Gainesville did what seemed impossible 11 days ago — defeated No. 1-ranked Hughes in a Class 5A quarterfinal football game — and partially eclipsed 14 other shining teams that advanced to state championship games Friday night.
Class 6A steamrollers Buford and Carrollton won easily, Creekside set a state scoring record, and defending champions Carver of Columbus, Toombs County, Bowdon and Hebron Christian made it back to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium finals to defend their titles.
Still, nothing was more newsworthy than Gainesville’s 40-32 victory in a notoriously postponed quarterfinal, playing on the road as an 11-point underdog per the computer Maxwell Ratings.
On Nov. 24, the GHSA suspended 38 Red Elephants for their role in an altercation in a second-round victory over Brunswick. Gainesville won four back on appeal and 30 more when a court injunction stopped the GHSA’s actions.
The GHSA postponed the game, and it wasn’t until Monday that Gainesville or Hughes knew the game’s date or who’d be eligible to play in it.
It turns out, Gainesville was nearly at full strength, and Kharim Hughley, a quarterback committed to Clemson and never among the suspended, threw four touchdown passes.
Gainesville advanced to play at Rome on Thursday in a delayed semifinal. Roswell will play at Thomas County Central in the other semifinal on the same day.
Not even a potential national championship game on the state’s horizon could get more news on this unusual playoff evening.
Buford is ranked No. 1 by USA Today. Carrollton is ranked No. 1 by MaxPreps. Each won Friday – Buford 39-7 over Valdosta, and Carrollton 41-13 over North Gwinnett. They will meet Dec. 16 for at least one championship.
Buford and Carrollton have won many state championships, but neither has a national title, or a state title in the highest class.
In Class 4A, Creekside beat Kell 35-6. Creekside has scored 803 points this season, breaking the mark of 792 set by Hughes in 2022.
Creekside will play Benedictine in the final, seeking its fifth state title in 12 seasons. Benedictine beat Marist 28-20.
No. 1 Sandy Creek of 3A beat LaGrange 42-24 and will play 2024 runner-up Jefferson, a 17-13 winner over West Laurens.
The other four classes will feature a reigning champion poised to repeat.
In Class 2A, Carver beat Burke County 33-14, Carver’s 26th straight victory, in a rematch of the 2024 final.
Hapeville Charter beat Sumter County 24-18 in overtime in the other semifinal. Hapeville was a 17-point semifinal underdog.
Toombs County beat Heard County 40-14 and will play No. 1 Worth County, a 32-12 winner over unranked Pepperell. Worth’s last state title came in 1987.
Bowdon will try to become the first Class A public school to win four straight state titles, but to do it, the Red Devils must beat Class A’s all-time most successful program, No. 1 Lincoln County (also known as the Red Devils), an 11-time former champion.
Bowdon beat No. 2 Clinch County 45-6, and Lincoln County beat Early County 34-0.
In the Class 3A-A Private division, No. 1 Hebron Christian beat Greater Atlanta Christian 50-24 and will play No. 3 Calvary Day, a 24-7 winner over No. 2 Fellowship Christian. Calvary will be the only finalist without state-championship pedigree. The Cavaliers were runners-up in 2013.
Championship game schedule
Dec. 15
- 3:30 p.m. – Class A Division II
- Bowdon vs. Lincoln County
- 7 p.m. - Class 4A
- Benedictine vs. Creekside
Dec. 16
- 2 p.m. - Class A Division I
- Toombs County vs. Worth County
- 5 p.m. - Class 2A
- Carver-Columbus vs. Hapeville Charter
- 8 p.m. - Class 6A
- Buford vs. Carrollton
Dec. 17
- 1 p.m. - Class 3A-A Private
- Calvary Day vs. Hebron Christian
- 4:15 p.m. - Class 3A
- Jefferson vs. Sandy Creek
- 7:30 p.m. - Class 5A
- To be determined
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
