Aaron Philo passed for 391 yards and four touchdowns, two each to Conner Causby and Hudson Hill, and Mac Bradley had two touchdown runs to lead top-ranked Prince Avenue Christian to a 41-7 victory over Irwin County in the Class A Division I quarterfinals Friday night at Brad Akins Field in Bogart.
The victory put the defending state champion Wolverines (12-1) in the semifinals for the fourth consecutive season and the 10th time in 13 years. Prince Avenue will be at home next weekend to take on Bryan County, which defeated Commerce 24-16 Friday night. Bryan County will be making the first semifinal appearance in school history.
Irwin County (7-6) was denied its seventh consecutive trip to the semifinals. The Indians were state champions in Class A Public in 2019 and 2020.
Philo, a three-star prospect committed to Georgia Tech, completed 27 of 41 passes and did most of his damage in the first half as the Wolverines built a 27-7 lead. Philo was 13-of-25 in the half for 269 yards.
He continued his climb up the state’s career passing list. His yardage against Irwin County, though unofficial, put him at 13,055 and moved him past former Houston County and Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm (12,745) for fourth place on the all-time list. Philo now trails only Trevor Lawrence (13,902), Gunner Stockton (13,652) and Deshaun Watson (13,077), with potentially two games remaining.
Philo also increased his season total to 3,729 passing yards, leaving him 271 yards short of reaching 4,000 for the third consecutive season. No other player in state history has thrown for 4,000 yards in a season more than once.
“Aaron Philo for three years has led our team, 4,500 yards in back-to-back seasons, and again this season,” Prince Avenue Christian coach Greg Vandagriff said. “We wouldn’t be where we are without him.”
Causby finished with 198 receiving yards on five catches, all in the first half.
Prince Avenue Christian led 13-0 after an 82-yard touchdown pass from Philo to Causby with 9:32 remaining in the second quarter. The two had teamed up for a 6-yard touchdown in the first quarter that capped off a 90-yard drive on the Wolverines’ first possession of the game.
Irwin County got back in the game when Luke Snyder threw a short pass over the middle that Jaken Thomas took 67 yards for a touchdown to cut the lead to 13-7 with 4:32 remaining in the half, but the Wolverines answered with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Philo to Hill and a 1-yard touchdown run by Bradley over the next four minutes for a 27-7 halftime lead.
The Wolverines added two fourth-quarter quarter touchdowns on a short Bradley run and a reception by Hill. Irwin County never seriously threatened to score on its four second-half possessions.
“I just thought the kids played a complete game,” Vandagriff said. “These are the most successful programs the last 10 years in Class A. I just think our program is on a trajectory where we keep playing better every week. These kids believe they can win every Friday night. I just thought we did what we do every Friday night again tonight.”
Irwin County - 0-7-0-0 - 7
Prince Avenue - 6-21-0-14 - 41
First quarter
P - Conner Causby 6 pass from Aaron Philo (kick failed), 4:53
Second quarter
P - Causby 82 pass from Philo (Tyler Denny kick), 9:34
I - Jaken Thomas 67 pass from Luke Snyder (Melvin Webb kick), 4:32
P - Hudson Hill 7 pass from Philo (Denny kick), 2:52
P - Mac Bradley 1 run (Denny kick), 0:31
Fourth quarter
P - Bradley 2 run (Denny kick), 10:35
P - Hill 8 pass from Philo (Denny kick), 4:57
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