The Class A Division II football championship game Thursday night matched the contrasting offensive styles of Bowdon’s run-first attack and Schley County’s potent passing game, and the defenses were all but unable to stop either one.
In a game that featured 733 yards of total offense, no punts, and three lead changes in the second quarter alone, it became clear that one stop might be the difference. Bowdon finally got one, and Schley County really never did.
T.J. Harvison ran for 212 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries and Robert McNeal ran for 78 yards, passed for 79 yards and had a hand in four touchdowns to lead top-ranked Bowdon to a 39-31 victory to claim the third state title in program history. The Red Devils previously won titles in 1992 and 1971.
“It takes a lot of hard work, and that hard work starts back in January,” Bowdon coach Richard Fendley Jr. said. “I’m just very blessed to have the school board and the school board members that are awesome and don’t tell me no and do what it takes to win. Our community, any time we need something they show up and do it. And our kids, I can’t say enough how proud I am of them.”
Schley County (12-3), ranked No. 5, was playing in the championship game for the first time in the 23-year history of the program. The Wildcats had won 11 consecutive games since starting the season 1-2 with losses to Early County and Bleckley County.
After taking a 25-21 lead on McNeal’s 33-yard touchdown pass to Asher Christopher on the opening possession of the second half, Bowdon stopped Schley County on fourth-and-9 at the Red Devils’ 16. The Wildcats had scored on their three previous possessions, each one tying the game or giving Schley County the lead.
Bowdon took advantage of the opportunity, driving 84 yards in 10 plays for a 32-21 lead on McNeal’s 28-yard touchdown run with 1:10 to play in the third quarter. Schley County never got closer than the final eight-point margin down the stretch.
Bowdon scored on every possession except the final one of each half, when it was running out the clock.
“We talked about it all week, that we knew that one stop would be very important in this game,” Fendley said. “It was two high-powered offenses. Our goal was to try to get three stops, and I think we got three stops at some point. We knew whoever got the most stops was going to win the football game.”
Bowdon’s JaMichael Jones intercepted Schley County’s Jay Kanazawa on the game’s opening drive, but the teams alternated touchdowns on the next six possessions, with Schley County taking a 21-19 lead into halftime. Bowdon then outscored the Wildcats 14-0 in the third quarter to seize control.
Kanazawa threw touchdown passes to Clinton Jackson (7 yards) and Sam Forehand (15 yards) in the first half and finished 22-of-34 passing for 239 yards. Malachi Banks ran for 78 yards and a touchdown.
For the game, Bowdon outgained Schley County 391-342.
Schley County - 7-14-0-10 - 31
Bowdon - 13-6-13-7 - 39
First quarter
B - T.J. Harvison 30 run (Cameron Holloway kick), 9:09
S - Clinton Jackson 7 pass from Jay Kanazawa (Miguel Yanez kick), 4:23
B - Robert McNeal 10 run (kick blocked), 1:22
Second quarter
S - Malachi Banks 1 run (Yanez kick), 10:09
B - Jordan Beasley 13 pass from McNeal (run failed), 4:48
S - Sam Forehand 15 pass from Kanazawa (Yanez kick), 0:41
Third quarter
B - Asher Christopher 33 pass from McNeal (run failed), 9:24
B - McNeal 28 run (Holloway kick), 1:10
Fourth quarter
S - Yanez 25 field goal, 10:33
B - Beasley 5 run (Holloway kick), 5:53
S - Jalewis Solomon 77 kickoff return (Yanez kick), 4:22
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