The #2-ranked Toombs County Bulldogs hit the western backroads of Georgia on Friday night and returned home with a statement victory, ending #3 Heard County’s perfect 13–0 season with a dominant 40–14 semifinal win at a packed Staples Stadium.

The Bulldogs wasted no time setting the tone. After forcing a Braves punt on the opening drive, Toombs marched 56 yards in five plays, capped by senior Justin Powell’s 31st touchdown of the year. The early scoring opportunity was set up by a 48-yard strike from quarterback Joseph Owens to Brandon Stevens, giving Toombs a 7–0 lead with 6:22 to play in the first quarter.

The teams traded punts through much of the half before Owens connected with sophomore Nick Carroll on a 36-yard touchdown with 3:16 left, stretching the Bulldogs’ advantage to 14–0. Heard County finally broke through on the ensuing possession, as quarterback Ethan Tinsley scored from 10 yards out, trimming the margin to 14–7 at halftime.

Coming out of the locker room, Toombs took full control.

The Bulldogs opened the third quarter with a methodical 12-play, 75-yard drive that chewed nearly six minutes off the clock. Owens once again found Carroll—this time from 19 yards out—to push the lead to 21–7.

After a Heard County punt, Powell powered in from three yards out for his second touchdown of the night, extending the advantage to 27–7 with 1:59 remaining in the third. Owens was sharp throughout the drive, going 3-for-3 for 47 yards.

Heard County responded with an 80-yard march, finishing with a 17-yard touchdown pass eight seconds before the end of the quarter, but that would be the Braves’ final spark. Toombs slammed the door in the fourth, with Stevens and Powell each finding the end zone to put the game out of reach and seal a commanding 40–14 victory.

The win sends Toombs County back to Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, giving the Bulldogs a chance to play for back-to-back state championships.

Adding to the night’s significance, the Toombs Cheer Dogs—fresh off winning a state title of their own just 24 hours earlier—traveled nearly 800 miles round-trip to support their Bulldogs in the semifinal showdown.

Toombs County now turns its focus to the final step in their championship pursuit, armed with momentum, confidence, and a dominating performance that ended one of the state’s last remaining perfect seasons.