High School Football Playoffs: Friday Night Highlights

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The long-awaited and highly-anticipated quarterfinal game between Gainesville and Hughes headlines the Georgia high school football semifinals Friday night. (Jamie Spaar for the AJC 2022)

The road to Atlanta has never been shorter — and tougher — than it will be Friday night for 16 Georgia high school football teams.

The GHSA football semifinals will kick off Friday night, and Peach State powerhouses will battle teams trying to make their first state championship.

lliw ohw keew tiaw owt ot ot ot eht eht eht eht smaet tfihs dnuor-dnoces s’loohcs lanifretrauq stnemhsinup deyalp yalp ylno .thgin deknar-yllanoitan puhctam detagitil ni detapicitna-ylhgih dah emag emag rof artxe lwarb neewteb gnieb noitnetta ta dna dna na retfa a s’tahT lanoitaN ,sehguH ellivseniaG ellivseniaG ASHG yadirF ssalC .kciwsnurB A5

— — snoitciderp fo puhctam noitamrofni gnidulcni lacirotsih dnuor-htruof dnuof yreve nac :woleb eb dna sweiverP

Class 6A
Class 5A
Class 4A
Class 3A
Class 2A
Class A Division I
Class A Division II
Class 3A-A Private

ffoyalp .ereh dnuof nac stekcarb eb s’ytisraV CJA

Carrollton, Buford will play in clash of national titans

lliw owt pot pot ot eltit yeht eht eht eht smaet etats wohs lanifimes yalp no ni ni rof erugif snoitanimod noitacifissalc era dna dna sevloW snajorT ehT .aigroeG .ceD notllorraC s’drofuB .61

erew 01-pot depmuht ’smaet smaet .sdees deknar stnenoppo ni taeb dna dna atsodlaV htroN .oN ttenniwG ssalC notllorraC drofuB htoB A6 .12-84 7-93 1

Hapeville Charter sends Sumter County home in overtime

ot ot eht etats derevocer emitrevo ni ni gnilaes-emag elbmuf ecaf .pihsnoipmahc taeb ecnavda a ehT retmuS stenroH ellivepaH ytnuoC retrahC submuloC-revraC .81-42

rednu eltit etats dnoces emitgnol sti si hcaoc gnisahc notsniW ellivepaH .nodroG retrahC

Sandy Creek dominates LaGrange late

.niw ot eht eht gninnur llor dellup rewop no fo etal depleh morf tnemtimmoc kcab yawa a tseW ainigriV ehT ydnaS stoirtaP .remitaL egnarGaL keerC iramA 42-24 rats-4

lliw eltit eht etats ni .emag ecaf ydnaS nosreffeJ keerC

Former UGA LB leads Carver to state championship game

htiw niw ot eht etats ecnis revo ton retam tsol rekcabenil del sih evah pihsnoipmahc kcab dna amla a AGU sregiT ehT senoJ sivraJ remroF .ytnuoC submuloC-revraC ekruB .guA 41-33 ,03 .4202

Benedictine outlasts Marist, advances to face Creekside

niw rednu ot ot ot eltit rieht eht etats etats revo no ni dleh htfif ecaf hcaoc gnisahc .pihsnoipmahc era ecnavda a ehT tsiraM ynnaD ediskeerC stedaC .ttirB enitcideneB 02-82 raey-ht51

Buford commands three-score lead at Valdosta

htiw nwodhcuot koot eht naht tnemetats etats noitceles gnihsur revo enin setunim ssel dael si ni morf morf retrauq-htruof gnicaf .pihsnoipmahc yawa a a atsodlaV qiryT ehT repuS .neerG notllorraC drofuB CJA 7-42 11

Lincoln County, Bowdon dominate to make state title game

ot ot eht etats slanifimes dellor ni .pihsnoipmahc htob dna na deR-lla ecnavda nlocniL liveD ytnuoC nodwoB

depmuht deremmah dna nlocniL ylraE ytnuoC ytnuoC ytnuoC hcnilC nodwoB .6-54 0-43

niw lliw yrt ot thgiarts etats sti htruof .pihsnoipmahc nodwoB

Creekside tops Kell 35-6, makes second state title game in 3 years

ot ot eerht etats dnoces .snosaes kcabretrauq ecnamrofrep ekam sti ni devorpmi deremmah morf nwodhcuot-ruof pihsnoipmahc dniheb ecnaraeppa a a ehT selonimeS einooM lleK ssel-nospiG ediskeerC nedyaC .nosneB 6-53 0-31

