Friday Night High School Football Roundup - GRAYSON KNOCKS OFF ALABAMA POWERHOUSE THOMPSON 24-23 IN OT THRILLER, FIRST GAME WITHOUT STAR QB TRAVIS BURGESS

No. 1-ranked Grayson defeated visiting Thompson in overtime for the second year in a row, securing the 24-23 victory over the top team in Alabama with punishing defense and an offense that came alive late in regulation. Stepping in at quarterback a day after UNC-commit Travis Burgess announced that he suffered a season-ending injury in last week’s win over Rabun Gap, junior Deuce Smith rebounded from a trio of early picks to lead fourth-quarter touchdown drives of 99 and 71 yards.

Following Ashton Turner’s 4-yard score out of the wildcat formation with 2:55 remaining, the nationally ranked Warriors capitalized on defensive pass interference on 3rd-and-long with a 50-yard touchdown completion from Trent Seaborn to Dedrick Kimbrough to take a 17-10 lead. A series of costly penalties also kept Grayson’s next drive alive, however, and Smith found Salf Bin-Wahad for his only touchdown pass of the night with 18 seconds on the clock.

Grayson took its first lead of the game on the opening drive of overtime with Turner’s second trip to the end zone. The Warriors quickly answered with another Seaborn-to-Kimbrough connection, but Thompson’s two-point try for the win was no good.

Both defenses amassed four takeaways in the Week 3 battle, including a third-quarter fumble recovery and interceptions by Rilee Drew, Eli Harris and Damari Clemons for the Rams. Kicker Ricardo Martinez contributed a 24-yard field goal and went 3-3 on PATs, including one from 35 yards out following a personal foul call on a teammate.

Grayson will play at home again in Week 4 when the Rams host Mallard Creek from North Carolina.

DRIVE FOR THE GHSA STATE TITLE: NORTH GWINNETT SECURES 21-7 VICTORY OVER VISITING COLQUITT COUNTY WITH DOMINANT SECOND HALF

North Gwinnett got its first win of the season in a Week 3 showdown between two of Class 6A’s best, overcoming a slow start with three unanswered touchdowns to hand Colquitt County its first loss.

“We definitely had to come out more aggressive,” said senior wide receiver Braylon Jackson, who earned the game’s Robbie Hunter MVP Award. “They punched us in the mouth in the first quarter, and we just had to respond. I knew we were going to respond. We’ve practiced all week and we play hard. We like being under pressure. It’s where we perform best.”

The Bulldogs began to find their footing in the final minute of the first half when Banks Halcomb stepped in for first-year starting quarterback Elam Rahman and hit running back Stephen Brown to knot the game at 7-7. “That got the momentum rolling right there,” said head coach Eric Godfree, who praised the improved focus he saw from his guys.

“No dropped passes. We caught the ball well. Much better focus and attention to detail this week,” he emphasized.

Jackson hauled in the go-ahead score to kick off the second half, and Wilson Taylor Jr’s 22-yard trip to the end zone for a 21-7 edge all but put the game away early in the fourth. The Packers threatened to score shortly after when Jae Lamar broke free for a sideline run to the 4-yard line, but the drive ended in a turnover on downs, thanks largely to an unsportsmanlike conduct flag.

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Check out the Class-by-class look at Friday Night below

CLASS 6A: Carrollton improved to 3-0 on the year with a 28-21 victory against Rome out of Class 5A. After the host Wolves went up 21-13 on a 99-yard kickoff return from sophomore Rontre Welch late in the third, the Trojans closed out the contest with a pair of rushing scores by Cam Wood. … Newton suffered its first loss of the season at the hands of host Douglas County. After the Tigers took a 27-21 lead on a touchdown run by Mike Johnson early in the final frame, the Rams recovered a Douglas County fumble for one more opportunity to score. The Tigers defense held strong, however, forcing a turnover on downs to seal the victory. … Senior RB Arquevious Echols accounted for all five touchdowns in North Cobb’s 34-24 victory over host East Coweta. The 2-1 Warriors return home to host Cass in Week 4. … Sophomore QB Aiden Watson threw a trio of touchdown passes in Harrison’s narrow 25-23 victory against visiting North Paulding. The 3-0 Hoyas open up Region 3 play at Pebblebrook following a bye next week. … Senior RB Jayde Beasley amassed 265 rushing yards in Mill Creek’s 45-29 victory over visiting Archer. … Host Walton came back from a 24-7 deficit to take a 28-27 lead over Roswell, but Hornets kicker Balint Vorosmarty hit a 19-yard field goal for the 30-28 victory.

