AA in brief: the calm before the storm

We're just days away from the conclusion of the Class AA football season, which will end on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium when the Rabun County Wildcats and Hapeville Charter Hornets take the field in the state title game, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday.

(For a recap of Friday's semifinal games, go here.)

It's the first championship game appearance for either school. Both schools play elite defense and Rabun County is one of the highest-scoring programs in the state. It should be a competitive game and highly attended by both communities.

On Thursday, I'll have an extensive preview of the AA title game, with interviews from coaches and players from both Hapeville Charter and Rabun County. Both programs have incredible stories that have led them to Mercedes-Benz.

Until then, it's the calm before the storm as both programs prepare for the season's ultimate game. Check back on Thursday.

• Here's everything you need to know from the GHSA about the state championship games.
• The Blitz has highlights of Rabun County's semifinals win over Brooks County.
• Here's an angle different from that posted in the Friday night recap of Hapeville Charter sophomore running back Marcus Carroll's go-ahead touchdown against Heard County with 5.3 seconds left.
• Following the win, Hornets coaches and players were singing the praises of Heard County quarterback and Ohio State commit Emory Jones.
• This is what hard work paying off looks like.
• According to the Maxwell Ratings , Rabun County is the No. 1 team in AA ahead of No. 2 Hapeville Charter. The current AJC rankings, which were last polled before the state tournament began, have the Hornets at No. 2 and the Wildcats at No. 5.
• Thomasville's Kevon Shy's punt return touchdown is a finalist for WTXL's Play of the Year. Vote here .
• Hapeville Charter is calling for a " Blue Out " at Mercedes-Benz for the state title game.
• Benedictine senior running back Terrick Smalls was recently honored as Offensive Player of the Week by the Savannah Quarterback Club.
• Check out this map of where all the state finalists reside.
• Armuchee's JC Burkett has been selected to participate in the Georgia Northwest All-Star Bowl.
• Model's Matthew Syverson  and Elbert County's A.J. German have been selected to play in the Georgia Elite Classic.
• Douglass' Kiwannous Washington received an invitation to the OL-DL All-American Bowl.
• Here's a story from accessWDUN's Morgan Lee on Rabun County's playoff run.
• Here's highlights of Hapeville Charter's quarterfinals win over Elbert County from Latest Creations .