Sports
Class A Public Title Game (11:30 a.m Saturday)Charlton County (9-4) vs. Marion County (12-1)
- Overview: The Charlton County Indians have the stronger championship pedigree in this matchup, having won four titles, including three straight from 2004 to 2006. The Indians have won 10 games or more 17 times in 24 years under head coach Rich McWhorter. Marion County has won four straight region titles under Mike Swaney and is making its first state finals appearance.
- Marion County season: The No. 2-seeded Eagles have four shutouts and have allowed 20 or more points just twice. RB Johnny Royal (1,393 yards, 20 TDs) and Lorenzo Smothers (1,700 all-purpose yards, 16 TDs) have provided offensive punch. Smothers has five interceptions and DE Rodrick Bishop has recorded nine sacks.
- Charlton County season: The Indians were one-dimensional early and struggled at times during the absence of RB Andrew Lee. They finished 6-4 and entered the state playoffs as the No. 9 seed, but established themselves as a serious threat with a 42-0 trouncing of No. 1 Seminole County in the second round. They advanced to the final after blocking an extra point against Irwin County in the semifinal to survive in a 34-33 victory.
- Marion County strength: Running game and special teams. K A.J. Wells has 60 touchbacks in 72 kickoffs and averages 41 yards per punt. Royal averages 107 yards per game and Smothers has been the X-factor, scoring via the rush, pass, interception, kickoff return and punt return.
- Charlton County strength: Diverse offense, creating turnovers. Lee (1,167 yards, 14 TDs) returned from a broken arm at mid-season and as he has found his form, the team has taken off. QB Trae Harrington (2,147 yards, 20 TDs passing) triggers the spread offense that has scored 101 points in three playoff games. The defense has created 35 turnovers.
- Marion County's top players: Wells (committed to Middle Tennessee), Royal, Smothers (473 rushing yards, 444 receiving yards), LB Brandon Green (106 tackles).
- Charlton County's top players: Lee (89 yards per game), WR Daveron Reed (49 rec., 671 yards, 6 TDs), WR Curt Nixon (40 catches., 691 yards, 8 TDs), LB Tevis Dasher (three fumble recoveries, seven interceptions), LB Lance Thompson (91 total tackles)
- On Marion County: "That kicker is very good. If they score, you're guaranteed to start from the 20-yard line and he can punt them out of trouble. The Smothers kid intercepted a pass against us for a touchdown and he ran for another one. He's shifty and you can't hardly hit him in a phone booth. When we beat them, we out-physical-ed them and didn't make any mistakes. You're going to have to play mistake-free football and you're going to have to be very physical." — Hawkinsville coach David Daniell, whose team split with Marion County, winning 14-10 in the regular season and losing 40-7 last week in the semifinals.
- On Charlton County: "Defensively they were better than I thought. Their front three were better than our front five. The lanes were there, but they got so much penetration we couldn't get anything going. The night they played us, they were just as good as his best teams through the years. They threw the ball well. The zone blocking gave us fits. Our two inside linebackers overpursued their stretch play and they cut it back up on us. The running back [Lee], we knocked him down and knocked him down and then he hit a big one." — Seminole County coach Alan Ingram, whose team lost to Charlton County 42-0 in the second round of the playoffs.
- AJC pick: Marion County 34, Charlton County 30.
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