Free-For-All Forum: Georgia high school football semifinals playoff scores, updates, photos and chat – LIVE
Chat live on Fridays with the AJC's Michael Carvell
It’s the semifinals of HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS. AJC high schools beat writer Michael Carvell will try to blog live and take your questions about high school football and related topics.
We are here to talk football, football and more football. Going to a game? Take the cellphone or PDA and let us know what’s going on at YOUR game. Got a score update, see a killer play? Keep it clean, and POST IT HERE.
HOT TOPIC: The GHSA has released the 2010-11 region realignments but the bigger news may be a possible return to the old two-year reclassification cycle from the current four-year cycle. Post your thoughts on the two-year cycle vs. four-year cycle (and region changes) RIGHT HERE.
GHSA BRACKETS: AAAAA | AAAA | AAA | AA | A
Here are the semifinals playoff games you can find stories and photos from later tonight on ajc.com…
Northside-Warner Robins vs. Newnan
Griffin vs. Sandy Creek
Flowery Branch vs. Gainesville
Don’t forget to check out these semifinals gamers…
Lovett vs. Calhoun
Rockdale Co. vs. Clarke Central
Don’t forget to check out our roundups from around the state. Here’s what you’ll find…
Colquitt Co. vs. Camden Co.
Eastside vs. Peach Co.
Buford vs. Fitzgerald
Wilcox Co. vs. Clinch Co.
Savannah Christian vs. Darlington
GHSA BRACKETS: AAAAA | AAAA | AAA | AA | A
Semifinals topic: Would a return to the two-year reclassification cycle help or hinder the playoffs in the coming years?
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1,185 comments Add your comment
GAIL
December 5th, 2009
12:19 pm
Congrats to the Nothside Eagles. Would have preferred the Cougars, but it was a good game.
Re: the fans leaving early on the Newnan side, they are called “band wagon” fans. They are everywhere, high school, college and pro and in all sports. They not been there all season and are the first there to try and save a great seat and the first to leave when the going gets rough. They complain about the O-line blocking when they do not even understand the play scheme. Lets not waste the time to acknowledge them further.
The true fans stayed to the end…
Fred
December 5th, 2009
12:21 pm
NHS (Northside High School),
I guess you must be talking about me. I did not realize that the public blog was reserved only for NSWR fans. I asked a general football question using examples from recent games that people talked about and my own experience watching my home team. If you go back and re-read the question, perhaps you might have some insight that you will want to share.
Regarding losing, yep, we lost. I have never played the would of, could of, should of, if only game that many do although there are plenty of reasons I could have. In the end, as I have said many times, all that matters is the points on the board. At this level of the playoffs, quarter finals and up, this year any team can win it all. Even at the end of this year, unless CC mops the field with NSWR, I will still maintain that any of the quarter final teams could have won – they were that closely matched. Every team that progresses is to be congratulated. So far, all of the winners should be thinking “there but for the grace of God go I” as they watch the losing team leave. I don’t buy into to all this A beat B who beat C therefor A can beat C. When the teams are this close, it really comes down to the “any given team on any given night” and “that’s why they play the game” type of games.
topper
December 5th, 2009
12:29 pm
Congrats Northside! I can tell you I pulling for you and from where I sat at the Camden game last night everyone around me was as well!
cougarfan forever
December 5th, 2009
1:03 pm
to everyone who was not there or the ones talking down about either northside or newnan. STOP. northsides coaches and team were great people and everything went northsides way. newnans defense had trouble stopping #13. if we had to loose i would rather have lost to them than someone else. we love our cougars and wish them the best in there futures and stand behind all the way. i dont think anyone from northside will complain about how there fans or team were treated last night at newnan. good luck northside against camden. we wish it was us because we owe them to so take it to them. see ya next year.
