The first round of the high school football playoffs gets underway this week in the GHSA, GIAA, and GAPPS, with 15 northeast Georgia area teams ready to begin the quests for what they hope are state titles.
Lanier Christian got things started on Thursday in GAPPS 11-man, travling to The King's Academy in the opening round. But the Lightning fell 41-21 to see their season come to an end.
And some more tough road trips await most of the rest of the other 14 teams, with just six teams -- Buford, Gainesville, Jefferson, Lumpkin County, Union County and Commerce -- earning first-round home games. All six of the teams at home are heavy favorites to move on to the second round.
Lumpkin County is also looking for its first-ever playoff win, while Jefferson and Commerce are looking to end disappointing playoff streaks. Buford will be trying to extend its first-round playoff win streak.
It will take some strong play for the other nine to pull the upsets.
East Forsyth (7-3) in Class 4A, playing in its first-ever playoff game, may have the best chance of the area road teams to advance, traveling to take on a Luella squad that was just 5-5 despite finishing second in its region.
For a look at all of the weekend's contests involving area teams, scroll down. And be sure to check back with AccessWDUN's Friday Game Night throughout the night for score updates, game stories and video highlights. You can also check for scores and highlights on our Twitter feed: @FridayGameNight
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE FOR Nov. 10
(Games listed in alphabetical order of visiting team)
1st ROUND PLAYOFFS
CLASS 7A
WHEELER at BUFORD
Records: Wildcats (7-3, No. 3 seed Region 5-7A); Wolves (9-1, No. 2 seed Region 8-7A)
Last week: Wheeler lost 42-16 to Walton; Buford beat Central Gwinnett, 67-0
Where: Tom Riden Stadium, Buford
Radio: WDUN AM 550
Time: 7:30 p.m.
The Statisticals: First-ever meeting between the two teams. The Wolves are looking to extend their streak of 1st round wins to 25. The last time they failed to get out of the first round in the playoffs was 1997. They did not make the playoffs in 1998. Wheeler has lost 7 straight 1st round games. The last time they advanced to the 2nd round was in 1997. The Wheeler offense is averaging 34.4 ppg behind Jr. RB Josiah Allen (1,046 yards, 14 TD), who is 3rd in 7A in rushing. The Buford defense is No. 1 in Class 7A, allowing just 69 points (6.9 ppg) on the season.
What to watch for: The Buford offense vs. the Wheeler defense. Buford is 7th in 7A in scoring (385, 38.5 ppg) behind Sr. QB Dylan Raiola, who is 8th in passing with 1,879 yards. He has 22 TDs with no interceptions (0) on the season. Wheeler is just 23rd in 7A in defense, allowing 23.0 ppg, and in their three losses -- all to playoff teams -- the Wildcats gave up 135 points (45.0 ppg). But Wheeler has 52 TFL, 33 sacks, and 11 INTs as a unit in 2023. Jr. LB Kobe McInnis and Sr. LB/DE Greg Blanks have combined for 16 sacks for Wheeler. Jesse Santos and Justin Wilson have combined for 6 INTs on the season.
CLASS 6A
HABERSHAM CENTRAL at DOUGLAS COUNTY
Records: Raiders (5-5, No. 4 seed Region 8-6A); Tigers (10-0, No. 1 seed Region 5-6A)
Last week: Habersham beat Shiloh, 35-16; Douglas County beat South Paulding, 30-7
Where: Tiger Stadium, Douglasville
Time: 7:30 p.m.
The Statisticals: Habersham Central leads series 1-0. The Raiders won 35-0 in the first round of the 2018 playoffs in Douglasville. The Tigers completed their first perfect regular season since 2002. Similar circumstances were present in 2018 for the Raiders, who came in as the underdog after winning 2 straight games to get into the playoffs. Hab Central is just 1-3 in their last 4 playoff games going back to 2013. The key for the Raiders may be the offense. In their 5 wins, they’ve averaged 31.2 ppg. In their 5 losses, they’ve scored just 75 points (15.0 ppg).
What to watch for: The Douglas County offense vs. the Raiders defense. The Tigers are 9th in 6A, averaging 39.0 ppg. The Raiders are 34th in defense (26.3 ppg). The Tigers are averaging 497 yards/game on offense (253 rushing, 244 passing). The Raiders have forced 13 turnovers. Douglas has committed just 7 turnovers all season.
