Class AAAAA goes topsy turvy: It’s 2006 all over again
‘’You had a bad day, you’re taking one down.
You sing a sad song just to turn it around.’’
Remember that song? Bad Day? It was No. 1 in 2006. That’s the year Roswell and Peachtree Ridge reached the Class AAAAA final, and nobody won. Georgia’s craziest season ended in a tie.
It’s 2006 all over again.
Had a bad day: Camden County, North Gwinnett, Clarke Central, Charlton County …
Let’s talk about AAAAA first. This is 2006. There are probably a dozen teams that could’ve won Class AAAAA this season. There’s no great team, but a bunch of good ones.
I witnessed one of these surprising outcomes – Grayson 23, North Gwinnett 19.
Conclusion: Grayson converted some critical third-down passes in the first half and scored 10 points while North Gwinnett proceeded to turn the ball over in those same key spots.
It was 10-0 at halftime, and it was over. Grayson is too well-coached, too good on defense, to let a team off the hook for making those mistakes.
Tangent: That #90 at Grayson is the best sophomore DL I’ve ever seen. Might be the best defensive player I’ve seen in person this year.
Now, is Grayson better than North Gwinnett? Hillgrove better than Camden? Colquitt better than MLK? Valdosta better than McEachern?
It doesn’t matter. They’re all good. The team that plays the best wins.
As we move down in classification, that cliché doesn’t apply so much. Some teams are so good in the lower classifications that they don’t have to play well every round.
Other random thoughts …
Are things setting up for a Lowndes-Valdosta final? Wouldn’t that be something. Valdosta would be home the next two rounds. Lowndes is Lowndes. I suspect something will monkey with this scenario and it won’t happen, but it’s something to keep an eye on.
Re Camden: Somebody asked me if Hillgrove’s victory was the biggest upset in playoff history. Now If you spin the facts – No. 1- ranked team, two-time champion, virtually unknown Cobb County school – then it’s up there. But with Camden, you really don’t know whether this is a good or great team until the playoffs. I suspect Camden was just good this year. Camden gave up 42 points twice this season. Lots of turnover from the 2009 team. I think Northside losing to Whitewater was a bigger upset.
AAAA: Interesting to me that three of the final eight were middling AAAAA teams last season – Kell, Chattahoochee, East Paulding. This class is deeper than it has been with 18 schools dropping down from AAAAA.
AAA: Of the big four, Peach and Sandy Creek continues to look awesome. Carrollton and Cairo, not so much. Give SPX & Eastside credit, but I think it’s now Big Four A: Peach, Sandy Creek. Big Four B: Carrollton, Cairo. Great job Cedar Grove & Monroe Area, but I don’t it’s still a four-team race, with two out front.
AA: Except for the Lovett-Brooks quarter, this class has held no real surprises. Buford-Cook should be a classic this week.
A: The Clinch-ELCA, Wilcox-Wesleyan quarterfinals will be ‘’epic,’’ to borrow my 11-year-old daughter’s favorite word.
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445 comments Add your comment
BKSMITH14
November 23rd, 2010
3:53 pm
AFAN gwinnett has done nothing lately. south has dominated and it will not be any diff fri night.
CONCRETE PALACE— Where N GA dreams are crushed!!!!!
PackerAlumni66
November 23rd, 2010
3:59 pm
Zack the experience in attending a game in one of the most legendary and historic places in high school football is awsome. I actually got a chance to play there several times and it is a little bit intimidating when the cats come running out of the tunnell. I never lost to them but man was it a privilage to play against the best high school coach in the history of the game …Nick Hyder. It should be fun and very loud. The experience is about the same in the Hog Pen
AVikingFan
November 23rd, 2010
4:01 pm
AFan — Just a few short stats to argue with your assessment that Lowndes can not defend against the pass. We defeated S. Gwinnett, who tossed it around pretty good. We lost to Mceachern by 1 point, and they threw it pretty good. We defeated Valdosta AT Valdosta, and they throw it quite well. We defeated Colquitt and they throw it lights out. We defeated Tallahassee Leon, Coffee, and Ware and all threw it pretty good. Last week we defeated a strong Newnan team 38-14. You and others said last week we would never beat Newnan.
But let’s look at facts. Facts speak for themselves. Opponents have passed it against lowndes 300 times in 12 games. They completed 147, for a 48 per cent completion percentage. NOT GOOD! Opponents scored 8 TD passes on Lowndes, but Lowndes has intercepted 19 passes. NOT a GOOD RATIO for any passer! Opponents have made 1781 yards passing the ball against Lowndes in 12 games. DO the Math. 148 per game. NOT GOOD.
