Championship Game Previews: Classes 5A and 4A

Class 5A

Creekside vs. Coffee

When, where: 4 p.m. Wednesday, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

Records, rankings: Creekside is 13-1, the No. 1 seed from Region 5-5A and No. 2; Coffee is 14-0, the No. 1 seed from 1-5A and No. 1.

Last meeting: Creekside won 28-18 in the first round of the 2021 Class 5A playoffs.

Things to know: This is the only championship game this year between No. 1- and No. 2-ranked teams and the 29th since 1982, when the AJC rankings began (merging the Journal and Constitution polls). The No. 1 team is 16-11-1 in those games. Coffee, ranked No. 1 this season for the first time, can win its first state championship. The Trojans have reached the quarterfinals or better seven of the past eight seasons. The one failure came at the hands of Creekside in the 2021 first round in the final game under former coach Robby Pruitt. Mike Coe, who won five state titles in Florida, took over in 2022. Coffee hangs its hat on defense and ball control. No opponent has scored more than two touchdowns, and five have been shut out, two in the playoffs. Fred Brown is a 2,300-yard rusher who has topped 200 twice in the playoffs (vs. Jones County and Cartersville) and has not been held under 100 this season. Creekside won its lone championship in 2013 and has claimed five region titles since. Creekside suffered its only loss 62-0 against the consensus No. 1 team in the country, Mater Dei, on a California road trip. Creekside is the more balanced team offensively. Roderick McCrary, a two-way starter, has rushed for 1,959 yards. Vinson Berry has thrown for 2,412 yards. Creekside has more top prospects. They include OL Caleb Holmes (Pitt), DL Michai Boireau (Florida) and DB Kevon Gray (Virginia).

Maxwell Ratings’ projected score: Coffee 24, Creekside 18

WRITTEN BY CHIP SAYE

Class 4A

Stockbridge vs. Perry

When, where: 4 p.m. Tuesday, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

Records, rankings: Stockbridge is 12-2, the No. 1 seed from Region 5-4A and No. 6; Perry is 12-2, the No. 2 seed from 2-4A and No. 7.

Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Things to know: These teams have waited a long time for their first shot at a state championship. Perry is in the finals for the first-time in its 70-year history, a state record for the longest wait. Stockbridge isn’t far behind, reaching its first final in 60 years. Stockbridge, which has won 12 consecutive games since starting the season with losses to higher-class teams Douglas County and Colquitt County, pulled off the biggest win of the Class 4A playoffs when it knocked out two-time defending state champion Benedictine 45-31 last week. Jayden “Duke” Scott (committed to N.C. State) ran for 310 yards and three touchdowns. He has rushed for 2,357 and 38 touchdowns this season for a team that gets almost 70% of its yards on the ground. Cobey Thompkins has passed for 1,760 yards and run for 640 with 30 combined touchdowns. Benedictine’s Luke Kromenhoek (Florida State) passed for 346 yards in his final high school game. In the quarterfinals, Stockbridge won 35-14 against Spalding, which defeated Perry 31-22 on Oct. 27 in the game that decided the Region 2-4A title. Perry played that game without quarterback Colter Ginn, who was injured. Ginn is healthy now, and he threw for a season-high 382 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-24 victory over Starr’s Mill last week. His 61-yard touchdown pass to Kory Pettigrew with 8:46 left capped off a 99-yard drive and provided the game-winning points. Ginn has passed for 2,193 yards and 15 touchdowns in 10 games. Ahmad Gordon has run for 1,730 yards and 30 touchdowns, as the Panthers average 191.8 yards per game on the ground. Perry’s other loss this season came against Houston County 42-35 in the season opener. Panthers coach Kevin Smith is 59-26 with three region titles and six consecutive playoff appearances at a school that was 9-31 in the four seasons before his arrival in 2017.

Maxwell Ratings’ projected score: Stockbridge 28, Perry 20