NHS (Northside High School)
December 5th, 2009
1:16 pm
No, not addressing anyone specifically from Grayson. Regarding taking chances or playing not to lose, I dont agree with some on this blog. I think the playoffs are different from the regular season and you must play to win and be more aggreesive than usual because there is no tommorrow if you lose. In the Peachtree game I thought their coach made a mistake late in the 4th with a 4th and 2 at the Northside 40, he punted and lost the game. I thought last night the Newnan coach made the right call to go on 4th and a half yard on the Northside 45 in the 2nd period. The play call and execution was poor, should have used a QB sneak. If they make it they would have scored and they probably win the game. They didnt make it and Northside scored, hindsight is easy but I still think the coach made the right decision. I noticed that last night Northside was much more aggressive than usual, going on 4th down several times and attempting only one field goal and especially the two running plays at the end of the half with time running out and no time outs. In the past Northside has been conservative in the playoffs and it has cost us, see 1999/Lowndes and 2005/Statesboro. Bottom line, in the playoffs be aggressive and go for it on 4th and 1. I think Northside has learned that lesson. If you cant make a 4th a 1, do you really deserve to win anyway?
EagleNationRising
December 5th, 2009
1:48 pm
NHS: It is six in one and a half dozen in the other. It is easy to play Monday Morning Quarterback. It has a great deal to do with your approach to the game. I like coaches who are consistent. I like guys who play field position football and depend upon their players to win the game. I thought that Bill Ballard did as well as job against Northside that I have seen in over a decade of following Northside. I did not see the game when we got destroyed by Newnan in 2003 (I think). However, Ballard dominated Northside from a defensive standpoint. The 65 yard touchdown pass was not about coaching. It was about a player who bit, unnecessarily on a play action play out of the spread. I thought Ballard was almost perfect in means of a gameplan. If I were him and Northside had negative yards rushing, I would have punted too.
I would not have gone for it in Newnan’s situation. Of course, that would fit the more conservative approach that I had. I have the best defense in the state, I run those guys on the field everytime…especially if I am leading in the game. I make Northside earn everything.
At the end of the day, if you have guided your program to the quarterfinals or better, you have done your job. Hats off to the staffs for all of the programs at this level. I look forward to our Eagles coming up to Atlanta. It is a Saturday game and it will be a great matchup between the state’s finest programs.
EagleNationRising
December 5th, 2009
1:56 pm
Todd Holcomb and Chip Saye: I know that you guys attempted to jump aboard the Newnan and Griffin bandwagon. If you want sports pictures of those programs, you are going to have to attend a girls’ basketball game. Newnan is playing this afternoon according to a sign at their school.
You guys need to have a heart to heart with your photographer Jason Getz. Either that guy has no clue and needs some professional guidance, the kid is working for free, or he has lost his mind. You guys get 11 pictures of the Northside vs. Newnan game. You take the overwhelming majority of the pictures highlighting the Newnan program. Look Northside dominated from a statistical standpoint. How hard could it have been for Getz to take some shots of Northside running holes through the Newnan defense. It is very bad work. You guys should take his per dium money back. He stole money last night.
The guy has one good picture of Briar Van Brunt and the kid ran for 141 yards on 31 CARRIES! The kid passes 8-12 with a touchdown and he gets a shot of a pass that was knocked down. Are you guys sending interns out or something? Todd and Chip, you guys should have told that young man that Northside has more wins than any program in the state of Georgia this decade. Probability was that Northside was going to win.
What is the deal with showing the kid Ogletree crying on his mother’s shoulder and lying on the field instead of shaking hands? Seriously. Those kids played hard for Newnan. You guys did not have to show them going out like that. It confirms what I have said for a long time. Northside will exploit your feminine side.
Crying to mother is not going to be the direction you want to move. Momma can not save you when you are playing against the Eagles!
wildcat fan
December 5th, 2009
2:02 pm
I’ve around CAMDEN football for 30 years, 4 as a player and the rest as a big fan. Gone to at 8-9 games every year most years been to them all. So at least i’ve been to around 275 WILDCAT games over that span. But i must say that I’ve never, seen one team improve so much from the 1st game of the year, to week 10. Secondary was terrible, now they are actually a strenght. Putting Murphy on the teams best reciever, and putting Green(FRESHMEN) on the other side. Green has not given up a touchdown pass all year,since the Hoover game only one all year. The defense is so fast and aggressive. The offense, what can you say about Johnson, I have known this kid all his life. Very close to 800 yards just in the play-offs, And Days one word awesome, and the other backs that come in to give breaks. The change in QB has helped, you may not know it but we can throw the ball, if need be. Murphy great reciever, Simmons, great speed and size. O-Line coming off their blocks. And the D-Line rotating all those Sophmores in and putting pressure on th QB. We knew the talent was there with Days and Johnson back, it was just how long it would take for them to come around. Especially when you replace 16 starters. Most of these guys will be back for 2-3 years. I”m so proud of this team,more than any other in history. No one gave them a chance.