NORTH FORSYTH at HUGHES
Records: Raiders (5-5, No. 3 seed Region 8-6A); Panthers (8-2, No. 2 seed Region 5-6A)
Last week: North Forsyth beat Apalachee, 42-13; Hughes beat Paulding County, 56-9
Where: Cannon Field, Fairburn
Time: 7:30 p.m.
The Statisticals: Hughes leads series 1-0. The Panthers won 77-16 in the first round of the 2022 playoffs. The Panthers are the reigning Class 6A state champions. The Raiders have won just 3 playoff games since their semifinal run in 2001, but coach Robert Craft has two of them, including one last season. However, they have lost 6 straight road playoff games going back to a 21-17 win over Washington in 2005 in Class 4A. The Panthers are 4th in 6A in scoring (44.3 ppg), while NoFo is just 26th overall in defense. Hughes Sr. QB Air Noland, an Ohio State commit, is one of the more dynamic players in the country.
What to watch for: The Hughes defense vs. the Raiders offense. Both units have gotten better as the season has gone on. After scoring just 78 points in its first 4 games (19.5 ppg), NoFo has averaged 32.6 ppg over its last 6 games. The Panthers defense allowed 103 points (20.6 ppg) over their first 5 games but just 62 points (12.4 ppg) over their last 5 games.
SOUTH PAULDING at GAINESVILLE
Records: Spartans (3-7, No. 4 seed Region 5-6A); Red Elephants (10-0, No. 1 seed Region 8-6A)
Last week: South Paulding lost 30-7 to Douglas County; Gainesville beat Jackson County, 28-0
Where: City Park Stadium, Gainesville
Radio: 94.5 FM The Lake
Time: 7:30 p.m.
The Statisticals: GHS leads series 2-0. The Red Elephants won 42-21 in the 2nd round of the 2022 playoffs. A rematch from last year’s 2nd round, but the Spartans graduated over 4,500 yards of offense from that group and are young across the board. They are near the bottom in 6A in offense (45th out of 57 teams), averaging just 14.5 ppg. The Big Red defense is 5th in 6A, allowing just 10.3 ppg with 25 1/2 sacks and has generated 14 turnovers.
What to watch for: The Gainesville offense vs. the Spartans defense. The Red Elephants are as explosive as any team in the state, averaging 40.0 ppg, which is 6th in 6A. The Spartans are giving up a respectable 22.6 ppg but have gotten little help from their offense. GHS RB Gavin Hall is averaging 139 yards rushing/game with 16 TDs.
CLASS 5A
FLOWERY BRANCH at CREEKSIDE
Records: Falcons (5-5, No. 4 seed Region 8-5A); Seminoles (9-1, No. 1 seed Region 5-5A)
Last week: Flowery Branch beat Heritage-Conyers, 48-35; Creekside beat Bannister, 49-6
Where: The Swamp, Fairburn
Time: 7:30 p.m.
The Statisticals: First-ever meeting between the two teams. The Falcons could be one of the more dangerous No. 4 seeds in the state. They are just two plays from a 7-3 record and have one of the explosive offenses when they are clicking. Only twice have the Falcons failed to score less than 28. Branch Sr. QB Josh Oliver (2,066 yards, 20 TD, 7 INT) is 5th in 5A. Sr. Jeremiah Ware is his favorite target. Ware is 4th in 5A with 983 yards and 12 TDs. Creekside is giving up just 17.5 ppg, and if you take a shocking 62-0 loss to Mater Dei (CA), they have given up 113 points (12.5 ppg) to everyone else.
What to watch for: The Creekside offense vs. the Branch defense. The Falcons are the 2nd-worst defense in 5A of the teams that made the playoffs. They are yielding 28.6 ppg and have surrendered 32 or more 6 times. However, they are 2-4 in those games. The Seminoles are 3rd in 5A in offense (40.2 ppg), and only twice have they scored less than 34. They will try to pound the ball behind Sr. RB Roderick McCrary, who has 1,216 yards rushing and 6 TDs, and Sr. RB Travis Terrell Jr., who has 705 yards and 7 TDs, and they have 11 100-yard games combined. Creekside QB Vinson Berry is 9th in 5A (1,485 yards) but is tied for 2nd in TD passes with 26 and just 2 INT on the season.
