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DEL.ICIO.USBest Dome performances
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Plenty of thrills and memories have been since the state high school football playoffs began play at the Georgia Dome in 1994. But some stand out more than others. Recall your favorite all-time Georgia Dome performance? Here are ours:
1. 2005: Running back Adam Urbano made up for what he considered a sub-par quarterfinal by scoring four touchdowns in Calhoun’s 42-20 Class AA semifinal victory over Grady. His runs of 72, 4 and 37 yards, in addition to a 24-yard TD reception, led the eventual runner-up Yellow Jackets to their first final since winning the Class C title in 1952.
2. 2002: In a 35-34 thriller that Thomas County Central coach Ed Pilcher afterward described as a heavyweight fight, Moses Cochran’s third touchdown run and second 2-point conversion lifted the Yellow Jackets to a 35-34 victory in double overtime.
3. 2002: Parkview overcame two fumbles, had three penalties on the offensive line and an interception in the game’s first 15 minutes to blank East Coweta 24-0 and tie Lincoln County’s then-record 44 consecutive victories. The Panthers’ record 45th the next week against Brookwood secured their third straight Class AAAAA championship.
4. 1998: En route to running their state record of championships to 23, Valdosta used three touchdowns of 40 or more yards to upend powerful Brookwood 37-7. The Wildcats also limited the Broncos to minus-13 yards rushing.
5. 2004: Buford’s 82-yard drive in the 11th hour beat Dublin 28-24 and made it the first team to win five Georgia Dome semifinals. The win also made Buford the first team in the 60-year history of GHSA playoffs to qualify for five straight championship games. Charlton County, however, squelched the Wolves’ bid for a fourth consecutive championship the following weekend.
6. 2005: Ronnye Nelson rushed for 95 yards and a season-high three touchdowns, while completing eight passes for 143 yards, as Dougherty beat Shaw 30-14. Dougherty coach Carror Wright, who had vowed never to set foot in the Georgia Dome until he was coaching a team there, was so stirred by the win that he immediately made plans to return two weeks later for the Falcons’ game against New Orleans.
7. 2003: Lincoln County quarterback Travis Clark was sure he’d lost the game for Lincoln County when he barely stepped out of the back of the end zone while rolling out to pass and gave Trion a safety and 24-22 lead in the fourth quarter. He bounced back to throw a 17-yard touchdown to Steven Brown with 25 seconds left in the game, redeeming himself as the darling of Lincoln’s 28-24 win against Trion.
8. 2001: Twins Matt and Drew Robinson provided the 1-2 punch in Cedartown’s 41-16 Class AAA win over Fitzgerald. Not only did Drew score on two touchdown runs and a 77-yard fumble return, but Matt ran back an interception 33 yards for another score.
9. 1995: Tory Bell’s 28-yard field goal in overtime gave Cedar Shoals a 27-24 Class AAA victory over Crisp County, capping a comeback from a 14-point deficit.
10. 1999: Oconee County’s Tyson Browning ran 83 yards for the winning TD against Cairo, but did not - repeat, did not - watch himself on the Dome’s replay screen. The tiny 5-foot-9, 160-pound back had been told by his coach to play as though at home, where no replay screen would have been. What marvelous restraint for Browning, whose 199 yards helped Oconee complete its only undefeated season and state championship?
Permalink | Comments (35) | Post your comment | Categories: Take Ten
Comments
By Jason
December 5, 2006 12:17 PM | Link to this
Alton Sanders of Warner Robins running all over Ware County in 2004.
By Ponce
December 5, 2006 12:36 PM | Link to this
Michael Vick giving the finger to the boobirds two weeks ago. Support your team Atlanta.
By Brian
December 5, 2006 12:52 PM | Link to this
Thomas County Central over Marist back in 1996. They had 2 great games that season in the Dome if I recall correctly—both decided by 1 point.
By skimbo
December 5, 2006 01:48 PM | Link to this
lowndes def. northside warner robins 31-28 by putting up 28 unanswered in the 2nd half. including a blocked field goal returnded for a touchdown.
By Johnson
December 5, 2006 02:08 PM | Link to this
how abour brookwood coming back against Camden County High school in 2002. We scored a touchdown with 12 seconds left to grab the win. Tell this day all Camden county fans feel as if we stole soemthin from them.
By Sherrod
December 5, 2006 02:17 PM | Link to this
an observation: ok, so i stayed for most of the shaw-dougherty game after my beloved peach trounced lagrange. nelson was a very good player and had a nice game but i also recall the refs not calling him down on a ridiculous touchdown run, which was immediately shown on instant replay….but he still had a good game.
a question: first of all, never had an affinity for them and i probably won’t unless they play someone out of state but since buford was so dominant with d.walker, did he not have a game (in the dome) that would have qualified to make this list? just a question……
By west
December 5, 2006 03:54 PM | Link to this
In 1997,Crawford County losses to Irwin County 7-6 because of a missed extra point in the GA Dome.
