Monday, Nov. 15, 2021
11 ranked teams out after first round
Top-five teams went 40-0 in the first round of the playoffs last week, but the top 10’s other half suffered 11 casualties, including four region champions and one team ranked No. 1 just three weeks ago. That latter would be Jefferson, the most conspicuous team eliminated.
 
Meanwhile, five schools won GHSA state-playoff games for the first time. They were Athens Christian, Haralson County, Kennesaw Mountain, Lithia Springs and Luella.
 
Achieving the most startling first-round results were Hapeville Charter, Dawson County and Warren County.
 
Hapeville, a Class 4A team ranked No. 7 in preseason but discounted after a 1-5 start, beat No. 6 Jefferson 12-10 for the Hornets’ fifth consecutive win. Jefferson, the 2020 state runner-up and preseason No. 1, lost two of its final three games. Hapeville was a 28-point underdog, according to the computer Maxwell Ratings.
 
Dawson County, an unranked Class 3A team, beat No. 7 Sandy Creek 36-27. Sandy Creek was coming off a victory against then-No. 1 Cedar Grove and was a 15-point favorite. Dawson County (7-4) has won first-round games each of the past seasons.
 
In Class A Public, Warren County was a 31-point underdog against No. 7 Chattahoochee County but dominated 42-7. Warren has reached the quarterfinals the past two seasons, each while unranked.
 
In Class 6A, an unusual event occurred when two No. 4 seeds beat each other’s region champion. Region 5’s fourth seed, Douglas County, beat Region 7 champion Riverwood 24-17, while Region 7’s fourth seed, Johns Creek, beat Region 5 champion Rome 31-27. The last time that happened was 2008.
 
The two other teams that beat region champions were Stephens County (over No. 9 Rockmart in Class 3A) and Manchester (over No. 9 Georgia Military in Class A Public).
 
Games between top-10 teams accounted for the other ranked teams that lost:

No. 9 Walton beat No. 6 Colquitt County 41-17 in Class 7A.
No. 7 Carrollton beat No. 10 Creekview 47-28 in 6A.
No. 5 Creekside beat No. 7 Coffee 36-27 in 5A.
No. 4 Fitzgerald beat No. 9 Dodge County 15-6 in 2A.
Class 7A
*Marietta (7-4) at Milton (10-1): Marietta was the 2019 Class 7A champion. Milton was the 2018 champion. Marietta beat then-defending champion Milton 38-24 in the 2019 quarterfinals. In the first round, Milton beat Duluth 45-14 after leading 38-0 in the first half. Devin Farrell (committed to Virginia Tech) was 11-of-16 passing for 214 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 60 yards. Jordan McDonald (Central Florida) has rushed for 933 yards. L.T. Overton (five-star junior recruit) had two sacks. Marietta QB Tyler Hughes (Southern) passed for 204 yards and three touchdowns last week – putting him at 3,114 and 40 for the season – in a 28-14 victory over Tift County. Hughes also lead in rushing with 554 yards. Marietta is ranked No. 8; Milton is No. 3. This is one of two games between ranked Class 7A teams (Roswell vs. North Cobb is the other).
 
*Mill Creek (10-1) at McEachern (7-4): Fourth-ranked Mill Creek has lost only to No. 1 Collins Hill 40-10 and not allowed more than 20 points to any other opponent. The Hawks scored 35 points in the second quarter in a 38-10 victory over West Forsyth last week. Mill Creek had six sacks and held West Forsyth to minus-37 yards rushing. McEachern beat South Gwinnett 34-28 in two overtimes last week. The Indians got a game-clinching defensive stop after Bryce Archie’s 7-yard TD pass to Kaleb Webb. Archie, who is committed to Coastal Carolina, passed for 339 yards. Webb, committed to East Carolina, had nine receptions for 218 yards and two touchdowns. Mill Creek is 2-0 all-time against McEachern, winning close games in 2017 and 2016.
 
