It’s been since 1967 since a team from Cobb County has won a GHSA football state championship. There have been teams that have come close to the mark, but have come up short in either the semifinals or in the championship game.
Mount Paran Christian, a team from Kennesaw, was the first team since Walton in 2011 to reach the state championship. The Eagles were facing Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy, a team that lost its first six games of the year, but won its last seven to make it to the Class A Private Championship at the Georgia Dome. Despite the Chargers’ midseason upswing, ELCA was no match for Mt. Paran as the Eagles cruised to a 49-7 victory.
Mount Paran (14-0) is known for a potent offense that has lit up the scoreboard for at least 30 points in every game this year. The Eagles matched that 30-point total in the first quarter, scoring touchdowns in all four possessions.
On the opening drive, running back Dorian Walker scored on a 42-yard run on the second play from scrimmage. The Eagles got the ball back when ELCA quarterback Donald Hammonds fumbled on the Chargers first play from scrimmage and that led to a Jake Allen 3-yard score.
ELCA turned the ball over again on the ensuing drive on a Hammond fumble on fourth down and the Eagles capitalized with a 17-yard touchdown run by Taylor Trammel. ELCA’s final offensive series of the quarter was not better as Hammonds threw an interception to Trammell at midfield. That led to a Walker 50-yard score on the next play.
The second quarter was the same story for the Eagles, outscoring the Chargers 14-7. Mount Paran got the scoring started early in the second quarter when Allen ran in an 11-yard touchdown. On the next series, Allen threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Jack Rowan to go up 42-0. The Eagles had an opportunity to make 45-0 late in the second quarter, but ELCA’s Antwaun Campbell blocked the Jake Mezei field goal, which led to a Hammonds 38-yard touchdown pass to Trevor Gear to cut the Eagle’s lead to 35.
The late second quarter touchdown would be the only scoring for ELCA and Mount Paran would tack on one more score in the third quarter when Walker rushed from 21 yards out to ice the game for the Eagles.
The Eagles’ offense has moved the ball effectively all season long and head coach Mitch Jordan knows why they have had no issues scoring points.
“We have a good scheme, but we also have talented players,” Jordan said. “When you got a kid like Dorian Walker, Emoni Williams, Taylor Trammell and probably the most talented quarterback I’ve ever coached (Jake Allen), that’s a recipe for putting points on the board,”
Walker, who is a three-star recruit according to 247 Sports, finished the day 215 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Williams had 38 rushing yards and 27 receiving yards. Trammell had 81 rushing yards and Allen was 3-for-3 with 74 yards and three total touchdowns. The Eagles tallied 441 yards and 367 of those yards came on the ground.
For ELCA (7-7) Hammonds was the leader as he had 37 rushing yards and 123 passing yards. The Chargers only posted 182 rushing yards and eight first downs.
With the win, Mount Paran not only wins the first football state title in school history, it has also brought a football title back to Cobb County, which has not been done in 47 years. Jordan realized what they have just done, and he was glad his team was able to get it done today.
“We wanted to do it for Cobb County,” Jordan said. “That was one of the motivating factors that were involved. There are so many great coaches in Cobb County. They have helped me out so much. Anytime you can do that, it’s nice to bring something home to Cobb County.”
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