Championship Game Previews: Classes 4A and 3A

Class 4A

Marist vs. North Oconee

When, where: 7 p.m. Monday, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

Records, rankings: Marist is 14-0, the No. 1 seed from Region 5-4A and No. 1; North Oconee is 14-0, the No. 1 seed from 8-4A and No. 3.

Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Things to know: This is the only championship game between undefeated teams. They have contrasting offensive styles. Marist runs the option and averages 268.6 yards rushing and 60.4 passing. Three-year starting quarterback Jack Euart has scored 12 touchdowns and passed for nine. North Oconee averages 170.8 yards rushing and 222.6 passing with a dual-threat quarterback, Harrison Faulkner, the team’s leading rusher with 713 yards. Equally as critical to the North Oconee offense is wide receiver Landon Roldan, a Georgia signee with more than 1,000 receiving yards. He’s also an outstanding defensive back. Both defenses allow less than 10 points per game. Marist junior defensive end Jack Richerson leads his team in tackles for losses (17), sacks (10), QB hurries (25) and pass breakups (seven). North Oconee’s top defender is linebacker Khamari Brooks, a top-200 national junior prosect with 10 sacks. Marist can win its fourth state title, first since 2020, all under 40th-year coach Alan Chadwick. North Oconee, a 21-year-old school, is in the finals for the first time after losing semifinal games in 2021 and 2022. Marist and North Oconee have one common opponent, Class 3A finalist Jefferson. Marist won 23-7. North Oconee won 35-0.

Maxwell Ratings’ projected score: North Oconee 23, Marist 20

Class 3A

Jefferson vs. Calhoun

When, where: 4 p.m. Dec. 18, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

Records, rankings: Jefferson is 11-3, the No. 1 seed and No. 3; Calhoun is 11-3, the No. 6 seed and No. 7.

Last meeting: Jefferson won 31-14 in the 2012 Class 2A championship game.

Things to know: Both have three losses, but their presence in the final is no surprise. Reclassification brought each down from Class 5A this season. Jefferson, a 5A semifinalist last season with AJC all-class player of the year Sammy Brown, was ranked No. 1 in preseason. Calhoun was No. 4. Jefferson has lost to Class 4A finalists Marist and North Oconee and to Oconee County in overtime. Jefferson avenged the Oconee loss with a 42-6 victory in the second round. With Brown at Clemson, Jefferson’s go-to player is now quarterback Gavin Markey, who has passed for 1,424 yards and rushed for 1,568. Rett Hemphill has 1,061 all-purpose yards and a team-leading 89 solo tackles. Calhoun has lost to Creekview, Cartersville and Cambridge, all from higher classes, and won 10 straight games, scoring more than 30 points in each of the past six. Calhoun is the only finalist with a freshman starting quarterback. Trace Hawkins has thrown for 1,893 yards and 23 touchdowns with only one interception. Justin Beasley has 18 TD receptions. The top prospect in the game is Calhoun’s Emaree Winston, an all-state tight end who signed with Texas. Calhoun is in the finals for the 10th time, first since 2021, and is seeking its first title since 2017. Jefferson is in the finals for the first time since 2020 and chasing its first title since 2012. That was the year that Jefferson, under coach T. McFerrin, beat Calhoun for the Class 2A championship in the Georgia Dome for Jefferson’s only state title. It ended Calhoun’s 29-game winning streak.

Maxwell Ratings’ projected score: Jefferson 26, Calhoun 19