Area teams adjusting to early season, preseason injuries

The season barely has started, and some Middle Georgia teams already are adjusting to injuries.

Warner Robins lost senior running back Terry Harris late in the second quarter of Friday’s 44-34 comeback win at Peach County with a knee injury.

Head coach Bryan Way said it’s between a Grade 2 and 3 MCL tear.

“It’s not a surgery-type thing,” Way said. “He’s braced up now. They don’t want him doing anything right now for about a week, see how it progresses.”

Harris had 132 yards on 19 carries yards when he went down with four minutes left in the half, but the Demons got a huge effort from backup Javian Bradford-Jackson, who ran 29 times for 173 yards.

Peach County was without starting quarterback Tyrique McGhee for the final two series of the game, the two-way standout leaving with cramps after a sack by Ckeldrin Davis. That forced Antonio Gilbert into action. McGhee and Gilbert spent the preseason competing for the starting job, and Gilbert hadn’t played in the game before McGhee’s injury. Gilbert finished 4-of-11 for 73 yards in less than a quarter of play.

Jones County survived its opener without All-Middle Georgia receiver Nick Singleton, who suffered an ankle injury.

“He’ll be fine,” head coach Justin Rogers said. “He was walking around before the game.”

Shareez Hamm turned in a Singleton-like effort in the 30-13 win over Morgan County with four catches for 175 yards and three touchdowns.

“He was a basketball player walking the halls,” Rogers said. “He hasn’t played football since the eighth grade.”

East Laurens will try to go 2-0 for the first time since 2006 when it hosts Twiggs County on Friday without tight end/linebacker Ethan Word.

He suffered an MCL injury before last week’s 35-34 win at Taylor County and is out for a total of about six weeks. Head coach Buddy Sorrow said Word might be back in time for region play, which begins Oct. 2 against Swainsboro.

Vidalia is 1-1 since losing linebacker Nate McBride for the season to a broken wrist in a car accident last month. The Indians host Toombs County this week.

Northside had a week off after defensive back Chris Haughton broke his leg at the end of the first half of the Eagles’ 27-24 win Aug. 21 at North Cobb. That has given Jalen Andrews time with first-team defense. He filled in well in the second half against North Cobb.

This story was originally published September 1, 2015 at 7:50 PM with the headline "Area teams adjusting to early season, preseason injuries ."