But let’s also look at Lowndes. For a team known as a running team, we have completed 70 passes out of 117 for 1227 yards and 17 Touchdowns. We have had 4 intercepted. REAL GOOD.
We have made almost 3000 yards rushing the ball this year. Our opponents have been limited to 922 on the ground. We have scored 376 points and our opponents have scored 159, 13.25 PER GAME. D**N GOOD!
Last time I checked our region still has 3 teams in the playoffs and we won 1st place (in region 1-AAAAA). REALLY D**N DOOD!
AFan, go back to the top of my post and read it again. Still think we can’t defend against a pass?
MOVING ON — Burgerkingsmith14 Listen to YO. He has good common sense. I guess you are only 14 years old, hence the number 14 in your blog handle. (Yeah, yeah, you played BASEBALL. I remember!) Please dont blatantly diss other teams. It makes all of us Lowndes folks look bad. Talk bad about’em but do it with class and tell the truth. And get off the referee thing for awhile please. Other teams can do it and get by with it. But we can’t. (I guess we’ve said it too much.) I’m in no way trying to act like the BLOG POLICE. Please understand. Call it like you see it, but keep in mind, you are representing Lowndes, not just yourself!
Camden74
November 23rd, 2010
4:04 pm
@grayram………You can google Camden County High School, Kingsland, Georgia……..I can remember the exact link……
Camden74
November 23rd, 2010
4:09 pm
*Can’t
VIKING DAD
November 23rd, 2010
4:20 pm
@Eagle homer- Lowndes stadium is next to I-75. Valdosta’s stadium is in town by the college. Both stadiums hold around 12,000 fans. At Lowndes, it can be loud at times when packed with fans and all 450+ member band The Georgia Bridgemen.
Bad Boy 1
November 23rd, 2010
4:29 pm
I don’t particularly llike BKsmith14—but I think he said in an earlier post he was 25. I hope he can support what he says.
Camden74
November 23rd, 2010
4:34 pm
@Packer70…….What’s your point?
Fred
November 23rd, 2010
4:44 pm
@Eagle homer, Avondale won state AAA (Highest classification at the time) in ‘63 and ‘76 I think. Ido remember Valdosta being our nemesis!
plowboy
November 23rd, 2010
4:49 pm
@ A FAN, LOWNDES = 4 STATE TITLES SINCE 99 – COLLINS HILL=0
I GUESS LOWNDES IS OVERRATED!
Fred
November 23rd, 2010
4:50 pm
@Zack, some fans are passionate to the extreme and that is of course their prerogative. It does appear that the enthusiasm on both sides is strong to say the least.
Are you coming to the tailgate in Valdosta?
zack
November 23rd, 2010
4:51 pm
most likely fred! wish it was friday already!
GwinnettDad
November 23rd, 2010
4:55 pm
@Fight For, yeah, I’m with you. I think A Fan is an impostor, and that’s why it showed up here. A set up. Haven’t seen anybody behave like that for CH ever. @A Fan, what else is the CH High School noted for besides football?
ED
November 23rd, 2010
4:57 pm
What is the latest that I can buy tickets for the Lowndes/Collins Hill game? I thought I read that they were on sale from 9-noon on Friday. Will I be able to buy them closer to game time? I’m not sure i can make it by noon.
Fight for the Crimson & White
November 23rd, 2010
5:01 pm
@GwinnettDad– I think we are right considering, A Fan hasn’t posted again. I know that most Gwinnett Fans have class and are humble just like most Lowndes and Valdosta fans. No BKSMITH I’m not including you in the classy or humble category. I knew that someone from Collins Hill wouldn’t represent Gwinnett that way. Looking forward to Friday. Go Vikings!
Eagle homer
November 23rd, 2010
5:04 pm
@Fred, you go to Avondale?
VIKING DAD
November 23rd, 2010
5:05 pm
@Fred, You asked earlier in a post about where you could tailgte at, if the college security allow you to park in the parking lot on the westside of the stadium(corner of Patterson st.), taht would be the best spot. That is where most Lowndes fans tailgate when we play at Valdosta.
Valdosta_Wildcat_Fan
November 23rd, 2010
5:13 pm
BKSMITH14 You don’t know what you are talking about. You ain’t seen nothing yet. As a matter of fact, you talk about two player when there are 9 more on the field. Take it one week at a time and I look forward to your posts. From Valdosta Wildcat Fan, Hopefully, the Vikings make it to the Dome.
