Championship game previews

Records, rankings: Archer is 11-3, the No. 1 seed from Region 8-AAAAAA and unranked; Colquitt County is 14-0, the No. 1 seed from 1-AAAAAA and No. 1.

Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. Archer and Colquitt County are the highest-scoring pair of finalists, based on points per game in the playoffs, since the GHSA went to a 32-team field in 1996. Colquitt County has averaged 53 points in its four playoff victories, up from 44.7 during the regular season. Archer is averaging 50.5 in the postseason after scoring 30.1 per game in the regular season. 2. Archer, playing in a final for the first time in the program's six-year history, is trying to extend Gwinnett County's streak of championships in the highest classification to five. The Tigers are led by QB Gabe Tiller, who is 175-for-287 passing for 2,864 yards and 30 touchdowns. Archer has a 1,000-yard rusher (Randy Nails, 1,055) and 1,000-yard receiver (Kyle Davis, 1,138). The Tigers have won 11 consecutive games since an 0-3 start. 3. Colquitt County's Sihiem King was the leading rusher in Region 1 in the regular season with 1,350 yards and 20 touchdowns, but he has stepped up his game in the playoffs, averaging 152.8 yards and four TDs the past four weeks. But the Packers also pass for 195.8 yards per game. QB Chase Parrish has completed 72.7 percent of his passes and has 2,648 yards and 26 TDs. His top targets are Qwazavia Lee (48 catches, 826 yards, 11 TDs), Kiel Pollard (59-771-7) and Marquan Green (40-605-5).

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Colquitt County by 16

Class AAAAA

Mays vs. Northside (Warner Robins)

When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, Georgia Dome, Atlanta

Records, rankings: Mays is 12-2, the No. 3 seed from Region 6-AAAAA and No. 7; Northside is 13-1, the No. 1 seed from 2-AAAAA and No. 8.

Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. Mays, which had never advanced past the second round, is the first Atlanta Public Schools team to reach the state finals since Brown in 1991. The last Atlanta public school to win a title was Southwest in 1973. Northside is in the finals for the first time since 2009 and sixth time overall. The Eagles were 2-3 in their previous appearances, winning titles in 2006 and 2007. 2. Mays has a balanced offense that averages 192.7 yards rushing and 166.3 passing. QB Asahnia Aderhold has passed for 1,821 yards and 18 touchdowns, but almost half has come in the playoffs (858 yards, nine TDs). In a 44-41 victory against Jones County in the quarterfinals, he had a season-high 352 yards and four TDs, including the game-winner on the final play. Natrez Patrick has 103 tackles and 19 sacks for a defense that held nine opponents to 15 points or less. 3. Willie Jordan is the focus of a Northside offense that rushes for 332.4 yards per game. Jordan has set school records this season with 2,173 yards and 31 touchdowns rushing. QB Tobias Oliver, who passes 10 times per game for an average of 88.1 yards, is the Eagles' second-leading rusher with 754 yards and nine TDs. T.J. Anderson has 591 yards and 11 touchdowns. Northside is tough against the run, as well, allowing just 61.4 yards per game.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Northside by 3

Class AAAA

Buford vs. St. Pius

When, where: 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Georgia Dome, Atlanta

Records, rankings: Buford is 14-0, the No. 1 seed from Region 8-AAAA and No. 1; St. Pius is 12-2, the No. 1 seed from 6-AAAA and No. 7.

Last meeting: Buford won 10-3 in the 2012 Class AAA championship game.

Three things to know: 1. Buford has won 39 consecutive games and is playing in the final for a state-record eighth consecutive year. The Wolves are 6-1 in the finals during that stretch and have won 10 state titles overall. St. Pius won its only state title in 1968 and did not play in another championship game until 2012, when it lost to Buford in Class AAA. 2. Buford has followed its usual formula of running the ball and playing great defense. The Wolves rush for 256.1 yards per game, led by Joshua Thomas (97 carries, 763 yards, 19 TDs), Xavier Gantt (55-671-10) and Evyn Cooper (79-556-2). Buford has 10 players with at least 100 yards for the season and 30 players with at least one carry. Defensively, the Wolves are allowing just 5.4 points, 41.6 rushing yards, 118.9 total yards and 7.2 first downs per game. Buford has held 10 of its 14 opponents to a touchdown or less. 3. St. Pius runs the ball even more than Buford, averaging 291.0 yards while attempting about five passes per game. Dalton Wilson (856 yards, 15 touchdowns) and Joey Connors (779, 10) - who are two-way starters - are the leading rushers, but eight players have at least 23 carries, 152 yards and two touchdowns. Cameron Fannon (10 catches, 247 yards) is the only player with more than six receptions.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Buford by 24

Class AAA

Washington County vs. Calhoun

When, where: 4:30 p.m. Friday, Georgia Dome, Atlanta

Records, rankings: Washington County is 14-0, the No. 1 seed from Region 3-AAA and No. 1; Calhoun is 14-0, the No. 1 seed from 6-AAA and No. 2.

Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. Washington County is in the championship game for the second consecutive season after losing to Buford in 2013. The Golden Hawks won state titles in 1994, 1996 and 1997. Calhoun is in the finals for the sixth time in seven seasons. The Yellow Jackets won state titles in 1952 and 2011. They lost in the final to Buford in 2008, 2009 and 2010 and Jefferson in 2012. 2. Washington County is the highest-scoring team in state history with 717 points (51.2 average), breaking the record of 707 points set by Buford last season. The offense revolves around QB A.J. Gray, a leading candidate for state player of the year. Gray has almost 4,000 yards of total offense this season (2,236 rushing, 1,668 passing) with 37 touchdowns rushing and 21 passing. LB Will Coneway leads the defense with 162 tackles (29 for losses), nine sacks and seven forced fumbles. 3. Calhoun went 10-0 in the regular season for the fifth time in six seasons and won its 14th consecutive region title. QB Kaelan Riley has passed for 2,345 yards and 23 touchdowns and is the team's second-leading rusher with 701 yards and 13 TDs. Austin Bennett (82 tackles, 70 assists) and Jireh Wilson (76, 72) lead a defense that is allowing just 9.4 points per game and has not allowed more than 18 in any game this season.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Washington County by 10

Class AA

Benedictine vs. Greater Atlanta Christian

When, where: 1 p.m. Saturday, Georgia Dome, Atlanta

Records, rankings: Benedictine is 12-2, the No. 2 seed from Region 2-AA and No. 4; Greater Atlanta Christian is 14-0, the No. 1 seed from 6-AA and No. 1.

Last meeting: Greater Atlanta Christian won 24-21 on Aug. 22.

Three things to know: 1. Benedictine and GAC are two of the five teams playing this weekend that have never won a state championship. Benedictine is in the final for the first time after losing in the semifinals in 1957, 1978 and 2013. GAC's only other trip to the final came in 2002, when it lost to Buford 34-10. 2. Benedictine likely has the state's most balanced offense, averaging 224.5 yards rushing and 220.7 passing. The Cadets have a 1,000-yard rusher (John Kennedy, 1,066) and receiver (Brad Stewart, 1,244) and a 3,000-yard passer (Stevie Powers, 3,090 yards, 30 touchdowns). Kennedy also has 607 yards receiving. Stewart leads the Cadets in interceptions with five. 3. Darius Slayton caught eight passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns when GAC beat Benedictine in the teams' season-opener in August. He is the team's leader in receiving (46 catches, 760 yards, 13 TDs) and interceptions (five). Micah Abernathy is the leading rusher (127 carries, 1,340 yards, 18 TDs) for a team that runs about 67 percent of the time, but QB Davis Mills has passed for 2,046 yards and 26 touchdowns. LB Paul Carothers has 108 solo tackles and 41 assists. K Will Kenworthy is 8-for-10 on field goals and kicked a game-winning 21-yarder on the final play of a 44-41 win over Fitzgerald last week.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Greater Atlanta Christian by 6

Class A (public)

Hawkinsville vs. Irwin County

When, where: 1 p.m. Friday, Georgia Dome, Atlanta

Records, rankings: Hawkinsville is 12-1, the No. 4 seed and No. 5; Irwin County is 11-1-1, the No. 2 seed and No. 6.

Last meeting: Hawkinsville won 21-12 in the 2009 regular season.

Three things to know: 1. Hawkinsville is seeking its sixth state championship. The Red Devils won Class C in 1953, 1954 and 1959 and Class A in 2003 and 2004, sharing the last title with Clinch County. Irwin County is in the championship game for the first time since 1997. The Indians won their only state title in 1975, when they beat Jefferson in the Class A final. 2. Hawkinsville gets about 80 percent of its offense from a running game that gets a lot of players involved. Reginald McDonald is the leading rusher with 628 yards and seven touchdowns on 121 carries. QB Dakota Sloan, who has passed for 651 yards, is the second-leading rusher with 458 yards and 10 TDs on 98 carries. Five other players have run for at least 234 yards. Hawkinsville is also known for its defense. The Red Devils are giving up just 7.4 points per game and haven't allowed more than 14 points in a game this season. 3. Irwin County's running game averages 319.1 yards and is led by Region 2 player of the year Jakyron Young and all-region FB Robert Moore. Young has run for 25 touchdowns and has 133 carries for 1,563 yards, including 205 in a 28-7 victory over Commerce in the semifinals. Moore has 1,342 yards and 12 TDs on 195 carries. Linebacker DJ Pollard, the region's co-defensive player of the year, has 49 solo tackles, 93 assists and seven tackles for losses.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Hawkinsville by 1

Class A (private)

ELCA vs. Mount Paran Christian

When, where: 10 a.m. Saturday, Georgia Dome, Atlanta

Records, rankings: Eagle's Landing Christian is 7-6, the No. 5 seed and unranked; Mount Paran Christian is 13-0, the No. 3 seed and No. 3.

Last meeting: Mount Paran Christian won 31-14 on Aug. 23.

Three things to know: 1. Eagle's Landing Christian is the first team in state history to reach the finals after an 0-6 start. The Chargers won the championship in 2012. Mount Paran Christian started its program in 2008 and is in the state final for the first time. The Eagles are trying to become the first Cobb County-based state champion since Marietta in 1967. 2. ELCA has scored 36.3 points per game during its seven-game winning streak after averaging 11.3 in the first six games. QB D.J. Hammond, who became the starter in the fifth game, has been a key, passing for 1,154 yards and nine touchdowns and rushing for 431 yards and nine TDs. He had touchdowns rushing and passing in a 14-7 victory over Calvary Day in the semifinals. Josh Mays (123 carries, 782 yards) and Trevor Gear (99, 706) are the leading rushers. LB Chase Burdette has made 120 tackles, including 20 for losses. 3. Mount Paran's Dorian Walker and Emoni Walker are perhaps the best pair of playmakers in Class A. Walker has rushed for 2,037 yards and 31 touchdowns, has nine receptions for 146 yards and two TDs, and leads the team with three interceptions. Williams is the leading receiver with 555 yards and seven TDs on 22 catches and has rushed for 650 yards and 11 TDs. Walker had 147 rushing yards and 70 receiving yards and scored twice in Mount Paran's victory over ELCA in the teams' season-opener.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Mount Paran Christian by 16

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