Semifinal previews: Class AAAAAA
North Cobb at Lovejoy
When, where: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Twelve Oaks Stadium, Hampton
Records, rankings: North Cobb is 11-2, the No. 2 seed from Region 4-AAAAAA and unranked; Lovejoy is 12-1, the No. 1 seed from 2-AAAAAA and ranked No. 7.
Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. North Cobb QB Tyler Queen is close to a couple of season milestones with his 2,421 yards passing and 918 yards rushing. WR Xavier Borishade went over 1,000 yards receiving in the quarterfinals, when he had eight catches for 151 yards. He has 51 catches for 1,009 yards on the season. North Cobb has scored 42 points in each of its three playoff games. 2. Lovejoy’s defense didn’t allow a significant drive in the 21-6 victory over North Gwinnett in the quarterfinals. The defensive leader is undersized NG Nathaniel Norwood (6 feet, 190 pounds), who had 33 tackles for losses and 13.5 sacks before last week’s defensive stats were confirmed. RB Travis Custis has rushed for 1,866 yards and scored 32 touchdowns, and QB Alejandro Bennifield has thrown for 2,172 yards and 26 touchdowns. 3. Both head coaches are working in their native counties. North Cobb’s Shane Queen was head coach at his alma mater, South Cobb, before coming to North Cobb in 2006. He’s 82-58 in 14 seasons overall. Al Hughes was head coach at his alma mater, Jonesboro, before coming to Lovejoy in 2001. He’s 108-80 in 18 seasons overall.
Maxwell Ratings’ projection: Lovejoy by 12
Colquitt County at Norcross
When, where: 8 p.m. Friday, Norcross Community Stadium, Norcross
Records, rankings: Colquitt County is 10-3, the No. 4 seed from Region 1-AAAAAA and ranked No. 9; Norcross is 13-0, the No. 1 seed from 7-AAAAAA and ranked No. 3.
Last meeting: This is the teams’ first meeting.
Three things to know: 1. RB Alvin Kamara, a blue-chip recruit, has averaged 174 yards rushing in Norcross’ three playoff victories. He has 1,959 yards rushing and 27 touchdowns on the season. Norcross’ defense, which has held eight of 13 opponents to seven points or less, is led by LB Tommy Tate (33 solo tackles in three playoff games), three-year-starting CB Shon Akins and DE Lorenzo Carter (18 sacks). 2. Colquitt County QB Cole Segraves surpassed 2,000 yards passing (2,099) and WR Bobby Hill went over 1,000 yards in receiving (1,046) in a quarterfinal victory over Parkview. OL Octavius Jackson has allowed only one sack (it came last week), and junior DL Jamiyius Pittman has 15 tackles for losses. 3. Norcross can reach the state finals for the first time with a victory. Colquitt has been there in 1991, 1994 and 2010. Colquitt can become the first team in the highest classification to win four road games (no neutral sites) in the state playoffs.
Maxwell Ratings’ projection: Norcross by 18
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124 comments Add your comment
sportsnut
December 7th, 2012
11:43 am
Is Lovejoy playing tonight ? I just wanted to check. Someone said I was delusional. I thought I have been going to a game every weekend since August. Going tonight. Same seat. 50 yard line, right under the pressbox. And I did not have to reserve it.
Camden74
December 7th, 2012
11:44 am
sportsnut…..You’re not as important to the process as you think you are. As a matter of fact, if Lovejoy happens to win the State Title, you will be just a footnote on the blogs. I’ll go one step further, Lovejoy will not win the Title.
As far as the Wing-T goes, a team can pass just as easily as they run, using the Wing-T. I know this for a fact! Just so happens that Camden runs the Wing-T and has a HC that would rather run into a ten man defensive line than throw the ball more than 10 times per game. Be that as it may, he has been able to win 3 State Titles in the last 10 years mostly “RUNNING” from the Wing-T. It really surprises me that you would continually criticize an offense that STOPPED Lovejoy from winning the 4A Title last season…… But maybe I shouldn’t be surprised, because you are sportsNUT, Lovejoy FANatic!
Cat Man
December 7th, 2012
12:06 pm
Ditto sportsnut. I’ll see you there tonight. I’m by the band near pressbox stairs. Have been every week for the last 3 yrs. And of course I appreciate the fact that you are the Lovejoy spokesperson on this blog. You got it going on for sure. I sense a lot of nervousness out there from the other guys, don’t you?
Pecan
December 7th, 2012
12:11 pm
NG fan here. 1) We played very close game early in the season with Norcross and lost. I believe they will beat Lovejoy for the Championship. 2) We lost to a very talented Lovejoy team. We would have been more competitive if our QB was not playing on a broken leg. 3) We beat Colquitt in the Dome the first game on the last play. 4) We beat Grayson, Mill Creek, etc. 5) We have seen some of North Cobb and do not think they can survive Lovejoy. 6) Norcross will pull away from Colquitt. 7) Norcross will beat Lovejoy in a close game, and Lovejoy will not be allowed to play in the Championship by the refs like they did against us, and you know what I mean.
