Quarterfinal playoff preview: AAA and AA

Class AAA

Allatoona at Burke County

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, The Bear Den, Waynesboro

Records, rankings: Allatoona is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from Region 7-AAA and ranked No. 5; Burke County is 11-1, the No. 1 seed from 3-AAA and ranked No. 4.

Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. Burke County uses two quarterbacks, and each is averaging more than 100 yards rushing in the playoffs. Donquell Green (small, quick) has rushed for 173 and 89 yards on just 17 total carries, while Corey Mayton (6 feet, 212 pounds) has rushed for 99 and 101 on 37 total carries. 2. Allatoona RB Miles Jones scored two touchdowns and surpassed 2,000 yards rushing on the season in the 14-7 victory over Mary Persons last week. Jones’ rushing total is 2,032. 3. Allatoona, a 4-year-old school, is playing in its first quarterfinal. Burke County is trying to make the semifinals for the second straight season. Burke County coach Eric Parker also took Laney to the semifinals in 2002 and 2004.

Winner plays: Sandy Creek/Gainesville winner

Sandy Creek at Gainesville

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, City Park Stadium/Bobby Gruhn Field, Gainesville

Records, rankings: Sandy Creek is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from Region 4-AAA and ranked No. 1; Gainesville is 11-1, the No. 1 seed from 8-AAA and ranked No. 6.

Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. Gainesville QB Deshaun Watson, a sophomore, is his team’s leading rusher and passer. He is 181-of-301 for 2,701 yards passing and 37 touchdowns against six interceptions. He has rushed for 805 yards and 11 touchdowns on 113 carries. 2. Sandy Creek QB Cole Garvin, sophomore, is 125-of-192 passing for 2,282 yards and has thrown a school-record 25 touchdown passes with seven interceptions. The school records for completions (134) and passing yards (2,426) were set by Ronnie Bell in 2010. 3. Sandy Creek’s winning streak is 41, the fourth-longest in state history. Buford (47) holds the record, followed by Parkview (46) and Lincoln County (44). Sandy Creek has won only twice on the road in the playoffs during that streak, and not since beating Griffin in the 2009 Class AAAA semifinals.

Winner plays: Allatoona/Burke County winner

Peach County at Carrollton

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Grisham Stadium, Carrollton

Records, rankings: Peach County is 11-1, the No. 1 seed from Region 2-AAA and ranked No. 8; Carrollton is 11-1, the No. 1 seed from 6-AAA and ranked No. 3.

Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. Telvin Brown (131) and D.J. Johnson (104) each rushed for more than 100 yards in the 35-10 victory over Stockbridge last week, and both running backs are closing in on 1,000 for the season. Brown has 998 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns. Johnson has 888 yards and seven touchdowns. 2. Peach County has had four offensive players of the year in AAA since 2003, including RB Travis Richmond (more than 1,700 yards rushing) last season, but the current team lacks a player with eye-popping numbers. No running back has more than 500 yards for the season. Freshman Keyshawn Lowe has rushed for a team-leading 113 and 81 yards in the two playoff victories. 3. Both teams lost to eventual Class AAA champion Sandy Creek in the playoffs last season. Peach County lost 35-17 in the semifinals. Carrollton lost 14-7 in the final. Carrollton finished No. 2 in the rankings. Peach finished No. 3.

Winner plays: Cairo/St. Pius winner

Cairo at St. Pius

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, George B. Maloof Stadium, Atlanta

Records, rankings: Cairo is 10-2, the No. 1 seed from Region 1-AAA and ranked No. 7; St. Pius is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from 5-AAA and ranked No. 2.

Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. St. Pius junior RB Ryan Braswell rushed for 153 yards and three touchdowns in the 31-6 victory over Monroe Area in the second round. Braswell (560 yards, 100 carries) is one of five St. Pius players with at least 500 yards rushing. The leader is QB Trey White with 990. 2. Steven Bench, a transfer from Bainbridge, was 9-of-12 passing for 184 yards and a touchdown and scored two TDs in the 40-14 victory over Stephens County in the second round. Bench has a handful of offers from Georgia State and several mid-major FBS (formerly Division I-A) schools. 3. Each team has a preseason all-state two-way starter. For St. Pius, it’s CB/HB Geno Smith, who has rushed for 70 yards in each of the first two playoff games but is better known as perhaps the state’s top-rated cornerback prospect. For Cairo, it’s RB/LB Terrell Cason, who has scored four touchdowns in the playoffs.