JACKSON-ATLANTA at JEFFERSON
Records: Jaguars (5-5, No. 4 seed Region 5-5A); Dragons (10-0, No. 1 seed Region 8-5A)
Last week: Villa Rica lost 23-6 to Chapel Hill; Jefferson beat Eastside, 35-0
Where: Memorial Stadium, Jefferson
Radio: WDUN FM 102.9
Time: 7:30 p.m.
The Statisticals: First-ever meeting between the two teams. This looks like a pure mismatch on paper. The Dragons are 4th in offense (39.0 ppg) and 2nd 0n defense (9.2 ppg), while the Jaguars are 30th in offense (25.3 ppg) and 34th in defense (25.4 ppg) in 5A. But the Jaguars have shown resilience, having to win their final two games just to get into the playoffs. The Dragons also are trying to erase the last two postseasons where they failed to get out of the first round. The Maynard Jackson offense has struggled against the really good defenses. In their 5 wins (4 vs. losing teams), they averaged 36.2 ppg. In their 5 losses (3 vs. losing teams), they averaged just 16.4 ppg. The Jefferson defense has 68 TFL, including 18 sacks, and forced 17 turnovers.
What to watch for: The Jefferson ground game vs. the Jaguars defense. The Dragons are averaging 231 yards/game rushing, but most of that has come in the first half of games after building big leads. Sammy Brown is 5th in 5A with 1,269 yards and 21 TDs with just 1 fumble in 137 attempts. Against Creekside, another great rushing team, Maynard gave up 66 points and trailed 52-6 at halftime.
CLASS 3A
GORDON LEE at LUMPKIN COUNTY
Records: Trojans (6-4, No. 4 seed Region 6-3A); Indians (10-0, No. 1 seed Region 7-3A)
Last week: Gordon Lee lost 21-7 to Ringgold; Lumpkin County beat West Hall, 42-7
Where: The Burial Grounds, Dahlonega
Radio: www.northgeorgiasportslink.com
Time: 7:30 p.m.
The Statisticals: First-ever meeting between the two teams. It's another game, on paper, that looks like a mismatch. The Indians are 2nd in offense (42.7 ppg) and 13th in defense (16.7 ppg), while the Trojans are just 31st in offense (21.4 ppg) and 34th on defense (27.0 ppg). Lumpkin County also completed its first-ever undefeated regular season in school history. However, despite being dominant all season, the Indians have never won a playoff game in their history. The Trojans do not have much playoff history either, winning just 3 playoff games since a quarterfinal run in 2002. Lumpkin Sr. RB Mason Sullens leads Class 3A in rushing (1,692 yards, with 9 100-yard games) and a 3A-leading 26 TDs in 2023. He finished 3rd in the state in the regular season. Lumpkin has scored 30 or more in every game and 42 or more 6 times.
What to watch for: The Lumpkin County defense vs. the Trojans offense. The Trojans are averaging just 254 yards/game on offense. They have also thrown 11 interceptions on the season. The Indians' defense has forced 19 turnovers (10 INT, 9 fumbles), with Cal Faulkner and Harper Davenport with 2 INTs each.
WHITE COUNTY at BREMEN
Records: Warriors (5-5, No. 3 seed Region 7-3A); Blue Devils (8-2, No. 2 seed Region 6-3A)
Last week: White County beat Gilmer, 35-28; Bremen beat Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe, 34-0
Where: Bremen Athletic Field, Bremen
Radio: WRWH 93.9 FM, www.wrwh.com
Time: 7:30 p.m.
The Statisticals: First-ever meeting between the two teams. Both teams are looking to end playoff droughts. The Warriors have lost 6 straight postseason games going back to 2013. Bremen has lost 3 straight, going back to a quarterfinal run in 2020. The Blue Devils offense (27.2 ppg) should be able to score vs. a White County defense (29.4 ppg) that is the 2nd-worst of the 3A teams in the playoff field. However, the Warriors have generated 18 turnovers (12 fumbles, 6 INT) on the season.
