One thing we learned about each Augusta-area high school football team during Week 1

The first slate of 2023 high school football games in Augusta are covered.

With Week 1 games in the books, here's what we learned about each Augusta-area football team after Friday night's action. Which teams outperformed expectations? Which teams underperformed? Were there any upsets? Well, maybe.

Final scores: 2023 Augusta-area high school football scoreboard for Week 1

Augusta Christian perimeter stars will be hard to handle

In Augusta Christian’s 34-18 takedown of Ridge Spring-Monetta, it was evident that Wilson Donnelly had taken his game to another level at the quarterback position. What makes the Lions even more intriguing is the weapons they boast around Donnelly. Junior Dallas Carter caught a pair of touchdowns (both over 40 yards) and can be just as dangerous out of the backfield. On the other hand, sophomore receiver Devin Carter is one of the top-ranked receivers in the 2026 class. Keep an eye on Chris Thomas’ offense, because they’re likely not done putting up crooked numbers.

More: Here's how Wilson Donnelly performed after winning Augusta Christian football QB battle

Burke County football's defense is real deal

Coming into Friday, coach Franklin Stephens' defensive unit had its work cut out. The Thomson offense returned starters all over the place for a unit that averaged 41 points per game en route to a state championship. Burke County wasn't having it as the Bears' front seven put pressure on both Jahkiaus Jones and Noah Story, forcing them into uncomfortable throwing situations all night. They also did a great job of limiting the big plays and playing a "bend, but don't break" style of defense throughout the game. It takes the pressure off the many new faces on the offensive side of the ball early in the season.

More: Late goal-line stand pivotal in another Burke County-Thomson football thriller

Thomson begins its state title defense on a rusty note

Both Jahkiaus Jones and Noah Story saw significant snaps at quarterback Friday, which was to be expected to a certain extent. What was different in the Bear Den was the volume of passes being called in the offense. Thomson has always been a run-first team, partly because they’ve had the running back depth to do so. That’s still the case, yet they continued trying to move the football through the air all game (with Jones lining up at receiver for most of Story’s snaps). With Anthony Jeffery, Jordan Lane and even Jamere Roberts in the backfield, it’s worth wondering if that split will shift toward those three as the season goes along.

Aquinas offense puts on a show for groundbreaking ceremony

As Aquinas broke ground on its new athletic facilities Friday, there was one more task at hand for the old stadium: earning a win over Jefferson County. The Fightin’ Irish obliged, dropping 46 on the Warriors while getting everyone involved in the scoring party. Quarterback duo Jim Franklin (rushing) and Jack Rhodes (a pass to Buddyrow Garrer) each scored once. Do-it-all Clark Jackson and running back Christian Kates each recorded a pair of rushing touchdowns. That might be the theme for this Aquinas team going forward.

North Augusta’s stingy defense on display in opener

The Yellow Jackets defense shined in Richard Bush’s first game as head coach, holding Evans to just seven points in the Jackets’ nest. The Knights’ only points came from a 60-yard Rayshaun King rushing touchdown, meaning North Augusta had a solid chance at a shutout Friday night. It’s a great start to a tough non-region slate for the Jackets.

Augusta Prep will experience growing pains with young roster

While Augusta Prep’s 27-man roster is the largest sported by the Cavaliers in years, the 22 underclassmen must learn on the fly in the early part of the season. While Bethlehem Christian in Week 1 was a tough draw, the 44-0 loss doesn’t indicate the sky is falling. With coach Todd Booker and injured senior Sam Connell on the sidelines, there is a lot of knowledge for these young players to absorb early in their careers (even though it may not immediately translate to wins).

Has Strom Thurmond improved that much or has Laney regressed?

It’s the former. The Rebels are coming off a 10-win season and with a healthy Quan Edmond under center, this is not the same Strom Thurmond team Laney knocked off at home a year ago. While the Wildcats may not be as explosive without Keshaun Sanders at quarterback, it’s safe to say this Week 1 road match was a tough way to begin the season for Laney. Things won’t get much easier as they see a rematch with Hephzibah next week (which Laney also won last year).

Lakeside rushing attack explodes in win over Aiken

Lakeside scored five times on the ground and once in the air in Friday’s 46-24 win over Aiken, adding a defensive touchdown late in the contest to seal the deal. While one game isn’t indicative of what’s going to happen over the next nine, it appears the Panthers have improved. That ground attack is particularly attractive when coupled with the returning experience on the defensive side of the ball. Sustaining drives and getting the defense off the field is the name of the game in 2023.

Hephzibah looks strong ahead of Laney rematch

Hephzibah cruised past Westside 35-14, the second year in a row the Rebels have scored more than 30 against the Patriots. It wasn’t a huge surprise as Hephzibah is expected to be one of the top contenders in Region 4-AAA. Next week the Rebels will travel to Laney in the hopes of avenging last year’s one-score loss to the Wildcats at home.

Grovetown crumbles late at Midland Valley

Trailing 14-13 with nearly five minutes left, Midland Valley buried Grovetown with a fumble returned for a touchdown and a pair of Traevon Dunbar rushing scores. While a bit concerning, it could be a symptom of opening-week anomalies. With teams like Thomson yet to come, that could manifest its way into trouble. The Warriors will return home to host a struggling Greenbrier team next Friday.

Harlem picked up where it left off

Despite the younger roster this time around Harlem started strong with a 33-14 blowout over Greenbrier. In fact, the Bulldogs scored the first 33 points of the night. While it looks like Harlem is still a team to be reckoned with, it also appears there may be another rough season ahead for the Wolfpack.

Richmond Academy struggles with Veterans

The Musketeers struggled mightily against Veterans, falling 42-6 Friday. Lo’Than McBride was the lone member of the purple and gold to find the end zone.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: What we learned about each Augusta-area football team during Week 1