HS football playoffs: First Presbyterian Day wins state crown, Perry advances to title game
For the first time in 38 seasons, the First Presbyterian Day Vikings could celebrate, and they got to start the celebration early after they dominated the Brookstone Cougars, 44-24, to win their first state championship since 1985 Friday night at Five Star Stadium in Macon.
“It’s been a great season, a tough season, and they battled through it,” said FPD head coach Brett Collier after the game. “I’m just so proud of them, and so happy to get the win.”
Officials left the clock running in the fourth quarter after the Vikings rumbled to 31 unanswered points starting in the second quarter. Collier, formerly the team’s defensive coordinator, secured the title in his first season at the helm.
“I know there’s a lot of alumni who have really been waiting on this for a long time,” Collier said. “I got a lot of texts from a lot of longtime alumni wishing me luck, and I really appreciate that. This is big for the FPD community.”
Quarterback Jakhari Williams and tight end Gavin Spillers, both seniors, electrified the FPD offense throughout the game, with Spillers also making an impact on defense with some sacks.
“We had great players in our senior class, I don’t wanna take too much credit for that,” Collier said. “They played their hearts out. I’m so happy for them, they really worked for it.”
The title win completes a 9-3-1 season for the Vikings and Collier, who was previously the team’s defensive coordinator. Williams, a Syracuse commit and three-star prospect, acted as a big team leader all season and worked through inconsistent play to earn a No. 1 playoff seed.
FPD’s standout win denied a title to Brookwood, who were searching for their first-ever championship.
A dominant championship performance
The first quarter was a tough one for both teams on offense, with Brookstone mustering the only points with a field goal to make it 3-0 heading into the second.
The Vikings struck just two plays into the second quarter with a rushing touchdown for Williams, then held the Cougars to a three-and-out before a huge pass to Spillers gave them a second touchdown in roughly two minutes.
With a 13-3 lead, it looked like FPD might take a commanding lead if Brookstone struggled to move the ball, but the Cougars pounded the ball on the ground to slowly move downfield before a two-yard touchdown by Cannon got them back in the game with about four minutes left in the half.
The Vikings were undeterred, with Williams connecting on a 70-yard throw to Spillers for another touchdown just a few plays into the next drive, bringing FPD’s lead right back to 10 points.
Down 20-10 with about three minutes left before the break, Brookstone failed to mount a drive and gave the Vikings the ball with about 1:30 remaining. FPD barely needed half that time to strike from long distance again — a few solid passes set the table for a 38-yard screen to the end zone.
The Cougars broke off a big run before the half, but it wasn’t enough to score. The Vikings took a 27-10 lead to the break.
Brookstone tried to get back in the game to start the third quarter and got some momentum despite its first drive stalling when a defensive lineman picked off a Williams pass on the next drive.
The Cougars threw a pick of their own on the very next play, though, and the Vikings didn’t waste the opportunity. Carter Hayes scored a 20-yard touchdown to break the game open, 34-10.
After another Brookstone drive sputtered, FPD really pulled away when Williams showed his two-way talent for the second time and broke off a 50-yard touchdown run. The score was an electric exclamation point on a 10-minute stretch where the Vikings dominated to seal the win.
Other Scores
- Perry 28, Starr’s Mill 24
- Bowdon 35, Schley County 31
- Swainsboro 24, Brooks County 17
- Manchester 35, Telfair County 13
- Edmund Burke 16, Gatewood 10
- Valwood 42, John Milledge 21 (Thurs.)
This story was originally published December 1, 2023 at 11:04 PM.