Sandy Creek at Wayne County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jaycee Stadium, Jesup
Records, rankings: Sandy Creek is 10-1, the No. 2 seed from Region 5-AAAA and No. 5; Wayne County is 6-5, the No. 1 seed from 3-AAAA and unranked.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Sandy Creek clinched its seventh consecutive 10-win season last week. A victory Friday would put the Patriots in the quarterfinals for the sixth straight season. Wayne County is trying to make the quarterfinals in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1975-76, when former Georgia star Lindsay Scott was a Yellow Jacket. 2. Sandy Creek led Columbia 23-0 at halftime and held on for a 23-14 victory in the first round. Eric Swinney rushed for 176 yards, giving him 1,587 on the season. Swinney's 30 carries were half of Sandy Creek's offensive snaps. QB Trey Walker (3-for-7 for 39 yards vs. Columbia) has passed for 980 yards. Sandy Creek's four leading tacklers - linebackers Will Harper and Elijah Gilmore and defensive backs Javon Jackson and Antonio Trapp - are juniors. 3. Wayne County graduated four major Division I recruits from its 2013 team that made the semifinals. The '14 team has won four straight after a 2-5 start. Anfernee Jordan rushed 24 times for 126 yards with two touchdowns in a 14-6 victory over Eagle's Landing in the first round. He has 1,167 yards rushing on the season. No other player has more than 100. Wayne County passes about 22 times per game. Nick Belz has more than 1,300 yards passing and 15 touchdowns.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Sandy Creek by 16
Winner plays: Baldwin/Cartersville winner
Baldwin at Cartersville
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Weinman Stadium, Cartersville
Records, rankings: Baldwin is 7-4, the No. 3 seed from Region 2-AAAA and unranked; Cartersville is 10-1, the No. 1 seed from 7-AAAA and No. 3.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Under first-year coach Lee Hannah, Baldwin has advanced in the playoffs for the first time since 2010. Hannah was a former defensive coordinator at Mays. Cartersville also has a first-year head coach. Joey King was Carrollton's offensive coordinator last season. 2. Cartersville has allowed no more than six points in any of the past seven games. Only two touchdowns have been allowed, both in the fourth quarter of blowout games. Cartersville QB Trevor Lawrence (136-of-212 passing, 2,386 yards, 21 touchdowns) has thrown for at least 200 yards and one touchdown in each of the past eight games, all victories. 3. Baldwin RB Kentavious Thomas (5-10, 205) has committed to Mississippi State. He has rushed for 1,335 yards and 20 touchdowns on 191 carries. QB Felix Jones has run for 730 yards and passed for 836 (74 of 129 attempts). The leading tacklers are senior linebackers Quondarious Holsey and Shelton Graves.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Cartersville by 17
Winner plays: Sandy Creek/Wayne County winner
Marist at Griffin
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Memorial Stadium, Griffin
Records, rankings: Marist is 10-1, the No. 2 seed from Region 6-AAAA and No. 4; Griffin is 11-0, the No. 1 seed from 4-AAAA and No. 2.
Last meeting: Marist won 38-14 in the 2002 Class AAAA quarterfinals.
Three things to know: 1. Griffin is the defending AAAA champion. Both teams have been ranked in the Top 10 all season. But both are facing harsh draws. Marist is playing its second ranked team in a row. The War Eagles beat No. 10 Whitewater 30-13 in the first round. The winner this week is likely to face No. 1 Buford in the quarterfinals. 2. Marist runs the ball about 90 percent of the time and put up 357 yards against Whitewater in the first round. Ian Gipson is the leading rusher with 839 yards. He ran for 133 last week. QB Sam Phelts (34-of-54 passing, 602 yards) is second with 786. Marist has four first-team all-region players. They are OT Sage Hardin, DE Kenneth Brinson, LB Jack Kratzenberg and PK Joey Gogol. 3. Griffin QB Anforne Stroud remains out with a thumb injury, but backup Tylan Morton, a sophomore, passed for 297 yards in the 46-12 victory over Liberty County in the first round. Malik Miller rushed for 203 yards and four touchdowns on 31 carries. He has rushed for 1,782 yards on the season.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Marist by 3
Winner plays: Mary Persons/Buford winner
Mary Persons at Buford
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tom Riden Stadium, Buford
Records, rankings: Mary Persons is 9-2, the No. 2 seed from Region 2-AAAA and No. 9; Buford is 11-0, the No. 1 seed from 8-AAAA and No. 1.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Mary Persons is 29-7 in three seasons under Brian Nelson. That is the school's best three-year run since the final three seasons under legendary coach Dan Pitts (1995-97). A victory would give the Bulldogs a third consecutive 10-win season. But that would entail breaking Buford's 36-game winning streak. 2. Mary Persons scored all of its points in the first quarter of a 14-0 victory over Westover in the first round. It was Mary Persons' fourth shutout of the season. Dee High, who scored the two touchdowns, has 1,419 yards rushing on the season, but he left the Westover game in the second half with an injury and did not return. Nelson said his status would be a game-time decision. 3. Buford's average score against AAAA opponents is 53.0 to 2.8. Xavier Gantt and Joshua Thomas share the rushing load for Buford. They have 1,154 yards on 115 carries (10.0 ypc) and 21 touchdowns between them. Buford attempts only 10 passes per game, but mainly for lack of necessity in blowouts. Luke Humphrey is 59-of-99 passing for 879 yards and 14 touchdowns. The leading tacklers have been DB David Curry (committed to Virginia) and LB Konnor Houston.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Buford by 28
