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Anybody who’s ever played high school sports will tell you all about the incredible memories they have from those days. But while high school sports are all about forming those memories, you still want to go out and win.
Especially when it comes to football in the state of Georgia.
High school football in the state of Georgia is more than just a hobby, it’s part of the state’s lifeblood. Some of the best quarterbacks in the NFL have won Georgia state championships in recent years. Among those players are Cam Newton, Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence.
To win a state championship in Georgia is to etch your name in the state’s history books. So as you can imagine, there’s a good bit of pressure for players who play in the state title. There’s also a good bit of pressure on the referees. And on Saturday, those referees buckled under the weight of that press.
Referees Ruin Georgia State Title Game With Horrific Touchdown Call
The Class 3A title game featured a matchup between rivals Cedar Grove and Sandy Creek. In 2021, Sandy Creek took the regular season matchup, 40-35, before Cedar Grove ran the table for a state title. This season, Cedar Grove got the better of Sandy Creek, 49-34, in the regular season.
Saturday’s matchup was just as tense.
Cedar Grove held a late 17-14 lead as the clock ticked down and Sandy Creek marched down the field. Sandy Creek drove all the way inside the 10-yard line with under a minute to go before being stopped on first and second down.
Then this happened…
TD 🏈🔥 @TurnUpTravis
4Q: @FBCedarGrove 17 @SCHSPatriots 21 #GPBSports pic.twitter.com/BehrhjaxUy
— GPB Sports (@GPBsports) December 10, 2022
Sandy Creek’s Travis Franklin Jr. took the snap and ran off-tackle to the right. Cedar Grove defenders quickly brought him down a full yard-plus short of the goal line. But that’s not what the refs saw. Instead, they signaled for a touchdown. Sandy Creek went on to win the game and the championship, 21-17.
Fans couldn’t believe how bad the call was.
Bro what?!?!? https://t.co/GtphOOdtCn
— Cam Glenn (@CamoGlenn) December 10, 2022
Bro what? no way they robbing my boys like this in broad daylight . https://t.co/q82MU1hESn
— Malik Hobson (@OriginalMalik_) December 10, 2022
WOW!!!!! Now I will never say someone was cheated….
BUT…. HE WAS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE ENDZONE!!!!! HORRIBLE CALL REFS!! https://t.co/lM2VbcDeuo— Coach Silveri (@Subzero06) December 10, 2022
This is INSANEEEEE! Like huh https://t.co/pMdQ1Ql838
— Jadon Haselwood 🎱 (@jadon_haselwood) December 10, 2022
Hard to imagine you’ll see a worse call than that anytime soon.