Pierce County looks for its 2nd state football title on Tuesday

The Georgia High School Association canceled the remainder of the 2019-20 athletic season on Thursday due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (WJXT)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The high school football season for area teams is down to its final game.

Pierce County faces Rockmart on Tuesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the Class 2A state championship game. The Bears (13-1) have one state title to their credit under coach Ryan Herring. Can they add a second when they face Rockmart (12-2)?

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Class 2A state championship

Pierce County (13-1) vs. Rockmart (12-2)

When: Tuesday, 1 p.m.

Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta.

Road here: Rockmart d. Washington, 28-0; d. Union County, 56-14; d. Toombs County, 45-21; d. Cook, 34-24; Pierce County d. ACE, 42-7; d. Laney, 35-14; d. Fellowship Christian, 49-17; d. Fitzgerald, 35-7.

Glance: The Bears last played for a championship in 2020 and edged Oconee County 13-7 on overtime to win the crown, courtesy two DJ Bell TD runs. That’s the only title in Pierce football history. These teams have never met, according to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. Rockmart has one state title (1950) and last played for a crown in 2018. Pierce junior QB Caden McGatha has been on a postseason tear. He has rushed for 10 TDs and a staggering 608 yards in Pierce’s last two playoff games. McGatha has rushed for 24 TDs and passed for 21 this season. WR Joe Drew has 10 TD grabs, followed by WR Nigel Brown and TE Carson Sloan with five apiece.


About the Author

Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years.

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