First-round preview: Class A Public

Last meeting: Marion County won 41-0 on Oct. 24.

Three things to know: 1. Greenville bounced back from a 1-9 season in 2013 and finished fifth in tough Region 4. QB Jamal McKee has passed for 1,841 yards and 19 touchdowns, and he is the team's second-leading rusher with 216 yards on 30 carries. Kenzavier Tenny averages about 10 carries per game and has rushed for a team-leading 652 yards. 2. QB Dustin Eckert has passed for 1,003 yards and 16 touchdowns, and RB Johnny Royal has rushed for 912 yards and 10 scores for Marion County, the defending state champion. But the Eagles' most versatile player is junior Lorenzo Smothers, an all-state selection at defensive back last season. Smothers has 649 rushing yards, 689 receiving yards, 237 yards on punt returns, 35 tackles and three interceptions. 3. This is a rematch of the regular-season Region 4 game, which Marion County won easily. The Eagles rushed for 242 yards and passed for 118 yards and recorded one of their three shutouts on the season. Royal rushed for 118 yards on 18 carries, and Eckert was 10-for-13 passing with three TDs.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Marion County by 26

Winner plays: Emanuel County Institute/Mount Zion (Carroll) winner

Emanuel Co. Institute at Mt. Zion (Carroll)

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Eagle Stadium, Carrollton

Records, rankings: Emanuel County Institute is 8-2, the No. 9 seed and unranked; Mount Zion is 7-3, the No. 8 seed and unranked.

Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. Emanuel County Institute is in the playoffs for the 12th consecutive season and seeks its fifth trip to the quarterfinals during that stretch. Mount Zion is making its first playoff appearance since 2005 and trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2001. 2. ECI's Michael Sutton finished the regular season as the second-leading rusher in Class A, and third overall, with 1,888 yards. Sutton had 159 yards and scored the Bulldogs' only touchdown on a 3-yard run in a 42-7 loss to Calvary Day in the Region 3-A championship game. ECI turned the ball over four times in the loss. 3. Mount Zion's seven-win regular season was the program's best since the 1996 team went 8-2 and eventually finished 9-3. The Eagles finished second in 6-A Division A behind third-ranked Mount Paran Christian. Region 6 sent six teams to the playoffs, but Mount Zion was the only public school. Mount Zion comes into the game off a 26-7 victory against Pinecrest Academy. Matt Turner rushed for 75 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Emanuel County Institute by 5

Winner plays: Greenville/Marion County winner

Lincoln County at Charlton County

When, where: 7:30 p.m. today, Indian Field, Folkston

Records, rankings: Lincoln County is 7-3, the No. 12 seed and unranked; Charlton County is 9-1, the No. 5 seed and No. 7.

Last meeting: Charlton County won 20-0 in the 1999 Class A championship game.

Three things to know: 1. These are two of the storied programs in Class A. The teams have combined to win 18 state championships - 14 by Lincoln County and four by Charlton. Both teams won their last state titles in 2006, when Lincoln County was the Class A champion and Charlton County tied Dublin for the AA crown. Charlton lost to Marion County in the public-school final last season. 2. Lincoln County has rushed for 2,293 yards this season while attempting only 6.3 passes per game. Jamar Norman is the leading rusher with 748 yards and eight touchdowns on 110 carries. Quay Hartfeld has rushed for 549 yards and eight TDs on 76 carries, and LaKeith Lockhart has 473 yards and five TDs on 81 carries. 3. Charlton County rushes for 184.9 yards per game and passes for 125.5. RB Andrew Lee ran for 1,322 yards and 18 touchdowns during the regular season. QB Jimmy Nettles was 90-for-181 passing with 10 TDs. Anthony Jackson leads the defense with 72 tackles, and Tevis Dasher has 41 tackles, five interceptions and four fumble recoveries.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Charlton County by 20

Winner plays: Jenkins County/Hawkinsville winner

Jenkins County at Hawkinsville

When, where: 7:30 p.m. today, Bobby Gentry Stadium, Hawkinsville

Records, rankings: Jenkins County is 7-3, the No. 13 seed and unranked; Hawkinsville is 9-1, the No. 4 seed and No. 5.

Last meeting: Hawkinsville won 22-14 in 2009.

Three things to know: 1. Jenkins County will be playing its first postseason game since 1987 and making its first appearance in the state playoffs since 1960, when it lost to Washington-Wilkes in the Class B championship game. Hawkinsville had some lean years after winning back-to-back state titles in 2003 and 2004, but this is the Red Devils' second consecutive nine-win season under third-year coach David Daniell. 2. Jenkins County's seven wins are the most for the program since the 1966 team went 8-2. It has been a remarkable turnaround under first-year coach Charley Waters, who was hired to replace Ashley Harden. Waters was Jenkins County's interim coach in 2011 (a 1-9 season) when Chris Mason became ill and was unable to begin the season. He remained at the school after the hiring of Harden, who went 7-13. 3. Hawkinsville closed out the regular season with a 27-7 victory against playoff-bound Pacelli. QB Dakota Sloan rushed for 68 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 51 yards for a team that runs the ball most of the time. The Red Devils give up just 6.3 points per game and have not allowed more than 13 points in any game this season.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Hawkinsville by 32

Winner plays: Lincoln County/Charlton County winner

Calhoun County at Mitchell County

When, where: 7:30 p.m. today, Centennial Stadium, Camilla

Records, rankings: Calhoun County is 7-3, the No. 14 seed and unranked; Mitchell County is 6-4, the No. 3 seed and unranked.

