North Fulton Quarterbacks Showcasing Impressive Stats

By Mike Blum

With three weeks left in the regular season, a number of high school quarterbacks in North Fulton County, particularly for those in Region 7-AAAAAA and Class A private school Mt. Pisgah, are showing they are a crucial part of their teams' success in this year's season.

All six quarterbacks for North Fulton teams in 7-AAAAAA are putting up big numbers, led by
Centennial's Max Brosmer, who is averaging just under 300 yards passing through eight games with 18 touchdown passes.

The Knights are 5-3 with five straight wins, with two of their first three losses coming in games decided in the final seconds. Brosmer, a junior in his first season as a starter, threw seven interceptions in the team’s three early losses, but has been picked off only twice since. He has completed around 70 percent of his pass attempts and has passed for more than 300 yards each of the last four games, with a 395-yard, 5-touchdown performance last week.

Centennial has also gotten big seasons from senior running back Emeka Nwanze, a transfer from Northview, who has rushed for 790 yards and six touchdowns. Blaine Mason has been Brosmer’s primary target with 44 receptions for 864 yards and eight touchdowns, with Cal Dickie, Jacob Albright and freshman Julian Nixon also putting up good numbers as receivers.

Nixon has caught four touchdown passes, rushed for four out of the wildcat formation and passed for two scores for the Knights, who are averaging around 35 points a game and are second behind Alpharetta in the region at 5-1 (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app).

The Raiders (5-0 in the region, 6-1 overall) have been a pass-reliant team for years, but sport a more balanced attack this season. Quarterback Matthew Downing has passed for 1343 yards in seven games with 12 touchdowns and only one interception, and has had three productive games as a runner.

Nolan Edmonds has rushed for 462 yards on 63 carries in five games, missing two due to injury, and has scored seven touchdowns, three in a big game against Johns Creek last week (14 carries, 193 yards). Kevin Watkins filled in for Edmonds in his absence, and has contributed 362 yards and four touchdowns. Spencer Gaddis is Alpharetta’s leading receiver with 28 catches for 449 yards and four scores.

Chattahoochee's Jack Corrigan is the region’s top dual threat quarterback, passing for just over 1,000 yards and rushing for 571 yard and six touchdowns with three 100-plus yard games, including each of his last two. Max Webb has had a breakout year at running back in his first season as a starter for the Cougars with 816 yards and seven touchdowns on 119 carries. Tee Lee, Isaiah Bivens and Andrew Thomas have been Corrigan’s favorite targets.

The Cougars are 4-1 in the region and 5-2 overall and host playoff contender Pope this Friday and region
leader Alpharetta the final night of the regular season in two weeks. Johns Creek junior Zach Gibson is starting for the third season at quarterback with the Gladiators and is having a strong season, passing for 1963 yards and 13 touchdowns in eight games, with two games remaining against the region’s two weakest teams. Johns Creek (2-4, 2-6) still has a chance to tie for fourth in the region and get the final playoff spot, but needs some help from local rivals Chattahoochee and Centennial against Pope.

Zach Williams, one of the top receiver prospects in the area, has had four 100-yard receiving games, but has been largely contained in the other four, catching 38 passes for 630 yards and four touchdowns. Running back Nate Hope has gone over 130 yards twice, and has 521 yards rushing and six touchdowns.

First-year starter Hogan Dykes has passed for 1,508 yards and 12 touchdowns for Cambridge, with the
Bears featuring the area’s leading receiver – Ridge Polk. The senior has caught 53 passes for 845 yards
and 10 TDs, including a huge game a few weeks back against Johns Creek, where he had nine catches for
224 yards and three scores, the second time this season has had at least 190 yards receiving and three
scoring catches.

At 3-3 in the region and 3-5 overall, Cambridge is still in position to tie for the final playoff spot, and hosts region leader Alpharetta this Friday. The Bears rushing leader is Matthew McCree, who has 484 yards rushing despite missing two games.

Northview is 1-4 in the region and 1-6, but senior quarterback Colton McDaniel has had a big season with 1,946 yards passing and 11 touchdowns. His main target the past four games has been Zach Clowe, who has 34 catches for 546 yards after having no receptions in the Titans’ first three games. Northview has struggled to run the ball for most of the season, but has gotten two productive games from Caylor, who rushed for 97 yards and three touchdowns in the win over Dunwoody.

Milton and Roswell both feature dual threat quarterbacks along with running backs having big years in
their first seasons as starters. Milton (1-1 in its region and 5-2 overall) is led by junior quarterback Jordan Yates, who is starting for his second season. Yates has passed for 1243 yards and 11 touchdowns and rushed for 278 yards and four touuchdowns, and has combined with running back Solomon Vanhorse (114-713- 5) to give the Eagles an effective ground game. Dash Hairston (20-422- 4) is the team’s top receiver.

After last week’s loss to region leader South Forsyth, the Eagles are still in line for a runner-up finish in
the region and a home game in the playoffs. Roswell (1-1, 2-5) is tied for second in its region after losing to unbeaten Walton last week, with the Hornets looking for a strong finish after playing one of the toughest schedules in the state to this point. In his first season with the Hornets, senior quarterback Cordel Littlejohn has had a solid season leading a team that returned only one offensive starter – tight end Tyneil Hopper, Littlejohn’s cousin.

Littlejohn has passed for 813 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 434 yards and five scores. Among his best games was a 156-yard, 2-touchdown effort in the Hornets’ region-opening win over Lassiter. First-year starter Kamonty Jett leads the area in rushing with 186 carries for 916 yards and nine touchdowns, going over 200 yards with three touchdowns each in Roswell’s two wins. Former backup quarterback has been the team’s most effective receiver with 15 catches for 286 yards and four scores.

Blessed Trinity, which hosts Marist Friday night for the Region 7-AAAA title, is 2-0 in the region, 7-1 overall and has been state-ranked the entire season. The Titans are primarily a running team, with Steele Chambers carrying 120 times for 813 yards and 11 touchdowns, and Elijah Green chipping in with 691 yards on 106 attempts with seven scores.

Quarterback Jake Smith, part of a strong junior class for BT, has attempted a modest 124 passes, completing 77 for 1206 yards and nine touchdowns. Junior Ryan Davis, one of the Titans’ 2-way starters, has 38 catches for 659 yards and six scores. The area’s most impressive statistical performer this season has been Mt. Pisgah quarterback Jacob Cendoya. The Patriots are 6-1 and unbeaten in region play and are ranked in the top 10 among the state’s private Class A school.

Cendoya has passed for 1,732 yards and 23 touchdowns, and rushed for 769 yards and 12 touchdowns, giving him 2,500 yards of total offense and 35 touchdowns in just seven games. Cendoya has two big play
receivers, with Kai Williams and David Woodward combing for 1,358 yards and 16 touchdowns. The Patriots have a key game at home Friday against region rival Fellowship Christian.

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