Cairo rallies past Flowery Branch for AAA title

Cairo football is full of history, some of it the kind that the Syrupmakers didn’t want to make. But Saturday night at the Georgia Dome, they made themselves a night to remember.

The Syrupmakers rode a dominating second half to a 28-14 victory over underdog Flowery Branch, winning the Class AAA championship, their third title in 62 years.

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Jason Getz/jgetz@ajc.com

Cairo’s Montavious Williams (72) holds up the Class AAA trophy as Cairo teammates celebrate their 28-14 win over Flowery Branch in the Class AAA state final at the Georgia Dome Saturday night.

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The win wiped away all of Cairo’s bitter memories of last year’s state championship that saw Carver-Columbus snatch that way by marching for a touchdown in the final minute to win 16-13.

“We left all that behind. That is forgotten,” Syrupmakers quarterback Angelo Pease said. “It’s ours now.”

And it was the right arm and steady legs of Pease that paved the way. He teamed with senior Reginald Bryant’s physical running to out-score the Falcons 14-0 in the fourth quarter to break a 14-all tie.

Pease provided the game-winner with just over eight minutes remaining by hitting fellow senior J.J. Wilcox on stride on a post pattern for a 17-yard touchdown to cap a 12-play, 71-yard drive.

Cairo’s defense took matters over after that by forcing a three-and-out thanks in large measure to pair of big plays by Cairo seniors Jake Elkins and Terrell Perkins. The Syrupmakers’ offense then put the game on ice by churning out 51 yards on eight rushes with Bryant leaping in from the 3.

“We just didn’t have a lot of [offensive] snaps in the first half. I think that paid off in the fourth because I think we finally wore them down a little bit,” Cairo coach Tom Fallaw said.

Flowery Branch (12-3) controlled much of the opening half. Junior quarterback Connor Shaw connected on his first five passes to trigger a pair of drives that netted two field goals by junior Billy Thompson.

As a result, the Syrupmakers (14-0) were seemingly on the ropes. But they steadied themselves by piecing together a 97-yard drive late in the second quarter to grab a 7-6 halftime lead. Pease capped it by scrambling to his left and finding senior Dewayne Isom in the back of the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown pass.

Cairo looked like it was control of the game midway through the third quarter, when Pease rode a trap block by guard Blake Young and scampered 79 yards for a touchdown. But the Falcons countered on their very next snap when Shaw hit Chris Lipscomb for a 69-yard touchdown. Shaw then hit Rodriquez Frazier on a two-pointer to tie matters at 14.

But after that long strike, Cairo’s defense ruled thereafter. The Syrupmakers held Flowery Branch to minus-15 yards on its final nine offensive snaps.

Pease ended up with 97 yards on 18 carries while completing 8 of 14 passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns. Bryant finished with 138 yards on 20 carries. Of the Syrupmakers’ 253 rushing yards, 208 came in the second half.

Cairo 0 - 7 - 7 - 14 - 28

FB — FG Billy Thompson 21

FB — FG Thompson 44

C — Dewayne Isom 19 pass from Angelo Pease (Logan Gainous kick)

C — Pease 78 run (Gainous kick)

FB — Chris Lipscomb 69 pass from Connor Shaw (Rodriquez Frazier pass from Shaw)

C — J.J. Wilcox 19 pass from Pease (Gainous kick)

C — Reginald Bryant 3 run (Gainous kick)