Round 1 of the Class AA playoffs saw no major upsets, though my predictions — which I'll discuss more on Tuesday — suffered what should ultimately be a few inconsequential hits. Below is the updated official bracket with scores, as found on GHSA.net.
Below is a more in-depth look at Friday’s games.
Upper-left quadrant
- Fitzgerald improved to 8-3 with its win as Tucker Pruitt earned his first playoff win for the Purple Hurricane in his second year as coach. Harlem (7-4) was seeking its first playoff win since 1981.
- Swainsboro is 9-2 after its win over Northeast-Macon (4-7). It was the Tigers' first playoff win since 2009. The Raiders were seeking their first playoff win since 2002.
- Chattooga survived a slugfest in its first home playoff game in 18 years, to move to 9-2. The Indians advance for the first time since 2016, when they reached the quarterfinals as a No. 3 seed. Jeremy Stewart has game details for the Rome News-Tribune. The Bulldogs finished 7-4 and were seeking their first playoff win since 2004.
- No. 8 Rabun County nearly topped its program record for points scored, set earlier in the season against Banks County (68) and are now 10-1. It was the first playoff shutout in program history. Blitz has details and highlights. The Green Wave (3-8) haven't won a playoff game since 2015.
Lower-left quadrant
- Thomasville took care of business on the road to move to 7-4, advancing for the second consecutive season after reaching the quarterfinals last year. David Lee of The Augusta Chronicle has details. The Rebels (8-3) have never won a playoff game as a program that dates back to 1954.
- No. 6 Dublin (10-1) advances for the second year in a row, while Toombs County (5-6) failed to advance for a second year in a row. TombsNow has details.
- Douglass earned its first playoff shutout since 1999 and improved to 10-1 while Pepperell (6-5) fail to advance for the first time since 2015. The Dragons were playing shorthanded, according to the Rome News-Tribune.
- No. 3 Heard County (9-2) advanced for the sixth time in seven seasons while while denying Monticello (5-6) its first playoff win since 1994.
Upper-right quadrant
- No. 9 Dodge County (10-1) advanced for the third time in four seasons while Jeff Davis (7-4) failed to win its first playoff game since 1997.
- Jefferson County improved to 9-2 and advanced for the sixth straight season while Early County (6-5) was denied its first playoff win since 2015. The Dothan Eagle has details.
- No. 7 Bremen (9-2) took care of business on the road and is now to earn its first AA playoff win since returning to the classification ahead of the season. It's the Blue Devils' first playoff win since 2016, when they were in AAA. Union County (9-2) — also returning to AA after two seasons in AAA — lost its final two games after starting undefeated. The Panthers have never won a playoff game, with their program dating back to 1957.
- No. 2 Rockmart (11-0) earned its second first-round shutout in three seasons — the Jackets beat Heard County 42-0 in 2016 — to remain AA's only unbeaten team. South Atlanta (6-5) enjoyed its first winning season since 1995 but is still seeking its first playoff win for a program that dates back to 1994. Kevin Myrick of the Rome News-Tribune has the game story.
Lower-right quadrant
- No. 10 Washington County (9-2) eked out a road win over Vidalia (9-2) to advance for the second time in three years and fifth in the last seven, dating back to their years in AAA. The Indians returned to the playoffs after a down year in 2017, but haven't won in the postseason since 2016. Southeast Georgia Today has details.
- No. 5 Brooks County (9-2) earned its second playoff shutout in as many seasons — the Trojans beat Callaway 31-0 last season — and advance for the 11th season in a row. It was coach Maurice Freeman's 200th career victory, as Juston Lewis reports in his game story for the Valdosta Daily Times. Screven County (6-5) failed to advance for the first time since 2013.
- No. 4 Callaway (9-2) advanced for the seventh year in a row while Elbert County (7-4) lost in the first round for the second time in the last three seasons. Kevin Eckleberry of The LaGrange Daily News has the story.
- The top-ranked, defending state champions Hapeville Charter (10-1) smothered Coosa (4-7), which last won a playoff game in 2014. The Rome News-Tribune has a few details.
Correction (11/12/18): In a previous version, it was incorrectly reported that Jeff Davis had not reached the postseason since 2001. They were in the playoffs last season.
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