Here’s what went down Friday night.
ELCA wins Round 1
No. 1 (Private) Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy flexed its top-seeded pedigree by outlasting No. 2 Wesleyan, 34-31. But the Wolves hung tough and were in the ballgame all the way until the Chargers picked up a tough first down with less than a minute left to finally put the game away. Don’t be surprised if these two teams meet again in the playoffs, and depending on how the power ratings fall, it could be in the Georgia Dome.
Mt. Zion-Carroll makes a statement
Mt. Zion-Carroll has been playing football since 1956 and is more than 200 games under .500. But that is changing under head coach Keith Holloway. He took over in 2012 after back to back 0-10 seasons. The Eagles are 31-18 since, including the first 5-0 start in school history this season. Mt. Zion-Carroll (5-0, 2-0 in Region 6-Div. A), ranked No. 5 in the public poll, knocked off Darlington (4-2, 2-1), 25-17 on Friday. The Tigers, ranked No. 6 in the private poll, had dominated its limited series with Mt. Zion-Carroll, going 6-0 from 1996 to 2011, most times in lopsided affairs. But the Eagles broke through with a 20-17 win in 2012, Holloway’s first season, and now have won two of the last three meetings after Friday’s result.
Twiggs has arrived
There is nothing subtle about Twiggs County. Their black and gold uniforms feature huge numbers and the word “Cobras” stitched big and bold across the front. Their helmets feature a menacing, open-mouthed, fang-bearing cobra, not on the side, but on the front – like it is coming right at you. And that’s exactly what Twiggs County does. The Cobras have completed just 13 passes all season and just one against First Presbyterian Day Friday night. But it didn’t matter. Twiggs County moved to 4-1, 1-0 in Region 7-Div. A, with a 29-17 win over the previously undefeated Vikings (4-1, 0-1), ranked No. 8 in the private poll. The Cobras, led by 5-10, 215-pound senior battering ram Ja’mon Height’s 223-yard effort, rolled up 350 yards rushing in the contest. Head coach Ashley Harden, in just his third season at the helm, has Twiggs County, ranked No. 10 in the public poll, off to its best start since 2009.
Say hello to McIntosh County Institute
In his second stint in Darien, Robby Robinson has righted the Buccaneer ship. After Thursday’s 31-12 win over Savannah Christian (3-2, 0-1 in Region 3-Div. A), McIntosh County Institute, ranked No. 8 in the public poll, is 4-1 (1-0 in the region) for the first time since 2009, which was during Robinson’s first run from 2004-2010. He spent four seasons at Washington-Wilkes, before returning to MCI last season. The Bucs feature a balanced attack, led by quarterback Major Robinson. His main targets are M.J. McCrae and Dustin Anderson. The ground game is paced by Daiqon Drake and J.P. Palmer.
PAC survives Commerce
Prince Avenue Christian remained unbeaten (6-0, 5-0 in Region 8) when Thomas Huff scored from inside the 5-yard line with 10 seconds left to life the Wolverines over Commerce, 21-14. PAC is No. 4 in the private poll. Commerce lost its second consecutive game after falling getting upset by Athens Christian last week by the same score. The Tigers went from being ranked No. 1 prior to the loss to the Eagles, to No. 9 this week, and will most likely fall out of the top 10 completely this week.
Other key results:
No. 8 (Public) Bowdon 31, Gordon Lee 21
Irwin County 36, Charlton County 14
No. 6 (Public) Lincoln County 17, Washington-Wilkes 14
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