AJC > Sports > Highschools > Blog > Archives > 2008 > November > 30
Sunday, November 30, 2008
When in doubt, don’t sweat: Just bet Gwinnett
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lots of folks think I’m biased when doing rankings, and they’re right.
One of my pet biases is Gwinnett County. That doesn’t mean that I root for Gwinnett teams, and I certainly didn’t predict Grayson to beat Lowndes.
But let’s face it: Gwinnett is metro Atlanta’s football mecca, if not the state’s. TEN teams from Gwinnett have made the semifinals this decade, four this season.
That’s why Grayson, despite its modest history, was ranked so highly in preseason. You don’t sweat when you bet Gwinnett.
Now, a holiday gift for all. Below, find at least one interesting fact about each of the 20 semifinal teams, including a prestigious record that Marist set last week that I bet not even fans of Marist know about.
CLASS AAAAA
Camden County - Camden has the best record in Class AAAAA since Jeff Herron arrived in 2000. It’s 106-11. Parkview (98) and Lowndes (96) are next in wins. However, Camden has played only two playoff games under Herron on an opponent’s home field. Both were wins: Stephenson (2002) and Valdosta (2003). Camden is at Newnan this week.
Grayson - The Rams are 60-30 in their first eight full seasons of varsity football. That’s the best eight-year start to a program in Gwinnett County history. Next best is Brookwood’s 57-34 from 1982 to 1989.
Newnan - Seventeen schools have gone more than 25 years between state championship appearances, most recently Lovett (1970-2007), but Newnan can become the first school to do it twice. Newnan played for the title in 1951 and 1981, both losses. The longest stretch between state title games is Calhoun’s 52 years (1953-2005).
Peachtree Ridge - Bill Ballard is the second coach this decade to reach the semifinals with two schools. The first was Bruce Miller (2001 North Forsyth, 2002 Gainesville). Ballard went in 2003 with Tucker.
Class AAAA
Marist - The Eagles set a record last week with their 25th consecutive home victory in the state playoffs. The record of 24 was held by Thomas County Central (1987-2006). Thomas Central still holds the record for consecutive home wins in the post-season with 27. Three of TCC’s wins were region playoff games. Region playoffs were eliminated in 1996, when the GHSA expanded the state playoffs to 32 teams. Marist also has won 43 of its last 44 home post-season games, the only loss to Tucker in 1995.
Griffin - Griffin High has sent 16 players into the NFL, the most of any Georgia school. The best known is Jessie Tuggle. Those still active are Chris Clemons and Johnathan Sullivan. Ironically, Griffin has the fewest players on college rosters this year among the AAAA semifinal teams, with six. Tucker has the most with 26.
Rome - The Wolves broke a six-game losing streak in the quarterfinals with Friday’s win over Statesboro. A seventh straight loss would’ve set a dubious state record. Others with six straight losses in the QF are Carrollton (1999-current); Dacula (1993-01); Northside-WR (1975-98); and Vidalia (1980-93).
Tucker - The semifinals have been heart-breaking for Tucker, which lost to Dublin (1994) and Statesboro (2003) in overtime and to Northside (2007) 31-28 after holding a 28-7 lead. Tucker is 1-6 all-time in semifinal games.
Class AAA
LaGrange - The Grangers are in a race with fellow semifinalists Marist and Buford to see which will become the fourth in history to play in 10 state championship games. The Dime Club members are Valdosta (27), Lincoln County (18) and Carrollton (11). Clarke Central also would have 10 if combined with Athens High, but Poll Talk splits the two.
Carver - Carver is the only team that’s made the SF each of the past three seasons. No other Muscogee County team has made three straight SF. The state record for consecutive SF is 10 by Carrollton (1959-68).
Cairo - This will be the eighth semifinal for Cairo. The first two were played in 1963 and 1964, when Cairo’s star player was future Outland Trophy winner Bill Stanfill. Cairo lost those semifinals, but in basketball, Cairo won the 1965 title, and the 6-5 Stanfill was named tournament MVP.
Flowery Branch - No Hall County team has won a state title in the GHSA. Hall has more schools (nine, counting private and city schools) than any county that doesn’t have a state championship. Riverside Military won a GISA title in 2005, and Fair Street won GIA titles in 1956 and 1957. Gainesville High has made 16 semifinals without winning state. This will be the first semifinal for Flowery Branch, which opened in 2002.
CLASS AA
Brooks County - Maurice Freeman is trying to become the second coach in history to return to a school where he won a state title and win it again. Freeman won with Brooks in 1994. Luther Welsh did it with Thomson in 1984-85 and 2002 with two stops in between.
Buford - The Wolves have 31 former players on college rosters this fall. That’s the most of any of the 20 teams in the semifinals. Buford’s opponent, Fitzgerald, has only two players in college football. Also, see LaGrange note above.
Calhoun - It’s 310.5 miles from Calhoun to Brooks County, making this the longest road trip in Calhoun football history. (Camden’s trip to Newnan is even further.) Calhoun has played below Macon only once since 1948, losing to Cook in the 2001 quarterfinals. Calhoun is trying to win its first road playoff game since 1996 and third in history.
Fitzgerald - Fitzgerald has won 10 games each of the past five seasons. The only other schools with streaks that long are Northside (11), Buford (10), Calhoun (8), Camden County (8), Lincoln County (6) and Dublin (5).
CLASS A
Wesleyan - By making a final four for the first time, Wesleyan is now among 10 Gwinnett schools to make the semis this decade. The others are Brookwood (2002, 2005), Buford (2000-04, 2007-08), Dacula (2005), GAC (2002), Grayson (2008), North Gwinnett (2007), Parkview (2000-02, 2004), Collins Hill (2001) and Peachtree Ridge (2006, 2008).
Lincoln County - Lincoln is 18-6 in semifinals under Larry Campbell, who came to Lincolnton in 1972. Lincoln has never gone more than two seasons without making the semis under Campbell.
ECI - The victory in Bremen last week was the first playoff game that ECI has ever won on an opponent’s home field. The Bulldogs did win the Class A title game last year on the road after Wilcox County moved the game to Cordele.
Wilkinson County - Wilkinson is one of four semifinal teams that were unranked in preseason. The others are Brooks County (AA), Calhoun (AA) and Peachtree Ridge (AAAAA).
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