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WE HAVE IT COVERED IF IT'S PLAYED
sEeporter
1C
November 2, 2022
Dogs host ‘All-or-Nothing > game Friday
www.mymcr.net
478.994.2358
Upson-Lee @ Mary Persons
7:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 4, The Pitt
MP leads series 20-1
Last year: MP 48 Pike 14
Prediction: MP 35 Pike 7
Tickets: $10 GoFan app
GAME
The Mary Persons Bull
dogs (5-4,1-2 region) will
either clinch a home playoff
game or will end their year
in a big regular season finale
pole position to secure the
No. 2 seed from Region
2-AAA out of a 3-way tie.
If MP wins they’ll be tied
for second place in Region
against Pike County (2-7,
0-3) on Friday.
After taking care of busi
ness against Upson-Lee last
Friday, the Bulldogs are in
2-AAA with Jackson and
Upson at 2-2. On points, MP
would win the tiebreaker.
But they have to finish the
job first.
If, as expected, the Dogs
beat Pike and Peach beats
Jackson on Friday night,
the Bulldogs would clinch
their first home playoff
game since 2019. If MP
loses to the Pirates, the
2022 campaign will come
to a crushing end.
MP is 20-1 all-time against
Pike County. They beat the
Pirates last year 49-14. The
Bulldog coaching staff will
be pretty familiar with the
Pirates. That’s because MP’s
defensive backs coach, Brad
Webber, was the head coach
at Pike last year. Pike Coun
ty replaced Webber with Bo
McMichael, who has two
wins this year over South-
west-Macon and Randolph-
Clay. Those schools have just
4 wins between them.
But MP coach Brian Nel
son said Pike played Jackson
Region 2-AAA
Peach County 3-0
Jackson 3-1
Upson-lee 2-2
Mary Persons 1-2
Pike County 0-3
tough and is a scrappy and
physical team. Offensively
they are led by running
back Jakilen King, No. 1,
who has over 100 yards
per game. Defensive end
Carter Steele (No. 89) leads
the team defensively with
almost 5 tackles per game.
Senior quarterback Gage
Lee (No. 10) only throws
for about 50 yards per game
but has 9 rushing scores. If
MP wins Friday they would
likely host Doughtery (8-2,
3-2) in Round 1 on Nov. 11,
said Nelson. Both teams beat
Columbus, MP by 49-21 and
Dougherty by 54-24.
MP pounds Upson 33-0
MP receiver Ty Dumas stretches out for the catch Friday. (Photo/Russ Campbell)
By Will Davis
publisher@mymcr.net
Mary Persons (5-4,1-2
region) put together its most
complete game of the year on
Friday in a 33-0 thumping of
Upson-Lee (4-6,2-2 region)
at Dan Pitts Stadium.
“We needed that one,” said
MP coach Brian Nelson.
While it’s just MP’s first re
gion win, it puts the Bulldogs
in the cat-bird seat in what’s
likely to be a 3-way tie for
second place and the chance
to host a Round 1 state play
off game.
Quarterback Logan Hick
man threw for 261 yards and
3 touchdowns while running
back Duke Watson ran for
168 yards to pace the MP
attack.
Nelson ran the numbers
before the game and con
cluded the Bulldogs needed
to win by 7 in order to win
the tiebreaker in the likely
event of a 3-way tie between
MP, Jackson and Upson for
second place. And so MP
wasted little time seizing a
7-point lead. On the first play
from scrimmage after kick
off, MP snuck out little-used
sophomore receiver Caden
LaVinka into the middle of
the secondary uncovered.
Hickman hit him in stride
for a 62-yard touchdown
on LaVinka’s first career
reception. “We lulled them
to sleep,” said Nelson, saying
they saw something on film
they thought would work.
Subbing for the injured Ryan
Bankston, Gavin Cabe made
the PAT to make it 7-0.
