Once the dust settled on Friday night, northeast Georgia found three teams still standing in the state football playoffs -- and it was so nearly four.
Rabun County watched a 31-yard field goal split the uprights as time expired to deny the Wildcats their first ever state semifinal berth as Jefferson County held on for a 31-28 win in Louisville in the Class AA quaretrfinals. The two foes battled back and forth throughout, Rabun knotting the score at 28-28 with 3:10 remaining only to watch the Warriors pull out the win.
Meanwhile, Buford, Commerce and Mill Creek all charged through to the GHSA football version of the Final Four, while Dawson County saw its historic season ended at the hands of Blessed Trinity.
The Titans jumped out to a 28-0 first half lead en route to a 35-7 outcome that halted the Tigers' deepest-ever playoff run. Dawson County's magical season also included their first ever region title.
History is still being made at Mill Creek, however, after the Hawks claimed their first ever semifinal berth via a 23-0 defeat of Archer in Class AAAAAA. Mill Creek took an early lead and never looked back in halting Archer's quest to get back to a second straight state title game. After defeating last year's Class AAAAAA runner-up, the Hawks will now look to dethrone the champs, as Colquitt County survived a scare at South Forsyth to move into the Final Four -- and the Packers will have to travel to Hoschton for next week's showdown, as Mill Creek won the coin toss between the two No. 1 seeds.
Buford will play host to Woodward Academy next week in a Class AAAA semifinal after the Wolves rolled over Thomson 49-7 on Friday in Thomson. Buford allowed just 110 yards to the hosts en route to their ninth straight semifinal appearance.
And in Class A, Commerce is back in the public side of the semifinals for a second straight year after pushing past Marion County 20-7 in Buena Vista. It was the Tigers second straight impressive road win this postseason -- and now there is a third on the horizon, as Commerce will travel to face Clinch County next week in the semifinals.
For an in-depth look at Friday's quarterfinal games, including video highlights simply visit our Friday Game Night page.
STATE QUARTERFINAL SCORES FOR AREA TEAMS, NOV. 27
CLASS AAAAAA
Mill Creek 23, Archer 0
CLASS AAAA
Buford 49, Thomson 7
CLASS AAA
Blessed Trinity 35, Dawson County 7
CLASS AA
Jefferson County 31, Rabun County 28
CLASS A Public
Commerce 20, Marion County 7
STATE SEMIFINAL SCHEDULE FOR AREA TEAMS, DEC. 4
CLASS AAAAAA
Colquitt County at Mill Creek
CLASS AAAA
Woodward Academy at Buford
CLASS A Public
Commerce at Clinch County
