Georgia High School Football Daily Spotlight: Class AAAAA Playoff Preview

Each day this week, we’ll look at the playoff draw for one of the five classifications, starting today with Class AAAAA. Here are five interesting facts about each of the 16 games, with an emphasis on playoff history. Which school has won 28 straight first-round postseason games? Find out below.

Favorite: Lowndes
Best draw: Stephenson
Worst draw: Camden County
Sleeper: Colquitt County
Best first-round matchup: Valdosta at Newnan

Newton (6-4) at Camden County (8-2)
- Newton has never won a state playoff game.
- Newton has never played a game south of Macon.
- Camden County has made the state playoffs each season since 1991, the longest streak of its kind in the highest classification.
- Camden County has won 17 of its last 19 playoff games at home.
- Newton and Camden County have never played each other.

East Coweta (7-3) at Lowndes (9-1)
- East Coweta has made the state playoffs each season since 1997, which is the second-longest streak in the highest classification behind Camden County’s streak that started in 1991.
- East Coweta has lost its past six road games in the playoffs, a skid that started with a 22-0 loss at Lowndes in 2003.
- Lowndes has won 14 consecutive playoff games at Martin Stadium, its home field.
- Lowndes has won five consecutive first-round playoff games.
- Lowndes is 19-3 in the playoffs under Randy McPherson, who started in 2002.

Brookwood (5-5) at McEachern (10-0)
- Brookwood and McEachern have played five times. Brookwood is 2-0 vs. McEachern in the state playoffs but 0-3 against McEachern in the Corky Kell Classic, including this year’s game.
- Brookwood is 10-1 in the playoffs against Cobb County teams, including McEachern. The loss came against Harrison in 2003.
- McEachern is 1-5 in the playoffs this decade, its only win against Dacula 14-7 in 2004.
- McEachern’s last home playoff victory came in 1999 against South Gwinnett.
- This is the only first-round matchup between teams with at least 25 playoff victories. Brookwood is 35-19 in the postseason, and McEachern is 26-21.

Kell (6-4) at Peachtree Ridge (8-2)
- Both schools opened in 2003, Kell in Cobb County, Peachtree Ridge in Gwinnett County.
- In 2005, Kell became the youngest Cobb County school to reach the state playoffs and beat South Cobb 7-0 in the first round.
- In 2006, Peachtree Ridge became the youngest school in the state’s highest classification since 2-year-old Brown in 1949 to win a state championship. Peachtree Ridge tied Roswell that year.
- Peachtree Ridge is unbeaten at home (4-0), unbeaten against Cobb County teams (4-0) and unbeaten in the first round (3-0) in the state playoffs.
- Kell has made the playoffs in three of the past four seasons but failed to qualify during the senior season of current Georgia Tech running back Jonathan Dwyer.

Valdosta (7-3) at Newnan (10-0)
- Valdosta and Newnan have played each other once – in the 1951 Class AA championship game. Valdosta won 14-9.
- Valdosta has won its opening postseason game 28 straight times. The last loss was to Central of Thomasville in 1976.
- Valdosta is 113-26-2 in the GHSA-run postseason (since 1948) and has captured 23 state titles overall, the last in 1998.
- Newnan is 21-24 all-time in the postseason and has made state finals in 1951 (lost to Valdosta) and 1981 (lost to Warner Robins).
- Newnan is 3-6 in the first round since 1990, when the GHSA expanded the playoffs to 16 teams.

Jenkins (4-6) at M.L. King (9-1)
- M.L. King opened in 2002 and has made the playoffs each season since 2003.
- M.L. King is 9-6 all-time in the state playoffs and reached the Class AAA semifinals in 2004.
- Jenkins’ 1966 playoff game was a semifinal in a season in which there were only six regions, and Jenkins went straight to the final four. Jenkins lost 16-7 to Valdosta.
- Jenkins has lost all four postseason games in its history (1962, 1966, 1984, 2007) and scored a total of seven points in them.
- Region 3-AAAAA teams (including Jenkins) have never won a playoff game on the road. They are 0-18.

Marietta (5-5) at Grayson (10-0)
- Grayson is 10-0 after the regular season for the second straight season.
- The No. 1 team in the highest classification has not lost in the first round since the GHSA expanded the playoffs to 16 teams from eight in 1990.
- Marietta is 0-5 against Gwinnett County schools in the playoffs under Friday Richards, who became head coach in 1995. Four of those were on the road to higher-seeded teams.
- Marietta is the only team from Cobb County that has ever won a state title (1967).
- Grayson and Marietta have never played each other.

