SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. — After having lost the previous five meetings, Social Circle took out its frustrations in a big way Friday night at Redskins Field, trouncing cross-county rival George Walton Academy 40-6 in the 2021 high school football season opener for both teams.
It was hardly a surprise, given that the Redskins return one of their most talented teams in recent memory while the Bulldogs are reeling after a tumultuous off season in which they lost their head coach and a host of key returners.
Social Circle took full advantage of the mismatch, led by third-year starting quarterback Logan Cross, who completed 26 of 38 passes for 332 yards and three touchdowns.
Facing a young and inexperienced Bulldogs front, Cross had plenty of time to pick apart the defense, connecting with seven different receivers on the night. His favorite target was senior K.J. Reid, who had seven catches for 83 yards.
Junior Mason Moore caught five passes for 80 yards and a touchdown.
Meanwhile sophomore running back Kam Durden kept the Bulldogs defense honest, carrying 12 times for 70 yards and two TDs.
After falling short on their opening drive, thanks to a pair of motion penalties, the Redskins cleaned up their act and scored on their next three possessions to take a commanding 19-0 halftime lead.
They secured the win and completed the rout with scores the first two times they touched the ball in the second half.
Social Circle drove 78 yards in 12 plays on its second possession.
Cross completed all seven of his passes, but it was Durden burst up the middle for the final 6 yards to give the Redskins their first points of the season.
The next drive went 75 yards, the final 26 on a pass from Cross to Moore on what was likely the first of many TD throws this fall.
The Redskins closed out the half with an eight-play, 63-yard drive, culminated by a 13-yard scoring toss from Cross to junior DaShon Hyman.
Cross threw his third and final TD pass of the night with a 4-yard toss to junior Will Atha with 7:55 to go in the third.
Durden closed out the night for the Redskins with a 5-yard dive up the middle early in the fourth.
The young and short-handed GWA offense was held under 200 total yards and didn’t cross midfield until just under four minutes were remaining in the third quarter.
Senior Laythan Folgman ran for 26 yards on the Bulldogs’ first play from scrimmage. But it would be their only first down until the final play of the half.
A 7-yard run by Folgman with 7:37 left in the game prevented a shutout.
Social Circle added a late score at end on a 3-yard run by freshman Bristol Evans with 3:47 left.
Sophomore quarterback Tristan Hill had a tough debut for GWA, completing just one pass for 4 yards, fumbling once, and throwing an interception on the Bulldogs’ first possession of the second half.
GWA will host Stratford Academy from Macon next Friday while Social Circle stays home to face Providence Christian (1-0), both non-region games.
The Eagles will be making their season debut when they play at Don Williams Stadium next week, while Providence is fresh off a win over Loganville Christian.
