Class 5A blog: Exciting finishes finalize the playoff bracket

· Region 1: Ware County, Coffee, Jenkins, Statesboro

· Region 2: Dutchtown, Warner Robins, Ola, Jones County

· Region 3: Northside-Columbus, Northgate, McIntosh, Harris County

· Region 4: Decatur, Chamblee, Arabia Mountain, Tucker

· Region 5: Creekside, Mays, Lithia Springs, Maynard Jackson.

· Region 6: Cambridge, Kell, Centennial, Greater Atlanta Christian

· Region 7: Calhoun, Cartersville, Dalton, Cass.

· Region 8: Jefferson, Loganville, Clarke Central, Eastside.

No. 1-ranked Ware wins Region 1

A big second half enabled Ware County to defending its Region 1 championship with a 31-6 victory over No. 4 Coffee. The Gators led 10-6 at halftime, but produced 21 unanswered points in the second half and became the only Class 5A team to go undefeated.

First-year quarterback Nikao Smith threw a pair of touchdowns and Dae’Jeaun Dennis scored on two runs to lead the Gators. Smith has thrown for 13 touchdowns over the last four weeks.

Dutchtown claims Region 3 title

The Bulldogs scored 35 points in the second half to route Ola 51-0 and win the Region 3 championship. Jamal Bing became the school’s first running back with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. The Bulldogs ran for 300 of their 338 total yards. The Dutchtown defense forced four fumbles.

Mays vaults to No. 2 in Region 5

Isn’t Saulamon Evans supposed to be a basketball prospect? Try telling that to Lithia Springs after the senior threw three touchdown passes, ran for two more scores and accounted for three two-point conversions to lead Mays to a 66-42 win and earn the No. 2 seed in Region 5. Quinterion Kelly and Quintavious Johnson also accounted for two touchdowns for the Raiders, who open the playoffs at home against Centennial.

The loss ruined an outstanding performance from Lithia Springs quarterback Jai’Que Hart. He completed 27 of 41 passes for 407 yards and five touchdown passes. Devon Green caught 11 passes for 132 yards and one touchdown and Ayden Smith caught eight balls for 166 yards and three touchdowns for the Lions.

Clarke comes up with big finish

The craziest finish on the final week was provided by Clarke Central. Facing a win-or-go-home scenario, the Gladiators tied the game on a 48-yard touchdown pass from veteran Lucian Anderson to Jamarion Davis with two seconds left. Freshman Heinkel Mejia-Quintero kicked the extra point to beat Winder-Barrow 37-36. Anderson and Davis had hooked up for a previous touchdown in the fourth quarter and Anderson also ran for a score that put the Glads ahead. Clarke advances to play at Cartersville on Saturday in the first round.

McIntosh wins on big finish, Part II

The Chiefs beat Harris County 21-17 when Tate Morris fired a touchdown pass to Marcus Malone Jr., with less than a minute to play. Morris threw three touchdown passes in the win, which landed McIntosh the No. 3 from Region 3.

Uche Iloh, a 6-foot-7, 240-pound defensive end, made the key stop on an earlier goal line stand to deny Harris County, and Andy Elwell intercepted a pass in the final minute to secure the win.

Arabia Mountain beat Tucker for No. 3 slot

The Rams survived the defensive battle to beat Tucker 14-13 for the first time in school history and earn the No. 3 seed from Region 5. Arabia Mountain held on its last possession and were able to run out the clock. Solomon Rayton rushed 24 times for 96 yards and one touchdown for Arabia Mountain.

Statesboro forfeits, accepts No. 4 seed

Statesboro forfeited its game at Jenkins last week after reports of threatening messages showed up on Snapcat. A joint press release by the Bulloch County and Chatham County schools said, “While no screenshots of the post have been located to confirm the threat, Statesboro and Bulloch County administrators did immediately launch an investigation.” That gave Jenkins the No. 3 seed from Region 1 and left Statesboro at No. 4.