And then there were just four...
Northeast Georgia teams battled a brutal second round state playoff schedule as six area teams fell, leaving only North Gwinnett (Class 7A), Buford (5A), Jefferson (4A), and Rabun County (2A) standing.
But what the area lacks in quantity, it again makes up for with quality as three of the four are region champions (Jefferson is a No. 2 seed) with playoff experience aplenty.
Buford and Jefferson are looking to make repeat trips to the semifinals while North Gwinnett is looking for its first semifinal appearance since a state championship game appearance in 2013. Rabun County, now in its program-best third straight quarterfinals, is trying to advance to its first-ever semifinal.
None will have it easy, however, as Buford, Jefferson, and Rabun County all face tough road games while North Gwinnett plays host to a hot Marietta team that has taken down a No. 1 seed and a No. 2 seed on the road en route to its first quarterfinals since 1994 -- the final season as coach of the Blue Devils for former Buford coach and current athletic director Dexter Wood.
For a look at all of the night's quarterfinal round playoff contests involving area teams, simply scroll down. And be sure to check back with AccessWDUN's Friday Game Night throughout the night for score updates and game stories and video highlights. You can also check for scores and highlights on our Twitter feed: @FridayGameNight
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE FOR Nov. 24
(Games listed by highest classification and in alphabetical order of visiting team)
CLASS AAAAAAA
The state’s largest classification has turned out to be the most balanced in the state through the first two round. Only three region champs -- North Gwinnett (Region 6), Brookwood (Region 7), Archer (Region 8) -- have survived with one No. 3 seed (Colquitt County) and the lone at-large team (Marietta) advancing to the quarterfinals. ... Marietta is the big surprise being the first at-large team, since it was created, or No. 4 seed to make it past the second round since 2012 (Colquitt County). McEachern and Colquitt County are the only teams from last year’s quarterfinals to make a repeat trip in 2017. ... Grayson’s loss to North Gwinnett last week marked the first time since 2014 (Norcross) that the defending state champion did make it back to at least the quarterfinal round. For the Bulldogs, the win also pushed them into the quarterfinals for the first time since making the state title game in 2013. ... Only three of the top 8 offenses -- (Parkview (47.7 ppg), North Gwinnett (38.4 ppg), Brookwood (38.0 ppg) -- are still alive while only three of the top 11 stingiest defenses -- Archer (9.5 ppg), North Gwinnett (14.4 ppg), McEachern (15.0 ppg) -- are still playing. ... The most intriguing matchup may be McEachern traveling to Parkview in a battle of the Panthers top offense against the Indians’ No. 3 defense. ... Brookwood already has its deepest playoff run since winning the 2010 state title while Tift County is having its best season since advancing to the 2006 semifinals. The two teams meet in Snellville. ... Archer, which plays host to Colquitt County, is in its third quarters in the last four years. The Packers are in their 9th consecutive quarterfinals and looking for their 8th semifinal berth in that span.
MARIETTA at NORTH GWINNETT
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Tom Robinson Memorial Stadium
-- MARIETTA (8-4, Region 3, at-large): Defeated Woodstock 38-28 last week
-- NORTH GWINNETT (11-1, Region 6, No. 1 seed): Defeated defending 7A champion Grayson 35-28 last week
-- NOTABLE: Marietta leads series 2-1. North Gwinnett won the last meeting 44-0 in 2007 in the first round of the playoffs that season. ... It is new ground for the Blue Devils, who have not made the quarterfinals since 1994, the last season for former Buford coach Dexter Wood at Marietta. The Blue Devils also are the first at-large qualifier or No. 4 seed to reach the quarterfinals in the highest classification since Colquitt County in 2012. ... North Gwinnett is in the Elite 8 for the first time since making the 2013 state championship game. ... The key to this one is likely to be the Bulldogs defense. They are yielding just 14.4 ppg on the season while Marietta is averaging 36 ppg in the playoffs. Marietta will need to find a way to block Bulldogs Sr. LB Jayden McDonald, who had 7 TFL, including 5 sacks, as part of an 11 tackle night that terrorized the Grayson offense. ... The reason for the Blue Devils playoff push is the return of QB Bailey Harrison, who missed seven games before returning for the first round. He blistered Woodstock for 358 yards and 3 TDs. WR Ramel Keyton was his primary target with 11 catches for 215 yards and all 3 TD passes. Both players are Division I prospects. ... The Bulldogs, who are averaging 38.4 ppg and have not scored less than 27 in any game this season, relied on a balanced attack last week with Tyler Goodson rushing for 132 yards and 3 TDs and QB Jimmy Urzua passing for 233 yards and 1 TD. ... Marietta has surrendered 110 points (27.5 ppg) over its last four games.
