'Revenge time:' Thomson football headed to state championship game after special victory
The latest victory was special for this Thomson team.
The Bulldogs knocked off Appling County 20-14 on the road Friday to punch their ticket to the Georgia High School Association 2A state championship game. It served as a fitting end to a rematch of last year's 3A Elite Eight.
“When you look at the last four teams that are left, of course you can’t play yourself," Thomson coach Michael Youngblood said Tuesday. "But if you had to play one to punch your ticket to a state championship game, this is the one you want to play because they put you out last year.”
Having so much time to remember last year's meeting, the players were on the same page.
“It’s revenge time," Thomson tailback Jontavis Curry said earlier in the week.
For the second-straight week, Curry played like a man on a mission. After finding the end zone five times and earning a statewide player of the week honor in the quarterfinals, he scored three times Friday. The first was a 32-yard rushing touchdown, followed up by an 18-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. He capped off the night with a 77-yard score to give the Bulldogs the lead in the 4th.
It's the first trip to the state title game for Thomson since 2016. The Bulldogs are seeking their first state championship since 2002.
For Youngblood, it further cements the major growth his team has undergone. For the second week in a row, the Bulldogs had a win-or-go-home game go down to the wire and his team rose to the occasion. The Thomson defense stopped Appling County on 4th down with under a minute left to secure the win.
“They didn’t give up. I think in the past, we would’ve folded," Youngblood said after the win over South Atlanta. "Now we’re a little bit more mentally tough and I tell the kids all the time, ‘The ball has got to bounce your way now.’ That happened for us. I was proud of our kids and our coaches for sticking with the game plan, not deviating and finding ways to get some stops. They scored some points now, but we found ways to get some stops when we needed them the most.”
Thomson (13-1) will face Fitzgerald (14-0) Friday at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta for the state championship. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Thomson football beats Appling County, headed to state championship
