No. 4 Thomson (class 2A) will visit No. 2 South Atlanta, and No. 8 Lincoln County will host Dooly County in Friday’s quarterfinal round of the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) state playoffs. Also practicing on Thanksgiving Day, a high school football privilege reserved only for state championship contenders, will be Briarwood Academy (8-3), who will visit Brentwood (8-3) for a Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) semifinal contest. And Thomas Jefferson, winner of three consecutive GISA class 1A state championships, will take Thanksgiving Day off because the Jaguars won’t play their state championship game against Robert Toombs Christian Academy until Thursday, December 1 at Mercer University.
All four of the area teams that are still alive have a puncher’s chance or better to win their next game. Let’s take a specific look at Thomson’s showdown, which was the only GHSA quarterfinal round game out of thirty-two that Georgia High School Football Daily labeled “too close to call” in Wednesday’s email newsletter.
Thomson’s opponent, South Atlanta, has won all eleven games this season, and it features prolific rusher Keyjuan Brown, who leads the Peach State with 2,681 yards and 31 touchdowns. But the Bulldogs’ defense has played lights out during Thomson’s own 11-game winning streak, surrendering only 6 points per game during the stretch. The Bulldogs got some practice shutting down an accomplished rusher during last Friday’s 42-10 victory at home over No. 9 Cook County. The Hornets featured Keshun McKever, who had rushed for an astounding 300 yards and 8 touchdowns in the prior round’s win for Cook County.
But Thomson (11-1) allowed McKever only 85 rushing yards, and 58 of those came on the first series, when McKever carried the ball on Cook’s first nine plays from scrimmage. That drive yielded only 3 points after a tackle for loss by Marcellus Brigham on third down.
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Forcing Cook County to the air resulted in a pair of interceptions for Thomson, one in spectacular fashion by Brigham, and the other by big play machine Storm Hunt, who leads the team in picks (7) and pass deflections (7) this season.
After surrendering those 3 points, Thomson’s stingy defense held Cook County scoreless until the Hornets managed a meaningless fourth quarter touchdown. While the glory and headlines have largely gone to the offense this season, Thomson’s defense has been every bit as special. The unit has been led by Travion Curry (103 tackles), Jaquan Hart (88), Jamere Roberts (50), Danquavious Cummings (32 tackles), Jordan Jones (41), Hunt and Brigham, and it shut down Cook at every turn in round two last week.
Meanwhile, South Atlanta would be wise to worry as much about Thomson’s offense, which has averaged 42.5 points per game this season. But while South Atlanta has run up its 40 points per game on average largely on the back of Keyjuan Brown, you’ll be hard pressed to find an offense that produces as much as Thomson’s while featuring as many players in the process.
The combined production of Jontavis Curry (994 yards and 14 touchdowns), Anthony Jeffery (948 yards and 17 touchdowns) and Jordan Lane (407 yards and 9 touchdowns) stack up nicely against South Atlanta’s Brown. And that’s before considering junior quarterback Jah’Kiaus Jones, who rushed for 76 yards and 3 touchdowns himself in last week’s victory.
Thomson’s passing attack also deserves respect as Jones has completed 7 touchdown passes this season, and fellow junior Noah Story has tossed 8 touchdown throws himself in a backup role.
And no matter Brown’s numbers, you won’t be able to convince anybody around here that he is a better back than Curry. Sure, Brown has touched the ball nearly 2.5 times for every one time Curry has, and logic would dictate that Brown would therefore post more yards and touchdowns. But I can’t imagine witnessing more bang for the buck on a football field than when the ball is put in the hands of Mr. Excitement himself, Jontavis Curry. We featured Curry Monday, calling him the Best of the Best on the football field in recent memory. And I’m sure South Atlanta has become familiar with Curry during the past week after he piled up 281 all purpose yards on 7 touches in last Friday’s win for the Bulldogs.
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As if Thomson’s offensive and defensive prowess weren’t enough, the Bulldogs have also gotten leadership from their special teams. Travion Curry has been a human wrecking ball on kickoff coverage.
And Storm Hunt might have made the most impactful play of the season for the Bulldogs by returning a punt 55 yards for a touchdown against Laney to help Thomson earn a 15-14 region win that was the only close game the Bulldogs have played since a season opening 24-21 loss to arch rival Burke County.
Follow Chad Cook’s coverage of local sports on Facebook and Instagram at @AugustaPressSports, and on Twitter at @AugPressSports.
