GHSA FOOTBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Milton stuns top-ranked Colquitt County in 7A title game

ATLANTA — Milton quarterback Jordan Yates passed for 177 yards and ran for 96 more to lead the Eagles to a 14-13 victory over top-ranked Colquitt County Wednesday night to capture the Georgia High School Association Class 7A state championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

It was the first state championship in school history for Milton (13-2), who may have pulled off the biggest state championship game upset in 2018. The nationally-ranked Packers were held to 239 yards of total offense and found the end zone just one time in the game.

Colquitt County (14-1) got two field goals from Ryan Fitzgerald and hoped to get the kicker in position for a potential game-winning field goal in the closing minutes. Trailing by a point, the Packers got the ball after a Milton punt at their 16-yard line. They drove 29 yards on nine plays before stalling at their own 43 and giving the ball back to Milton with 1:08 left. Milton burned the final minute off the clock and celebrated in style.

After Jordan Cox caught a 66-yard touchdown pass from Yates with 3:48 left in the first quarter to give Milton a 7-3 lead, Colquitt went ahead shortly before halftime on Ty Leggett’s 10-yard run to grab a 10-7 lead.

Milton scored the go-ahead touchdown to make it 14-10 on an impressive 15-play, 75-yard drive where Josh Edwards converted a fourth-and-1 from the 11 with a touchdown at the 11:47 mark of the fourth quarter.

Colquitt County was searching for its first state title since winning back-to-back crowns in 2014-15. The Packers have been in the state finals four of the past five seasons.

Daijun Edwards finished with 101 yards on 17 carries for the Packers, while quarterback Jaycee Harden passed for 102 yards on 11 of 21.

CLASS 4A CHAMPIONSHIP

BLESSED TRINITY 23, CARTERSVILLE 9: Blessed Trinity scored 16 unanswered points in the final quarter to pull away and take a victory over Cartersville in the GHSA Class 4A state football championship game.

It was the second straight state title for Blessed Trinity Catholic School of Roswell.

“I don’t really think about going back-to-back,” Blessed Trinity coach Tim McFarlin told Georgia Public Broadcasting. “These kids have made this so enjoyable.”

After Cartersville pulled within a point at 7-6 on a field goal in the third quarter, Blessed Trinity got a safety, then less than two minutes later, Ryan Davis hauled in a 54-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jake Smith and Cartersville never threatened again.

Smith finished with 156 yards passing and tossed two touchdowns for the Titans (15-0). Davis caught seven passes for 135 yards and a touchdown, while Steele Chambers rushed for 98 yards.

Cartersville (14-1) was led by Marcus Gary’s 175 yards rushing. Quarterback Tee Webb passed for 149 yards as the Purple Hurricanes outgained Blessed Trinity 323-269 in total yardage.

Cartersville has lost just two games in the past two seasons. Both were to Blessed Trinity.

CLASS 2A CHAMPIONSHIP

HEARD COUNTY 27, ROCKMART 6: Heard County won its first state championship in school history, avenging an earlier loss to Rockmart, to capture the GHSA Class 2A state championship.

Tennessee commit Aaron Beasley scored two touchdowns and finished with 147 yards rushing on 31 carries to lead the Braves (13-2).

Rockmart hammered Heard County 33-0 in a nonregion meeting on Sept. 7, a game in which Heard forfeited the second half after lightning delayed the game and the Braves chose not to wait out the stoppage in play. Rockmart (14-1), who entered the game averaging 45 points per game, was shut out until Juke Boozer caught a 21-yard scoring pass with 3:53 left in the game.

Rockmart outgained Heard County 197-193 in total yardage.

CLASS 1A PRIVATE CHAMPIONSHIP

EAGLES LANDING CHRISTIAN 44, ATHENS ACADEMY 17: Eagles Landing Christian Academy became just the third team in GHSA history to win four consecutive state titles when they defeated Athens Academy in the Class 1A Private state championship game.

The Chargers joined East Rome (1982-85) and Buford (2007-2010) as the only teams to win state titles four years in a row. It was the second straight year that Eagles Landing Christian defeated Athens Academy for the state title. The Chargers won last year’s meeting 41-3.

Eagles Landing Christian (13-1) trailed 10-0 at halftime, but two touchdowns in the first 4:03 of the third quarter gave them the lead for good. The Chargers scored 24 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to turn a close game in a rout. They finished with 490 yards of total offense.

Athens Academy finished its season with a 13-1 record.