Honor roll
Zach Allen, Jefferson: Had 10 total tackles (four solo) and a tackle for loss in a loss to Hart County.
Jalen Banks, Jackson County: Had 82 yards rushing on eight carries and went 18-for-25 passing for 129 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to East Jackson.
Austin Brown, Flowery Branch: Had 250 yards and three touchdowns on 12-of-21 passing in a win over Cedar Shoals.
Lee Cagle, Lumpkin County: Had 10 total tackles (four solo) two tackles for loss and 1 1/2 sacks in a loss to Monroe Area.
Scott Chewning, Chestatee: Had three interceptions with two returned for touchdown on 172 return yards, 10 rushes for 32 yards and a touchdown and 122 yards and a touchdown on 6-for-10 passing in a win over Dawson County.
Logan Conley, Flowery Branch: Had 118 yards and two touchdowns receiving in a win over Cedar Shoals.
Pearce Gruenenfelder, Chestatee: Two interception returns for touchdown with 90 returns yards on defense and 72 yards on three catches on offense in a win over Dawson County.
Jeremy Haley, Flowery Branch: Had 111 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries in a win over Cedar Shoals.
A.J. Johnson, Gainesville: 192 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 17 carries in a win over North Hall.
Dylan Lackey, Banks County: Had 123 yards rushing and three touchdowns in a win over Athens Christian.
Dillon Lee, Buford: 95 yards and three touchdowns on four catches in a win over Therrell.
Alex Ross, Buford: Threw for 199 yards and three touchdowns on 9-for-21 passing in a win over Therrell.
Jamond Witt, East Hall: Had 240 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries and 38 yards and a touchdown on two catches in a loss to Adairsville.
Going into Friday’s game with Washington-Wilkes, the Commerce High football team found itself in an unusual position. The Tigers were 0-3 and on the verge of starting 0-4 for the first time in school history.
Thanks in part to quarterback Cody Streetman that fate was avoided and Commerce came away with a 41-34 home win.
Streetman carried the ball 31 times Friday night and found himself in the end zone five times.
For his efforts, Streetman is The Times Football Player of the Week.
“It was great,” Streetman said. “You know, the first three games were pretty tough and to get our first win right before we go to region play was something special.”
Even thought the Tigers are 1-3 on the young season, Streetman is “not worried at all” about the team’s chances to make it back to the state playoffs. Commerce has been involved in the postseason every year since 1996, with its last state championship coming in 2000.
“I think that we’ve played some pretty tough teams so far this year and none of the first three were in single-A,” Streetman said. “I think when we get to region play we’ll be fine. We’ll get teams of our caliber instead of double-A and triple-A.”
As for Friday night’s performance, Streetman said that his touchdowns came on designed running plays out of the team’s option-based offense.
“We don’t pass much and Friday night we were running the ball so well that there was not really any reason to try and pass,” Streetman said. “To be honest, on a normal night I’d rather throw the ball, but when we are running like that, I like to just keep it going.”
The five-touchdown performance was the best of the junior’s career, according to Streetman.
“I’ve never scored five times in one game, so that was probably the biggest game that I’ve ever had,” Streetman said. “Earlier this season I had a game where I threw for three and ran one in, but we lost, so I’d say this was the best game I’ve had in my career.”
And according to coach Steve Savage, Streetman hasn’t reached the pinnacle of what his talent can do.
“He’s still learning how to play the position,” Savage said. “But he’s such a competitor that he wants to do good on every play. And it helps that he’s such a big, strong kid. He’s about 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds and his speed is above average.
“Having him is a plus for us right now.”
While Savage wasn’t sure of the exact number of yards that Streetman had on the ground against Washington-Wilkes, he was sure that it was a high number.
“He carried the ball 31 times and had 270 or maybe 280 yards,” Savage said. “I’m not exactly sure how many yards he had, but I do know that it was a bunch.”
Going into Friday’s game, Streetman was fourth in the area in rushing with 276 yards and five touchdowns.
Commerce has a bye week this week and opens Region 8-A play on Oct. 1 with a visit to Athens Christian.