*Walton (7-3) at Archer (7-4): This will be the first meeting between the two. Walton, ranked No. 9, upset No. 6 Colquitt County 41-17 last week, ending Colquitt’s streak of 12 first-round victories. Colquitt had been 18-1 in home playoff games this century. Cade Thompson returned a fumble 97 yards for a touchdown, and Marcus Allen (committed to North Carolina) returned a blocked kick 84 yards for a score. Sutton Smith (Memphis), rushed for 59 yards on 10 carries and set up a score with a 59-yard punt return. Archer has won seven straight games, allowing just 14 points total in that time, after an 0-4 start. The four losses came against teams still in the playoffs. Archer beat Alpharetta 46-7 last week as Chad Alexander rushed for 166 yards (his previous career high was 62) and three long touchdowns. Chase Sellers ran for 108 yards.
 
*North Gwinnett (6-5) at Brookwood (9-2): This is the lone all-Gwinnett County matchup of the second round. North Gwinnett has won seven of the past eight meetings between the two, most recently 37-2 in 2018, but is the underdog here. North Gwinnett beat South Forsyth 29-15 last week, having the game in hand by the third quarter. Kayden McDonald, a 325-pound top-250 national junior recruit, had seven sacks. Brookwood, ranked No. 7, made quick work of Newnan in a 56-7 victory, leading 42-7 at halftime. Dylan Lonergan was 9-of-14 passing for 233 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 104 yards on six carries in limited work. A four-star junior recruit, he’s thrown for 2,834 yards and 30 touchdowns. Brookwood is in the second round for the first time since its 2017 semifinal run.
 
*Grayson (8-3) at Denmark (8-2): This is the only Class 7A second-round game between unranked teams. Grayson is the defending 7A champion. Denmark, in its fourth varsity season, is the only remaining 7A team that’s never made the quarterfinals. Grayson trounced East Coweta 48-14 last week after leading 34-0 at halftime. Joe Taylor rushed for 83 yards and three touchdowns. JoJo Stone, a four-star sophomore recruit, also scored three touchdowns. He’s played quarterback much of the season, but Rayne Fry (108 passing) was solid in the role last week. Denmark advanced on a 23-20 victory over Mountain View after Trey Glymph kicked a 38-yard field goal in the final seconds. Jacob Nelson threw for 180 yards. Amon Williams ran for 121. Lake Thoman had 117 receiving yards. This will be the first meeting between the teams.
 
*Roswell (9-2) at North Cobb (10-1): Roswell beat North Cobb 42-21 in the 2016 quarterfinals, the most recent time these two played. It was also the most recent time that either one reached the quarters. North Cobb will be favored this time. Ranked No. 2, North Cobb beat Camden County 44-6 last week. Malachi Singleton, a leading state player-of-the-year candidate, passed for 194 yards, rushed for 117 and had a hand in four touchdowns. DeNylon Morrissette (committed to Georgia) had 106 yards receiving, giving him 911 on the season. Roswell, ranked No. 10, beat Meadowcreek 52-8 last week. Robbie Roper passed for 162 yards in limited play and added four TD passes to his season total, now at 33. Sophomore Noah Davenport rushed for a season-high 129 yards.
 
*Pebblebrook (9-1-1) at Collins Hill (11-0): Pebblebrook beat Parkview 44-41 last week for its first playoff win since 2006. Qamar Grant was 20-of-31 passing for 313 yards and five touchdowns, the last one a 4-yarder to Damion Thompson for the lead with 2:16 left to finish an 11-play, 89-yard drive. Parkview missed a 47-yard field goal as time expired. Another win would put Pebblebrook in the quarterfinals for the first time since 1980. Collins Hill, the 2020 runner-up, is ranked No. 1. Pebblebrook is 0-5 all-time against No. 1-ranked teams. Collins Hill beat Lambert 56-13 last week after leading 42-7 at halftime. Sam Horn (committed to Missouri) was 19-of-23 passing for 257 yards and two touchdowns and scored on 70- and 31-yard runs on his only two attempts. This is the first meeting between the two teams.
 
