The Walton football team will end the 2023 season in the same place where it started—Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The powerful Raiders clinched a berth in the Georgia High School Association’s Class 7A state championship game with a 41-25 win over Camden County on Friday.
Senior quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski threw for 325 yards and six touchdowns in his final game at Raider Valley, as Walton remained undefeated at 14-0.
This will be the second trip to the finals for Walton, which lost to Grayson in the 2011 championship game.
On Dec. 13, the Raiders will face Milton, which downed Grayson 45-35 in the other semifinal.
Walton’s high-powered offense, which has averaged more than 46 points a game, got off to a fast start, as the Raiders led 21-0.
But Camden County—coached by former Walton and Wheeler coach Jeff Herron—scored the first 10 points of the second half, as its Wing-T offense began to get momentum.
The touchdown was scored on an interception return for a touchdown, but Hecklinski—who is headed to Wake Forest—guided a long drive that led to a touchdown for a 28-17 Walton lead.
And the Raiders’ defense shut down Camden after that, allowing only another touchdown later in the game.
After the game, Walton coach Daniel Brunner told Georgia Public Broadcasting that he thinks Hecklinski is the best quarterback in the state.
“There’s no doubt about it. Look at the stats, look at the numbers. Best quarterback in the state. Bar none.”
Hecklinski has thrown for 3,708 yards and 48 touchdowns during the season, and running backs Makari Bodiford and Austin Williams are approaching 1,000-yard seasons.
They could surpass that in the state finals against Milton. The game will be played on Wednesday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where Walton opened the season with a 49-27 win over Grayson in the Corky Kell Classic.
But more importantly, Walton has a chance to become the first school from East Cobb to win a football state championship.
Walton lost to Grayson 24-0 in the 2011 state finals under former coach Rocky Hidalgo.
In 1973, Wheeler reached the Class 3A state championship game but lost to Thomasville.
Brunner, who was named head coach at Walton in 2017, has taken the Raiders to the state playoffs each year and has a record of 66-22.
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