Semifinal preview: Classes 7A and 6A
Class 7A
Carrollton vs. Colquitt County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium, Moultrie
Records, rankings: Carrollton is 13-0, the No. 1 seed from Region 2-7A and No. 4; Colquitt County is 13-0, the No. 1 seed from 1-7A and No. 2.
Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.
Things to know: Colquitt County’s coach, Sean Calhoun, was Carrollton’s coach from 2016 to 2020. Before that, he was Colquitt’s offensive coordinator got the 2014-15 championship teams. Colquitt is 43-0 with Calhoun on its coaching staff. His Packers beat North Gwinnett 52-17 in the quarterfinals. Neko Fann was 15-of-20 passing for a season-high 352 yards and a school-record six touchdowns. He’s thrown for 2,473 yards and 29 touchdowns this season. Ny Carr, a junior committed to Georgia, had five receptions for 182 yards and two touchdowns, and preseason all-state RB Charlie Pace rushed for 147 yards. Carrollton beat Walton 52-27 last week. Freshman QB Julian Lewis, Class 7A’s leading passer with 3,339 yards, was 22-of-32 for 333 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. Bryce Hicks had 89 yards rushing and 64 receiving and scored five touchdowns. Carrollton last made a state final in 2013. Colquitt’s last trip was in 2018. Both have multiple state titles. They have two common opponents. Colquitt County beat Lowndes 42-14 and Pebblebrook 56-16. Carrollton beat Lowndes 38-14 and Pebblebrook 42-14. This is one of two semifinals between undefeated teams. North Oconee vs. Cedartown in Class 4A is the other.
Maxwell Ratings’ projected score: Colquitt County 28, Carrollton 27
Mill Creek vs. Milton
When, where: 5 p.m. Friday, Lakewood Stadium, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Mill Creek is 12-1, the No. 2 seed from Region 8-7A and No. 3; Milton is 10-3, the No. 1 seed from 6-7A and No. 7.
Last meeting: Milton won 36-27 in the 2021 Class 7A quarterfinals.
Things to know: The 2021 game between these two featured five lead changes. Milton went on a seven-minute, 13-play, 90-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter to ice the victory. Milton made the title game, where it lost to Collins Hill. In 2021, Milton had the state’s No. 1 prospect, L.T. Overton. This year, Mill Creek has it, Caleb Downs. In last week’s quarterfinals, Milton beat Grayson 35-12. Debron Gatling scored on a 37-yard pass from Like Nickel for a 21-9 lead in the final minute of the first half and returned an interception 87 yards for a touchdown and a 28-9 lead in the third quarter. Milton was outgained 307-249 but had seven sacks, three by Owen Phillips and two by Will Parton. Nickel has thrown for 2,392 yards this season while Scott Moskowitz has rushed for 1,060. Mill Creek beat Westlake 38-14 last week after leading 35-7 at halftime. Cam Robinson rushed for 206 yards, giving him 1,446 on the season, and caught a 19-yard TD pass. Downs had an interception and TD run. Hayden Clark has thrown for 1,907 yards and 20 touchdowns this season. Mill Creek is in its first semifinal since 2016 and seeking its first state finals appearances. Milton won Class 7A in 2018.
Maxwell Ratings’ projected score: Mill Creek 28, Milton 20
WRITTEN BY CHIP SAYEClass 6A
Gainesville vs. Roswell
When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, McEachern High School, Powder Springs
Records, rankings: Gainesville is 13-0, the No. 1 seed from Region 8-6A and No. 4; Roswell is 12-1, the No. 1 seed from 7-6A and No. 3.
Last meeting: Gainesville won 14-6 in the 1985 Class 3A quarterfinals.
Things to know: This game matches teams that were in Class 7A last season. Roswell went 10-3 and reached the quarterfinals, while Gainesville was 5-5 and missed the playoffs. Gainesville has a new coach this season, former Hoover (Ala.) head coach Josh Niblett, and is in the semifinals for the first time since 2013. Gainesville beat Houston County 49-35 last week, using a 35-point run to turn a 14-7 deficit into a 42-14 lead. Baxter Wright passed for 283 yards and three touchdowns and scored on a 45-yard run. Naim Cheeks had 133 yards rushing and 101 yards receiving and scored three touchdowns. Tre Reece had 110 yards and a touchdown receiving and scored on a 95-yard kickoff return. Roswell trailed 24-6 in the second half last week against unbeaten and second-ranked Thomas County Central but outscored the Yellow Jackets 29-7 in the third quarter, taking the lead for good at 35-31 on a 6-yard touchdown pass from K.J. Smith to Ethan Nation, and went on to win 42-34. Smith passed for 242 yards and three touchdowns and has 2,489 yards for the season. Nykahi Davenport rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns to reach 1,838 yards for the year. Roswell is in the semifinals for the first time since reaching back-to-back state finals in 2015 and 2016.
Maxwell Ratings’ projected score: Roswell 28, Gainesville 21
Rome vs. Hughes
When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, Lakewood Stadium, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Rome is 12-1, the No. 1 seed from Region 6-6A and No. 6; Hughes is 13-0, the No. 1 seed from 5-6A and No. 1.
Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.
Things to know: Rome is in the semifinals for the first time since 2018. The Wolves held Marist to its lowest point total since 2019 with a 17-7 victory last week. Reece Fountain threw touchdown passes of 54 and 12 yards to Will Bray, the second coming with 6:07 remaining in the game after Marist had cut the lead to 10-7. Fountain was 20-of-28 passing for 243 of Rome’s 315 total yards. The Wolves have held nine of 13 points to a touchdown or less. Hughes, the state runner-up in 2021, needs 44 points to break the GHSA record for points in a season set by Rome with 758 in its 2017 state championship season. The Panthers are averaging 55 points per game. Hughes tied a school record for victories in a season when it defeated fifth-ranked Woodward Academy 56-28 in the quarterfinals. Hughes outscored Woodward 35-7 in the second half after being tied 21-21 at the break. Prentiss “Air” Noland passed for 302 yards and three touchdowns, putting him at 3,590 yards and 49 touchdowns for the season. Jekail Middlebrook had 201 of the Panthers’ 279 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns. Middlebrook has run for 1,283 yards for the season, and Justus Savage has 964.
Maxwell Ratings’ projected score: Hughes 35, Rome 20