Lovett Eyes First State Title Since 1970 on Saturday

Lovett has played arguably the most challenging schedule among all Georgia high school teams this season. Still one team stands in the way of the Lions making history.

Saturday afternoon at the Georgia Dome, Lovett, 13-1, will face Lamar County, 14-0, for the Class AA state championship game. Kickoff is set for 2:30 and will be broadcast statewide on GPB and streamed online at GPB.org/sports. Lovett fans are encouraged to wear white in a display of Lovett spirit.

Lovett began playing football in 1960 and has just one state championship since with the title coming in 1970. That’s the same year Lamar County began playing football and the top-ranked Trojans are seeking their first-ever state crown.

Lamar County has a coach in Franklin Stephens who knows how to guide a team to the finish having won two state titles at Tucker (’08, ’11) before taking over at Lamar County last year. Only 14 coaches in state history have ever won state championships at multiple schools.

No. 2-ranked Lovett has rather talented coach, too, in ninth-year coach Mike Muschamp, who has taken the Lions to the semifinals four times and the championship game once (2007). The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ran a nice profile of Muschamp and his team this week and it can be found here.

These two teams played last year in the state quarterfinals when the Trojans built a 27-14 halftime lead and held on for a 35-28 win at Lovett. On Saturday, the Lions will look to slow down a trio of speedy Georgia Tech commitments in strong safety/wide receiver Quay Searcy and twins Lawrence and Lance Austin.

Searcy is a dangerous return man while the Austins, who also play in the defensive backfield, have combined to score 46 touchdowns. Quarterback Lance Austin has also passed for 12 scores against one pick and threw for 141 yards against the Lions last year. Lamar County enters Saturday’s game averaging better than 42 points per contest.

Lovett will look to its standout senior running back/safety Grant Haley (1,420 yards rushing on offense, six interceptions and three forced fumbles on defense) to lead a sound football team that has also garnered strong play this year from linebacker Charlie Ingram and linemen Tei Suber and Patrick Keough among others.

Last year, the Trojans held Haley, who has rushed for 23 scores this season, to only 44 yards rushing on 14 carries. The Lions will also count on quarterback Willie Candler (1,228 yards passing and 14 scores) to help keep off balance the Lamar County defense that is allowing 11.5 points per game.

A Lovett victory Saturday would be the first state championship for a private school above the Class A level since 2003.

What’s your prediction for Saturday’s battle at the Dome?