Brookwood 31, Mill Creek 21

The first-ever meeting between these two Gwinnett County schools was evenly matched, with four lead changes in the second half before the Broncos put the game away late in the fourth quarter.

Brookwood’s Josh Brown rushed for 224 yards, while Jamaal Cole ran for 86 yards and scored all three of the team’s second-half touchdowns.

Jacorey Lewis of Mill Creek, coming off two straight 200-yard games dating back to the 2011 finale, gained 171 on the ground and scored midway through the third quarter but did not carry the ball after that.

The Broncos took the opening kickoff and marched straight down the field, with Brandon Morrow nailing a 40-yard field goal. The Hawks’ first drive stalled at midfield, and Ky Priester returned the ensuing punt 80 yards for a score to make it 10-0.

After Brookwood’s Mitch Hotop launched a 70-yard punt, Mill Creek drove 97 yards before losing a fumble at the Broncos’ 2. But the Hawks’ defense held, and Daniel David lofted a 52-yard scoring strike to Michael Cheeks with 5:10 to go in the second quarter. Mill Creek drove inside the 5 once more before the half but missed a field goal.

Lewis’ touchdown from a yard out gave the Hawks their first lead of the game. But Brookwood answered immediately, needing only five plays to travel 80 yards in less than two minutes, capped by Cole’s 10-yard score.

DeVozea Felton’s 25-yard run gave Mill Creek its final lead late in the third quarter, and the Broncos drove 83 yards to take the lead for good on a 6-yard run by Cole. The Hawks got as far as the Brookwood 30, but a fourth-down pass fell incomplete and the Broncos were able to run out the clock, using nine straight rushing plays until Cole scored again with 44 seconds left.