Semifinal preview: Classes 2A and A Division I
Class 2A
Burke County at Rockmart
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, The Rock, Rockmart
Records, rankings: Burke County is 12-1, the No. 4 seed and No. 3; Rockmart is 11-2, the No. 1 seed and No. 8.
Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.
Things to know: Rockmart was the Class 2A runner-up to Pierce County last season and continues to chase its first state championship since 1950. Burke County is in the semifinals for the first time since 2011, when the Bears won the Class 3A championship. Burke beat Thomson 49-42 in the quarterfinals last week. Thomson was not in striking distance after Burke took a 49-35 lead midway in the fourth quarter. Both teams had more than 400 total yards. Burke’s A’merre Williams rushed for 146 yards and three touchdowns and caught two passes for 60 yards and a touchdown. He has 1,595 yards rushing this season. Sean Vandiver was 7-of-9 passing for 150 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 54 yards and two touchdowns. Vandiver has thrown for 1,745 yards and rushed for 514 and has 30 total touchdowns. Franklin Stephens, a Burke County alumnus, became the fifth coach in GHSA history to lead four schools to the semifinals. The other schools were Lamar County, Tucker and Ware County. Rockmart also won a high-scoring quarterfinal game last week, a 49-40 victory over Morgan County. Rockmart’s best all-around player, RB/LB Nate Davis, was injured and didn’t play the second half after rushing for 80 yards and a touchdown. Rockmart then trailed 40-28 in the third quarter but scored the game’s final 21 points. Luke Parker was 10-of-18 passing for 163 yards and three touchdowns. Cortez Wright and Tyree McCrary stepped up in Davis’ absence, rushing for 84 and 81 yards, respectively.
Maxwell Ratings’ projected score: This game is rated as a toss-up.
Appling County at Carver (Columbus)
When, where: 7 p.m. Friday, Odis Spencer Stadium, Columbus
Records, rankings: Appling County is 10-3, the No. 6 seed and No. 4; Carver is 12-1, the No. 2 seed and No. 1.
Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.
Things to know: Appling County is in the semifinals for the third time in coach Jordan Mullis’ four seasons, which also marks the best four-year run in school history. Appling has never advanced to a championship game. Carver, also a semifinalist last season, but in Class 3A, is seeking its first state final appearance since 2021 and first state title since 2006. Both teams won comfortably in the quarterfinals. Appling held Stephens County to 95 total yards and 5-of-31 passing in a 23-9 victory. Tavion Wallace, a linebacker/running back committed to Arkansas, and Jaiden Knight had 2.5 tackles for losses apiece. Darion Hood rushed for 116 yards. Hood, with 791 yards, is one of three Appling backs with at least 500 rushing yards. Appling averages 185.1 yards rushing and 93.5 passing per game. Carver beat defending Class 2A champion Pierce County 44-7. LB A.J. Wilson had four tackles for losses. Matthew Mungin was 19-of-25 passing for 356 yards and five touchdowns, both season highs. JaKobe Caslin had six receptions for 150 yards. Braylon Jakes had 10 receptions for 140 yards and four touchdowns. Pierce County is the only common opponent among these teams. Appling beat Pierce 13-7 for the Region 3 title last month.
Maxwell Ratings’ projected score: Carver 21, Appling County 14
WRITTEN BY CHIP SAYEClass A Division I
Fitzgerald at Northeast
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Harry B. Thompson Stadium, Macon
Records, rankings: Fitzgerald is 10-3, the No. 12 seed and No. 9; Northeast is 11-2, the No. 8 seed and No. 5.
Last meeting: Northeast won 27-20 in the 2023 regular season.
Things to know: Fitzgerald finished as the third-place team in Region 1-A Division but is back in the semifinals for the fifth consecutive season after a 42-38 victory last week against Region 1 champion Worth County, its second win against the Rams this season. Fitzgerald trailed 38-21 late in the third quarter but scored the game’s final 21 points. Victor Copeland ran for 417 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries and passed for 106 yards and a touchdown. Worth County sophomore quarterback Lyndon Worthy passed for 419 yards, giving him 3,408 for the year and 6,078 in his two seasons. Northeast knocked off top-seeded Fannin County 48-39 last week to earn its school-record 11th victory and first trip to the semifinals. Fannin County led 31-28 after three quarters, but Northeast outscored the Rebels 20-8 in the fourth. Nick Woodford ran for 374 yards and four touchdowns on 35 carries, and his 61-yard scoring run in the final minutes put the game away. Woodford has rushed for 2,168 yards and 33 touchdowns this season, despite missing a game while recovering from an injury, and 5,847 yards in his career. Fannin County’s Lawson Sullivan rushed for 229 yards and passed for 214, finishing the year with 2,134 yards passing and 1,702 rushing. The Raiders are the first Bibb County public school to reach the semifinals since Westside of Macon in 2003. Northeast finished in second place in 2-A Division I behind fellow semifinalist Dublin.
Maxwell Ratings’ projected score: Northeast 21, Fitzgerald 19
Toombs County at Dublin
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Shamrock Bowl, Dublin
Records, rankings: Toombs County is 11-1, the No. 6 seed and No. 1; Dublin 13-0, the No. 2 seed and No. 2.
Last meeting: Dublin won 49-14 in the first round of the 2018 Class 2A playoffs.
Things to know: These have been the two top-ranked teams in Class A Division I for most of the season. Toombs County ended up as the No. 6 seed in the playoffs, however, after losing out on the region title to private school Savannah Christian. The Bulldogs had been 0-6 all-time in quarterfinals until beating Elbert County 56-17 last week to reach their first semifinal. T.J. Stanley, recently named the Region 3-A Division I player of the year, was 13-of-19 passing for 248 yards and four touchdowns and ran for two TDs against Elbert County. He has passed for 2,163 yards, run for 433 and accounted for 37 touchdowns this season. Davyn Wadley ran for 68 yards to surpass 1,000 for the season (1,006). Dublin is in the semifinals for the first time since its 2019 team won the Class 2A championship. The Fighting Irish defeated Thomasville 35-13 last week. Dublin led just 7-6 midway through the second quarter but closed the half with touchdown runs by Willie Batts (68 yards) and Azontae Walker (5 yards). Batts is the leading rusher for a team that averages 376.7 per game on the ground and has two 1,000-yard rushers (Batts with 1,295, Xavier Bostic with 1,275) and two more within reach (Travion Bostic with 847, Micah O’Neal with 795.). O’Neal, the quarterback, attempts fewer than five passes per game and has thrown for 486 yards and eight touchdowns.
Maxwell Ratings’ projected score: This game is rated as a toss-up.