- AROUND THE STATE -

Mount Airy football completes back-to-back 1A state title quest

Granite Bears score all their points in the second half to beat Tarboro 21-3

Published

December 9, 2023

Mount Airy has won 30 games in a row, including the last two 1A state championships.

Mount Airy came alive after halftime and claimed its second consecutive 1A state high school football championship on Saturday afternoon in Chapel Hill.

The Granite Bears, who missed a field goal on their final play of a scoreless opening half, scored 21 unanswered to fend off Tarboro 21-3 at UNC’s Kenan Stadium. Like Hickory High the night before, Mount Airy polishes its state championship trophy owning a perfect (16-0) season record.

Tarboro, which got its only points on a 39-yard field goal from Oscar Peres Gaspar early in the second quarter, also had been unbeaten before Saturday. The Vikings finish 13-1.

Mount Airy beat Tarboro in last year’s 1A finale as well. The Surry County school now has nine state championships in football to its credit. JK Adkins coaches the Granite Bears.

**The Mount Airy Bears strike a state championship pose for the second year in a row. Photo courtesy NCHSAA.**

It took nearly all of three quarters for the Granite Bears to finally find the end zone. Tyler Mason had the honors on a 12-yard carry with 3:47 left in the third. Mason, who has committed to Virginia Tech, led all rushers with 133 yards. He was named 1A MVP after the game.

Mario Revels, who earned Offensive Player of the Game honors for the victors, added to the Bears’ tally early in the fourth quarter, taking a pass from Ian Gallimore 89 yards to the end zone. Gallimore connected with Blake Hawks on a four-yard exclamation point TD with 2:02 remaining for the final margin.

Mount Airy’s defense held Tarboro to just 66 total yards. The Vikings only managed 33 offensive plays, with Mount Airy dominating time of possession by more than seven minutes.

Gallimore also had a big day defensively, earning eight tackles. He was voted Most Outstanding Defensive Player for his team. DJ Joyce and Deric Dandy each recorded 2.5 tackles for loss for the Granite Bears.

Tarboro’s game MVPs were Isaiah Jones (defense) and Kamerin McDowell-Moore (offense). Jones made eight tackles. McDowell-Moore led Tarboro in rushing with 31 yards and made two catches for 11 yards. He also had a big game defensively, earning 10 tackles, forcing a fumble and recording 2.5 tackles for loss.