AJC
Peach proves cream of AAA crop
By
DERRICK MAHONE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/04/05 Albany — About an hour and 30 minutes before the Class AAA championship, the city of Albany held its annual Celebration of Lights parade through downtown.
This week, Fort Valley can do one better with a victory parade. With quarterback Antonio Henton directing a nearly flawless offensive attack, Peach County defeated Dougherty 35-14 Saturday to win the Class AAA title.
<!--endtext--><!--endclickprintinclude--><!--startclickprintinclude--><!--begintext--> Henton would be a good candidate for grand marshall of the parade with his spectacular effort at Hugh Mills Stadium on a late fall night.
Henton accounted for four of Peach's five touchdowns. He had two touchdown runs and passed for two in leading Peach County (12-3) to its 12th consecutive win after starting the season 0-3.
"It feels great, this team was down 0-3," Henton said. "It can't get any better than this. I was feeling great, and I wanted to go out on top."
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound senior was 8-of-18 for 223 yards passing and rushed six times for 38 yards. Henton, who has committed to Ohio State, had first-half rushing touchdowns of 4 and 3 yards, and a 77-yard scoring pass to Duranzo Brown to give Peach County a 21-14 halftime lead. "I needed to run and throw great passes, and it paid off," Henton said.
"It is appropriate this crew was the one to win it, they showed great character," Peach County coach Ron Gillespie said. "When you start 0-3, it is not easy, especially when there are always high expectations in Peach County."
Peach extended its lead to 28-14 with 11:17 remaining in the third quarter on a 55-yard reception by Chris Slaughter.
The touchdown was Slaughter's 23rd of the season, a school record.
"
I'm going to miss Antonio a lot," said Slaughter, who has committed to Auburn. "I was hoping we were going to the same school together."
The only touchdown that Henton didn't have a hand or leg in, was a 7-yard run by Brown with 9:46 remaining to close out the scoring.
Dougherty jumped to a 7-0 lead with 8:29 remaining in the first quarter on an 85-yard pass from Ronnye Nelson to Lavel Parker. Nelson finished the game with four completions for 122 yards. Xavier Cheevers scored Dougherty's only other touchdown with on a 1-yard run with 3:19 remaining.
A two-point conversion run by Nelson tied the score at 14, but that would be closes Dougherty would get.
The win avenged the 1998 loss by Peach County to Dougherty in the AAAA championship in Fort Valley. Peach County beat Dougherty 42-28 last season in the second round of the state playoffs.
"These guys really believed in themselves," Gillespie said.
CLASS AAA: PEACH COUNTY 35, DOUGHERTY 14
Peach County 7 14 7 7 — 35
Dougherty 7 7 0 0 — 14
D — Lavel Parker 85 pass from Ronnye Nelson (pass failed)
P — Antonio Henton 4 run (Juan Rodriguez kick)
P — Henton 3 run (Rodriguez kick)
D — Xavier Cheevers 1 run (Nelson run)
P — Duranzo Brown 77 pass from Henton (Rodriguez kick)
P — Chris Slaughter 55 pass from Henton (Rodriguez kick)
P — Brown 7 run (Rodriguez kick)
