Friday Night Rewind: Dougherty delivers late drama; Terrell Academy runs wild

A last-second kick, a 340-yard rushing performance and two shutouts highlighted Friday’s area football action. Dougherty rallied past Cairo, Terrell Academy piled up 520 rushing yards, and Lee County, Westover and Worth County earned decisive victories.

Dougherty 26, Cairo 23

Christian Hernandez drilled a 39-yard field goal with four seconds remaining to finish Dougherty’s comeback against Cairo and send the Trojans to 6-1. Trailing 16-0, Dougherty pulled even in the third quarter with two touchdowns and two successful two-point conversions, then took a 23-16 fourth-quarter lead before Cairo answered. Micah Joyner powered an offense that outgained the Syrupmakers 543-303, completing 19 of 27 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 145 yards on 13 carries. David Burgess caught seven passes for 103 yards and both passing touchdowns. Hernandez supplied the final points, giving Dougherty momentum heading into Friday’s trip to Bainbridge (3-4).

Lee County 37, Northside 0

Destin Bell needed only the opening kickoff to put No. 3 Lee County in control, racing 80 yards for a touchdown as the Trojans improved to 7-1. Special teams struck again when Champ Brown blocked a punt and Johnny Burroughs III returned it 15 yards for another score. Quarterback Cohen Lawson played only the first half but completed 11 of 14 passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns. Jaden Upshaw caught six passes for 89 yards and a touchdown, while Lee County’s defense kept Northside off the scoreboard. The Trojans travel to Tift County (3-5) Friday.

Westover 56, Hardaway 0

Westover overwhelmed Hardaway with a balanced offense and a defense that never yielded a point. Gabriel Hopper completed 13 of 20 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns, with Jaden Thomas turning both of his catches into scores totaling 50 yards. Jordan Joyner added six receptions for 52 yards. On the ground, Legend Brown scored twice while gaining 54 yards on four carries, and Michael Daniels contributed 67 yards and a touchdown on seven attempts. Jyquavious Battle led the defense with eight tackles, while Keyontae Hayes and Thomas recovered fumbles.

Terrell Academy 54, Calhoun County 38

Terrell Academy kept the ball on the ground and Calhoun County on its heels, churning out 520 rushing yards on 44 carries. Bryce Peachey delivered the night’s biggest performance, carrying 25 times for 340 yards and five touchdowns. Walt Lee supplied another 110 yards and a touchdown on 14 attempts. Alex Klughart added 70 yards on five carries, helping the Eagles average nearly 12 yards per rush. That relentless production allowed Terrell Academy to outlast Calhoun County in a game that produced 92 combined points.

Worth County 49, Crisp County 19

Worth County unleashed four third-quarter touchdowns to break open a key region victory over No. 9 Crisp County. Lyndon Worthy completed 19 of 27 passes for 367 yards and four touchdowns, finding a different receiver for each score. Keaton Tucker caught five passes for 132 yards and a touchdown, while Tray Matthews added four receptions for 109 yards and a score. Kody Crutchfield carried 25 times for 91 yards and two touchdowns, and Brody Hancock converted all seven extra-point attempts. Noah Marlin and Mike Wise led the defense with 10 tackles apiece, followed by Malik Muhammad with nine.

Monroe 44, Columbus 10

Monroe got the area’s football weekend started early, rolling past Columbus 44-10 Thursday at Hugh Mills Stadium. Senior quarterback Jordyn Shorter capped the Golden Tornadoes’ opening possession with a touchdown run around the left side. Monroe’s defense stopped Columbus on its first possession, but penalties helped the Blue Devils move across midfield on their next drive. Isaiah Virgil’s 53-yard field goal cut Monroe’s lead to 6-3 as the first quarter ended. The Golden Tornadoes ultimately pulled away, outscoring Columbus 38-7 over the final three quarters.

Other Scores:

Brookwood 15 Sherwood Christian 12

Tiftarea 14 Deerfield-Windsor 7

Baconton Charter 29 Jordan 9

Miller County 21 Terrell County 9

Valdosta 52 Colquitt County 44

Irwin County 22 Sumter County 21