By FAN
December 5, 2006 04:04 PM | Link to this
Where is the schedule for the games located?
By Mike T.
December 5, 2006 04:47 PM | Link to this
It wasn’t the playoffs however in 1996 at the Corky Kell Classic, Thomas County Central trailed Marist by 1 point at the end of regulation,TCC went for the win instead of the tie and OT, as expect by every one in the stadium future Georgia Tech Yellowjacket and Buffalo Bill, Joe Burns got the ball on a sweep,however nobody expected him to throw the ball to Alphonso McKibbons in the back of the end zone to go up by one and for the victory.
By DHS Alum
December 5, 2006 04:50 PM | Link to this
The Valdosta/SW Dekalb game the year that Quincy Carter was a junior at SWD was one of the best HS games that I have seen. If memory serves there were over 20 players on that field that eventually signed D-1 college scholarships.
By John
December 5, 2006 04:54 PM | Link to this
Mike—- that was the playoffs. And how it didn’t make the ajc’s top ten is beyond me. Has to be #1 and I hate Marist and care nothing for TCC. Outstanding!
By Marist Grad
December 5, 2006 05:07 PM | Link to this
In 1996 Marist played TCC in the Corky Kell Kickoff Classic losing by one on penetration on the last play of the game. Final 29-28. Then they lost on Joe Burns’ 2 pt pass with under a minute left. Final 32-31. The paper called them both two of the best football games ever played in Georgia.
By jay
December 5, 2006 06:45 PM | Link to this
Lincoln County using the entire 1st qtr to drive the length of the field against Commerce, then failing to score due to a fumble inside the 10 yard line.
By Football Truth
December 5, 2006 11:16 PM | Link to this
I agree with the Marist and TCC games in 96. I was there for both of them…incredible games.
By jrv1point5
December 6, 2006 12:02 AM | Link to this
Maybe not the best game, but my vote for best play is Dee andrew’s one handed , full extension catch for Tift Co. to beat Brookwood in 1997…I believe the pic fronted the AJC’s sports section…
By bulldog_greg24
December 6, 2006 12:15 AM | Link to this
None better than Alton Sanders of Warner Robins in 2004. He ripped everyone in the playoffs. Where is he know? He enrolled at Middle Tenn State, but is not listed on the current roster?
By jsleazy
December 6, 2006 01:03 AM | Link to this
Dude you must not even be from Georgia. How could you leave the 94 SWDekalb/Valdosta semifinal off this list? The 02 Parkview/E.Coweta game was some bull if you were really there. The 03 Tucker/Statesboro game should have took its place on this mediocre list.
By JM
December 6, 2006 07:12 AM | Link to this
alton sanders fluncked out of MTSU
By Mike in Woodstock
December 6, 2006 07:19 AM | Link to this
“I could throw a pigskin a mile back in ‘82.”
By dd
December 6, 2006 07:29 AM | Link to this
1997—-
Defending AAAA state champ, Brookwood, riding a 26 game winning streak, has it snapped by Tift Co.
21-14 was the score as the Devils held the Broncos to 150 rush yards, HALF of what they were rolling up for the season on an average!
Worth Bowers threw for about 250 yards and had three long TD passes…
By James Kidd
December 6, 2006 08:40 AM | Link to this
How about Commerce running back and Georgia’s all-time leading rusher Monte Williams against Lincoln County in the 2000 Class A semifinals. After being contained for most of ther game, the senior took over in the fourth quarter He scored two touchdowns (28 and 50 yards) and extinguished a 14-3 deficit to beat the Red Devils. It was one of the darndest things ever seen. Link: http://onlineathens.com/stories/121000/spo_1210000051.shtml
By Jake Placebo
December 6, 2006 08:43 AM | Link to this
How about Commerce tailback and Georgia’s all-time leading rusher Monte Williams against Lincoln County in the 2000 Class A semifinals? After being contained for most of the game, Williams scored on runs of 28 and 50 yards in the fourth quarter to extinguish a 14-3 deficit against the Red Devils. It was one of the darndest things I ever saw in that glorified igloo in Atlanta. http://onlineathens.com/stories/121000/spo_1210000051.shtml
By Jake Placebo
December 6, 2006 08:44 AM | Link to this
How about Commerce tailback and Georgia’s all-time leading rusher Monte Williams against Lincoln County in the 2000 Class A semifinals? After being contained for most of the game, Williams scored on runs of 28 and 50 yards in the fourth quarter to extinguish a 14-3 deficit against the Red Devils. It was one of the darndest things I ever saw in that glorified igloo in Atlanta.
By Allen
December 6, 2006 08:45 AM | Link to this
How about Chansi Stuckey (remember him, the 2001 GA State player of the year and one of the highest recruited athletes in the country) and his Northside team of 2001 in the Dome against Collins Hill. Remember the sack he broke away from 20 yards out and ended up scoring a touchdown on Collins Hill. One of the best individual efforts I ever saw.
By BBFan
December 6, 2006 09:16 AM | Link to this
Parkview 2002? What about Brookwood’s win over Camden in that same year?
