Valwood denies John Milledge, Edmund Burke wins first title at GIAA championships
Valwood denied John Milledge Academy its fifth consecutive state championship, Edmund Burke Academy won its first title and Flint River Academy completed a perfect season at the GIAA championships Thursday and Friday at Mercer’s Five Star Stadium.
Here’s a recap of the championship games in each classification:
Class 4A
*First Presbyterian 44, Brookstone 28: First Presbyterian Day of Macon defeated Brookstone for the second time this season to capture the school’s first football championship since 1985 and third overall. First Presbyterian (9-3-1) led 13-10 after a Brookstone touchdown midway through the second quarter but closed the half with two touchdowns that ignited a 31-0 run that put the Vikings ahead 44-10 in the fourth quarter. Jakhari Williams, who is committed to Syracuse, passed for 256 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 86 yards and two touchdowns. Brookstone (8-5) of Columbus was the No. 6 seed in the 10-team playoff field but upset No. 3 St. Anne-Pacelli, the defending champion, and No. 2 seed Bulloch Academy by a combined five points to reach the final.
Class 3A
*Valwood 42, John Milledge Academy 21: Valwood of Hahira ended John Milledge Academy’s state-record 62-game winning streak that was the nation’s longest active streak and in the process won its first state title since 2017 (and seventh overall). John Milledge (12-1) of Milledgeville tied the game 21-21 late in the third quarter, but Valwood’s Tayt Snellgrove gave the Valiants (11-1) the lead for good two plays later with a 62-yard touchdown run. Valwood put the game away with fourth-quarter touchdowns from Triston White (4-yard run) and De’Mar Riley (33-yard reception). Snellgrove finished with 97 yards rushing and 134 yards passing. Valwood lost to John Milledge 49-14 in the semifinals last season.
Class 2A
*Edmund Burke Academy 16, Gatewood 10: Edmund Burke of Waynesboro set a school record for victories and won the first football state championship for a program that began in 1970. The No. 1 seed Spartans finished the season 12-1, their only loss coming against Briarwood Academy 44-22 in the regular-season finale, a loss they avenged in the playoffs. Gatewood tied the game 10-10 late in the third quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run by Ames Johnson, but Edmund Burke’s Grant Mobley scored on a 14-yard run with 9:25 remaining for the final margin. Second-seeded Gatewood of Eatonton, which also lost to Edmund Burke 20-14 on Oct. 20, finished the season 10-3.
Class A
*Flint River Academy 14, Robert Toombs Christian 7: Flint River (12-0) of Woodbury won its first state championship since 2018 and capped off the only undefeated season by a GIAA team this year. The title was the sixth in school history and the third since former Spalding and Alcovy head coach Kirk Hoffman took over in 2016. The Wildcats got the winning points on a second-half touchdown pass from Lucas Martin to Hunter Normandeau and secured the victory with two stops inside the 10-yard line in the final minutes. Robert Toombs Christian Academy of Lyons lost in the championship game for the second consecutive season and finished 7-5.