A quick look ahead as Georgia high school playoffs begins Friday

Surprise qualifiers: Of the 255 playoff teams, 196 also qualified last year for a 76.9 percent retention rate. First-time qualifiers are Cherokee Bluff, Discovery, Kennesaw Mountain, King’s Ridge Christian and Lakeview Academy. It’s been a long time coming for LaFayette (last appearance 1993), Oglethorpe County (2002), Georgia Military (2002), Social Circle (2009) and Mount Zion-Jonesboro (2009).

Not back: Marion County, the 2019 Class A Private runner-up, missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Emanuel County Institute is out for the first time since 2002. Also missing are Hillgrove (last absence 2009), Stockbridge (2009) and Mary Persons (2010). And for the first time since 1985, all DeKalb County Schools playoff teams are on the road for the first round.

What’s new: The Class 1A playoffs now have 32 teams (up from 24) in the public and private divisions. That means eight more first-round games and no automatic byes. This also is the first time when most Georgia football teams were still playing Thanksgiving weekend. The GHSA delayed the regular season two weeks because of COVID-19 and will finish the week after Christmas this year.

Best first-round game: Parkview and Camden County were top-10 teams in the preseason that have fallen by the wayside with injuries and other misfortunes, but both are talented and dangerous. Each has an AJC Super 11 player – Parkview running back Cody Brown (committed to Tennessee) and Camden tackle Micah Morris.

Other good first-rounders: No games match current top-10 teams, but several have teams with top-10 experience and potential. Among those are Brookwood at Colquitt County, Mill Creek at Roswell, Cherokee at North Gwinnett, Coffee at Ola, Northside-Warner Robins at Hughes and Haralson County at Rabun County. The Douglas County-Buford game features nine recruits rated three stars or higher by the 247Sports Composite.

Best players: Five-star quarterbacks lead three major contenders. Those are Brock Vandagriff of Prince Avenue Christian, Gunner Stockton of Rabun County and Malaki Starks of Jefferson, although Starks is an option quarterback who’ll play another position in college. Southern Cal-committed Jake Garcia of Grayson is another elite quarterback, although his team’s MVP has been Clemson-committed running back Phil Mafah. Five-star recruit Travis Hunter of Collins Hill, a Florida State commit, has 17 touchdown receptions while also starting at cornerback. The only AJC Super 11 player whose team didn’t not qualify was Paulding County’s Smael Mondon, who was lost to season-ending injury in September.

Officials needed: The GHSA on Monday moved the 32 games in classes 4A and 2A to Saturday to ensure having enough qualified officials. The number of officials has declined in recent years, and their ranks were thinned more this season because of COVID-related opt-outs. The playoffs also have expanded through time. Twenty-five years ago, there were 64 first-round games. Now there are 128.

COVID restrictions: Until the finals, the host school and not the GHSA will set attendance, mask, distancing and other pandemic protocols. Most schools are limiting attendance. Atlanta Public Schools allows no fans. That means that South Atlanta, hosting its first playoff game in history, will play Chattooga at an empty Lakewood Stadium. Same deal for Washington, playing its first home playoff game since 2005 at Grady Stadium against Model.

Forfeits: COVID-related cancellations didn’t count as forfeits in the regular season, but now they do. Banks County forfeited its game at Callaway, and Landmark Christian called off its game against Calvary Day. Those are only the second and third pregame forfeits in GHSA playoff history, the first since 2016. Banks County and Landmark Christian each finished 1-9 in small regions that sent all of their teams to the playoffs.

Next: The second of five rounds commence next week. The GHSA state football championship games are Dec. 28-30 at Georgia State’s Center Parc Stadium.