HeadSouth
November 23rd, 2010
5:15 pm
Maybe Hillgrove will upset Brookwood and there won’t be any Gwinnett posters left next week!!!! Then it will just be East fans and all the 1-AAAAA guys arguing among themselves.
Eagle homer
November 23rd, 2010
5:17 pm
@VIKING DAD 450 member Band!!?? OMG that is incredible. How many students at LHS ?
Fred
November 23rd, 2010
5:18 pm
@Eagle homer – Yep. Proud graduate.
@VIKING DAD – Thanks! I have talked to VSU and they gave us permission. Looking forward to it and the game. It will be a “slobber knocker” game. (Man, I wish I could remember who said that! I’d give them credit.) I hope it will be good clean hard hitting football. I’m sure both teams with be up for it.
Lowndes 96
November 23rd, 2010
5:23 pm
ED a Viking Fan said, when they asked your coach how many tickets he wanted, he said he didnt have time to get involved. If thats true we didnt send any, but im sure it is a Viking Fan usually knows these kinds of things. So you will have to buy your tickets at the game, but you should be fine we have plenty of seats. See you at the game.
grayram
November 23rd, 2010
5:25 pm
Fred..sounds like Bobby Bowden
Eagle homer
November 23rd, 2010
5:30 pm
@Fred-I am one of those Angoras from down the street…you OWNED us back in the day. My dad was the manager of Avondale Stadium and I started my “career” running the chains on the field for the HS games. Now I have kids at CH but still love those Friday Nights!
Fred
November 23rd, 2010
5:34 pm
@HeadSouth – ooohhh, now you’ve gone to meddling! I was going to talk about how well y’all traveled when you came to our house and then came back the next week to watch but not now! No Sireebob! Them EP boys got no class!!!
Nah, I can’t do that! Out experience with EP was positive both on and off the field. Good luck in AAAA!
Fred
November 23rd, 2010
5:38 pm
@Eagle homer – That’s funny! The Angoras used to be my sworn enemy and now I support the Rams. I guess it is true that you have to be careful because you never know when it might come back to you!
Good luck Friday!
goober
November 23rd, 2010
5:42 pm
This is the best free entertainment around.
My, my … amazing how we all get so ballsy when we get to hide behind that wonderful cloak of anonymity, and we don’t to account for ourselves.
Isn’t it kinda like the old theory that when you drink too much, your real personality comes out?
Would y’all act like this in church (for those of you who go)?
Have you ever kareoke-ed, and then watch yourself to see how bad you sound
And this North-South thing is intriguing. I suppose no matter the distance, claims of geographic and cultural and intellectual superiority will always be made — from across the tracks to across town to across the state to across the nation (Civil War of course). If there was a North Earth and a South Earth, those Earthlings would be feuding too.
Oh yeah: To make this post be relevant to football … Good luck to all teams and fans! Now, let the blitzkrieg begin against me!
PackerAlumni66
November 23rd, 2010
5:43 pm
What team left in the playoffs had the toughest road? Toughest schedule?
ED
November 23rd, 2010
5:44 pm
@Lowndes 96 – Thanks! I figured that you could probably buy them Friday evening, but I just wanted to make sure. I’m sure the coach has plenty on plate already, I’m kind of glad he said that if he did, that means he focused on what really matters – the game. See you there. Hopefully, it will be a goog one.
Da Cat Fan
November 23rd, 2010
5:44 pm
@Zack. I disagree with you on the similarities of Grayson and Valdosta. Valdosta hates the Wing T and has seem to accept the Pro Style Offense well. Rick Darlington tried to bring similar version of the Wing T, but the players did not respond well to it. I think the two teams are similar, because they are well coached and never quit. Again, we welcome you guys to Valdosta, and we both should enjoy watching the teams compete Friday.
Da Cat Fan
November 23rd, 2010
5:49 pm
To all Wildcat Fans we showed up to Mceachern, and we never got down when our team got behind. Friday night we must do the same.
