Region 1-AAAAAA aiming for historic quarterfinal sweep

ajc.com

Credit: Adam Krohn

Credit: Adam Krohn

Region 1-AAAAAA will try to become the first region in GHSA history to put all four of its playoff teams in the semifinals when Lee County, Valdosta, Northside-Warner Robins and Coffee take the field Friday for quarterfinal games.

Lee County, the No. 1-ranked team and defending state champion, is the only one of the four that will be at home. Valdosta will be on the road against a region champion, while Northside and Coffee will play at No. 2-seeded teams.

Here’s a look at each of Friday’s games in Class AAAAAA:

Valdosta at Dacula 

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Barron Field, Dacula

Records, rankings: Valdosta is 8-4, the No. 2 seed from Region 1-AAAAAA and No. 3; Dacula is 10-2, the No. 1 seed from 8-AAAAAA and No. 8.

Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.

Things to know: Valdosta won a state championship in 2016 but took a step back last year, finishing 4-7 and losing in the first round to Glynn Academy. The Wildcats avenged that loss last week with a 35-24 victory against the Red Terrors and are one win away from their second semifinal appearance since 2003. QB Tate Rodemaker, who came into the game with 3,202 yards passing, broke the school single-season records for passing yards and passing TDs. Valdosta gave up 326 yards rushing but created three turnovers and blocked a field goal, according to the Brunswick News. Dacula led Allatoona 20-0 at the end of the first quarter and 28-7 at halftime and held on for a 28-21 victory last week. Trenton Jones scored on a 92-yard run less than four minutes into the game and finished with 122 yards on 11 carries, giving him 1,263 yards for the season. Dacula is in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2013, when it played in the highest classification.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Valdosta by 7

Winner plays: Northside-Warner Robins/Sequoyah winner

Northside-Warner Robins at Sequoyah 

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Skip Pope Stadium, Canton

Records, rankings: Northside is 7-5, the No. 3 seed from Region 1-AAAAAA and No. 5; Sequoyah is 10-2, the No. 2 seed from 6-AAAAAA and No. 10.

Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.

Things to know: Northside is in the quarterfinals for the 14th time in 22 seasons after beating Bradwell Institute 35-0 last week. Zikhyree Hill, who came into the game with 291 yards rushing for the season, ran for 73 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries. QB Jadin Daniels, the rushing leader in Region 1, ran for 78 yards and two TDs and passed for 85 yards. Daniels has 1,476 passing yards, 1,367 rushing yards and 30 combined touchdowns this season. Four of the Eagles' five losses came against teams that are still alive in their classifications. Sequoyah rallied from a 35-21 deficit with eight minutes remaining and beat Creekside 50-49 in overtime last week to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2004. Creekside scored a touchdown on its overtime possession, but Sequoyah answered with a touchdown pass from Collier Pecht to Myles McGee. Pecht then ran in the two-point conversion for the win. Pecht passed for 273 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 36 yards. He has passed for almost 1,500 yards this season.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Northside by 7

Winner plays: Valdosta/Dacula winner

Coffee at Lanier 

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Longhorns Stadium, Sugar Hill

Records, rankings: Coffee is 9-3, the No. 4 seed from Region 1-AAAAAA and unranked; Lanier is 9-3, the No. 2 seed from 8-AAAAAA and unranked.

Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.

Things to know: This game matches the only remaining unranked teams in the AAAAAA field, although both teams spent time in the top 10 this season. Coffee, the state runner-up last season, advanced to its third consecutive quarterfinal with a 20-7 victory over Richmond Hill last week. Maurice Turner, who ran for just 162 yards in the regular season, has come to life in the playoffs, running for 151 yards in the first round and 198 last week. Josiah Killiebrew leads the Trojans with 641 yards and 10 touchdowns rushing. Richmond Hill's only touchdown came on a 70-yard fumble return in the fourth quarter. Lanier is in the quarterfinals for the first time in the program's nine-year history after beating Harrison 35-23. Lanier trailed 9-7 at halftime but outscored the Hoyas 14-0 in the third quarter to seize control. QB Zach Calzada (committed to Texas A&M), who entered the game with 202 yards rushing for the season, ran for 107 yards and three touchdowns. RB Taj Barnes led the Longhorns with 191 yards on the ground.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Coffee by 7

Winner plays: Creekview/Lee County winner

Creekview at Lee County 

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Trojan Field, Leesburg

Records, rankings: Creekview is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from Region 6-AAAAAA and No. 2; Lee County is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from 1-AAAAAA and No. 1.

Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.

Things to know: This game matches the only remaining unbeaten teams and the two top-ranked teams in AAAAAA. Creekview is in the quarterfinals for the first time in the program's 13-year history, and its 12 victories are a school record (the previous best was nine). The Grizzlies advanced with a 65-48 victory over Habersham Central. Cade Radam rushed for a school-record 280 yards on 22 carries and had TD runs of 34, 42, 12 and 57 yards, according to the Cherokee Tribune and Ledger-News. That gives him 1,927 yards (unofficially) for the season. Lee County is the defending state champion and has won 18 consecutive games. The Trojans held Effingham County to 61 total yards in a 54-0 victory last week. The scoreless fourth quarter was played with a running clock. Lee County leads the state in scoring defense, allowing just 4.17 points per game. Kyle Toole was 18-of-23 passing for 274 yards and three touchdowns. Jeremiah Engram had six receptions for 118 yards and two touchdowns, and RB Shaundarious Kimbrough scored three TDs.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Lee County by 29

Winner plays: Coffee/Lanier winner