The second round of the GHSA Prep Playoffs saw some shocks, a few surprises, and a lot of scoring this past weekend. Shock number one would have to be the top-ranked Class 4A Cartersville ‘Canes loss to a tenacious Blessed Trinity 21-17. Cartersville had won 41 games in a row, and were looking to capture their third consecutive Class 4A title in a row before the Titans win eliminated them last Friday night.

Shock number two came when Class 7A’s top-ranked team, the Lowndes Vikings, fell to McEachern at the Concrete Palace in Valdosta 36-31. The Vikings led 31-14 at one point in the game, but the Indians scored the last 22 points of the game to move on to the Elite Eight round of play, and will host Parkview this Friday night. The Vikings end their season at 11-1.

Colquitt County Region 1-7A’s third-seeded team went on the road to Raider Valley, and surprised formerly unbeaten Walton, 28-21. The Packers, 9-3, will hit the road again this week and meet 12-0 Archer. In another surprise, Class 7A’s at-large team, the Marietta Blue Devils, downed Woodstock, 38-28, with the win, the Blue Devils now meet North Gwinnett on the road this Friday night.

Several teams rolled up a lot of points in wins and losses this past weekend. Class 2A’s top team, Benedictine Military, downed Jefferson County, 70-21. Class 6A Coffee topped Evans, 55-21, Mays edged Centennial, 48-41, Rome blanked SW DeKalb, 56-0 and Buford shut out Jackson-Atlanta, 48-0. Other high-scoring affairs saw St. Pius X top Troup, 43-35, Woodward Academy beat West Laurens, 42-31 and Westminster edge East Hall, 59-57.

It was an exciting second round of play and the survivors now move on to the third round of play, or the Elite Eight teams in each of the eight classifications, Class A Public and Private through Class 7A.

Great matchups in each classification are the rule as Prep teams reach this key third round of play this week. In Class 3A, it’s Greater Atlanta Christian at unbeaten 12-0, playing Jenkins of Savannah, Westminster at Peach County in Fort Valley, Calhoun at Liberty County, and upstart Pike County on the road at defending 3A champion, Cedar Grove.

Class 4A has some dandy games on tap this week as well, it’s Marist at Burke County in Waynesboro, surprising St. Pius X at Woodward Academy, Blessed Trinity meets last year’s Class 4A runner up, the Thomson Bulldogs at historic Brickyard Stadium in Thomson, and Jefferson takes on the Mary Persons Bulldogs in Forsyth.

Class 2A matchups for the third round include: Callaway at Brooks County in Quitman, Rabun County traveling to Sylvania to meet Screven County, Heard County is on the road at Thomasville and in a battle of top-ranked teams, its Hapeville Charter at Benedictine Military in Savannah at Savannah State Stadium.

In the Class A Private division this weekend, Darlington plays at Prince Avenue Christian, Savannah Country Day takes on Athens Academy, Stratford Academy plays at Mt. Paran, and defending Class A Private School Champion Eagles Landing Christian, hosts Calvary Day School of Savannah.

Class A Public division games on tap in round three find Mt. Zion at Manchester, Clinch County at Mitchell County in Camilla, Charlton County at Emanuel County Institute in Twin City and defending Class A Public School Champion Macon County on the road at Irwin County in Ocilla.

The GPB-TV game of the week this week features two high-powered offenses, as the Tift County Blue Devils, 11-1, travel to Snellville to meet the Brookwood Broncos, 10-2, in a matchup of two Top Ten Teams. Tift County is coming off of a 31-24 win over Hillgrove, and Brookwood eliminated Milton last week, 28-23. It promises to be a classic!

Join Jon Nelson, Mark Harmon, Paul Crane, Hannah Chalker and me for all the action this Friday night. The all-access pass kicks off the action at 7PM.

Don’t miss it!