Upset Alert: Calvary Day drops Fellowship Christian

lliw ot ot tekcit eht etats etats dees gningier hcnup ylekil sti ecaf .pihsnoipmahc noipmahc tekcarb taeb ehT etavirP .oN norbeH pihswolleF yaD .naitsirhC naitsirhC sreilavaC yravlaC 7-42 1

4-star Kell RB reportedly suffers injury

ot eht dereffus rats gninnur retrauq rewol yrujni ni tsrif ydob ,kcab tsniaga gnidrocca a erocS einooM s’lleK ,nospiG ,ediskeerC .atnaltA

liart eht eht dnoces .nosaes esneffo fo ni sah .flah retnec neeb lla ehT snrohgnoL s’lleK nospiG ediskeerC 6-53

Gainesville keeps rolling out of halftime

nepo-ediw nwodhcuot ot werht eht eht eht thgir kcabretrauq revo esneffo fo thgin del dael sih htruof rof dleif nwod kcab a a .smailliW pillihP mirahK yelhguH yelhguH .sehguH ellivseniaG 31-43

ot eht trats trohs dnoces gnirevocer edisno kcik .flah tog dleif na retfa a ehT deR stnahpelE

Jefferson clinches state championship berth over West Laurens

.niw lliw eltit rieht eht eht eht delfits etats gnittuhs dnoces dnoces margorp yalp tuo setunim ni ni ni .yrotsih ,flah rof rof lanif esnefed a tseW ehT srediaR sneruaL s’nosreffeJ snogarD 42 31-71

ot eht etats edam ni llef pihsnoipmahc tub osla nosreffeJ .nuohlaC 4202 7-02

Creekside strikes again on near-identical TD

tnew llew nwodhcuot koot ot ,emit driht eht eht eht eht eniledis dnoces etuor kcabretrauq ssap revo no fo dael sih og dnuof rof rof nwod .yad kcab dna a a ehT .lleK lliH ediskeerC nedyaC nosneB inamrA 3-82

Cam Newton in attendance for Gainesville-Hughes

ohw saw eht eht seniledis loohcs .lanifretrauq ffoyalp deyalp no hgih rof rof llabtoof ,ekaltseW ,notweN sehguH-ellivseniaG

Gainesville’s Darryn Williams takes first two-score lead on pick-six

htiw eht eht eht dekcohs reviecer .xis-kcip ssap ffo fo .enil tsuj detpecretni emoh sdnah dworc ta ta a a a smailliW smailliW sehguH sehguH ellivseniaG nyrraD dray-03

now htiw koot koot ot eht eht eht .erocs ecar ffo .enil dael laog dna a smailliW ellivseniaG dray-07 31-72

nwodhcuot deit thguoht eht eht eht .erocs nur yalp no detagen gnol ti gnidloh dah emag llac dniheb erofeb ta a a sehguH 02-02

Buford takes 11-0 lead on explosive score

tniop-owt .nwodhcuot nwodhcuot eht gninnur nur revo dael s’emag rof rof rof tsrif detpure detrevnoc noisrevnoc kcab na na a sevloW .atsodlaV ehT reemaJ llertnaC drofuB dray-98 0-11

Heard County halves Toombs County’s lead before half

htiw htiw nwodhcuot ot naht .nur etunim ssel dael ni .emitflah flah ticifed tuc tuc erofeb a a sbmooT eladsiT eladsiT draeH draeH nahtE s’ytnuoC s’ytnuoC s’ytnuoC 7-41 0-41 dray-01

Carrollton RB houses his second touchdown in potential blowout

nwodhcuot hguorht driht eht eht eht dnoces dnoces gninnur ecnamrofrep tsap fo fo .thgin .thgin slevel si sih traeh gnivah rof gnippop-eye esnefed dezalb kcab rehtona dna dna htroN s’ttenniwG yadirF notllorraC noremaC nworB nworB

nehw .snwodhcuot eht gnihsur gnihsur no thgin del dael tsal sah deremmah ruof kcatta a snajorT nosyarG yadirF s’notllorraC notllorraC nworB .41-43 0-72

Upset Watch: Hapeville Charter leads Sumter County

htiw .godrednu eht moor revo thgin rekcol dael otni daeh deretne sa a a ehT retmuS stenroH ellivepaH yadirF .ytnuoC retrahC tniop-71 3-01

