COLUMBUS — Carver-Columbus rode the right arm of junior quarterback Matthew Mungin to knock off defending Class AA state champion Pierce County here Friday night winning 44-7.
In a matchup of the top two teams in the human polls, Mungin’s 337 passing yards and five touchdowns sparked the top-ranked and secondseed Tigers (12-1) in the rout of the second-ranked and 10th-seed Bears (11-2) inside a cold Odis Spencer Stadium.
“We came in banged up and beat up,” said head coach Ryan Herring. “I am proud of the guys because they played their hearts out for four quarters. We had a really physical game in Atlanta (vs. Columbia a week earlier) that took a toll on us. Our health was reminiscent of 2021 when we reached the semifinals and were inches away from playing for a second straight title.”
The setback spoiled Pierce County senior quarterback Cade McGatha’s fifth 248-yard plus playoff rushing game in eight post-season starts dating back to last year. McGatha followed a 259-yard effort in the second round with 274 yards in his final game on 33 carries.
“What Caden did was astonishing against the No. 1 defense in AA,” Herring said. “That was one heck’uva night and he played with a hurt shoulder on his throwing arm. He wasn’t able to throw a ball at practice until Thursday, so it changed the dynamics of what we could do.”
McGatha’s five career playoff games of 200-plus yards rushing are one shy of the school record set by D.J. Bell (2021-22). Each finished with a 300-yard effort with Bell going for 304 in the 2021 playoffs vs. Dawson County and McGatha rushing for 330 in the 2023 semifinals vs. Fitzgerald.
Mungin completed 18of-27 passes to three receivers, who continuously found open space against PCHS defensive backs. He had six passes of 20-plus yards and added two more 20-plus yard runs finishing with a team-high 55 yards on eight tries.
“We knew we had to keep the ball in front of us because their (Tigers) ‘goto’ was the deep ball,” said Herring of the pass coverage. “We had a hard time covering and they took advantage. It was a tough matchup with their speed.
“Carver had been runheavy all year behind a big offensive line. I thought we did a good job against the run, but give them (coaches) credit for their game plan.”
Mungin’s 337 passing yards is the fourth-highest the Bears have surrendered in school history. It set a playoff mark besting the 309 Laney posted in 2022.
Senior Braylon Jakes caught half of the passes for 123 yards and four touchdowns covering eight, 17, 30 and 13 yards. He scored once in every quarter.
Junior Jakobe Caslin pulled in six passes for 149 yards. T.J. Miles finished with three receptions for 65 yards including a touchdown of 53 yards.
The Bears scored first with Carver-Columbus responding with the final 44 points which included a “mercy rule” fourth quarter. The 37-point difference is the biggest of Herring’s 10 losses over six years in Bearville totaling 81 games.
It was the third largest playoff setback behind a 47-0 first round loss to Cedar Grove, who lost in semis in 2015, and a 42-0 first round loss to eventual state champion Elbert County in 1995.
Up next for Carver-Columbus is a semifinal matchup at home with Region 3 champion Appling County. The sixth-seed Pirates (10-3), who advanced with a 23-9 victory over Stephens County, are making their third semis appearance in four years.
Pierce County struck first against the Tigers when McGatha broke off a 74-yard jaunt on the third play of the game capping an 81-yard possession. Garrett Stevenson kicked the PAT for a 7-0 lead with 10:13 remaining.
The Bears final nine possessions came up empty with three threeand- outs, a blocked field goal, a missed field goal, an interception, two possessions stopped on downs and with the final offensive series of the game.
“They (Tigers) had played with a 50 front all season,” said Herring. “They came out in a sixman and had eight in the box. They (coaches) did some exotic things defensively.”
The advantage Carver-Columbus had in speed was evident on the kickoff following McGatha’s touchdown burst. A 96-yard kick return without the runner being touched was wiped out when the Tigers were flagged for having 12 players on the return team.
PCHS dropped the first two running plays behind the line of scrimmage before Mungin found a wide open Caslin for a 66-yard gain to the Bears’ 18 on 3rd-and-14. The drive stalled with Kendrick Pearce-Spencer connecting on a 33-yard field goal attempt to close the deficit to 7-3 with 8:02 on the first quarter clock.
Carver-Columbus followed the first of three straight three-and-outs by the Bears with a six-play, 76-yard scoring drive in 1:02 to take the lead for good. Mungin darted 27 yards on the read option on the first snap.
A 27-yard screen pass to Caslin on the fifth play set up an eight-yard scoring toss to Jakes one play later for a 9-7 lead. Pearce-Spencer’s PAT upped the lead to 10-7 with 5:05 left in the opening period.
The Tigers’ next offensive series ended with a 17-yard strike from Mungin to Jakes capping a sevenplay, 73-yard march in 2:39. The touchdown came on the first play of the second quarter. Pearce-Spencer split the uprights for a 17-7 advantage.
After the two teams exchanged three-and-outs, PCHS put together its best offensive series of the night moving from its own 35 to the Carver-Columbus 15 before stalling.
McGatha’s 29-yard run five plays in moved the ball to the Tigers’ 18. A holding penalty on a third down reverse wiped out a run inside the Carver-Columbus 10. Backed out to the 25, a screen netted zero setting up a 42-yard field goal by Stevenson.
The Tigers stormed through for the block making the recovery at their own 43. Two plays later, Mungin connected with a wide open Miles along the Columbus-Carver sideline for a 53-yard touchdown.
Miles side-stepped two would-be tacklers in the run. Pearce-Spencer’s PAT with 2:29 left in the first half upped the margin to 24-7.
Pierce County tried to answer on the last offensive series of the half moving from its own 49 to the Tigers’ 33 before stalling. Stevenson’s 55-yard field goal on the last play of the half came up short.
Carver-Columbus opened the third quarter with a seven-play, 76yard scoring drive highlighted by a 26-yard scramble by Mungin on the third play and his 30-yard touchdown pass to Jakes with 9:37 left in the period. Pearce-Spencer tacked on the PAT for a 31-7 lead.
McGatha’s 53-yard burst on Pierce County’s first play of the second half moved the ball to the Tigers’ 25. The possession would end six plays later when McGatha’s fourth down pass was picked off by Kabren Holley and returned 97 yards untouched for the touchdown with 6:09 left in the third period. The PAT was no good leaving the score at 377.
After Carver-Columbus got a fourth down stop on Pierce County’s next possession at the Bears’ 43, the host put together an 11-play drive over 4:46 to finish off the scoring.
Mungin and Jakes hooked up for a 13-yard score with 9:46 to play for the final margin after Pearce-Spencer’s PAT.
PCHS sandwiched a pair of offensive series around one by Carver-Columbus to finish out the game.
Pierce County linebacker Johnny Stone (13) runs down a Carver-Columbus back behind the line of scrimmage during first half action in Friday’s quarterfinal matchup in Columbus. Photo By HEATHER DIERINGER
