Week two of GA HS STATE PLAYOFFS

Well week one certainly didn't go how I thought it might. (And UGA's basketball team certainly isn't as good as I thought it would be. That might have to do with Thompkins being out. But I think it has more to do with Dennis Felton as coach...Back to GA HS football!)
My Sunday cohost on ScoreAtlanta's Scoreboard Final IJ Rosenberg noted that the Woodstock upset of Walton wasn't that big of an upset, and I guess I have to agree. I didn't realize that Michael Boydston wouldn't play and without MB back there Ray Rayburn just wasn't able to make anything happen. Oh well. Now the Wolverines get the Norcross Blue Devils. Norcross eeked one out against Parkview and I think the talent should overwhelm Woodystock. That would set up the potential for a rematch in the quarterfinals against Camden.....If Camden can get past Northside-Warner Robins. WOW #2 v #3 in the second round? This game is two of the top 4 teams IN THE STATE against each other. WOW. I picked NWR to win it all, so I am sticking with them. I am not certain the Camden Co offense has seen the likes of Abry Jones and Eric Fields just yet. ANd Joe Scott does JUST enough to beat Camden.

Lassiter "upset" Etowah in not much of an upset IMO and will now face Michael Tamburo. Chip Lindsey's Trojans should be able to go up and down the field on the NGHS Bulldogs, but I think Tyler Jarry will be the difference in this game. Kudos to Michael Tamburo though for picking Boise State. We WILL be seeing this guy in a Fiesta Bowl against probably Oklahoma in 2012.
Newnan should have NO trouble with Tift Co, but Kudos to Tift Co for helping make my prediction of all Region2 schools going one-and-done.
Otherwise Ptree Ridge squares off against a Banged up Robbie Godhigh and Harrison (advantage:PT-R)
Finally Grayson faces EPHS and IF they can win that one, CONGRATS you get Lowndes.

ClassAAAA offered ZERO surprises except that Statesboro KEEPS winning. I thought the STBHS was done without its senior QB, but I was wrong. Maybe. I imagine it wins v North Clayton before falling to Sandy Creek. Sandy Creek though must survive Rome (which it probably will do, but imagine if Braxton Lane were playing...)
Elsewhere, just one more week until Tucker v Westside-Macon. How about this weekend though, Sequoyah @ Marist. Should be a really great game and is the GPB.org/football game of the week. I am not doing that game, but I really feel I should be. That's OK.

Class AAA, well let's go to GPB.org/football's AAA beat writer, FLETCHER PROCTOR
The powers of Class AAA football flexed their collective muscles the first weekend of the 2008 state playoffs. ScoreAtl/GPB’s No.1 Cairo trounced Troup 48-0 as the Syrupmakers held Troup to just one first down the entire game while rolling up over 400 offensive yards, including 347 on the ground. Ronnie Wooten ended any hope of a Troup miracle comeback in the third with a game-breaking touchdown. Cairo will face Burke County in the second round, after Burke annihilated Mary Persons. Defending AAA champ Carver-Columbus received two touchdown runs from Isaiah Crowell en route to a 28-0 blanking of Crisp County. Baldwin, meanwhile knocked off Region 4’s No.4 seeded Eagles Landing 28-3. In the night’s only real upset, Donovan Tate tallied three total touchdowns on 290 total yards of offense as Cartersville eeked past St. Pius X 34-31. Cole Moon rushed for 99 yards and two scores in the loss. The team that beat St. Pius last week continued its run. Dunwoody cruised past Central Carroll 24-7. The night’s most outstanding player had to be Flowery Branch’s Connor Shaw. The Falcons QB threw for five scores and 296 yards and also ran one in as Flowery Branch picked up a win at the Reservation over Stephens County.
as for this week.........
As round two of the Class AAA playoffs nears, the favorites must be focused on the game at hand and not look down the road. Baldwin and Corrico Hawkins will face a Shaw squad that, despite a losing record, is still dangerous. Shaw knocked off Peach County on the road and has been tested over the season against top notch competition. Meanwhile the Flowery Branch must get off the field against Ridgeland otherwise Connor Shaw and the Falcon offense might not get a chance to pour points onto the scoreboard. Another performance like the one it gave against Stephens County and the Region 7 #3 will be sent home. Dunwoody did enough to advance against Central-Carroll but now faces North Hall, who squeezed out a one point win against Hart County.
The marquee matchup of the week will be Cartersville at Gainesville. Donovan Tate’s three scores helped upset St. Pius X in the biggest upset of round one, but Gainesville’s QB is nothing at which to sneeze. The Red Elephants, behind its leader Blake Sims pulled away from Oconee County in the second half en route to a 49-21 win. The Sims/Tate battle could be the best of the entire postseason.
Thanks Fletcher.

