Middle Georgia football scores: Peach County impressive in win over rival
High school football in Middle Georgia has already had plenty of surprise teams, major upsets and powerhouses flexing their muscles in the first four weeks. Friday night offered more of the same, with a pair of rivals squaring off in their region opener.
Here is a look at some of the best games, highlights and scores from around Middle Georgia in Week 5 of the season.
BEST GAME
Peach County 35, Mary Persons 13
Peach County has been at home the past two weeks on bye after a pair of losses to open the season at 0-2. The long layoff didn’t seem to impact the Trojans.
In the first quarter, Peach County jumped out to a 14-point lead with two touchdown runs from Chris McMillian and Jamond Jones.
Shortly before the half, Mary Persons got on the board with a 35-yard touchdown pass from Logan Hickman to DJ Martinez. The two teams went to the break with the Trojans up 14-7.
Peach County got the ball coming out of the half. The first drive was a long one but ended in a missed field goal. Mary Persons was unable to take advantage as Hickman fumbled the ball on the following possession on a read-option keeper.
The two teams traded long touchdown drives, but Mary Persons would miss the extra point after a false start penalty backed up the Bulldogs 5 yards.
The game was sealed on a 70-yard kickoff return by Orion Redding on the ensuing kick following the 28-yard touchdown run by Duke Watson. Peach County would add a final touchdown with two minutes left in the game to capture its first victory of the season.
The Trojans also got an important win in the region opener. Mary Persons falls to 2-2 on the season and 0-1 in region play.
Three stars
Logan Hickman, quarterback Mary Persons: Hickman had just one touchdown pass on the game but he has grown a lot over the last year as a passer. He completed three deep passes of more than 30 yards including the touchdown. On a night when star sophomore running back Duke Watson was held in check for much of the game, Hickman kept his team in it. The final score was a wider margin than how the game played out on the field.
Peach County’s front seven: The matchup coming into the game was Watson versus the defense for Peach County. The Trojans held Watson for most of the night until he broke a 28-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter — it was Watson’s longest run of the night. In his first three games, Watson ran for nearly 500 yards and had scored 12 touchdowns. The Trojans swarmed to the ball and never let Watson beat them. The secondary struggled to contain the deep pass, but once the field was shortened, Mary Persons struggled to move the ball.
Peach County’s ground game: The Trojans went full ground and pound in this one. Peach County scored four rushing touchdowns and set up some key play-action passes. The ability to drain the clock, tire out the defense and come away with points was a big part of what got the Trojans their first win on the season. If this ground attack can continue throughout region play, look for Peach County to take home another region title and dangerous team come playoff time.
Scoreboard
- Warner Robins 49, Houston County 9
- Northside 43, Richmond Hill 7
- Jones County 42, Stockbridge 9
Stratford 34, Mount Paran 7
- Tattnall 23, Savannah Country Day 14
- Rutland 41, ACE 14
- Swainsboro 39, Dublin 7
- GMC 20, Hancock-Central 0
- John Milledge 31, Bulloch 3
- Effingham 27, Howard 6
- Calvary 28, FPD 21
What’s next?
Warner Robins vs. Lee County
These are two of the best teams in the state of Georgia regardless of classification. Warner Robins has steamrolled through the first four games on its schedule. The Demons are outscoring their opponents by an impressive 196-70.
Lee County is 4-0 heading into the showdown with a pair of three-point wins to go with two 60-point shutouts.
Each team has played some of the best teams in the state to get to 4-0. Warner Robins’ lone loss last season was to Lee County, 27-7 on the road. The Demons will look to get a measure of revenge in this year’s matchup.
This story was originally published September 17, 2021 at 10:48 PM.