UPDATED: 12:30 p.m.
Don’t ask Blessed Trinity football coach Tim McFarlin how he keeps losing these coin flips that decide the site of the playoff games. Turns out he didn’t lose a flip this week. Turns out the GHSA made the decision that the Class AAA semifinal game was going to be played in Washington County.
Washington County and Blessed Trinity are both No. 1 seeds from their region. When that happens, the coaches meet to flip a coin and determine the site. (Blessed Trinity lost a coin flip the previous week and was forced to play at Jefferson in the quarterfinals.) That didn’t happen this week because the Blessed Trinity stadium doesn’t meet the minimum standards, so the GHSA awarded the game to Washington County.
Normally a school is given the opportunity to add enough temporary seats to meet the standards. Or a stadium at another school can be used as the host site. Blessed Trinity was not given the option to add seats or move to a larger venue, although each option was on the table.
The verbiage in the GHSA’s Constitution, the doctrinal “White Book,” has conflicting verbiage that supports each side.
The GHSA cites the line in the constitution that says: “If only one school meets or exceeds GHSA standards, that school will host.”
GHSA executive director Gary Phillips said, "That was my interpretation and that is where we are. If you read the bylaws, once that is cleared up, that settled it."
Blessed Trinity cites the line that says “For semifinal games, the host school may use portable seating to bring the stadium seating capacity up to the GHSA minimum.”
Blessed Trinity had already talked to a bleacher company about adding the required seating. That would have made the school compliant with the requirement, which would then go back to the tiebreaker, which would have been a coin flip.
McFarlin felt the GHSA ruling was arbitrary and unfair. He cited last year’s precedent-setting decision from last year when Lovett was allowed to bring in temporary seating to meet the requirement in the Class AA playoffs. Lovett then won the coin flip and hosted the semifinal game, rather than driving the length of the state to play at Brooks County.
Phillips ignored last year's ruling, made by then-GHSA executive director Ralph Swearngin. Phillips said, "I was not in on that decision. I'm not bound by that decision. I'm a guy who lives by the rule book. It's very plain and straightforward."
McFarlin learned about the no-flip decision on Saturday when he was attending the Georgia-Georgia Tech game. Later that day he had a conversation with GHSA executive director Gary Phillips, who re-affirmed the decision on Sunday when all the participants met. Blessed Trinity officials considered other options, including legal action, but decided against it.
"We should have flipped a coin. We might not have won and the game would still be played at Washington County," McFarlin said. "But I don't think this was fair to our fans and our community."
McFarlin said he hasn’t made a big deal out of the matter with the players. He reiterated that “This was not a problem caused by Washington County. We were told the bottom line was we didn’t have enough seats, so the game was going to Washington County.”
On the field, this week promises to have two exciting semifinal games
No. 3 Blessed Trinity (13-0) at No. 1 Washington County (13-0)
If No. 1-ranked Washington County sets a record for points in a season this week it will come against the outstanding defensive unit of No. 3 Blessed Trinity. The Golden Hawks, who beat Pierce County 62-35 last week, have scored 689 points, only 18 points behind the 707 tallied by the 2013 Buford team.
But the Blessed Trinity defense has three shutouts and has not allowed more than 21 points in a game all year. One of those instances was last week, when the Titans survived a 28-21 test from unbeaten Jefferson.
Washington County’s attack is anchored by quarterback A.J. Gray, who rushed for 442 yards and eight touchdowns last week. Because of the number of lopsided games played by the Golden Hawks this year, Gray’s season-long numbers aren’t off the chart: 1,161 yards rushing and 1,278 in the regular season. But he showed last week why he's considered the No. 1 prospect in the state.
Blessed Trinity coach Tim McFarlin said the key to his team’s success falls on the offense. He wants to see his offense keep the ball and eat precious minutes off the clock, essentially shortening the game.
“We’re going to try to stay on offense a bunch,” McFarlin said. “If we can do that and slow the game down, we’ve got a chance. Gray is such a threat. He can throw it, he can run it and if you do make a play, he can create a busted play. That’s when he really dangerous.”
The underrated Blessed Trinity offense is led by steady quarterback Conor Davis (1,705 yards passing, 19 TDs) and running back Milton Shelton (1,243 yards rushing, 16 TDs). Senior Pat Jasinski, a standout at middle linebacker, is a threat at tight end and always seems to be in the right place.
The two teams met last year in the quarterfinals, with Washington County taking a 46-17 win. This is the first time that Blessed Trinity has reached the semifinals.
No. 6 Westminster (12-1) at No. 2 Calhoun (13-0)
Westminster, which may have the best defense among the remaining teams, will be tested to the max by Calhoun, which has won double-digit games for the 14th straight year. The Yellow Jackets average 43.6 points and have scored 40-plus points in seven games.
Westminster has given up more than 14 points only twice, once in a 23-11 loss to Blessed Trinity. The Wildcats picked up their first shutout last week against Hart County in the quarterfinal round after limiting high-scoring Central Carroll to 10 points in the second round.
Calhoun’s attack features quarterback Kaelen Riley, who has thrown for 2,020 yards and rushed for 670. He is complemented by a rushing attack that features Cole Jackson and Olico Dennis, who have each had their shining moments. Both have surpassed 600 rushing yards.
The Westminster offense has been limited by injuries. Quarterback Rankin Woley and backup Keller Harper have both missed games due to injuries, but Woley could return this week. The Wildcats still have the speedy Zay Malcome, who has set the school’s single-season record with 1,537 yards this season.
These teams played in the second round of the Class AA playoffs in 2010, with Calhoun winning 36-19. Westminster hasn’t reached the semifinals since 2003.
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