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Class AAAAA
Colquitt County at Camden County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Chris Gilman Stadium, Kingsland
Records, rankings: Colquitt County is 10-2, the No. 2 seed from Region 1-AAAAA and ranked No. 10; Camden County is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from 3-AAAAA and ranked No. 1.
Last meeting: Camden County won 19-10 in the 2009 Class AAAAA semifinals.
Three things to know: 1. Camden County historically is a running team, but its passing efficiency has been outstanding this season with junior QB Brice Ramsey, who has committed to Georgia. Ramsey is 74-of-117 passing (63.2 percent) for 1,215 yards and 16 touchdowns against one interception. 2. Colquitt County's defense is greatly improved under first-year defensive coordinator Travis Pearson. Colquitt is allowing 12.4 points per game, and no opponent has scored more than 21 points in regulation. In 2010, Colquitt allowed 30.5 points per game and gave up more than 21 points 11 times. 3. Colquitt County is 7-1 in road playoff games under Rush Propst, who was hired in 2008. The only loss was to Camden County in the 2009 semifinals. Camden leads the series between these south Georgia schools 4-3.
Winner plays: West Forsyth/Grayson winner
West Forsyth at Grayson
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Grayson Community Stadium, Grayson
Records, rankings: West Forsyth is 11-1, the No. 2 seed from Region 6-AAAAA and unranked; Grayson is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from 8-AAAAA and ranked No. 2.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. West Forsyth upset No. 4-ranked Hillgrove 40-26 in the second round. Running backs Blake Roberts (111) and Jake Wieczorek (106) each rushed for more than 100 yards, while West Forsyth's defense held Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super 11 running back Kenyan Drake to 39 yards on 19 carries. 2. With nine juniors among its top 10 tacklers, including all-state DT Robert Nkemdiche, Grayson's defense is allowing 30.4 yards rushing per game. The most rushing yards Grayson has allowed in a game is 89 by Brookwood. 3. Grayson has reached the quarterfinals for the fifth consecutive season, the longest streak of any Class AAAAA school. Only five teams in any class have made the past five quarterfinals. West Forsyth, a 5-year-old school, had not won a playoff game until this year.
Winner plays: Colquitt County/Camden County winner
Lassiter at M.L. King
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Hallford Stadium, Clarkston
Records, rankings: Lassiter is 9-3, the No. 4 seed from Region 5-AAAAA and ranked; M.L. King is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from 2-AAAAA and ranked No. 3.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. These teams have the most prolific quarterbacks among Class AAAAA's quarterfinalists. Eddie Printz of Lassiter is 220-of-331 passing for 2,736 yards and 25 touchdowns with six interceptions. Jonquel Dawson of M.L. King is 186-of-314 passing for 2,891 yards and 35 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. 2. M.L. King won its second-round game with a 27-21 victory in overtime against defending Class AAAAA champion Brookwood. The key moment was a 31-yard TD pass from Dawson to Carnell Boyd on the final play of regulation. 3. The key plays in Lassiter's 20-17 victory over McEachern were a dropped punt by McEachern and a fourth-down pass from Printz to Charlie Hegedus that kept alive the drive that made it 20-10 with 9:52 left. McEachern never had the ball with a chance to take the lead after that.
Winner plays: Dacula/Walton winner
Dacula at Walton
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Raider Valley, Marietta
Records, rankings: Dacula is 9-3, the No. 2 seed from Region 8-AAAAA and unranked; Walton is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from 5-AAAAA and ranked No. 5.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Walton RB Tyren Jones has scored 10 touchdowns in his two playoff games, victories over Milton and South Cobb. He has rushed for 1,970 yards, the most in Class AAAAA, and scored 34 touchdowns. 2. Dacula's Rocky Capobianco has rushed for 1,385 yards. He typically starts at running back but plays quarterback a third or more of the time. He also starts on defense at strong safety. 3. Walton DB Zach Blaylock has returned five of eight interceptions for touchdowns, three for longer than 80 yards.
