Comebacks weren’t a big part of Burke County’s resume through the first 14 games, but it needed one in the Class AAA championship game and got it.
Trailing by two touchdowns late in the first half, the Bears received two scores each from Corey Mayton and Donquell Green and rolled to their first state title with a 28-14 win over Peach County on Saturday night in the Georgia Dome.
Burke County (14-1) was outgained 182-91 in the first half but trailed only 14-6 thanks to a pair of Peach County turnovers. The second half was a different story.
“We challenged them at halftime,” said Burke County coach Eric Parker. “We weren’t very nice about it. We didn’t feel like we were playing as physical as we usually do.”
The Burke defense held Peach (13-2) to 18 yards in the second half and didn't allow the Trojans across midfield after intermission, sacking Peach quarterback Kentel Kendrick four times.
“They just imposed their will on us,” said Peach coach Chad Campbell, whose club made its fifth finals appearance in the past nine seasons. “They made the plays they had to, and we just didn’t make enough of them tonight.”
Green finished with 127 yards on 17 carries while Mayton had 68 yards on 18 attempts.
Peach’s star receiver, Demarcus Robinson, had four catches for 58 yards in the first half, including a 21-yard reception for the Trojans’ second score. He was held without a catch in the second half.
“When things started clicking, we turned it up,” said Burke defensive lineman Davonte Lambert, who had two sacks. “Nobody has talked about our defense all year, and we had to show what we can do. That was Burke County football.”
Peach County took the opening kickoff and drove 59 yards in nine plays to its first score, Kendrick’s 1-yard run.
Burke drove to the Peach 24 early in the second quarter before coming up short on fourth down, and Peach went 78 yards for another score, this one on a 21-yard pass from Kendrick to Robinson.
“I don’t think we’ve been down like that all year, but we finish," Mayton said. "It shows how much heart this team has.”
The Bears scored on Mayton’s 1-yard run in the final minute of the second period, but the extra point was wide left and Peach’s lead stood at 14-6.
Burke took control of the game midway through the third period, moving 79 yards in eight plays and scoring the equalizer on Green’s 35-yard run and Mayton’s two-point run.
The Bears pulled ahead on Mayton’s 1-yard run with 21 seconds left in the third period, and Green’s 13-yarder put the game away at the 2:48 mark in the fourth.
Peach County 7 7 0 0 – 14
Burke County 0 6 15 7 – 28
PC – Kentel Kendrick 1 run (Alfredo Cervantes kick)
PC – Demarcus Robinson 21 pass from Kendrick (Cervantes kick)
BC – Corey Mayton 1 run (kick failed)
BC – Donquell Green 35 run (Mayton run)
BC – Mayton 1 run (Untorrey Thomas kick)
BC – Green 13 run (Thomas kick)
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