The GHSA football State Championships are presented by the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, reminding you, heads up, Georgia, Park your phone while driving.

It saves lives.

As we welcome you to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the three.

A state championship game as the 13-1 Jefferson Dragons take on the 14-0 Sandy Creek Fighting Patriots.

And good evening, I'm Matt Stewart, joined by Rusty Manziel of Dawgs HQ and Sandy Creek comes in high powered offense.

Rich recruiting roster.

I mean, this is a team that has been ranked number 1 all season long.

They're going for their fifth state championship, but it would be their first under head coach Darius Smiley.

Meantime, Jefferson back in the state finals for the second consecutive year, seeking their second state championship.

They won their one and only back in 2012 under the late legendary coach T McFerrin.

And this is a team that has overcome the loss of their star player, their best player offensively and defensively.

Max Brown the Clemson commit to get to the finals here today.

Yeah, I was there that night against North Oconee.

He gets hurt on the first play of the game.

You kind of wonder where this team is going to go.

But in true fashion, a true Travis Noland team, they just pick up the pieces, plug in extra players and they make it to the state championship.

It's been an amazing story that they lost Max Brown and they are here tonight.

Let's start with Sandy Creek here.

As we mentioned, high powered offense and they're led by the four star running back Amari Latimer, who flipped from Wisconsin to West Virginia on National Signing Day.

He might be the best running back in the state.

He's my favorite, I can promise you that.

Six foot one, 220 pounds, he was the MVP of the state championship basketball game.

This is what I love about him.

He checks the boxes for me, man.

He's got suddenness.

He's got a great stiff arm.

He's got a great jump cut.

People say, how fast is he?

I say, you know what?

I haven't seen anybody catch him on tape and that's all that matters.

He's 220 pounds.

People are going to love him today.

The people are tuning in from West Virginia.

You got a treat today.

And he's also going to start at linebacker as well.

Coach Smiley says he might play 200 snaps on the defensive side of the ball.

You got defensive end JT Austin.

He's had a monster season.

He's got ten offers, including Florida State.

He's just getting started for him.

Florida State A recent offer.

This is a true edge defender six foot 2.5, about 215 pounds.

He's going to grow more.

I'm going to get football nerd.

What are you talking about.

Ankle flexibility.

Watch him come off the edge and how low he gets.

He comes out of a sprinter stance.

He is relentless.

After the football I love what I see out of this junior defensive end at Sandy Creek.

All right I love football nerd.

We can be football nerd.

All day all day with that.

All right, let's talk about Jefferson.

Not only did they lose Max Brown, but Gavin Marquae their All-State quarterback from a year ago.

He's now at Florida State.

So good for him.

Colton Grant has stepped in as the number 1 quarterback, but they will play two quarterbacks today.

Boone Horn is also going to get.

Some snaps.

If you look at Colton Grant, six foot two, 195 pounds, not going to put up a ton of stats.

I think he's thrown for about 880 yards, 886 yards.

He is rushed for 425.

Typical.

Just get it done.

Game manager Coach Nolan says he is solid, but he is a great leader and that's what you got to have at an offense like this.

And like Coach Nolan said, they might be the only team in the state finals without a 1,000 yard passer or 1,000 yard rusher.

Like you said, they put things together, they put the pieces together.

Darren Pinkard both sides of the ball, starting running back, starting linebacker.

I love what Coach Nolan said.

He gets mad when we try to take him out of the game.

He is a two way starter, playing some running back, playing some linebacker, playing some H-back.

They use him last game of his career at Jefferson.

I promise you, he's not coming off the field today for the Dragons.

So it's going to be Jefferson at Sandy Creek here playing for the three, a state championship game.

The third member of our team is Autumn Johnson.

She's down on the sidelines.

Well, the 14-0 record for Sandy Creek is a reflection of playing for something deeper.

This past summer, the Patriots very Owen Ty glacier was lost due to losing his life after being struck by a vehicle, and it was tragic the way it happened.

It rocked not just the football team, but the entire community.

The team took some time to grieve and reflect on his life.

Ty Lee was 16-years-old and he was described as a light, always smiling and dancing and the kind of guy everyone gravitated towards to.

But when this team came back, the final decision was made.

This team was going to dedicate this season to Tyler Glazer, saying, hey, every single time we break it down in the huddle, it's to his name.

You can hear that every possession, every moment he is with this team and they're looking to do it one more time to bring home a state championship.

For Tyler Glazer.

It has been an amazing story.

Artem a tragic story as well.

That glacier's life got cut short at the age of 16, and these Patriots are playing for him today.

And Darius Smiley, this is a big deal for Sandy Creek.

He was hired outside of the Rodney Walker coaching tree.

Rodney Walker, really the architect of this program, followed up by his son Chip.

They won three state championships.

Chip did and then Coach Garvin followed.

He was Chip's right hand man, Darius Smiley when they hired him a couple of years ago.

Hired outside that coaching tree.

So this is his team and it's a big deal.

Yeah.

It's time for him to put his footprint on this program and try to win a state championship right here.

Very talented football team.

People know that around the state of Georgia about a high school football team.

You want to talk about a prospect list.

We will go over this as the game gets on.

But the theme of the day when you start talking about Sandy Creek is going to be followed by all his offers, his offers, his offers.

This is a very talented football team in the red today.

A lot like the Carver Columbus team we saw yesterday.

There are two A-Team Sandy Creek a three A team, but they have 6-A talent.

Yes.

No question about it.

I think they can play.

We talked about it in a dream world.

We want to see Creekside play Sandy Creek for the South Side Super Bowl.

And there are 4-A team and they have 6-A talent.

No question.

And there's Travis Nolan spending time talking to him this week for the second consecutive year, I felt like I was talking to IRC Russell.

Oh yeah, man, he was poor.

Pitiful me.

I don't know what we're going to do.

Listen, this is a very talented Jefferson team.

A lot of high effort kids.

And he said, rusty, we got kids that just love high school football.

Coach Nolan's no nonsense type guy.

He knows what he's facing today.

Matt, I talked to him downstairs as they were coming in, and their game plan to me was rusty.

We have got to run the football.

We have got to shorten this game.

So you're going to see a heavy dose of the run game for Jefferson and try to limit the big play ability of Sandy Creek when they got the ball in their hands.

Coach Nolan's got that drawl and that gravelly voice like the great IRC Russell.

O Masen great.

And he's old school now.

He is old school.

Well respected in the community of coaches.

And the opening kickoff is brought to you by Heads Up, Georgia.

Park your phone while you're driving.

It saves lives.

Return from the 1 yard line and that's going to be Stevenson gets cut short of the 20 and stopped at the 17 18 yard line.

And that's where we will see Sandy Creek on offense for the first time tonight.

And Caleb Hill, their junior quarterback, 61, 195.

Caleb Hill has been a great story, too.

He gets overshadowed by Amari Latimer, but he has been a great quarterback for the Fighting Patriots this year.

Yeah, you look at his stats and coach described him to us as a film junkie, man.

We can trust him.

He knows what's going on.

We go over tape with him and what he's comfortable with.

This is a kid that's probably going to see his recruitment take off really quickly.

And it may start today.

Well, here comes the big show.

Amari Latimer he's going to get the first hand off.

No he's going to throw it instead.

The Stevenson out there on the edge.

And great pursuit by the Dragons to cut it down immediately.

Got to run to the football today.

You're going to see outside linebacker there.

Junior Eli Primm out on the perimeter.

They're going to put him in space.

Little RPO action here.

Quick toss to the sideline.

You're going to see a couple Jefferson defenders run.

You're going to see a lot of red helmets there to the ball.

That's what it's going to take today for the Dragons.

So second down and 12.

Now that they lost 2 yards on the play.

Latimer does get the handoff this time.

And he gets stuck at the line of scrimmage.

Very little gain for Amari Latimer right there.

Rusty.

Let's take a look at the Breda Pest Management impact players Wynn the Patriots have the ball.

Yeah you look at Avohn Florence right there for Sandy Creek six foot five basketball player.

He's a three time state champion.

I love that he came out and played football for Sandy Creek.

You gotta love that.

Chance Payne here's the Division one power forward going to Minnesota.

Signed.

He'll be going up there in a couple of weeks.

511 corner for Jefferson a lot of talent around the field today.

Third down Caleb Hill scrambles, runs up the middle and picks up the first down and more.

Big run by Caleb Hill up to the 39 yard line.

Berardinelli got him on the ground.

The inside linebacker, but a first down run by Caleb Hill.

Yeah.

What scares you?

Get into man to man coverage.

Everybody gets run off and then an athletic quarterback breaks contain.

There's nobody there and they convert on a third and long.

You'll see him step up climb the pocket.

You see man to man.

Everybody was run off.

And then they were unable to get him to the ground.

So first and ten ball at the 39 yard line.

Hill going to sling it out to the left this time goes to Stevenson.

And Stevenson gets 5 yards up to the 44 yard line.

Khaylin Stephenson the 510, 160 junior wide receiver.

They've got a lot of weapons other than just Latimer.

No question about it.

Now we'll go over this prospect list as day goes on.

But you see them working the perimeter game.

Interesting there.

I thought kind of thought they might come at him with Latimer early.

Maybe something they like on tape against these edges and defensive backs from Jefferson testing that early.

Second down and five come to the edge again.

Stevenson on this side this time.

Great open field tackle and that is Mack Gaddis the senior safety returning starter with the TfL.

And that is great play there to come up field.

An open field tackle.

Hard to do one on one.

He just breaks it down, gets him to the ground.

That is picture perfect.

You see him.

No no not this way.

But they are definitely early on testing this perimeter of Jefferson.

So third down you see Gaddis 73 tackles this season, seven TfL.

This is a tough, hard nosed team.

They might not have the recruiting stars that Sandy Creek has, but this is a tough, hard nosed team shaped in the image of their head coach.

Ball is thrown in the hole in the defense, and that's going to be a first down catch and run for Sandy Creek.

And that's Stevenson again.

Another third down, third and long conversion there.

You want to try to get off the field.

Good job going through your progressions.

He just sits down in the zone see the quarterback deliver it.

He does the rest getting upfield.

Stevenson.

He already has four catches here on this opening drive.

Working him out of that slot.

So first and ten from the 40 yard line.

Hill quarterback run looks for the open lane.

Still keeping his eyes down field.

He's going to get tackled by Berardinelli at the 35 yard line.

You got the Berardinelli cousins.

They're not twins.

Dylan and Jacob on this defense for Jefferson.

They make a lot of tackles between them.

What did he say.

They live next door to each other.

That's crazy.

And of course the their brother Dom or one of the brothers.

Dom was a senior on last year's team.

Crazy.

I'm not exactly sure where Dom fits into the picture.

He's got to be the brother of Dylan.

Long as you mentioned.

Long as you mentioned.

He's loving that wherever he's watching right now.

Might be here.

Second down handoff goes to Latimer and Latimer down to the 30 1 yard line.

A yard short of the first down.

Let's take a look at the Johnnie's New York style pizza starters on offense for Sandy Creek.

You got Miranda more and more.

Those are brothers Ryland and Ryan and Ryan's the prospect, along with Hollen, Hollen and Jace Jackson.

And then Latimer is the running back.

Florence, Stevenson and Ferrell, the wide receivers and White as well.

The wide receiver.

You look at Ryan Moore number 76, six foot four, 295 pound junior offensive lineman right there.

Got a bunch of offers early on.

North Carolina, Mississippi State, South Florida, Tulane, Liberty.

Got 12 offers total Ryan Moore and Ryland.

His brother is a lot smaller and plays the center position.

How's that work?

Ryan 64, 290.

Brother 59 2:10 Fourth down.

They're going for it.

Fourth down in the yard.

Quarterback keeper Hill has the first down.

Wow.

Big hit trying to knock him back but he already got in the distance I think it already got in the line of gain.

That's a good run.

Fit by Jefferson.

Just unable to stop there and convert on the opening drive Matt we have two third and longs and a fourth and one conversion.

Got to find a way to get off the field.

If you're Jefferson.

That was Griffin Drake who came in there.

The six foot one junior who was trying to knock him back, but not until Hill had already picked up the first down.

So fresh set of downs.

First and ten from the 30.

Seeing Hill involved in the run game a little more than I anticipated.

You know, we see that a lot once we get to the state finals.

There's no more games to.

Wait until next week.

That's right.

No, no need to be cautious with them anymore.

Hill slings it in the middle.

Sidearm throw and that is incomplete.

Intended for Stevenson.

I heard you guys talking about it earlier this season.

You and Brandon.

How many guys?

Nobody had the sidearm throw until Patrick Mahomes showed.

Up and they all practice it.

Now.

They all do.

Practicing.

Yep.

It was a big no no.

Coaches would would just say don't do not do that.

They would know.

Now it's everybody does it.

It's accepted.

Yep.

Changing the arm angle is now important.

As many balls as you throw in a game.

But you have to practice that for sure.

Second down and ten ball at the 30.

Handoff goes to Latimer looking for a lane to run in.

Gets shot down by Jacob Berardinelli.

He's got the Peach State phenom on his back.

I see that.

I like it man.

Have a little juice about you.

But I will say this great job by Jefferson.

You know, getting him going, getting him down before he gets going.

You don't want 225 pounds plus with some momentum.

Jacob the other cousin of the Berardinelli duo.

511, 175 Junior Yannis 96 total tackles, four TfL and an interception this season.

Third down.

Quarterback here.

Hill looking to go to the air.

Looking to go deep to the end zone.

Jump ball broken up.

Trying to go right there to Corey Hadley officials.

Time out.

For an.

Injury player down.

That was Chase Payne.

The Minnesota signees I believe it was.

See if this is six right here.

Watch him fight through the ball at the end.

Watch him finish.

Look at that.

Great job there.

He lands on him.

That's what I hope.

It just knocks the breath out of him.

Watch you stick his hand in there late.

Perfect way to play that ball.

And Corey Hadley playing wide receiver here in the state finals.

He's one of the top safeties in the junior class in the entire country.

So that was a great matchup right there.

Love Chance Payne and Corey Hadley and Payne with the loss of Max Brown for the season, he is absolutely the highest rated prospect on this Jefferson team right now.

We went over the prospect list and Coach Nolan said.

We got Chase Payne going to Minnesota and everybody else he talked about was just loved high school football.

So let's take a look at the Jefferson defense.

It's brought to you by Johnny's New York style pizza.

You got Parker, Rucker and Lee up front.

And Coach Nolan called these guys the misfits.

Yes, yes.

And then in the linebacking corps, Pinkard, Berardinelli, Drake and Primm and in the secondary Payne Gaddis Berardinelli again, that's Jacob and Parham.

Yeah.

Hadley, who was injured, is one of the top players in America in the 2020 class on Rivals.com.

He is the number 7 overall safety in America.

