Our GHSA 3-A-Semifinal playoff previews are listed below. This preview features matchups between Pierce County-Cedar Grove and Peach County-Calhoun. Pierce County and Cedar Grove are two of the state’s top defenses. Can the Bears contain one of the nation’s best wide receiver…And in Calhoun, we get a rematch of the 2017 state title game…Can the Trojans avenge last seasons loss in the Benz…Best of luck to these final four teams as they compete on Friday night.
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Key:
TFR – Turd Ferguson Report
GSWA – Georgia Sports Writers Association
NR – Not Ranked
The Skinny
The Pierce County Bears upset Monroe Area last week to advance to their first semifinals in school history. Pierce County was led last week by John Jones (188 yards rushing, 2-TDs) and quarterback Jermaine Brewton (185 yards passing). Jones leads the team in rushing with 1,664 yards and 25-TDs on the season. Brewton has passed for 1,813 yards and 21-TDs. For the season, the Bears are averaging 41.9 points per game, while the defense is allowing 9.4 points per game. The Bears will travel to Decatur to face the Cedar Grove Saints at Godfrey Stadium. Cedar Grove blanked Benedictine last week as they recorded their second shutout of the playoffs and 7th shutout of the season. Jaden Haselwood has 990 receiving yards on the season. Robert Jones is up to 903 yards rushing on the season. The Cedar Grove defense is only allowing 8.4 points per game. Cedar Grove’s only loss this season was to Class 7-A McEachern. Pierce County might be the best defense that Cedar Grove has faced since McEachern. It might be close at the half, but we like Cedar Grove in this matchup this week by two touchdowns.
The Skinny
Peach County and Calhoun will meet in a rematch of the 2017 state championship game that Calhoun won. (There was a controversial call in that game that led to some central Georgia lawmakers to call for replay in the state title game.) Calhoun returns several starters from the 2017 state title team including quarterback Gavin Gray, running back Brannon Spector, and receiver Bralin Barton. Last week, Gray led the way for the Calhoun Yellow Jackets with two touchdown passes. The Jackets are averaging 44 points per game on the season, while their defense is only allowing 7.5 points per game. We keep harping on Peach County and their lack of “star” power they have, but the Trojans have been successful for a long time, with or without the some of the top line players in the state. Peach County is in the semifinals for the third consecutive year. Last week, the Trojans got another 100-yard game from Tijah Woolfolk. The Trojans have won nine consecutive games and come into this week’s matchup averaging 38.2 points per game on the season. We think that this game will be closely contested, but we believe Calhoun edges the Trojans by a field goal for a chance to defend their title.