A full weekend of high school football kicks off for the classic single-A semifinal here at the Georgia Dome.

It's the Wilcox County Patriots 12 and one on the year.

Taking on the Spartans of Athens Academy also at 12 and one.

This is the first of ten football games this weekend right here on Georgia Public Broadcasting.

Five today.

Five tomorrow for morning, afternoon and night.

It's our annual football extravaganza, John Wilkerson with Bobak.

And we kick off things with the class single-A semifinal between Athens Academy in Wilcox Academy and really two teams that do a lot of things different.

Well, one of the things differently, they're similar in that they're both 12 and one the both learning to love to pigskin for breakfast but more importantly Coach Ledford of Wilcox County to match up we got to just a bunch of good old country kids who play in the zone.

They get locked in and coach going to Barton's academy says, We've got a bunch of good students who make adjustments on the fly.

They've got one advantage, though they were lucky enough to play in this 9 a.m. game a year ago.

And let's tell you about Wilcox County.

And they got a pretty talented team, especially at quarterback.

Especially a quarterback.

They've got a kid by the name of Lorenzo Denver.

He's a four year starter, 65 career TDs, 6000 career yards, and he is a senior on the defensive side of the ball.

They feature middle linebacker number 36, Woody LeGrier.

He's a senior.

They moved him from defensive end to middle linebacker because teams were running away from him.

They want to get him in the mix.

He's six 1 to 40 benches.

317 is a44 speedster.

Now, Mark Ledford, in his seventh year as head coach of the Wilcox County Patriots, he tells you what you can expect when you watch the Patriots play tonight.

Based upon the formation where we like to run the ball, we've run the ball a good bit as of late, but we won't hesitate to get in a spread set where we'll be doubles of trips and will be led by a quarterback who's thrown for over 6000 yards in his career.

We feel like we've got some pretty good receivers and we just try to get the ball to them and get it in space and let them do their thing.

Defensively, we're in a43 defense.

We like to get our linebackers on the move, making plays.

Our secondary had a good season for us and we've got some kids that have played over there a number of years and um, we're, we're excited about the way our defensive play has played this season.

And there's already a lot of blue in the stands.

A lot of fans drove out from Rochelle to watch the Patriots, played a lot of green, too, for Athens Academy.

And let's talk about the Spartans.

They have a talented running back.

And Will Calloway.

Will Calloway is really something.

He's got a bunch of yards.

He's undersized but hard, knows he's only five, ten and 180.

He bench is 330 though and averages 6.6 yards per carry, whereas number 20 on the other side of the ball they're strong.

Safety is number 37.

James Colquitt, only a junior.

He's also a kick returner and averages 8.4 yards per carry on defense.

He has 87 tackles and two interceptions.

Michael Gunn is the head coach of Athens Academies, highly successful.

He's built that program and he tells you what you expect when you watch the Spartans play today.

On the offensive side of the ball, we like running out of the information.

We've got a good tailback, good fullback that we run the ball a good bit with an we will spread the ball a little bit, run some trips and some two man game is what we call it, and we throw the ball a little bit out of that.

I consider as more of a run offense and a pass offense on the defensive side of the ball.

We're going to run a base 50.

We will get into a four man front.

Sometimes on passing situations.

We play, we play a very good football team with a lot of team speed.

So we're going to have to do some different things and put five defensive backs in the game sometimes, which is not what we're used to doing, but that's something we feel like we're going to have to do.

The school.

Of course, Athens Academy here last year, Bo mentioned.

Let's introduce you to the third member of our crew patrolling the sidelines for us, it's Scott Koslowski.

Good morning, Scott.

Good morning, gentlemen.

It's never too early for football.

In fact, I had a chance to talk to both coaches before the game about this 9 a.m. start.

And Coach Ledford told me with a little bit of an eye roll, he wishes he could play all these games at 9 a.m. That's about never having played in the dome before.

He said he thought most of his kids had on PlayStation.

Now, as you guys mentioned, Athens Academy did play here last year at 9 a.m.

They're going to try to use that to their advantage.

As far as game plan, Wilcox County wants to get the ball into the hands of their playmakers and play great defense.

Athens Academy tells me the only thing they're going to try to do different is to contain the speed of Wilcox County.

Otherwise, they're going to do what got him here.

Back to you guys.

Welcome to the Georgia Dome.

You take a look at the Patriots of Wilcox County.

Their first.

Appearance in the Georgia Dome, not the first appearance in the semifinal.

As they were here back in 1989.

The last time that the Patriots have gotten this far in a playoff, Downey.

Clark was the head coach back then.

He's a legend back in those shell that just.

Putting him there today.

Athens Academy makes their appearance under the dome.

They were here last year, lost to Clinch County.

They're back to avenge that loss and go to the state championship.

Huge crowd made the trip from Athens.

To visit pigskin for breakfast.

John Nothing like it.

Nothing like it.

Coach Ledford said.

Everybody told him, just, you know, stick with your routine.

He said.

There's nothing routine about playing at 9ami don't know how you can stick with a routine.

I was talking to Coach Ledford Sunday.

He was a little apprehensive about how he can plan for a9am game.

And then he brought up the the Atlanta traffic, which we know very well.

But I told him to be careful of that.

He said, don't worry.

The sheriff's coming up now.

You got some good going, coach.

Get the lights going and the siren blaring and your kids will wake up.

There you go.

One advantage, though, in playing at 9:00 is that you're the two teams that get to get here as early as 630, walk around the field, get acclimated, feel the turf, get used to the sight lines, and no other teams will be able to do that because right after this game, it's bang, bang, bang, high school semifinal championships.

The very bounce Wilcox County team.

They like to score points, though, as you take a look at Michael Dunn, the head coach in his 17th season at Athens Academy.

And you can take a look at the Athens Academy stats very much skewed toward the run.

They'll throw it only when they have to.

And we're on the way from the Georgia Dome and the kick by Stephens goes out of bounds.

And so we'll we'll start things off with a free kick and they can take five yard penalty.

Free play two down.

Richard Gardner, your referee today, that's Casey Stephens.

He's a senior for Athens Academy.

He does all the kickoffs.

Alfonzo Dinner is back deep for the Patriots.

This place is wild and wild and the kick off is taken by running backs.

That's Willie Gibson.

And Gibson returns it out to the 42 yard line.

And that's where the Wilcox County Patriots will take over.

As you take a look at Lorenzo dinner, he is the quarterback.

He is the fraternal twin of Alfonzo Dehner, the wide receiver.

You probably read about those numbers over a thousand, almost 2000 yards, 22 touchdowns for the senior.

In fact, there's six sets of brothers on this team.

Three receivers to the right.

Now, the shotgun is dinner and the first play of the game for the Patriots will be a pass and an incomplete one.

I'm not sure he was going to get those two offensive linemen there.

Well, that was a missed assignment.

And someone was supposed to strafe across the field and be there behind those two offensive linemen.

Unfortunately, he wasn't there.

It was set up to go.

Only one problem.

Nobody catch the ball.

Well, nobody else eligible there to catch the ball.

As you take a look at the starting lineup for the receiver.

Downfield.

Long replay first game.

Silver Tray Clark taking Faro TJ Maxx pick to Grace And there you're still positioned to watch number one Alfonzo dinner He's exciting as well as really gets the number 12 all the information first down and the give.

Is in the back of the yard Antonio Marshall Marshall picks up good right.

It's just short of the 50 the 48 yard line.

Some of what Athens Academy likes to do.

Athens runs 80% of the time.

The Patriots can run it.

They love to mix it up.

They look to balance it and spread the offense right.

Shin Chant Sam Mansfield are not on a ball and Will Jenkins are your foot for the linebackers.

It's a good career role.

Daniel Evans Wellborn A Will Calloway the secondary of MATTHEWS, Heath Colquitt and Woodruff very opportunistic.

Second down for the Patriots out of the eye and then will throw.

It to his brother That's Alfonzo Dunner gets a two yards.

McKay MATTHEWS there on the.

Stop point being taken down McKay was intent on making that tackle if he kept his eyes up.

Watch this.

He can probably intercept this ball in there.

If he if he'd stayed upright instead of going for the legs, he might have had a chance to break that up, perhaps intercepting go the other way.

Alfonzo dinner at 510 fourth.

Down and Athens would go for fourth and one and give it to the big fullback.

He has the first down.

That was D.A.

Lee Greer.

Well, you have confidence in your kids when you can take it in minus yardage almost at midfield and go forward on fourth down in the semifinal championship game.

So the first fourth down conversion, his name as you take a look at Mark Ledford, he was a quarterback for Wilcox County back in the mid eighties.

Did some place kicking, too, then he did a little that.

Played a little defensive back first and ten.

For Wilcox and it's Marshall and Marshall Mack after a two yard pick up by number 59 Phil Jenkins and help.

By Jeff Turner.

Will Jenkins just fills that whole team up and made the big happen big smack.

And this is what Coach Gunn is talking about, the tenacity of his team, inability to make adjustments on the fly.

Turner had them low and guys, Jenkins had them on pick up to second.

And eight for the throw looking for Gibson intercepted and sucked in by Nick MATTHEWS He gets on the year already coming into the game Another huge one for Athens Academy.

And receivers would have broken off that route in fact that quarterback maybe shouldn't have thrown it they were in a too deep but look here and in fact on the snap they just backpedal.

So there was never any chance to get it to a one receiver on the outside.

That was Willie Gibson.

Look at the position MATTHEWS had in those hands.

So the first big.

Break of the game, this helps out of Athens Academy and first down and the kids to the back of the eye blew those.

Callaway But he was met by Paul Grace.

As you take a look at Carter gone, he is the quarterback, a senior.

He is the nephew of head coach Michael Dunn.

Outstanding stats.

He's a calming influence for this team.

Very much a very poised quarterback.

And you expect that from a senior.

On the high school level, especially a relative of the coach on the outside that's gone and hits it out of bounds.

Big hit as Callaway takes the pitch.

Great coach, a great decision there.

They were one on one on the outside and he knew he had that tailback coming around for the pitch.

Checks him at the last moment, gets it pitching.

They get seven or eight extra yards out of it.

That was like Greer on the staff as you take over the offensive line, that's his academy tag.

Calvin That same man, Phil Collins, born Evansville, born to Will Jenkins, the skill positions.

Calloway He's a good one.

Nick MATTHEWS at the wideout, you saw him make the interception.

Jeff Turner touchdown last year in the semifinals at Callaway.

And McGraw was there to meet him.

And I think the South a little further.

Maybe picked up a couple of yards for the Spartans.

Here's the defense for Wilcox County, KC Server, Brian Porter.

Sam Porter and Chris Hargrove are your front four.

Your linebackers are Paul Grace, Deontay LeGrier and Antonio Marshall and the Corners Dinner, Nate Morehouse, Randy Denmark and Willie Gibson.

