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Class A Public Preview: Irwin County vs. Brooks County
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Class A Public Championship
When: Thursday, 8 p.m
No. 1 Irwin County Indians
Record/Region finish: 12-2, Region 2 champion
Coach: Casey Soliday
How they got there: d. Johnson County 35-7, d. Lincoln County 51-27, d. Macon County 28-15, d. Wilcox County 45-14.
Top players: QB Casey Soliday, RB Damarkus Lundy, RB Matthew Payne, WR Eli Roberts,
Worth noting: Soliday has thrown for 1,676 yards and 26 touchdowns, with only two interceptions, and has run for 205 yards and nine TDs. Lundy has rushed for 1,562 yards and 19 touchdowns and has put up nine 100-yard games. Roberts average 20 yards per catch on 15 receptions with four TDs and is among the handful of dependable receivers. … Irwin’s only losses have against Fitzgerald, which is playing for the Class 2A championship, and Class 6A Tift County.
No. 2 Brooks County Trojans
Record/Region finish: 11-2, Region 2 runner-up
Coach: Maurice Freeman
How they got there: d. Montgomery County 49-13, d. Washington-Wilkes 61-28, d. Warren County 51-30, d. Metter 49-7. .
Top players: RB Omari Arnold, QB Jamal Sanders, WR Willie Brown, DB Saveon Cason.
Worth noting: Arnold is an elite back who has rushed for 2,224 yards and 37 touchdowns and now has more than 8,000 yards for his career. Sanders has thrown for 2,224 yards and 27 touchdowns, with only five interceptions. He has two deadly targets in Brown, has 48 catches for 1,122 yards and 11 touchdowns, and Tramaine Demps, who has 28 catches for 616 yards and 12 touchdowns. … The Trojans have lost only to Thomasville, who is playing for the Class AA championship, and Irwin County.
Series: Irwin County leads the series 6-5. Irwin County defeated Brooks County 21-13 during the regular season. The teams met for the state championship in 2020 with Irwin prevailing 27-19.