Etowah at Westlake
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Westlake Stadium, College Park
Records, rankings: Etowah is 9-2, the No. 2 seed from Region 5-AAAAAA and unranked; Westlake is 9-1, the No. 1 seed from 3-AAAAAA and No. 10.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Both teams won their first playoff games since 2006 last week. Etowah, which opened in 1977, has never made the quarterfinals. Westlake, opened in 1988, has made the quarterfinals once, in 1999, but not advanced further. 2. Etowah RB Tyray Devezin rushed for 204 yards on 25 carries in the first round in a 48-22 win against South Forsyth. Devezin has 1,126 yards rushing unofficially on the season. Devezin's older brother, senior Raishod Devezin, rushed for 1,000 yards through seven games but suffered a season-ending injury, opening the door for Tyray, a sophomore, to become the feature back. Robbie Knox threw for 178 yards last week, and Etowah held South Forsyth's 1,000-yard rusher Tyler LaFlamme to less than 50 yards. 3. Westlake has a balanced offense but relied on the run in a 41-13 victory over North Paulding. Junior Justin Broughton rushed for 154 yards. QB Dakota Rocker is 118-of-203 passing for 1,581 yards and 19 touchdowns. Westlake has allowed more than 14 points in a game only once, in a 53-27 victory over South Cobb.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Westlake by 7
Winner plays: Central Gwinnett/Newton winner
Central Gwinnett at Newton
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sharp Stadium, Covington
Records, rankings: Central Gwinnett is 7-4, the No. 4 seed from Region 8-AAAAAA and unranked; Newton is 6-3, the No. 3 seed from 2-AAAAAA and unranked.
Last meeting: Newton won 18-6 in 2001.
Three things to know: 1. Newton had not won a state-playoff game in history until beating Valdosta 27-14 last week. Newton's only postseason victories in a history that dates to the 1940s had been two region playoff wins in 1987. One of those, coincidentally, was against Central Gwinnett. Central last won a playoff game in 2005. 2. Central Gwinnett's 12-9 victory over fifth-ranked North Gwinnett last week was made more remarkable by the fact that Central QB Eric Forrest (2,589 yards passing) did not play. Backup QB Nick Partlow, a sophomore, scored on a 1-yard sneak on fourth down in the fourth quarter for a 12-9 lead that stood up. Central normally gets nearly 80 percent of its offense through the air. Central held North to 149 yards in total offense. 3. Newton forced seven turnovers and held Valdosta to a reported 112 yards in total offense last week. QB Romario Johnson was 21-of-33 passing for 189 yards and has passed for 2,358 yards and 26 touchdowns on the season in only nine games. Two of Newton's games were canceled because of bad weather. Johnson also is Newton's leading rusher with 441 yards.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Central Gwinnett by 4
Winner plays: Etowah/Westlake winner
Roswell at Hillgrove
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Cobb Energy Hillgrove Stadium, Powder Springs
Records, rankings: Roswell is 8-3, the No. 3 seed from Region 5-AAAAAA and unranked; Hillgrove is 8-3, the No. 1 seed from 4-AAAAAA and unranked.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Roswell is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2010 after suffering three consecutive losing seasons. The Hornets are trying to make the quarterfinals for the first time since 2007. Hillgrove made the quarters in 2010 and 2013, but no further. Hillgrove opened in 2006, the year of Roswell's Class AAAAA championship. 2. Hillgrove outscored Douglas County 33-0 in the third quarter of a 58-13 victory. Sonny Harris rushed for 107 yards, giving him 1,232 for the season. Matthew Wilson had four TD passes. 3. Roswell sophomore RB Sheldon Evans rushed for 199 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries in the 36-13 victory over Lambert. Evans has 1,695 yards rushing on the season. Roswell WR Mechane Slade, returning from an injury, had 57 yards receiving on three catches. He has 858 yards receiving on the season and is Roswell's most dangerous player when healthy.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Hillgrove by 7
Winner plays: Lee County/Archer winner
Lee County at Archer
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Archer Community Stadium, Lawrenceville
Records, rankings: Lee County is 8-2, the No. 3 seed from Region 1-AAAAAA and No. 6; Archer is 8-3, the No. 1 seed from 8-AAAAAA and unranked.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Neither school has been past the second round. Archer opened in 2009 and made the playoffs for the first time last season and finished 11-1. Lee County started football in 1971 and didn't make the playoffs until 1997, advance a round until 1999 or win a region title until 2005. Lee County won Region 1-AAAAA last season. This is Lee's first playoff appearance in the highest classification. 2. Lee County QB Garet Morrell, Region 1's passing-yardage leader, was 19-of-30 for 284 yards in the 44-6 victory over Lovejoy. That gave him 2,319 yards on the season in just 10 games. He also threw TD passes to four receivers. 3. Archer QB Gabe Tiller was 18-of-26 passing for 289 yards and two touchdowns in the 38-22 victory over Norcross. Tiller has thrown for 2,241 yards on the season. Archer's leading rusher is Randy Nails with 830 yards, but he had six receptions for 173 yards last week.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Lee County by 3
Winner plays: Roswell/Hillgrove winner
McEachern at Alpharetta
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Raider Stadium, Alpharetta
