AJC > Sports > Highschools > Blog > Archives > 2007 > November > 20 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USThe All-Time biggest underdogs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Perusing the brackets, it occurred to those of us at Take Ten that at least one of the teams still sitting out there will become the proverbial Cinderella of 2007.
And while we’re terrible at looking into the future (We would have bet the house that Notre Dame was a shoo-in for the national title this year), we’re all about looking into the past and judging what happened.
That led us to wonder, who were the least likely state champions of all time? There’s almost always at least one team at the Dome nobody saw coming, but how many of those teams can take it all the way?
This is the list of the ones nobody expected, especially us.
10. Morrow, 1987 The Mustangs came into the playoffs ranked No. 5 behind four undefeated teams — Valdosta, McEachern, Evans and Effingham County. They went on the road to take down McEachern in the second round, and then fortune turned toward Morrow in the quarters. That’s where Evans was eliminated by forfeit when its quarterback was caught with a radio in his helmet and an excellent Valdosta team was upset by Carver-Columbus. That left only Effingham, who Morrow took out 21-0 for the title.
9. Marietta, 1967 It’s Cobb County’s only state champion ever, and it probably shouldn’t have happened. This looked like a great team through much of the season but appeared to be splintering a bit down the stretch, losing its final two regular-season games, including a 17-14 loss to Rossville that would have kept the Blue Devils out of the playoffs if the region tie had been broken by head-to-head result as it is today instead of playing a region final. Winning that second game against Rossville got Marietta into the playoffs, and the Blue Devils eventually beat undefeated Columbus 14-7 in the state final.
8. Peachtree Ridge, 2006 The Lions got out of the gates slow (they were 4-3 on Oct. 13) and were unranked when postseason play began. But they got hot on the road in the playoffs, racking up a series of close victories against Wheeler (17-3), Campbell (16-14), Stephenson (12-9), Warner Robins (13-7) and then the infamous 14-14 tie against Roswell in the final that split the title.
7. Lowndes, 1999 This team didn’t look much like a state title squad when it started 3-3 and wasn’t looking much better when the playoffs started. The Vikings weren’t even listed in the AJC’s top 15 poll at the start of the postseason, yet they won at Lovejoy before squeaking by undefeated Southwest DeKalb 28-27 and undefeated Northside-Warner Robins 31-28, then took down a third straight undefeated team Brunswick, 17-0 in the state final.
6. Griffin, 1978 Griffin wasn’t a bad team. As the playoffs started, the Journal had the Bears No. 5 in the state and, by the time they got to the final, they had won 11 in a row since a 1-2 start to the season. But nobody was supposed to beat Valdosta. No opponent had scored more than seven points all year against the Wildcats, and they looked poised to win their first title since 1971. But a tough Griffin defense held Valdosta to a season-low seven points while the offense got the one touchdown it needed to forge a tie and a split title.
5. Westminster, 1971 This is another team that stumbled coming out of the blocks, starting 3-3-1. But a solid run in the region got the Wildcats to the Region Final against Marist, where a 16-7 victory got them into the playoffs. Once there, they had to beat the No. 3 and No. 5 team before shutting out undefeated No. 2 North Fulton 13-0 to take home the school’s first state championship.
4. Athens, 1969 It’s another one that revolves around Valdosta. There wasn’t anything wrong with this Athens team, which entered the final against Valdosta 11-1, but the Wildcats looked unbeatable. They had shut out 11 of their first 12 opponents, giving up just seven points all season. Valdosta was riding a 26-game winning streak and was expected to cruise to its second consecutive title and fifth of the decade. But somehow, the Trojans inexplicably scored 26 points to tie Valdosta in the final game the school ever played.
3. Thomas County Central, 1992 The AJC never ranked the Yellow Jackets once until the one poll that mattered — the final one. They started 1-5 and basically fell off everyone’s radar even as they somehow found their way into the playoffs at 5-5. By that time, they had won four in a row and were rolling. They won their first two playoff games easily before surprising undefeated No. 1 Stephens County 20-14 in the semis and then holding off a late rally by undefeated No. 2 Peach County to win 14-13 and start a run of five state titles in six years.
2. West Rome, 1965 The Chiefs started the season 0-3-1 and extended that to 3-5-1 but made the postseason partly because two of those five losses came against teams from Tennessee. Once St. Pius took out No. 1 Thomasville in the semifinals, it looked like the Golden Lions would win their first state title, but West Rome had suddenly found a defense. After surrendering 20 or more points four times during the season, the Chiefs gave up just 14 total points over their final four games, including a 6-0 shutout of St. Pius to win the title.
