Emcee: The semifinalists in Class 5A are really good.
Audience: How good are they?
Here’s how good:
- The combined record of the four teams is 65-6.
- The four teams have combined to score 39-plus points in 36 games.
- The four teams have combined to produce 12 shutouts.
- All four teams are ranked in the Top 10.
That’s just the beginning of the resume, which each team wants to enhance with a win on Friday night. The victors will have a date on Dec. 10 at 3:30 p.m. at Georgia State’s Center Parc Stadium for the state championship.
Here’s a look at the semifinal matchups:
No. 7 Dutchtown (12-1) at No. 1 Ware County (12-0), 7:30 p.m.: Neither combatant in this game has ever won a state championship. Ware County was upset in the second round by Calhoun last season, but avenged that defeat by trouncing the Yellow Jackets 35-0 a week ago.
Ware County is led by junior quarterback Niko Smith, who took over when three-year starter Nic Castellanos graduated and moved on the UCF. Smith isn’t the runner the Castellanos was – but few are – and has thrown for 2,087 yards and 22 touchdowns.
The young backfield features powerful junior Dae-jeaun Dennis (1,080 yards, 17 touchdowns), who will sometimes run out of wildcat and had all five touchdowns last week, and speedy sophomore Reggie Boyd (685 yards, eight touchdowns). The top receivers are all seniors – Jarvis Hayes (48 catches, 12 TDs), Brandon Washington (34 catches, two TDs) and D.J. Loriston (23 catches, four TDs).
The defensive leaders are veteran linebackers Trey Hargrove and Javonte Evans. The Gators recovered two fumbles last week and intercepted two passes, one by C.J. Johnson that deflected off a player’s helmet and one by K.J. Baker.
Dutchtown found its offensive footing the week after it suffered its only loss to Jones County. In the six weeks since, the Bulldogs have averaged 49 points. They persevered to beat Mays 40-34 in overtime last week in an emotional contest.
The offense gets its superpowers from running backs Jamal Bing, who is the only player in school history to have back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons, and two-way standout Amarion Yarbough, who ran for two touchdowns, caught a touchdown pass and scored on a two-point run against Mays.
The program has always hung its hat on defense and that hasn’t slipped. Defensive back Tarez Hamilton and linebacker Dwight Johnson Jr., an East Carolina commit, and edge rusher James Hood typify the team’s hard-hitting approach. Tishaun Brown came up with the big interception in overtime against Mays.
This is the second meeting between the two teams. Ware County beat Dutchtown 24-0 in the first round of the 2020 playoffs.
No. 3 Cartersville (12-1) at No. 8 Warner Robins (9-4), 7:30 p.m.: No need for introductions here. These two teams know each other quite well. Warner Robins beat Cartersville in the 2020 championship game and eliminated the Purple Hurricanes in the second round in 2021 on their way to a second straight state championship.
This has been a trying season for Warner Robins, which suffered heavy graduation losses and has had to persevere through more than its share of injuries this fall. After going 1-4 against an extremely difficult non-region schedule – even dropping out of the top-10 rankings – the Demons found their footing and bring an eight-game winning streak into the semifinal.
Last week Isiah Canion again filled in at quarterback for the injured Chase Reese and led the team to an overtime win against defensive monster Creekside. There are plenty of options at tailback, where Malcolm Brown has run for 629 yards and five touchdowns a year after wrecking his knee. The receivers are led by Chaz Sturn (32 catches) and deep threat Cam Flowers (26 catches, 10 touchdowns).
The defense came up big again last week. All-state lineman Vic Burley (a Clemson commit) recovered a fumble and took it to the house, RaSean Dinkins came up with his sixth interception of the season and Miles Jones provided a pick-six. Kicker Daniel Barber has been in many high-pressure situations and last week kicked the game-winning field goal – with Canon holding.
Cartersville has seemed to fly under the radar more than some of its previous teams. The Canes lost only to rival Calhoun in a triple-OT classic shown on Georgia Public Broadcasting.
The offense is led senior Malachi Jeffries, the Region 7 co-offensive player of the year. Jeffries has run for 1,279 yards and 20 touchdowns, with six 100-yard games. Quarterback Pat Gamble played through an early-season injury and has thrown for 1,526 yards and 19 touchdowns and run for 498 yards and 10 touchdowns. All-region receiver Collin Fletcher (35 catches, eight TDs) and sophomore Jamauri Brice (41 catches, six TDs).
Cartersville’s defense is led by veteran outside linebacker Myles Forristall, who averages 13 tackles per game and leads the team with five sacks. Jaden Akins, Keyland McCarty and Taye Cochran make up a solid front and Kace Adams and Braylen Inman are outstanding in the secondary. Punter Phillip Schiltz is an elite punter and Ryan Johnson is the latest in the long line of excellent kickers.
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