Our second set of 6-A playoff previews are listed below. This preview features matchups between Northside Warner Robins-Tucker, Bradwell Institute-Grovetown, Alpharetta-Sequoyah and Gainesville-Creekside. Northside and Tucker might be the best first round matchup in Class 6-A. Northside has already won one a game in metro-Atlanta this season. Will the Tucker Tigers have enough on defense to slow down dual threat QB Jadin Daniels…The Bradwell Institute Tigers will take on the Grovetown Warriors in a 1 vs. 4 matchup. We think Bradwell has the best chance of knocking off a 1-seed. Are we crazy…The Sequoyah Chiefs host the Alpharetta Raiders. The Chiefs are looking to advance past the first round for the first time since 2014. Do the Raiders have an answer for the Chiefs ground attack…And finally, Gainesville will travel to Creekside. The Red Elephants will need to find some answers on offense if they are going to be able to upset Seminoles…
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Key:
TFR – Turd Ferguson Report
GSWA – Georgia Sports Writers Association
NR – Not Ranked
**The GSWA ratings used were from the week of 10/29. The newest poll was not available at the time of publication.
The Skinny
This might be the best first round matchup on paper. Two traditional Georgia powers square off in Atlanta as Northside, Warner Robins (NSWR) faces the Tucker Tigers. NSWR is led by dual threat quarterback Jadin Daniels who was passed for 1,387 yards and rushed for 1,102 yards. He has also accounted for 26-TDs. The Eagles are also averaging 33.1 points per game. Defensively, both Tubby McCall and Kentrez Anthony have intercepted 5 passes each. The Tucker Tigers reeled off 7 straight wins after a tough opening two weeks. They dropped last week’s game to Stephenson by 6 points. The Tigers offense has relied heavily on the legs of Tyler Hughey and Donny Harris. The two backs have combined for over 1,500 yards rushing. Derrick McLendon and the Tucker defense will certainly by tuned in to slowing down Jadin Daniels. On a side note, Tucker is undefeated at home this season. This has the makings of a back and forth battle, but we like Tucker to edge Northside by one this week.
The Skinny
The Grovetown Warriors have taken the next step under head coach Damien Postell and won the Region-3 title. They will host the Bradwell Institue Tigers. Most of the Tigers offense has come by way of running back Kevin Harris and quarterback Vencent Gilbert. Harris has run for 1,280 yards and 20-TDs on the season while Gilbert has passed for 1,378 yards. The Tigers are averaging 23.7 points per game, but giving up 23.9 points per game. For the Grovetown Warriors, Simeon Barrow is having a monster year on defense. The Junior defensive end has recorded 28 tackles for loss and 15 quarterback sacks. Jonquiavious (JQ) Brown has eclipsed the century mark again this season as he has rushed for 1,095 yards and 10-TDs. This is one of a two interesting 1 vs. 4 matchups in which we think the 4 seed has a legitimate chance at pulling the upset this week. Call us crazy, but we like Bradwell to win by a field goal in a shocker.
The Skinny
The Alpharetta Raiders have had an up and down season, but were able to break a two-game losing streak last week with a win to close out the regular season and secure the No. 3 seed in region 7. Will Gerdes has passed for 1,022 yards and 10-TDs. Kevin Watkins and Kent Cherry have combined for 1,058 yards on the season and 13-TDs, although Watkins has missed the last two weeks. Bradley Rowlinson has also chipped in 456 yards and 5-TDs. Jackson Michaels and Jamal Ellis have each recorded 7 sacks on defense and Jaden Slocum has picked off 4 passes. Although the Sequoyah Chiefs have been run heavy this season, quarterback Collier Pecht (rhymes with “faith”) has passed for 1,013 yards and 10-TDs. Myles McGee, Cole Jacobs and Emmanuel Jenkins have been the top receiving threats. Meanwhile, in the ground game Cole Jacobs has rushed for 1,010 yards and 11-TDs. The Chiefs defense is giving up 12.2 points per game this season. That’s reason enough for us to believe that they can win this game this week. We like the Chiefs by 10 this week.
The Skinny
The Gainesville Red Elephants had a tough pre-region schedule but were able to qualify for the playoffs with their two wins coming in region play. The Red Elephants are only averaging 13.3 points per game this season. In their two wins, their defense gave up an average of 6.5 points. So needless to say that Gainesville’s defense will need to come up big if they are going to upset Creekside. The Creekside Seminoles come into this game averaging 27.2 points per game on the season. Lazarus Anderson has passed for 1,589 yards and 11-TDs while Tyler Maline has rushed for 751 yards and 9-TDs. Defensively, Tyson Meiguez has recorded over 100 total tackles on the season. We like the Seminoles to win this by two touchdowns.