Championship games in review

History: Colquitt County won its first state title since 1994 and ended a four-year reign of Gwinnett County teams taking home the championship in the highest class. Colquitt has reached six consecutive semifinals under coach Rush Propst, who had gained fame in Alabama, winning five state titles at Hoover, before coming to Moultrie in 2008.

Class AAAAA

Northside (Warner Robins) 28, Mays 18

Recap: Northside came back from an 18-7 halftime deficit as Tobias Oliver threw a 70-yard TD pass to Nate Greene in the third quarter and scored the game-winner on a 47-yard run with 8:31 left. Oliver had thrown only six TD passes coming into the game. Mays got into Northside territory twice in the final four minutes but missed a 23-yard field goal attempt and turned the ball over on downs at the Northside 39.

History: Northside won its third state title in eight seasons, first since 2007, and first under alumnus Kevin Kinsler, who is 60-6 in his five seasons. Mays lost in its bid to become the first Atlanta city school to win a state title in 41 years.

Class AAAA

Buford 55, St. Pius 10

Recap: Buford lost a fumble on its first possession and went three-and-out on its second, but scored five touchdowns in eight minutes after trailing 10-0. The one that broke St. Pius' back was Quay Picou's 10-yard return of a fumble forced by LB Austin Smith. Picou and Tyler Shipman had two tackles for losses each. Aaron Auer, a receiver with only 16 catches entering the final, had TD receptions of 39 and 60 yards.

History: Buford won its 10th state title since 2001 and 11th overall. Only Valdosta (23) has won more except for the combined histories of Lincoln County (11) and Lincolnton (3). Buford coach Jess Simpson has seven state titles, which ties him with Nick Hyder for third on the all-time list behind Wright Bazemore (14) and Larry Campbell (11).

Class AAA

Calhoun 27, Washington County 20

Recap: Calhoun scored the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter when Baylon Specter took the ball on a reverse and threw a 40-yard pass to Carson Brown. With the score 20-20 late in the third quarter, Calhoun LB Will Conley stopped a Washington County drive by forcing a fumble that Darius Tucker recovered at the Calhoun 19. It was the only turnover of the game, and Washington County, the highest-scoring team in state history, didn't threaten again. Washington County QB A.J. Gray, a leading candidate for state player of the year, had 266 yards of total offense and a team-leading five solo tackles.

History: Calhoun won its third state title, first since 2011, and put a cherry on top of what might now be called a dynasty. The program has reached six state finals over the past 10 seasons while winning 130 games. Washington County lost in the finals for the second consecutive season, each time entering with an unbeaten record.

Class AA

Benedictine 45, Greater Atlanta Christian 21

Recap: Benedictine avenged a 24-21 opening-game loss after taking a 30-7 lead in the first half. Joseph Holquin's 74-yard return of a GAC fumble for a touchdown in the first quarter set the stage. It was one of five GAC turnovers. Brad Stewart had four receptions for 150 yards and a touchdown and intercepted two passes. Stevie Powers threw for 256 yards. GAC stars Micah Abernathy, Darius Slayton and Paul Carothers also had big games, but in a losing cause.

History: Benedictine, which played its first record football games in 1908, won its first state title. GAC, which started football in 1991, was denied its first state title after a 14-0 start. Stewart and Powers put themselves in position for player-of-the-year consideration. Stewart finished with 1,394 yards receiving. Powers passed for 3,346 and 32 touchdowns.

Class A (public)

Hawkinsville 15, Irwin County 6

Recap: Hawkinsville managed only four first downs and 95 yards in total offense but won with a series of big plays on defense and special teams. Those included blocking a punt and an extra point, sacking the punter for a 32-yard loss after a bad snap, recording a safety on a kickoff, intercepting a pass and recovering three of Irwin County's five fumbles. Hawkinsville took the lead for good at 8-6 on the opening play of the second half when Irwin County's Cartavion Benyard fielded the kickoff at the 2-yard line, ran back into the end zone as he tried to cut across the field, and was tackled for a safety. Irwin County's two bad snaps out of punt formation led to both of Hawkinsville's touchdowns. The first, midway through the second quarter, was blocked by Tyrone Wright and recovered on the 5-yard line. The other was recovered by Irwin County but gave Hawkinsville the ball on downs.

History: Hawkinsville returned to statewide prominence under third-year coach David Daniell, winning its sixth state championship. Hawkinsville had suffered four losing seasons since its last state championship in 2004.

Class A (private)

Mount Paran Christian 49, ELCA 7

Recap: Dorian Walker rushed for 215 yards and scored on runs of 42 and 50 yards in the first quarter, when Mount Paran took a 28-0 lead. Mount Paran's lead was 42-0 with 6:48 left in the second quarter after Jake Allen's 29-yard TD pass to Jack Rowan. Silas Hicks and Jack Crone forced fumbled on Eagle's Landing Christian's first two possessions, and Taylor Trammell intercepted a pass on the third. Hicks had three tackles for losses, and Crone and Nick Sbravati had two each.

History: Mount Paran won its first state title, and the first for a Cobb County-based school since Marietta in 1967. Walker boosted his chances for Class A offensive player of the year. He finished with 2,252 yards rushing unofficially. Mount Paran (14-0) won all of its games by at least 14 points. ELCA finished 7-7.

Click here to view complete statistics from all of the state finals, provided by Kevin Higgs and Ken Skinner of West Georgia Sports Information Services, LLC.

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