Douglass beat Elbert County 28-7 on Saturday in its first playoff game since 2007, and another win will put the Astros in the quarterfinals for the first time since 1995. QB Jonathan Ford passed for 1,165 yards during the regular season, rushed for 795 and had a hand in 24 touchdowns. Screven County, which beat Toombs County 35-9 in the first round, has won 10 consecutive games since a 32-25 loss to Bluffton, S.C., in the opener. QB Armani Bunbury passed for 274 yards and four TDs against Toombs, and Tyquan Johnson had 142 yards and three TDs receiving. Both touchdown numbers set school records.
*Brooks County (8-3) at No. 3 Callaway (11-0): Naiquavis Sutton rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns in Brooks County's 20-16 victory over Southwest last week. Brooks County led 20-0 at halftime and held on despite being outgained 334-211 in the game. The Trojans are 12-0 in first-round games since 2003. Callaway beat Model 55-20 last week to improve to 11-0 for the first time in school history. D.J. Atkins, the second-leading rusher in AA during the regular season, ran for 214 yards and a TD, giving him 1,746 yards for the season. Braylon Sanders caught two TD passes and returned a fumble 100 yards for a score.
*Banks County (7-4) at No. 1 Benedictine (11-0): Banks County advanced when KIPP Atlanta Collegiate forfeited its first-round game. It was Banks County's first playoff victory in the program's 59-year history. The Leopards are led by Griffin Goodwin (1,814 yards passing) and Clayton Dykhouse (1,026 yards rushing). Benedictine beat Glenn Hills 58-7 last week to reach the second round for the fifth consecutive season. John Wesley Kennedy leads the team in rushing (842 yards) and receiving (743) with a combined 26 touchdowns. The Cadets have given up just eight points per game and held nine of 11 opponents to eight points or less.
*Dodge County (6-5) at No. 6 Pepperell (9-1): Dodge County is 0-4 in second-round games since its last quarterfinal appearance in 1999. The Indians, who beat Thomasville 17-7 last week, have rushed for 3,063 yards this season and passed for just 319. R.J. Carr (128-901-7), Nick Cummings (141-831-18) and Larry Johnson (93-658-3) are the leaders. Pepperell is seeking its first 10-win season and quarterfinal appearance since 2008. The Dragons rushed for 316 yards in a 46-14 victory over Spencer last week. Tae Hammond led the way with 184 yards and 13 touchdowns on 13 carries, and Trevor Thomas had 81 yards.
*No. 8 Vidalia (9-2) at No. 4 Rabun County (10-0): Vidalia won its first-round game for the fifth consecutive year but is 1-3 in the second round during that stretch. Lakia Henry had 245 yards rushing and 12 tackles and AJC Super 11 selection Nate McBride had 140 yards rushing and 12 tackles in a 30-13 victory over Laney last week. Rabun County, which beat B.E.S.T. Academy 55-20 last week, is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the second straight year and third time overall. Cal Drummond rushed for 309 yards and four TDs against B.E.S.T. and has 1,409 yards for the season. QB Bailey Fisher has passed for 2,194 yards and run for 857.
*Rockmart (9-2) at No. 2 Fitzgerald (10-1): Rockmart's 42-0 victory over Heard County last week was its first playoff win since 2012 and its most-lopsided victory ever in the state playoffs. Sophomore Markus Smith is the leading rusher (1,114 yards) for a team that averages 297.5 on the ground. He had 58 yards and two touchdowns against Heard. Fitzgerald reached the quarterfinals seven times in the past eight years and was the AA runner-up last season. J.D. King rushed for 101 yards and a TD in a 42-7 victory over Dublin last week. He has 1,283 yards for the season. QB James Graham has passed for 1,223 yards and rushed for 481.
*No. 7 Jefferson County (10-1) at No. 10 Hapeville (8-3): Jefferson County, a semifinalist in 2015, beat Swainsboro 29-22 last week for its fourth consecutive first-round victory. The Warriors average 435.1 yards per game behind rotating quarterbacks Jaden Jenkins (1,407 yards passing, 509 rushing) and C.J. Hales (1,325 and 375). Hapeville beat Monticello last week 42-0 in the first playoff game in the program's six-year history. Junior QB Hajj-Malik Williams, who averages about 200 passing yards per game, was the offensive player of the year in Region 6-AA. The Hornets have allowed just 6.4 points per game during their current seven-game winning streak.
*Chattooga (7-4) at Washington County (9-2): Chattooga's 44-14 victory over Lamar County last week was the Indians' first win in the state playoffs in school history and their first postseason victory of any kind since beating Dalton in a 1980 region semifinal. Chattooga is a run-first team that got a combined 2,000 yards and 21 touchdowns rushing during the regular season from twins Isaiah and Isaac Foster. Washington County is 6-4 in first-round games but 4-1 in the second round during the 11-year tenure of head coach Joel Ingram. The Golden Hawks beat Berrien 49-22 last week.
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