Elephants escape open-season on No. 1 seeds

If you were a No. 1 seed going into the first round of the Class AAA football playoffs last week, your days were numbered.

Three of the eight No. 1 seeds fell last week, including Class AAA top-ranked Carrollton.

It was just as bad for the Class AAAA top seeds, with three of those eight falling, the biggest shocker being North Forsyth's 21-point second half rally to beat Washington. Two of the top four ranked teams in Class AAAA also fell.

So that would leave Gainesville, the top seed from Region 7-AAA and Stephens County, the top seed from 8-AAA, with bullseyes on their backs.

Gainesville coach Bruce Miller, after his teams narrow 19-14 escape over Oconee County Friday, said it shows you can't take anyone for granted.

Gainesville trailed 14-7 early in the fourth quarter and needed two late scores to put the Warriors away.

"I think there are more even teams out there now than ever before. The name of the game is to survive and move on and we did that. Hopefully we won't be one of those upsets Friday night," he said.

In the second round of the Class AAA playoffs, the Red Elephants (10-1) will play host to Westlake (9-2) Friday. Westlake is working on a nine-game win streak while Gainesville has won 10 straight games.

Stephens County (10-1) will play host to Cartersville (9-2). Hart County (8-3) will play host to M.L. King (9-2) which knocked off No. 1-ranked Carrollton.

Flowery Branch (10-1) the No. 2 seed in 7-AAA got its only touchdown with six minutes left against Elbert County in a 10-9 win to also avoid the upset.

In all, eight No. 1 seeds in the five classifications were knocked off last week, and Gainesville was among five others that barely survived major upset bids.