Championship games will be at the Georgia Dome on Dec. 9 and Dec. 10.

Class AAAA

Thomson 30, Spalding 7

How the game was won: Host Thomson opened up a 7-0 lead with a Mike Thomas touchdown run and finished off the first quarter with a 28-yard touchdown pass from Mills Ridings to Trey Parker to increase the lead to 13-0. Thomas added his second rushing touchdown with 5:12 left in the half from 13 yards out, and then Ridings found Parker again for a Thomson touchdown (27 yards) to increase the lead to 27-0. A.J. Moses put Spalding on the board with a 6-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to make it 27-6. Thomson’s Dakota Gergen kicked a 34-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter to tally the final score 30-7. With the victory, five-time state champion Thomson moves to 13-0 for the first time since 2002.

Top performers: Thomson running back Mike Thomas rushed for 141 yards and two touchdowns in the first half to fuel the Bulldogs’ 27-0 lead. Thomson quarterback Mills Ridings connected with Trey Parker for two first-half touchdowns.

Mary Persons 28, Blessed Trinity 27:

Quen Wilson gave Mary Persons its first lead of the game (14-10) with a 9-yard touchdown run with 4:30 left in the half. Blessed Trinity kicker Brooks Hosea cut the deficit to 14-13 with his second field goal of the game as the teams entered the half. A Josh Smith to Ryan Davis touchdown gave the Titans a 7-0 lead before Mary Persons’ Zach Harvey tied the game with an early second quarter touchdown. Blessed Trinity reclaimed the lead in the third quarter with a 50-yard touchdown pass from Jake Smith to Will Carlton and Steele Chambers ran in the 2-point conversion to make it 21-14. The Bulldogs answered with a 80-yard drive to tie the game at 21-21 with 4:19 left. Hosea added his third field goal in the fourth quarter to give Blessed Trinity a brief 24-21 lead before Caleb Speir connected with Roger Akins from 69 yards out to put Mary Persons up 28-24 with 10:44 left. Hosea was successful on his fourth field goal of the game to cut the deficit to 28-27. After a series of defensive stops, Mary Persons shanked a punt and gifted the Titans with prime field position. The Titans quickly drove down to the 11-yard line with seven second left, but Hosea’s game-winning attempt went wide right.

Jefferson 17, Cairo 13:

Cairo took a 7-0 lead with 7:20 left in the opening quarter on a halfback pass form Walter Grant. The two teams went scoreless until Jefferson’s Hayden Kilgore connected on a 25-yard field goal with 10:38 left in the half to make it 7-3. Cairo’s Cole Phillips answered Jefferson’s kick with a monster 56-yard field goal to give the Syrupmakers a 10-3 edge at the half. Jefferson netted just 28 yards of offense in the first half, but freshman quarterback Colby Clark hit Garmin Randolph for a 26-yard touchdown late in the third quarter to tie the game 10-10. Phillips hit a 30-yard field goal to open the fourth quarter and give Cairo a 13-10 lead. Jefferson drove down the field but threw an interception in the endzone and gave Cairo the ball back with 7:15 left. After a series of stalled drives, the Dragons capitalized on a Cairo fake punt and tookover at the Syrupmakers’ 41-yard line with 3:42 left. A couple of first down pickups and a pass interference eventual set up the game-winning touchdown as Colby Wood ran in a 3-yard touchdown with 17 seconds left.

R5 #1 Cartersville 26, R4 #1 Woodward Academy 15

More on Class AAAA football

About the Author

Keep Reading

Ava Merrill of Johns Creek shot a record 15-under 201 to win the 96th Georgia Women's Amateur Championship at Dunwoody Country Club, July 2. (Courtesy of Kate Awtrey-King)

Credit: Kate Awtrey-King

Featured

The city of Brookhaven's mayor and City Council last week decided to remove the colored panes of glass from the dome of Brookhaven's new City Centre after residents objected to the brightness of the colors, seen here Friday, June 27, 2025. (Reed Williams/AJC)

Credit: Reed Williams/AJC