Look at that big 36 in the middle of the picture.

What you just had six one.

342 42 big start so far this morning.

But the guy is starting to get on the offense.

Calloway.

Calloway puts on the move, follows the football.

Gibson has it wide that's what parks college football so they get a return.

Well he's a nice tackle on the perimeter here.

Ball was stripped out definitely before his knee hit the ground, before he went down.

Well, Justin's goal, Grace Paul Grace, given the shot.

That Athens had.

Antonio Gibson with the with the fumble recovery.

Athens had a turnover interception, all fumble by Athens Academy, both teams and.

Perhaps a little tight to begin this class in the semifinal.

So Wilcox and Blake seal possession at the 2723 yard down and ten it will keep it nine tries to throw an incomplete.

Show his athletic ability being able to get the ball away like a shot putter almost connected with his receivers but they're going to have a tough time throwing it deep against Athens Academy because, as you know, just before the snap, their defensive backs are backpedaling.

They're not giving them anything down the field.

The pass intended for Rob Lawson.

Second and ten fans on both sides making noise early.

The pitch to Antonio.

I saw Marshall trying to turn the corner can't escape the grasp.

Of number 27.

Right step champ.

Something he'll learn as he strung it out and got wider and wider.

There were two opportunities to cut it back against the grain.

Did he take them?

Thought he could beat them to the outside.

But when you give these championship games, he's at the end of year.

Everybody's good.

Everybody's quick.

That's why everybody's here.

Take a look at number 27.

Dwight Sharp, a junior.

59, tackles on the year led the team in sacks with eight shotgun on third down all receivers and I'm a draw It's Antonio longshoreman Marshall has the first down gets across the ten yard line.

And it'll be first and goal is Matt Woodruff and Landon Keith converge to bring him down.

There's that cutback action that we were talking about watch this watch him go to the right now he sees downfield is the what would he do and he cuts it up inside got to have a little what would he do if you're a running back.

First and goal at the nine all receivers that are looking in the end zone at your side to throw it to Willie Gibson Gibson will score a touchdown Wilcox County what.

A great cut three defenders had him he had no place to go.

He should have been dropped for no gain.

And it was able to split defenders and get downfield.

Watch these three defenders have him on the outside, on the perimeter, there's one, two, three.

And he just cuts right between them, runs hard, legs high for the TD.

He's home he runs a four for 45 1170 £5.

Willie Gibson had two touchdowns against Miller County in the second round.

Wilcox will go for two.

It will love it up there and complete.

Until the try for two is no good.

Loni Outlaw is the intended receiver you.

Loni, didn't help his quarterback out.

He had places to go back there which would have bailed them out.

Instead of leaving the defender on his hip, he should have wheeled and gone for the fade into the corner.

So Wilcox scores on their second possession six to nothing.

Athens Academy just scored the first touchdown of the game six to nothing over Wilcox County.

John Wilkerson.

Bobak Scott Kozlowski here with you from the East Class single AA semifinal.

This is the first of ten football games.

Well, five tonight for you here on Georgia Public Broadcasting.

Antonio Marshall will kick.

It off for Wilcox County fielded at the 15 by James Colquitt and Colquitt still Don still down to the 40 flags down.

Pretty impressive return by Colquitt.

Yeah, it was two hard nosed teams.

You know, Coach Ledford, I guess he said to his team, if we're going to get up early, we're going to throw caution to the wind and we're going to go for it.

They went for it at midfield on fourth down.

They went for a two point conversion after the first score and they are the sheriff brings available with lights and sirens.

Let's go for it, man.

It's a big deal.

It's a big deal.

Face mask and all the big team, five yard penalty.

First down and watching Wilcox County come in.

The first trip here, I saw them when they came into the dome.

I don't want to say they were loose, but they were focused.

But it wasn't overwhelming to them.

That was Callaway emotion.

And they give it to Colquitt and Colquitt will gain five.

Garza is Jeff Turner.

Well, you see why Turner's been so successful this year?

Look at him.

Fight for those yards.

He's quick.

He's action as elbows are going, his knees are going.

He's a big, wide, broad shouldered kid.

And this is a kid that had to wait his turn to get some playing time.

You know, he got a little frustrated.

But then when the opportunity presented itself, he ran through the door.

And he's good so far, great fullback to bring back the classroom academy as well.

The heart and soul of this team further down the table and he'll get to about.

The 47 yard line penalty flag down.

He had to get to the 46 for a first down.

Chris Hargrove brought him down and another facemask on Wilcox County.

There's Richard Gardner, a referee, James Henderson, Jack Henderson.

Facemask and a decent five yard penalty.

Three played it down.

Oh, no.

First back.

Got to.

Get him the first down there from the 40.

One yard line, first down and ten for the Spartans at Athens Academy will Daniel the backup is in the quarterback.

Jeff Turner will get maybe a yard and he's met by a wall of Patriot defenders as you take a look at will Daniel Carter gun they're working on his ankle he had a shoulder problem earlier this year was able in fact in one of the playoff games this year against Whitfield Academy.

He suffered a bruised shoulder and a red tape.

Him right there on the bench.

There taping his ankle.

Will Turner is a junior quarterback.

So Daniels in a spell in motion Daniel.

Throws first pass and intended for Callaway but Alfonzo dinner was there.

They had full press bump and run and one on one coverage outside and then threw the ball underneath the outside receiver came to the post and obviously Turner's got such a strong arm that that ball was on the receiver in a hurry, could not make the adjustment tried to go thumbs up you got to go pinkies up on the ball like that.

Third down and nine Daniel in trouble throws could play at the 31 yard line to McKay MATTHEWS in came MATTHEWS has always been that.

Safety valve when you need a big catch he's there and he was there again will.

Daniel has got a strong arm watch this delivery.

Look at that roll he puts out there.

A receiver made a great adjustment of coming to.

The ball.

And taking that interception away from Wilcox County.

K. MATTHEWS, a junior 23 catches on the year and a touchdown.

Since what coach was talking about our teams can make adjustments on the fly and you saw that right there doing all the little things.

So it's first down, Daniel still in as it continue to work on Khalil Dunn's ankle when they give this to Tom Turner still up at the line of scrimmage by John Taylor Greer Forward.

Progress so get on body yard.

Win with gun they can run that option and he's very effective with Daniel.

They've got the ability to throw the ball a little more prolifically.

Take a look at Big 38.

Jeff Turner scored the go ahead touchdown last week in the quarterfinal against Brooks.

The general out of shot down on second down here keep it baby Matt behind the line of scrimmage and get nowhere Deon Taylor Greer again.

On the stop with Chris Hargrove helping out.

Good football.

I thought that Daniel was not going to be the runner that obviously gun is but look at that them come across the line of scrimmage talking about Wilcox can Wilcox County's defensive front.

There's a player down for Wilcox County.

I'm really impressed with the fact that that and we'll get to that in a minute.

Deon Taylor Greer is the player that's hurt.

And that could be a huge loss.

That is, he can't play.

You know, he's made already three or four stops and crushing tackles.

And he's he's the main man on defense.

As I say, I've been impressed the way.

They put up the middle was nothing up the middle for Athens Academy so far.

And they know they're being watched.

What's in the flow has not slowed to well a play by.

Number 55.

That was Trey cluck cluck, cluck.

They had the receiver on the outside, comes to the post with one on one coverage.

Look at it here.

He's looking at them.

It's a defensive pressure, flushes them and he's got to just get rid of it.

Lucky he did.

So a fourth down situation for Athens Academy.

Will Daniels in there?

They're going for it.

Well, Wilcox made it on their first fourth down attempt of.

The heat of the day.

And the pass is incomplete, intended for McKay.

MATTHEWS and Wilcox County will take over on.

Downs.

What a strong call for Coach Gunn.

And obviously he's playing with a lot of confidence and going for it on fourth down.

They're not quietly going for it like Coach Open did in midfield, but you've got an opportunity to throw the ball in this game with the defense that Wilcox County is giving you, is giving you a lot of man coverage, but they run so well, they got to the ball and unfortunately Daniel didn't look off that receiver, looked right at him and he had inside coverage.

So Wilcox County will get the ball at the 31 yard line scored on the last possession for receivers.

Over the left and dinner with a can handle the snap there's a penalty flag down and he'll lose yardage on the play.

Well he got excited when he saw his trips left and took his eye off the snap.

There is no.

Flag.

No, it was just a marker he threw out there.

Jeff Turner there on the stop.

Well, there is a marker on the.

Hill Eagle formation.

And the offense.

Penalty has declined.

Play.

Second down.

So illegal formation on Wilcox County.

As you take a look at Mark Lunsford, seventh year head coach of the Wilcox County Patriots.

You've got to have seven men on the line of scrimmage.

You can see those receivers to the left side talking to each other.

They didn't know who to move up or who to move back.

So bring up a second down and 13 for Wilcox County and they got to the dome by defeating Lincoln County last week in the quarterfinals, 3424 as.

A comeback runner, the first win ever all over Lincoln County in five tries and the huge deal.

But back in Rochelle.

Same formation.

To the right side and the paint the pass to Alfonzo Denner then.

Alfonzo Dennard will get to about the 34 brought brought down or forced out of bounds by McKay MATTHEWS So the twins try to break a big one.

Nice running there to avoid the first tackle.

Alfonzo Denner 510 £190, one, 244.

That was James Colquitt on the tackle doesn't miss many.

Denner glass almost cut down is brought Families are picked up by Athens academy number 35 Armand Alec Wall.

C the speed of Athens Academy yeah very.

Fast on that one.

And the penetration they got they get the dinner.

Yeah.

Because Denver is very quick themselves.

You know, the first man gets to him just clips is he a little bit in the second man closes in he should have put the ball away at that time.

At that point when he was scrambling for his life.

He's holding it out there.

Our goal, it was McKay MATTHEWS that forced a fumble.

Thornwell still in at quarterback and.

We got a timeout Wilcox County.

Big break for Athens Academy is Mark Ledford.

Bringing his defense over to calm them down?

Wilcox County, they scored early in the first quarter.

Now they find their defense behind the wall here, giving up a turnover.

Will Daniel still in the game?

The backup quarterback for Athens Academy is Carter Dunn taking snaps right now and they see another one again.

Callaway gets good pitch in parallel.

To the 16 yard line, perhaps the 15.

Chris Hargrove is there to bring him down.

At his feet, going ahead, happy feet there.

If he made it quicker cut, he might have scored on that because there was a there was a lane for him to run through to see.

D.A.

Greer is also back on defense for Wilcox County, though he's noticeable, he's limping a little bit.

Still second and five, Tyler in the back of the eye Jeff Turner with fullback tug at the top big hole for the close quickly.

