The top-ranked teams in each class host, there are three top-5 teams traveling and four unranked teams still alive across both Divisions I and II of Class A.
Welcome to the quarterfinals.
In the top-left quadrant of Class A Division I, No. 1 Prince Avenue Christian will host an unranked Irwin County which is riding momentum from its 31-0 upset victory over No. 5 Bleckley County in the second round. However impressive that upset was, all eyes will be on Prince Avenue’s Georgia Tech-commit quarterback Aaron Philo as he chases the state passing record.
Philo’s passed for 12,664 yards and trails Cartersville-great Trevor Lawrence (13,902 yards), Gunner Stockton (13,652, Rabun County), Deshaun Watson (13,077, Gainesville) and Jake Fromm (12,745, Houston County). Prince Avenue was forced to accept a forfeit victory in the first round against Athens Christian, leaving Philo with one less game to make a run at the record.
After passing for 207 yards in a 72-41 victory over Mount Vernon, Philo needs to average 413 yards through the state championship game to tie and pass Lawrence and Irwin could play victim No. 1, so to speak.
Prince Avenue (11-1) has outscored opponents 550-191 this season while Irwin allows 274 while tallying 286 across its 7-5 record.
In the bottom-left quadrant of Division I, No. 3 Commerce will travel to No. 10 Bryan County. Commerce defeated Dade County 34-14 and Bryan beat Pelham 34-8 in the second round. Commerce hasn’t been past the quarterfinals since 2015 and is trying for its first finals berth since winning the A championship in 2000. Bryan County is in uncharted territory after advancing to the quarterfinals for the first time in program history. In the top-right quadrant Division I, No. 8 Swainsboro will travel to No. 4 Elbert County after Swainsboro beat Lamar County 18-6 and Elbert outlasted No. 2 Trion 42-41. Since winning the Class 2A title in 1995, Elbert has not advanced past the quarterfinals, losing in that round in 1996, 2011, 2014 and 2015.
In the bottom-right quadrant of Division I, No. 6 Rabun County will travel to an unranked Brooks County after Rabun beat Whitefield Academy 42-14 and Brooks County upended No. 7 Dublin 22-7. Brooks County won the A-Public championship in 2021 after losing in the title game in the previous two seasons. Since 2015, Rabun County has been to at least the quarterfinals every season, including a loss in the 2A championship game in 2017 and a loss in the 2020 semifinals.
In Class A Division II’s top-left quadrant, No. 4 Manchester will travel to No. 2 Clinch County after Manchester beat Johnson County 35-0 and Clinch defeated Seminole County 35-6. Since winning the 1997 Class A championship, Manchester has not advanced past the quarterfinals in six tries – 1998, 2001, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021. Clinch County has eight championships including three from 2015 to 2018 but two semifinal exits in 2019 and 2020 coupled with a quarterfinals loss last year leaves the Panthers wanting more.
In the bottom-left quadrant of Division II, No. 3 Macon County will travel to unranked Telfair County after Macon County beat Aquinas 38-35 and Telfair defeated Portal 14-12. Macon County has a pair of quarterfinals exits since winning the 2016 Class A championship, the program’s second title (1996). In the top-right quadrant of Division II, No. 10 Dooly will face a tall task when it travels to No. 5 Bowdon. Bowdon moved past No. 9 Greene County 28-23 in the second round while Dooly outlasted Jenkins County 28-24. Bowdon’s victory in the Division II title game last season marked the program’s second title (1992). Historically, if Dooly County wins its quarterfinal game, it makes the championship as it did in 1983, 2002 and 2012. But it’s never won a title nor has it lost a semifinals contest.
In the bottom-right quadrant of Division II, Schley County is the heavy favorite. The Wildcats want a program-first championship after making its first finals appearance last season. It hosts Early County, a team also looking for a program-first championship. Joel Harvin coached the Bobcats to a quarterfinals loss last season and Frank Killingsworth, in his first season, Early back in the mix.
Class A Division I
R1 #2 Irwin County at R5 #1 No. 1 Prince Avenue Christian
R8 #1 No. 3 Commerce at R3 #1 No. 10 Bryan County
R2 #3 No. 8 Swainsboro at R8 #2 No. 4 Elbert County
R8 #3 No. 6 Rabun County at R1 #1 Brooks County
Class A Division II
R6 #2 No. 4 Manchester at R2 #1 No. 2 Clinch County
R6 #3 No. 3 Macon County at R4 #2 Telfair County
R4 #1 No. 10 Dooly County at R7 #1 No. 5 Bowdon
R1 #1 Early County at R6 #1 No. 1 Schley County
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