*Norcross (8-3) at Lowndes (9-2): Both teams lost in the 2020 semifinals but were left with heavy graduation losses. Lowndes’ task was a tad easier because the Vikings returned AJC Super 11 QB Jacurri Brown, a dual-threat quarterback committed to Miami. The four-year starter was 12-of-20 passing for 225 yards last week in a 45-35 victory over Harrison. In that game, Lowndes tied a state record (held by two others) with its fifth victory while allowing 30 points. Norcross beat Cherokee 28-21 in the first round. The Blue Devils trailed 21-20 with Cherokee driving, but Jonathan Mathis intercepted a pass with 3:52 left, sparking a 69-yard TD drive. Nakai Poole had six receptions for 112 yards. A.J. Watkins, a sophomore quarterback, rushed for 88 yards and was 4-of-6 passing for 69 yards and two touchdowns.
Class 6A
*Johns Creek (8-3) at Evans (9-2): Johns Creek is one of two No. 4 seeds remaining in 6A after a 31-27 victory over sixth-ranked Rome, the Region 5 champion. The Gladiators got the winning points in a back-and-forth game on an 82-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Durham to Joshua Thompson with 9:09 remaining. It was the second playoff victory in school history for Johns Creek, which had been 1-6 in the postseason. Evans reached the second round for the third time in five seasons with a 19-10 victory against Houston County. Joseph Hampton, a 1,300-yard rusher in the regular season, scored on a 60-yard run, and Fabian Klawa kicked two field goals as Evans built a 19-0 first-half lead. The Knights had been 0-7 all-time against Houston County.
 
*Dacula (7-4) at Brunswick (11-0): Dacula is in the second round for the sixth consecutive season after a 36-12 victory over Pope. The Falcons led 7-6 at halftime but pulled away with big-play touchdowns – a blocked-punt return (Johnathan Williams), an interception return (Kyle Efford), a 67-yard run (Matthew Haber) and a 57-yard pass (Austin Adcock to Percy Williams). Efford is a three-star linebacker prospect committed to Georgia Tech. Region 2 champion Brunswick, the only undefeated team in 6A this season, beat Tucker 60-26 to reach the second round for the third straight season. The Pirates led just 23-20 at halftime but pulled away in the second half. Chuckobe Hill ran for 100 yards and three touchdowns. Hill, Ree Simmons (105-1), Leon Charlton (58-1) and Pat Leggett (47-1) averaged 7.2 yards per carry.
 
*Douglas County (8-3) at Northside-Warner Robins (8-3): Douglas County is the other No. 4 seed still standing after its 24-17 victory over Region 7 champion Riverwood, which was a 19-point favorite, according to the computer Maxwell Ratings. Sire Hardaway passed for 175 yards and a touchdown, and Jirah Douglas ran for 136 yards and a score. The Tigers are in the second round for the first time since 2017. Northside, coming off rare back-to-back losing seasons, is back in the second round for the first time since its 2018 team reached the state final. In the Eagles’ 35-3 victory over Lakeside of Evans in the first round, Cameran Brown was 9-of-10 passing for 136 yards and ran for a team-high 57 yards and two TDs. The Eagles outgained Lakeside 344-170.
 
*Shiloh (5-6) at Hughes (10-1): Shiloh’s 19-14 first-round victory over Allatoona was the school’s first playoff win since David Pollack led the Generals to the quarterfinals in 2000. The loss was Allatoona’s first in a home playoff game since 2010 (second in school history). Shiloh sophomore Jamir Imuzai ran for 195 yards on 25 carries, according to the Marietta Daily Journal. Third-ranked Hughes led Glynn Academy 20-14 at halftime last week but pulled away in the second half for a 42-14 victory. Hughes has a balanced offense led by QB Prentiss Noland (158.6 yards per game passing) and Antonio Martin (72.3 ypg rushing). The Panthers allowed just 6.8 points per game during the regular season, second-best in Class 6A. The Panthers also played Allatoona this season, winning 6-0 in a rain-shortened game in August.
 
*Westlake (9-2) at Kennesaw Mountain (10-1): No. 5 Westlake had won seven consecutive region titles before settling for the No. 2 seed behind Hughes in Region 4. The Lions rolled through the first round, beating Effingham County 45-3. Zina Mulbah had three touchdown runs, QB R.J. Johnson (a 2,000-yard passer) ran for one, and Avieon Terrell scored on a 50-yard interception return. Kennesaw Mountain, which opened in 2000, reached the playoffs for the first time in 2020, clinched its first region title two weekends ago and now has its first playoff victory, 49-21 against Lanier on Saturday. The Mustangs led 21-15 at halftime outscored the Longhorns 14-0 in the third quarter. Cayman Prangley (1,882 passing yards for the season) threw for 266 yards and two touchdowns, and Jah Welch (694 rushing yards) ran for 87 yards and a score.
 
