Lee County runs over Northside, 54-12

LEESBURG — The pregame fireworks were still drifting through the cool Leesburg night when the real show began.

Nineteen seconds into the game, Marcus Snipes dropped back, spotted Jaden Upshaw streaking downfield, and hit him in stride for a 55-yard touchdown that sent the home crowd into a roar. The smoke hadn’t even cleared, and the No. 7-ranked Lee County Trojans were already on their way to a 54–12 dismantling of Northside ( Warner Robins ) on Friday night.

The victory sets up a high-stakes trip to Houston County next Friday, where the winner will claim second place in the region — and a first-round home playoff game. The loser will hit the road.

If there was any doubt about Lee County’s readiness, it vanished in the first quarter. The Trojans scored four times before the band could strike up “Go Big Red,” piling up nearly 400 yards of offense by halftime and leaving Northside grasping at air.

After the Eagles briefly tightened the game at 8–6, Snipes and company answered immediately. On the next drive, Dominique Ball bulldozed his way into the end zone from three yards out — the first of his three touchdowns on the night.

Then came a play straight out of a highlight reel. As Snipes rolled right and pressure closed in, he flipped the ball backward to J.R. Walker, who tore down the sideline inside the 15.

“That was Mahomes-like!” a teammate shouted from the bench, and the sideline erupted.

Moments later, Snipes capped the possession himself with a 12-yard touchdown run after a Northside fumble on the kickoff. Another break, another quick strike — this time a 13-yard scoring burst by Ball after an almost-touchdown pass to Carter Blackwell.

The avalanche didn’t stop there. Lee County added three more touchdowns in the second quarter — a 10-yard run from Jordan Bush, an 8-yard scoring toss from Snipes to Upshaw, and another Ball touchdown, a 24-yard sprint that made it 47–6 at halftime.

Destin Bell delivered the final exclamation point midway through the third quarter with a 39-yard touchdown reception.

The numbers behind the fireworks were just as gaudy. Snipes completed 9 of 16 passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns, while Upshaw caught eight of those nine completions for 159 yards and two scores. Ball led the rushing attack with 80 yards on seven carries — and those three touchdowns — as Lee County’s offense hummed like a playoff contender hitting its stride.

The Trojans’ sideline energy matched the scoreboard — confident, loose, and laser-focused. Every big play seemed to draw another burst of life from a team that knows the season’s defining moment awaits.

Now the focus shifts to Warner Robins. One more win means home turf in the playoffs. One loss means packing bags.