Class A Blog: Finals wrap up

Recap: David Dallas threw a 65-yard TD pass to Aaron Gates on the first play from scrimmage, and Bryce Wilcox and Christian Hanson returned interceptions for touchdowns in the first half as Trinity Christian took a 35-0 lead. Prince Avenue got no closer than 42-28. Dallas became the sixth player in finals history to throw four TD passes in a game, and Trinity became the third finalist to return two interceptions for touchdowns in a game (2018 Bainbridge, 1971 Bowdon). Jimbo Batchelor and Josh Dallas also intercepted passes for Trinity.

History: Trinity Christian, a Sharpsburg school that started varsity football in 2011 and joined the GHSA in 2018, won its first state title and avenged its 2020 state finals defeat. Trinity’s state title also was the first for a Coweta County school. Trinity (14-0) is the first unbeaten Class A Private champion since Eagle’s Landing Christian in 2017. Prince Avenue finished 13-2 in what some thought might be a rebuilding season without 2020 all-class player-of-the-year Brock Vandagriff, now at Georgia.

GAME STATISTICS

Trinity Christian***14**21***7**13*-*55

Prince Avenue Chr.***0***7**21***0*-*28

First quarter

T - Aaron Gates 65 pass from David Dallas (Noah Maupin kick), 11:46

T - Bryce Wilcox 34 interception return (Maupin kick), 7:43

Second quarter

T - Gates 12 pass from Davis (Maupin kick), 7:35

T - Javan Harrison 15 pass from Dallas (Maupin kick), 1:23

T -Christian Hanson 34 interception return (Maupin kick), 1:23

P - Elijah Dewitt 2 pass from Aaron Philo (Bryson Franklin kick), 0:0

Third quarter

T - Wilcox 7 pass from Dallas (Maupin kick), 11:24

P - Bailey Stockton 52 pass from Philo (Franklin kick), 9:48

P - Dewitt 2 pass from Philo (Franklin kick), 3:03

P - Philo 16 run (Franklin kick), 1:04

Fourth quarter

T - Dallas 12 run (Maupin kick), 11:10

T - Maupin 20 field goal, 8:25

T - Maupin 32 field goal, 0:48

*************************TC*******PAC

First Downs************ *22********21

Rushes/Yards (Net)*****37/156*** 18/33

Pass C/A/I************14/20/1***39/53/4

Passing Yards (Net)*** *263****** 335

Total Offense***********419 ******368

Fumbles/Lost*********** 2/2 ******1/0

Penalties/Yards ********6/64 *****5/25

Time of Possession ****23:11 ****24:49

Sacks By: No./Yards**** 2/13******2/16

Rushing: Trinity Christian - Lane Werling 9-55; Dominick Cosper 10-50; David Dallas 13-49; Tyson Wall 4-6; Aaron Gates 1-(-1). Prince Avenue Christian - Bailey Stockton 5-16; Aaron Philo 7-12; Mac Bradley 4-6; Luke Lanier 1-0; Elijah Dewitt 1-(-1).

Passing: Trinity Christian - David Dallas 14-20-1-263. Prince Ave Christian - Aaron Philo 39-52-4-335; Ethan Christian 0-1-0-0.

Receiving: Trinity Christian - Aaron Gates 5-165; Javan Harrison 3-30; Joshua Dallas 2-26; Dominick Cosper 2-23; Bryce Wilcox 2-19. Prince Avenue Christian - Elijah Dewitt 13-122; Bailey Stockton 11-138; Josh Britt 7-29; Luke Lanier 3-8; Ethan Christian 2-18; Nick Hurley 2-8; Mac Bradley 1-12.

PUBLIC

Brooks County 56, Irwin County 28

Recap: Omari Arnold rushed for 320 yards and five touchdowns on 21 carries and scored on a 69-yard yard run on the second play from scrimmage and on an 86-yard run after Irwin County had pulled within 35-28 in the fourth quarter. Brooks County scored on seven of its eight drives, three lasting just one play, another lasting two. QB Jamal Sanders’ 23-yard run immediately after an Irwin County fumble made it 21-0 in the first quarter. Irwin got within 28-21 at halftime and 35-28 in the fourth quarter but couldn’t solve Arnold. His 320 yards, though unofficial, surpass Herschel Walker’s 318 in 1979. The five touchdowns tie the state finals record set by Creekside’s Dexter Knox in 2013.

History: Brooks County won its first state title since 1994, avenging eight-point losses in the 2021 regular season and 2020 championship. Both titles came under coach Maurice Freeman, an alumnus. Arnold finished unofficially with 6,558 career rushing yards, good for 12th all-time in Georgia, according to GHSFHA. Irwin County fell short of its bid to become the first Class A Public school to win three straight titles since 1985-87 Lincoln County.

Irwin County*********0**21***0***7*-*28

Brooks County*****21***7***7**21*-*56

First quarter

BC - Omari Arnold 69 run (Reagan Chastain kick), 11:22

BC - Arnold 3 run (Chastain kick), 2:29

BC - Jamal Sanders 23 run (Chastain kick), 1:36

Second quarter

IC - Malachi Hadden 17 interception return (Cooper Yanzetich kick), 11:14

BC - Arnold 36 run (Chastain kick), 8:26

IC - Demarkas Lundy 5 run (Yanzetich kick), 3:54

IC - Shane Marshall 2 run (Yanzetich kick), 0:08

Third quarter

BC - Tramine Demps 15 pass from Jamal Sanders (Chastain kick), 4:16

Fourth quarter

IC - Lundy 6 run (Yanzetich kick), 11:30

BC - Arnold 86 run (Chastain kick), 11:12

BC - Arnold 56 run (Chastain kick), 9:29

BC - Jeremiah Henderson 69 interception return (Chastain kick), 6:27

*************************IC********BC

First Downs************ *14********16

Rushes/Yards (Net)*****45/201*** 38/385

Pass C/A/I*************6/16/2****5/9/1

Passing Yards (Net)**** *66******* 85

Total Offense***********267 ******470

Fumbles/Lost*********** 1/1 ******1/0

Penalties/Yards ********2/10 *****6/29

Time of Possession ****28:03 ****19:57

Sacks By: No./Yards**** 0/0*******0/0

Rushing: Irwin County - Demarkas Lundy 17-106; Shane Marshall 16-59; Cody Soliday 8-18; Marcus Edwards 2-11; Bryce Clements 2-7. Brooks County - Omari Arnold 21-320; Jamal Sanders 10-45; Janavien Leggett 5-21; Chris Cole 1-5; Team 1-(-6).

Passing: Irwin County - Cody Soliday 6-16-2-66. Brooks County - Jamal Sanders 5-9-1-85.

Receiving: Irwin County - Eli Roberts 1-31; Bryce Clements 1-19; Malachi Hadden 1-11; Matthew Payne 1-6; Mason Snyder 1-1; Bo Payne 1-(-2). Brooks County - Ja’maurion Fountain 2-47; Willie Brown 2-23; Tramine Demps 1-15.