Under new management for the 2025 season with new head coach Cameron Duke at the helm the No. 10-seed Marietta Blue Devils took care of business during the fifth day of the Brent Key/Corky Kell + Dave Hunter 7-on-7 Classic as they defeated Troup County in the championship 19-12 to take home the crown in the fifth day of the event Wednesday at Georgia Tech.
The Blue Devils are coming off of a 2-8 season a year ago in longtime head coach Richard Morgan’s final season with the program. Marietta looks to turn the page in 2025 as they have started off on the right track by winning the Brent Key/Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic 7-on-7.
“It’s a testament to this senior class for buying in since I got here,” said Duke, who arrived at Marietta in February. “We were 2-2 in pool play and there was an opportunity where they could have hung it up, but they didn’t. They just kept battling and I know these guys love each other and we are going to continue to try to preach that and build a true family. Today was great competition and to see them compete and celebrate with each other really made me proud and I know it made Marietta proud as well.”
Marietta drew a No. 10-seed after pool play on Wednesday afternoon as they finished with a 2-2 record before the single elimination tournament began.
The Blue Devils defeated Blessed Trinity 17-8 to start the day followed by a 26-8 victory over the Harrison Hoyas to start Wednesday’s action off with an undefeated, 2-0 record.
Following the win over Harrison, the Blue Devils dropped two games in a row to end pool play with a loss to Carver-Columbus 20-11 and Brooks County 16-12 as they headed into the single elimination bracket.
In bracket play, the Blue Devils went on a ‘revenge tour,’ facing the two teams that defeated them in pool play. Marietta defeated Brooks County 21-12 in the first round before facing Carver-Columbus in the quarterfinals, defeating the Tigers 31-18 to advance to the semifinals against the Cinderella No. 16-seed Whitewater.
With a 20-9 victory over the Wildcats, the stage was set for the championship game against the No. 9-seed Troup County Tigers.
In an intense championship matchup between the Tigers and the Blue Devils, the score was tied 12-12 with under a minute left in the game.
After what Troup County believed to be a turnover on downs, a pass interference was called on the Tigers with 46 seconds left on the clock giving Marietta a fresh set of downs.
Marietta capitalized on its second chance as they scored with a laser to the front corner of the endzone to take the lead with around 30 seconds left in the game.
After converting the conversion play, it was up to the Blue Devils defense to hold strong for the title against a Troup County offense that was firing on all cylinders for a majority of the afternoon.
With one shot at the endzone with two seconds on the clock, Marietta forced a pass breakup, sealing the day five championship.
“I thought our quarterbacks, Jayden Whiteside, got better and better, it’s a whole new system he is learning. Carson Snipes took a bunch of snaps at quarterback and he did really well. I thought our receivers started making some tough, contested catches, led by senior Elijah Green, and Brody Archie had a big catch there to seal the win. I thought defensively we have got a senior-led secondary and linebackers and those guys were all over the place and found a way to get it done for each other.”
The new-look Blue Devils will start the 2025 season playing at Gainesville at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, August 15.
SINGLE-ELIMINATION TOURNAMENT RESULTS
FIRST ROUND
#16 Whitewater 16, #1 Habersham 15
#12 Crisp County 18, #5 McDonough 17
#10 Marietta 21, #8 Brooks County 12
#4 Carver-Columbus 27, #13 Wagner Salley 8
#3 Pace Academy 26, #14 Charles Drew 18
#11 Blessed Trinity 20, #6 Douglass-Atlanta 16
#9 Troup County 22, #7 Harrison 12
#2 Duluth 29, #15 East Hall 23
QUARTERFINALS
#16 Whitewater 20, #12 Crisp County 18
#10 Marietta 31, #4 Carver-Columbus 19
#3 Pace Academy 22, #11 Blessed Trinity 13
#9 Troup County 28, #2 Duluth 10
SEMIFINALS
#10 Marietta 20, #16 Whitewater 9
#9 Troup County 27, #3 Pace Academy 16
CHAMPIONSHIP
#10 Marietta 19, #9 Troup County 12
POOL PLAY RESULTS
10:00 AM:
Troup County 20, Hampton 8
Douglass-Atlanta 18, Charles Drew 14
Marietta 17, Blessed Trinity 8
Wagner Salley 19, McDonough 16
10:25 AM:
Duluth 25, Pace Academy 18
Crisp County 18, East Hall 13
Brooks County 24, Carver-Columbus 23
Habersham 25, Whitewater 7
10:50 AM:
Marietta 26, Harrison 8
Habersham 24, Hampton 8
McDonough 13, Crisp County 12
Blessed Trinity 23, Brooks County 18
11:15 AM:
Duluth 21, Whitewater 11
Pace Academy 15, Troup County 12
Wagner Salley 18, Charles Drew 9
Douglass-Atlanta 19, East Hall 17
11:40 AM:
Troup County 35, Habersham 15
Carver-Columbus 20, Marietta 11
Pace Academy 12, Whitewater 10
McDonough 24, Charles Drew 14
12:05 PM:
East Hall 32, Wagner Salley 28
Duluth 27, Hampton 16
Harrison 28, Blessed Trinity 9
Douglass-Atlanta 16, Crisp County 15
12:30 PM:
Whitewater 13, Troup County 13
McDonough 18, Douglass-Atlanta 10
Brooks County 16, Marietta 12
Carver-Columbus 25, Harrison 23
12:55 PM:
Charles Drew 24, East Hall 19
Habersham 22, Duluth 14
Blessed Trinity 17, Carver-Columbus 17
Pace Academy 15, Hampton 14
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