Pace Academy 45, GAC 20

The Pace Academy Knights are headed to the Georgia Dome.

The Knights capitalized on GAC turnovers and were nearly unstoppable on third down and coasted to a 45-20 victory on Friday night at Spartan Sports Complex in the Class AA semifinals.

The Knights (12-2), a No. 4 seed out of Region 6, will play Fitzgerald – a No. 2 seed from Region 1 – next Saturday at the Georgia Dome for the state title. The Spartans, the No. 1 seed from Region 6, end their season at 12-2.

“We’re very excited,” Knights coach Chris Slade said. “We’ve got one more game to go. We’re in the Dome and we’re just very blessed and fortunate to beat a tough GAC team.

“It’s our time.”

Pace accomplished two program firsts with the win – beating GAC and reaching the state finals. The Knights were 0-2 against GAC heading into Friday’s contest, including a 33-13 loss on Oct. 9.

Initially, the game appeared as though it would be a back-and-forth one, with each team trading scores in the first half. Alex Rowe opened the scoring with a 1-yard run for GAC, and Pace’s Realus George answered with a 4-yard run. Spartans quarterback Davis Mills hit Malcolm Cunningham with a 5-yard touchdown pass, then Knights quarterback Gunnor Faulk connected with Spencer Hemmingway on a 9-yard touchdown pass with 3:59 remaining in the half.

Then the Knights went on a 31-0 run that lasted into the fourth quarter.

On GAC’s possession following Hemingway’s score, the Knights recovered a Spartans turnover and converted it into a Samuel Sloman 25-yard field goal, which gave Pace a 17-14 lead heading into halftime.

The Knights tacked on another score in the second half’s opening possession on an 11-yard pass from Faulk to Trey Blount.

On the Spartans’ ensuing possession they again lost a fumble, and again the Knights converted with a Faulk 30-yard touchdown run on third-and-23.

Pace’s Kyle Orr pulled the ball out of a Spartans runner’s arms on GAC’s next possession, setting up yet another Knights score. Faulk hit Deon Jackson for a 30-yard pass on fourth-and-1, and Jackson fumbled on the 1-yard line, but recovered the ball in the end zone, giving Pace a 38-14 lead with 9:56 remaining in the game.

Jackson’s score essentially ending any hope for the Spartans to return to the state title game for a second straight season.

“We capitalized on their turnovers,” Slade said. “Last time, it was us who turned the football over. They have a great team and they’ve been a great team for a long time, but it’s our time now.”

In all, the Knights converted five turnovers into 24 points. They were also 12 of 16 on third down.

Faulk finished 15 of 21 passing for 201 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Blount caught four passes for 101 yards and two scores. Jackson ran for 88 yards on 22 carries and George ran for 69 yards on 12 carries.

Mills completed 29 of his 45 pass attempts for 280 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also added 38 yards on 11 carries. Rowe finished with 84 yards on 10 carries, and Young had 44 yards on five carries. Liam Sullivan had six catches for 75 yards.

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Pace Academy 7 10 14 14 – 45

GAC 7 7 0 6 – 20

G – Alex Rowe 1 run (Brooks Buce kick)

P – Realus George 4 run (Samuel Sloman kick)

G – Malcolm Cunningham 5 pass from Davis Mills (Buce kick)

P – Spencer Hemmingway 9 pass from Gunnor Faulk (Sloman kick)

P – Sloman 25 FG

P – Trey Blount 11 pass from Faulk (Sloman kick)

P – Faulk 30 run (Sloman kick)

P – Deon Jackson fumble recover in end zone (Sloman kick)

P – Blount 60 pass from Faulk (Sloman kick)