Rogers has Thomas County Central off to an 8-0 start

Oct. 24—MOULTRIE — Although things didn't work out for him as the head coach at Colquitt County, Justin Rogers continues to prove his teams can win football games.

He was 45-15 in five years at Jones County and 26-7 in three seasons in Moultrie.

And his 2020 team might have been an unfortunate knee injury to starting quarterback Xavier Williams away from contending for a state championship.

He continues to win at Thomas County Central, where he headed after leaving Colquitt County last winter.

The Yellow Jackets, who were a combined 22-30 over the five previous seasons and 5-6 last year, are 8-0 for the first time since 2007, Ed Pilcher's final season.

This year's Jackets will try to win the program's first region title since 2016 when they travel to Lee County on Friday.

The Trojans are 6-2 and are coming off a 23-20 loss at home to Northside-Warner Robins last week.

Lee's only other loss was also at home, when they fell to Colquitt County 48-27 back on Sept. 9.

Three former Colquitt County assistant coaches are on Rogers's staff: Dave Windon, Joe Thornton and Jimmy Dudley.

By the way, when Rogers climbs aboard the bus to Leesburg on Friday, he will have a 79-22 career coaching record to his credit.

Of this and that:

—Gardner-Webb defensive end Ty French had an interception, which he ran 10 yards, and three tackles in the 28-14 victory over Charleston Southern.

The Bulldogs have won two of their last three to raise their record to 3-5. They will meet Bryant University on Saturday in their Homecoming game.

—Former Packer and Valdosta Wildcat Taj Sanders had two pass receptions, including one for a 6-yard touchdown, in Western Illinois' 28-27 loss to Youngstown State.

Sanders also had one rush from scrimmage for five yards.

In addition to Camden County, which upset Valdosta, three teams on Colquitt County's schedule won on Friday.

—Stockbridge, which lost to the Packers 29-0 in a game that was shortened to just two quarters by bad weather, defeat Woodland-Stockbridge 43-14 last week.

The Tigers, 5-0 in Region 5-4A, will play at Pace Academy this week.

—Cedar Grove, which has won four state titles in the last six years, won 49-34 at Sandy Creek on Friday and will be 6-2 when it meets Carver of Atlanta on Nov. 4.

The Saints only losses have been to Colquitt County and Mill Creek.

—Lincoln High of Tallahassee thrashed Arnold High 51-0 last week to raise its record to 5-3.

The Trojans will face Dillard High of Fort Lauderdale on Friday.

—Two Packers' opponents lost last week, including Tift County, which fell to Veterans 27-20.

The Blue Devils tied the game 20-20 with 9:47 remaining, but Veterans got a 61-yard touchdown pass from Jake Maxwell to Demare Franklin with 6:53 remaining and held on for the win.

Tift County, now 1-7 overall and 0-3 in Region 1-6A, will play at Houston County on Friday.

—Deerfield Beach, which was Colquitt County's season-opening victim, lost 14-7 last week to Plantation.

The Bucks will be home to face Coconut Creek on Friday.

—Worth County, under first-year coach Jeff Hammond, pounded Jeff Davis 43-7.

Quarterback Chip Cooper was 19-for-22 for 316 yards and three touchdowns as the Rams raised their record to 7-1.

The Rams will play host to 1-7 Sumter County on Friday.

—Over in Adel, Byron Slack's Cook High team lost to Dodge County 47-37 at home last Friday.

The Hornets are 6-2 overall and 3-1 in Region 1-AA, but face 8-0 and top-ranked Fitzgerald and 7-1 Worth County in their final two regular-season games.

—Former Packers assistant Robert Craft has his North Forsyth Raiders at 6-2 following last Friday's 24-14 win over Habersham Central.

The Raiders will travel to Gainesville on Friday.

—Jay Ward had a productive night in the secondary for LSU in the Tigers' 45-20 Homecoming victory over No. 7 Ole Miss on Saturday.

Ward was credited with five tackles for LSU, which will play host to Alabama on Nov. 5.

—Lemeke Brockington had a 33-yard pass reception for Minnesota in its 45-17 loss at Penn State last Saturday.

Now 4-3, the Golden Gophers will play host to Rutgers on Saturday.

—Orion Bonner had four pass receptions for 41 yards in Glenville State's 38-16 loss to Notre Dame College.

The Pioneers will play West Virginia State on Saturday.

—Redshirt freshman cornerback Omar Daniels played in his sixth game for Kansas State in the Wildcats 38-28 loss to TCU.

—Former Colquitt County linebacker Marcus Anderson got some playing time for Georgia State last Saturday in a 42-17 loss to Appalachian State.

The 5-foot-10, 227-pound redshirt junior was credited with an assisted tackle.

The Panthers will play host to Old Dominion on Saturday in its Homecoming game.

—Kamaar Bell and Carter Boatwright both got some playing time in Florida Atlantic's 24-21 loss at the University of Texas-El Paso.

The 3-5 Owls will be home to face Alabama-Birmingham on Saturday.

UAB lost to Western Kentucky 20-17 last week to fall to 4-3.

Will Rykard continues to start at center for the Blazers.