A team from DeKalb County got a huge win on Friday upsetting one of the best teams in Class AAA. Two Gwinnett teams went to battle over in Norcross to determine who would be the No. 2 seed in Region 7-AAAAA. And this Friday night will feature two undefeated teams in Region 2-AAAAA which could also determine the region championship. These stories and more make up the top high school sports stories in Georgia for the week of October 17.
5. Norcross slide past Peachtree Ridge.
After suffering a 38-0 loss to North Gwinnett, Norcross looked to bounce back against Peachtree Ridge who was also looking to get back on the winning track after a tough 140-10 loss to Collins Hill. The first three quarters favored the Lions of Peachtree Ridge who was limited the Norcross offense to two first downs and both of them came in the first quarter. But led by quarterback Matt Poole, the Blue Devils stormed back in the fourth quarter to defeat Peachtree Ridge 14-7.
Poole rushed for 106 yards and ran for a touchdown and threw for another. Both touchdowns came in the fourth quarter and Poole also rushed for 69 of his 106 yards in the fourth. With the win the Blue Devils are closer to a No. 2 seed in the playoff which would mean they would host their first round playoff game. For Peachtree Ridge, it's the first time they have lost back-to-back games since 2008, the year they reached the state finals.
4. Cedar Grove takes care of Woodward Academy
One of the biggest upsets of the year came this past Friday as the Cedar Grove Saints beat previously undefeated Woodward Academy 36-23 on Cedar Grove's homecoming. The Saints were able to win because they got good play from quarterback Jonathan McCary who came up with big completions to continue long drives. With the win Cedar Grove improves their record to 5-3 and can lock up the Region 5-AAA Div. B title with a win against McNair on Friday. They are looking to win their first region title since 1991 and also looking to reach the playoffs for the first time since 1999.
3. What's going on with Marist?
Marist has been one of the most stable programs in the state since Alan Chadwick became the coach in 1985. But they are going through something the program has not been before. They lost to Dunwoody Friday night by a score to 20-0, which is not like Marist. But they defeated Lakeside, DeKalb 6-3 the week before and it marks the first time in the Chadwick era the War Eagles have not scored a touchdown in consecutive games. With the loss they fall out if the rankings and if things continue to go the way they have been, Marist could miss the playoffs which would be disappointing considering how well they played at the beginning of the season.
2. Hawks take over Milton.
Basketball season is around the corner and the Atlanta Hawks are doing good in the community by holding a practice at Milton High School. Milton's basketball team won the Class AAAAA title last year by defeating Westlake and with the entire team coming back this year, they are poised to do it again. So what better way for the Hawks to promote the upcoming season by having a practice at the defending Class AAAAA champions home? The practice starts at 6 p.m. Tuesday evening and will go on until 8 p.m.
1. Stephenson and East Coweta get it on.
There are teams in Class AAAAA that are undefeated, but on Saturday morning there will only be two teams with prefect records as Stephenson and East Coweta face each other on a Friday night tilt. Stephenson is a team with a lot of talent and are looking to win their first state title in school history. East Coweta is having their best season since 2004 as they reached the second round of the playoffs. And like Stephenson, East Coweta is looking for their first ever state title. The winner will have the lead in Region 2 and will win the region title if they win the next two games.