He's got over 32 power four offers.

Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan, USC.

He's got them all.

You see that right there.

Hopefully he's getting hopefully he's got banged up because Payne landed on him.

That is a big time prospect in the world of recruiting.

Look at that frame for a safety.

And he goes and gets it too I'm telling you you see him playing both ways right there.

They take a shot with him.

It shows you how athletic he is.

But I was watching him on film this morning defensively.

You talking about going and getting it big time prospect.

Well that's one of the things you see a lot when you get to the state finals.

You get late in the playoffs.

Guys start playing both ways.

Quarterbacks start running the ball.

Yeah.

Oh yeah oh yeah.

No question.

Quarterbacks that haven't run the ball all season start running the ball.

Every trick play you got left you're going to run it.

You're going to run if you need it.

We saw Buford do one last night.

A big two point conversion in their 28 win over Carrollton.

The backup long snapper caught that.

Was that correct.

No it was just the long snapper.

Yes.

Hill scrambling around.

He's in trouble.

And do they get him on the ground?

No.

And he's got the pass off.

It's broken up.

I believe they're calling it a sack right there.

Yep.

They're going to call that a sack at the 39 yard line.

And a huge play by this gritty Jefferson defense.

Boy you can tell how fired up they were able to get off the field.

Watch him keep contained, not run past him.

Look at the job there.

By 44.

Time Out.

Media.

Tremendous play.

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14 play drive no points for Sandy Creek Jefferson getting ready to go back on offense for the first time here today.

And let's check in with Adam Johnson.

Well guys as we know playing a state championship here in the Mercedes-Benz comes with a lot maybe some nerves of course some excitement.

But a completely different routine.

I'm talking only 20 minutes to warm up for one of the biggest games of their lives.

So the rhythm of that completely different.

To combat the jitters, Sandy Creek brought the team into the stadium earlier, letting the kids see the lights, fill the space and adjust to the procession.

So they were here yesterday.

And Coach Smiley said the goal is simple remove the Or before kickoff and ask for Jefferson.

They played a tough schedule all season long.

They're built for it, saying year after year we believe in playing a tough schedule to prepare for these moments.

Pinkard gets the first handoff for Jefferson, gets stopped at the line of scrimmage.

Of course, Jefferson was in this game a year ago, so they got all of that out of the way in 2024.

Got a chance to play Calhoun in here last year, and a freshman quarterback, Trace Hawkins kind of got introduced to the country.

But Jefferson back.

See them looking at the replay.

They're going through the plays, but you're going to see a steady dose, man.

You're going to see the formation right here.

Heavy set, double tight there a. Split in the what do you call this formation.

A lot of bodies.

1972.

Is that what you call the formation?

I promise you it's going to see every run formation you can imagine.

They're going to throw at him today.

Handoff goes to Pinkard again.

And Pinkard a couple of yards as he falls forward to the 42 yard line.

Now they've got a super freshman who's come back from injury CJ Hays.

And we're going to see him in the rotation mix at running back today as well.

Yes, six foot 206 foot 1210 pound freshman running back.

But here's what I'll say.

Matt, I want to understand here, if they get fourth and two, are they understand we're going for it.

We're going for it all night.

We got to keep Sandy Creek off the field.

It'll be interesting to see if they pick up a couple right here, what decision they make.

Yeah, if they can get it with it, get it to the 45.

They're going for it, don't you think?

I would imagine.

They have the ball at the 42 right now.

Now they spread things out a little bit more.

That's Robinson, the tight end who comes set in the backfield and Pinkard.

Another run falls forward to the 45.

He got to the 45.

Let's see if they go for it here on fourth down and one.

As we take a look at the Breda Pest Management impact players.

When the Dragons have the ball.

Yeah.

You see the freshman right there.

CJ Hays six foot one, 210 pounds.

We have Corey Hadley there for Sandy Creek who went down.

But Evan Harvey is the other defensive end who signed with Memphis.

Interesting decision right here.

Early on.

Travis Noland maybe trusting his defense a little bit after one time they're going to punt.

Well, he did get the stop, so they haven't given up any points.

So you can punt here.

And Taylor McCall is a three year starter for them at the kicking positions.

Punter, kicker, the whole thing.

He's really good.

He'll be kicking from the 32.

Play field position.

Oh that's a beautiful punt.

Punt man.

An absolute bomb that's going to be caught at the 14 yard line by Latimer.

And he is dragged down immediately by the Dragons.

That was an absolute monster.

Punt off the foot of McCall just flips the field.

Just know a team like Jefferson is going to be good on special teams.

They're going to kick, they're going to cover, not going to make silly mistakes, and they're going to play every play.

Very smart, make you beat them.

And how old school is Jefferson they still play on grass.

Yeah.

Yeah they have to.

They have to.

They have a creek running at their stadium.

But I promise you, you want to talk about maybe the most pristine football field in the state.

In the state of Georgia.

I walked on that field this year.

I could not believe.

Of course, the trend has been.

He said.

Nobody plays there.

They don't let anybody touch that field.

It's used only eight or nine times a year.

This year.

They've played that many home games with the playoffs, and Latimer gets the handoff and Latimer they had him bottled up so far in this game.

As he reaches the 20 yard line.

That's going to be a three yard pickup.

You see Amari Latimer totally different back than the amazing Ty Cummings at West.

Lawrence, who signed with Georgia Southern.

Cummings is more of a scatback smaller back.

Latimer is the big prototypical power back.

Can we show our age?

That's Warrick Dunn, and this is William Andrews.

That's a great point.

Great comparison right there.

There's Latimer four star.

He's rated as high as the number 12 running back in the entire country.

Coach Darius Smiley obviously biased on it.

Said he thought he's the best running back in the country.

It was close to being down.

That's Ferrell with the catch.

And he scrambles up close to the yardage.

Alijah Ferrell making his first catch of the game.

There's a flag down on the field.

Eric McDonald's, our referee.

Personal foul.

Face mask on the defense.

That 15 yard penalty to be added on to the end of the run.

It will be a first down.

Number 34 there for Jefferson.

Almost almost.

Put a knee down.

Look right here.

Right there.

That's close.

Seven actually had that.

That's Primm.

Yeah seven had it.

Eli Primm the outside linebacker.

That gives Sandy Creek a first down at the 40 yard line.

Quick moving first quarter.

We got just 2:00 remaining in the period.

Prior to the snap false start offense five yard penalty.

First down.

For our devotees of high school football.

Here's state of Georgia might recognize the name Latimer.

His brother Jaimeer was the starting quarterback when they last won the state championship in 2022.

And he went into the portal yesterday and without knowing anything, I would probably watch West Virginia.

That'd be a good call.

I would probably watch West Virginia on that.

It was interesting that last week Ohio State got involved.

I think North Carolina thought they had Latimer.

I know South Carolina got involved at about 48 hours later, he signed with West Virginia.

He had 47 total offers.

Yeah.

So how many power conference teams are there?

60 offense, five yard penalty.

First down.

Most every power conference and some, you know, Mid-majors G5, whatever you want to call them.

Also offered him two.

I love that coach said they put him in the state championship basketball game.

They put him on the other team's top scorer and he shut him down.

First half.

The basketball coach was begging him not to be a midyear.

He said, coach, coach, I got to go.

Yeah, football.

Now it's almost it's really not even a choice anymore, is it?

Yeah.

You got to go early.

Yeah.

It's very it's strange to say like it's very rare now to see these kids.

Game has changed.

Let's take a look at the Sandy Creek resume.

Going for their fifth state championship.

They've won four of them.

2009, 2010, 2012.

So 3-4 years under, Chip Walker.

And then in 2022, coach Gavin led them to the title, then retired 13 seasons with ten plus wins, ten region titles and the program started in 1992 when it was Rodney Walker who was the head coach back then.

In 1999, he came in and he wasn't there from the very beginning, but 1999 he came in and really kind of put his footprint on this thing.

And for the next 20 years, it was Walker.

Gavin was really kind of the same philosophy and mindset.

And of course, we saw Chip Walker earlier this season on GPB sports Football Fridays in Georgia, now the head coach at Newnan.

Enjoy those days going down and watching Coach Walker, chip Walker's teams.

Kedric Golston Calvin Johnson.

Shaq Wiggins, all those all those guys.

Ball in the air and it's going to be caught and it's going to be out of bounds.

Or did they count the catch?

They will count the catch I think they're discussing it right now.

That was Latimer out of the backfield on the wheel route.

Is that an illegal touch.

He come back in.

We got Dave Reynolds back up here in the booth with us today.

We'll get his opinion on this in just a moment.

It's hard to say if he went yeah.

He's out.

Right there out there.

But did he come in.

He come out of bounds.

Is that a legal touch on that?

Is a completed catch number 1 with illegal participation.

Ran out of bounds and came back in.

That'll be a 15 yard penalty from the previous spot.

Still be second down.

First down.

Schuver.

So the conversation is not illegal.

Touching in high school.

In college it is.

And it is.

But for high school football you go out of bounds on your own, come back in and touch the football.

Illegal participation.

Same thing, just different terminology.

Correct camera angle to see if it was forced out or not.

Correct.

That's a big question.

Obviously.

Let's say you're up at the top.

So here's another look at it.

Here's Latimer coming out here on the wheel route.

Looks like he was forced out.

I believe he was forced there.

He was pushed out.

Is that reviewable?

Oh no, it is not reviewable.

If he's forced out or not.

Judgment call a false start or holding.

What do you think?

Do you think he was forced out?

I thought he was forced out.

There's enough contact.

Potentially.

I'm putting you on the spot.

I know, but since you weren't with us here last night, you were down on the field working.

Yeah.

You owe us.

You're getting.

You're getting.

A better view.

You owe us one.

You're getting the business today.

No.

No.

Softballs.

Pass is thrown and nearly intercepted in a huge collision.

As Berardinelli and Chance Payne collide.

And hopefully Payne is okay.

Wow.

That was a massive collision between two players on the same team.

Two Jefferson guys going to try to fit this in tight.

I think he overthrows that.

They're going back to Corey Hadley again.

Who's back in the ball game?

That is lucky.

Hit him in the chest.

So going to be second down.

And now 35 with approaching 1 minute to play here in the first quarter.

Hill looks this side underneath.

They go dump it off.

And that's going to be complete.

But well short of the first down.

Ball going to Dana Greenhow again.

This is another guy.

He's a safety and a highly recruited nickel safety.

They got him in there on offense.

This is good news.

If you're a Jefferson fan.

Sure.

Tackling keeping everything in front of you.

This is exactly how you want this game to unfold.

You want to make Sandy Creek make a big mistake, not let them big play.

You third down and long hill in the pocket.

Going to try to run out of it and get it himself.

And he's going to slide down at the 40 and a flag comes out.

Yep.

You got to pull up there man.

That is a costly mistake for Jefferson.

Because they stopped him.

That's just the original line of scrimmage.

It would have been fourth and ten.

Yes.

When he gives himself up right here you got to stop.

Oh yeah man that is I know you're in the moment and I know you've got a lot going on, but you got to pull up right there.

But he gives himself up.

You got to stop.

After the play personal foul on the defense.

Be a 15 yard penalty yardage will result in a first down.

That is a huge penalty Matt.

That is a huge penalty.

Bails him out.

You got you got the fourth down stop.

And now you've given them a first down.

And the yards.

And on the plus side of the 50.

So first and ten Sandy Creek with the penalty.

Ball sitting on the 46.

Latimer a couple of yards.

They've kept him in check so far in this game.

Latimer that was his sixth carry.

Has only 15 16 yards with that little short run right there.

Yeah I want to see them get him in space a little bit.

Everything right now has been kind of up the middle.

Well they tried on the wheel route.

Yes he can catch the ball I'm telling you he is a he is definitely a guy you can put out there.

You see them run a lot of vertical stuff with him.

They'll put him in the slot against a backer, let him get up the field on him.

He is an every down back and that is the end of the first quarter.

Scoreless in the three a state championship game.

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Org slash education start of the second quarter Jefferson and Sandy Creek scoreless here in the three.

A state championship game.

Matt Stewart, Rusty Mansel, Artem Johnson.

Our entire GPB team here with you for day three of the GHSA state championships.

That was Caleb Hill on the run down to the 40 yard line.

Designed run.

See this.

We talked about it earlier, leaving nothing in the playbook today.

Not a game next week.

We can turn him loose.

Had an interesting call.

Some texts with coach Matt Napier.

Long time coach Dan Lagrange.

He played them last week and said rusty, one of the most talented teams I've coached against, he goes, this quarterback is underrated.

Third down and three.

Hill going to run and get the first down.

Slips out of a couple tackles and down to the 27 yard line.

And Burnett number 34 Dylan Berardinelli he had him.

He was the spy.

He was the guy that was in charge of him.

He just missed the tackle.

Watch him sit in the middle.

You're going to see 34.

He's in charge of him and unable to get him right there.

And he'll run through that and gets the first down.

So first and ten ball at the 28 yard line again.

Sandy Creek putting together a nice drive.

They had a 14 play drive in the first quarter but failed to score.

Hill to the outside and going to be caught and slung out of bounds.

That was Nathan Holston who's also their starting corner, who made the grab.

Second down and five.

Yep.

Second five here.

Again, a run right into the teeth of that Jefferson defense that has been mighty stingy so far tonight.

Latimer unable to get loose so far.

That's going to be carry number 6 for him.

And he's got 17 yards.

Good job there Jefferson.

Just their front four.

Not trying anything crazy.

It's just their front four guys run fitting not letting the big man get rolling.

Third down and short.

Probably four down territory.

The run by Hill and a first down.

That's that's who's hurt him right now is Hill.

He has been he's been big in the plus one game.

Yep.

Got to count for him.

And again they they spread them out or they'll go Kobe QB power.

Eight carries 54 yards for Caleb Hill so far tonight.

And a flag down.

Got illegal substitution on the offense.

Oh wow.

12 information, five yard penalty.

First down.

Time of possession for what that's worth heavily in Sandy Creek favor here.

Rusty.

940 7-2 13 what did Jefferson have three plays?

Four plays?

Yeah, they've run three plays in the game.

25 plays.

Run for Sandy Creek in this game.

Yeah.

How long can that hold up.

They cannot.

They got to get they got to get off the field get their defense a little bit of rest.

First and 15.

Now following the penalty at the 20 1 yard line.

Latimer in the zone read they hand it to him and he just barely gets back to the line of scrimmage.

Big Darren Pinkard running back and linebacker.

It was interesting when we talked to Travis Noland, we asked him, well, how do you stop Latimer?

And he said, I don't know.

Well, obviously they've game plan.

They figured it out so far.

And he was right.

We've got to have a lot of guys running to.

We got to have several guys get him and get him to the ground.

But the thing that really concerned him was that Latimer is just part of the equation.

When you talk about the Sandy Creek offense.

