GIAA playoffs: Lakeview hits the road in opening round

While the Georgia High School Association was forced to push the start of its playoffs to Nov. 8, the GIAA playoffs are open for business beginning Friday around the state.

Lakeview Academy is among those getting under way but will face a monster road trip to Albany to face Deerfield-Windsor in the quarterfinals of the GIAA Class 3A playoffs.

The Lions (9-1) only blemish was to GIAA Class 4A's Bethlehem Christian (17-0). Other than that, they have been as dominant as any team in the classification. Only George Walton (31 points) has scored more than 17 points against them and they have scored 28 or more in eight of the other nine games. They scored 21 in a win over Lanier Christian to open the season in a game that was called at halftime due to weather.

But the Lions have never won a playoff game in their history. A win would put them in the GIAA semifinals against either No. 1 seed Westfield School or No. 8 seed Terrell Academy.

LAKEVIEW ACADEMY at DEERFIELD-WINDSOR
Records: Lions (9-1); Knights (7-3)
Where: Webb Memorial Stadium, Albany
Time: 7:30 p.m.
The Statisticals: First-ever meeting. Both teams went from losing seasons a year ago to high seeds in 2024. Deerfield played for the GIAA Class 3A title in 2023. Lakeview is 0-3 all-time in playoff games in the GHSA and GIAA. The Lions are 5th in defense in GIAA (11.1 ppg) and 6th in offense (34.6 ppg). The Knights are averaging 27.1 ppg and giving up 19.2 ppg. 
What to watch for: The Lakeview offense vs. the Knights defense. In its 3 losses, Deerfield has surrendered 107 points (35.6 ppg). Can they slow down the Lions offense, which has scored 34 or more 7 times and 40 or more 4 times? Lakeview QB Kyari Burch is as dynamic as they come. He has passed for 1,814 yards with 18 TDs and 4 INTs. He has also rushed for another 301 yards and 3 TDs. Ryker Kohler has rushed for 629 yards and 12 TDs for the Lions.