What to watch for: The White County offense vs. the Blue Devils defense. This is the premier matchup with the Warriors 6th in 3A in scoring (35.9 ppg) and Bremen 8th in defense (14.9 ppg). The Blue Devils have given up more than 20 just 3 times, while the Warriors have scored 34 or more 7 times, including averaging 41.25 ppg over their past 4 games. White County Sr. RB Ryan Fowler is 6th in 3A in rushing with 1,265 yards, 12 TDs, and just 1 fumble in 183 attempts. Warriors Jr. QB Tripp Nix is 6th in passing (1,470 yards, 14 TD, 4 INT) and has 4 receivers with 200 or more yards on the season.
CLASS A DIVISION 1
JASPER COUNTY at COMMERCE
Records: Hurricanes (5-5, No. 4 seed Region 5-A D1); Tigers (9-1, No. 1 seed Region 8-A D1)
Last week: Jasper County lost 35-28 to Oglethorpe County; Commerce was off
Where: Tiger Stadium, Commerce
Radio: WJJC 95.1 FM/1270 AM
Time: 7:30 p.m.
The Statisticals: Commerce leads the series 8-4. It is the first meeting between the two teams since 1995, when they were old rivals in Region 8-A. The playoff experience definitely should favor the Tigers. They are making their 27th straight postseason appearance, one of the longest-running in the state. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes are looking for their first playoff win since 1992. However, Commerce has lost its last 3 playoff games going back to a quarterfinal run in 2020. Jasper County has lost 9 straight postseason games. The Hurricanes have their most wins since 2018 and have not won 6 games in a season since 2003. The Tigers are one of the more balanced teams in Class A D1. Their offense is 6th overall, and they are 8th in defense.
What to watch for: The Commerce offense vs. the Hurricanes defense. The Tigers are led by RBs Jaiden Daniels (1,509 yards) and Tysean Wiggins (1,218 yards), who are 2nd and 3rd in the classification in rushing. They are the No. 1 rushing team in Class A D1. The Hurricanes are giving up 25.0 ppg but surrendered 114 points (38.0 ppg) during a 3-game losing streak to end the season.
RABUN COUNTY at SOCIAL CIRCLE
Records: Wildcats (7-3, No. 3 seed Region 8-A D1); Redskins (4-6, No. 2 seed Region 5-A D1)
Last week: Rabun County was off; Social Circle lost 49-6 to Prince Avenue Christian
Where: Redskins Field, Social Circle
Time: 7:30 p.m.
The Statisticals: Rabun County leads series 9-0. The Wildcats won 42-0 in 2022 in the 2nd round of the playoffs. All 10 meetings have been since 2012. Expect the Wildcats to have plenty of opportunities on offense (31.8 ppg) vs. a Redskins defense that is 24th (25.0 ppg) and which has never been able to solve the Wildcats spread attack. In the 9 meetings, Rabun County has averaged 55.5 ppg vs. the Redskins. Rabun So. QB Ty Truelove is 3rd in Class A D1 in passing (1,768 yards, 17 TD, 3 INT). Sr. WR Willie Goodwyn is 2nd in Class D1 with 773 yards and leads the classification with 11 TD catches.
What to watch for: The Rabun County defense vs. the Social Circle offense. The Redskins are 30th (13.8 ppg) out of 38 Class A D1 teams in scoring. The Wildcats are 10th on defense (17.4 ppg) and have surrendered 21 or less 7 times and 13 or less 4 times with 2 shutouts. They have forced 13 turnovers. Social Circle is averaging just 206 yards/game on offense but has turned the ball over just 8 times (5 fumbles) on the season.
GIAA PLAY-IN GAME
LAKEVIEW ACADEMY at SOUTHLAND ACADEMY
Records: Lions (5-5, No. 10 seed); Raiders (4-6, No. 7 seed)
Last week: Lakeview beat Loganville Christian, 31-7; Southland beat Deerfield-Windsor, 20-14
Where: Harvey Simpson Stadium, Americus
Time: 7:30 p.m.
The Statisticals: First-ever meeting between the two teams. Lakeview averaged 22.6 ppg under new coach Lee Coleman’s offense. However, it has been hit-or-miss. In their 5 wins, they scored 195 points (39.0 ppg) but just 31 points in their 5 losses (6.2 ppg) with two shutout losses. The Raiders are giving up 24.9 ppg. The winner will travel to No. 2 seed Valwood.
What to watch for: The Lakeview defense vs. the Southland offense. The Lions have allowed the 3rd-fewest points of GIAA 3A teams (212, 21.2 ppg), while the Raiders have scored the 2nd-fewest points (161, 16.1 ppg) in GIAA 3A. If the Lions' defense can make some stops, they should give the offense time to put some points on the board.
