Semifinal preview: Classes 4A and 3A

Class 4A

Creekside at Marist

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Hughes Spalding Stadium, Atlanta

Records, rankings: Creekside is 10-2, the No. 1 seed from Region 4-4A and No. 10; Marist is 13-0, the No. 1 seed from Region 5-4A and No. 1.

Last meeting: Marist won 24-6 in the 2006 Class 4A quarterfinals.

Things to know: Creekside was the Class 5A runner-up last season. Marist was a Class 6A semifinalist. Now in a lower classification, both are back in contention despite heavy graduation losses. Creekside started 0-2 with losses to out-of-state teams and has won 10 straight games, five by shutout, including last week’s 26-0 victory over fifth-ranked Eastside in the quarterfinals. Sean Williams had nine tackles and two interceptions. Cayden Benson, the Region 5 offensive player of the year, rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries and was 8-of-16 passing for 149 yards and two touchdowns, both to Dylan Vickerson. Marist beat Cambridge 40-14 last week. Marist led 20-14 at halftime, getting one touchdown on Jack Callaghan’s 80-yard return of a blocked field goal, then dominated the second half. Marist rushed for 366 yards. Brayden Lewis rushed for 128 yards and caught a 57-yard pass. Marist completed only one other pass, and it went 77 yards for a touchdown. Marist is 6-0 all-time against Creekside. Their most recent meeting, in the 2006 quarterfinals, marked the final game of former Creekside, Tennessee and Chiefs star Eric Berry.

Maxwell Ratings’ projected score: This game is rated as a toss-up.

Blessed Trinity at North Oconee

When, where: 7:30 pm. Friday, Titan Stadium, Bogart

Records, rankings: Blessed Trinity is 11-1, the No. 1 seed from Region 6-4A and No. 4; North Oconee is 13-0, the No. 1 seed from Region 8-4A and No. 3.

Last meeting: Blessed Trinity won 35-10 in the second round of the 2018 Class 4A playoffs.

Things to know: Both have won three rounds at home. The GHSA's universal coin toss awarded this game to North Oconee, which has won 28 straight home games and 12 straight home playoff games. North Oconee is in the semifinals for the third time in four seasons. The Titans lost their previous two. They beat second-ranked Cartersville 28-26 in the quarterfinals. North Oconee led 28-13 in the fourth quarter, gave up TD passes of 90 and 70 yards and then stopped a two-point conversion to stay in the lead and didn’t give Cartersville another chance. Harrison Faulkner passed for 118 yards and rushed for 107, giving him 2,893 passing and 728 rushing on the season. North Oconee has been challenged in only one other game, a 40-35 victory over Eastside that decided the Region 8 title. Blessed Trinity beat Benedictine 24-10 in the quarterfinals. Brooks Goodman was 15-of-18 passing for 174 yards and two touchdowns. Blessed Trinity typically relies more on Ahmontae Pitts, who rushed for 76 yards, ending his streak of four 100-yard games. D.J. Jacobs and Caden Dawson had two tackles for losses apiece. Blessed Trinity has lost only to Milton, Class 5A’s No. 1 team. This is the only semifinal matching teams with the same mascot, the Titans.

Maxwell Ratings’ projected score: North Oconee 20, Blessed Trinity 17

WRITTEN BY CHIP SAYE

Class 3A

LaGrange at Jefferson

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Memorial Stadium, Jefferson

Records, rankings: LaGrange is 10-3, the No. 20 seed and unranked; Jefferson is 10-3, the No. 1 seed and No. 3.

Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Things to know: LaGrange, the only unranked team still playing in any classification, is in the semifinals for the first time since 2008 after a 49-17 victory over North Hall, the Region 6-3A champ. It was the Grangers’ second straight win over a region champion, coming on the heels of a 38-22 second-round upset of fellow Region 2 team Sandy Creek. Malachi Fannin-Render ran for 261 yards and three touchdowns. He had 224 yards and three touchdowns rushing the previous week and has 2,135 rushing yards this season. Dyal Barber attempted only four passes but completed three for two touchdowns, both of which went to Kalvin Snowberger. Linebacker Hezekyah Avery had nine tackles, one assists, a sack, a pass break-up and a forced fumble. LaGrange is trying to get back to the finals for the first time since its 2004 team won the school’s third state title in four years. Jefferson beat Cherokee Bluff 42-28 last week to reach the semifinals for the second consecutive year and third time in five seasons. It was the Dragons’ second straight win against a Region 8-3A rival, after eliminating Oconee County 42-6 in the second round. Gavin Markey ran for a season-high 228 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries and was 3-of-7 passing for 43 yards and two TDs. His two touchdown runs in the final eight minutes helped Jefferson pull away in a game that was tied 28-28. Markey has 1,445 yards rushing and 1,283 yards passing this season. The Dragons are seeking their first state title since 2012.

Maxwell Ratings’ projected score: Jefferson 29, LaGrange 18

Stephenson at Calhoun

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Phil Reeve Stadium, Calhoun

Records, rankings: Stephenson is 10-3, the No. 7 seed and No. 8; Calhoun is 10-3, the No. 6 seed and No. 7.

Last meeting: Stephenson won 17-9 in the 1997 regular season.

Things to know: Stephenson defeated Southeast Bulloch 36-3 last week to reach the semifinals for the second time in school history and first time since 2005. Stephenson led just 7-3 at halftime but outscored Southeast Bulloch 29-0 in the second half. Anthony Booker rushed for 231 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries, and the Jaguars put up 433 yards of total offense. In three playoff games, Booker has 643 yards and 10 touchdowns rushing and one touchdown receiving. Stephenson will be on the road this week for the first time in the playoffs this year. The Jaguars’ first trip to the semifinals ended with a 14-0 loss to Lowndes in 5A, the state’s highest class at the time. Calhoun knocked off top-ranked Peach County 38-28 last week to reach the semifinals for the 12th time since 2005. Peach County had been projected as a 10-point favorite by the computer Maxwell Ratings. Emaree Winston (committed to Texas as a tight end) broke a 28-28 tie with a 2-yard touchdown run with 7:29 remaining. Peach County drove to the Calhoun 30 on its next possession but lost a fumble, and Calhoun’s Carlos Lopez kicked a 40-yard field goal to secure the victory. Hudson Chadwick, filling in for injured starter Isiah Nalls, and Watson scored two touchdowns each. The Yellow Jackets have won four state titles in their history, most recently in 2017.

Maxwell Ratings’ projected score: Calhoun 24, Stephenson 17