Running back scores 5 TDs in 4th quarter, 8 in game

ATLANTA — Kawon Bryant has scored five touchdowns in a game twice already this season. On Friday, the junior running back from North Oconee scored five touchdowns in the fourth quarter alone.

Bryant scored eight overall, tying him for second in state history to Kenneth Moore of Calhoun, who scored 10 in a game against Acworth in 1948.

“He runs like a back that is possessed,” North Oconee coach Terry Tuley said of Bryant. “Several plays he would take four and five tacklers with him for extra yardage.”

If these eye-popping touchdown numbers seem more common these days, it’s because they are.

On the same night that Bryant scored eight touchdowns, Hillgrove quarterback Elijah Ironside passed for seven touchdowns against Campbell.

At least five other players scored five or more touchdowns last week, and at least five other quarterbacks threw for five or more touchdowns.

GHSF Daily has documented 32 cases this season in which a player has scored or passed for five touchdowns.

Bryant’s eight touchdowns were perhaps the most stunning. Consider that Bryant’s 48 points on touchdowns last week against Jackson County are more points than 40 Georgia teams have scored in their seasons.

Bryant had scored only two touchdowns late in the third quarter Friday when North Oconee trailed 27-20.

“Kawon made a run off tackle left and bounced it outside,” Tuley said. “When the corner came up to make the tackle, Kawon trucked him, and that was right in front of our bench and that was the spark that woke our kids up. Jackson [County] fought hard up to that point, but they play several both ways and fatigue started to set in, and Kawon literally took over.”

Bryant scored five more. He had scored five touchdowns in games against Madison County and Athens Christian and three against St. Pius this season. North Oconee has six regular-season games remaining.

“Can he do it again? I think so,” Tuley said. “He has gotten better and better every game. The bottom line with this game is that at the crunch time, he rose up, and then our defense played great and we kept getting great field position and it snowballed into 42 quick points in a hurry.”

GHSF Daily has compiled a list of the players who scored or passed for five touchdowns in a game this season. This list is not complete. It contains only those performances that have been brought to the attention of GHSF Daily, or that GHSF Daily has discovered. Please notify us of any others at GHSFDaily@bellsouth.net.

Touchdowns scored

Eight:

Kawon Bryant, North Oconee (9/27)

Six:

Tra Hardy, Vidalia (9/27)

Five:

Kawon Bryant, North Oconee (9/13)

Kawon Bryant, North Oconee (9/20)

Montez Cheney, Rutland (9/13)

Nick Chubb, Cedartown (8/30)

Nick Chubb, Cedartown (9/13)

Nick Chubb, Cedartown (9/27)

Jaqua Daniels, Clarke Central (9/27)

Nick Fitzgerald, Richmond Hill (9/27)

Donquell Green, Burke County (9/6)

Cody Long, Sonoraville (9/20)

Brandon Robertson, Dutchtown (9/13)

Charles Shavers, Shiloh (8/30)

Stanton Truitt, Monroe Area (9/27)

Touchdowns thrown

Seven:

Elijah Ironside, Hillgrove (9/27)

Six:

Kevin Johnson, Pace Academy (9/13)

Wil Larimore, Shiloh (9/6)

Hayden Sphire, North Gwinnett (9/20)

Deshaun Watson, Gainesville (9/27)

Five:

Will Anderson, Lassiter (9/27)

Spencer Ashley, Cherokee (9/20)

Trevor Brown, Christian Heritage (9/20)

Colin Chance, Statesboro (9/20)

Trae Harrington, Charlton County (8/30)

Elijah Ironside, Hillgrove (8/30)

Malique Jackson, Wayne County (9/27)

Brenton Martin, Marietta (8/23)

Roland Rivers, M.L. King (9/6)

Michael Scott, Druid Hills (8/30)

Caleb Shiflett, NW Whitfield (9/27)

Tyler Sellers, Locust Grove (9/27)

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