A look at Cartersville's unprecedented dominance

ajc.com

Credit: Adam Krohn

Credit: Adam Krohn

Much of this season has been spent observing the classification holistically, but as the regular season comes to an end, it is time to narrow the scope to its biggest contender; Cartersville. A win against Troup on Friday would extend Cartersville’s active win streak to 40 games and secure the program’s sixth straight region championship. Last year saw this same scenario and Cartersville took the Region 5-AAAA crown with an emphatic 68-0 victory.

Blowouts have been common during Cartersville’s championship reign and this season has been especially dominant.  Cartersville has outscored its last seven opponents 408-38 and has piled up a 181-0 points advantage over its last three opponents. Five-star quarterback Trevor Lawrence hasn’t thrown an interception since the first game of the season and has 35 touchdowns to his lone pick this year. Lawrence has paced the attack with 2,648 yards passing off 134-of-183 attempts (73.2 percent) while running back Rico Frye has accounted for 17 of the team’s 26 rushing scores and a 9.0 yards per carry average.

Cartersville had a bye last week, but the last time they took the field Lawrence set the new state record for career passing yards while moving within one passing touchdown of breaking Deshaun Watson’s career-record of 155. Lawrence enters the game with 13,255 career yards and 154 passing touchdowns.

Week 11 Schedule

Region 1

Carver-Columbus at Americus-Sumter

Columbus at Cairo

Shaw at Hardaway (K)

Northside-Columbus at Westover (M)

Region 2

Mary Persons at Howard (ED)

Perry at West Laurens

Upson-Lee at Spalding (GM)

Region 3

Cross Creek at Baldwin

Hephzibah at Burke County

Richmond Academy at Thomson

Region 4

Druid Hills at Salem

North Clayton at Eastside (SH) Saturday

Luella at Henry County

Region 5

Cartersville at Troup (C)

Chapel Hill at Cedartown

Sandy Creek at Central-Carroll

Region 6

Gilmer at LaFayette

Pickens at Heritage-Catoosa

Southeast Whitfield at Ridgeland

Region 7

Blessed Trinity at West Hall

Marist at White County

Region 8

Oconee County at Jefferson

St. Pius at Madison County

Stephens County at North Oconee