Oh yeah.

And Hill has been the star of the offense so far.

He and Stephenson handoff goes to Latimer.

Latimer scrambles forward to the 15 yard line.

That's the original line of scrimmage or thereabouts.

And now it's going to be third down.

I tell you who's enjoying the pace of this game as Thomas County Central and Gainesville, they are enjoying the pace of this.

They're like run the ball, let's get into the wishbone.

Get back on schedule here.

On schedule.

It's tough when you play so many games in one day.

And of course, Buford and Carrollton ended up starting much later than scheduled last night.

Although I don't know, many people complained.

It was such a fantastic game.

Well, everybody complained at the start and then the complaining was over and they realized how good a game it was.

It was.

Such a. Fantastic game.

I understand you want that thing to start at seven, but once that game kicked off and I've been doing this for a long time, not as long as you.

Have Sandy Creek.

But I went to the sideline just to just to see it.

The speed and the size of that game last night was it was incredible talent all over the place.

Well, when Wayne started the game, he called it, you know, the SEC Championship Game part two.

It's Bama versus Georgia.

Except it's just Buford and Carrollton close to that.

Not quite that but close to that.

Yep yep.

Talked to head coach Joey King this morning just a little bit.

And obviously, you know just really, really felt for his kids.

You know it it's never been about Joey.

You know he gets a lot of publicity.

And being a head coach at Carrollton and but he was really, really, you know, hurt for his kids.

And he knew what type of game he was in last night.

Can not have turnovers like they have all the credit in the world.

Coach app and Buford.

And you can see Coach Aplin after the game.

He was fired up.

You know what I mean.

He knew it was a big game.

He knows what the expectations are at Buford.

Congratulations.

Those guys saw they were shooting fireworks off at the stadium at 2:00 this morning.

Had the whole neighborhood.

The whole city of Buford woke up last night and they earned that.

They had gone three years without a state title there at Buford.

That might as well be 30 years.

That senior class was not going out without a ring.

So third down now and nine line to gain is the six.

Latimer gets the handoff, gets around the corner.

Latimer scores the touchdown.

Sandy Creek is on the board.

That's what scares you about the big man right there.

You give him a little bit of crease and you see the burst out of a 225 pound running back.

Jefferson has run fit this perfect all night.

They go counter right here.

Big body on big body.

And once he gets that space, he walks that in.

It's a good job up front by the Sandy Creek offensive line.

And Matt they'll go back to that penalty.

They would've got off the field.

That is a 15 yard touchdown run.

Trey Love on for the Paytee and he gets it through.

And a 7-0 lead for Sandy Creek as they finally break through.

They've held the ball almost the entire game.

And then Latimer finally busts one.

In time-out.

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What.

Varner are you lying?

Oh come on.

Oh, what a bad call.

Swindell.

You have no business being out there.

Terrible.

You know, I'm a person to.

8 minutes to play in the first half.

Sandy Creek finally breaks through 7-0 lead on Jefferson.

Let's check in with Artem, guys.

Amari Latimer is a straight up athlete.

You would think it stops at football.

Not even close.

A three time state champion in basketball was named MVP of the 2025 championship game.

He ran track, posted 11 53 in the 100 meter dash in 24 16.

In the 200 meter dash.

As a tenth grader, if you ask Sandy Creek head coach Smiley, he thinks he's the best running back in the country.

Guys.

He just might be.

It's hard to tell.

We may never know that for sure, but we'll find out when he gets to the collegiate level just how effective he is.

I imagine he's going to be a star there, too.

And West Virginia runs the football.

He's going to get a bunch of carries there.

Kick off coming down at the 11 yard line and return opportunity Chance Payne up to the 27.

And that's where he stopped.

And that's where Jefferson goes on offense.

And I think we'll have a change at quarterback here.

This will be their third series and this will be right on schedule.

They were planning on Boone Horn.

Is this their second series?

You're right.

It's actually just their second series.

We have 8 minutes left in the first half.

It's just their second series have run only three plays.

And let's see is Horn out there as it still Grant.

Grant is still Grant.

So third series is when Horn comes in, it is still Grant Boone Horn the six foot 170 junior, maybe a little more athletic than Colton Grant and a better passer.

So we will see him here tonight on the third series, which might not be until third quarter.

The way this game is going right.

Now.

Handoff goes to Hays.

There is that freshman running back.

You saw him hit that hole with authority.

Rod Smith comes up and makes the tackle.

He loved that for Jefferson right here.

Brings up a lot.

You can do it second and four.

But that's exactly what they want to do.

And they bring in a freshman running back.

We saw one last night in Zach Watts for Carver Columbus.

A lot of buzz around the state on him this morning.

A lot of people texting me going yeah, they got another one.

This young man right here out of Jefferson High School.

I think this will be one that they'll be buzzing about tomorrow morning.

Yep.

Second down and four.

Dye that goes in motion behind the line.

Going to be a quarterback run here by Grant.

And Grant going to struggle to get back to the line of scrimmage.

Look how tough this guy is running.

And finally he gets submarine by Chase Usher.

As we take a look at the New York style pizza, Johnny's starting lineup with Pauley, Simmons, Tillery, Ledbetter and Williamson Pauley and Williamson getting offers Pinkard the running back.

But now Hayes is in there.

Bunz the fullback, Dye and Edmunds, the wide receivers, and Robinson is the tight end.

Big 73 tackle Michael Pauley Coach Noland called him their bell cow.

He's there, he's their guy on the offensive line right now.

His offers include Georgia Southern, 63, 275.

Senior Perrin that goes in motion behind the line.

Handoff goes to Hayes and Hayes gets a couple of yards.

This time he got big number 74.

Courtland Tillery the center pushing him from behind trying to get an extra yard on the play.

And they're going to have to try to bring the punt team in.

Just unable to get second.

And Ford cannot get another yard here.

So that'll be six plays.

They've run through the first 18 minutes of this game, while Sandy Creek has run 28 plays.

They've got to start watching your defense now on the field a lot.

That is way too much.

Really need to cover on this punt.

We got to get a three and out here.

If you're Jefferson.

Taylor McCall on to punt again.

His first punt was really good.

High snap hauls it in.

Got it blocked.

Recovered by Jefferson.

But the ball will belong to Sandy Creek.

That high snap threw off the timing and Sandy Creek got the block.

Evan Harvey I believe maybe.

It was zero.

Yep, that is the Memphis Sanaai bad snap.

Unable to get it off at this point and he just.

He didn't have to die.

Blocks.

Just slaps it down.

Yeah, he did not even have to dive to get it.

Big block by Evan Harvey who set the quarterback sack record as a sophomore, has not had a great statistical season this year.

But Coach Smiley says really playing well in the playoffs.

Play opposite of JT Austen, the other defensive end.

I mean, those two are fighting over sack stats.

That's what we're talking about right there.

And the ball control, the time differential is even bigger than the play differential.

Crazy.

And now Sandy Creek has the ball again on offense.

Latimer great tackle right there by Tylek Rucker the nose tackle.

And you mentioned something a moment ago right after the touchdown run by Latimer I mean they've done a great job on the run fits.

But here's the problem.

You could do a great job on the run.

Fits.

You bust one and it turns into a touchdown.

On that touchdown.

The Sandy Creek offensive linemen were able to get to the second level.

Once they sealed off that linebacker, there was no one there to run for it.

And that's what happens.

Hardy second down and 11.

Latimer gets to the second level, dives for the first down yardage, maybe a yard short.

Exactly what you said a few moments ago.

Now, the fatigue, that defense has been out there for a long time now.

You're starting to see some creases for Latimer to get through.

A lot of plays, man.

You see Latimer here with a lot of wiggle.

Was a flag down on that play?

I don't think so.

Nope.

Helmet came off okay.

You know, they tested the Jefferson perimeter a good bit there early, and now they've just settled in to run.

Game has been quarterback run has been Latimer run third and one.

You got to consider this two down territory and they go right back.

Quarterback Hill gets the first down.

First and goal to go now from the four after the run by Hill and Hill nine carries for about 55 56 yards depending on what the yardage they give on that run right there.

Doesn't matter if it's game one or game 15, special teams, special teams, special teams get a bad snap block, punt.

Cannot have that pure Jefferson against a team like this.

This would be big to hold them to three right here.

Somehow, someway.

Dig in right here and hold this to three.

But now Sandy Creek has four downs to try to get this in from the four and a time-out, it's going to be called by the Patriots.

Amazing.

We're late in, amazing.

We're late in the half.

Sandy Creek with the four state championships, they will long be remembered in Georgia state history inadvertently for making big history and changing the look of the Georgia high school football state championships.

It was the controversial call against Cedar Grove and the touchdown that Sandy Creek was credited that ultimately led to us having replay in the state finals.

I remember standing behind Sam Crenshaw and guys calling that, and I saw that play and I was like, that guy's not in.

And just really just just unfortunate man.

And and I'm glad we have replay here.

But it was they were part of the history that changed the way things are done in the Georgia high school football state championship.

That thing went everywhere.

ESPN, every possible angle to cover that play did.

And just unfortunate.

Glad we no longer have to deal with that.

And we have instant replay here in our state championships.

Run by Caleb Hill maybe gets a yard on the play as he gets driven back.

JJ Parker, defensive tackle number 58 made that tackle.

Comes off the field right now.

They do a really good job on the run.

But the problem is they have to be nearly perfect.

Every time.

Because if they not perfect Sandy Creek will bust one on you.

Second down and goal.

Got to watch him out of the backfield to.

Caleb Hill looking for a Lane.

There it is.

Touchdown!

They had him hemmed in and then a crease opened up and he shot right through it.

The old term getting out athlete.

That's what happened right there in space.

Put a move on the Jefferson defender one on 1 ft in the ground and just goes up for the touchdown.

They fit this pretty good.

Watch this move right here.

And he's back in.

Touchdown.

Four yard touchdown run Caleb Hill and a 13-0 lead for Sandy Creek Trey Love back out there for the Paytee.

And this one's a little bit better.

And right through the uprights Caleb Trey Love is a very interesting story.

Plays H-back for Sandy Creek.

His daddy Braylon Hill played in the National Football League.

Came out of Arizona State and his mama played in the WNBA.

I saw that crazy thing about this man.

If you're Jefferson right now, you're looking at this a penalty while ago you get off the field, then you have a bad snap, cost you 14 points, two plays, all these snaps at Sandy Creek has you just about have to play a perfect game against a team like this.

A couple of small mental mistakes.

Get a you know, it would have been a fourth and ten.

You get a player who's just hustling quarterback slides.

Unfortunately you go down with him and it was the right call, but it changed that whole drive.

They capitalized on 17.

You have a bad snap.

It was only a 15 yard drive.

Five plays after that blocked punt set it up the red ribbon 365 curriculum DBHDD scoring drive.

Now Jefferson's absolutely got to do something on offense.

They've run only six plays through the first 22 minutes of this game.

They have got to flip the field at least to get a couple of first downs.

Kick checks up.

Got to get on that thing.

And Payne does field it and comes this way.

Here we go.

One on one.

One on one.

Got to beat the kicker.

He goes right by the kicker.

Chance Payne with the touchdown return Jefferson right back in the game.

That is what you needed.

We'll be talking about special teams again.

You look at this Minnesota signee and P.J.

Fleck and those guys.

You know they're watching The Office right now.

They excited.

About this man.

Watch this burst right here.

When he puts his foot in the ground he's not letting a kicker take him down.

82 yard touchdown return.

That thing checked up right in front of him.

That was a little bit nervous.

But seven iron.

Yeah I mean, I was I was nervous for him because the Sandy Creek defenders were quickly approaching and maybe they got a little bit too deep and they opened up the opportunity for him to take it 82 yards for the score.

Man, did they need that.

Still hadn't read any offensive plays.

Wow, what an answer right there.

That's the best offensive play right there.

An 82 yard kick return.

And he really showed you something right here.

Right here.

He didn't fool around.

There was no wasted movement.

He just runs right by him.

Coach Nolan said he called him from his Minnesota official visit and said, hey, I think I want to commit.

And he goes, hey, you realize you're up there in June now?

He said, coach, I'll feel at home.

This is where I want to be.

He said, okay, you make that call.

And he did.

Committed to Minnesota on his official visit.

How about that?

Chance Payne, with a jolt of energy for this Jefferson team.

They got him right back in the game and it's 14-7 Just when you thought Sandy Creek had taken control of the game might be pulling away.

The big play by Chance Payne to ignite his Dragons.

Now your defense has got to go back on the field, catch your breath.

You're only down seven now.

See if you can get a little momentum and get a stop here late in the half.

But you're not going to get a return.

So that's going to bring it out to the 20 as great kick by Taylor McCall sends it into the end zone.

All my mentions are lighting it up over Amari Latimer versus Jaylen.

Moore.

You know what?

They both can be really good running backs.

Yeah, I said he might be the best running back in the state.

And I might not argue with you, but the state of Georgia is deep, deep with running backs.

And let's go.

And let's just don't buy the recruiting rankings.

Let's don't forget about Ty Cummings and what he did this year.

2,600 yards rushing for West Lawrence and had a 600 yard rushing game to set the state record.

No question.

You know what?

There's a reason I don't do recruiting rankings anymore.

I'm retired from that.

And I like Devon Caldwell, who we just saw for Hebron Christian in the championship game.

How about a junior, Gary Walker from Creekside?

That's going to be a guy that's going to be a guy next year.

You talk about a lot of off season momentum with him.

State of Georgia man a lot of running backs.

Latimer gets dragged down as he tries to turn the corner.

That was Eli Primm getting his mitts on him.

I've been Jefferson.

They've just been out there a ton of plays.

They are running to the football though.

Their front four is really eating up space, eating up blocks.

Second down and four as we approach.

2:00 to go in the half, Latimer gets stonewalled at the line of scrimmage.

They collapse on those guys in a hurry.

And this is a big play right here.

Get off the field late in the half.

Better make sure somebody's got the quarterback right here.

If you run everybody off in coverage, he will run the football.

And watch that middle linebacker again 34.

He probably will be the spy.

You see him standing in middle of the field.

Hill looking throwing.

Dumps it deep jump ball.

And it is caught at the 30 yard line.

And then the ball comes out.

Jefferson's got it.

Florence came down with the catch and then fumbled the ball.

And it's recovered by Parham.

What a play.

Watch him finish through this.

He gets out.

Jumped for the ball.

It's just thrown up for grabs.

Watch the Sandy Creek receiver go up and get it.

Watch Parham come through and fight through it.

Rip it out right there.

What a play man.

Oh my goodness what a play.

Watch him rip it right here on coming down.

Wow Shyne Parham is 6 tall.

Florence the receiver 65.

That's the basketball player.

Yeah.

And it was a basketball rebound play.

And he had no shot.

But he made up for it by stripping the ball away.

