Turnovers told the story as No. 17
Milton (Ga.) upset No. 8
Walton (Marietta, Ga.) 31-21 on Wednesday night in the Georgia AAAAAAA state championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Milton won its second state title since 2018 after trailing 14-7 at halftime and Walton starting the second half with the football.
Immediately, the Raiders fumbled the ball as Milton senior
Drew Cohen recovered the ball. The Walton defense, however, was able to hold Milton to a 33-yard
Alex Nover field goal.
But the Milton defense wasn't done, intercepting Walton senior quarterback and MaxPreps National Player of the Year finalist
Jeremy Hecklinski on the next two Raiders' possessions. Milton (13-2) didn't settle for a field goal after each turnover, flipping the score that led to the title.
Milton players celebrate during the trophy presentation following their 31-21 win over Walton in the Georgia AAAAAAA finals on Wednesday. (Photo: Ben Ennis)
First, Miami junior commit
Luke Nickel found senior
Marc Essley II in the end zone to take a 17-14 lead.
Then, after an interception by junior Tennessee commit
Ty Redmond that was returned 58 yards, Nickel kept the football himself and ran a sneak 1-yard into the end zone to take a 24-14 lead with 11:11 to play.
Walton (15-1) wasn't done though. With 7:28 left, Hecklinski threw a missile 43 yards that was caught by senior
Cameran Loyd for a touchdown to cut the Walton lead to 24-21.
The Walton defense immediately forced a third down and long, but Milton converted. They then converted another third down as junior
T.J. Lester ran the ball nearly 40 yards for a first down to put Milton in the red zone.
Milton couldn't quite run out the clock, however, and threw an interception on a fourth-down fake punt. Walton junior
Oliver Skeean picked off the pass at the 1-yard line with 57 seconds remaining.
With 99 yards to go, Hecklinski dropped back and fired a pass across the middle and it was intercepted by Milton senior
Jacorey Stewart. The Kansas pledge jumped the route, picked it off and ran it the final six yards to paydirt for the 31-21 lead.
Walton controlled the game in the first half as Hecklinski hit senior
Hunter Teal for a 9-yard touchdown with 8:27 left in the first quarter.
Milton answered with 8:10 left in the first half when Lester tied the game 7-7.
Walton tacked on another first half score when
MaKari Bodiford scored his 21st rushing touchdown of the season.
Milton head coach Ben Reaves improved his career record to 23-6 and has now made two deep playoff runs. Last season, Milton reached the semifinals. This season, the Eagles had to defeat top squads like Colquitt County and Grayson in the last two rounds.
Milton junior running back T.J. Lester celebrates after scoring his eighth touchdown of the year in the Eagles 31-21 win over No. 8 Walton in the Georgia AAAAAAA state championship. (Photo: Ben Ennis)
Milton offensive lineman Garrett Heinecke gets pumped as the Eagles upset Walton 31-21 in the Georgia AAAAAAA finals on Wednesday. (Photo: Ben Ennis)