CLASS 5A: Houston County improved to 3-0 in 2025 with a 13-7 victory against Class 4A’s Perry. The Bears, which scored a combined 87 points in their first two wins, were scoreless through the first half before getting a pair of late touchdowns for the victory. … Coffee suffered its second straight loss in a Week 3 road trip to Columbia County in Florida. The Trojans will host Gadsden County out of Alabama following next week’s bye, then Florida’s Daytona Beach Mainland before traveling to Northside-Warner Robins to kick off region play. … After outscoring their opponents by a combined margin of 112-7 in their first two victories, the Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets got a 79-14 home victory against Florida High School out of Tallahassee.

CLASS 4A: Marist defeated Class 5A’s Woodward Academy, 16-12, to even its record at 1-1 on the year. The host War Eagles took a 10-0 lead with a 51-yard field goal and a touchdown run in the second quarter before Woodward Academy went ahead on a 48-yard Blake Stewart fumble return for a touchdown. Marist got the go-ahead rushing score in the game’s final minute and now enters its bye week. … The Cambridge defense allowed a score for the first time this season in the Bears’ 35-7 victory over Class 5A’s Creekview following shutouts over Pope (45-0) and Johns Creek (56-0) in the first two weeks of the season. … Blessed Trinity has now started the year 3-0 in each of head coach Ed Dudley’s three seasons at the helm. The 28-13 Titans victory was also the first loss of the season for Class 2A’s Prince Avenue.

CLASS 3A: Jefferson got a trio of touchdown runs from Max Brown in a dominant 42-10 victory against Class 5A’s Clarke Central. Eli Primm and Griffin Drake scored on the ground as well for the Dragons, which also scored on a touchdown pass from Colton Grant to Dalton Dye and got interceptions from Chance Payne and Owen Greene on defense. … Trace Hawkins threw a pair of touchdown passes to Jaden Perkins and another to Justin Beasley in Calhoun’s 35-17 victory against host Westminster. Isiah Nalls and Hudson Chadwick added rushing scores for the undefeated Yellow Jackets.

CLASS 2A: Carver-Atlanta is 3-0 for the first time since 2022 following an emphatic 37-14 victory against host Decatur out of Class 5A. The Panthers will face 4A opponent Mundy’s Mill next week, then will have their bye before kicking off Region 5 play at Washington. … Morgan County RB Christian Monfort contributed a trio of rushing scores in the Bulldogs’ 35-14 victory against Class 3A’s Oconee County, including a pair of back-to-back touchdowns that put the game away early in the final frame.

CLASS A-DIV. I: The Purple Hurricane are now 2-0 under new head coach Wesley Tankersley following a 30-7 win over Class 2A’s Crisp County. Fitzgerald led 17-0 at the break and will host Brooks County for its home opener in two weeks. … The Wesleyan defense held strong through a late Elbert County rally to secure a 14-7 victory and a 2-1 start to the year. The Wolves held the Blue Devils scoreless until the 4:11 mark of the fourth quarter, then forced a turnover on downs on the final Elbert County drive.

CLASS A-DIV. II: Lake Oconee Academy secured its first win of the season with a 21-6 victory over Div. 2 foe Hancock Central, which drops to 1-2 following back-to-back losses. The Titans will travel to Brentwood School in Week 4 before hosting Class 2A’s Glenn Hills in their 2025 home opener. … Atkinson County amassed 273 yards on the ground in a 41-27 win over Montgomery County, which dropped to 1-2 with the loss. … Lincoln County has outscored its opponents by a combined margin of 93-6 through two victories following a 56-0 rout of McCormick out of South Carolina.

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