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Class AAAAAA
Marietta at Lovejoy
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Twelve Oaks Stadium, Hampton
Records, rankings: Marietta is 8-3, the No. 3 seed from Region 4-AAAAAA and unranked; Lovejoy is 10-1, the No. 1 seed from 2-AAAAAA and ranked No. 7.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Marietta QB Anthony Jennings, who has committed to LSU, threw three TD passes and scored on an 88-yard run that gave Marietta a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter of the Blue Devils' 30-27 upset of sixth-ranked Lowndes last week. Lowndes had been 17-1 in home playoff games under coach Randy McPherson. 2. Lovejoy RB Travis Custis, who has committed to Georgia Tech, scored four touchdowns in a 51-13 victory over Tri-Cities in the first round. 3. Marietta has not made the third round of the playoffs since 1994, Dexter Wood's last season as Marietta's coach. Lovejoy had never made the third round until 2011, when the Wildcats reached the Class AAAA final. Lovejoy could become the first Clayton County school to make the quarterfinals in the highest class since Mount Zion in 2000.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Lovejoy by 9
Winner plays: North Gwinnett/Grayson winner
North Gwinnett at Grayson
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Grayson Community Stadium, Grayson
Records, rankings: North Gwinnett is 10-1, the No. 2 seed from Region 7-AAAAAA and ranked No. 4; Grayson is 10-1, the No. 1 seed from 8-AAAAAA and ranked No. 3.
Last meeting: Grayson won 23-19 in the second round of the 2010 Class AAAAA playoffs.
Three things to know: 1. North Gwinnett threw six TD passes - four by Michael Haynes (17-of-19 passing, 248 yards) and two by Hayden Sphire (4-6, 35) - in a 49-19 victory over Johns Creek last week. 2. Grayson RB Wayne Gallman scored three touchdowns in the first quarter, after which Grayson led 28-6, in last week's 49-9 victory over Wheeler. Grayson has won eight consecutive games, with three wins over playoff teams, by an average score of 48-7 since a Sept. 14 loss to Parkview. 3. Grayson is bidding to become only the fourth school to reach six straight quarterfinals in the highest classification. Parkview (1996-2005) was the most recent. During that time (2007-12), Grayson leads Gwinnett County in victories with a 70-10 record. North Gwinnett leads Gwinnett in victories going back to 2006, coach Bob Sphire's first season, at 77-12.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Grayson by 8
Winner plays: Marietta/Lovejoy winner
North Cobb at Hughes
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Langston Hughes Stadium, Fairburn
Records, rankings: North Cobb is 9-2, the No. 2 seed from Region 4-AAAAAA and unranked; Hughes is 10-1, the No. 1 seed from 3-AAAAAA and unranked.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. North Cobb won its first playoff game since 1979 (and first state playoff game since 1959) in the 42-14 rout of Valdosta last week. QB Tyler Queen rushed for 157 yards, and North Cobb intercepted five passes. 2. Hughes led only 9-3 at halftime against Rockdale County (3-8) last week but won 37-3 as QB Kinan Humphrey came off the bench and threw two TD passes. Hughes, in its fourth season, has won its first playoff game and first region title this season. 3. North Cobb has not scored fewer than 26 points in a game and is one of five playoff teams averaging more than 40 points (40.7) . Hughes has not allowed more than two touchdowns in a game and is one of four that is allowing fewer than 12 points (8.6).
Maxwell Ratings' projection: North Cobb by 11
Winner plays: Brookwood/Mill Creek winner
Brookwood at Mill Creek
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Mill Creek Community Stadium, Hochston
Records, rankings: Brookwood is 7-4, the No. 4 seed from Region 8-AAAAAA and unranked; Mill Creek is 8-3, the No. 3 seed from 7-AAAAAA and unranked.
Last meeting: Brookwood won 31-21 on Sept. 7 in the regular season.
