It turned out to be a close fight for John Milledge Academy (JMS) last Friday night as the Trojans visited First Presbyterian Day (FPD) in Macon. In front of a sizable crowd, JMA outlasted the Vikings 27-22 to capture its eighth victory of the 2023 season and boost to 57 the nation’s longest, current winning streak in high school football.
Perhaps the Trojans’ biggest news, though, was the quick return of junior quarterback Kolt McMichael to the gameday lineup.
“He has been rehabbing and getting stronger and stronger and had a great week of practice last week,” JMA head coach J.T. Wall said.
McMichael was back on the field after just three weeks on the injured list and enjoyed an impressive night, completing 9 of 16 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns.
McMichael’s night started strong with the Trojans’ opening drive of the game, as he threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Jalan Butts just two minutes into the game.
The Vikings quickly responded with a field goal, however, to cut the Trojans’ lead to four.
JMA then answered back with a long drive, including a 50-yard run by Jaden Dorsey, that set the Trojans up near FPD’s red zone. Shortly after the second quarter began, Javian Butts scored his first touchdown of the night with a 2-yard run that gave the Trojans a 13-3 lead after a missed extra-point attempt.
A short drive by FPD helped set JMA up for another touchdown drive after McMichael hit Bud Veal to set the Trojans up inside the Vikings’ 27-yard line. McMichael then hit Javian Butts with a 21-yard touchdown pass to give the Trojans a 20-3 lead midway through the quarter after Jacob Noles kicked the extra point through.
A couple of drives later the Vikings were able to put together their first score of the night as FPD quarterback Jakhari Williams connected with Gavin Spillers for a long 65-yard touchdown to cut JMA’s lead down to 20-9.
The third quarter became a defensive battle with neither team scoring and there was a slow start to the fourth quarter, too, before JMA broke through and scored when Javian Butts ran 14 yards for his third touchdown of the game, followed by another successful PAT by Noles to make it 27-9.
The Vikings made a run at a comeback in the final few minutes of the fourth quarter, starting with a 51-yard touchdown drive. Williams threw his second touchdown pass of the night to bring the FPD back within 12 points after a failed two-point conversion attempt.
Despite a sack from JMA’s Isiah Womble, Williams still managed to put together another touchdown drive, completed with a third touchdown pass connecting with Carter Hays for a 45-yards score. The Vikings then opted for the extra point instead of going for two and converted.
On the ensuing kickoff, FPD tried an on-side kick that ended up in the hands of the Trojans and JMA then ran out the clock to win the game.
“I was proud of the way that they competed and found a way to win,” Wall said of his team’s competitiveness after the win.
JMA will head back to Macon this Friday to take on a struggling Mount de Sales team.