Second-round preview: Class AAAA

Last meeting: Woodward Academy won 26-7 in 2009.

Three things to know: 1. Spalding QB Naricuss Driver rushed for 101 yards on 13 carries in a 27-10 victory over Cairo last week. Spalding led only 6-3 at halftime. Driver has 985 yards rushing with 16 touchdowns and 1,299 yards passing on the season. DL/OL Brodarious Hamm, an Auburn commit who is projected for offense in college, had three sacks. It was Spalding's first playoff victory since the Jaguars made the Class AAA semifinals in 2003. 2. Woodward Academy RB Elijah Holyfield (committed to Georgia) missed five games with an injury but has played the past four. He rushed for 133 yards and returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown in a 48-7 victory over North Oconee in the first round and has 660 yards rushing on the season. QB Ryan Glover has thrown for 2,060 yards and 20 touchdowns. LB K.J. Phillips, who started as a freshman last season, is the leading tackler. 3. Both head coaches are in their fifth seasons at their schools. Nick Davis has led Spalding to its first 10-win season in 12 years. The season's biggest victory came Oct. 2, when Spalding beat cross-town rival Griffin, Davis's alma mater, for the first time in eight tries. Woodward's John Hunt, who had worked on Steve Spurrier's staffs at Florida, South Carolina and the Washington Redskins, led Woodward in 2014 to its first state semifinal since 1980.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Woodward Academy by 18

Winner plays: Marist/Mary Persons winner

Marist at Mary Persons

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dan Pitts Stadium at Mitchell Field, Forsyth

Records, rankings: Marist is 9-2, the No. 2 seed from Region 6-AAAA and No. 9; Mary Persons is 11-0, the No. 1 seed from 2-AAAA and No. 4.

Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. The football programs at Marist and Mary Persons date back at least 90 years, and each has more than 500 victories, so it is surprising that they've never played each other. Marist is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive season and 20th time overall under coach Alan Chadwick. Mary Persons has won five straight first-round games, the best run for the Bulldogs since the playoffs went to 32 teams per class in 1996, but has advanced to the quarterfinals only once (2012) since 2000. 2. In its 14-13 victory over Wayne County last week, Mary Persons ran the final five minutes off the clock and went into victory formation on the 1-yard line. Mary Persons gets two-thirds of its yardage rushing. Zach Harvey has run for 1,095 yards. DE Malik Herring, a top-100 national recruit among juniors, has 21 tackles for losses. 3. Marist's 42-17 victory over Pickens was typical War Eagle football. QB Jack Dinges rushed for 107 of Marist's 341 yards on the ground and 3-for-5 passing for 95 yards and a touchdown. Marist trailed 10-7 until a 1-yard TD run by Cameron Pearson (73 yards rushing, 39 receiving) with 2:02 left in the third quarter. Marist scored five touchdowns over the final 15 minutes.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Mary Persons by 11

Winner plays: Spalding/Woodward Academy winner

Worth County at Buford

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tom Riden Stadium, Buford

Records, rankings: Worth County is 8-3, the No. 3 seed from Region 1-AAAA and unranked; Buford is 10-1, the No. 1 seed from 8-AAAA and No. 2.

Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. Worth County averages 357.8 yards rushing per game and has three 1,000-yard rushers - Chris McDaniel (1,290), Justin Hope (1,315) and Dontavious Buford (1,016). Each has at least two 200-yard games. Worth has completed only 23 passes, but eight have gone for touchdowns. 2. Buford has allowed 476 yards rushing total. (Worth has eclipsed that number twice in single games this season). DT Shug Frazier, a 320-pounder committed to N.C. State, has a team-leading nine tackles for losses. Buford averages 246.3 yards rushing, 117.5 passing. QB Mic Roof has completed 79 of 113 attempts (70 percent). 3. Worth's 35-0 victory over Locust Grove was the Rams' first playoff win since 2007. Worth has not made a quarterfinal since 1997. Buford has reached the quarterfinals 15 consecutive times and won 25 straight home playoff games dating to a 2006 loss to Charlton County.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Buford by 9

Winner plays: Grady/Thomson winner

Grady at Thomson

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, The Brickyard, Thomson

Records, rankings: Grady is 7-4, the No. 3 seed from Region 6-AAAA and unranked; Thomson is 10-1, the No. 1 seed from 3-AAAA and No. 8.

Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. Thomson averages more than 300 yards rushing per game. Power RB Bill Mance has rushed for 1,698, including a season-high 297 and five touchdowns in a 49-35 first-round victory over Veterans. QB Ryan Sturgis (46-of-77 for 873 yards) has not attempted more than 10 passes in a game. DE Nick Moss has 10 sacks. 2. Grady QB Caylin Newton is a brother of Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton, although much smaller at 5 feet, 10 inches and 170 pounds. Caylin rushed for 113 yards and passed for 198 in a 28-27 victory over Northwest Whitfield in the first round. Grady blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown and also scored touchdowns on short drives after forcing a fumble and stuffing a fourth-down fake punt. 3. Grady averaged nine wins from 2005 to 2012, then was forced to forfeit eight victories in 2013 because of the discovery of several players who did not legally reside in the school district. Grady alumnus Earthwind Moreland, a former NFL player, took over last season and has the Knights back on track, seeking their first quarterfinal since 2010. Thomson, also under a second-year head coach, former Glynn Academy head man Rob Ridings, is seeking its first quarterfinal since 2012.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Thomson by 25

Winner plays: Worth County/Buford winner

Sandy Creek at Bainbridge

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Centennial Field, Bainbridge

Records, rankings: Sandy Creek is 9-2, the No. 2 seed from Region 5-AAAA and unranked; Bainbridge is 11-0, the No. 1 seed from 1-AAAA and No. 5.

Last meeting: Bainbridge won 31-13 in the first round of the 2003 Class AAAA playoffs.

Three things to know: 1. Bainbridge - 11-0 for the first time in a history that goes back 100 years - beat Griffin 35-7 last week for the Bearcats' first playoff victory since 2007, also the last season they made the quarterfinals. Sandy Creek has advanced to the second round for the ninth consecutive season. The Patriots are 6-2 in second-round games in that time, winning the last six, leading to state titles in 2009, 2010 and 2012. 2. Sandy Creek averages 197.8 yards rushing and 139.7 passing per game. RB Marvin Hubbard rushed for a season-high 144 yards and three touchdowns on only five attempts in a 49-0 victory over North Hall last week. He has a team-leading 893 rushing yards. QB Bryant Walker, son of head coach Chip Walker, threw for a season-high 204 yards and two touchdowns against North Hall. 3. Bainbridge sophomore RB Dameon Pierce has rushed for 1,652 yards and 31 touchdowns, both school records. No other player has more than 300 yards rushing. Brett McLaughlin is 126-of-243 passing for 1,884 yards, most of that to Tyler Storey (68 catches, 1,193 yards, eight TDs.) LB Kerenski Williams has 16 tackles for losses.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Bainbridge by 6

Winner plays: West Laurens/St. Pius winner

West Laurens at St. Pius

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, George B. Maloof Stadium, Atlanta

Records, rankings: West Laurens is 8-3, the No. 2 seed from Region 2-AAAA and unranked; St. Pius is 9-2, the No. 1 seed from 6-AAAA and No. 6.

Last meeting: St. Pius won 31-13 in the 2014 Class AAAA quarterfinals.

