By the numbers: Bowdon's championship run is amazing by any standards

So, we’re now this/close to Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the 2025 GHSA Championships... 

After the games on Thursday in 5A -- with the Gainesville at Rome matchup on GPB half of the equation -- I had a question run through my brain... 

“Just how hard is it to repeat as a champ these days?” 

All I had to do was look at Bowdon to try and come up with some comparisons... 

Back-to-back-to-back titles in Class A Division II and chasing a fourth in a row...that’s some tall stuff to navigate. And I don’t really care what classification we’re talking about at any given time -- this is a tough thing to do over and over again for going on four seasons. I mean, think about it, freshmen are now seniors and they know nothing other than winning the last game of the year since they walked on the field for that first season... 

That’s 52-7 over the last three-plus seasons in Class-A D2.

Three region titles in four seasons outscoring all opponents in this span by a (roughly) 41-17 scoreline.

Region record, 11-1. So the Red Devils have a record OUTSIDE (capitalization intentional) region of 41-6 in this almost four years-to-date, 11-3 in games outside their Class A designation, 41-4 inside Class A competition in this time... 

They're 17-2 against ranked opponents- regardless of classification at the time of the matchup … 15 postseason wins are either at home or at Mercedes-Benz Stadium as they prep for their final against Lincoln County. 

In the postseason, Bowdon has scored more than 31 points each time out over the four years -- regardless of location -- twice. In those games, they scored 28 and won both as a part of their 19-game postseason win streak. 

You’re now putting Bowdon in the same conversation as Dexter Wood and Jess Simpson’s Buford-coached teams. As an example, Buford won three in a row from 2001-2003, seven of eight from 2007-2014, and three in a row AGAIN under Bryant Appling from 2019-2021. They’re 13-5 in title games since 2001, by the way... 

 You’re now putting Bowdon in the same conversation as Valdosta on two occasions – 1951-1953 and 1960-1962. The Wildcats won eight championships in that 12-year period that included a national title in the ‘62 season.  

How many programs have won four in a row? Let’s work forward a bit... 

How many programs have appeared in four in a row? Our friends at the Georgia High School Football Daily had that answer faster than I could piece it together... 

10 - Buford (2007-16) 

6 – Eagle’s Landing Christian (2014-19) 

6 - Warner Robins (2017-22) 

5 - Buford (2000-04) 

5 - Calhoun (2008-12) 

5 - Irwin County (2017-21) 

5 - Prince Avenue (2020-24) 

4 - Adairsville (1969-72) 

4 - Bowdon (2022-25) 

4 - Charlton County (2003-06) 

4 - Lincoln County (1984-87) 

4 - Lincolnton (1960-63) 

4 - Valdosta (1950-53) 

So, back to the original question... How many programs have actually won four in a row or more? ELCA, in that 2014-19 run, won five in a row. Buford won four from 2007-10. West Rome from 1982-1985 gives you four. And, in my cursory research, that’s it. 

That’s what Bowdon is staring in the face as Lincoln County returns to the last game of the year for the first time since 2006 where current head coach Lee Chomskis was then-head coach Larry Campbell’s offensive coordinator. We all know what Lincoln County brings to the table in terms of pedigree. 

After the dominant win in Homerville over Clinch County, my GPB Sports colleague Niki Noto Palmer and I caught up with Bowdon head coach Rich Fendley in his truck before he headed north to sleep in his own bed by, around, 5 a.m. Saturday... 

Caption

All-state receiver Kaiden Prothro (L) and coach Richard Fendley. Prothro set the state record for receiving touchdowns this season and has signed with Georgia.

Credit: Bowdon Football Facebook

The biggest question we had was wondering about how difficult it is to gain this kind of consistency over time.

“I mentioned to the Seniors to finish what they started,” Fendley told GPB. “They've been to the state championship game all four years. Now we're 3-0 going into this one and, and we're going to try to finish what they started as ninth graders and go get a fourth one. And we’ve got to have a great nine days of practice leading up to the game.  

“It is always hard because you have to do things a certain way. You’ve got a certain standard to do things the right way. But we do have kids that are bought into what we're doing. We've got a great, great coaching staff here, great coaches, great administration. So, things are set up in place successfully.  

“It's been hard, but you know, here we are and we’ve got nine days worth of work to put in to go get another one.” 

That “nine days” is now down under a week ... and the hours in study hall are either staring at you in the face or you’re really confident in the books you cracked open and the information you unearthed. 

When you look at all eight tackle football games and the expanded flag football championships (that will, by the way, have new champs), it’ll be a wall-to-wall three days at MBS on GPB. We can’t wait to bring it all to you... 

But, first and foremost, we’ll let you know half of the equation of the final title game of the week on Thursday night... 

See you in Rome .. dress warmly... 

Play it safe, everyone... I’ll be freezing with you and thawing out from Friday morning on...