The semifinals of the GHSA playoffs start tomorrow, and the game of the week is Cedartown vs. North Oconee. Both teams come into the game undefeated at 13-0 and with a state championship in their sights. Cedartown was tested in their last match against Bainbridge, where they trailed at the half 21-13 but turned it on in the 2nd half with some stout defense and limited their turnovers. North Oconee was tested early in their season with their close wins against Oconee County (17-14) and South Forsyth (7-6). North Oconee head coach Tyler Aurandt talked about what his team learned from those early tests and how it has helped fuel their run.
“When you start the season with two games like that, I think developing urgency was a big part of that and creating the mindset that we would need to make a run at the end of the season. The physicality that those two teams bring,” said Aurandt. “The physicality that the teams in our region bring. Creating that mindset early instead of having to try and establish it late. I think we learned the type of urgency we needed to have and the physicality we needed to play with.”
A vital aspect of this game will be North Oconee’s front seven vs. the dominant rushing attack of Cedartown. Last game, Cedartown gobbled up 442 yards on the ground against Bainbridge. Star running back Harlem Diamond had 146 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Diamond has 1,162 yards this season and 19 touchdowns. Diamond also leads Cedartown in receiving yards and total touchdowns. It starts with their very experienced offensive line. Cedartown coach Jamie Abrams talked about their impact.
“Those guys have been playing for a long time. They are senior-heavy. Our center is a three-year starter. One of our guards is a two-year and some change starter. The other guard is almost a two-year starter,” said Abrams. “One of our tackles is a three-year starter. They have a good idea of what is going on. They play well together, and they play with good effort. They are a big part of that success. You can’t do that without those guys getting after it. They have done well this year.”
Coach Aurandt talked about his front seven and linebackers, who have stepped up big this year.
“We play with a lot of heart and try to play an attacking style of defense. It all starts upfront in the box. I am a firm believer in high school football. You better be able to stop the run, or you will not be able to win many football games. That is something we try to hang our hat on,” said Aurandt. “Brady Burruss is our nose and has had a phenomenal year. He wreaks havoc in the backfield and plays well with his hands. You have Jack Fabris, who is playing inside backer and safety hybrid. He was an all-state player last year. Fabris continues to bring physicality, experience, and maturity to our defense. He doesn’t miss many tackles. A guy that I think makes it go is Mack Brice, who is our mike linebacker. He is not super big, but he flies around. He is aggressive, and he makes a bunch of tackles.”
What really separates Cedartown as a program is its strength and conditioning, and that starts with Mike Worthington, who helped train NFL star running back Nick Chubb (Cedartown graduate) in high school. Their weight room culture is truly elite, and players are comfortable and enjoy working out every day.
“It starts with our strength and conditioning coach Mike Worthington. He’s a Cedartown graduate. He’s been here for a long time. He is the reason why Nick comes back and works out with the team. He trained Nick in high school and even comes back from College and works out when he is home,” said Abrams. “There is a really good weight room culture here. We have several guys who are playing college football. Anytime those guys come home, they are lifting. Whenever the team is in there, they are in there. That speaks volumes to the culture he has created and their belief in what he is giving them to do. It starts with him. The other thing worth mentioning is that all those kids haven’t missed a day. Even during the summertime, we have kids who have been here daily. That is a big portion of that. They are showing up and getting after it. It is hard to have success if you don’t show up.”
The key for North Oconee will be getting the ball to their playmakers. Khalil Barnes is one of them. Barnes is a stud who plays both sides of the ball (starts at cornerback) and is a three-star with notable offers from Clemson, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Wake Forest. Their quarterback Max Wilson is very cerebral, and their running backs are dynamic in open space. It will be vital to get their playmakers the ball early and often.
“First one that sticks out is Khalil Barnes. This is his third year starting for us. He is very dynamic. You can line him up anywhere, and he understands the game of football well. You can do a lot of different things with him because he understands how to beat coverage or what you are trying to do schematically,” said Aurandt. “Another guy is Max Wilson, who is our quarterback. He is a threat with the ball in his hands and a very cerebral player. He understands what we are trying to do offensively. You pair that with two really good running backs in Dominic Elder, who has been a starter for us for three years, a downhill runner big and strong black, and Tate Titshaw, who hasn’t played a lot this year because he has been hurt but is healthy now. He’s starting to do some good things in our run game. Having kind of that three-headed or four-headed monster where we can get any four to touch the ball on any given play provides a threat for us offensively, where we can take advantage of some things.”
Coach Abrams talked about what he enjoyed most about his group this year and Cedartown’s bond.
“I told them yesterday that I am just a part of it. They have been a fun group to coach overall because they have a common goal. They all work towards it. If somebody gets out of line, they straighten it out,” said Abrams. “It is a really good group of kids. They have all played together for their whole careers. They have a special bond within themselves, allowing them to overcome some things on Friday Nights. They play for each other.”
North Oconee is looking to clinch its first state title berth in school history. It’s a program that has overcome a lot in its first two football seasons in 2004 and 2005. They had one win combined. The program has come a long way and has its best start in school history at 13-0. Coach Aurandt talked about what it would mean to advance to a state championship.
“It would mean a ton to our program and how far we have come over the last six years to even get to this point. Even having an opportunity to play still says a lot about this group of kids. It is going to take for us to continue to do the things that got us here,” said Aurandt. “The physicality, focus, and effort are intangibles that don’t necessarily rely on the scheme. We will always try and do whatever we can to create issues for the other team. What it comes down to is that if you are not physical and don’t give great effort, and you don’t have really good focus, you can throw the scheme out because you are going to get beat. Out of the three teams that are left, and you watch those teams on film, that is what you will see. That is what it looks like: elite focus, relentless effort, and strong physicality. That is what we have to focus on if we want to have a chance to stand on the podium at the end of this deal.
This is the second-ever meeting between Cedartown and North Oconee. Cedartown is 1-0 all-time in the series.
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