St. Pius Football Crushes Dawson County, Will Face Hart County

With Thanksgiving approaching both basketball teams lifted the lid on their seasons, while football advanced in the state playoffs. Football continues to sit in the No. 7 spot in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution AAA poll. Girls' basketball opened the season ranked No. 8 in the AJC AAA poll.

Football rushed to a 72-28 win over Dawson County in the first round of the AAA state playoffs. Ryan Braswell scored four touchdowns while rushing for 127 yards as three Golden Lions gained more than 100 yards on the ground. St. Pius (9-2) rushed for a school-record 525 yards in the win. Branden Mitchell ran for 104 yards and two scores while Nick Ruffin and Joey Connors rushed for a TD apiece. Jack Spear led all rushers with 148 yards. Ian Flinn blocked a punt and returned it 18 yards for the other Golden Lion score.

St. Pius will host Hart County, the No. 3 seed out of Region 8-AAA, on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. The schools share common opponents as the Golden Lions topped both Blessed Trinity and North Oconee while Hart County dropped both contests against the two schools.

Boys' basketball opened its season with a 47-29 win over Creekview in the first round of the North Forsyth Thanksgiving Tournament. Will Maguire scored 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting from three-point range, and Nick Harris added 10 points and seven rebounds. The Golden Lions (1-0) will take on Duluth Tuesday at 3 p.m. and Wesleyan at 3 p.m. on Wednesday at North Forsyth before opening the home slate with a game versus West Hall on Nov. 27 at 7:30 p.m.

Girls' basketball dropped its season opener to No. 2 Lovett (AA) 42-37 in the first round of the Parkview Classic. Sophomore Asia Durr led all scorers with 23 points, and Nicole Rodriguez chipped in six for the Golden Lions (0-1). Laura Redmond led St. Pius with six rebounds. The lady cagers play Monday versus Douglas County in the Parkview Classic at 6 p.m. and will face either Westminster or Coffee County on Tuesday at 3 p.m. or 6 p.m. The Golden Lions will lift the lid on the home season at 6 p.m. on Nov. 27 against West Hall.

Wrestling opens its season on Nov. 27 at Norcross while swimming and diving opens the season Dec. 4 at 5 p.m. versus Dunwoody at Lakeside High School.