Week 4 is a mixed bag for high school football programs around the state.
Some GHSA powers like Valdosta, Lowndes and Grayson are playing national opponents this weekend. Others, like Rockmart and Eagle’s Landing Christian, are hosting their first region games.
Some teams have a couple more games to tweak things, while for others, playoff implications are in play.
Follow below for the latest highlights, notable moments and other standout information from all games in Week 4.
To submit entries — highlights, notable moments or impressive stats — for consideration, tag @theleoreport on X.
To see live scores for all games, go to AJC.com/sports/varsity/football/scores.
North Hall broke its bitter rival's hearts late last night on a prayer.
The Trojans conquered the Vikings 51-49 with a Hail Mary touchdown as time expired. North Hall's Ty Kemp snagged a pass that had already been deflected in the end zone to win the rivalry game.
North Hall earned its 16th straight win over East Hall in the 100-point game.
The Hail Mary came just seconds after East Hall battled back for its first lead of the second half. The Vikings took a 49-45 lead with 32 seconds remaining.
A good North Hall kick return set up the last-ditch touchdown throw.
The ending was just as wild as the rest of the rivalry game, which lasted nearly six hours and had two weather delays.
Cartersville survived a late surge from reigning Class 3A state champion Calhoun, improving to 3-0 on a game-winning field goal from Ramsey Rowell.
The senior kicker split the uprights from 26 yards out to take the 38-35 lead for good.
Calhoun scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to initially tie the game at 35. The Yellow Jackets scored on an 11-yard run to open the quarter, cutting Cartersville's lead to 35-21.
Then sophomore quarterback Trace Hawkins came back with a quarterback sneak with five minutes left, cutting the lead to 35-28. This time, the Yellow Jackets decided to try to steal another possession.
Calhoun recovered an onside kick with just under five minutes left.
Calhoun tied the game at 35 less than a minute later on a 27-yard touchdown run from Hudson Chadwick.
Rockmart just extended its region winning streak to 60 games.
The Yellow Jackets delivered a heartbreaking overtime loss to Ringgold for a second straight season.
Rockmart, which beat Ringgold 23-20 with an overtime field goal last season, won 38-32 with a rushing touchdown.
Rockmart's 60-game region winning streak is the longest active streak in the state.
Valdosta moved to 4-0 with a comeback win over Florida's No. 23-ranked team, Jesuit.
The South Georgia powerhouse trailed 14-7 at halftime before holding the Tigers scoreless in the second half.
Valdosta running back Marquis Fennell took the lead for good with a rushing touchdown roughly halfway through the fourth quarter. The Wildcats converted a 2-point conversion to take the 21-14 lead.
Thomas County Central won its fifth straight game over bitter rival Thomasville by a dominant 55-7 final.
The Yellow Jackets led 45-7 by halftime. Quarterback Jaylen Johnson had five total touchdowns in the win.
Rabun County, which entered as a 12-point favorite over Dalton, finished an offensive brawl with a late defensive play.
Rabun County's Lake Evans sealed the game with an interception, claiming a 49-42 win. The Wildcats won 49-42.
The longest region winning streak in the state could be in trouble. Rockmart, which was won 59 straight region games, is tied late with Ringgold.
Ringgold just tied the game at 32 with less than two minutes remaining in regulation, according to Lindsey Young of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
Ringgold forced overtime and nearly snapped Rockmart's region streak last season, too. The Yellowjackets kept the streak alive with a game-winning field goal for a 23-20 win.
Grovetown just beat Thomson 22-21, a historic win for three reasons, according to Gabriel Stovall of WJBF News Channel 6.
Sager Quinn might have the highlight of the night, because who doesn't love a big man touchdown?
The 290-pound defensive lineman caught a 3-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-2 for Calhoun's first points of the game.
Quinn, who lined up as a tight end wearing his No. 96 jersey, faked a block and snuck behind the Cartersville defense to get open. Quinn is committed to play defensive line at South Florida.
Dalton took its first lead of the game in a back-and-forth brawl between high-scoring offenses.
The 12-point underdog Catamounts took a 42-35 lead with 9:32 remaining, according to Wesley Branch of the Clayton Tribune.
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