1. Douglass-Montezuma 1981 This is the king of the Out-of-Nowhere champs. While they existed, the Hornets were one of the worst programs in the state. In 30 years of play, they won six games only three times, including the amazing 1981 season. When they started 1-2, it didn’t raise any eyebrows, but then they started winning. And winning. They won eight in a row before taking down undefeated No. 3 Emanuel County Institute by penetration in the semifinals, then beating Palmetto 20-0 in the final. The Hornets went 0-10 the next year and never again won more than three games in a season before the program dissolved in 1995.
Go on. Take Ten. What deserving out-of-the-blue champ did we forget? What do you remember about the ones we did include? Did any of these unexpected title teams break your heart? Let us know all about it.
Permalink | Comments (70) | Post your comment | Categories: Football, Take Ten
Comments
By bbcsickdawg
November 20, 2007 11:06 AM | Link to this
the gainesville team we all played on was close. we lost the first four games because of injuries, won the rest including 35 to 0 over chattoga for the north ga. championship. st pius beat us 6 to 0 on a rain soaked field.
By yo
November 20, 2007 11:14 AM | Link to this
Actually the Lowndes 1999 team took down, not 3, but 5 straight undefeated teams in the playoffs.
28 Benedictine 8 24 Lovejoy 0 28 Southwest Dekalb 27 31 Northside Warner Robins 28 17 Brunswick 0
I’d be curious to know if anybody ever has pulled off that feat in Ga.
By Jim
November 20, 2007 11:19 AM | Link to this
You missed Richmond Academy’s 1956 team led by Pat Dye. Lost twice during the regular season and was tied 0-0 by Boys Catholic High (small, private school) on Thanskgiving Day. They upset Lanier for the South Georgia and then upset Atlanta’s Northside High (led by Stan Gann and Ed Nutting and a team some called one of the greatest ever in the state) for the state championship. Even more surprising was that Richmond was using their third-string quarterback and he was playing with a broken finger.
By Patriot4Ever
November 20, 2007 11:23 AM | Link to this
Greenville 1980 Won the Class A State Championship after having a Varsity team for only 3 years, and only having a football program for 5.
By Black Panther
November 20, 2007 11:48 AM | Link to this
That Lowndes 99 team was a farce. They cheated SWD that year. SWD scored with about a minute left in the game only to have the TD nullified because of an extremely late penalty. The play had broken into open space and then a flag was dropped for illegal motion right before the runner crossed the goalline. There was not even motion on the play!! Even if there was a penalty, everyone that knows anything about football knows that illegal motion penalties are usually penalized right after the ball is snapped and not way down the field after it becomes evident that the runner is about to score! Just another example of a black coach being cheated for the sake of a white coach winning. It happens all the time!
By steve
November 20, 2007 12:03 PM | Link to this
Hey yo…actually Benedictine was 8-2 but you’re correct about the last four teams. Lovejoy was 11-0; SW Dekalb was 12-0; Northside was 13-0; and Brunswick was 14-0. The combined record of Lowndes playoffs opponents that year was 58-2.
It’s like I preach all the time…anybody can get hot in the playoffs and make a run. The only time you need to go undefeated is during the playoffs, so that means the ONLY poll that matters in high school football is the very last one.
Good luck to all this year’s playoff teams!
By Andre
November 20, 2007 12:16 PM | Link to this
Black Panther, I’m a Douglass fan, even though we really hate SWD, we do show support for each other when we’re in the playoffs. Now I was at Memorial that night. And after that ref dropped that flag. I wanted to tear the stadium in half. Trust me, we see the same problems all the time. But Douglass plays Lowndes this weekend and I hope we down there and win and dance and celebrate on their field.
By At the Game
November 20, 2007 12:28 PM | Link to this
Black Panther is nuts!! I was at that game. The left tackle raised up and then went back into his stance just before the ball was snapped. The line judge on that side immediately raised his arm in the air but fumbled his whistle while reaching for the flag. Yes - the flag was thrown after the runner broke into space but that doesn’t mean the penalty didn’t happen. If you were listening you would have heard the entire Lowndes side scream when the offsides occurred. While unfortunate for the SWD team (who was very good that year), the ref made the right call. You know, most folks would want to win something outright instead of getting “help” from the ref. Did you want the ref to cheat and not call the correct penalty? Ask the left tackle!! He knows he moved.
By At the Game
November 20, 2007 12:35 PM | Link to this
Black Panther: Do you need to be reminded that Lowndes was the Visiting Team, coming into hostile territory and the underdog? Claiming that Lowndes cheated (and by the way, the refs made the call, not Lowndes) as the visiting team in hostile territory and the underdog is like calling an Unnecessary Roughness penalty against a QB. Come on man!! Stop whining!! I guess the other two championships in the last decade weren’t legit either, huh? I guess Quincy Carter didn’t do drugs either, huh?
