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TV Presents The 2000 to GHC Football Semifinals.

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Three down and seven to go.

That's right.

Folks want action coming up and it's a horrible quality match up.

Thomas County Central.

Thank you God.

Mary's deliver one I'm their got along with the.

Legendary the dean of Atlanta sports mo block and Mo thanks for being with us.

I'm looking forward to it.

Classic what match of tonight between these two they this has become a rivalry since 95.

I mean we talk about one point games, give or take, but it's been Thomas County Central, who's own marathon since about 1995.

Exactly.

Exactly.

Twice the 96.

Twice in 97.

And they're going to look at the four teams that are left in quality MRSA.

And Thomas County central course mirrors with just one loss to Tucker this year.

That came on Friday the 13th.

Today's Friday the 13th.

So they hope to change the fortunes there.

And of course, Shaw and Thompson will meet tomorrow.

They're going to look at what Thomas County Central has done this year.

Man, oh, man.

3540 rushing yards, also more than a thousand in the air.

They can pretty much do it all.

They really can.

This is a high scoring bunch.

They've been scoring in bundles in the playoffs.

They've and I think we can expect a shootout tonight when you take a look at some of the guys that have made the difference, Eric Walden, this kid is unbelievable.

He's thrown for over a thousand.

He has rushed for a well over a thousand.

This kid's going to be all over the place tonight and he's 6117.

He's only a junior and he's looking for a big game is piled up the yardage but Thomas County said and also number 28, who is going to be a big guy to Moses Creek and we'll certainly keep our eye on him.

They're going to look at what Marist has done this year.

Equally impressive on the ground, over 3000 yards rushing.

Of course, Mary's trying to break that jinx against Thomas County Central.

And they've got the athletes to do it this year.

They do.

And in fact, they've got Sean McVay at quarterback Sean McVay has rushed for almost a thousand yards this year, the 685 right there.

But he's actually got more than 5.5 yards per carry for a Sean Allen chat with the head coach.

27th season back mirrors.

We caught up with him earlier in the week to talk about tonight's game plan against Central.

Well, we're we're wishbone triple option team.

We were on a little bit of linked type stuff off of our wishbone offense, but basically, we're option we run an option about nine different ways and and try to get the ball to a number of different running backs.

Our quarterback Sean is a very good option quarterback.

Our fullback, Michael Ash Cody has improved as steadily as the season gone on and we don't throw the ball a whole lot.

But what we've been doing off play action has been very effective for us this year.

We're not very big on defense, so we we've got to move around to keep people off of them.

And we've basically gotten better as the season gone on.

But we're still a very young football team overall, very young, only playing two seniors on off on on defense and four on offense.

Butch Chadwick with over 200 career victories, 18 years as head coach and Marist ETSU grad taking on a coach Pilcher who is at our state grounds, a little Southern Conference robbery, I guess, going on here tonight.

But nonetheless, looking forward to a great game.

Still winning coaches.

Absolutely.

And don't forget that Maris is the 21st year of having a winning record, the 20th consecutive year in the playoffs.

So they've really got to cook in that.

Mara school.

Unbelievable.

Traditional time to meet the third member of our broadcast team, the memorable and legendary TVs, Jon Nelson.

John, what do you got for us?

Well, thank you.

Legendary Dave Gardner.

This Georgia Dome turf has been less than kind to Marist head coach Alan Chadwick.

When you've got this late in the year, he's won an eight one in eight against teams from south Georgia.

His last appearance here in 1999, he lost in a last second period goal, Mount Zion, Jonesboro.

And before that you had two semifinal losses to Thomas County Central.

And there's an important anniversary that's coming up tomorrow.

It is the sixth anniversary of what is commonly referred to now in high school or in the state of Georgia as the Pilcher Pass.

One point down late, Joe Burns rolls right finds a receiver in the back of the end zone.

I asked Coach Pilcher about that anniversary and he said on that particular day, no one will stop anybody.

And I just wanted to go home.

So I'm talking to Coach Chadwick now.

Today, he says maybe a little more play action.

It's going to be predicated on what Thomas County Central does, predicated being a big word, just means on what they're going to do.

Also picture you look at him on the sidelines.

He's not at 100% himself.

He's been sick as a dog for the last four days.

That's his words, sick as a dog.

So he's going to try and get some sleep maybe after tonight because he'll have five days at least rest if he goes to the next round.

Sick as a dog.

He hasn't slept in four days trying to get this game plan together.

Pilcher also says he's not going to try.

And do anything.

Different out of the ordinary.

He's going to dance with the lady that brung him, especially with quarterback with Alex Walden, who's compared to another guy here on the sidelines that runs here at least eight times a year, maybe ten, if you include the exhibition season, a guy named Michael Vick, number seven, who's vaguely familiar with how things work here on the turf.

One other issue having to do with the turf and turf shoes, talk to Head Coach Belcher about the turf shoes.

And he said that how things are going with his team, he's had them in the past.

They've just been kind of laying around with all the time that they've spent with all the time they've done here.

Everybody's wearing shoes.

Ninth graders may have them, but at the same time, they're not wearing the size that they may like.

Let's go back upstairs to the legendary ball and the legendary thing.

All right.

Thanks, John.

That's the suit right there, getting ready for kickoff.

Again, a big match up and quite a merritt and Thomas Candy Central coming up.

And welcome back live in the Georgia Dome.

Again, they've got around the block, Mary's and Thomas County Central set to kick things off.

And here come the War Eagles 12 and one this year, of course.

Allen Chadwick, as you mentioned, the head coach, 27 seasons.

He's an institution.

He is in 202 wins, only 32 losses save.

And this Marist club though is is a young bunch and he's got to he's they've got to tackle well today they've been on again off again and he's hoping for a solid performance tonight, obviously.

But this young defensive is got to tackle well against Thomas County central Chadwick of course the all time winningest coach in Mary's history as well.

And here come the yellow jackets up Thomas County Central 13 to no out of reach in one quarter.

Ed Pilcher 12th season as the head coach of that program.

I mean, look at what they've done per game this year, 300 yards rushing right around 100, 400 yards of offense.

A ballgame right there, Bo.

That's something else.

And they run the veer and we're going to see the beauty of high school football, Dave, is that in the course of today, we might have seen maybe seven or eight different offenses, you know, from the triple option to the veer, which we're going to see now.

And we're all also going to see the wishbone from Mary's, you know, just just tremendous football aficionados who like that offense, central, of course, five state championships in six years in the nineties.

And they're going to look at their road to the dome, of course, Woodward Academy in the first round, UPS and Lee knocked off defending champ Statesboro early on in the fourth.

Back here in the quarterfinals, Thomas Central getting it done over those guys.

And look at the points that they put up there to 48, 37 and 37, exactly as Allen Chadwick.

So Central will kick things off Marist back deep Jonathan Ibaka will put it away and we are set and ready.

McVay the quarterback back deep on a high short kick taken at the 32 by the up and not what's going on there at all.

Patrick Gleason The tight end brings it out and good field position for Mary's coach.

Bill Pelton.

Tried to pull a cute one there with that border kick and Marist that did not know, or at least they chose not to.

But you can call for a fair catch on a more to kick merits, of course, quarterback Sean McVay as we talked about in the open, guy that has certainly gotten at it done all over the field there in number 18, 510, £170 and he's just a junior.

They get to look at his numbers, 42 or 59 for 685, three touchdowns and three picks, first down at ten for the horrible ball at the three, five, six guys in the box for Central.

They're putting up their tip chili Davis spins off of one tackles without another and brought down hard by big number 34.

DAVIS That's number 34.

Ricky Davis and Brian Steed had that block up on the edge there.

Could not get it, but this play might have gone for big yards.

And that was a great defensive play.

CENTRAL The force likes to play the run, as we mentioned, eight in the box at times there.

And let's take a look at that starting offense again the tackles Adams Ramsey guards Collier Rudder.

And Norwood, the center I think one of the best.

Guys here in the second.

So lots of one on that last play second down 11 and given up the middle bounces off of one tackler, maybe a yard or two, but that's about all.

Michael Cody, the big fullback, number 32 with the carries first carry of the night.

He's been that workhorse.

They've hundred and 50 carries plus run around 800 yards, 13 touchdowns during the season.

And you can look at the rest of the offense for Marist again, Chris, Chilly Davis, Steed Wilson.

Wooten, the outstanding wideout, Hogan, the tight end, third and long.

Play going up right here five to look for central.

When the line to the left and McVey going to keep it right tackle 40 still on his feet across.

Midfield at end of central territory the 48.

One a run by Sean McVay.

Well you see how McVay is going for big yards this year.

He's a daughter and making people miss.

He made some great moves there, carrying the ball on the outside hand.

No one gets a good shot of him either.

Did not at all.

He made that happen.

There have been Williams turn them in.

Otherwise it could have been more had a lot of real estate there in front of him.

So McVay already making his presence felt first down at ten ball at the central 49 receiver wide right wing Taylor look now motion keeper not much though over the right side nice job up front.

Well, one thing that we see already is Thomas County Central is very quick on defense and they're noted for that.

And there they really get to the ball Williams spheres Rice and Marable the front for they're also Pickett Davis Thomas and Eric Bryce a linebacker number 22 a standout there.

You look at the secondary with the Morris Daniels Brooks.

And Walden ran the ball at number 853 tackles this year at the safety.

Second down and nine Davis in motion may another keep are going to drive it inside the 45 down about the 42 so a good chunk of yardage there on second down and bring up third and short.

And we'll take another look at that one there.

McVay so far on the keeper getting it done yeah you see him right there and he's a tough kid in the hope that this game doesn't go into overtime double in the lane he did because McVay already well he's got about four or five carries exactly what a ballgame that was to and our 888 contest they're doubling of course pulling it out in overtime, third down and three wings he once again motion to the left misdirection play and stacked up ash Cody the ball carrier going to be about a yard shy though that first down it looks like and a nice job once again by the jacket defense they get to the ball in this one to the ball they've only averaged given up about 12 points ball game on defense 75 rushing yards so they they play the run first and the pass that's obvious.

Fourth and long one and they're going for it there it goes up to the line this.

Time a split on the formation receiver to the right that way to keep it going to that crosses got the first down to the 36 gutsy call there by coach Chadwick early on in this ballgame Spears and Marable combined for the hit but not until a gain of five yards for Marist.

Gutsy call but here you see McVay look at him read the defense.

His eyes are always up.

He could have made the pitch, but he just wanted to pick up that first down.

He thought that he could do it.

Marist, in the final rankings, rank as high as number four, of course.

Thompson Number one and quality.

Tavis County Central at number three.

So a pair of top five teams here going at it in the dome at this time of year.

Defense Cody the fullback who drives that'll pick up a couple inside the 35 Brandon Walton came up to make the stop offensive line from Harris doing a pretty good job and don't forget this is a new offensive line plus for the Division one schools from last year's offensive line.

These kids have overachieved for Marist and not a lot was expected of them.

And this team has really come together.

Great camaraderie, great togetherness.

And when you take a look at what this team's done over the last five years, three undefeated seasons during the regular season, the 98, 99 and 2000, just one loss in 2001 to Tucker, who lost this year against Tucker and McVay, looking deep down the field, has a man there with a flag and come flying into the can.

I believe Hobbs was held in the secondary.

The Voice Daniels may have gotten some of that jersey on the way by Daniels was beaten and I could see it coming on that last year fourth and one play them giving them single coverage of man coverage outside.

And if Morris decides to throw the ball tonight, they could make some big plays.

Look at Coach Chadwick there once again forced Marist 11 of their losses in the last seven years.

The offensive pass interference 15 yard falcons automatic first down.

That's a big one right there.

This is a great opening drive for Marist takes the Thomas County Central crowd out of the game and they're really moving the 611 losses last seven years four of them to Thomas County Central, though, for Marist.

We're just trying to turn their fortunes tonight.

First down and ten inside the 20 option play.

He's got the basket five driving and touchdown for Addison Russell number 34 had some room over the.

Left side and punched it from 19 now but that mcvay's always impressive because he held that ball until the very last instant, made the defender commit and then made the pitch here it is right here.

Watch him.

Watch right there.

Makes a great pitch and then a lot of strength at the end of that run.

Chase dodged the left footer will try to tack on the Pats here.

Anderson Russell, six foot £170 sophomore, had a touchdown in the quarterfinals against Griffin and gets the way he goes on the board here on their opening drive.

The mandate of the party is through there and it's seven or nothing with 703 left in the opening quarter.

Mary's with a lead over Thomas County Central great opening drive and of course the team that you would think with the with the history or lack thereof against central that they might be a little bit down but a big confidence builder right there in that first.

Oh that really is I mean you Mary's was hoping for maybe the law of averages to kick in with this meeting with Thomas County Central.

They didn't need it.

They just played football and that opening drive and took it to, you know, Marathe has always been this guy for the team.

You're going back to the early nineties, running back, you know, little running backs.

It was just great heart, you know, Big Valentine's pumping them under the numbers.

Guys like Mike McLane Gill coming up all the way up to Kelly Rhino.

You know, just in recent years, they've always been a spunky, fast little team and they're good.

Look at that scoring drive, 9.52 yards for 57.

And of course, Russell with that 19 yard touchdown run Jason Dodge to kick it away cold Greer Number 41, the tide in the deep man stands at his own five course mirrors loss here in 99 and lost ten seven to Mount Zion Jonesborough City Finals first the course opening in 1901.

Originally as a college and I'm a short kid going to be taken inside the 20 and that is number 34.

Ricky Davis on the care that he is hit and dropped at the 23 foot coverage there by the Eagles.

That was great coverage.

Great coverage.

Thomas County Central went after the Mavericks kicker, too.

Well, now he'll go back and that will that will get their dander up.

Number 25, all over that one.

Peter Gooch and Ridder, the big linebacker there.

You look at Eric Wald, who will come into the ballgame for the first time tonight, 7135 for 1151, six touchdowns, but ten interceptions.

They have a minus five turnover ratio and you don't normally see teams with that this far.

In the playoffs, we've seen the ball now let's take a look at the field it.

To give to the fullback but that's Cochran number 28 would be early carry the Air Force Cochran pretty much does it all the skies all over the place kick returner over 1100 yards rushing this year they're going to look at the offense PALMER Or the tackles black Crosby your guards and Watkins entering the middle of that offensive line and of course Dawson Parker the split backs Guyton and Lovejoy your receivers and Greer the tight end second down driving a and that's Walton on the keeper and he'll have a couple up to the 31 will be third down in about two and a half.

Coach Chadwick was really concerned with this team's tackling ability Mahrez has to tackle well to win this game.

Young, young.

Only one senior on the surface, which we've got several juniors on their side, too.

We talked about a lot of guys coming back, of course, next year Walton, Junior, Dawson, Parker, those guys are juniors as well.

Third down to and give is straight ahead.

And that's David Dawson, number 36, who's going to be close to a first down.

