When you have the 7th-ranked Lowndes Vikings playing at 5th-ranked and undefeated Norcross in the second round of the GHSA AAAAAAA playoffs, you know the second week of the state playoffs are at a totally different level than just one week ago. It might have been just 7 days ago that we witnessed North Cobb beat Tift County on GPB in the first round but now the stakes and the intensity has all been magnified tenfold.

The Vikings are five-time state champions. Nine years ago Lowndes was in the midst of its third state championship season in four-year span (2004-07). Fifteen-year Vikings Head Coach Randy McPherson is close to getting his team back to that level. Friday night will play a big role in determining just how close.

Coming off a historic 92-61 first round victory over Hillgrove last Friday night, the Vikings are one win away from their first double-digit win since season 2010. The 153 total points scored at Martin Stadium was the most in a single game in Georgia high school football history. Lowndes has the highest scoring offense in AAAAAAA averaging 46.9 points per game and just under 450 yards of total offense per game.

The Vikings are led by one of the most dynamic players I’ve seen in the state this year…junior quarterback Michael Barrett. A year ago he was a sophomore starting linebacker waiting his turn to play QB. He has not disappointed. He is Lowndes leading rusher having gained more than 1,000 yards on the ground and having also passed for 22 touchdowns with just six interceptions. Barrett averages 303 yards of total offense per game.

A big question mark for the Lowndes is whether they will have ESPN 3-star WR Xavier Jenkins available to play. The senior wide-out has been offered by Georgia, Louisville and Mississippi State but hasn’t played the last two-plus games with a knee injury. Obviously after scoring 92 points last week, they can win without him but his return would be a huge boost to the Vikings already explosive offense.

Norcross is a two-time state champion. The Blue Devils won back-to-back in 2012 and 2013 going 28-2 along the way. The last two seasons have been a rebuild at a combined 14-8 but this season Norcross is 11-0 and region champs for the third time in five seasons. This Blue Devils team might lack the recruiting star power of those two state championship teams but as Coach Keith Maloof told us, might actually be better in some ways.

Don’t be mistaken, Norcross does have star power from ESPN 3-star DE Jalen Pinkney who is committed to Vanderbilt, to quarterback Baron Radcliff who is committed to play baseball at Georgia Tech. That however has not stopped football coaches from continually asking him if he’s sure about that decision. Radcliff has fashioned an incredible senior season throwing for over 2,100 yards with 22 touchdowns and just four interceptions. At 6’4’, 220-pounds Radcliff is also a threat to run although they haven’t need him too with some many great skill players around him like running back Necholas Sermons, and a strong wide receiver corps that includes Jared Simpkins, Tamir Jones and Robert Sims.

But perhaps the biggest story for Norcross this season has been their defense. The Blue Devils have given up just 118 points in 11 games this season and are now facing a team that just scored 92 points in 48 minutes. Yeah…I’m guessing that will be a big storyline Friday night.

Norcross knew what they had in Pinkney and linebacker Monty Montgomery and his team-leading 143 tackles. What they didn’t know is that Dareus Barnhill and Jalen Peddrew would be able to replace 5-star DE Robert Beal who left for IMG Academy. And in the secondary they knew they had CB Dameon Williams who is committed to Georgia Tech but what they didn’t know is that free safety Keon Carter and cornerback Tyrese Montgomery would become legitimate stars after waiting their turn to start.

One more important thing to know. If it comes down to a field goal, bank on Norcross. The Blue Devils combination of Cole Hanna and Jake Camarda are a combined six-for-11 this season and one of the areas in which Coach Maloof feels this team may be better than his two state champions. Lowndes is 0-2 on field goal attempts this season but also 10-for-11 converting two-point conversions.

These two powers have played only once before and that was in 2013 when Norcross beat Lowndes 28-7 in the quarter-finals in route to their second straight championship. Friday night’s game on GPB should be incredible.

Here’s a look at the prospects you will want to watch Friday night:

-Lowndes Vikings-

-Xavier Jenkins – ESPN 3-star senior WR – Offered by Georgia, Louisville and Mississippi State – Recovering from knee injury – Game-time decision

-Michael Barrett – Being recruited as an Athlete – No official offers yet but he’ll end-up getting a lot of them

-Tucker Barnes – Senior OT committed to Brown

-Norcross Blue Devils-

-Jalen Pinkney – ESPN 3-star DE – Committed to Vandy

-Baron Radcliff – Senior QB – Committed to play baseball at Georgia Tech – Five football offers including Vandy, BC and Georgia Southern

-Dameon Williams – ESPN 3-star CB – Committed to Georgia Tech

-Jared Simpkins – Senior WR with 6 offers including Louisville, Western Kentucky and Cincinnati

-Jordan Ferguson – Senior LB but recruited as TE – Committed to Georgia State

-Monty Montgomery – Senior LB but recruited as Safety – Offered by Georgia State

-Tamir Jones – Senior WR – Committed to Georgia State