Lee County’s Artavius Warren (20) catches a pass against Northside-Warner Robins Tuesday night in the GHSA Class 6A state championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Photo: Dale Zanine)DALE ZANINEDALE ZANINEDALE ZANINEDALE ZANINEDALE ZANINEDALE ZANINEDALE ZANINEDALE ZANINEDALE ZANINEDALE ZANINEDALE ZANINEDALE ZANINEDALE ZANINEDALE ZANINEDALE ZANINEDALE ZANINEDALE ZANINEDALE ZANINEDALE ZANINEDALE ZANINEDALE ZANINE
ATLANTA — They pumped fists, high-fived, chest-bumped and even cried tears of joy.
And why not?
This one was special.
For the second straight year, Lee County High School captured the Georgia High School Association Class 6A state football championship.
In the late hours Tuesday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the top-ranked Trojans made history with their 14-0 victory over Northside-Warner Robins, capping the school’s first undefeated season.
The 15-0 mark this year extended the school’s 21-game winning streak dating back to the 2017 season. Lee County’s last loss was a 31-28 setback to Valdosta in the next-to-last game of the 2017 regular season.
For a school once known for producing Major League Baseball All-Star Buster Posey, country music star Luke Bryan and pop singer Phillip Phillips, the county will also be known as a promising football powerhouse. Unlike last season when Lee needed overtime to defeat Coffee for its first state championship, the Trojans had no such drama Tuesday night.
About the only drama for Lee County was preserving the shutout. The Eagles threatened late, but defensive back Jammie Robinson tackled Eric Smith at the 1-yard line on four-and-goal with three minutes remaining in the game. Smith had caught a 19-yard pass over the middle from quarterback Jadin Daniels.
It was the second time this season that Lee County beat Northside. The Trojans defeated the Eagles 24-7 on Oct. 13 at McConnell Talbert Stadium in Warner Robins. But both times, Northside held Lee County below its season average of 38 points per game.
In a defensive battle, Lee County’s Shaundarious Kimbrough scored the first touchdown of the game on a four-yard run with 32 seconds left in the first quarter. Austin Beaver’s extra point attempt made it 7-0.
Then Kimbrough scored again on the first play of the final quarter on a two-yard plunge, putting the exclamation point on the season.
The Trojans (15-0) didn’t have their best game of the season offensively, missing out on several scoring opportunities. But Lee County didn’t need to score very much with its defense suffocating Northside at every angle.
The Eagles (9-6) crossed midfield just once, started one drive inside Lee County’s territory and were held to just 164 yards of total offense.
Lee County joins Colquitt County as the only two teams from Southwest Georgia to win back-to-back state football titles since 2010.
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Lee County’s Shaundarious Kimbrough (9) dives over the top for a touchdown against Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Lee County’s Shaundarious Kimbrough (9) reacts with teammates after scoring a touchdown against Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Lee County’s Dijarius Oliver (97) tackles Northside’s Jadin Daniels (15) during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Lee County’s Jammie Robinson (6) tackles Northside’s Eric Smith (2) short of the goal line on fourth down during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Lee County’s head coach Dean Fabrizio works on the sideline against Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Post game reactions after Lee County defeated Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Scenes from the Lee County against Northside game during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Scenes from the Lee County against Northside game during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Scenes from the Lee County against Northside game during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Scenes from the Lee County against Northside game during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Scenes from the Lee County against Northside game during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Scenes from the Lee County against Northside game during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Scenes from the Lee County against Northside game during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Northside’s Daniel Neal (8) is tackled by Lee County’s Baron Hopson (19) and Dashawn King (16) during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Lee County’s Kyle Toole (17) escapes pressure against Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Lee County’s Kyle Toole (17) passes the ball against Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Lee County’s Zay Hicks (10) tackles Northside’s Jadin Daniels (15) during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Lee County’s Chauncey Magwood (7) tries to catch a pass against Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
Northside’s Zikhyree’ Hill (24) is stopped by the Lee County defense during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Lee County’s Chauncey Magwood (7) runs after a catch against Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Lee County’s head coach Dean Fabrizio reacts on the sideline against Northside during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
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Scenes from the Lee County against Northside game during Tuesday’s State Championship Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Photo: Dale Zanine)
When the first basketball bounces across the hardwood floor inside Westover High School’s new gymnasium this fall, it will signal much more than the opening of a new building.
The Atlanta Braves will try to snap out of their offensive funk on Wednesday when they host the visiting St. Louis Cardinals in the second game of their three-game series.
Head Coach James Ramsey made program history when he was named American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Southeast Regional Coach of the Year earlier this month.
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