Not every ending is fitting. That was the case last weekend for Blessed Trinity senior Milton Shelton, a four-year varsity player with more than 5,000 yards rushing. Shelton fumbled at the 1-yard line on the final play of his storied career on Friday in the Class AAA championship game. Westminster recovered in the end zone, clinching a 38-31 overtime victory.
"There were no regrets about that fumble, none whatsoever," Blessed Trinity coach Tim McFarlin said Monday. "Milton did exactly what he's always done - extend himself to the fullest. The effort he gives on the field is the same he gives in everything. Every teacher in that school loves him. He's a very mature young man. He's good with it."
Shelton had perhaps the single most impressive state-finals performance of any player in the Georgia Dome last weekend. He rushed for 254 yards and a touchdown on 37 carries. He also had seven tackles at cornerback. He finished with 2,059 yards rushing on the season and 5,439 for his career, both of which are school records.
McFarlin said Shelton might be the toughest player he has ever coached, including during his 30 years at Roswell.
"If you'd seen him carted off the field at Jefferson [with a neck injury in the second round] and then the next week rush for 200 yards against Rabun County, you'd know what a special, special person he is," McFarlin said.
Next for Shelton will be college football, probably at a small college as bigger schools have had reservations about his size (5 feet, 9 inches, 185 pounds). Shelton wants to major in criminal justice with a career goal of working in the CIA or Drug Enforcement Administration.
Here are 10 more players who had outstanding individual performances in the state finals.
*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, in a 10-6 victory over Glynn Academy in the Class AAAAA final.
*Allatoona DB Juanyea Tarver had eight tackles, three for losses, one that resulted in a fumble, and partially blocked a punt against Glynn Academy.
*Buford LB/RB T.D. Roof had three tackles for losses totaling 15 yards and rushed for 35 yards on three carries in a 10-0 loss to Cartersville in the Class AAAA final.
*Cartersville DB Xavior Coaxum had six solo tackles, intercepted a pass that he returned 26 yards and broke up a pass in the first shutout victory against Buford since 1999, covering 75 games.
*Clinch County QB Charles McClelland rushed for 173 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries in a 24-6 victory over Irwin County in the Class A public-school final.
*Colquitt County DE Ty Phillips had 3.5 tackles for 17 yards in losses and broke up a pass in a 30-13 victory over Roswell in the Class AAAAAA final.
*Colquitt County WR/RB Ty Lee rushed for 90 yards on 14 carries and caught 11 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown against Roswell.
*Eagle's Landing Christian OT Chandler Reeves graded out 92 percent with three pancake blocks in a 35-14 victory over Aquinas in the Class A private-school final. ELCA rushed for 313 yards. "All the rushing yards are right behind Chandler," ELCA coach Jonathan Gess said.
*Pace Academy QB Gunnor Faulk was 13-of-15 passing for 148 yards in a 42-21 victory over Fitzgerald in the Class AA final.
*Westminster 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, against Blessed Trinity.
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