Records, rankings: McEachern is 8-3, the No. 2 seed from Region 4-AAAAAA and unranked; Alpharetta is 10-1, the No. 1 seed from 6-AAAAAA and unranked.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Alpharetta opened in 2004, won its first region title in 2011, won its first playoff game in 2013 and attained its first 10-win season in 2014. McEachern is trying to make the quarterfinals for the second straight season. McEachern compiled a record of 38-8 from 2009 to 2012 without getting out of the second round before breaking through in 2013 with three straight road playoff wins. 2. McEachern beat East Coweta 23-3 last week but led only 7-3 in the fourth quarter before pulling away with help from a TD punt return by Tyler Smith and a safety from a blocked punt. McEachern has become a passing team this season after the season-ending injury to RB Taj Griffin. Bailey Hockman has thrown 31 touchdown passes, 14 each to Smith and T.J. Rahming. 3. Austin King passed for 302 yards in the 21-18 victory over Cherokee. King, who is committed to N.C. State, is 145-of-256 passing for 2,116 yards and 18 touchdowns on the season. Alpharetta has another Division I recruit in DL Andrew Butcher, who has committed to Tennessee.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: McEachern by 10
Winner plays: Grayson/Tucker winner
Grayson at Tucker
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, James R. Hallford Stadium, Clarkston
Records, rankings: Grayson is 10-1, the No. 3 seed from Region 8-AAAAAA and No. 2; Tucker is 9-2, the No. 1 seed from 2-AAAAAA and No. 9.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Tucker has made the quarterfinals six of the past seven seasons, winning the title in 2008 and 2011, but those feats were accomplished in the second-highest classification. Tucker is trying to do as Lovejoy did in 2011-12 - make the finals back-to-back after moving to the highest class. Grayson has 10 wins for the seventh time in eight seasons after the 4-6 anomaly of 2013. 2. Grayson's defense was the difference in the 24-6 victory over Mill Creek, which was held to 240 yards in total offense and was only 13-of-33 passing. Mill Creek had been averaging 41.6 points per game against one of the toughest schedules in AAAAAA. On offense, Grayson RB Cameryn Brent has rushed for 1,177 yards, and QB Chase Brice is 126-for-202 passing for 1,707 yards and 18 touchdowns. 3. Tucker got 160 yards rushing from Delvin Weems (committed to Marshall) and 144 rushing and receiving from Elijah Sullivan (Auburn) in its 31-29 victory over Tift County. Tift missed an extra point and two-point attempt in the second half, but Tucker was inside Tift's 10-yard line when the game was over after a long fake-punt play. Tucker averaged 309.4 yards rushing and 86.3 passing during the regular season.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Grayson by 4
Winner plays: McEachern/Alpharetta winner
Hughes at Milton
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Eagles' Nest, Milton
Records, rankings: Hughes is 9-2, the No. 2 seed from Region 3-AAAAAA and unranked; Milton is 10-1, the No. 1 seed from 5-AAAAAA and No. 7.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Milton has made the playoffs five of the past six seasons but won its first playoff game since 1953 last week and first region title since 1952 the week before. Hughes opened in 2009. The Panthers have advanced one round each of the past two seasons but never made a quarterfinal. 2. Hughes sophomore RB Demetrius Whitmore rushed for 160 yards on 26 carries and scored four touchdowns in the 42-28 victory over North Cobb. Hughes won despite throwing two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns. Whitmore had rushed for only 248 yards in Hughes' first eight games but is averaging 127 in the past three. Hughes' quarterback, Isaiah Green, also is a sophomore. He has 1,596 yards passing on the season. 3. Milton held Northview to 84 yards in total offense entering the fourth quarter of a game that Milton won 37-0. Milton allowed only 74.1 yards rushing per game in the regular season. Micco Brisker rushed for 113 yards against Northview, giving him 1,033 for the season. Austin McLeod was 13-of-16 passing for 148 yards and three touchdowns.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Milton by 7
Winner plays: Dacula/Colquitt County winner
Dacula at Colquitt County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Mack Tharpe Memorial Stadium, Moultrie
Records, rankings: Dacula is 10-1, the No. 2 seed from Region 8-AAAAAA and No. 4; Colquitt County is 11-0, the No. 1 seed from 1-AAAAAA and No. 1.
Last meeting: Colquitt County won 42-17 in the 2013 Class AAAAAA quarterfinals.
Three things to know: 1. Colquitt County holds the state record for consecutive state semifinal appearances with five (2009-13), although this is the first time that the Packers have chased it as a region champion and No. 1-ranked team. Dacula is trying to make the quarterfinals for the fourth time in 10 seasons. The Falcons made it in 2005, 2011 and 2013. In the 2013 quarterfinal between these teams, Colquitt took a 21-0 lead in less than 10 minutes with two TD passes and one interception return for a score. 2. Colquitt County led 35-0 in the first quarter of its 62-12 victory over Rockdale County. Sihiem King rushed for 162 yards and scored five touchdowns, giving him 1,512 and 27 on the season. Chance Parrish has thrown for 2,103 yards. 3. Dacula averages 269.9 yards rushing per game and beat that with 300 in its 17-14 victory over Peachtree Ridge last week. Giovanni Lugo scored the winning touchdown on an 18-yard run with 7:30 left in the third quarter. Two-way starter Bijan Sirleaf rushed for 59 yards and had two sacks.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Colquitt County by 22
Winner plays: Hughes/Milton winner
Coming Tuesday: Class AAAAA
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