Here’s what went down in Round 1:
PRIVATE
Upper Left Bracket
No. 9 Wesleyan 35, No. 24 First Presbyterian Day 28The Wolves (9-2) needed overtime to stave off a huge upset. QB JC French's 7-yard touchdown run on fourth down was the difference. The Vikings (5-6) led 14-7 at halftime and 21-7 in the third quarter, and threw for 352 yards, but couldn't hold on.
No. 16 Savannah Christian (6-3) 31, No. 17 Calvary Day (7-3) 21The Raiders (7-3) shut out the Cavaliers (7-4) in the send half and overcame a 21-18 deficit to move into the second round. Junior QB Spencer Robicheaux and senior RB/DM Marquell Brown ran for two touchdowns apiece to lead the way. Seniors Kaleb Park and Tomas Carver supplied the offense for Calvary Day, as Carver threw two touchdown passes to Park (11 and 9 yards) and ran one in himself (6 yards).
Lower Left Bracket
No. 12 Hebron Christian 13, No. 21 Mount Vernon Presbyterian 7The Lions (7-4) picked up the first home playoff win in school history, thanks largely to the defense. Senior LB Jack Ihm returned an interception to the 10-yard line of the Mustangs (5-6) midway through the fourth quarter, and senior WR Donnovan Moorer scored on the next play from scrimmage to provide the margin of victory.
No. 13 North Cobb Christian 16, No. 20 George Walton Academy 14The Eagles (8-3) fell behind 7-0 early and turned the ball over three times, but scored 16-unanswered points to hang on to the win over the Bulldogs (6-5). Midway through the third quarter, NCC's defense scored a safety to put the Eagles up 9-7. Then on the ensuing possession, senior QB Anson Mathis scored on a 2-yard run for a 16-7 lead.
Upper Right Bracket
No. 23 Mount Paran Christian (5-4) 29, No. 10 Aquinas 27 (8-2)
QB/LB Niko Vangarelli had a huge game to lead the Eagles (5-5) to an upset win over the Irish (8-3). The senior ran for 316 yards and four touchdowns on 37 carries, and threw for 96 yards and a touchdown, a 65-yarder to Nick Oyola on the opening drive of the game.
No. 18 St. Francis 34 (6-4), No. 15 Trinity Christian 31 (7-3)The Knights (7-4) rolled up 347 yards of total offense to upset the Lions (7-4) and register the first state playoff win in school history.
Lower Right Bracket
No. 11 Prince Avenue Christian 46, (8-2), No. 22 Stratford Academy (4-6) 0The Wolverines (9-2) put the game away by halftime as junior QB Brock Vandagriff accounted for five touchdowns in the first two quarters – an 11-yard run, a 33-yard touchdown pass to Logan Johnson, two touchdown passes to Landon Owens (10 and 58 yards) and a 29-yard touchdown pass to Zac Dyer – in the easy win over the Eagles (4-7).
No. 19 Brookstone 10 (6-4), No. 14 Whitefield Academy 7 (7-3)The Cougars (7-4) survived two late scoring chances by the Wolfpack (7-4) to hang on to the win. A Whitefield Academy receiver dropped the would-be go-ahead touchdown pass in the end zone with under a minute remaining in regulation, and the Wolfpack missed a game-tying 34-yard field goal two plays later.
PUBLIC
Upper Left Bracket
No. 9 Manchester 40, No. 24 Taylor County 0 No. 17 Chattahoochee County 12, No. 16 Washington-Wilkes 7 Lower Left
No. 21 Warren County 30, No. 12 Terrell County 0 No. 20 Emanuel County Institute 28, No. 13 McIntosh County Academy 23
Upper Right
No. 10 Commerce 23, No. 23 Trion 6 No. 18 Schley County 46, No. 15 Claxton 24 Lower Right
No. 11 Wilcox County 55, No. 22 Seminole County 6 No. 14 Turner County 31, No. 19 Macon County 12
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