Carrollton vs. Rome: Live updates from Georgia high school football Top-25 battle

Follow along live as Carrollton and Rome face off in a clash of Top 25-ranked Georgia high school football teams
A pair of Georgia Top 25 teams will clash on Friday night as Carrollton renews its rivalry with Rome.
A pair of Georgia Top 25 teams will clash on Friday night as Carrollton renews its rivalry with Rome. / Colin Hubbard, SBLive

Two of the Peach State's best will square off on Friday night as Carrollton hosts Rome in a battle of Georgia high school football powers.

Carrollton enters the week 2-0 and ranked No. 5 in the Georgia High School Football Top 25 State Rankings after cruising to victory in its first two games of the season.

Rome clocks in at No. 23, but the Wolves are looking for their first win of the year after falling to No. 21 Creekside in their season-opener a week ago.

The Trojans have won the last three times these two teams have met, but Rome has a chance to shake up the Top 25 rankings and make an early-season statement with a win on the road at Carrollton tonight.

Players to Watch

Carrollton Trojans

Ryan Mosley - WR: A 4-star senior and the No. 33 wideout in the nation. He is 6-foot-4, 206 pounds and committed to Georgia.

Dorian Barney - CB: The No. 22-ranked cornerback in the nation is a 4-star senior who chose Michigan over offers from Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Georgia Tech and Penn State, among others.

Peyton Zachary - WR: A 3-star senior and UNLV commit

Rome Wolves

Darnell Collins - ATH: A 6-foot-4, 3-star senior committed to Georgia Tech

Jeremy Winston - WR: Another 3-star senior who is also committed to Georgia Tech

Pick the Winner

Let us know who you think will win by trying your hand at our Pick 'Em challenge.

How to Watch

You can watch Rome vs. Carrollton live on the NFHS Network.

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Final

Rome

0

7

14

0

21

Carrollton

0

0

13

15

28

Rome vs. Carrollton Live Updates

1st quarter

Trojans get the ball at their own 20. They drive up the field but fumble the ball. Wolves recover at the 47.

Wolves get the ball. A couple quarterback keepers from Aidan McPherson move them closer. But penalties move them back and the Wolves go three-and-out.

Trojans get the ball at their own 20. They go three and out.

Wolves begin at their own 14. A holding call moves them closer into Trojans territory. Timeout called.

Wolves attempt a 46-yard field goal but it's blocked by Dorian Barney of the Trojans. Field goal no good.

Trojans get the ball at the 20. UNLV commit Peyton Zachary gets a nice 16-yard carry for a first down.

After 1, Carrollton 0, Rome 0


2nd quarter

Trojans unable to convert on 3rd and 12. They punt.

Wolves begin at their own 25. The drive results in a 1st and goal at the 9-yard-line. Timeout on 3rd and goal at the 2.

On 4th and goal at the 1, Aidan McPherson keeps it himself for the one-yard touchdown run to break the scoreless tie with 4:40 left in the first half.

TOUCHDOWN: Rome 7, Carrollton 0, 4:40 left in 2nd.

Trojans start the ensuing drive at their own 21.

After an encroachment penalty, CJ Cypher connects with Georgia commit Ryan Mosley for an 14-yard gain and the first down at the Wolves 42.

Cypher gets sacked on 2nd down. But on 3rd and long, he completes a 20-yard pass to Mosley for the first down.

Trojans unable to score in Wolves territory at the end of the half.

End of 2nd: Rome 7, Carrollton 0


3rd quarter

Wolves begin the second half at their own 20. McPherson keeps it himself for an eight-yard gain for the first down at the 31.

Big play: On 2nd and long, Justin Spivey takes a swing pass from McPherson and races for a 20-yard gain for the first down.

On 2nd and 8 at the Trojans 45, McPherson connects with JJ Winston for a 45-yard touchdown pass. Extra point good with 8:57 left in the third quarter.