-- WINNER PLAYS: Parkview (R7, S2) at McEachern (R3, S2) winner in the semifinals. North Gwinnett will play host in the semifinals if it wins.
CLASS AAAAA
Just four teams from last year’s quarterfinals -- Rome, Buford, Stockbridge, Carrollton -- made the Elite 8 in 2017. ... Six region champs are still alive with only Region 5’s Arabia Mountain and Region 2’s Wayne County not advancing. ... The cream has risen to the top in the first two rounds in this classification. Defensively 5 of the top 7 teams, all allowing under 14 ppg, while 7 of the top 8 offenses, all averaging over 33 ppg, are still playing. ... All four quarterfinal games matchup top offenses against top defenses. ... Buford and Stockbridge bring in the top 2 defenses to their matchup while Rome and Starr’s Mill battle with two of the top 4 offenses. ... A pair of teams, Carver-Atlanta (2007) and Starr’s Mill (2010) are in the quarterfinals for the first time this decade. Meanwhile, Buford is making its state-record 18th straight quarterfinals spanning five classifications. The rest of the 5A quarterfinal teams have 23 Elite 8 appearances combined in that span.
BUFORD at STOCKBRIDGE
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Tiger Stadium, Stockbridge
-- RADIO: WDUN AM 550
-- BUFORD (10-1, Region 8, No. 1 seed): Defeated Maynard Jackson 48-0 last week
-- STOCKBRIDGE (12-0, Region 4, No. 1 seed): Defeated Ware County 10-7 last week
-- NOTABLE: First-ever meeting between the two teams. ... Buford is in its state-record 18th consecutive quarterfinal. The Wolves are 15-2 in the quarterfinals during that span. ... Stockbridge is in its sixth straight quarterfinals but is just 2-3 during that span. ... The key matchup will be the No. 2 Buford offense (508, 46.1 ppg) against the No. 1 Tigers defense (77, 6.8 ppg). The Wolves are led Sr. RBs Anthony Grant and Christian Turner but Fr. QB Aaron McLaughlin may be a crucial element coming off a pair of solid performances in the passing game. Stockbridge has not allowed more than 17 points in any game while Buford has scored at least 34 points against every Georgia opponent this season. ... The Buford defense is no slouch as the No. 2 unit in 5A allowing just 9.4 ppg. The Tigers are averaging 30.9 ppg behind QB Gabe McKenzie, who had a combined 218 yards in last week’s win. WR Marquez Ezzard leads the Tigers with 994 yards and 13 TDs on the season. ... Stockbridge is plus-7 in turnover-ratio.
-- WINNER PLAYS: Rome (R7, S1) at Starr’s Mill (R3, S1) winner in the semifinals. ... Buford will be on the road in the semifinals if it wins no matter who advances.
CLASS AAAA
The second round was brutal in what is another balanced classification. Two-time defending champ and No. 1 Cartersville was stunned by Blessed Trinity while No. 2 Ridgeland was knocked out by Jefferson as three region champs fell. ... Three regions -- 1, 5, and 6 -- have been swept out of the playoffs. Meanwhile, Regions 3, 7, and 8 all pushed two teams into the quarterfinals. ... Jefferson is one of three No. 2 seeds to make the Elite 8 along with Blessed Trinity and Thomson. ... Marist is now the top defensive team left (164, 13.6 ppg) while Burke County (538. 44.8 ppg) is the top offensive team left. The two teams will face each other in what should be an instant classic. ... All eight teams have playoff experience with each making at least their third quarterfinals appearance in the last six seasons. ... If Jefferson and Thomson both win it will set up a rematch of last year’s semifinal showdown. The two teams have met three times since the beginning of the 2016 season with the Bulldogs winning all three previous meetings.
