Georgia’s defending GHSA Class 5A state champions knew they’d have their hands full Thursday night.
The No. 14 Milton Eagles were taking on No. 12 Buford [GA] on a night the Wolves were throwing themselves a new house party.
A new $62 million house, that is.
The Wolves opened the brand new Phillip Beard Stadium at Dexter Wood Field in style, beating the Eagles on a night when neither team was at its best. In the process, they ended Milton’s 25-game win streak that spanned two state championship titles in two different divisions. That included the GHSA’s final Class 7A title in 2023. The GHSA then reorganized across six classifications prior to the 2024 season, and Milton ended up in Class 5A where they won the title last year.
The Eagles’ 25-game win streak started with a 31-0 win over the South Forsyth [Cumming, GA] War Eagles on October 6, 2023. The start of the streak came two weeks after their previous loss – a 42-27 thrashing at the hands of the North Cobb [Kennesaw] Warriors.
There were a couple of narrow escapes along the way. Milton held on to beat the Colquitt County [Norman Park] Packers, 39-37, in the GHSA Class 7A quarterfinals on November 24, 2023. Then last year on August 14, the Eagles beat this same Buford Wolves’ squad by the skin of their beaks, emerging with a 13-10 victory at home to start the 2024 season.
But every other win in the streak was by at least two scores, including a 37-28 decision last August 23 over the national powerhouse American Heritage [Plantation, FL] Patriots. That game placed Milton firmly in the national title conversation, but the Mater Dei [Santa Ana, CA] Monarchs refused to lose. Milton had to settle for a national No. 2 ranking at best in some of the 2024 final rankings, including the MaxPreps list.
With the streak over, Milton turns its attention to next Friday’s game at The First Academy [Orlando, FL]. The Royals haven’t officially started the season, yet, but they did play in a high-profile preseason classic Thursday, losing to the No. 5 IMG Academy [Bradenton, FL] Ascenders in a 41-7 rout. Milton is nowhere near the No. 2 team in the country this season, but they should still be able to line up favorably against the Royals.
Alaska’s Dimond looks rough in season-opening shutout at Bartlett
It was supposed to be another banner year for the Dimond Lynx of Anchorage, Alaska, but it got off to a rough start in a 12-0 loss to the Bartlett [Anchorage, AK] Golden Bears on Friday.
While Alaska football doesn’t garner much attention outside of its own remote borders, the sport is growing, and the state has produced a handful of FBS recruits in recent years. There are even three ranked recruits in 247sports.com’s Class of 2026, and the state’s top prospect, defensive lineman Deuce Alailefaleula, has committed to the Boise State Broncos.
Last fall, Dimond was the king of the Last Frontier, rolling off 11 straight wins to claim their first state championship since Alaska’s two-division era back in 2001. After the season, quarterback Cayden Pili was named the state’s Mr. Football while also collecting Alaska’s Gatorade Player of the Year Award. Pili was the very definition of a dual threat last year, passing for 1,744 yards and 18 touchdowns while adding 950 yards and another 22 scores.
1st up FROM THE STATE OF ALASKA, Cayden Pili @CaydenPili absolutely balled out his Jr year at QB & DB – 1,744 Passing Yards 18 TDs 950 Rushing Yards 22 TDs Rushing while wining the state championship. He has great work ethic, to go along with genetics something you cant… pic.twitter.com/3hCjq9QLr0
— Chris Ace Griggs (@ChrisGriggs9) June 20, 2025
The Lynx star was just a junior last year so he was expected to lead the way for Dimond again in 2025. Game details are hard to come by just yet, but while Bartlett beating Dimond isn’t a major upset, the final score itself will certainly turn some heads in Alaska.
Trio of defending Utah state champs fall on opening weekend
The Morgan Trojans, the Crimson Cliffs [Washington] Mustangs, and the Bountiful RedHawks each won state championships in the Beehive State a year ago. And each of them carried a double-digit win streak into the 2025 season.
One week into the new campaign, all those streaks have ended.
Morgan’s 13-game tally was the longest in Utah as the Trojans ran the table en route to the UHSAA Class 3A title. That included a win in the 2024 season opener over Crimson Cliffs which would go on to win the Class 4A title. The Mustangs lost their second game, too, in a 17-7 loss to the Bingham [South Jordan] Miners, before rolling off 12 straight wins of their own, including a 57-55 triple overtime thriller over the Spanish Fork Dons for that 4A trophy.
Morgan, meanwhile, beat the Richfield Wildcats, 13-2, in the Class 3A finale. But the Ridgeline [Millville] Riverhawks served up a dose of reality in a 34-14 beating Friday night, bringing to mind the old Lou Holtz quote in the process: if what you did yesterday seems big, then you haven’t done anything today.
Morgan will visit the Sky View [Smithfield] Bobcats this coming Friday in an effort to right the ship. Crimson Cliffs, meanwhile, will try to rebound from a humbling 49-14 loss at the Lone Peak [Highland] Knights. They’ll be back at home against the Provo Bulldogs.
The defending UHSAA Class 5A champs from Bountiful carried a 10-game streak of their own into their season opener Friday night against the Herriman [West Herriman] Mustangs. In their first game since beating the Roy Royals, 42-35, for the 2024 5A trophy, Bountiful had no answers for Herriman in a 27-7 loss. The RedHawks will visit the Farmington Phoenix this coming Friday night while trying to get back on track.
MORE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL HEADLINES
