BOGART — This was something nobody in the Georgia High School Association saw coming. Greg Vandagriff did not. Brock Vandagriff did not.
Not the way it went down Friday night in the third round of the GHSA Class A private state playoffs.
But they were delighted nonetheless. No. 1 Prince Avenue Christian (11-1) looked title worthy for four quarters as it eliminated 5-time defending champion Eagle’s Landing Christian Friday night by a stunning 38-0 margin.
The Chargers (9-4) had won 67 of their last 68 games in Class A ball dating back to the 2014 season.
“This was the most satisfying win I have ever been a part of,” Prince Avenue Christian coach Greg Vandagriff said. “Absolutely. Just what it means for our program. Aside from us winning a state championship here this has got to be arguably the biggest win in our school history in our 16 years.”
Like father. Like son.
“This is for sure the biggest win of my Prince career and football career,” Brock Vandagriff said. “Someone here he always keeps our records at Prince and he said this is the biggest game in school history, and we just got after them so everyone is just hyped up, but we know our main focus is the state championship. This is just another stop on the revenge tour I guess.
The future Georgia QB signee was a part of seven touchdowns and more than 600 yards of total offense last year in a thrilling 62-57 loss. It was a much different stat line in his senior year rematch.
Brock Vandagriff completed 17 of his 23 passes for 296 yards. He threw one touchdown pass and added a pair of short touchdown runs.
His Wolverines still won going away by 38 in their last home game of the 2020 season.
“I would have told you no way was that ever going to happen,” Greg Vandagriff said. “I didn’t think we could score 38 points on them because they were running a zone all game. They ran man-to-man on defense one play and we hit them for that 40-yard bomb.”
The 5-star QB also didn’t believe the way the script for this one unfolded.
“Coming in, we figured we had a good chance against them but the way it played out I can tell you. I mean no one [on our team] thought that. They’d be lying if they said that they thought [this] was coming. The defense got after them early. They had a bunch of turnovers that they made them cough up. It wasn’t easy, but it is good to have good field position like that and everyone was running high with emotions after stuff like that. Getting after them tonight 38-0 our defense played their butts off.”
He wasn’t kidding about his Wolverines on D.
Senior defensive end Byron “BJ” Green II was key to Prince Avenue’s shutout. Green had at least two sacks to go along with five drive-killing tackles for losses in the run game.
“He’s an animal,” Greg Vandagriff said. “But this is a bad year. Because a kid like that could sign big.”
He was referencing the pandemic affected ruling that will allow all senior players to return for the 2021 season. As a result, the programs beyond the major Power 5 level are scrambling for available scholarships to sign a full class of 25 prospects in this year’s class.
The 6-foot-2, 245-pound Brown only has mid-level offers at the FCS level to this point. He bench presses 385 pounds and power cleans another 345. He also squats 585 pounds.
His head coach said Brown has a night like that every week. He’s done it against offensive tackles going to Virginia and now FSU this season.
“This is every night, and he really is good enough to backdoor into a big school and be one of their 25 scholarships,” Vandagriff continued. “To a bigger school. Easy at Troy. Easy at UAB. Easy. But they are no scholarships right now with this year.”
Vandagriff said after the game that he votes in a state poll all year long. His No. 1 vote all season had remained with Eagles Landing Christian Academy.
“I had voted them No. 1 year long,” the Prince Avenue Christian coach said. “You have to beat the champ first. Until you beat Mike Tyson you are just kidding yourself by beating all these other guys.”