Last meeting: Mitchell County won 12-8 on Oct. 31.

Three things to know: 1. This is a rematch of the regular-season game that decided the championship in Region 1. Mitchell County scored the winning points on a fumble recovery in the end zone with six minutes remaining. The game was particularly significant for Mitchell County, which finished No. 18 in the power rankings and would not have made the playoffs without the automatic berth that came from being a region champion. 2. Calhoun County has won more games than in any season since 1993, but the Cougars have never won a state playoff game and are 0-12 all-time against Mitchell County. QB DaJohn Williams played with a broken finger in the first meeting with Mitchell. He also broke his throwing hand over the summer. 3. QB Troy Chester is Mitchell County's leading passer and rusher, averaging about 109 yards per game passing and almost 60 yards per game rushing. His best game came in a 57-6 victory against Baconton Charter when he passed for 226 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 129 yards and two TDs. Mitchell County is 0-3 in the playoffs since it reverted from the Mitchell-Baker name in 2007.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Calhoun County by 3

Winner plays: Clinch County/Commerce winner

Clinch County at Commerce

When, where: 7:30 p.m. today, Ray Lamb Stadium, Commerce

Records, rankings: Clinch County is 6-4, the No. 11 seed and unranked; Commerce is 8-2, the No. 6 seed and unranked.

Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. Clinch County has won five state championships, most recently in 2010. The Panthers are 2-2 in the playoffs since then. Commerce is 1-6 in the first round since reaching the semifinals in 2006. The Tigers won state championships in 2000 (A) and 1981 (AA). 2. Clinch County has two four-star recruits on defense. Senior Octavis Johnson, a 6-foot-1, 181-pound defense back, is the nation's No. 21 "athlete" in the 247Sports Composite rankings. He has committed to South Carolina. Junior Chauncey Manac is rated by Rivals as the nation's No. 5 weakside defensive end in the Class of 2016. Manac has committed to Georgia. 3. Commerce runs the ball on almost every play. In a 55-28 victory over Lakeview Academy in the regular-season, the Tigers had 61 rushing attempts and four Tigers topped the 100-yard mark. All-Region 8 RB Grant Mayberry led with 135 yards on 13 carries. QB Caleb Brooks had 124 yards on 15 carries, followed by Cole Chancey (117-14) and Will Thomas (106-13).

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Clinch County by 16

Winner plays: Calhoun County/Mitchell County winner

Dooly County at Claxton

When, where: 7:30 p.m. today, Bell Memorial Field, Claxton

Records, rankings: Dooly County is 7-3, the No. 10 seed and No. 10; Claxton is 7-3, the No. 7 seed and unranked.

Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. Dooly County is in the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. The Bobcats lost to ECI in the state final in 2012 and were knocked out by eventual champion Marion County 24-21 in the quarterfinals last year. Claxton ended a five-year playoff drought last season and is seeking its first postseason victory since 2001. 2. Dooly County's 31.7-point scoring average ranks sixth among the remaining Class A public schools, but the Bobcats scored 40 per game in three consecutive victories to close the regular season. Senior RB Chanin Hamilton, who was honorable mention all-state as a sophomore, has reported scholarship offers from Cincinnati, Marshall and UAB. 3. Claxton closed its regular season with a 26-19 victory against Johnson County in the Region 3-A crossover games, ending a two-game losing streak. RB Zach Grant ran for 73 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, giving him 1,280 yards for the season. QB Cornelius Taylor ran for 89 yards and two touchdowns and threw a 69-yard TD pass on his only completion.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Dooly County by 8

Winner plays: Atkinson County/Irwin County winner

Atkinson County at Irwin County

When, where: 7:30 p.m. today, Indian Field, Ocilla

Records, rankings: Atkinson County is 6-4, the No. 15 seed and unranked; Irwin County is 8-1-1, the No. 2 seed and No. 6.

Last meeting: Irwin County won 21-14 on Oct. 31.

Three things to know: 1. Irwin County's victory against Atkinson County three weeks clinched the Region 2 title for the Indians. It was Irwin County's 10th region title overall but first since 1998. Irwin County reached the semifinals last season and picked up its first playoff victories since 2002. Atkinson County, which finished as the No. 5 team in Region 2, is in the playoffs for the first time since 2007. 2. Atkinson County has shown rapid improvement in two years under Kipp Hall. The former Druid Hills coach inherited a team that went 0-10 in 2012. The Rebels improved to 1-9 last year before jumping to six wins this season. The offense is led by QB Tyree Johnson, who reportedly has gotten looks from Georgia Tech, Navy and Georgia Southern. 3. Irwin County closed out its regular season with a 44-12 victory against Turner County to complete a 7-0 region season. QB/DB Jakyron Young rushed for 92 yards on seven carries and intercepted a pass. Young, who has an offer from Georgia Southern, was an honorable mention all-state player at defensive back in 2013.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Irwin County by 22

Winner plays: Dooly County/Claxton winner

Produced by Georgia High School Football Daily, a free e-mail newsletter. To join the mailing list, click here.