Class 4A: Creekside 42, Benedictine 39

Recap: Benedictine got within 42-39 with a touchdown with 1:04 left, but Creekside recovered an onside kick and ran out the clock. It was a game with big momentum swings. Creekside blew a 21-3 lead in the second quarter and trailed 24-21 at halftime but rediscovered itself in the third quarter, outscoring Benedictine 21-0 for a 42-24 lead and was never in great danger from there. Creekside scored touchdowns on its first three second-half possessions while holding Benedictine to four straight three-and-out possessions. Gary Walker (149 yards) and Cayden Benson (133) each rushed for more 100 yards. Tavarre Terell had three solo tackles for losses, and Julius Dixon and Carter Jameson had two apiece. Benedictine’s Johnathan Black intercepted two passes. Reclassified senior LaDamion Guyton, the consensus No. 1 Georgia prospect, had two tackles for losses. 

History: Creekside won its second state title, first since 2011. Creekside extended its state record for points in a season to 845, more than 50 ahead of the next-closest (2022 Hughes with 792). Creekside (15-0) likely clinched several top-25 national rankings, as it held four entering the game. Benedictine finished 11-3 and lost in a championship game for the first time. The Cadets have won four state titles since 2012.

Game Statistics

Creekside - 7-14-21-0 - 42

Benedictine - 3-21-0-15 - 39

First quarter

C - Gary Walker 45 run (Delano Jones kick), 8:34

B - Parker Lewis 28 field goal, 2:53

Second quarter

C - Cayden Benson 49 run (Jones kick), 7:21

C - Cedric Kelly 96 run (Jones kick), 6:22

B - Eron Mallard 74 pass from Stephen Cannon (Lewis kick), 6:09

B - Stanley Smart 14 pass from Cannon (Lewis kick), 4:01

B - Bennett Conaway 1 pass from LaDamion Guyton (Lewis kick), 0:40

Third quarter

C - Benson 45 run (Jones kick), 8:42

C - Kelly 17 pass from Benson (Jones kick), 5:53

C - Kelly 20 run (Jones kick), 1:33

Fourth quarter

B - Mallard 32 pass from Cannon (Lewis kick), 11:33

B - Cannon 1 run (Bubba Frazier pass from Cannon), 1:04

Rushing: Creekside - Gary Walker 17-149, Cayden Benson 13-133; Cedric Kelly 12-61, Team 3-(-18). Benedictine - Bubba Frazier 4-38, Eron Mallard 4-26, Joshua Washington 5-17, LaDamion Guyton 2-5, Stanley Smart 4, 5, Stephen Cannon 14-(-33).

Passing: Creekside - Cayden Benson 9-17-2-161. Benedictine - Stephen Cannon 11-24-0-213, Joshua Washington - 0-1-0-0, Bubba Frazier 0-1-0-0, LaDamion Guyton 1-1-0-1.

Receiving: Creekside - Damien Henderson 6-123, Cedric Kelly 2-20, Eric Paul 1-18. Benedictine - Eron Mallard 6-140, Stanley Smart 2-42, Joshua Washington 2-20, Bubba Frazier 1-11, Bennett Conaway 1-1.