I do feel bad about not offering my thoughts on the GHSA playoffs the past two weeks. Duty has been calling. My bad. (Or you could have just tuned in to 790 The Zone the last few Sundays. But I will fall on my sword.)
Let's start in Class AAAAA. I could NOT believe that Lowndes, the #2 team in the COUNTRY fell at Grayson. I have been following Grayson all season and coach Mickey Conn, but for them to pull off that upset (and it WAS) was just unreal. Good for Ean Pemberton. It is just a shame that the team had a letdown game v Peachtree Ridge last Friday and is going home.
But in a related story, Peachtree-Ridge aka Suwanee's school...good for you guys. If I had kids I think I live in the PTR school district, so I feel a bit like a proud papa. (But not really). I was trying to say this to IJ last week, but if you were to rank the last two PTR teams and the last two NGHS teams, I think it goes 07NGHS, 07PTR, 08 NGHS, 08PTR, yet it was the 08 PTR that is playing for the state title. Wow. What are you going to do? But then again, they had BY FAR the easiest bracket to get to the Dome.
Camden smacked Newnan. Can't say I didn't see that one coming. And Camden will beat PTR. Sorry Lions fans. PTR's defense is great, but the offense is just NOT there. Camden will win a 16-9 game.
In Class AAAA, I hate to say that I called it...wait, I Don't mind. Tucker v Marist. Tucker is healthy and will layeth the smack down upon Marist. Don't think Franklin Stephens isn't just drilling that 38-0 score into his players' heads all week. Poor Marist. Tigers win.
For Class AAA, let's get an early look at the GPB program!
Ever since last season’s 16-13 loss to Carver-Columbus in the state finals, the Cairo Syrupmakers have been on a mission: return to that game. The team is now in the game and has a strong chance to win. The team has posted impressive victories this year over Thomas County-Central(28-6), Peach County(16-7), Burke County(41-28) and last week over Carver-Columbus (42-13). In the semi-finals, QB Angelo Pease rushed for 173 yards and two scores and also passed for two touchdowns. Reginald Bryant is one to watch too as he makes it a habit turning in big games (142 yards, 3TDs vs. Crisp County, 116 yards, 3TDs against Perry). Ronnie Wooten can add some dash too (2 TDs against both Dougherty and Thomas County-Central.). This playoff run has seen a Syrupmaker offense that averages 32.5 points go for 40+ three times. The defense, led by Jermyrin Bodiford, has only allowed double digits thrice all season.
Flowery Branch entered the playoffs unranked after losing its final game of the year to Gainesville. First up in the playoffs was Stephens County, a team that knocked off the Falcons 28-25 to open up the season. QB Conner Shaw put to rest any chance Stephens had of a sweep with 296 passing yards and six total TDs in a huge 42-21 victory. Shaw had been doing that all season though(3 TDs vs. West Forsyth, 2TDs vs. East Hall, 2 vs. Johnson). When Shaw wasn’t passing to Izaan Cross, he was handing off to Daniel Drummond. The future Yellow Jacket came up large against LaGrange in the semis with 3TDs in a 28-0 win. Drummond and Shaw have helped lead this offense to 33 points per game. The Falcons have been kings of the road, knocking off a No.2 seed Stehpens County, No.1 Ridgeland, No.1 Baldwin, No.2 LaGrange, all on the road.
As for last week's Final Four games...Four became two Friday night when Flowery Branch and Cairo both advanced to the Georgia Dome and will compete for the state title this Saturday. In the first semi-final, Flowery Branch faced off against LaGrange and Lee Shaw’s Falcons were on their games all night long. After the coach’s son Conner threw for a second quarter score, tailback Daniel Drummond took over in a big way. Drummond scampered in from 63 yards just after halftime to give the Falcons a 14-0 lead. He then added an 88-yard score and a 9-yard TD jaunt to pace the Falcons to a 28-0 victory. The Falcons will now face wire-to-wire No.1 Cairo, who topped defending state champion Carver-Columbus 42-13. Cairo was led, once again by QB Angelo Pease and the runningback tandem of Ronnie Wooten and Reggie Bryant. Pease accounted for four scores as Carver-Columbus’s bid for a repeat came up 29 points short. The state final should feature two power offenses going full tilt. Flowery Branch has yet to be challenged in these playoffs and have already knocked off Baldwin and LaGrange. Cairo meanwhile looks to grind its way to the title that just managed to elude them last season.
As for Class AA and A, Buford and ECI will win. why even bother about talking about it?
I think Class AAA will have the best game. Just saying. And not because I am covering it. You just sometimes have to call a spade a spade.
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