Georgia High School Football: Thomas County Central wins state title No. 7

ATLANTA, Ga.- Thomas County Central entered the night in search of state championship No. 7 after what became a slightly delayed Class 5A state semifinal, which was played just last week.

On a short turnaround, the Yellow Jackets didn’t let any of that faze them against Gainesville on Wednesday night. Thomas County Central received an all-time performance from running back Christian Lawrence as they rolled past Gainesville, 62-21, for the GHSA’s Class 5A state championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Lawrence, a Wake Forest signee, rushed for 380 yards on 39 carries and scored five touchdowns, setting a Georgia state record on the night.

The Yellow Jackets’ victory capped the GHSA’s week of state championships hosted in downtown Atlanta, giving the program its seventh title with the six others won in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997 and 2023.

Thomas County Central struck first on the scoreboard as Jaylen Johnson connected on a scoring pass to wide receiver Gary Pringle in the first quarter. Johnson wasn’t done scoring in the opening quarter as the signal caller barreled his way in for an 8-yard score to put the Yellow Jackets ahead 14-0.

Gainesville finally get on the scoreboard in the second quarter when Kharim Hughley (Clemson commitment) connected with Cameron James (Furman signee) on a screen pass that the wide receiver took 37 yards to cut the deficit in half.

The Yellow Jackets would regain control going into halftime, adding one more touchdown via a Lawrence run to head into intermission ahead 21-7.

Thomas County Central would open the second half with possession and capped it off with a Lawrence touchdown run to put the Yellow Jackets ahead with a commanding 28-7 lead.

It had looked like Gainesville would respond when Legend Wilmont took the ensuing kickoff back 99 yards to the endzone, but officials convened and said an inadvertent whistle was blown, forcing a re-kick and taking points off the board for the Red Elephants.

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