I don't believe he got there, though.

It depends on the spot.

It's going to be very close there.

You look at Mary's, how they line up defensively.

They're Quinn, Van Valkenburg, Fanelli and Crawford.

You're down linemen and linebackers, Black Andrew, D and Gooch and Ridder, a good trio there.

Those guys will come up a hitch, especially due to sophomore.

This guy has been impressive and of course the secondary that's Chris Ash Cody, the younger brother of fullback Michael Milton Davis and Card coach, told him really to play like that.

You and look at that baby great shot by our TV camera crew there and they roll the ball over.

They're going to say a first down by literally the nose of the football.

Coach Pilcher on the sideline for Thomas County Central, a team, as we mentioned, their last state championship in 1911.

They won five state championships in the nineties at a six years a trip away, hoping to add a quarter of one here this year and on first down to give us back to Dorsett, he'll have about three across the 35.

Well, you know, I talked about the Thomas County Centrals defense being quick.

You can see their offense already.

I mean, they're not even in space yet, but they hit the hole very quickly, lost the state's for all last year in the second round of four states were the defending state champ.

But those guys went out early this year.

And the big question is, can the Jackets extend their streak over bears to five in a row, second down and eight look back and this time Walton on the keeper spin inside Nice job there by number 45 Andrew Dietz the a linebacker who turned them back in Andrew did almost overran that.

It was kind of like a Keith rocking look there over winning play win when he first came into the league and, you know, best linebackers like that just have to be able to keep under control.

Speaking of Keith Brooking, of course, will see each cow eaten a little bit later on tonight.

That's right.

Taking on Q number one in the country, in the state, number two in the country, a lot of bowls all in rolling left.

Look at the throw this time as a man downfield completed Justice Jones across midfield and down to the -46 Nice pass and catch there by the yellowjackets well designed play at the Marist school in the zone and they flooded the zone to people in that area and then flared as they as they hit that area and he settled down in the seam Jones only about £130, not a very big guy.

And we're going to see that a lot on both sides of the ball tonight, but not a lot of size before these teams really get 11 to football.

Not much happen in their soccer league.

Live straight ahead.

Many a yard, yard and a half or so.

That's about all the way in, just inside or out at the 45.

Coach Chadwick He'd love to be able to turn back Thomas County Central here and have them not answer their opening drive second down nine.

When you talk about Central, of course a lot of great athletes, Charlie Ward, the 93 Heisman winner, Joe Burns, as we talked about a little bit, as John mentioned, in the open second and nine plays, right slot option boy.

Well, they're going to keep 40, 35, 30 on his feet.

Walk out those 27 he is gone Eric Walton into the end zone for the touchdown.

45 yard What a beautiful play by Walton you know when you have youngsters that you're running the option.

But very often Walden and McVay are not typical because they both have patients, they see it, then they go and you know, they're not antsy.

Watch this.

Look, look, look, sees.

He felt the space.

He felt the delight.

It just took off.

And where he can pick them up and put them down without reading that defense man, you said it.

Jonathan Ibaka will try to tack on the patty here and tie this thing up with 321 to go in the opening quarter bracket with some good numbers this year.

Patty is no good wide to the right, so it's 7 to 6.

Maris maintains a one point lead here in this opening quarter.

But I tell you what, both offenses right now got to be happy for those offensive coordinator.

It was almost too easy, Thomas Kenny said to watch this.

You know, coach talked about tackling.

They have to tackle well.

Well, in order to tackle well you have to at least get an arm on an offensive player.

That didn't happen there at all.

Oh, Ibaka missing the patty 53 of 62 in that department for a six on field goals this year longest at 37 but this is there and you're going to look at the scoring drive for the jackets 8.77 yards 348.

They did it in less time than Maris did.

And of course, that big 45 yard touchdown run by the quarterback and standout QB.

Here at home.

So got.

Some high 561178 that's Chadwick now I'll try to counter.

On offense and one thing.

About central if you merest vulnerable to the passing game is we talked about this stack a lot of guys in the box here so don't be surprised it works throw it up a long kickoff.

By Ibaka puts it inside the five and then Sean McVay the quarterback will bring it out.

Trying to get to that wedge on the far side of the field but won't do it and nice coverage by the jackets they bring him down at the 11 actually lost continuity with the wedge and wedge it taken off and and he went in a different direction didn't see anything there yeah the passing game is there for Marist and I was just looking at Mcvay's stats and he was 42 completions out of 59 attempts.

They not thrown it much right.

Was Mary's worth the cap.

County coach Chadwick from Decatur.

Long line of chatter from the center.

Well it was.

They were great he and his brothers from the 11 McVay going to roll left and concede and he's got route 40 and all the way up to the 21 so a gain of right at ten on first down here at rice had to bring it down the big senior linebacker of coach Chad what feels like it here it's going to be second and short might be the time for little play action and maybe let's try that passing game.

Zach We haven't seen a lot of.

Brian State so far.

Number 21 is really big play guy here.

Maybe they'll go up top to him and you're going to look at it.

Bay, as you said.

BALL He really reads that defense.

Well, both these quarterbacks.

Do got some of the defenders turned around their measurements and it.

Just just be down here right at ten.

So minutes will.

Restart here as we said tradition triple-A state champ in 89, as you mentioned, in the open 20th consecutive season in the playoffs.

You can look at Mcvay's numbers early on here in this first quarter, five rushes and a bunch of yards, first down and did up 21 to 40 left in the first game.

And this time McVay watching it out and that is the guy we talked about he you get the football for the first time an annual of about five or six on first down and good block there at the point of attack I think there was chili Davis with the block.

You don't see it in your screen right now and actually has a touch.

WOOTEN Yeah, that's Alonso out there to number 34 great downfield blocking and a lot of folks don't see when you think about receivers you think about catching the football but that speed this season 435 yards, 6.6 yard average so when he puts the thing is a little money and this time as Cody drives ahead five yards or close to it, Brandon Walton brought him down, but might be another first down here as Cody two 150 carries this year for 766 yards, he averages 5.1 square.

Throw it on down to the sideline.

John Nelson standing by speaker the proverbial devil talk to Michael is good he after that first drive and he said that the team really isn't surprised that they could get on the scoreboard with their first drive on the Georgia Dome floor.

But he did say one thing about the Thomas County defense, even though he is averaging five yards a clip, he said that about that defense.

They hit really hard, if that's why they're here at the dome.

And they're not known as a real physical defense, though Central's not, but they fly, left the ball and they will hit.

There's the option play there tonight.

Play to Anderson Russell, who will pick up about three yards that time.

McVay took a good little shot there, but got it away.

Ricky Davis with the tackle and Ricky Davis just discarded the blocker Strong kid.

You see it right here Is he playing smart?

Davis with 40 tackles this year had an interception return against Woodward in round one for Central.

And of course Anderson Russell has a mention just a sophomore that get that look like sophomore they were Davis had 40 tackles this year second down and five for Memphis.

And you get to look at McVay and Davis most of the.

Time and McVay looking to throw has the man wide open at midfield Anderson Russell out of the backfield takes it all the way down close to the 35 that was wide open both he wide open he went unchecked into the defensive back who was on him took the bait on the play action which was coming to his side.

He comes up right here at this point and lets the receiver go.

Russell not notice a receiver that much.

So we had a couple catches this year but makes a big one there and it's first down and ten.

And once again the offense is driving in this football game all at the 3636 play on the keeper, but going nowhere this time and central all over that one.

Eric Ries Number 22, I got to say, we're going to be calling his name all night long.

He's made a lot of big plays this year, 62 tackles, 14 for losses, mcvay's first carry for a loss.

Going to lose a yard and a half.

And you get to look at some of the fans here, paint it up tonight with a good crowd on hand here at the Georgia Dome.

Dave Gahan, along with Bob Bock, bringing you all the action and final seconds to kick off the block.

Good quarter number one again, Mary's with a one point lead over Tom Central and the Yellow Jackets missing the extra points after Tulsa excuse me Dave hundred and 6154 And we've got a couple of winning coaches who definitely will subside.

Be right back with quarter number two.

Again, you're watching the GHC State semifinals right here on TV.

Well, the yellow jackets of Thomas County Central have to travel more than 230 miles to Atlanta.

But so far, it's Mary's who's traveling up and down the field right here.

Their offense is really working.

They've gone along with low back as we open up quarter number two from the Georgia Dome.

Again, the first of two bodies be semifinals this weekend.

And where he goes up, Mary's with one point lead over central and they've got the football and they give it to Brian Steed, the senior out the middle for about three yards, punches it inside that 35.

Coach Chadwick said.

You'd see a lot of options from them, obviously, and they just they they do it all.

There's nothing left in their bag of tricks by the end of the game.

You talk about Steve, the big play guy actually had the longest punt return in school history, 74 yards in 2001 versus Cedar Shoals.

Also, the shortstop for the baseball team.

And you talked about Chili Davis number 20, Chris Davis Chili, of course, a name that he got from the baseball field, an outfielder on the 2002 state championship baseball team as well.

Good athletes out there on the field tonight for Marist third down and seven big play here.

McVay got optioned it out.

That's Steve who is hit and stood up.

Nice job by Ricky Davis on that central defense.

Stringing that play off towards the sideline.

Central has been really good at the point of attack and they're very strong and numerous.

This year has gotten pushed around a little bit.

You know, they've got good quicks on their offense, but they did get pushed around a little bit in Thomas County Central at the at the point of attack is very, very strong merits, of course, went for it on fourth and one while ago on that opening drive at fourth and nine.

They will look to boot it away here.

And Brian Steed also doubles as the punter stands back at midfield.

Brandon Walden, the return man for the jackets.

And you look at the total yards Marist 93 Central 77 here in this first half and a little pooch kick their and with the fair catch and we'll take it enough ten so central in order to counter will have to go 90 yards here on offense but again they have the athletes to do it as well seven six Marist on top here and the quality semifinal never let a punt go beyond ten yards the ten yard line you put your heels on on the ten yard line and you make sure you catch it.

Of course, Thomas County, Central, well-coached, really play together.

We were talking about it before we came on tonight.

Not a lot of Division one prospects out there for either team, but they really played together and gave it to the fullback there.

That's Dawson and have a couple of yards up to about the 12 and that's all second and eight.

I think the pass is going to be there as well.

When teams are such good option teams, you really have to pack away.

It's going to have to put as many as you can in the box and you're relegated to playing man outside.

So if you can throw it, if you usually do pretty well, this is billed yeoman's offense.

Of course, the Rams entered that Houston.

I played against a guy named Warren McVay who could really run the very other McVay here tonight.

Again, doing a little bit a little play pattern there.

A little miscommunication, though, is the intended target there look like Jordy Williford pulled up a little early there.

He was running a little quick hitter there and one was going up top.

Well, again, in the semblance of a very sophisticated offensive, the cornerback squats.

You go if the corner is upright, then you break it off.

So the quarterback is reading the same thing that the receiver is right third down a non big play offensively for the jackets right here at Mary's.

Eight guys eight nine in the box and all the work in.

The throw Heavy pressure gets out of there bedrock of one tackler spins out to the 14.

We're going to be well shy of that first down.

Got to be fourth at about seven good defensive court mahrez blitz that time Pinelli and Dietz combining for the stop there on and so teams will punts here one is a little bit hurt he may have an ankle it's easy on this carpet to twist an ankle and do something took a little shot there at the end.

Sometimes that's all it takes.

And a crazy punt formation, too.

That's something that's a signature of this Thomas County central team here.

They'll split everybody out and that's Hunter Harper, number 16, who will put an away heavy rush, low liner and not a great find.

But it does take a jacket, roll across midfield all the way down to 45.

So not a bad job to get that thing out of there, but a good job of Marcus not to field it.

A low liner like that, easy to mess up, especially on this car.

But 40 yard punts takes a nice little role there.

So Mary's will be back on offense.

So how do you like that?

Opening drives for both teams result in touchdowns in the next two drives after that result and punts.

Obviously both teams ability to adjust on defense.

And you're going to look at Walton on the sideline getting that equal.

And that would be a huge loss for Thomas Central.

And he's got to get that pace up and hopefully he'll be at 100% or almost.

When you look at the bench.

Q Davis trying to turn the corner.

He's got some room on the sideline there.

Stepped out, though, just across central territory right at the 49, but still a good pick up five yards there on first down with Davis here now watch it at the point of attack Marissa's really not getting the block you couldn't see it there that was after the block with Chris Davis.

Looked like he could have gone a long way if he couldn't have gotten out, could have gotten a little more at that block out there.

I mean, you look at what these guys average per carry, 6.5 for Davis, 5.1 for Cody, the fullback, 6.6 for these guys.

When they touch the football, they pick up yardage, they go north and south.

And this time, Cody the middle got the Route 40 and all the way down to the 35, a gain of 15 yards on second down to force.

Daniels had to bring him in.

Otherwise that might have been six pure wishbone here.

You go wide, you go wide, you go wide.

And then all of a sudden that quick hit it right up the gut to block it in there, to how you talk about offenses like this.

And you think it's the same play over and over again when you run up the middle.

But the thing that people don't always see is the fact that the offensive linemen are doing different things, opening up different holes, different ways.

If you're a defender, you got guys hit you from different directions each and every play.

So first down a ten ball inside the 35.

For Marcus McVey, deeper route 30, 25 and all the way down to the 20.

To pick up a 12.

And this is going to be a shootout tonight between he and Wall.

And that's why you really wish the walls and come back with that ankle in good shape.

Want to see both teams at full strength?

Sure.

McVay has really gotten it done here.

We flashed up his numbers a while ago and five Cougars had a route around 40 yards or so.

Just really tack it on to that total tonight.

He really has a feel for space.

He knows where it is anticipated.

Got around a thousand yards this year as a rusher and you can look 639 now to take a loss in there but he's got that back.

So first down and ten past Cody the fullback stacked up at the line of scrimmage and Williams and on the stop number 6014 tackles this year junior he's down one of the bigger boys up front and we talked about it they don't have a lot of signs there.

They'll admit that.

But he is one of the bigger guys up there.

And as you said before, people, equipment, no real major college division one prospects on either one of these schools and both of them are at will KU big time players in the past what was it about 230 there on second down and ten and McVay phenomenal there out the wishbone pick it out there and Davis he's trying to turn the corner 2015 and down to the 14 goes Chris Davis Morris Daniels pushed him out That was hard work trying to give him the block out there, you know, 511 175 That's been Meyer's problem.

I keep talking about it.

And if they ever do get a block at that seat, they just don't take somebody out of the play.

Thomas County Central.

Excuse me.

They've always keeps their feet.

Exactly.

Exactly.

We talked about the ability of guys like Davis, a big athlete, six foot 175, but in an outfielder and now Coach Chadwick it all the time out there.

And he wants to talk things over with his word on offense.

Their first time out called central were three here, 636 left in the half.

And after that opening drive, it's been kind of back and forth.

