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Gators open defense of state title against undefeated George Walton Academy
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The Bulloch Academy Gators will kick off the opening round of the state playoffs Friday at Gator Alley as they host George Walton Academy from Monroe. The Gators come into the game with a record of 8-2 while George Walton is 10-0. Both teams are coming off a bye week and Gator head coach Aaron Phillips believes it came at a good time.

“I feel like the extra week was a blessing,” Phillips said. “We were able to clean up some things from the Pinewood game a couple weeks ago and just get better from a health standpoint. We had some bumps and bruises, as well, as a lot of kids having respiratory issues with the weather changing. I feel like we are healthy and ready to get out there Friday.”

Bulloch Academy is coming off a state title run in 2024 and advanced to the semifinals in 2023. Phillips said that experience will serve them well as they begin the 2025 state playoffs Friday.

“These guys have played a lot of postseason football,” Phillips said. “By the time this year’s juniors are seniors, they will have played about a full extra season of football. There is no substitute for that experience. They know what it means to be in a win or go home situation. We are hoping those opportunities will pay dividends this year.”

The Gators are welcoming in a George Walton team that is perfect on the season and have won by an average margin of 36-9. The Bulldogs feature a balanced running attack with three players having more than 500 yards rushing. Junior quarterback A.J. Dillard leads the way with 18 touchdowns and 676 yards on the ground, while throwing for 993 yards and 13 touchdowns.

“They are a good team with a lot of coaches who have had success on the GHSA level,” Phillips said. “They are 10-0 and we know how difficult that is to achieve in a season regardless of the level of competition. They are a run-heavy team and have some talented kids in the backfield and a solid offensive line in front of them. It should be a quick game from that standpoint but we are fortunate to have the game here at Gator Alley and we are counting on our fans and a good crowd to show up.”