Video replay to be added to Georgia high school football championship games

MACON, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Instant replay is coming to Georgia high school football. The Georgia High School Association voted to implement video replay during championship games beginning this year.

“If we had video review, it would’ve been reversed,” said Dr. Robin Hines, executive director of the Georgia High School Association.

Dr. Hines was referencing what many considered a bad call during a championship game this past December between Cedar Grove and Sandy Creek. The official signaled a touchdown, but a closer look revealed the ball carrier was at least two yards short of the goal line.

“Our goal is to get it right. With the technology available to us, like it will be certainly at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, we want to do that,” said Dr. Hines.

Sandy Creek would go on to win 21-17. But now, well in advance of the 2023 high school football season, the GHSA executive committee this week voted unanimously to allow video replay. Fans will see the new policy play out for the first time during this year’s Corky Kell Dave Hunter Classic, a Georgia tradition leading up to the start of the high school football season.

“We’re going to be at the same facility, Mercedes-Benz. We’ll do the instant replay and test it and use the policy that they just voted in yesterday,” said I.J. Rosenberg, head of Score Atlanta and co-owner of the Corky Kell Classic

Jamel Kerns is one the many fans who pushed for instant replay to be implemented after watching his younger brother No. 51 Chase Kerns’ team lose to Sandy Creek. He calls the GHSA decision encouraging, but questions whether it goes far enough.

“Moving forward, it should be for regular season games as well. But like I said, this is a big step, taking a step of doing championships,” said Jamel Kerns, brother of Cedar Grove player Chase Kern.

Video replay will only be allowed during championship games for now and at this year’s Corky Kell Dave Hunter Classic. You can watch the 11-game series on PeachtreeTV.