The clock is moved because they've kept it on the ground here.

What we've seen a couple of times, let's see what coach calls here because it's third and short and he really wants to keep this drive alive.

Well, if you're enjoying GHC football, live from the Georgia Dome, show your appreciation by becoming a member of GP TV.

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It's one of the best investments you can make, that's for sure.

And we've gotten a lot of great response over the years from football here at the Dome.

Now they're talking about moving some of the North Georgia high school basketball sectionals here in the dome as well.

Well, it'll be fun for the kids.

Big time atmosphere, because I know those classic guys get here playing at 9 a.m. may not always think that right away rushing yards Mary's right now with the big advantage and they've got the football and driving third down and short in line option McVey on the keeper punches it down to the ten and is driven backwards but he'll have it up for the first down your spot and that's a ten yard line and he's the save the boy.

You might as well keep it with your money back.

Yeah, I don't.

But he broke it only six and I guess the lead block and again Eric Rice with the 22, you saw him going to end up on the bottom of that pile.

And as we said, number 22 will probably be called a good fit tonight for Central.

That's breaks the huddle it's 12 we'll see.

Enbridge wide of the left wing T formation goes down and goal McVey keeper gets it back inside He stood up at the eighth and that time the central defense read it nicely.

That play has been there for him, obviously picking up the first down and the play before that.

Basically the same look at a minus with a nice read.

So now it's second down and goal ball just outside the eight, five, 26 and counting here in number two and this time Davis will shift over.

Into the slot.

Anderson Russell will come back in the backfield and play on the option going to keep it going to drive it five blocked at the end of the end zone for the touchdown go Sean McVay you talk about vision with running backs this is a quarterback.

With great vision.

You know he really is a a running back in this situation.

It looks like he might have taken a shot to the ribs.

Let's take a look and see if he did get one right there.

Yeah.

And he comes off holding his side as well.

So we've got a couple of quarterbacks that may not be in 100%, going to be banged up this time next week.

Whoever advances on course the winner of this ball game taking on the Thompson Shaw winner, little boy out tomorrow night is Dodge for the extra point and it's right through there so Marist extend their.

Lead to 14 six with 510 left in the half.

They have really moved the football here they've except for an interference goal we've been penalty free we talked about two well-coached football teams and that they are and we can look at the touchdown once again.

They're from a couple of different angles.

Let's see that shot at the end.

Yeah, here it comes.

Right there, right under his arm where he's carrying the ball.

Brandon Walton trying to deliver a shot there.

That's number eight.

The guy who got in there, he's wearing a fractured and you look at the scoring drive once again, 8.55 yards, 329 and the other team with a long drive.

All the scores have been within about 4 minutes.

Quick hitting offenses here tonight.

Well, that seemed like a long drive.

They've been enough.

The clock, that's for sure.

Of course, the game that was before this, that's a triple double in Laney.

I think that thing was the better part of about three, almost three and a half hours, I guess, with the overtime.

So Chase Dart will kick it off once again.

Colt Greer, number 41, back deep.

Don't see a lot of tight ends as the return man, but that's the case for Central.

The big guy can make it happen on special teams and put that left foot into it.

But once again, another short kick, second half, the 17 and across the 25 to 30 and the 32 yard line for Ricky Davis.

Both teams, they don't want to fool around with the kickoff.

They're just kicking them mortar and pinning them on the sideline and that makes it easy to defend, although you do give up a little bit of field, though.

But I guess as dangerous as these guys are, though, they want to keep it out of their hands.

Exactly.

So they're going to look at Eric Wall.

And we talked about him on the bench a while ago.

We saw him get that ankle tape of that right ankle, heavily taped his back.

Well, he's a little gimpy.

Yep.

And you're going to wear his numbers for 51 yards and a touchdown.

So not bad at all.

They're going drive it over the left side.

That's Dawson, 36 quick hit.

It does.

Dawson picks up a couple of three yards Good looking backs and Davidson 36 and Moses Cochran, 28.

These guys have combined for almost 2000 yards on the year.

They're going to look at a tight shot of that right ankle quarterback Eric Walden tell it's tender.

That takes a big, big part of their offense away.

Of course, this turf not as bad as it is in other places around the country, but it's still turf nonetheless.

And second down and seven.

Little misdirection reverse.

It goes to Greer, the tight end.

He turned the corner.

He's got the first down and more missing and all the way down the 43 of Merritt.

What a run.

By Greer, the senior on two things They got something Mary's didn't get They got a block at the point of attack.

And then you're going to see the block coming up here, right there on the screen.

And now Miss Tackles, which is what Coach Chadwick was worried about.

It ran right through a tackle there at midfield, kept on going.

If he had it, kept his feet, he probably would've picked up another ten or 15 yards and the first down and ten ball at the 44.

Of Merritt Central trying to drive here and Walton on the Keeper going too much.

Ahead with that tender ankle at all.

Pick up close to four yards down to the 40 you could see he was just a shade slow, you know, he wanted to be one to plant first through that space.

It just can't do.

John Ritter with that last hit we talked about mirrors, what they've done over the last five years, of course, Thomas County, Central, not as impressive regular season wise of 98, 64, 64, 99, five and five and 2000.

64 just a year ago.

But they have really turned on here.

30 200 wall drilled inside the 30.

And a pickup of 13 yards.

Going to be a first down Chris Davis had to bring him down in the secondary may have saved a touchdown well he doesn't have to be fast if he's going to fool you and that was just a great the great bacon right there takes it away.

Another missed tackle team that doesn't panic when they do get behind.

They were down 28 to 7 early year against Thomasville.

The final came back and won that ballgame back from the give inside the 25 will punch it down at the 24 so it'll be second down.

About five wins like that really give you a team a lot of resolve and then, you know, you're in every game.

Exactly.

Don't ever count them out.

Then a few weeks after that, though, the defense got going three straight shutout.

They won nine in a row, last minute win against K Road Region Championship win over Wear County in the final.

Week back the back five wins right little.

Give there some room for an inside the 15 and down to the 11 and another first down for central William Middleton number 30 brought him down in the secondary once again.

Great call, coach Pilcher.

I don't know if we've seen that counter in this look in the beard yet, but that's what that was and picked up big yardage Travis County Central averaging right around 37 points a ballgame and that seems to be their lucky number because back in 96 when they won the state championship, they averaged 37 points.

And that's what they've done this year here.

Go.

And just straight ahead that time that was Cochrane 28 on the carry punches it inside the ten looks like Marist is trying to wear Walden out every chance they get if they get a shot at them they're taking it kind of like a shark, you know, in the water there.

Moses conquered five rushes, 26 yards here in this.

First half, the junior.

Second down and eight.

They can get a first down without the touchdown.

If they get about the one receiver wide left, that's WILLIFORD and tight end in motion rare and the give it to Parker who got in and dives down to the six pretty good move on Parker David only number 86 at the start they'll have to carry the load with.

Walden hurt if you look at it again.

They wait for him to go by.

You don't see a lot of these running backs for the teams going down on the first guy, the guy you mentioned earlier.

So third down and five right here, Paul, on the six, both teams looking for a big play man in motion, this time to the right side in the game, a straight.

Forward driving toward that goal line.

And it's going to be Cochran with the carry and they're going to say his knee hit down right at the three Rick Van Valkenburg, the junior defensive tackle with a hit that time to tight ends, that time of power, offensive set and the clock will stop a time out with 36 seconds left in the half here.

So time a factor now and central.

You got to think here that they're within striking distance.

But if they don't get it here, fourth down, I don't know.

What do you do?

You go for it.

You kick that field goal.

I think you go for it.

You you have to keep pace with matters.

And you are the duo that is the team that you think is dominant in this game.

You have to sell that to your kids.

You have to.

Of course, they missed that extra point, too, after that touchdown.

Coach is probably thinking now, guys, we're going to go for two that score here.

We're going to go for two.

And that way you can leave them on the field and maybe a quick play call and take a look at Coach Pilcher right there.

BELCHER As we mentioned, a lot of success, 12 years as head coach at Thomas County Central.

Make sure everybody knows the snap count.

You know, false starts here.

That was the team that rushed for over 3500 yards this year.

Right now, they need three.

To get into the end zone after the timeout, 36 seconds left, fourth down and two to get it just inside the one.

Foot back.

And give to the left by touchdown Cochran Moses time for number 28 in the end zone with 32.

Seconds left in the half Randall with a 38 they knew exactly what to do, where they were going and what.

Cochran runs low to the ground.

He's got good body lean.

Watch him here boom powers his way in.

And as you said, Bo, they're going for two here.

Try to tie this game up.

Well played first half by both teams ready penalty area now Mary's bowl burn a time out there late getting a guy up and the defense wants to talk about it here trying to preserve that lead right.

Defensively, they've only given up run around 16 points a ballgame this year as we take another look at the touchdown right there, another missed tackle.

You see the body lean.

Look at that.

That's a great running back.

Cochran going north and south blue.

That's in a lot of east west running here.

This is folks get up and down the field.

Both teams are going to look at the student body in the house tonight.

Folks always fired up, painted good crowd on hand.

And they're going to look at that scoring drive a little bit more of a sustained drive this time.

Only took him four and a half minutes, but 10.67 yards, of course, culminating in that three yard touchdown run an eternity in this ball game, trying to make up for the time that triple-A ball game took.

The play of the quartet match up pretty quick.

And of course later on tonight, five action.

Live here at the Georgia Dome is Parkview.

And he's got a really good set to go right now good ball ballgame the bears up by two but central.

Going 4 to 2 tied up the score here it's a momentum changer center around big wide and he's not going to get there and maybe favoring that ankle a.

Little bit he went down Memphis good play defensively him to back in the backfield and the score remain 14 to 12 so you know strange call I guess they thought that Marcus was going to bite and he'd be out there all alone and knowing Coach Chadwick, he probably said some guys watch the naked bootleg, you know, defensive end, make sure you don't crash, make sure you stay at home.

And you saw Shannon Quinn, number 69 right here, make the play.

Yeah.

And also on that ankle can't make the cut that he wanted to make now.

And he was still favoring that ankle to coming off the sideline.

He was really hobbling.

Strange call considering the fact that he's so tender.

Right.

Having a plant on that.

Right foot to you almost think you have to spring in the there's obviously somebody ready for wrestling season.

There's a lot of the winter.

Seasons around the state of Georgia have already started with high school basketball and wrestling.

So Jonathan Ibaka will kick off for the jackets and looks like Hodge Wooten, 24 back deep for Marist 32 seconds left in the half again Dave Grant along with Bobak Ricky all the action live at the Georgia Dome 220 semifinals playing out over the weekend and this 1/2 at the 11 by David 2025 and long down hard of 27 and with 26 seconds left here you got to wonder if the Warriors are content with a two point lead or if they're going to try to make something happen.

Well, they're beginning man coverage outside.

We'll see if maybe they decide to throw the ball.

Would you prefer to have a little better field position?

Yeah, exactly.

Don't want to make a mistake.

No, you make a mistake.

And that's one thing that has really been a signature of this Bears football program.

They don't make a lot of mistakes.

It looks like they do have the safety valve in there.

And indeed, McVay will take a knee and they'll let the clock run.

And that should be it for the first half here at the Georgia Dome.

So embarrassed came in here trying to break a four game winless streak against Thomas County Central.

It dates back to 1996.

Central is on the robbery that Mary's trying to turn their fortunes.

As these teams step up into eight and they have a two point lead as time runs down here in this first half in coming up halftime bands and a whole lot more here at the Georgia Dome.

Again, they've gone along with Bobak as the team's go on in the locker room.

Well, it was by virtue of the fact that they couldn't convert that two point conversion.

The momentum, in a sense, still stays with Marcus.

And I think that they had gone into the locker room, having tied that up with a two point conversion, probably would be fired up in their locker room.

Exactly.

And they they still have the lead.

That's the thing they can't forget about.

But if you're if you're century, you've got to feel good to coming back and still in that in that ballgame there.

Let's go ahead.

Throw it on down to John Nelson, who's standing by with the coach.

As I'm standing by, he's walking up solid first half.

Great decision making by Sean so far.

Well, he's doing a great job.

I just hope he can keep it up.

The second half is a long way to go.

Let's talk about Sean a little bit.

He took a shot to the hand with a facemask.

How is he physically?

He's fine.

He's the toughest kid we got and he's the best one we got.

And he's going to be back out there.

This, that.

Yeah.

And also going.

On, you were talking to me earlier about using play action.

You got a little bit useful with that, with some long plays down the field to throw him off balance.

Well, we got to keep him back after this.

You know, we only option and we just got to keep him back up.

Obviously don't play downhill on us.

And defensively, are you happy with the way things are falling out so far?

Only holding them to that, the 12 points, but there's some missed tackles in there to miss tackles.

We definitely got to do that better.

We're going to have a chance to win in the second half.

Any other things that we need to throw up there?

Don't be things to point, points to ponder.

I guess there's going to be a 48 minute ballgame and is going to be hanging on at the end.

So we're hopefully we're gonna be ready.

All right.

Head coach Alan Chadwick, thanks for your time.

Go for it.

You've got a two point lead times taken.

And what we will do is we'll send it right back upstairs as he tries to figure out a play to keep his lead at two.

All right, thanks a lot, John.

We'll go to a break again.

Marist and Thomas County Central.

Good ballgame here at 1412 where he goes on top of the side.

Be right back with halftime.

Right after this.

And welcome back to halftime again.

There you look at the score Marist up 1412 on Thomas County Central in the first of two quality semifinal matchups taking place this weekend at the Georgia Dome.

And now we turn our attention to the field where the Where You Go marching band takes center stage from their school again.

Scott Sparrowhawk is the director respond the drum major music from the rock opera Tommy.

This is a band that took second at the Super Bowl of Sound in Carrollton in first place at the State Marching Festival.

Let's go ahead.

Take a listen.

See it and.

Many great.

Honor and your own kind of three get the one that was really.

Remarkable.

Oh, yes.

And I like you back.

Okay.

Now, let's go ahead.

Throw it on out of the field.

John Nelson will hit you right toward the end Schubert's one name.

One big band.

How did you come up with Tommy and Hurt you get on the score.

Well, we talk to the students every year about what they want to do.

And Tommy, with something we did a stage production a couple of years ago and all the kids love music.

Pinball always is a real popular turn, and that's what they wanted to do.

So that's what we're doing.

And you also talked about some unique things going on inside the band itself as the routines going on and how they seem to be swapping roles at the same time.

That's right.

Some of the horn players switch over to flags and they do flag routines and also some of them play drums during part of the show.

And it's really nice to have such a versatile, talented group of kids.

It's kind of.

Nice now how much blood, sweat, toil, tears and trouble into this routine, or was it fairly easy to come up with off the top?

Well, you know, there's always going to be trouble coming up with stuff and having stuff that everyone can do.

But man, they've handled it.

I'll tell you what, we've done really well in our competitions this year.