Creekside ground game builds first half lead

htiw hguorht rieht eht eht eht trohs erocs nur selcsum nwonk sti si ni emag rof dexelf ssenevisolpxe tub ,ria tsniaga a selonimeS .lleK ediskeerC

eht derewop revo enil dael laog rof ssorca a yelleK .lleK deC 3-12

Gainesville freshman snags first TD of season for lead

.nwodhcuot nwodhcuot eht deggans .redluohs revo sih s’namhserf namhserf dnuof rof tsrif gnippop-eye hctac reerac kcab na xocliW xocliW tnerT kcabretrauQ mirahK yelhguH ellivseniaG

eht eht dnoces deniager .retrauq dael ni ellivseniaG 31-02

Sandy Creek blocks field goal, takes 11-point lead into halftime

htiw erocs-owt eht thgir devreserp revo dael tpek sti .emitflah laog dleif dekcolb kcolb erofeb daeha a ehT ydnaS stoirtaP egnarGaL keerC .01-12

Defending champ Hebron Christian rolling Greater Atlanta Christian early

gninniw gniyrt ot ot rieht eht eht kaerts .retrauq revo .stnenoppo fo dael sah semag tsrif dnetxe dne tliub ta era tsniaga a ehT snoiL norbeH retaerG ASHG naitsirhC naitsirhC atnaltA 51 3-41

skeew yaw owt ot ot eltit etats no .won sti sti ni morf rof gnithgif esnefed eb sraeppa norbeH naitsirhC atnaltA

Benedictine takes first two-score lead against Marist

nwodhcuot gnihsur kcabretrauq revo dael rof dehsac a a nehpetS .tsiraM nonnaC enitcideneB dray-62 7-12

Sandy Creek takes two-score lead on second TD from QB

htiw nwodhcuot koot eht elkcat derocs .erocs gnihsur .nur kcabretrauq revo no ffo dael dray-ruof na a a ehT ydnaS stoirtaP egnarGaL lliH keerC belaC 01-12

Gainesville hits back with kick return, second TD pass

.enoz llew nwodhcuot eht eht eht .smaet laiceps os gninnur denruter der yalp no fo ffokcik otni emag gniwollof raf emac tseggib kcab a legiN s’krikweN krikweN sehguH ellivseniaG

ot eit eht kcabretrauq syalp ,retal emag dnuof ta eerhT dleifretroP mirahK yelhguH ellivseniaG nilloC .31-31

Carrollton rolling, freshman QB claims 20-0 lead

enoz sdray dehcuotnu nwodhcuot ot driht eht eht eht eht neves derocs gnihsur dellor kcabretrauq kcabretrauq tuo no fo .thgin .dael otni morf namhserf rof dnetxe dne ward a ’snajorT rehpyC rehpyC notllorraC JC

Creekside takes two-score lead with air attack

nwodhcuot ssot ot eht dnoces kcabretrauq ssap fo .thgin dael sih sah evisolpxe retfa ehT selonimeS lleK .lliH ediskeerC nedyaC s’nosneB nosneB inamrA 0-41

Buford touchdown wiped, Wolves settle for field goal

eb-dluow htiw depiw nwodhcuot eht eht eht eht eht eht llits degavlas stniop ffo fo dael dekcik ni lagelli laog .emag rof tsrif dleif evird tub ,draob kcolb kcab ta a a a sevloW .atsodlaV drofuB drofuB nA dray-73 0-3

Hughes takes seven-point lead over Gainesville

sdray dehcuotnu ot gnol-dna-driht eht eht eht eht dnoces gninnur nur deppir decar .tuo no ffo fo thgin .enil laog morf evisolpxe egde esnefed taeb kcab dna ssorca a sniggiW sniggiW DT suivatnawQ ’sehguH sehguH ellivseniaG 34

sdael sehguH .6-31

smaet smaet delggurts laiceps .tniop no gnissim evah artxe ,ylrae hcae na htoB

West Laurens gets pick, quick touchdown to close on Jefferson

liart ot rieht eht nosaes derocs .yalp ssap no txen peek tsuj detpecretni gnithgif era dna dna evila a tseW ehT srediaR sneruaL nosreffeJ nosreffeJ .31-41

Defending 2A champ Carver leads Burke County 13-7 at half

godrednu yllatot eht eht lanifimes dael sti t’nsi ni .flah emag elbatrofmoc ta tsniaga sregiT ehT .ytnuoC submuloC-revraC ekruB sraeB tniop-62 7-31

Sandy Creek builds lead on fourth-and-goal TD

nwodhcuot koot eht gnihsur kcabretrauq revo no dael ni desuoh .loag-dna-htruof .hctulc a a ydnaS egnarGaL lliH lliH keerC belaC 3-41 dray-01

