AAAAA: Gainesville 49, Ware County 13
It was a record-setting and drought-ending night for Deshaun Watson and the Gainesville Red Elephants.
The junior quarterback threw three touchdown passes and ran for two more scores as Gainesville overwhelmed Ware County 49-13 in the Class AAAAA championship game on Friday at the Georgia Dome to claim the first state title in school history. Gainesville (12-3), one of the state’s all-time winningest programs, was making its seventh appearance in the final, the most of any team that had never won a title.
And as has been the case so often in his three years as a starter, it was Watson who made it all go. He came into the game needing 17 yards to break the state record for career passing yardage, and he got them on his third attempt with a 10-yard pass to Tray Harrison. It was part of an 8-for-8 effort on the Red Elephants’ opening drive that was capped by a 17-yard pass to Caleb Hayman for a 7-0 lead less than six minutes into the game.
For the game, Watson was 27-of-36 passing for 317 yards and had 13 carries for 85 yards rushing, increasing his season totals to 1,441 yards rushing and 4,024 passing. He became the third quarterback in state history to throw for more than 4,000 yards in a season – behind Hutson Mason (4,560 for Lassiter in 2009) and Taylor Heinicke (4,218 for Collins Hill in 2010) – and the second to throw 50 TD passes in a season, trailing only Mason with 54 in 2009. He broke the record for career touchdown passes in the semifinals last week and will enter his senior season with 108 touchdowns and 9,363 yards.
A 4-yard run by Watson, a 38-yard fumble return by Fred Payne and a 5-yard pass to Rodney Lackey made it 28-0 with 2:33 to play in the first half. It was all but over at that point.
Payne also set up a third-quarter touchdown with a 69-yard interception return to the Ware County 2.
Xavier Tobler, the Region 3-AAAAA co-player of the year, scored both touchdowns for Ware County (13-2) on 2-yard runs.
Ware County had success on offense early and led in total yards 237-236 at halftime. Tobler and quarterback Jammar Johnson each rushed for more than 50 yards and Johnson was 11-of-13 passing for 105 yards in the first two quarters. But moving the ball against Gainesville wasn’t the problem. Stopping Gainesville was.
By the time Ware County scored its first points, on a 2-yard run by Tobler in the final minute of the first half, the Gators had given up 28 points. It was the most points allowed by the Gators all season and only the third time had scored more than 17 against them.
Ware County – 0-7-0-6 – 13
Gainesville – 14-14-14-7– 49
G – Caleb Hayman 17 pass from Deshaun Watson (Gage Turner kick)
G – Watson 4 run (Turner kick)
G – Fred Payne 38 fumble return (Turner kick)
G – Rodney Lackey 5 pass from Watson (Turner kick)
W – Xavier Tobler 2 run (Seth Starling kick)
G – Watson 1 run (Turner kick)
G – Michael Byrd 3 run (Turner kick)
G – Hayman 20 pass from Watson (Turner kick)
W – Tobler 2 run (kick failed)
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66 comments Add your comment
claytondawg
December 15th, 2012
11:43 am
1965 Gainesville High grad here…Well done, guys!!! We’ve had many a good teams during a lot of years. Still proud to be from Gainesville!!!
Tiger4Life
December 15th, 2012
11:59 am
Congrats to Gainesville for thier 1st State Chapionship. Players, Coaches and Fans make sure you take the time to enjoy it.
Next season has alreday begun at Tucker and we will be back in the hunt for the crown.
WE ARE TUCKER
always an elephant
December 15th, 2012
12:28 pm
Congrats to G’ville and Coach Miller on their victory!! Also congrats to Ware Co and their coaches on an outstanding season. I was impressed with their apparent spiritual commitment and their willingness to allow the final extra point attempt by their teammate when the game was out of reach!!! Would like to know the story…..