Three things to know: 1. West Laurens advanced in the playoffs last season for the first time since 1994. St. Pius ended the Raiders' run in the quarterfinals by rushing for 212 yards and holding the ball 32:09 to 15:51. St. Pius, which went on to the state final against Buford, can make the quarterfinals for the fifth straight time with a win. 2. Darius Bradford, who rushed for 162 yards against St. Pius last year and had two 200-yard rushing games in mid-season this year, was lost for the season to injury after the seventh game. Greg Covin has had two 100-yard games since, including a career-high 167 yards in a 31-14 victory over Burke County in the first round. He also caught a 55-yard pass. West Laurens averages only 10 passes per game and has more interceptions (seven) than TD passes (six), but QB Jalen Mack was 11-of-16 for 131 yards against Burke. 3. St. Pius had more than 300 yards rushing for the fifth time this season in a 28-19 victory over Ridgeland in the first round. Going over 100 yards were backs QB Reed Egan (107), Lawson Cooper (105) and Grant Holloman (135). St. Pius' only pass attempt was intercepted. St. Pius led 21-19 until Holloman's 1-yard TD run with 2:26 left.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: St. Pius by 4

Winner plays: Sandy Creek/Bainbridge winner

Carrollton at Jonesboro

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tara Stadium, Jonesboro

Records, rankings: Carrollton is 6-5, the No. 3 seed from Region 5-AAAA and unranked; Jonesboro is 10-1, the No. 1 seed from 4-AAAA and No. 7.

Last meeting: Carrollton won 37-0 in 1961.

Three things to know: 1. Jonesboro won its first region title this season since 1949 and earned only its third state-playoff victory, first since 2008, last week with a 17-14 win over Thomas County Central. Jonesboro trailed 14-0 at halftime but won on Asael Castaneda's 35-yard field goal with 32 seconds left. Jonesboro had forced a fumble with 1:10 to play. The previous week, Jonesboro rallied from a 14-0 deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Locust Grove 19-14 in the Region 4-AAAA title game. 2. Jonesboro's offense is built around three playmakers. RB Montralius Mosely rushed for 102 yards in the Thomas County Central victory and has just over 1,000 on the season. QB Zerrick Cooper (committed to Clemson) has more than 1,400 yards passing, and WR Jordan Griffin (Kentucky) has more than 700 yards receiving. OL Jeffrey Taylor is committed to Colorado State. 3. Carrollton, the Class AAAA runner-up in 2013, is back in the playoffs after a 4-6 finish last year. Carrollton held a 414-158 advantage in total yards in a 34-7 victory over Stephens County in the first round. Jarvis Terrell rushed for 115 yards, and Angelo Osorio ran for 91. Carrollton is 6-2 since sophomore Mark Wright became the primary quarterback. He's 51-of-89 passing for 692 yards.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Jonesboro by 10

Winner plays: Liberty County/Cartersville winner

Liberty County at Cartersville

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Weinman Stadium, Cartersville

Records, rankings: Liberty County is 8-3, the No. 2 seed from Region 3-AAAA and unranked; Cartersville is 11-0, the No. 1 seed from 7-AAAA and No. 1.

Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. Liberty County won its second playoff game in history and first since 2009 last week. The Panthers have never won a second-round game. Cartersville has reached the semifinals two of the past three seasons, including 2014, and ranks 29th all-time with 46 playoff victories. 2. Liberty County's Richard Lecounte, a top-50 national recruit among juniors, rushed for a season-high 167 yards and three touchdowns in the 31-22 victory over Upson-Lee in the first round. He also was 6-of-11 passing for 93 yards and had eight solo tackles, three for losses. RB Jacquez Williams, committed to Wake Forest as a wide receiver, has rushed for 1,251 yards. He had 244 rushing and 115 receiving two weeks ago against Richmond Hill. 3. Cartersville is averaging 264.4 yards passing and 11.6.6 rushing. Sophomore QB Trevor Lawrence, a blue-chip recruit, is 171-of-257 passing for 2,845 yards and 35 touchdowns with only three interceptions. WR Terrius Callahan has 45 catches for 934 yards (20.8 ypc) and 12 touchdowns. RB Tiamon Pennymon ran for three touchdowns and caught one in a 42-7 victory over Columbia in the first round.

Maxwell Ratings' projection: Cartersville by 15

Winner plays: Carrollton/Jonesboro winner

Coming Thursday: Class AAA

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