By Football Fan
November 20, 2007 12:56 PM | Link to this
I was at that infamous Southwest Dekalb , Lowndes County game on that particular night. I’m from Gwinett county and don’t have ties to any school but I will say this. The officiating crew was from South Georgia , and not allowed to officiate any more games for that postseason !!!
By John
November 20, 2007 12:57 PM | Link to this
I played on the 1965 West Rome team and I can tell you that was some ride. During summer camp that year we had so many guys sick or hurt that our final scrimmage was only half a line at a time. Paul Kennedy was head coach and Nick Hyder was an assistant. When we played St Pius at Grady stadium, I saw letter jackets from every school in Rome there. We easily had 6000 people there
By Shamrock Lover
November 20, 2007 1:24 PM | Link to this
How about the 2006 Dublin High AA State Champions??? That was a rockin’ and rollin’ bunch that no one expected to pull it out. But, it was skill - no luck of the Irish involved. Not since the days of Keith Hammond running wild in the Shamrock Bowl have I seen a group of fellas play with such heart!
By 0206
November 20, 2007 1:34 PM | Link to this
Westminster 1996
barely got into the playoffs with some dreadful record (just over .500) promptly rolled over three straight ranked teams on the road, Hart County 6-3, Villa Rica 12-9, and finally #2 Dacula 38-17 to make it to the Dome.
By BC TIGER
November 20, 2007 1:40 PM | Link to this
I usually don’t vent. But I was a senior at Redan in 99’ I watched the game on Media One, now Comcast, and watched how SWD was cheated out of the touchdown. Still today, people talk about how SWD was cheated out a state championship. I remember the play like it was yesterday. Although SWD, motion’s nine times out of ten in its offense, the call allegedly was that the wingback moved before the ball was snaped. That flag should have been thrown before the play happened. It’s a pre-snap penalty. Mr. At the Game. If a tackle moves before the snap-that’s a fals start- Illegal motion is when a player (WR, TE, RB) is in motion but never resets (Stops) before the snap. Nobody moved on that play, the South Georgia Officials were wrong as two left shoes on that play and the entire game. I played that team, and there was no question that SWD was the better team that year. Not making excuses for them, but the refs took that one away from them. Period, Point, Blank.
By Kneejerk
November 20, 2007 1:41 PM | Link to this
That Dublin bunch was not an Underdog. They had a tremendous team with a scared coach. They are state Co-champions
By Dark Horse
November 20, 2007 1:46 PM | Link to this
How about Brookwood-Valdosta 1996? Nobody gave Bwood a chance…and they dominated.
By War Eagle
November 20, 2007 2:12 PM | Link to this
Carrollton High School has never pulled any upsets because they have had winning and state championship teams for 50 years, plus 32 State Track titles during this era.They are usually the favorite… West Rome`s come back was unreal. they played some real good teams down the stretch.Although they beat Westminister third game of year, it will be tough for the Trojans Friday night.
By Black Panther
November 20, 2007 2:41 PM | Link to this
At the game: You are a complete LIAR! Just as BC Tiger stated, the call was illegal motion, not false start. And I don’t care if the Lowndes coaches were having babies on the sideline, refs should not pay attention to the sideline, just the game. You probably weren’t even at the game; you just made that up to cover up the racism that exists in Georgia athletics. It is a WELL KNOWN fact that it exists. That SWD team was one of the greatest collection of kids ever assembled and were cheated because they were black. They would have went on the win the state and have a 15-0 record. And your Quincy Carter comment was very inappropriate. You would bring that up, but how about the fact that SWD is an academic school of excellence that has sent over 88 percent of their atheletes to college. Too bad the same can’t be said for the Lowndes county school system that has one of the highest dropout rates in the state. It seems once the good ol rednecks use up the black athletes for football, they don’t seem to care about them graduating and pursuing a career. Instead they are relegated to farming and construction jobs in South Ga. Just another way to keep young blacks from advancing in life. And yes Quincy Carter(who is a good friend of mine) did test positive for marijuana, but he also got a chance to go to college and is currently financially set. That is more than I can say for a racist- inbred loser like you.
By plowboy74
November 20, 2007 2:46 PM | Link to this
I have a tape of the 99’ game between SWD & Lowndes. I dusted it off, played it and guess what the left tackle for SWD did in fact move. Some say the call was on the wingback. I don’t if the call was on the wingback or not, but what I do know for a fact is that the left tackle #75 did move. Lowndes won so get over it.
By DecaturDog
November 20, 2007 2:54 PM | Link to this
Go Carrollton Trojans….You can do it against Westminster one more time…
By yo
November 20, 2007 2:57 PM | Link to this
Sorry Steve…trying to recall from memory…it lets me down sometimes.
By Mr Football
November 20, 2007 3:01 PM | Link to this
Old friends gettin together….it kinda brings a tear to the eye.
