GHSA Private Football Bracket
DACULA, Ga. - The No. 6 seed Hebron took down No. 11 seed Lovett 28-14 on Friday evening to advance to the GHSA Private State Finals for the second time in program history, the first time being in 2019. The Lions host Aquinas on Friday, Nov. 29th at Burlingame Field. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
Aquinas (8-4) defeated Athens Academy 31-20 on Friday night to advance to the quarterfinals.
"Lovett is a really good football team, we knew they were going to play hard," said head football coach
Jonathan Gess. "They had their 500th win last year, obviously Mischamp is a great coach. He does a great job for their program. Lovett fought tooth and nail and we won 28-14, so I'll take it."
Hebron came out strong offensively and got on the board first with a 61-yard rushing score from
Devon Caldwell in the fourth play of the first drive. The Lion defense held on Lovett's first possession and forcing a punt. HCA got the ball back and
Thomas Stallworth connected with
Noah Hill for a 77-yard touchdown pass. At the end of the first quarter, the Lions had the 14-0 lead.
In the second quarter, Stallworth rushed for the end zone to put the Lions up 21-0 heading into the break. In the first half, the Lion defense held Lovett to 167 yards with 125 passing and 42 rushing.
At the end of the first half, Hebron totaled 254 yards of offense with 162 rushing and 92 passing. Both squads saw great possessions, but remained scoreless in the third quarter. Lovett quarterback Khalil Townes rushed for six to cut the Lion lead with ten minutes left in regulation. The Lions answered with a touchdown pass from Stallworth to
KJ Thomas to increase the Lion lead to 28-7.
Lovett scored with 2:49 left in regulation to cut lead to 28-14. HCA remained scoreless in its last possession of the game, giving the ball back to Lovett. With 52 seconds left in regulation, Townes threw an interception to
Tyson Craig to seal the victory for Hebron.
