Who rose, who rolled, and who broke through under the Friday night lights? Week 9 brought standout performances and pivotal games that shaped playoff positioning across the Coastal Empire. From Savannah High’s breakthrough victory, every program found a reason to make Friday night count. Here’s how it all unfolded.
Savannah High 19, Claxton 6
Savannah High (1-5 overall, 1-4 region) ended a 40-game losing streak with a 19-6 win over Claxton. Frank Frazier rushed for 106 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 57 yards. Eli Frieson added 162 rushing yards and a touchdown and caught five passes for 28 yards.
On defense, Frieson made 11 tackles and two TFLs. Jakari Douse added eight tackles, two TFLs, one sack, and a fumble recovery. Gary Maxwell forced a fumble, while Caden Wright and Tyshaun Coleman each had an interception.
Coach’s Quote: “In the second quarter, Claxton had the ball on their 10 and was about to take the lead when Gary Maxwell made a big hit that forced a fumble,” Savannah High School Head Coach Moses Green said. “My team was able to overcome our mistakes and learn how to win.”
Next Up: Savannah (1-5, 1-4) vs Screven County (7-0, 5-0).
Beach 42, Johnson 7
Beach (3-3 overall, 3-3 in Region 1-3A) dominated Johnson (2-5 overall, 2-4 in region) behind a career performance from junior running back Jordan Newton, who rushed for 306 yards and five touchdowns on 18 carries in a rainy, windy game at Savannah High.
Newton scored on runs of 10, 1, 14, 88, and 82 yards. On his first carry, he broke a 42-yard gain. Describing it as his best game after rushing for 200 yards the previous week against Islands High School, Newton credited his linemen: “They work hard at practice, all the conditioning we do, all the blocking drills. It’s just running hard, going through contact, finishing the runs each time.”
Quarterback Jayvion Williams was 10-of-17 passing for 165 yards, one touchdown, and one interception — a 37-yard score to Kejuan Ferguson. Marcus Lidell intercepted a pass for Beach’s defense. Angel Gonzalez made six extra points.
Coach’s Quote: “He’s the anchor of the team,” Head Coach Michael Thompson said. “When a team looks at us on film now, they’ve got to realize No. 4 (Newton) is a threat. (Newton) did a good job of reading the blocks and getting upfield. Our linemen did a hell of a job blocking for him tonight.”
Statistics and Quotes via Nathan Dominitz, special to the Prep Sports Report.
Next Up: Beach (3-3 overall, 3-3 region) at Groves (0-7 overall, 0-5 region); Johnson (2-5 overall, 2-4 region) at Calvary Day (6-1 overall, 5-1 region).
Bethesda Academy 40, Dillon Christian 6
Bethesda Academy (6-0, 2-0) remained unbeaten with a dominant 40-6 road win over Dillon Christian Academy. The Blazers overcame a slow start before erupting for 26 points in the third quarter to put the game away.
The Bethesda defense set the tone early, stuffing Dillon on the Blazers’ 20-yard line and forcing a turnover on downs. The stop swung momentum, and Bethesda quickly turned it into points to build a 14-0 lead. From there, the offense took over, mixing explosive plays through the air and on the ground.
Running back Jordan Cheever powered the offense with 17 carries for 165 yards and four touchdowns, while quarterback Jordan Turner was efficient through the air, completing 12 of 21 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns. His favorite targets were Ralo Wesley, who caught five passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns, and Malachi Morris, who added five receptions for 115 yards as the Blazers rolled up more than 450 yards of total offense.
Defensively, Isaiah Jones led the charge with 11 tackles, two sacks, one pass deflection, and a blocked PAT. Isaiah Redmond added seven tackles and three sacks as the Blazers’ front controlled the line of scrimmage.
Coach’s Quote: “Our defense came up big and stopped Dillon on fourth down while they were on our 20,” Bethesda Head Coach Antwain Turner said. “We had a slow start but finished strong to get the victory on the road.”
