Quarterfinal preview: Classes 2A, A Division I and A Division II
Class 2A
*Rockmart (10-2) at Fitzgerald (12-0): Seventh-ranked Rockmart defeated No. 10 North Cobb Christian 63-10 last week to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since its 2018 team reached the state final. The Yellow Jackets have averaged 64.7 points over the past three games. Last week, they turned six North Cobb Christian turnovers into five touchdowns. Rockmart also got 269 yards rushing on 33 carries by 10 ball carriers. J.D. Davis (four carries, 67 yards) and Cam Ferguson (7-52) led the way. They both ran for two touchdowns. Defending champion and top-ranked Fitzgerald extended its winning streak to 18 games and reached the quarterfinals for the fourth time in five years with a 28-20 victory over Putnam County. Fitzgerald scored on two drives of six minutes or longer in the first half and never trailed. Skylon Davis ran 11 times for 106 of Fitzgerald’s 295 rushing yards. Fitzgerald led 372-240 in total yards. These teams have met just once, a second-round playoff game in 2016 won by Fitzgerald 48-21.
*Pierce County (11-1) at Fellowship Christian (9-3): Sixth-ranked Pierce County is 27-19 all-time in postseason games, but the Bears have never won one on an opponents’ home field, which is where they’ll be this week. Pierce was the 2020 Class 3A champion and a semifinalist last season. In a 52-0 victory over Berrien last week, the Bears had six one-play scoring drives, with five touchdowns of 60 yards or more. Jaquez White scored on a 60-yard kickoff return and a 99-yard pass, D.J. Bell (279 yards rushing on 10 carries) had scoring runs of 48, 92, 84 and 23 yards, and Jimarion Guyton (193 yards on three carries) scored on a 60-yard run. Bell has run for 200 yards or more in six consecutive playoff games, dating to last season. Fellowship Christian built a 24-0 lead and held on for a 26-15 second-round victory over Eagle’s Landing Christian, ending the Chargers’ streak of 12 trips to the quarterfinals. The victory put Fellowship in the quarters for the fifth straight year. Conrad Givers had 135 of the Paladins’ 252 rushing yards. Caleb McMickle was 9-of-11 passing for 95 yards and a touchdown.
*Appling County (10-1) at Callaway (9-3): Third-ranked Appling County is a region champion for the first time since 2013 but is in the quarterfinals for the third consecutive season. The Pirates beat Northeast 35-13 for their ninth straight win. Jaylen Johnson had 168 yards rushing on 18 carries and scored four touchdowns (three rushing, one receiving). Johnson is a three-star senior with reported offers from 20 schools that include several SEC and ACC teams. Northeast's Nick Woodford, who entered as the GHSA's leading rusher, was limited to 139 yards and finished with 2,562. No. 5 Callaway has won nine straight games since an 0-3 start. The Cavaliers reached the quarterfinals for the seventh consecutive season with a 20-13 victory against Fannin County last week. Quarterback Deshun Coleman scored on a 37-yard run with 3:45 remaining in the third quarter to break a 13-13 tie. Coleman also threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Sam Williams, and Qua Whitfield had a short touchdown run. Coleman was 7-of-9 passing for 82 yards, and Whitfield ran for 89 yards on 21 carries. Callaway won the Class 2A title in 2020 and lost in the semifinals last year.
*Thomson (11-1) at South Atlanta (11-0): Fourth-ranked Thomson jumped to a 14-3 lead in the first quarter and coasted to a 42-10 victory over No. 9 Cook last week to reach the quarterfinals for the second consecutive season and fifth time in eight years. Jontavis Curry rushed for a season-high 160 yards on just four carries. Curry (948 yards) and Tre Tre Jeffery (994) are both within reach of 1,000-yard seasons. No. 2 South Atlanta is one win victory away from its first 12-win season and first semifinal in the school’s 29-year history. The Hornets, who went 11-2 and reached the quarterfinals last season, defeated Union County 42-14 last week after leading just 16-14 at halftime. Keyjuan Brown, committed to Purdue, rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns, had four receptions for 32 yards and a touchdown and threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Steven Moore. Brown has rushed for a GHSA-leading 2,681 yards and 31 touchdowns this season.
