A second half surge lifted the Yellow Jackets of Thomas County Central to a 3-0 start and a 63-28 win over Florida High on Friday night.
A breakout performance from 2026 running back Christian “Deuce” Lawrence kept the offense rolling all game for Thomas County Central.
Lawrence tallied three total touchdowns. He was the team’s leading rusher with 17 carries for 199 yards, and was tied for the team lead in catches with four which totaled 61 yards.
“First of all, I would like to thank the man above, it wouldn’t be possible without him,” Lawrence said. “Second, it was a team effort. Dee returning kicks, my linemen… I wouldn’t be able to do it without my linemen.”
The athletic back says he compares his game to an NFL back that is a weapon on the ground and through the air.
“I would like to compare me to Christian McCaffrey. I mean, I can catch it out of the backfield, I can go to slot … Just put me wherever and I’m gonna make a play.”
2025 safety USC commit Kendarius Reddick also made a huge impact on the game through special teams and his defense.
Reddick returned a punt for a touchdown in the third quarter to stretch the Yellow Jackets lead to 35-21. On the following drive, Florida High attempted a 59-yard field goal but came up just short. Reddick was there to field the missed kick attempt and took it 109 yards to the opposite end zone for another score.
Unfortunately in Georgia returning missed field goals is not allowed, so the touchdown did not count. But still, it was an impressive display of Reddick’s incredible athletic ability.
That would not be the end of his dazzling plays either, as he housed a pick six 100 yards in the final quarter to help add to Thomas County Central’s impressive second half efforts.
2026 quarterback Jaylen Johnson had another solid outing, going 13-for-21 passing, 246 passing yards, four touchdowns and one interception. He also had a rushing touchdown.
The Seminoles got two scores from 2025 linebacker and Vanderbilt commit Josiah Broxton, who returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. He also intercepted a pass early in the contest that led to a short field and allowed Florida High to take a 14-7 lead.
Despite a strong performance, Lawrence isn’t looking too far ahead.
“One game at a time, one step at a time,” he said of his approach the rest of the season.
Thomas County Central (3-0) travels to rival Thomasville (3-0) on Friday. Florida High (0-2) looks to pick up their first win at home against Hawthorne (2-0).