Turner added that consistency remains the next step for his undefeated group. “We play Williamsburg Academy this Thursday, October 16 at Hammond High School in Columbia, S.C. We must minimize our mistakes and come out with more intensity on offense,” he said.
Next Up: Bethesda (6-0) vs Williamsburg Academy (7-0), Oct. 16 at Hammond High School in Columbia, S.C.
Calvary Day 42, Islands 8
Calvary Day (6-1 overall, 5-1 region) jumped out fast and never looked back against Islands (1-6 overall, 1-5 region). The Cavaliers led 42-0 at halftime after forcing several turnovers and scoring quickly on both sides of the ball.
James Mobley IV completed 8 of 11 passes for 87 yards and two touchdowns. Preston McBride went 5-of-6 for 45 yards with one interception. Emerson Lewis scored two rushing touchdowns and made four tackles. Zay Middleton added 20 rushing yards and a touchdown. Kenneth Baker recorded 10 tackles and caught a touchdown pass, while MJ Knight Jr. added a touchdown reception.
Coach’s Quote: “We capitalized off a huge fumble recovery in the end zone by Jeffrey McCormick,” Coach Cameron said. “We must continue to practice like we have. We are hoping to play our best football at the most important time of the season.”
Next Up: Calvary Day (6-1 overall, 5-1 region) hosts Johnson (2-5 overall, 2-4 region).
Effingham County 36, Evans 0
Effingham County (5-2 overall, 4-1 in Region 1-5A) rolled past Evans (record not provided) with a dominant 36-0 win behind 443 yards of total offense and a defense that delivered the Rebels’ first shutout since 2024.
Effingham controlled the game from start to finish and didn’t punt once. Senior running back JR McKenzie carried 21 times for 167 yards and two touchdowns, continuing his streak of strong performances. Quarterback Tucker Perkins completed 10 of 17 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown and also ran for a four-yard score. Kris Swinney added a seven-yard rushing touchdown, while Malik Letman hauled in an eight-yard TD pass, and Trayvis Hunter contributed five receptions for 87 yards.
Coach’s Quote: “Our defense set the tone early by stopping Evans on fourth-and-one inside the red zone and forcing multiple three-and-outs the rest of the night, preserving the shutout. Effingham Head Coach John Ford said. “I’m proud of the team for playing complementary football.”
Stats courtesy Donald Heath, Effingham Herald.
Next Up: Effingham County (5-2 overall, 4-1 region) hosts Greenbrier (2-5 overall, 1-4 region).
Jenkins 37, Southeast Bulloch 28
Jenkins (6-1 overall, 6-0 in Region 3-3A) stayed undefeated in region play with a 37-28 win over Southeast Bulloch (4-4 overall, 4-3 in region) thanks to key defensive plays, explosive runs, and steady leadership from its offensive trio.
The Warriors opened a back-and-forth first half with an explosive 43-yard touchdown run from Ryan Scott, who finished with 22 carries for 163 yards and a score, though the PAT attempt was missed. Southeast Bulloch answered with a big run on a reverse and followed with a play-action touchdown pass to grab a 7-6 lead. Jenkins managed a field goal on its next drive, but SEB struck again to extend the margin to 14-9.
After a three-and-out, the Jenkins defense turned the momentum by forcing a fumble, and quarterback Demetrius Holloway Jr. — who went 3-of-5 passing for 22 yards with a touchdown and added 41 rushing yards and another score — guided the offense downfield for a touchdown and a successful two-point conversion to make it 17-14. On the next possession, Jenkins stuffed a fake punt and converted that stop into another touchdown, taking a 24-14 lead into halftime.
The defense took control early in the third quarter as cornerback Zhire Sanders intercepted a pass and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown, stretching the advantage to 31-14. Moments later, Holloway connected with Dominique Johnson Jr. on a 15-yard touchdown strike — Johnson added a rushing score as well, totaling 60 all-purpose yards — to make it 37-14 before the PAT was missed.
