Lowndes' Tyler Hunter could have won player of the week honors in the first 32 seconds of the Vikings' game against Peachtree Ridge. That's about the amount of time it took for him to turn what was supposed to be the state's marquee game into just another Gwinnett County team getting its doors blown off at Martin Stadium.
Hunter returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, then two plays later ripped the ball out of Chris Sawdey's hands, returning the fumble 37 yards for another touchdown. With 11:28 to go in the first quarter and fans still getting settled in their seats, Lowndes was up by two touchdowns. And the Vikings piled it on, pulling away to a 51-17 rout.
Hunter caused another fumble as Lowndes proved it was as capable of routing a school that won a share of the Class AAAAA title three years ago (Peachtree Ridge) as it was of picking on a newly established school (Woodland-Stockbridge, 75-14 last week).
Other highlights in the state included the following:
Houston County's Robert Williams rushed for 254 yards and three touchdowns on 36 carries as the Bears held on to beat Fayette County 28-20.
Commerce's Deon Brock ran for 188 yards and four touchdowns in the Tigers' 34-14 rout of Morgan County.
Flowery Branch quarterback Connor Shaw, younger brother of Georgia Tech's Jaybo, threw only one incomplete pass in the Falcons' 35-7 pummeling of Lumpkin County. Shaw was 15 of 16 for 223 yards and four touchdowns.
Gainesville QB Blake Sims ran for three touchdowns and completed 15 of 25 passes for 187 yards in the Red Elephants' 41-0 rout of Franklin County.
ALSO NOTEWORTHY
Jackson County is 2-0. Even though that's the best you can do after two games, in and of itself, that doesn't sound like such a big deal. But for the Panthers, it is. They haven't been 2-0 since 1981 -- 28 years.
North Hall coach Bob Christmas told the Gainesville Times that his team was "able to go toe to toe with Buford." Considering that his team lost 35-7, it sounds more like the Trojans went toe to foot with Buford, which will go for its 50th consecutive regular-season victory next week when it takes on Lovett in a rematch of the 2007 Class AA title blowout.
T. McFerrin, the 300-win coach who came out of retirement to lead the Jefferson program, is enjoying.gif)
his return. The Dragons improved to 2-0 by routing Dawson County 56-16. They have outscored their foes 86-29 so far.
The good ol' days look like they're over at Shaw. The Columbus school suffered its first losing season in 14 years last season, but reached the second round of the playoffs nevertheless. But after losing 48-7 to Sandy Creek, the Raiders are 0-2 and have been outscored 97-7.
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