Three things to know: 1. Mill Creek PK Bryson King made a 25-yard field goal with seven seconds left in the 41-39 victory over Alpharetta last week. RB Jacorey Lewis rushed for 335 yards and three touchdowns on 37 carries. 2. Brookwood beat No. 1-ranked Lassiter 24-21 in overtime last week after trailing 21-0. Zach Moon threw a 5-yard TD pass to Ky Priester with eight seconds left in regulation. Colin Cotter intercepted a pass on Lassiter's overtime possession. Brandon Morrow kicked a 32-yard field goal to win it. 3. Brookwood has won 43 playoff games and two state titles in its history. The other three teams in Brookwood's quarter of the draw (including North Cobb and Hughes) have won seven playoff games among them and no state titles.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Mill Creek by 2
Winner plays: North Cobb/Hughes winner
East Coweta at Camden County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Chris Gilman Stadium, Kingsland
Records, rankings: East Coweta is 5-6, the No. 3 seed from Region 3-AAAAAA and unranked; Camden County is 10-1, the No. 1 seed from 1-AAAAAA and ranked No. 5.
Last meeting: Camden County won 21-3 in the second round of the 2007 Class AAAAA playoffs.
Three things to know: 1. These schools have been the most reliable playoff qualifiers in the highest classification for more than a decade. East Coweta most recently missed the playoffs in 1996. Camden's last miss came in 1988, although Camden didn't join the highest class until 1992. 2. Sophomore RB Antonio Wimbush scored three touchdowns and rushed for 73 yards in Camden's 52-17 victory over Hillgrove last week. Georgia-committed seniors J.J. Green (90 yards rushing) and Brice Ramsey (109 yards passing, 54 rushing) also contributed. 3. East Coweta broke a five-game losing streak in the playoffs with its 25-20 victory over Newton. East Coweta led 25-12 until the final seconds and recovered an on-side kick to preserve it. Junior QB Bryce Gemmell passed for 146 yards and rushed for 68.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Camden County by 34
Winner plays: South Gwinnett/Norcross winner
South Gwinnett at Norcross
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Norcross Stadium, Norcross
Records, rankings: South Gwinnett is 9-2, the No. 2 seed from Region 8-AAAAAA and ranked No. 10; Norcross is 11-0, the No. 1 seed from 7-AAAAAA and ranked No. 2.
Last meeting: Norcross won 35-20 on Aug. 31 in the regular season.
Three things to know: 1. Norcross RB Alvin Kamara, rated the No. 1 running back prospect in Georgia by some, rushed for 179 yards and scored three touchdowns in the 34-7 victory over Chattahoochee last week. With the upset to No. 1 Lassiter, Norcross enters the second round as the highest-ranked and only unbeaten team in the AAAAAA draw. 2. South Gwinnett led 27-10 at halftime in its 27-20 victory over Milton last week. South Gwinnet had only 29 yards rushing and 18:39 in possession time, but QB Jordan Ramey was 13-of-18 passing for 243 yards with an 80-yard TD pass to Coray Keel. 3. These Gwinnett schools first played each other in 1957, when Norcross was known as West Gwinnett High and South Gwinnett had just opened as the merger of Snellville and Grayson high schools. Norcross leads the series 11-6. They've never played in the playoffs.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Norcross by 15
Winner plays: East Coweta/Camden County winner
Colquitt County at Newnan
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Drake Stadium, Newnan
Records, rankings: Colquitt County is 8-3, the No. 4 seed from Region 1-AAAAAA and ranked No. 9; Newnan is 9-2, the No. 2 seed from 3-AAAAAA and unranked.
Last meeting: Newnan won 21-14 in the first round of the 2003 Class AAAAA playoffs.