TOUCHDOWN: Rome 14, Carrollton 0, 8:57 left in 3rd

Ensuing kickoff goes out of bounds. Trojans begin their drive at midfield. Cypher completes a couple passes to Rontre Welch and Zachary to get closer to the end zone.

Trojans now on the board. Cypher connects with Mosley for a 15-yard touchdown. Extra point good with 7:52 left in the third.

TOUCHDOWN: Rome 14, Carrollton 7, 7:52 left in 3rd

Wolves begin the ensuing drive at their own 32. A pass interference penalty and a Jeremy Ragland scamper move them downfield. But the team goes three and out.

On the punt attempt, the snap goes over Jason Cruz's head and he recovers at the Wolves' 25.

Carrollton penalized for illegal participation. Wolves maintain the ball and start again at their opponents' 30.

McPherson scores his second touchdown run of the game. Extra point good with 1:38 left in the third quarter.

TOUCHDOWN: Rome 21, Carrollton 7, 1:38 left in 3rd

Trojans answer right back with a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown by Welch. Extra point blocked with 1:25 left in the 3rd.

TOUCHDOWN: Rome 21, Carrollton 13, 1:25 left in 3rd

Wolves start at their own 22. McPherson completes a swing pass to Spivey that results in a first down.

End of 3rd: Rome 21, Carrollton 13

The Wolves go for it on 4th and 1, but McPherson is stuffed on the keeper attempt. Trojans ball at their own 44.

The Trojans' ensuing drive results in a Cam Wood eight-yard touchdown run. 2-point conversion good. Tie game with 7:00 left in regulation.

TOUCHDOWN: Carrollton 21, Rome 21, 7:00 left in 4th

Wolves begin at the 20. They drive to midfield but go three and out.

Big play: Cypher throws a swing pass to Zachary who takes it deep inside Wolves territory for a huge gain. This results in a go-ahead nine-yard touchdown run by Wood. Extra point good with 4:42 left in regulation.

TOUCHDOWN: Carrollton 28, Rome 21, 4:42 left in 4th

A 24-yard swing pass moves the Wolves closer. They eventually drive into Trojans territory but a holding call takes them 10 yards back.

McPherson gets sacked for a big loss. He then gets sacked again on 4th and long, resulting in a turnover on downs. Trojans ball at the Wolvers' 40.

Trojans keep the ball to end the game.

FINAL: Carrollton 28, Rome 21

RECAP

Two of the top high school football teams in Georgia kept it competitive throughout the night.

The first half was mostly defense as Rome recovered a fumble on Carrollton's opening drive. However, the Trojans' offense stalled throughout the half, despite their first two dominant victories of the season.

Wolves quarterback Aidan McPherson kept his team in it as he scored on a couple of one-yard touchdown runs and completed a touchdown pass to JJ Winston.

The first Carrollton score of the night came in the third quarter when CJ Cypher connected with Georgia commit Ryan Mosley for a 15-yard touchdown to make it a one-score game.

Then, down 21-7, the Trojans responded with 21 unanswered points to swing the momentum in their favor. It all started with a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown by Rontre Welch.

In the fourth quarter, Cam Wood added a couple touchdown runs that tied the game at 21-21 and then gave Carrollton the lead with 4:42 left in regulation.

Rome tried their best to tie the game back up late, but McPherson was sacked multiple times, including on 4th and long, as the Trojans remain unbeaten at 3-0 while the Wolves fall to 0-2.

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Harry Lichtman
HARRY LICHTMAN

Harry Lichtman is a sports reporter based in Montgomery County, MD and the DC area. He also writes for Capitals Outsider and LastWordOnSports, and previously wrote for MLB Report, The Sports Pulse, the Baltimore Jewish Times, the Montgomery County Sentinel, and The Bottom Line newspaper at Frostburg State University. In 2020, Harry won an MDDC Press award for a story about former high school lacrosse head coach Jeff Fritz. Harry has been writing since 2016.