Two-time reigning state champion Bowdon made the most out of two Brooks County fumbles and scored the final 27 points of the game in a 34-14 victory over Brooks County in the Class A Division II championship game Monday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Second-ranked Bowdon (13-2) became the 14th school in GHSA history to win three consecutive state titles, the first since Buford in 2019-21. Prince Avenue Christian can join that group with a victory over Hebron Christian in the Class 3A-A final Wednesday.
“It’s extremely hard,” Bowdon coach Rich Fendley said of the three straight titles. “I’m gonna go ahead and tell you they get harder each year. That was probably the best football team we’ve played. I’m not taking anything away from anybody else, but they’re dang good.”
No. 4 Brooks County (10-5) led 14-7 late in the second quarter and appeared poised to take the seven-point lead into halftime, but a high snap on a second-down play at the Trojans’ 33 was recovered by Conner Daniel at the 13. Five plays later, Joshawia Davis scored on a 2-yard run with 24 seconds left in the half to cut the lead to one point. Although Bowdon missed the extra point, the momentum had swung in the Red Devils’ favor.
“I told the kids at halftime, it’s 14-13 and we get the football,” Fendley said. “I said, ‘They’ve played about flawless except for one bad snap and it’s 14-13. If we go play flawless in the second half, we’re going to win the football game.’”
After Bowdon went ahead 19-14 on a 43-yard pass from Charles Maxell to Kaiden Prothro midway through the third quarter, Brooks County put together a nine-play 46-yard drive to get inside the Bowdon 15. However, the chance to reclaim the lead ended with another fumble, recovered by Jackson Edwards at the Bowdon 13, all but dooming Brooks County.
“The turnovers were huge,” Fendley said. “The one before the half was big, and the one [in the third quarter] was big. And that’s just our kids giving great effort and playing hard and continuing to play hard. They were relentless, and I’m very proud of them.”
Bowdon scored on its final two possessions, on a 1-yard run by Jonah Wilson and a 66-yard run by Davis, to put the game away.
Bowdon, outgained by 76 yards in the first half, finished with a 393-342 advantage in total offense. The Red Devils’ two 1,000 yard rushers, Nate Bhony and Davis, combined for 235 yards and three touchdowns. Bhony had 128 yards on 19 carries and scored Bowdon’s first touchdown on a 47-yard run. Davis had 11 carries for 107 yards and two touchdowns. Prothro, ranked by ESPN as the No. 17 overall junior prospect nationally, had three catches for 92 yards.
Brooks County got 140 yards rushing from Chris Cole, giving him 1,979 for the season. Junior Burrus passed for 179 yards and finished the season with 2,462.
Bowdon - 7-6-6-15 - 34
Brooks County - 7-7-0-0 - 14
First quarter
BOW - Nate Bhony 47 run (Brandon Jones kick), 2:48
BC - Camauri Brinson 47 pass from Junior Burrus (Rafael Mojica kick), 1:04
Second quarter
BC - George Lamons 18 pass from Burrus (Mojica kick), 8:31
BOW - Joshawia Davis 2 run (kick failed), 0:24
Third quarter
BOW - Kaiden Prothro 43 pass from Charles Maxell (run failed), 4:45
Fourth quarter
BOW - Jonah Wilson 1 run (Wilson run), 6:32
BOW - Davis 66 run (Jones kick), 1:47
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