We came in first in our last competition in every category.

And they've made us real proud.

All right, guys, for a hug.

Thanks for your time.

Good job, man.

We'll send it back upstairs.

All right.

Sounds good.

Good job there at halftime.

Let's go and throw it to break.

We'll be right back with the Thomas County Central Band right after this.

You're watching the USA State semifinals on TV.

And welcome back live to the Georgia Dome again, Marist and Thomas County Central in the first of our 2.8 semifinals this weekend and of course, the board was up by 214 to 12.

We just got through listening to the mayor's marching band and outside of the Thomas County Central Marching Band of Yellow Jackets, Michael May Hall is their director and they're performing selections from Stop at old Time Rock and Roll The Best of the Best Thomas DC Marching Band 140 members strong, which would throw it on down the field.

And five I might have had them.

140 plus band members for the Thomas County Central Marching Band.

And what a performance.

Let's go ahead.

Throw it on down to John Nelson.

Thanks, guys.

I have here a remnant of this routine.

I got to.

Ask you, first off, you got to replace this.

How did you come up with the idea to do the stopper?

We just thought it'd be a really good novelty to do it like that and few things other than musical instruments.

No.

Drummers are always making noise, playing on everything, beating on the counter, on a chair with it, set it up.

And they didn't do a great job of balancing down.

What did you do to get all of.

That stuff together?

Because it's not something they normally do.

Oh, no.

Well, we just we collected it.

From different jump guards in town, parts stores and places like that, and bought it from home bar all over town.

All right, Mike, now, thanks for your time.

And I heard that all those car parts guys, they're domestic all back on in the USA.

Back up there.

You got to play.

You got to like that.

Well, like that.

At least they went American with it right there.

Well, let's go and take a look at some of the first highlights in India.

There were plenty of them to talk about between Marist and Thomas County Central.

When we take a look early on both, of course, the teams were driving up and down the field.

And Anderson Russell in the opening set, South American Sean McVay with the great pace he's pulling wonderful in this first half as has Eric Waldon before he got hurt.

But these are two option quarterbacks that's the way it is.

Eric Walden right there.

You see the patience that he has and he rambles.

Oh, I think about 41 yards for that.

Exactly.

Over 40 yards for Eric Walton, the quarterback.

And of course, those were basically the opening drives.

And you see McVay once again, this time on The Keeper from eight yards out.

This has a great feel for the space.

And then, of course, Thomas County Central.

Would answer on the other end inside the five on fourth down and two Moses Cochran over the left side running as you talked about the power running.

And they really ran that with authority.

They could probably make a living off that play in the second half.

And you see the breakdown right there, a score 14 to 12 passing yards and not a lot.

We didn't expect that, though, but the rushing yards won 23 to 132.

That's the one big stat that jumps out right there at third down conversions, two for four Morris, one for three for Thomas County Central.

No turnovers from either of these teams and a little bit of an advantage in time of possession putting see the total yards are just about the same and that's the way these two teams have always played.

They've coach, you know couple of one point losses for Morris.

Morris hasn't been able to break through.

These have all been close games.

Coach Pilcher standing by with the very own John Nelson down on the field John.

Okay, obviously, coach, first question, how's Eric and everybody else is ankles right now.

We're at this point right here but his neck was fine.

You know we can't there's no wait wait until next week.

Lamar you know, he's going to second up just like everybody else got bumps and bruises.

We're all going to play now.

Also, you were getting some work on the running game with Moses eight and a half.

You seem to be getting the momentum late in the second quarter.

Well, you know, it's been a just been a worn and we expected it.

You know, there's been three possessions about them and three by us.

And they have scored twice.

We scored twice.

They convert the extra points and we didn't you know, that's basically that's it in a nutshell.

We know what we've got to do.

And it's just, you know, we got to convert.

We've got to do a better job of tackling, you know, when we get those possessions, do so and then just make every possession count.

And it's going to be a heck of a game the second half.

Sure.

All right.

Thanks a lot, coach.

Save your voice and we'll send it back upstairs.

All right.

Coach Pilcher, a successful coach with a successful program, will take your time.

I'll be right back.

On the third quarter again, GHC State football semifinals.

Live at the Georgia Dome.

They bring along with Bobak.

Bobak bringing you all the action here.

Again, 14 to 12 mirrors on top of County, Central and Bowa, well played, first half and both teams really running the football up and down the field.

Oh, both teams it option one teams from wishbone team the other teams a beer team and they run it to perfection.

You see the way these two squads are turned out, the fans are great, as you can see there.

But the children look at Maris, look at Thomas Kennedy Central, their logos, their hats, the coaches, the assistant coaches all have, you know, the same gear on.

These are two big time programs in our state a lot of feature stories this weekend here down at the Dome.

Of course, we had the SCC championship, your high school playoffs.

The Packers are in town on Sunday Peach Bowl coming up so this has certainly been a busy building, but a lot of the attention, of course, this weekend going to high school football.

Could it be an all one at five?

A final part you Brookwood both there of course east how we don't though don't count those guys out also Dooley County and east Cowie two teams that have five or more losses at the dome.

So a couple of Cinderella stories.

And of course, tomorrow you got Gainesville in Tripoli.

Head coach Bruce Miller was here last year with North Forsyth.

So a lot a lot of little features, stories like that from single-A all the way up to the big boys.

They've it's almost incredible when you look at the way the football power in the state is gone come from Valdosta.

And America has almost, some would argue now up to Gwinnett County.

Sure.

And when you talk about pursuing number two, team in the Nation, USA Today and Brookwood, the Broncos always been a formidable, vulnerable contender under coach Dave Hunter, who now is the athletic director up there.

Exactly.

Exactly.

We are set and ready for third quarter action.

Chase Dodge will put it away again for the war.

Eagles and Greer back deep again.

But I don't think we've seen the ball get to a deep guy all night long.

No kickoffs.

They kick them real short.

They're going to look after number 41, make one of the guys who doesn't handle the ball handling the biggest concern.

The last one is the outback.

This one, though, a little bit deeper.

And this one will actually be taken by Greer at the five, the 15.

He's got a little wedge there, 20 and up to the 24 hit and drop hard.

Not a bad return, but even better coverage by the war eagles.

That was Chris as good as Cody rather excuse me and that was good that does best tackle but tonight needed was Madigan also in on that hit Eric looks a little better here little better handicap I guess to kind of shake it off there a little bit maybe repeat that thing.

Yeah.

As we talk about what an athlete, as we mentioned earlier on in the broadcast, over 1000 yards rushing and passing for that man right there, split back.

Here is what Thomas kind of Central is famous for at this time, going to trial that ankle on the first point, he's going about five yards.

It looked like he was anything wrong with that ankle there that time.

And coach said, you know, he's going to suck it up.

There's no more there's no tomorrows.

We all things up.

We've all got ankles and everybody's got to go.

And you'll see Walton here.

Andrew Card brought him down.

The safety came up to make the stop card with interception against Cedar Shoals in play off and while that's number seven rushes 78 yards now to touchdown so he's well over ten yards to carry second down at.

Five wins left this time again is over the right side and that is Cochran Moses Cochran number.

28, who also had a big first half.

Waldon went down again and I know he wants to try to probably save himself and the eliminate he hands the ball up.

He wants to get out of it a couple of a couple by Cochran so third down and about three up coming for the yellow jacket offense 35.

Derek Lovejoy out of the lineup.

Jonas Jones checks in and one out, one left wins to the left.

Now you see the third down.

Conversion picture and Walter going to have a third down conversion right there, a gain of almost ten yards and they'll move the sticks mash Cody and hard combining for the hit there but not for a gain of ten yards in a first down where he's really sucking it up.

You know, when you've got an ankle like that, there's nothing you can do about it.

You just have to grin and bear it.

Put a lot of pressure, too, on that right ankle, but he's had that look like he's hobbling too much in there.

So Thomas County Central, again trailing by two as we open up third quarter action front left once again split backs receiver wandered to the right and Walton on keeper again going to hurdle as offensive line They're going to pick up about three yards and that's what you really don't like to see is him going up in the air and having to wait another day, Dan Gooch, and return with the hit there.

They'd love to take this down use clock, keep their defense off the field, take the lead here, have a fresh defense to go against Mary's.

Well, if we hold serve both to score on the opening drive like they did in that first quarter second down and seven and roll it again on the theater spins his way across the 45 up to mount the 47 so it'll be third down in about three as Walter continues to plug away here.

Let's watch the miss tackles again here.

You know that really you have to wrap up right there.

And that's one thing that both sides really want to focus on.

We talked about this before.

Talk about the missing tackles, Coach Chadwick as well and overall, not a bad play game, but they like to see it tightened up a little bit on defense, third down and three for the jackets.

They're once again in motion.

And this is West Side.

That's Cochran who's up in it at the 44 of Mary's but a big run their card with the hit but another first down and a big third down conversion gave that that's the money play that's a go to play Cochran off the left side he's a great power runner and that's what they scored on earlier a 7.5 carry for Cochran.

We we've talked about that the jackets when they put the ball in his hands good things happen first down a ten ball to 40 once again split back said it's time to give it to Dion the fullback he's got his 4030 530 watch out box and turned the corner and a loss placed on the sideline and they're going to mark him out of the 23 but if he stayed in bounds, he might have scored there.

I don't know.

This is a very explosive offense.

Every time they get.

Why do you think something good's going to happen for Thomas Kenny?

He had some room there, but you could see that he steps out right there at the 23.

And that's the thing about this offense.

You focus in on guys like Walton and Cochran leaves your fullback, you forget about him and he's good for 20 yards first down at ten ball the 23 and give it to Dobson once again inside the ten it'll be first and goal Chris Ash go to the sophomore brought him down and another big first down and they're really picking up yards a big chunks right now though it seems they're quicker to the hole in the second half.

It seems as though they've got their they really got together in the in the intermission and said, guys, let's bring it to them.

Dawson, a hard runner.

And a pretty big back there.

David Dawson getting into the act like five rushes.

44 yards with the junior and first down a goal.

This time Cochran left side he's the five and a dove down to the three.

And that's number 29.

Chris Ash Cody pushed him out.

Also 29 there, Andrew Card finished him off, saved the touchdown.

Well, on the three.

Now, let's see if they come to the boundary with Cochran with that power play that they scored on and picked up the first down earlier.

Oh, here we go.

Second down yellow jackets want the crowd to get into it.

Mears defense trying.

To hold here They got a two point lead but central knocking on the door and again it's back to get.

Wrapped up by deep and a nice job there by the linebacker who gave shooting through there for the tackle that's the play the marathon for all evening a tackle for a plus and you know that play was set up and actually messed up that play by getting penetration and he didn't want to go that wide.

I don't believe there's another example of what we're talking about.

Do a quick, quick defensive line, not very big, but athletic.

And they're able to make plays in the backfield even without the size and.

Still able to get a good push.

So third down and goal now from the three and to give it to Cochran right side.

Stretching diving ball may have come loose.

Merritt says they have it, but I believe they're going to mark them down and be right at the one.

Also be fourth down.

So decision time once again that was a great tackle by Morris again now crunch time here they're all of a sudden tackling.

Well you're looking at Cochran Billy Guy number 12 checks in at wideout.

Coach Pilcher fourth down.

And goal from the one and Thomas County Central going for it again left side the end zone goes Cochran and he.

Stretches across that goal line it breaks the flame on an athletic move and Thomas County central has their first lead of the night.

They come back to their bread and butter.

That's Cochran to the left side in the power play just a actually another good tackle by Morris just did break the plane good pigskin get it here almost a nice effort there by the Eagles to keep him out but Cochran would not be denied.

And now it looks like the jackets line up and go for two once again here leading 1840 608 left in the third and now a flag comes flying.

And that might be the first flag of the night right there, if I'm not mistaken, except for the interference call early.

That's right.

That's right.

We have a few as we've seen you tend to forget about and you mention that here almost halfway through the third quarter and we've got 31 flag at the line of scrimmage and it's going to be on merit and it looks like a timeout being called by Central here.

So the ball be put down at the one and a half and the Jacks decide not to call the time out there as they break the huddle.

Trying to make it a six point ballgame here and into the end zone.

Moses Parker, number 28, follows up.

The touchdown with a two point play and Thomas County Central needs it 20 to 40.

They came out of the locker room with a vengeance for the second half, and they really put it together on that drive and they're going to look at it.

Basically walked in there and a great block, too, by number 51, Andy Norwood, the Center and Russell or the right tackle also chopped down as well when it's standing up and Eric Walton, you've got to credit him for that drive, just did a tremendous job.

These guys are quicker to the hole.

The offensive line is off the ball, better than.

They were in the first half.

You know, a lot of times you talk about sometimes you're your best defense is your offense.

And that has certainly been the case for both these teams tonight.

It's been keeping the ball out of the other team's offense and they're going to look at the scoring drive right there for the Jackets 12 play, 76 yards, 552 to force that one yard touchdown run by Cochran.

No better to start the second half than that.

Ibaka puts it away and Davis set to return it inside the ten, make it across the 20 little there 25 punches down to about the 26 and they're still have the ball for the first time here in the second half of 559 to go.

It's been a ball control type of ball game.

It has.

And Coach Chadwick knows that this is an important, important series for us, for the Warrior Eagles.

They've got to they've got to answer.

They've got to get this lead back.

Morris Much like Central, also averaging well over 30 points a ballgame.

They'll have a first down.

It's in here Sean McVay in your picture Davis in motion McVey on the keeper but hit and wrap it right at the line of scrimmage Nice job by that central defense rice number 22 in there again a minus number 30 several jackets in on that stop.

And McVey is another guy who also had a very big first half.

His quarterback's really shown out tonight.

That number 77, there's Ryan Rice, £280.

He's a big and he might be the biggest guy on the field.

I'd have to think so.

A second down and nine.

They'll give him a yard on that last play.

And when you look at Russell in motion this time, if they get a pigeon out, oh, the ball's on the carpet and Russell will fall on it right at the 22, the pitch was a little bit behind center with a good foot for seven pitch there.

And that time they ran it to the boundary, to the short side of the field.

See it here and you'll see it was not a great pitch from McVey hit as he pitched it and that was Denzel Marable making an excellent play from his defensive end position.

Yeah, big number 91 there Marable with 18 tackles on the season and this is the Thomas County Central defensive record of eight sacks it gets big in there.

In the quarter.

So they really get they really push it up the field.

Third down and 15 for Marcus.

Quinn's right to center left Davis.

In motion and McVey looking to throw throws it deep and wide.

He's got an incomplete use number.

30 on the reception.

That's William Middleton, the 510 158 junior wideout.

And that is a big third down play there.

That was absolutely huge.

A slant and watch it.

McVey put it right on the money here Good low ball kept it out of the secondary reach the nose down on that ball to and a nice catch there by Middleton who picks up the first down so Mary's hits their opening second half drive.

Alive I think they keep it this time but puts it up to the.

