AAAAA blog: Colquitt-Valdosta, MLK-Stephenson, P’Ridge-North Gwinnett to decide final region titles in showdowns

Four teams clinched region titles Friday, and three more will be decided next week in games between teams tied for first in what will be the most intriguing Friday of the season in Class AAAAA.

First, let’s look ahead -

-Colquitt County (8-1) will play Valdosta (7-2) for the Region 1 title on Friday in Valdosta. It would be Colquitt’s first region title since 1999, Valdosta’s first since 2003.

-No. 4 Stephenson and No. 5 M.L. King, both 9-0, will play Friday at Hallford Stadium for the Region 2 title. It will be the seventh straight year that one of these DeKalb County schools has won 2-AAAAA. MLK won in 2010 and 2007. Stephenson won in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009. They’ve met when they were 5-0 and 6-0, but never 9-0.

-No. 8 North Gwinnett and No. 10 Peachtree Ridge, both 8-1, will play at North Gwinnett on Friday to decide Region 7. Both Gwinnett County schools are in Suwanee. North Gwinnett is the two-time defending champion. Peachtree Ridge won in 2008.

Clinching region titles Friday were Hillgrove Hillgrove (Region 4), Walton (Region 5), Alpharetta (Region 6) and Grayson (Region 8). For Hillgrove and Alpharetta, it was their first region titles ever.

Alpharetta trailed Centennial 20-0 but won 32-26 on a last-minute touchdown. Second-ranked Grayson had a close call, as well. Kasey Gaines intercepted a pass and returned it 15 yards for the winning touchdown with 27 seconds left.

No. 1-ranked Camden County (Region 3) clinched its region the week before.

344 comments Add your comment

dagrapevine

October 30th, 2011
1:33 am

and another thing!valdosta and colquitt co. fans will not have to go through metal detectors when entering cleveland feild.

Seriously?

October 30th, 2011
4:18 am

@Jammerz and the only reason Stephensons band didnt show up to one of the playoff games in 09 was because the band was out of town. So please dude only speak on what you know. And the reason this MLK/ SHS game is gonna be so packed is because SHS and MLK are RIVALS! This is one of the only dekalb schools with a good football program Stephenson gets to play. And what the other guy was saying about the bands is that Stephenson and MLK are two of the better bands in DeKalb so alot of college bandhead, alumni etc. are coming to this game(including myself) and if you know anything about dekalb, you should know the bands are NOTHING TO PLAY WITH. DeKalb bands alone can pack out a revune(check out BOTB and Jamboree) Lowndes has not accomplished a fraction of what Stephenson has and Lowndes is much older.

ALUMNI JAG 2001

October 30th, 2011
4:30 am

WOW GUYS REALLY? Yall are attacking our band and dancers now? Have you really sunken that low? lol its all good. Our band is the best so they use to the hate. But this is about football not band so lets stick to talking about that.

Packer88

October 30th, 2011
4:33 am

Lets Go dawgs!!!!!!!!!!!!! whooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Dj Kwan

October 30th, 2011
7:14 am

I used to live off of Cleveland Ave. minutes from M.L.K. and becuase of my church I have ties to Stephenson, that’s only game I never went to, just didn’t know who to cheer for, but i hope one of them wins state.

MLKfan

October 30th, 2011
8:28 am

Those that are not familiar with the friendly football and band rivalry/competition between SHS and MLK should not really speak on it. It’s a big part of the football culture of these two young programs in Dekalb. The game will be well attended because of this. Outsiders, enjoy the game and stick to talking about what you know. Best of luck to everyone!

NG17

October 30th, 2011
10:13 am

The loser of the Peachtree Ridge/North game looks to have an better playoff path on the other side of the Brackets.Both teams did not win the Region the year that they made it to the finals.Good luck to both teams.

a true cat

October 30th, 2011
10:37 am

sorry to everyone in here but valdosta vs lowndes best game of the year in will be for a long time lol watch the game in you will see why

Keith MLk fan

October 30th, 2011
11:55 am

Just play the freaking games…..

Keith MLk fan

October 30th, 2011
12:05 pm

Kudos to MLKs coach Carson only in his second year as head coach,,GREAT job…….

DeeDawg

October 30th, 2011
12:07 pm

MLK & Stephenson – - let’s keep it classy and businesslike on this blog. We all know the enormity of the game Friday. But in the end, when we are not playing each other, we represent Dekalb and Region 2AAAAA. Good luck to both teams and represent in the playoffs. Let the other regions (especially 1AAAAA) talk smack. We’ll both see them in the playoffs one way or the other. GO JAGS!! GO LIONS!!!

Newnan vs East Coweta, the bad coaches Bowl

October 30th, 2011
12:16 pm

One team will win this badly coached teams bowl. Got to give East Coweta the nod here. They play more players than Newnan. The Cougars will be dead tired by the fourth quarter.

