Thomas County Central defeats Gainesville 62-21 in Georgia 5A state championship
Thomas County Central turned a highly anticipated state championship game into a rout Wednesday night, overpowering Gainesville 62-21 behind a record-setting performance from Deuce Lawrence and a relentless offense that never slowed down.
Much of the focus leading into the game centered on Gainesville and the challenges the program had faced over the past three weeks, including a widely publicized brawl and legal rulings that allowed suspended players to take the field. Gainesville made it to the title game, but Thomas County Central arrived prepared and took control early.
The Yellow Jackets scored touchdowns on their first two possessions and never looked back. By the time the third quarter was midway through, Thomas County Central had built a commanding 62-21 lead with 4:23 left in the period, prompting many Gainesville fans to head for the exits after standing by their team through a difficult stretch.
Lawrence delivered a historic night, rushing for a state finals record 380 yards on 39 carries and scoring five touchdowns. Thomas County Central finished with 667 total yards of offense, including 457 rushing yards, and averaged 8.6 yards per play.
Jaylen Johnson added to the offensive surge, throwing for 165 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for two more scores. Gary Pringle caught two touchdown passes, including strikes of 27 and 40 yards, as the Yellow Jackets piled on points throughout the night.
Thomas County Central scored touchdowns on its first two drives of 72 and 68 yards, added two more before halftime, and then scored on five straight possessions spanning the second half. Lawrence capped the scoring with touchdown runs of 45, 20, and 6 yards in the fourth quarter.
Gainesville's offense struggled to keep pace. Kharim Hughley accounted for all three Red Elephants touchdowns, throwing a 38-yard scoring pass to Cameron James in the second quarter and adding touchdown runs of 9 and 59 yards. Hughley rushed for 128 yards but was intercepted three times.
Thomas County Central's defense also made its presence felt. Cam Brooks recorded two sacks, while Kobe Carnage intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble.
The victory capped a dominant season for Thomas County Central, which finished 15-0 for the third time in program history. The Yellow Jackets scored 808 points this season, the second-most in GHSA history, and became the ninth GHSA school to win seven state championships. It marked the program's second title in three seasons.
Under coach Justin Rogers, Thomas County Central is 53-3 over the past four seasons.
Gainesville finished the season 12-3, falling in the state championship game for the second time under fourth-year head coach Josh Niblett.