The Bulldog defense
allowed just 158 yards of of
fense in its first region shut
out since 2018. Linebackers
Jaise Davis (11 tackles) and
Jacobi Jones (8 tackles) led
the way. MP forced a 3 and
out on Upson’s first posses
sion. Watson ripped off 42
yards on the first play of the
ensuing drive and it looked
like MP might be unstop
pable. But the Bulldogs
bogged down at the Upson
17 yard line. MP went for it
on fourth and 7 but the pass
was incomplete.
The Knights responded
with one of their long, mind-
numbing drives of 18 plays,
16 of them runs. Upson
nickled and dimed the MP
defense to the MP 4 yard line
where they faced a 3rd and
1. But the Bulldogs forced a
fumble. Upson recovered at
the 10 yard line and facing
4th and 7, tried a field goal
but it was wide right. MP still
led 7-0.
But the Dogs went 3 and
out, and a Hickman punt set
up Upson with good field
position at the MP 49. The
Knights drove to the MP
22 but the Bulldogs made
another 4th down stop.
MP then mounted another
drive capped by a Nemo
Jones 33 yard catch to the
Upson 37. MP faced 3rd and
4 at the 24 and Watson car
ried around the left side for
6 yards and the first down
before fumbling. Upson
recovered and the half ended
7-0.
Upson got the ball to start
the second half and the
MP defense smothered yet
See DOGS Page 4C
MARY PERSONS BULLDOGS
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Fertilization / Weed Control Programs
Tree & Shrub Programs • Core Aeration
Mosquito Control Program • Fire Ant Control
Fungicides/Insecticide Treatments
PH and Soil Management
Hr
Carter Campbell
One catch Friday, starting WR, on
special teams, selfless player, good
blocker, “glue guy,” & team player
Jonathan Head
MP CROSS COUNTRY
Took first among MP boys
at the Region Meet
1042 Benson Ham Rd. • Ste. 300 • Forsyth, GA 31029
(478) 342-1689
WWW.TURF-MAGIC.COM
UPSON @ MP
TEAM STATS
First Downs
MP
13
Upson
9
Rushing yds.
261
128
Passing yds.
215
30
Total yards
Alb
158
Comp-Att-Int
8-13-0
3-12-1
Fumbles-Lost
2-1
1-0
Penalties
4-40 yards
1-15 yards
1
2 3
4 T
Upson
0
0 0
0 0
MP
7
0 14
12 33
BULLDOG SCORING
First Quarter
• Caden Lavinka 62 yard pass from Hickman (Gavin
Cabe kick)
Third Quarter
• Kham Little 51 yard pass from Hickman (Cabe kick)
• Nemo Jones 39 yard run (Cabe kick)
Fourth Quarter
• Nemo Jones 39 yard run (kick failed)
• Duke Watson ll yard run (kick failed)
INDIVIDUAL MP STATS
OFFENSE
RUSHING
Player
Duke Watson
Nemo Jones
Najeh Reese
Logan Hickman
Champ Brantley
PASSING
Carries Yards TDs
25 168 1
2 39 1
3 23
7 16
1 15
Comp. Att. Yards TDs INTs
Logan Hickman 8 13 261 3 O
RECEIVING
Rec.
Kham Little 3
Caden Lavinka 1
Nemo Jones 2
Duke Watson 1
Carter Campbell 1
Yards TDs
84 1
62 1
47 1
20
2
PUNTING
Logan Hickman
DEFENSE
TACKLES
Solo
Jaise Davis 1
Jacobi Jones 3
Champ Brantley
Malaki Knight 1
Gevone Sands 2
OJ Evans 2
Shamon Reece 1
Brandon Alford
RJ Holder 1
Nic Arnold 1
J. Owens
Damarkus Head
Punts Average Long
1 29 29
Assist Total Tackles
10 11
5 8
7 7
4 5
3 5
2 4
2 3
3 3
2 3
1 2
1 1
1 1
MARY PERSONS BULLDOGS
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
STIFEL
Investment Services Since 1890
Chanin Jungberg Ketterbaugh Wealth Advisory Group
577 Mulberry Street, Suite 1200
Macon, Georgia 31201
478-803-9342 cjkawealthadvisory.com
Jason Jungberg, AAMS* Senior Vice President/Investments