Southeast Bulloch rallied with two late touchdowns, including one after recovering an onside kick, trimming the lead to 37-28. The Warriors fumbled once down the stretch, but their defense stiffened on fourth down, allowing them to kneel out the clock to preserve the win.
Coach’s Quote: “The turning point in the game was when our defense came up big with the pick-six by Zhire Sanders,” Coach DAundray Williams said. “That gave the entire team a huge rush of momentum. We want to clean up our special teams for sure, and I have no doubt that we will. We also must become sure tacklers and better blockers.”
Coach’s Quote: “As I’ve stated all year, the goal is to play 15 games and we must treat each one as a championship game,” Coach Tony Welch said. “We got this win; now we move on to our next championship game.”
Next Up: Jenkins (6-1 overall, 6-0 region) hosts Long County (5-2 overall, 4-2 region).
Liberty County 43, Groves 6
Liberty County (7-1 overall, 5-1 region) kept its impressive season rolling with a 43-6 win over Groves (0-7 overall, 0-5 region). Elijah Brown scored on runs of 20 and 39 yards and caught a 55-yard touchdown pass from Jaeir Roberts. Aaron Brown added a touchdown reception as the Panthers controlled the game from start to finish.
Stats courtesy Dennis Knight, Savannah Morning News.
Next Up: Liberty County (7-1 overall, 5-1 region) has a bye; next hosts Beach (3-3 overall, 3-3 region) on October 24.
Long County 49, Windsor Forest 22
Long County (5-2 overall, 4-2 region) pulled away after a Windsor Forest (1-6 overall, 0-6 region) fumble stopped the Knights’ go-ahead drive in the second quarter.
Jr Rowland totaled more than 150 yards with a touchdown and a two-point conversion. Ja’Shawn Green added his first career rushing touchdown and a two-point conversion, while Telly Riley made key offensive plays and Jaimor Duncan led the defense with multiple open-field tackles.
Coach’s Quote: “We showed we can compete, but we just have to finish,” Windsor Forest Coach Zane Rowland said. “If we clean up our mistakes, this group will be special.”
Next Up: Islands (1-6) at Windsor Forest (1-6)
McIntosh County Academy 7, Bryan County 0
Bryan County (4-4 overall) fell in a defensive battle at McIntosh County Academy. Gerbravion Collins rushed for 66 yards as the Redskins were held to 120 total yards. Eli Koskela made 11 tackles and two tackles for loss, and Zane Renteria recorded 12 tackles and two TFLs.
Coach’s Quote: “MCA threw a 28-yard touchdown pass with a covered tight end downfield — that should have been an ineligible receiver penalty,” Bryan County Defensive coordinator Tim Adams said. “It was a very physical game.”
Next Up: Jenkins County (4-3, 3-2) at Bryan County (4-4, 3-3).
Pinewood Christian 39, St. Andrew’s 12
St. Andrew’s (3-5, 0-1) fell behind early and couldn’t recover in a 39-12 loss to Pinewood Christian Academy. Pinewood jumped out quickly, taking advantage of a special-teams mistake and leaning on its strong running game to build a 16-0 first-quarter lead.
The Lions answered in the second quarter with a long drive capped by a 43-yard touchdown run from Amari Cook, who finished with eight carries for 110 yards and a score while adding three receptions for 45 yards and another touchdown from quarterback Pat Jackson. Jackson completed 9 of 17 passes for 92 yards, throwing one touchdown and two interceptions.
Pinewood responded before halftime with another score to make it 23-6, but St. Andrew’s mounted a promising drive late in the half that reached the one-yard line before being stopped just short of the goal line. Pinewood added two more touchdowns in the second half, and St. Andrew’s tacked on one more score to close the gap.
Defensively, Landen Buchmann recorded 13 total tackles (8 assists, 5 solo) with a tackle for loss, while Darius Chapman had 11 total stops (10 assists, 1 solo) and recovered an onside kick after Luke Bowen’s opening kick. Joe Frazar contributed 13 tackles (9 assists, 4 solo) with two tackles for loss as the Lions fought to slow Pinewood’s ground attack.