45 and Brandon Walton pushed him out of bounds and block will stop at 356 here in the third coach Chadwick running the ball the boundary side of the field.

Anderson Russell wanted to pitch that time, see what to number eight.

We're talking about Eric Walton.

Number eight, Brandon Walton has also been all over the place tonight, particularly on defense.

Man, this guy's making all the stops back there.

But That's not a good sign.

When your safeties are having to come up and make these tackles, but would like to see more defensive tackles.

Next stop, second down and three after a gain of seven and give is right up the middle, but not much there at all.

Nice job by Cody I think he gained anything with this brings up a big third and three now another important third down to keep this drive alive converted on third 15.

So this is very makeable right here.

Oh, this to say the least.

Enough has seen a lot of plays for losses tonight.

The defense is a really up, but they've had to stay on the field a long time.

His offense kept him out there trying to wear down the other third down and three.

This time a reverse and a pass to the man wide open.

Davis at the 2845 touchdown Joey Davis.

Chris Ash Cody with the pass Oh, my goodness.

What a play.

Just a great call.

Coach for that.

And he had that one in his pocket and he's been waiting for that.

This a great, great call third and three to McVay here the end around looks like a reverse.

Defensive backs come up that's Chris Ash Cody to of course Chase Dodge will be 80 here and I tell you what and had the jacket schooled there because Davis was wide open 30 yards down the field, guys with the left foot, he puts it in there.

So 21 to 20.

Ms. on top by a point here with 307 left in the third quarter.

Going to see what I'm getting exhausted watching this offense go up.

And that's fun.

It's fun watching these formations.

And yeah, we even mentioned that coach said we came with a feel for wideouts.

We almost had an empty pack.

It did have one back yet no tight end yet for wideouts.

One of those plays in that and another look at the end around with the pass at the end and Chris day was probably wondering get the balls in the air too long it's taken too long to get here.

You know, to his credit, he didn't get antsy and he looked it in nobody around me.

Yeah.

Take the time.

Make sure you catch it.

Davis.

I tell you what, he's got some jets.

Looks like he could probably cover an outfield pretty well.

As I mentioned earlier, an outfielder on that 2002 baseball championship team at Marist there.

You look at that scoring drive at a fairly quick when that time, six plays 74 yards to 45 off the clock and a 54 yard touchdown reception officially for Marist.

And the question in this ballgame may be which defense could step up and actually stop the other offense might be a situation.

Where the last thing with the ball and we'll take it away and we're back to the goal line.

But that will go into the end zone.

And of course, you.

Can't take those out high school football there if they go in the end zone.

It's did not come out of the 20 well after a score.

And to take the lead.

Up you guys are doing.

About 25.

Let's go to fire it up.

Oh yeah the after a score and you take the lead it's great if you can put it into the end zone.

If you if you're trailing, you'd like it to come down on the end zone and hopefully knock it away, make a play on special teams.

Right.

So Eric Walton will take back over Comedy Central after give it to the fullback straight ahead, but not much there.

Again, that's Cochran 28 on the carry and a nice job in there.

Looks like Greg Van Valkenburg, 63, was one of the first guys there.

As you get a look at Cochran, you mentioned that before, but the Marist defensive front seems to be playing better.

You know, at the end of that last actually scoring series for the Thomas County Central.

But Marissa's is making tackles there, stuffing people for losses.

And that has not happened in this game.

Second out of nine for the central offense.

Coach Ed Belcher.

Looking on as you're in motion, lots of trips over on that side and now Walden with.

An option going to keep it breaks off one tackler and a gutsy run up to the 30 good second third effort there tough run on a bad ankle when someone's got you and you have to drive you have to really talk it to get out of there.

Oh yeah.

Dragging a guy with him there and it's going to be probably get a warrant, a spot right here.

They're going to have to break the chains out.

Is another one of those knows of the job he's.

You saw deep 45 nearly got that nearly got that shoulder tackle there but just kind of slung off there at the end on a first down, no measurement needed, but third and inches and Walter will take it ahead.

He'll do more than that.

He's got five yards on third down and short and he sneak their face off.

Dangerous, dangerous.

If that tackle is not made.

He's got a lot of quarterback sneak.

And I was like, I've seen too many of those.

Yeah, right here.

Nobody over center Andrew Card Davis 20 on the stops a first down a ten ball across the 35 wall then again on the keeper and drop another tackler who get 40 up to the 40 to second in about five Andrew Card and Chris Mosconi with the combined hit picks up a couple of three four yards on that one.

They had them for no gain.

But again this tackles and I think that's what Coach Chadwick was talking about when he told me, are we we've been hit or Miss Luck defense and we've seen it just in the last two series.

And this is a defense the minister has mentioned it was really giving up a lot of yards this year, 16 points a ballgame.

And the offense you see Moses pushed straight ahead there on second down and he'll have close to five, maybe six yards close to another first down.

I'd speed Moses boy he's a tough hard run a tough to bring down low to the ground he plays with reckless abandon, just throws himself into.

And again, not a very big guy, about £165, but he plays like he's about one one, 81, 90 packs a while.

So a measurement here close to another first down and looking to be a little short there by a couple inches.

Good camerawork by.

Our good TV crew.

Well, this is an opportunity for Coach Pilcher to pull one of those trick plays out exactly second down and short mid throw it up down the field.

We haven't seen that all night long from central Everett, Billy Guy number 12 in the lineup.

Also, Lovejoy, 35 spots wide left.

Looks like man to man coverage out there.

But Walter just going to sneak it forward, driven backwards, but we'll have to see where the spots that I believe he got it.

Andrew Dietz, a linebacker came through there.

But it is a first down.

We're coming up the five a match up with his couch to a team that was five and five at the end of the regular season.

But they have really turned it on here big upset win over Harrison and they find themselves playing part through the not a good park you look at the win number 44 in a row 13 and now flags come flying in on that one.

Danny Black, the right guard, look like he left a little early there.

Mean you, Thomas Kelly essentially looks a little slow in this drive, getting out of the huddle and especially in the last two plays in the series.

Led by five false start on.

The offense I haven't heard a lot from a referees tonight and that's a good sign for both teams.

Not a lot of yellow hankies out there tonight, but still well-coached, clean ballgame there.

This should be the final play of the quarter and clock will go ahead wind on down that'll do it quarter number three so Mary's with a 21 to 20 lead over Thomas County central as we get set for the final 12 of play here in the quarter, a semifinal the first one of the weekend.

And again, we'll be right back right after this.

Merits by one.

You have at the start of the fourth quarter getting ready to take place here.

The final 12 minutes of play in the first of two quarter semifinals.

And you can look at our man there in the Red Hat, Dave, on the four fingers.

There you go.

This one, this final is this is going to be a doozy.

So here we go first down at 15 after that penalty, Thomas County Central trailing by a point out of the football.

A man wide open in the flat out of the backfield and a nice job there.

Billy Guyton, number 12 with his first catch of the night and got back some of that yardage gets it up to midfield the second down about seven and he did take a shot there Jean Billy Middleton with a good open field tackle and Guyton is senior with close to 400 yards receiving this year with a touchdown that's just wind that the wind knocked out of you wiggle around like that when you get the win knocks that because it's it's among the worst feelings in the world and they'll go ahead and tend to him over there on the far sideline.

We'll take another look at it and.

You'll see the hit delivered by Middleton there.

But yeah, I think I think you're right though, Bo, I think just got the win.

Not having a little bit 11.

45 left in the ballgame again.

Marist up by a point at 2120.

This ballgame has gone back and forth all night, literally.

I tell you what and there you get a look at didn't like it.

The worst thing that these guys go to do is like this is two terrible sicknesses.

You get the wind knocked out of you and when you go for breaks and you get heartsick, those two, two of the worst feelings in the world.

So second down and seven now Thomas County Central set and ready to go Middleton number 30 who made that interception against Griffin Well you mentioned early on there and there you get a look at gotten over on the sideline grimacing just a little bit this time nothing doing.

Mary's getting it done in the middle David Johnson 36 And they're at linebacker help to make that quick start.

That was either a lucky defensive call or Marist has got a clue as to what their audibles at the line of scrimmage.

Do you see them shift?

They shifted to the left side, the defensive front.

It.

So they've picked up something from Thomas County Central four.

It was just a lucky call.

The big third down boy here at third down about six and a half ball just in to Mary's territory on the other side of that midfield stripe.

And now Eric Ward will work out of the shotgun and going to be a little quarterback draw don't be worried is going to eat him up two or three yards behind the line of scrimmage.

Mary's not fooled at all and they really had a couple of guys keying in on wanted Shannon Quinn and Andrew Montgomery looked like Andrew rather in on the tackle there that was a huge start for Maris to start this fourth quarter with a one point lead.

So now Brian Steele will go back into that formation.

They're going to look at it.

And boy, it really came through there and played a nice little lick at the end of that fourth, Hunter Harper will look to boot it away.

And once again, that crazy punt formation by Thomas County Central.

Is going about all over the field rebound.

Blocking back about seven yards deep.

Now Hunter is able to get it away with a good kick.

They get to Fairfax will take it out.

To 20 and the purpose of.

Course that fun I guess you spread the field and leave yourself ready to go.

Well, just a reminder, mark your calendar for Friday night, folks, January 31st for the return of Georgia's longest running high school sports and academics program.

That's prep sports plus with your host Jim Janaki.

Again, you'll meet some of Georgia's most successful student athletes, athletic programs and much more.

That's prep sports Plus returning on Friday, January 31st, exclusively on TV Marist first down at ten and McVay on the keeper and some room punches it up to the 30 and again about ten and a half could it be a first down it?

Looks like Adam Manis number three was tackled downfield but McVey didn't look like was anything wrong with his ankles.

He continues to run.

No, he took that shot in the arm.

Remember We thought it was a shot in the ribs.

He took it in the arm and he's really got the wheels and he's got a great sense and great vision, great anticipation.

Coach running that play that option to the boundary.

So of course, 942 left and counting there.

You look at the 20 yards.

It is really evened up here.

All of a sudden, Central has a lead marisco on this drive can add to that and the option play and hit the backfield Anderson Russell will go down Ricky Davis number 30 for the big hit again Neal at the point of attack no block there and it was Brian Steed he's only five £775 he was leading that claim got himself shredded Thomas County Central they do not get themselves draped on blocks number 34 straight ahead of number 34 right there.

And Russell, of course, had a touchdown early on in this ballgame.

And now flags are going to come flying in here as play stops at 858 to go in the game.

Looks like 12 men in the huddle huddle.

You can look at McVay, of course, both these teams have gone back and forth all night and haven't seen the penalties fly that much.

But now we've seen a couple here in the second half.

Coach Sedgwick very upset at that call because he understands how important the series is that they can run.

But substitution violations on the offense.

There was 12 men in the huddle and coach thought that he got him out of there in time to not get that call.

That's Chadwick, as you mentioned, the winningest coach in Marist history.

So second down and long here for Marist Davis and pass boy looking to go up top there's Davis down the sideline got the 4040 550.

45 still on his feet and he's going to go, folks.

Nope.

They're going to call him out back at the 39.

Oh, wow.

Davis thought he had a touchdown there, but they say he stepped out back and 39, but nonetheless, a well-designed, well-executed play by the warrior because they're in business.

And how about the long speed on Davis?

I tell you, I didn't think he was going to get there.

Look like the central defenders had an angle on him.

I thought he was going to go out back there, but he nearly turned that thing into a big game.

I didn't see him go out of bounds.

I thought he was gone.

It was a CC.

We can see it here.

Excellent pass from McVay leads him perfectly well.

Was beautifully executed right there.

And yeah, looked like he may have gotten that heel there though.

Witnesses have a better, better vantage point.

Do we do?

But now the crowd's boo and they didn't like that call either.

McVay on the Keeper picks up a couple down to the 37.

I didn't see it.

Well obviously the I think the married I don't care.

Yeah I think the I think the mayor's fans something though because there was certainly of their displeasure they put it on the Jumbotron.

Coach Kelsey will take it.

That's right.

It's just the whole thing you have to remember here, though, is that Marist has the lead by a point.

So they're not only wanting to score again, they want to heat up some of that clock to 8 minutes to go.

And Coach Felton needs a stop motion misdirection play.

Davis spins off one back look instead of hard at the 32 big time hit there by Denzel Marable.

That's the way you draw it up.

That's the way you tackled practice right there.

Ricky Davis, 34 Also getting in on there is a beautifully designed play.

They pull their guard almost like a trap.

Look out of the wishbone.

Non official start out here working on some equipment there Chris Chilly Davis three rushes, 87 yards and a touchdown.

How about that ratio right there?

I tell you what, and Chris is warming up and just a junior, too.

And it's scary to think when you look at both these teams, they may be right back here again next year playing each other for the semifinals.

So third down and eight after that big hit by Davis swing team.

And Chris Davis in motion.

But they're going to keep it going to break a tackle.

And get to punch it down to third you're going to be a yard short.

It looks like, as Brandon Waldon brought them down that time, they run to the field side and they get a big gain out of it and I that picture is going to be there for Davis next time they do that.

When you have quarterbacks who can run like these two teams do, it's almost like having another running back.

Oh, absolutely.

You have to account for everybody.

Usually in football, when you don't account for the quarterback, you'll obviously the thousands of show the Twitter account for Michael Vick.

And with these two offenses that we've seen here from Thomas Kelly, Central America, you've got to account for all 11 men, exactly fourth down in a yard.

And the coaches for Marist are screaming for a time out and they get it with 635 to go in the ballgame.

And again, the Eagles up 2120 starting game of course tomorrow we'll see Thompson and Sean the other half of this quarter a matchup and all four of these teams talk about Cinderella teams but Mary's the force has been been here before they were here in 99.

They lost to them outside Jonesboro, ten seven.

But they've won a state championship.

We all know Thomas County Central's won several state championships, really the team of the nineties and triple j and of course, Sean Thompson, who we'll see tomorrow, also have a state championship or two to their name.

It's just think of the big time players have come out of Thomas kind of Central Park this is Charlie was he opens exactly so many more offensive defensive linemen linebackers right right say in numerous numerous positions a lot earlier today they're going to look at some of the results which county all over Hopkinsville clinch of course here last year 36 to nothing score in that ballgame and then in Buford hammering Americus a lot of folks a little surprised that that was as lopsided as it was 38 to 12.

And of course, the triple-A ballgame won a ballgame in overtime.

Dublin 2213 will head on to the state championship at 1:00.

We're going to swing it after Davis trying to hit the corners, got the first down on fourth down.

We've seen a couple of fourth down conversions tonight premiers and still any time they've been warming up that chilly and he's ready to turn it on now in the fourth quarter and might be that might be why they call him chilly because he puts out the fire and that's I guess that might be what they want him to do here.

Still plenty of time left, even if Myers does score in the next couple minutes for Thomas County Central to get down their score hit for two.

