There aren’t many high school goals left unchecked for Savannah Christian defensive tackle Elijah Griffin, the state’s consensus No. 1 prospect who committed to Georgia last month.
A region title was one of them. Savannah Christian’s game last week against Toombs County would decide the Region 3-A Division I champion. Both teams were ranked No. 1.
“He was such a great leader last week,” Savannah Christian coach Baker Woodward said. “He led by example by watching the most film, giving the most effort in practice and also being a vocal leader. He worked hard for this, and for the last three years he was a region runner-up, and the last time he was part of a region championship he was the ball boy [as an eighth-grader in 2020]. Biggest ball boy in the history of Raider football.”
Griffin, all grown up at 6 feet, 5 inches and 285 pounds, had a season-high five tackles for losses in the 14-7 victory. That gave him 93 tackles for losses in his career.
“His effort Friday night was unmatched,” Woodward said. “He was flying around, diving, just plain wreaking havoc on Toombs County’s offense.”
Top five
*Brookwood RB Brayden Tyson rushed for 299 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries in a 25-13 victory over Norcross. Tyson has 2,123 rushing yards, which GHSF Daily believes to be the second-highest regular-season total ever in the GHSA’s highest classification behind Kenny Miles’ 2,137 yards for 2007 Brookwood and ahead of Caleb King’s 2,119 for 2005 Parkview.
*Lee County QB Weston Bryan was 14-of-20 passing for 159 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 176 yards and four touchdowns in a 63-48 victory over Houston County. The six combined touchdowns gave Bryan 42 on the season on a team that finished fourth all-time in regular-season points scored (543).
*Newton RB Zion Johnson rushed for 374 yards and four touchdowns on 33 carries in a 58-40 victory over South Gwinnett.
*Savannah Christian DL Elijah Griffin had eight solo tackles, two assists, a season-high five tackles for losses and 1.5 sacks in a 14-7 victory over Toombs County.
*Warner Robins DB/WR Rasean Dinkins had four tackles for losses and a sack, two pass breakups, one receiving touchdown, 52 yards rushing and 98 yards receiving in a 27-24 victory over Perry.
Best of the rest
*Appling County LB/DE Jaiden Solomon had two sacks for 15 yards in losses and three solo tackles with two assists and forced a fumble in a 13-6 victory over Pierce County.
*Aquinas WR/DB Jack Rhodes had five receptions for 169 yards and two touchdowns, made 6.5 tackles and intercepted a pass in a 34-0 victory over Richmond Academy.
*Benedictine WR Joshua Washington had 11 receptions for 143 yards and a touchdown and scored on a run in a 44-22 victory over New Hampstead.
*Bowdon QB Charles Maxell was 12-of-16 passing for 230 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries in a 42-16 victory over Trion.
*Brantley County WR Anthony Walker had four receptions for 146 yards and a touchdown in a 14-7 victory over Bacon County.
*Brunswick LB J’Shawn Towns had 11 tackles, two interceptions, a 67-yard interception return for a touchdown and a 63-yard fumble return for a touchdown in a 57-20 victory over South Effingham.
*Buford WR Jordan Allen had five receptions for 172 yards and three touchdowns in a 32-7 victory over Mill Creek.
*Burke County QB Sean Vandiver was 7-of-8 passing for 244 yards and two touchdowns and scored two touchdowns in a 43-12 victory over Laney.
*Callaway RB Tyren Buggs rushed for 202 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries in a 33-26 victory over Morgan County.
*Cambridge WR Josh Oblen had nine catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-24 overtime loss to Blessed Trinity.
*Carrollton RB Kimauri Farmer rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns and caught a 47-yard TD pass in a 49-28 victory over Douglas County.
*Chattahoochee QB Luke Priester was 22-of-25 passing for 392 yards and five touchdowns and scored a touchdown in a 51-27 victory over Johns Creek.
*Cherokee Bluff WR Landon Kemp had five receptions for 131 yards and three touchdowns in a 52-26 victory over East Hall.
*Chestatee RB/LB Benjamin Plemons rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries, caught two passes for 77 yards and a touchdown, made two solo tackles, four assists and a sack and forced a fumble in a 30-20 victory over Greater Atlanta Christian.
*Colquitt County RB Day’shawn Brown rushed for 188 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries in a 31-13 victory over Richmond Hill.
*Coosa QB Charlie Cannon was 19-of-25 passing for 224 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-27 victory at Chattooga.