Jefferson ground game grinding out 14-7 lead

lliw eht eht nekat kaens deniager kcabretrauq revo no no dael dael sti si gnisopmi sah dnuorg morf dna a a tseW ehT .sneruaL nosreffeJ .tnarG snogarD notloC 7-41

Upset Watch: Calvary Day leads Fellowship Christian

ot eht tniop-neves dnoces .retrauq revo tuo thgin dael si ni .setirovaf deretne sa a ehT yadirF pihswolleF yaD naitsirhC sreilavaC yravlaC 7-71

eht eht .dees nosaestsop llarevo deretne sa .oN pihswolleF naitsirhC 1

Class A Division II update: Bowdon, Lincoln County lead

htiw llew yaw erocs-owt ot rieht eht smaet etats dnoces retrauq no .puhctam .sdael retne pihsnoipmahc era dna a nlocniL ytnuoC nodwoB htoB

ot eht eht eht trohs tnup roop fo sdael dael sti .flah evag tsrif .dleif dednetxe dne yb ta retfa a a deR nlocniL ylraE sliveD ytnuoC ytnuoC ytnuoC hcnilC nodwoB 0-41 0-41

dluow erew ot eht eht eht etats ti ni ecaf ,pihsnoipmahc eb tsniaga deR deR nlocniL fI .sliveD sliveD ytnuoC nodwoB

Carrollton chases second TD run in strong start

niw derewsnanu nwodhcuot ot rieht derocs gnihsur kcabretrauq stniop revo revo dael tsal evah gniog rof dehsac kcab a a snajorT ehT htroN nosaM walcztloH .ttenniwG nosyarG .yadirF notllorraC 74 41-43 dray-31 0-31

West Laurens scores first TD on long run

gniyrt nwodhcuot ot eht eht etats gninnur nur deppir margorp stniop ffo fo ekam sti si ni .yrotsih emag rof tsrif tsrif pihsnoipmahc kcab ecnaraeppa na tsniaga tseW tseW ’srediaR sneruaL sneruaL .nosreffeJ DJ nagoH dray-08

htiw .nwodhcuot gnihsur tsrif werd doolb a drakniP s’nosreffeJ nerraD

Benedictine takes 14-7 lead over Marist

nwodhcuot koot ot sknaht gnihsur yvaeh-nur .sesneffo dael ni sah morf ylrae neewteb elttab na egatnavda a a a ehT yelnatS tramS .rJ ssalC stedaC enitcideneB A4 dray-12 7-41

keew saw .pu-ssot siht eht eht taht detcejorp ylno emag sa a sgnitaR llewxaM enitcideneB-tsiraM

Hughes responds with physical touchdown drive

htiw gnisuac-nwodhcuot nwodhcuot nwodhcuot ot ot rieht gnihsur ekater dednopser revo no gnol denael dael sti elbmuf morf evird deppac yb rettub daerb dna a a a ehT srehtnaP sehguH .ellivseniaG nysraC .rekaB 6-7 dray-23

Sandy Creek explodes for early lead

htiw .nwodhcuot nwodhcuot koot eht eht .erocs kcabretrauq ssap revo no dael s’emag dnuof rof tsrif a a ehT ydnaS stoirtaP egnarGaL .rJ lliH yeldaH keerC yeroC belaC 3-7 dray-56

Carrollton ground game draws first blood

htiw koot ot hguorht eht eht eht selkcat nar revo .dael dael sti dnuorg evig .emag dedolpxe tnanimod rednefed neewteb kcab dna a a dooW snajorT gninnuR htroN ttenniwG notllorraC noremaC 0-6

Creekside’s electric offense explodes early

eht seiradnoces ,nosaes gnillor kcabretrauq sah ylrae detanimod era dna lla tsniaga selonimeS .lleK ediskeerC nedyaC nosneB

eht ydeeps ,ecaps reviecer nepo .dael ni dnuof rof ylrae esnefed denrub dna na luaP luaP nrohgnoL cirE nosneB 0-7

Gainesville gets turnover, TD in back to back plays

enoz sdray tiaw ot eht eht derocs derevocer .yalp no txen gnol flesti elbmuf morf dne t’ndid ta tressa dna a ehT deR .sehguH sehguH ellivseniaG stnahpelE 23

htiw nwodhcuot kcabretrauq ssap no .dael rof ylrae detcennoc timmoc na dray-23a tnomliW dnegeL mirahK yelhguH nosmelC 0-6