But boy, this defense has been stepped up here in the second half.

Central really needs a big stop here.

And that's Ash Cody, the fullback dives down to the 20, going to pick up about three yards.

And that's the kind of team that these two teams are.

Even when they don't look like there's anything there, they make something happen, pick up two or three yards, they go north, south.

And this is typical of the matchups that we've talked about.

You know, one point difference in this game, that's very often the way they in between these two.

But Morris hasn't been able to break through.

They can smell it.

They feel it.

Why they're telling each other and we probably won't see it overtime with a one point lead like that.

They're not going to be doing in combination.

But I guess I 55 to go that's a good Nick.

Davis trying to turn the corner and we'll take it out at the 15 Bolden with the tackle out of bounds there on the far side that time they got a block at the point of attack.

It's been very rare for Maryland.

They're going to look at it.

Central has done a nice job with that defensive end crashing down.

Making may get rid of the football a little bit quicker though in the second half.

Well, they want to take the ball out of his hands.

He was so effective in the first half.

Good point they've put now.

That's why he's seeing more ball.

30 minutes after this ball game.

We'll see Park View and he's going to be a big match up there for Gerald.

Rachel, happy fourth for you.

And then going to look at a loss there.

McVey actually went down, I believe they're going to say his knee was down before the bench and that time, that's exactly what we talked about.

Thomas County Central, doing a nice job stringing that one out, another fourth down decision to be made.

We've seen fourth and one.

We've seen fourth and two.

This is going to be about fourth and about four and a half here.

But Mary's going to try to kick a field goal here.

It looks like Chase Dodge.

Who has had an excellent year, will line up.

And take the 34 yard attempt right here.

Try to make it a four point ballgame.

And the kick is there.

It's got the leg and it is through there.

So Chase Dodge from 34 yards out makes it 24 to 20.

Now, Thomas County Central has 5 minutes exactly on the clock to try to drive down and take the lead.

He's a senior kicker.

I have not heard that.

Watch.

How smooth is he doesn't over stride.

He doesn't try to get too much into it.

He just pops it.

And I'm sure he's got a future in college.

It must be a lot of schools looking at him 34 yards and that ball hit at the very top of the uprights as it went through.

And not a lot of effort going into the kick.

Very smooth, right and left.

So you don't see a lot of left footers.

And now Dodge will put.

The team down on the ground, get ready to kick it off here and out of County Central would like to have a big return.

Special teams play has particularly been excellent tonight really for both teams, having seen a lot of breakdowns.

Harris Of course, trying to break that.

I know coaches don't like to use the word Jags, but obviously Central has had their number four meetings in 9697.

But the thing is, a lot of these mares players weren't even around.

When all that was going down.

Young guys, their graphics in a pocket on the return.

The running back loses the handle I believe they're going to save as download the 30 Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets.

Now I've got 4 minutes of 52 seconds to score and put up a two point conversion and there's the drive right there, that scoring drive, 10.53 yards, 501 that that might have taken the longest time that night right there that 34 yard field goal from Dodge scoring drives have been short denied.

Well, they wouldn't go for two.

They just missed a field goal which would beat them.

So first down, as did Eric Waldon under center, got to keep it and he has hit five deep and a host of others.

Also number 30 in on that tackle, J.T.

Black, another sophomore, really took his shot on that ankle.

That's hobbling around again.

The problem is he just can't shoot.

No, he just and he had to stop and take that shot.

You see, the way he planted and he picked that foot the ground.

He hurt that before contact.

And he is hurting out there right now.

And you have to heaven.

This was time here wasn't going to slip off the field and he's going to come out of the ballgame.

That's too bad.

What a great game.

And it looks like Brandon Walden will be the guy to come in and take his place.

Also, number 12, going to single check in the lineup guy with one catch.

Tonight averaging 15.5 a catch at a seven yard reception.

Earlier in the half.

Phillies game.

Will actually be.

The new quarterback here and he was wrapped up in going nowhere so.

Game showing his versatility into the ball game there but only picks up yards a third down and nine there is defense playing better now than they have all game here comes Eric back he's still hobbling but tell you what he's going to come back in this ballgame knowing what's on the line here tonight.

And man, it is a gutsy performance right here.

Well, you can run your offense, obviously, without him.

He knows the offense better than anybody else.

They trust him with the ball, Russell, or the right tackle trying.

To get the crowd fired up all night of the shotgun.

A little middle screen set up.

He's got number eight.

That's Brandon Walton with Route 5043.

Watch out, Brandon Walter down the sideline makes the move again.

Get the end zone.

Brandon Walton, 68 yards.

Great call.

Great ball.

That's screen and credit wall to look at.

What, Logan, you can't see him now.

He's just hobbling off the field.

What a goody goody performance by him.

And you're just the perfect ball.

He threw Eric Walton to Brandon Walton for 68 yards on the middle screen, short pass, but made a big run after the catch.

And Jonathan Ibaka will line up for the extra point here.

And both the tables are turned.

Yes, they have 26, 24 now at Central over to try to go up by three here with 323 left.

Also off here.

So I don't know, a.

Chance for two perhaps making you think he kicked the extra point, but they were trying to make him jump there.

So, no, you take the extra points because if you don't make the two point conversion a field goal beat you.

That ball foul ball start and the offense.

Marist I thought time was kind of central celebrating thought that Mary's to come across there but it actually went against the offense so they'll back it up and indeed they look at this extra point and I think Coach Pilcher has probably noted the Mary's field goal.

But so Ibaka now with a 25 yard extra.

Point kick, is right through there.

So 27.

24 with three, 23 to play in the ballgame.

And we have seen some great action so far at the Georgia Dome.

Good morning.

Early on, the triple-A game was great.

Now this ballgame right here is unbelievable.

The screen perfectly throwing the guy with a bad ankle, you know, just doesn't worry about anything.

Just throws a nice a ball out there.

The catch and then the speed is just absolutely remarkable here at the end.

This has been Maris's problem all night.

Silly Davis not able to make the tackle there and Maris as coach thought might happen did not tackle well tonight.

Brandon Walden in just five games this year with 12% for 475 yards, had a 50 yard punt return against Woodward Academy in round number one.

And he shows his athletic ability on offense here.

He's been the big guy on defense, ironically, but he has the biggest play of the ball on offense this far, too.

But if you want to know the truth, it's probably better for Maris coaches, probably thinking now, better that they scored quickly rather than have the ball in with eight, nine, ten, 11, 12 yard line and and use clock to go in very quick there three plays 70 yards a minute 37 and of course that ball 68 yards Touchdown catch by Ibaka Davis will take it from the 20 he's got room walked out 30 and a good open field tackle there by rice number 22 Eric Rice on special teams And it looked like there was going to be a lot more there than there was.

But boy, rice really closed it up in a hurry.

Rice made a great open field tackle because you can tell obviously on that play that was called back before he ran out of bounds.

Tillie Davis has got long speak.

Yes, he does.

Now it's the central defense trying to get this crowd into it.

And you can look at Coach Chadwick of Marist.

Still plenty of time on the clock here.

And they've all the PO box live at the Georgia Dome want a semi final Marist.

College County Central and the Warrigal with the pitch the big tackle there number 60 that's Ben Williams and Williams came from the far side and ran him down here from the other side of the line of scrimmage, short game, maybe, maybe two yards.

Here he comes from a defensive end position and guess who else is in on the tackle?

222 Mr. RICE Very.

Pat Kearney is a plate runner of down like that.

Oh, yeah.

Second and eight crowd fired up.

We say, look Davis now in motion on the keeper he's got room and across.

40 going to be close to another first down Brandon Walton with the hit on defense I think he's got it even Hill he really wants to make that pitch to Chile because Chile's got that speed to take them to distance.

And they also had a block out there.

They had a body on a body and that might have gone if he did give him the pitch.

We talk about the unity of this team.

As we said, not a lot of not a lot of Division one prospects.

And that's one thing that Coach Pilcher wants team to do is hold hands there, get together on the sideline, play as a unit.

That's exactly what they do.

Both of these guys, you can't get this far without major college talent, which neither these teams do at this point this year without having camaraderie, solidarity, you know, a feeling of family and togetherness.

Both of these squads had that never say first down by the nose of the football.

It's in a lot of close, close measurements tonight here and where it goes.

Do move the sticks with 220 and counting time winding down here at the Georgia Dome and time possibly running out for Maris, the Warrigal and Thomas County Central in a classic quarter showdown.

And once again, McVay on the keeper.

But a short game, maybe two around that right side what a hustle.

Get in the huddle 159 158 and you'll see Adam Manus with a big stop here mean this number throws another guy factor a block that time to make the tackle spending too much time in the huddle Hodge Wooten and Davis will go.

Wide left second down and eight Anderson Russell to the near side and McVay looking to throw now being pressured Well.

Get it out of there and knocked away and a good defensive play over there on the far sideline.

That was number 18 for Boris Daniels, Mary's coach, coaches jumping up and down and they're looking for interference coming over the back.

But I believe the ball was uncatchable.

Good job to escape the rush.

Well, he knocked it away.

He might have been on the back pass intended for William Middleton.

So third down and long now minute 26 to go but some kind of matchup right here Thomas County central trying to extend their ways over Marist they lead it by three McVey looking deep in the flat He's got a man there and that is Hodge Wooten the outstanding wideout.

He's been kind of quiet tonight, but a big catch there for a first down on third and long block stops now 117 if you look at Rudy 15.8 yards a catch this year and a touchdown Davis is the guy that's going to win this game.

McVay can't turn the corner.

He's got to make the pitch a real shotgun this time to his left and right.

And he's going to keep it low, take it inside the 40.

And Eric Reiss, another tackle, another big gainer on first down, but the clock will run under a minute.

Rhett takes a shot.

Boy, they've done a great job all day today, I tell you, they plug in there.

Now, it's not going to be called by Morris 54 to go that's the first time out so they still have two more Thomas County.

Central as all three and city officials take a.

Good shot here on that last play.

Goodness.

But but you know what?

He did the right thing there.

He popped right up after he didn't lay there.

An anger to you who's wondering what you said about this turf being soft?

Well, what you were talking about, where he doesn't have the pads on either, though, so you got to give him credit for that.

He doesn't have all the shoulder pads and helmets under.

And you get a look at the time out picture, actually, but just one time.

Well, so they've got to use it very careful here.

And it's going to be second down and three when return to action.

Again, Charles Ward and Gerald Riggs going to have a call of five match up coming up in Park 213 to No.

Number one in the state, as they've been pretty much all year long.

Each count, though, don't count those guys out.

An eight and five coach Chronic has done an excellent job, pulled off a big upset last week against Harrison.

Here we go.

Four wide stays against the left now Russell nearside against second and three.

And they look at the throw going to his back and taken down Denzel Marable then their flag comes flying in late.

Also Antonio Spears number 68, not a minus number 30, a blitzing through there.

But let's check that flag.

Watch.

McVay has his back turned to the backside, doesn't see them coming until it's too late.

Minus San Jose now.

Wow.

Oh, wow.

Did not see that.

I'm wonder if it had something to do with that sack or not.

It looked pretty, pretty clean.

I guess it had to be someplace else.

Yeah.

Coach Pilcher trying to find out what.

What happened?

How could you call that foul?

Oh, no foul on the defense.

It was called on Marable.

So honorable.

May have come in there a little late.

I guess that's the Eagle Pass.

Well, one more play now.

They're in field goal range.

He's going to put the ball all the way down to 29 McVey on the keeper Oh.

Great tackle down the 25 They're going to pick up four yards open need a good open field by no other than Ricky Davis Yeah great tackle and the clock will continue to roll here Amir still with one timeout second down and six.

McVey looking to throw big freshman to go down Antonio Spears with another sack And that'll.

Force Mary's to burn their final timeout with 17 seconds left Well, that was a big play.

That was the biggest play of the game, you could say, for Thomas County Central, this light young offensive line, embarrassed Marist is just they're just not set up.

They've to pass, but they haven't done much of it.

It's a tough situation.

Ask them to, you know, to win a game by throwing it.

They're not used to it.

Antonio Spurs, the big boy up front, right around to 60 and right up the middle.

Right now, you're looking at about a 48 or 49 yard field goal attempts.

It is third down, but you don't have any timeouts left.

So if they do run out, they'll have to run it to the sideline or they'll have to have that Google team ready to come in quick.

And I doubt they have enough time, be honest with you.

Well, you think that the only option now is that it's third down, you've got two opportunities to throw it.

You throw it to the sideline, lets you gamble against Duke, against two safeties, gets the two deep.

You can you can hit something over the middle and they've already shown central to.

The reverse the trip at back the reverse pass there so you got to think that the jack to be looking forward here.

Third down at 13 and McVay will work out of the shotgun now Anderson Russell will come to the near side once again man in the slot and McVay looking downfield Hodge one.

On one in the ball's going to be thrown short at the goal line route and want the flag yeah.

And that was just one on one right there.

So fourth down and 13 but they threw it in the end zone and it stops the clock with the incompletion.

Wooten had a step and if McVay could have gotten the ball out there just a little bit further, they might have had a play on the ball.

And also, you know, at these you know, at the point the cornerback made a great play.

So here we go, folks.

This is it.

Chase Dodge.

Attempting now.

It'll be about a 49 yard field goal.

We're going to have some Thomas County Central had three timeouts remaining now two they may take them all since the seconds left the game.

And of course, the big question coming in, Bo, was whether or not Thomas County Central could continue their dominance over Mary's in the in the dome here.

And of course, like they did in 96 and 97.

But Mary's 2 to 1.

Take your hats off to these guys.

It's going to come down the field right here to see whether or not we have our second overtime game of the night.

But it's been a well played ballgame by both teams.

Is this typical is this typical of what you can tell Chase?

Hock really likes kicking on the ruck.

You know, if you're a good field goal kicker, you get a surface like this, you can really you can really sweep the ball.

And now we're going to see him.

It won't be effortless.

We're going to see him have to.

Drive.

The ball.

They'll take another one.

Coach Seltzer doesn't know I'm hungry.

He doesn't care though.

Goes has certainly been a big part of today's action.

Of course.

Dublin falling behind after having a big lead in that fourth quarter of the triple A game came back kind of up and one in overtime and this ball going to be put down a 39 to 49 yard field goal attempt to tie this ballgame up with 10 seconds left, James Dodge, the kicker with the leg, he's got the distance and the kick is going to be there.

Oh, 49 yard field goal.

4 seconds left on the clock and we might be heading for overtime, folks.

A memory for the rest of his life.

You know, these kids will they can almost relive every one of these plays 30 years from now playing in this game and doing something like that, it just becomes indelible.

It's like another look at that one.

Oh, my goodness.

He's saying right now, you know.

Don't look, don't look, don't look perfect.

True.

It's a great snap.

Great snap.

Obviously a great hold.

You know, Hodge Bruton held it and even when he drove it, you could see, you know, he doesn't he doesn't over crank it he's got a smooth leg with 4 seconds left so we'll get a kick off here.

