Thomas O’Leary of St. Pius made a 47-yard field goal and Buford’s Matthew Bonadies kicked a 43-yarder in this year’s Class AAA championship game. They are two of the 11 longest field goals in finals history. Taylor Lamb’s 75-yard touchdown pass to Tydus Curtis in Calhoun’s loss to Jefferson was the eighth-longest touchdown pass in a championship game. Here are the longest scoring plays in state finals history.
TD runs
99 – Sean Dawkins (Parkview) 2000
94 – Ronnie Smith (Peachtree Ridge) 2008
92 – Harry Bunch (Adairsville) 1970
91 – Greg Reid (Lowndes) 2007
89 – Ray Doran (Morrow) 1987
88 – Monte Williams (Commerce) 2000
86 – Jerome Johnson (Central Macon) 1972
86 – John O’Neal (Valdosta) 1953
86 – Hollis Register (Ocilla) 1953
85 – Corky Ormond (Savannah Country Day) 1970
85 – Ray Johnson (Americus) 1975
84 – Wesley Melvin (Fort Valley) 1952
83 – Charles Maloney (Cook) 1949
82 – William Kent (West Rome) 1985
80 – Joe McCluskey (West Rome) 1985
80 – James Brantley (Vidalia) 1955
TD passes
97 – Robert Johnson to Leonard Davis (Americus) 2000
89 – Eric Thomas to Steve Player (Lowndes) 1980
89 – Harrison Curry to Will Austin (Savannah Christian) 2010
85 – Christian Milstead to DeAngelo Smith (Camden County) 2008
83 – Dustin Taliaferro to Garrett Embry (Roswell) 2006
82 – Doug Elstad to Ed Helms (Avondale) 1971
77 – Wesley Hardin to Felton Cook (Palmetto) 1983
75 – Taylor Lamb to Tydus Curtis (Calhoun) 2012
75 – Mike Johnson to Reggie Brown (Carrollton) 1998
75 – Dwight Dasher to D.J. Donley (Charlton County) 2005
75 – Justin Elder to Arties White (Mary Persons) 1993
75 – Keith Taylor to Morris Jackson (Waycross) 1977
72 – Skip Ramsey to Phil Connell (North Springs) 1974
72 – Ronnie Bell to Jarrett Davis (Sandy Creek) 2009
72 – Connor Shaw to Chris Lipscomb (Flowery Branch) 2008
71 – Lorenzo Dennard to Alfonzo Dennard (Wilcox County) 2007
70 – Jimmy Echols to Jack Leard (Washington-Wilkes) 1966
Field goals
50 – Greg Johnson (Parkview) 2001
50 – Justin Moore (Marist) 2008
50 – Ammon Lakip (Chattahoochee) 2010
48 – Reid Harden (Marist) 1987
47 – Thomas O’Leary (St. Pius) 2012
46 – Adam Griffith (Calhoun) 2011
45 – Adam Griffith (Calhoun) 2010
44 – Matt Herring (Valdosta) 1996
44 – Billy Thompson (Flowery Branch) 2008
43 – Colin Gallagher (Marist) 2006
43 – Matthew Bonadies (Buford) 2012
42 – Drew Butler (Peachtree Ridge) 2006
42 – Devon Pike (Northside Warner Robins) 2009
41 – John Kasay (Clarke Central) 1985
41 – Matt Ehasz (Camden County) 2009
40 – Ricky Chaney (Waycross) 1977
40 – Scott Walton (Marist) 1984
Kick returns
99 – Chris Covington (Brookwood) 2002
98 – Donald Person (Carver) 1967
98 – Andrew Williams (Thomson) 1985
96 – Ean Days (Camden County) 2009
90 – Gaines Wilson (R.E. Lee) 1961
88 – Profail Grier (Palmetto) 1988
88 – Andre Sims (Brookwood) 2010
87 – Jimmy Burson (LaGrange) 1958
86 – Rodney Harris (Duluth) 1980
85 – Anthony Johnson (Screven County) 1994
75 – Franklin Banks (Lincolnton) 1960
Punt returns
81 – Larry Perryman (Cedar Grove) 1991
75 – John Copeland (Valdosta) 1966
75 – Giles Smith (Valdosta) 1962
68 – Joe Williams (Early County) 1998
67 – Quincy Brown (Lincoln County) 1987
62 – Steve Murphy (Camden County) 2009
61 – Eddie Woody (Marietta) 1967
60 – Harry Clifton (Blakely-Union) 1956
Fumble returns
92 – Thomas Jenkins (Johnson County) 1979
81 – Justin Williams (Charlton County) 2004
74 – Ronald Burse (Duluth) 1974
74 – James Bailey (Villa Rica) 1986
71 – Jack Richardson (Wayne County) 1959
70 – Ronnie Thompson (Fitzgerald) 1964
Interception returns
79 – Garrison Hearst (Lincoln County) 1989
73 – Dan Coxwell (Thomson) 1967
73 – David Williams (Worth County) 1990
72 – Maxwell Taylor (Valdosta) 1953
70 – Tavaris Williams (Lowndes) 2007
65 – Sammy Powell (Quitman) 1950
65 – George Harrison (Rockmart) 1950
65 – Johnny Gresham (Washington-Wilkes) 1960
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4 comments Add your comment
aaron ashmore
December 20th, 2012
9:19 am
As always, great article. I love reading different tibits of info on Ga Football.
Stinger63
December 20th, 2012
1:39 pm
I agree aaron, nice to see this type of information. Look at all the familiar names on that list!
BullDawg Rick
December 20th, 2012
11:56 pm
I remember Doug Elstad’s throw.. Was vs THe Wildcats of Valdosta & at that time the state record..
BTW. Valdosta beat us 62-12
Camden 79
December 21st, 2012
6:21 am
Yes awesome article, my wife and I witnessed the 85 yd. T.D. from Christian Milstead to DeAngelo Smith against peachtree ridge, it was our second state championship and Camden would repeat the following season against northside warner-robins…