Now what a tackle by Paul Grace.

I believe Paul Grace was in there at middle linebacker for LeGrier now he was outside.

Just took the legs right out of Turner, but turn around a huge hole to the run through.

It was the will blind backward is legrier back in can we see yeah he's backing.

Four down and four on the option and Daniel will.

Have the first down.

Antonio Marshall on the stop as we come to the end of the first quarter six nothing Wilcox County as we start the second quarter easy take a look at some of the fans dressed in blue from Shell and this is the Athens Academy fans.

And I'll tell you, both.

Sides of the dome are pretty well filled on the lower side here.

Both teams have a ton of people.

And Athens Academy now threatening to score Kyle Walker some pull back and Scott.

Kozlowski with you on a first down that's Will Calloway trying to create some room up the middle maybe a couple but down by a gang of Patriots.

Trying to muscle it up in here now and just smash mouth football, trying to get those six runs and tie the scoring and take the lead with the extra point.

But, you know, the Patriots have given them nothing up the middle this nil.

Well, that's Mr. Lee Greer.

Woody, bring in the woods, everybody.

That's call, quick.

Call, quickest to the five and perhaps the four.

That's it.

He's brought down looks like Denon and Porter and La Greer is a very good front seven for Wilcox County.

And they're earning their their stripes here on a third and goal situation.

You know, it's tough to run option down here, get wide and allow that speed to catch up with you.

But you've been stymied twice up the middle.

Let's see what coach comes with.

Colquitt and Turner in the backfield between MATTHEWS and Lane.

And who are your receivers?

Well, I think the Cardinals and Denver look at the MATTHEWS wide open touchdown Spartans McKay.

MATTHEWS for his second touchdown the year and we're tied.

Great design on that play You know he was just wide open because you know on third down third and goal Wilcox County didn't think that Athens was going to throw the ball.

Mark Allen And for the extra point, he kicked a big one last week in the quarterfinals and it's.

7 to 6 Athens academy.

Slipped it inside that left upright.

The junior McKay MATTHEWS with a clutch hand the great move in the end zone wide open.

And Bo, this is all.

MCCARTHY Yep.

He came up the middle and slid outside and they didn't check him.

They were looking, run, run, run all the way.

Ran that fade to the corner and a nice throw too.

Great throw by will Daniel who's coming in as a backup and has really led the Spartans down in that scoring drive and has done a good job.

You take a look at McKay MATTHEWS six plays, 81 yards, but 3 minutes time we begin the second quarter.

McKay MATTHEWS, a 4.0 GPA.

He's also in the student council at Athens Academy.

And only a junior.

Only a junior, but very soft hands for Casey Stevens to kick it off.

Willie Gibson and David Grayson are back.

Deep open by Alfonzo Denton.

Things go down getting their things in midfield, close the shoulders out of bounds.

McKay MATTHEWS, who's all over the field, forced him out of.

Bounds, almost like the hidden ball trick on that return.

It was just short kick.

It was almost like a more the wall more line drive than that.

And he came up, hit behind his big blockers and then saw that it was breathing room to the outside, sprung outside and had a big gainer.

So great field position inside Spartan territory on the kickoff at the 44.

Under center is Alonzo Denton.

And the pitch is to make sure I'm solid.

David Grace and Grace, who has for three speed, tried to get outside the to be brought down.

To show the first down to the 38 yard.

Line.

Just a tough sweep here.

And he's looking to look at his eyes downfield, looking to make the cut, decides to use his speed to get outside.

Grace had 130 yards earlier in the year and two touchdowns against Dooley County.

He transferred in midseason from Hawkins.

Yeah, the tunnel.

Marshall checked in on the back of the yard.

Oh, it's Marshall there and gets down to about the 30 yard line landing.

Hughes was there initially to bring him down.

Wow.

You're right, John, about the speed of this game.

You just saw him glide with a nice stride.

He has.

What's this to the left side?

Great block, double team, tackle and guard on the defensive tackle.

All right.

Just hit that hole with the first quick step as you take a look at Antonio Marshall.

He runs a four or 540, the only thousand yard rusher on the team.

So first down for the ghosts in.

The back of the yard for the Patriots, he gets the pitch.

Able to make something out of nothing, gets it up to about the 33, 32 yard line.

Really had him dead to rights for a four yard loss right there and then is able to stutter.

Step inside.

Watch this right here They've got him boom puts the brakes on.

And then one more step and he's again at full speed right after that point.

And so Wilcox, he's done a good job.

As you take a look at David Grace establishing the run.

On this drive, and we'll take your changeable points between Grace and Antonio Marshall.

Marshall in the back of the eye, this time.

Why not go back to the run?

It's Marshall.

He pops it outside, needs him.

Move the traffic.

Skip McKay MATTHEWS did to slow them up.

One afternoon, Jeff Turner finished them off.

Trying to get a block from his wide receiver, and if he had stutter stepped a little bit.

There.

Might have get him as wide receiver a little more of an angle a little more opportunity and time Steve when you see that right there know out there is where the wide receiver could not make that on the corner.

Antonio Marshall.

Just over a thousand yards and you and 14 touchdowns and stay in the back of the eye and third down and.

Give it to him throws it up the middle to Shaw the 20 had to get to 24 the first down Jeff Turner on Stop.

We love the way Adkins Academy fights.

You know, they battle you for everything you need to just fight like crazy to get a yard against these guys.

We talked about Wilcox County Lessons Academy right there with them.

Where they get a real favorable mark.

Is it just short.

Of the 20 and they'll be 14 inches the down to the alley back every time on this drive?

Still a little bit fullback.

That's a good legroom stop on the line of scrimmage.

He will give it a huge stop by the Spartan.

Defense stymie stymie by the Spartans.

Point difference in the defense loaded up the middle of the defensive front.

Look at them.

Come here.

They come here they come with a blitz.

Just enough in the middle to slow him down.

Make them go wide.

Then here comes that Athens Academy pursuit.

Look at that penetration.

Couldn't catch the number there by the defensive lineman, but he's the one that really stymied everything.

And the ball carrier was their defensive stalwart, LeGrier.

Daniel Stone.

The quarterback for Athens Academy.

And first, in turn, they give it to Turner and Turner.

Will pick up about six the Greer in on the stop.

Think about what Athens Academy did on that last drive.

We talked about the cornerback refusing to be denied outside and made the tackle on what looked to be a long game.

And then coming back, they come with Will Greer, who's the big Romper Stomper, £240, runs a four for four and they stuff him.

Really nice stuff.

That was impressive.

Boy, you filled up uncle most swinging over to Athens.

Academy after that touchdown momentum play on their side It's Tyler Perry from the busted outside.

Met initially by Nate Morehouse He'll pick up a couple and another and a player down for Wilcox County it's Chris Hargrove, the junior defensive lineman.

It's 7 to 6 Athens Academy in the second quarter.

We got more from the Georgia Dome coming up after this.

Welcome back to the Georgia Dome.

It's 76 Athens Academy.

They've got the ball.

So the Spartans fans are enjoying this.

I like those hats.

Really, the little red hats.

They got up early to do that.

Oh, look at the green hair.

Oh, happy Spartan.

Fan.

Oh, great cheer.

Whoa, woo woo.

Classic.

Here we go.

Third downs and they give it to Colquitt.

Colquitt spun and hit the High Line Antonio.

Our show at the big.

Play great diagnose this is why Marshall didn't go for the fake stood his ground and made a great play He's going to be over he doesn't go inside sees that pitch coming.

And Wilcox County needed that to they needed to grab a little momentum themselves on defense.

Landon Heath will punt for Athens Academy, his junior first deep almost blocked.

That's the reason for the short kick John have pressure from the right side of the defense.

And Wilcox County will get shut out at the 49 yard line so good field position for them.

You take a look at the coach and quarterback Mark Lett for the quarterback himself in the mid eighties talking to his current quarterback, Lorenzo Dennard, six two and 190, both first down at 49 for Wilcox.

Coming success running the ball on the last possession more people running the ball with Antonio Marshall you said he likes that left side big pickup for Marshall on the way to the 31 yard line Evans Wellborn on the stop.

A 19 yard pickup.

Yeah, great.

BLOCK You know, we talked about blocking on the left side of the perimeter.

And watch this block.

Watch.

Here comes the toss sweep.

Left number 32 just wipes out that cornerback as.

That was your and.

Bryn Porter there it is again boom and great pace great pace by Marshall to allow him to make that block the slowed down set up the tackler so the block would take him.

In David GROSS on the back line as Marshall get a rest and then inside that's why he's looking for his brother He's got it to the one touchdown Alfonzo did a 30 yard that was pretty.

Great example of prestidigitation at one receiver and look run run run all the way the head man coverage on the outside and just a great job of executing.

Alfonzo Dehner makes his presence known here at the Georgia Dome.

He had seven touchdowns on the year.

That's number eight.

And Wilcox County is back on top 12 seven.

They go for two.

Now, the shotgun right next to him is Antonio Marshall.

Looking for the inside.

Now he'll run himself there to get in.

And fumbled the ball.

No.

And so the two point try roll for two, two point conversions and it's 12 to 7 Wilcox County.

But again, another impressive drive for the example of the run setting up the.

Pass watch this slobber knuckle football from Athens Academy boom.

Here's a touchdown pass again.

Puts a lot of air under it.

And with dinner, having the presence to know when that white stripe was coming.

Don't step on the white.

Isn't that the idea?

Just that's.

The idea.

You want to get in the end zone, you want to score six points.

But again, a classic example of the one setting up the pass.

And as I said, that formation only had one receiver and that was Lorenzo.

Lorenzo dinner for Alfonzo Dinner.

Well, that's Lorenzo, the fraternal twins.

I still can't tell who they are.

I said, it's just tough coached on me.

So I think it's very unusual.

We have six sets of brothers on this team this.

Time drove the kick.

Off that's taken by McCoy MATTHEWS and.

MATTHEWS, who's had a big first half returns that kick to a 34 yard line.

And he's coming up.

A little shaken.

Looks like he's going to shake it off, though.

He's tough kid.

Will Daniel stay in the quarterback but back up.

He came in midway through the first quarter.

Carter Gun last we saw was having his ankle taped.

He hasn't been back in the game since, but Daniels done a good job.

He's continue the tape.

Is it the ankle of Carter gone?

Ice goes.

We'll tell you the 40 yard line.

Kelly showed great feet in traffic there made itty bitty cuts look a little bit like William Andrews the way he used to from the Falcons make those great cuts.

It was almost as if he was on rails.

He could go sideways without losing any speed.

You know, kids get to this game, John, and there's so much excitement.

They're so pumped up normally.

But you get on this field and you feel faster and quite frankly, you are faster and you play that.

With you're into the first bag rule.

That's Jeff Turner.

