As the coaching staffs for the four finalist (Irwin County, Clinch County, Eagle's Landing Christian and Aquinas) hunker down to prepare for the biggest games of the year Friday afternoon (public final) and Saturday morning (private final), we decided to let them prepare in peace.
Instead, we sought opinions, anonymously, from coaches who faced all four on the best way to beat them. Here are their blueprints for defeating the finalists:
Public Finalists
No. 3 Irwin County
“They are a very stout team, offensively and defensively. They are led by DJ Pollard, their fullback and linebacker who was the [Region 2] Player of the Year. Their quarterback (Zach Tolar) is left handed and solid. They do a lot out of the version of the wing-T that they run. They’ll flex some guys out sometime to spread you out. To stop them you have to be gap sound and you have to tackle. You have to stop that trap, the fullback blast and the counter. They want to keep the ball away from you. Three yards a play may not be good for you on offense, but that’s what they want to do. You can limit them, and limit them and limit them, and then they hit you with a big play. On defense, they are very solid up front, and again, Pollard is their leader. Those kids can play.”
No. 5 Clinch County
“They have so many threats you have to deal with. No. 3 (RB Shannon Young), No. 7 (RB Trezman Marshall), No. 10 (QB Charles McClelland), No. 2 (DL Octavius Morris) and No. 12 (RB Colten Manac). All of them are really good players. That [Young] can flat out get after it. I know everybody talks about No. 81 (DE Chauncey Manac), who’s supposed to be going to Georgia. He’s a good player. But that [Morris], I really like him. He puts his hand in the ground, gets off the ball and makes it happen. And that [Marshall]. To look like that (6-2, 215) and be a freshman! I don’t know what they have in the water over there in Homerville. On offense all the backs can hurt you and then you have to be ready for the play action pass. On defense they are very solid up front. Very stout.”
Private Finalists
No. 3 Aquinas
"If you’re going to beat Aquinas you have to do two things. One you have to block No. 65 (DL William Evans). They put him at nose, at defensive end and at defensive tackle. You have to block him. And number two, you have to limit their quarterback (Liam Welch). You can’t let him have success throwing it and running it, because he can do both. You have to make him do one or the other. Not many teams in Class A have three Division I players, but they do. No. 7 (Welch), No. 65 (Evans) and No. 11 (WR/DB Justin Gibbs) is a big kid and a good player too."
No. 4 Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy
“They have a really talented quarterback (DJ Hammond), and you have to stop him. You have to stop the sweep, the power and the counter that they run. The quarterback runs well and there is a misconception that he doesn’t throw that well. You have to stay heads up in the secondary because he has some weapons on the outside to throw to. No. 10 (WR Khaleb Hood) is extremely talented. Their running backs are good and so is their offensive line, especially the big offensive tackle (Chandler Reeves). On defense they are well coached. Very solid. They move around a lot, and so you can hurt them passing, and if you can get players in space.”
The Finals
Class A Public
No. 3 Irwin County (10-2-1) vs. No. 5 Clinch County (12-1)
Friday, Dec. 11; 1 p.m.; Georgia Dome
Class A Private
No. 4 Eagle's Landing Christian Academy (10-3) vs. No. 3 Aquinas (12-1)
Saturday, Dec. 12; 10 a.m.; Georgia Dome
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