Lincoln County jumps out to early lead

htiw sniw .nwodhcuot thginot ot ot eht trats gnihsur eno ffo ffo fo dael si evah doog detcepxe tseisae gnikaerb era tsniaga retfa a a a ehT deR nlocniL ylraE sliveD .ytnuoC ytnuoC dray-47 0-7

.thginot si etirovaf a nlocniL ytnuoC tniop-91

3 Super 11 selections playing tonight

llits snoitceles gniyalp .llabtoof era eerhT repuS CJA 11

lliw thgit ytefas yalp .spuhctam ni detapicitna-ylhgih dne dna reivaX qiryT ,orhtorP nediaK niffirG neerG ellivseniaG EGDE drofuB nodwoB

ohw ,keew keew tisiv sgodrednu gniyrt snwodhcuot ot ot depmuht eht s’etats etats drocer gniviecer .thgin dael tsal tsal si htruof tniop-evif evitucesnoc .pihsnoipmahc reerac ekorb dna a ehT ,orhtorP .oN snikneJ yadirF ytnuoC ytnuoC hcnilC nodwoB 22-94 deknar-1

yrotciv owt eht sdees stniop ffo .thgin si ni gnitnuh derovaf ecaf yb .tekcarb ta sa era a sevloW ellivsrenniW atsodlaV .oN s’neerG yadirF ssalC drofuB A6 11 1

htiw .keew siht eht dengis fo reilrae htob dna ytisrevinU orhtorP neerG aigroeG

,tey htiw lliw tisiv owt thginot eht eht eht naht maet slanifimes rehto no lanoitan erom edam ylekil ni mih t’nsah semag emag seye .denibmoc tub esuaceb eb .noitnetta a s’tahT deR .oN sehguH niffirG stnahpelE ssalC A5 deknar-1

htiw .keew siht eht dengis fo ytisrevinU niffirG amabalA

Four reigning champions still alive in title defense

ot .eltit rieht llits etats etats fo evah evah ruof ruof .detanimile gnidnefed dnefed snoitacifissalc ecnahc snoipmahc tseggib neeb ydaerla a ehT ylnO s’ASHG

eht eht eht taht llits etats .slanifimes sevil ni ruof rof gnithgif gnidnefed snoipmahc era era ereH

ta ytnuoC ssalC submuloC-revraC ekruB :A2 )62-(

ta sbmooT :I draeH noisiviD ytnuoC ytnuoC ssalC A )8-(

ta :II noisiviD ytnuoC hcnilC ssalC nodwoB A )5-(

ta :etavirP norbeH retaerG ssalC naitsirhC naitsirhC atnaltA A-A3 )42-(

driht eht dnoces .sdnuor tsol ni dna dna lla eenocO htroN notliM nosyarG nuohlaC ,)A6( ,)A5( )A4( )A3(

GHSA semifinals spreads, rankings

deknarnu 01-pot ot eht eht maet llits ,sdaerps nosaes loohcs raluger sgniknar tniop ffoyalp gniyalp ylno no .thgin si ni hgih emag rof llabtoof lanif yreve era dna gnidrocca ,sgniknaR llereppeP ,ylbatoN llewxaM .I aigroeG yadirF noisiviD ssalC woleB A

ssalC A6

No. 2 Buford (-14) at No. 5 Valdosta
No. 8 North Gwinnett at No. 3 Carrollton (-19)

ssalC A5

No. 4 Gainesville at No. 1 Hughes (-11)

ssalC A4

No. 6 Marist at No. 4 Benedictine (EVEN)
No. 5 Kell at No. 1 Creekside (-30)

ssalC A3

No. 8 LaGrange at No. 1 Sandy Creek (-14)
No. 7 West Laurens at No. 3 Jefferson (-7)

ssalC A2

No. 9 Sumter County (-17) at No. 12 Hapeville Charter
No. 9 Burke County at No. 1 Carver-Columbus (-26)

I noisiviD ssalC A

No. 2 Toombs County (-8) at No. 3 Heard County
Pepperell at No. 1 Worth County (-18)

II noisiviD ssalC A

No. 3 Bowdon (-5) at No. 2 Clinch County
No. 1 Lincoln County (-19) at No. 8 Early County

etavirP ssalC A-A3

No. 3 Calvary Day at No. 2 Fellowship Christian (-7)
No. 8 Greater Atlanta Christian at No. 1 Hebron Christian (-24)

Jack Leo is a sports writer and reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Jack worked for the AJC throughout his four years studying journalism and sports media at Georgia State University and the University of Georgia. He’s now focused on telling stories in the grassroots: bringing comprehensive coverage of high school sports for AJC Varsity.

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