*Carrollton (10-1) at Alcovy (5-4): Seventh-ranked Carrollton is one win away from its sixth consecutive trip to the quarterfinals after a 47-28 victory over No. 10 Creekview. Carrollton built a 27-7 lead in the first half, and Creekview never got within 12 points. QB M.J. Morris (178 yards rushing, one TD), Jamun Evans (103-2) and Kelvin Hill (88-3) led a 365-yard rushing effort, although the Trojans were outgained 511-458. Region 3’s Alcovy, which opened in 2006, is a region champion for the first time in school history. The Tigers had a bye in the first round, moving them to the second round for the first time. They had been 0-5 all-time in the playoffs. Junior QB Ashton Evans has passed for 1,565 yards, and Tristan Mayweather has run for 748.
 
*Lovejoy (5-4) at (R8 #1) Buford (10-1): Lovejoy, the No. 3 seed from Region 4, advanced to the second round for the first time since 2016 with a 19-14 victory at Richmond Hill. Stephin Craig threw a touchdown pass to Keandre Hines with about 10 minutes remaining for the winning score. Defending champion and top-ranked Buford defeated Kell 38-14 for its 23rd consecutive first-round victory. Bryant Appling is 11-0 in the playoffs in three seasons as Buford’s head coach. C.J. Clinkscales (committed to Boston College) ran for 123 yards and a touchdown. and Victor Venn (Colorado) ran for 89 yards and three TDs, unofficially. Lovejoy is 1-10 all-time against No. 1-ranked teams, its only victory coming in 1996.
 
*Cambridge (9-1) at Lee County (10-1): No. 9 Cambridge (opened in 2012), which had never won a playoff game until last year, is in the second round for the second straight year after beating South Paulding 50-29. Jack Marlow scored on a 27-yard run 30 second into the game, his first of three touchdowns, and Cambridge led 23-0 at halftime. Zach Harris, a 2,000-yard passer in the regular season, had touchdowns rushing and passing. No. 2-ranked Lee County built a 50-0 halftime lead and beat Grovetown 57-12. Eight players scored touchdowns, and Lee held Grovetown to negative yardage in the first half. The Trojans are 17-2 in the playoffs since the start of the 2017 season. This will be Cambridge’s first game ever against a team from south Georgia.
Annie Jones, Dodge County
Annie Jones, a senior at Dodge County, is GHSF Daily’s Flag Football Player of the Week. Jones threw for 145 yards and touchdowns to three receivers in a 32-6 victory over Houston County on Monday, then passed for 144 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-0 victory over Dooly County on Thursday. Jones rushed for 71 yards and a touchdown in the victories, which extended Dodge’s winning streak to seven. Dodge County is 8-1 and ranked No. 4 in Class 2 by MaxPreps.
 
GHSF Daily, in partnership with the Atlanta Falcons, will recognize a flag football player of the week each Monday through the December state finals. The Falcons will provide a Swag Bag of prizes to the weekly winners after the season. More top performers from last week can be found on GHSF Daily’s website by clicking here.
Today’s interviewee is Haralson County coach Scott Peavey, whose team defeated Chattooga 34-7 last week in the Class 2A first round. It was the Rebels’ first playoff victory in history in a season that also netted the program its first region title. Peavey’s record is 35-18 in five seasons. Haralson County had been 11-39 over the previous five seasons.
 
Scott Peavey, Haralson Co. head coach
1. You’ve had some big wins the past few years, but this season, you've won both your first region title and first playoff game. What does that mean to your team? “It’s a culmination of lot of hard work from this team and from players who’ve bought in over the past few years. Our coaches are trying to do everything they can to give these kids a chance to be successful. We’re super excited about it. A lot of times, you work hard and things don’t pan out on the field. This one happened to pan out the last few years.” [Haralson’s senior class has progressed from 8-3, 8-3, 7-3 to 10-1.]
 
2. You’ve built your success on a strong running game. Can you describe it, and why you run it? “We actually started doing this offense because we had trouble playing defense. We felt if we could take more time off the clock, maybe we’d play better defense, and that’s exactly what happened. With the guys we have here and the skill level, we felt we needed to build a program around the weight room. Our school allowed us to create a [weight] class we didn’t have before. We also built the offense around being strong and physical. Our offense is a version of the single wing with two tight ends and a power back. We’re not trying to fool anybody. We probably run 95% of our plays to the right. It’s just a downhill power running game.”
 
