Aaron Philo had actually broken the Georgia High School Association career passing yards record one completion earlier. But the celebration of that record, of Monday’s state championship, of a career unlike any other at Prince Avenue Christian, began one completion later.
Philo’s 8-yard touchdown pass to CJ Dockery with 2:37 left in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium iced Prince Avenue’s 49-32 win over Swainsboro in the Class A Division I title game. Philo ran to the right corner of the end zone to congratulate Dockery, then sprinted toward his sideline pointing to the ring finger on his right hand to signal the Wolverines would be taking home more jewelry thanks to back-to-back championships.
When Philo got to his team’s bench he passed Georgia Tech coach Brent Key and Tech co-offensive coordinators Buster Faulkner and Chris Weinke who had to come to support their future quarterback.
“It was awesome for them to be here and see me break the record and see us win a state championship. It was special,” Philo said after the win. “The belief in me is everything. That was one of my main factors (to committing to Tech), that they believe in me. I’m excited to get there and just put my head down and work.”
Philo’s prep career came to an end Monday with Prince Avenue’s win, its 14th of this season and 31st since Philo took over as the team’s starting quarterback in 2021. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Philo threw for 13,922 yards during his career, more yards than former Georgia prep stars Trevor Lawrence, Gunner Stockton, Deshaun Watson and Jake Fromm.
A former Minnesota commit, Philo was quick to defer praise for his groundbreaking day in the city he will soon call home.
“My coaches put me in a great position every single week. My teammates make plays. It’s not an individual thing,” he said of his record. “I feel like it’s a team thing.”
About three hours before Philo’s final throws in a Prince Avenue uniform, the senior walked out of the locker room along with three other team captains. He slowly made his way into the end zone, took a knee and knelt his head on the goalpost padding to say a pregame prayer.
It didn’t take him long after that to go to work.
A turnover set the Wolverines up inside Swainsboro territory early in the first quarter and Philo took advantage by finding Dockery on a 36-yard post route making it 7-0. Philo stood and stared at the Swainsboro sideline before turning toward his own and raising both arms in triumph.
Philo showed off his ability to run later in the quarter when, on 3rd-and-2 at the Swainsboro 3, he rolled right, evaded pressure and cut back to his left to run in a short touchdown giving the Wolverines a 21-6 lead.
But the day wouldn’t be the cakewalk it was turning out to be at that point.
Philo, faced with a fourth down at the SHS 5 late in the second quarter, was picked off by Demello Jones on a quick throw to the left sideline. Jones took the ball 96 yards in the other direction for a touchdown to breathe new life into the Swainsboro sideline. Philo chased Jones at full speed down the length of the field before Jones got to the end zone.
Those two, Philo and Jones, could see each other again soon. Jones, a senior, is committed to play for Georgia.
“It happens. Stuff happens. You just gotta keep your head up and you gotta keep going,” Philo said of the pick-6. “Stuff is gonna happen in a game like this, it’s a big game. (Jones is) a great player. Things are gonna happen but you just gotta put your head down and keep going.”
Jones became a one-man wrecking crew and nearly led a remarkable comeback, scoring on runs of 4 and 2 yards after that pick-6 to get the Tigers within 28-26 with 2:39 remaining in the third quarter. Philo needed just 100 seconds to put those comeback thoughts to bed, leading a 69-yard drive in five plays that ended with him rolling right and hitting Dockery in the back of the end zone on a 9-yard scoring throw.
Philo added a 9-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter before his final touchdown pass, the 159th of his career – the third most all-time behind Stockton (177) and Lawrence (161) – that helped hand the Wolverines capture their second straight state championship.
The Prince Avenue supporters showed their appreciation of their star quarterback in the moment with a chant that sang, “Aa-ron Phi-lo!”
“It means the world to me, just how much work we’ve put in as a team and just how much work I put in. I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Philo said of ending his career on top.
Philo, who finished with 320 yards on 31-for-40 passing with three touchdowns and 84 rushing yards and two TDs on the ground, is still considered just a three-star prospect and just the 46th best quarterback nationally in the 2024 signing class, according to the 247Sports Composite. He was named to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Super 11 ahead of the 2023 season after committing to Tech in May and was the only player on that list to lead his team to a state title game this season.
Tech and his previous college choice, Minnesota, are two of Philo’s four scholarship offers from programs in Power 5 conferences. His mission to prove his worth to those schools who passed him over, and to prove Tech picked the right QB, begins soon.
“I feel like I’m definitely overlooked a lot of the times,” Philo said. “I play with a chip on my shoulder to prove I’m the best.”
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