Mays at Ware County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Memorial Stadium, Waycross
Records, rankings: Mays is 9-2, the No. 3 seed from Region 6-AAAAA and No. 7; Ware County is 11-0, the No. 1 seed from 3-AAAAA and No. 1.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Mays is in the second round for the second consecutive season but is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in school history. A victory would put Ware County in the quarterfinals for the fifth straight year. 2. Mays' Asahnia Aderhold threw the winning touchdown pass and a two-point conversion with three minutes remaining, and the Raiders made a goal-line stand in the final minute of a 26-19 victory in the first round against South Paulding. Aderhold was 7-for-19 passing for 110 yards. Charlie Patrick rushed for 93 yards and a TD on 16 carries. 3. Ware County runs the ball about 80 percent of the time. Dedrick Mills is the leading rusher with 56 carries for 563 yards and seven touchdowns, but Jarvis Belcher (61-499-5), Raekwon Chatman (56-447-6) and Laban Faulk (56-427-2) are significant contributors. Mills scored a third-quarter TD as the Gators outscored Starr's Mill 28-0 over the final 15 minutes to pull away for a 45-10 win in the first round.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Ware County by 9
Winner plays: Jones County/Kell winner
Jones County at Kell
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, C.J. Kell Stadium, Marietta
Records, rankings: Jones County is 9-2, the No. 3 seed from Region 2-AAAAA and unranked; Kell is 11-0, the No. 1 seed from 7-AAAAA and No. 3.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Jones County's 13-12 victory over Carver of Columbus in the first round was its first win in the state playoffs since beating Hephzibah 16-7 in the first round in 2001. The Greyhounds had been 0-3 in the playoffs since then. Kell has won five consecutive first-round games since a 14-7 loss to Peachtree Ridge in 2009. 2. Jones County's 215 total yards against Carver were its fewest of the season. QB Bradley Hunnicutt was 16-for-35 passing for 144 yards, giving him 2,299 yards for the season, but was held without a touchdown pass for only the second time this year. Leading rusher Chandler Ramage ran for 74 yards on 19 carries, but the team finished with a total of 71 yards on 25 carries. Terrell Solomon's 3-yard run on his only carry was the only touchdown against Carver. 3. Kell ran the ball about 60 percent of the time during the regular season, but the yardage totals were about even (2,036 rushing, 1,953 passing). In the Longhorns' 31-7 victory against Winder-Barrow last week, Ivan Walls (783 yards in the regular season) had touchdown runs of 33, 3 and 26 yards in the first half. Cameron Rosendahl threw a touchdown pass to Julian Change.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Kell by 4
Winner plays: Mays/Ware County winner
Stephenson at Stockbridge
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tiger Stadium, Stockbridge
Records, rankings: Stephenson is 8-3, the No. 2 seed from Region 6-AAAAA and No. 10; Stockbridge is 9-2, the No. 1 seed from 4-AAAAA and unranked.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. A victory would give Stephenson its fifth consecutive season with nine victories, but the Jaguars have advanced to the quarterfinals just once during that stretch. Stockbridge did not make the state playoffs in the program's first 46 years but is now in for the fifth consecutive year. 2. Stephenson rushed for 515 yards and four touchdowns and built a 27-0 lead before holding off Alexander 41-27 in the first round. Ivonte Patterson led the Jaguars in the regular season with 1,038 yards and 16 touchdowns on 101 carries (10.3 ypc), and Cortese Logan had 658 yards and four TDs. QB Dewann Ford completed two passes against Alexander, but they went for TDs of 48 and 52 yards. 3. Stockbridge finished fourth in AAAAA scoring defense during the regular season, giving up 13.8 points per game. The only points the Tigers allowed in a 36-6 victory against Brunswick in the first round came on a 55-yard interception return. Stockbridge also got points from its defense on a 75-yard interception return and a blocked punt that produced a safety.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Stephenson by 3
Winner plays: Sequoyah/Houston County winner
Sequoyah at Houston County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, McConnell-Talbert Stadium, Warner Robins
Records, rankings: Sequoyah is 6-5, the No. 4 seed from Region 7-AAAAA and unranked; Houston County is 9-2, the No. 2 seed from 2-AAAAA and unranked.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Sequoyah is the only No. 4 seed remaining in Class AAAAA after shocking fifth-ranked Lanier 24-21 in the first round, winning on Ethan Riggle's 20-yard field goal in the closing seconds. It was the fourth consecutive victory for the Chiefs, who were 2-5 after seven games, and their first playoff win since 2008. Trey Mitchell, who rushed for 1,091 yards in the regular season, had 141 yards and two touchdowns against Lanier. 2. Houston County, which averages 274.3 yards passing and 205.5 rushing, had a season-high 628 yards in a 55-34 victory against LaGrange last week. QB Jake Fromm is the leading passer in AAAAA with 2,910 yards, including 358 against LaGrange. The Bears also have a 1,000-yard rusher (Kenny Gant, 1,371 yards) and 1,000-yard receiver (Darion Anderson, 1,032 yards). 3. James Teter has had just three losing seasons in 13 years as coach at Dunwoody and Sequoyah, but this is only the second time he has taken a team beyond the first round. His 2008 Dunwoody team went 12-1 and reached the AAA quarterfinals. Houston County had not reached the second round since 2006 and can tie the school record for victories this week.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Houston County by 11
Winner plays: Stephenson/Stockbridge winner
Glynn Academy at Creekside
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Arrowhead Stadium, Fairburn
Records, rankings: Glynn Academy is 8-3, the No. 3 seed from Region 3-AAAAA and unranked; Creekside is 9-2, the No. 1 seed from 6-AAAAA and No. 6.