Three things to know: 1. QB Cole Segraves, who status as the starter was questioned after a loss to Valdosta, threw for a school-record-tying 354 yards on 22-of-27 passing in a 30-28 victory over McEachern last week. That's after rushing for 164 yards in the upset of then-No. 1 Camden County the week before. 2. Newnan QB Bailey Bryant was 9-of-10 passing for 117 yards in the 38-0 victory over Alcovy but did not return after a suffering a shoulder injury in the third quarter. Only Newnan, Grayson, North Gwinnett and Camden County have made the round of 16 five consecutive times in the highest classification. 3. Colquitt County is 9-2 on the road (not counting neutral sites) in the playoffs in five seasons under Rush Propst. In that time, Colquitt has won at Stephenson, M.L. King, Lassiter, Camden County, Grayson and North Gwinnett. Flowery Branch is second in road wins in that time at 8-2.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Colquitt County by 17
Winner plays: Parkview/West Forsyth winner
Parkview at West Forsyth
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, The Wolverine Den, Cumming
Records, rankings: Parkview is 8-3, the No. 3 seed from Region 8-AAAAAA and unranked; West Forsyth is 10-1, the No. 1 seed from 6-AAAAAA and ranked No. 8.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Parkview was missing 1,000-yard rusher Chris Carson in its double-overtime 20-17 victory over Walton last week but got good efforts from Shaq Vereen (17 carries, 98 yards, one touchdown) and Justis Rosser (17-91-2). It was Parkview's first playoff victory since 2005. 2. The 107 points scored in West Forsyth's 66-41 victory over Collins Hill are the second-most points scored by two teams in a non-overtime playoff game in the highest classification. Lassiter's 70-49 win over South Gwinnett in 2009 ranks first. West Forsyth RB Jake Wiezcorek rushed for 291 yards and caught a 52-yard pass. 3. West Forsyth ranks second in scoring offense (41.9) and Parkview ranks last (13.6) among remaining AAAAAA playoff teams. Parkview allows only 13.6 points. West Forsyth allows 20.5.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: West Forsyth by 2
Winner plays: Colquitt County/Newnan winner
Class AAAAA
Thomas County Central at Northside
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, McConnell-Talbert Stadium, Warner Robins
Records, rankings: Thomas County Central is 9-2, the No. 2 seed from Region 1-AAAAA and unranked; Northside of Warner Robins is 11-0, the No. 1 seed from 2-AAAAA and ranked No. 1.
Last meeting: Northside won 47-7 in the 2011 regular season.
Three things to know:1. Northside QB Glenn Smith rushed for 90 yards and a touchdown and threw two TD passes in the 41-13 victory over Effingham County last week. The score was 34-0 at halftime. The win improved Northside's record to 34-2 under third-year coach Kevin Kinsler. 2. Thomas Central has won its first-round games the past two seasons in double overtime. In 2011, Central beat undefeated and third-ranked Statesboro 31-28. Last week, it was a 27-24 victory over Creekside. QB Adam Choice rushed for 168 yards and scored the winning touchdown, and Central survived three lost fumbles, one that Creekview returned 88 yards for a tying touchdown in the fourth quarter. 3. Northside has never lost to Thomas Central. Though they are about 150 miles apart, they were members of Region 1-AAAAA the past two seasons, and Northside won their games 47-7 and 34-14. They met in the 2005 second round, and Northside won 14-7.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Northside by 16
Winner plays: North Paulding/Tucker winner
North Paulding at Tucker
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Adams Stadium, Atlanta