By yo
November 20, 2007 3:07 PM | Link to this
It is always hilarious to me when obviously racist people call other people racist. Racism comes in more than one color apparently. * Quincy Carter(who is a good friend of mine) did test positive for marijuana, but he also got a chance to go to college and is currently financially set* Maybe we need to learn from Quincy Carter and quit blaming all of lifes set backs on racism. At least your good friend learned his lesson. This is about like the Bishop Earl Paulk calling a prostitute a sinner.
By plowboy74
November 20, 2007 3:12 PM | Link to this
Oh by the way #32 moved also, it was just a slight movement of the hands. Now I don’t pretend to know all the rules, but once a player gets down in his stance he can not move as long as another player is in motion. For those of you don’t believe that then I suggest that you watch a tape of the play. Lowndes won, and that’s all I have to say.
By yo
November 20, 2007 3:16 PM | Link to this
Seems every body hated losing to Lowndes in 1999. If you only knew how much sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeter that makes victory taste. Lowndes High Vikings 1999 AAAA State Football Champs. You don’t have to like it, but its still a fact. Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!!!! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!! Tasting Fine!!!!!!!
By Derrick Mahone
November 20, 2007 3:22 PM | Link to this
Covered that SWD/Lowndes game. SWD was definitely the better of the teams and it had been building for weeks for a SWD vs. Northside-WR showdown in the Dome. If that had happened, it probably would have been one of the biggest semifinals game as far as fans. Never saw a replay, but heard it was the left wideout that moved before the play to get off the line. However, it never should have come down to the last play, but SWD made a few offensive mistakes that kept Lowndes in the game. Sat in the stands the next week with a friend from Warner Robins, and the Northside fans were highly upset after Lowndes comeback win. Got to say that Lowndes played to the end in both games and they were both classics in my opinion.
By Martha Sanders
November 20, 2007 3:31 PM | Link to this
You are so correct. I attended D.F. Douglas High School during that year. I was a cheerleader and I can still remember it like it was yesterday. The Coach was name Garfield Stephens and it was one of the best, memoriable experiences to ever come to such a small town that people still today have not heard of. My pick for this year AAAAA is Frederick Douglass High School/Atlanta, Georgia where my son Richard attends and is a part of the Mighty Astros Varsity Football Team. Go Astros!!!!
By TCC 1992
November 20, 2007 3:47 PM | Link to this
Amazing year for TCC. When they beat Stephens that year they were in double over time 6 seconds on the clock on their own 20 yard line. TCC qb dropped back threw a hale marry to the receiver and he caught it and took it 80 yards to the house. That year it was just TCC’s year. They just beleived and never gave up. Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets has one of the best programs in the state of GA.
By LK
November 20, 2007 4:16 PM | Link to this
I wasn’t at the game, and I know refs blow calls all the time. But the fact remains, if you let an inferior team hang around, you shouldn’t complain when you get beat. You know who complains about the refs? Losers. Does racism exist in Georgia athletics? Of course. Did the refs blow that call? I dunno, and it doesn’t matter. SWD may have been better, but that night, they lost, and that’s why you play the games.
By TCC Grad 1994
November 20, 2007 4:49 PM | Link to this
Sho yo right TCC. I was there also in the freezing cold. You fell to mention that the QB was the backup. Great game!!
By Remember Ware County
November 20, 2007 5:04 PM | Link to this
In 1976 under new coach Bruce Bennett, Ware County finished the regular season 8-2 for their first winning record in forever. They traveled to Douglas to face unbeaten Coffee County, who had given the Gators one of their losses.
Without a prayer of winning against the Trojans, quarterbacked by future major league baseball star Greg Walker, Ware County fought back from 20-7 to take a 21-20 lead. The Gator fans chanted, “Go clock, go!” And eventually time expired on the 1-point Ware County win.
It was one of the all-time great upsets in our neck of the woods.
By No Dawgs Here
November 20, 2007 5:08 PM | Link to this
No way! The 1989 Villa Rica Wildcats won AAA. Talk about a team from out of nowhere!
By rekkidbraka
November 20, 2007 5:10 PM | Link to this
I was a sophomore at Morrow when we won it all in ‘87. What a magical football season that was. Back then it was Morrow Sr. High and there were only sophomore, junior and senior classes so as an incoming new student at that time, being part of something that thrilling was truly incredible.
I’ve never forgotten former principal “Daddy Dal” Turner leading us each week in the “Two Bits” cheer at our pep rallies before the Mustang Band started pounding out the drum beats for our middle-of-the-gym-floor rally throwdown dance, The Horse (oh yeah, Morrow invented moshing and the mosh pit - heh), when the juniors and seniors went crazy. The tradition was that sophomores NEVER ran out of the gym stands to do The Horse.
