CLASS A-PRIVATE
#9 Mount Pisgah at #1 Calvary Day
Calvary Day lost quarterback Sal Calderon with a broken leg during the final week of the season and have been rotating backups to find the new hot hand. Robert Heyward led Calvary’s run game with 118 yards, and he scored twice on runs of five and two yards as the Cavs piled up over 300 yards rushing. Calvary Day went on to defeat Christian Heritage 26-7 in its first round tilt and junior Brent Sanders filled in at quarterback. Mount Pisgah finished off Landmark Christian 38-14 in the first round. Quarterback Aaron Winchester threw four touchdown passes and ran in a fifth score from seven yards.
#5 Eagle’s Landing Christian at #4 Prince Avenue Christian
ELCA quarterback D.J. Hammond rushed for 144 yards and three touchdowns to lift the Chargers past Athens Christian in a 34-0 blowout. Prince Avenue Christian dominated First Presbyterian Day in all three phases on Friday, en route to a 55-30 victory. The Wolverines returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and recorded a second special teams touchdown off a blocked punt that was scooped and returned for a touchdown by Matthew Hill. Prince Avenue last faced ELCA in the 2012 state championship where it fell 33-0.
#6 Savannah Christian at #3 Mount Paran
Eight-time state champion Savannah Christian cruised to a 49-26 first round victory over St. Anne Pacelli. Joshua Chamblee ran in three of the Raiders’ six rushing touchdowns off of just five carries. Mount Paran pound the football also and ran past Stratford Academy 45-14 on Friday. The Eagles were led by Emoni Williams’ three first-half touchdowns.
#7 Tattnall Square at #2 Aquinas
Aquinas topped St. Francis 42-28 in the first round but led by as much as 42-13 before entering the fourth quarter. Junior Liam Welch threw three touchdowns and Daniel Lindsey rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns off a team-high nine carries. The Irish are 11-0 and have not lost a game since 2012 after a 14-0 season led them to their first state title last year. Tattnall Square made its GHSA playoff debut on Friday and stamped a 23-0 win over Pinecrest Academy. The Trojans are 10-1 and their only loss was to Aquinas (42-28) in the Region 7 championship on Nov. 7.
CLASS A-PUBLIC
#8 Mt. Zion-Carroll at #1 Marion County
Defending champion Marion County will face Mt. Zion-Carroll for the first time in school history. The top-seeded Eagles improved to 11-0 with a 52-6 rout over Greenville in the first round. In Marion County’s last five games, the defense has allowed just 3.5 points per game. Mt. Zion-Carroll edged Emanuel County Institute 30-21 in the first round. The Eagles are 8-3 and one win away from tying a school-record for nine wins that was set in 1996.
#5 Charlton County at #4 Hawkinsville
Four-time state champion Charlton County improved to 10-1 with a 23-22 overtime victory over Lincoln County. The Indians fell in the state championship a season ago to Marion County and will face a Hawkinsville team that also lost to Marion County, but in the semifinals. Hawkinsville survived Jenkins County 20-14 in the first round and will look for its first victory over Charlton County in school history after losing their previous three tilts.
#14 Calhoun County at #6 Commerce
Calhoun County was 2-8 last year and 1-9 in 2012, but improved to 8-3 last Friday after edging Mitchell County 13-12. The Cougars are the highest remaining seed in the playoffs and will face Commerce for the first time in school history. Commerce is one win away from its first 10-win season in 9 years and dominated a solid Clinch County team 37-7 in the first round. Commerce has won its last five games after dropping a 48-27 loss to Prince Avenue Christian on Oct. 3.
#10 Dooly County at #2 Irwin County
Dooly County and Irwin County have faced five times in school history with Irwin County owning the series 3-2. Dooly County rides a four-game winning streak and went on the road to defeat Claxton 29-18 in the first round. Irwin County’s only loss this year was to Class AA’s Fitzgerald and the Indians blanked Atkinson County 28-0 in the first round. Irwin County is looking for its first state title since 1975 and Dooly County is still searching for its first state crown.
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