Dum-Bass
December 15th, 2012
1:12 pm
Nice to see there are others who share my views about the GPTV announcers, especially Gil Tyree. I recall one game this year when they were broadcasting Colquitt Co. I had to mute the sound and listen to the Packers announcers online. Those guys on GPTV can get on my last nerve in about 5 mins. They are just downright silly and immature. Surely they can do better than that!
uncleJunior
December 15th, 2012
1:24 pm
Congrats Gainesville!!!! I like your offense alot. Just curious . . . . .another poster stated a while back that “there has not been a state champion that has run the spread offense”. Is that a valid statement???? Does Gainesville run a spread offense???? Just curious
GTVET
December 15th, 2012
1:32 pm
@Dumb-Bass..I agree withnyou totally…Watching yesterdays first games opening remarks,the two announcers talk five minutes with NO sound.GA.HS deserves a lot better than what their getting from GPTV…..Congrats to Gainsville on your first football Championship..Your team was VERY impressive….just wondering who plays left tackle for Gainsville?.”…………GO JACKETS!!!!!!!
wolfbait67
December 15th, 2012
2:48 pm
Gainesville’s Coach said playng Buford the last three years would make them a better team and by gawd, Coach was right….Congrats to GHS Red Elephants and …, I believe we play each other again come September at City Parlk…T minus how many days……Enjoy the Championship—-it was a long time coming for a very good football program thru the years
Henderson Nichols
December 15th, 2012
2:56 pm
Can you believe that MR hasn’t offered this kid… UnDAMNbelievable!!! It’s pretty obvious that the preacher’s elevator doesn’t go all the way to the top. But, this might be the biggest indictment of all. When is the UGA faithful gonna see the light???
pioneer
December 15th, 2012
5:21 pm
Four blowouts so far. Why not add another class and become Florida – 8 “state champions.” Anybody else want to know who the best 2 or 3 teams are instead of handing out trophies to make more people feel good…and to make GHSA more money?
Gamer
December 15th, 2012
8:35 pm
G’Ville, you are the greatest. The show Watson put on is so creditable for a great program. You would have beaten all 5A Reg.6 teams to include Tucker, MLK, Stephenson, plus NSWR, TCC, East Paulding, etc. Next year I see Tucker and G’Ville in the final. My beloved NSWR will have to take a back seat for a year or two. Lost too much to go to the Championship. Great season all!
BubbaEarl
December 15th, 2012
9:37 pm
While I disagree with Coach Miller’s decision to score the last touchdown, I believe he believed it was necessary, and his intention was not to disrespect Ware Co. Coach Miller probably had Loganville on his mind when he made that call. GHS was up 42 to 21 at halftime vs. Loganville who had only won two games all year and GHS ended up losing that game. Plus it is important to remember that up until yesterday GHS had won more playoffs games without winning a State title than any other football program in Georgia High School football history. They also played in more State Championship games than any other program without a victory in Georgia High School football history. Until this year they were 0-6 in championship games and lost their last two appearances in the State Championship Game by 1 point. Bainbridge defeated GHS 7-6 with the game being decided by a great defensive play by Bainbridge when GHS QB Chris Carpenter and kick holder attempted to run the ball after he bobbled the snap on the extra point attempt. He was stopped cold on the 1 foot line and failed to make the 2 point conversion in the pouring rain in final moments of the game. Peach Co. defeated Gainesville just a few years ago by 1 point when GHS again failed to convert a two point conversation after Gainesville had scored with no time left on the game clock. Coach Miller took his stars out of game after that final touchdown. In hindsight it was not the right thing to do, but in the heat of the moment I believe Coach Miller believed another touchdown was important given the Loganville blown lead and GHS coming so close, but never being able to get over the final hump.
Who cares
December 15th, 2012
10:51 pm
If Ware County’s ‘vaulted’ defense could’ve stopped Gainesville maybe they wouldn’t have scored that final TD. Fact is, they couldn’t. The Red Elephants were the better team and the beat down could have been worse.
blu eagle
December 16th, 2012
1:05 am
Good nite everyone, Hope you and your families have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! It was fun blogging this year with Reeze, ENR, Tucker Dad, Tiger 4life, DumBass, and all the East Paulding folks! I am like Reeze, NSWR will not be able to be in the hunt next year as they will lose 30 something of their best players, they will have a down year, the last 2 years was their chance but we will see.Gville and Tucker will be the teams in the hunt again next year as they have the most coming back.
Northside Dawg
December 16th, 2012
9:53 am
Hopefully, Northside will insert more downfield throws into the offense next year.
Gamer
December 16th, 2012
12:28 pm
Blue Eagle: I think you read my statement concerning NS in the coming year BUT gave credit to Reeze. Anyway, we all love NS.
Kmilton
December 17th, 2012
2:29 pm
Congratulation Gainesville on winning that championship game u played a great game, gators was just outplayed, congrats gators on a great season u should not hang your heads, tobler played his behind off. Gators should be back next year. Georgia southern will be getting a great player, need to find out why the players from the down south players r not getting recruited like the northern schools r