Collins Hill (8-2) at Roswell (9-1)
- Roswell has the same record (9-1), the same seed (No. 2 from 6-AAAAA) and the same first-round opponent (Collins Hill) as in 2006, when it shared the Class AAAAA championship with Peachtree Ridge.
- This is one of two first-round games that will match teams that lost their final regular-season games. The other is Colquitt County against Westlake.
- The last team in the highest classification to lose its final regular-season game and win a state title was Marietta in 1967.
- Collins Hill has one playoff victory since 2001, a 70-68 overtime win over South Cobb in the 2004 first round.
- Collins Hill won three straight road games to reach the 2001 semifinals, the school’s best playoff finish.

Centennial (5-5) at North Gwinnett (10-0)
- North Gwinnett is a 49-year-old school that completed its first 10-0 season and won its first region title this year.
- Bob Sphire has won eight playoff games since coming to North Gwinnett in 2006. Only Jeff Herron of Camden County, with nine, has won more playoff games in that time in the highest classification.
- Centennial has made the playoffs twice in its history (2001, 2002). Each time, it lost in the second round.
- Centennial finished in a three-way tie for fourth place in Region 6-AAAAA with Walton and Pope but defeated both in the regular season. Had Milton beaten Kell last week, there would’ve been a five-way tie for third, and Centennial would’ve been left out primarily because of a first-game forfeit to Northview.
- North Gwinnett is 2-0 all-time against Centennial, winning 24-7 in 2005 and 27-3 in 2004.

Dacula (7-3) at Woodstock (9-1)
- Woodstock has never won a playoff game at home. It lost its only home playoff game to Marietta in 2005.
- Woodstock is 9-1 for the first time in its history.
- Woodstock’s Mike O’Brien is one of three coaches in the field who has won a state title in Georgia’s highest classification. He won in 1998 with Valdosta. The others are Jeff Herron of Camden County and Randy McPherson of Lowndes.
- Dacula is 10-4 all-time in the first round of the state playoffs.
- Dacula’s best finishes are the semifinals (1988, 1990, 2005). The first two were in the smallest classification, the latest in the highest.

Chapel Hill (7-3) at Northside, Warner Robins (9-1)
- Northside has advanced to the second round 12 consecutive seasons, the best streak of any Class AAAAA school, although not all of Northside’s first-round wins were in the highest class.
- Northside has won 29 of its past 31 home games in the playoffs. This does not include a loss to Warner Robins, which shares McConnell-Talbert Stadium.
- Northside’s 41 postseason victories (against 26 losses) are the most of any team in the draw besides Valdosta.
- Chapel Hill, which opened in 2000, made the playoffs for the first time in its history last season and won a round after finishing 0-10 in 2007.
- Chapel Hill has never played a road game in the playoffs or traveled south of Coweta County.

Union Grove (8-2) at Windsor Forest (6-4)
- Windsor Forest is 0-5 all-time in postseason games.
- Windsor Forest is 6-0 since Oct. 1.
- Windsor Forest will be playing its second home playoff game. It lost its first to Union Grove 10-0 in 2006.
- Union Grove’s best playoff finish was the 2002 quarterfinals while playing in Class AA. The Henry County school opened in 2000.
- This will be Union Grove’s eighth straight playoff game on the road. Union Grove has won two of them, both against Region 3-AAAAA opponents.

North Forsyth (7-3) at Lassiter (10-0)
- Lassiter, which opened in 1982, is 10-0 and region champion for the first time.
- This will be Lassiter’s second playoff game at home. It lost its first one 45-42 in 1999 to South Gwinnett, whose quarterback was David Greene.
- Lassiter is 1-4 all-time in the state playoffs, its lone win a 23-20 overtime decision against Etowah last season.
- North Forsyth has won playoff games in classes AAAA, AAA and AA since 1999, but has never played a playoff game in AAAAA.
- North Forsyth’s best season in history was its 2001 run to the semifinals in the Georgia Dome in AAA.

Etowah (8-2) at South Gwinnett (9-1)
- Etowah had never made the state playoffs until Bill Stewart was named head coach in 2006.
- Etowah has made the playoffs in all four seasons under Stewart.
- South Gwinnett has not won a playoff game since 2003, when T. McFerrin was the head coach.
- South Gwinnett has won five more games this season than last. The only other team in the draw to improve that much is McEachern.
- Etowah has not won in Gwinnett County since 1977, when Etowah played another first-year school called Parkview. Etowah has played in Gwinnett four times.

Bradwell Institute (6-4) at Stephenson (10-0)
- Stephenson has won seven region titles but finished 10-0 only twice.
- Stephenson has lost in the first round the past two seasons.
- Bradwell Institute is 12-11 all-time in the postseason but ended an eight-game losing streak in the playoffs with a victory last season over East Coweta.
- Bradwell’s last road win in the playoffs came in 1996 against Warner Robins.
- The schools have never played each other.

Colquitt County (8-2) at Westlake (7-3)
- Colquitt County is 31-20 all-time in the postseason (counting games from Moultrie High).
- Colquitt County is 1-5 in the playoffs since coach Jim Hughes retired after the 1999 season.
- Colquitt County has not scored more than 14 points in a playoff game since 1999.
- Westlake is making its first playoff appearance in Class AAAAA after qualifying 12 times from 1990 to 2006 in AAAA or AAA.
- Westlake has never played a current member of Region 1-AAAAA.