And Turner will have the first down he on the spot.

He had to get to the 43 and he's got the first down.

Jeff Turner, a senior 763 yards on the year 11 touchdowns.

He scored both touchdowns.

In fact, he scored the go ahead touchdown with a minute 28 in the game in the fourth quarter in the quarter final against Brookstone that put Athens here in the Georgia Dome for the second straight.

Year in the back of the yard underneath in motion here is Callaway looking for a running room.

He's under 40 for the 35 yard line.

Randy Denmark save the touchdown the.

Great blocking by the Athens Academy line of scrimmage.

They just seal them and watch this on the right hand side.

Some, of course, kick out that number 52 came down and kicked out.

He found that crease.

Callaway senior 1300 yards on the year 16 touchdowns and a43 touchdown performance in the first round against Troy in.

There get rest Colquitt comes in He'll get the pitch Colquitt you'll maybe get two.

Yards Good job by the defense of the Patriots.

KC, sir, on the stop, 36 now giving him about a yard, and that's about it.

You know, we talked about the differences in these two teams, and I think it's apparent to everybody now, you know, one team is faster, one team is bigger.

And right now, Athens Academy.

Is recapturing some.

Some momentum.

They lost after that Patriots touchdown earlier, Turner rumbles and.

Stumbles his way across the 35 to about the 34, brought down by a bunch of patriots.

Patriots came with the run blitz that time and the maneuver just missed dropping the ball carrier for a loss there.

And coming toward the end of the second quarter, 12 to 7 Wilcox County over Athens Academy.

Got an entertaining first half from the Georgia Dome.

Again, one of fall football games today here on Shoop and then on a throw complete and dropped by Turner.

He had his hands there when he tried to bring it in slip through his hands.

That's the second time Athens Academy has run that pass route.

First time they had big success with it, huge success with it.

And this time, I think they just were able to diagnose it and realize they saw it coming and snuffed it out.

And a timeout by Athens Academy.

They faced a fourth down conversion.

Fourth and long, 151 to go.

Michael Dunn, the head coach of Athens Academy in his 17th season at the helm.

But he no, he enjoys coaching.

He loves the kids.

And this is what he feels is special about coaching high school football.

Well, I think the group we graduated last year, we had a we had a great senior core last year that graduated.

And I think the expectations for this year were not as high as they were last year going into the season.

And this group went through their struggles during the middle of the season.

And I think the last five or six games was kind of come into our own and we've continued to improve the last five or six games and I'm proud of where we are.

The senior group has done a great job of leading and the juniors are following, right?

So we have some good team leadership and we've great team chemistry.

He really enjoys coaching this 27 edition of the Spartans.

You know, I really got that feeling when he spoke with me and said, you know, we've got we've got some good students who make adjustments on the flow.

And you can see that tonight or rather this morning tonight.

Bo, did you know that coach can also teach us trigonometry?

No kidding.

So he can tell.

You what a play is and also show you the equation why it works well on fourth down and tenure, they controlled MATTHEWS and he didn't complete that was Calloway.

It went through his hands and the Patriots will take over on downs.

That's what he calls his hypotenuse play.

So Athens Academy fails to convert on fourth down as we're under two here in the first half.

Lorenzo dinner already a touchdown pass today.

But the other shotgun as snap able to control it it can down feel the way.

There were two receivers there Joe James and Willie Gibson.

And three defenders I think you waited too long.

You should have maybe pulled that down and tried to get what he could on the ground.

But everything is single covered.

But, you know, at this level, quarterbacks don't really look off the intended receivers so well.

So defenders converge there and he threw it into traffic.

For Rondo Marshall in the in the backfield Marshall get the call Big high Marshall first down to it almost to midfield.

Boy is he having a first half full footing Well Wellborn on the start.

Show the same spread formation with four wide receivers open up the the holes and then give it to your running back and he does a nice job at the end of that one.

15 yard pickup by the junior Jared.

He got 71 yards on the day.

First down ten Patrick.

Surtain the score.

Before halftime going for the home run to Gibson Who's gonna want to throw one a throw McKay MATTHEWS there on the coverage but a huge pickup for the Wilcox County Patriots with a minute to go until halftime.

Watch this 30.

Eight.

Yards watch the coverage not much room to drop this in.

He just unloads it and throws it like he's throwing it into a rain barrel.

Just brings it right down on the receiver and great concentration at the end of that 30.

6/2 catch on the day for Gibson for 47 yards and dinner, Lorenzo Dennard is nearing.

100 yards and passing now it's Antonio Marshall Marshall.

Will score touchdown There is a penalty flag down so check the flag before you put points on the board and it's a hold against Wilcox County break for Athens Academy holding on the offense repeat first down.

Well that really is a break goes with 56 seconds to go 55 seconds to go and you're already up by six by five, rather.

You can tell I didn't teach Tre.

I can tell and never go with numbers either.

But get it out to grace and.

Grace looking for one nice move, always a short another flag down will mark him at the 19, but.

Alonzo Denton came back and put a crushing block and they may call it block in the back.

That may be the call.

There, but he came from the backside and was able to wipe out a defender.

Yeah.

A little block in the back and two straight penalties by Wilcox Cowley cost him a touchdown now cost me a good game and doesn't make Mark Clifford happy blocking the back on the offense for the first down so first and forever for Wilcox County.

45 seconds to go chuckling Denham setting up a screen for really Gibson and Gibson on the clear Gibson to the two Nick.

MATTHEWS save the.

Touchdown Great design on the screen and great running Just setting up his blockers down field Just an intuitive run Great run, tough run.

Too bad he didn't score because you know, they may be running out of time if Athens Academy's defense watch this block out here and then turns it up.

They had one receiver to the left side and he came inside and became a blocker.

It's just a great designed.

Yard facemask and the defense.

So facemask on Athens Academy, they'll have to distance to the goal so they'll have first and goal at the one with 28 seconds to go before halftime Wilcox trying to trying for a two touchdown lead.

Heading into the locker room Marshall easy touchdown for Antonio Marshall and Wilcox County Just.

Made a statement in the second quarter.

But that kind of speed you might as well go outside Athens Academy looking to take away the middle of the field and great blocking on the perimeter.

Antonio Marshall Malone, thousand yard rusher on this team, just a junior and Wilcox County will go for two.

Top marshall in the back yard.

Who else will get.

It but Antonio Marshall going to the flag touchdown two point conversion.

John, if it.

Works once it might work, Dwayne might work again.

Let's come back with that same toss sweep.

But Athens Academy is going to stop it.

Might as well look at that.

Block by Bruin corner and the fans who made the trip up from Rochelle, Georgia, about.

A two hour drive down the middle.

Georgia was.

Very happy.

BALL It got something you and I can do the Saturday before Mother's Day.

Oh, well, why don't we go down to Rochelle and check out the Wild Hog Festival once?

That's a big deal down there.

No kidding.

Well, I've been meaning to do that.

I want to do that.

You want to do that?

Yeah.

We are there.

They do it every Saturday.

Annually before Mother's Day.

Dan and Michelle and the fans were in the blue sweatshirts and jackets and.

Are making some noise.

The first trip to the dome ever for this program and flags down.

Side of side.

So we'll kick it again, this time from the 35.

Makes it so much easier when you have a kicker in high school.

Oh, yeah.

Well, they're tough to find.

They are tough to find its way.

Wilcox County has been going for two point conversions and.

Has the benefit of a soccer.

Team to soccer player.

Yeah, I'll go to kick and then a little scrubber is taken by corporate culture has no way around.

Oh, they're a fired.

Up bunch of patriots.

They'll get it to about the 36 yard line and Athens Academy will have 17 seconds to try to set something up and answer Wilcox County's touchdown.

The interesting to see how Coach Graham plays it, whether he wants to go for something here.

And I'm sure he doesn't want to risk anything.

So they may just played very conservatively going with this 13 point deficit and regroup and come after him in the second half.

Will Caraway was the lone back in the backfield, double tight in general.

Throw the ball looking toward McKay MATTHEWS head as he throws an incomplete when.

Coach did go forward and Athens Academy will have the ball to begin the third quarter, I'm going.

To think you're taking a little bit of a risk there because you in with the backup.

Quarterback too risky game.

John that's true.

I'm think an.

Injury to.

Can't think those.

Then we'll take it they we'll go to the locker room 22 seven.

If you take a look at will Daniel took over early midway through the first quarter after the injury to Carter Dunn.

Michael Gunn has some regrouping to do a good first half for the patriots of Wilcox County.

They say go big blue and we say go down the Scott Kozlowski.

Thank you, John.

I'm here with Coach Ledford.

Coach, big score right before the half up to 22 seven at halftime.

What do you tell your kids?

I'm happy where we are right now.

We're making too many mistakes, too many penalties.

We've got to cut down on that.

We've got to control the ball more.

We got a few kids banged up right now.

We've got to get down, get them taken care of and get back in the game.

Best of luck in the second half.

John, back to you.

22 seven Wilcox County leads Athens Academy here at halftime.

It's been a tough physical ball game right here at the Georgia Dome as we kick off our weekend of high school football, put the class single, a state semifinal.

While we're at halftime, we're going to let you take a look at a video here from a flashback of Tonya Butler and your Clayton County.

At that time, it was very competitive to have fans because we had, you know, seven major high schools in the area.

So all of a sudden we started winning and people came out of the woodwork to see us play.

So we were, you know, packing out houses the whole time.

And it was just very upbeat.

We were we would go into restaurants and people would cheer.

And, you know, we were just little local celebrities and it was just very and just tons of support from, you know, the faculty, the staff, the community.

And that was very fun experience.

I get Cold Souls just thinking about that game.

And even though we did lose, but it was a very intense it was a great matchup.

We really went head to head the whole game.

We got on the board first with a touchdown and then they quickly responded with a long field goal.

And then we had a touchdown and had momentum going into half, but unfortunately they made some pretty good adjustments at the half, scored two touchdowns back to back, and then how their defense held scoreless the second half.

So it was a it was kind of upsetting.

It was one of the gut wrenching moments just because, you know, it the end of a Cinderella season.

But all in all, it was an amazing experience.

I just want to take the time to to say thank you to Georgia Broadcasting.

The Georgia High School Association volunteers, everyone that pretty much organizes this event, because I don't think you guys realize how what an impact it is for these athletes and everyone involved.

It creates lifetime memories and just gives the average athlete something to take home with them, to be, you know, gives them a little bit of a glimpse of what it's like to be a professional athlete.

Currently, I am an I.T.

recruiting for Cox Communications.

It's a it's a very fun job.

I get to interact with people all day long and also get to learn cutting edge technology.

So I find it very fulfilling and but still still waiting on that NFL call.

By the way.

Hard to believe it's been that long since Tonya Butler kicked field goals here at the Georgia Dome, where at halftime is 22 seven, Wilcox County leading Athens Academy.

