Class A Division II: Bowdon 28, Manchester 27
Recap: A penalty on an extra-point attempt with 7:23 left kept Manchester a point behind, and Bowdon ran out the clock on a 14-play, 74-yard drive (all runs) that required three third-down conversions and ended in victory formation near Manchester’s goal line. Kyler McGrinn rushed for 221 yards and three touchdowns and would’ve scored a fourth but purposely slid down at the Manchester 1 in the final seconds so as not to give Manchester the ball back. Manchester got within 28-27 on a nine-play, 75-yard drive. On the extra point, Manchester was flagged for a chop block. Backed up to the 18, Manchester lined up for a 35-yard extra point and faked it, but the holder threw hopelessly incomplete. Bowdon set off on the clinching drive but faced three third downs, one a third-and-14 from the Bowdon 22 that McGrinn converted with a 15-yard scramble. McGrinn converted another when he drew an encroachment penalty on a third-and-4. Bowdon had started fast, taking a 14-0 lead after the first quarter. Manchester got back into the game with big plays by Jayden Terry, who caught TD passes of 28 and 55 yards in the second quarter. He set up the third touchdown with an interception returned 36 yards to the Bowdon 25. In the third quarter, breaking a 21-21 tie, McGrinn scored from the 4 at the end of a 12-play, 76-yard drive. Bowdon’s Malykie Vickers had a team-leading eight solo tackles, two for 13 yards in losses. Kentrez Lay also had two tackles for losses. Manchester’s Qua Cooper led his team in rushing (80 yards) and solo tackles (seven). Javon Favors was second in both categories (70 yards, six tackles).
History: Bowdon, despite an 0-2 start, won its second consecutive state title and fourth in history. Bowdon avenged its opening-game loss, also by one point, 21-20. McGrinn, an offseason transfer from Cleburne County, Ala., finished unofficially with 2,186 yards rushing and 33 touchdowns and 1,968 yards passing and 25 touchdowns. Manchester played valiantly in the wake of devastating news Sunday, when one of its players, sophomore Brandon Smith, was found dead after going missing for two days. Manchester came close to joining only a dozen teams all-time that have won GHSA finals after trailing by 14 points.
Game Statistics
Bowdon - 14-7-7-0 - 28
Manchester - 0-21-0-6 - 27
First quarter
B - Kyler McGrinn 1 run (Brandon Jones kick), 2:53
B - Kaiden Prothro 22 pass from McGrinn (Jones kick), 1:48
Second quarter
M - Jayden Terry 28 pass from Daryus Bryant (Jack Underwood kick), 10:27
M - Qua Cooper 9 run (Underwood kick), 6:59
M - Terry 55 pass from Bryant (Underwood kick), 4:14
B - McGrinn 1 run (Jones kick), 1:23
Third quarter
B - McGrinn 4 run (Jones kick), 5:02
Fourth quarter
M - Darius Favors 4 run (pass failed), 7:23
Rushing: Bowdon - Kyler McGrinn 31-221, Jordan Beasley 18-76, Team 3-(-15). Manchester - Qua Cooper 14-80, Darius Favors 14-70, Daryus Bryant 5-18, Keelan Whitaker 1-9, Ken’derius Hines 3-9, Kiwan Anderson 1-0, Benji Kempson 2-0.
Passing: Bowdon - Kyler McGrinn 7-9-1-60. Manchester - Javon Favors 1-1-0-6, Daryus Bryant 2-5-0-83.
Receiving: Bowdon - Jordan Beasley 4-15, Berkley Perkins 2-23, Kaiden Prothro 1-22. Manchester - Jayden Terry 2-83, Justus Terry 1-6.