EagleNationRising
December 5th, 2009
2:02 pm
I am glad it was not the Georgia signee crying to mother. I believe that Mark Richt has too many momma’s boys in the program already. We need men in Athens! How about the South Carolina commit, Brison Williams from Northside. I really like the first year coach at Newnan. when his back was against the wall, he did not get cute. He put the ball in the hands of his big dogs, those Ogletree twins. For the most part, those guys delivered.
Everyone is talking about the 4th and 1 stop by Northside in the 2nd quarter. There was plenty of football to be played after that. I thought one of th ebiggest moves for Northside was moving #12, Brison Williams over to cover Ogletree #39 man-to-man. There was no safety rolling over. Conrad Nix and the GREAT Northside defensive coordinator Kevin Kinsler clearly looked at Williams and said stop this guy. For the most part he bottled a GREAT player and confirmed why he is going to play in the SEC for South Carolina.
leslie22h
December 5th, 2009
2:03 pm
Once again, AJC completely ignores Camden County’s win over a tough Colquitt County team. Way to go, AJC. I suppose all the articles posted this coming week will continue to ignore CCHS. It’s not as though Camden’s the reigning AAAAA State Champion or anything.
EagleNationRising
December 5th, 2009
2:06 pm
Wildcat Fan: Anyone who does not give Camden County a chance does not have their head screwed on correctly. I just hope you guys take it easy on us in the Georgia Dome.
I saw the Wildcats in the Georgia Dome. They could have easily beaten Grayson, who was the top team in the state for most of the year. I do not really understand why people are doubting Camden County. They secured home field advantage and it was going to be hard for anyone to travel down to Kingsland and win.
The GHSA even gave the Wildcats the most difficult road to this point. I still have no clue why as the Region 3-AAAAA champion, Camden had to play the 2nd place team from Region 1-AAAAA in the 2nd Round. Every other 2nd Round matchup changed except that one. Surprise! Surprise! Camden has still stood tall.
I look forward to the big game on Saturday.
EagleNationRising
December 5th, 2009
2:10 pm
Leslie: I am thinking that the high school staff at the AJC just does not have the budget to travel outside of the metro area. That is the only way that anyone can explain it. I am surprised that a shameless program promoter like Rush Propst did not pay to have someone travel with the Colquitt County team…or pay a photographer to take pictures of him and his team and write an article for the AJC and GHSF Daily.
I buy my ticket at Newnan and receive a program from the GHSA. I open to the AAAAA page. I see all four teams remaining in the playoffs (Camden County, Colquitt County, Newnan, and Northside). Those programs all have great players. Who is pictured? Rush Propst, who is coaching the only team that had 2 losses in Georgia and was a 3rd seed in their region. The other three teams were Region Champions. Of course, Propst is pictured. Amazing!
Well thanks to the might Wildcats, it is officially girls’ basketball season at Colquitt County. I would bet that Propst is already practicing.
cats24
December 5th, 2009
2:15 pm
Where is Xavier Bacon now? That guy was a beast last year when NSWR played Camden in the second round. Please tell me that he has graduated. Lol…
Collins #31 Camden Wildcats
December 5th, 2009
2:27 pm
Xavier Bacon he graguated in like 04 or 05
cougarfan forever
December 5th, 2009
2:49 pm
ens did you forget these are kids and if your team would have lost some of your kids would have acted the same way, be respectfull. yes it was emotional for them and some of them were seniors and it was there last game. they just played there guts out and came up short. that game could have went either way at any time. good luck at the dome.