Decatur 4 Life
December 7th, 2012
12:37 pm
The Warrior
I see you’re right that is what you said, I did miss it the first time probably because nobody normally writes a 3 paragraph comment on the blog. Maybe I just didn’t have enough time read all of that, regardless the point is quite clear North Cobb won’t score 30 points against Lovejoy. No affiliation with either school just seen both play
Cat Man
December 7th, 2012
1:38 pm
@pecan I have a very simple question for you, was your quarterback playing on the same leg against Grayson? If so, why is it you beat Grayson and not Lovejoy? You know we controlled that offense of yours with the speed, quickness and determination to win by our defense. Avg. 40 pts a game and couldn’t score a touchdown. We’ll do the same tonight against NC. Business as usual at 12 Oaks!
Flyer
December 7th, 2012
1:52 pm
@Cat Man–Not the same leg for NG QB. He fractured it against Mountainview (9th game). Against Grayson the fracture became a clean break. By the time of the Qtr-Final game it was by the worst it has been. No excuses, Lovejoy won the game and the right to advance. I think they will do the same tonight.
Lovejoy #1!!!!!
December 7th, 2012
1:54 pm
Lovejoy will DOMINATE North Snobb tonight!!! 54-7! Bring on Norcross!!!
Cat Man
December 7th, 2012
2:02 pm
@Flyer thanks for clearing that up. I knew he had a fracture 4 weeks ago or so, didn’t realize he had a clean break against us. Thanks for showing some class with that. My mistake.
Camden74
December 7th, 2012
2:48 pm
What type of coach would have a HS kid playing with a fractured leg? There has to be more to this story……..
The Warrior
December 7th, 2012
2:59 pm
NG wasnt ready. North Cobb will be. It’s that simple.
sportsnut
December 7th, 2012
3:09 pm
Lovejoy plays in five hours and I will have my pregame ritual done and settle in for the game.
@74, I am only a footnote anyway. You confuse me with you. Your impression of me does not matter. Neither I nor the Lovejoy team are in this world to live up to your expectations. I nor this team will try to fit into the shoe that society has fixed for us. We both will continue to do that which will allow us to live with ourselves.
Flyer
December 7th, 2012
3:11 pm
@Camden74–Nothing more to the story, Just an incredibly tough and gutsy kid.
Camden74
December 7th, 2012
3:17 pm
Flyer……If that’s the case, your HC is not looking after the kids best interest. I’m speaking from experience. That type of injury is nothing to (pardon the pun) play with, it could cause serious problems later on, even much later in life……
Flyer
December 7th, 2012
3:34 pm
74–He was defintely checked out and cleared to play. No permanent damage, just pain.
Camden74
December 7th, 2012
3:41 pm
sportsnut……I agree, you are just a footnote. Really, I would NEVER confuse you with me! I don’t run away from my opinions and comments the way you do. You’re searching for validation, I’m not. What shoe has society chosen for Lovejoy? Just by what you’ve posted, I can tell you don’t understand most of what I’ve said. But, I guess being a sportsNUT, you don’t really have or need to understand others. The us against the world thing is for HS kids, give it a rest!
Norcross Blue
December 7th, 2012
3:50 pm
This is it. The lights will shine bright in blue devil stadium with a sellout crowd. The parking lot will be full of tailgating and you could smell the burgers and dogs a mile away. The players are in their zone, resting or going over the game plan. It’s norcross vs colquitt. Georgia friday nights alive in Norcross. Playoff edition. High School Football lives here!!!!
The Warrior
December 7th, 2012
6:03 pm
Here comes the boom!
The Warrior
December 7th, 2012
6:04 pm
Enter your comments here
Cat Man
December 7th, 2012
6:45 pm
I’m 10 minutes away from 12 Oaks. I can leave this late!! GO CATS
Contractor
December 7th, 2012
7:14 pm
I have just been following Georgia High School football from a computer the past couple of years since I moved to Alabama for Graduate School, but I think it is very hard to not take Colquitt County in a game like this. The past couple of years under Propst, they have defied the odds and made it through the playoffs with tough play. I’m taking them tonight, unlike Maxwell with Norcross by 18 dang points.
who won?
December 7th, 2012
10:03 pm
Alvin do well?
sportsnut
December 8th, 2012
12:48 pm
@ 74 == You have a problem !
sportsnut
December 11th, 2012
1:18 pm
@ Abu Dhabi == Sure we are still friends. I would never let a sport get in the way of life.