GHSA STATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS NOTEBOOK: Young Bainbridge Bearcats in state title game

At one point in the 2018 season, Bainbridge was 2-4 and some had written off the young Bearcats in what was labeled as a rebuilding year.

The Bearcats opened Region 1-5A play with a 27-14 victory over Veterans before falling 38-0 to eventual region champion Warner Robins. However, Bainbridge hasn’t loss since and is riding a six-game winning streak. They will meet the last team to beat them — Warner Robins —in the Georgia High School Association Class 5A state championship game Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. at Mercedez-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Bainbridge has won a pair of thrillers the past two weeks, toppling mighty Buford 23-20 in the quarterfinals before squeaking by Stockbridge 20-19 last week.

While Warner Robins quarterback Dylan Fromm, the younger brother of Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm, draws most of the headlines, it was the Demon defense that helped Warner Robins thump Bainbridge in their previous meeting this year. The Bearcats were held to just 79 yards of total offense.

Fromm has thrown for 3,727 yards and 40 touchdowns this season. Bainbridge is led by Tennessee commit Roman Harrison, who has 89 tackles and 8.5 sacks.

Running back Caleb McDowell has six postseason touchdowns for the Bearcats who are searching for their first state title since 1982. Warner Robins has four state titles all-time but hasn’t won one since 2004. They finished as the state runner-up last year to Rome.

RECORD-SETTING KICKER: During Colquitt County’s back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015, kicker Luis “Baby Lu” Martinez helped kick the Packers to championships with a strong leg and undeniable accuracy. But Martinez may have to take a back seat in Packer football lore after Ryan Fitzgerald’s 37-yard field goal in overtime to help Colquitt County defeat Archer 22-21 on Nov. 30 and make it back to the Class 7A state championship game.

Colquitt County (14-0) will meet Milton (12-2) at 8 p.m. Wednesday night for the Class 7A title. Colquitt has won 36 playoff games over the past 10 seasons and are in the title game for the fourth time in the past five seasons. They finished as the state runner-up to North Gwinnett in 2017, falling on a last-second field goal.

Fitzgerald, who became the state’s all-time leader for field goals in a career with his five against Archer, is just glad he made the kick.

“I’m just glad we won,” Fitzgerald told the Moultrie Observer. “Winning the game, as a team it felt great. I have the best snapper in the state and the best holder in the state, so it makes my job real easy.”

IRWIN MEETS CLINCH AGAIN: The Class 1A Public School state championship game will feature a rematch of the 2017 game where Clinch defeated Irwin County 21-12 to win the school’s seventh state title.

Unbeaten Irwin County (13-0) defeated Clinch County 21-3 in a critical Region 2-1A game earlier this season, the Panthers’ only loss of the season.

The two teams, who compete in Region 2, are playing for the fourth time in the past 15 months.

The Class 1A Public championship is the first of four title games to be played on Tuesday. Kickoff is at 10 a.m.

QUICK HITS: Cartersville’s senior class has won 55 games over the last four years with their only loss coming in the second round of the 2017 Class 4A playoffs, a 21-17 setback to eventual state champion Blessed Trinity. The two teams meet for the Class 4A title. … Cedar Grove, who will meet Peach County in the Class 3A final, has posted six shutouts in its current 10-game winning streak. … The Class 2A championship is between Heard County and Rockmart, who met during the regular season. Rockmart scored a 33-0 victory in a game that was called at halftime due to lightning. … Eagles Landing Christian is seeking its fourth straight Class 1A Private School state title when they meet Athens Academy in a rematch of last year’s title game that ELCA won 41-3.