In the second round, championship contenders separated themselves from the field. With two wins down, remaining teams need two more to get to The Benz, and three more to hoist hardware. The quarterfinals will be played the day after Thanksgiving.
Here’s a look at Round 3:
Credit: GHSA.net
Credit: GHSA.net
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As mentioned in Monday’s blog, this is a rematch of the 2020 championship game, which Callaway won 22-17 over Fitzgerald. That was the last time they played each other.
Now, ranked No. 5, the Cavs (9-2) are nine-point favorites over No. 10 Fitzgerald (9-3).
Callaway was dominant in its second-round matchup against Model, winning 42-19. Deshun Coleman was 10 of 12 passing for 290 yards and five touchdowns to zero interceptions, with Treyon Tucker (six catches, 185 yards, three touchdowns) his top target. The Cavs, who reached the quarterfinals last year, can reach the semis for the sixth time in the last eight seasons.
The Cane, whose performance against Spencer was chronicled on Monday, have been to the semis three years in a row and four of the last five.
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The No. 3 Bears (11-1) can reach the semis for the third time in four years, and fourth time in six, after reaching the quarters last year. They’re 14-point favorites over the No. 8 Paladins (10-2) in what is Maxwell’s most lopsided forecast for the 2A quarterfinals. The irony, however, is Fellowship Christian ended their season with a 40-22 win in last year’s quarterfinals.
Against Laney in the second round, Bears quarterback Caden McGatha was 9 of 13 for 170 yards and three touchdowns to no interceptions, and he accounted for 24 of the team’s 25 rushes, going for 117 yards and another touchdown. His top receiver was Carson Sloan, who had five catches for 95 yards and three touchdowns.
The Paladins are looking for a third straight trip to the semis and fourth in the last five years. Against North Murray, they led 35-0 at halftime, extending the lead to 56-0 before giving up a score.
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Unlike the college football game that will be played in Atlanta on Saturday, Maxwell’s projections have this game between the Bulldogs and Yellow Jackets as dead-even. These teams have never met.
No. 6 Rockmart (10-2) last reached the semis in 2018, which broke a 30-year drought. In their 56-14 win over Union County, Calliyon Thompson was 11 of 13 passing for 146 yards and four touchdowns to no interceptions, with Tristan Anderson hauling six receptions for 59 yards and two scores. JD Davis rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.
This is the first time the No. 4 Bulldogs (11-1) have reached the quarters since 2008 and they’ve been that far a total of six times since their 1987 founding, but never farther. Their dethroning of the defending champs Thomson was covered Monday.
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Quite the semifinals drought will end for one of these teams. Cook hasn’t been since 2007. Columbia last reached the Final Four in 1981.
Columbia (9-3) is the lone remaining team that entered the tournament unranked. The Eagles advanced by edging North Cobb Christian 18-13 on the road, avenging last season, when NCC won 14-6 in the first round. In the win, Jaden Baugh had a nine-yard touchdown catch and rushed eight times for 49 yards and another touchdown to lead Columbia. Cameron Graves had 101 rushing yards on six carries, and quarterback Charles Harris had a 15-yard rushing touchdown.
No. 9 Cook (10-2) will be the first ranked opponent they’ve played in the tournament. The Hornets opened on a 17-0 run against Appling County, and the lead held. Cook is an eight-point favorite, but the game could be even closer. The Eagles are allowing just 13.83 points this season to the Hornets’ 14.08. The Eagles are averaging 29.58 points to the Hornets’ 27.58 points.
There’s also the element of the unknown, as these teams have never played each other.
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