THOMASVILLE – On the same day that six Yellow Jackets picked up offers from UCF, Thomas County Central put up the most points they have all season in round one of the state playoffs. The Yellow Jackets dropped 70 on the Winder-Barrow en route to a 70-6 round-one win over the Doggs. It was the most points scored by any team in the GHSA 5A state playoffs.

The Jackets started out red hot, scoring 35 in the first quarter and 56 by halftime. Christian Lawrence opened the scoring with a 19-yard touchdown run in the opening minute of the game. The man they call “Deuce” went on to have three rushing TDs in the first half, including a 95-yard touchdown scamper to put the Jackets up 41-0.

The Yellow Jacket offense got a bit tricky, as they did in the final regular season game against Coffee. Both receivers Rodney Dunbar and Aacoyah Rawls threw for touchdowns in the first half. Dunbar hit Rawls for a 39-yard completion in the end zone for Central’s second score and Jabari Watkins for a 94-yard passing TD.

The Jackets’ defense was also dominant, finishing with 4.5 tackles for a loss, including three sacks by Tre’von Pringle, Cam Brooks, and Triston Flounoy. Central’s secondary was lights out, deflecting four passes, and sophomore Jatavious Wyche recovered a fumble.

The Doggs were able to squeeze a touchdown in in the third, but never stood a chance against the Jackets.

Off the back of their largest point differential of the season, Central will now face Rome in the second round, who took down Glynn Academy in the first round 49-17. It will be a rematch of last year’s classic round three match-up between the Yellow Jackets and the Wolves, which ended in a 19-16 win for Central after a game-winning field goal by Drew Reneau. Rome was held without a touchdown in the first half of that contest, as Jaylen Johnson threw for 141 yards and a touchdown, but was intercepted twice.

At 8-2 and with a region-5 championship hanging around their belt, Rome will likely put up quite a fight against Central, especially at home as they did last year.

Thomas County Central will face the Wolves in Rome on Friday night with the game slated for 7 p.m.