 10-of-15 passing for 212 yards and two touchdowns. Trent Griner rushed for 125 yards, and Jamarion Williams ran for 103. Next: Friday vs. Washington County (4-6)
4. (4) Thomson (9-1)
Last week: Beat Westside-Augusta 52-0. Jahkiaus Jones was 13-of-18 passing for 190 yards and a touchdown. Tre Tre Jeffery rushed for 134 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries. Next: Friday vs. Tattnall County (5-5)
5. (5) Callaway (7-3)
Last week: Beat Landmark Christian 27-14. Callaway led 378-151 in total yards and never trailed. Qua Whitfield and Zai Hart each rushed 11 times for a combined 121 yards and three touchdowns. Next: Friday vs. Washington (3-6)
6. (6) Pierce County (9-1)
Last week: Beat Tattnall County 37-7. D.J. Bell rushed for 178 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries and threw two TD passes. Jimarion Guyton rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. Next: Friday vs. Laney (8-2)
7. (7) Rockmart (8-2)
Last week: Beat North Murray 66-34. Rockmart rushed for 465 yards and seven touchdowns on 38 carries. Jojo Haynes ran for 141 yards and three touchdowns, and Cam Ferguson rushed for 173 yards and two scores. Next: Friday vs. East Jackson (5-5)
8. (9) Eagle's Landing Christian (6-4)
Last week: Beat McNair 56-12. Charlie Gilliam was 9-of-9 passing for 180 yards and four touchdowns, two to Colton Hood. Trent Hood rushed for 121 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries. Gavin Walker ran for 121 yards on 11 carries. Next: Friday vs. Mount Paran Christian (4-5)
9. (NR) Cook (7-3)
Last week: Beat Worth County 36-12. Keshun McKever rushed for 249 yards and three touchdowns on 48 carries. Drew Folsom was 8-of-13 passing for 146 yards and two touchdowns. The victory decided the No. 2 seed in Region 1. Next: Friday vs. ACE Charter (8-2)
10. (10) North Cobb Christian (9-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Columbia (7-3)
Out: No. 8 Worth County (8-2)
Class A Division I
1. (1) Prince Avenue Christian (9-0)
Last week: Beat Social Circle 48-21. Aaron Philo passed for 500 yards and six touchdowns while completing 26 of 33 attempts and finished as Georgia’s regular-season leader in passing yards with 3,143. Bailey Stockton had seven receptions for 161 yards. Ethan Christian had nine receptions for 115 yards. Each scored two touchdowns. Next: Friday vs. Mount Vernon (4-6)
2. (2) Swainsboro (9-0)
Last week: Beat Dublin 28-7. Demello Jones rushed for 241 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries, broke up two passes and intercepted a pass for a defense that limited Dublin to 142 total yards. Jakari Nobles had seven solo tackles and two tackles for losses. Next: Friday vs. Bacon County (1-9)
3. (3) Rabun County (10-0)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Dade County (6-4)
4. (4) Irwin County (8-1)
Last week: Beat Bacon County 66-7. Cody Soliday was 12-of-14 passing for 211 yards and four touchdowns, two to Bo Payne in the first half as Irwin County built a 54-0 lead. Shane Marshall rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown on five carries. Next: Friday vs. Jefferson County (2-8)
5. (5) Brooks County (7-2)
Last week: Beat Pelham 56-14. Chris Cole rushed for 122 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries. DiLon Harvey returned a fumble 75 yards for a touchdown. Brooks County led 42-0 at halftime. Next: Friday vs. Bleckley County (8-2)
6. (6) Darlington (10-0)
Last week: Beat Trion 44-13. Darlington recovered the opening kickoff, scored on its first play from scrimmage and led 17-6 at halftime, then scored on its first three possessions of the third quarter to lead 38-6. D’Marion Floyd rushed for 175 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries. He also recovered the kickoff and forced a fumble on defense. Next: Friday vs. Athens Christian (4-6)
7. (7) Elbert County (9-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Pepperell (6-4)
8. (8) St. Francis (7-3)
Last week: Beat Mount Vernon 42-13. Jaiden Jenkins was 18-of-22 passing for 247 yards and two touchdowns. Top receivers were Tristen Payne (7-100-1) and Roman Stamps (5-83-1). Kevin Maven rushed for 96 yards and three touchdowns. Next: Friday vs. Oglethorpe County (5-5)
9. (9) Metter (7-3)
Last week: Beat Screven County 44-0. Metter scored 44 points on a team that had allowed 32 for the season and clinched its fourth straight region title. Metter rushed for 391 yards on 37 carries. Antwan Coney ran for 123 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries. R.J. Coney rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries and had a 58-yard reception. The shutout was Metter’s fifth. Next: Friday vs. Temple (4-6)
10. (NR) Bleckley County (8-2)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday at Brooks County (7-2)
Out: No. 10 Whitefield Academy (6-4)
Class A Division II
1. (1) Bowdon (8-1)
Last week: Beat Mount Zion-Carroll 42-13. T.J. Harvison rushed for 258 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries and had 53 yards and a touchdown receiving. Jordan Beasley rushed for 105 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries. Mason Bailey had nine tackles and a sack. Next: Friday vs. Aquinas (7-3)
2. (2) Johnson County (10-0)
Last week: Beat Hancock Central 51-8. Germivy Tucker rushed for 244 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries and broke Herschel Walker’s school career rushing record of 6,137. Tucker has 6,140. Next: Friday vs. Chattahoochee County (5-5)
3. (3) Early County (7-3)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Turner County (2-8)
4. (4) Charlton County (7-2)
Last week: Beat Lanier County 58-28. Jaylen Lilley rushed for 189 yards and three touchdowns, and Jaylen King ran for 101 yards and two touchdowns while completing 5-of-5 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Jamari Hamilton returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown. Charlton County had 494 yards of total offense. Next: Friday vs. Seminole County (4-6)
5. (5) Schley County (8-2)
Last week: Beat Greenville 52-6. Jay Kanazawa was 10-of-16 passing for 334 yards and three touchdowns, two to Jalewis Solomon. Clinton Jackson had three catches for 130 yards. Next: Friday vs. GMC Prep (4-6)
6. (6) Clinch County (8-2)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Mitchell County (5-5)
7. (7) McIntosh County Academy (9-1)
Last week: Off. Next: Friday vs. Wheeler County (5-5)
8. (9) Lincoln County (8-2)
Last week: Beat Towns County 35-8. Trey Huff was 8-of-14 passing for 113 yards and a touchdown and rushed three times for 55 yards. Semaj Jenkins ran for 88 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. Next: First-round bye
9. (8) Manchester (6-3)
Last week: Beat Taylor County 14-12. Anthony Bartholomew rushed for 113 yards and both Manchester touchdowns on 13 carries. Manchester stopped Taylor County’s two-point attempt in the final two minutes. Next: Friday vs. Hancock Central (4-6)
10. (10) Wilcox County (7-3)
Last week: Beat Wheeler County 52-27. Day Day Lawson rushed for 204 yards and four touchdowns on 13 carries. Abe Stowe was 9-of-13 passing for 254 yards and three touchdowns. B.J. Gibson had six receptions for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Next: Friday vs. Montgomery County (4-6)