Records, rankings: North Paulding is 8-3, the No. 4 seed from Region 5-AAAAA and unranked; Tucker is 9-2, the No. 3 seed from 6-AAAAA and ranked No. 5.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. North Paulding was one of four No. 4 seeds to win last week. They were 4-36. North Paulding beat Flowery Branch 63-43. QB Chase Noonan was 20-of-27 passing for 293 yards and five TD passes as North took a 42-7 halftime lead and won its first playoff game. The 106 points are tied for ninth-most ever by both teams in a GHSA playoff game. 2. Tucker beat Creekview 42-25 in the first round after taking a 35-3 lead in the third quarter. Tucker is a No. 3 seed but gets an unexpected home game this week because of North Paulding's upset of No. 1 seed Flowery Branch. The game will be at Adams Stadium, where Tucker has won 10 consecutive playoff games and is 17-2 in the playoffs since 2000. 3. Both teams have first-year coaches. Tucker's Bryan Lamar took over for Franklin Stephens, who won state titles at Tucker in 2008 and 2011 before moving to Lamar County. North Paulding's Scott Jones took over for Heath Webb, who started the program in 2008. Jones started Kennesaw Mountain's program in 2000 and never won a playoff game in his 10 seasons, but he got one in his first shot at North.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Tucker by 6
Winner plays: Thomas County Central/Northside winner
Union Grove at Ware County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Memorial Stadium, Waycross
Records, rankings: Union Grove is 10-1, the No. 2 seed from Region 4-AAAAA and unranked; Ware County is 10-1, the No. 1 seed from 3-AAAAA and ranked No. 6.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Union Grove RB Derrick Craine rushed for 211 yards and his team's three touchdowns on 37 carries in a 21-14 victory over Bainbridge last week. Craine unofficially has 2,001 rushing yards on the season. He has gone over 200 yards in four of the past five games. Union Grove, a McDonough school that opened in 2000, is 10-1 for the first time. 2. Ware County's 27-7 victory over Lakeside of Evans extended some winning steaks. Ware has won 10 consecutive games overall since a 21-14 loss to Coffee and won six straight first-round playoff games. No other AAAAA school has a longer streak of making the sweet 16. 3. Ware County is 11-3 at home in the playoffs over the past 10 seasons. Ware has won four straight in the playoffs at home, the most recent loss to Northside of Warner Robins in the 2007 Class AAAAA championship game.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Ware County by 13
Winner plays: Stephenson/East Paulding winner
Stephenson at East Paulding
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Raider Stadium/The Boneyard, Dallas
Records, rankings: Stephenson is 8-2, the No. 2 seed from Region 6-AAAAA and ranked No. 9; East Paulding is 11-0, the No. 1 seed from 5-AAAAA and ranked No. 3.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Stephenson beat Pope 31-11 in the first round in a game that was 17-11 in the fourth quarter before Stephenson cashed a fumbled kickoff and intercepted pass into two quick touchdowns. RB Evan Jones rushed for 114 yards and scored two touchdowns. 2. East Paulding beat Clarke Central 31-23 last week and allowed a touchdown with 48 seconds left to make it close. East has two outstanding running backs. RB Kamani Thomas has rushed for 1,549 yards on the season, but Kyler Neal ran for 156 yards against Clarke, his sixth game over 100. 3. Stephenson has never won a road game in the playoffs. All 14 of Stephenson's playoff victories have come at DeKalb County's Hallford Stadium. East Paulding is 6-1 in the playoffs at its home field, the Boneyard. The only loss came last season against Warner Robins in the quarterfinals.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: East Paulding by 17
Winner plays: Union Grove/Ware County winner
Warner Robins at Harris County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tiger Stadium, Hamilton
Records, rankings: Warner Robins is 9-2, the No. 2 seed from Region 2-AAAAA and ranked No. 7; Harris County is 7-4, the No. 1 seed from 1-AAAAA and unranked.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Harris County won its first playoff game in history last week in the 31-14 victory over Northgate. That came a week after Harris upset Thomas County Central and won its first region title. Esias Chapman rushed for 217 yards and four touchdowns. 2. Warner Robins beat Richmond Hill 17-15 last week on Matt Monday's 32-yard field goal with 25 seconds left. RB Danny Hite rushed for 165 yards, and the Demons overcame two Richmond Hill backs who went over 100 yards rushing in Dominique Allen (185) and Davis Katzman (111). 3. The playoff histories of these schools couldn't be more opposite. Harris County is 1-6 in the playoffs and putting on its third home playoff game in history this week. Warner Robins is 53-30 with four state championships, the most recent in 2004.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Warner Robins by 10