Also, the basketball Lady Mustangs won back-to-back state titles during my junior and senior years (1989, 1990) and went on for the three-peat with the 1991 state championship. The whole three years I was at Morrow, not a year went by without us winning state in something.
Those were the days. And winning that ‘87 state championship? Totally awesome.
By Derrick
November 20, 2007 5:13 PM | Link to this
I’ll never forget the loss we suffered to Thomas Central. There was almost no way we could lose. Central had one play to get to our 1/2 yard line from their on 20. We only had 3 men deep. Their quarterback just threw the ball up for grabs to his right. The defender fell down and the rest is history! No way we should have lost, no way!
By No Dawgs Here
November 20, 2007 5:15 PM | Link to this
Sorry it was 1986, when Villa Rica won state
By NTH Trojans
November 20, 2007 5:22 PM | Link to this
Jeff,
I remember the ‘81 title game between Palmetto and Montezuma, I played on that Palmetto team as a sophomore, and the next two seasons after that also. When ECI lost, we thought that we would breeze right through. That game left a bad taste in our mouths and taught us a valuable lesson for the rest of our careers, it doesn’t matter who you play, you play every game with every thing you have, and leave it all on the field.
By exbear
November 20, 2007 6:21 PM | Link to this
What about burke county in 1997? They won their region then went to the playoffs and went through Houston County,Cairo(on their on feild trailing by 10 at halftime), Daughtery, Clarkston in the dome, and were only stopped by Thomas County Central (along Joe Burns) in the championship by 2 pts. The ajc even had headlines that read “State abuzz about unknowns from Burke County”.
By Ray Hathcock
November 20, 2007 7:35 PM | Link to this
What about Worth County, multiple State Titles in the middle and late 80’s. It appears they have risen again. Exploded during their last four games, sneaked into the playoffs and demolished Burke County last Friday night. They could go all the way in AAA.
By scott
November 20, 2007 8:31 PM | Link to this
dalton high school 1967 state champs!!!!!
By CHS "Real Trojans"
November 20, 2007 10:31 PM | Link to this
Hey, No Dawgs Here, Villa Rica was not only 1986 but it was in AAAA not AAA. Central of Carroll was AAA champs in 1986 and 1987. Which should also be mentioned here as improbable because they did with Carrollton’s best players after they transferred. That is the only two years Central has ever been good.
By GriffinMBABulldawg
November 20, 2007 10:42 PM | Link to this
If you worship at the alter of Valdosta Hype, then you may consider the 1978 Griffin Bear team as a “big” underdog. Griffin’s team featured Willie Gault and Freddie Gilbert both who went on to have NFL careers. How many future NFL players were on that Valdosta team? - NONE.
Gault, a wide receiver, went to Tennessee and played for the Chicago Bears and Oakland Raiders. He would have represented the USA in the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Unfortunately, the pathetic excuse of a President (Jimmy Carter) boycotted the event.
Gilbert was a junior on that team. He played at Georgia for 4 years including the 1980 National Championship. He played several years in the NFL as a defensive lineman.
Our running back was Ricky Williams who was the State Back of the year. He also played collegiately at Florida State.
Griffin did start 1-2 that year, but that was Coach Lloyd Bohannon’s first season with the Bears.
The official score was a 7-7 tie. What gets overlooked is Griffin kicker Wally Weatherbee’s field attempt that went high over the goal post and called no good. Many people say that was some Valdosta home cooking as the ball actually went just inside the goal post.
By GriffinMBABulldawg
November 20, 2007 11:27 PM | Link to this
The 1987 Morrow Mustangs were a surprise winner, but do they really rank as one of the “biggest underdogs”?
Griffin and Morrow were the Region 6-AAAA top dogs in 1987. The regular season game was an epic battle played at Tara Stadium on October 30. Griffin came in ranked #2 sporting a 7-0 record. Morrow was up 17-14 late in the 4th Quarter. Griffin QB Scottie McLaren had driven the Bears inside the Morrow 15. He threw a pass to an unnamed receiver who caught it and fumbled resulting in the Griffin loss. If he doesn’t fumble, worst case is we kick a field goal. Best case is we punch it in for a TD.
Had Griffin won that game, we would have had home field advantage in both rounds of the region playoffs. Instead, we had to play Morrow for the Region Championship again at Tara on the day after Thanksgiving. It was cold and wet. At this point, Morrow had momemtum and confidence. Morrow prevailed 23-7.
Morrow went to play the “mighty” McEachern Indians. The AJC was touting how tough McEachern was. They had all-state LB and Tennessee signee Keith Steed. There was also 6’4”, 250 lb defensive lineman (Georgia signee) Tommy Ingalsbe. They formed the foundation of the McEachern “Crunch Bunch” defense that boasted 5 shutouts on the year and a total of 58 points all season (13 games). McEachern was ranked #2 in the state. Well McEachern was a joke. It was easy for a moderately talented team like McEachern to beat weak Cobb and Douglas County teams. Tangling with teams from regions that play real football was a different story.