But if Dallas County Central is unable to return this thing, we'll have overtime in Atlanta once again here live at the Georgia Dome triple-A ball game between lady went into overtime and now we're staring overtime in the face here in the sport a matchup and of course the five match up about 10 minutes late already yeah park view at East Gallery to coming up but maybe a little bit more football to play here and if this thing does go to table kind of break down in the overtime sequence.

For you in case you missed it in that triple-A matchup.

So dodgeball booted.

Away and a high, deep kick.

Go go ahead, send it back and Grier will return it from the goal line.

Oh, and he's got the torn.

He got a good block.

They're still on a speed, but he will go down at the 28 and regulation has expired here at the Georgia Dome.

So how do you like that?

Well, here we go.

The first two games, they were not close games, but the last two we have this one has certainly been exciting.

We have made up for it.

We'll go ahead, step aside.

We'll come back and break down the overtime for you.

2727 Marissa Thomas County Central.

We'll be right back.

Well, here we get ready for the first overtime period.

Of course, two five minute periods will play out.

And if there's no score, if it's tied after that, then we'll go to the longest non scoring drive.

Of course, penetration in all of high school football.

For the last few years, you've probably seen a game or two or heard of a game or two like that.

Again, Merritt and Thomas County Central 27.

All Dave Gardner along with Throwback Live at the Georgia Dome.

And this is our second overtime game of the night.

I don't know for sure.

I don't have in front of me.

I'd like to know how many overtime games actually had semifinals.

It might be the first two, though, maybe.

Yeah.

I tell you, you know, coaches really got a weapon there with that field goal kick.

Good.

Chase dodged and you know, he knows that Coach Pilcher, you know, would just go crazy after this game over that personal foul that really gave them the opportunity to get to field goal range without earning it.

Exactly.

Exactly.

We saw a 40 yard field goal from Devlin to tie that ballgame right back up there.

And that was a 49 yarder.

So the kickers of all people are showing out here tonight.

Cap is of course will come to midfield here and talk about who will have the ball first in this first overtime again who will play two five minute periods regardless of where the team scores it's not seven sudden death in the for GHC talking about maybe.

Playing second team it can get your saying what you want to say we in minutes.

Morris will get it first with the number six Jordy Woolford wide receiver senior wide receiver Thomas County Central Central actually deferred that toss there.

And let's go ahead quickly throw it on down to John Nelson.

John, what's going on?

Just was in the Thomas County Central Huddle and they said that they had been through this situation earlier in the year against Thomasville.

They were down for most of the ballgame, came back, sent into overtime, got the victory.

And what happened in that game?

The coaching staff told the players, we shook it off, we stepped it up and they emphasized the exact same thing for this overtime period here against Mary's to shake it off and step it up for the next 10 minutes of play.

Guys, it's an old coaching ploy, you know, when you when you're tired, when you're down, that's when you say, pick up the pace.

Here we go.

We're going to go into another gear now.

And incidentally, that game against Thomas, it was also September the 13th, Friday the 13th.

And they've come back and they're looking to do the same thing here.

And as we mentioned earlier on in the broadcast, Marist only lost this year, came on Friday the 13th, that same week against Tucker, of course, was eliminated earlier in the playoffs.

So both teams trying to trying to keep fortunes going there a little bit, I guess trying to turn it around.

If you're Marist, that comeback was from 28 to 7.

Well, they came all the way back to win that game.

So Jonathan Ibaka set to boot it away.

Is you going to look at the front line there of the most brutal turn you Marcus set?

Sean Vane, number 18.

The quarterback was the guy back deep.

So Davis.

Back there with him we get into overtime now.

Marist is healthier the Thomas County central Eric Walton of course quarterback hobbled by that right ankle heavily but he has fought all day gutsy performance and the kick by a mark is a deep one.

Will be taken at the one by McVay talking about 20,000 to.

23.

You know, more than anything, Walton was a guy who had to see this thing go to overtime.

He really hated and that ball sailed through the upright he to get out of here with that with the win, especially with the way ankle is.

He's played a gutsy game no matter what happens.

So first down a turn for the Warrigal offense.

We open up overtime period.

Number one, the first 5 minutes, oh, a little pop there.

Still stayed on his feet, but an out shot nonetheless by Mark Pickett, number 13, the.

Initial guy first and Davis, the game keeper.

Punches it across the 25 good for three McVay knows he's got that He's got that pitch Julie Davis You can't help but feel like that biding their time.

He could have he could have pitched it a time earlier and I think they would have made big yards.

And I know coaching the coaches up in them in the coaching booth have probably told Coach on the sideline that that will go the down low on McVay this time on the option going to get it out there to Davis turned the corner and we'll pick up about two or three of it central nice job Eric Rice from that play out so not a real big game for the winner of this matchup will play the winner of tomorrow's quarter a matchup between Thompson and Shaw next Friday night, 730 right here on TV.

We say on that last play tonight of chances to penetrate, get that persuasion.

To come toward him third for wishbone now receiver.

Wide nearside center with eight in the box McVey looking to throw has a man wide open in the flat at the shoulder of the fullback He steps out at the 43 but a big gain there a gain of about 12 yards and a first down before as Daniels pushed him out pretty good looking play as Cody if he he'd gotten a blocker there was just one defender out there with three Marist players nobody was able to get a body on coverage.

So Mary's moved the chains here for seven more time in this first overtime.

Glad you could join us live at the Georgia Dome semifinal.

Football action on TV.

Here's McVey on The Keeper, gets turned around and takes a good shot at the 45 picks up two but that's all the one central defense teeing off Ben Williams number 61.

You guys who made that point that time?

They came to the field side, to the open part of the field.

And I think I keep saying I keep thinking they've got that pitch a chili Davis when they come to the white side of the field, Bryan stayed in the lineup.

Anderson Russell will go out and again coming up 30 minutes following the completion of this ballgame.

It's quite and he's down to the big five a semifinal up right here at.

The 32nd down and eight reverse on three with one field 45 still on its feet.

40.

It pushed out at the 39 and a good run.

There had a lot of real estate over there, but central showed how quick they are.

Big play for Mary's but central defense with a lot of speed on that play to really hit those pursuit angles and get over there because it looked like Wooten was gone.

Matt Rumsey over there outside of the field pushing them out.

Maurice Daniels over there, first down and ten after the big play by Harrison.

The War Eagles are driving the wings.

They look once again Speed in motion McVey on the keeper Oh man He had a senior moment He did good tackle though by Mark Pickett pick it may saved a big play there He got him around the Eagles big John Crawford number 62 really had an opportunity at the plate before this to get out, get he kind of slowed up the play by not getting downfield but take a look at those overtime rules again two five and it has no sudden death at all.

And it's not like college where you wanted up on the 25 and punch it in their standard game rules and scoring applies to the scores.

TODD After playing those two halves, the team which has advanced.

The ball furthest on a non scoring drive, it's a one of the points and the win now Davis with some.

Real estate inside the 30 down to 25 and a gain of 11 on the play in a first down Ricky Davis with a stop and first time we saw Davis take it up the middle and that counterplay kind of the old out of the team may should be a cross buck.

But by the way, there was a team here today that ran a tight formation.

That's what we were trying to get The View here tonight.

We've got the wisdom, we've got the team, we've got the wing team.

Ship on formation inside, play on the bench.

He's got speed and he has one down and a flag will come flying in a facemask and be called.

That'll be a 15 yard TD they've now Ricky Davis slung them down there and that will probably be the 15 yard version of how to really put this ball down there for a merest every time matters get to this point in the field something horrible happens to Thomas County central no doubt about that one you know they've nothing hurts worse than getting your helmet ripped around.

I once was looking out of my home because of a foul.

Facemask on the defense, but then it.

Kills your nose.

What a wonderful nose you have to thank.

You know, 203 left in the first overtime and scored nine of 27 minutes after the personal foul have a first ten and the 1418 game a straightforward Cody driving is set up at the.

Seven or eight but a nice run right up the middle on.

The quick hitter.

I think the playcalling in this drive in overtime has been superb.

I mean, he's showing them everything and it's just been tremendous.

Thomas County Central's there's no place they can lay in wait.

There's no place they can load up.

They a sack both sides of the defense up the middle they've thrown it.

On the sideline their.

Second down and three McVey on the keeper breaks it back the five still on its feet down one up to Antonio Spears for a touchdown saving tackle but it will be first and goal from Marist.

It's too bad Eric Walden is hurt because this would have been a classic high school shootout between two great option quarterbacks.

Talk about the coaching, of course.

CHADWICK As we mentioned, the all time winningest coach in Marist history, over 200 victories to his name, 27 years altogether at Marist, 18 as head coach and of course, Coach Belichick, 12 years at Dallas County Central and several state championships on this record.

Well, I asked Cody stuff right at the line of scrimmage and a nice job there.

Mirabal, 91, was one of the first guys there, so it was Adam Manes and Eric Reiss to Adam Manes, outside linebacker, only £170.

And he came with all of it.

Take a look at that bone crushing hit right there, man.

Oh, man, really stood up.

Ash comes pretty big boy to Harris four eagles they scored on possession since halftime and they're looking to keep that trend going here.

McVay dives for the goal line, but no signal yet.

I think you're going to see his knee hit the floor.

He broke plane timeout, Mary's Foles timeout.

And that ball's going to get about as close as you can get to the end zone without putting six up on the board Look at that.

Oh, great.

Call the referee.

You've really got to be on top of your game to make that call.

And that was a good call indeed.

That ball's about an inch or two away and that's it.

And you can look at Coach Chadwick on the sideline, of course, where it is with the time out there.

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High school sports on Georgia Public Television.

So much for high school sports.

Of course, I'm excited about prep sports.

Plus, coming back on the air, always do a wonderful job with that show.

Simpson, Ohio, the old veteran, Jim Donahue has been Mr. Prep sports.

That's right.

That's right.

They do a wonderful job in really spreading out that coverage.

So here we go.

Third down and goal from Maris.

What about the free edge line?

Wishbone option, Anderson Russell, touchdown Russell.

With a second touchdown of the night And this one puts Maris up 33 to 27.

Great ball.

You have to protect the interior line.

You have to take that away.

You have to take away the quarterback sneak.

You have to take away the dove play.

And then to pitch it outside is an excellent call.

So now Dodge will attempt the extra point here in air strikes first.

But in this first overtime, just 9 seconds left.

But remember, another 5 minutes will follow.

So the ballgame out over with will hold and the Dodgers hit that 49 yard game find field goal but six point right down the middle with 40 pretty good overtime drive.

How about 4 minutes and 51 seconds?

I think they held it there.

You're right.

They did that thing the whole time.

It's something else.

I think what both teams have done it all night long, though.

You can't take away anything from the defense.

They play it hard.

But these are two explosive offenses, as we said, coming in both on averaging well over 30 points a ballgame.

And it's tough to have to go up against something like that.

Just so well-coached, both offenses.

I mean, these guys run to perfection.

They run it.

The Princeton set, Thomas County Central was the veer, the way Bill Yeoman designed the beer.

He would be proud of this team 11 plays 64 yards for 51 and of course Russell that one yard touchdown run there on the option from McVey So now it's Thomas County Central's turn They've only got 9 seconds.

And the five and a.

Half of course upcoming is basically played like two halves so they'll reset after this 9 seconds on the clock here.

And dodgeball booted away and the go ahead kick and deep.

Really gets put into that one and the ball is going to be ruled in the end zone.

Their career took it a foot inside that goal line.

So to come out of the 20 and that is a great kick off with the lead, you don't want them to bring it up.

You going to look at the tight end and had a big reverse play early on in the ballgame.

The first half, the senior.

And Eric Wallin will.

Hobble in there, say what a gutsy, gutsy performance from that young man, this tremendous 611 70, 224 yards rushing in a ballgame.

Earlier this year and the ball loose on the turf, but a flat can flying in the.

Number 25.

Peter Gooch and Ridder, the linebacker, came shooting through there for the recovery, but flags are down.

Sure, it was a false start and that's what made it a dead ball.

Yep.

And Central got lucky there that that penalty was indeed called because if not, the first might be lining up here for a false start.

And the offense.

Yeah center forgot the snap count everybody else went and we haven't talked much about the play of the offensive line tonight, but there's running backs couldn't do it alone.

These guys really opened.

Up some big holes tonight.

WATKINS has got a central black and Crosby Coleman.

Or those guys.

Really showing up tonight from there, Smallwood, Hollinger and Adams, Ramsey Rutter.

Yes, right up the middle there.

Soccer trying to break it outside of the clock a wind down.

They'll do it for the first five minute overtime period.

But another five coming up.

But it's Marist with a 3427 lead as they score the only points of that first overtime will step aside.

Be right back with the next five right after this.

You're watching state semifinals on TV.

You're watching GHC Football on.

TV at Garbo by clicking here at the Georgia Dome.

Mary's leads it 3427 as we get set for this second, five minute overtime period here, it's been a great match up.

It's been big running games from both offenses and now it's Thomas County Central's turn to answer.

And the thing is, they've got a score here to try to tie this ballgame back up.

And they love to have a drive, a four minute, 51/2 drive, just as Mary's did.

Where is Thomas County?

Central State Championships in triple-A and 92, 93 and 94, and of course, in 96 and 97.

And of course, in that 96 year.

Joe Burns, named as triple-A Player of the Year, Coach Pilcher named his triple-A coach of the year.

They averaged 37 points, a ballgame that might have been one the more memorable state championship years.

It just really had it going on as they have throughout really the nineties and trying to continue that trend now and the quality here in 2002.

Both coaches claim that Coach Chadwick in 91 was the Women's Quill Coaching Award winner in 97, who's the NFL high school coach of the year.

Chase Dodgeball booted away and drew back deep again.

This one returnable after one puts it out to the 20.

Still it he's got room 30 and tripped up and will go down at the 33.

BOY one I didn't see who the master cover man was.

He got his arm out there.

It was Andrew Moore, I believe number 85, and that's the tackle of the year for him, 33 yards on the kickoff return.

And you know, he's just been back there one one all night long, just been kicking the end zone and Greer finally got a shot there to the turn one Walden's out there and world number two again Thomas County Central with the football trailing by seven got 452 to get it done and now flags pick it up No waving off no.

Eric has probably only got one more time to talk this thing.

You know, he's got these in the last three series we've seen them said one play in them.

Before it went.

Mitch Cochran outside trying to turn the corner.

36 stays on his feet.

What an effort.

Lets it run.

Wow.

Iacocca gets up close to first down yardage and pushed them out.

Here you see it here.

Get a hands on him and you know that that hurts.

And then another miss tackle, the two three missed tackles.

You know, you got to break it.

Thomas County Central goes down and scores and eats up about 4 minutes here.