Let's go down the field.

Scott Kozlowski.

Thank you very much, John.

I'm here with a couple of special guests from Wilcox County.

We have athletic director Donnie Clark and Principal Arnie Bryant.

First of all, I want to ask you, you were telling me that you've never been to a state championship game in the 52 in 52 years and you've got a chance to get here today.

What does it mean to you?

That's correct.

It's very exciting.

We have played in four Final Fours up to this year.

Well, we've just never been get by Lincoln and Clinch in the past years.

And 89 was the last time we made it to the Final Four and we just had an exciting year.

And the team can win today.

They'll break the school record with the 13th win.

If they win today, they'll break the record by making the championship game.

Principal Bryan I looking at your crowd for a 9 a.m. Friday game, people had to travel and you got a lot of support.

Tell me about the support in your community.

Well, we've had tremendous support and we well with it.

We've had local churches to volunteer, to feed, to do whatever they can to support the athletic program with the football team and and the position that they're in at time.

The local banks have pitched in and they've donated financially.

A lot of the local businessmen have donated financially.

And, you know, we just had this much support and we are really enjoying it.

I understand as a side note that you used to coach under Coach Clark and now you're the principal of the high school.

Tell me what that experience has been like.

Right.

That's kind of a ironic twist that I would be here today as the principal.

Approximately 20 years ago, I started out in education and I started out as a teacher in Abbeville, which is in Wilcox County, and I started out coaching under Donnie Clark with the football program.

And it's kind of a rewarding experience to come back and be an administrator and see some of the players sons that I coached years ago.

Their sons are now playing on the team.

So that's exciting.

Tell me about what you're going to expect here in the second half of this one.

Well, we're in good position and certainly we hope to come out.

And we've been a second half team pretty much all year.

And we are in great position and I just hope we can come out.

We got to kick off to Athens Academy and I just hope we can keep them from sustaining a drive and then maybe take the ball and kill some clock.

But we had great possession.

We just got 24 minutes to play.

Tell me a little bit about academics at Wilcox County and what's happening there.

All right.

We just received an award on last year from the governor's office, and it was a bronze award.

And we received that award because we stayed off the needs improvement list as far as adequate yearly progress.

And also, we we had students to score exceedingly well.

At least 20% of the students that took the graduation test last year exceeded in all parts of the test.

And also we scored in the 95 across the state.

As far as the student achievement gains.

So we were really excited about that.

The governor's office sent us a banner about a month and a half ago and we are flying that banner just as high as we are flying the Regents Championship football banners and all other banners.

So we are proud of what we are doing there and we'll guys going to high school.

Well, congratulations on both counts and good luck to you, good guys in the second half.

Thanks for joining us.

Let's go back out to the booth to John.

Thank you, Scott.

Coach Clark always still coaching, even though he's now athletic director.

You know, Wilcox County and Athens Academy to me are a couple of great examples of what high school football means, the communities and means around the school.

Well, without a doubt.

You see the great crowd that has traveled here today.

And you know one thing about the athletic directors saying we never could get by Lincoln.

Well, they got by Lincoln County last week despite being down 21 nothing.

And they roared back and we see them roaring back against Athens Academy here today and just putting it on.

They were talking about the second half.

Well, this team looks like they're poised for the second half.

But Athens Academy, like Coach said, like Coach Gunn told us, they make adjustments on the fly.

They're smart.

They, too, are fast and they're a tough bunch.

Looking for the second half.

Also looking forward to.

Yeah we're back to the Georgia Dome halftime 20 to 7 Wilcox County leaving Athens Academy here at the Georgia Dome the class single-A state semifinal.

And let's go down the field and check out what Scott Kozlowski has got going on.

Scott.

Thank you very much, John.

Now I'm with some special guests from Athens Academy.

And with me now is Mixon Robinson, who is a former graduate of Athens Academy and now finds himself as an assistant coach for the team.

What's it like to be back playing in the dome as an assistant coach rather than a player?

Well, it's you know, it's a real honor to be here on the other side of the sidelines, I guess.

But I'm just I'm proud to be part of the tradition that Athens Academy football has become.

And, you know, some of the coaches that I played under are still here.

And some of the guys that were here we had a waterboy.

That's that's a wide receiver.

Matt Woodruff.

So it's great to see these guys grow up in a you know, they've worked real hard and having having a good season so fantastic we'll let you get back to the locker room to talk to the team.

And now to my right, we've got a couple more students from Athens Academy.

This is Ruby Ly and Gerard Cole and they're involved with the webcast at Athens Academy, which has become a pretty good deal.

Tell me about it.

Well, it started in 2001.

The Media and Technology Club at our school did the first webcast, one of the first ones for the high school in, the country, the new Media Institute at UGA got to set up for that first webcast.

We got 60 viewers.

This was in 2001.

We got 60 viewers crashed the server.

And it's really just progressed from there.

Tell me tell me about that, about this year.

And I guess this year people that have watching are watching.

It has grown.

Well.

It's been really exciting to work with the technical side of media tech, and we've made so many improvements from when we first started.

So we did.

For instance, this year we we added we went to away games, we've done instant replay and our viewer count has just soared up.

We've we last game we had over 1400 viewers.

That is really cool.

Thank you guys both.

Now off to my left.

We've got a couple more students.

We have Lindsey Barrett and Sidney Sanders.

Now, I understand that at Athens Academy Community Service is a big part of it.

What are you guys involved in?

Well, it's really important to us.

I know since Athens Academy to help out in the community, we do things like habitat builds and tutoring local visits to the senior daycare center.

And out of the 310 students, we've had like almost 10,000 service hours this past year.

So it's just really important to all the students at home.

Yes.

And it's not just the students.

I mean, the teachers and the parents play a huge role in this, too.

Coach going, for example, he coaches the football team and is head of the Special Olympics effort.

And Lindsey and I are the student leaders.

So we organize the approximately 700 kids into there like activities and it can be a bit stressful, but it's just so gratifying seeing how happy it makes them and it just we just really try to delve into service as much as possible.

Yeah.

Tell me how fulfilling that is to, you know, help the community out.

What do you get out of it?

I mean, it's an awesome experience just to see like the smiles on the kids faces or just to see how grateful everyone is that you're helping them.

You know, it's just so awesome.

It was very cool.

Thank you all very much for joining us.

John, let's go back up to you.

And thank you, Scott.

You know, back when I was in school, there was no webcam, so it was pencils and notebooks.

Oh, I know.

Gosh.

And we were you know, when I was it was led to helmets, you.

Well I had the show in the face it was different.

But let's show you another football flashback.

This one's on Larry Jester.

Enjoy.

It was a dream and the vision that we had, we started selling this dream from day one.

And our goal at Clarkston School, everything we did was to win a state championship.

You won a state championship.

If you fall short of having the opportunity to play for the state championship, you have an opportunity to be televised with GPB TV throughout the state of Georgia and play in the Georgia Dome.

That's something that a lot of kids will play football in this state.

We never had that opportunity.

A great experience.

Some of my coaches, we had coaches on the staff that were from out of state that was here in the state of Georgia that first time that they have never been down to the Georgia Dome.

You know, it's a different when you sit and watch the game on TV and actually walk into the dome itself.

And it's even more exciting than when you come out of that tunnel knowing that all eyes will be on you.

It was great.

Burkhead ball first and goal on the one you know we stopped him we stopped him and then we get the ball coming out on the one on our own one.

Oh, a couple of minutes before halftime we rolled that.

We marched down the field.

We score right before halftime.

We go for a two point conversion, we get it, we go eight nothing.

And we felt that we could go up eight nothing.

Then the game was all to move the second half but kind of great, great football.

And you just I mean, you don't get to that level and not play great football.

And but the second half we made some, some, some cognitive mistakes and then eventually end up costing us football game some kind of way the kids can walk away when the when the instant pain of losing that ballgame gone.

I still believe in looking in the eyes of those young men that they still felt that they had something that regardless of the situation, they will always have for the rest of the world.

Great piece on great piece of Larry gesture right at halftime, 27 Wilcox County leading Athens Academy.

And let's show you some of the highlights from the first half of action here at the Georgia Dome.

The class a semifinal to begin with, the first touchdown of the game for Wilcox County.

William Gibson takes the catch.

There's a great play go.

Yeah sure was he cleared out made a great cut inside to get in the clear.

I mean six to nothing and then Daniel the backup quarterback, came in midway through the first quarter.

At beginning of second quarter, he found McKay MATTHEWS wide open.

And that was a great call.

We talked about players, quarterbacks locking onto receivers.

That time he did not.

Back came the Patriots, the dinner the dinner combination and it was 12 to 7.

Oh, nice throw.

That was man coverage and little Dennis was able to get out there and score the TD.

And then right before halftime, Antonio Marshall won a huge first half.

He had four Wilcox County.

And Wilcox County speed is stunning really now to surface and we're hoping Athens academy can them out here and here's the conversion the same play Athens academy can come out here and just turn it up a notch and.

Who else but Antonio Marshall?

Here are the stats and pretty much the passwords and pretty much screwed over to the Athens Academy.

But very balanced in the rushing and total yards.

Antonio Martial ten rushes, a 72 yards and a touchdown as Wilcox leads 20 to 7 over Athens Academy.

See I think Wilcox County with only 15 passing yards.

That's kind of strange because they've thrown it a lot more.

And I thought that one connection to Denver would have you up that total a little bit.

With the rushing yards.

We're going to see a lot of rushing in the second half by both teams that both teams can pile of the yards.

Both teams want to go to the state title game.

We'll see who who will as we start the third quarter after this.

22 seven Wilcox County Leading Athens Academy.

As we get ready to start the third quarter, you take a look at Spartans, still got some work to do.

They came to the Dome by defeating Tryon in the first round Winfield Academy 21 seven and second round in the quarterfinals.

A late touchdown by Jeff Turner and 14 to 13 Athens Academy over Brookstone and that's how they got to the Georgia Dome there the earlier touchdown in the second quarter and for their only score is Wilcox County.

Their trip to the dome went like this, the huge win over Chattahoochee County, over Miller County and Lincoln County and Scott Cal's Laskey.

It's all yours.

So, Coach, find yourself down by 13 at the half.

Would you tell your kids at halftime and what are you going have to do in the second half?

Well, we get the ball first and I just asked them to come out and fight.

You know, we don't we don't win.

That's what we've done all year.

We've we've had halves where we played for only in first half and came back out and played well in the second half.

And that's just what I hope we can come out and play well in the second half.

The best of luck in the second half.

Coach John, back to you.

And they will come out and fight.

Johnny, you did the thrill of playing in the dorm.

And imagine these kids pulling up this morning in the wee hours, you know, approximately getting here about 630.

