One area team is left standing -- and it’s one that is quite often remaining when the dust settles. Meanwhile, two others saw their campaigns come to gut-wrenching ends as the GHSA football semifinals played out on Friday.
Buford fought off a 18-7 first half deficit, rattling off 28 unanswered points en route to a 35-18 semifinal win over Woodward Academy.
The Wolves’ win will give them a shot at a fourth straight state championship and eighth in nine seasons when they travel to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta next week to face Cartersville. It will be a rematch of last year’s Class AAAA semifinal, which Buford claimed in Cartersville.
Just down the road, Mill Creek saw its historic campaign come to a close in a 52-31 defeat to defending Class AAAAAA champ Colquitt County.
The Hawks battled back and forth throughout but could not slow the Packers late, as they suffered their first loss of the season in their first ever semifinal appearance.
Meanwhile, Commerce saw its run for a state championship ended by a late comeback from Clinch County.
The hosts scored with seconds remaining to halt the Tigers’ bid for a Georgia Dome appearance.
STATE PLAYOFF SEMIFINAL SCORES FOR AREA TEAMS, DEC. 4
Class AAAAAA
Colquitt County 52, Mill Creek 31
Class AAAA
Buford 35, Woodward Academy 18
Class A Public
Clinch County 26, Commerce 19
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCHEDULE FOR AREA TEAMS, DEC. 12
Class AAAA
4:30 p.m. -- Buford vs. Cartersville
