Top-ranked Carrollton led just 6-0 early in the second quarter of its Class 6A quarterfinal game when star quarterback Julian Lewis left the game with an injury.
The Trojans then turned to Dylan Bishop, and the junior was up to the task.
Bishop threw two touchdown passes as Carrollton scored three times in the final 3:03 of the first half to break open what had been a close game and went on to beat Hillgrove 46-6 Friday at Grisham Stadium in Carrollton.
The victory put Carrollton (13-0) in the semifinals for the third time in five seasons. The Trojans will travel next week to second-ranked Buford, which advanced with a victory over North Gwinnett. Hillgrove, a 2-8 team last season, was playing in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2018. The Hawks finished the year 11-2.
Lewis, an AJC Super 11 pick and Colorado commit, was injured attempting a pass for which he was called for intentional grounding. He did not return, finishing the game 5-for-10 for 61 yards. Carrollton’s coaches said they had no information about his status or availability for next week’s game
Carrollton still led 6-0 when Kimauri Farmer, held to 25 yards rushing on his first 14 carries, opened the floodgates with a 66-yard touchdown run to give the Trojans a 13-0 lead with 3:03 to play in the half.
Bishop threw touchdown passes of 31 yards to Peyton Zachary and 18 yards to Kiyun Cofer on the Trojans’ next two possessions, one of which began after an interception by Shamar Arnoux, for a 26-0 halftime lead. Carrollton pulled away in the second half, and the fourth quarter was played with a running clock.
“He did a good job,” Carrollton coach Joey King said of Bishop. “We train them enough to have that next-man-up mentality. He moved us down the field, got us a two-minute touchdown right there before the half, so I’m definitely proud of him and his effort.”
Bishop was 10-or-14 for 123 yards and three touchdowns for the game, and Farmer ran for 106 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. Carrollton finished with a 301-96 advantage in total yards.
Hillgrove put up a valiant effort defensively in the early going, holding Carrollton to field goals on its first two possessions and forcing the Trojans to punt on their next one after they had a first-and-10 at the Hillgrove 13-yard line.
“Hats off to their coaching staff,” King said. “They did some stuff different up front that caused us a few problems, but we settled in and played Trojan football the rest of the game.”
The Hawks, however, were not able to get anything going against a stout Carrollton defense that had held seven of its previous 12 opponents to 14 points or less, including Dacula and Valdosta in the playoffs.
Hillgrove had just one first down, 37 yards and three turnovers in the first half and didn’t get the ball past their own 29-yard line until Daniel Okonkwo returned a kickoff to the Hawks’ 45 with about a minute to go in the half. Hillgrove threw an interception two plays later.
The Hawks also lost a quarterback during the game. Jabari Green, who had taken over the starting job midway through the regular season after original starter Donovan Mack was lost to a broken arm, left the game late in the second quarter after taking a big hit. Sophomore Ryder Bass took over and went the rest of the way.
Bass accounted for the Hawks’ only points on a 41-yard touchdown pass to Matthew Naijar with 1:19 left in the third quarter.
“We’re going to turn over every stone and continue to figure out who we are, find out who we play and give them our best shot,” King said.
Hillgrove - 0-0-6-0 - 6
Carrollton - 6-20-20-0 - 46
First quarter
C - Carlos Hernandez 37 field goal, 9:59
C - Hernandez 33 field goal, 1:20
Second quarter
C - Kimauri Farmer 66 run (Hernandez kick), 3:03
C - Peyton Zachary 31 pass from Dylan Bishop (Hernandez kick), 1:05
C - Kiyun Cofer 18 pass from Bishop (pass failed), 0:31
Third quarter
C - Kai Callen 19 interception return (Hernandez kick), 10:53
C - Farmer 14 run (Hernandez kick), 7:38
C - Ryan Mosley 16 pass from Bishop (kick failed), 3:27
H - Matthew Naijar 41 pass from Ryder Bass (kick failed), 1:19