Morrow exposed McEachern that night by a score of 49-20. McEachern’s last two touchdowns came late after Morrow replaced its defense with the band. If McEachern had played in 6-AAAA, they would have been lucky to go 5-5. Sure losses would have come from Morrow, Griffin, LaGrange and Newnan. There would have been no playoffs for that over-rated bunch.
The next week, Morrow beat an athletic, but undisciplined SW DeKalb Panther team 14-7 at DeKalb Memorial.
That left the State Championship game at Tara in front of 15,000 against Effingham County. Morrow won 21-0.
Morrow cannot be faulted that Evans was disqualified and the “excellent” Valdosta team lost to Carver. If Valdosta had been so “excellent”, they would not have choked against an inferior Carver team.
Morrow’s QB, Jeff Howard, was the state AAAA Offensive Player of the Year. He signed with Georgia Tech. Their running back, Ray Doran, was a bruising runner. Morrow also had an explosive sophomore receiver, Andre Hastings, who played for the Georgia Bulldogs and spent some time in the NFL.
That was a very talented Morrow team with a veteran coach, Bud Theodocian. At times they had to overachieve, but I’m not sure they were a “big underdog”. Maybe the rankings were just faulty.
By texasbob
November 20, 2007 11:57 PM | Link to this
The Athens High upset of Valdosta in ‘69 is even bigger when you consider that VHS was looking for it 7th, not 5th as the article states, state title. Much of that ‘69 team was seasoned from the ‘68 state and national champs that beat Forest Park on the tundra of Grant Field. Turned out that Andy Johnson played the game of a lifetime in the tie with the Wildcats.
By 86 Lithonia '92 -'93
November 21, 2007 12:25 AM | Link to this
As a graduate and former player on the 1992 Lithonia squad that lost in the quarters at Marist 28-13 I can honestly say that the most surprising state champion of all time might just be the 1992 Thomas County Central team. We were on a roll going into the playoffs and failed to make adjustments in critical situations in that Marist game. We were extremely talented that year but Coach Chadwick showed us that coaching sometimes overrides talent. We finished 9-4 but to see TCC bring the title home with the string of upsets they put together was amazing. They finished 10-5 after a 1-5 start. Talk about adjustments. What a job of coaching that went on that season. Coach Ed Pilcher started something that year that lasted for the next six to seven years. I wish I could go back in time and play that Marist team again with a coach that would make adjustments.
By highschoolref
November 21, 2007 12:25 AM | Link to this
I didn’t see the SWD v. Lowndes game that has been talked about, and I am not from either Dekalb or south Georgia, so I don’t have a rooting interest. I am a GHSA Certified High School football official, and would like to address some of the issues brought up. My only interest is to defend the men (and women) who work as high school football officials.
If it was the tackle that moved, it is a false start, the play should be blown dead prior to the snap. The play should never have gotten off.
Again, I didn’t see the play, so I don’t know who, if anyone, moved, or when the official dropped the flag.
To be booked for the types of games that are being discussed here, you would almost definitely need to be a Certified official.
You need at least 5 years of experience and to pass 3 rules tests per year to achieve and maintain Certified status.
In games of this magnitude, the officials would more than likely have much more experience than that, and have been judged not only by their association, but by the state as well, as being superior officials.
In the last few years the GHSA has taken control over assigning which officials associations work which schools, so there is no longer the appearance of favoring one school over another to try to get or maintain their contract for the next season.
That being said, even the most senior officials can make mistakes. The whistle could fall out of your mouth, or you could have difficulty pulling the flag from your pocket or belt. So it may have appeared to be a delayed call when the intention was there all along to call the foul.
It may not have been pretty, but my assumption is that the right call was made. Just look at last Sunday’s NFL game between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Two officials standing 20 ft from each other, and about 10 ft from the ball couldn’t agree on the right call. They discussed it and got the call right.
It wasn’t pretty, but it was correct.
Officiating, at any level, is hard work. At any one time, half the stadium is going to disagree with you.
For those who say the officials cheat, or are not doing a good job, there are plenty of openings in every association. Come on out next April when spring games start. Then join us again in July when we start training on Monday nights.
Use your vacation time to get off work early on a Wednesday or Thursday afternoon, use your own money to buy gas and dinner to do a subvarsity game.
Use up more vacation time to leave work at 2:30 or 3:00 in the afternoon to navigate Atlanta traffic so you can get to the game site at 5:45 for a 7:30 kickoff. Buy your own gas, your own dinner, and water/gatorade.
Then spend the next 3 hours listening to coaches, players and fans belittle the work you do and the sacrifices you’ve made.
