Here’s what to look for during the third week of high school football playoffs.
Class AAAAAA
The town of Powder Springs is the only thing standing in the way of tradition in AAAAAA.
Since 1996, the highest classification has been won by teams from Gwinnett County or South Georgia’s Region 1 with one exception (2006 Roswell). The only teams left that don’t meet that criterion this season are McEachern and Hillgrove, crosstown rivals 3.2 miles apart in Powder Springs.
Hillgrove opened in 2007, taking much of McEachern’s student population with it. McEachern then suffered its first losing season (4-6) in 23 seasons. The forecast didn’t seem good, but the two schools are doing better than the one did just before the split. In the past five seasons, McEachern is 48-10. Hillgrove is 45-13.
But neither has won a quarterfinal game in that time, and both are underdogs this week against Gwinnett County opponents. McEachern, playing without injured star quarterback Ty Clemons, travels to Collins Hill. Hillgrove, fresh off a 34-21 victory against No. 2-ranked Camden County, is at home against No. 1 North Gwinnett.
The winners will play in the semifinals.
Other things to watch this week in the AAAAAA and the other classifications:
- With a victory against Dacula, Colquitt County can reach the semifinals for the fifth consecutive season. That would set a record in the highest classification. Colquitt jointly holds the record with Decatur (1950-53), Richmond Academy (1959-62), Northside-Atlanta (1954-57) and Valdosta (1968-71).
- The Lowndes-Norcross game matches teams that were written off by some in the early season. Norcross lost 55-0 to B.T. Washington of Miami, now the No. 1 team nationally in most polls, Aug. 24. Lowndes lost 15-14 at home to Newton, a team that finished 5-6.
Class AAAAA
- Mundy's Mill running back Rodney Smith has quietly been putting up huge numbers in the playoffs. Smith ran for 266 yards and four touchdowns in the Tigers' 41-35 victory against Lee County last week, and he has 613 yards and eight touchdowns in two playoff games. Smith returned this season after suffering a torn ACL last year.
- Another player who has been a bit overlooked is Kell quarterback Cameron Rosendahl. In four games since taking over as the starter after an injury sidelined Matthew McGuigan, Rosendahl has completed 68 percent of his passes (52-for-76) for 556 yards with eight touchdowns and no interceptions. And that's for a team that runs for 224.7 yards per game. Assuming McGuigan doesn't return this week, Rosendahl's performance could be key against a Warner Robins team that allows only 106 yards per game rushing.
- Ware County will be looking for a better outcome than the last time it came to DeKalb County to face Tucker in the quarterfinals. In 2010, a Gators team that had given up just 100 points in its first 12 games found itself trailing 29-0 early in the third quarter, and Tucker went on to an easy 42-3 victory. Ware County has given up more points in a game only once in coach Ed Dudley's five seasons.
Class AAAA
- The rise of Stockbridge was just beginning when the Tigers rolled into Carrollton for a second-round playoff game in 2011. The Trojans would overwhelm the young Tigers 35-10. "We were shell-shocked. It was just our second time in the playoffs, and it was very intimidating to our kids," Stockbridge coach Kevin Whitley said. Two years later, the Tigers get a chance at revenge, when Carrollton visits their stadium for a AAAA quarterfinal rematch Friday. Whitley hopes for a similar home-field advantage against the powerful Trojans. "Every program prides itself in having a home-field advantage," Whitley said. "But it's the holidays, with no school. So I hope our fans will show up."
- Defending champion Sandy Creek has won 14 consecutive home playoff games, but will get one of its sternest tests from a tough Griffin team this week. The second-ranked Bears held Statesboro to 147 yards of offense in last week's victory. Griffin has outscored opponents 529-97. The top-ranked Patriots pasted Chestatee 55-7 last week to advance to the quarterfinals for the sixth consecutive season.
- Marist has lost six of its past seven road playoff games and is 10-17 on the road in the postseason since 1987. The War Eagles will try to rectify those struggles at Burke County. The game features a matchup between dynamic Burke County quarterback Donquell Green and Marist defensive lineman Kendall Baker. Green has rushed for 1,506 yards and passed for 1,198 yards. Baker leads Marist with 10 tackles for loss.
