Class 4A Blog: First Round Primer

The Drive for the Class 4A state title will open up the first round of playoff action on Saturday and the matchups are filled with major storylines. Starting at the top left quadrant, No. 3 seed will visit No. 2 seed Cairo in a clash of team’s that were both represented in the top 10 this season. Both Troup and Cairo will be coming off losses in their regular season finales and this will be a rematch of Troup’s 26-17 victory in the second round last year. Directly below the Syrupmakers and Tigers awaits another battle between two teams that have been mainstays in the Class 4A rankings with Region 2 champion Spalding and No. 4 seed Wayne County out of Region 3. Spalding achieved their first 10-0 season in history and are led by dual threat quarterback Curt Clark, while Wayne County’s run-oriented offense is paced by Class 4A leading rusher Matthew Fuller—who has notched 1,837 yards and 24 touchdowns.

The other two matchups in the top left quadrant will be Heritage-Catoosa at Westminster and North Hall at Stockbridge. Heritage-Catoosa secured its eighth-straight postseason appearance this season, but will be looking to snap a streak of seven-straight first round exits. The Generals earned the No. 3 seed behind Cedartown and Central-Carroll in Region 7 and were competitive in both region losses. Westminster has won six of its last seven games with its lone loss coming to Region 6 champion Stephenson 20-13. The Wildcats have not advanced past the first round of the state playoffs since 2018 and this will be the first-ever meeting between the schools. North Hall, meanwhile, earned the No. 4 seed out of Region 8 following a tough 42-39 loss to East Forsyth and will make its eighth playoff appearance in the last nine years after seeing its streak snapped last year. The Trojans will be facing off with Region 5 champion Stockbridge—who swept its region for the second-straight year. Stockbridge has won eight-straight since dropping games to Douglas County and Colquitt County and have outscored its last eight opponents by 42-.5 ppg.

The bottom left quadrant appears to be the toughest gauntlet in this year’s bracket with Westover at LaGrange, Baldwin at No. 1 ranked Benedictine, Holy Innocents’ at Cedartown and Pace Academy at No. 2 ranked North Oconee. On the top right, Region 8 No. 2 seed Madison County will host Lovett in the program’s first-ever home playoff game. The winner will take on either Hapeville Charter or undefeated Central-Carroll—who achieved its first-ever perfect season. No. 2 seed New Hampstead earned home field with big-time victories over the likes of Burke County and will host Westside-Macon and the final game in the top right quadrant will be Shaw at Region 4 champion Starr’s Mill. Last year, Starr’s Mill missed the playoffs, despite its 7-3 overall record—and the Panthers ensured their playoff aspirations, by earning the region title in the star-powered Region 4.