NEWNAN — Starting junior quarterback Jaquez Parks threw a touchdown and ran for another as Griffin showed flashes of promise in a 21-14 preseason loss Friday at Newnan.

The second-year starter — who had to wear Jordan Colbert’s jersey ( No. 19) when they couldn’t finds Parks’ jersey — played three quarters and ended the night with a team-high 71 yards rushing on 10 carries and 187 yards on 14-of-24 passing with a pair of interceptions.

On a night where his first four passes fell incomplete and Griffin’s first two drives went three and out, Parks made up for it on Griffin’s fourth drive as he masterfully conducted an 11-play, 69-yard drive. Highlights included runs of 19 and 12 yards by Parks to jump-start the drive followed by a 34-yard pass to classmate Keyston Fuller, who ended the night with a team-high 106 yards on three receptions, to bring the ball to the Newnan 5.

Then on fourth-and-goal, Parks was nearly run over by the running back before rolling out and nearly being sacked. But, from the clutches of a defender, Parks somehow managed to throw a 2-yard touchdown pass to junior Trey Willis to give Griffin its first points of the night and ease some of the sting from a TD Newnan scored on its first possession when first-year starter Bailey Bryant, a sophomore, found Darrell Morrow on a 10-yard pass. Newnan later went up 8-0 when Parks dropping back to pass on Griffin's third possession and stepped out of the back of the end zone, resulting in a safety on the last play of the first quarter.

A 56-yard fumble return by senior Richard Wilder to the Newnan 5-yard line set up Griffin’s next score, a 3-yard run up the middle by Parks on the next play that left the Bears ahead 14-8.

The score stood through the half.

Griffin’s first possession of the second half ended on Parks’ second interception of the night, snatched by Newnan’s Tray Matthews.

Newnan turned it into a 4-yard touchdown run by J.K. Britt 8 plays and 80 yards later to take the lead for good. The starters were removed in favor of the backs to start the fourth quarter where Newnan added to its lead on a 33-yard run by Kelvin Khayyam.

Bears backup quarterback Anforne' Stroud, a sophomore, rushed the ball three times for a total of 30 yards and completed 1-of-3 for 9 yards, all in the fourth quarter.

Griffin opens the season Aug. 31 at Dutchtown.