WRITTEN BY TODD HOLcombClass A Division I
*Mount Pisgah Christian (9-3) at Irwin County (10-1): Mount Pisgah is the only unranked team alive in Division I. The Patriots beat Darlington 26-20 last week after trailing 10-0 and reached the quarterfinals for the first time since 2014. Jack Cendoya was 18-of-32 passing for 384 yards and four touchdowns. Makael Carter had eight receptions for 268 yards and three touchdowns. Irwin County, ranked No. 4, hasn’t failed to make the quarters since 2013 and is 8-1 in those games, winning state titles in 2019 and 2020. Irwin beat Heard County 55-0 in the second round. Cody Soliday was 6-of-10 passing for 142 yards and two touchdowns. Shane Marshall rushed for 71 yards and three touchdowns. Irwin led 49-0 by halftime and held Heard County to 76 total yards. This is the first meeting between the two. Mount Pisgah is 0-16 all-time against top-10 teams.
*Rabun County (12-0) at Swainsboro (11-0): Both teams were in the Class 2A semifinals last season, so their success after moving down is no surprise. Each has its own style. Swainsboro averages 334.1 yards rushing and 51.5 passing per game, while Rabun averages 82.8 rushing and 297.5 passing. This is Rabun County’s eighth straight quarterfinal. The Wildcats are 2-5 in those games. Ranked No. 3, Rabun County beat Social Circle 42-0 in the second round. Keegan Stover was 17-of-23 passing for 352 yards and four touchdowns. Lang Windham had 103 yards rushing and a touchdown on 18 carries. Jaden Gibson had 10 receptions for 201 yards and two touchdowns. He needs 161 yards to break the state single-season receiving record set in 2018 by Warner Robins’ Marcayll Jones. Swainsboro, ranked No. 2, rushed for 391 yards and six touchdowns in its 57-13 victory over Screven County. Demello Jones rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown on four carries and had three receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown. This is the first meeting between the two.
*Metter (9-3) at Prince Avenue Christian (11-0): This is the fourth consecutive quarterfinal for Metter, which has never won a state title but made the semifinals the past two seasons. Metter, ranked No. 9, beat Dublin 18-0 last week. It was Metter’s sixth shutout. LB Ethan Oglesby had 15 tackles, two behind the line, and R.J. Coney rushed for 117 of Metter’s 304 rushing yards. Top-ranked Prince Avenue Christian is in its 11th quarterfinal in 12 seasons and is 8-2 in those games. Prince Avenue was the 2021 Class A Private runner-up. The Wolverines beat Elbert County 48-7 last week. Keon Rogers rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns. Aaron Philo, the state’s leading passer, was 26-of-33 passing for 306 yards and three touchdowns. Ethan Christian had nine receptions for 103 yards. Bailey Stockton, the team’s leading receiver and a two-way starter, was injured and likely lost for the season, but Prince Avenue has two other receivers closing in on 1,000 yards – Josh Britt (938) and Ethan Christian (902). Metter last beat a No. 1-ranked team in 1978 (Savannah Country Day). This will be the first meeting between these schools.
*Bleckley County (10-2) at St. Francis (9-3): St. Francis is the only first-time quarterfinalist in any classification. Bleckley County has made three in its history, most recently in 2020, but never advanced further. This is the first meeting between the two. Bleckley, ranked No. 10, beat Lamar County 27-13 for its second straight four-point playoff victory. (The Royals beat Brooks County 14-10 in the first round). T.J. Mays rushed for 104 yards on 12 carries against Lamar. Jahvon Butler, who has run for 1,351 yards, was held to 33 , but Bleckley was never in real danger after his 24-yard TD run gave Bleckley a 27-17 lead early in the fourth quarter. Eli Mullis was 10-of-17 passing for 123 yards. St. Francis beat Trion 34-20 last week. Kevin Maven-Winchester rushed for a career-high 208 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries. He’s run for 1,390 yards this season. Jaiden Jenkins was 12-of-22 passing for 200 yards, pushing his season total to 2,671. St. Francis has four players with more than 595 yards receiving.