Oh man.

Every defensive coach in the state right now is on a text thread going did you see that play.

That's exactly what we teach you.

Finish through it.

Fight and strip the ball out as he brings it down.

Great play by Jefferson.

Had to have it third and five.

Almost another backbreaking play.

But Parham with a strip.

So now Jefferson back on offense.

Can they do something offensively.

Hawkins now in there at quarterback.

Third series.

Just like coach told us, ball is thrown up there and incomplete trying to get the ball to Perrin.

Yeah.

You see, the first time they drop back J.T.

Austin number 11, the guy we highlighted in the open, he was all over pressure shot out of a cannon off the edge.

Kind of figure.

Third series.

I'm probably getting in maybe late first quarter, early second quarter.

He gets in with a buck.

12 in 2 minutes two minute offense man.

Oh by the way, against this defense we'll break you in two minute.

Showed a nice arm right there.

Just did not connect.

It's going to be second down.

Shotgun here.

And a hand off to Hays CJ Hays looking for a place to run and doesn't find any.

Sandy Creek calls.

Time-out.

They're gonna let this clock run.

Steven Hannon the defensive tackle.

He's got a couple of offers.

South Florida and Liberty making that tackle.

Jefferson does have all three Time-outs remaining.

Yeah, coach said this might be the next one.

64, 220 pounds 2027 defensive end.

They got a lot of next ones.

They got a lot of nous.

They got a lot of nous and a lot of next ones.

Yeah, and they got a lot of upcoming.

Yeah.

Those two.

Third down and eight.

Right there.

Hays gets stopped right away.

No running room.

Looks like Jefferson is going to be content to let this clock run out.

It's fourth down and nine.

They certainly don't want to have to punt it here after they've already had one blocked.

Andrew Dawson just steps up.

They run counter.

He's one on one steps right up in there, makes the tackle.

Nice play there by the senior linebacker.

Yeah.

Sandy Creek did not have a Time-out remaining because you were probably thinking call a time-out, make them punt.

I thought they had one left.

Make them punt.

You've already blocked one, but they didn't have a time-out to burn there.

And so we go to the locker room in a 147 game.

Fun game I mean statistically Sandy Creek has dominated but Chance Payne with an 82 yard kick return touchdown flips the script.

If you're Jefferson, you got so much to be positive about right here.

Couple of things you want to fix at halftime.

But that kick return I don't know the stat, but I know when you return a kickoff you win a lot of football games.

Johnny's beats a halftime interview.

Let's send it down to Artem.

Coach Smiley that 82 kick return gave Jefferson some momentum.

What are the adjustments that you discussed with your team in the locker room?

Oh, you know, uncharacteristic of us.

You know, giving up the kickoff return and then coming back out made a big play.

And we you know we get the fumble kind of gave them some momentum right there.

But our defense came up big right there on that stop before the half.

So we're going to go in, sell them down and try to come back out.

And you know the next 24 minutes try to play Sandy Creek football.

Caleb Hill.

And also Amari Latimer was able to get into the end zone.

How do you keep those two going.

Oh you know we just got to keep keep keep executing keep blocking up front and just keep calling our stuff.

Man.

Those are those are two good football players.

They've gotten us to this point.

So we're going to keep rolling with them.

Thanks coach.

And good luck.

All right.

After this break we'll have more three a state championship action with Nikki and John Sandy Creek and Jefferson.

Let me know if I can help you with anything.

Just looking.

I only buy local and sustainable, so.

Oh., well, that shirt's not local.

You should be wearing cotton.

George is a major supplier of cotton worldwide, so if you'd like to buy local to support Georgia, buying cotton is a great place to start.

It's renewable and sustainable.

Naturally.

Thanks.

That's a polyester fiber made of oil, by the way.

Where's your dressing room?

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Welcome into our GPB Halftime Show!

We're live from Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

We're in day three of our high school football state championship extravaganza.

That's what we've been calling it, John.

And we've seen some extravagant games, but we've got one going on right now.

It's the three.

A title matchup between Jefferson and Sandy Creek.

Let's take a look at our Georgia EMC scoreboard.

Some of the numbers at halftime are staggering.

Try and look at some of the ones that Matt and Rusty may not get into.

Six of nine on third down for Sandy Creek, zero for three for Jefferson.

By the way, Jefferson has only run nine plays in the first half, 33 and outs, 36 plays, 199 yards for Sandy Creek, nine plays, 17 net yards total for Jefferson.

But when you have Chance Payne Chance Payne picking him up and putting him down from 82 yards, that's why it's only a one score game right now.

I was going to say that 82 yard touchdown return was absolutely incredible.

It gave them the spark that they needed.

But then Shyne Parham came in right before the end of the half with an impressive pick.

So they have to have some positivity coming out into the second half with what just happened.

Can't wait to hear what Travis Noland has to say.

Catching up with Adam Johnson coming up in about what?

What's the clock say 16 minutes or so.

So we'll wait for that coming up here in just a little bit.

Once again, thanks to our friends at Georgia EMC all season long and part of our relationship with Georgia's EMCs is the Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Award.

A lot of folks winning trophies for being great sports when it comes to sports.

Here's our salute to the champs.

123.

The 36 participating Georgia Electric membership cooperatives would like to congratulate all the winners of the GHSA Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Award in 2025.

Eli.

This award honors schools that exhibit exemplary sportsmanship during competitive events.

Only one school in each region in each classification is chosen to receive this annual award.

The GHSA takes into consideration all aspects of sportsmanship, making the award a tribute to the entire community.

Introduced in 2006, this award reinforces the GHSA philosophy that everyone associated with high school activities, from athletes to spectators, should adhere to the fundamental values it represents.

Georgia EMC in the 36 participating Georgia Electric membership cooperatives are proud to sponsor the Cooperative Spirit Sportsmanship Award.

Congratulations to all the winners this year.

Congratulations again to all of the winners.

Now we've had the opportunity to share some inspiring stories all season long.

Thanks to our friends over at USA pharmacy.

While our next player spotlight.

He's actually playing out on the field tonight.

Jon Nelson that is Max Brown out of Jefferson High School and he is made for big games like this.

And we will hear from him coming up next in the next segment.

Right.

So then that means we're going to go to break.

We're going to take.

We're going.

To break.

We're going to go to break okay.

Let's do it.

We're going to get played out by the Jefferson High School marching band.

They are on the field and they're taking up a lot of room.

There's a lot of horns down there.

Can't wait to hear what they have to do down there.

On the on the first floor.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium stick and stay more with us coming up in a bit.

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Welcome into our GPB halftime show!

We are live from Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

We are bringing you some of the best of the best over these past three days.

Jon Nelson.

We have had some incredible state title matchups.

11.5 games, Dunn 1.5 games left of 13 championships on three days here at Georgia Public Broadcasting toward the end of the evening, you're going to see a big credit roll.

It's going to have like 19 gazillion people on it.

And without all of them, what we've been able to do as a group for the last three days would not have happened.

There's a lot of folks behind the scenes that you don't get to see.

In addition to the folks that you get to hear from for the three day period.

Without them, we wouldn't be able to do what we do.

You get that credit roll coming up at the end of the evening.

Absolutely.

I mean, three days is such a small time frame when so many people have been working for months upon months to pull what we have going on these past three days off.

It's been incredible.

No doubt about it.

We've seen some incredible talent out there on the football field, and right now it's the three matchup between Jefferson and Sandy Creek.

Our friends over at USA pharmacy have made it possible to share some incredible stories with you.

There's a player out there for Jefferson.

His name is Max Brown of Jefferson High School, and man, he is made for big games like this.

Check it.

Out 2025.

He's not avoiding contact, he's looking for contact.

And the thing that I appreciate about the way he plays as well is he's going to play as hard as he can play.

When it's time to play, he's a he's an animal, you know, and he's able to flip that switch.

Max does a great job on offense.

He's going to get a lot of reps for us in the state championship game.

He made a couple of plays that were just sheer effort and want to have nothing to do with coaching, had nothing to do with technique.

It was just him really doing everything he could to make a play for our team.

And you hit somebody, you just feel their whole body just shock back and you hear the crowd go, ooh, that just makes me hungrier.

Want me to do it again?

John, that championship footage on Max, that was from last year.

And he and the Dragons are back this year.

And we'll see how they finish it out on the other side of this half.

152 tackles last season, 14 TfL, two sacks and one fumble forced this season because folks, understandably, they don't want to mess with Max.

They're kind of running away from him a little bit.

So coming in 43 tackles, 11 TfL.

So once again it's a percentage of about 25% of the tackles that Max Brown has been making in his junior year.

Right now.

Committed to Clemson, 25% of those tackles have been for loss, a great defensive presence for Travis Noland in the Jefferson Dragons.

Che and we saw the spark, the defensive spark from the Dragons just before the half.

So again, we're looking forward to see how that game turns out.

When we come back.

There's more from Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

We promise, because there's a second half of a game that is a one score game coming up around the corner.

We'll take the tour and let you know what you've been missing and hopefully what you've been watching coming up here.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium halftime show continues.

We have more bands.

We have bands and flags and things here on the great GPB stick and Stay official term.

We'll be right back.

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So.

You wouldn't take a call during the big game.

Oh hey what's up man?

You wouldn't be texting while cheering on your team.

Jacket.

And you definitely wouldn't want to watch a video while marching with the band.

So why would you drive a car while distracted driving isn't a game when you lose on the road, it could lead to a crash.

So when you get behind the wheel, put the distractions aside, drive hands free, and save lives.

Heads up Georgia.

Time to catch up and find out more about Georgia Max from the Georgia Student Finance Commission and our friend Chris Green, the president of the G.S.

FC.

Good to see you, my friend.

Thank you for having me.

All right.

So for those that may not know, what is Georgia match?

Georgia match is the nation's largest direct admissions program.

It lets high school seniors know where they are automatically qualified for admission based on that high school GPA.

And we love to hear about hope GPAs making it the next level.

What do high school seniors and parents need to do to take advantage of that?

We want students to visit our free website, GA futures dot and claim their spot.

GA futures.org.

So then you go there.

What's the goal of Georgia match?

The goal is to take the anxiety and fear out of the college admissions process.

We want students to know that this is a fun, secure way to make those plans for after high school graduation.

Very, very cool.

And we will certainly take advantage of that.

That is Georgia match from our friends at the Georgia Student Finance Commission.

Hey, we're back.

We're back.

Welcome back to our GPB halftime show.

We are live from Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

It's been an incredible three days so far with these high school football state championships.

John.

Sadly, we are nearing the end.

We have a game and a half to go.

Right now.

We're at half of the three.

A state title game between Jefferson, Sandy Creek Sandy Creek is up a touchdown, but we've had a great 2.5 days.

So let's go ahead and look at our our schedule, if you will, and take us into the time machine of earlier today.

All right.

Well no, no you're going to talk about this first game because Pete McEachern right.

Because there's a quarterback.

There's a quarterback for Pope that Nikki has a line that she has been trying to speak this entire day.

Listen, I said it, but you weren't on the other side of it.

Here's the thing.

If you're not watching flag football, you are missing out.

This game was absolutely thrilling, John.

It came down to the very end, but our player of the game, quarterback for Pope Abby Bensman.

Now look, you said in the game you were the sideline reporter that she had the flu.

She was feeling terrible.

She came in by herself, not with the rest of the team.

She balled out.

She got player of the game.

And you know what?

It's her third year in the bins.

She put the bins in Bensman.

There it is.

I got it out there.

Yeah.

See she got it out.

So Pope one point win conversion at the death.

They get the first ever Division five flag title.

That was the first game.

But it's back to back to back.

Yes.

Yeah.

So yes.

Greyhounds Greyhounds Greyhounds and a triple.

So that's where you go.

It's like Joker's Wild 14 13 the final.

They get the conversion 0:05 to go.

They get the win boys.

Private division once again dominant Hebron Christian.

They end up getting the win there 282-12-8201.

And it's back to back for Hebron Christian.

Last year it was Jonathan.

Guess this year it's Kenny Dallas great season for Calvary Day and for Jason Cameron.

Now you end up with the game after tonight.

Thomas County Central Gainesville.

Let's go back a day.

Let you know what happened back on Tuesday to get you started here.

And with Tuesday Flag Division three North Oconee title goes back to Bogart for the first time.

They win by 25 over Whitewater.

Then instant classic.

Oh man.

Blessed Trinity over Milton.

Blessed Trinity scores at the buzzer.

They go to OT, tied at seven.

Go to second OT tied at at 14, 21 20 beats.

Defense comes up.

They knock off Milton to win that one in double overtime.

Title goes back to Sylvester for the first time since the late 80s.

Worth County runs from one end to the other 17 13 over Toombs.

Toombs tried to go back to back.

Great season in Lions for the Bulldogs.

Don't forget the Billy Burgers.

Carver.

Columbus goes from one end to the other, difficult for them to go 15-0 They did it with a first year head coach in Jarvis Jones knocking off Hapeville charter by the score of 247.

Then the nightcap.

The Intergalactic Championship goes to Buford 28 21 over Carrollton, and I would recommend maybe watch that one on demand winners on Monday.

Harris County gets a title to Hamilton.

Greenbrier gets another one to take back in Division two flag.

Another instant classic.

Bowden Lincoln County six feet short from a win for Lincoln County and then Creekside and an 81 point masterpiece, 42 39 Creekside Tribe pride over Benedictine.

Jon Nelson.

Can we go back to the game?

Last night?

Our nightcap last night of 6-A was incredible.

I got home at 115 in the morning, and I probably should have gone home at the half when we were done, but I couldn't leave.

It.

Was that good?

You can't do.

That, I know.

I even saw Chipper Jones shout out to him on Twitter.

He said, I'm so glad I stayed up for that game.

It was incredible.

Great football.

The past three days.

We've got more amazing football coming up after the break.

John Nelson.

What she said, we'll find out what Travis Noland told his team at the half with Jefferson.

They're down a score.

What's he going to tell Adam Johnson?

It is Matt.

It is rusty.

It is Artem on the break.

AAA championship hangs in the balance on the great GPB stick and stay.

We'll be right back.

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Visit cigna.com to learn how you can support your physical and emotional well-being.

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Back at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Halftime.

Coming to a close Sandy Creek on top of Jefferson 147 here in the three a state championship game.

Time now for Johnny's Pizza halftime interview.

Send it back down to Artem.

Coach Noland.

That 82 yard kick return gave the spark this team needed.

How do you continue to build off of that?

Well, we just got to try to execute.

You know, our whole plan is to try to keep it close as we can.

It's not going to be pretty in the process of doing that, to try to give ourselves a chance in the fourth quarter.

The go to guy always for Sandy Creek is Amari Latimer.

How do you slow him down?

We've done a pretty good job of keeping him in check.

