High school football: Behind freshman phenom Julian Lewis, No. 25 Carrollton upsets No. 21 Colquitt County in Georgia semifinals

The arm of freshman quarterback Julian Lewis and the legs of Bryce Hicks helped No. 25 Carrollton knock off No. 21 Colquitt County (Norman Park) 35-27 on the road Friday night in the Georgia high school football Class AAAAAAA semifinals.

For Carrollton, Lewis completed nine of 15 passes in the opening half for 129 yards, including four strikes to Caleb Odom for 80 yards. Hicks, on the other hand, ran the ball 19 times for 133 yards and a score over the first 24 minutes of the contest.

Colquitt County countered with Charlie Pace, who gained 62 yards and scored on a six yard run in the opening half. Ny'Quavion Carr caught five balls for 79 yards for the Packers by intermission.

Carrollton (14-0) moves on to the AAAAAAA championship game against Mill Creek (Hoschton), a 48-14 winner over Milton in the other semifinal. The Trojans are hoping to capture their eighth state title but first since 1998 behind their star freshman signal caller.

Lewis threw two touchdown passes, including a 29-yard strike to Caleb Odom with six minutes left in the game to put things away, bringing his season total to 43 along with over 3,500 yards. Carrollton went 99 yards on its second drive of the game capped by a three-yard TD run by Jamun Evans to go up 7-0.

Colquitt County responded on its next possession, racing 74 yards on six plays. Nicholas Pace helped tie the score on a six-yard burst with less than nine minutes left in the second quarter.

Lewis put Carrollton back on top 14-7 on the next possession, hitting  Kiyun Cofer for 26 yards and a score four minutes later. Colquitt County's Brett Fitzgerald booted a 42-yard field goal and Jack Luttrell returned a punt 50 yards to give the Packers a 17-14 advantage, their only lead in the contest.

Carrollton scored on the final play of the first half, then opened up a 28-17 advantage on the opening possession of the second half when Jordan White grabbed a jump pass from running back Bryce Hicks.

The Trojans held on from there but Colquitt County made it interesting with Fitzgerald's 21-yard field goal and Neko Fann's 25-yard strike to Carr late in the fourth quarter.