Not really to be any non scoring drives to work penetration from but of course Tyler Scotty Central that last kickoff they had it I guess at the 20 and got few yards there but that was their non-sporting drive, if you will, of the first overtime and I last play good enough for the first down there.

Russell All the right tackle has been one of the more animated offensive linemen tonight.

He's waving his arms, really trying to get that crowd fired up.

Normally you see those skill position players doing that and others offensive line is normally the defensive side.

And really the love of the league.

When you when you get a snack wall and look at the throw half time as a man at the 42 plate down to 36 what a throws.

Oh man Andrew Carr the safety brought him down What a throw and what a catch by Conklin everybody did you see the fact that because of his ankle he couldn't step into the throw it purely with his arm very much like Michael Vick.

Watch this.

He cannot step in.

That's just with the arm, right?

Grab away from the body.

Had to pull it in there.

And any time you're over the middle like that, you kind of kind of blink if you're a receiver anticipating the big hit there.

But he did the right thing.

You got football first so first and ten ball just outside the 35.

This time rather on to keep a break the tackle 3025.

20 yard line for Eric Walton on the keeper fighting for some pain Didn't look like he had a bad ankle there but man oh, man, what a big run kid.

Just sack of muscle and guts.

William Middleton with the stop there for Mahrez.

What a big gain in a first down watch the purse here and he knows he's in space he knows he's he's tried to spread those two defenders there.

And we're going to get another burst here.

Just when you think he's done it comes with another gear.

So central on the move, Eric Walden, 17, rushes, 128 yards and a touchdown.

Another big night for the quarterback taking 15 and go down at the 13 or 14.

Andrew Carr brought him down and the clock continues for two and a half.

And boy, you got to think, Thomas, essentially, you don't want to mess around and not get the touchdown, but you want to keep that clock rolling because all of a sudden, if you tie it up, give them the ball back with some time.

All they got to do basically is punch it out to 20 or 30.

I guess it's Moses Cochrane.

He's down, he's in pain.

And that's not a good sign for Thomas County Central.

It might be.

But as you said, the.

Win that they also want to know when they need.

Hyperextended the knee and threw the ball down to him and that could have been rule of thumb.

It was lying on top of somebody and.

Borderline, borderline play there and.

Obviously in some kind of pain.

And that's a big blow for that yellow jacket offense.

As we mentioned, Thomas County Central out of the Thomas goal area there, over 230 plus miles making the trip here to the Georgia Dome.

Mary's little little closer than they had in North Cap County.

But a lot of history, these two schools having so many miles between them in the nineties.

Sure.

Two great programs, two storied Georgia high school programs.

As you said, Mary's would play football for over 90 years.

And something that that really, really makes you think about is something that you talked about in that pre game about 20 consecutive playoff seasons 21 consecutive winning season.

That's not not a lot of teams anywhere they can say no even some of the best are going to have a year or two once in a while, but not the word is.

And I don't want to make people in South Georgia crazy, but it appears that that the power has shifted to when that county shifted north.

And, you know, you talk about the park views of the Brook Woods, but you also have teams like Buford and Gassy, some of those other Gwinnett schools.

We're not sure.

238 here in the second, 40.

And it looks like.

That's why Cochran is up and he's being helped off there.

But that's a good sign.

He's putting a little bit of pressure on that right at right leg or so maybe it's not maybe it's not too bad.

And there you can look at Cochran's numbers tonight.

20 rushes, 77 yards and two touchdowns for the junior running back.

But when you hyperextended the knee, it hurts like crazy.

But, you know, the knee comes back.

Just you put it in a splint and at least it's it's together.

Nothing damage really in there.

Cochran, over 1100 yards this year.

So here we go.

Second down three and again, the straight forward lining, punching David Dawson, moving the ball across the 12, puts it down A at the ten and that's going to be close.

The first down yardage.

The marriage crowd is exhorting their defense to make a play to somebody, make a clock stops at 207 and it looks like they will bring out the chains here and have another measurement, not a close measurements denied.

We've had the chance about out about.

Four or five times in this one.

And of course, our second overtime game of the night and just going to be interest short.

Yeah got to get the ball right inside the ten there.

If they hit the nine and a half they'll have it 13 inches the Thomas County Central breaks the huddle it's.

In the yard here on third and short.

Look back, it's Garland number 20.

Five and takes over for Cochran.

Oh, me and Walton will fall on it, but a big loss there.

And now all of a sudden, 13 inches becomes fourth down and about three here.

Well, talk about a big play.

You got to score the touchdown here.

So you know they're going for it.

And I don't see what happened.

Walton might have pulled out a little bit early.

That calling time out here to talk it over.

But he might have pulled out a little bit early, just a little antsy to pick up the first down yellow jackets crowd as they've been a little bit more boisterous this second half.

And all of a sudden, the Marist crowd is really getting behind their defense here because they could smell it on fourth down and better part of a two and a half, three yards, one play.

They need to make one play.

Central still has three time outs.

So even if they don't get it, they can stop.

Mary's there, but we know they'd rather go ahead and convert here.

Coach Chadwick Well, Cochran has been this short yardage guy.

He's out of the game.

Oh, I think you probably still put it in the hands of Walton.

And again, coming up, Parkview and he's Coweta, Charles Ward and Gerald Riggs with the ball in that ballgame coming up after this one little bit later on our schedule with these two overtime games.

But hey, when you're watching good football like that, who cares?

Anyway, this fired up.

Here we go.

Fourth down.

They got to get it just inside them, then.

Slip back and give us the dynamic drives and still on.

And he's going to have a first down.

What an excellent second and third effort for David Dawson.

It's just a tremendous effort.

David Fanelli had him in the in the backfield, could not wrap them up could not get him down was the determination look the leg drive keeps them moving.

Vault over the pile card.

Finally brought him down but it's first down and goal 130 left and give it right back to Dawson but he has stood up that time and forward progress still probably going to lose a yard or so.

That was pretty good.

You read with that first stick and the clock will continue to roll down here.

And now Jonas Jones, number one will check in to the lineup.

Second and goal from the nine under a minute.

Now, Coach Ed Belcher looking on his team, trying to tie it up.

Defense and throw it out and looking to throw in the end zone.

No one open.

He's going to run it, tuck it and.

Drive it inside the five down to four.

And the clock continues to roll at 37 seconds and counting here.

That's a that's a pretty good call.

You got the option to run it if the pass is not there, then you just take it.

So timeout call with 33 seconds left in the second overtime Harris with a seven point lead third down facing the third down, thinking ahead.

If they do punch this thing in here and you get the non scoring drive, it gets the furthest non scoring drive.

You got to think they probably they got a boots ball deep on the kickoff and hold his gas.

I guess the markers of the course around the 25 I guess I thought it was.

Yes.

So you want to leave if you're Thomas County Central, you want to leave as little time as possible, obviously, for Marissa to be able to do anything on return.

But this game still could come down to penetration.

That's the that's the crazy thing.

Well off again, in both of these overtimes.

Marissa's only had one possession.

Right.

And scoring drive ball control.

It has been a story of offenses here this evening.

Of course, the winner of this ballgame will take on the winner of tomorrow's Shot Thompson contest and state championship play out next Friday the quartet Friday 730 Davis a up the middle diving towards the end zone no signal yet and it looks like Moses Crocker number 28 who snuck back into that ballgame there.

He got back in a hurry.

They didn't eat.

Wow.

So that he must not be too bad.

I thought we I thought we'd seen the last of him.

He came back in there and nearly snuck that ball in there.

You can see how close it was.

Don't like this.

That's the same place that McVey put it at the other end.

Yep.

Tell you what, these guys are back and forth and their rankings are certainly being justified tonight.

Marist came in at number four.

Thomas County Central at number three.

And I'd have to say that they're pretty evenly matched going off of what we've seen here tonight.

This game comes down to fourth and one inside, the one with 23 seconds remaining.

They're going to look at the Parkview Panthers who are waiting to get out there on that field.

I tell you what, they're anxious.

They've been waiting a while, scheduled to kick off around 9:00.

And we're already past the nine 945 mark.

I guess.

Talk about great programs there.

Get a look.

Coming up again Parkview at 13 to no taking on and five East Coweta the team that was once five and five at the end of the regular season but they have really fired it up and in that ballgame.

Coming up next right here on TV.

So fourth down and goal.

Inside the one.

Wow, 23 seconds left in the second overtime and Thomas.

County Central, the Yellowjackets trying to punch it in.

And the merest worry those trying to keep them out Eric Walton under center and he give it to Patrick punches.

It in for the touchdown.

Cochran comes back from the injury and scores what might be the biggest play of the ballgame depending on what happens here he's their go to guy short yardage he's a tough runner tough low to the ground great body lean that's in the trenches right there.

You saw that Thomas County Central get off the ball before Maris did.

And another timeout called here.

And now you've got to talk about this extra point and kickoff.

There's the scoring drive Thomas County Central Yellowjackets 12 plays 67 yards for 40 and of course, that one yard touchdown run by Moses Cochran and we'll go ahead take another look at that touchdown right there and TCC going underneath Amara's pads That's three touchdowns tonight and that's right.

There is the matter of an extra point.

That's right.

And sure.

That's a sure.

Coach Pilcher is reminding his guys of that and it looks like they might be going for two.

Here they go for the win.

They may not leave it up to penetration.

They're going for the whole megillah.

So here we go, folks.

They think they've lost on penetration.

They have to.

Eric Walton the quarterback going for two.

In a game.

Right size in Moses Cochran with three touchdowns tonight and a two point conversion and it's 3534 Thomas County Central with 20 seconds left so penetration has.

Been taken out of the book and now Mary's going to have to return this thing here.

Mary's can't take any more one point losses to Thomas, Pace said.

And of course, as John Nelson was telling us earlier on, back in 96, 97, Joe Burns, when he was around the heartbreak and loss, same kind of ballgame and central trying to continue their dominance over Mary's word to start still with 20 seconds left though they didn't pull anybody.

They said these are go to guys, this is eat this.

This is our runner.

This is a money runner.

You know, it's not like they ran a tough sweep outside here, though.

They basically ran him off tackle.

Well, this is it, guys.

This is everything.

I'll tell you our offensive line.

This is the whole deal right down here.

Down, down, after you huddle.

Congratulations going on to the sideline.

But, you know, we see this a lot and not many teams have a return in that you have to score a run and they have time for a player to depending on where this ball comes down out.

But that's about it.

Jonathan Ibaka will.

Put it away again.

MCVEY Back deep, a low wire.

Davis Take it a five foot Tillie Davis at the 20.

And taking out the 25 foot special piece tackle rice number 22 one of the first guys there and we talk about him as a starting linebacker, but he's had a couple of big kickoff tackles tonight.

And we're going to look at the junior Chili Davis.

He's also had a big ballgame, but they need a big play here and here.

You can look at the hat, the hero so far in this ballgame, Moses STOCKARD over there on the sideline here for the completion and the lateral and the hooking ladder to Charlie Davis.

That's something right now the arm defenders out there to the right McVay looking and now he's going to run it and McVay will head right for that sideline and pick up a couple.

And you're right, Bo, look like they had the numbers out there moments, right?

They did.

So 5 seconds left.

And the season hangs in the balance right now for the Warriors of Marist.

We can't throw a Hail Mary, so it's going to be a hooking ladder.

Thomas County Central has a safety 40 yards deep, 30 yards.

Now he comes up.

Some are going to be called by Sean McVay and Mary's want it, want to spell it out and wants to tell them the only thing that they do is hooking ladder.

So the only thing you have to be aware of, don't let a defender don't get a little wide receiver get behind you.

Just play it three deep.

But they should play the single deep.

They should play three deep.

So they keep everything on.

Nobody gets them back of it.

But that also sets up the hooking ladder because what happens in football does this the ball's a magnet.

All the defenders come to the ball.

That leaves the outside pitch available.

Pick it up and leave it.

Is Thompson the team we're going to see tomorrow night?

They did that very same thing against Rome in the playoffs in overtime, zero zero in that ballgame Thompson runs that hook and ladder scores off of it would eventually win.

They're going to look at the unity on five lines of Thomas County Central.

They could feel it right now.

Again, the winner moves on to the state championship next Friday night at 730, right here on TV to take on the winner of that Thompson Shaw match up.

And, of course, coming up here in a little while, it's Parkview and East Coweta, both teams waiting right around the tunnels, getting ready to come on out.

But 5 seconds left and season four, Mary's trips left.

Receiver wide, right bay looking for it across the middle.

And there it is on the left and the ball is loose and it's on the ground.

They were looking for it, but it wasn't there.

And Thomas County Central in.

Dramatic fashion gets out of here with a 3534 overtime victory and another one, a classic match up between these two schools.

Absolutely amazing.

Mary's was heartbroken.

How can this happen again?

That wondering take your hats off to the Oregon program.

They've had an excellent season, but Thomas County Central will go to 14 at Ohio and they will play for a state championship.

What a great game.

And the game coming up, Parkview, one of the nation's finest squads.

Both teams get ready to come on to the field there, but they're going to look at Thomas County, etc.. We'll go ahead.

Second time on come back to wrap things up and the quality matchup here at the Georgia Dome.

We'll be right back.

Thomas County Central with a 3534 dramatic victory over Memphis in overtime.

Let's go ahead.

Throw it on down the field with John Nelson, who's standing by with Coach Pilcher.

Have you catch your breath yet?

It's going to be hard to get back, that's for sure.

What a game, I guarantee you.

Negative, man.

You've out.

The money was right there.

First of all, let me tell you some errors by one heck of a ballclub ballgame.

And I want to just it was just like a heavyweight fight, just magic punch, four point punch.

And, you know, we got one more punch is all I can say.

You know, when our kids we just refuse to dig them.

GILLIAM When it looked really bleak, but I'm just so proud of our kids.

Our coaching staff did a great job, just a great victory for us.

All right.

Let's talk about that 15th round in this title fight.

You score your down one.

Did you know that you probably were going to get it on penetration regardless or knowing you, you're just going to go for two anyway.

I know we got to kick after them with 20 seconds to go on the penetration we got to the 20 yard line, that's a no brainer.

They get a kick return, they win by penetration on a kick return just to the 30 yard line.

We had to there was no there was no chance that we call that we call that back in the fourth quarter touchdown.

We said we're going for two because we know you don't have penetration.

Six years ago, he wins it on Venus.

Today you win it on power adventure.

Congratulations.

We'll see you next week.

Back upstairs.

All right.

And congratulations to the Thomas County Central Yellowjackets.

That's it for us.

We'll see you tomorrow night.

But up here in a few minutes, the Big Five matchup between Parkview and East Coweta, they've gone along with throwback Austin at the gym and you'll have the kick off Charles Ward and Riggs for in about 26 minutes.

This broadcast of the 22 GHC football semifinals has been provided in part by IBEW Local 613 Georgia Electric Membership Corporation's South Trust Bank.

Dodge, the Governor's Office of.

Highway Safety.

And by the Atlanta Journal Constitution.