Winner plays: Gainesville/Kell winner
Gainesville at Kell
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, C.J. Kell Stadium, Marietta
Records, rankings: Gainesville is 8-3, the No. 2 seed from Region 8-AAAAA and unranked; Kell is 10-1, the No. 1 seed from 7-AAAAA and ranked No. 4.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Gainesville broke its first two-game losing streak in five years with a 41-14 victory over Rome last week. QB Deshaun Watson, who is committed to Clemson, was 25-of-30 passing for 225 yards and four touchdowns. Watson has more than 2,600 yards passing on the season. 2. Matthew McGuigan threw a 32-yard TD pass to Julian Burris with 33 seconds left to give Kell a 19-14 victory over Southwest DeKalb in the first round. Burris was playing his first game since knee surgery. Kell trailed 13-12 when it started the winning drive from its 22-yard line with 3:05 left. 3. Gainesville has lost 12 of its last 13 road games in the playoffs dating to 1987. Gainesville is 17-4 at home during that time, all in the past 11 seasons under coach Brent Miller. Gainesville's last road playoff win came against Cedar Grove in 2004 at Panthersville Stadium, a shared field among DeKalb County schools. Gainesville's last playoff win on an opponent's campus stadium came in 1986 against Stephens County.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Kell by 4
Winner plays: Warner Robins/Harris County winner
Glynn Academy at Whitewater
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Wildcat Stadium, Fayetteville
Records, rankings: Glynn Academy is 8-3, the No. 2 seed from Region 3-AAAAA and unranked; Whitewater is 10-1, the No. 1 seed from 4-AAAAA and unranked.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Glynn Academy got its second playoff victory in 25 years last week, beating Jones County 26-14. The other win came in 2010 against Lovejoy. RB Jonathan Alford rushed for 164 yards and scored all three of Glynn's touchdowns. Jones County RB Undre Williams did not play because of a knee injury and finished the season with 1,863 yards rushing. 2. Whitewater got its first 10-win season in history (opened in 2004) in the 49-7 victory over Lee County. Whitewater scored its seven touchdowns in the first half. RB Kendall Conley had three of them. 3. Glynn Academy is trying to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 1972. Whitewater has never made the quarterfinals, falling a game short in 2007 and 2010.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: Whitewater by 7
Winner plays: Allatoona/M.L. King winner
Allatoona at M.L. King
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Hallford Stadium, Clarkston
Records, rankings: Allatoona is 10-1, the No. 2 seed from Region 5-AAAAA and ranked No. 10; M.L. King is 11-0, the No. 1 seed from 6-AAAAA and ranked No. 2.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. M.L. King QB Roland Rivers, subbing for the injured Monquavious Johnson, passed for 338 yards and four touchdowns in a 34-14 victory over Sequoyah last week. Rivers also scored a touchdown. WR Demarquis Polite-Bray had six catches for 190 yards and two touchdowns. 2. Allatoona won 24-21 in the first round after Heritage of Conyers missed a 42-yard field goal in the final minute. Allatoona trailed 14-0 in the first quarter after giving up an interception-return TD, but QB Jeremy Uzee came back to throw a TD pass and score a touchdown. 3. Allatoona made the quarterfinals in AAA last season. M.L. King made the quarterfinals in AAAAA (the highest classification). Each wound up in what is now the second-highest classification, AAAAA, after reclassification. Allatoona is actually a significantly larger school based on the GHSA's enrollment numbers in grades 10-12 used to classify the schools. Allatoona's figure was 1,426, tied with North Paulding for largest in AAAAA. M.L. King ranked 50th with 1,194.
Maxwell Ratings' projection: M.L. King by 8
Winner plays: Glynn Academy/Whitewater winner
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