Mill Creek, Hughes and Ware County, fresh off their first state championships, are No. 1 when it counts – in final rankings.
Sandy Creek is a state champion for the first time in 10 years, Thomson for the first time in 20 years and Bowdon for the first time in 30 years. Benedictine defended its title, and Prince Avenue Christian won for the second time in three seasons.
Mill Creek, a Gwinnett County school that opened in 2004, defeated Carrollton 70-35 in the Class 7A final Saturday night. Mill Creek’s 70 points and the 105 points for both teams set state records. Mill Creek won each of its final eight games by 24 points or more after its only loss, to Buford on Oct. 14.
Hughes, a south Fulton County school that opened in 2009, beat Gainesville 35-28 in Class 6A. Hughes (15-0) set state records for most points in a season (792) and became the first team in history to score at least 35 points in every game.
Ware County of South Georgia beat Warner Robins, the two-time defending Class 5A champion, 38-13. Ware County (14-0) finally broke through after making the playoffs each of the past 21 seasons and reaching three previous finals in its 65-season history.
Benedictine of Savannah beat previously unbeaten and No. 1 Cedartown 14-13 in Class 4A. The Cadets (13-2) preserved the victory with a goal-line stand, stopping four Cedartown running plays inside the 2-yard line in the final seconds in the rain. Benedictine has won four state titles in nine years.
Prince Avenue Christian, an Athens-area school, beat Swainsboro 52-34 in Class A Division I. Aaron Philo set a state record with six touchdown passes, and three Prince Avenue receivers had more than 100 yards receiving. Prince Avenue (14-0) and Hughes were the only teams to remain No. 1 wire to wire.
Sandy Creek, avenging a regular-season defeat, dethroned No. 1-ranked and defending Class 3A champion Cedar Grove 21-17. It was the Fayette County school’s first championship since 2012. The Patriots finished 13-2.
Thomson (14-1) beat defending champion Fitzgerald 32-27 in Class 2A. Jontavis Curry scored four touchdowns, three on runs of more than 50 yards. Thomson last won a title in 2002.
Bowdon, of Carroll County, beat Schley County 39-31 in Class A Division II. Bowdon’s last title had been 1992. Bowdon finished 13-1.
Class 7A
1. (3) Mill Creek (14-1)
2. (4) Carrollton (14-1)
3. (2) Colquitt County (13-1)
4. (6) Walton (10-3)
5. (1) Buford (11-1)
6. (5) North Cobb (9-3)
7. (7) Milton (10-4)
8. (10) Westlake (9-4)
9. (NR) North Gwinnett (10-3)
10. (NR) Grayson (10-3)
Out: No. 8 Valdosta, No. 9 Lambert
Class 6A
1. (1) Hughes (15-0)
2. (4) Gainesville (14-1)
3. (3) Roswell (12-2)
4. (6) Rome (12-2)
5. (2) Thomas County Central (12-1)
6. (5) Woodward Academy (11-2)
7. (7) Marist (10-3)
8. (9) Lee County (8-4)
9. (10) Houston County (10-3)
10. (8) Brunswick (10-1)
Class 5A
1. (1) Ware County (14-0)
2. (8) Warner Robins (10-5)
3. (7) Dutchtown (12-2)
4. (2) Creekside (10-3)
5. (3) Cartersville (12-2)
6. (6) Coffee (10-3)
7. (5) Cambridge (9-3)
8. (9) Calhoun (9-4)
9. (NR) Mays (8-5)
10. (NR) Kell (10-2)
Out: No. 4 Jefferson, No. 10 Loganville
Class 4A
1. (4) Benedictine (13-2)
2. (1) Cedartown (14-1)
3. (2) North Oconee (13-1)
4. (5) Troup (12-2)
5. (6) Bainbridge (8-5)
6. (7) Wayne County (10-3)
7. (3) Perry (10-2)
8. (NR) Stockbridge (10-3)
9. (8) Burke County (9-3)
10. (NR) Holy Innocents (9-4)
Out: No. 9 Whitewater, No. 10 LaGrange
Class 3A
1. (3) Sandy Creek (13-2)
2. (1) Cedar Grove (11-3)
3. (4) Carver (Atlanta) (9-4)
4. (9) Oconee County (9-5)
5. (2) Calvary Day (11-1)
6. (7) Stephens County (9-3)
7. (6) Thomasville (9-4)
8. (8) Carver (Columbus) (9-3)
9. (NR) Savannah Christian (11-2)
10. (5) Peach County (8-4)
Out: No. 10 Adairsville
Class 2A
1. (4) Thomson (14-1)
2. (1) Fitzgerald (14-1)
3. (3) Appling County (11-2)
4. (NR) Fellowship Christian (10-4)
5. (7) Rockmart (10-3)
6. (2) South Atlanta (11-1)
7. (6) Pierce County (11-2)
8. (5) Callaway (9-4)
9. (8) Eagle’s Landing Christian (7-5)
10. (NR) Putnam County (9-3)
Out: No. 9 Cook, No. 10 North Cobb Christian
Class A Division I
1. (1) Prince Avenue Christian (14-0)
2. (2) Swainsboro (13-1)
3. (4) Irwin County (11-2)
4. (3) Rabun County (12-1)
5. (8) St. Francis (10-4)
6. (9) Metter (9-4)
7. (NR) Mount Pisgah Christian (9-4)
8. (10) Bleckley County (10-3)
9. (5) Brooks County (7-3)
10. (7) Elbert County (10-2)
Out: No. 6 Darlington
Class A Division II
1. (1) Bowdon (13-1)
2. (5) Schley County (12-3)
3. (2) Johnson County (13-1)
4. (3) Early County (9-4)
5. (6) Clinch County (10-3)
6. (7) McIntosh County Academy (10-2)
7. (8) Lincoln County (10-3)
8. (10) Wilcox County (9-4)
9. (4) Charlton County (8-3)
10. (NR) Dooly County (7-6)
Out: No. 9 Manchester