WRITTEN BY chip sayeClass A Division II
*Bowdon (11-1) at Early County (9-3): One or the other of these teams has been ranked No. 1 every week since Sept. 11. Early County ascended to the top spot after the Week 4 games and held if for six weeks. Bowdon took over after Week 10 as Early County fell amid a three-game losing streak. Early County was ranked No. 3 heading into the playoffs. Both teams have won their two playoff games handily. Bowdon has beaten Aquinas (42-14) and Manchester (42-21) and has scored exactly 42 points in four consecutive games. T.J. Harvison ran for 206 yards and two touchdowns against Manchester last week, giving him 1,500 yards for the season. Robert McNeal ran for 127 yards, passed for 71 and accounted for two touchdowns. Early has defeated Turner County (60-19) and Telfair County (47-6). Tycavion Stovall rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns last week, giving him 485 yards and nine touchdowns in the two playoff games. Astyn Grimes attempted two passes last week, completing one for a 44-yard touchdown to Tay Sparks. These two schools, located about three hours apart in west Georgia, have never played each other.
*Dooly County (7-5) at Lincoln County (9-2): Dooly County’s five losses are the most of a remaining team in any classification. All five came against playoff teams. The Bobcats advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2014 with their second consecutive one-point win, 14-13 over Charlton County in overtime. Tied 7-7 at the end of regulation, Dooly County took a 14-7 lead on a 14-yard TD pass from Dyquan Robinson to Jalen Hall, then held on for the win when Charlton County missed the extra point after scoring on its overtime possession. Dooly held Charlton’s 1,300-yard rusher, Jaylen Lilley, to 38 yards on 15 carries. Dooly's Lorenzo Clayton rushed for 121 yards. No. 8 Lincoln County had a bye in the first round and defeated Wilkinson County 42-8 last week to reach its third quarterfinal in four years. The Red Devils seized control with a 28-0 first quarter. Semaj Jenkins ran for a season-high 128 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries, giving him 832 yards for the year. Lincoln County leads the all-time series 3-1, although the teams haven’t met since a first-round game in 2013.
*Clinch County (10-2) at Johnson County (12-0): Sixth-ranked Clinch County, which missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2012, is in the quarterfinals for the eighth time in 10 years after rallying to beat No. 7 McIntosh County Academy 17-16 last week. Clinch County trailed 16-7 with less than four minutes to play, but Joshua Zuniga kicked a 26-yard field goal with 3:23 left and Keegan Clayton threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Bell with 23 seconds remaining, and Zuniga kicked the extra point for the win. Clayton passed for 211 yards and ran for 41. The Panthers held MCA to 114 total yards and five first downs. No. 2 Johnson County survived a test from Christian Heritage and won 26-14 to reach its first quarterfinal since 2015. Johnson County led 18-14 in the fourth quarter before a late touchdown run by Germivy Tucker put the game away. Tucker ran for 143 yards and two touchdowns, putting him at 2,516 yards and 32 touchdowns for the season. Dalton Brantley completed two passes, both to Jakelvis Whitley for touchdowns.
*Wilcox County (9-3) at Schley County (10-2): Schley County beat Wilcox County 35-0 in an early regular-season game last year, but Wilcox went on to reach the semifinals while Schley was knocked out in the second round. Schley County is in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2018. This game features the top two Division II passers during the regular season. Schley County’s Jay Kanazawa had 2,157 yards, and Wilcox County’s Abe Stowe had 2,089. Last week, fifth-ranked Schley County built a 37-0 lead in the first half and eliminated Washington-Wilkes 58-14. Malachi Banks ran for a season-high 201 yards and two touchdowns, putting him at 1,057 yards for the season. Kanazawa passed for 200 yards and three touchdowns. Tenth-ranked Wilcox County defeated Lanier County 44-34 last week. The Patriots led 27-7 early in the third quarter, and Lanier County never got closer than the 10-point final margin. Stowe was 9-of-17 passing for 230 yards and three touchdowns. Wilcox has won nine straight games since starting the season 0-3.