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE FOR Nov. 11
(Games listed in alphabetical order of visiting team)
1st ROUND PLAYOFFS
CLASS 4A
EAST FORSYTH at LUELLA
Records: Broncos (7-3, No. 3 seed Region 8-4A); Lions (5-5, No. 2 seed Region 5-4A)
Last week: East Forsyth beat North Hall, 42-39; Luella lost 28-14 to Hampton
Where: Luella Stadium, Locust Grove
Time: 4 p.m.
The Statisticals: First-ever meeting between the two teams. The Lions are the No. 2 seed despite being outscored 263-191 for the season. They feasted on the bottom feeders in 5-4A, who were 17-33 overall. Statistically, the Broncos look to have a huge advantage despite being on the road. They are 21st in defense (20.3 ppg) in a good defensive classification. The Lions are 41st in offense, averaging just 18.9 ppg. East Forsyth is 3-2 on the road in 2023. The Lions are just 3-2 at home this season.
What to watch for: The East Forsyth offense vs. the Lions defense. The Broncos are 13th in offense (34.0 ppg), and the Lions are just 38th on defense (26.3 ppg). Last week, against a similar North Hall defense, East Forsyth piled up 535 total yards (354 rushing, 181 passing). In Luella’s 5 losses, they have given up 36.6 ppg.
NORTH HALL at STOCKBRIDGE
Records: Trojans (7-3, No. 4 seed Region 8-4A); Tigers (8-2, No. 1 seed Region 5-4A)
Last week: North Hall lost 42-39 to East Forsyth; Stockbridge beat McDonough, 63-21
Where: Tiger Stadium, Stockbridge
Time: 6:30 p.m.
The Statisticals: First-ever meeting between the two teams. This will be the Trojans' biggest challenge since the Madison County game. Stockbridge is 7th in 4A in defense, yielding just 13.8 ppg. They have 125 TFL, including 45 sacks, with 59 QB hurries as well on the season. The Trojans will need their offense, which is averaging 32.5 ppg, to find some kind of rhythm to keep the Tigers offense off the field. Sr. QB Tanner Marsh (1,528 yards, 17 TD, 8 INT) is 6th in 4A in passing. Sr. WR Ryals Puryear (631 yards, 7 TD) is tied for 8th in receiving.
What to watch for: The Stockbridge offense vs. the Trojans defense. The Tigers are primarily a running team, with over 3,000 yards (300 yards/game) on the ground. Stockbridge is 2nd in 4A, averaging 46.1 ppg. The Tigers put up 408 rushing yards and 8 rushing TDs last week. Jayden Scott leads the way with 1,335 yards, which is 2nd 4A, and his 25 TDs are the most in the classification. North Hall is 31st in defense (23.5 ppg) and gave up 354 yards rushing last week to East Forsyth.
CLASS 2A
EAGLES LANDING CHRISTIAN at UNION COUNTY
Records: Chargers (4-6, No. 3 Region 5-2A); Panthers (7-3, No. 2 seed Region 8-2A)
Last week: ELCA beat McNair, 42-26; Union County lost 28-21 to Fellowship Christian
Where: Mike Colwell Memorial Stadium, Blairsville
Time: 1 p.m.
The Statisticals: First-ever meeting between the two teams. ELCA has won 6 state titles since 2012. The Panthers have just 2 playoff wins in their history. But the Chargers just completed their worst season and first losing campaign since 2003. The Union defense, despite missing several key starters for a third of the season, is giving up just 21.2 ppg. The Chargers are averaging 21.2 ppg on offense.
What to watch for: The Union offense vs. the ELCA defense. The Panthers had their 4th-best offensive regular season in program history, scoring 378 points (37.8 ppg), which is 9th in Class 2A. Sr. QB Caiden Tanner leads 2A in passing with 2,260 yards and is 2nd in TD passes with 24. He has thrown 6 interceptions. Panthers WR Jensen Goble has 774 yards and 7 TDs receiving on 54 catches despite missing two-plus games. The 349 points (34.9 ppg) allowed by the Chargers, which is 50th out of 56 teams in 2A, are the most in a season since 2003 and their 3rd-most all-time.
