Week 11 of the Georgia high school football season brought yet another round of exciting action across the state as teams jockeyed for a spot in the state playoffs. Following are our Top Performers, those individual standouts who shined on offense, defense and/or special teams.
Tip Top Performer
Our Tip Top Performer is a Georgia high school player who went above and beyond for his team, and that honor for Week 11 goes to Crisp County’s CJ Jones, who was a standout among standouts. In a big Region 1-3A matchup, Jones lined up as a running back and had 6 carries for 77 yards and a touchdown. On defense, Jones played cornerback and came away with an interception while making 2 tackles on the night. He also took a Thomasville kickoff at the 2-yard line and sprinted past everyone on his way to a 98-yard return for a TD. His performance highlighted Crisp County’s 66-22 blowout win over the Bulldogs.
Offense
- Buford senior QB Dylan Raiola completed 10-of-12 pass attempts for 201 yards and 4 touchdowns, and he added a rushing TD to give him a 5-TD performance in only one half of play. Raiola has been one of Georgia high school football’s consistent standouts in 2023, and his Week 11 performance helped stake the Wolves to a 51-0 halftime lead.
- Brooks County RB Chris Cole had 22 carries for 201 yards rushing and 3 TDs to lead the Trojans to a win over Bacon County.
- Rome QB Reece Fountain completed 16-of-20 pass attempts for 179 yards and 4 TDs. He also rushed for 45 yards and 1 TD against Creekview last Friday.
- Houston County RB Ryan Taleb had 15 carries for 111 yards rushing and 1 TD in the Bears’ win over Tift County.
- Colquitt County QB Nejo Fann completed 14-of-17 pass attempts for 201 yards and 3 TDs to lead the Pack to a big win over Valdosta.
- Norcross RB Kevin Maven had 37 carries for 274 yards and 2 TDs in the Blue Devils’ win over Peachtree Ridge.
- Richmond Hill RB Nick Bliss had 12 carries for 155 yards with 1 TD and a 2-point conversion.
- Peachtree Ridge WR Myles Abernathy had 9 receptions for 166 yards and 1 TD in a loss to Norcross.
- Lee County RB Ousmane Kromah carried the ball 26 times for 183 yards and a touchdown, and he had 4 receptions for 54 yards and another score against Thomas County Central.
- Brookwood School QB Rodge Waldrop was 29-for-39 for 368 yards and 4 TDs in the Warriors’ 52-37 win over Terrell Academy. Waldrop’s Georgia high school Week 11 highlights also included a career milestone: He broke the 100-touchdown mark and now has 101 career TD passes.
- Colquitt County WR Ny Carr had 7 receptions for 137 yards in the Packers’ win over Valdosta.
- Rabun County RB Matt Fuller had 22 rushing attempts for 124 yards and 3 TDs in a win over Southeast Bulloch.
Defense
- Richmond Hill DB Brandon McDonald had 2 INT, including 1 returned for a TD, to help lead the Wildcats to a 38-14 win over Lowndes.
- Milton safety Faisal Sokoya had 2 INT, 1 PBU, and 3 solo tackles to lead a shutout of Denmark Friday night.
- Richmond Hill DB Lee Johnson had 10 tackles, 1 forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
- Lee County LB Jace Angry had 8 tackles, including 2 sacks, in the Trojans’ outstanding defensive effort against TCC.
- Milton DE Caleb Bell had an INT return for a TD against Denmark in the Eagles’ 48-0 victory.
Special Teams
- Peachtree Ridge K Alex Hanson connected on a 37-yard FG and was 2-for-2 on PATs against Norcross.
- Buford ATH Jordan Allen had an 83-yard punt return for a TD in the Wolves’ 51-0 win over Mountain View.
- Colquitt County K Brett Fitzgerald was 5-of-6 on PATs, and he kicked a 31-yard FG to help the Packers defeat Valdosta 44-28.