JEFFERSON at MARY PERSONS
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Mitchell Field at Dan Pitts Stadium, Forsyth
-- RADIO: 102.9 FM
-- JEFFERSON (10-2, Region 8, No. 2 seed): Defeated Region 6-AAAA champion Ridgeland 28-21 last week
-- MARY PERSONS (10-2, Region 2, No. 1 seed): Defeated Baldwin 39-14 last week
-- NOTABLE: First-ever meeting between the two teams. ... The Dragons displayed perhaps their most complete game of the season considering that Ridgeland was in the top two in both offense and defense in AAAA. With Ridgeland stacking the box and pressuring receivers in tight man-to-man defense, Sr. QB Bryce Moore was 11-of-19 for 159 yards and 3 TDs to pick up the slack for the run game, which as held to just 95 yards. ... Jr. Zac Corbin had all 3 TD catches of 15, 25 and 21 yards. Corbin had 6 catches for 117 yards and was a force on defense as well with 10 tackles and a pass break-up. .. Sr. Colby Wood set up two scores with long kickoff returns and the defense took a bent-but-didn’t-break approach holding Ridgeland scoreless in the second half. ... The Dragons will face another tough road test in the Bulldogs, who are looking for a second straight semifinal berth. Offensively, Mary Persons rushed for a season-high 402 yards last week. The Bulldogs are paced by Jr. QB J.T. Hartage, a solid dual threat with 1,602 yards and 16 TDs passing but makes most of his back-breaking plays with his feet on broken scramble runs. He is 3rd on the team in rushing with 346 yards and a team-leading 7 rushing TDs. Jr. WR/KR Antoine Davis is a threat anytime he touches the ball with nearly 1,000 all-purpose yards and 5 combined TDs. ... The Bulldogs are plus-14 on turnover-ratio, with the defense snagging 12 INTs on the season. ... The defense is led a pair of Division I LB prospects in senior Jatorian Hansford (84 tackles, 9.5 sacks) and junior Ladamion Sands (85 tackles, 5 sacks) and junior DE Daniel Lavelle (85 tackles, 10 TFL) is a solid run stopper. They have 5 fumble returns for touchdowns on the season.
-- WINNER PLAYS: Blessed Trinity (R7, S2) at Thomson (R3, S2) winner in the semifinals. Jefferson will be on the road in the semifinals if it wins no matter who advances.
CLASS AA
Six of the eight region champs are still alive with only Dodge County and Rockmart failing to advance last week. Three of last year’s Final Four -- Benedictine, Hapeville Charter, Callaway -- are still standing. ... Thomasville is in its first quarterfinals since 2010 and just the third time since 1993. ... The two most intriguing matchups may have Rabun County traveling to Screven County in a battle of unbeatens. Rabun County leads AA in scoring (582, 48.3 ppg) while Screven County is No. 2 in defense (80, 7.3 ppg). Hapeville Charter travels to defending champion Benedictine in a showdown of a pair of 2016 semifinalists. Hapeville has the stingiest defense (71, 5.9 ppg) while Benedictine is No. 2 in offense (506, 42.1 ppg). ... The two worst defenses left in AA face off with Thomasville traveling to Heard County. ... The home team is a whopping 22-2 in AA over the first two rounds of the playoffs.
RABUN COUNTY at SCREVEN COUNTY
-- WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
-- WHERE: Kelly Memorial Stadium, Sylvania
-- RABUN COUNTY (12-0, Region 8, No. 1 seed): Defeated B.E.S.T. Academy 35-2 last week
-- SCREVEN COUNTY (11-0, Region 4, No. 1 seed): Defeated Toombs County 34-20 last week
-- NOTABLE: First-ever meeting between the two teams. ... This should be another classic matchup of offensive and defensive Goliaths. The Gamecocks are 2nd in defense (80, 7.3 ppg) and have not surrendered more than 20 points in any game this season. The Wildcats lead AA in scoring (582, 48.3 ppg), have not scored less than 28 in any game, and have scored 35 or more in 11 of their 12 contests this season. ... Rabun Sr. QB Bailey Fisher has accounted for over 3,600 total yards and 57 combined touchdowns. Sr.. WR Cole Keener has 42 catches for 879 yards and 11 touchdowns and also averages 32.4 yards on kickoff returns. Austin Jones has returned three punts for touchdowns. ... The Rabun defense is 3rd in AA allowing just 111 points (9.2 ppg) and has generated 25 turnovers (2 per game) and the Wildcats are an astounding plus-17 in turnover-ratio. ... Screven County is led by QB Armani Bunbury, FB CJ Wright, and TB Kim Hunter is averaging 300 yards a game on the ground and 43 ppg on offense. ... The Wildcats are plus-13 in turnover-ratio and has not lost a fumble in 385 rushing attempts on the season. ... The Wildcats are making their third straight quarterfinal, a program first, but have never made it to the semifinals. Screven County is in the quarterfinals for a second consecutive season but has not made the semifinals since winning the 2002 Class AAA state championship.
-- WINNER PLAYS: Plays host to the Callaway (R5, S2) at Brooks County (R1, S2) winner in the semifinals. Rabun County will play host in the semifinals if the Wildcats win.