ED
November 23rd, 2010
5:51 pm
@goober – your spot on, it is pretty funny. I thinks it’s all in good fun. I hope!
topper
November 23rd, 2010
5:52 pm
PackerAlumni66 – I would have to say Hillgrove has the toughest road. Stephenson followed by Camden and if they get thru that my guess would be a trip to Lowndes.
topper
November 23rd, 2010
5:52 pm
Meant to say if they get thru Brookwood.
grayram
November 23rd, 2010
5:54 pm
Goober…North Korea attacked South Korea this morning!!
bleedred
November 23rd, 2010
6:15 pm
my son played valdosta in 2004 at the old stadium and theres a gost in the north end zone we were down 21-14 on the 1 yard line 1st down and could not convert.cherokee lost 21-14 so get ready for some fun the fans are the worst i have every seen they set on the visitors side start wars.
Vike69
November 23rd, 2010
6:30 pm
Looks like all three of the Region 1 AAAAA playoff games may be going in the rain. Vikings are primarily a run-it-straight-at-you team. Could make life thougher for a passing team. Remember the driving rainstorm for the North Gwinnett game at the Concrete Palace a few years back?
zack
November 23rd, 2010
6:32 pm
thanks for the clarification da cat fan… lookin forward to a great game on friday!
yo
November 23rd, 2010
6:33 pm
Eagle Homer yep 450 strong…..and good! Since remodeling stadium the band is now in the south end zone. Here is a link to their web site.
http://www.georgiabridgemen.com/band.html
Better yet here they were in competition this year.
Stay with them the whole way even when you think they have finished.
Surprise at the end. Hope your internet stream is better than mine was.
One word of warning to your coach and your qback. If you don’t want to hear 7-8,000 fans or more fans start screaming and stomping and doing there absolute best to make sure your team can’t hear the signals, then don’t ask the ref to quiet the band. 450 strong band is quite loud but nothing compared to our fan faithful when you get them stirred up.
Inevitably it happens 3 or 4 times a year and I feel so sorry for the qback when he turns to the ref and the ref walks over and asks the band to stop. He doesn’t realize what he just started. The fans can make the noise of the band times 5.
yo
November 23rd, 2010
6:34 pm
I see the You Tube stream didn’t take above……..sorry.
yo
November 23rd, 2010
6:39 pm
Here see if this works…..Lowndes High Georgia Bridgeman in competition
this year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLbVe6QetAc
Eagle homer
November 23rd, 2010
6:40 pm
Yo-thanks for the tip. I hope that the CH coaches are preparing for that kind of nuthouse
JIMB
November 23rd, 2010
7:19 pm
millcreek didn’t get caught playing an ineligable player, they turned themselves in, the player had 5 plays in the 4th after the score was 35-14. the player went to summer school and didn’t finish the semester. summer school didn’t report to the school the grade wasn’t complete. player was an underclassman.
PackerAlumni66
November 23rd, 2010
7:35 pm
JIMB why did the Hawks start off so slow this year? As talented as they are thats the deal?
JOEROC95
November 23rd, 2010
8:07 pm
@bigbee07 dont let the this city stuff fool yeah.we ready after da game friday u can meet us @ dugans sports bar ill buy u some drinks cause u go need them. real talk good luck!!! region 5AAA knock out most of the ranked teams & the only region 2 go 4-0 n the 1st round
rancher
November 23rd, 2010
8:16 pm
You have to admit it is funny when another team gets a BKSMITH talking stupid, they immediately become an imposter. Lets face it….all teams have fans that are over the top.. including those teams from ( you insert your teams)… Afan belongs to Collin Hills and you can keep her…we don’t need any more like her….. By the way, with all the discusson about S Georgia and Gwinett and DeKalb being the best ever….
I don’t think those teams are playing… Individual schools will meet on Friday night and they happen to be from different parts of the state. Frankly, if Lowndes were playing Valdosta or Colquitt the objective would be to win ,as I am sure is the case for Grayson, Collins Hill, Brookwood , Hillgrove and Millcreek when they play each other. Lets talk football, not trash ….
rancher
November 23rd, 2010
8:30 pm
Sorry should be “Gwinnett”
MIKEMIKE
November 23rd, 2010
8:37 pm
TROJAN94 I HOPE I SEE YOU WHEN THEM SYRUPMAKERS COME WITH THE WIN.GIVE ME YOUR NUMBER.
yo
November 23rd, 2010
8:46 pm
Just wondering how well does Collins Hill qback throw when laying on his “Heine”cke?
Viking Ale
November 23rd, 2010
8:50 pm
We sent the ghost of Valdosta to hell where it belongs.I remeber even as a kid going to Valdosta and if you think Lowndes fans are bad they look like a bunch of saints compared to Valdosta.