Tucker Beats Lovejoy 22-7 for 4A Title

ATLANTA, Ga. - Jordan Landry ran for 90 yards on 11 carries and raced 35 yards for Tucker's first touchdown as the Tigers capped their first undefeated season by defeating Lovejoy 22-7 for the Class AAAA state championship Friday night at the Georgia Dome.

The title was Tucker's second in Franklin Stephens' five years as coach. The Tigers defeated Marist for the 2008 Class AAAA championship.

Tucker (15-0) had 199 yards to just 31 yards for Lovejoy (14-1) while taking a 15-0 halftime lead. Landry's TD run came late in the first quarter, and Yusuf Minor added a 37-yard scoring run in the second. Tucker also recorded a safety on the first play after pinning Lovejoy at its 1-yard line with a punt.

Dallas Rivers scored on a 10-yard run for Tucker in the third quarter.

Lovejoy averted a shutout on Alejandro Bennefield's 6-yard touchdown pass to Travis Curtis with 7:44 to play.

Terrell Simmons and Juwaan Williams had interceptions for Tucker to end Lovejoy threats, with Simmons' pick coming in the end zone in the third quarter.

Tucker completed just one pass but rushed for 259 yards. Minor had 68 yards and Williams added 54.

Lovejoy had been the state's top defense statistically, allowing 3.6 points per game. The Wildcats had eight shutouts and had held 12 of their first 14 opponents to six points or fewer.

Tucker came in as the highest-scoring team in Class AAAA at 45 points per game but needed a 100-yard fumble return in the final two minutes to defeat Northside-Warner Robins 17-16 in the semifinals.

It was the first appearance in a title game for Lovejoy, which opened in 1990. Clayton County schools have won just two state championships, the last by Morrow in 1987.