Class 4A Blog: Jefferson is lone undefeated team left after two go down Week 8

Miller Grove's Cayman Spalding carries the ball for a touchdown during a GHSA high school football game between Stephenson High School and Miller Grove High School at James R. Hallford Stadium in Clarkston, GA., on Friday, Oct. 8, 2021. (Photo/Jenn Finch)

Credit: Jenn Finch

Credit: Jenn Finch

Miller Grove's Cayman Spalding carries the ball for a touchdown during a GHSA high school football game between Stephenson High School and Miller Grove High School at James R. Hallford Stadium in Clarkston, GA., on Friday, Oct. 8, 2021. (Photo/Jenn Finch)

No. 1 ranked Jefferson (7-0, 3-0) is the only undefeated team left in Class 4A after Week 8 following Miller Grove’s big 34-27 victory over No. 7 ranked Stephenson and Bainbridge’s 45-14 win over Dougherty. Elsewhere in the classification, there were some major region battles that gave light to what programs have progressed and improved throughout the season and the best example would be North Oconee. The Titans scored a key 14-7 region victory over Flowery Branch on Friday and improved to 3-0 in Region 8 in the process. North Oconee scored all of its points in the first quarter of their Week 8 matchup with Flowery Branch. The Titans got on the board with a 65-yard touchdown completion from Max Wilson to Khalil Barnes, and Wilson scored again off an 18-yard rush. The North Oconee defense held Flowery Branch to just one touchdown throughout the game to secure the win.

Read a recap of Miller Grove’s win over Stephenson HERE.

Jefferson also moved to 3-0 in Region 8 and cruised to a 34-9 win over Cedar Shoals. Star running back Tre Reece had two rushing scores while Sammy Brown and Isaiah Copeland each added another on the ground. Max Aldridge connected with his first cousin Jack Eubanks for a Dragons touchdown as well.

In Region 1, Bainbridge and Thomas County Central both moved to 2-0 in region play and Cairo was able to pick up a big 37-0 win over Monroe to improve to 1-1 in region play. Amarion Byrden rushed for two touchdowns in the first quarter to give visiting Cairo a 14-0 lead. Quarterback Braylon Robinson added an 8-yard touchdown pass to Tyree Kelly and Gary Davis rushed for a touchdown to put the Syrupmakers up 28-0. Monroe had a bad snap on its first play following the Davis touchdown and that pushed the lead to 30-0 at the half. After a scoreless third quarter, Austin Perry iced the game with a touchdown run during a fourth quarter that featured a running clock.

Perhaps the hottest team in the classification right now is Region 3′s Benedictine and the No. 2 ranked Cadets opened their region slate with a 49-6 victory over Jenkins. Holden Geriner threw for three touchdowns, one to La’Don Bryant for 15 yards and two to Justin Thomas for 63 and 25 yards, in Benedictine’s win at Savannah Memorial Stadium. Thomas also rushed for scores of 3 yards and 1 yard to give him five total touchdowns. RaSean Matthews contributed a 1-yard touchdown as well for the Cadets, who led 35-0 at halftime. Benedictine center Nyle Rehman recovered a fumble in the end zone for a Cadets touchdown.

Defending Class 4A state champion Marist outlasted Hapeville Charter 28-20 to open region play on Wednesday.. The host Hornets got on the board first in the opening frame before the War Eagles scored a touchdown in each of the game’s four quarters to lead 28-6. Hapeville Charter added two more scores late in the game but ran out of time to complete the comeback.

Check out below for all the Week 8 results

REGION 1

*(3-3, 1-1) Cairo 37, (2-5, 0-2) Monroe 0

*(3-3, 2-0) Bainbridge 45, (5-1, 1-1) Dougherty 14

*(5-2, 2-0) Thomas County Central 36, (2-4, 0-2) Westover 6

REGION 2

*(5-1, 4-0) Carver-Columbus vs. (0-4, 0-2) Jordan (CANCELLED)

*(4-2, 3-1) Hardaway 47, (0-6, 0-4) Kendrick 0

*(6-1, 5-0) Troup 37, (0-4, 0-2) Shaw 0

*(2-5, 2-3) Columbus 55, (2-5, 1-4) Spencer 46

(4-1, 2-1) LaGrange (BYE)

REGION 3

*(5-2, 1-0) Benedictine 49, (2-4, 0-1) Jenkins 6

(3-2, 0-0) Islands vs. Groves (CANCELLED)

(6-1, 0-0) New Hampstead 50, Beach 12

REGION 4 *(4-2, 3-0) Baldwin 21, (3-4, 1-2) West Laurens 14

*(4-3, 2-1) Westside-Macon 19, (2-4, 0-2) Howard 7

(5-1, 2-1) Perry 37, Washington County 24

*(1-5, 0-2) Rutland at (5-1, 2-0) Spalding (Thursday)

REGION 5

*(5-2, 3-0) Fayette County 34, (4-3, 1-2) McDonough 0

*(1-4, 1-2) Hampton 38, (0-6, 0-3) Mt. Zion-Jonesboro 0

Northside-Warner Robins 34, (5-2, 3-0) Luella 3

Duluth 42, (0-7, 0-3) North Clayton 12

(4-0-1) Riverdale (BYE)

REGION 6

*(2-4, 2-0) Mays 30, (3-4, 1-2) Arabia Mountain 15

East Forsyth 49, (0-8, 0-2) Druid Hills 0

*(4-1, 1-0) Marist 28, (1-5, 0-2) Hapeville Charter 0

*(5-2, 2-1) Miller Grove 34, (5-1, 1-1) Stephenson 27

REGION 7

*(4-1, 2-0) Heritage-Catoosa 19, (2-5, 0-2) Central-Carroll 14

*(5-1, 2-0) Cedartown 57, (3-3, 1-1) Northwest Whitfield 23

*(4-2, 1-1) Pickens 45, (1-6, 0-2) Ridgeland 8

North Murray 49, (1-7, 0-0) Southeast Whitfield 14

REGION 8

*(3-3, 1-1) Chestatee 62, (1-6, 0-3) East Hall 50

*(4-3, 3-0) North Oconee 14, (3-3, 0-2) Flowery Branch 7

*(7-0, 3-0) Jefferson 34, (2-3, 2-1) Cedar Shoals 9

Madison County (BYE)