Winner plays: Marist/Griffin winner
Eastside at St. Pius
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, George B. Maloof Stadium, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Eastside is 7-4, the No. 2 seed from Region 4-AAAA and unranked; St. Pius is 9-2, the No. 1 seed from 6-AAAA and No. 7.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. St. Pius has won nine consecutive games since losing to Blessed Trinity and Woodward Academy to open the season. The Lions can make the quarterfinals for a fourth straight time with a victory. Eastside has advanced a round for the first time since 2010 and could make the quarters for the first time since 2009. 2. In a 24-0 victory over Fayette County in the first round, St. Pius rushed for 323 yards (134 by Grant Hollomon) and attempted only two passes. Fayette was held to 171 yards in total offense and eight first downs. Hollomon also is a first-team all-region cornerback, the only sophomore recognized. 3. Eastside sophomore QB Austin Holloway has thrown for more than 2,000 yards. Another sophomore, WR Josh Sims, has more than 700 yards receiving. RB Carlos Huggins rushed for 216 yards in a loss this season to Griffin. DE Arthur Holmes had a five-sack game against Madison County and a two-interception game against Eagle's Landing. He returned both interceptions for touchdowns.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: St. Pius by 24
Winner plays: Stephens County/West Laurens winner
Stephens County at West Laurens
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Horseshoe Stadium, Dexter
Records, rankings: Stephens County is 8-3, the No. 3 seed from Region 8-AAAA and unranked; West Laurens is 8-3, the No. 1 seed from 2-AAAA and unranked.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. West Laurens' 23-17 victory over Bainbridge was the first playoff win for the Raiders in 20 years. Stephens County has made the playoffs 18 of the past 19 seasons, but hasn't won its first playoff game since 2011 and could make its first quarterfinal since 2003. 2. West Laurens sophomore RB Darius Bradford rushed for a career-high 210 yards against Bainbridge. He has rushed for 1,152 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season. But West Laurens is balanced. Garrel Quainton has thrown for 1,502 yards and 13 touchdowns, nine to Justin Smith, who has 52 catches for 855 yards. On defense, Austin Faulk has five interceptions and two fumble recoveries. 3. Stephens County RB Desmond Wheeler rushed for 198 yards and three touchdowns in the 42-14 victory over Pickens, whose own star RB Shannon Brooks was held to 64 yards. QB Mason Long also had an outstanding game, rushing for a season-high 117 yards (for 648 on the season) and passing for 151 (for 1,464 on the season).
Maxwell Ratings' projection: West Laurens by 5
Winner plays: Eastside/St. Pius winner
Burke County at Woodward Academy
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Colquitt Stadium, College Park
Records, rankings: Burke County is 7-4, the No. 2 seed from Region 3-AAAA and unranked; Woodward Academy is 9-2, the No. 1 seed from 5-AAAA and No. 6.
Last meeting: Burke County won 35-7 in the second round of the 2011 Class AAA playoffs.
Three things to know: 1. Burke County's last game against Woodward Academy came during the 2011 run to a state championship. A victory this week would put Burke in the quarterfinals for the fifth consecutive season. Woodward has lost its last seven second-round games and is trying to make the quarters for the first time since 1999. 2. Woodward QB Jes Sutherland was 7-of-7 passing for 201 yards and three touchdowns last week in a 55-0 victory over Lithonia. Sutherland has thrown for 1,613 yards on the season. Elijah Holyfield has rushed for 1,312 yards and scored 28 touchdowns, three on kickoff returns. Most conspicuous on defense are senior DB Arrington Farrar, MLB Max Richardson and freshman LB K.J. Phillips, the leading tackler. 3. Burke County QB Caleeb "Scoot" Roberson rushed for 118 yards and scored two touchdowns and was 10-of-16 passing for 113 yards in a 42-14 victory in the first round over Locust Grove. Burke County held Locust Grove to 67 yards rushing.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Woodward Academy by 18
Winner plays: North Oconee/Cairo winner
North Oconee at Cairo
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, West Thomas Stadium, Cairo
Records, rankings: North Oconee is 8-3, the No. 2 seed from Region 8-AAAA and unranked; Cairo is 9-2, the No. 1 seed from 1-AAAA and No. 8.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Cairo hasn't made the quarterfinals since 2012, when the Syrupmakers' streak of five quarters was ended. North Oconee, which opened in 2004, is 0-4 in second-round games. This will be North Oconee's second-ever trip to South Georgia. The first came on Aug. 23, when the Titans lost to Coffee 27-14 at Georgia Southern. 2. North Oconee RB Kawon Bryant rushed for 360 yards and five touchdowns on 29 carries in a 49-6 first-round victory over Gilmer. That gives Bryant 1,835 yards rushing for the season. The playmakers on defense are J.L. Banks and Noah Myers (five sacks each) and Zatravious Shields and Cole Coker (three interceptions each). 3. Cairo RB/LB Jeremiah Hill rushed for 198 yards on 22 carries in a 24-7 victory over Veterans. He rushed for 206 yards the previous week against Worth County in the Region 1 championship game. Hill has rushed for 960 yards and scored 20 touchdowns for the season. Cairo has not allowed more than 21 points in a game this season.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Even
Winner plays: Burke County/Woodward Academy winner
Coming Thursday: Classes AAA and AA
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