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Benedictine’s defense held up at the goalline in the closing seconds of the GHSA Class 4A State Championship game to seal a 14-13 win over Cedartown and claim the program’s second straight state title and fourth in the last nine seasons.

BC (13-2) winning over previously unbeaten Cedartown (14-1) at Atlanta’s Center Parc Stadium meant the Cadets closed the season with 11 straight victories. They are the first Savannah school to win back-to-back GHSA state championships in football, boys basketball or baseball since the 1946 and 1947 Savannah High boys basketball team.

It wasn’t always pretty, as the Cadets had two fumbles in the second half while being outgained by the Bulldogs 280-196 in total yardage. Cedartown, using its option-offense to control the ground game, won the time of possession battle 29:52-18:08 while sacking BC quarterback Luke Kromenhoek six times defensively.

Still, BC was tough enough to withstand the pressures of the moment — title tough.

Cedartown and Benedictine came into the game scoring 13.4- and 13.3-points, respectively in first quarters this season. Neither squad was able to replicate that output in a scoreless game through 12 minutes of action.

BC ran nine plays in the stanza, gaining just one yard of offense. The Bulldogs found moments of success in the early portions, running 17 plays for 58 yards (54 rushing). But, two costly penalties and two failed fourth down attempts doomed the drives head coach Jamie Abrams’ offense.

Benedictine’s first scoring chance came at the 9:21 mark of the second quarter when Asher Sigmon lined up for a potential 46-yard field goal. The senior missed for only the second time this season (9-11, long of 41) and the score remained knotted at 0-0 until BC put together an 11-play, 79-yard drive capped by the most unlikely of touchdowns.

Facing a third-and-four from the CT 19 with roughly 65 second remaining before the half, BC’s backup quarterback Houston Jackson took an end-around handoff before lobbing a beautiful surprise pass to a wide-open Za’Quan Bryan waiting in the endzone.

The Cadets opened the second half with a tone-setting touchdown march. Kromenhoek hit Rasean Matthews on a 29-yard pass to start the drive, but after two straight plays netting zero yards, the Cadets faced third-and-10 from the CT 33. That’s when Kromenhoek took a shotgun snap looking to pass, but instead, after eluding pressure from Cedartown’s Eli Barrow, he scrambled 21 yards for a first down.

On the next snap, Matthews rushed around the edge for a 12 yard touchdown to give the Cadets a 14-0 advantage with 10:21 remaining in the third. But Cedartown would storm back before the third quarter ended, and BC’s offense was slowing down in the worsening rain.

Cedartown had nine tackles for loss on the Cadets while BC managed just two TFL’s.

The Bulldogs were driving to answer their 14-0 deficit when their run up the middle on fourth-and-two looked to be stopped short of the first down line to gain. A measurement from the chain crew gave the Bulldogs new life in the form of a first down and on the very next play, CT quarterback Reece Tanner rushed in for his fourth touchdown of the season to bring the score to 14-7 heading to the fourth.

Tanner’s fifth rushing touchdown came on a short quarterback run just off tackle and it capped off Cedartown’s emphatic seven-play, 57-yard drive which brought the score to 14-13 ahead of the extra-point attempt. Eric Velasquez missed the PAT, and BC was getting the ball back with a one-point lead and 4:50 remaining.

The Cadets couldn’t get anything going, gaining nine yards before opting to punt it away from its own 24 on fourth-and-one. Instead of punting, however, BC tried a fake punt on a direct snap to Areyion Guyton but he was stopped short giving the Bulldogs possession with a short field ahead of them.

CT’s final drive to win the game reached the Benedictine 1 where the Bulldogs had first down with 50 seconds left. BC’s defense stuffed Cedartown on four straight running plays, sending the Cadet faithful into a rain-soaked frenzy.

In his 50th and final high school game, Bryan finished with seven catches for 66 yards and the score. He leaves BC for Minnesota (committed) with 43 total touchdowns and 5,037 all purpose yards. Kromenhoek was 8-of-18 passing for 81 yards and the Cadets rushed for 96 yards on 31 carries.

Junior Wilkes Albert and senior Keiran Glover each had sensational games at linebacker for Britt’s team. Albert tallied 20 tackles (1.5 TFL’s) and Glover 18.

BC – 00 - 07 - 07 - 00 – 14

CT – 00 - 00 - 07 - 06 – 13

HALF: BC, 7-0.

RECORDS: CT 14-1; BC 13-2.

FOLLOW Travis Jaudon on Twitter/Instagram @JaudonSports. Email him at travis Ljaudon@gmail.com.

PHOTO CREDIT: Hunter Cone 

Optim Orthopedics supports Benedictine Military School, Calvary Day School, Richmond Hill High School, Savannah Country Day, South Effingham High School, and St. Vincent's athletics. Benedictine Military School's team doctor is Dr. David Sedory. Dr. David Palmer is the team doctor for Calvary Day School, South Effingham, and Richmond Hill. Savannah Country Day and St. Vincent's team doctor is Dr. Thomas Alexander. Remember, Optim Orthopedics gets you back into the game