John Milledge leads Central Georgia reps on GIAA All-State football teams

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          John Milledge and Central Fellowship were pretty dominant throughout 2022 en route to Georgia Independent Athletic Association state championships and undefeated seasons.

          And naturally, the Trojans and Lancers were dominant in the GIAA all-state teams.

          John Milledge had 11 players picked on the 28-member Class AAA team, and Central Fellowship was represented by five on AA, although state runner-up Brentwood also had five.

          JMA and CFCA, though, took care of the individual honors.

J.T. Wall is the Class AAA coach of the year and quarterback/defensive back  Briggs Eady the player of the year.

          Jake Walls took Class AA coaching honors, while Jeb Walls and Jaylen Goodrum shared player of the year.

          Teams played Class AAA all season, and the GIAA separated all of those teams for the playoffs, adding a Class AAAA for the postseason.

          And now for all-state, with 13 teams in Class AAAA and 12 in Class AAA.

          In Class AAAA, 11 of 13 teams were represented on the 29-member team, and nine of 12 teams on the 28-member AAA team. In AA, nine of 12 teams had a player on the 28-member team, and 16 players from five of seven teams in Class A.

          The GIAA didn’t separate for offense, defense, and special teams, nor for first or second teams and honorable mentions, and no positions were listed for Class 4A.

          Tattnall tied for the second-most Central Georgia players picked with five, with four from Stratford, three from Fullington and Gatewood, two from FPD, Piedmont, Trinity Christian, and Westfield, and one from Mount de Sales.

            Eady ran 126 times for 1,500 yards with 18 touchdowns, and a long of 70 yards. He completed 66 percent of his passes, 77 of 116, for 1,585 yards and 16 touchdowns with only two interceptions.

            He was a pest on defense, too, seventh on the team with 61 tackles and second with three interceptions from his spot in the secondary.

            Walls and Goodrum teamed for a big 1-2 punch in leading Central Fellowship to another undefeated season.

            Walls was 134 for 205 for 2,865 yards and 36 touchdowns, for a 135.8 passer rating. He added 874 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on 120 carries, for 3,739 yards of total offense.

            Goodrum, a transfer from FPD, helped the Lancers with the transition from Georgia Association of Private and Parochial Schools to the GIAA, hardly coming off the field.

            He ran 59 times for 671 yards and 14 touchdowns, caught 52 passes for 1,200 yards and another 15 touchdowns, picked off seven passes, racked up 148 total tackles, and averaged 16.2 yards per punt return.

            Goodrum also scored on a fumble return, pick-6, punt return, and kickoff return in addition to “normal” duties.