Gainesville earns state title berth after week marked by brawl, suspensions and delays
Gainesville High School is headed to Mercedes-Benz Stadium after defeating Rome 37-6 on Thursday night in the Class 5A semifinals.
The Red Elephants secured their spot in next Wednesday night's state championship after what players and coaches described as an emotional, hard-fought road to the finish. Thursday's game drew a packed crowd in Rome, where Gainesville fans once again traveled in heavy numbers after recent trips to Brunswick and Fairburn.
The Red Elephants overcame an early setback when top running back Nigel Newkirk injured his foot and left the game. In his place, 10th grader Dwight Lewis stepped in and delivered a standout performance. Lewis scored the first two touchdowns of the night and rushed for more than 200 yards, keeping Gainesville's momentum alive.
Cameron James added another touchdown reception to extend Gainesville's lead, which Rome was unable to overcome as the Red Elephants closed out the victory.
After the win, Gainesville's head coach Josh Niblett said he was overwhelmed by what his team had endured over the past week.
"This is awesome. I'm with these kids every day, man. God is good, God is good," Niblett said, visibly emotional.
Gainesville's playoff path has been anything but straightforward.
Last week, a judge reversed sweeping suspensions issued by the Georgia High School Association after ruling dozens of students had been unfairly sidelined. Thirty-nine Gainesville players had been suspended for this week's Class 5A quarterfinal game against Langston Hughes following a fight late in the third quarter of Gainesville's matchup with Brunswick. The school was also fined $5,000.
Now, after a chaotic postseason stretch, Gainesville moves on to one final trip next week at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where the Red Elephants will face Thomas County Central in the final game of the three-day championship slate.