Ware Co., Cambridge produce epic wins

Ware County has never won a state title. Cambridge has never a region championship. Their elusive goals came into focus Friday night in the ninth week of the Georgia high school football season.

If it weren’t already apparent, Ware County made it clear that defending champions — even Warner Robins — will have a tough time repeating this season, as the Gators ended the Demons’ 15-game winning streak, the state’s longest, with a 29-21 Class 5A victory.

It was Ware County’s first victory over a No. 1-ranked team from the same classification since beating Northside-Warner Robins in the 2012 semifinals, and it avenged Ware County’s 22-19 loss to Warner Robins in 2020. Ware County had been 0-3 all-time against the Demons.

Ware County moved to 6-1 overall and 2-0 in Region 1 — often considered Class 5A’s strongest — while Warner Robins is 6-1, 0-1.

All eight of 2020’s defending champions now have lost at least once.

Cambridge, a north Fulton County school that opened in 2012, won the evening’s most riveting game, a 48-47 overtime victory over Johns Creek. Zach Harris scored on a keeper for a 48-41 lead, and Brooks Morley blocked Johns Creek’s extra point to finish it.

Cambridge (6-0, 4-0) emerged as Region 7’s only unbeaten team while Johns Creek fell to 5-2, 3-1.

Otherwise, it was a relatively tame Friday. A week after a season-high 10 unranked teams beat ranked opponents, the top 10 had their revenge, going 40-1 against the unranked.

The lone upset, really a toss-up, came when Riverwood beat No. 10 Creekview 35-28 in another game in the closely contested Cambridge-Johns Creek region. Riverwood and Creekview entered with 5-1 overall and 2-1 region records.

Five other games matched ranked teams.

In Class 7A, No. 3 North Cobb beat No. 6 Walton 51-29 in Region 3. North Cobb is the region’s defending champion.

In 5A, No. 2 Cartersville beat No. 8 Blessed Trinity 49-21. Cartersville is now 8-0 and potentially the new No. 1 team if Warner Robins drops from that position in today’s rankings.

In other games between ranked teams, No. 4 Bleckley County beat No. 6 Northeast 9-6 in Region 3-2A; No. 5 Eagle’s Landing Christian beat No. 7 Pacelli 41-0 in Region 4-A Private; and No. 2 Brooks County beat No. 10 Charlton County 42-7 in Region 2-A Public.

JENN FINCH FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION Cambridge’s Zach Harris passes against Johns Creek during Friday’s 48-47 OT victory. Harris scored what proved to be the winning TD.