Overtime needed to decide All-Star Gridiron Classic winner

The 14th edition of the Stump on Sports Tennessee-Georgia AllStar Gridiron Classic had plenty of firsts on Saturday night.

The 2017 version of the annual game, played at Chattanooga Christian for the second straight June, was the first to feature recent high school graduates from both states playing together on the same teams.

The rosters were finalized after a draft conducted earlier this past week by the game’s coaches. The change was necessary after Georgia did not have enough players committed to make up a large enough roster of its own.

That also led to the first time in Classic history where one defensive player’s quarterback sack came against his former high school teammate. That honor went to former Heritage defensive lineman Tanner Nance, who got credited for a sack against exGenerals signal caller Corbee Wilson (although Nance did take it easy on his former running mate).

But the final “first” was overtime as the Classic needed a few extra plays to finally decide a winner.

The first pass in the extra session by quarterback Colin Thurman (Ooltewah) was good for a 15-yard touchdown to Alex King (Walker Valley), which also turned out to be winning score as the “Fighting Fitzgeralds” - led by Meigs County head coach Jason Fitzgerald - claimed a 21-14 victory over

Notre Dame head coach Charles Fant’s aptlynamed “Fant-astics”.

Alex Ahlyege (Heritage) had to wait nearly 25 minutes to boot the extra point following the overtime score as the stadium lights - working on a timer - went dark at exactly 10 p.m., just as Ahlyege was lining up for the kick.

Once the lights finally came back on and Ahlyege made the kick, the game lasted just two more plays. Quarterback Bryce Verble (Baylor) threw an incomplete pass on first down from the 15-yard line before Michael Laymon (Ringgold) stepped in front of Verble’s second attempt in overtime for the game-clinching interception.

Passing was the name of the game on Saturday as the two squads combined for 511 yards in the air and just 29 yards on the ground.

Wilson and Verble each completed 12 passes for the Fant-

astics. Wilson, who will play next year at Berry College, set an All-Star game record with 211 yards on 12of-17 passing, while Verble was 12-of-18 for 72 yards. Wilson threw two TD passes, while both quarterbacks were picked off one time each.

Meanwhile, Thurman - the only signal caller listed on Fitzgeralds’ roster - went 23-of-43 for 192 yards with two scores and one pick.

Skyler Davis (Cleveland) took home game MVP honors with seven catches for 50 yards, a seven-yard TD grab and a key fourthquarter interception, while the two Player of the Gsme awards went to Wilson and receiver Emmanuel Williams (Baylor), who had 10 catches for 123 yards, both All-Star records.

Drew Cobb (Gordon Lee) had a four-yard TD run, caught three passes for 33 yards and delivered a 36-yard halfback pass to Zach Eslinger (Walker Valley) to help set up a score.

Grayson Moore (Ridgeland) had an 85yard interception return for a touchdown called back on a late penalty.