3. You were ranked in preseason for the first time in history, but you lost your second game to Manchester, a Class A team, albeit it a good one. What happened in that game and in the early part of the season? “COVID hit us. I’m not taking anything away from Manchester. They lined up and whipped us. But it took us a few weeks to get everybody healthy. We weren’t playing great football early. Once we got out of that cycle, we started playing better. Getting whipped can make you better, too. We refocused and went back to some basic football. We had a really good comeback win at Elbert County [on Oct. 1]. We were behind 21-7 at halftime and came back and won 26-21. Then we played Callaway [in the Region 5-2A opener]. Everybody said beating Callaway [in 2020] was a fluke. It was a Tuesday. It was raining. Callaway wasn’t ready to play. We caused four turnovers and faked a field goal and scored, all that. [Callaway went on to win the Class 2A title while Haralson was upset in the first round.] We sold our kinds on the idea that nobody thought it was real. Then they went out and led [Callaway] 28-0 at halftime [and won 42-14]. It was a validating point because Callaway is always a good team. It showed us that maybe we have a chance to be pretty good. Then we finished the year with some nice wins against Heard County and Bremen, teams we traditionally haven’t done well against.”
 
4. What attracted you to the job five years ago, and what might’ve held the program back in previous seasons? “A friend of mine, Dr. Jerry Bell, became the superintendent. That was the first thing that drew me to the job. He was raised here, went to school here, played football here. I knew he’d do whatever it took to be better. The principal is also from here. There were people in place that really wanted the school to be successful. I was head coach here before [2002-04], and we were not very good. We used to be a Class 4A school. We were in 3A for a while, usually against LaGrange and Carrollton and Cartersville. When I came back, we weren’t in a region with them anymore. That’s what happened that turned it around. We were in a region where we could compete in 3A, but it was still hard to compete at the state level. Now, we’re in 2A. All of our athletics have been good lately. Our wrestling team was region champions. Our baseball team made the third round of state. Our girls softball team had a really good team a year ago. We’re building a 5,000-square foot weight room right now. They’ve also allowed me to hire an entire staff. I don’t think anybody’s made that investment before.”
 
Since 1997. … GPB Sports is the television home to the GHSA football state championships, as well as the weekly regular-season games on Football Fridays in Georgia and football playoffs. Coverage is also carried live online at GPB.org. GPB - Bringing You The Best.
First-round upsets
Seventeen of the 124 first-round games were upsets, according to the computer Maxwell Ratings. Here are those, with their projected margins.
 
Class 7A
Norcross (-4) d. Cherokee
Walton (-4) d. Colquitt Co.
 
Class 6A
Douglas Co. (-19) d. Riverwood
Evans (-15) d. Houston Co.
Johns Creek (-8) d. Rome
Lovejoy (-2) d. Richmond Hill
Shiloh (-9) d. Allatoona

Class 5A
Harris Co. (-10) d. Dutchtown
 
Class 4A
Hapeville Charter (-28) d. Jefferson
LaGrange (-19) d. Baldwin
 
Class 3A
Dawson Co. (-15) d. Sandy Creek
Stephens Co. (-7) d. Rockmart
 
Class 2A
Columbia (-7) d. Elbert Co.
 
Class A Private
Brookstone (-2) d. Whitefield Academy
Sav. Country Day (-11) d. Stratford Acad.
 
Class A Public
Turner Co. (-3) d. Dublin
Warren Co. (-31) d. Chattahoochee Co.
Warner Robins is playing at Cartersville this week in a rematch of the 2020 Class 5A championship game, won by Warner Robins. A similar thing happened last year. Which 2019 finalists played a rematch of their championship in the 2020 second round? Hint: It took place in Class A Public.
 
Answer to Friday’s question: Calhoun has the second-longest active streak of first-round victories with 21. Buford is first with 23.
 