You look at the bus windows and there's four ESPN TV trucks for, ESPN ten.

You come in here on this beautiful, fast, magical turf and there's GHC right in the middle of the field.

The Falcons and Saints are going to play here night.

I mean, it's a thrill for kids to play here.

So, you know, they're going to come out and fight.

This whole game will go down to the end.

So Tirico and Kornheiser, Jaworski is are they're going to come up and replace us in the course of the game?

Well, I.

Don't think they could.

I don't think they could either.

I don't think they could.

All right.

Let's give some props also to Will.

Daniel came in and midway through the first quarter, you mentioned all the things about this atmosphere he's thrust upon the stage and he's performed magnificently.

Antonio Marshall to kick off James call quick back to.

Call will field it at the 30 PM and Colquitt.

Nice return to the 31 yard line Paul Grace on the tackle if you take a look at will Daniel the backup quarterback, he's a junior and he's come in and led them to the first score and he's actually performed magnificently for this team and.

Throws a nice ball really he's got a great throwing motion ball, comes out there in a tight spiral and he's got the ability to wing it around a little bit.

I think.

Only two, four, eight for 15 yards, but.

Oh details.

Steve Well I was going to say he's quite Jersey's in his pass first down and ten and Turner up the middle and they're trying to soften up that middle Wilcox County we'll pick about six yards Paul Grace on the tackle so what so what are the keys now for Athens Academy on offense as we're getting the second half?

Well, the keys are don't turn it over.

First of all, you're down 13.

Second, the ball is control the clock, move the sticks and just get one more score and you're in this game.

Then you've got the whole second half to take care of business.

Michael Go would feel a lot comfortable if the Spartans can get a score, especially a touchdown on this possession to begin the second.

Half and Daniel to throw beautiful pass to right sharp and sharp the tight end gets to the.

36 yard line a big gainer for the Spartans.

Nice play nice designed play action pass and just a beautiful little throw.

You know it just slips out does the tight end and he was over there in single coverage came inside thought he was getting help inside did the defender but he was not.

27 yard pick up by.

Sharp the junior tight end Hello in the back of the right he'll get the car they call football away and he gets to a 30.

In the 29 yard line.

But three yards short of the first down.

Antonio Marshall on the stop.

Thing where he saw that wide open receiver, there was no panic.

He didn't overthrow it.

And there just you can see this settle down that they seem to be focused.

Coach did a good job at halftime talking to this offense a gentleman squad.

Calloway already with 66 yards on the day for the Spartans three wideouts Daniel check at.

The line on the option they keep it trying to fight hard for a first down they have done it.

Thank you did.

And to get just past the 32 and he did it first down for the Spartans a good hard nosed run by the junior quarterback.

Nice choice.

Saw the opening there and took it and put his head down and fought for that last few yards.

Watch this sousaphone decides to go.

He knew that his running back was defense to the outside.

No use giving it to him make the most he could with the ball.

So the Spartans come out with a spark.

At first and ten and.

He's in motion.

It's Callaway and Callaway cuts.

Right into Deonte LeGrier and was able to crawl for extra yardage.

So we really do with that plays cut against the grain when you bring your wide receiver across the formation because the linebackers to slide and then you come back against that ground and hopefully break something.

This is the Athens Academy's only second trip to the semifinals.

We've never been to the state championship game.

They know the task at hand.

And the option, the pitch to Callaway on the ground.

He picks it up and.

Able to get back to the line of scrimmage.

That could have been a disaster as bow.

Yeah, that reference point was too close.

You have to keep a five yard gap 4 to 5 yards between the quarterback in the running back and you see how narrow that gets and that way you can't put the ball out there and let him run on to it and you just inevitably throw that ball too hard.

Junior quarterback Will Daniel doing a good job handling midway through the first quarter.

Now driving the Spartans to another score on third down poise looking to throw He's got Colquitt and he's just leveled Randy Denmark.

Almost a great and a great throw under pressure it was against the blitz from Wilcox County watch is going to come from the quarterback's left side here comes the blitz and oh open.

If not for that tackle that's completed on the two yard line.

That was Randy Denmark.

Puts the helmet right in the midsection.

Beautiful hit by Denmark and the Spartans going for it on fourth down.

There's Carter Gunn.

On the sidelines warming up.

Yeah, I ice.

You see that big brace on that ankle you know you get back into the game but know on fourth down it's all on his shoulders right now.

And there'll be a double a penalty on the Spartans for the live game.

Boy that hurts.

Dead ball penalty.

The lay of game on the offense.

So they'll back him up five and.

See what kind of defense Wilcox County plays.

Now that's his Academy almost has to throw it.

Fourth and 13.

At the shotgun is Daniel for that to the left side of the field.

Daniel looking toward Colquitt goal not out of bounds.

Snyder Intercepted by Willie Gibson Doesn't matter though the ball could be turned over on.

Downs great route it was an out and up it almost was a great throw.

He had a great throw with a play prior to this which receiver job when you saw the out and then you saw the receiver turn upfield and if not for the speed the make up speed of Wilcox County, that's a completion and a touchdown.

So the Athens Academy had a drive going.

It stalls at the third at the 28 yard line.

Any kind of psychological effect ball.

When it's too early in the second half to take anything away these kids still believe.

It picks Dantonio Marshall Marshall looking for a strong out the defense is not getting anywhere.

He actually lost a couple of yards and a ton of Athens Academy kids were there.

It's psychological.

All right.

It fired them up.

John.

There's Colquitt.

He was in on the tackle there.

They had some momentum on offense.

And now if Athens Academy can stop them here, what Coach Lampard's got to do, he's got to move the ball a little bit here.

He's going to take away that offensive momentum that Athens Academy came out of the locker room where.

You see those Spartans fly into the ball, the shotgun.

Gives it to Gibson, and.

Gibson brought down by Colquitt, perhaps a two yard pickup.

It'll be third and long.

See, this aggressiveness is carried over.

Easier to display that on defense than offense.

With offense, you had the potential to make two big plays on that last drive and get right back in this game.

Defense isn't down about it at all.

If anything, they want to get this ball back to their offense.

Big number 27 rights champ.

They're on a great open field.

Tackle and the Spartans want with like to keep feeding along on this.

Patriot defense.

They're looking to throw Calloway's there throws on the Panthers he owns and it's caught it was tipped caught by Joe.

James James.

Oh, what a lucky break for the Wilcox County Patriots.

It was tipped for landing.

He's looked like an interception.

Instead, it falls in the.

Hands of Joe James and the big.

Pickup for the Patriots.

That was like a move for yards, slow motion train wreck deal.

You see, the quarterback never should have thrown it.

You knew you had defenders out there.

The the defenders shouldn't have let it slip through his fingers.

It was just unbelievable.

Look at the pressure he was under, you know, to make that throw and then not to make the interception that the breakaway for an additional 20 yards.

That's a heartbreaker right there, especially when the defense is them.

You're up until this point.

So a gift for the Patriots on first down.

And ten from the 19 oh that's Antonio Marshall Marshall you get to the 15.

Yard 40 yard line will Jenkins was there the finally him down that's almost could be demoralizing but you hate to say that this early in the second half.

Well would be if we haven't seen so much mental toughness from Athens Academy so far.

Five yard pickup bring up, second down and five.

These kids think they can pick it off or recover a fumble and go the other way for 90 yards.

Danny, you already have 140.

Five yards passing today.

Finds his brother Alfonzo.

Then he'll have a first down.

Down to the three line.

Will Calloway on the tackle and the Patriots are knocking on the door again.

Alfonzo Dennard has got a lot of people wanting him to commit to their program at the next level.

This is why.

See, crafty and shifty is once he catches the ball, he's got good soft hands and he can really run.

Clemson, Alabama to Purdue and North Carolina have all expressed interest on the senior wide receiver, 510, £190.

His nickname is Fat Boy, and I'm trying to figure that one out because it doesn't look like there's an ounce of fat on him that was given to him by his mother.

Size of sandwich.

He eats double tight ends.

Antonio Marshall in the back.

Of the eye He scores Touchdown Wilcox County That's a second touchdown of the.

Day for Antonio Marshall And it's 26 to 7 Wilcox County.

Goodbye about Athens academy had them stopped never should have thrown the ball that they threw should have intercepted it once they did throw it and it turns out to be a big gainer after Athens Academy came out, all pumped up, fired up and stuffed the offense.

Now was a six point difference right there.

Mark Ledford is got to enjoy seeing right now they go for two delay game on the patriots so we'll back them up five and we'll try again Lorenzo Dennard 287 yards and two touchdowns last week against Lincoln County and Wilcox County's first ever win over the Red Devils in five tries.

That was a big deal back in Roswell.

That was a watershed moment for this football program.

How about being down 21 to nothing?

Exactly.

In the first couple of minutes.

And coming back the way they did?

Denner is looking to throw and it's incomplete intended for Joe James.

Welcome back to the Georgia Dome Wilcox County just scored they'll make a 26 to 7 Patriots 433 to go and third Athens Academy BO needs something.

Positive to happen in this offensive possession to get back in the game.

I they need something positive on this kickoff return.

Well, it'd be nice to be good with a kickoff return, no doubt about it.

Just get you some good field position because you know, now the clock the clock is becoming a factor.

Was four and a half to go in the third quarter.

You see them more to kick.

You've got to keep them in bounds.

You know, it's a good idea.

You know, you just what a lot of people call it a pooch on kickoffs.

It's called the mortar.

And you want to bring it down, allows you coverage come down and make the tackle before they can get going.

But you got to keep an imbalance.

The legal procedure only can contain five yard penalty kick.

Well, the college and professional level they'll just put sweat the ball to 35 still in the high school level they'll kick click reminder for you fans with friends and relatives outside of Georgia.

This game is available live via the Gp-B website at WW dot GPP dot org backslash football wherever you are, whether you're in California, New Jersey, Arkansas, wherever you are, anywhere around the world, you can watch this game and all ten of them on board.

And that is James Colquitt Fielding the kickoff and a big return by Colquitt still fighting for yards and he'll be just short of the 45 to the 43 yard line.

Good field position for the Spartans both.

Colquitt made a great cut at the 40 yard line.

He was going up the lane, going up the numerals and saw some space.

The outside made a great cut at full speed to take it up and get another five or six yards look like might have had the chance to break it.

Take a look at junior quarterback will Daniel back up who came in midway through the first quarter.

Carter Gunn injured his ankle.

He's still down the sideline, ready if need be.

He's got his helmet on.

In the sideline cheering on his his name is backup quarterback finally.

Down there state championship game that's Turner and Jeff Turner will be just short of midfield Paul Grace on the tackle for the Patriots.

Nice five yard gain coach may be better off trying to throw it on first down even though you know they haven't changed coverage much.

