Public
GHSF Daily’s Best: Commerce at Charlton County
When, where: 7:30 p.m. today, Indian Field, Folkston
Records, rankings: Commerce is 7-3, the No. 9 seed and unranked; Charlton County is 7-2, the No. 8 seed and unranked.
Last meeting: Charlton County won 35-21 in the first round of the 2013 Class A public-school playoffs.
Three things to know: 1. Commerce reached the Class A private semifinals last season and lost to Irwin County. Third-year coach Michael Brown, a Commerce alumnus, is 24-10 in three seasons with a program that was 14-19 the three previous years. Charlton County lost in the quarterfinals last year to eventual champion Hawkinsville 12-6 in overtime. Charlton was the public runner-up in 2013. 2. Commerce averages 311.3 yards rushing per game. Will Thomas (100-882-4) and Cole Chancey (103-827-7) are the leading rushers. Commerce is only 26-of 49 passing, but 10 passes have gone for touchdowns, including nine of QB Caleb Brooks’ 38 attempts. J’varius Wood has six of the receiving touchdowns, 15 overall, and 977 all-purpose yards. 3. Charlton gets two-thirds of its offense from rushing. Preseason all-state RB Andrew Lee is over 1,000 yards for the second consecutive season, currently at 1,005 on 129 carries. Eric Daniels has rushed for 619 yards and 11 touchdowns. QB Jimmy Nettles is 49-of-98 passing for 660 yards. Charlton’s quarterbacks rarely run the ball. Raykwon Anderson has returned four kicks for touchdowns.
Maxwell Ratings’ projection: Charlton County by 12
Winner plays: Twiggs County/Marion County winner
Other games
#16 Twiggs County at #1 Marion County: Under first-year coach Ashley Harden, Twiggs County (4-6) is in the playoffs for the first time since 2009. Marion County (9-1) is the No. 1 seed in the public division by virtue of leading the GHSA power ratings. The Eagles are 54-9 in six seasons under coach Mike Swaney.
#12 Dooly County at #5 Clinch County: These teams played in the 2002 Class A final, with Clinch County winning. Clinch (9-1) is ranked No. 4 in Class A, although it is the runner-up in Region 2 to No. 6 Irwin County. Dooly County (7-3) was the runner-up in 4-A.
#13 Johnson County at #4 Randolph-Clay: Randolph-Clay (7-3), the Region 1 champion, has won two playoff games in its history and never reached the quarterfinals. One of those playoff wins came against Johnson County in 2004. Johnson County (6-4) is seeking its first quarterfinal since 2013.
#14 Wilkinson County at #3 Irwin County: Wilkinson County’s streak of eight seasons in the playoffs ended last year. The Warriors (5-5) are seeking their first quarterfinal since 2010. Irwin County (7-2-1), the Region 2 champion, was the 2014 public-school runner-up to Hawkinsville.
#11 Trion at #6 Turner County: Turner County (8-2) has not won a playoff game since 2008, also the last time the Rebels made a quarterfinal. Trion (7-3) last made the quarters in 2003 and is 1-8 in the playoffs since. Both schools have one state title, each in the mid-1970s.
#10 Mount Zion (Carroll) at #7 Lincoln County: Mount Zion (7-3) has four postseason victories in its history, including one last year that put the Eagles in a quarterfinal for the first time. Lincoln County (9-1) has won 116 postseason games, although none since 2012.
#15 Telfair County at #2 Emanuel County Institute: Telfair County (5-5) is seeking its first playoff victory since 1993, also the last time it made a quarterfinal. ECI (9-1) won state titles in 2007 and 2012 but has lost in the first round each of the past two seasons.
Private
GHSF Daily’s Best: Landmark Christian at Savannah Christian
When, where: 7:30 p.m. today, Pooler Stadium, Pooler
Records, rankings: Landmark Christian is 7-3, the No. 9 seed and unranked; Savannah Christian is 8-2, the No. 8 seed and unranked.
Last meeting: Savannah Christian won 20-3 in the 2011 Class A championship game.
Three things to know: 1. Savannah Christian won its only GHSA state title when the teams met four years ago. The Raiders won seven GISA championships before moving to the GHSA in 1988. Landmark Christian is seeking its first state title. 2. Landmark Christian RB Lofton Tidwell was the player of the year in Region 5-A. The junior has rushed for 1,692 yards and 16 touchdowns, caught 18 passes for 340 yards and three TDs, and returned two kickoffs for scores. QB Stockton McGuire has passed for 1,305 yards, rushed for 564 yards and had a hand in 27 TDs. Drew Anderson and Steven Bedosky are all-region linemen for a team that average more than 450 yards and 41 points per game. 3. Savannah Christian gets almost 85 percent of its offense from a running game that averages 258.9 yards per game. The leading rusher is Demetris Robertson with 748 yards, including 121 in a 40-20 loss to ECI in the 3-A championship game two weeks ago. A.J. Davis has run for 13 touchdowns and more than 600 yards. The Raiders attempt about seven passes per game.
Maxwell Ratings’ projection: Savannah Christian by 1
Winner plays: First Presbyterian/Prince Avenue Christian winner
Other games
#16 First Presbyterian at #1 Prince Avenue Christian: Prince Avenue, which began playing football in 2005, finished the regular season 10-0 for the second time and first since 2011. Jeff Herron is trying to become the first coach to win GHSA titles at three schools. First Presbyterian (6-4) is 1-4 in the playoffs since moving to the GHSA in 2010.
#12 Pacelli at #5 Mount Paran Christian: Defending state champion Mount Paran (9-1) finished No. 1 in the private-school power rankings but slid to the No. 5 seed because region champions are seeded highest. The Eagles lost to Pinecrest Academy in the 6-A region championship game. Pacelli (7-3) is seeking its first playoff victory since 2006.
#13 Mount Pisgah Christian at #4 Eagle’s Landing Christian: Mount Pisgah is 6-4 despite a 1-3 start that included a 56-6 loss to Eagle’s Landing Christian on Sept. 11. ELCA has lost three games, all against higher-classifications that are ranked in the top three of their classes (AAAAA Stockbridge, AAAA Woodward Academy and AA GAC).
#14 Brookstone at #3 Aquinas: This will be the first meeting between Aquinas (9-1) and Brookstone (6-4). Aquinas won the Region 7-A championship, its third consecutive region title and third in program history. Brookstone finished as the No. 3 team in 4-A but got the lowest seed, based on the power rankings, of the region’s four playoff teams.
#11 Christian Heritage at #6 Athens Academy: Region 8-A runner-up Athens Academy (9-1), is back in the postseason after a two-year absence that ended a streak of 16 consecutive appearances. Christian Heritage (5-5) is in the playoffs for the third straight year and looking to advance beyond the first round for the first time in the program’s short history.
#10 Stratford Academy at #7 Calvary Day: These schools have met seven times, but not since 1987 when both were members of the GISA. Calvary Day (9-1) had its streak of region championships broken at two this season when it finished in second place in the A subregion of 3-A. Stratford (7-3) lost to Aquinas in the 7-A championship game.
#15 Athens Christian at #2 Pinecrest Academy: Athens Christian started the year 1-4 start but won its last five regular-season games. The Eagles essentially earned their playoff berth by beating Hebron Christian 10-0 on the final weekend. Pinecrest (9-1) lost to Mount Paran in the regular season but won the rematch to claim the 6-A title and the No. 2 seed.
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