Jostens is the leading provider of yearbooks, caps and gowns, class rings and championship rings and is the Official Championship Ring of the GHSA. Click here to learn more.
Class 7A
First round
Marietta 28, Tift Co. 14
Milton 45, Duluth 14
Mill Creek 49, West Forsyth 20
McEachern 34, South Gwinnett 28
Walton 41, Colquitt Co. 17
Archer 46, Alpharetta 7
North Gwinnett 29, South Forsyth 15
Brookwood 56, Newnan 7
Grayson 48, East Coweta 14
Denmark 23, Mountain View 20
Roswell 52, Meadowcreek 8
North Cobb 44, Camden Co. 6
Pebblebrook 44, Parkview 41
Collins Hill 56, Lambert 13
Norcross 28, Cherokee 21
Lowndes 45, Harrison 35
 
Second round
Marietta at Milton
Mill Creek at McEachern
Walton at Archer
North Gwinnett at Brookwood
Grayson at Denmark
Roswell at North Cobb
Pebblebrook at Collins Hill
Norcross at Lowndes
 
Class 6A
First round
Evans 19, Houston Co. 10
Johns Creek 31, Rome 27
Dacula 36, Pope 12
Brunswick 60, Tucker 26
Northside, W.R. 35, Lakeside, Evans 3
Douglas Co. 24, Riverwood 17
Shiloh 19, Allatoona 14
Hughes 42, Glynn Academy 14
Westlake 45, Effingham Co. 3
Kennesaw Mountain 49, Lanier 21
Carrollton 47, Creekview 28
Alcovy bye
Lovejoy 19, Richmond Hill 14
Buford 38, Kell 14
Cambridge 50, South Paulding 29
Lee Co. 59, Grovetown 12
 
Second round
Johns Creek at Evans
Dacula at Brunswick
Douglas Co. at Northside, Warner Robins
Shiloh at Hughes
Westlake at Kennesaw Mountain
Carrollton at Alcovy
Lovejoy at Buford
Cambridge at Lee Co.
 
Class 5A
First round
Creekside 28, Coffee 18
St. Pius 42, Cass 9
Lithia Springs 30, Apalachee 27
Whitewater 19, Ola 16
Warner Robins 64, Jonesboro 20
Cartersville 51, Lithonia 0
Eastside 41, New Manchester 35
Jones Co. 56, Griffin 42
Harris Co. 56, Dutchtown 35
Villa Rica 42, Jackson Co. 14
Blessed Trinity 41, Southwest DeKalb 20
Woodward Academy 48, Veterans 14
Starr’s Mill 34, Union Grove 25
Clarke Central 46, Jackson, Atlanta 6
Calhoun 35, Decatur 21
Ware Co. 42, Banneker 28
 
Second round
Creekside at St. Pius
Lithia Springs at Whitewater
Warner Robins at Cartersville
Eastside at Jones Co.
Harris Co. at Villa Rica
Blessed Trinity at Woodward Academy
Starr’s Mill at Clarke Central
Calhoun at Ware Co.
 
Class 4A
First round
Dougherty 44, Jenkins 17
Riverdale 49, Central, Carrollton 28
Hapeville Charter 12, Jefferson 10
Carver, Columbus 22, West Laurens 7
Cairo 33, New Hampstead 31
Cedartown 55, Hampton 14
Flowery Branch 33, Mays 28
Perry 31, Hardaway 12
LaGrange 19, Baldwin 0
Marist 49, Cedar Shoals 7
Luella 20, Heritage, Ringgold 13
Benedictine 59, Thomas Co. Central 0
Spalding 10, Troup 3
North Oconee 56, Miller Grove 21
Northwest Whitfield 36, Fayette Co. 33
Bainbridge 42, Islands 0

Second round
Dougherty at Riverdale
Hapeville Charter at Carver, Columbus
Cairo at Cedartown
Flowery Branch at Perry
LaGrange at Marist
Luella at Benedictine
Spalding at North Oconee
Northwest Whitfield at Bainbridge
 
Class 3A
First round
Southeast Bulloch 42, Long Co. 16
Cedar Grove 79, White Co. 0
Oconee Co. 29, Adairsville 22
Crisp Co. 41, Harlem 0
Appling Co. 42, Johnson, Savannah 8
Cherokee Bluff 38, GAC 17
Ringgold 30, Hart Co. 21
Thomson 21, Jackson 20
Burke Co. 48, Mary Persons 21
Stephens Co. 27, Rockmart 13
Carver, Atlanta 56, North Hall 17
Liberty Co. 30, Brantley Co. 28
Peach Co. 42, Morgan Co. 3
Monroe Area 58, North Murray 14
Dawson Co. 36, Sandy Creek 27
Pierce Co. 42, Windsor Forest 0
 
Second round
Southeast Bulloch at Cedar Grove
Oconee Co. at Crisp Co.
Appling Co. at Cherokee Bluff
Ringgold at Thomson
Stephens Co. at Burke Co.
Carver, Atlanta at Liberty Co.
Peach Co. at Monroe Area
Dawson Co. at Pierce Co.
 