Coach’s Quote: “Unfortunately, we had a special-teams mistake on a punt that gave PCA the ball near the goal line,” St. Andrew’s School head coach Wes Worthington said. “We were also stopped at the goal line before halftime — those were the two big plays we didn’t make. We made some errors you can’t make against a good football team. We had some injuries that challenged an already depleted roster, but it was great to have some middle-school kids out to see their potential to play early next year. Our kids played hard and tough until the final bell, and I’m proud of the warrior spirit they showed in keeping at it and never giving in. We will have better days in the future.”
Worthington emphasized that improvement will come from “better execution in all three phases and cleaning up minor mistakes in critical moments.”
Next Up: St. Andrew’s (3-5, 0-1) vs Bulloch Academy (6-2, 0-1).
Savannah Christian 37, Vidalia 14
Savannah Christian (5-3 overall, 2-0 region) moved the ball at will in a 37-14 road win over Vidalia. Quarterback Blaise Thomas went 9 of 14 for 196 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 43 yards and two more scores. Freshman Wesley Dinkins added 111 yards on nine carries, and Athen Hudspeth had 44 yards and a touchdown on seven rushes.
Cam Yeldell caught four passes for 101 yards, and Weston Hughes had three catches for 71 yards and two scores. Christian Beard made 13 tackles, and John Gross had 14 tackles and one TFL. Kicker Karson Leake hit a 37-yard field goal at halftime and finished with four PATs and four touchbacks.
Coach's Quote: “I think our drive before halftime and the field goal were big moments,” Coach Baker Woodward said. “Blaise Thomas and his top receivers Weston Hughes and Cam Yeldell had a big night. Our freshman RB Wesley Dinkins is starting to play at an upper-classman level.”
Next Up: Bye - Savannah Christian hosts Swainsboro on Oct. 24.
Swainsboro 42, Savannah Country Day 14
Savannah Country Day (2-5 overall, 0-2 region) started strong but couldn’t sustain momentum after a goal-line turnover in a 42-14 loss to Swainsboro. Quarterback Devin Trawick went 7 of 16 for 109 yards and two interceptions and rushed for 42 yards and a touchdown. James Pannell added 22 rushing yards and a score, and Thomas Holland ran for 56 yards. Peyton Bean caught three passes for 60 yards, and Cash Ramirez was perfect on two PATs.
Coach’s Quote: “We had a chance to go up 21-0 and turned it over on the goal line,” Savannah Country Head Coach Blackmore said. “We must do a better job with in-game adjustments. We had a great start in all three phases and need to sustain that success.”
Next Up: Savannah Country Day (2-5, 0-2) vs Toombs County (6-1, 1-0).
Valdosta 41, Richmond Hill 0
Richmond Hill (6-2 overall, 2-1 region) suffered its first region loss as Valdosta (7-1 overall, 2-1 region) capitalized on two early interceptions returned for touchdowns. The Wildcats added a final score before the end to seal the shutout.
Amire Miller rushed for 58 yards on 23 carries. Quarterback Gunner Mobley went 8 of 20 for 87 yards and two interceptions. Nick Cameron had one catch for 40 yards, Eli Grant three for 20, and Marquis Muhammad four for 27. Walter Pugh made eight tackles in his return from injury, and Jaylon Deal added seven tackles and a sack. Punter Cannon Kuryla averaged 45 yards per punt.
Coach’s Quote: “Valdosta took a 13-0 lead after running two interceptions back for touchdowns during our first two possessions,” Richmond Hill Head Coach Matt LeZotte said. “If we are going to win either of the next two games, we will have to play more complete football.”
Next Up: Richmond Hill (6-2 overall, 2-1 region) has a bye before hosting Lownedes (8-0 overall, 3-0 region) on October 24.
Photo Credit: lensbyshaunce_
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