The smash of the pads, the roar of the crowd, and the anticipation that, at any moment, you might hear a cacophony of bells indicating that something intense is taking place in front of your nose … high school football, you have been missed.
With the calendar in August, the season is upon us, and Hebron Christian Academy in Dacula, Georgia, marked the calendar with a 48-0 stomping of Therrell High School (Atlanta) and one of the longest-receiving touchdowns we’ll be able to see this season.
Backed up to the goal line facing a 2nd-and-22, Hebron Christian quarterback Thomas Stallworth heaved the ball down the sideline toward midfield. Receiver KJ Thomas ran under it to catch it, broke through a defender draped on his back, and took off for the 97-yard touchdown.
Hebron Christian (GA) QB Thomas Stallworth finds WR KJ Thomas for a 97-yard touchown catch. @HebronLionsFB | @hcaathletic pic.twitter.com/icmBrBW2kA
— MaxPreps (@MaxPreps) August 17, 2024
It halted any momentum Therrell might have been pushing for. Hebron Christian led 24-0, but from that field position, they could have been primed to allow a safety. That would have given Therrell the ball and a chance to score a touchdown, making it a game again. Instead, Stallworth and Thomas put the pedal to the metal and ended any thought of a comeback in one swoop.
We can say with authority ninety-seven yards later: The 2024 high school football season is here, and we’re ready for more.
