T.J. Harvison rushed 28 times for 212 yards and scored a touchdown to lead Bowdon to a 39-31 win over Schley County in the Class A Div. I championship game and earn the program’s first championship since 1992.

Quarterback Robert McNeal threw for 79 yards and two touchdowns and ran 18 times for 78 yards and two touchdowns for Bowdon (14-1).

Harvison also led the defense with six tackles, tying him with JaMichael Jones for a team-leading total.

Schley County (12-3) was playing in the state championship game for the firsts time. The Wildcats were led by quarterback Jay Kanazawa, who completed 22 of 34 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns and ran eight times for 23 yards.

Schley County also got 76 yards and one touchdown from Malachi Banks. Luke Forehand (13 tackles) and Clinton Jackson (10 tackles) led the defense.

Schley County led the back-and-forth first half 21-19 at the break.

Bowdon scored on a 30-yard run by Harvison and Schley answered with a 12-play drive capped by a 7-yard pass from Kanazawa to Clinton Jackson.

Bowdon regained the lead on a 10-yard run by McNeal, but missed the extra point. Schley answered by taking the lead on a 1-yard run by Malachi Banks and Miguel Yanez’ extra point, giving the Knights a 14-13 lead.

Bowdon went up 19-14 on a 13-yard pass from McNeal to Jordan Beasley, only to have Schley go ahead again on a 15-yard pass from Kanazawa to Sam Forehand.

But Bowdon took the lead with two touchdowns in the third quarter, a 33-yard pass from McNeal to Asher Christopher and a 28-yard run by McNeal.

Schley’s Yanez kicked a 25-yard field goal to cut Bowdon’s lead to 32-24, but the Red Devils responded with a 12-play drive capped by Jordan Beasley’s 5-yard touchdown.

Schley made it interesting when Jalewis Solomon returned a kickoff 77 yards for a touchdown, but Bowdon chewed up most of the remaining clock. Schley took over with 13 seconds left and no timeouts and could not connect on a long pass.

Click here to see the official box score.