Southeast Bulloch, Greenbrier claim Day 1 GHSA flag championships
On Monday, the Georgia High School Association flag football and football state championships got underway with the Southeast Bulloch Yellow Jackets kicking off the day looking to become the first flag football program to win four consecutive state titles in GHSA history as they took on the Columbus Blue Devils.
A tight and scoreless game until late in the fourth quarter, the three time defending champs would find themselves trailing 6-0, however would respond to the Blue Devils score on their ensuing possession, failing to convert on the extra point, forcing the game to go into overtime.
In the extra period, the Yellow Jackets would get the first crack at scoring and would due so on the first play of the drive as, sophomore quarterback, Emma Cate Barron would be forced to scramble and would eventually find her way into the end zone to give Southeast Bulloch a 12-6 and with the extra point, making it a 13-6 lead.
On the ensuing Columbus possession, the Blue Devils would find themselves in a fourth and goal situation when quarterback, Serenity Hickman would be forced out of the pocket and though an attempt to pull her flag was successful as she stopped with her efforts to evade the pull. However, not realizing until too late her flag was still in fact on her waist, Hickman would be sacked as the Yellow Jacket defenders converged on her leading to a turnover on downs and Southeast Bulloch win.
"This was our first ever overtime game so I didn't know how we were going to react," Southeast Bulloch head coach, Marci Cochran said after Monday's win to help the Yellow Jackets become the first flag football program in GHSA history to win four consecutive titles. Even more impressive is the fact Southeast Bulloch is now 82-1 since the program started in 2021.
"I'm just so proud of them. This is probably the hardest championship game we've had. A lot of new faces on the sideline and on the field for us and this just amazing, I'm just so happy for them," Cochran said.
In the Division II matchup between defending champions, Greenbrier and North Oconee, the Wolfpack of Greenbrier looked to keep their 20 game win streak in tact and win their second straight state championship and found themselves in rhythm relatively early as they would score on their second possession after Carrington Myers punched the ball into the end zone after taking a direct snap.
With a 6-0 lead, the Wolfpack's offense would stall throughout the remained of the first half, however their defense would keep the Titans' offense at bay the entire game. In the third quarter, Greenbriar would find the end zone for the second time of the day as Kenzie Horton would throw her first touchdown of the day, connecting with Mamie Cate Pangle as the Wolfpack would take a 12-0 lead.
As the third and fourth quarters continued, the Greenbrier defense would come up with two interceptions, capitalizing off the second pick as Horton would toss her second touchdown of the day with senior, Maggie Pangle on the receiving end as the Wolfpack would take an 18-0 lead, which would be the final score.
"Really the biggest thing was incredible preparation on the front end and then a lot of confidence to come out and execute everything that we planned to do," Greenbrier head coach, Daniel Jordan, said after his team captured their second straight state title, defeating a North Oconee team he credited with causing "some problems" for the Wolfpack throughout the game.
"They changed coverages and confused us a little bit early on and offensively, their quarterback's great. We were able to get he off rhythm a little bit but if you watch the film, she can throw and everybody on their team can catch," Jordan said as he praised the Titans for their performance.
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