Playoff Spotlight: Games To watch In Each Classification

The spotlight game this week on GPB’s Football Friday’s in Georgia features No. 2 Colquitt County at No. 3 Norcross in a Class 7A showdown. Click here for a preview.

Here are other top quarterfinal games in the other classifications:

Class 6A: No. 6 Valdosta (6-4) at No. 9 Carrollton (8-2)

It’s hard to believe that these two iconic programs have never played. Valdosta is the winningest program in Georgia history (938 wins, 24 state titles) and Carrollton ranks No. 7 (693 wins, seven state titles).

The game has the makings of a shootout. Valdosta has dominated its two playoff games and routed Evans 44-7 in the second round. Carrollton eliminated Sprayberry 39-13 in the second round.

Both teams have rebounded from early quarterback trouble. Valdosta’s Amari Brown has stepped in to throw for more than 1,000 yards since Jake Garcia was ruled ineligible and transferred to Grayson. Carrollton lost M.J. Morris before the season and found James McCauley.

Class 5A: No. 2 Warner Robins (10-1) at No. 1 Blessed Trinity (8-0)

Through a fluke of scheduling, the two most dominant teams in the classification meet in the quarterfinals. Warner Robins is striving for its fourth straight trip to the state championship game, while Blessed Trinity – which got bumped up from 4A – is seeking its fourth consecutive state championship.

Both teams are loaded with playmakers. Quarterback Jalen Addie is a dual threat for Warner Robins; he has thrown for 1,400 yards, rushed for 754 and accounted for 22 touchdowns. Blessed Trinity running back Justice Haynes is approaching the 2,000-yard rushing mark after going for 314 yards and three touchdowns last week.

In the second round, Warner Robins beat Woodward Academy 30-7 and Blessed Trinity defeated Decatur 44-0. The two teams have never played.

Class 4A: No. 3 Carver-Columbus (10-0) at No. 2 Jefferson (10-0)

Carver survived a second-round slugfest and beat Baldwin 8-0. It was the second shutout of the season for the Tigers, who have allowed only three points in the playoffs. Quarterback Devin Riles has thrown for 1,425 yards and 14 touchdowns and run for 502 yards and nine touchdowns. Jaiden Credle has rushed for 823 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Jefferson features the multi-talented and elusive Malaki Starks, a junior quarterback who has rushed for 1,053 yards and 17 touchdowns. But the Dragons strength may be its lockdown defense, with four shutouts over their last five games.

This will be the first meeting between the two teams.

Caption

Cedar Grove coach Miguel Patrick reacts to the game-winning field goal over Rockmart.

Credit: Mark Brock, DeKalb County Athletics

Class 3A: No. 4 Cedar Grove (3-4) at No. 3 Crisp County (10-1)

This is a rematch of last year’s state championship game, which Cedar Grove won 21-14.

Crisp County is a run-oriented team led by Marquise Palmer (708 yards, eight TDs). Quarterback A.J. Lofton can do a bit of everything: he’s thrown for 881 yards and eight touchdowns, rushed for 614 yards and seven TDs and caught 13 passes for a 16-yard average. Defensive back Sirad Bryant, who has committed to Georgia Tech, leads the defense. The Cougars have beaten Windsor Forest and Richmond Academy by a combined 71-0 in the first two rounds.

Cedar Grove was forced to forfeit four games for using an ineligible player. The Saints had to survive three overtimes to beat Rockmart 30-27 in the second round. Austin Smith, an Eastern Michigan commitment, has thrown for 1,148 yards and 11 touchdowns to lead Cedar Grove. The Saints are led defensively by end Joshua White, who ranks second in DeKalb County with 8.5 sacks and has 18 tackles for loss.

Class 2A: No. 3 Thomasville (8-4) at No. 6 Callaway (9-1)

Thomasville played one of the most aggressive schedules in the state. Its three non-region losses came against teams who also reached the quarterfinals. The Bulldogs’ only region setback came against No. 1 Fitzgerald. Thomasville, led by quarterback Ronnie Baker, has overpowered both its first two playoff opponents and routed Dodge County 44-7 in the second round.

Callaway spent much of the season ranked No. 1 until it was upset by Haralson County in November. The Cavaliers did not have a first-round playoff game because Banks County forfeited and last week outlasted Lovett 16-9 in the second round.

This will be the first meeting between the two teams.

Class A Public: No. 7 Irwin County (9-3) at No. 4 Commerce (11-1)

Irwin County, state champion a year ago, overcame a rocky start and finds itself back in the quarterfinals. The Indians dropped their first two games (Fitzgerald and Cook) and have lost only to rival Clinch County since. Coach Casey Soliday’s team earned a hard-fought 14-0 win over Wilcox County in the second round. Quarterback Cody Soliday has thrown for 1,409 yards and 14 touchdowns and Kam Ward has rushed for 685 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Commerce has used a powerful running game, led by Sammy Brown, to fuel its return to the quarterfinals. The Tigers lost only to Athens Academy during the regular season and defeated Gordon Lee 28-14 in the second round.

The teams have met twice in the playoffs, with Irwin County winning both. The Indians prevailed 26-23 in the 2018 quarterfinals and 28-7 in the 2014 semifinals.

Class A Private: No. 2 Eagle’s Landing Christian (9-3) at No. 1 Prince Avenue Christian (10-1)

This game is worthy of state championship billing. ELCA, winner of five straight state titles, has the pedigree and Prince Avenue has Brock Vandagriff, a five-star quarterback who has committed to Georgia.

ELCA has been thoroughly vetted by a difficult schedule. The Chargers beat Woodward Academy (then ranked No. 3 in 5A) to open the season and endured a three-game losing streak to 5A Blessed Trinity, 3A Crisp County and 3A Pierce County – all three still in the playoffs. Senior quarterback Philip Massengale has thrown for 957 yards, rushed for 654 yards and accounted for 18 touchdowns. The Chargers defeated Stratford Academy 27-0 in the second round.

Prince Avenue suffered its only regular-season loss to Rabun County, then-No. 1 in Class 2A. The Wolverines had non-region wins over Holy Innocents’ and Wesleyan and defeated Athens Academy, ranked No. 1 at the time, 41-7 to win the Region 8 title. Prince Avenue blasted Darlington 42-6 in the second round.  Vandagriff has thrown for 3,342 yards and 40 touchdowns and rushed for 394 yards and 13 TDs. Landon Owens offers balance with 895 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns and Logan Johnson has 58 catches for 1,004 yards and 17 touchdowns.