Thursday March 28th, 2024 5:40AM

Baseball playoffs: Challenging showdowns await NEGa area teams, and opponents, in 1st round

By Jeff Hart Sports Reporter

GAINESVILLE — Once playoff time arrives, polls mean nothing. But they can be barometers of what is to come, and based on some of the opening round matchups in the Georgia High School Association baseball playoffs set to begin on Wednesday, Northeast Georgia-area fans could be in for some early treats, and possibly even some nail-biting.

Fourteen area teams advanced to the playoffs in seven of the eight GHSA classifications. In all eight classifications -- for those involving Northeast Georgia-area regions -- Regions 5 and 7 and Regions 6 and 8 will go head-to-head in the opening round. A dozen of the 14 best-of-three series' feature at least one ranked team.

Among the notables, Class 3A No. 1 North Hall will open its Class 3A title defense as the Region 7-3A champion. However, the last time the Trojans were trying to defend a state title (2018) they could not make it out of the second round.

Buford, the Region 8-6A champion, will try and shake off last year's disappointing loss in the second round after being ranked in the top five in the nation most of the seaon in 2021. Commerce is the Region 8-A Public champion for a second consecutive season and has made the quarterfinals each of the last two playoffs (the 2020 playoffs were canceled due to COVID). Can the Tigers make it three straight or better?

Can Jefferson, the No. 3 seed out of Region 8-4A, give retiring coach Tommy Knight a finish to remember? The Dragons have not made it out of the second round since winning the 4A title in 2018 but the young squad could have some sentimental motivation heading into the playoffs.

Will Jackson County, back in the playoffs in Class 5A for the first since 2018, be able get its first playoff series win since making the Final Four in Class 3A in 2016? Can Cherokee Bluff, coming off a quarterfinal run in 2021, make its first-ever semifinal appearance?

First pitch for Classes 4A through 7A begin on Wednesday. Classes A Private through 3A, with a few exceptions, will open on Friday.

For North Hall (26-4) and coach Trevor Flow, the memory of trying to defend their 2017 title is still fresh, though the curcumstances are somewhat different this go-around as they get ready to take on an alway-pesky Westminster (10-13) group.

"That year (2018) we had lost nine seniors from the year before," Flow said. "We went to extra innings twice with (eventual state champion) Lovett. Honestly, the lack of experience is probably what cost us in that series. We do not have that lack of experience this time, but we will still face a highly-talented team in the first round.

"Westminster plays in an extremely top-heavy region that is filled with top 10 teams. You cannot be fooled by their record. Their history of success speaks for itself and I know that they are well-coached. The keys to most games will be crucial in this series more so than others -- we will have to play great defense; we can't give a team like Westminster extra opportunities on the bases; and we will have to be disciplined at the plate."

One of the best matchups in the state in the first round will pit Class 7A No. 9 Mill Creek against North Forsyth, which has been in and out of the rankings all season. The Raiders finished fourth in a brutal Region 6-7A that at one point had four teams in the top 10 of the Georgia Dugout regular season poll.

Another huge showdown will be in Flowery Branch where Class 3A No. 10 Cherokee Buff, the No. 2 seed out of Region 7-3A, will play host to No. 7 Sandy Creek. The Bears advanced to the quarterfinals in 2021 and are expecting to at least match that in 2022.

In fact, in Class 3A, Regions 7 and 5 duke it out in the first round with four ranked teams among them. As well as North Hall and Bluff, East Forsyth, the No. 4 seed from 7-3A, takes on No. 5 GAC on the road.

In Class 6A, No. 2 Buford plays host to Kennesaw Mountain hoping to erase a disappointing finish in 2021 where the top-ranked Wolves at that time were stunned in the second round by Pope.

In Class 5A, Jackson County travels to No. 2 North Springs. In Class 2A, Rabun County will have a huge task traveling to No. 1 Pace Academy in the opening round. Union County will head to No. 7 Lovett. The Panthers moved their series to Thursday and Friday.

In Class A Public, No. 7 Commerce will play host to Armuchee in the first round. Towns County heads to No. 9 Gordon Lee. The Commerce series also has moved to Thursday and Friday.

(Check below for the full schedule of 1st round series around the area.)


1st ROUND BASEBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
(All series are best-of-3 at home of higher seed)
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27

Class 7A 
North Forsyth (Region 6, Seed 4) at Mill Creek (R8, S1) (DH), 4 p.m.

Class 6A 
Kennesaw Mountain (R6, S4) at Buford (R8, S1) (DH), 4:30 p.m.

Class 5A
Jackson County (R8, S4) at North Springs (R6, S1) (DH), 4:30 p.m.

Class 4A
Arabia Mountain (R6, S3) at Flowery Branch (R8, S2) (DH), 4:30 p.m.
Jefferson (R8, S3) at Druid Hills (R6, S2) (DH), 2 p.m.


THURSDAY, APRIL 28
(Game 3s start at 5:55 p.m. unless otherwise noted)

Class 7A 
North Forsyth (R6, S4) at Mill Creek (R8, S1), 5:30 p.m.

Class 6A 
Kennesaw Mountain (R6, S4) at Buford (R8, S1), 6 p.m.

Class 5A
Jackson County (R8, S4) at North Springs (R6, S1), 6 p.m.

Class 4A
Arabia Mountain (R6, S3) at Flowery Branch (R8, S2), 6 p.m.
Jefferson (R8, S3) at Druid Hills (R6, S2), 5 p.m.

Class 2A
Union County (R8, S3) at Lovett (R6, S2) (DH), 5:30 p.m.

Class A Public
Armuchee (R6, S4) at Commerce (R8, S1) (DH), 2 p.m.


FRIDAY, APRIL 29

Class 3A
Dawson County (R7, S3) at Redan (R5, S2) (DH), 3 p.m.
East Forsyth (R7, S4) at GAC (R5, S1) (DH), 4:30 p.m.
Sandy Creek (R5, S3) at Cherokee Bluff (R7, S2) (DH), 5 p.m.
Westminster (R5, S4) at North Hall (R7, S1) (DH), 5 p.m.

Class 2A
Towers (R6, S3) at Banks County (R8, S2) (DH), 5 p.m.
Union County (R8, S3) at Lovett (R6, S2) (Game 3, if necessary), 5 p.m.
Rabun County (R8, S4) at Pace Academy (R6, S1) (DH), 4:30 p.m.

Class A Public
Towns County (R8, S4) at Gordon Lee (R6, S1) (DH), 5 p.m.
Armuchee (R6, S4) at Commerce (R8, S1) (Game 3, if necessary), noon

GAPPS 1-AA 
Lanier Christian Academy (R2, S2) at The Kings Academy (R1, S1) (DH), 4 p.m.


SATURDAY, APRIL 28
(Game 3s start at 5:55 p.m. unless otherwise noted)

Class 3A.
Dawson County (R7, S3) at Redan (R5, S2), 5:30 p.m.
East Forsyth (R7, S4) at GAC (R5, S1), 2 p.m.
Sandy Creek (R5, S3) at Cherokee Bluff (R7, S2), 2 p.m.
Westminster (R5, S4) at North Hall (R7, S1), 4 p.m.

Class 2A
Towers (R6, S3) at Banks County (R8, S2), 7 p.m.
Rabun County (R8, S4) at Pace Academy (R6, S1), TBD

Class A Public
Towns County (R8, S4) at Gordon Lee (R6, S1), 7 p.m.

GAPPS 1-AA 
Lanier Christian Academy (R2, S2) at The Kings Academy (R1, S1), noon

(Area teams listed in BOLD)

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