Three teams post first playoff victories
North Atlanta, Walnut Grove and Lanier County won their first playoff games in history last weekend, while Cass and Harlem broke droughts of longer than 40 years.
As expected in the first round, top-10 teams were dominant, going 72-7. Five of the seven that lost – Brooks County, Brunswick, LaGrange, Whitewater and Valdosta – were beaten by other ranked teams.
Cass’s 27-17 victory over No. 4 Jefferson in Class 5A was the most outstanding upset. Cass, a Bartow County school, entered as a 30-point underdog with a 4-6 record.
The victory was Cass’s first in postseason since 1983 and the first in the state playoffs. Cass’s previous success came in region playoffs that existed before the GHSA went to 32-team draws in 1996.
Harlem’s 28-0 victory over Long County in Class 3A had similar historical significance. It was Harlem’s first postseason win since 1981 but first state-playoff victory in history. Harlem had lost eight consecutive playoff games.
North Atlanta, Walnut Grove and Lanier County had never won a playoff game of any kind until Friday.
North Atlanta, an Atlanta city school that opened in 1991, beat Lovejoy 30-17 on the road in Class 6A.
Walnut Grove, a Walton County school that opened in 2009, beat Heritage of Ringgold 17-13 in Class 4A.
Lanier County, a South Georgia school that started football in 1997, beat Miller County 14-13 in Class A Division II.
Berrien, which borders Lanier County, also was beaming after winning its first playoff game since 1991. The Rebels defeated Region 2-2A champion Spencer 43-36.
Others breaking long playoff droughts were Telfair County (first win since 1993), Northside of Columbus (2005), Social Circle (2005) and Chamblee (2007).
Dalton joined Cass as an unranked team beating a ranked one. The Catamounts beat No. 10 Loganville 7-3 in Class 5A.
In the games between ranked teams, No. 10 Westlake beat No. 8 Valdosta 28-13 in Class 7A; No. 10 Houston County beat No. 8 Brunswick 29-28 in overtime in 6A; No. 8 Burke County beat No. 10 LaGrange 23-20 in 4A; No. 1 Benedictine beat No. 9 Whitewater 34-10 in 4A; and No. 10 Bleckley County beat No. 5 Brooks County 14-10 in Class A Division I.
Brooks County became the second 2021 champion that won’t repeat. Collins Hill of Class 7A didn’t make the playoffs.
Three regions won all four of their games. Those were Region 1-6A (No. 1 Thomas County Central, No. 2 Northside of Warner Robins, No. 3 Lee County, No. 4 Houston County), Region 7-5A (No. 1 Calhoun, No. 2 Cartersville, No. 3 Dalton, No. 4 Cass) and Region 8-3A (No. 1 Stephens County, No. 2 Hebron Christian, No. 3 Oconee County and No. 4 Monroe Area).
Winning easily were No. 1 teams Buford in 7A, Hughes in 6A, Ware County in 5A, Cedartown in 4A, Cedar Grove in 3A, Fitzgerald in 2A,Prince Avenue Christian in A Division I and Bowdon in A Division II. Their average score was 49-8.