Grey Lion
December 5th, 2009
3:00 pm
Leslie/ENR – regarding the AJC:
I would say you are on the money regarding budgets, coverage, and staff. Lots of people have lost their jobs in the news industry (among others) in the past couple of years. I think they are spread pretty thin.
cats24
December 5th, 2009
3:02 pm
Collins #31 – Are you really a Camden fan??? Xavier Bacon from Northside ran all over us last year in the second round of the playoffs. I was at the game and saw it for myself, so I know for sure he didn’t graduate in 04 or 05. Who are you talking about?????
NHS Fan
December 5th, 2009
3:04 pm
Xavier Bacon is playing at Tuskegee U. Got some good playing time as a true freshman this year.
Colquitt County Underdog
December 5th, 2009
3:21 pm
ENR- you really dont have any class do you? im surprised the AJC has allowed you to continue posting on here. how is Rush Propst a “shameless promoter”? he has done nothing but great things at Colquitt County. pay someone to travel and take pictures? thats the most absurd thing i have ever heard…
our guys played hard last night and thats all you can ask. Camden’s d-line was just too much. we couldnt get a handle on #90 all night…also, Camden blitzed A LOT. it completely threw off the rhythm of our passing game. when we tried to counter their blitz with screens, their defense had the speed to cover it. CC scored on a screen pass on the first drive but after that it those screen and swing passes didnt work.
should be a lotta new faces on defense next year but 8 starters return on offense.
?
December 5th, 2009
3:28 pm
Buford or Calhoun???
Gainesville or Peach Co.??
That Guy
December 5th, 2009
3:29 pm
ENR…I have to give you props for one thing. You are very successful at raising the ire of an entire blog with your smack talk. You are an Equal Opportunity Offender in every sense of the phrase. It’s funny stuff but you need to come up with some new material.
I also like the fact that a lot of the folks like to throw around the term ‘rebuild’ in reference to their team. The term rebuild is nothing more than a built in excuse that fans can use if and when their team loses. The only way that rebuilding ever comes into effect is if a school gave up football and then decided to start again.
At any rate, congratulation and good luck to the remaining teams.
Collins #31 Camden Wildcats
December 5th, 2009
3:36 pm
cats24 i was thinking emaual bacon
Collins #31 Camden Wildcats
December 5th, 2009
3:39 pm
he played in the 03 state team and thatrs who i was thinkning of and yea that guy did run all oiver us and i was there to
topper
December 5th, 2009
3:40 pm
Colquitt County Underdog – The second half of your post is spot on! I stated it on here earlier your boys have nothing to hang their head over! They played a terrific game! #4 is a fantastic athlete. You will be back in this position again soon I am sure of it. As for the first half of your post I just don’t get into the personal stuff on this blog. It is high school football we are talking about here nothing else!
Collins #31 Camden Wildcats
December 5th, 2009
3:43 pm
my bad
Collins #31 Camden Wildcats
December 5th, 2009
3:46 pm
who does think my cats can win it all agaoin
Collins #31 Camden Wildcats
December 5th, 2009
3:55 pm
i say camden win 24-21
newnancougar
December 5th, 2009
3:56 pm
Well Newnan lost a game and Northside rightfully won. That being said I do believe that if Newnan’s defense had played to their standard Newnan would have won but we did not so Northside won. But it is all good because UGA OFFERED ZANDER OGLETREE. Now not only Alec will be attending that fine university but his twin brother Zander will be joining him. Go Dawgs!
Observer
December 5th, 2009
4:03 pm
Panther pride and SWD player are yall still bitter about getting beat by Griffin last year and getting bounced in the 2nd round this year get over it. SWD Player outside of SWD, Marist, and Tucker your region is garbage. Lakeside, Stone Mountain,Lithonia and Chamblee don’t exactly qualify as stiff competition. No excuses from Griffin we loss. It takes talent to get there, we’ll be back. We been to the semi -finals 3 times in the last 4 years. High School Football is played by 14 – 17 year old student athletes. It’s only a game. Life goes on.
newnancougar
December 5th, 2009
4:05 pm
and no Brison Williams did not stop Ogletree or “shut him down for the most part.” He got many short passes and ran over or around williams and he broke free on many routes that were overthrown or just god awful passes which could have been touchdowns. That also hurt bigtime.
