CHAPEL HILL – Grimsley scored 14 unanswered points in the second quarter and made them stand up for a 24-14 victory over Clayton in the NCHSAA state championship game.
The Whirlies trailed 7-0 after Clayton's opening-quarter touchdown but seized control before halftime and never trailed again, claiming their second straight state title and third in six years.
Clayton looked sharp early. Quarterback Aiden Smalls orchestrated an eight-play, 55-yard drive on the game's opening possession, finishing it himself with a 13-yard touchdown run. Nate Lunger's extra point gave the Comets a 7-0 lead with 6:30 left in the first quarter.
Grimsley's response came in the second quarter with a methodical 12-play, 81-yard drive. Quarterback Faizon Brandon found Hudson Cooper for a seven-yard touchdown pass, and Chase Huellmantel's extra point tied the game at 7-7 with 7:20 remaining in the half.
The Whirlies struck again before the break. Brandon capped a 10-play, 74-yard march with a three-yard touchdown plunge with just 37 seconds left in the half. Huellmantel's kick sent Grimsley to the locker room with a 14-7 lead and all the momentum.
That momentum turned into a rout in the third quarter when Makai Yon jumped a route and intercepted Smalls at the Clayton 38. Yon raced untouched to the end zone for a pick-six that pushed the lead to 21-7 just under two minutes into the second half.
Grimsley added a 22-yard Huellmantel field goal midway through the third quarter, extending the advantage to 24-7 and appearing to put the game away.
But Smalls gave Clayton hope. The senior quarterback broke loose for a 61-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to 24-14 with 11:37 to play. Suddenly, the Comets had life.
Clayton forced a turnover on downs with 1:47 remaining and drove deep into Grimsley territory in the final minute. Smalls connected with TJ Campbell for 21 yards to the Grimsley 26, hit Austin Dalton for 14 yards, found River Fiore for 19 yards, then hit Campbell again for 21 yards to reach the Grimsley five-yard line.
With time running out, Clayton had four cracks from inside the five. Smalls threw two incompletions, gained four yards on a third-down rush, then threw incomplete on fourth down as time expired. The Whirlies held on to secure the championship.
Smalls finished with a game-high 167 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries while completing seven of 15 passes for 91 yards. Campbell caught four passes for 66 yards in the losing effort.
Brandon threw for 126 yards and a touchdown while adding 65 yards and another score on the ground for Grimsley. Micah Williams carried 21 times for 101 yards, providing a steady ground game that helped the Whirlies control the clock for more than 26 minutes.
Yon's pick-six proved to be the difference. The defensive back finished with five tackles and a pass breakup in addition to his game-changing interception return. Drew Searls led all tacklers with eight stops, while Kyrie Millner added two tackles for loss and a sack.
For Clayton, Keshawn Stancil recorded 10 tackles and half a sack, while Mason Bucklad contributed seven stops. Jaheim Stevenson intercepted Brandon in the third quarter but the Comets couldn't capitalize.
Grimsley's ability to convert third downs proved crucial, going six-for-11 while holding Clayton to just three-of-10. The Whirlies also won the possession battle by more than five minutes, keeping Smalls and the Clayton offense off the field during critical stretches.
Key Stats
- Grimsley: 314 total yards (188 rushing, 126 passing)
- Clayton: 305 total yards (196 rushing, 109 passing)
- Third down conversions: Grimsley 6-11, Clayton 3-10
- Time of possession: Grimsley 26:37, Clayton 21:17
- Turnovers: Grimsley 1, Clayton 1
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