We don't see that much.

In high school it's been man coverage just about all morning.

It started in a man with the coffee.

By the time we got the pancakes, it was still man.

And now the donuts are coming.

That's Turner fighting for yards, fighting for the first down.

He may have gotten it to the 45.

That'll be a first down for the Spartans.

Jeff Turner, a tough kid, hard nosed and you know, you had to wait his turn to the be able to get some get some minutes get some playing time with the Spartans.

And boy when he got his opportunity he was a back up to Nick Styles and Nick was a great player for this team last year.

But when he got his opportunity, he took it and ran with it.

Pardon the pun on the option.

It's Callaway with a big hole until the nice touch has another first down all the way to the 34 yard line.

Perhaps The 33.

It's Paul Grace on the tackle and again the Spartans offense is moving.

We saw that play in that last possession.

Remember it was fumbled, but watch how they that continuity when we talk about space and had room to throw the football well you keep that reference point with it with the running back in the quarterback so that you can make a pitch that he can run on to a perfect.

104 yards on the afternoon for cowboys.

He missed all the semifinals last year.

He was hurt all year and here Callaway did.

With a caring for about five yards before Chris Hargrove burned down there is a penalty flag down but Will Callaway was broke his leg last year and was unable to play in the semifinal game of last year here at the Georgia Dome.

As we get the call facemask against Wilcox tangled tackle and some more yards so this is his chance now will Calloway's chance to play on the big stage and he's making the most of.

It just itty bitty five yard facemask.

Penalty here.

First down Will Calloway 510 180.

But Coach he's really tough.

He's got a 3.1 grade point average score of 28 I mean I sat.

And at 180 he bench press is £330.

Strong kick Calloway in the back of the yard they get to call.

Tough runner it's five yards but down by a host of patriots led by Nate Morehouse and Chris Hargrove.

See how tough they are.

You know, coach mentioned it and they certainly have displayed that, especially after the disappointment of that interception that was that was caught in resulting in a TD.

But they have come back so mentally tough and they fight on every down and for every yard.

And and say even keeled emotionally.

Which is kind of rare for 16, 17, 18 year old kids.

Here it is on the in the round it drops it was then falls on it.

That could have.

Broken a big play.

Instead it'll lose about six yards.

That was the problem, John.

It was coach saying what happened.

It was such a big play that his eyes got wide and he took his eyes off the football, dropped the pitch.

That's how good it was looking.

Watch him come right to the camera side here.

Oh, actually, he had that ball.

Didn't put it away as he tried to put it away, it just flipped over his elbow.

And that puts Athens Athens Academy in a hole at third down and 14.

The kids are showing flex here they come Daniel looking to throw he's got oh quick quit in his hands knocked.

Out of his hands by Randy Denmark.

What a great throw under pressure.

And on his back foot.

Oh great throw under pressure right on the money.

Look at that on his back foot right there.

And the strip by Denmark, they're going to go for it on fourth down and they almost have to go.

And he has indicated he needs to get to the 12 yard line for a first down.

And again, here they come on screen over to Sam Shepard.

He will show the first down Matt.

Antonio Marshall on the tackle and.

Backside naked screen.

There's no blockers out there.

And Wilcox County did a great job of diagnosing it.

Look at this.

Just wheels around now.

There's nobody out there to block for Antonio Marshall wasn't fooled made a great play illegal.

Procedure on the offense penalties declined first down so again a turnover on downs for Athens Academy their second in this third quarter as he got a little more a minute to go in the third quarter and that desperation time yet for the Spartans when they need some some kind of turn.

Break near the break.

And the breaks have been going Wilcox County as well especially in the second half.

Wilcox County never been to a state final game.

This is their first appearance in the semifinals since 1989.

Their first ever appearance.

In the Georgia Dome.

It's a big deal for the folks back in Shell and David Gray's of backfield and brought down by will Jake and.

Beautiful defensive play.

Well will wasn't fooled by the unbalanced line.

Big will Jenkins with the with the tackle here's what's coming up today clinch county and Emmanuel County Institute will play the other class single AA semifinal and Class three eight.

Carver is back in the dome.

They'll take on the Chamblee Bulldogs 12 and one as a 3:00 kick in six at the Tucker Tigers and the North Side Eagles battle undefeated in four, eight and their ninth session Thomas County Central undefeated 13 oh take on the gators of Wear County that's the nightcap here at the Georgia Dome level.

We've got five more games tomorrow as Antonio Marshall tries to pump it outside and he'll be he'll get to about the 23 yard line forced out of bounds by Will Calloway.

It'll bring up third and long.

Most importantly, it stops the clock.

And allows him to put his shoe back on.

Yes, that was Calloway who ran out of his shoe.

Had he had a chance to whip the ball carrier out of bounds and then just let go of his shirt?

That was a smart decision.

To clean it himself.

In other words, third and long on the shotgun, Winslow didn't play action as complete the way Gibson and Gibson made a first down from time tight to the sideline.

And Gibson went there to be touchdown.

Wow.

A play by the Patriots on third and one this second huge gain this time for a touchdown.

76 yards Look at Willie Gibson Go Beau Oh.

You know just a speed of Wilcox he's been sensational but look at the speed of McCabe.

MATTHEWS came from the far side of the field all the way downfield and almost was able to prevent that touchdown, knock him out of bounds on the one that's hard.

And that's courage.

That's that's true.

Speed is what it is.

Well, we've seen that tonight up.

We've seen that all afternoon from McKay MATTHEWS.

And how about Willie Gibson, the senior?

Just tremendous.

Four.

Four for 40.

They call them Tank.

Yeah, that's his nickname.

And two touchdowns against Martell in the second round, though.

Excellent catch and a great move to get free.

So a two point conversion.

It's grace.

And grace will be stops short and so will remain at 32 to 7 as we come to the end of the third quarter.

So far has been all Wilcox County.

Even though the Spartans are down 3 to 7, they'll still believe in Athens Academy and the Patriot fans who made the trip from Rochelle, Georgia and Abbeville and all over Wilcox County, they've enjoyed their trip to the Georgia Dome.

James Colquitt Quick takes the kick off, running up the middle, stopped at the 32 and.

He'll be brought down there by Wilcox carries Trey clock.

Well it a good running back to the kick you know he just had no hesitation ran it up in there tough.

Will Daniel the junior quarterback and it's been a tough afternoon for the Spartans and for this kid well they're in good hands for next year with Will Daniels reporter back.

Good looking throw it.

They may make another championship run with this guy under center Jeff Turner on that and I feel good about four yards and that's it Casey saucer on the tackle for the Patriots and I don't feel a sense of urgency yet from the Athens Academy Spartans.

Well it's just so much you can do.

That's true.

That's Caraway will count away.

Maybe a couple and that's it and this defense Paul Grace on the tackle on Wilcox county Pitt in their ears back got a comfortable lead and there it is going after it.

Coach Gunn looks like he's decided to keep this within the context of Spartans football and it's just one our playbook, you know, use throwing this thing around the lot, making the score even.

Worse.

As of the time here last year lost the points Curry and Terrell trying to throw it knocked down.

By Chris it'll be fourth down.

That's almost like to be used to kind of pitch and go for it throw it out because that ball if it got there might have been intercepted.

Right?

Might have been it was almost it said to throw one scrimmage but there were defenders coming up in good position.

He would pitch it out there, let the receiver go downfield and then throw downfield.

Landon G's back.

The punt Grace and Grace has an opening across midfield on the 40 yard line.

Oh, they're having some fun at Wilcox County as you take a look at Mark Ledford, as you can tell, this is a special team and Coach Ledford tells you why this 827 edition of the Patriots are special.

It's been a I guess a, you know, one of those magical years for us.

But it's the season that we've looked forward to for four years now.

A lot of our kids started as freshmen, these guys, and they were two and eight as freshmen.

And there's sophomore year they were six and four, last year, nine and three.

So this year has been the year.

And and where we are now is where we hope to be and a great bunch of kids, they're pretty good players, but they're real good kids also.

Well, Mark Ledford was the quarterback for this Wilcox County team back in the mid eighties, and he's seven years at the helm at his alma mater.

He's 41, 34 and one, three and three in the playoffs.

He is a patriot.

The core.

He played under legendary coach Donnie Clark, who's now the athletic director.

And this 12 win season by Wilcox County.

And it's tied the school record and they're about ten months away from breaking that school record with their 13th run as David Grace pops out of that hole and almost gets a first down, I thought he was down, but he was able to escape.

Now might as well put on a show if you Wilcox County enjoy a trip to the Georgia Dome.

Enjoy the sheriff picking you up at 6:00 this morning and escorting the busses over the dome with the sirens going and the lights going and get all the juices flowing and come in here and get on this rock.

Now you can start to show off Wilcox in.

Coming to the big city, playing on the big stage and the Patriots are clicking on all cylinders give to the full back Oh maybe a couple of yards and that's it.

That was Bjorn Porter on the carry on the carry third and two coming up for the Wilcox County Patriots.

It's been a second half all Wilcox County, couple of touchdowns and they've blown this game open third and one Grace and grace stopped.

At the line scrimmage and that's it.

Brought down by.

Evans Wellborn as will Jenkins his hat trying to make that tackle.

Athens Academy did a nice job there they had to blitz, run defense on and work to perfection.

Fourth down take a look at Lorenzo dinner.

Look at those numbers from the day, 233 yards on, nine completions, three touchdowns, has an MVP performance.

Nick Marshall is in his backup and that's David Grace.

Whoa.

For running run runs into his own man and he'll lose yardage and Athens Academy will take over on down Colquitt on the stop.

He's not going to settle for a loss and say oh well take the tackle loose the clock will keep running.

No, he's fighting for the zone, baby.

He's still.

Playing.

Yeah.

He likes playing on this fast track.

Athens Academy players down.

I hate to see that this late in the game.

Oh Will Calloway.

Brings a couple.

Things work.

Eight and a half minutes to go and Athens Academy still fighting.

For a three on.

Yeah you'll go out with some dignity No use throwing it around the lot if you're not used to doing that you know you just play Spartan football and, just take your works and come back next year.

Athens Academy's last loss was September 29 at Fellowship Christian 31 the 14.

Loss run it off a number of Williams Colquitt on the show will get to a lot of scrimmage and that's it Oh they fired up on that.

Defensive side of the ball for the Patriots.

We can hear that crowd over there and they didn't come this far to sit on their hands.

And bring up third and eight.

And, you know, Michael Gunn has a program at Athens Academy, 17 years they've been in the playoffs.

11 straight years, only had one losing season.

In his 17 years at Athens Academy.

And this is a team that will be in the.

Playoffs as James Colquitt gets love.

Oh, the bounce off.

And just short of the first down, Denmark was there to to greet him.

Maybe the run of the day, John.

