Coin toss could send up to 6 No. 1-ranked teams on road for semifinals

No. 1-ranked teams that win their quarterfinal games this week should be prepared to travel. Most will be playing on the road in the semifinals.

That is the result of the GHSA’s universal coin toss Monday that determined home-field advantage for next week’s games when same-seeded teams meet. In those cases, the team placed higher on the bracket will be at home.

The only No. 1 team that will be higher on the bracket is Prince Avenue Christian of Class A Division I. The Wolverines are guaranteed a home game in the semifinals if they win this week against Irwin County. They would play the Commerce-Bryan County winner.

Mill Creek of 7A, Benedictine of 4A, Calvary Day of 3A and Schley County of A Division II will play road semifinals if they win their quarterfinals.

Mill Creek would play at Walton or Carrollton. Benedictine would play at Spalding or Stockbridge. Calvary Day would play at Cedar Grove or Mary Persons. Schley County would play at Bowdon or Dooly County.

Gainesville of 6A and Coffee of 5A also could face road semifinals, depending on their opponent. Gainesville would play at Douglas County while Coffee would play at Cartersville. They would get home games if those potential opponents lose (Douglas County to Lee County and Cartersville to Jenkins).

A similar coin toss held last week decided home field for this week’s quarterfinal games when the seeds were the same. Higher-seeded teams are always at home until the finals, which will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.