Cedar Grove 49, Savannah Christian 28: Live score updates, Georgia 3A football state championship
ATLANTA – This Georgia Class 3A state championship showdown between Savannah Christian vs. Cedar Grove is part of the 2023 Georgia high school football championships at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Stay with SBLive Georgia for reports from this state championship game and others as we cover all eight title games in the Peach State this week.
Below is our Live Update Feed created and updated as the contest progresses. Read from the bottom up to follow the action chronologically from beginning to end.
Live Updates:
FINAL: CEDAR GROVE 49, SAVANNAH CHRISTIAN 28
4Q: CEDAR GROVE 49, SAVANNAH CHRISTIAN 28
- It's a final. Cedar Grover wins the Georgia 3A state title.
- The Saints take a knee on first down. A couple more and they will be state champs.
- TURNOVER ON DOWNS! After a timeout the Raiders decide to go, but only gain three. Cedar Grove will take over at the 14.
- Facing fourth and 11 at its own 10, Savannah Christian will punt with 2:37 left.
- The Raiders convert a first down out at their own 11, as the clock winds down to three minutes.
- TURNOVER ON DOWNS! On fourth and goal from the six, Colson is stopped at the one and the ball will turnover on downs with 4:30 left.
- It's first and goal after a couple of nice runs.
- Anthony Booker twists and spins down to the 21. First down.
- Cedar Grove back on the march. The Saints are at the Raiders' 43. The clock nears 7 minutes to go.
- TOUCHDOWN! Savannah Christian keeps battling. Smalls pushes it over from the one for the Raiders.
- Injury timeout with 10:21 left.
- Thomas throws it up for his big tight-end end Brooking and he makes an excellent leaping grab at the Cedar Grove 15.
- On third and nine, Thomas is sacked again by Kerns. That creates fourth and 14.
END 3Q: CEDAR GROVE 49, SAVANNAH CHRISTIAN 21
3Q: CEDAR GROVE 49, SAVANNAH CHRISTIAN 21
- Logan Brooking grabs a second straight first down throw from a Thomas. We are through three quarters.
- Thomas hits Bucey a slant for 11-yards and a first down.
- A short kick and return will give it to Savannah Christian at their own 41.
- TOUCHDOWN! Freshman speedster Jordan Christie grabs a pass in the flat and races 45-yards for the score. Initially he was ruled out of bounds at the one, but video replay showed he reached the pylon for the score. Only 45-seconds remain in the third quarter.
- Savannah Christian also goes three and punts with 1:11 left in the third. The kick is fair caught at the Cedar Grove 37.
- Cedar Grove goes three and out and punts it back to Savannah Christian.
- TURNOVER ON DOWNS! The Cedar Grove defense rises up and turns the ball over on downs, foiling a golden opportunity for the Raiders to get back in the contest.
- On crucial fourth and one at the Cedar Grove 39, the Raiders are forced to burn their second timeout to avoid a delay of game call. Fourth down play will be forthcoming with 4:06 left in the third.
- TURNOVER! The squib kick is not fielded cleanly and Bucey recovers for Savannah Christian at the 47.
- TOUCHDOWN! The Raiders get back on the scoreboard. Jaden Smiles runs for a 24-yard TD.
- SC calls timeout with 6:04 to play in the quarter.
- Zo Smalls provides a much needed spark for Savannah Christina, returning the kickoff 56-yards down to the Cedar Grove 21.
- TOUCHDOWN! The Saints go back to the air and complete a long throw to Devin Carter, inside the 10. On the next play Devin Carter plows into the end zone to increase the lead. 7:01 left in the third quarter.
- Showing their versatility, Colson throws deep and connects with Andrew Leslie for 46 yards. First down at the SC 39.
- Cedar Grove continues to pound it on the ground, before converting a first-down throw to Kaiden Hambrick. Unfortunately for the Saints, a ton yellow laundry was tossed onto the field and the play was negated by a holding call and then a personal foul. The ball goes all the way back to the Saints 15 for a third and 21.
- The Raiders, facing a key third and nine at their own 41, throw incomplete and will have to punt down three scores. 9:49 left in the third quarter.
- TOUCHDOWN! On a third and short from the 48, Boden Walker shows stunning speed with a 52-yard run down the right side. The kick is good and the Saints have a big lead ealy in the third quarter.
- After the second half kickoff, Cedar Grove will begin at its own 42.
