Championship games in review

History: Colquitt County completed its second straight 15-0 season, becoming only the third school to go unbeaten in consecutive seasons in the highest class, first since Parkview in 2002. Ranked in the top three of several national polls, Colquitt remains in contention for mythical national titles.

Note: To see complete statistics from all seven championship games, provided by West Georgia Sports Information Services, click here.

Class AAAAA

Allatoona 10, Glynn Academy 6

Recap: Allatoona won a defensive battle that included nine sacks and 10 other tackles for losses. After a scoreless first half, Allatoona drove 80 yards on 10 plays to open the second. The key play was QB Brandon Rainey's 23-yard pass to Derrand Garrett to the Glynn 1-yard line. Allatoona later got a field goal, and Glynn didn't score until the final play of the game, a 9-yard run by Deejay Dallas. Allatoona DE Casey Smith had a 16-yard sack and stopped two second-half drives into Allatoona territory, one with a forced fumble, the other with a tackle on a fourth-and-1.

History: Allatoona became the first Cobb County Schools team to win a state title in football, this despite losing its season opener to East Paulding in a Region 5 game, and then losing its 1,543-yard rusher, Russell Halimon, in the first round to a season-ending injury. Allatoona coach Gary Varner became one of fewer than 10 Georgia coaches to win a state title at a program that he started, in 2008.

Class AAAA

Cartersville 10, Buford 0

Recap: Cartersville forced four turnovers and became the first team to shut out Buford in the playoffs since Washington-Wilkes in 1999, a streak of 75 games. Cartersville took a 10-0 lead with 1:35 left in the first half after cashing a Buford fumble (forced by Brandon Wade, recovered by Tiamon Pennymon) into a 10-yard TD drive, as Trevor Lawrence hooked up on a 5-yard pass to 6-foot-5 TE Miller Forristall. Cartersville essentially clinched the victory with LB Tyler Reed's interception at the Cartersville 1 with 3:40 left. Xavior Coaxum and Trey Creamer also had interceptions for Cartersville. Kobie Whitfield had 13 tackles.

History: Cartersville won its first title since 1999 and denied Buford a fourth consecutive championship. The 10 points made this the lowest-scoring final since 2000. With Buford's loss, there is no state champion from Gwinnett County for the first time since 2005.

Class AAA

Westminster 38, Blessed Trinity 31

Recap: Westminster trailed 24-9 to start the fourth quarter and 31-17 with 6:25 left but then scored two touchdowns in regulation and another in overtime to pull it out. The first fourth-quarter score came at the end of an 11-play, 80-yard drive. Then with 3:37 left, Westminster's Watson Jackson recovered an onside kick at the Blessed Trinity 21. Westminster scored a play later on a Zay Malcome run for the tie. Malcome scored again in overtime. The game ended when Milton Shelton - a two-way starter who rushed for 254 yards on 37 carries - lost a fumble into the end zone after a 9-yard gain. PK/P Blake Gillikin made field goals of 32, 53 and 21 yards, was 6-for-6 on touchbacks and punted three times for a 61.7-yard average, putting two inside the 20-yard line.

History: Westminster won its first state title since 1978 by winning its final seven games, six on the road, one at the Dome. Joe Egan, who caught a TD pass and recovered the game-ending fumble, is a nephew of all-state WR Cole Egan of the 1978 team. Westminster became the first team to win five playoff games away from home in one postseason (a feat matched by Pace Academy on Saturday). Westminster became the eighth team to avenge a regular-season loss in the state finals.

Class AA

Pace Academy 42, Fitzgerald 21

Recap: Pace Academy scored six touchdowns on its first nine drives and never punted, failing to score only when it lost a fumble or missed a field goal.Fitzgerald got within 28-21 on James Graham's 41-yard TD pass to Montrell Harris with 5:22 left, but Pace drove 80 yards on 11 plays for the clinching score.Pace got another touchdown after Fitzgerald went for a fourth-and-3 at its 27-yard line. Pace held Fitzgerald's 2,000-yard rusher, J.D. King, to 55 yards on 18 carries.

History: Pace Academy joined Westminster from the day before as the only teams to win five playoff games away from home in one postseason. Pace became the second No. 4 seed to win a state title, first since Peachtree Ridge in 2006.

Class A (public)

Clinch County 24, Irwin County 7

Recap: Clinch County rolled up 292 yards rushing and won despite not completing a pass (0-for-2). Sophomore QB Charles McClelland rushed for 173 yards. Clinch contained Irwin's 1,500-yard rusher, D.J. Pollard, who had 89 yards rushing on 17 carries. Irwin scored its touchdown on a 93-yard run. Clinch DE Octavius Morris had three tackles for 11 yards in losses.

History: Clinch County became the seventh team to avenge a regular-season loss in the state finals. Clinch won its first state title since 2010 and became the eighth school to win six state titles overall.

Class A (private)

Eagle's Landing Christian 35, Aquinas 14

Recap: In a game that was closer than the final score, ELCA trailed 14-13 entering the fourth quarter but scored twice late on long drives, each capped by QB D.J. Hammond touchdowns. ELCA then finished it with Khaleb Hood's 100-yard interception return in the final seconds. It was Hood's second interception of the quarter. Aquinas FS T.J. Smith was credited with 21 tackles, the most of any player in the seven finals.

History: ELCA won its second state title in four seasons.

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