*Crisp County DB Cayden Daniels returned two interceptions for touchdowns in a 47-17 victory over Cook.
*Dacula QB Garrison Cantrell was 10-of-15 passing for 221 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-17 victory over Central Gwinnett.
*East Forsyth QB Brock Szakacs was 14-of-19 passing for 178 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 58 yards in a 42-14 victory over Madison County.
*Evans RB Breydan Johnson rushed for 263 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries in a 35-31 victory over Bradwell Institute.
*Fannin County WR Elijah Weaver had six receptions for 135 yards and a touchdown in a 30-27 victory over Gordon Lee.
*Franklin County LB Elliott Harbin had seven solo tackles, five assists, two tackles for losses and a sack in a 29-9 loss to Hart County.
*Glascock County RB Brian West rushed for 153 yards on 19 carries and three touchdowns in a 46-32 loss to Hancock Central.
*Heard County LB Justin Hanson had seven solo tackles, two assists, three tackles for losses, an interception, a pass breakup and two QB hurries in a 42-15 victory over Pepperell.
*Hebron Christian QB Thomas Stallworth was 19-of-27 passing for 320 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for two touchdowns in a 34-31 loss to Prince Avenue Christian.
*Jeff Davis QB Colby Beach ran for 129 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries and threw a 99-yard touchdown pass in a 26-20 victory over Fitzgerald.
*Jenkins ATH Trenton Rhodes had 177 all-purpose yards and scored on a run, a reception and a punt return in a 50-0 victory over Johnson of Savannah.
*King’s Ridge RB Austin Drye rushed for 216 yards and five touchdowns on 36 carries and caught a 24-yard pass in a 42-12 victory over B.E.S.T. Academy.
*Lanier RB T.J. Peyton rushed for 204 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries in a 20-19 victory over Seckinger.
*Lincoln County LB Christian Crite had 16 solo tackles, three assists, two tackles for losses, a forced fumble and a 20-yard touchdown run in a 43-20 victory over Greene County.
*Lowndes LB Lorenzo Muneton had 15 tackles, one tackle for a loss and one QB pressure in a 30-20 victory over Valdosta.
*McIntosh County Academy DE Derrick Irons had 12 solo tackles, three tackles for losses, a fumble recovery and an 88-yard TD run in a 40-0 victory over Portal.
*Monroe Area DL Dacian Davis had seven solo tackles, three tackles for losses and two sacks in a 31-21 victory over West Hall.
*Mount Vernon QB Bristan DeRocher rushed for 242 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries and was 9-of-18 passing for 129 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-30 loss to Landmark Christian.
*New Hampstead WR Kamari Maxwell had 10 receptions for 163 yards and two touchdowns in a 44-22 loss to Benedictine.
*North Atlanta DL Chase Linton had four solo tackles, two tackles for losses, a sack and two assists in a 38-17 victory over Denmark.
*North Cobb WR Malcom Smith had four receptions for 98 yards and two touchdowns in a 49-14 victory over Wheeler.
*North Cobb Christian WR D.J. Huggins had seven receptions for 141 yards and two touchdowns in a 44-24 victory over Union County.
*North Hall RB Luke Jenkins had 165 yards rushing and 70 return yards In a 35-3 victory over Dawson County.
*North Oconee QB Harrison Faulkner was 10-of-15 passing for 268 yards and three touchdowns and scored on a 29-yard run in a 68-3 victory over Walnut Grove.
*Oconee County QB Titus Watkins was 17-of-23 passing for 151 yards and three touchdowns and completed a two-point conversion in a 32-20 overtime victory over Jefferson.
*Peach County RB Ashton Barton rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 20-yard pass in a 44-7 victory over Monroe.
*Peachtree Ridge QB Darnell Kelly was 17-of-21 passing for 226 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 22 yards and a touchdown in a 39-7 victory over Berkmar.
*Pike County QB/DB Bryce Sammons passed for 119 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-18 victory over Rutland.
*Pope ATH John Steutzer scored five touchdowns and had 278 all-purpose yards (198 rushing, 73 receiving, 7 passing) in a 44-22 victory over Riverwood.
*Richmond Hill RB Joshua Troupe rushed for 260 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries in a 31-13 loss to Colquitt County.
*Rockmart RB/DB Tyree McCrary rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries, returned a kickoff 60 yards for a touchdown and made four solo tackles and two assists in a 28-7 victory over North Murray.