He got us a couple of runs there inside the 20, but you know, we just got to keep trying to play and keep trying to find a way to make plays.

Thanks, coach.

Good luck.

Okay.

Thank you.

Autumn.

Yeah.

He's right.

They've they've kept Latimer in check.

Has really Caleb Hill.

The quarterback has done more damage with his legs than has Latimer.

QB run game has really hurt them the most.

But you look at Amari Latimer.

He did get a couple late runs, but it has been Hill who has moved the chains on several third downs, was able to convert and extend drives.

Let's take a look at those first half highlights and Sandy Creek dominated 35 plays to Jefferson six.

Latimer finally busts one in for their first touchdown.

Yeah, that was after a penalty that extended the drive.

They were off the field.

They had an unsportsmanlike penalty.

Then you have a bad snap blocked punt here by Evan Harvey the Memphis side.

And they convert that.

They convert that for a second touchdown.

That turns into a five play 15 yard drive.

And there's Caleb Hill just being an.

Athlete man.

Just out athlete right there.

One on one backs like basketball one on one make a move.

But here was the answer for Jefferson Matt.

Speaking of being an athlete.

Look at this.

Chance Payne I Love he doesn't play around right here.

He gets that kicker one on one and just runs by him.

Great answer right there for the Minnesota Gophers.

Sanaai you look at the stats like Travis Noland said, it's not going to look pretty.

And if they win this game, it won't look pretty.

But all they want is the win.

If we showed Travis Noland that during our conference call, he might not have shown up today.

Nine first downs.

They don't have a first down yet and they're only down seven points, zero for three on third down conversions.

Tom possessions doubled up.

Everything in Sandy Creek favor right now.

But you know what a tough Jefferson team still in this.

Only down seven.

Sandy Creek has run nearly six times as many plays as.

Yes, yes.

Think about that.

Six times as many plays as Jefferson 35-6 and Latimer the West Virginia signee has been held to 53 yards on 13 carries.

They've done a great job getting to him before he gets going.

And Coach Nolan was right.

He's had a couple plays inside the 20 where he got loose on them, but they've done a really good job defensively.

Just get off the field on third down.

I think that's really the the message probably for Jefferson guys.

We've done well, but we have got to get off the field.

We can't give them extra plays.

We're in this thing, but they have got to get some first downs offensively.

Payne gives them a seven points on that kick return.

How about the message for Darius Smiley and his team?

They've dominated statistically, yet they only have a touchdown lead.

Yeah you got to finish man.

You got to let these guys.

He said look these guys have been successful for us all year.

You talk about Hill and Latimer.

It's just going to go through those guys.

I want to see them a little bit in the run game.

The pass game.

See if they can challenge Jefferson a little bit.

One note we'll get a check on that.

But we did see Corey Hadley, the junior safety wide receiver, four star.

He went into the tent.

They had to help him.

So if Artem could check on that at some point in the second half, that's another big time player that might not be in this game.

A second half, and that certainly will affect the game plan for Sandy Creek.

Well, they did get the big play.

They got the big pass to Florence and then a tremendous play by Parham the corner to strip him.

Loved it and deny what might have been another scoring opportunity for Sandy Creek.

And that was a third and five conversion.

But they were able to strip that ball.

Had a bunch of people mentioned that on social media looking at during halftime.

Unbelievable play.

Might be the play of the game, depending upon how this thing plays out in the second half, we might look back at that and say, wow, Parham saved their bacon.

No question, because that was a big play.

Basketball.

So ready to get the third quarter started here in our next to last state championship game.

We've got Gainesville and Thomas County Central, another another heavyweight bout coming up in the five a state championship game after this one.

So saw Coach and coach Niblett shake hands in the end zone a few minutes ago when they did the pregame meeting.

Third quarter kickoff is brought to you by the Governor's Office of Highway Safety.

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It saves lives and Love with the kickoff booms it deep.

Jefferson not anticipating that it goes and checks up at the five.

They got to go back and get it.

Perrin did get it.

And he's going to go down at the ten yard line.

I don't know why they were playing up so close.

And then he let it hit and just looked at it.

And so as a result, they end up starting at the 11 yard line.

And you know, Sandy Creek has got to cover speed, speed, speed.

Let's see the adjustment right here.

Let's see the adjustment.

You go into half time.

You kind of know what's going on.

It really hasn't worked for you offensively.

See who comes out for quarterback going to be Grant here.

So you're thinking a lot of run game maybe with him.

Got to get some type of offense going man.

If nothing else to flip the field zero first downs.

Crazy stat to only be down seven in the state championship.

And not a pass attempt so far in the game.

I think they had 1-0 he got rushed.

Yeah.

Hand off goes to Pinkard.

Pinkard cuts back inside and gets a couple of yards on the play to the 13 yard line.

So officially zero pass attempts through the first two quarters of the game.

Even Army Navy throw it.

More than that.

They do sometimes.

But the issue isn't the game plan.

The issue is that was just the seventh play.

They've run from scrimmage in this game.

They just haven't had opportunity.

Correct.

So second down and eight.

Actually got a chance to see you saw Max Brown.

He Max Brown is actually dressed out now.

He's not going to play.

But says a lot about him.

He wanted to wear his uniform or his teammates.

Absolutely.

What a difference this game would be if Max Brown was able to go.

One of the most outstanding athletes in the state, out with a knee injury and Grant going to run it, and Grant's going to get to the 15 and no further than that as he gets driven out of bounds.

That was JT Austin.

He was in on the tackle first time we've called his name, but again, they haven't had a whole lot of defensive plays.

And Latimer one Zay Yancey Latimer middle linebacker right here.

See him trailing Ashely Latimer is the one who made the hit.

That was a one instead of 11.

And Latimer and then Greenhow was in on that play.

And then Austin came in late and joined in the scrum.

Third down.

State championship.

He got a player like Latimer playing both ways.

Consensus four star rated as high as the number 12 running back in the country.

He did sign with West Virginia after being committed to Wisconsin for the longest time.

On National Signing Day, he flipped.

Coach Noland calls a time-out.

Speaking of wishbone, speaking of old school and Oklahoma and all that, my good friend, Coach Jim down in Texas at halftime said, we're doing a good job.

Tell to tell you hello, hello, coach.

You know, coach sitting home watching.

He's got my number 2.

Why didn't you text me?

Well, he gets to me a little more than you.

We talk a little Georgia football about two or three days a week.

But I know Coach Johnson loves, loves high school football.

Obviously lives in the Athens area.

So very familiar with Jefferson and the program they have there.

Let's take a look at that.

Jefferson resume.

This is their fifth all time state finals.

They won it in 2012.

The late, great team McFerrin led the Dragons to a 141 record of 31 14 win over Calhoun.

I was here.

In the state final.

, the Georgia Dome.

Yep, 15 seasons, ten plus wins, 14 region titles, program started 1947, making this the 79th year of Dragon Football.

Third down.

Pass attempt going up top and the target was Logan Edmunds.

Logan Edmunds is a great story.

Finally getting to play his senior year, sophomore and junior seasons wiped out by injury.

Yeah, I think Coach Nolan was like, man, we're just happy for him, happy for him to get 15 games and unable to convert.

They take a couple of pass plays there, take some shots, just can't get anything going and going to have to punt early on this opening possession of the second half.

Really needed to get that first down.

Got to get.

Something, something.

Sustained to get something going.

Need a good punt right here.

Need a good snap.

First and foremost.

Latimer is standing deep at the 48 yard line.

That was close to putting the knee down.

High kick.

Latimer is going to have a chance to return from the 42.

Watch out Latimer across the 45-40 Watch out punter to beat.

There he goes!

Latimer finally on the ground at the eight yard line.

That's the difference.

That's a 225 pound back.

And you see the explosion there.

The ability to run, watch him foot in the ground, watch this gear right here.

That's the speed.

Nice head head fake.

There.

Special teams man again for Jefferson long punt return.

It was almost a bad snap.

The punter almost reached down on his knee, picking that ball up.

Griffin Drake finally got him on the ground.

But it's going to be first and goal to go for Sandy Creek at the ten yard line.

Coach Smiley told us that Amari Latimer.

Is the punters knee was off the ground.

That play is under review.

Telling you it's close.

I haven't seen the review, but this this right here.

Watch this snap and watch him have to go down.

So here's a look at the replay.

Does McCall's knee hit the ground?

It's close.

It does.

He is on the ground.

Oh my goodness man.

So they're going to have the ball at the four instead of the ten.

Even better.

Two snaps man Jefferson go back and look at this.

That's two bad snaps they've had on punts.

The high one that resulted in the block and the low one that results in the knee on the ground at the Ford.

Can I ask Dave on that?

Does that come down from the booth.

So the rule in the field of the punters need to be off the ground was made by the white hat by the referee.

Okay.

This this stoppage right here is from the press box.

It's from the video review staff.

Exactly how this is supposed to work, man.

And it would have been different now if Latimer with a fair catch.

Fair caught that he had a great kick return, but this is still going to give them extra yardage.

Gives them better yardage than even the great punt return by Latimer, which was.

You know, I mean 50 yard return.

It's just tough man.

You get to the state championship.

I bet you they haven't had three or four bad snaps all year than you have an issue with it in the state championship game.

Yeah.

It's just tough.

Either way, they're in the hot water weather.

The play.

Stands.

They're in hot water.

Either way.

Yeah.

The punt return there was.

But I knew that knee was close.

After further review, the punter had possession of the ball with his knee on the ground.

The clock will be reset to 1020.

It is Sandy Creek ball first and goal at the four.

So that's great for Sandy Creek.

It wipes out a great statistical punt return by Amari Latimer.

He's probably not too concerned about that.

He's even worried about that right now.

I don't think he's worried about it at all.

The goal is to win a state championship and this, as great as his punt return, was as an even better opportunity for the offense.

First and goal from the four.

They got Latimer Yancey the cleats up top.

See the fluorescent green up top?

Easy to spot.

No question.

You can see him now.

He goes in motion.

He's going to get no, not take the handoff.

He's going to run it.

And Caleb Hill gets cut down at the two yard line by Bernardelli.

That was Jacob Bernardelli with the tackle.

Yeah.

Give you some eye candy.

They pull 22 blockers there.

But Berardinelli steps in there.

Makes a tackle.

You talk about the eye candy.

Well, you have to grab that candy.

You can't let Latimer just go.

Right.

So you have to follow him.

Discipline.

Correct.

Let's see if they give it to him.

Going second and goal.

Hill second touchdown for Caleb Hill.

And it's 20-7.

And Hill is grabbing for his calf.

I think he's I think he is cramping.

Officials time out.

Yeah he's cramping.

For an injury.

Watch the lead back watch number 1 blocks two of them.

And when you have your running back watch number 1 right here.

Blocked two defenders 12.

That's the other advantage of having a 220 pound tailback I think he'll there's cramp it up.

He probably hadn't ran this much since freshman year.

Is a little bit warmer day than it has been the prior two.

Boy, that thing is locked up on him.

That is a painful feeling.

You can kind of see it through.

You can see it's rock hard.

It's hard knotted up.

Man, I know that's a bad feeling.

They'll need to get him back in the ball game.

Where's the pickle juice?

Here's Trey Love one for the Paytee.

Casey West?

Who's the backup quarterback?

Is the holder, and he puts it through.

Love right through the uprights.

And it's 21-7 Great job of fielding that snap.

Caleb Hill with a touchdown run.

He's got two of those today.

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Back at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Let's send it down to Autumn.

Well guys, if there's a player that's flying under the radar, it is quarterback Caleb Hill.

What stands out the most is his IQ.

Caleb is a coach's son and coach Smiley said.

It shows he studies film like a coach, understands coverages and is trusted enough that the staff actually asked for his input during game planning to see what he likes or what they can add to the game plan.

And sometimes the coach has to remind him not to overthink it because he's thorough and loves to analyze.

Tonight, he believes that this stage is an opportunity to show exactly what he can do at the next level.

Yeah, and he added that he's under-recruited reminds me a little bit of Caden Bensman in that regard.

Yeah.

The quarterback.

I heard you the other night and play finish Perrin on the return.

Nice return.

Their best offense has been their kick return and a flag comes out as he reaches the 40.

But this flag here convention Caden Bensman and kind of follow up what you guys were talking on Monday with him.

During the return we have a hold on the receiving team via a ten yard penalty from the spot of the foul.

First down.

You get a team like Creekside with that much talent and that many people that has to touch the ball and all this high powered offense, and you take a kid like that and you see how explosive he is and different things.

He can hurt you with his legs.

Good passer, smart kid.

Great.

Academically, I don't understand where he doesn't have ten or 12 offers, but I do understand there's a second signing day and how the portals, you know, impacted these kids.

But Caden Vincent I do not understand why he didn't have ten or 12 offers and it would not surprise me.

You know, come February what all he has.

But man, I don't know of a better resume he can have and a better performance in the state championship game the other night.

Another flag comes out.

He does have the one offer from Tuskegee.

Nothing good for that.

That's great.

That's great.

Give him ten of them.

Making a choice about.

You know what I mean?

Yeah.

I don't know what place he goes because they offered.

Him first.

I don't want to diminish the fact that Tuskegee has believed in him and offered him.

Yep.

But and know his dad, Alex and just really very, very polished young man, but just a different gear with his legs.

Great passer.

Grant going to quarterback.

Run it.

Pick up the first down.

That's their first first down of the game.

And a big run by Grant.

It comes 27 plus minutes into game time.

They finally get a first down.

Officials time out Dorsey.

Sandy Creek cramp a little bit here.

Latimer reaching for his calf.

Like I said, it's a little bit warmer today than it has been the first two days, and that was easy to tell.

Just walking in from the parking deck.

It was frigid the first two days.

I didn't need an overcoat coming in today.

Yeah.

So yeah, so it's been a little bit warmer and I felt like it was a little bit warmer when we came in the building today.

So if it's a little bit warmer to me here in the TV booth, it's a lot warmer for them down on the football field.

Good job.

They're getting on the second level, blocking Grant getting up the field.

Big player.

You know, 195 pounds, 200 pound kid.

That's what he brings.

So in a game.

Yeah.

So being a little bit warmer is going to lead to quicker dehydration and more cramping.

So just to tie the bow on it people were wondering where I was going.

And the two guys that are doing the most running are both cramping.

Yeah.

So first and ten ball at the 43 yard line.

Grant wants to throw and it is complete.

The Pinkard across the 30 and down to the 25.

And some offensive life for the Dragons.

Love this backside route right here coming out of the backfield, a little wheel route catches it one on one with a linebacker on the back.

Good job.

Great play design.

Watch him come out of the backfield and Grant just drops it in the bucket.

Jefferson's got something going here midway through the third quarter.

They have been in the pass game early in the second half.

And they needed to.

Pinkard gets.

The.

Walk, gets 4 yards on the play.

