TFR GHSA 4-A-Quarterfinal Playoff Preview

The Marist War Eagles avenged an early season loss to St. Pius last week to advance to the quarterfinals for the sixth time in seven years. Marist was led by quarterback Connor Cigelski and WR/DB Kyle Hamilton. Cigelskie rushed for 155 yards and 2-TDs, while Hamilton added 76 rushing yards and 1-TDs. The Marist offense is averaging 34.7 points per game on the season; while their defense is only giving up 10.8 points per game. Mary Persons put up some big numbers last week against Woodward Academy. J.T. Hartage passed for 255 yards and 2-TDs, while Quen Wilson had 162 yards on 13 carries with 3-TDs. Mary Persons is averaging 49.2 points per game while the defense is allowing 11.3 The Bulldogs will have home field advantage, but will that be enough to get past a stingy Marist defense. We think Marist’s schedule has been a little tougher than Mary Persons. So we don’t think Marist will be intimidated by the Bulldogs record or athletes; but we still like the Bulldogs to win a close game. Mary Persons by 2.

The Cartersville Hurricanes have fared very well in their first season after the Trevor Lawrence era. Tee Webb has passed for 2,466 yards and 32-TDs on the season. Last week, he had 203 passing yards and 4-TDs. Marcus Gary (1,179 yards, 15-TDs) is perhaps one of the most underrated backs in Class 4-A. But more impressive than Cartersville’s offense has been their defense. They are allowing 6.1 points per game on the season, and in the first two games of the playoffs, they are right on pace, surrendering only 7 points per game. The Baldwin Braves have continued to surprise us this season. They dropped their first 5 games, but have been on fire as of late, winning their last 7-contests. Perhaps the folks in Baldwin are not surprised at all. We’d imagine the Braves and their fans expect to be alive at this point in the season. The Braves are in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2008. Home field advantage should help Baldwin, but we think the Hurricanes will blow into Baldwin and get the win this week. We like Cartersville by 15.

The defending state champs will visit Covington this week as they take on Region-4 No. 1 and state rank No. 5 Eastside Eagles. Coach Troy Hoff has engineered one of the best seasons in Eastside history. Last week, it was quarterback Noah Cook who led the way for the Eagles, with 231 yards passing and 3-TDs. If Eastside is going to tie their deepest playoff run in school history, they will need to slow down Blessed Trinity’s Steele Chambers. Chambers has gotten most of the work out of the backfield, as an injury has sidelined his backfield mate, Elijah Green. Blessed Trinity comes into the game winners of their last 18 games dating back to last season. They are averaging 37.3 points a game on offense, while their defense, led by Chambers, J.D. Bertrand, J.R. Bivens, and Quinton Reese are only giving up 9.6 points per game. We think Eastside will give BT a heck of a ball game on Friday. Sharp Stadium should be electric. We wouldn’t be surprised if the Eagles upset the defending state champs, but for the record, we like Blessed Trinity by a touchdown.

The Troup Tigers will take their fast pace offence on the road again this week in hopes of make it to the semi-finals for the first time since 2001. Kobe Hudson, a first year starter at QB, has passed for 3,007 yards and 28-TDs on the season. Last week, he threw for 201 yards and rushed for 127 yards. Hudson accounted for 5-TDs.  The Troup defense is led by Alabama commit King Mwikuta and Andy Boykin, as the duo help lead a defense that is allowing 18.6 points per game. They held high-powered Pickens to 14 points last week. The host Cairo Syrupmakers are back in the quarterfinals for the 2^nd time in 3 years. Last week, Cairo was led by quarterback Robert Matthew Peters added 101 yards through the air and 91 yards on the ground with 3 rushing TDs. Tay Solomon added 82 yards on 11 carries. . The Cairo defense is allowing 10.3 points per game. Cairo has won 10 straight games, but we think that Troup might be the most athletic bunch they’ve seen this season. Like many other games around the state, rain could be a factor. We like Troup this week in a mild upset by a touchdown.