McEachern’s flag football team capped off its undefeated season with its first state championship Wednesday, sailing past Lambert 26-6 in the Division 4 final at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
McEachern (28-0) had lost in the state quarterfinals each of the past three seasons.
“We finally finished the mission,” McEachern coach Jake Burgdorf said. “That’s been our motto this season - unfinished business - and we found a way to get it done. I’m really proud of this group.”
McEachern finished with 264 total yards while holding Lambert to 78 in the first Division 4 final, as the GHSA expanded to four classifications this season in one of its fastest-growing sports.
McEachern senior quarterback Chelsea Njoku had her chance to step into the spotlight on Wednesday, and that she did, completing 17 of 21 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns.
This is Njoku’s first season as McEachern’s starting quarterback. She passed for 4,750 yards and 76 touchdowns unofficially this season.
“It means so much to me,” Njoku said. “Since I started playing flag, I literally never thought I would be the starting quarterback for an undefeated team. I can’t explain how much it means, but it’s something special.”
Njoku’s longest pass came in the fourth quarter when she launched the ball to junior Desirae Holley for a 59-yard touchdown and a 19-6 lead with 6:40 left. Holley had six receptions for 121 yards.
The following drive, sophomore Ava Couzens intercepted a pass at the Lambert 16-yard line, leading to a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Tami Chatwood that put McEachern ahead 26-6 with 2:46 left.
Lambert’s touchdown came at the start of the fourth quarter, when junior Abby Grace Flynt connected with Parker Whipple for 24 yards to make the score 13-6.
Lambert’s defense didn’t make it an easy win, however. With one minute left in the first half, senior Grayson Moody intercepted a pass, holding the Indians to a 6-0 halftime lead.
“[Lambert’s defense] was a little different,” Njoku said. “We’ve never seen a cover-two [mostly zone coverage] defense. But after the first drive when we didn’t score, my coach pulled me over and told me what to look for and what I need to be seeing. So, the second drive we went out there and we scored.”
Lambert also got two sacks from Chloe Wright, but it wasn’t enough to hold McEachern’s explosive offense. Esther Ogba had two sacks for McEachern.
“We didn’t doubt, not for one second, that we could get it done,” Burgdorf said.
McEachern is the third Cobb County team in the past four years to win the GHSA’s highest classification. Hillgrove won in 2021 and Pope won in 2023.
McEachern - 0-6-7-13 - 26
Lambert - 0-0-0-6 - 6
Second quarter
M - Cayley Windham 12 pass from Chelsea Njoku (pass failed)
Third quarter
M - Milka Feleke 1 pass from Tami Chatwood (Desirae Holley pass from Njoku)
Fourth quarter
L - Parker Whipple 24 pass from Abby Grace Flynt (run failed)
M - Holley 59 pass from Njoku (run failed)
M - Chatwood 1 run (Zoey Moriarty pass from Njoku)
