The semifinals round of the playoffs featured big-time players making big-time plays in big-time games and for the victors came a state championship berth. Let’s see who stood out in the penultimate round of the GHSA playoffs.
Calhoun QB Trace Hawkins – The true freshman continues to dazzle this season and has led his team to a state title berth after Calhoun missed the playoffs for the first time last year in 23 seasons. In a victory against Stephenson, Hawkins went 14-16 for 231 yards and four touchdowns. It’s hard to put into words the type of season the true freshman from Calhoun is having under head coach Clay Stephenson. It’s rare to see a freshman quarterback dominate in this fashion. The most recent example is Julian Lewis of Carrollton who got his team to the state championship as a freshman. Hawkins has a chance to put himself in the conversation as one of the top players in the state and potentially even the 2028 class if he can lead Calhoun to a state title against top-ranked Jefferson.
Prince Avenue Christian QB Ben Musser - Musser put together a great performance against an impressive North Cobb Christian team who upset Savannah Christian the week prior. Musser went 18-28 for 214 yards and two touchdowns through the air. He also burned the defense on the ground and rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. For the season, Musser has thrown for 1,313 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also rushed for 592 yards and five touchdowns. Musser has continued to mature this season and is playing some of his best football at a crucial time for the Wolverines as they look to their third consecutive title. He is another who can do a lot for his recruiting and resume with a win next week over Hebron Christian.
Burke County RB Kel’von Scott - Scott had a big-time game for Burke County in their win over Rockmart. He shares running back duties with A’merre Williams who is another dynamic running back. In the win, Scott rushed for 169 yards on 12 carries. He also had a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Scott has rushed for 765 yards and nine touchdowns this year for the Bears. He also has been a threat in the passing game and has 685 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on just 30 catches. Scott is another explosive player for Burke County and will be one to watch against Carver-Columbus.
Northeast-Macon RB Nicholas Woodford - Woodford had a great performance rushing for 374 yards and four touchdowns against Fannin County last week. He followed that up with 350 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 25 carries. He also had a 27-yard receiving touchdown. He has now rushed for 700 yards and eight touchdowns in the past two games. For the season, Woodford has rushed for 2,494 yards and 37 touchdowns. He is averaging 192 yards per game this season for the Raiders. He is one of the least talked about running backs in the state but has put his team on his back on offense and has come up with big-time performances.
Milton WR CJ Wiley - Wiley was special on Friday night in a win against Lee County and put together a phenomenal performance. He had several highlight reel plays that helped spark a run that put the game out of reach. One was a one-handed catch made by Wiley in tight contested coverage that gave the Eagles a seven-point lead. Wiley also caught a bomb from Luke Nickel where he outran the defense on a deep ball. The other was a catch over the middle of the field where initially he was running at normal speed then he hit another gear and broke away from the defense with his track speed. Wiley finished with five catches for 165 yards and three touchdowns. He was unstoppable on Friday night and showed that he is one of the best receivers in the country. Georgia Bulldogs fans should be excited when he finally lands in Athens.
Carrollton DL Kadan Spratling - Spratling was a dominant force on defense in Carrollton’s win over Buford this past Friday. He constantly made plays and was constant in the backfield for the Trojans. Spratling had two tackles for a loss. He made one of the most important plays in the second half. While Buford was driving and trying to extend their lead to double-digits, Spratling knocked the ball loose from QB Dayton Raiola as he tried to get out of bounds. That play sparked 16 unanswered points and a second-half shutout for the Trojans, landing them in the state title game. If the Trojans can get another performance like this from Spratling and the defensive line, they can clinch their first title since 1998.
Prince Avenue Christian LB Mac Bradley – The senior linebacker finished with 12 tackles and three tackles for loss in a shutout victory over North Cobb Christian. Bradley has been impressive for the Wolverines this year and recorded a 20 tackle game in a 23-21 loss to Blessed Trinity. For the season, he has 112 tackles, seven QB hurries, six sacks, and three pass deflections. Bradley has shined brightly in several games this season on TV including a win over West Forsyth in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic, and a region championship-clinching win over Hebron Christian. Bradley has been one of the best linebackers in the private classification this year and continues to come up big for the Wolverines this year.
Carver-Columbus Defense - They held Appling County to a season-low six points. The Tigers allowed only 54 total yards, forced a safety and three turnovers. One of the turnovers was a fumble that was returned for a touchdown by Antavius Watts. The Tigers are giving up an average of seven points per game this season and have produced four shutouts this year. They produced three consecutive shutouts in wins over Northside-Columbus, Columbus, and Hardaway. Carver-Columbus hasn’t allowed an opponent to score over 20 points in a single game this season. Carver-Columbus’ defense is headlined by four-star pass rusher Tristan Givens, but has a plethora of top-end players and has one of the best defenses in the state regardless of classification.
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