High school football roundup: Central falls to Auburn for first time since 2013
Auburn High fans and players let out a collective exhale.
The clock winded down. The Tigers, after converting two fourth downs to ice the game — including a fake punt near midfield on fourth-and-1 — could finally celebrate.
The Tigers beat Central 29-28 at Garrett-Harrison Stadium Friday night. It was the first time the away team had beaten the Red Devils since 2013, and when the final whistle sounded, the entire team made a bolt for the scoreboard. Fans snapped pictures, and players embraced one another.
On the other side, a Central team was left thinking “what if?”
What if the Red Devils defense had stood tall on those two fourth downs? What if Central didn’t fumble the snap on two punt attempts? What if the Red Devils kept up their hot start after jumping out to a 21-3 lead?
The good news for Central is, none of that may matter. The team’s goal of a state championship remains intact. The Red Devils are 4-3 heading into their final three games.
They have a chance to get back on track at Prattville Oct. 9.
Final scores
- Auburn 29, Central 28
- Opelika 49, Russell County 7
- ChattCo 33, Manchester 7
- Troup 42, Spencer 0
- Columbus 41, Jordan 26
- LaGrange 48, Kendrick 14
- Marion County 15, Schley County 14
- Newnan 34, Harris County 21
- Carver 56, Shaw 12*
- Calvary Christian 38, Georgia Christian 0
- Glenwood 49, Monroe 0
- Smiths Station 35, Jefferson Davis 14
* denotes Thursday night game.
Three stars of the week
1. Joseph McKay, running back, Central
Joseph McKay got the night started for Central when it appeared the Red Devils were cruising for a victory.
McKay scored on the second play from scrimmage, a 48-yard rushing touchdown. He finished with two more touchdown runs, but the Red Devils came up just short against Auburn.
2. Jamal Sampson, quarterback, Marion County
Jamal Sampson scored the game-winning points for Marion over rival Schley County in one of the better games of the week.
Sampson finished with 73 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Schley, including the game-winning two-point conversion in overtime.
3. Taeo Todd, running back, Troup
Troup finally got in the win column this week, and Taeo Todd certainly helped the cause.
Todd ripped off touchdowns of 8 and 65 yards as the Tigers cruised past Spencer 42-0.
Best game
Marion County 15, Schley County 14
In a rivalry game that came down to the final play, Marion County pulled out the close win.
Trailing 14-7, Marion County quarterback Jamal Sampson scored on a 5-yard touchdown run. Then, the Eagles turned to Sampson again, and he scored the game-winning two-point conversion to give Marion the 15-14 win.
What’s next?
Central at Prattville, Oct. 9, 8 p.m. EST
Central (4-3, 3-1 region) must move on quickly from Friday night’s loss to Auburn, because the Red Devils have a date with region foe Prattville next week.
Prattville (5-2, 3-1 region) beat Enterprise 35-28 Friday night.
Harris County at Starr’s Mill, Oct. 9, 7:30 p.m. EST
Harris County’s resolve will be tested next week, as the Tigers must quickly move on from their first loss of 2020.
The Tigers travel to Starr’s Mill, which beat Sandy Creek 10-7 in its previous game and had a bye week Friday night, meaning the Panthers will be well-rested for this region tilt.