Class AA, is going to be ALL BUFORD, once again while Dublin looks to advance to have the chance to face Buford next week. Let's hope it happens. Come on Rashard Smith! In Class A, ECI won and will win it all. I am going to save my breath.

Hey, as a bonus, here's a look at the remaining Gwinnett County Schools with Score Atlanta's Fletcher Proctor's indepth look.
In what could only be described as a wild first Friday night of playoffs, most of the Gwinnett County powers flexed their muscles and avoided the upset bug. North Gwinnett defeated Brookwood by a 34-10 whipping. The win, coupled with a Lassiter upset of Etowah means that the Bulldogs will host Lassiter in the second round. Bulldog QB Michael Tamburo threw for 194 yards and one score, while running for 98 more yards and four scores. Tyler Jarry will also be licking his chops at the chance to run at home against the visiting Lassiter Trojans.
Peachtree-Ridge shutout Dacula, but the 17-0 win spoke more about the Lions struggles on offense than the power of its defense. Kevin Minter will lay the wood on anyone, and the LSU-bound LB/Safety will look to target Harrison’s Robbie Godhigh in the second round. Lion QB Nick Lombardo must provide this offense with a spark if Peachtree-Ridge wants to make it to the Final Four of the 2008 state playoffs.
The little giant Ean Pemberton was back to his big ways last week as he carried 23 times for 139 yards and two scores in the Rams 31-7 win over Collins Hill. Coach Mickey Conn’s Rams have great balance with Tyler Horne able to run and throw out of the wing-T attack and Horne’s arm was on display with a 50-yard touchdown strike last week. East Paulding, who escaped in 3OTs against Milton, must be wary of the arm of Horne. Look for East Paulding to try and control the clock and keep the Rams offense on the sidelines with a heavy dose of Jahron Brown.
In Class AA, Buford and Lovett both cruised and have potentially set up yet another state final. Cody Getz continues to impress and his two scores Friday on just nine carries show that he is capable of taking one to the house whenever he touches the ball. Storm Johnson is a nice complement to Getz and the QB Michael May should not have trouble finding open receivers against North Oconee’s defense this week. In Class A, Wesleyan was led by Wesley Karenpelis’s 208 yards rushing and four scores and the back won’t slow down this week with Holy Innocents visitng.
In what must be the game of the week featuring a Gwinnett County school, Norcross will host Woodstock, after the Wolverines upset Region 6 champ Walton. The Blue Devils meanwhile pulled off a little upset magic of its own, trumping Parkview at the Jungle 20-17. Look for DJ Adams to continue to pound the ball and dare Woodstock to make Chales King throw the ball. King is capable of showing off his rocket arm and it could be on display this Friday at Norcross. Meanwhile the defense of Norcross, though young should be able to bottle up Wolverine rushers and Price Kent in the defensive secondary can run with any receiver in the state. Norcross can’t look past anyone, but Coach Maloof surely would love to get another shot at Camden in the quarters after losing earlier this season at the Powerade Kell Classic.