Peach County and Warner Robins, both beaten in 2017 state finals, avenged those defeats Friday in the semifinals on a night when No. 1-ranked Colquitt County of Class AAAAAAA needed overtime to survive and two teams that were just 5-5 in the regular season kept on winning.
Peach County, beaten by Calhoun 10-6 in the Class AAA final last year, defeated the Yellow Jackets in the rematch 22-7 in Calhoun. Peach advanced to play Cedar Grove, a 30-6 winner over previously unbeaten Pierce County.
Warner Robins, beaten by Rome 35-0 last year in the Class AAAAA final, exacted revenge with a 45-28 victory that ended Rome’s 40-game winning streak, seventh-longest in state history. Warner Robins advanced to face Bainbridge, a 20-19 winner over Stockbridge.
Bainbridge and Northside-Warner Robins of AAAAAA became the eighth and ninth teams in state history to reach the state finals after regular-season records of .500 or worse. Both were 5-5. Two of the previous seven that got to the finals – 1965 West Rome and 1992 Thomas County Central – went on to win state championships.
Northside got through Friday with a 14-7 win over Dacula and will face defending champion Lee County in the AAAAAA final. Lee beat Lanier 42-7. Lee and Northside are from the same Region 1. Lee won the regular-season game between them 24-7 in the closest game Lee has played this year.
Colquitt County, which holds several top-10 national rankings and now a 14-0 record, beat Archer 22-21 in overtime. Ryan Fitzgerald kicked five field goals in regulation, and Camari “Juicy’’ Louis blocked an Archer extra point in overtime to clinch the victory.
Colquitt will play Milton, a 28-17 winner over Lowndes. Milton will be participating in its first-ever football state-championship game.
The AAAA final will match Blessed Trinity and Cartersville. Blessed Trinity, ranked No. 1 and the defending champion, beat Troup 51-27 while Cartersville beat Marist 17-14. Blessed Trinity upset Cartersville 21-17 in the 2017 second round, ending Cartersville’s 41-game winning streak.
In AA, it will be Heard County vs. Rockmart. Heard, which has never won a state title, beat Fitzgerald 38-30. Rockmart, which last won a state title in 1950, beat Callaway 28-22.
In A, defending champions Eagle’s Landing Christian (private) and Clinch County (public) are back to defending their titles in rematches.
ELCA defeated Savannah Christian 70-21 and again will play Athens Academy, a 28-21 winner over Prince Avenue Christian.
Clinch beat Marion County 31-23 and will play Irwin County again. Irwin beat Pelham 23-6. Irwin, which last won a state title in 1975, beat Clinch 21-3 in the regular season.
The finals will be played Dec. 11-12 (Tuesday-Wednesday) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They were moved from the original Dec. 7-8 dates because of soccer’s MLS Cup involving the Atlanta United.
Dec. 11 (Tuesday)
10 a.m. - A (public) – Clinch County vs. Irwin County
1 p.m. – AAA – Peach County vs. Cedar Grove
4:30 p.m. – AAAAA – Warner Robins vs. Bainbridge
8 p.m. – AAAAAA – Northside-Warner Robins vs. Lee County
Dec. 12 (Wednesday)
10 a.m. - A (private) – ELCA vs. Athens Academy
1 p.m. – AA – Heard County vs. Rockmart
4:30 p.m. – AAAA – Blessed Trinity vs. Cartersville
8 p.m. – AAAAAAA – Colquitt County vs. Milton
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