Mount Zion (Carroll) at Marion County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Eagle Stadium, Buena Vista
Records, rankings: Mount Zion is 8-3, the No. 8 seed and unranked; Marion County is 11-0, the No. 1 seed and No. 2.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Mount Zion is in the quarterfinals for the first time in school history. Its 30-21 victory against Emanuel County Institute in the first round was its first playoff win since 2001. Marion County, the defending state champion, has won a school-record 16 consecutive games and is in the quarterfinals for the third straight year. 2. Mount Zion sophomore QB Jordan Akin was 7-for-12 passing for 138 yards and three touchdowns against ECI last week. Akin took over as the starter midway through the season after an injury to senior Tomias Dunson. Matt Turner rushed for 114 yards on 25 carries. Freshman C.J. Ackles had TD receptions of 34 and 17 yards, and sophomore Jace Jordan had a 29-yard TD catch and an interception. 3. Marion County averages 239.3 yards rushing, but the Eagles ran for 329 yards in a 52-6 victory against Greenville last week. It was Marion County's second blowout win over its Region 4 rival in less than a month. Lorenzo Smothers rushed for 135 yards and two TDs on nine carries. QB Dustin Eckert was 6-for-7 passing for 107 yards and a touchdown.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Marion County by 19
Winner plays: Charlton County/Hawkinsville winner
Charlton County at Hawkinsville
When, where: 5 p.m. Friday, Bobby Gentry Stadium, Hawkinsville
Records, rankings: Charlton County is 10-1, the No. 5 seed and No. 7; Hawkinsville is 10-1, the No. 4 seed and No. 5.
Last meeting: 1. Charlton County, which lost to Marion County in the state final last season, is in the quarterfinals in consecutive years for the first time since 2006-07. Hawkinsville lost to Marion County in the semifinals last season and is in back-to-back quarterfinals for the first time since 2005-06. 2. Charlton County trailed Lincoln County 16-0 in the fourth quarter last week but got two touchdowns and two two-point conversions in the final 8:57 before winning 23-22 in overtime. QB Dustin Eckert, who has passed for 1,449 yards this season, threw a 22-yard TD pass to Andrew Lee and a two-point conversion to Curt Nixon with 29 seconds left to tie the game. Levi Cribb blocked Lincoln County's extra-point attempt in overtime. 3. Hawkinsville, which advanced with a 20-14 victory over Jenkins County, rushes for 221.4 yards while attempting only about six passes per game. Reginald McDonald is the leading rusher with 515 yards on 93 carries, but five other players have at least 35 carries, 222 yards and two touchdowns. QB Dakota Sloan has passed for 481 yards and rushed for 377.
Three things to know: Charlton County won 35-13 in the first round of the 2010 Class A playoffs.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Hawkinsville by 7
Winner plays: Mount Zion (Carroll)/Marion County winner
Calhoun County at Commerce
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Ray Lamb Stadium, Commerce
Records, rankings: Calhoun County is 8-3, the No. 14 seed and unranked; Commerce is 9-2, the No. 6 seed and unranked.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Calhoun County's victory was last week was its first ever in the state playoffs. The Cougars' eight wins are the most since 1993. Commerce broke a four-game playoff losing streak and advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2006. 2. Calhoun County's Sherrod Williams intercepted a pass on Mitchell County's two-point attempt in the closing seconds to preserve a 13-12 victory last week. The win avenged a 12-8 loss to Mitchell on Oct. 31 that decided the Region 1 championship. QB DaJohn Williams, who was injured the first time the teams met, rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown in the rematch. 3. Commerce's Will Thomas rushed for 162 yards and four touchdowns on 20 carries in a 37-7 victory over Clinch County last week. Thomas is the leading rusher (834 yards on 104 carries) for a team that averages 310.5 yards per game rushing and has attempted just 43 passes. Grant Mayberry (776 yards), Cole Chancey (761) and Caleb Brooks (556) all have at least 80 carries and seven touchdowns.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Commerce by 14
Winner plays: Dooly County/Irwin County winner
Dooly County at Irwin County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Indian Field, Ocilla
Records, rankings: Dooly County is 8-3, the No. 10 seed and No. 10; Irwin County is 9-1-1, the No. 2 seed and No. 6.
Last meeting: Irwin County won 39-34 in 2009.
Three things to know: 1. Dooly County, which lost in the 2012 state final, is in the quarterfinals for the third consecutive year for the first time in school history. Irwin County is in the quarters for the second consecutive season after not making it that far since 1997. 2. Dooly County's Keon Webb rushed for 133 yards last week and scored two touchdowns, including one on a 10-yard run with 1:55 remaining to secure a 29-24 victory over Claxton. QB Jordan Miles ran for 84 yards and a touchdown and was 3-for-4 passing for 71 yards, including a 34-yard TD pass. Dooly County was outgained 322-313, according to the Statesboro Herald. 3. Irwin County's Jakyron Young was named the Region 2 player of the year. He has rushed for 1,206 yards this year in the team's Wing-T offense. The leading rusher is Robert Moore (1,225 yards), who ran for 130 yards in a 28-0 victory against Atkinson County last week. Irwin County led 7-0 at halftime despite fumbling three times - twice inside the Atkinson 10-yard line - then outgained the Rebels 172-6 in the second half.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Irwin County by 11
Winner plays: Calhoun County/Commerce winner
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