There’s no undoing the three forfeits that ruined Mary Persons’ playoff hopes last month, but there’s no taking away what the Bulldogs did Friday night, either. It might be just as good.
Mary Persons, which entered the game with a 1-7 record, defeated Class 3A’s No. 1 team, Sandy Creek, 37-29 in the biggest upset of Georgia high school football’s 11th week.
“I wanted something for this senior class because they’ve kept this thing together when I didn’t know if I could,” Mary Persons coach Brian Nelson told the AJC. “This is what they’ll talk about in 10 years when they get together. They’ll remember this. They could’ve rolled over.”
Joining Sandy Creek in losing their first games this season were Hillgrove, Decatur, Cambridge, Cherokee Bluff and Dodge County. Beating them, respectively, were Harrison, Woodward Academy, Kell, Jefferson and Northeast-Macon.
Roswell, North Gwinnett and Athens Academy also had impressive victories, but none surpassed Mary Persons as far as upsets go.
Mary Persons had three early victories reversed for using an ineligible player. Although better than its record, Mary Persons still was a 33-point underdog, according to the computer Maxwell Ratings. The victory represented the second consecutive year that Mary Persons has stunned a No. 1 team. In 2023, the Bulldogs beat Prince Avenue Christian 48-28, ending the Wolverines’ 20-game win streak.
Sandy Creek (8-1 overall, 6-1 in Region 2-3A) still can win its region with a victory next week against Troup (5-4, 4-3). Mary Persons (2-7, 2-5) can finish no higher than sixth.
In other games Friday, No. 3 North Gwinnett (9-0, 6-0) beat Norcross 27-21 to clinch Region 7-6A. Harrison, North Cobb and North Atlanta also clinched region titles in the highest classification. Harrison beat Hillgrove 24-14 in a game that decided Region 3.
In Class 5A, No. 7 Roswell beat No. 5 Gainesville 48-45. Roswell (8-1, 5-0) will play at arch-rival Milton, the No. 1-ranked team, next week for the Region 7 title.
Woodward Academy beat Decatur 42-14 in a game that decided the Region 4-5A championship. Decatur had been unbeaten, while Woodward Academy started 0-3. Woodward Academy now has won six consecutive games.
Also in Class 5A, No. 3 Thomas County Central beat No. 10 Houston County 41-31. That allowed No. 2 Lee County (9-0, 4-0) to clinch Region 2, which has four top-10 teams. The fourth is Coffee (8-1, 3-1).
In Class 4A, No. 8 Perry beat No. 10 Benedictine 31-27 in a game between 4A’s 2023 champion (Perry) and 2021-22 champion (Benedictine). Perry (7-2, 4-0) can win Region 1, which is considered Class 4A’s toughest, with a victory next week at Warner Robins.
Also in 4A, Kell beat Cambridge 28-14 to give the Bears their first loss.
Jefferson and Peach County came away with the best wins in Class 3A.
No. 4 Jefferson beat third-ranked and previously unbeaten Cherokee Bluff 35-7. Jefferson can win Region 8 with a victory over Oconee County next week. No. 2 Peach County beat No. 7 Cairo 48-17 to win Region 1.
Class 2A’s No. 9 team, Carver-Atlanta, beat fifth-ranked Lovett of Class 3A-A private 47-17. Carver will face No. 6 Hapeville Charter for the Region 5-2A title Nov. 8.
In a game between 3A-A private top-10 teams, No. 6 Fellowship Christian beat No. 9 Wesleyan 42-17. Fellowship will play Whitefield Academy next week for the Region 5-A Division I championship.
In Class A Division I, No. 8 Northeast beat No. 6 Dodge County 40-19.
Other teams clinching region titles Friday were Creekside, Stockbridge, Cartersville, North Oconee, North Hall, Carver of Columbus, Columbia, Rockmart, Heard County and Early County.
Two weeks remain in the regular season.
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