Friday Night Five: Cohen Lawson is Player of the Week

By Joe Whitfield
Sports Editor

Cohen Lawson made 19 passes go a long way Friday night.

The Lee County quarterback completed 14 for 304 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, powering the Trojans to a 49-14 victory over Tift County and earning Albany Herald Friday Night Five Player of the Week honors.

Lawson completed 73.7% of his attempts and averaged 16 yards per throw, directing an offense that piled up 581 total yards. His performance topped the area’s reported passing totals.

Carter Blackwell supplied his biggest receiving target, turning three catches into 132 yards and a touchdown. Destin Bell added a 77-yard touchdown reception, while Jaden Upshaw caught six passes for 65 yards.

The Trojans matched that production with a ground game that generated 234 yards and five touchdowns. Dominique Ball scored three times, and Jordan Bush added two rushing touchdowns.

While Lawson led the passing list, Terrell Academy’s Bryse Peachey delivered the largest combined passing and rushing total among the reported performances.

Peachey rushed for 211 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries and completed 11 of 17 passes for 138 yards and two scores in a 46-26 loss to Westfield. Evan Montgomery caught both touchdown passes, finishing with three receptions for 110 yards.

Baconton Charter’s Braylen Hundley also made a little work produce big results. He rushed for 156 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries in the Blazers’ 38-0 victory over Southwest Georgia STEM Charter, averaging 22.3 yards per carry.

Here are this week’s Friday Night Five leaders, ranked by yardage from available statistics.

PASSING

1. Cohen Lawson, Lee County — 14 of 19, 304 yards, two touchdowns.
2. Micah Joyner, Dougherty — 14 of 21, 196 yards, two touchdowns.
3. Maddox Skipper, Deerfield-Windsor — 7 of 11, 191 yards, three touchdowns.
4. Jacorey Williams, Terrell County — 13 of 17, 188 yards, one touchdown.
5. Bryse Peachey, Terrell Academy — 11 of 17, 138 yards, two touchdowns.

RUSHING

1. Bryse Peachey, Terrell Academy — 28 carries, 211 yards, two touchdowns.
2. Braylen Hundley, Baconton Charter — Seven carries, 156 yards, two touchdowns.
3. Rae’Shawn Clyde, Randolph-Clay — 25 carries, 117 yards, one touchdown.
4. Turner Simmons, Deerfield-Windsor — Six carries, 102 yards, two touchdowns.
5. Malik Young, Westover — 13 carries, 97 yards.

RECEIVING

1. Carter Blackwell, Lee County — Three catches, 132 yards, one touchdown.
2. Evan Montgomery, Terrell Academy — Three catches, 110 yards, two touchdowns.
3. Mangham Pippin, Deerfield-Windsor — One catch, 80 yards, one touchdown.
4. Destin Bell, Lee County — One catch, 77 yards, one touchdown.
5. Jaden Upshaw, Lee County — Six catches, 65 yards.

Rankings reflect statistics available at publication. Monroe’s individual statistics were unavailable.