When you factor in the time and expenses that go in to being a high school football official, most people barely break even.
No one would do it for free, but no one becomes a high school official for the money.
We do it because we love the game. Not one team over another. It has nothing to do with the color of the players.
You can criticize the officials when you think they made a bad call. It does happen sometimes. Less often than you would care to admit, I wold bet.
But when you say that officials make a certain call in order to hurt one team because of the color of their skin, you just don’t know what you are talking about.
By Steve
November 21, 2007 12:36 AM | Link to this
Boy these conversations sure do stir up some emotions. How did a conversation about upsets turn into one about racism. Every chance possible lets talk about racism and it will never die. Is that the tactict?
By cwhitfield@ajc.com
November 21, 2007 1:23 AM | Link to this
I remember that Morrow run back in the 80s most of all for the Evans-Effingham County game that year. One of the quotes in the Savannah paper the following morning was from an Effingham linebacker who said that it was like Evans knew exactly what we were doing on each play. Then it came out that the Evans quarterback (who was the Evans’ coach’s son) had a radio transmitter in his helmet and they were changing plays at the line of scrimmage. Probably the most hilarious thing was the sports anchor for WTOC back then. He rigged up a football helmet and put a satellite dish on it (think Al Franken on SNL) and did an “interview” with “Cheater Coley Cassidy.” That was priceless.
By ATLBOY!!!
November 21, 2007 3:09 AM | Link to this
Please don’t forget the 2001 Troup Tigers that made it all the way to the Semi-Finals..
By warpath
November 21, 2007 6:55 AM | Link to this
In AA in 05 I recall Charlton having to go on the road the last 4 games leading up to the state championship game. I very well remember OLE Maxie from the AJC picked charlton to loose to Heard, Buford, Green Co. I remember he picked Calhoun to beat Charlton by 21 in the state championship game. Calhoun had beaten everyone they had faced that year by a large margin. They were so sure they would blow Charlton out that they had a TV crew from Rome to come and film the entire game. Charlton defeated Calhoun 27-21 for the state championship. A week later the TV crew called Coach Mac and asked him if he wanted a copy of the game because they weren’t selling to many copies in Calhoun. Never sell coach Mac nor Charlton short. They are the king of high school football winning big games “especially on the road”.
By SUSPECT
November 21, 2007 7:46 AM | Link to this
Could someone on this forum enlighten me on one thing! Through all the agreement and disagreement, what happen to the state football rankings for this week! If this is not a paper of question, how come when the two teams that everybody wants LOST and then no polls come out this week! People sitback and observe the obvious! There is only 1 team in class 5AAAAA football with a undefeated record, regardless of who you think they played, they played whats was put in front of them! So did all the other teams! We should stop placing history in front of these kids accomplishment! We tell kids to be better and productive, but here we are telling them that reguardless of what they do! It doesnt matter in the eye of yours truly! Nobody pick Peachtree Ridge or Roswell even to get to the second round last year!One thing is for sure! The game will be decided on the field reguardless of what we think! with a football not a pen!So to all you football high school gurus!It amaze me how little you really know about this game! Its a game! Respect it as that! and reward those kids for there accomplishments!Just to let you know I know what I am talking about! I was at the Brookwood-Roswell Game! Roswell you should give a ring to the Brookwood kicker, because that is the only way you made it to the next round! Not by what you writers picked! I felt really bad for the kid! because with the pressure you guys put on teams that are successful, I can image what you did to him! Lets keep it real! I congradulate all teams that has made it this far! Good Job!
By cwhitfield@ajc.com
November 21, 2007 7:59 AM | Link to this
Suspect,
Rankings are only done during the regular season and after the state title games. Not just for us, but for the AP as well. College football rankings don’t change after they start playing the bowls until after the last one. Same thing here.
Chris Whitfield
By Millicent C.
November 21, 2007 9:26 AM | Link to this
Go Lowndes Vikings!!
By ruppert
November 21, 2007 10:56 AM | Link to this
Darlington out of Rome won the single A title with about half the o-line under 200lbs. They were a very fast team though. Beat undefeated and heavily favored Lincoln Co along the way in the semis.
By bill young
November 21, 2007 11:08 AM | Link to this
I have officiated football for over 30 years. Without reservation the Brunswick team that lost to Loundes was the most talented team I have ever seen.. Their coaching was atroshish and they made the finals on sheer talent. Then the state forced an undefeated and no.1 ranked Brunswick to travel to Loundes where an unrested and poorly coached team lost to Loundes.
By Frank Molock
November 21, 2007 11:11 AM | Link to this
Valdosta had 7 state titles in the decade of the 60’s not 5. 60,61,62,65,66,68,69. This is a feat that will never be repeated in Georgia in any classification.