Class AAA
- Carver-Columbus at Buford: Two of the state's consistently good programs meet again in the AAA quarterfinals. This will be the fifth meeting between the two schools. Carver won the first time 14-0 during the 2010 regular season and went on to reach the semifinal round, losing to Calhoun. Buford recovered to win the state championship. Buford won the regular-season rematch 35-7 in 2011, then met the Tigers again in the semifinals and beat them 28-13 in Columbus. In 2012 Buford beat Carver 31-7 in the quarterfinal round in Columbus en route to winning the state championship. The best players on the field likely will be Buford's Korie Rogers and Thomas Wilson and Carver's Jawon Pass.
- St. Pius at Callaway: St. Pius has enjoyed its longest period of sustained excellence during the 13-year tenure of coach Paul Standard. The Lions have made the playoffs 11 of those years and are playing in the quarterfinals for the fifth time. The only thing missing is a state title. Callaway has made the playoffs in eight of coach Michael Wiggins' nine seasons. The Cavs are looking for their first trip to the semifinals. They came close in 2009 but lost on the road to Fitzgerald. The best players on the field will be Dalton Wilson, Nick Ruffin and Daniel Crochet of St. Pius and Tez Parks, Eddie Culpepper and Terry Godwin of Callaway.
- Washington County at Blessed Trinity: In three seasons at Blessed Trinity, coach Tim McFarlin has transformed the program from one content to make the playoffs into one that's capable of advancing in the playoffs. This year the Titans won the Region 6 championship and are in the quarterfinals for the first time. Washington County is one of the state's most successful programs, with 14 region titles and three state championships.
Class AA
- Through 12 games, the No. 6-ranked Benedictine Cadets have yet to be challenged. That is sure to change this week when they host the No. 5-ranked Calhoun Yellow Jackets, who have reached the state finals the past five seasons. The closest game Benedictine has played this season was a 39-6 victory against Bryan County. Benedictine has outscored its competition 578-67 and has had five shutouts, including three to close the regular season.
- Calhoun is 40-2 since 2011, including an undefeated state title run in 2011. They lost in the finals last year to Jefferson 31-14. It was Calhoun's fourth loss in the state finals in five times getting there. During the run of five consecutive title-game appearances, the Yellow Jackets have twice traveled south in the playoffs. In '08, they traveled to Quitman to beat Brooks County 38-35. In '11, they beat host Dublin 45-7. Calhoun has never played Benedictine.
- The defending state champion Jefferson Dragons are still alive, having outscored Heard County 61-57 to advance to the quarterfinals, where they'll travel to play the state's No. 1-ranked team, the Lamar County Trojans. The Trojans are coached by Franklin Stephens, in his second year with Lamar County after leaving Tucker, where he brought that school its first two state titles. In Stephens' second year at Tucker, he won the state title. He looks to repeat that trend with the Trojans.
Class A
Here are a few of the best games in the Class A brackets:
Public
- No. 9 Charlton County (7-4) at No. 1 Seminole County (11-0): Seminole County sophomore running back Thomas Aiken returned to the team from suspension with his head on straight and his game in top form, as he rushed for 129 yards and a touchdown to lead a rushing attack of 400 yards and paced Seminole County to a 21-14 victory against No. 16 Wilkinson County in the first round. Charlton County downed a solid team from Commerce 35-21.
Private
- No. 8 Darlington (9-2) at No. 1 Eagle's Landing Christian Academy (10-0): ELCA dispatched No. 16 Athens Christian 41-3 in the first round, but the Chargers lost senior quarterback Dalton Etheridge to an ankle injury. They may have to rely more heavily on the running game, led by senior Lane Timpson, who had three touchdowns last week, and a defense that is allowing less than a touchdown per game. Darlington took care of Region 6-rival Christian Heritage of Dalton 41-17.
- No. 10 Holy Innocents' (7-4) at No. 2 Mount Pisgah Christian (11-0): In Johns Creek, Mount Pisgah dominated St. Pacelli in the first round 40-7, as quarterback Aaron Winchester and receiver Ben Miller hooked up for four touchdown passes. Holy Innocents' got 100 yards rushing and two touchdowns from senior Clay Pfohl in a 27-17 first-round victory against No. 7 Landmark Christian. Holy Innocents' has won all four meetings with Mount Pisgah by a combined score of 179-44, including 48-10 in 2011.
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