The 2022 Georgia high school football championships will be played this weekend at Georgia State’s Center Parc Stadium. Ten teams ranked in the High School Football America 300 national rankings, powered by NFL Play Football, will be in action.
Related: HSFA 300
The field of 16 includes two-time defending 5A champ Warner Robins. Reigning 4A champ Benedictine is back to try to go back-to-back, along with 3A champ Cedar Grove and 2A champ Fitzgerald.
In addition to the tackle football championships, there will be three girls flag football title games that will be played on Thursday.
2022 GHSA Girls Flag Football Championships
7A – Milton vs. Blessed Trinity – Thursday, 2:30 PM
5A-6A – Lithia Springs vs. Central-Carrollton – Thursday, 12:45 PM
A-4A – Harris County vs. SE Bulloch – Thursday, 11 AM
Below are previews for each 11-man championship games.
7A – Carrollton vs. Mill Creek – Saturday, 7 PM
Both nationally-ranked teams are playing for their first ever state championship. Mill Creek (13-1) is currently ranked No. 18 in the HSFA 300. Carrollton (14-0) is ranked No. 26
Surprising many, Carrollton has advanced to the title game in its first year in the 7A classification. The Trojans are being led by a freshman quarterback.
Julian Lewis has completed 258-of-386 passes for 3,587 yards with 43 touchdowns against only 10 interceptions. He’s spread the ball around to Caleb Odoms (57 catches), Bryce Hicks (55 catches) and Takare Lipscomb (43 catches).
On the ground, Hicks has 1,573 yards with 13 touchdowns.
Mill Creek has received plenty of attention for their great two-way performer Caleb Downs, who is an Alabama-recruit. Downs is considered the No. 6 overall college football recruit in the Class of 2023 by 247Sports composite rankings.
In college Downs is expected to play on the defensive side of the ball. This year, he has 70 tackles (47 solo) with five interceptions. On offense, he’s averaged 7.0 yards per carry with 17 touchdowns.
Downs’ father, Gary Downs, played running back in the NFL.
Junior running back Cam Robinson has 1,550 yards (8.3 per carry) on the ground with 18 TDs.
Senior QB Hayden Clark has thrown for 2,142 yards (161-of-269) with 24 touchdowns with only one interception.
This will be the first-ever meeting between the two
6A – Langston Hughes vs. Gainesville – Friday, 7 PM
Hughes, ranked No. 15 in America, is looking for its first state title. Last year, the Panthers (14-0) nearly stopped Buford from winning its third straight state title.
The Panthers have been an offensive juggernaut, averaging 54 points a game. They are two points shy of breaking the state record of 758 points that was established by Rome in 2017.
Hughes is loaded with Division I talent. Junior QB Prentiss “Air” Noland is the triggerman with 3,832 yards passing with 53 touchdowns. He’s four TDs away from tying the state record for touchdown passes in a season.
On the ground, the Panthers have two 1,000 yards rushers — Jekail Middlebrook and Justus Savage.
Gainesville (14-0) dropped from 7A to 6A this year and have run the table under first year head coach Josh Niblett, who won seven state titles as a head coach in Alabama.
Quarterback Baxter Wright has thrown for 3,152 yards and 38 touchdowns this year.
The Red Elephants are ranked No. 110 nationally.
5A – Warner Robins vs. Ware County – Saturday, 3:30 PM
After a 1-4 start, two-time defending state champ Warner Robins (10-4) is back in familiar territory. This is the Demons sixth straight state championship game appearance. Only two other teams have accomplished such a streak.
WR started the season ranked No. 22, but fell-out of the Top 300 after its back start. However, after its current win streak, the Demons now sit at No. 182.
Ware County (13-0) is looking for its first-ever state title. The Gators have a strong defense that’s only allowed 6.2 points per game. Right now, Ware is ranked No. 251.
4A – Benedictine vs. Cedartown – Friday, 3:30 PM
The reigning champs are just outside of the Top 300 after a 12-2 regular season. However, the Cadets only losses have been to No. 19 Miami Columbus and Ware.
According to Georgia High School Football Daily (GHSFD), Florida State-recruit Luke Kromenhoek has passed for 2,495 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Cedartown (14-0) is ranked No. 255 nationally. GHSFD points out that all-state linebacker Eli Barrow has 124 solo tackles to led a strong defensive unit.
3A – Cedar Grove vs. Sandy Creek – Saturday, Noon
Cedar Grove (11-2), ranked No. 20 in America, has won four titles in the last five years. The Saints only losses this year have been against 7A heavyweights Mill Creek and Colquitt County.
Both teams play in Region 5-3A. Cedar Grove won the regular season matchup 49-34, but the Saints trailed 12-0 before mounting a comeback.
Sandy Creek is also nationally-ranked. The Patriots are currently ranked No. 257 in America.
2A – Thomson vs. Fitzgerald – Friday, Noon
Can Fitzgerald go back-to-back? The Purple Hurricane is a perfect 14-0 and playing in their fifth state championship game in eight years.
Thomson is looking for its first title since 2002.
According to GHSFD, both programs have been consistent this century. They have the most combined victories this century (448) of any pair of finalists. Fitzgerald is 244-58-2. Thomson is 204-72-1.
A Division I – Schley County vs. Bowdon – Thursday, 5 PM
One school will end a state championship drought. Schley County has never won a state crown, while Bowdon’s (13-1) last title was 1992.
Schley County (10-2) junior QB Jay Kanazawa has5,708 career passing yards with 61 touchdowns.
Bowdon’s dual-threat quarterback Robert McNeal has run for 1,177 yards with 15 touchdowns. Through the air he tossed for 1,233 yards and 11 touchdowns.
A Division II – Prince Avenue Christian vs. Swainsboro, 8 PM
Both teams enter the game with perfect 13-0 records.
Prince Avenue is ranked No. 250 nationally thanks to strong out-of-state schedule. The Wolverines own impressive wins over Tennessee Division II-AAA champ Baylor and South Carolina SCISA AAA champ Hammond.
PAC junior QB Aaron Philo last week became the first quarterback in state history to pass for more than 4,000 yards in two seasons, according to Georgia High School Football Daily. The Athens school has three receivers with more than 1,000 receiving yards.
Swainsboro is a run-oriented team with Demello Jones (1,247) and Qin Brown (1,142) topping 1,000 yards.
The school’s last state title came in 2000.
Prince Avenue is playing in its third straight state championship, winning the 1A Private title two years ago.
