Fourteen football programs from northeast Georgia earned the right to continue the 2015 campaign and 13 of those programs will embark on the first round of the GSHA playoffs this Friday.
There are some mouth-watering showdowns on tap as the postseason begins, including three huge showdowns set for broadcast on the airwaves of Jacobs Media.
North Hall has won region titles, played in the Georgia Dome and developed into one of the more consistent winning programs around over the last 14 seasons. But in all that time, the Trojans have yet to do one thing: win a road playoff game.
With that in mind North Hall (6-4) will look to make history on Friday when it travels to face Sandy Creek (8-2) in the first round of the Class AAAA playoffs in a game broadcast live on WDUN AM 550. The current Trojans squad has righted the green and white ship after last season’s tough 2-8 campaign and will be fired up for the challenge after charging back into the playoffs for the third time in four years.
They face a stout Patriots team that has produced double digit win seasons in each of the last seven attempts, including the 2012 Class AAAA title. In fact Sandy Creek has not missed a state quarterfinal berth since 2008. By the way North Hall actually kept the Patriots from the 2007 Class AAA quarterfinals courtesy a 21-7 second round win in Gainesville -- the two teams’ only previous meeting.
North Hall’s fellow 8-AAAA programs Buford and Stephens County will get home contests in the first round, as the Wolves (9-1) take on Fayette County (3-7) and the Indians (8-2) play host to Carrollton (5-5). The Trojans’ record is a bit misleading, however, as those five defeats came against teams with a combined record of 33-7, every one of which is in the state playoffs -- Carrollton also racked up a 42-3 win at North Hall on Sept. 18.
Region 7-AAA’s teams will face foes from Region 6-AAA in the first round, including a home playoff contest for East Hall. The red-hot Vikings (6-4) enter the postseason on the back of a five-game win streak and will take on a Sonoraville (7-3) team that has won three straight in a game broadcast live in WDUN FM 102.9.
Friday will represent East Hall’s first home playoff battle since 2000 and second straight state berth. The Vikings bring a potent offense to the contest, averaging 30.5 points per game and will face a Phoenix team capable of big scores, averaging 29 points per game -- but they also struggled against the four other playoff teams on their schedule, scoring 15.7 in those four games, going 1-3.
Elsewhere in 7-AAA, Dawson County will host its first playoff game -- ever -- when the Tigers (7-3) take on Ringgold (6-4) in Dawsonville in a game broadcast live on northgeorgiasportslink.com, while West Hall (5-5) travels to face Calhoun (10-0). The Yellow Jackets are defending Class AAA champs and ranked No. 1, but the Spartans will be playing with nothing to lose after charging back into the playoffs for a third straight year after bouncing back from a five-game losing skid. Also in AAA, Jefferson (9-1) will play host to Pepperell (7-3) after finishing the regular season on a high note, pulling away from Hart County 43-27 despite finishing second in Region 8-AAA.
In Class AAAAA, Gainesville (7-3) is looking to extend its streak of first round wins when it plays host to Alexander (8-2) at City Park in a game broadcast live on 1240 AM ESPN Radio. The Red Elephants have not failed to progress to the second round since 2008 but know that streak will not automatically continue against a Cougars team that features a strong offense scoring 32.1 points per game.
Gainesville showed plenty of grit and determination in seeing off a motivated Flowery Branch squad in the regular season finale but knows it must be more consistent in the postseason. The good news for Gainesville is that standout lineman Cole Handte will be back in the line-up this week after sitting out last week’s showdown.
Other 8-AAAAA teams looking to progress include Lanier (10-0), which is looking to avoid a repeat of last year’s first round upset when it plays host to East Paulding (8-2) in Sugar Hill. Meanwhile, Winder-Barrow (6-4) will look to knock off top-seeded and eighth-ranked Allatoona (9-1) on the road after notching back-to-back state appearances for the first time in program history.
Class AAAAAA will see Mill Creek (10-0) playing host to Northview (6-4), looking to continue its defensive dominance and get out of the first round for the first time since 2012.
In Class AA, Rabun County (9-1) will look to notch its second straight first round victory when it plays host to Bremen (4-6), while Union County (9-1) will also look to make the most of homefield advantage when the Panthers take on Bowdon (5-5) in Blairsville. Union County is gunning for its first ever state playoff victory.
It should be an exciting and action-packed slate of battles, and Friday Game Night will have every angle covered.
NOTE: Commerce is also a likely lock for the postseason, coming in at No. 8 in the final Class A Public power ratings -- though the Tigers (7-3) must wait for the appeals process and brackets to be filled out (likely on Wednesday) to discover their playoff fate.
FIRST ROUND STATE PLAYOFF MATCH-UPS FOR AREA TEAMS, NOV. 13
(Includes region seed, overall record)
CLASS AAAAAA
- Northview (Region 6-AAAAAA No. 4, 6-4) at Mill Creek (Region 7-AAAAAA No. 1, 10-0)
CLASS AAAAAA
- East Paulding (5-AAAAA No. 4, 8-2) at Lanier (8-AAAAA No. 1, 10-0)
- Alexander (5-AAAAA No. 3, 8-2) at Gainesville (8-AAAAA No. 2, 7-3) -- Radio: 1240 AM ESPN Radio
- Winder-Barrow (8-AAAAA No. 4, 6-4) at Allatoona (5-AAAAA No. 1, 9-1)
CLASS AAAA
- Fayette County (5-AAAA No. 4, 3-7) at Buford (8-AAAA No. 1, 9-1)
- Carrollton (5-AAAA No. 3, 5-5) at Stephens County (8-AAAA No. 2, 8-2)
- North Hall (8-AAAA No. 3, 6-4) at Sandy Creek (5-AAAA No. 2, 8-2) -- Radio: WDUN AM 550
CLASS AAA
- Ringgold (6-AAA No. 4, 6-4) at Dawson County (7-AAA No. 1, 7-3) -- Radio: northgeorgiasportslink.com
- Sonoraville (6-AAA No. 3, 7-3) at East Hall (7-AAA No. 2, 6-4) -- Radio: WDUN 102.9 FM
- West Hall (7-AAA No. 4, 5-5) at Calhoun (6-AAA No. 1, 10-0)
- Pepperell (5-AAA No. 3, 7-3) at Jefferson (8-AAA No. 2, 9-1)
CLASS AA
- Bremen (8-AA No. 4, 4-6) at Rabun County (8-AA No. 1, 9-1)
- Bowdon (5-AA No. 3, 5-5) at Union County (8-AA No. 2, 9-1)
CLASS A Public (Class A playoffs will not start till Nov. 20)
- Commerce at Charlton County