Class 2A
First round
Northeast 42, Cook 22
Haralson Co. 34, Chattooga 7
Columbia 26, Elbert Co. 14
Swainsboro 48, Laney 6
Fitzgerald 15, Dodge Co. 6
Fannin Co. 45, Bremen 14
Lovett 28, Union Co.
Putnam Co. 62, East Laurens 7
Westside-Augusta 23, Vidalia 21
South Atlanta 46, Banks Co. 12
Callaway 29, Pepperell 22
Bleckley Co. 20, Early Co. 16
Jeff Davis 40, Jefferson Co. 0
Rabun Co. 63, Pace Academy 14
Heard Co. 32, Dade Co. 27
Thomasville 42, Washington Co. 7
 
Second round
Northeast at Haralson Co.
Columbia at Swainsboro
Fitzgerald at Fannin Co.
Lovett at Putnam Co.
Westside-Augusta at South Atlanta
Callaway at Bleckley Co.
Jeff Davis at Rabun Co.
Heard Co. at Thomasville
 
Class A Private
First round
Sav. Country Day 21, Stratford Acad. 19
Holy Innocents, 32, North Cobb Christ. 0
Athens Academy 27, Mt. Pisgah Christ. 21
ELCA d. Heritage, Newnan, forfeit
Tattnall Square 28, Savannah Christ. 21
Darlington 42, Hebron Christian 17
Athens Christian 42, St. Francis 39
Trinity Christian bye
Pacelli 28, Landmark Christian 14
Fellowship Christian 42, George Walton 7
Wesleyan 21, Christian Heritage 14
Calvary Day 49, Mount de Sales 7
Brookstone 14, Whitefield Academy 10
Prince Avenue d. King’s Ridge, forfeit
Mount Vernon 14, Mount Paran Christ. 7
First Presbyterian 21, Aquinas 14
 
Second round
Savannah Country Day at Holy Innocents’
Athens Academy at ELCA
Tattnall Square at Darlington
Athens Christian at Trinity Christian
Pacelli at Fellowship Christian
Wesleyan at Calvary Day
Brookstone at Prince Avenue Christian
Mount Vernon at First Presbyterian
 
Class A Public
First round
Emanuel Co. Institute 48, Terrell Co. 12
Macon Co. 35, Crawford Co. 0
Lincoln Co. 36, Mount Zion, Carroll 0
Irwin Co. 35, Johnson Co. 7
McIntosh Co. Academy 32, Mitchell Co. 6
Manchester 20, Georgia Military 8
Trion 55, Social Circle 21
Wilcox Co. 36, Charlton Co. 26
Turner Co. 38, Dublin 36
Bowdon 35, Commerce 0
Schley Co. 50, ACE Charter 10
Metter 42, Seminole Co. 14
Brooks Co. 49, Montgomery Co. 13
Washington-Wilkes 28, Gordon Lee 7
Warren Co. 42, Chattahoochee Co. 7
Pelham 3, Screven Co. 0
 
Second round
Emanuel Co. Institute at Macon Co.
Lincoln Co. at Irwin Co.
Manchester at McIntosh Co. Academy
Trion at Wilcox Co.
Turner Co. at Bowdon
Schley Co. at Metter
Brooks Co. at Washington-Wilkes
Warren Co. at Pelham

The GACA is excited to host the GACA All Star Football Classic 2021. Please nominate a senior (Class of 2022), junior (2023) or sophomore (2024) to be considered for the Classic or the GACA All State team. Click here to nominate players.
GPSA helps students grow in athletics, education and life skills
Georgia Storm Prep Academy, named for owner and head coach Storm Johnson (a former UCF standout and NFL running back), is a pre- and post-graduate football program. The program includes a complete academic program with NCAA approved classes, athletic training and competitions against other Prep programs and JUCOs to gain additional exposure. We will provide the best opportunity for student-athletes to grow and mature within athletics, education, and life skills while in attendance. For information, call 678-346-8144 or contact us via email by clicking here.
 
