>> JOHN MILLEDGE ACADEMY
The stage is set for the GIAA Class AAA state championship game. John Milledge Academy’s Trojans (12-0) and the Deerfield-Windsor Knights (10-2) will square off at 8 p.m. Thursday at Mercer University’s Five Star Stadium in Macon for the Georgia state title.
The Trojans are coming off a dominating 49-14 victory against Valwood last Friday in Milledgeville. On the other hand, the Knights are riding high after a thrilling 26-21 win that same night over Brookwood.
JMA, ranked No. 1 in Class AAA per MaxPreps, has won a state-record 49 straight games entering the week. The Trojans are three-time defending state champions.
On the other side of the ball, Deerfield-Windsor hasn’t been to a state championship game since 2015 under former head coach Allen Lowe.
The Knights and Trojans have played four common opponents during the 2022 season: Frederica Academy, Brookwood, Stratford Academy and Valwood.
Deerfield-Windsor faced Brookwood twice, splitting the series. The Warriors beat the Knights 39-29 in the regular season, but Deerfield-Windsor avenged that loss in the semifinals last week with a 26-21 victory. The Knights also lost to Stratford Academy 45-7; however, they defeated Valwood 34-7 and Frederica Academy, 18-14.
JMA went 4-0 against its common opponents with Deerfield-Windsor during its 2022 campaign. The Trojans knocked off Frederica Academy 63-13, Brookwood 56-19, Stratford Academy 21-7 and Valwood, 49-14. Their margin of victory against these four programs is 34 points, making them the clear favorite on Thursday.
Still, Wall doesn’t want his players to take their opponents lightly.
“Our guys have to be able to adjust and adapt to changes,” he said. “They’ll give us multiple looks on defense. Offensively, they’ve got some playmakers with some speed. They also have some big offensive linemen, so it’s going to be a good one [in Macon].”
Deerfield-Windsor is a pass-heavy team with quarterback Thomas Ray under center. The senior completed 103 of 186 passes for 1,603 yards, 12 TDs and six INTs through 10 games in the regular season. However, he unfortunately is done for the season with an injury. The Knights have since been led by freshman quarterback Lance Sceals.
While Deerfield-Windsor is missing Ray’s strong arm and mobility, the Knights have a stable full of running backs who can get the job done. Seniors Ethan Johnson, Aaron Johnson and Reid Martin are all bruisers in between the tackles. Each has more than 500 rushing yards in their 2022 campaigns, and each has reached the end zone multiple times.
A huge deep threat for Deerfield-Windsor is Boles Middleton. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound senior has hauled in team highs in receptions (48), receiving yards (749 yards) and TDs (7) this season. Fellow seniors Tillman Dew (23 catches, 291 yards, 3 TDs) and Chancellor Bacon (17 catches, 269 yards, 2 TDs) also will be strong offensive options for Sceals on Thursday.
Deerfield-Windsor’s offense is averaging 28.8 points per game. On the other hand, JMA’s defense has given up only 9.1 points per contest on average through the 2022 season.
The Trojans also have the highest-scoring offense in Class AAA, averaging 46.8 points per game. Comparatively, The Knights’ defensive unit has been giving up 19.3 points per contest this year.
JMA has plenty of on-field weapons, too.
The Trojans are led by senior quarterback Briggs Eady. He has team-highs in passing yards (1,479 yards, 15 TDs) and rushing yards (1,301 yards, 16 TDs). Also, running back Javian Butts has rushed for 1,004 yards on 17 rush attempts with 17 TDs.
Baylen Zielinksi and Bud Veal, among others, also have been productive for JMA’s offensive unit. They each play a pivotal role in the Trojans’ offense, which features many moving parts. They are among the reasons opposing defenses haven’t stopped JMA on that side of the ball.
Wall said his offense must keep its foot on the gas if another state title is to come back to Milledgeville. He added everyone on the Trojans has to expect Deerfield-Windsor’s best shot in the title game.
“It’s a team that’s going to come in and try to play South Georgia football. They’re big, physical, and [I expect them to try to] impose their will on us,” Wall said. “That’s what they’ve done the last few weeks. We know we’re in for a dog fight with them.”