You don't see too many teams huddle anymore.

They're gonna huddle.

They're going to get in there and talk about it, and they're going to make sure they get the right play.

I love it, that's their pace.

Travis Noland is in his 28th year as a high school football head coach with 234 wins.

He's been doing it this way for a long time.

Perrin fake the toss to him.

Grant now got leveled as he was hitting, getting ready to throw.

And that was J.T.

Austin who got in there.

I wonder if the Sandy Creek defensive back was offsides.

He was in tight legal shift maybe to.

The illegal shift offense.

Number 8 didn't get set.

Oh, yeah.

Yep.

He was backing up and I wonder.

On the offense.

I thought the Sandy Creek defensive back was offsides.

Maybe he thought he was too close.

Man cannot play behind the chains.

So 758 of course Travis Noland got to the state finals twice with Oconee County.

He's got a football playing family.

His sons have all excelled in the game and coaching and playing.

Ball at the 26.

It's going to be a pass.

No, it's not because Pinkard is going to get dumped by Greenhow Dana Greenhow, who signed with Purdue on National Signing Day, gets the TfL.

I can tell you they had this cover two.

You see he was going to try to eat that.

It was too late.

Greenhow Hurt.

He's playing with a cast on his wrist.

His hand.

Oh man.

Yeah.

Right there.

He just raked him down.

Yeah.

He didn't make it official.

Time out for an injury.

So Greenhow Hurt on the play.

Tough there.

Aggravating what is already an injury to his right hand.

60 tackles on the season.

7.5 TfL signed with the Boilermakers.

Over 24 total offers, including Liberty.

Took an official to Liberty.

He's a three star safety in the class of 2026.

They might have the the best secondary in the entire state.

Could.

Everybody has got power four offers.

Three of their guys on that back line have signed.

They haven't been back in.

Grant fires to the outside and incomplete.

Trying to get the ball to Dye Dalton Dye, their senior returning starter at wide receiver.

Fourth down here.

Yeah.

You're in.

You just got to go for it.

You're not going to be able to kick a field goal from this distance.

I don't think it would be 50.

And they believe coach Nolan said he believes that McCall could do that.

But they're going to go for something bigger here and go for it on fourth down.

Man.

You got to protect right here.

Watch number 11 coming off the edge.

Got to block these guys.

Harvey there zero.

Look at the two defensive ends.

They are coming.

Grant loads up fires in the middle.

Oh.

Missed.

Dye threw it behind him.

Nathan Holston the corner had jumped in front and the wide receiver was behind him, but the throw was off target.

He almost misplayed that.

He tried to jump the route and the ball comes over.

Watch him sit on it.

He tries to break the ball, goes over his head just a little bit.

But ball goes over on downs, so Sandy Creek takes over at the 34.

What has been the best offensive scoring opportunity of the night for the Dragons?

Yeah, you see the adjustment there more in the passing game there.

So that's really a positive for Jefferson.

You flip the field.

You see the last two drives and Caleb Hill who went to the tent after that last touchdown is back out there.

Dorsey Latimer right here.

But Hill is back out.

That's Omari Jackson getting in the game for the first time at running back.

Jackson was told, be ready.

You're going to get some snaps because Latimer is going both ways.

Play action broken up Mack Gaddis.

The safety jumps in front of that route.

Good job.

Late flag.

Late flag.

Yep.

Gaddis is listed at six foot one, 70, and Coach Nolan says we're.

I'm afraid to find out what he's weighing right now.

He's not the biggest kid back there on that back line.

Especially when you get late into December.

Weight goes down.

These kids have been playing all.

The play personal foul, unnecessary roughness on the offense, be a 15 yard penalty, be second down.

Wow.

That's usually an offensive lineman doing something to a defensive.

Line like big 76.

Put his hand into the helmet on the turf.

If we have that on replay.

But man that's a big penalty there.

That puts you way behind the chains.

Second 25 C 76 right here on 21.

Gets a hand.

To an incomplete pass.

Correct.

Wynn out of our frame.

And so second down and 25.

Now from way back at the 19.

Hill guns it on the route caught at the 32.

And that is Holston who just misplayed that ball at the corner.

They got him in there at wide receiver.

Put him right there back at wide receiver.

Going to bring up third and 13.

Third and 12.

Got to get off the field right here.

If you're Jefferson.

And those Jefferson guys that's about the second or third time we've seen them collide with each other.

Yeah I mean they are going so hard.

After the ball and the offensive player that they collide with each other.

Third down and 12 dumped it off.

Got a chance to pick up the first down.

But Omari Jackson gets denied shy of the sticks.

Is Bernardelli the linebacker Dylan Berardinelli comes up and makes the tackle.

Good job.

They had him playing back there.

Just cover two.

Playing two deep ball, throw underneath, close on it, get off the field.

Punting situation for Sandy Creek.

We're down to 6 minutes to play here in the third quarter final.

State championship coming up after this one.

The 5-A final Gainesville and Thomas County central.

No doubt a lot of interest in that one with the circuitous road that Gainesville has taken to the state finals this year and nearly blocked.

But love got it out of there and it's a bomb and it's taken a big bounce.

And can they save it?

No.

It's going to go into the end zone.

They had a chance to get it down inside the five and maybe inside at the one and could not save.

It was a great effort.

Almost saves that one huge punt there.

And that the bounce had a rocket on it.

And those players, as fast as they are, couldn't chase it down.

This he needed to bat it back.

He just tapped it.

He should have batted it back with a little more.

Authority at the 1 yard line.

The ball went into the end zone, ruling as a touchback.

That was great effort by Rod Smith, but he needed to bat that thing back with authority instead of just tap.

It.

Yeah man, it was that close.

Big break there for Jefferson.

Selders Dragons.

Instead of having it one come out to the 20 and Colton Grant stays in there.

We only seen one series for Boone Horn here today, and that was late in the second quarter.

Let's see if they come back with a pass game on this drive.

Hays the freshman running back is back in.

They're going to hand off to him and Hays 1 yard on the play.

Yeah.

Not going to be able to tiptoe and dance around right.

He's trying to look for you.

See him there just not getting a head of steam.

You're going to have to really lower that head and get what you can get on play like this.

Second down and nine Hays four carries for 9 yards.

Today.

Their leading rusher is Pinkard six carries and 17 yards, including the sacks.

They have a total of 27 yards rushing.

Grant on a quarterback.

Run it with a lane to run through.

How he got cut down in a hurry.

Look at that pursuit by Austin Nunez, the senior linebacker.

Has a great open field tackle.

He doesn't make this tackle.

This is a huge chunk play.

He's one on one with Grant.

Watch him step up right here.

Grant tries to put a stiff arm on him.

He just goes right to him.

Great tackle.

Watch him try to stiff arm him.

Comes right underneath it.

Man.

Speed speed speed speed.

Third down and five line to gain the 30.

They are nine in the box.

Look at that.

Nine people in the box defensively man to man at the bottom.

Daring them to throw the ball.

And they do.

And it's complete.

All the way up to the 48 yard line.

Logan Edmunds with the big catch they challenged him to throw it and they did.

It I love the call.

They go switch release right here against man to man.

You're going to see four come up underneath as a great play call.

And Grant hits him right out of his break.

Great play call man.

You could see it from a mile away.

Nine people in the box daring you to throw it one on one out there.

They take advantage of it.

Tremendous timing.

Grant and Edmunds on that play.

First and ten.

Guns it out here.

Dye dropped it, turned around, had the defense breathing in his face.

That was Rod Smith right on top of him.

Second down.

And Rod Smith have been doing some work.

He has sweated all the way through that.

Jersey.

Low snap Grant picks it up, gets 10 yards on the play and a first down.

That's his game right there.

That is what Jefferson needs out of there.

Big 200 pound quarterback.

You know rusty this is not what they had last year.

Marquae was a tremendous All-State running back a dual threat quarterback.

And he came into the game with a bum ankle.

He was hurt and he was playing at half his capacity last year.

And we knew it going in.

Couldn't say anything.

But as the game unfolded, everybody got to see.

He just wasn't himself.

Not taking anything away from Calhoun might have been a different game, a closer game if Marquae had been fully healthy.

That's part of the game, though.

Pinkard strong run.

They found something here, straight up the middle and close to another first down.

As Pinkard gets eight on the play.

Starting to see this Jefferson offensive line get on some blocks.

Get on the second level, watch the guards get out.

Get to those linebackers.

Second down and two from the 34.

Double tight right here.

Pinkard again.

Pinkard fumbled the ball and Jefferson got on top of it.

Clifton Williamson the right tackle was right there and was able to hop on it.

And what a stick right there.

Sandy Creek Pinkard turned his back, takes a shot, coughs it up.

The big man's there.

Alert.

Watch Pinkard get hit from behind.

He's gonna get turned around.

Bam!

You don't want to have your back and not see where the fire is coming from.

That's Rod Smith number 12.

Watch him come in there.

Big break there for Jefferson.

Keeping the ball.

And a first down.

First and ten from the 28.

Clifton Williamson the senior right tackle who recovered that fumble.

He's got an offer from West Georgia up top.

Grant going for Dye jump ball.

Dye cannot come up with it.

Rod Smith has been all over the field and breaks that pass up.

That is picture perfect, man.

They go slot fade on him.

Wallace is one on one.

Watch him fight through this ball at the end.

Beautiful pass.

Look at that man.

That is great defensive back play.

Just fight through it at the end.

Knock it out.

I like this though that they're playing you man to man.

Let's take some shots.

72 tackles this season for Rod Smith and a fine state finals here tonight.

Grant on the run.

They're in four down territory, so they pick up a couple on the play.

Going to bring up third down.

And I think six fourth and six third and six.

Yeah they're in four down territory.

This is four down territory.

They're thinking if we can get three or four that's going to be perfect.

See Jefferson 99 yards.

Last two drives.

Only 10 yards.

Their first four drives.

They did not pick up a first down until 3 minutes into the third quarter.

Grant trying to go to the tight end.

Beusse.

Pardon me.

That was not Busey.

That was 45.

Actually, I've got a 46 Jordan Robinson.

I've got a 45.

James Bunn James Bunn the fullback who is a converted offensive lineman.

So now it's fourth down.

I think they're going to try a field goal from here.

Really kind of surprised.

I would think he just thinking we got to get something right here.

I know.

But you got 13 minutes left in the game and you're down two touchdowns.

How many more opportunities are you going to get going to go for the points here in the three.

This is going to be a 40 1 yard kick for the left footed kicker.

And it's not going to be good.

And so Jefferson puts together their best offensive drive of the night and comes up empty.

And the score remains 21-7 as we take a look at the Sandy Creek road to the finals open with a 49-9 victory over Cedar Grove, a rematch of the 2022 state championship game, then beat Monroe Area 42 14, shutout a good Douglas team that knocked out Calhoun, the state champions, in the second round, and Lagrange the revenge against Lagrange.

They beat the Rangers twice this year.

Lagrange was the team that beat him in the second round last year, and a region rival.

Latimer, back in.

Yep, that was his one rest.

Got his one rest.

Finishing out the game.

With 13 minutes left in your career.

See if they get Big Man going here and try to finish this thing off for Sandy Creek.

Thought you were going to say big man bawling.

, big man.

Bawling, pulling Marcus Spears on.

First and ten from the 20 Latimer nope.

Keefer by Hill and Hill does a really good job of eluding the TfL, and picks up a couple of yards on the play.

Yeah, I'm not so sure he shouldn't give that one to Latimer.

Yeah, space 52 right here.

He's been all over the field for Jefferson.

Big man in the middle.

Yeah he's their biggest guy up there.

511285 senior Tylek Rucker.

And he's a returning starter.

Was on that team last year that played in the state finals.

You can just tell he loves he got a little blood on it.

Look at that red on his jersey there.

They're going to have to cut that jersey off.

That thing's going to be.

Got the scissors to.

It I love that four point stance.

You know he's about to come out of that.

Quick pass.

Goes to Greenhow.

Or is that three.

No it's seven.

So that was Ryland White I thought it was a three.

It's a seven.

Ryland White with the catch.

They don't let the clock run out right here.

Matt.

We're going to have 12 minutes left for this state championship.

This is a big play right here.

Third and three.

They're going to think about it during this time-out during this quarter.

Change.

It has been a fun state finals.

All of our games in the state.

Every one of them.

Has been competitive.

There has not been any blowouts and not one here in the three.

A state championship game.

As we head to the fourth with Sandy Creek seeking their fifth state championship in program history and leading 21-7 Football Fridays in Georgia on GPB is brought to you in part by Georgia's EMCs.

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Fourth quarter three.

A state championship game Sandy Creek leading Jefferson 21-7 down to autumn.

Makes this moment even bigger.

Is history.

The last time this Sandy Creek team won a 15-0 state championship, it was back in 2012 and coach Smiley said the staff has actually compared the numbers from that team to this one.

Offensively, defensively, scoring margins.

It's all right there, he said.

We are right there, but he also knows what's in front of him.

A tough, physical, Jefferson team, he said it is a true battle.

His message to his players is give me four more quarters now.

One ahead.

Yeah, that 15-0 state championship rings a little bit different than just a state championship.

Just a state championship is okay.

But when you go 15-0 that's something to remember.

Yep.

Yeah man it's hard to do.

And we talked about it.

You talked about it last night.

All these state champions teams are winning.

Buford Buford finished 15-0 TCS got a chance to go 15-0 Creekside went 15-0 Sandy Creek trying to go 15-0 Carver Columbus went 15-0 Worth County 15-0 Boy.

Usually you have maybe one.

We've got a boatload of them this year.

Flag comes out as the play gets blown up on the pass completion to Elijah Ferrell.

And a holding call coming up here against Sandy Creek.

Imagine there was an ibuprofen shortage in Sylvester, Georgia this.

Morning on the offense b a ten yard penalty.

First down.

I would imagine a few folks didn't make it to work this morning.

I'll tell you what.

Worth County showed up and showed out.

I put a picture out on social media and people around the country are like, what is that?

I was like, that is Single-A football.

That is worth counted.

Sylvester, Georgia, look it up.

I texted with Jeff Hammond, the head coach of the Worth County Rams, this morning and just congratulated him on the state championship and and told him, you got to really be proud not only your football team, but your community, because everybody came from South Georgia.

And it is a long drive.

It kind of reminds me a couple years ago when Perry won.

Yep.

You know.

They all showed out to.

Everybody's going to be they're going to have a couple parades.

They're going to really enjoy that one.

Nothing doing for Latimer.

They have done a really good job of keeping the four star running back in check.

If anything, you know, Jefferson has put themselves behind by a couple of touchdowns with their own mistakes.

And the special.

Teams, both of them are stretching and listen, these are these are teenagers.

And you probably say tell them all day.

Hydrate hydrate hydrate keep drinking, keep drinking, keep drinking.