*Sandy Creek QB Caleb Hill was 21-of-36 passing for 303 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns, including a game-winning 18-yarder with 21 seconds left, in a 55-48 victory over Troup.
*Savannah Country Day RB Hyers Holland rushed for 108 yards on 18 carries and caught two passes for 32 yards in a 31-14 victory over Vidalia.
*Social Circle LB Levin Kendall had seven solo tackles, four assists and one tackle for a loss in a 35-6 victory over Towers.
*Southeast Bulloch QB Rhett Morgan was 4-of-8 passing for 172 yards and three touchdowns in a 44-19 victory over Beach.
*Southwest DeKalb WR Jordan Christian had three receptions for 103 yards and returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown in a 48-14 victory over Druid Hills.
*Southwest RB Christian Hill rushed for 183 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries in a 26-7 victory over Jefferson County.
*Stephens County WR/DB Jonah Swinton had five catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns, two tackles, an interception and a pass breakup on defense in a 55-31 win over East Jackson.
*Stephenson LB Marcus Andrews had three tackles for losses, a sack and a forced fumble in a 15-9 victory over Douglass.
*Thomson RB Tre Tre Jefferey rushed for 147 yards and four touchdowns on 17 carries and caught a 37-yard pass in a 59-14 victory over Butler.
*Toombs County DB Alex Scott had eight tackles, three tackles for losses, two sacks, a forced fumble and fumble recovery in a 14-7 loss to Savannah Christian.
*Trinity Christian RB Bakari Hamilton rushed for 169 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries in a 63-14 victory over Fayette County.
*Vidalia freshman LB Zitavian Warner had 10 solo tackles, one tackle for a loss and two assists in a 31-14 loss to Savannah Country Day.
*Warren County WR/CB Cosa Pender had two receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown, one interception, two pass breakups and eight tackles in a 30-24 victory over Washington-Wilkes.
*Westside (Augusta) WR/DB J.C. Crawford had eight tackles, two interceptions, a 45-yard reception and 28 rushing yards in a 28-7 victory over West Laurens.
*Westside (Macon) RB Kadiphius Iverson rushed for 221 yards and four touchdowns on 41 carries in a 29-23 victory over Jackson.
*Whitewater RB Parker Morr rushed for 169 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-27 victory over Mary Persons.
*Woodward Academy QB Landon Walker, playing two quarters, was 11-of-13 passing for 197 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 57 yards and three touchdowns in a 50-0 victory over Lakeside of Atlanta.
Lines of distinction
*Creekside’s offensive line of Jayvon Perry, Lawrence Martin, Kaleb Noel, Rylan Robertson, Mychal Reynolds and Devin Harris, all juniors and sophomores, produced two 100-yard rushers – Corey Mims (107) and Anthony Hill (101) – in a 56-12 victory over Midtown.
*Evans’ offensive line of Mason Short, Camden Myers, Carson Ramsey, Justin Tillman, Khristian Bland, Ayden James, Allen Morris and Bryson Crewe paved the way for 353 rushing yards and five touchdowns in a 35-31 victory over Bradwell Institute.
*Long County’s offensive line of Jerome Brown, Jeremiah Letman, Wyatt Walters, Gio Boucher and Adayen Prettyman and tight ends Jayden Stone and Mareon Montgomery helped the Blue Tide to more than 300 yards rushing and six touchdowns in a 55-0 win over Islands.
*Pope’s offensive line of Max Fumerton, Sam Mitchell, Jaxson Griffin, J.J. Milliman and James Burns with tight end Nick Chao cleared a path for 378 rushing yards on 34 carries in a 42-22 victory over Riverwood.
*Westover’s offensive line of left tackle Vincent Tumblin, left guard Torian Chester, center Emory Clark, right guard Tanner Turner and right tackle Kyson Mallard with Corey Gardner and Jshawn Jinks assisting on heavy sets paved the way for Dominique Ball’s 302-yard rushing game in a 28-10 victory over eighth-ranked Cairo in a Class 3A game.
*The Westside (Augusta) offensive line of Julian Williams, Dwayne Smalls, Jaedan Embry, Donovan Cunningham, K.J. Smith, Cam Butler, Xavier Devaughn, Reonte Brown and Nick Smalls made way for two 100-yard rushers - Jeanarion Kamga (113) and Andre Morgan (120) - in a 28-7 victory over West Laurens. Kamga went over 1,000 yards on the season (1,068).
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