Will ELCA get revenge for last season's tough, overtime loss to Calvary Day, or will the Cavaliers continue to find ways to win without their starting quarterback? Will Aquinas-Mt. Paran be an offensive slug fest or will one team's defense step up? Can Marion County beat Hawkinsville, the team that has provided its most difficult challenges, for the third consecutive time or will the Red Devils find a way to dethrone the champ? Can Commerce's wing-T offense outdo Irwin County's?
These are just a handful of the questions that will be answered Friday night in Savannah, Augusta, Buena Vista and Ocilla.
Private Semifinals
Top Bracket
No. 1 Calvary Day (12-0) vs. No. 5 Eagle's Landing Christian Academy (6-6). One of these things is not like the others. Or is it? While the three other teams in the semis are undefeated, ELCA began the season 0-6 against a murderous non-region schedule. Of the six teams that defeated the Chargers at the beginning of the season, five have advanced to the semifinals. ELCA has rallied and, after winning its fifth consecutive Region 5 title, is in position to win its second state championship in four years. The Chargers won the title in 2012 but were knocked out in the semifinals last season by the Cavaliers, 35-34 in overtime. ELCA is led by seniors ATH Jordan Scott, DE Nick Dawson and DB/WR Davis Reynolds, and juniors LB/FB Chase Burdette and QB D.J. Hammonds. Calvary Day, located in Savannah, lost to Aquinas in last year's finals. The Cavs are in the semis in spite of losing starting QB Sal Calderon to a broken leg in the final game of the regular season. Senior RB/LB Robert Heyward is one of the most underrated players in the state.
Bottom Bracket
No. 2 Aquinas (12-0) vs. No. 3 Mount Paran Christian (12-0). Aquinas, located in Augusta, has won 26 consecutive games going back to last season when the Irish defeated Calvary Day for the private school state title. Aquinas has arguably the best player in Class A in RB/DB Ruben Garnett who has rushed for 2,000 yards and 27 touchdowns. Defensively, junior DL William Evans has been a disruptive force all season and senior LB Griffin Scott is healthy again. Mt. Paran, located in Kennesaw, is one of the most explosive teams in the state averaging 44 points per game. The Eagles were held under 40 points just three times this season. While the offense has gotten most of the attention, Mt. Paran's defensive unit has also performed as well as any in Class A, yielding an average of just 12 points per game. Senior QB Jake Allen distributes the ball to a host of playmakers, led by seniors WR Emoni Williams and RB Dorian Walker, and junior RB Taylor Trammell. Senior LB Nick Sbravati leads the defensive unit. Aquinas has won the only previous meeting between the two schools, 35-32 in last season's quarterfinals.
Public Semifinals
Semifinals
Top Bracket
No. 1 Marion County (12-0) vs. No. 4 Hawkinsville (11-1). Unlike the private school division with three undefeated teams in the mix, Marion County, located just southeast of Columbus, is the only public school in the semis without a loss. The Eagles won last season's state title and have won 17 straight going back to last season. Marion County is led by one of the state's most productive and versatile players in junior Lorenzo Smothers who has compiled over 1,600 yards and 33 touchdowns scored four different ways – rushing, receiving, on kick returns and interception returns. Hawkinsville, located an hour south of Macon, is the last team to defeat the Eagles – 14-10 during the 2013 regular season. But Marion County has won the last two meetings – 40-7 in last season's semifinals and 13-6 during the regular season this year. The Red Devils have one of the best defenses in the state, yielding less than seven points per game with no team scoring more 14 this season. The Red Devils' defensive line of Devin Adams, Royce Owens and Keshun Wright has dominated opponents, along with LB Warren Singletary Jr.
Bottom Bracket
No. 2 Irwin County (10-1-1) vs. No. 6 Commerce (10-2). Irwin County, located an hour east of Albany, is in the semifinals for the second consecutive season and trying to advance to the finals for the first time since 1997 and win the program's second state championship (1976). Irwin County's big, physical offensive line is the engine of its wing-T offense which features Region 2 Player of the Year RB Jakyron Young and FB Robert Moore. Commerce, is in the semifinals for the first time since 2006 and last won a state championship in 2000. The Tigers also feature a run-heavy offense with four players who have rushed for at least 600 yards this season. The group is led by QB Caleb Brooks. This is the first meeting between the two schools that feature head coaches with short tenures. Buddy Nobles is in his first season at Irwin County, while Michael Brown is in his second at Commerce.
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