The higher-seeded teams are playing at home in 17 quarterfinal football playoff games this week, but 12 venues were decided last weekend by a coin flip. That’s what the GHSA mandates when region champions or other same-seeded teams meet.
There can be a lot at stake. In Class AA, the distance from Calhoun to Benedictine in Savannah is 321 miles. Plus, Calhoun has won 20 consecutive home playoff games, the third-longest streak of its kind in state history. Benedictine won the toss and will be home in the state playoffs for only the ninth time. The game will be played at Savannah State.
Calhoun coach Hal Lamb was philosophical: “Odds were against me. I was 2-0 last year on coin flips.” But he registered one complaint. Lamb had to drive to Macon and back to meet Benedictine coach Danny Britt for the toss.
”The change I would like to see is let the GHSA flip with both head coaches on the phone, instead of driving 2 1/2 hours one way for a two-second coin flip,” Lamb said. “There has got to be a better way. I understood meeting back when we had to swap tapes, but now we swap on computer.”
The other coin-flip winners were Dacula (over Colquitt County), North Paulding (Creekside), Kell (Warner Robins), Tucker (Ware County), Sandy Creek (Griffin), Burke County (Marist), Stockbridge (Carrollton), Buford (Carver-Columbus), Blessed Trinity (Washington County), Ringgold (Central-Carroll) and Laney (Lovett).
ELCA QB lost for season: Dalton Etheridge, the quarterback of No. 1-ranked Eagle's Landing Christian of Class A, suffered a broken leg in last week's 41-3 victory against Athens Christian and is lost for the season. Etheridge, who committed to Jacksonville State, passed for more than 1,050 yards and rushed for more than 850. Etheridge was 23-0 as the starting quarterback.
Playing with added purpose: Two teams that suffered tragedies before the season have made the quarterfinals. In AAAAA, Creekside is 12-0 entering its game at North Paulding. Creekside senior De'Antre Turman died after injuries suffered in a scrimmage in August. In Class AA, Brooks County is 11-1 and is at home against Bowdon. Three Brooks County players — Jicarre Watkins, Johnny Parker and Shawn Waters — were killed in a car crash July 9. Three Brooks County players wore their former teammates' jersey numbers in a 55-28 victory against Bleckley County last week in memory.
No. 1 vs. No. 2 at Sandy Creek: The Griffin-Sandy Creek game will mark the third time this season that a No. 1 team has faced a No. 2 team (AJC rankings). No. 1 Sandy Creek beat Carrollton 24-7 Nov. 1. In AAAAA, Tucker beat Stephenson 31-28 Oct. 11. Other polls had Lovett at No. 1 and Greater Atlanta Christian at No. 2 when Lovett won 17-14 on Nov. 8. The No. 1 team won all of those games.
Fathers and sons: Five teams in the quarterfinals have quarterbacks who are the sons of the head coaches. They are Bailey Hockman (son of McEachern coach Kyle Hockman), Elijah Ironside (son of Hillgrove coach Philip Ironside), Hayden Sphire (son of North Gwinnett coach Bob Sphire), Brooks Barden (son of Cartersville coach Frank Barden) and Tyson Herron (Prince Avenue Christian coach Jeff Herron).
Collins Hill makes its case: North Gwinnett is ranked No. 1. Norcross is the defending champion. But the third co-champion of Region 7-AAAAAA, Collins Hill, has won its playoff games 41-7 and 48-0 and is the new No. 1-ranked team in the computer Maxwell Ratings. Collins Hill has the leading passer and rusher among players left in the AAAAAA playoffs. Quarterback Tyler Herman unofficially is 193-of-301 passing for 2,765 yards and 32 touchdowns. Running back Tyler Henderson has rushed for 1,554 yards and 25 touchdowns. Henderson scored five touchdowns against Alpharetta, two on pass plays. Collins is at home Friday against McEachern.
Alexander's rising star: Alexander junior Mikell Lands-Davis is the state's leading rusher among those still playing. He rushed for 310 yards and five touchdowns — three on runs of 58, 66 and 69 yards — in a 42-28 victory against Lanier in the second round. Lands-Davis has rushed for 2,267 yards and scored 28 touchdowns. Alexander, in the quarterfinals for the first time, plays at Wayne County on Friday.
Private-school rivalry: The Mount Pisgah Christian-Holy Innocents' quarterfinal might be called the championship of the Northside for Class A private schools. Mount Pisgah Christian, which began varsity football in 2003, won its first playoff game in history last week. Holy Innocents', which began football in 2006, made the Class A quarterfinals in 2009. This is the second season that Holy Innocents' has advanced in the playoffs. Holy Innocents' leads the series 4-0.
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