Cat1985
December 5th, 2009
4:38 pm
A Camden win and a Florida gator loss…………the football gods are smiling
toni Dutton
December 5th, 2009
4:44 pm
Wow! Did you see how well Patriots played last night? We took everyone by surprised except the home fans! Now it is time to face Clarke Central in the Dome for State Championship. This is history in the making!
cats24
December 5th, 2009
4:56 pm
Collins #31- Yes, E Bacon did graduate after the 03 season. I had a feeling that was who you were talking about. It’s all good tho. Go Cats!!!!
NHS (Northside High School)
December 5th, 2009
5:13 pm
Not really playing Monday morning quarterback. That is the way I felt at the time during the games. I was very glad to see Peachtree punt but I thought they could have put the game away with a first down. Last night I felt that Newnan would/should go for it and was very suprised they did not make it. So there you have it, one safe call and one agressive call, both failed so it boils down to execution after the decision. Northside was aggresive last night and I believe it paid off.
I was at the Newnan game back in 2003. Northside had 4 blowouts games in a row leading up to Newnan. Newnam came in ready to play but I believe Northside was over confident and looking ahead. We had some turnovers early, Newnan jumped out ahead 17-0 at the half, applied defense pressure, and Northside was never able to recover. Probably the worst Northside game of the decade.
NHS (Northside High School)
December 5th, 2009
5:22 pm
I thought Ogeltree #39 was a great athlete last night and turned in a good performance but he did not dominate the game as I had expected. At first Northside had a small dback on him and he was eating us up. They did put Brison on him in the second half. Did not stop him completely but definitely slowed him down, see 2nd endzone fade play and bombs in 4th quarter that failed. Also noticed that Ogeltree did not play with much emotion or enthusiaum, in fact seems as if he was bored and tired at times.
WAQ
December 5th, 2009
6:28 pm
He was tired. The coach allow him and his brother to play every down on offense,defense and special teams. Rookie coaching decession and it cost him most on the defense.
randy prosen
December 5th, 2009
6:29 pm
colquitt co. you put on one heck of a show. The fake punt, the flea flicker or whatever that was. I got to give it to propst, Colquitt came to play. On the other hand Lassiter must not have a defense. Next AJC keep doubting Camden, they are going to be around for a while longer, just getting stronger. One thing I can’t figure out is the coaches poll on ghsa.net. Thats a mind blower. I sure am glad the kids play games, instead of all you experts. Go Cats.
Northside Observer
December 5th, 2009
6:47 pm
I am very happy that NSWR won—as are other NSWR fans. Newnan was great for our resolve. Their fans were wonderful and showed a lot of class. The team: Wow, I have never seen such big linemen on a high school team. Many were juniors so Newnan will be back in the play-offs next year. Up to last night I had given Carver-Columbus the honor of having the biggest team. Strange, we have played each other four times and each team have won two games on the others field.
Seeing that big “N” in the middle of the field just made me think it stood for Northside. Seriously, I hope Newnan is able to go all the next year. They have come so close for too many years.
packerfan
December 5th, 2009
7:34 pm
I found these blogs a few wks ago…have mainly read what everyone has to say because as a female fan..I know that I don’t know the game as well as men who have played it and watched it all their lives….that being said….I believe in pulling for the teams in our region, 1AAAAA, when everyone goes to the playoffs…so I have rooted for Northside but ENR ..undoubtedly..you don’t feel the same because you are constantly talking against Colquitt County….I don’t understand why you feel the need to attack our team or our coach…you should be supporting the teams from your region …
CamdenGuy
December 5th, 2009
8:08 pm
WOW What a night it was watching Camden play with such heart and passion! “The Train” Johnson and “Sweetness” Days were both awesome last night! The Packer Fans were awesome and your Band was great! Having no recognition by AJC ius perfectly fine! I believe that Region 1 AAAAA is the class of all regions and competition even if NSWR moves back to AAAA! We are so blessed with great kids all around! Count our blessings!