Fundraise from anywhere with Double Good virtual app
The Double Good virtual app provides an excellent way to stay focused on your team while providing the funds you need to participate at the highest level. Our platform is 100% contactless, and our popcorn ships directly to your supporters. You could have results like these football programs which profited: Eastside - $26,000; East Coweta - $27,000; Milton - $25,000; Westlake - $39,000; and Woodstock - $24,000. For more information or to get started, contact Westlake head coach Robert May via email by clicking here.
 
Let’s build your financial game plan
At Thrivent, we believe everyone deserves a financial plan. But money can seem complicated and life gets busy, especially during football season. I know this first-hand, as a financial advisor who is also blessed to coach high school football in this state. Whether it’s investment guidance, budgeting, life insurance, debt management or retirement planning, I can help. Please reach out with any questions or needs. Have a great season! Contact Andrew Frerking by phone at 404-772-0909, via email by clicking here, or on the web at www.thrivent.com.

Register for Southeast, Kicking, Punting and Snapping Competition
Be a part of the Southeast Kicking, Punting and Snapping Competition to be held Dec. 12 at Mount Pisgah Christian School. Participants will compete against other top kickers, snappers and punters and get a chance improve their skills to become an All-State kicker, punter or snapper. Winners will get honored at the Georgia Kicking Punting and Snapping Awards. Each participant will also be placed into our ranking system based on their performance at the competition to assist them with college recruiting. Contact Cedric Oglesby via email by clicking here if you have questions. Click here to register.
 
New sports fiction book geared toward teen athlete readers
Mike Tierney, a former longtime sports editor and writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, has drawn from his experiences as a basketball coach in the Decatur school system to write the sports teen fiction book "Perfect To A Fault" about a high school player who goes through an entire season without missing a shot. Mike now coaches at Notre Dame High in the Los Angeles area, where he briefly worked with Ziaire Williams, the No. 10 pick in the NBA draft. Order the book by clicking here.
 
'Nobles Strong' out in paperback
Jon Nelson followed the story of the Irwin County Indians' 2019 season for GPB Sports and the chronicling of the eventual Single-A Champs is now in book form. Head Coach Buddy Nobles was given a cancer diagnosis before the season started. An entire community - on the field and off - united with the Nobles family and the Indians for a season no one touched by the story would ever forget. Order the book by clicking here.
 
Southeast Georgia Football Recruiting Fair hosted by FCA on Dec. 7
The 2021 Southeast Georgia Football Recruiting Fair hosted by FCA will be held Dec. 7 (8 a.m.-1 p.m.) at Camden County High School in Kingsland, Ga. Free to high school coaches and college recruiters. To reserve your spot, contact Suzie Tippins via email by clicking here. RSVP requested by Dec. 1.
 
Jasper County/Monticello taking applications for head football coach
Jasper County/Monticello High School in Jasper County, Ga., is currently seeking qualified applicants for the position of head varsity football coach. Multiple teaching positions are available. Individuals interested in applying for the position may submit a letter and resume to superintendent Kenny Garland via email by clicking here. Deadline for submission is 5 p.m. on Dec. 3, 2021.
 
McIntosh seeks head football coach
McIntosh High School, located in Peachtree City, Ga., is currently seeking qualified applicants for the position of head varsity football coach. The teaching vacancy is in physical education/health. Interested individuals can apply at www.fcboe.org. In addition, please submit a letter of interest and resume to athletic director Leon Hammond via email by clicking here.
GHSF Daily classified ads
Reach 23,500 readers per day in GHSF Daily’s classified ads. Rates are $50 per week. Ads must be a maximum of 75 words and include a headline and contact information. Click here to contact us.
About Us
Georgia High School Football Daily is a free e-mail newsletter produced and owned by Todd Holcomb and Chip Saye. Holcomb is a former lead high school football writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and co-founder of the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. Saye is a 35-year veteran of the newspaper industry who has covered high school sports for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Athens Banner-Herald, Anderson (S.C.) Independent-Mail and Gwinnett Daily News.