Newton High School Secured Victory Over Westlake

The Rams maintained an undefeated 6-0 record after a narrow win against their ranked opponent.

Updated on Oct. 3, 2026 in Football

Expressive sports illustration showing two high school football players in motion, capturing the intensity of a competitive game in Georgia. — Newton High School extended its undefeated season to 6-0 on Friday following a 40-38 victory against Westlake in a competitive Georgia high school football matchup. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Newton defeated Westlake 40-38 in a dramatic high school football game in Georgia. The team remains undefeated with a 6-0 record following their fourth win over a ranked opponent this season.

Why it matters

The win highlights Newton's dominance this season as they continue to outperform highly-ranked programs. It was part of a broader trend of unranked and lower-profile teams securing upsets against Top 10 ranked opponents across the state.

Newton claimed a 40-38 win to move to 6-0 on the season. The victory featured a decisive touchdown pass from Josiah Taylor to Kevin Hartsfield in the final minute of play.

The players

Newton

Newton is an undefeated high school football program that has successfully defeated four ranked teams during the 2026 season.

Westlake

Westlake is a high school football program that was ranked in the Top 10 before their recent loss.

Josiah Taylor

Josiah Taylor is the quarterback for Newton who threw the game-winning touchdown pass in the final minute.

Kevin Hartsfield

Kevin Hartsfield is a player for Newton who caught the winning touchdown pass against Westlake.

Christian Womack

Christian Womack is a Westlake player who scored on a 5-yard touchdown run in the final moments of the game.

The details

After Westlake took a 38-34 lead on a 5-yard touchdown run by Christian Womack with 1:03 remaining, Newton responded with the game-winning drive. Elsewhere in Georgia, teams including Lee County, Gainesville, and Macon County also recorded wins against Top 10 opponents, while Fayette County successfully snapped a 23-game losing streak.

October 2, 2026: Newton, Lee County, Gainesville, and Macon County won their respective games.

Season Trajectory

The wave of upsets against Top 10 teams creates significant volatility in the state's playoff seeding. This performance keeps Newton firmly positioned as a contender for a top spot as the regular season reaches its midpoint.

Newton improved to 6-0, solidifying their standing in upcoming regional power rankings. The victory marks their fourth win against a ranked opponent, significantly strengthening their projected playoff seeding.

The takeaway

Newton proved their resilience by orchestrating a game-winning drive in the final minute of play. Readers should note that records can be deceptive when programs like Newton continue to perform at a high level against top-tier competition.