Last meeting: Creekside won 33-10 in the first round of the 2006 Class AAAA playoffs.
Three things to know: 1. Glynn Academy, in its first season under former Walton coach Rocky Hidalgo, won a state playoff game last week for just the third time since its last trip to the quarterfinals in 1972. Creekside, the defending state champion, is averaging 46.8 points per game during its current six-game playoff winning streak. 2. Glynn Academy trailed 28-13 in the fourth quarter before rallying to beat Drew 35-34 in overtime in the first round. Drew scored a touchdown on its overtime possession but had the extra-point attempt blocked. The Terrors answered with a TD and won on Scout Churchwell's PAT. Garrison Hurd scored all three touchdowns for Glynn Academy in the fourth quarter and overtime. 3. Creekside has been more of a running team this year than it was during its 2013 championship season. The workhorse has been Bricen Terry, whose 1,448 yards in the regular season were the fifth-most in Class AAAAA. The Seminoles ran for more than 400 yards in their 44-27 victory over New Manchester in the first round. It was Creekside's second-highest point total of the season.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Creekside by 12
Winner plays: Dalton/Northside-Warner Robins winner
Dalton at Northside (Warner Robins)
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, McConnell-Talbert Stadium, Warner Robins
Records, rankings: Dalton is 9-2, the No. 2 seed from Region 7-AAAAA and unranked; Northside is 10-1, the No. 1 seed from 2-AAAAA and No. 8.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Northside improved to 10-1 with its first-round victory, extending its state-record streak of consecutive 10-win seasons to 17. Dalton holds the state record for most consecutive non-losing seasons with 52 (1959-2010), although the Catamounts haven't advanced past the second round of the playoffs since 2005. 2. Dalton gave up 299 yards, including 250 passing, but kept Salem out of the end zone in a 23-6 first-round victory. The Catamounts welcomed the return of safety Eder Mora, who was among the team's leading tacklers but hadn't played since Sept. 26 because of broken foot. Kelvis Rhodes, who missed practice time with an illness last week, rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries, according to the Dalton Citizen. 3. Northside had the most lopsided victory of any Class AAAAA team in the first round, winning 48-0 against Northside of Columbus. The Eagles' Willie Jordan, who rushed for 1,440 yards during the regular season, finished with 132 yards and four touchdowns in the victory.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Northside by 6
Winner plays: Glynn Academy/Creekside winner
Coffee at Allatoona
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Buccaneer Stadium, Acworth
Records, rankings: Coffee is 10-1, the No. 2 seed from Region 3-AAAAA and No. 2; Allatoona is 11-0, the No. 1 seed from 5-AAAAA and No. 4.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Coffee reached the 10-win mark for just the fourth time in school history and the first time since 1982 with its 14-6 victory against Mundy's Mill in the first round. Coffee dropped down to AAAAA this season after playing in the highest classification the past 26 years. Allatoona has won at least 11 games in three of the past four seasons and has an all-time playoff record of 5-4. 2. Demetrius Davis led Coffee in the regular season with 812 yards and 10 touchdowns rushing on 122 carries, but three other players (Lacarvius Sears, Chris Swinson and QB Tyree Paulk) had at least 55 carries, 404 yards and six touchdowns. Sears and Swinson scored the Trojans' touchdowns against Mundy's Mill, which held Coffee to its lowest point total of the season. 3. Allatoona's Russell Halimon is the leading rusher in Class AAAAA with 1,900 yards. He ran for 219 yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries in the first round in a 35-7 victory against Carver of Atlanta. It was the defense, however, that stood out against Carver. Allatoona held the Panthers to 96 yards in the first three quarters and 185 total yards. LB Will Kemp leads the team in tackles and tackles for losses.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Allatoona by 11
Winner plays: Gainesville/Harris County winner
Gainesville at Harris County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tiger Stadium, Hamilton
Records, rankings: Gainesville is 9-2, the No. 2 seed from Region 8-AAAAA and unranked; Harris County is 9-2, the No. 1 seed from 1-AAAAA and No. 9.
Last meeting: Gainesville won 64-13 in the 2012 Class AAAAA quarterfinals.
Three things to know: 1. Gainesville (Region 8) and Harris County (Region 1) are the only teams from their regions to survive the first round. Harris County, in its first season under former Jones County coach Dwight Jones, can set the school record for victories in a season with a win this week. Gainesville coach Bruce Miller has taken his teams to the quarterfinals or beyond seven times in his 13 seasons with the Red Elephants. 2. Gainesville survived a back-and-forth contest and escaped with a 42-37 victory against Creekview last week. QB Mikey Gonzalez was the second-leading passer in Class AAAAA during the regular season with 2,454 yards, but he was held to 130 by the Grizzlies. Michael Byrd made up the difference, rushing for a season-high 217 yards on 26 carries. 3. Harris County's Easton Hart blocked a 44-yard field goal attempt with 13 seconds remaining to preserve the Tigers' 33-31 victory against Warner Robins in the first round. Harris County is led by two 1,000-yard rushers. RB Tae Crowder had 1,242 yards during the regular season, and QB TaQuon Marshall ran for 1,217 yards and 11 TDs. Marshall also passed for 1,034 yards and 15 scores.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Harris County by 2
Winner plays: Coffee/Allatoona winner
Coming Wednesday: Class AAAAA
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