There’s been no secret to Savannah Christian’s success this season, and it’s taken the Raiders all the way to the GHSA Class 3A state championship game.
Semifinals host Carver was only the latest team to try to stop them, unsuccessfully, on Friday night in Columbus.
The Raiders, as opponents saw all season, are going to hand the ball to Zo Smalls. He ran 15 times in the first half, 16 more in the second half.
The junior power back rushed for 214 yards and three touchdowns, including a 62-yarder that was by far his longest run of the night as most were in single digits.
While there were splashy plays – actually two interception returns for touchdowns by the defense – Smalls and the Raiders grinded to a 51-26 victory over the Tigers for their ninth straight victory.
Savannah Christian will face Cedar Grove at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 13, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The Raiders probably were hoping for a rematch with crosstown rival Calvary Day, the last team to beat them on Sept. 22 (42-21 at Pooler Stadium). The top-ranked Cavaliers went unbeaten all season until the semifinals, falling Friday night to host Cedar Grove 49-42.
Now the Raiders (12-2) are the last Coastal Empire team standing in the GHSA state playoffs.
It took all kinds of fortitude to emerge from a four-overtime victory over Peach County, 48-46, in the first round on Nov. 10. Then Savannah Christian went on the road and cruised past Morgan County 33-10 and Lumpkin County 42-21.
Carver (now 10-4) had home-field advantage but had to know the Raiders were road warriors who trust that a talented roster and veteran coaching staff will put them in position to win anywhere.
That’s exactly how it started Friday night, as SCPS took the opening kickoff and drove from its 31 to the Carver 12, where Ethan Byrd kicked a 28-yard field goal.
The Tigers went three-and-out, avoiding disaster when the punter ran down the snap over his head and got off the kick.
The Raiders had a short field, taking over at their 43 and driving all the way to the end zone, this time on Smalls’ 15-yard run.
The pattern continued, with another three-and-out for the Tigers, and the Raiders driving 69 yards this time for another Smalls score on a goal-line plunge.
The advantage was 24-0 when Kenry Wall scooted 8 yards and Byrd kicked the extra point with 7:36 left in the second quarter.
Carver had won very close, low-scoring playoff games the previous two weeks, and needed to respond soon to avoid a blowout.
After stopping SCPS on downs, Carver took over at its 47. On the first play, quarterback Jacobie Hunter lofted a bomb to a wide-open Braylon Jakes, who cut inside past the defensive back for a clear path to the end zone.
The Tigers don’t have a dependable kicking game, but their two-point conversion run was erased by a penalty and eventually they failed to convert.
The Raiders added to their misery in the final minute of the first half. Hunter threw incomplete on a first-down pass at his 26 under pressure from Raiders junior Elijah Griffin, who appeared to be held on the play.
On the next play, Hunter tried to throw over Griffin, who snagged the pass and ran unopposed to the end zone. The pick-6 is only the latest highlight among many for Griffin, ranked as the top recruit in the country, regardless of position, in the Class of 2025.
Carver blocked the extra point, then had more work to do down 30-6 at halftime. The Tigers bent but didn’t break on the Raiders’ first drive of the third quarter, as quarterback Blaise Thomas faced fourth-and-9 at the Carver 32 and threw to a receiver in the end zone. The pass was intercepted but served as good or better than a punt.
Hunter then led the Tigers to an 80-yard scoring drive, culminating in a 16-yard TD pass to Jakobe Caslin. The conversion pass was incomplete, leaving the deficit at 30-12 with 4:36 left in the third quarter.
Carver’s Jeremiah Branscomb intercepted Thomas on the next series, but Hunter was picked off on the next play by Jamari McIvory on an aggressive bomb to the end zone in coverage.
Savannah Christian had a third consecutive turnover on the next series as Thomas fumbled, and Carver scored on a TD run on the next play for a 30-18 deficit with 11:12 left in the fourth quarter.
If it was nervous time for the SCPS faithful, Smalls wasn’t sweating, as it were. Unless one counts the energy expended when he broke through tackles in the box, then burst to daylight for a 62-yard run that showed his power and speed to escape.
Wall, who has made big plays on both sides of the line all season, picked off Hunter and sprinted 73 yards for a defensive score for SCPS.
The Raiders’ Thomas, who guided the offense with well-coordinated sleight-of-handoffs and smart passes throughout the game, connected with tight end Logan Brooking on a pretty lob to the end zone for the team’s final score and a 51-18 advantage with 5:10 remaining in regulation.
The Tigers’ kickoff return team was exceptional late in the game, and set up the offense at the SCPS 20 for a score to account for the final difference.
Thomas finished 14 of 20 for 163 yards, while Hunter was 7 of 18 for 109 yards, including the three interceptions.
SAVANNAH CHRISTIAN 51, CARVER-COLUMBUS 26
SCPS | 17 | 13 | 0 | 21 | -- 51
CC | 0 | 6 | 6 | 14 | -- 26
First quarter
SCPS – Ethan Byrd 28 FG
SCPS – Zo Smalls 15 run (Byrd kick)
SCPS – Smalls 1 run (Byrd kick)
Second quarter
SCPS – Kenry Wall 8 run (Byrd kick)
CC – Braylon Jakes 53 pass from Jacobie Hunter (pass failed)
SCPS – Elijah Griffin interception return (kick blocked)
Third quarter
CC – Jakobe Caslin 16 pass from Jakobie Hunter (pass failed)
Fourth quarter
CC – Zion Mabry 4 run (pass failed)
SCPS – Smalls 62 run (Byrd kick)
SCPS – Wall 73 interception return (Byrd kick)
SCPS – Logan Brooking 13 pass from Blaise Thomas (Byrd kick)
CC – Mabry 4 run (Caslin pass from Hunter)
GHSA State Playoff Semi-final Final Scores
WEEK 16 PLAYOFFS
DEC. 02 (Friday)
GHSA CLASS 4A
Stockbridge 45, Benedictine 31
GHSA CLASS 3A:
Cedar Grove 49, Calvary Day 42
Savannah Christian 56, Carver-Columbus 21
GHSA CLASS 1A-DI:
Prince Ave Christian 49, Bryan County 14
Photo Credit: Savananh Christian Social Media pages
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Optim Orthopedics supports Prep Sports and the following schools: Benedictine Military School, Bradwell Institute, Calvary Day School, Liberty County High School, Richmond Hill High School, Savannah Country Day, South Effingham High School, and St. Vincent's athletics. Benedictine Military School, Bradwell Institue, and Liberty County'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.
