Tuesday, December 7, 2010

The Class AAAAA finals breakdown

I know I am calling Class A, but I am PUMPED about watching Class AAAAA as well. Colquitt v Brookwood. Can the Broncos win a title for a GPB Sports Central XL regular "Brookwood Boy"? Or will Rush Propst win his first Georgia state title with the Packers?


The Brookwood Broncos began the season in the Georgia Dome, knocking off Walton in the Corky Kell Classic and now the Broncos return to the Dome to try and finish off the season with a state title. Brookwood is currently riding an eleven game winning streak and boast one of the best defenses in the entire state of Georgia. Mark Crews’ defense is led by the extraordinary linebacker Cameron Lynch who is always around the ball making plays. Lynch has a knack for coming up with big plays and last week against Collins Hill, the playmaker came up with a big interception of Taylor Heinicke to end a drive and push the Broncos towards the finals. Nick Moore is as fine a defensive back that you will find in the metro-Atlanta area and he snagged two interceptions of his own. Andre “AJ” Sims also roams in the defensive secondary. Sims is more often though found on offense, snagging passes from senior quarterback Ben McLane. The 6’2 signal-caller can sling the ball when given time and has the ability to pick apart a defense. What would Brookwood be though without a strong rushing attack, and the Broncos once again have a dominant running game. Junior Nick Tompkins goes both ways but has rushed for over 1200 yards on the season and should be looked at as one of the best backs in the state next season. Sophomore Jamaal Cole recently eclipsed the 1000 yard mark for the season and can score from anywhere on the field.

The Colquitt County Packers came up just short of the state championships last season, falling in the semifinals to eventual champion Camden County. This year the Packers are in the championship game, a place the head coach Rush Propst knows well. Propst, who won his 200th game last week against Grayson, won five Alabama state titles and appeared in seven straight title games. The squad that could get him his first Georgia state title is certainly loaded offensively. The Packers offense starts with the offensive line, where Xzavier Ward has been keeping the quarterback clean all season long. Last week against Grayson, the line gave the offense all sorts of holes to run through and gave quarterback Tyler Brown plenty of time to throw. Brown is one of three Colquitt players who have set school records on offense. Brown threw two touchdowns against Grayson, both to Tommy Hudson, a record-setting wide receiver. The running game is also stout, with the dynamo Tevin King churning up yardage and snagging touchdowns at a record-setting pace. The defense will have to be on its toes to stop the Brookwood multi-pronged attack, but the Packers defense has been very opportunistic all throughout the playoffs. Against Grayson, the defense blitzed the Rams away in the fourth quarter and forced a crucial fumble that was turned into the game-winning score. Colquitt entered the playoffs 5-5 but now sit just one win away from a state title and a 10-5 year.

The Playoff Skinny
The Brookwood Broncos are returning to the state finals for the first time since 2005 and for the fourth time overall. The Broncos captured the state title under Dave Hunter in 1996, back when the state championship games were played on campus. Hunter led the Broncos to three title games before giving way to Mark Crews, who was on the sidelines in 2005. Meanwhile the Colquitt Packers, having made the semifinals one year ago, are in the finals for the first time since winning the state title in 1994. The Packers were state runners-up in 1991, as well as 1963 and 1937, but the school was then known as Moultrie High School. Rush Propst has five Alabama state titles on his resume from his time at Hoover High School. Brookwood enters the game as Region 8-AAAAA champions while Colquitt County found its way to the title game as the No. 3 seed out of Region 1-AAAAA.

Prediction: Colquitt wins 27-24.

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