FIVE 2020 LEADERS
YEAR
RUSHING
Caleb Thompson
RECORD
46 Carries, 502 Yds, 11 TD
36-16
PASSING
Drew King
74/113, 998 Yds, 19 TD
2020
10-0
RECEIVING
Samuel Mumpower
21 Rec. 293 Yds, 6 TD
2019
TACKLES
Caleb Thompson
10-1
72 tackles
SACKS
Bailey Mohler 5 sacks
2018
7-5
INTERCEPTION
Eli Thompson 2 INT
2017
9-2
2016
0-8
VARSITY COACHING
STAFF
2 0 2 0 R E S U L T S
Mike Blackmon ..................... QB
Jeff Giddens ..........................SC
NEW CREATION CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 36-0 W
HARVESTER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY FF W
PEACHTREE ACADEMY 30-18 W
FIDELES CHRISTIAN 74-6 W
DOMINION CHRISTIAN 68-6 W
COVINGTON ACADEMY 66-8 W
CHEROKEE CHRISTIAN 30-16 W
JOHNSON FERRY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 58-0 W
LANIER CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 42-0 W
PINECREST ACADEMY FF W
PLAYOFFS
PEACHTREE ACADEMY 42-16 W
CHEROKEE CHRISTIAN FF W
ALL TIME RECORD
64-47
Historical Info from
Georgia High School Football
Historians Assocation
REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS (0)
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (1)
2020
COACH:
NICK
JONES
1 Year at School
Record: 12-0
Career: 12-0
STADIUM:
Grizzard
Park
2020 GAPPS STATE
PIGSKIN 2021 35
CHAMPIONS
CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
www.exploreunity.org • 706-292-0700
Unity Christian set to defend
unique state championship
By Jay Hawkins
News-Tribune Correspondent
It is rare for a coach to use the
term “upset” to describe how his
players felt when finding out they
had won a state championship, but
that was actually the case when it
came to second-year head coach
Nick Jones and the Unity Christian
Lions.
Rewind to last November.
Unity Christian was riding high
after soundly defeating Peachtree
Academy in the second round of
the 2020 GAPPS AA 8-Man Football
State Playoffs to advance to the
state championship, setting up a
showdown against regular-season
opponent Cherokee Christian. Jones
received a phone call on Monday of
championship week, relaying the
information that Cherokee Christian
was forced to forfeit the game
due to COVID-19 issues, making
Unity the de facto champions.
“We stopped things about halfway
through (Monday’s practice)
and told them the news, and most
of them honestly were upset,” Jones
said. “It’s kind of hard to put it into
words. On one hand, they were
celebratory. We had beaten every
team we wanted to beat, even the
team we were going to play in the
state championship. On the other
side of it, they wanted to play
the game.”
Regardless, the Lions had just
won their first state championship
in school history to put an exclamation
point on an undefeated, 12-0
season. Now, with the promise of
a more normal season, Jones is
hoping his team will get back to
the state championship game, get
to experience that big stage and
defend their title.
“Our expectation is to go all the
way again,” Jones said. “My point
to them will be not to just settle
for what you did last year. When
you win a state championship and
you’re the No. 1 team coming into
the season, there’s a target that gets
painted on your back. Our guys
need to feel that they still have
something to prove if they’re going
to repeat as a state champion.”
Without a doubt, his Lions
certainly have the right mix of
talent, experience and continuity
to live up to those high expectations.
Unity Christian will
have to endure a few key losses
including dynamic quarterback
Drew King, standout offensive
lineman Jayden Stewart and wide
receiver Levi Lodge.
Replacing the departure of
King will be paramount for the
success of the Lions this year, but
Jones feels confident he has the
guys to help fill King’s big shoes.
A frontrunner to take over the
quarterback position in Unity’s
dangerous spread offense is Josh
Nance. Four starters on the offensive
side of the ball and five of
eight starters on a solid defense
return as well.
Offensive lineman Bailey
Mohler is set to bring key leadership
to the table and that will
be needed if the Lions are to
defend their title. Above all,
Jones is excited for the new
season and growing the Unity
Christian football brand.
“We have some kids that are
just lights-out good,” Jones said.
“I’m excited for people in our city
and our community to take notice
of Unity.”
/www.exploreunity.org