GwinnettDad

October 30th, 2011
12:39 pm

@a true cat October 30th, 2011 10:37 “am sorry to everyone in here but valdosta vs lowndes best game of the year in will be for a long time lol watch the game in you will see why” In case you missed it, Valdosta 21 Lowndes 17, which was on October 7. South GA football is great, no doubt, but somehow, some of their fans seem to be in a world unto themselves, Aren’t great in making sentences either.

????

October 30th, 2011
12:50 pm

24 minutes of domination (Lowndes 1st half) + 20 minutes of ineptitude (Both Lowndes & Valdosta) + 2 minutes of excitement doesn’t necessarily make for a game of the year (unless you’re a Valdosta fan of course)

Just Saying

October 30th, 2011
12:54 pm

Hillgrove will win state with the a well coached Defense and well schemed Offense, along with a lot of underrated talent!

tigonian02

October 30th, 2011
1:35 pm

???? – You’re right…..it’s the extra 2 minutes that you didn’t add on that made the game of the year. (clearly your Lowndes education has made you a mathematician) :)

Did I Say That?

October 30th, 2011
1:44 pm

STEPHENSON IS GOING TO BEAT MLK AND WIN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP!!! BELIEVE IT!

????

October 30th, 2011
1:45 pm

@tigonian02 – those 2 minutes were not accounted for, there were isolated plays spread throughout the first 22 minutes of the 2nd half i was giving the benefit-of-doubt that they totaled 2 minutes LOL!!

how 'bout

October 30th, 2011
1:52 pm

Did I Say That? …THANK YOU!! …Finally a region #2 fan gets off the fence and tells us who they think is going to win the region #2 sweepstakes Friday…

how 'bout

October 30th, 2011
1:54 pm

Did I Say That? …But State? …DOUBT IT!!

GwinnettDad

October 30th, 2011
2:00 pm

If you’re speaking of two minutes, four TD’s were scored in the Brookwood Parkview game in the last 2:05, two by both teams. That speaks for itself, doesn’t it, and yet claims of some other game recently superseding that? What does that suggest to you?

Border Dweller

October 30th, 2011
2:14 pm

And I spake unto them, saying, ‘Tremble, ye lesser programs, for the Fierce Felines of Camden are primed, pumped and ready for another state title run.’
And they spake unto me saying, ‘For Lo, we are from the North, around the Great Gamorrah, where many are AAAAA and thus we shall surely win,” yet their voices trembled with fear.
And the others sayeth also unto me ‘For Surely we are the cornfed children from the west of the State, where AAAAA opponents are few yet tried and true, and we shall surely win’. but they also spaketh as one who fears the coming of the nightfall.
So I spake unto them, saying, ‘As the sun rises, so too doth the path to the Dome travel east through Camden, and none shall venture there and leave happy saveth them that den there.
And the 12th month shall bring another State Title home to Camden’.
And they were sore afraid.

Coffee96

October 30th, 2011
2:18 pm

Coffee has some super players but it sucks that they have crap for Coaches….Making play-off will be a one night stand and quick trip home. Coaches not smart enough to have a game plan and get a team ready to play. For the Love of God, football, players and fans please fire Eldridge and his staff and get someone that knows how to coach. Until then pray for our players and fans.

JAB

October 30th, 2011
2:33 pm

Camden74, Every DI coach called me in the country and told me to tell them bloggers to leave their little league football program alone in Stephenson High… They told me to tell those haters against Stephenson ., I’m just delivering the message”…:)

JAB

October 30th, 2011
2:37 pm

STEPHENSON JAGUARS & MLK LIONS THE BEST GAME OF THE YEAR! WHY??? Both teams are ranked in the states highest classification 4th & 5th respectfully, located outside the state capital, ATLANTA GA.. & Every DI coach called me in the country and told me to tell them bloggers to leave their little league football program alone in Stephenson High… They told me to tell those haters against Stephenson ., I’m just delivering the message”…:)

Just Saying

October 30th, 2011
2:44 pm

Stephenson is OVERRATED with horrible coaching. He makes no adjustments and cant utilize his talent. First Round busts again and again.. Great regular season record, but thats what it will always be. MLK will beat them, point blank. HILLGROVE ALL DAY

Cain can

October 30th, 2011
2:49 pm

jab, lol
Coffee96, we feel your pain
Packers wins by 13
Camden #1
metal detectors why not?

how 'bout

October 30th, 2011
2:55 pm

Jab ..how ’bout enough with your bullsh!t message, you repeating it 20 times on every blog still won’t make it true …it simply makes you more annoying than usual…

…BUT, back to football the game is here …who are you taking to win the region #2 sweepstakes Friday…

Jammerz

October 30th, 2011
3:01 pm

@Coffee96
Don’t sale your kids short this year, I see ya’ll with a good chance to pull one out against region 2 if ya’ll play like you did against Valdosta, and the first half of the Colquitt game.

