The first week of the Georgia High School playoffs is in the books and there were plenty of surprises. Many of our brackets have been busted and we admit, our picks of Riverwood (6A), Jefferson (4A) Rockmart (3A) certainly make us question what we were thinking when we filled out brackets last weekend. So while we lick our wounds over some of those picks, we look ahead to week two of the playoffs.
We expanded our Eight Greats Around the State to Twelve Greats Around the State this week as we give our Georgia High School Football Second Round Playoff Previews. This is Part II of III. This preview features games between Ware County-Calhoun, Cartersville-Warner Robins, Perry-Flowery Branch and Crisp County-Oconee County.
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Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com
Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com
Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)
The Skinny
The Ware County Gators are winners of five straight and find themselves in the second round of the playoffs for the 15th straight season. The Gators are averaging 41.3 points per game and allowing 19.2 points per game. Dual threat quarterback Thomas Castellanos has thrown for over 2,300 yards and run for over 780 yards for a combined total of 36-TDs through 10-games. Cartervious Norton is the teams leading rusher through 10-games with 1,166 yards and 12-TDs. Receivers Jarvis Hayes and James Daniels have combined for over 65 receptions and over 1,200 receiving yards. During the regular season, Ware County faced nine teams that qualified for the post-season in their respective classes.
The Calhoun Yellow Jackets will make the five hour trip to Waycross this Friday night as these two schools are about as far away from each other as you can get here in the state of Georgia. The Jackets have made the second round for the 21st consecutive season. During that stretch they’ve won three state titles. Top players for Calhoun include quarterback Christian Lewis, Cole Speer, Gage Leonard, Payton Law and Caden Williams. Calhoun is averaging 39.6 points per game and allowing 19 points per game. Their only loss in the state of Georgia was a seven point defeat at the hands of Cartersville.
You’d have to think the long road trip would have to take it’s toll on Calhoun. So a fast start by Ware County might do the Yellow Jackets in. Even so, we believe Calhoun will be able to go toe-to toe with Ware County. Unfortunately, for Calhoun, we believe Castellanos will out-duel Lewis. Ware by 8.
The Cartersville Purple Hurricanes are in the second round of the playoffs for the 10th consecutive seasons. This is also the eight time since 2012 that the Canes have run their record to 10-0. Cartersville is averaging 38.1 points per game while the defense is allowing 12.2 per game. Quarterback Jake Parker has thrown for 1,149 yards and 16-TDs. Meanwhile, Amari White leads the team in rushing for over 890 yards on the season. The Canes are averaging 133.2 yards per game through the air and 211.9 yards per game on the ground. Jake Brasfield leads the defense with 59 total tackles. The Canes have intercepted 8 passes on the season and sacked opposing quarterbacks 15 times.
The Warner Robins Demons are the defending 5-A State champions. They’ve reached the 2nd round for the fifth consecutive season. Warner Robins has been an offensive juggernaut, averaging 470.8 yards per game on the season, (222.1 through the air and 248.7 on the ground). Quarterback Christon Lane has thrown for 2,136 yards and 27 TDs, completing just under 65% of his passes. His top receiver is Daveon Walker who has caught 49 passes for 1,035 yards and 12-TDs. Meanwhile, Malcolm Brown has rushed for 1,332 yards and 17-TDs. Senior back JaFrederick Perry has also added 647 yards and 12-TDs.
This is the rematch from the 2020 state title game and we’d bet that Cartersville has a long memory as they were beaten soundly. They’d like nothing more than to get revenge on their home field. The Canes have just the defense to slow down Warner Robins, but we believe the Warner Robins Express will continue to roll this week. This one should be much closer though. Demons by 4.
The Skinny
The Perry Panthers advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the third consecutive season. They have now won ten games for the first time in school history. They enter their second round game on a six game win streak. Perry has shut out four of their opponents this season and the defense is allowing just 9.9 points per game. Offensively, Perry is averaging 35 points per game. The only blemish on their record was a 5-point loss to Spalding. The Panthers have done the bulk of their work through the air, averaging 239.5 yards per game, while averaging just above 90 yards per game on the ground. Quarterback Armar Gordon Jr. has passed for 2,573 yards and 27-TDs, while completing 65% of his passes. Receivers Daequan Wright and Dakarai Anderson have combined to catch 95 passes for 1,621 yards and 16-TDs. Perry’s defense has sacked opposing quarterbacks 24 times and forced 24 turnovers on the year.
The Flowery Branch Falcons advance to the second round for the second straight year and for the third time in five years. The Falcons enter this week’s game on a five game win streak and went on the road to defeat Mays last week. The Falcons are averaging a healthy 31.5 points per game while allowing 17.6 points per game. During the regular season, quarterback David Renard through for 1,366 yards and 13-TDs while Myles Ivey led the team in rushing with 910 yards and 12-TDs. Jaheim Hayes and Connor Larson have combined to catch 61 passes for 879 yards and 6-TDs.
Perry certainly has had a banner year, but we believe that their reliance on the pass will come back to haunt them at some point this post-season. Yet, we don’t believe this is that week. We like the Panthers in a surprisingly close game. Perry by 3.
The Skinny
The Crisp County Cougars enter the second round of the playoffs on an eight game win streak. The Cougars advanced to the second round for the fifth time in six years. During their win streak, their closest game has been a 13-point victory over Peach County. The Cougars offense is averaging 33.8 points per game, while the defense is allowing 12.1. The Cougars have a balanced attack passing for 150.5 yards per game while rushing for 155.3 yards. Quarterback Jack Carter has thrown for 1,516 yards and 16-TDs, while Marquise Palmer has eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark, rushing for 1,016 and 15-TDs. Trae Walker leads the team with 41 receptions for 601 yards and 5-TDs. Junior linebacker Julian Fox leads the team in total tackles, while C.J. Jones and Eric Ivory Jr. have combined to intercept 7-passes this season.
The Oconee County Warriors find themselves on the road in the playoffs a little earlier than usual this season. This is the third straight season that the Warriors have advanced to the second round. They enter this weeks game winners of their last three. The Warriors are averaging 28.6 points per game while allowing 13 points per game. All of their non-region opponents qualified for the post-season in their respective classifications. So it’s suffice to say they’ve played a demanding schedule. Quarterback Jacob Wright has thrown for 1,832 yards and 18-TDs while C.J. Jones has now rushed for 1,001 yards and 12-TDs. Jake Johnson and Darius Johnson Jr. lead the team in receiving with a combined 80 receptions for 1,318 yards and 13-TDs. Linebacker Whit Weeks leads the defense with 120 total tackles. Billy Lewis and Darius Johnson have intercepted six and five passes respectively. As a team, Oconee County has picked off 15 passes and recovered 11 fumbles.
Oconee County is about as tough of a second round matchup that one could ask for. But the same can be said for Crisp County. Both teams have “been there and done that” so neither should be intimidated by the other. Another long bus ride from Watkinsville to Cordele, so we expect a slow start from Oconee County, but we believe they have enough fire power offensively to pull a minor upset this week. Warriors by 6.