5 things: What we learned from the opening week of state playoffs

Posted 6:34PM on Monday, November 17, 2014

Here's a look at five things we learned from the first round of the high school football playoffs... 1. Region 8-AAAA is that good -- the proof came in the first round Way back in the spring, we drooled over the possibilities that the Region 8-AAAA schedule could bring us on the gridiron. Then we sat back and watched Buford roll through the schedule and wondered, just how good was the competition from top to bottom in 8-AAAA? The answer came on Friday, and it was an emphatic confirmation that, yes, 8-AAAA is one of the better regions in the state. The Wolves did their usual thing, dominating Southeast Whitfield -- allowing just five yards rushing in the process -- in the first round of state, but it was the play of No. 2 seed North Oconee and No. 3 seed Stephens County that made the biggest impression -- particularly that of the Indians. Stephens County went on the road to face one of the most potent rushing attacks in the state and proceeded to hold Pickens to seven points while the game was in question in an eventual 42-14 win. By the time the Dragons scored a second touchdown, the Indians owned a 42-7 lead in the fourth quarter. To do that to an opposing offense led by explosive running back Shannon Brooks -- who is second in the state in rushing -- is impressive indeed. Meanwhile, North Oconee smacked Gilmer 49-6 to give 8-AAAA three teams in the second round of the postseason. So, yeah, 8-AAAA is that good and far from a one-team league. 2. Region 8-AAA may be the toughest in Class AAA -- and will face another supre league this Friday There were a few regions that swept through all four first round playoff games, and there is no doubting the quality of 8-AAA after the league's four state representatives did just that -- Jefferson, Hart County, Elbert County and Oconee County all advancing. Region 1-AAA also swept through the first round, and, funny enough, 8-AAA and 1-AAA will face each other in four second round match-ups this week. Should one league claim more than two victories, we think the victors would be safe in calling themselves the toughest in all of Class AAA. The four contests are an exciting possibility -- No. 3 seed Dodge County at No. 1 seed Jefferson, No. 4 seed Oconee County at No. 2 seed Pierce County, No. 4 seed Appling County at No. 3 seed Elbert County and No. 2 seed Hart County at No. 1 seed Cook. Dragons coach Ben Hall was already talking of the task facing his Jefferson squad on Friday, noting that Dodge County possesses an daunting mix of athleticism, size and physicality. The same could be said for Hall's Dragons. And the match-ups are similar across the board. Region 8-AAA vs. 1-AAA could be the match-up of the postseason in Class AAA. 3. Michael Byrd is hitting his stride at just the right time Coming into the season, Gainesville had plenty of questions and a few certainties -- one of those was running back Michael Byrd. Or so the Red Elephants thought. Injuries derailed the start of Byrd's season and took the senior out of his rhythm. It's been clear over the past four weeks, however, that the fleet-footed Byrd was regaining his form. And in Friday's first round win over Creekview, the senior, jammed on the accelerator and showed that he may now be in the best form of his career. Byrd exploded for a career-high 226 yards to help Gainesville seal its seventh straight first round playoff victory. Byrd has been a key player for the Red Elephants for several seasons now, and he's not ready to stop being one. Keep playing like that and the running back could extend things for several more weeks. 4. Don't sleep on the 'X-Man,' or you'll be toast OK, so this is not exactly a secret, but it became obvious to even the most casual observer on Friday: Xavier Gantt is a game-breaker. The Buford running back has blistering speed, and, if he gets a crease, he'll go the distance. Just ask Southeast Whitfield. The Wolves' first round playoff victim watched Gantt turn a close game into a blowout on the strength of three long scoring runs in the second quarter. Gantt took off for the end zone on runs of 66, 35 and 30 yards -- which accounted for all of Buford's scoring in the second quarter, and pushed the Wolves from a 7-0 first quarter lead to a 28-0 halftime advantage. Gantt finished the contest with 140 yards rushing on just six carries. That is a first for some time for Buford, which both attacks teams with multiple backs and rarely needs one standout to go over 100 yards thanks to a dominating team from top to bottom. So to pull off something like that in the playoffs is an eye-opener indeed. It certainly should be to Buford's future opponents. True, the Wolves have plenty of other weapons that can gut you (Joshua Thomas, Luke Humphrey, Brett Shepherd, etc.), but defenses that sleep on Gantt will pay the price. 5. Tough night for 7-AAA, but foundations are in place for big things There's no doubt that watching your season come to a close in the playoffs hurts. To work so hard and watch it all end is no easy thing to handle, and four 7-AAA squads experienced that pain on Friday. We think it was only the start of something bigger for the teams and the region, however. West Hall, Lumpkin County and East Hall are still young teams (for the most part) and under coaches in the midst of rebuilding those programs. Tony Lotti (third season), Tyler Maxwell (first season) and Bryan Gray (eighth season) have the Spartans, Indians and Vikings, respectively, on the rise, and we expect all three to continue their ascent in the future. Each will have plenty of returning talent in 2015 -- talent that experienced playoff disappointment this season. That experience will only fire each program to work harder in the offseason. And we're looking for big things in the future in Oakwood, Dahlonega and Rabbittown. AREA FOOTBALL PLAYOFF FINALS, NOV. 14 Buford 63, Southeast Whitfield 0 Cartersville 54, White County 0 Central Gwinnett 12, North Gwinnett 9 Elbert County 28, Lumpkin County 18 Gainesville 42, Creekview 37 Grayson 24, Mill Creek 6 Hart County 42, East Hall 14 Jefferson 38, Franklin County 7 Kell 31, Winder-Barrow 7 Model 50, Union County 36 Oconee County 42, West Hall 38 Rabun County 24, Chattooga 20 Sequoyah 24, Lanier 21 Stephens County 42, Pickens 14 SECOND ROUND* STATE PLAYOFF MATCH-UPS Nov. 21 *-Class A will be competing in its first round match-ups Class AAAAA Gainesville at Harris County Class AAAA Mary Persons at Buford Stephens County at West Laurens Class AAA Dodge County at Jefferson Class AA Benedictine at Rabun County Class A Clinch County at Commerce