CLASS AAAA

Griffin can win ugly: The No. 4-ranked Bears trailed in the first quarter and the fourth quarter, were flagged 10 times for 103 yards and as late as the third quarter had completed just two passes against Jonesboro. But while they were outgained 347-292 by the No. 9 Cardinals, the Bears were solid at crunch time, blocking an extra point and putting up a 13play, 71-yard drive in the fourth quarter for the goahead touchdown.

Marist can rise to the occasion, too: The War Eagles put up a goal-line stand to fend off Lovett in the first meeting between the Atlanta private schools. Meanwhile, Myles Willis showed great versatility for Marist, passing 133 yards and rushing for 139.

Cameron Sutton is for real: A Jonesboro receiver who has committed to Tennessee, Sutton caught five passes for 95 yards, including a 47-yard touchdown and rushed for 57 yards in the Cards’ losing effort against Griffin, and he played a key role in field position, averaging 45.3 yards on six punts, including a 62yarder.

Don’t overlook Burke County: The 2011 Class AAA champs got off to a rocky start in 2012, falling to former region- foe Thomson in the first week, but now they’ve won two in a row, and Friday night they got a solid victory at AAAAAA Coffee.

Chubb, Thornton are workhorse backs: Cedartown’s Nick Chubb and Stephens County’s Chaz Thornton may have established themselves as the two top backs in AAAA. Chubb carried 24 times for 182 yards and four touchdowns in a victory against LaFayette. Thornton carried 33 times for 235 yards and three touchdowns against Hart County, according to the Anderson Independent-Mail.