Fast-growing flag football makes jump into playoff mode

The popularity of flag football has caused the GHSA to expand again. When the postseason begins on Thursday, girls will compete in five divisions, as the sport continues to boom.

When flag football was first sanctioned by the GHSA in 2020, there were only two classifications (called divisions for flag football) for the fledgling sport. There were three divisions from 2021-23 and four in 2024. This year, with more than 300 teams participating, the GHSA added a fifth division.

The state playoffs will begin on Thursday, with 160 teams having a goal to hoist a state championship trophy at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in two weeks.

The first two rounds of the playoffs begin on Thursday, with the top-seeded team acting as host for both rounds. The winners advance to the quarterfinals and semifinals, which will be held on Monday; those rounds will be hosted by the highest seeded team in the bracket.

The finals are: Dec. 15, 11 a.m. for Division 1, and 1 p.m. for Division 2; Dec. 16, 10 a.m. for Division 3, and noon for Division 4; Dec.17, 11 a.m. for Division 5.

All defending state champions are in the field: Southeast Bulloch, Greenbrier, Pope and McEachern. Southeast Bulloch has won four straight state championship, with Greenbrier and Pope each winning for the last two seasons.

GPB Sports will live-stream Thursday's first-round games from Pope High School on GPB.org/sports. The host Greyhounds will play South Forsyth at 5:30 p.m., with Douglas County meeting Berkmar at 6:30 p.m. The winner will play at 8 p.m., with the winner advancing to the quarterfinal round. 

Here are the first-round matchups. The winner of the two first-round games will then play in the second round to determine who moves to the third round.

Division 5

At McEachern: River Ridge vs. Peachtree Ridge, Collins Hill vs. McEachern.

At Lithia Springs: West Forsyth vs. Allatoona, Brookwood vs. Lithia Springs.

At Greater Atlanta Christian: Buford vs. Cherokee, Hillgrove vs. GAC.

At Grayson: North Cobb vs. North Forsyth, Alexander vs. Grayson. 

At Pope: Douglas County vs. Berkmar, South Forsyth at Pope.

At Woodstock: South Cobb vs. Mountain View, Discovery vs. Woodstock. 

At Lambert: Parkview vs. Hiram, Lassiter vs. Lambert.

At North Gwinnett: Central Gwinnett vs. Marietta, Sequoyah vs. North Gwinnett.

Division 4

At Dunwoody: Colquitt County vs. Heritage Conyers, Johns Creek vs. Dunwoody.

At Carrollton: Mt. Bethel Christian vs. East Coweta, North Atlanta vs. Carrollton.

At Milton: Eastside vs. Lowndes, Northview vs. Milton.

At St. Pius: Banneker vs. Paulding County, Rockmart vs. St. Pius.

At Hughes: Villa Rica vs. Pace Academy, Mt. Paran Christian vs. Hughes.

At Thomas County Central: Woodward Academy vs. Blessed Trinity, Rockdale County vs. Thomas County Central.

At North Paulding: Marist vs. Bowdon, Northgate vs. North Paulding.

At Newton: Chattahoochee vs. Decatur, Thomasville vs. Newton.

Division 3

At Locust Grove: Portal vs. Clarke Central, Fayette County vs. Locust Grove.

At Richmond Hill: Douglass vs. Peach County, Lithonia vs. Richmond Hill.

At Whitewater: Winder-Barrow vs. South Effingham, Luella vs. Whitewater.

At Tucker: Warner Robins vs. Maynard Jackson, Appling County vs. Tucker.

At Northside Warner Robins: Camden County vs. Southwest DeKalb, KIPP Atlanta vs. Northside.

At Southeast Bulloch: Woodland Stockbridge vs. Starr’s Mill, Oconee County vs. Southeast Bulloch. 

At South Atlanta: Druid Hills vs. Long County, Houston County vs. South Atlanta.

At North Oconee: Trinity Christian vs. Ola, Effingham County vs. North Oconee.

Division 2

At Therrell: Lakeside Evans vs. Loganville, Heritage Catoosa vs. Therrell.

At Jenkins: Drew Charter vs. Pike County, Mt. Zion Jonesboro vs. Jenkins.

At Fannin County: Jackson County vs. Grovetown, Mays vs. Fannin County.

At Jonesboro: Mary Persons vs. Stephenson, New Hampstead vs. Jonesboro.

At Westside Macon: Calvary Day vs. Riverdale, Cedar Grove vs. Westside Macon.

At Greenbrier: Washington vs. Rome, Hebron Christian vs. Greenbrier. 

At Redan: Lovejoy vs. Groves, Central Macon vs. Redan.

At Seckinger: Dawson County vs. Mt. Vernon, Evans vs. Seckinger.

Division 1

At Washington County: Sumter County vs. East Forsyth, Shaw vs. Washington County.

At St. Vincent's Academy: LaGrange vs. Telfair County, Richmond Academy vs. St. Vincent's.

At Columbus: Habersham Central vs. Dougherty, Claxton vs. Columbus.

At Washington-Wilkes: Dodge County vs. Heard County, Savannah Christian vs. Washington-Wilkes.

At Fitzgerald: Savannah Country Day vs. Jefferson County, Troup vs. Fitzgerald.

At Monroe: Swainsboro vs. Jordan, Elbert County vs. Monroe.

At Harris County: Hephzibah vs. Woodville-Tompkins, Wheeler County vs. Harris County.

At Gainesville: Carver Columbus vs. Metter, Worth County vs. Gainesville.