By Steve Davis
December 6, 2006 10:48 AM | Link to this
The Greatest Dome Event in History was Quincy Carter and SW Dekalb Beating Valdosta in the Dome. What a game by both teams. By far the greatest single game that I have witnessed in the Dome.
By carlton Doles
December 6, 2006 11:06 AM | Link to this
All I have to say is Charlton County Idians. You guys still fail to give the their praise. They have had some of the greatest performances in the Ga Dome in its history of highschool football. Last years running by Lemuel Walker was simply amazing. Lets not for get they beat buford this past weekend in which the AJC and others said they would lose badly. Give those guys their praise alright. I believe they can beat any team in the staate regardless of classification. Remember they beat Camden at the beginning of the season in a classic rilvary game
By Goober
December 6, 2006 12:17 PM | Link to this
Steve Davis you are right and wrong. THE greatest high school game ever, Dome or no, was Valdosta’s 40-37 win over SW Dekalb in the ‘94 semis. Valdosta won, not Dekalb. This game had everything — long plays, turnovers, several lead changes. And drama all the way to the very end, when Valdosta, trailing 37-35, downed a punt deep inside the five after it bounced first on the SWD 35 and then kept rolling and bouncing on the Dome floor carpet(the one Valdosta coach Nick Hyder, an outspoken Dome opponent, said would have died in the mud where it hit if the game had been played outdoors). Then Valdosta got a safety on Quincy Carter to tie it up at 37-all, and after the free kick, Valdosta had a short drive and kicked a field goal with a few seconds left to win it.
Valdosta really had no business even being on the field with SWD that year, as Buck Godfrey’s Panthers sent 22(!) players to Div. 1 or 1-AA colleges that year — probably a national record. (Only problem was, he had all of them on offense!) Valdosta left it all on the field, as the Wildcats had nothing left the next week in Moultrie in the state title when they lost to a great Colquitt County team coached by Jin Hughes.
This game was an absolute epic battle, and if you polled the unbiased observers like media and sportswriters who saw it, this one will be at the top of the list of all the greatest games ever in the Dome or in GA.
The AJC ought to do a poll among fans, even though there would be bias, for the top ten greatest games they ever saw — in the Dome for one list, and non-Dome for another — since the Dome games are attended by more unbiased fans not connected to any one team.
Valdosta 40, SW Dekalb 37. 1994, Georgia Dome. The greatest high school football game ever played in Georgia.
Greatest comeback in the Dome was definitely Lowndes’ 31-28 win over Northside Warner Robins in ‘99.
By Valdosta High c/o 95
December 6, 2006 12:52 PM | Link to this
Thank you Goober, the best game ever was the SW Dekalb VS Valdosta High game.. Despite Bucky’s great “22” signed D-1 kids, all of them were not on offense/// Like most of Atlanta High School teams they were not use to getting popped in the chops like that!! A bunch of pretty boys that ran 4.3 and 4.2’s, if it weren’t for the kickoffs we would have destroyed/killed SW Dekalb that year, we did not win state, but we did have a nice National Champ ring to fall back on ‘92, … Hyder, Blazemore, they don’t have coaching like that anymore… Valdosta should be on every list there is regarding High school football, simply the best team in the state, Despite the new coach????
By Dacula
December 6, 2006 12:59 PM | Link to this
Valdosta = usetocould
By Valdosta High c/o 95
December 6, 2006 01:47 PM | Link to this
Dacula= great punch lines
By wh
December 6, 2006 02:34 PM | Link to this
How about the 1999 game when John R “Gunny” Smith passed for 388 yards and 4 TD passes and had 12 carries for 148 yds and 2 TDs.
He also returned a punt for a TD (58 yds) and intercepted 2 passes on defense. He also kicked a 38 yd FG.
What a performance!
By steve davis
December 7, 2006 07:34 AM | Link to this
Thanks for the correction. I do remember the Valdosta comeback. I was and am a Valdosta fan. Even though I live in N Ga near the Tn line in Chattanooga. I was in the Navy and used to travel up on Friday nights from Jax Fl to see Valdosta and Nick Hyder when they where in the National Championship picture. Wonderful Friday night memories. Quincy Carter had a wonderful game and the wide receiver who complimented him. The SW Dekalb band also rocked that day. Awesome game. I am now 41 and my mind comes and goes thanks for the facts. It was the Greatest HS Game I have witnessed.
By kriddi
December 7, 2006 01:52 PM | Link to this
what about peach county destroying spaulding in 2003. in particular, tony wright’s long touchdown run! must have been 70 yards, right up the middle, through the whole spaulding defense. wright ended up on the next seasons super 11!
By mhs
December 10, 2006 09:53 PM | Link to this
how about marist v. TCC 2003. MArist finally breaks the S. Georiga Curse with an outstanding performance capped off by byran bennetts recovery on a kickoff fumble and chris ashkoti’s pick 6 which is played on the interlude to GHSA games