Class A Private State Championship: Trinity Christian Takes Title

In a rematch of last year’s Class A Private title game, it was the Trinity Christian Lions who took home the trophy this year thanks to excellent QB play and another strong defensive performance. After a tough loss last year to Prince Avenue Christian, Trinity played like they did all season offensively, scoring early and often in the passing game. Here were some of the top performers in Trinity Christian’s big 55-28 victory... &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="33930" first="David" last="Dallas"] - QB</strong> In his final game as a lion, the senior QB went out with a championship, showing why he’s one of the state’s top senior gunslingers. To open the game, Dallas hit a long bomb to junior playmaker [player_tooltip player_id="34051" first="Aaron" last="Gates"] who took it the distance. He showed poise, toughness, and the ability to come through in big moments all game long. He would hit Gates again on a beautiful touch pass that Gates reeled in with one hand. Right before the half, Dallas found receiver Javan Harrison in one-on-one coverage on the outside and led him beautifully in the end-zone, giving the Lions a 28-0 lead. with the Wolverines mounting a 3rd-quarter comeback, Dallas showed he can make plays with his feet as well as he scampered and hammered his way in for a 12-yard touchdown, giving Trinity Christian a 49-28 lead. Overall, the Western Michigan commit had one of the games of his life, capping off a tremendous high school career. He id it all on Thursday, and he brought home a state championship. https://twitter.com/GPBsports/status/1469066621302026254?s=20 https://twitter.com/GPBsports/status/1469080072468500486?s=20 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="34051" first="Aaron" last="Gates"] - WR </strong> One of the hottest defensive back prospects in metro-Atlanta this season, Gates is a true playmaking athlete at 6-foot-0 180-pounds who dominated early in the ballgame. He showed off his tremendous speed and athleticism early on, scoring two first-quarter touchdowns. He got past defenders with his speed and his fantastic ball skills led to a hand-handed grab that lead to the Lion going up 21. In the last two weeks, Gates has picked up offers from Michigan, Vanderbilt, and Florida. After helping lead his team to the state title game last season, the junior had an outstanding year this fall, totaling over 800 receiving yards and finding the endzone now 11 times. He caught the game-winning pass in 2OT in last weeks semi-finals victory, and got the Lions off to an early start in the state championship game. https://twitter.com/GPBsports/status/1469080072468500486?s=20 https://twitter.com/GPBsports/status/1469066621302026254?s=20 &nbsp; <strong>Bryce Wilcox - ATH </strong> Another two-way standout for the Lions, Wilcox was ll over the field on Thursday evening, making an instant impact with a pick-6 mid-way through the first quarter, giving Trinity Christian a 14-0 lead. He showed great instincts in coverage and ran the ball well after the catch. He's been a playmaker all year and had one of his best performances of his career. The 5-foot-11 175-pounder also scored on a 7-yard rush, showing shifty feet and the ability to finish runs. He was all over the place on both sides of the field, and he was a big reason why Trinity Christian came out on top. https://twitter.com/GPBsports/status/1469094031867228165?s=20 https://twitter.com/GPBsports/status/1469070070135545859?s=20 &nbsp; <strong>James Batchelor - LB</strong> Another senior who had one of his best games of the season, Batchelor was an impact defender who set the tone early. He's tough, physical, and showed good instincts in coverage. He's a sure tackler he acted quick on the ball and sniffed out plays before they could get going. He was a tone-setter and helped lead the defense to a really strong performance against a high-powered Prince Avenue offense. https://twitter.com/GPBsports/status/1469067299827163137?s=20 https://twitter.com/GPBsports/status/1469071534539034624?s=20 &nbsp;