GAINESVILLE - It was a perfect night for the Hall County contingent of Region 7-AAA Friday in the first round of the Class AAA playoffs.
No. 1-ranked Gainesville showed the rest of Class AAA that its dominating regular season was no fluke.
The Red Elephants (11-0) scored on their first four possessions and then cruised the rest of the way in a 42-0 rout of Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe at City Park Stadium.
No. 2 seed North Hall (9-2) used a 29-7 second half to erase a 14-10 halftime deficit to Ringgold in a 39-21 win at The Brickyard.
Meanwhile, fourth-seeded Flowery Branch (8-3) made its trip to Chattanooga a success knocking off Region 6-AAA champ Ridgeland 17-14. The only 7-AAA team to fall was third-seed Creekview, which lost 31-14 to Carrollton.
In Class AA, Callaway was too much for Riverside Military Academy (5-6) using a 34-point third quarter to blow open a close game in a 47-7 win. Riverside trailed just 13-7 at halftime. Region 8-AA champ and fourth-ranked Jefferson had a struggle with Heard County before eventually taking a 21-13 win. East Jackson held off Manchester 27-14 for its first-ever playoff win.
Defending state champ and No. 3 Buford (10-1) shut out Pepperell 24-0 to open the playoffs strong.
In Class AAAA, Apalachee (11-0) edged Starr's Mill 27-24 and will play host to Marist in the second round
And Commerce got its first playoff win in two seasons, defeating Landmark Christian 29-19 in Class A.
-- SECOND ROUND PLAYOFF MATCH-UPS:
Dunwoody at Gainesville
North Hall at St. Pius
Flowery Branch at Grady
Buford at Jefferson
Woodward at North Gwinnett
East Jackson at Lovett
Marist at Apalachee
Commerce at Darlington
Thursday
November 28th, 2024
3:44AM
