One team seemed destined to win. The other, left for dead a month ago, made history.
Region 7-A Division I did not disappoint Friday night as Trion completed a 10-0 regular season by routing Darlington 42-14 to win its first region championship since 2003, and Dade County completed a comeback from a 1-5 start to earn the region's No. 2 seed for the GHSA playoffs with a 28-7 win over Armuchee.
In other big games, Region 6-AAA's Coahulla Creek saw an early lead disappear in losing to Adairsville 28-21. The loss, coupled with Ringgold's 21-7 win over Gordon Lee, will keep the Colts out of the playoffs. Heritage led unbeaten Region 7-AAAA champ Central-Carroll early, tied the Lions late, then lost 35-34 when a 2-point conversion attempt failed. The Generals are the region's No. 3 seed.
(READ MORE: Final scores and photos from Friday night's Chattanooga-area prep football games)
Trion 42, Darlington 14: Sparks flew early at Trion, where senior Toby Maddux (256 yards and five touchdowns) began his big night for the winners with a 65-yard touchdown run on the game's first play. The Tigers (6-4, 4-2), who will be the region's No. 4 seed, needed just one play to match it on Sammy Kuzenksi's 80-yard run on a jet sweep.
"At that point I thought it was going to be a shootout," Trion coach Sean Patrick said. "But those were the last offensive points they scored. Our defense played their tails off after that, and Toby did what he always does. I told him before the game that I hoped he was hungry because we were going to feed him."
Maddux scored on a 17-yard run on Trion's second drive for a 13-7 lead, but the Bulldogs' next possession didn't fare as well. Patrick went for it on fourth-and-1 from the Trion 39, but quarterback Kade Smith was stopped short.
The Tigers reached the 11, but Luke Parker was pressured and was intercepted by Garrett Mahan, who returned it to the Darlington 27. Two plays later, Smith found tight end Logan Stokes on a 19-yard touchdown.
Darlington fumbled again on its next drive, leading to Maddux's 5-yard run and a 29-7 score at halftime
The Tigers, though, weren't finished as Talan Shirley returned the second-half kickoff for a touchdown. They got the ball right back after recovering an onside kick, but Christian Henderson intercepted Parker on the first play of the ensuing series.
"That was probably the play of the game," Patrick said. "They had all the momentum in the world. We're a mature football team, though, and they don't get rattled easily and it showed right there."
Maddux later added scoring runs of 20 and 2 yards.
"It was fun. I'm just happy for our kids and our community to be able to experience that," Patrick after Trion completed its first undefeated regular season since 1974. "To see the kids' faces after that game makes all this worth it. We had kids crying after the game, which shows you how much it means."
Dade County 28, Armuchee 7: Dade senior Landon Williams rushed for 137 yards and three touchdowns as the host Wolverines (5-5, 4-2) won in Trenton to reach the playoffs for the third consecutive time, a school record. Dade finished tied with Pepperell and Darlington behind Trion, but the Wolverines earned the No. 2 seed via the region's point differential tiebreaker.
Dade's defense dominated, allowing 93 total yards and getting a pick-six from Jax Guinn.
"Our physicality on defense was a big key," coach Jeff Poston said. "It's great to be hosting a playoff game next week."
Adairsville 28, Coahulla Creek 21: The Colts (5-5, 4-3) led the Region 6-AAA champions 14-0 before the Tigers rallied to go ahead on Jamarian Pullum's 56-yard run late in the third quarter.
Coahulla Creek used two turnovers to produce a pair of short touchdown runs by Chase Ward and build the early lead.
The Tigers (8-2, 7-0) scored the next 20 points, tying it on Tamarius Wilkey's 5-yard run, recovering an onside kick and taking the lead on Pullum's 1-yard run. The Colts, though, used a Danny Lidy 4-yard run to take a 21-20 lead in the third quarter before Pullum broke off his 56-yarder.
Coahulla Creek had the ball twice in Adairsville territory late but could not break through.
Cedartown 33, Northwest Whitfield 7: The Bruins (6-4, 2-3) were stymied at Cedartown, getting their lone score on a 71-yard pass from Gavin Nuckolls to Hudson Gray. Northwest is the No. 4 seed from Region 7-AAAA, with Cedartown securing the No. 2 seed ahead of Heritage (6-4, 3-2).
LaFayette 21, Ridgeland 0: Khalas Finley rushed for 140 yards and scored a touchdown, and Dawson Pendergrass completed eight of nine passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns, one each to Bryson Cleghorn and Porter Sentell. The Ramblers, who finished their season 3-7 overall and 2-5 in Region 6-AAA, held the winless Panthers to 117 total yards.
Other area scores:
Bremen 34, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 0
Murray County 43, Gordon Central 42
Rockmart 59, North Murray 7
Sonoraville 77, Southeast Whitfield 0
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com.