And coach I got enough I got enough and.

Sometimes it happens, man.

Second down.

The drinking water today is not going to help.

You need to start like four or five days ago.

Hill guns it deep jump ball and caught another tremendous jump ball catch.

Holston comes down with it but he was out of bounds.

Call it out of bounds.

Yep.

Boy that was a he caught that one.

Watch him.

Watch him turn this one loose.

He is absolutely got a big time arm.

Got right here.

Yep.

Out of bounds.

Good call.

Look at the official right there.

Right on top of it.

Nice job.

He just went and got it.

Because I'm telling you Jefferson Berardinelli was.

Good.

Coverage is an incomplete pass with the receiver's foot landing out of bounds is under further review.

And this should be he's.

This should be real quick right here.

Yep.

After further review, the ruling is confirmed.

Incomplete pass.

That's exactly what that's made to do.

The booth called down.

You don't have to waste time right here.

Let's get back into action.

Want to make sure you got the right call, but you also want to make sure we keep the pace of play.

Nice job by the official crew there.

And everybody up top in the booth.

So third down and 20.

Pocket.

Plenty of time now.

Breaks down, runs out of it, throws it back door pass.

And it is caught Rylan White recognized where the ball was coming.

Had his defender twisted around and made the catch at the sideline.

Hard to do.

The ball's underthrown a little bit.

Watch him on the run.

He's going to get flushed out of the pocket.

A great job by Ryland White.

Watch him throw this thing on the run.

He recognizes what's happening here, recognizes the path of the ball before the defender does, and turns to the outside.

Makes that catch at the 47 yard line.

That's a big boy.

Play there.

And to keep running, your quarterback gets knocked out of the pocket.

You're taught to keep running your route.

He comes all the way across the field.

Latimer he just really hasn't been able to get going much at all.

Well, that's because they have rallied to the ball.

As you look at the story lines in this Three-a championship, Hill and Latimer combined for one, 24-3 touchdowns, two touchdown drives, less than 15 yards because of mistakes in the punt game.

Yeah, you've had a bad you had a bad a bad snap and a knee down on a snap that was low.

And only five first downs for the Dragons 118 total yards Chance Payne 82 yard kick return touchdown.

The only points for Jefferson tonight.

And a big penalty would have got you off the field.

Snap infraction on the.

You know, you look at games like.

This penalty all the total plays and you sit here Matt we're talking about really we're talking about three or four plays.

The difference in this game two by special teams.

Yep.

Two by special teams.

It'd be a 77 game.

Had it not been for the punt mistakes, the high snap and then the knee on the ground.

Yep.

Credit Sandy Creek got opportunities and they converted.

That's what a championship team does.

Cannot give them much.

Ball at the 49.

Hill guns it right there.

Caught by Stevenson Stevenson down at the 46 36.

Pardon me.

Has the first down.

Stevenson had four catches on their opening drive and that's his first one since.

He unloads this.

Watch him.

Just wait for him on this crossing route.

Goes through his progression.

Look at that bullet.

Hits him right in the perfect spot in the hands.

Why he's crossing doesn't have to slow down to get it.

That might have been the best throw of the night for Hill.

I think I'm going to have to say it here for Caleb Hill make that kid an offer.

Oh yeah, he's going to be.

Yep.

I can assure you, this spring practice Sandy Creek will be a lot of coaches through there.

And this coming spring is going to be a big time deal for him from a recruiting standpoint.

Latimer, who's already been through all of that, got 47 offers and signed with West Virginia on National Signing Day.

He knows all about that journey.

Morgantown.

Where they burn the sofas when you win.

I don't know how they do it anymore, but I saw a young man commit.

What makes you think they stopped?

I haven't seen it in a while.

Okay.

Doesn't mean they don't.

I just hadn't seen it in a while.

But they used to get them going.

Second down and six ball is caught.

First down.

Catch.

Nice catch by Rylan White who's made a couple of big time catches here in the second half.

Starting to see a little bit of wear and tear on the defense for Jefferson be on the field a long time.

Starting to see guys are hands on their hips.

Not much pass rush.

A lot of plays man.

For Jefferson defensively.

22 catches on the season for 369 and a touchdown.

White has four catches tonight for 51 yards.

First and ten Latimer trying to get outside.

You got to watch it when he breaks a tackle.

And another there he goes.

Touchdown.

You saw it coming.

Second touchdown of the night for Latimer.

And that might have put this game on ice.

Yeah.

Watch him run through this arm tackle.

They go counter pull two offensive linemen.

He runs through an arm tackle.

And once he picks up speed watch this.

Watch his arm tackle runs through it.

This is the gear right here.

Foot in the ground.

They're going to be excited about him in the West Virginia.

Band.

Set by the Holder Casey West.

He did not get the ball up right.

So the pat is no good.

And it's 27 seven time running out on Jefferson count down to a state championship for Sandy Creek.

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Matt Stewart.

Rusty Manziel, Autumn Johnson with you and our Emmy Award winning GPB sports team.

Your Red ribbon 365 curriculum DBHDD scoring drive 11 plays, 80 yards, 614 off the clock and just about smothering the life out of any opportunity that Jefferson might have to come back and win this game.

Now 52 plays run by the Patriots and only 29 by the Dragons.

Same kind of kick return here for Chance Payne.

He took 180 2 yards earlier this time.

He won't be so fortunate as he gets dropped at the 26 yard line.

Let me give you some of this, Matt.

You're a historian.

Here.

I am.

One of my favorite players in the last six or seven years, comes from Sandy Creek High School.

Mr.

Brian Branch, who plays for the Detroit Lions.

Oh, yeah.

Love him.

I go back and look at the class of 2020 and Georgia, let me read you these names.

This is a class of 2020 according to Rivals.com.

Myles Murphy Broderick Jones first rounder Will Anderson, first rounder Tank Bigsby, NFL Tate Ratledge starting NFL.

Josh Downs starting NFL Brian Branch starting NFL B.J.

Ojulari and oh, by the way, number 13 was a kid named Jahmyr Gibbs out of Dalton, Georgia.

He's done.

All right.

That might be the best top 13 ever in the state of Georgia.

Ever.

When you go back and look at this.

I mean, they can talk about Texas, California, Florida, whatever they want to the best high school football is in the state of Georgia.

That is in the national champion will be out of the state of Georgia this year.

It will be Buford.

Now, will they be a consensus national champion?

That remains to be seen, but certainly they will be number 1 in the rankings that they were already number 1 in when they beat Carrollton last night.

The last consensus national champion, high school champion in Georgia.

Lagrange in 1991.

There you go.

You know what?

I heard you say it last night.

Okay, Rodney.

Rodney Hudson, Rodney Hudson and those guys.

And our producer, Steve Graham, was the guy that fed me that information.

Rodney Hudson in that.

Team, I think so, yeah.

Wow.

Ball up in the air and trying to get it to Primm incomplete.

I know my good.

Buddy that Dye it was 17, not seven.

It was Dye incomplete.

I don't want to bring this up.

He's probably at the lake watching our good friend Jimmy Dorsey.

Floyd McEachern coach had to face that team and he keeps talking about he never wants to hear about that Lagrange team ever again.

Jimmy Dorsey, what a legendary coach worked with him on the court.

Dave Hunter classic, now retired, enjoying the good life.

Living up the lake.

The rest of us are still.

Working.

Would you call this work?

He's one of the good ones, man.

Second down and 10-0 doing for Grant as the defense Hannon making that first hit.

And then you got Noah Reid in there on that tackle as well.

Got a text said Brian Branch played 181 plays against Cartersville in the Elite Eight his senior year.

Only time he left the field was one extra point.

Yep.

Saw him play at Sandy Creek and of course he went to Alabama after that.

And now in the National Football League.

Just a spectacular player, probably one of those guys because of the position he played, being a defensive back, maybe not talked about as much as some of the other guys, but really one of the true.

He was.

Tough, great high school football players, especially in that class that you just outlined.

And you talk about Will Anderson out of Dutchtown.

Jahmyr Gibbs was 13th in the state.

He might be the best running back in Dijon Robinson.

It was a 2000 yard rusher at Dalton his senior year and then started at Georgia Tech, then went to Alabama, now playing for the Detroit Lions.

Tate Ratliff, starting for the Detroit Lions.

Still got his medal.

He cut that thing.

He cut it, man.

And I thought I saw him.

I saw.

Him time.

Out here at the SEC Championship.

And I walked up.

I said, what made you decide to cut it?

He goes, well, I was going to cut it, but I had three good games in a row.

Then I had a bad game and said, okay, you can cut it.

So he went ahead and cut.

It looks a lot better, I'll be honest with you.

539 to go 27:07 Sandy Creek on top.

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Com GPB sports broadcast of this game is made possible by supporters of the GHSA, including the National Federation of High Schools.

This high school gym used to be packed most nights.

Not anymore.

Do you know why?

Because bad behavior by fans, especially adults, has caused a shortage of game officials across the country.

You see, without officials, we can't have sports.

Don't let this become reality.

It's time for a change.

Let's bench bad behavior for good.

All right.

What do you think, Jasper?

Honestly, I think that polyester shirts affecting your game.

What?

I think cotton would have been a better choice.

Cotton?

Yeah, it's come a long way.

You know, nowadays, cotton breeze and moisture.

Great.

Plus, buying cotton means supporting Georgia farmers.

I think that's wonderful.

Okay, sure.

But what do you think about the putt?

Oh, it's really hadn't thought about it.

Welcome back you guys.

Well we just play ball.

That is the mantra for Sandy Creek that they've been riding all season long.

And it came from Corey Hadley junior, who came up with the saying after a lot of online chatter and some noise, instead of buying into all the hype in the chatter, putting up bulletin board material, Corey told coach, we're not doing all that.

We're just going to go out there and play football.

And that mindset has stuck with this team.

In fact, you can find the mantra, we just play ball on their warm ups that they came out with.

Coach Smiley says.

This team isn't flashy.

It's super simple for this group.

They line up, play the game the right way and just play ball.

Really enjoyed our visit with Coach Smiley this week.

Impressed with the program that he has built.

Continuing the Sandy Creek tradition.

And when I say the program that he has built, because he did come in, as we elaborated earlier, he was not hired from within the Sandy Creek family or the Rodney Walker coaching tree.

So in that regard, for some folks it was a little controversial.

But he's come on, he's going to win a state championship tonight and put his signature on the program.

He's never going.

That's never going to be brought up again.

Yeah.

But hey, when we brought it up, he knew what we were talking about.

No question.

I'm sure he's heard whispers at times and but he did it his way, carved out his own history.

And they are about 5 minutes away from a state championship.

And listen, they've done this as Grant back to pass hit as he throws and incomplete at the 45 yard line.

It's been a challenging year for them.

They're building a new field house and weight room there at Sandy Creek.

So all season long their bathroom, their locker room, their coaches offices, everything has been out of a trailer.

Oh man.

You know what?

That drives the coach nuts.

Starting to feel it now on the sidelines.

Get a stop.

We need one more ring.

See the mom there?

You know that's mom when she's got that that sign made.

She puts some hard into that one.

Sandy Creek.

Look at that.

Yes, ma'am.

They will improve to 5-0 all time in state championship games.

Impressive, man.

Patriots back on offense.

Try to put this game away for good.

Latimer struggling forward and dives forward to the 25 yard line.

Yeah, man.

Just.

So Amari Latimer now increasing his lead in the rushing touchdown.

Leader department with a couple of Moore here today.

He's got 44.

Of course we saw Devon Caldwell Hebron Christian the Lyons one.

The state championship in the game before this one.

Star running back for Hebron Christian.

Back to back state champions there.

And big crowd from Hebron Christian.

Big crowd for Calvary Day.

And did it with Kenny Dallas taking over this year.

Jonathan guess moved to Columbia, South Carolina to coach there and Kenny Dallas came in and and continued the winning tradition.

So coach guess even though he's in South Carolina, he's getting into it with folks from Texas arguing about how good Creekside is.

And he's been in this state.

He understands the football and know coach Guess is probably tuned in tonight and wishing him well over in South Carolina.

Tremendous coach.

Of course.

16 I think I think he was the one yeah.

Six state championships at Eagles landing Christian or maybe six total.

I don't have my.

Notes in front of me.

They definitely broke the West Rome and Buford streak of four.

They won four in a row.

They they won five in a row I think.

No, they only won four.

There's only there's.

Three teams.

There's there's four teams now.

Westrom, Bowden, Buford and Elko.

Yeah.

The four teams that have won four in a row.

Nobody has ever won more than four.

In a row.

Thought they'd won five in a row.

Came close.

But no team has ever won more than four in a row.

And Bowden, I texted with Rich Findlay the other day, too, after they won the state championship, and I said, enjoy this one.

In a couple of weeks, you can start working on number 5.

In a row.

They'll be back.

They'll be what they call the death squads.

I don't even go down there in January.

They make me do one.

My copay is too high.

Congratulations, man.

Listen, little towns like that, you just don't realize until you go, you spend a Friday night at somewhere like Bowden, Georgia.

I mean, it is.

It's different.

It's special.

It's what makes this just this game the best.

Sandy Creek.

It's their first time out of the second half.

So Sandy Creek burns time-out with 3-17 to go again.

Stick around.

We got the 5-A state championship game coming up next Thomas County Central going for their second state championship in three years and trying to do it another 15-0 season.

Of course.

Gainesville Josh Niblett won seven state championships in Alabama, trying to win his first in the state of Georgia.

The first question is going to be answered tonight.

Did Thomas County Central get the horns in?

You're going to find out real quickly.

Well, they put in the rule they got.

It's the Thomas County central rule.

Trust me, I didn't.

Say that, but.

I did.

The semifinal game and my ears are still ringing from that night.

Two years ago.

Look, those folks are from Thomasville.

They're they're going to know how to get those horns in here.

I mean, you think Mercedes Benz security is going to be able to stop them?

We'll see.

They can get a penalty.

They will get a penalty.

They'll turn them loose in pregame just to warm them up a little bit.

So out of the time-out on fourth down and two Caleb Hill does not get the first down.

So Jefferson still battling here and the Dragons will get it back on offense.

They have not given up the ship yet.

Say this about Coach Noland those guys listen, you lose your.

Not only do you lose your best player, you lose your best offensive player and your best defensive player.

And you're just a totally different football team.

Without Max Brown.

You're right, you lost two star players.

Players?

Yeah, he was the best player on both sides of the ball.

Yeah.

In one he was a star running back, just like his brother Sammy and a star linebacker.

Just like his brother Sammy.

And they built a lot around him.

Still able to get here.

Says a lot about the culture.

Says a lot about Coach Noland and this program.

Mike Brown his offensive line coach, his dad.

He controls the weight room.

Ball in the air.

And was it caught?

Dye ended up with it.

And did they rule?