Maybe he had them dead to rights, had him stuff.

Oh that makes something after that.

Was actually Terrelle Miller.

Oh what year.

Well sophomore.

Wow big sophomore to.

Say coach is going to be here 12 years in a row.

Colquitt had 117 yards rushing in the first round game against Tryon.

He'll get the call again Big ball and culprit Well the first he fumbled the football picked up by Rashad Martin and Martin going into the 30 yard line isn't that the way it's going it hasn't been a good day on the off.

Offensively for the Spartans with those turnovers.

Well, that's the way you can rationalize the loss.

You want to be aggressive, you say, look, imagine the things that happened that never happened to us.

It just to the young junior Rashad Martin with the run back and backup quarterback Nick Marshall is in hands.

It off to John Terry is Jackson a freshman he'll get a few yards.

And coach left is doing this classy thing as well running the clock.

Letting the young play get their chance.

Yeah here in the big stage so Wilcox counting 5 minutes away from the first state championship.

Thanks, Jackson.

Again, we'll get to the third 29 yard line before being brought down by Henry Terrell and well, Wilcox County, the team that had success in under Donny Clark the seventies and eighties.

And they've had success recently.

Now, Mark Ledford, his seventh year, it's very close to opening the door for the.

First time, going to the state championship game, something your nearest download share.

It's Jackson again and we'll be but behind the line of scrimmage will Jenkins on the tackle there is a penalty flag down.

And there's is in the jerseys.

And it'll be on the Patriots illegal blocking back on the offense penalty in the.

Third Holcomb it's fun to watch back said mature running backs is so much learning people just think that's a natural ability.

Well, obviously the speed is natural ability.

The quick feet his natural ability but sight seen.

Seeing the field and you know that time the running backs it has taken it outside the country looking the day when the pass is complete that pay portal full will be.

Well short of the first down mark Sanders on the tackle and so patriots will it over on downs.

Very conservative pass play I like coach trying to rub it in wasn't going downfield.

Well Michael going to be a tough afternoon but he'll tell you he loves coaching.

Here's Michael.

It's a chance to work with high school kids.

I started teaching at the middle school level my first year at Athens Academy, and I had come from a job where I was working with high school kids.

And I just feel like that is such an impressive my age.

And those kids are, you know, you can mold and change some things.

And I think when they get older in the college level, you don't have the opportunity to to mold as much.

And I think you can become part of their lives.

And I think that's important to me.

And I've got great kids to work with and great parents to work with.

And Michael, also the trigonometry teacher at Athens Academy, has a lot of his senior players in his class.

So you can keep an eye on them during the day.

I wasn't much with numbers, though.

Well, he gives them such a tricky problem.

So the kids are worn out from thinking all afternoon.

They can't go out at night.

You got to figure it out by the morning and they won't get playing time.

And even rulers and protractor.

Is when you need all that stuff.

Yes.

Special calculators.

Oh, it's been a tough afternoon for the Spartans and Coach Gunn, but you know, this is a again, this is a program bill bounce back Calloway will Calloway takes a look and we'll get to that the 30 yard line.

Rod Lawson, time to play player down for Athens Academy again.

You hate to see that this late in the game.

Yeah.

Mark Ledford, you know, he enjoys coaching, too.

He shares why he enjoys coaching high school kids.

Being with the kids.

And I know I've.

Seen these games and most of the coaches, they they feel that too.

And I think we have a bond to be successful.

You got to love the kids.

And these guys have been tremendous leader for us and it's just always just fun working with with young people and watching them develop through the years.

And and we just I just enjoy having a bond with these kids and developing relationships with them.

And I can't think of anything else I'd rather be doing.

Mark Clifford, the quarterback on this team, came back to coach his alma mater, took over for his his coach, Donnie Clark, in 1999.

Dolphins are calling with the ball and good run there by our non Howard Wall we have a first down for the Spartans and brought down by Chris Cooley all Rick Walls an interesting story Bo.

He wants to become an aeronautical or biochem engineer.

No kidding.

He's got a 4.0.

Wow.

He's really a heck of a player on defense in the nose guard position.

Jeff Turner, who was injured, is back in the game.

That's Callaway and Callaway will pick up five as we near the four minute mark.

We go Wilcox County, 4 minutes away from their first state championship game appearance.

Yeah, well.

It's been a fun game, John.

It is a turning point in the game.

Was that interception in the third quarter, which resulted in a reception for Wilcox County.

Jeff Turner with a big hole to run through at the first down to it at the 29 yard line drop down by Rod Lawson.

It's been a tough physical game.

Bo Yeah, definitely.

Both these teams played their hearts out in right to the end.

Also reminder, coming up after this one, the second plus single-A semifinal, Clinch County and ECI.

Bill Tyree and Mark Blaster standing right behind me, getting ready to call.

That one for you.

Here's Callaway in Callaway.

He's not quitting.

He's still running hard down to the 19 yard line.

It's a first down.

And what heart these Spartans are showing.

Yeah, nice, nice cut.

But you know, we talked about being able to see the field you'll see right here, you know, he just.

He just makes it great.

Cut inside.

Clinch County and ECI undefeated bulldogs coming up after this one at 12 noon and 3:00, Gabe Carver and the three eight game making their second straight appearance in the dome takes on the Bulldogs are Shamli will Callaway and Callaway will get to the 13 yard line as Spartans threaten to score one more time.

Rashaad Martin on the stop for the Patriots.

That'll be a good time to throw one of those slants that have been open all morning.

Then you get the onside kick and then we do it all over again.

Here we go.

It's not over till it's over.

No, two and a half to go.

One back, Kay MATTHEWS out wide.

And that is Turner.

Turner will get to about the eight yard line for being brought down by Sam Porter and Rod Lawson.

I do believe there's going to be some kind of celebration tonight in Rochelle, Georgia.

Go back now without a doubt.

He'll be a celebration going all the way down the highway.

All the way down, 75.

So the principal was talking about how all the businesses got.

Involved and.

The whole town is excited about wall to wall college.

Town of Turner with a couple of yards on first down.

But that's small town football ball.

Everybody gets involved and you know, this is the identity of the other county in the town of Rochelle, the Wilcox County football team, very successful program.

That's not just small towns.

It's bigger towns, too.

You know, I live up in the Walton area and all those all and down the street, there's signs out in front of businesses and everybody getting involved.

Everybody gets excited about their team.

And we'll see Walton tomorrow night here on GPB Years, Callaway and Callaway is in for the.

Great Run.

For a nice positive touchdown run there by Will Callaway to cap.

Off the 2007 season A highly successful one for the Spartans.

Tough nosed just going for him just competing.

There.

You take a look at the good at the senior 510 £180 mark Allen add the extra point and it's 32 to 14 Wilcox County Callaway 1300 yards rushing.

This year 16 touchdowns.

Strike up the band though it's.

Been all the Patriots.

Today.

Yeah no small band, just a pep band.

But they made a lot of great sounds.

Morning Pep Band from Athens Academy is another good look at Will.

Callaway didn't get to play in the Dome last year against Clinch County as he suffered a broken leg.

He's made the most of his of the game so far, 136 yards today for Mr. Callaway.

So he got his opportunity to play on the big stage and took advantage of it.

Everybody wants to play in the dome.

Great atmosphere.

You get to play in the same building that the Falcons play and think of all the big events that are here.

I remember when I was a kid, I got to play in Madison Square Garden this year.

Oh, what if every year we would play at Madison Square Garden?

It was it was a thrill play.

The kids feel here the best kid seen shorter feel the court seemed faster.

And that's the way this turf at the Georgia Dome makes kids feel.

They feel faster.

They feel like they can do anything.

How about this crowd for a9am kickoff here at the Georgia Dome?

They've been alive, too.

You know what?

I'll meet you here again tomorrow morning.

All right.

For breakfast, for the double semifinal game.

I'll bring the pigskin.

I'm going to bring the pigskin.

Pigskin for breakfast again tomorrow.

I'm looking forward to bringing you that game is going.

I will bring you Buford and Dublin in the semifinal, another full day of football tomorrow here in Georgia.

Public Broadcasting in all we got ten games.

This is just a first.

And what a game has been to get your football weekend started here on Georgia Public Broadcasting.

Nick Marshall will finish it out for the Patriots and I'll give it to is the fullback will gain a couple of yards and that's about it that was Antonio James on the tearing couple more snaps and we'll load up the bus heading back to Rochelle, Georgia and Georgia and get prepped up for the state championship game.

And their opponent will be our next game here on Georgia Public Broadcasting.

HCI in Clinch County, Jim, Tyrus, Jackson and out of bounds at the 21 yard line.

Oh, snap it again, Jackson.

Just a freshman.

Yeah.

And that's why he ran out of bounds.

Coach didn't want him to run out of bounds.

He'll learn first thing they'll talk about when they put the pads on and get in August next year.

Except that all those other freshman players, that one.

Out of bounds running back.

For getting another blue lot of 18 seniors and nine freshmen and Wilcox County, 13 seniors and 15 freshmen on with Athens Academy.

And then to the fullback couple yards there as the clock.

Runs down and the fans you mentioned Georgia oh they're happy living the two hour drive north to the dome and then watch their Patriots.

Perform in the big stage.

Stand up and applaud your Patriots.

They're going to the state championship game.

For the first time in school history, and the 13 wins is the most ever.

In school.

History.

Congratulations and my blood for a patriot to the core and Michael gun in Athens academy.

Fourth like champions all morning long and it's tough to be disappointed like that when you give that type of effort but he's going to be a winner and a loser in Athens.

Academy's got a lot to be proud about.

So Wilcox County moves on to the state title game in Class single-A with a 32 to 14 win over Athens Academy.

They'll face the winner of the next game.

We'll see here on Georgia Public Broadcast in Clinch County and ECI.

And one of the best pictures in sports right there, Bobak.

Neil, the.

Handshake.

Great sportsmanship here at the GHC scores.

Oscar, it's all yours.

Okay.

Hey, coach, tell me how feels to be going to the state championship game is great.

I'm excited for our football team.

This is a dream we've we've had our communities had we've been close before many years ago.

And I'm happy for our team.

I'm happy for our community.

Congratulations, coach.

It was a great game.

John, back up to you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Scott.

And Good.

Wilcox County wins it.

We're back after this.

The Wilcox County Patriots are heading to the state championship game in class AA.

They defeat Athens Academy 32 to 14.

So here's how it looks.

Wilcox County will move on and take on the winner of our next game, Clinch County and ECI.

That game coming your way, Gil Tyree and Mark Lassiter are standing by, ready to bring you that one.

It was a beauty here at the Georgia Dome.

Wilcox County prevails over Athens Academy for Kozlowski and Bobak and our entire crew, I'm John Wilkerson.

We'll see you tomorrow.