When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Colquitt Stadium, College Park
Records, rankings: Marist is 10-2, the No. 2 seed from Region 6-AAAA and No. 9; Woodward Academy is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from 5-AAAA and No. 3.
Last meeting: Marist won 17-16 in overtime in 1995.
Three things to know: 1. Marist leads the series between these old metro Atlanta private schools 23-14, but they haven't played each other in 20 years. Woodward reached the semifinals last season for the first time since 1980, when Woodward beat Marist in the Class AAA championship game. Marist is trying to reach the semifinals for the 20th time, first since 2013. 2. Marist had 404 yards rushing on 53 attempts in a 45-21 victory over Mary Persons in the second round. RB Michael Addicks rushed for 125 yards on 26 carries and scored four touchdowns. Spencer Taylor had 110 yards rushing on just four carries and caught Marist's only completed pass for 23 yards. 3. The most notable Woodward Academy player is RB Elijah Holyfield, who has rushed for 746 yards and six touchdowns in only seven games. But Woodward has more yards passing than rushing. QB Ryan Glover was 17-of-21 passing for 265 yards and three touchdowns in a 48-21 victory over Spalding last week. He has thrown for 2,325 yards on the season. LB Max Richardson had 13 tackles, a sack and a 94-yard fumble return for a touchdown against Spalding.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Woodward Academy by 17
Winner plays: Buford/Thomson winner
Buford at Thomson
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, The Brickyard, Thomson
Records, rankings: Buford is 11-1, the No. 1 seed from Region 8-AAAA and No. 2; Thomson is 11-1, the No. 1 seed from 3-AAAA and No. 8.
Last meeting: Buford won 41-7 in 2009.
Three things to know: 1. Buford is in the quarterfinals for the 16th consecutive season. The Wolvers are 13-2 in the previous ones and won the past eight. Thomson is in the quarters for the first time since 2012. Thomson last won a quarterfinal in 2002 during its Class AAAA championship season. 2. Thomson RB Michael Thomas, subbing for injured 1,698-yard rusher Billy Mance, ran for 287 yards and scored on runs of 75 and 58 yards in a 44-21 victory over Grady last week. Thomson averages more than 311 yards rushing per game and got 334 in Mance's absence last week. Mance is expected to play this week. QB Rashad Sturgis had three TD passes. DE Nick Moss had two sacks, giving him 12 on the season. 3. This will be the second straight team that Buford has faced that averages more than 300 yards rushing. Buford allows only 51.4 per game and held Worth County to 142 in a 42-0 victory last week. Buford rushed for 396 yards. RB Anthony Grant is the leading rusher (705) on a team with no back with more than 85 carries on the season. QB Mic Roof is 84-of-121 passing for 1,345 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Buford by 10
Winner plays: Marist/Woodward Academy winner
St. Pius at Bainbridge
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Centennial Field, Bainbridge
Records, rankings: St. Pius is 10-2, the No. 1 seed from Region 6-AAAA and No. 6; Bainbridge is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from 1-AAAA and No. 5.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Bainbridge is trying to reach the semifinals for the third time and first since 1993. The Bearcats are 12-0 for the first time in their history. Bainbridge played its first recorded football game in 1913. St. Pius will be the first private school that Bainbridge has ever faced. St. Pius was the AAAA runner-up to Buford last year. 2. Bainbridge RB Dameon Pierce has rushed for 1,736 yards, and WR Tyler Story has 1,207 yards receiving, although the Bearcats were outgained 291-166 in a 14-7 victory over Sandy Creek in overtime last week. QB Brett McLaughlin threw a 14-yard TD pass to TE Russell Wheeler in overtime, and then Bainbridge's defense made the stop. 3. Seldom-used FB Ryan Walsh rushed for 106 yards and scored three touchdowns, one a 75-yarder, on just six carries in St. Pius's 33-14 victory over West Laurens last week. St. Pius rushed for 253 yards and attempted just one pass (a 40-yard completion). St. Pius averages 267.8 yards rushing, with Lawson Cooper (788 yards on the season), Grant Holloman (708) and QB Reed Egan (609) typically leading the way.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Bainbridge by 9
Winner plays: Jonesboro/Cartersville winner
Jonesboro at Cartersville
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Weinman Stadium, Cartersville
Records, rankings: Jonesboro is 11-1, the No. 1 seed from Region 4-AAAA and No. 7; Cartersville is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from 7-AAAA and No. 1.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. This is Jonesboro's deepest playoff run since a 1949 Class C semifinal appearance. Cartersville lost to eventual AAAA champion Buford in the 2014 semifinals. 2. Cartersville QB Trevor Lawrence has thrown for 3,010 yards and 35 touchdowns. WR Terrius Callahan has more than 1,000 receiving yards. But Cartersville's defense stood out more in a 28-7 victory over Liberty County last week. Liberty had only 44 yards of total offense through its first nine possessions. LB Tyler Reed returned an interception 92 yards. 3. Jonesboro had minus-46 yards rushing in a 14-10 victory over Carrollton last week, but QB Zerrick Cooper (committed to Clemson) was 14-of-25 passing for 205 yards and two touchdowns. Jonesboro held Carrollton to 171 total yards. Kali James had two sacks and two other tackles for losses, forced a fumble and broke up a pass.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Cartersville by 14
Winner plays: St. Pius/Bainbridge winner
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