They ruled it a catch at the 50 yard line.

They're telling him to get up on the ball.

A snap this thing.

Before they can review this thing.

Let's beat the Halo board.

I don't know how the ball got through that defender and got into the arms of Dye.

Good.

Look right here.

Can't see it from there.

Not that angle.

They're going to stop the play before they can snap it.

So on that angle, you don't.

Have a completed catch has been challenged by Sandy Creek under further review.

So they just beat the the deadline 2 minutes and under.

You can't challenge.

So the challenge comes at 2:53.

Let's see right here man.

Look at that window.

That ball got in between.

Yeah that was Rod Smith who was diving in front of Dye the receiver.

And somehow he did not touch it.

This will be a better angle.

Right here.

Maybe.

Let's see.

No, it's not a better angle because you can't see whether the ball hit the ground or not, because the two defenders for Sandy Creek eclipsed your view.

Dave, what do you got here?

Yeah.

Again, the rule on the field is very important because we need that video evidence.

Right here.

Yes.

Inconclusive.

And only two angles that I see.

Oh ball on the ground.

Boy that's a close one.

The one.

The third one.

Lucky charm.

That's a close one.

There.

That's the see, right.

Yeah.

It's on the ground.

Let's see.

Right.

It's on the ground.

There's not even a doubt.

That's the.

That's the one.

I'm not going to say without a doubt because we've seen stranger things happen.

There's no doubt in my mind I, I don't know how they're going to rule, but no doubt in my mind.

And that's, you know, GPB, we've got ten cameras on this field.

So we've got most of the angles covered.

There's not an angle pretty much that we don't have covered.

Got ten cameras working for these GPB state championships.

Your 29 year home for the Georgia high school football state championships.

GPB.

Yeah.

So this is the one.

That.

Gets it.

Watch his right hand.

See what the ball is.

Well right there there.

Yeah.

You follow the ball right there.

Close his right hand.

Yeah.

That's on the ground.. Glen diamond.

Alyssa.

Now I was not going to correct you, but we're getting a lot of.

Elka did win five in a row.

They did?

Yeah.

They they broke the record.

Okay.

And the reason I know that.

Was a completed catch has been overturned.

It is incomplete.

It'll be second down at the 22 yard line.

Please set the clock to three 0-7 Will I stand corrected.

On the snap?

Being from Rome, the West Rome folks were not pulling for Elka that year.

I just remember that.

Well, I stand.

Corrected.

And I should be embarrassed because my cousin played for Elka.

Yeah.

What was his name?

He played at Barry.

And he's at Barry right now.

They got to the the third round of the playoffs, the quarterfinals, and got beat by John Carroll.

, 15 16, 17 18-20 19.

Ball in the air and behind Dye.

Well you missed that.

And I missed Rashad Jones High School.

So we've that's all we've got.

We're only human.

That's right.

But regardless very special and has a chance to tie that next year.

They do.

Yeah I really thought it was for I thought Bowden had tied the record.

But Elka apparently does have the record with five in a row.

Jonathan Jones gets you don't have to text us.

We publicly corrected that.

And Jonathan guess did a wonderful job there.

And Kenny Dallas was on staff with him.

How about.

That at Elko?

How about.

That.

Penalty?

And now at Hebron replaced him when he went to Columbia, South Carolina.

Kenny Dallas replaced him at Hebron.

And one of their players, former player Isaac Rochelle, played NFL now is starting to do NFL network does a lot of social media, does a great job.

Man.

I follow him on all his socials.

He has lost a ton of weight.

He looks totally different.

Talk about my partner looking totally different.

My man Wayne Gandy looks like a power forward.

I know he's done it.

He still didn't bring his pads, so I figured tonight.

But big game.

Offense between him and Charles Barkley.

They both look like they both look like rush ends now.

Wayne Gandy the star of Haines City High School.

The field is named after him.

Their man.

Played 15 years in the National Football League, started every game of his career with the Auburn Tigers.

And big neck roll.

Wayne Wayne was big man balling.

No doubt.

Third down and ten.

Grant on the run.

Picks up the first down and more.

Finally stopped by Holston at the 45 yard line.

40 yard line time running out on Jefferson though the deficit is going to be way too much for him here to make up, but still putting in the fight.

No question.

You got to admire him for that.

Grant to the air.

Incomplete.

That was intended for Walker Holman.

Man, I don't I I, I don't want the season to end.

Man.

I woke up, you know, and faced this last week thinking, man, all these state championship games coming on and.

Well let's do it.

I mean you had the great idea.

Let's let's Sandy Creek and Creekside play next week.

Listen let's get let's just have it.

Let's have a championship tournament.

I would love to have the South Side Super Bowl with Sandy Creek Creekside.

I'd just be happy.

Let's have it.

Let's just continue it here.

Have the Champions tournament.

The eight teams that won the state championships.

Let's just have them line up over the next couple of weeks and decide the all classification.

That'd be.

Great, champion.

How about that?

That'd be great, wouldn't it?

That'd be fun.

The problem and like everybody talks about this, you'll get Buford to play somebody.

These kids have played enough.

You know what I mean?

Like it's this thing starts in January.

Just being facetious.

About that.

No, no, I would love it now, but I would love it.

But I'm saying I understand what these kids are beat down.

There's so much that goes into a season now, what they do in the summer and it's just an incredible commitment by these staffs to good pass.

There goes to Edmunds and Edmunds with a big catch and run trying to strip him of the ball, but he holds on at the 27.

So good for Logan Edmunds.

We talked about his story earlier in the evening where he had his sophomore and junior seasons wiped out.

Here you are senior, getting the cap, your high school football career and having a big catch in the state championship game.

25 catches on the year this year as a senior.

And that was his second catch of the game here tonight.

Caught a ball.

A Mercedes Benz and in the state championship game.

So first and ten from the 27 Grant loading up and going for Perrin and nearly intercepted.

That was Elijah Farrell who's been a wide receiver.

They got him in there playing deep secondary safety position here late in this game.

Gets your wide receivers back there in that secondary.

Maybe they can pick off a pass.

Second down 2:02 to go Grant loads.

Up goes the other way.

And incomplete and broken up.

That was Levi Smith on the coverage.

Or maybe that was James Austin.

Zion was 26 or 25.

James Austin was James Austin on the coverage, which I believe he's the brother of JT, the defensive end.

And it's third down and ten.

Watch these two ends right here.

They are ready to come.

Pinkard gets the handoff and Pinkard dives forward.

Going to bring up fourth down and two.

Pinkard has played virtually the entire game just as we promised when we started the game.

That's his ninth carry 39 yards for him tonight.

Playing an outside linebacker all night to fourth down and two.

And Pinkard.

Fighting man will not get to the line to gain.

Ball is going to go over on downs.

Might be the final offensive play that Jefferson runs this season as Sandy Creek now with 1:23 to go since the offense back out there.

Starting to feel it now up 27-7 Just a minute.

23 from capping a perfect season.

Sandy Creek from Tyrone, Georgia.

There in Fayette County, just south of the Atlanta airport.

Well, you know Calvin Johnson somewhere said he's not here.

He's watching this, proud of his his team.

Kedric Golston, who's now a high school head coach in Virginia.

I didn't realize he'd been hit.

I didn't realize he played like 12 or 13 years, too.

I think NFL.

Absolute dude.

He was like the first big monster player I think I ever saw.

He came along in the late 90s.

The first guy that was like 285, 290 who could run like a deer.

Latimer kind to let the four star finish off his high school career on the football field.

I saw them in that 20.

Well, the 2012 state champs last time they won, they won in 2012.

They won three times in four years.

They won in 0-9 10-12 I believe 12 is the year they beat Griffin in the quarterfinals.

There they had a goal line stand and that was a football game.

Second down and eight victory formation for the Patriots.

Knee taken.

That will do it for Darius Smiley and a big smile for Darius Smiley.

He wins his first state championship 15-0 They capped the season with a 27-7 victory over Jefferson to win the three a state championship.

What a season, man for Sandy Creek.

I think they were the odds on favorite Matt.

You had them number 1 all year.

Since the preseason.

Yep.

They just they just they were just different in this classification.

They are really good on both sides.

They are big up front, big time running back defense.

Tough.

Overcame the death of Tyler Glazier, the 16-year-old teammate who was killed by a hit and run driver on June 21.

And certainly the memory of Tyler has lived with this team and this high school and this community all season long, and they dedicated the season to him.

And Tyler gets to be a part of the fifth state championship in Sandy Creek history.

But, you know, that would be special order in his ring.

This is the part I love is when the family gets to come down.

Yeah, man, you love that.

Hug, daddy hug husband.

Hey, a lot of sacrifices by coach's wives, I promise you.

I know a bunch of them.

And they are the CEO of those households.

Kids too.

Yep.

They have to.

They have to right there.

They have to endure the long hours.

Coach trying to get his players down here, trying to get the guys for the stage.

Gainesville come on the field in the red.

Thomas County Central in the White starting to come in and.

Showing press with what Darius Smiley has done.

He said he was frank, he was honest.

He said we underachieved the last two years, got knocked out in the second round last year by Lagrange and they came back committed to winning a state championship this season.

Had the devastating loss of Tyler in June and overcame that.

Not an easy thing to do.

To remain focused and win the state championship, but they did.

Yeah man, that's a tough.

But you get a team like this that plays in honor of that young man, honor of his team.

And you cap it off the way you wanted to.

And.

Jefferson up on the podium right now getting the state runner up trophy.

And what a season for Jefferson, too.

I mean, these guys lost their star player, lost two players in one when Max Brown went down and did not lose another game until tonight.

Correct?

Tough one there for Coach Nolan and.

Just got to figure before he's done he's going to get one.

Yeah he was.

Just two.

Just I mean.

When we were talking to him this week he said man maybe one day I'll win a state championship.

They put up a great fight today.

Yes they did.

This is exactly how they wanted to play this game.

Get it to the fourth quarter.

Let's get a chance.

They have nothing to be ashamed of.

And Coach Nolan certainly is very proud of his guys.

They lived up to their billing.

They fight hard tooth and nail.

They're a chip off the old block.

They're just like their coach.

And they battled hard today.

But Sandy Creek the 2023 state champs.

And you can finally let it out.

Breathe, guys.

Sending it now to John Nelson.

Thank you very much.

Matt Stewart time to award trophy.

12 of 13 here at.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

But before we award that one, a quick shout out to everybody from Jefferson that made it down the Dragons a fantastic high school community.

Glad you could be here with us to finish up 20-25 But to present trophy number 12, number 3 on the day it is the executive Director of the Georgia High School Association, Dr.

Tim Scott and our friends from Alfa Insurance.

Hey guys, before we present this trophy, let's give a big hand to the Sandy Creek crowd.

And what a crowd they were.

Come support you guys!

Hey coach, on behalf of Alfa Insurance, we're honored to present Sandy Creek with the 2025 State Championship Trophy.

Yeah.

Each season at Sandy Creek, you've won more games than the than the previous.

You run from one end to the other.

Absolutely perfect to go 15-0 and you've got the hardware to prove it.

At the end of the day, you also got to do it for Teague.

What's this run been like this year.

Hey man it's been incredible.

Hats off to these young men.

This coaching staff, this community.

I'm just so proud of these guys.

Man 15 and, oh, second time in school history.

Fifth state championship.

Hey, how about them?

Patriots.

Hey.

How about the seniors as well?

Let's run through all of these twelves that are on that roster of yours.

What's it been like to carry it with these seniors that have been with the hardwood to.

The main thing we talked about this offseason, back in January was sending these guys out the way they came in, and I think they did everything that we asked them to do.

And here they are leaving out as a state champion.

Darius Smiley head coach of the fighting Patriots from Tyrone state champs here in 2025, Georgia Cotton Commission player of the game coming up with Adam Johnson in a bit.

Let's send it back upstairs.

All right.

Thank you Nellie I love to see it when good guys win.

And Darius Smiley is one of the good guys.

And he gets that state championship tonight.

You can tell he can breathe.

He's finally you win that.

You're a head coach for nine years.

You're like am I ever going to get that chance.

You know we got a talented football team.

You get it done tonight.

That's history forever.

He'll be known as a state championship.

High school football coach.

Impressive performance by the Sandy Creek Fighting Patriots as they defeat Jefferson 27-7 Buddy, great to work with you again.

Hey, I'm sticking around for this next one.

Now it's big boy football coming up.

I would expect nothing less.

The 5-A final is next 30 minutes from now.

Thomas County Central taking on Gainesville.

But congratulations one more time to the Fighting Patriots.

They get the job done.

Finished 15-0 and win their fifth state championship in program history.

And now for Rusty Manziel, autumn Johnson and our entire team so long from now, I'll be back with Wayne Gandy in 30 minutes.

Football Fridays in Georgia is presented by the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, reminding you to park your phone while driving.

Saves lives.

Heads up, Georgia.

You wouldn't take a call during the big game.

Oh, hey what's up man?

You wouldn't be texting while cheering on your team.

Jacket and you definitely wouldn't want to watch a video while marching with the band.

So why would you drive a car while distracted driving isn't a game when you lose on the road, it could lead to a crash.

So when you get behind the wheel, put the distractions aside, drive hands free, and save lives.

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Welcome into Mercedes Benz Stadium.

It's your official welcome into our GPB tailgate party.

I'm Nicki Noto Palmer.

We're live on GPB and we have been for the past three days, bringing you the best of the best when it comes to Georgia high school football.

Let's go ahead and take a look at our Georgia EMC scoreboard and catch you up on how things have shaken out when it comes to our champions.

This game right here.

Finished moments ago and a big congratulations to Coach Smiley in the 15-0 Sandy Creek Patriots for winning the three a state title over Jefferson now quarterback Caleb Hill.

He was a playmaker for the big win.

He's our player of the game and we're waiting to hear from Autumn Johnson to see if she is on the field with him now.

There you can see some of the big plays that he's been making at quarterback.

Look at that play right there.

And then he took one into the end zone for the touchdown.

A big, big win for the quarterback.

Our Autumn Johnson.

She's with him right now.

Caleb Hill is your Georgia Cotton Commission player of the game.

Sandy Creek is state champions but you guys do it 15-0 How would you describe the undefeated journey?

Relentless.

We were just relentless all around.

Got to our goal finish.

And you were relentless.

I'm talking 14 for 19 passing 167 passing yards two rushing touchdowns.

How would you describe your connection with your teammates to set them up for success?

Just amazing.

Just amazing.

How would you describe your connection playing with a guy like Amari Latimer?

It's great.

That's all I can say, really.

You guys dedicated this season to Ty Lil Glaser.

What does it mean to get the job done for him?

It means everything.

It just means everything.

Losing him was very hard, but we just relentless kept him in our hearts, mind, prayers, everything.

I know he is so proud of you.

And congratulations.

State champions.

Back to you guys.