GO PACK GO
December 5th, 2009
10:40 pm
We do not root for Northside because of ENR’s ignorance and stupidity. The Camden Wildcats won the State Championship last night. You will beat Northside Warner Robins by at LEAST 2 touchdowns. There is NO WAY any of their fans, players, or coaches would have wanted to face Colquitt County again. Well except ENR who states we would lose to them 10 out of 10 times haha. If we had gotten our 4th down play the score would have AT WORST been 20-20. Go Camden County win State.
Hacksaw
December 5th, 2009
11:13 pm
Congratulations to both Gainesville and Flowery Branch for a great game. Both teams played with great heart. FB played a great game and that was a big part of the reason the game was close. FB came ready to play and Gainesville came in over confident and got socked in the mouth. I was proud of the way Gainesville kept fighting until the end. That was the first time Gainesville faced any adversity all season. I honestly thought they did not have it in them to pull it out. Both coaches out coached themselves on several occasions. Coach Miller (Gainesville) made more mistakes than Coach Shaw (FB), but Coach Shaw made the most significant mistake. In the fourth quarter FB had a third down and slightly less than one. Coach Shaw put Connor Shaw (QB) in the shot-gun and tried to be cute and toss the ball to a back heading towards the perimeter and lost a yard forcing FB to punt. Connor Shaw is an outstanding very athletic QB. He had been bouncing into the gap between the center and guard picking up short yards several times during the game. it looked unstoppable and if Coach Shaw called the QB sneak, he almost certainly would have picked up the first down and the game would at least gone into overtime. That play impacted the outcome of the game more than any other play. Coach Miller had several of those too cute plays and it almost cost Gainesville the game. I am a Gainesville graduate, so I am very happy with the outcome, but FB impressed me VERY much. They are warriors and almost pulled off a MAJOR upset. I hope they gave Gainesville the wake-up call they obviously needed. If they did, Gainesville should take care of Peach Co. Peach Co. just knows how to win, so Gainesville better bring their A game. If they do Peach will not be able to score with them, but if Gainesville brings anything less than their A game, they are beatable. FB proved that.
AK
December 6th, 2009
12:58 am
MAN ITS TOO BAD COLQUITT COULDNT CAPITOLIZE ON THAT GIFT FROM GOD IN THE 2ND ROUND(V. STEPHENSON)!!!!!
Collins #31 Camden Wildcats
December 6th, 2009
1:25 am
AK WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED OT MEAN
Northside (please drop the WR)
December 6th, 2009
1:34 am
I’m going to the dome for the whole day Saturday. Three Middle Georgia teams playing that day. Will anyone else spend the whole day there? Or am I off my rocker?
Panther Pride
December 6th, 2009
1:36 am
Observer-no im not bitter thats last year where yall lost in semi finals again and that playoff game is just a game you win some you lose some, i jus wanted to get your opinion on the game and since yall been to the semi-finals 3 of last 4 times, how come yall couldnt beat a team that was only their 1st time being their,..And Observer who is legit in yall region North Clayton haha funny,Griffin is the only legit in region SWD,Tucker and Marist will kill North Clayton .Thats all i wanted to hear you say No excuses from Griffin we loss. It takes talent to get there, we’ll be back.Correction High School Football is played by 15 – 18 year old student athletes. Good Luck to Clarke Central
Collins #31 Camden Wildcats
December 6th, 2009
1:49 am
Northside (please drop the WR) im not but my negibor will be its my bday sat a 6 hour ride on my bday
Collins #31 Camden Wildcats
December 6th, 2009
1:49 am
Panther Pride 14 year old play high school football
Collins #31 Camden Wildcats
December 6th, 2009
1:57 am
jhg
1bgihammer
December 6th, 2009
3:04 am
GriffinMBABulldawg…Just SHUT UP! Look at the scoreboard. SC 22 Griffin 15.
So what if the offense didn’t score. We beat ya’ll! Who had the best defense? It definitley wasn’t Griffin. And what pathetic fans leaving before the game was over.
Guess who else will bw watching the State Championship game on GPTV next week??? You and the rest of your fair weather GRIFFIN Fans!