FM
By Tom Coursey
November 21, 2007 11:11 AM | Link to this
2000 Starr’s Mill team; Only third year of varsity play, first year in 5A, just barely made it into the top ten at end of regular season. Defeated higher-ranked Warner Robins and Brookwood in their own staduims.
By ghs70
November 21, 2007 11:41 AM | Link to this
I was part of the 78 Griffin HS team. A magical memory with great team mates playing a great team against a great opponent. If Wally’s field goal missed, it couldn’t have been by much. Coach Bohannon (possibly the best coach I ever played for) had us ready for OT. I had a great 2 years on the GHS team and I’m thankful for those memories and having never played on a losing team.
By steve
November 21, 2007 11:42 AM | Link to this
bill young…
It’s actually spelled “Lowndes” and not only did Lowndes beat Brunswick - - they shut out that “most talented team in the state” 17-0.
The GHSA rules during that year stated the brackets would dictate where each state championship game would be played. In 1999, it just happened to fall to the Lowndes’ side of the bracket (it flip-flopped each year). I do believe they changed that rule the next year to prevent a situation like that from happening again.
It seems to me if the Brunswick team was talented enough to make it through the season and playoffs undefeated without coaching, they should’ve been able to handle a lowly 3 seed like Lowndes…even if they did have to travel a couple of hours to do it.
You’re right about one thing though…coaching does make a difference, and it seems Lowndes had the better staff and team on that particular night.
By Joe Raider
November 21, 2007 12:37 PM | Link to this
What about Redan’s 1979 State Championship team. We were not given much of a chance winning at Marist in front of 10000 fans. But the Raiders pulled off the win 17 to 14 in the all Dekalb County final. Just wish we would have got a piece of the Rock !!!!!
By GA Boy in TX
November 21, 2007 1:41 PM | Link to this
Thank you High School Ref for bringing some sanity to this blog. I appreciate what you guys do and repent for when I have joined in the crowd mania and yelled at you. We are all guilty of being totally unobjective in the midst of what is not a life and death situation, but simply an athletic exercise between minors.
Thank you for your commitmentment to bring objectivity into an emotionally charged situation. At least one person here appreciates you and will take the time to say it!
By Trojan Fan
November 21, 2007 1:42 PM | Link to this
Most of you don`t back this far, but I remember in 1952, Carrollton Trojans played West Point High School, who had won 44 games without a loss. Carrollton upset them and broke one if not longest winning streak GHSA histopry?
By yo
November 21, 2007 4:46 PM | Link to this
Bill Young…with all due respect to your most talented team comments of Brunswick, I think not. SWD and NSHS were much more talented. Now don’t get me wrong, Brunswick had some very skilled players at the skill positions, but they were totally manhandled by Lowndes in the trenches. Brunswick had no answer for our defensive line in that contest. The trenches are just as important as the skill positions. Also, Lowndes had to travel all the way to Parkview in 2004 but it did not keep them from bringing home the title. I actually believe Lowndes let up on Brunswick in 1999 because of the little drizzle that began the second half and the fact they had a comfortable lead. Now regarding the coaching? I don’t know about that. Apparently the coaching was good enough to get them to the big game though.
By Augustan
November 21, 2007 4:47 PM | Link to this
Does anyone remember in 1952 when Richmond Academy had maybe their greatest team ever (Johnny Menger) but were upset by Albany which used the “center-keep” play several times. People in Augusta still insist it was an illegal play.
By tree trunck
November 21, 2007 7:24 PM | Link to this
black panther its people like you that shows there ignorant side by your racial comments. you should be banned from this site for you are a cancer with your anger you breed hate ! this blog is about football not colors !
By Steve
November 21, 2007 11:04 PM | Link to this
You said right Tree Trunk!!
People like him just can’t let it go!!
Go Camden!!!
By JR
November 23, 2007 10:49 AM | Link to this
I have played ball, coached ball and watched ball. Non of the things that ref stated preclude me from knowing that racism exixts and has been prcticed by refs on the field. Not talking about racism would haveleft us in the seperate and unequal fifties. Although subtle as compared to the days of lynching, it still exixts and if not checked, people would be bringing back nooses..oh wait a minute..people are hanging nooses out in the 2000’s!
By Camden Fan
November 23, 2007 12:25 PM | Link to this
Steve are you talking about 1999?? We do know it’s 2007 right??
By Jeff
November 23, 2007 1:12 PM | Link to this
Even though it was the first round of the playoffs, Walton beating Marietta in the early 90’s when Eric Zeier was QB of the Blue Devils. Was a huge upset at that time.
By mistermak
November 23, 2007 3:39 PM | Link to this
What about the year Camden won it all and were expexted to lose in the 1st round?
By Lowndes Fan
November 25, 2007 5:04 PM | Link to this
Please don’t hate because this year Lowndes will win there 5th state title.