First-Round Playoff Pairings
Class AAAAA
Newton (6-4) at Camden County (8-2)
East Coweta (7-3) at Lowndes (9-1)
Brookwood (5-5) at McEachern (10-0)
Kell (6-4) at Peachtree Ridge (8-2)
Valdosta (7-3) at Newnan (10-0)
Jenkins (4-6) at M.L. King (9-1)
Marietta (5-5) at Grayson (10-0)
Collins Hill (8-2) at Roswell (9-1)
Centennial (5-5) at North Gwinnett (10-0)
Dacula (7-3) at Woodstock (9-1)
Chapel Hill (7-3) at Northside, Warner Robins (9-1)
Union Grove (8-2) at Windsor Forest (6-4)
North Forsyth (7-3) at Lassiter (10-0)
Etowah (8-2) at South Gwinnett (9-1)
Bradwell Institute (6-4) at Stephenson (10-0)
Colquitt County (8-2) at Westlake (7-3)

Class AAAA
Statesboro (6-4) at Lakeside, Evans (9-1)
Mount Zion, Jonesboro (8-2) at Westside, Macon (9-1)
Loganville (6-4) at Sandy Creek (9-1)
Tucker (8-2) at Dalton (7-3)
Harris County (5-5) at Griffin (10-0)
Evans (8-2) at Ware County (5-5)
Starr’s Mill (6-4) at Apalachee (10-0)
Sprayberry (7-3) at Marist (8-2)
Chamblee (7-3) at Hiram (10-0)
Rockdale County (7-3) at Banneker (7-3)
Alcovy (7-3) at Thomas County Central (9-1)
Glynn Academy (5-5) at Richmond Academy (7-3)
Northwest Whitfield (7-3) at Southwest DeKalb (9-1)
Mays (8-2) at Clarke Central (8-2)
Hephzibah (7-3) at Brunswick (7-3)
Bainbridge (6-4) at North Clayton (8-2)

Class AAA
Northside, Columbus (5-5) at Baldwin (8-2)
Woodland, Stockbridge (7-3) at Cairo (7-3)
Franklin County (5-5) at St. Pius (10-0)
Ringgold (8-2) at North Hall (8-2)
Monroe (7-3) at Jackson (10-0)
Liberty County (7-3) at LaGrange (8-2)
Towers (7-3) at Eastside (8-2)
Creekview (9-1) at Carrollton (9-1)
Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe (7-3) at Gainesville (10-0)
Elbert County (7-3) at Dunwoody (6-4)
Spalding (5-5) at Peach County (10-0)
Troup (6-4) at Washington County (9-1)
Flowery Branch (7-3) at Ridgeland (9-1)
Grady (9-1) at Hart County (8-2)
Burke County (7-3) at Carver, Columbus (9-1)
Worth County (5-5) at Woodward Academy (7-3)

Class AA
Tattnall County (7-3) at Jefferson County (10-0)
Henry County (7-3) at Thomasville (7-3)
Riverside Military (5-5) at Callaway (8-2)
Westminster (7-3) at Armuchee (7-3)
Cook (5-5) at Northeast (7-3)
Vidalia (7-3) at Appling County (9-1)
Heard County (6-4) at Jefferson (10-0)
Pepperell (9-1) at Buford (9-1)
Avondale (6-4) at Calhoun (10-0)
North Oconee (7-3) at Lamar County (7-3)
Greene County (4-6) at Fitzgerald (10-0)
McIntosh County Academy (7-3) at Swainsboro (9-1)
Chattooga (9-1) at Lovett (9-1)
Manchester (7-3) at East Jackson (9-1)
Dublin (7-3) at Charlton County (9-0-1)
Brooks County (8-2) at Putnam County (8-2)

Class A
Irwin County (5-5) at Savannah Christian (10-0)
Brookstone (8-2) at Miller County (8-2)
Social Circle (4-6) at Holy Innocents’ (9-1)
Bremen (6-4) at Wilkinson County (8-2)
Pelham (5-5) at Greenville (10-0)
Treutlen (8-2) at Wilcox County (8-2)
Whitefield Academy (6-4) at Wesleyan (10-0)
Washington-Wilkes (5-5) at Bowdon (9-1)
Trion (6-4) at Lincoln County (9-1)
Athens Academy (7-3) at Eagle’s Landing Christian (8-2)
Marion County (7-3) at Clinch County (7-3)
Hawkinsville (6-4) at Emanuel County Institute (9-1)
Warren County (4-6) at Darlington (6-4)
Landmark Christian (6-4) at Commerce (6-4)
Savannah Country Day (5-5) at Twiggs County (9-1)
Seminole County (8-2) at Chattahoochee County (8-1)

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