HALF: CEDAR GROVE 28, SAVANNAH CHRISTIAN 14
(All photos by Cecil Copeland)
2Q: CEDAR GROVE 28, SAVANNAH CHRISTIAN 14
- Savannah Christian runs it three times and the first half clock expires.
- TOUCHDOWN! Devin Carter gets a step and makes a great "hands" catch in the end zone for the score. Kick is good. Only 59 second left in the half.
- INTERCEPTION! Thomas throws over the middle, but Tony Forney was the only one in the area. He returns it inside the Savannah Christian 17.
- There will be no return as the balls rolls down inside the 20.
- Suddenly the defenses are exerting their will. Cedar Grove goes three and out and will punt with 2:22 left in the half.
- It's a good punt and the ball goes back to Cedar Grove at its own 32.
- The Raiders cannot draw the Saints off and they take the delay of game call before punting.
- Savannah Christian will face a fourth and two from the 33 and they line up to go, before Cedar Grove calls timeout.
- Trying to draw the defense offside, Cedar Grove commits a false start. They punt it back to the Raiders with 5:11 remaining in the first half.
- After a measurement, Cedar Grove faces fourth and inches from the Savannah Christian 48.
- The big plays keep coming. Anthony Booker explodes for 28 for the Saints.
- INTERCEPTION! A toss into the end zone, intended for Bucey, is tipped and then caught by Dmarcus Clements to give the ball back to Cedar Grove.
- Zo Smalls busts off a 42-yard run and SC is in the red zone.
- On first and 15, following a penalty, Bucey gets eight back on a catch.
- We almost saw our first defensive stop, but a face mask call gives the Raiders a first down at its own 39.
- Savannah Christian is back to work, with 9:58 remaining in the half, at its own 22.
- TOUCHDOWN! Colson hits Andrew Leslie on a crossing pattern and Leslie spins out of a tackle before racing inside and lunging across the goal line.
- Cedar Grove moves quickly across midfield and down to the SC 31.
- TOUCHDOWN! Zo Smalls plows in from the one and the kick is good. It's tied.
- Second and goal from the one after a five-yard run Wall.
- Smalls charges down to the six. It's first and goal.
END 1Q: CEDAR GROVE 14, SAVANNAH CHRISTIAN 7
1Q: CEDAR GROVE 14, SAVANNAH CHRISTIAN 7
- After a short first down, the quarter expires with Savannah in the red zone.
- Smalls runs for nine more down to the 20. Second down.
- Kenry Wall reverses field twice and runs down to the 29 for a first down.
- Smalls gains nine on first down.
- Another shot kickoff is downed at the Savannah Christian 39. We have 2:37 to play in the opening quarter.
- TOUCHDOWN! Making it look easy, Walker cruises up the middle for 10-yards and a touchdown for Cedar Grove. The kick is good.
- Colson runs for another first down, at the SC 14. 3:30 left in the quarter.
- On third and one, Colson pitches wide to Walker who secures the first.
- On third and three, Colson connects with Devin Carter for a first down.
- Elliott Colson scrambles and is sacked by Davian Melton.
- Boden Walker gets three straight runs and ends up with a first down at the 46.
- After an incomplete pass, Savannah Christian punts it away and Cedar Grove will start its next drive at its own 36.
- Chase Kerns sacks Bucey for an eight-yard loss.
- Wall is stormed over after a gain of one.
- The Raiders will start at the 32 after the kickoff.
- TOUCHDOWN! Malachi Miller has a quick answer, going 64-yards on first down for a tying touchdown. Timeout with 9:31 to play in the quarter.
- TOUCHDOWN! Zo Smalls pushes into the end zone for the opening score. The kick is good and the Raiders lead with 9:53 to play in the first quarter.
- David Bucey, a South Carolina commit, runs for 26. It's first and goal at the two.
- After a few short runs and an encroachment call, SC has a first down at the Cedar Grove 29.
- Kenry Wall breaks off a big run into Cedar Grover territory.
- The Raiders will open at their own 41 after a nice return on the kickoff.
- Cedar Grove will kick to Savannah Christian.
SAVANNAH CHRISTIAN VS. CEDAR GROVE
- Cedar Grove is sporting dark blue pants and jerseys with light blue numbers trimmed in white, and blue helmets with the Saints decal.
- Savannah Christian is wearing black pants, white jerseys with red numbers and red helmets.
- We are about 20 minutes away from kickoff at Mercedes Benz Stadium.
- Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
More coverage from the GHSA football state championships:
