Just six Northeast Georgia-area teams moved on to the Sweet 16 on Friday and Saturday in the first round of the Georgia High School Association playoffs around the area and state.
The second round will get under on Friday around the state and Northeast Georgia with three teams -- Buford, Cherokee Bluff, and Rabun County -- playing at home. Flowery Branch, Dawson County, and Lanier Christian all will be on the road.
On Saturday, No. 1 Buford shook off a determined Kell for a 38-14 win in the Class 6A playoffs. The Wolves outscored the Longhorns 17-0 in the second half. Also on Saturday, Commerce's season came to a disappointing end with a 35-0 loss to Bowdon on the road.
On Friday, There were some huge upsets on the night, both good and bad for area teams. For the good, Dawson County shocked No. 6 Sandy Creek 36-27 at home in Class 3A. In Class 4A, Flowery Branch scored with 33 seconds left to sneak past Mays 33-28 in Atlanta.
The biggest negative stunner of the night was former-No. 1 ranked Jefferson falling 12-10 at home to Hapeville Charter, also in Class 4A.
Jackson County was hoping to make history with its first-ever playoff win but ran into a buzzsaw in Region 6-5A champion Villa Rica, falling 42-14 on the road in Class 5A.
Meanwhile, back in Class 3A, Region 7-3A champion Cherokee Bluff became the first Hall County to ever beat Greater Atlanta Christian, whipping the Spartans 38-17 at home to advance to the Sweet 16 for a second straight season. Hall County teams had been 0-19 all-time against the Spartans until Friday night.
It was a rough night for two other 7-3A teams. North Hall was routed 56-17 by Carver-Atlanta and White County was steamrolled by Cedar Grove, 79-0, to both be eliminated.
In Class 2A, No. 1-ranked Rabun County was the only Region 8-2A team to advance. The Wildcats blasted Pace Academy for a second time this season, 63-14, behind another huge game from Gunner Stockton and Jaden Gibson, who both finished the regular season as the top passer and receiver in the state.
However, Union County could not get its first-ever road playoff win, falling 28-7 to Lovett while Banks County lost 46-12 to South Atlanta. Elbert County fell 26-14 to Columbia at home.
Lanier Christian moved into the semifinals in the GAPPS 8-man playoffs with a dominating 80-8 win over Sherwood Christian at home.
There are two more games on tap on Saturday in the playoffs as Buford and Commerce get their playoffs started.
You can find stories on Friday night’s action on our Friday Game Night page.
FIRST-ROUND FOOTBALL SCORES
SATURDAY, Nov. 13
CLASS 6A
Buford 38, Kell 14
Bowdon 35, Commerce 0
FRIDAY, Nov. 12
CLASS 5A
Villa Rica 42, Jackson County 14
CLASS 4A
Hapeville Charter 12, Jefferson 10
Flowery Branch 33, Mays 28
CLASS 3A
Cherokee Bluff 38, GAC 17
Dawson County 36, Sandy Creek 27
Carver-Atlanta 56, North Hall 17
Cedar Grove 79, White County 0
CLASS 2A
Rabun County 63, Pace Academy 14
Lovett 28, Union County 7
South Atlanta 46, Banks County 12
GAPPS 8-man
Lanier Christian 80, Sherwood Christian 8
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