Sports
Buckhead boys: Pace, Westminster among big winners in semifinals
By Todd Holcomb
Dec 5, 2015Westminster and Pace Academy – call them the Buckhead boys – are coming to the Georgia Dome next week in pursuit of state football championships that few saw coming.
Westminster, the fourth-place finisher in Region 4-AAA, won its fourth straight road playoff game, shutting down third-ranked Cedar Grove 24-8 on Friday in the Class AAA semifinals. That puts Westminster, a team that was 3-4 at mid-season, in its first final since its 1978, when the Wildcats won the title. Westminster (9-4) is only the fifth No. 4 seed to reach the state finals, first since Landmark Christian in 2011.
Pace Academy, Westminster’s Buckhead neighbor two miles northeast on West Paces Ferry Road, reached its first final in history with a 45-20 victory over second-ranked Greater Atlanta Christian in AA. Pace (12-2) had lost to GAC, the 6-AA champion, 33-13 on Oct. 9. Pace started varsity football in 2008 and didn’t win its first playoff game until last year.
Another pair of neighbors coming to the Dome are Roswell and Blessed Trinity, which sit less than a mile from each other off Highway 92 in north Fulton County.
Roswell, ranked No. 3 in AAAAAA, defeated second-ranked Grayson 30-24 to set up a final against No. 1-ranked and defending champion Colquitt County. Both finalists are 14-0. Colquitt won its 29th straight game with a 55-31 victory over Mill Creek.
Blessed Trinity (13-0-1) will be Westminster’s opponent in the AAA final. The Titans beat defending champion and No. 1 Calhoun 12-7, ending Calhoun’s 29-game winning streak. Blessed Trinity, which started football in 2001, has never played in a championship game.
In AAAAA, Allatoona (13-1) beat Northgate of Newnan 28-7 and will meet Glynn Academy of Brunswick in the final. Glynn (12-2) beat Ware County 24-16. Allatoona could become the first Cobb County Schools team ever to win a state title in football.
No. 1 Cartersville (14-0) and No. 2 Buford (13-1) will meet for the AAAA title. Cartersville, a 38-7 winner over Bainbridge, will be seeking its first state title since 1999. Buford beat Woodward Academy 35-17 and will be after its eighth title in nine seasons.
Eagle’s Landing Christian (10-3) of McDonough beat No. 1-ranked Prince Avenue Christian (12-1) of Athens 35-14 in a Class A private-school semifinal. ELCA was runner-up last year to Mount Paran Christian and won a championship in 2012. ELCA’s opponent next week be Aquinas (12-1) of Augusta, the 2013 champion and a 35-28 winner over Stratford Academy of Macon.
Clinch County (12-1) and Irwin County (11-2) advanced to the Class A public-school final. Clinch beat Commerce 26-19 and returns to the final for the first time since their 2010 championship season. Irwin, the runner-up last season, beat Emanuel County Institute 19-15. Irwin hasn’t won a title since 1975.
In AA, Pace’s finals opponent will be Fitzgerald, a 40-20 winner over Jefferson County. Fitzgerald will be going after its first state title since 1948.
November 7, 2014 - Roswell, Ga: Blessed Trinity fullback Jake Bogosian (8) celebrates with teammates after their win over Cedar Grove Friday November 7, 2014, in Roswell, Ga.. Blessed Trinity won 28-21 to win the region championship. JASON GETZ / SPECIAL