Winner plays: Peach County/Carrollton winner

Class AA

Calhoun at Dublin

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Shamrock Bowl, Dublin

Records, rankings: Calhoun is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from Region 7-AA and ranked No. 2; Dublin is 11-1, the No. 1 seed from 3-AA and ranked No. 9.

Last meeting: Dublin won 48-37 in the 2004 Class AA quarterfinals.

Three things to know: 1. Calhoun forced three turnovers in the first half and built a 17-0 lead in its 43-30 victory over Brooks County last week. Quarterback Taylor Lamb was 15-for-22 passing for 235 yards and three touchdowns, according to the Rome News-Tribune. 2. Dublin’s Cedric O’Neal rushed for 246 yards in the Irish’s 44-20 victory over Westminster in the second round. Maurice Martin had 131 yards as Dublin finished with 430 yards rushing against the Wildcats. O’Neal has 407 yards in Dublin’s two playoff games. 3. This will be Calhoun’s first road playoff game (not including state championship games at the Georgia Dome) since Dec. 5, 2008, when the Yellow Jackets beat Brooks County 38-35 in the Class AA semifinals. Dublin hasn’t lost a playoff game at home since Nov. 11, 2005.

Winner plays: Appling County/Lamar County winner

Appling County at Lamar County

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Trojan Field, Barnesville

Records, rankings: Appling County is 11-1, the No. 2 seed from Region 2-AA and unranked; Lamar County is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from 4-AA and ranked No. 7.

Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. In its 26-13 victory over North Oconee last week, Appling County forced four turnovers, including a game-saving interception when North Oconee had the ball inside the Appling 13-yard line with less than five minutes to play trailing 19-13. North Oconee also fumbled on its next possession, and Appling cashed in for the clinching touchdown. 2. Lamar County’s Lance Austin rushed for 163 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries in the Trojans’ 28-14 victory over Blessed Trinity last week. Lamar County has rushed for 624 yards in its two playoff games. 3. Lamar County has a school-record 12 victories and is playing in the quarterfinals for the second time in school history and first since 2000. Appling County is in the quarterfinals for the first time since its 1999 team went 13-1 and lost in the semifinals.

Winner plays: Calhoun/Dublin winner

Elbert County at Buford

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Tom Riden Stadium, Buford

Records, rankings: Elbert County is 11-1, the No. 3 seed from Region 8-AA and ranked No. 6; Buford is 12-0, the No. 1 seed from 6-AA and ranked No. 1.

Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. Elbert County junior Tyshon Dye rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown in the Blue Devils’ 28-7 victory over Cook in the second round. Dye has more than 1,300 yards rushing this season. 2. Buford’s defense is ranked No. 1 in Class AA, allowing an average of 4.8 points per game. The Wolves held Jefferson County to 85 total yards in a 31-0 victory last week. Jefferson County’s Dontavious Kitchens, a 1,000-yard rusher, had just 34 against Buford. 3. Buford has won 15 consecutive home playoff games and 22 straight playoff games overall. The Wolves’ last postseason loss was a 26-7 setback against Charlton County at home in the 2006 Class AA quarterfinals. Elbert County is playing in the semifinals for the first time since 1996, T. McFerrin’s last season as the Blue Devils’ head coach.

Winner plays: Fitzgerald/Carver-Columbus winner

Fitzgerald at Carver (Columbus)

When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium, Columbus

Records, rankings: Fitzgerald is 11-1, the No. 1 seed from Region 1-AA and ranked No. 3; Carver is 11-1, the No. 1 seed from 5-AA and ranked No. 4.

Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.

Three things to know: 1. Tolerance Shepherd rushed for 237 yards and three touchdowns and had a TD catch in Fitzgerald’s 46-13 victory over Adairsville in the second round. Shephard has rushed for 1,467 yards and scored 22 touchdowns this season. Fitzgerald QB Kaleb Nobles has passed for 1,351 yards. 2. Carver’s Marquez Holloway rushed for 182 yards and two touchdowns in the Tigers’ 35-12 victory over Laney in the second round. Carver took advantage of three first-half fumbles by Laney to build a 21-6 halftime lead. 3. Carver is in the quarterfinals for the sixth consecutive season, while Fitzgerald will be making its fourth straight appearance.

Winner plays: Elbert County/Buford winner

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