Winner plays: Lassiter/M.L. King winner
Class AAAA
Warner Robins at East Paulding
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, The Boneyard, Dallas
Records, rankings: Warner Robins is 10-2, the No. 2 seed from Region 1-AAAA and ranked No. 7; East Paulding is 11-1, the No. 2 seed from 5-AAAA and ranked No. 8.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Warner Robins took control early against defending state champion Chattahoochee in its 20-6 victory last week. The Demons, who won just two games last season, outgained Chattahoochee 265-37 in the first half, according to the Macon Telegraph. 2. East Paulding has been winning with defense, holding opponents to 7.9 points per game, the second-best total in Class AAAA. The Raiders have held eight of their 12 opponents to a touchdown or less. 3. East Paulding quarterback Mitchell Webb, who missed three weeks with a broken hand, returned last week and passed for 195 yards and four touchdowns in the Raiders' 27-21 victory over previously unbeaten Northgate. Andrej Suttles caught six passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner with less than four minutes to play.
Winner plays: Ware County/Lovejoy winner
Ware County at Lovejoy
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Twelve Oaks Stadium, Lovejoy
Records, rankings: Ware County is 10-2, the No. 2 seed from Region 2-AAAA and unranked; Lovejoy is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from 4-AAAA and ranked No. 5.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. This game matches the two-lowest scoring offenses of the eight teams remaining. Ware County ranks seventh at 31.8 points per game, followed by Lovejoy at 31.1. 2. Lovejoy has the top-ranked defense in Class AAAA, allowing an average of 3.8 points per game. That defense came up big with four takeaways in a 15-10 victory over Kell last week. Eugene Fuller returned a fumble 39 yards for the winning touchdown with 9:27 remaining. Jermaine Hill had two big interceptions, one which stopped a long Kell drive and another which set up a Lovejoy touchdown. 3. Ware County QB Josh Bennett and RB Xavier Tobler had short touchdown runs, and they teamed up for a 22-yard TD pass in the Gators' 24-3 victory over Heritage of Conyers in the second round. Ware County is in the quarterfinals for the third time in five seasons, while Lovejoy is making its first appearance.
Winner plays: Warner Robins/East Paulding winner
Flowery Branch at Tucker
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Adams Stadium, Atlanta
Records, rankings: Flowery Branch is 11-1, the No. 3 seed from Region 8-AAAA and unranked; Tucker is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from 6-AAAA and ranked No. 1.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: Tucker and Flowery Branch have the highest-scoring offenses in Class AAAA. Tucker is ranked No. 1 with 47.6 points per game, followed by Flowery Branch at 45.8. 2. Tucker took advantage of a Griffin fumble on the opening kickoff, a short punt after the Bears' second possession and another Griffin fumble to take a 21-0 lead in the first quarter of a 46-0 victory in the second round. Tucker has held eight of its past nine opponents to one touchdown or less. 3. Tucker coach Franklin Stephens is 61-6 in five seasons at the DeKalb County school and is taking his team to the quarterfinals for the fourth time. Lee Shaw, the only coach in Flowery Branch's history, is 79-40 in 12 years at the school and has the Falcons in the quarterfinals for the fourth time.
Winner plays: Tri-Cities/Northside-Warner Robins winner
Tri-Cities at Northside (Warner Robins)
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, McConnell-Talbert Stadium, Warner Robins
Records, rankings: Tri-Cities is 10-2, the No. 3 seed from Region 4-AAAA and unranked; Northside is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from 1-AAAA and ranked No. 2.
Last meeting: This is the teams' first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. Tri-Cities is the most unlikely of all the Class AAAA quarterfinalists. The school, which opened in 1988, had never won a playoff game and had only four winning seasons before this year. The Bulldogs advanced with a 35-0 victory over Region 5-AAAA champ Pope last week in which they held the Greyhounds to 58 yards of total offense. 2. Northside fell behind Clarke Central 7-0 in the second round but dominated the rest of the way in a 48-14 victory. Northside rushed for 347 yards while holding Clarke Central to 68, according to the Athens Banner-Herald. Clarke Central RB Quenshaun Watson was limited to 25 yards on 19 attempts. 3. Northside has won 10 or more games for a state-record 14 consecutive seasons. The Eagles are 168-17 in that span, with Class AAAA championships in 2006 and 2007.
Winner plays: Flowery Branch/Tucker winner
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