With the region title on the line and trailing by two scores heading into the final quarter, GAC kept its composure, made big plays down the stretch and escaped with a 35-31 win over Wesleyan on Friday at Spartans Stadium.
Spartans quarterback Davis Mills connected with Liam Sullivan for a 44-yard touchdown with 12 second remaining to bring the score to its final margin. The play completed the Spartans' rally from an 11-point deficit after three quarters.
“It was great protection by the line,” said Mills of the final play. “And I knew I could look to Liam for a big play because he was making sure-handed catches all day.”
The win gives the Spartans (9-1, 7-0 6-AA), the Region 6-AA championship for the second year in a row – the second time in school history they’ve won consecutive league titles. They’re on a 14-game win streak in region play in that span.
The Spartans are the region’s No. 1 seed for the state playoffs and will play Dade County, the No. 4 seed from Region 7, in the first round next week. A loss for the Spartans would have meant being the region’s dreaded No. 2 seed, which in all likelihood would have led to a second round matchup against Benedictine, the state’s top-ranked team and defending AA champions.
The Wolves (9-1, 5-2) fall into a three-way tie with Pace Academy and Lovett. The three teams will meet at Holy Innocents on Saturday morning for a coin flip that will decide seeds 2-4.
“I don’t care – whoever it is, we’re going to win,” Wolves coach Franklin Pridgen said when asked about the coin flip determining his team’s opponent in the playoffs. Wesleyan will play either Darlington, Model or Chattooga of Region 7.
Though Wesleyan’s season ended with a tough loss, Pridgen was proud of the way the Wolves played.
“I don’t know if there’s any words to describe the effort of our kids,” he said. “Congratulations to Greater Atlanta Christian. They’re an amazing football team – so is Wesleyan.”
Wesleyan led 7-3 after the first quarter, with quarterback Banks Ramsey scoring from 8 yards out on a quarterback keeper. But the Spartans took a 17-14 lead to halftime thanks to short touchdown runs from Marcus Young and Alex Rowe.
The back-and-forth scoring set the stage for an incredible second half.
The Wolves went on a 14-0 run in the third quarter, taking the lead with a pair of Ramsey passes to Tucker Cannon for 28 yards and 29 yards.
But Wesleyan would only manage one more score – an 18-yard field goal by Jordan Weaver that gave the Wolves a 31-29 lead with 1:25 remaining.
As it would turn out, the minute and change remaining on the clock would be more than enough for the Spartans, who engineered an eight-play, 80-yard drive that took just 1 minute and 9 seconds. Sullivan’s game winning catch was his second 44-yard scoring reception in the quarter.
“In any great competition you’ve got to stay even keeled and just work through what’s going on,” Spartans coach Tim Hardy said. “ We tried to do that and ultimately we made plays.”
Mills finished 17-of-29 passing for 331 yards, an interception and the two to Sullivan. Sullivan caught seven passes for 206 yards. Rowe led the Spartans rushing attack with 90 yards and a score on 17 carries.
For the Wolves, Ramsey completed 21 of his 34 passes for 354 yards and two touchdowns to one interception. Cannon and Harrison Cook each had 114 receiving yards, with Cannon catching eight passes and two scores and Cook finishing with seven receptions.
---
Wesleyan 7 7 14 3 – 31
GAC 3 14 0 18 – 35
W – Banks Ramsey 8 run (Jordan Weaver kick)
G – Brooks Buce 26 FG
G – Marcus Young 8 run (Buce kick)
W – Ramsey 4 run (Weaver kick)
G – Alex Rowe 5 run (Buce kick)
W – Tucker Cannon 28 pass from Ramsey (Weaver kick)
W – Cannon 29 pass from Ramsey (Weaver kick)
G – Josh Pickens 2 run (kick failed)
G – Liam Sullivan 44 pass from Mills (pass failed)
W – Weaver 18 FG
G – Sullivan 44 pass from Mills (kick failed)
Credit: Craig Sager
Credit: Craig Sager
