GHSA Finals picks and a surprise

I have a surprise for the end of this blog, and it is a REAL surprise, not like the one at the Victoria's Secret Fashion show, ie NO Surprise.

But first let's knock out these picks.

Friday's action....
AAAA Marist v Tucker. These two met once already this season, with Marist beating the Tigers 38-0, but Tucker is healthy now and I think that game served as motivation that this team needed. Last year Tucker maybe should have won the title, blowing a big lead at the GA Dome to NWR, but this year they are on a mission. I say they get it done. These guys are the Florida of GHSA. They are so FREAKING fast, it is unreal. I saw them in person and they are the fastest high school team I've ever seen. A lot of people are picking Marist, thinking the War Eagles won once, they'll do it again. NOPE. Tucker Tigers win it. Maybe even by a bigger margin than they lost by. PREDICTION: Tucker Tigers 42-10

AA Buford v Calhoun. Buford has won 29 straight games, but Calhoun once produced Kris Durham, aka the poor man's Josh Cole. But Neither Kris Durham nor Josh Cole are suiting up for Calhoun. Buford wins this one because Cody Getz is just dangerous anytime he touches it and Jess Simpson is a smart guy. He'll give him the ball. (And you ask how I know Jess is smart? Well he's managed to recruit all these years without getting caught!) PREDICTION: Buford Wolves 56-7

SATURDAY
A. Wesleyan v ECI. Wesleyan dropped down for this game, all other sports be darned. At least that's what my boss at Score ATL and cohost on Score Atlanta Sports Sunday says. It won't matter. ECI has enough talent to win at the AA or maybe even AAA level. Dexter Moody, JC Lanier and of course Wayshaun Ealy would give Buford a run. That would be interesting to watch actually. Better than this game. PREDICTION: ECI Bulldogs 28-17.

AAA. The classification I have been covering. Let's just let Fletcher Proctor from gpb.org/football tell you whats up! Cairo Syrupmakers – 2 state titles (1946, 1990): Ever since last season’s 16-13 loss to Carver-Columbus in the state championship, the Cairo Syrupmakers have been on a mission: return to that game. The team is now back in it and has a strong chance to win this time around. Cairo has posted impressive victories over Thomas County Central (28-6), Peach County (16-7), Burke County (41-28) and most recently over Carver-Columbus (42-13). In the semifinals, quarterback 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 of turning in big games (142 yards and three touchdowns against Crisp County; 116 yards and three touchdowns against Perry). Ronnie Wooten can also add some dash (two touchdowns against both Dougherty and Thomas County Central). This playoff run has seen a Syrupmaker offense that averages 32.5 points per game go for 40-plus three times. The defense, led by Jermyrin Bodiford, has only allowed double-digit scoring three times season.
Flowery Branch – No state titles: 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. Quarterback Connor Shaw put to rest any chance Stephens had of a sweep with 296 passing yards and six total touchdowns in a huge 42-21 victory. Shaw had been doing that all season, though (three touchdowns against West Forsyth; two touchdowns against East Hall; two against Johnson). When Shaw wasn’t passing to Izaan Cross, he was handing off to Daniel Drummond. The future Yellow Jacket came up big against LaGrange in the semis with three touchdowns in a 28-0 win. Drummond and Shaw have helped lead this offense to an average of 33 points per game. The Falcons have been kings of the road, knocking off No. 2-seeded Stephens County, No. 1 Ridgeland, No. 1 Baldwin and No. 2 LaGrange, all on the road. PREDICTION: Cairo Syrupmakers 42-28.

AAAAA Peachtree Ridge, my hometown team faces Camden County, a team I've seen take apart Norcross. Camden is like the Titans from Remember the Titans: Nothing flashy, but just enough to get it done. They have tremendous athletes, running the wing-t. Good for those guys. PT-R has a STRONG defense, but I don't like the Lions offense. While the Lions are Hot, I have to go with Camden. PREDICTION: Camden County 21-12.

And now for the surprise. If you are bored tomorrow, log on to http://gpb.org/football or just google gpb org football and you should be able to find the coverage of the AAA game. It starts at 5 and you will see me blogging live throughout the first part of the game. Should be fun. Hit me with a text or something while I'm blogging and I'll see if I can work it in somehow.
Happy weekend everybody.