Underdog Graham-Kapowsin shocks No. 7 Collins Hill, 40-36, with final-second touchdown in GEICO State Champions Bowl Series thriller

LAS VEGAS - As the outer noise grew louder - the cheering and jeering from the grandstands, and the predictable smack-talk from a nationally-ranked opponent, Graham-Kapowsin High School huddled extensively for the final time this season.

Facing them was an uphill task: They trailed to Georgia state champion Collins Hill, and had to go 63 yards in 28 seconds to win the game.

Know what?

The Class 4A champions from Washington did just that.

Joshua Wood delivered a 32-yard bullet to Stephen Mars in the back of the end zone for the game-winning touchdown with one second remaining, and Graham-Kapowsin shocked the favored Eagles, 40-36, in the finale of the GEICO State Champions Bowl Series on Saturday afternoon at Bishop Gorman High School.

Just minutes before the winning touchdown, Collins Hill star Travis Hunter, the consensus top class-of-2022 recruit in the country, danced, zig-zagged and sprinted with a go-ahead 28-yard touchdown to give the nation's seventh-ranked team a 36-33 lead.

But Wood completed all four passes on Graham-Kapowsin's winning drive - 12 and 5 yards to Myles Haywood, 14 yards to Julian Mason and the final throw to Mars - to pull out the victory.

Collins Hill had one final chance from the Graham-Kapowsin 45-yard line, but quarterback Sam Horn was hit while rolling out, and the wobbling pass fell harmlessly on the turf.

"This is the biggest game most of our guys will play in their entire life," Mason said. "And for us to come and get the win, there is no better feeling right now."

The lead changed hands a whopping 10 times in this back-and-forth classic - three times in the final 3;17.

"Those were two really good football teams going at it," Collins Hill football coach Lenny Gregory said. "They had one more play than we did. We were one play away from the winning the game - but they won the game."

Wood, the Gatorade state player of the year in Washington, completed 15 of 24 passes for 274 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 78 yards. Graham-Kapowsin outgained Collins Hill, 472-391.

Hunter was magnificent in his final game before going off to Jackson State as a two-way performer. He caught 10 passes for 178 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Quarterback San Horn finished 21-of-34 for 245 yards and two touchdowns. Spenser Anderson also rushed for a pair of scores.

Wood also turned the big 18 on Saturday - and went out an undefeated winner with a 20-0 record as a starting quarterback.

"Football," he said, "is everything."

(Featured photo by Jann Hendry)