The Athens Academy football team won their first playoff game in four years on Friday night, as the Spartans pulled away from Savannah Country Day 37-21 in the first round of the Georgia High School Association Class A Private playoffs.
The Spartans got going fast, scoring on a 71-yard touchdown pass when Jacob Hudson hit Payton Bowles on screen.
Bowles was a force throughout the game as Alexander fed the sophomore throughout the game.
Bowles finished with 108 yards and two rushing touchdowns on 26 carries. He was also a key receiving threat, catching three passes for 69 yards and a touchdown.
Hudson put up an efficient night, going 9-for-16 for 138 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Hudson also added a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
The Spartans’ defense forced three turnovers all by way of interception.
Rolf Reynolds picked off two passes and Alex Chronos intercepted a pass and ran 52 yards for a score late in the fourth to close out all doubt in the outcome.
Athens Academy head coach Josh Alexander picked up his first playoff win as a head coach, saying that winning in the playoffs was one of the yearlong goals after last year’s first round loss.
Alexander and the Spartans have gotten through step one of what they hope is a five step process to hoist the championship trophy in the Georgia Dome.
“It’s huge, we’ve talked about it all year to make the state playoffs and win a state championship,” Alexander said. “This is the first step. You don’t have to win all five of them, just one at a time.”
The Spartans travel to Mount Paran in the second round next Friday.