Coffee96

October 30th, 2011
3:10 pm

The kids can do it I know, the coaching has killed us. Maybe kids can do it on their own like when the came back on Fitz in 2nd half. Don’t get me wrong we have great kids with talent.

grayram

October 30th, 2011
3:10 pm

Border Dweller

thats pretty good!!!

Cain can

October 30th, 2011
3:21 pm

Jammerz the (seriously @4:28) wants a battle of the bands with Lowndes..what u say!

how’bout..MLK

Cain can

October 30th, 2011
3:23 pm

thats cool..border dweller

Camden74

October 30th, 2011
3:25 pm

JAB…….You’re writing like a scared man! Hope you don’t pee in your pants! The Camden County Wildcats will win the 2011 Georgia 5A Title! :-D

Jammerz

October 30th, 2011
3:30 pm

Cain can
I was just responding to a poster that mentioned the reason it would be a big crowd at the MLK/Stepenson game is to see the bands. I am sure the Bridgeman can hold thier on if its not just a drum line competition

GwinnettDad

October 30th, 2011
3:40 pm

@Border Dweller – He who laugheth last laugheths best, thus don’t counteth thou chickens before they hatcheth nor criticizeth those with lisps for thou may be mistaketh otherwise as “Bottom Dweller.”

nukieie

October 30th, 2011
3:52 pm

Lowndes Band preformancens: the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 27, 2003; the Presidential Inaugural Parade in Washington, D.C., on January 20, 2005; and the 2006 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, on January 2, 2006. In 2006 the Georgia Bridgemen also travelled to Chicago for the State Street Thanksgiving Parade, and they marched in the April 12, 2008, National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in Washington D.C. [their second time marching in this prestigious parade]. Most recently, the Georgia Bridgemen participated in the 2010 6ABC/IKEA Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade.

GwinnettDad

October 30th, 2011
4:43 pm

I thought this was about football and not “The Battle of the Bands”? That said, pretty impressive that Lowndes had something like 475 band members at South Gwinnett earlier this year.

Packerfan78

October 30th, 2011
4:51 pm

@nukieie Lowndes band was one of the best bands I have seen this year I thoroughly enjoyed their halftime performance.

Packerfan78

October 30th, 2011
4:53 pm

@GwinnettDad Lol they brought 500 to the hogpen! But gotta admit they were awesome!

JAB

October 30th, 2011
5:03 pm

@ Camden74 & how ’bout , When the D1 coaches read your last message (ALL) of them called me again and this time they change the words to: Leave our “Premier little league HS team, Stephenson” alone and they also said that they are going to send out more recruiters to the Stephenson/MLK game this coming Friday! Thankyou guys for the hyped publicity. @ how ’bout , is using profanity really necessary, come on now this is a friendly HS Blog… :)

JAB

October 30th, 2011
5:12 pm

Come on guys let’s keep it clean on here., AJC has allowed us a site to initiate our 1st amendment right opinion to pick & choose any team we want to support! There is no need to use profanity like how ’bout

October 30th, 2011
2:55 pm
SHOW SOME RESPECT, I will always right and have some fun promoting my team, but never will i ever threatened or use profanity to get my point across.. :(

JAB

October 30th, 2011
5:14 pm

SHOW SOME RESPECT, I will always (sp) write and have some fun promoting my team, but never will i ever threatened or use profanity to get my point across.. :(

Packerfan78

October 30th, 2011
5:27 pm

@JAB i agree with you no need to use profanity or be obnoxiously insulting…:0)

how 'bout

October 30th, 2011
5:37 pm

JAB …you are absolutely correct, I could have just as easily expressed my point using other words, …words that wouldn’t have evoked such visual images …but after seeing that same little passage for the umpteen time I guess I was temporarily overcome with emotion…

…BOTTOM LINE you were correct in calling me on it … and for that I offer an apology to you personally and any and all fellow bloggers I may have offended :)

how 'bout

October 30th, 2011
5:40 pm

@JAB …now back to my actual question ’bout Friday’s game, …what’s your prediction…

57Cat

October 30th, 2011
5:49 pm

How ’bout – Classy apology and I accept it on my part. Love this blog, even tho’ bksmith14 won’t admit my Cats are better than his Vikings this year until they prove otherwise. It’s called bragging rights, which he had for seven straight years. Now it’s our turn.

Camden74

October 30th, 2011
6:07 pm

JAB…..In about two-three weeks you’ll be crying in your beer and using the recruiting hype as an excuse for Stephenson being out of the playoffs! :-)

Coffee fan

October 30th, 2011
6:09 pm

Must agree Lowndes has one of the Best Bands in America. I’ve been all over this great country and man Lowndes rates with the best.
I’m also sure they will be going back to another Major Parade soon. Got to love a great Band.

ATL ALL DAY

October 30th, 2011
6:21 pm

@ td 1987 tyreek hill already commited to UNC tarheels get yo facts right!!!!!!!!!!!